Tretakoff Musings
Monday, October 31, 2005
From the "Why didn't I think of this" category: stop the Windows key!
Ok, how many times have you actually used the Windows key on your keyboard? Now, how many times have you accidentally hit it, and it screws up what you are doing? Well, I Hate This Key, a freeware product, looks to put a stop to this annoyance forever. Majorly cool.
Friday, October 28, 2005
At this rate, I'll need this for a gift!
I love my gadgets, so this jacket might be just what I need to carry my toys! Birthday, Xmas...:-)
My new Palm: the TX
Yep, after lovingly using a Tungsten T for many years, I stepped up to the big leagues again: a brand new Palm TX! Why? HUGE screen, built in WiFi, and much faster processor. An early birthday gift for me!
What's really interesting about this Palm is it's clearly the last, best effort Palm will do for its organizers. The Palm OS is not being improved upon, and the PDA market is crumbling, giving way to smartphones, like the Treo 650. PalmSource, the maker of the Palm OS, was recently sold off, and the company that bought it (aChinese Japanese firm) is only interested in making it Linux based, so so long Palm OS. Palm themselves has decided to make the Treo 700 Windows Mobile based.
So, why buy a Palm, if that’s the case? Here are all the devices this lets me cost effectively replace:
Now the kicker: I’m saving $1650, by my calculations. How much is this TX? It lists for $299! Palm is taking on those who think this type of device is too costly for them, with a vengeance. I picked it up for about $260 (EBuyer has since marked it back up to $300, but CNet still shows some for under $270.
I’m pretty pleased. More, as I find it.
What's really interesting about this Palm is it's clearly the last, best effort Palm will do for its organizers. The Palm OS is not being improved upon, and the PDA market is crumbling, giving way to smartphones, like the Treo 650. PalmSource, the maker of the Palm OS, was recently sold off, and the company that bought it (a
So, why buy a Palm, if that’s the case? Here are all the devices this lets me cost effectively replace:
- iPod. I love my iPod, but it’s recently become a dedicated podcast device for me. Typically, my podcasts add up to less than 250MB, so I could just put them on an SD card, and play them through the TX. It has a headphone jack and I have two MP3 players on it. Savings: $250.
- Personal Media Player (PMP). The iPod Video that was just released got a lot of fanfare, but there’s not a lot there. Poor battery life, not much content, and small screen. There are a slew of other PMP’s on the market now (Creative Vision, anyone?), and this market is heating up. With the Palm TX and TCMP, I have a state of the art PMP, with a HUGE screen, great battery life, and I can rip a DVD to the SD card for less than 400MB per movie. Great on the ferry! Savings: $400.
- The Treo is pretty enticing, but that small screen, the bugs, and the incremental costs for access convinced me to hold off. The TX talks to my Sony T610 through Bluetooth, so I get all of the mobile benefits of the Treo with a bigger screen and stable OS. Savings: $400.
- My laptop is sexy, sleek, and powerful. For browsing the web in a coffee shop or airport, though, it’s overkill. With the TX, I can hit any WiFi hotspot, with email, web browsing, and a kick-ass IM client. Savings: $300 (access costs and time)
- Charles and I were thinking of the PSP for Xmas. However, it’s a dedicated device for gaming. I’m not saying I’m backing off that, but it’s a luxury. Palm has hundreds of games; Charles, I’m looking into WiFi ones! Savings: $300
Now the kicker: I’m saving $1650, by my calculations. How much is this TX? It lists for $299! Palm is taking on those who think this type of device is too costly for them, with a vengeance. I picked it up for about $260 (EBuyer has since marked it back up to $300, but CNet still shows some for under $270.
I’m pretty pleased. More, as I find it.
iTunes supports the Treo?
Well, Apple's iTunes only supports the iPod and the ROKR, but thanks to the wonderful world of scripting, this enterprising lad has written a simple script that turns your Treo into a recognized device!
Why is this interesting? One of the best things about iTunes is it's ability to automatically synch your music and podcasts to your remote device. With the Mass Storage Synchronizer (yes, that's the catchy name for this), you can do the same with your Treo. Especially good for those who want to carry a few songs and a podcast on a 1GB SD card, for instance.
Why is this interesting? One of the best things about iTunes is it's ability to automatically synch your music and podcasts to your remote device. With the Mass Storage Synchronizer (yes, that's the catchy name for this), you can do the same with your Treo. Especially good for those who want to carry a few songs and a podcast on a 1GB SD card, for instance.
The Song has ended
After just getting to San Francisco, Delta has decided to shut down Song, their discount airline. I'm a big fan of JetBlue, but I love competition, so sad to see it go.
A swan Song indeed.
A swan Song indeed.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Why didn't anyone else think of this?
I don't have a Treo 650, but I may be looking at a Palm TX this weekend. However, apps like SharkMsg make me think twice on that. Why? Imagine:
