iPhone features everywhere in rivals' new phones | Reuters:

The phone industry is envious of Apple's AppStore, which lets iPhone users download thousands of small software programs to personalize the way they play games, listen to music or find directions.

The Danger Sidekick had this long before Apple thought of making a phone. Anyone know if any other platform had a on-board, all-download store for purchasing phone apps?

MTV Multiplayer » 30 Minutes With The American Nintendo DS-i:

The Nintendo DSi will be released in the U.S. on April 5 for $169.99. The device had been out in Japan since the fall, but until four Nintendo reps visited me this month — carrying the DSi in a small metal briefcase – I had not seen the system in person.

And it looks sweet:

Stardock Fences: organize your icons into floating areas on your desktop | freewaregenius.com:

Fences is a free windows enhancement that allows you to create folder-like, semitransparent groups that float on the desktop and allow you to organize your desktop icons within them. It also offers the option to hide all or some of your desktop icons by double clicking on an empty area.

By now, however, I'm not sure I need it as much, I've already taught myself to just deal with it...

Props: FitzGerlad

Decided to trade in the Jetta, picked up a Mazda5. More seating room, lower monthly payment, not as good millage, but as much as I drive, it still won't be more than I'm saving a month on the payment, so I come out ahead. Basically it looks like this:

Mine is dark silver, though, and doesn't have fog lamps, or the cool honeycomb grill, or the roof things for luggage. So far so good. Drives real nice, and even with 4 cylendars it has quite a bit of zoom zoom...

Apparently everyone wants some first-hand impressions of the new T-Mobile G1 Android phone. I've only had it for just over a day, and can't quite give it the full review that it deserves, but here are a few highlights:

• Smaller than I thought. Apparently some people think it is big, but perhaps they aren't used to carrying around a smart phone.
• Battery life sucks. Seriously. If you have ever complained about battery life, you will certainly complain about the G1. Seriously.
• App store is empty. Well, it is growing, but it's nothing like the Apple D App store at it's launch. I do expect great things, however.
• Keyboard. Nice to have one, but as I've seen elsewhere it isn't really raised and doesn't provide the tactile feedback that a sidekick keyboard does.
• Integration with Google. Wish I could do 2 Google Apps for my Domain accounts, but the integration that it does have is great.
• WiFi. Haven't tried that yet.
• GPS. Tried once, but it couldn't get a bead.
• Case. There really isn't one, just a soft pouch. Had to buy something else.
• Screen. Bright. Very bright. I have the screen turned down in brightness, and still the color pops nicely.
• However. Screen is also a magnet for finger prints. I have some screen protectors on order, but we'll see...
• Mini track ball. Just like the new Sidekick and Blackberries. And it's nice.
• The notification bar? Just incredible. Reason enough to leave my Windows Mobile device in the dust.
• SMS is threaded. Nice.
• Camera is a bit weak, but nice enough to power some UPC lookup software.
• The "Locations" app. You can save locations (based on GPS or WiFi Mac address location) and then trigger events like new ringer, new wallpaper, volume settings, sending a twitter... Nice.
• Shazam app lets you sample a song near you and it tells you what the song is. I think iPhone has that, plus 1/2 a dozen other phones, this is the first phone I have that can do it.
• Phone. Such a low priority for me, but I did receive one call already, and I could actually hear them. That's a plus. Haven't tried my Bluetooth headset though.
• Voice dialer doesn't work well when you are trying to call "Sriwiyaty", apparently not a "normal" name...

So far, so good. I can live with the meager battery, and to be honest I have been playing with the phone non-stop, so it's pretty heavy battery use, but even if I was doing very little it would suck. They should have replacement better batteries at some point, so waiting might help with that one. I'm still waiting for some cool apps too, but they should be along soon enough...

I had this idea like 8-10 years ago. Clearly if I wait long enough, someone will build it for me:

Android Developer Challenge Gallery - Android:

SynchroSpot’s mission is to provide users with a whole new class of location-based mobile software. Location-based reminders allow users to input reminders into their phone and the phone will asynchronously alert them whenever they are near the given location with their reminder (e.g. Pick up milk the next time you’re at the supermarket).

Well, at 5am I finally was able to get access to the iTunes store and purchase my OS upgrade. It then installed the new OS and then recopied all of my files. v2.0 should have all sorts of new goodies, yes? Well, not so much. The biggest thing? Applications. Also there appears to be many more choices for email, and there is push functionality for Mobile Me (the new .mac). What there isn't is any of my original settings, apparently they aren't considered important enough to retain. There is also still no copy and paste, so odd to leave that out.

How about these great applications then? Well, so far it's slim pickens. I've installed the following:

AIM "lets you stay connected with the people you care about right on your iPhone or iPod Touch..."

Though, not well... There didn't appear to be any visual or audible indication on my iPod that I received a new message. Plus if you login and put the app in the background, the IMs it received all read blank, and there is no apparent way to log out of the application. Did no one test this? Uninstalled!

Facebook "for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected and share information"

I guess, though I can't see that it does anything much different than the iPhone tweaked mobile webpage. I haven't played around with this much, but most of what Facebook does isn't available, and it doesn't seem very useful to me. It's still installed, but I'm not sure for how much longer.

Google Mobile App "for your iPhone or iPod Touch makes it fast and easy to search"

Of course Google is right there in the book marks too. The Google app is just a menu for Google sites, really. Most everything you choose just pops up a program in Safari, thus most of what this does can be done with bookmarks or homepage icons. Weak, but still installed for now.

PayPal "application allows you to send money to your friends and family using your existing PayPal account."

Which is not something I do often. I guess I can check my balance too, but I can already do that with my cell phone and an SMS message. Still installed for now, but I'm not sure why.

Salesforce".com has combined the effortless navigation of the iPhone with the world's most powerful web-based computing platform to create a mobile business experience that is redefining the future of the mobile enterprise."

Not for me, though. Apparently you have to fork out a ton of extra cash for mobile access to Salesforce. Since I'm not in sales (yes I know everyone is in sales...) then I can't see why I'd want to fork out that cash when I'm mostly just using SF for tasking... Uninstalled.

Super Monkey Ball "Let's roll! Guide a cute little monkey encased in a transparent ball to victory by tilting and rolling him through a variety of slopes and turns."

This appears to be a stripped down version of the DS SMB game, with tilt controls instead of stylus controls. There are no group games, or minigames, or network games, but for $10 this should give me something to do while waiting in line, or shopping with the family, or in Nate's office... I like this one!

Twitterific "A fun application that lets you read and publish posts (called 'tweets') on the Twitter social network"

I like this one. Doesn't do much but twitter, but it's so much better than the iPhone version of the twitter page, and it does have nice alerts to it. This one is also a keeper!

How about you? What have you installed on your iPhone/iPod touch?

iPod touch applications are unlike anything you’ve ever seen on a mobile device. The world’s best developers are creating applications to leverage the groundbreaking technology in iPod touch, such as the Multi-Touch interface, the accelerometer, real-time 3D graphics, and 3D positional audio. It’s all part of the iPhone 2.0 Software Update for iPod touch.*

[ Apple - iPod touch - App Store ]

Sounds awesome! I can't wait! But wait, the day is here that they announced, so what's the deal?

I know that iPhone users already are sporting their free upgrade, and have been for days. It's bad enough that I have to pay $10 to upgrade the OS on my iPod that is less than a month old, but now they're just teasing me. I just want to get some Super Monkey Ball action, is that too much to ask?

Dashwire 2.0 Launches: Backup Your Phone and Sync Content To Social Web | Sarah In Tampa | Channel 10:

...mobile phone app Dashwire released Dashwire 2.0, a much improved version of their mobile phone backup and sync service. With Dashwire 2.0, you can backup your phone’s content – like photos, videos, text messages, ringtones, bookmarks, speed dials, contacts, and call logs – to Dashwire’s site on the web. This syncing is done automatically, so if you make a change to your phone, that change is reflected on the web, and vice versa. In addition, the app lets you share your content across several social networking sites. You can easily and automatically send photos and video to flickr, Facebook, bebo, and Twitter and you can also update your Twitter and Facebook status from the app.

So far, so good. This will certainly help to organize my phone a bit more, though so far I can't see how to "automatically" post photos to Flickr or Facebook. I've had to manually do the few I've done so far.

I would say one of those ruberized cases -- I have an incase one for my iphone.

Doug2

[ davidkearns.com - iPhone 3G ]

I must have spent a half hour touching and testing and probing and weighing all of the choices at the Apple Store at Westfield Shopping Metropolis Montgomery before settling on exactly what Doug has, though mine is black and his is yellow (they were out of yellow). I like how the Incase case doesn't cover up any part of the front, it just comes around enough to keep the device in place. The grippy back feels much better to me than the shiny silver back and as a bonus keeps the device firmly on my dashboard when driving around (which will be important when my iTrip Auto arrives).

With fast 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping, support for enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more features at your fingertips.

Wow! Great! Super! But wait... I really like my T-Mobile service. Good prices, decent coverage, good international support and not to mention my contract doesn't expire for quite a while. But these new v2.0 apps, and the coming app store and Mobile Me are so exciting...

I bought an iPod Touch. I am now among the Pod People, and I'm craving for brains (ok, that's zombies, don't remember what the pod people wanted...) My first issue, and I knew it would be one, why no speaker? That just seems crazy. Even the iPhone has a bit of a speaker. How can you show off You Tube videos to your friends, one at a time? A bit weak, I think. Now I have to fully contemplate accessories. Already snagged a screen protector, because you can never be too careful, even with glass. I am hoping there is some sort of "mini speaker" attachment that I can get, but somehow I think I'll be disappointed. And perhaps I need a case? Though I already have a few spares around.

Well, sound off, what do my loyal readers think are no-brainers in the iPod/iTouch/iPhone realm?

The mission of this $400 device is to eliminate trips to the grocery store. The hardware component is a bulbous bar code scanner, dressed up in Any-Décor White and mounted on a countertop stand, an undercabinet bracket or a wall mount. It offers a color screen on the front, a laser scanner underneath and a Wi-Fi antenna inside that connects to your home wireless network.

Each time you’re about to throw away an empty container — for ketchup, cereal, pickles, milk, macaroni, paper towels, dog food or whatever — you just pass its bar code under the scanner. With amazing speed and accuracy, the Ikan beeps, consults its online database of one million products, and displays the full name and description.

[ State of the Art - Grocery Shopping Made Easy - NYTimes.com ]

Apparently I am the only one who enjoys grocery shopping? So $400 for the device ($99 if you act quickly and get it through a delivery company like Pea Pod) and then Pea Pod is charging around $10 for delivery, plus you are allowed to tip the delivery guy (thus you should tip) and we're closer to $20 just to avoid doing something that I enjoy?

And for my Indonesian friends, isn't it ironic that you can't scan a fish and buy it with this "Ikan"?

GPS Navigation Systems are the bomb diggity. Period. No doubt about it. I love them.

When I leased my current vehicle, a 2006 VW Jetta Diesel TDI, I chose the nav system as an option. It added quite a bit to the price, but I figured it was well worth it. XM Satellite and in-dash GPS nav system with large Points of Interest (POI) database. Overall I am pleased, however:

• In dash systems generally can't be synchronized or accessed on-line
• In dash systems generally use DVD-ROM to store their data and need new DVD-ROMs, which are published rarely, to update their maps
• In dash systems stay with the car that they are in
• In dash systems give you no ability to correct errors in them without waiting for a new DVD-ROM

I expected that at least for the life of my lease I'd be getting free updates to my map data, apparently not. I tried in vein, on-line and in person, to get an updated DVD. Finally I got an email from VW telling me that my map data was probably old and for $200 they'd send me a new DVD ROM. $200?!?!? So I went looking.

Garmin, Magellan, TomTom all make portable GPS devices, each has a different line up with many options. All are priced between $125 and $900 or so. Yes, they have full GPS devices with new maps and new software for less than the "refresh" DVD ROM. This means that purchasing that DVD ROM is close to downright stupid, since I'm not keeping the car long term anywho. So which one to get?

Recently I visited my kin out in the promised land we call California, my sister has a cute little GPS device called the TomTom One XL that they call Lewis (after Lewis & Clark), I borrowed it for a trip and liked it. Checked out some details on line and found out that:

• Seemingly free map updates forever. Although not promised anywhere the map updates from TomTom as well as from the TomTom community (since you can do some corrections right on your device) are free!
• OK, they didn't promise it so perhaps they'll change their mind and I'll have to buy new maps. US & Canada only $99!
• You can download and/or create your own POI collections!
• You can set up an itinerary consisting of multiple stops and plan out a whole trip (VW system only will do 2 stops)
• You can search for stops along your route!
• 3D or 2D view (VW system only 2D)
• Some offer text-to-speech so you don't have to take your eyes off the road and read the next turn!
• Easy alternate routing! (VW system was difficult to use)
• Custom voices include Mr. T!
• Yes, Mr. T!

So what model do I choose, there are just so many. TomTom's product adviser told me that I wanted one of a few, and their product comparison lead me to choose the TomTom One XL·S which runs $300-$400 or so around town, I picked up one from Dell on special $279 only $79 more than the DVD update would cost me and it can read street names!

So, after a couple of weeks, is it all I hoped?

Here's what I found out:

• The VW DVD-ROM has a LARGE database of stores and places in it, most everything I'd want to find is already in there. TomTom? Not so much.
• TomTom, however, supports the ability to upload my own Points of Interest (POI) collections. With a utility called GPS Babel I can convert collections for any GPS product or even Google Earth to a TomTom POI collection. With a bit of help from TomTom I can even include extra details. And with the work of a community site like POI Factory I can use other people's hard work and share mine. A bit more work, but I have so much more control.
• Mr. T can't read out street names via text-to-speech. There are, however, a male and female American and male and female Brit to choose from (once you figure out how to download new content using TomTom Home)
• TomTom is smart. I have used the "find an alternate route" to find 4-5 different routes to the same destination. It shows me the map and gives me an approximate time so that with my knowledge of traffic and traffic lights I can choose a route that looks longer to the TomTom but is actually a bit quicker.
• TomTom is portable and does walking directions. When you park, save a favorite of your location, TomTom will help you find your car!
• Google Maps does TomTom (kind of). Go to maps.google.com and search for "business near location", there will be a list of A-X businesses. Choose "Send" and "GPS" and then pick type "TomTom" and select the result you want from the drop-down. Press the button and TomTom Home should launch and let you navigate to the business or add it as a favorite. Where does this fall short? Only does businesses for now, not your friends house or what have you. Also doesn't handle ampersands correctly. Still neat.
• Custom boot-up and shut-down screens. Mine are from Mario Kart, 'cause I'm a geek.
• TomTom's Traffic data is supported 2 ways. One with an antennae that receives a free broadcast with traffic data. Doesn't seem to have much support in the US outside of major urban areas, most recommend the other way. The other is TomTom's traffic feed, fed via Bluetooth from your phone, provided your phone isn't a T-Mobile Dash. Not sure what phones they do support, but mine isn't one of them.
• Oh, this puppy does up to 12 satellites! So many more than my old system, it's usually tracking at least 7 of them, and it find your location quick. And it's rarely off. And route calculations are much quicker than my old system.
• SD Card. It has a slot, but I've read that you use either the internal memory OR the SD card so to switch to an SD card I have to copy the entire system over to an SD card and that can take quite a while. I haven't done it yet, but plan to at some point.
• Suction cup mount. Since it's not in-board there has to be a mount. I stuck mine on the windshield and it hasn't fallen off once (contrary to some reviews I read on-line).
• Power. You can recharge via USB on your PC or give it power in the car with a car adapter that comes with it. And you'll need it, the battery will last no more than an hour or so.

Basically, when it comes down to it, since the price is so low I'm recommending that everyone get some kind of TomTom if they don't have a GPS Nav device already. Garmin or Magellan would be fine as well, they appear to be very similar in design and features, though I can only vouch for TomTom. Oh, and they have POI collections with gas prices and traffic cameras, if those float your boat...

Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market.

[ Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD DVD Businesses ]

This leaves BluRay as the only High Def on a Disc format left in the game. I'm a bit surprised how quickly that went. I'm rather sure that there are still some Super Beta people out there who refuse to give up the ghost. What is the actually market condition that hammered the nail in HD DVD's grave?

• Apple rumors?
• XBox rumors?
• Universal and Paramount rumors?
• WB facts?
• Wal*Mart cruelty?
• Netflix joining Blockbuster in support of BluRay?

Who really knows. What I do know is this means that Universal, Dreamworks, and Paramount will all be changing their tune to BluRay soon. And that means Back to the Future, Heroes, Shrek, Breakfast Club, and many other goodies coming to BluRay.

Props to KooshMoose for sending me the Kotaku link.

Some folks just aren't happy with the Kindle case, and I think I'm among them. A few folks have pointed out that the Kindle stays in the case due to a tab that grabs on to a divot in the back of the Kindle. Due to this design the Kindle may stay in place, or pop out if the angle is just wrong, or the battery cover may stay in place and the rest of the Kindle fall out (happened to me once). Some folks seem to like holding the cover like a book, and it seems to do that OK, but after a week or so I've found that I like to read without the cover, so it served as only a case for me. And not a good one, IMHO.

No company has stepped forward with a replacement case yet, and I guess I'm just itchy, so I went to see what I could find. Cases seem to come in just a few varieties (based on a sampling of on-line shops, Microcenter, Circuit City, Staples...):

• Small Gadget Size: cell phone, iPod, PDA, etc.
• Camera size: a wide range here from point-and-click to pro-sumer SLR sized
• Laptop size: 13"-17"
• Portable DVD player: bigger than a small gadget, smaller than a laptop, thicker than a camera

And that's about it. The small gadget sizes are well ranged, as there are tons of these devices these days. The Kindle, however, isn't one of them. The Kindle could fit into some camera bags, but they are designed to hold a lot more than a small slate, and are therefore very impractical. Laptop bags are a good design for the Kindle, especially sleeves, but no one makes a 7" laptop bag. Portable DVD players are about the right size except way too thick, they seem to be a good alternative for UMPC devices, but not the kindle. Finally I checked container store and found the Baggallini Pocket Bagg. It holds the Kindle with little room to spare, which is exactly the size I needed. However as you can see from the product page there are all sorts of internal bits, which I am concerned could scratch my Kindle's screen. Not wanting to immediately hack up a $35 bag, I decided to augment it without altering the bag or my Kindle, and I did that by asking my wife to make a snap-in screen protector. The bag came with a snap-out key fob, so I bought a sew on snap of the same size and a polyester felt remnant and my lovely wife stitched it together to make this:

Which snaps in to the Baggallini's inside:

I place the kindle inside the bag, upside down, with the screen facing the screen protector and then I can even charge the Kindle right inside the bag. Of course this means I remove it from the bag to read it, but that's the way I like it.

Here are a couple more photos of the bag with the Kindle and my NPS Parks Pass as reference:

 

Perhaps this will help you with your Kindle Case Conundrum, or just add fuel to the fire. (OK, not fire, but certainly a polite discussion...)

Julie was lucky enough to get an order for the Kindle in on launch day — it’s been sold out more or less continuously since then — and I’ve been putting it through its paces for a couple of weeks. A few months ago I reviewed the Sony PRS-500, so the Kindle has made an interesting comparison.

[ The Gadgeteer - Amazon Kindle ]

They really went into great depth here, so much so that I won't try to duplicate their effort (which was on my list of things to do). If you are curious about the Kindle and looking for a good overview, this is the review to read.

The Kindle Web Browser has 2 modes: Default and Advanced. Being the "power user" I am I promptly put it in "Advanced" mode figuring the controls would just get more complex. Actually, at a minimum, it would appear that "Advanced" means use CSS and Javascript to the best of your little ability, and thus the screen shot I took of Wikipedia isn't the experience that Amazon.com was going for. Here's an example (at Deathbringer's request):

 

Certainly the first one seems to attempt to be a niftier experience, but since this is more of a pure informational device, the second one is clearly a better Kindle experience. I'm guessing that Wikipedia does the same. I know it will make this site look much better (since that's how I rolled it).

So, the Kindle Browser Issue, once again, is a "Didn't take time to fully read the instructions" issue on my part. My apologies Kindle team.

In the last post I basically covered my first thoughts and how it handled various types of media. But there is more to the device. There is the odd case, wireless connectivity, the promised Wikipedia access, experimental web browser, and the curiosity about what this thing really is.

Odd case

The case that comes with the device has certainly had it's fair share of detractors. At first I didn't like it. The way the Kindle sits in it isn't very exacting. It would seem like it would fall out easily, and apparently some people have had malfunctions or a loose fitting where it just doesn't work at all. On mine it just doesn't sit square, but is about 2° askew. I forced myself to use it a bit more, and it does let me hold the Kindle more like a book, and protects it a bit when carrying it around. However with the cover it's much harder to type on the keyboard. Hopefully Crumpler, Case Logic, and/or Body Glove will fill the need with a neoprene sleeve that I'll end up loving. As free gadget cases that come with gadgets go, it's on par with what you'd expect, so I don't know why people are complaining.

Wireless Connectivity

The Kindle uses "Whispernet" which is some kind of resale of Sprint data without a long term contract or monthly fee. Amazon pays for the bandwidth by including that as part of the price of books, magazines, and blogs. The access is about what I'd expect. Sprint is supposed to have a good network, and it certainly seems to have better coverage than my T-Mobile phone. The wireless has a hard switch in the back so you can conserve battery and use it on planes. Certainly no complaints here, this is where the Kindle shines above all other e-readers.

Wikipedia

I guess it is there, the search quickly allows you to pull up your search phrase on Wikipedia, an I can read the resulting pages, but I wouldn't herald the experience. For example, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Click the link and see for yourself what it looks like where you are, and then witness what it looks like on the Kindle:

Clearly this wasn't considered as a priority feature by the Amazon.com team, or they are having issues with the Wikipedia people, or don't want to spend time reflowing/reformatting Wikipedia content. Perhaps it will get straightened out, perhaps not. The information is still there, and I still didn't pay a dime for the wireless connectivity.

Web Browser

Yes it has a web browser. Yes it works even though I'm not paying for access. However, no color, rudimentary javascript at best, small screen size, no resizing options, some pages just don't work (like Google Reader). What I'd love to be able to do is use this as my blog reader, but since the aforementioned Google Reader doesn't work, and the mobile Google Reader is horrible, my only hope would be to switch back to bloglines, and I'm not entertaining that idea. Google did do a Wii Opera Browser version of the Google Reader, which likely has 1 user, so perhaps they'll roll out a Kindle version. And where is this access coming from? IP Chicken knows:

What is this thing anyway?

So, as with most new gadgets, the question in the Linux community is: "How do we get Linux to install on this thing?". Why people want to install Linux on every device known to man, I don't know, but in this case it's already there:

I fuzzed out a few of the numbers, just in case they were identifying in some way that would be bad to me. But hey, how did I get all of these screen shots and the extra info? Hacker Igorsk knows how. He also has a guide on how to get non-Amazon.com Mobipocket DRMed e-books on to your device. Not sure if Amazon.com has issues with that, but apparently they are somewhat cool with hacking the device. Want even more details on what this thing is? Igorsk has part 1 and part 2 of his reversing the device, plus Mahalo has a page set up.

Yes, Jerry, I've purchased yet another gadget. This one is the new e-reader from Amazon.com, dubbed the Kindle. The kindle arrives packed in a box that looks like a book, which I find a bit ironic. I unpacked mine and proceeded to charge it as directed by the sticker on the front screen. It comes with a USB cable and a charge cord that is a standard 2 plug transformer with an itty-bitty round plug that plugs into the bottom of the Kindle. Then I looked for where to plug in my SD card, and determined that it was under the battery cover, so I waited.

Two agonizing hours later the battery was fully charged. I popped open the back and slipped in my SD card which I had preloaded with tons of test materials that I had created with the Mobipocket Creator. After all I want to put this device to the test, right? Mobipocket Creator can convert HTML, Word, Text, and PDF documents into a "Mobipocket" file that the Kindle (and other Mobipocket readers) can display. In the process of creating a few files, some for testing and some for eventual reading, I also installed the reader on my Laptop and on my PDA and neither proved to be a reading experience I would entertain on a regular basis. The PDA was nice that it's my phone and always with me so it's not something extra to carry, but it's not a very enjoyable read. So how did my conversions fair?

Religious Text

One of the most exciting things to me about my Kindle is the ability to get religious texts, for free, in a very portable, easily searchable interface. While the basic Qur'an comes in many sizes, and isn't much of a portability issue, it is not the only text that guides Muslims. There are a series of compendiums of stories about the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) called hadith that are deemed authentic through a scientific approach and documentation of the chain of transmission. The most famous of these collections was compiled by Imam Bukhari in the year 870 or so and contains 7275 hadith and a collection compiled by Muslim Ibn al-Hajjaj in the year 875 or so and contains 9000+ hadith. Just those two alone can fill volumes, or part of an SD card in your Kindle... Do I need the ability to carry these around where I choose? Probably not, but I like the idea. I found a PDF of the Qur'an online, downloaded it and converted it. And then found the basic hadith collections in HTML that someone had spidered off of the USC MSA website.

Public Domain Book

Since I had just recently watched the SciFi mini-series Tin Man I decided a read of the original Oz might be in good order, so I went looking for the texts in online libraries. The major online repositories of free reading stuff seems to be the Gutenberg Project, iBilio, and perhaps Open Library. Gutenberg had the Oz series so I downloaded it in HTML. The books were easy to find, and although Mobipocket wasn't an available option, the conversion went pretty quick and rather painless. The resulting text is easy to read and hopefully I'll get around to it soon (as now that I have a portable library, there are many publications vying for my attention).

Graphic Novel

I love NBC's Heroes. The story is very compelling and I'd love to get more of it, NBC has kindly published some extra graphic novels online with story details above and beyond what we see on TV. To read them means to sit in front of the laptop for a few hours, which I do enough of already, so I figured get them over to the Kindle for a more comfortable read. Each is a PDF, which Mobipocket Creator claims to convert. Here's where we start to see some issues, not unexpected, but unfortunate. While text easily flows from one size to another, images do not. The images lacking color on the Kindle didn't pose as much of a problem as the tiny text in the images that you need to read (since that is the story...) Guess I'll be reading those on my laptop.

White Paper

As a technical resource the Kindle should be a great help. If I can get my tech library on it, it's available to me even if I'm working in the middle of the woods. I was troubleshooting some IP issues with Vista and grabbed a white paper from Microsoft about the Configuring and Deploying IPv6 on Windows Vista. Wow, this one was tricky. I guess I could have just left it the mess that Mobipocket Creator made, but I can't blame them. What the program does is have Word save out an HTML version of the document and then it does an import of an HTML document. Anyone who works on the web knows that Word does a crap-happy job of saving out to HTML, and Office 2007 is no exception. It rolls it's own unique version of HTML, that most other programs can't quite make heads or tails of. So I fired up my trusty vim and hacked it up until I was happy. The result is quite legible, but the effort means that I won't be doing a lot of Word docs.

Readily Available Document

Some documents aren't in the public domain, but are readily available for free in a format that could be pulled into the Kindle. One such example is Hacknot which Joe Grossberg made a comment about a while back, so I pulled it in and plopped it on my SD card. They've made it available on PDF in two sizes, can't remember which I picked since I wasn't going to print it anyway, just blend it up with Mobipocket. It was a totally painless process which I'm looking forward to reading the results.

Tech Specs

Being that I am a programmer/developer/coder/hack by trade I sometimes have to write tech specs. Even though I have two screens, during coding the real estate on my screens is limited so having an external copy is nice. And since I'd like to leave the world in a better state than when I got here, I don't like killing trees for that luxury (though I do resort to arboricide if need be). Wouldn't it be great if I could just pop the specs on the Kindle? Well in this case no. My tech specs were more like a series of screen caps and and ERD with little supporting text, none of which wanted to be exported out of Word to HTML, and once I coaxed them out, they were not legible enough to do me any good.

Text File

Well it says that it can do text files, who am I to argue. I'm on my third time through Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, so it's time to crack out a playing guide to help decode the skill points, since I'm not a pre-teen with years of free time on my hands. I am impressed here, it parses out the text as it imports to help with removing line ending hyphens and to figure out if there are headings or section numbers or what have you.

Amazon.com Kindle Books - Preloaded

Excited as I was, I ordered a half dozen items for my Kindle before it was even shipped, and by the time I was playing around with it, post charge, they were all there, delivered to me via Whispernet:

• Storm Front (sample) - by Jim Butcher, the first Dresden Files book
• Not Long Before the End - short story by Larry Niven
• What Good Is a Glass Dagger? - another short story by Larry Niven, same series
• The Murderer - short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• A Thousand Splendid Suns (sample) - by that "Kite Runner" guy, for Yaty
• Neuromancer (sample) - by William Gibson

So far I've read the Murderer and that's it. Since I've already read the two Larry Niven stories in the past, as well as Neuromancer, I'm likely saving them for a long wait in an airport or doctors office when I'm bouncing off the ADD walls. So far, so good.

Amazon.com Kindle Books and Magazines

Once it arrived I found a few more items that sparked my interest, though interestingly most I found via Amazon.com and not from the storefront on the Kindle device itself:

• The Nation - so far I'm not impressed, don't think I'll subscribe
• The Atlantic Monthly - couldn't put it down, I like this one
• The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson (sample) - if I like it I may see if I can find it for free, though the price isn't too much from Amazon.com

All painless whichever method I chose to get it to my device, all look good (though The Nation is a bit dry). All-in-all a very pleasant experience.

Music

Yes music. Apparently the Kindle includes a speaker for audio book playback, and has a not-so-hidden experimental feature to play back that music via the speaker or headphones. I picked up a digital copy of Led Zeppelin's Mothership and loaded it up on the Kindle (I also burned a copy for the car). Audiophiles will not be impressed, but it was good enough for the likes of me. Playback interface and play options are vastly lacking, but this isn't meant to be an iPod.

Conclusion

Since receiving the Kindle a scant 36 hours ago I have read more literature of one type or another than in the 36 weeks previous. The Kindle makes it convenient for me to read when I get the chance, and provides me a better reading experience than bulky books, magazine, newspapers, and even a computer screen. I think my Kindle and I will get on nicely.

The TVersity Media Server lets you manage your Internet and home media and create your personalized lineup of channels, or as we call it your Personal Entertainment Guide (PEG). It then serves this media to a multitude of networked devices in the home or on the go, overcoming their inherent limitations by doing all the necessary conversions on the fly, and thus making your media available anywhere, anytime and on any device.

[ TVersity Frequently Asked Questions ]

Looks like my new PS3 can find this puppy automagically, and then via the magic of Remote Play from the PSP I have partial Sling Box functionality for no additional cost. Sweet. I think I could even figure out how to use TiVo ToGo to port my TiVo programs into the Media Server...

Well, I now can't get rid of my Windows Vista Sidebar. I had some Outlook gadgets on there like my schedule, and the weather, and a gadget that tells me when to pray, but now I have the one gadget to rule them all:

Listen to XM Radio on your sidebar! Modified from the GNU code developed by ShadoHawkShadoWorks and falconguynaz, we've added a few new modifications and improvements to the mix.

[ Windows Live Gallery ]

XM provides a web-based player which (of course) sucks because it's a web-based player. Does anyone use a web page player for their music? With a bit of research you find that XM can be played through Napster (which is just a skinned, hacked-up Microsoft player), but even though I had it installed I never used it.

This sidebar widget is about as perfect as you can get. It's there all of the time. Doesn't seem to take up many resources when not being used (and hasn't skipped yet even under heavy CPU usage). It can keep track of favorites, help you purchase the music you're listening to on Amazon.com, has a separate volume control, basically it rocks.

Since I am under the impression that I have tons of free time, I'm starting a second blog:

Welcome to my blog about being Muslim and having a mobile life (or at least craving your resources wherever you go). Ever since accepting Islam some 13 or so years ago I have tried to figure out how to get my resources to go with me. I want to know the prayer times, hear the Athan, read my Qur'an, and so on. Finally today I decided if no one else was going to publish a guide, I might as well step up and do it.

[ Muslim To Go ]

Crazy, eh? Perhaps crazy to think I have the time, but I don't know too many people who are as obsessed with mobile devices as I am, and even fewer who are Muslim. And since I've had multiple people ask me how I got my phone to do the call to prayer, and now I'm obsessing over the Amazon.com Kindle device (and how great it would be to have a portable library including religious texts) I might as well blog about it and share the wealth. So if you know a Muslim who is always staring at his/her gadgets and asking "why can't this do more for me", send them my way...

Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen.

[ Amazon.com: Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device: Kindle Store ]

This device seems to be getting panned in the comments on its page on Amazon.com, but I think the way millions of people have fallen in love with their iPods, this is the device for me. I have some concerns:

1. What is Sprint coverage like? At my house?
2. How long will the Sprint coverage be free?
3. What if the books I want never find their way onto the device?
4. Do I have to email files to be converted? Will I be able to USB transfer them?
5. How much does an SD card hold?

But I keep coming back to these two things:

1. Free wireless access to Wikipedia!
2. Includes a Dictionary!

Just for those 2 items I'd carry this thing around everywhere and irritate everyone with my constant research on all sorts of minutia.

Update: It has arrived. Review to follow shortly.

Coolpix S50

How to build a Mosquito trap.

Materials Needed:

2000ml (2 liter) bottle
50 gram (brown?) sugar
1 gram yeast
Thermometer
Measure cup
Knife
Black paper

[ DIY:happy Quick and Dirty Mosquito Trap ]

That looks pretty darn easy. And would last much much longer than the crappy repellents I've tried so far. Plus, unlike a repellent, this gets rid of the buggers.

Stardock is pleased to officially announce that the beta of WindowBlinds 6 is now available for users of Object Desktop. WindowBlinds 6 represents a whole new generation of Windows skinning with advanced new features such as animation overlays, blur glass effects on both Windows Vista and Windows XP, user created sub-styles, full font control, explorer backgrounds, complete Windows Vista skinning, faster performance, and much more!

[ Stardock News: WindowBlinds 6 Beta Released ]

I haven't used WindowBlinds since I upgraded to Vista, WB5.5 just didn't work well enough for me and I actually was a bit down on the WindowBlinds due to it's poor handling of Vista. Well Stardock, please forgive me, 'cause you guys are back!

WindowBlinds 6 beta works tremendously better than WB5.5 did on my Vista Laptop, and I'm back to messing with the general look and feel of my OS on a regular basis. I'm hoping that soon it will be clear which skins have made sure that they work well on Vista, with all the pretty trimmings I've been used to on Aero, but for now I'm just happy to be able to "paint the walls" whenever I want.

Update: I should mention that it wouldn't install happy-happy at first, and I had to follow the guidelines here and then reboot twice before it would work. But that's what "beta" means, right?

I &heart; Windows Live Mobile Search. The new version looks even better than the first (surprise surprise) including GPS, Movie info, Traffic info, and more!

The Mobile Search team has released V2 of the rich client application for Windows Mobile, as well as a major update to the browser based interface. Whether you have a J2ME (Java) phone, Windows Mobile phone, or any other device with a mobile browser, Live Search has you covered with maps, directions and business search

[ Virtual Earth / Live Maps ]

Do your phone/pda a favor and download this puppy now! iPhone and Sidekick users need not apply, those platforms are locked down too tight.

And that's all I wanted, however what I found is quite amazing:

AutoHotkey unleashes the full potential of your keyboard, joystick, and mouse. For example, in addition to the typical Control, Alt, and Shift modifiers, you can use the Windows key and the Capslock key as modifiers. In fact, you can make any key or mouse button act as a modifier.

[ AutoHotkey - Free Mouse and Keyboard Macro Program with Hotkeys and AutoText ]

This thing is seriously freakin' powerful. I'm rather certain it can handle most anything you've ever wanted to map to a key.

It's incredible. And I know many of you have the same question I did; when am I going to have one of these in my house?

[ First Look: Microsoft Surfacing Computing! | Larry Larsen | Channel 10 ]

I've been forecasting this type of computing for a while, I expect it will drive the office of the future, so your desk is your computer.

...e-mail and messaging services automatically update your Outlook data. Precise navigation by means of GPS guidance. It enables you also to make Voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls...

[ Pocket LOOX T Series - Handhelds - Fujitsu Siemens Computers ]

And, 6 months after release, still not available in the US. I have simple needs:

1. Windows Mobile
2. Keyboard
3. GPS
4. Decent battery

Is that too much to ask, T-Mobile? I love the Dash, but no GPS, and it's on "SmartPhone" and not actual Windows Mobile...

But now I don't care, I gots me Live Search on my PDA-Phone.

Not sure if or how it works on Windows Smart Phone, I'll try to get Yaty to install it and see if it's as cool on her phone as it is on mine.

I'm a big geek:

It was time to upgrade, and Dell and the folks at SkinIt suckered me in. I'm not 100% sure how Samus got past their "copyright censors", 'cause I was fully expecting this to be denied, but it arrived, and looks just as great as I expected.

I saw this before, and I guess I figured that it involved some degree of rough handling:

So to summarize, if your DS Lite has the hinge crack that we've all seen, then Nintendo will likely repair it free of charge. It also sounds like Nintendo may have figured out that the crack was caused by overtightening.

[ Nintendo Capitulates, Offers Free Repairs for Cracked DS Lites - Kotaku ]

Now I don't think so. I've treated my DS with the utmost care and respect, and I still got a broken hinge. In addition when I close the lid instead of auto-pausing it now seems to toggle auto pause on and off and on and off. However the warrantee is still good, and people are claiming that Ninty will fix this one, so the question remains will it be fixed in time to play the new Zelda DS game?

The page that you are now reading describes how you can import a PKCS#12 certificate file to Windows Mobile 5.0. Such a PKCS#12 file typically contains a personal certificate and its corresponding private key, a root certificate and optionally a number of intermediate CA certificates. The reason I made the PFXimprt program was that I wanted to connect with Windows Mobile to a Linux VPN Server. It turns out that PFXimprt can be used for other purposes too.

[ Personal Certificate Import Utility for Windows Mobile 5.0 ]

Like encrypting, decrypting, and signing emails using the free S/MIME certificate you got from InstantSSL. Once the certificate was installed on my phone, all encrypted emails are now readable.

Victor® Electronic Mouse Trap

Quickly and safely eliminate mice from your home with the Electronic Mouse Trap. Delivers an electrical shock to kill mouse in seconds. Safe to use around children and pets. Built in safety feature.

[ Shop at Victorpest.com ]

And it works. Bought one yesterday and today there is one less mouse in the world. I'm not sure how many mice are plagueing my house, but 4 AA batteries can handle up to 50 mice, so I'll keep putting it out until the evidence of mice is gone.

And, for the record, almond butter seems to work just as well as the peanut butter that the directions say to use.

Like the mythical half-horse, half-man of Greek lore, Concept Centaur combines the best of several technologies to create an innovative whole. The result of exploration by Segway Inc.'s product development team, Concept Centaur will challenge the way you think about four-wheeled transportation.

[ Segway | Concept Centaur ]

It just looks like a great time. Sure I guess you could use it to get across town too, or herd animals, or deliver goods, or I don't know what, but it's clearly designed for just having a great time. Nice maneuverability in tight spaces too. I hope that the redesigned city of the future left room for something like this.

Still looks cool, though.

Headed out of town this weekend, and I wanted to make sure I had connectivity no matter where I go. I know that theoretically my phone could be used to provide access for a PC, but I had never looked into it. This article has all I needed to know, for the most part:

It is not the ambition of this article to answer all your questions regarding the use of a Pocket PC as a modem but rather to show how to configure HTC Wizard and other devices that you need to connect to the internet[sic] over it. If you possess the same devices and follow the instructions, you should soon succeed. Considered strong similarities between all Pocket PC devices from HTC, it is likely that the same procedure would apply to in other cases, too.

[ PDAgold.com :: Article :: HTC Wizard as a modem (USB, Bluetooth) ]

I discovered this article by googling and finding this thread on "HowardForums". Later in that thread "Berniemac23" points out that on T-Mobile the APN is "wap.voicestream.com" and not Internet. I successfully connected via Bluetooth and USB cable, I'm sure both will prove useful at some point.

Next up is trying to power the laptop, and therefore the phone too, from my Jetta, thus allowing me to work anywhere I get GPRS/EDGE coverage.

Apparently, I do now.

There are plenty of Task Managers available for Pocket PC. However if you are still searching for the right one, try this software.

[ Magic Button - Pocket PC Task Manager ]

I had been using WisBar Advance, because it skins, and I'm a sucker for that, but even after suspecting that WisBar had less than stellar performance issues, and could have possibly been interfering with normal phone functions, I continued to use it do to the task management capabilities. I rather dislike the WM apps minimizing all of the time, and not closing like I want. So I went looking, and what I found was Magic Button. It works great. My phone is now much quicker and more stable, and thus I am happier.

Nate did point out today that lack of WisBar means lack of cascading start menu, so I went looking again, and I'm now trying out ProgramMenu. So far, so good, but we'll see.

TiVo announced a while back that I'd be able to take my TiVoed programs "to go". What does that mean? Not much, apparently. I only have 1 TiVo, so I can't transfer between them. I don't have a laptop, so I guess I can use the desktop software to watch TiVo on my PC, but that's not going very far. I don't wish to burn things on DVD enough to purchase their partner's DVD burn kit. I really just want to download the video to my PSP or Yaty's iPod.

Enter DirectShow Dump:

DirectShow Dump is a debugging App that allows you to extract (into a file) what the output of a DirectShow filter is. It is easy to use, employs asynchronous I/O for optimal performance and can batch-process files.

[ DirectShow Dump ]

Since the TiVo series 2 can copy video to my PC and store it as a modified MPEG-2 file, with some sort of DRM encryption, but allow for playback through WindowsMedia 10 and "DirectShow", it wasn't too difficult to pipe that to an unencrypted file (not too difficult for me at least... ;)). Then I sync that file via my PSP Media Manager, which I purchased before realizing that PSP Video 9 existed, and voilà! I truly have TiVo To Go!

OS 2.7 is out, Network Update should upgrade you.

Sony says the latest iteration of the handheld's frequently hacked operating system adds a number of browser enhancements, including Flash compatibility and the ability to save audio content from RSS channels to a memory stick. The upgrade also fixes the problems that cropped up with earlier versions of the OS when using memory sticks larger than 2GB.

[ PlayStation.com - News ]

However Flash on the PSP sucks. It is sooooooooooo slow, and therefore Homestar Runner is not feasibly enjoyable on the PSP, and is there any other reason to use flash?

The new RSS streaming and save-ability is nice, no longer do you need the PSP Connect software to pod-catch, but I doubt they're giving me a refund...

If you're sitting in an airport lounge halfway across the world and you're itching to listen to one of your favorite tracks at home, you can. As Orb puts it, it's "home entertainment without the home."

[ Mobile Media Without Limits ]

Audio, video, photos, what about my Tivo? If this could pull from my Tivo and stream to my phone, we'd really be talking.

UMPC nee Origami isn't anything new, but Microsoft and Intel want to weigh in. One thing that is new is some interfaces including this swell new touch-screen thumb-pad that Microsoft has licensed for the UMPC:

This, of course, means that I've spent too much, too soon on my PSP and my new phone, but that's the price to pay when you're a gadget freak like me, ne?

The Ultra-Mobile PC is portable, lightweight, and configured to connect on the go. It’s the device that you’ll always want with you.

[ Ultra-Mobile PC - Go Everywhere. Do Everything. ]

Though, perhaps I'm not getting it. It sounds like a tablet PC. Is it better? Cheaper? Or is this a super-big WinCE device that finally has some power, a real OS, full connectivity? Perhaps it's just the time to hit a striking point between the 2. A sort of "life drive" killer...

The big question, of course, is how much money will I be spending to buy one... ;-)

Total Commander is a File Manager, FTP, Registry Editor, LAN browser, all-in-one app for your Windows Mobile device. The price is right (free) and it appears to be happy to run off of a expansion card.

As always, use caution when hacking that registry!

Simply place .mp3, .wma (including DRM WMA!), or .midi files in the root folder of your "Storage Card" and they will be available as a ringtone for your phone!

Check all of the "ringtones sites" you want, I think this is the only way to get a Dengue Fever ringtone!

Everyone is on the "bluetooth handsfree wagon", it seems. Motorola, Logitech, Jabra, Fischer Price... But which one to get. So far this looks the best to me, but how can I be certain?

• No additional phone dongle needed to enjoy 10 meters (30 feet) of range. It also works with your Bluetooth-compatible PC. And Bluetooth v1.2 gives you adaptive frequency hopping, quick connect time, and improved audio quality.
• WindStop technology enables clear conversations in adverse conditions by reducing the disruptive effects of wind noise, including automobile air conditioners.
• Rotating clip conveniently fits either ear, and lightweight soft foam ear pad stays comfortable even after long talk sessions.
• Enjoy up to 7 hours of talk time or up to 250 hours of standby time between charges.
• Call/answer button on the headset lets you conduct calls without having to pick up the phone. The Logitech Mobile Freedom Headset also supports several features built into many handsets, such as voice dialing, three-way calling, and m 

[ Amazon.com: Logitech Mobile Freedom Bluetooth Headset: Cell Phones ]

Anyone have any opinions on the subject?

It's no secret that the Windows Mobile today screen is a bit weak. I've tried 1/2 a dozen things before, but never this one. It looks pretty cool:

Your Today screen just became Tomorrow’s screen! You’ve never been able to manage your life from the Today screen before

[ SBSH Mobile Software - Making smaller bigger ]

The better memory/application handling built into this makes it a no-brainer at $9.99:

WisBar Advance 2 expands upon the successful task management features found in the original WisBar Advance. Now more tightly integrated with the PocketPC operating system, WisBar Advance provides greater responsiveness and a richer user experience.

[ Lakeridge Software ]

And it has a light skinning engine to boot! So my Microsoft device can look like an Apple... (or Red Hat if I can find that skin...)

I'm rather certain I've blogged about this gem before:

Athan and recitation before the Athan even when the device is off. Also, This software contains Prayer table, Prayer schedule , Hijri Calendar and Hijri to Georgian conversion, Qibla according to your location and position of the sun. Furthermore, it contains lunar calendar, moon age and Islamic Holidays Added to your calendar. Finally, it support Today Screen plugging display to display the prayer time and date in Hijri and to control the Azan voice.

[ Pocket Islam Smartphone ]

For any gadget geek Muslim with a Windows Mobile device, this one is a must.

It will be interesting to see how much of CRM this client supports.

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM Mobile is a mobile client for Microsoft CRM v1.2. Microsoft CRM Mobile provides salespeople with up-to-date information about their accounts and contacts, and helps them manage sales opportunities and track sales-related activities.

[ Download details: Microsoft CRM Mobile 1.2 ]

I'm most interested in "cases", which I've heard much about, and we may be using to support a trouble ticket like system.

How is this an add on?

With Microsoft Global Contact Access, you can use Pocket Outlook on your Windows Mobile powered Smartphone or Pocket PC Phone Edition to look up contacts in the Global Address List (GAL) on your corporate Exchange server.

[ Microsoft Global Contact Access for Windows Mobile powered Devices ]

Optional I can see, but it's called Pocket Outlook, not Pocket Mail. I guess I should be happy that it exists at all.

Update: This seems to be a big piece of poo. Perhaps I have to punch more holes in the firewall...

Bye bye Sidekick, hello Windows:

The new T-Mobile MDA is a messaging powerhouse, with a full keyboard that slides away plus GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and the extra speed you need to take advantage of the T-Mobile Total Internet network

[ T-Mobile MDA ]

I've been loving my PSP browser (included in OS 2.x) but a DS browser? That means a stylus? Hot.

In Opera's agreement with Nintendo, Nintendo DS users will now be able to surf the full Internet from their systems using the Opera browser. The Opera browser for Nintendo DS will be sold as a DS card. Users simply insert the card into the Wi- Fi enabled Nintendo DS, connect to a network, and begin browsing on two screens.

[ Giving gamers two windows to the Web: The Opera Browser for Nintendo DS™ ]

The question is, does Yaty need a 2nd DS to browse websites for Animal Crossing friend codes?

Apparently I like VW. I've now entered into my third relationship with Volkswagen and their 2006 Jetta TDI, which looks remarkably like the photo here:

I already miss my rear window wiper, but otherwise it's got tons of new bells and whistles to distract me. Navigational computer, XM Radio, Seat Position Memory, four doors, back seat cup holders, super large trunk, and I don't know what else.

With all of that it may be surprising that the first thing on my list is to get a better understanding of how a diesel engine works. It is bugging me, a bit, that I can't conceptualize what is going on under my hood. In high-school I took a semester of auto shop, and I came away understanding the standard gas engine, and the wankel engine too, but we didn't cover diesel, and it's nagging my brain in a big way.

After that I will most likely find every setting that can be tweaked, and enter some of my favorite addresses in the Navigational system, or just sit and inhale the new car smell...

For the price I can ignore the fact that it has VCAST:

Now nine months later, despite the F9100's lukewarm acceptance, LG has designed another 9000-series QWERTY keypad device; this time named the VX9800. Improving on many of the F9100's shortcomings, the VX9800 promises to be not just a text messaging device, but a complete multimedia package, with an excellent imaging, audio, and connectivity features, making it more widely appealing than just to a small demographic.

[ LG VX9800 Review - Mobiledia ]

N8 has been eyeing this one for a while, but is concerned about the lack of a web browser. It appears that you can load one on the device, but the screen looks tiny to me, and I don't expect the browsing experience to be all that. For texting and IMing, however, this is a hot little phone, and at a good price.

[PSP OS 2.6] supports WMA (though it doesn’t support PlaysForSure, WMA9 Professional, and WMA9 Lossless, d’oh!), RSS (we hear that includes enclosures, i.e. podcast time on your PSP!), and some other incremental developments.

[ Engadget Gaming ]

And if you have an old laptop gathering dust in your closet, you might be able to get a real good deal on that PSP.

I didn't even know one was coming. I'm still expecting to migrate off of mine onto a Windows Mobile device soon, but since when that happens Yaty will get my Sidekick, it's good to know that they are continuing to improve. Best feature added?

Support for JavaScript on Web pages

[ T-Mobile Sidekick Help ]

Yes, you read that right. Up until now the Sidekick didn't do JavaScript. They've added tons of little short cuts too, and finally support for transferring contacts back and forth from your SIM. Still missing? Ability to use WAV files attached to emails as ringers...

Still don't have the phone, but I have a list of goodies to install, including this:

As the name suggests is does conversions - it supports four types of conversions, each with up to 10 categories. Currency Measures - 1 inch = 2.5 Centimetres etc Temperature - Celsius <-> Fahrenheit

[ "Convert It" for your Smartphone ]

So you're all set up to podcatch with ipodder, but you want to automatically sync with your portable device. The problem? You don't own an actual iPod, but you do have a Windows Mobile device that has mp3 playback and a nice sized SD card. The solution? MobSync.

MobSync is a software allowing any file folder synchronization from the Pocket PC onto the desktop--synchronization which cannot be done with ActiveSync. So, with this software you can synchronize any file folder on your Pocket PC (not necessarily \My Documents) with any file folder on your desktop (not necessarily \Pocket_PC My Documents either). It works well and now that it is translated in english it is a must have. Pay attention to very big files, it may stop in the middle of the process and fail to copy (just like ActiveSync).

[ PocketPCFreewares - MobSync ]

This should work fine on your Dell Axim, your Samsung i730 phone, or what-have-you. Now you only need to find podcasts worth subscribing too...

Or, if you have $9 and want an all-in-one PodCatching/RSS aggregating solution that requires no PC, FeedReader looks pretty hot.

Crazy but (possibly) true:

Ever since Palm separated from PalmSource Inc., the company that develops the Palm OS, analysts and enthusiasts have been speculating that Palm would eventually turn to a different operating system vendor for its smart phones and personal digital assistants. That speculation reached fever pitch earlier this week, when Engadget posted photos of the unannounced Treo 700w running the Windows Mobile operating system.

[ Windows-based Treo May Arrive Today - CIO News Alerts - Blog - CIO ]

Which, of course, could mean a Windows OS powered Life Drive. Perhaps my lack of buying a portable digital media device (PDMD) has finally paid off.

Update: Reuters says it's true.

It always seems that way to me.

An employee of Samsung Electronics shows the world's highest density 16-gigabit NAND flash memory device using 50-nanometer technology during a news conference in Seoul, Monday, Sept. 12, 2005

[ Yahoo! News Photo ]

If Korea doesn't shoot right past Japan any day now, I'll be surprised. Though they do have that addiction to MMORPGs thing to get over...

Props to Big G

Google Talk has pushed me back over the edge. Too many programs, and they all do the same thing. I'll try Trillian again.

Trillian is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings.

[ Cerulean Studios -> Learn about Trillian ]

In 2 weeks it will expire. We'll see then if I pony up the $25 for Trillian Pro (the only way to get Google Talk) or go back to my wicked ways.

Granted, I'm the last person to do so. TiVo claims:

Only TiVo is so smart, it's simple to use.

[ TiVo.com | What is TiVo ]

What they don't tell you is that it will take hours to set up, and you must have a phone to do so. Sure you can use a USB Wireless Access Point to do everything, but only once you've connected by phone at least twice during the setup. Luckily this connection will go over my Vonage VoIP phone line, or I'm not sure what I could do.

Another sticking point is that Comcast's lineup isn't quite right. TiVo thinks that channel 81 is G4TV, as does the Comcast website. However my TiVo device is clearly picking up G4TV on channel 99, and always has in non-digital mode.

The driving force behind my need for TiVo? I can't find my TV's remote. I had returned my Comcast digital box with DVR, since the DVR never really recorded things that I asked it to, and the digital lineup is so seldom watched in my house. My cable bill drops $30 by doing so, and makes the purchase of a TiVo and the addition of another movie in my Netflix queue almost no-brainers. However I hadn't realized what a God-send the remote control is, and how lazy humans can really be. After a few days without one I determined that I would have to purchase a TV remote or change my habits all together. Since a universal remote costs at least $15, what's another $85 for a TiVo? (and $5 for a wireless access point after rebate)...

Update: If this, somehow, inspires you to get a TiVo, you can tell them I referred you by giving them my email address "tivo [at] davidkearns [dot] com".

Forget the iPod, Apple's new mouse is hot. Period.

At $49, Mighty Mouse features the revolutionary Scroll Ball that lets you move anywhere inside a document, without lifting a finger. And with touch-sensitive technology concealed under the seamless top shell, you get the programability of a four-button mouse in a single-button design.

[ Apple - Mighty Mouse ]

Priced right, packed with features, I wonder what the wireless version will cost...

Props to Sajous

My beloved Sidekick II's keyboard is starting to come off. This usually means that I've had my "mobile communication solution" for long enough to start seeing what else is on the horizon. If this is indicative of what's coming, I'm psyched:

...from the five minutes we spent with the Q we can tell you that yes, it is incredibly thin, that it has a nice, crisp screen, and that the keyboard was fairly easy to use...

[ Hands-on with the Motorola Q - Engadget - www.engadget.com ]

The Sidekick II is nice but is still a bit weak. It's a bit bigger than other devices, still no infrared, no bluetooth, poor Outlook sync, and little ability to expand it's functionality. The promise of custom code running on the device has fallen very short, as their developer program has far too much red tape involved, and isn't tailored for home grown efforts (it's clearly designed to allow providers to have tight controls on what can and cannot be run on the device).

Update: Dari brings the Reuter's story about this device to our attention.

The battery to be specific. I can't find anyone who carries them any more, so I can't get a replacement. Or at least not easily. So why not take it up a notch:

Ryobi HP472K

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Voltage: 7.2 volts 
• RPM: 330/520 (no-load speeds) 
• Chuck: 3/8” keyless 
• Clutch: 24 position 
• Weight: 2.96 lbs.

FEATURES:

• Keyless chuck – enables quick and easy bit changes 
• 24 clutch positions – virtually eliminates screw stripping by adjusting for various materials and driving depths 
• Compact center handle design with power grip overmold – maximizes user comfort 
• Variable speed switch – controls drilling/driving tasks from a slow start to a fast finish 
• Built-in bubble level – improves drilling/driving accuracy by identifying the proper 90 angle 
• Forward/Reverse selector – conveniently located for inserting and removal tasks 
• On-board magnetic storage – for quick access to your driving bit

[ Ryobi ]

Didn't cost much more than the B&D tool I bought before, but has quite a bit more power. Plus it has 30 levels of torque to avoid stripping screws but still allow for the power necessary to get the job done. Didn't have a hex driver bit, but my B&D bits fit in the adapter just fine. And a tool like this is required for any Ikea project...

Call them straps, charms, fobs, or thing that helps you fish your phone out of your pocket or purse; they are very popular with me and other 14 year old Asian Girls:

We work hard for you keeping in mind this words. This does not mean just to sell well phone straps all over the world. We think that one Phone Strap is a tiny toy or pettit [sic] accessory for a person but it has an infinite loveliness maybe he longs for. This is What we are all about. "From Japan to you, we bring Straps to you with Love"

[ Phone Strap & Accessory, StrapYa! Stuff Introduction ]

They have everything from Zippo lighters, to Hello Kitty, to food items, and even miniature cell phones to hang off your your cell phone. I've been surfing for hours in amazement, and looking for a replacement for the "Hula Girl" that Yaty isn't so keen on. I found another site that has some coffee related charms, but alas I don't speak Japanese, nor live in Japan.

...and therefore insufficient time to pull off hacks like this:

This page is a list of mirrors to the various DS games Nintendo was broadcasting at E3 2005 to anyone who came by their booth with a DS. These games are distributed in .nds format, and can be multibooted to a DS via Firefly's wireless multiboot program if you have a compatible wifi card.

[ akkit.org/DS/E3 - DS at E3 2005 - and others! ]

Of course, maybe some of these folks hack for a living, but I can't determine how they'd make any money at this. Not only have they captured the DS demos that Nintendo had at E3 but they've linked up to "WiFiMe", which is a server and set of drivers to make your compatible WiFi card into a broadcast station for your DS.

And looking for a cheap easy WiFi card that is supported by this, I found the cute Buffalo USB "Key Fob" 802.11b/g [WLI-U2-KG54-AI] which is rather cheap, and tiny, and WiFilicious.

Update: My bad, props to Nick at 4 Color Rebellion.

Update: ChiefValue has a compatible card for just over $20.

Finally the Tablet PC is becoming what I envisioned. I have no need for a keyboard that I have to lug around. If I want a keyboard, I should just plug in a USB one, or use a standard bluetooth keyboard. I can have one on my docking station, and if I need one elsewhere, get a compact keyboard or something and lug it. I want my tablet to be as close to a pad of paper as possible, it's just more natural for me that way.

The next generation Tablet PC from HP, the HP Compaq Tablet PC tc1100, is loaded with new features for mobile professionals who are always on the run! Whether you're working in the office or on-site with a customer, the new tablet offers significant enhanced features.

[ HP Compaq Tablet PC tc1100 Product Details ]

Throw a copy of Denim on there, and think of the productivity levels during brain storming sessions...

Props to Dari for remembering Denim...

The tech I've been waiting for is finally headed our way. Sure the FlipStart still isn't out, and the OQO isn't quite what I'm looking for, but the competition is heating up, and the lines between handtops and tablets are blurring:

The FlyBook (FB) from Dialogue, a Taiwan based manufacturer, just barely squeaks in as a handtop. While it may not fit in your pocket and is bigger than other handtops, I seriously doubt that the OQO / FlipStart will fit into any regular pocket either. It's an extremely powerful handtop with more connectivity options than any other device I've seen, and as such, may warrant more than a passing look for those who find the OQO/FlipStart/U70 too limiting.

[ Handtops.com- FlyBook ahoy ]

And did I mention it does GPRS? The only thing that puzzles me is why it isn't running XP tablet.

This looks small, light, inexpensive, and clever:

Time to mix things up. Meet iPod shuffle, the unpredictable new iPod. What will it play next? Can it read your mind? Can it read your moods? Load it up. Put it on. See where it takes you. Choose from pocket-size 512MB or 1G models starting at $99 and surprise yourself.

[ Apple - iPod shuffle ]

Too bad my GTI doesn't have a USB interface for the radio...

Now you can make a low profile PC driven solution with a Mac!

Live the digital life in stylish simplicity. Just 6.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, Mac mini provides what you need to have more fun with your music, photos and movies — right out of the box.

[ Apple - Mac mini ]

Maybe my kitchen needs Internet...

Props to Dari.

Mexijew got a Sidekick II, and apparently I had something to say about it:

Welcome to the world of the Sidekick II

I'm sure you've seen the adverts where Paris Hilton, Snoop Dog, Wee Man, Wayne Newton, and I all share tips about life via an application that doesn't really exist. And we love it!

Honestly, my Sidekick is my sidekick. Just got my bill and I used over 13MB of data this past month. On T-Mob's unlimited usage Sidekick plan that's great, on other networks, with less appealing tech, that could double or triple my monthly costs with overage.

Here are a few warnings, however:

• The $10 sync package is worth about that. It doesn't auto-sync like a PDA or Blackberry, and if you sync too much the app tell you that you must wait before you can sync again (with no guidelines on what "too much" is).
• You can't use the Hiptop (Danger's name for the device) ability to save .WAV attachments as phone rings due to T-Mob's restriction that ensures proper licensing of music tones (read extra cash in their pocket)
• The web browser leaves a bit to be desired. It goes through a proxy, and they reduce the size of pages to make it appear better on the sidekick, but trying pulling up my site and you'll see what happens when their proxy guesses wrong. I now need to figure out how to make my site viewable again. Oh, and no javascript. This increasingly becomes an issue, and many things just can't be done on the SK (like refilling scripts at CVS, or a Starbucks card)
• The sound profiles only affect the volume not the actual ring.
• The Yahoo IM client is not as polished as the AIM client. If it drops you and reconnects, any status is wiped and you're once again available. If you log in elsewhere, the SK will log back in unless you've ended the connection. And the [menu]+. hotkey that closes AIM doesn't work for Y!M
• A few months ago, without my approval, T-Mob started charging .15 per international SMS message (it was treated as one of my 1000 included before then)
• The ToDo list, when "deleting" actually moves the items into a trash can that needs to be emptied. I had to figure this out when I reached the device's limit and couldn't understand why I couldn't add anymore ToDo items...

The Apps that I've downloaded/bought include:

• Time Traveler (free at the time, meh)
• Calculator (still free I think, handy but the interface is clunky)
• Apples to Oranges (about $5, but helpful when talking to my wife)
• Y!M (free, great way to “talk” to my wife)

All-in-all I love my Sidekick, and feel that the SKII is close to living up to my expectations. If the SKIII adds Bluetooth (for a hands free), a better web browser, and G3 Internet speeds, I'll be loving it even more...

[ Me ]

I guess I just should have blogged this one to begin with...

I'm a big fan of ClearType. Don't know exactly what wizardry Microsoft is trying to pull off, or if they deserve a patent, but I do know that if you're running XP, ClearType is hot.

With Windows XP, ClearType delivers improved font display quality over traditional forms of font smoothing or anti-aliasing. ClearType improves readability on color LCD displays with a digital interface, such as those in laptops and high-quality flat panel displays. Readability on CRT screens can also be somewhat improved.

[ ClearType Step 1: Turn on Windows XP ClearType ]

Somewhat my butt. ClearType has improved my web browsing experience on every computer I use: LCD, CRT, or otherwise.

If you don't like the invasive web-based tuning tool, Microsoft has created a PowerToy as well.

The USB Wireless Security lock is a simple yet effective means to ensure computer access is limited to an authorized user. Each kit is composed of a USB receiver dongle connected to the computer, and a battery-powered access transmitter, which is to be carried by the authorized user. When the user moves more than 2 meters away from the computer, the security dongle will disable access to the computer until the user carrying the transmitter has returned within the vicinity of the computer.

[ ThinkGeek :: USB Wireless Security Lock ]

Apparently the software kind of sucks, so an entrepreneurial (though not money making) fellow has rolled his own.

Props to Bull (who has no blog. sniff sniff)

Why spend a lot? You already own a GBA, GBA SP, and/or a NDS.

The GBA Movie Player enables you to use your Gameboy Advance™ or Gameboy Advance SP™ to play video and audio files and read e-books from standard Compact Flash™ cards. You can use your PC and a normal Compact Flash card reader to transfer and convert your media files to the Compact Flash cards.

[ lik-sang ]

You'll need some CF cards to port the video to, SanDisk, Lexar, and Kingston all seem to make relatively cheap ones.

There are some issues discussed on Lik-Sang's forums which make this seem like a bit of a pain, but I'm guessing that these represent power users, newbies, idiots, and people helping the aforementioned.

Some people have a ton of time on their hands, and end up saving the rest of us time and frustration.

Doug Gibson, purveyor of fine music news, has brought to my attention a dead sexy “favlet” that all web developers and designers need to get ASAP. Ruler 1.2 is so wicked sweet that it must be experienced to be believed.

If your browser of choice is IE6, however, you'll need the specially reworked version.

I plunked down (via billing at a later date) $200 and I am forking over my original Sidekick, and I didn't even check to see what's improved:

Intellisync: Users can now synchronize their Microsoft Outlook/Exchange Calendar, contacts and to do list with their hiptop2.

Integrated, higher resolution camera: The flash -enabled camera is a great addition to the device.

Photo Caller ID: A fun feature that will allow you to see a photo of who is calling you. This offers new choice in how users integrate the camera application into their experience with the product.

Support for vCards: The new hiptop2 device allows you to send and receive virtual contact cards (vCards). vCards are a great way to easily save and share contact information with friends and colleagues.

SMS enhancements: This popular application will have new features and the ability to save up to 130 SMS messages on the device.

Yahoo! Messenger: The popular Yahoo! Messenger has been added as a choice for instant messaging.

[ Danger ]

All great enhancements. The Yahoo! and SMS will really come in handy. There are a bunch of other hardware improvements, form factor improvements, camera is now usable, battery life is longer, and on and on.

Didn't get the Sidekick, but still want a good deal? Sidekick II is only $200 (new contracts only, after $100 rebate).

AT&T's new IM/SMS/Email jobby: Ogo

Seems like a cool idea. For about $100 ($20 set up) and $18 a month you get unlimited IM, SMS, and Email. Here are the caveats:

• No details on what type of access you have to Email
• The website is hideous
• Only 1 IM profile appears to be setup-able
• The website is hideous
• SMS to international numbers is an extra $.25 a pop
• The website is hideous

However it is still a good deal, and no one can call you on it!

Google wants to keep you up to date on them:

Google Alerts are emails automatically sent to you when there are new Google results for your search terms.

[ Google Alerts: FAQ ]

Of course, so does Yahoo!, but I think I like the Google system better. (Even if I can't really say why)

I love wireless controllers. My Nintendo WaveBird (of “Is that a WaveBird?” fame) is indispensable, and having purchased a PS2 I didn't want to go back to dealing with cords. I asked around and most said that the New Logitech 2.4 GHz wireless was the way to go.

Experience the freedom to play anywhere you want and eliminate cable clutter in your living room. The second generation Logitech Cordless Action™ Controller delivers the performance, convenience, and comfort you've been looking for. It's engineered to be small and light, yet it still uses Logitech's highly reliable 2.4 GHz radio frequency technology to deliver precise control with no lag.

[ Logitech ]

Since I just had to buy a new phone because my old phone didn't play nice with my WiFi I was a bit nervous, after checking out the options it seemed that all PS2 wireless controllers that looked even 1/2 way decent utilized 2.4 GHz technology. I figured that worst case scenario I'd have to try and return it from whence it came.

I am happy to report that there are seemingly no interference issues with the Logitech and my WiFi network. In addition the Logitech uses hi-grade parts all the way through, giving the controller a very solid feel, and feels like it will last quite a while. I think it is also a bit bigger than the standard PS2 controller, which suits me fine. Unlike the WaveBird, the Logitech has rumble built in, and oddly no on/off switch or channel selector, I haven't spent much time trying to figure either one of those out, as I am so sucked in to Ico.

I give this controller 5 thumbs up, and I would recommend buying it.

OK, it's not actually a date, but it's better than nothing:

One of the most highly anticipated sequels to hit Hollywood this year, the T-Mobile Sidekick II will be making its debut at an exclusive, VIP party featuring a performance from The Black Eyed Peas. In conjunction with the beginning of the ESPN X Games X, this star-studded event will feature celebrity Sidekick fans from sports, television and film and musicians from all over.

The public will be able to get its hands on the T-Mobile Sidekick II this fall.

[ Danger ]

Ever want Task Manager to be helpful? Sure it has gotten a tiny bit better over the years, but there is so much information that it could be displaying. Apparently SysInternals once again knows how something should have been done.

Process Explorer v8.41 Find out what files, registry keys and other objects processes have open, which DLLs they have loaded, and more. This uniquely powerful utility will even show you who owns each process.

[ Utilities for Windows NT and Windows 2000 ]

It does make my PC look like a Mac. And it is certainly pretty. And with the newest version, it doesn't run slow as molasses anymore, or act really buggy.

ObjectDock is a free program that allows you to have a nice animated launchbar/taskbar on your screen that reacts to your mouse when you mouse over it.

[ Stardock Corporation - Innovation on demand ]

And you can pickup extension modules called Docklets from WinCustomize.

Log in to Gmail before going to the link (let me know if you want an invite).

We're still spiffying things up a bit. In the meantime, we've listed the status of a few features most testers have already requested and a bevy of bugs that our engineers are working diligently to fix.

[ Gmail: Help Center ]

POP3 is the one feature that I think would be required for me. If I can't have my phone tell me when a new mail has been received, how would I know that I have mail? I can't be expected to remember to pull a web page up on a regular basis, can I?

My favorite thing on the list is “Spell check's not checking contractions” since they put a contraction in that list item, I hope that was someone's idea of being funny.

If there are as many details about the Sidekick II out when this hits the shelves, and T-Mob carrys the Moto A630, I may not even think twice about picking this up...

Bringing you the connectivity tools you demand and the style sophistication you crave, the Motorola A630 breaks into the mobile scene with an eye-catching design and powerful feature set. At first glance the sleek and ultra-compact model A630 appears to be a small candybar handset; however a closer look reveals that the device can be flipped open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and vivid color landscape display.

[ Motorola Motorola A630 ]

Update: “The Motorola A630 is a Cingular Wireless exclusive at launch”

...it seems fairly likely that the man in the picture is holding a Hiptop 2. The remaining question is: when do we get to hold 'em too? It would seem like if it's already appearing in promotional materials, it can't be too far off... or is that just wishful thinking?

[ ~stevenf: Hiptop 2 Soon? ]

It's what I've been waiting for. My Sidekick is starting to lose keyboard. All keys work, but some require quite a bit of pressure. If this was out in the next few months, it'd be perfect timing. And for a better look, check out the leaked FCC application photos.

Props to Doug2 for bringing this to my attention.

I believe that this puppy is going to use WiFi, which means that theoretically I could browse the web on it, though I probably wouldn't want to. Still this could mean a whole new kind of Gaming Night...

Pokmon FireRed and Pokmon LeafGreen, scheduled for a Sept. 7 release, will come packaged with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter. The adventure lets players chat, battle, trade and play mini-games with other wireless users. The adapter will even alert players if other users are in the area. Other games that will use the adapter include Mario Golf: Advance Tour, scheduled for launch on June 21, and Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Games, set for a July 26 release. In total, more than a dozen games now in development will make use of the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter.

[ News : Article ]

Game players need only use their imagination to see how the DS promises to transform the portable game industry by changing the way gamers relate to their games – and each other. Two screens offer two perspectives on the action at once. The touch screen could make accessing items, moving characters or navigating menus as easy as a tap or drag on the screen. Voice recognition could let players simply tell the game what they want it to do. Chat software will let users transmit text messages, handwriting and even drawings to one another. And wireless functions could link players in the same room – or across the country. The unique features of the Nintendo DS hold a wellspring of potential for the future. Game players will be wowed.

[ E3 2004 ]

It's a PDA, it's a GBA, it's a something else, what is it? Will it replace my Axim? Will it replace my phone? Will it talk to me? What will it do. So much power, so many questions, so what are you waiting for, check out the site...

Update: They are aiming to release this in the US and Japan this year!

Update: The WiFi will let you play across the Internet! I heard them say it. Really I did!

[ Mazda RX-8 ]

Skype is free and simple software that will enable you to make free calls anywhere in the world in minutes. Skype, created by the people who brought you KaZaA, uses innovative P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you with other Skype users. If you are tired of paying outrageous fees for telephony, Skype is for you!

[ Skype ]

Of course their big thing is better telephony, and I don't even have a headset at work, so if I'm not at home, don't expect an amazing Skype experience... But having experienced the frustration that is Yahoo! voice chat, I'm willing to give these guys a try...

Props: G$

Google's got so many tricks up it's sleeve:

Parcel tracking IDs, patents and other specialized numbers can be entered into Google's search box for quick access to information about them. For example, typing a FedEx tracking number will return the latest information on your package. Other special search by number types include :

• UPS tracking numbers
• FedEx tracking numbers
• USPS tracking numbers
• Vehicle ID (VIN) numbers
• UPC codes
• Telephone area codes
• Patent numbers
• FAA airplane registration numbers
• FCC equipment IDs

[ Google Web Search Features ]

By previewing the device, Danger runs the risk of slowing down sales in the United States, as consumers may choose to wait to purchase the new model. However, the new model has only reached the prototype stage and has not yet been approved by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

[ CNET News.com ]

I know this is the announcement that I've been waiting for. My hiptop is starting to show some serious wear. A few buttons take a bit of push to work, paint job is seriously fading, battery just isn't lasting as long. I could try and fight with tech support for a new one. I could spend too much money and get the color model. I think I just wait for the next version. Especially if it's 25% thinner, as the story says.

'Sup playa? Having much luck acquiring digits in your strategically-rusted '84 Gremlin? We thought not. Pimp My Ride will blow your doors off when we show you how to transform your tired old hatchback into a full-fledged, fully-loaded pimp chariot.

[ MTV.com - Onair - Pimp My Ride ]

When you see what Xzibit does to these old beat-up rolling death traps, you'll want to get your ride pimped too... I wonder how much you can pimp a GTI?

quickSub is a Javascript function that adds intelligence to the feed button on your web page. Just roll your mouse over the example above, and you'll be instantly greeted by one-click subscription links to the most popular aggregators.

[ quickSub ]

Courtesy of Doug1.

Really cleans up the mess of buttons that one must have to ease subscription to your feed. Also supports a lot more than anyone would do by themselves. I expect I'll try and use the scripts sometime this week, and reduce the size my “bugs” section to something more manageable. Plus I'll “fix” the coffee mug in the upper-right-hand corner of the site that is a bit confusing to most.

Pocket Plan is a project planner which is similar to, and compatible with, Microsoft Project. Pocket Plan is supported on Pocket PC 2000/2002/2003 and HPC 2000 devices.

[ Twiddlebit ]

Well, perhaps more than this, but this is a great addition!

Amazon.com is pushing the Alexa toolbar big time:

They suggest that I tell my readership the following:

Through our partnership with Amazon.com, we are offering an exclusive davidkearns.com version of the award winning Alexa Toolbar. With the toolbar you can search the web, using their amazing search engine, right from your toolbar. Plus, when you download and use the toolbar, you'll help support davidkearns.com.

I'm not sure what the Alexa Toolbar really does for you, but I like getting support, so I'm proud to stand up and declare the “exclusive davidkearns.com version of the award winning Alexa Toolbar” is the best Alexa Toolbar that you can get anywhere on my site.

Update: It does have a popup blocker...

FlipStart combines the performance and functionality of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system with always-on connectivity that fits in the palm of your hand. This combination re-defines mobile computing for users who want access to business-critical software, email, and the Web while on the go.

[ FlipStart.Vulcan.com ]

Don't get me wrong, I love my Dell Axim x3i, but this is what I really want. I wouldn't need my laptop, or my pocket pc, or my fancy phone. Just this and a bluetooth enabled phone (with unlimited bandwidth).

At this rate I fully expect the future to arrive in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2...

Thanks Paul Allen!

Two screens are better than one? If you ask me, this is a really odd product and I totally expect it to fail

[ Koosh Moose ]

Iwata said in previous interviews that Nintendo wasn't afraid of competing with Sony in portables. He said he was grateful that Sony gave such advance notice about its PSP plans so that Nintendo could develop a competing product.

[ Yahoo ]

Nintendo DS will be marketed separately from the company's existing Nintendo Game Boy Advance portable system and Nintendo GameCube home console.

[ GameSpy ]

"This new game hardware is unlike any others. It is totally new. If you compare it with GameCube, PlayStation or X-Box, it is like comparing a washing machine with a refrigerator," said Yasuhiro Minagawa, a spokesman for Nintendo.

[ Yahoo ]

As the consummate Nintendo Fan Boy that I am, I will reserve my full criticism until it is actually in front of me and I'm playing something on it, but I will say that I'm none too impressed with this announcement. I expect that this new device had best trump the GBA SP on most accounts, or it will have a hard time giving the PSP a run for it's money. It had better also be no more than $150, and had better play GBA games.

The OQO ultra personal computer (uPC) is a fully-functional Windows XP PC small enough to fit in your pocket, yet powerful enough to replace your laptop. The OQO computer is the much-anticipated mobility solution for people who until now had to choose between the bulk and awkwardness of a laptop and the limited capability of a PDA

[ oqo: hardware: basics ]

Yahoo! reports that these won't be out until the end of the year, and cost around $2000.

Fontifier lets you use your own handwriting for the text you write on your computer. It turns a scanned sample of your handwriting into a computer font that you can use in your word processor or graphics program, just like regular fonts such as Helvetica.

[ Fontifier ]

The site rejected my first two attempts. The “hidden” steps (IMHO) are:

• Scan at 100 DPI Grayscale or (as I had to) 600 DPI B&W and then shrink to 1/6th the size
• Crop to their template exactly

And props go out to Doug Gibson of Metal Underground fame.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Todd Bishop reports on what's billed as an iPod-killer: the Microsoft Portable Media Center line of digital media players that 'will store and play back video, music and photos.' The devices are expected to be demonstrated at CES this week. Hardware manufacturers Samsung, ViewSonic, iRiver, and Creative are apparently developing versions of the devices that 'will run a specialized version of Windows CE.'

[ Slashdot ]

More like a PSP killer if you ask me. Rather sexy. If this thing does any kind of wireless and web browsing or emailing stuff then I expect it will completely trounce the PSP. Of course the PSP will play games, but I've got a GameBoy for that...

I want my car to know the direction of Mecca and let me know when to pray. [NY Times] (Courtesy Joe Grossberg).

Though I don't see what is so patentable. All of the math and technology that it sounds like this gizmo could do, has been around for a while. My Clié used to tell me when to pray, and now my Sidekick does (thank to Microsoft) when I manually sync my calendar.

Any GPS device can tell you the direction Mecca is, and audio playback of the call to prayer is a snap. So what is patentable? If this is affordable, however, it could be used in a lot more places than just a car.

Sounded stupid at first, but now I have to admit it's pretty darn sexy.

Google Deskbar enables you to search with Google from any application without lifting your fingers from the the keyboard. Installs easily in your Windows taskbar.

[Google Labs]

I've been very happy with my Danger Hiptop (T-Mobile Sidekick). Many have complained about spotty coverage, hardware issues, etc. but for the most part I still love my little workhorse.

That being said, I may have just glimpsed the phone that will make me want to part ways with my current phone buddy, the Nokia 7700. It comes packed with a 640x320 display and 16 bit color, Symbian OS, Opera Browser, video and audio streaming, integrated camera, MMS and SMS, GSM GPRS, bluetooth and more.

Seems the device is getting some mixed reviews on /. but many of them are looking for something different than I.

Now I know what GTI stands for, and now I'm excited about what VW has in store...

Powered by a completely new FSI turbo engine with 147 kW / 200 hp, the two door GTI is independent like never before and closes, both conceptionally as well as visually, the circle to the legendary founding vision of Grand Tourisme Injection: The Golf GTI of the year 1976.

[VW Vortex]

Update: More details on the Golf V

Sony plans to sell two different versions of the (PSX), with the entry level 160Gb version - capable of recording over 200 hours of television on its hard disc - retailing at 79,800 Yen (€620) and the high end 250Gb version selling for 99,800 Yen (€770).

[gamesindustry.biz]

And it records DVD-R and plays PlayStaion 2 games!

I use WindowBlinds, part of the ObjectDesktop suite to trick-out my Windows.

It's made by Stardock, and they've been around for 10 years now...

And soon I think I'll love it even more:

New catalog application

• Browse and download promotional RingTones and applications directly to the device.
• Find the content that interests you with the catalog's easy-to-use interface.
• Use the RingTone previews to "try before you download".
• Applications you download appear on the Jump screen, so you can to open them quickly.
• Use downloaded RingTones for alerts and notifications throughout the device: in the Web Browser, AIM®, E-mail, Phone, Phone Messages, and Calendar.

New AOL® Instant Messenger features

• Express your feelings with any of 16 smileys (emoticons).
• Link to e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and URLs included in instant messages via menu commands.
• Open conversations directly from the Jump screen using shortcuts.
• Move and copy buddies into different groups.
• Open recent conversations without being signed on to the AIM® service.
• If you are disconnected from AIM®, you can pick up your conversations where you left off.

Enhanced overall usability

• Create multiple sound profiles for use in different situations.
• Cut, copy, and paste text in text fields.
• Enter special characters (Unicode) with the Special Character selector.
• Hierarchical menus allow quick and easy access to menu items.
• Mute indicator on title bar makes it easy to tell when the device is in silent mode.
• Persistent notifications give multiple reminders of new messages and pending events.

Audio attachments in e-mail

• Audio attachments sent to you in e-mail messages can be played on the device.
• The device now plays attachments in WAV, MIDI, RMF, and AIFF audio formats.

New Web Browser features

• Re-visit previously-loaded Web pages with forward navigation.
• Load Web pages in the background and receive notification when a page is finished loading.

Enhanced functionality in PIM applications

• Assign priorities to tasks and sort by priorities.
• Specify locations for meetings and other Calendar events.

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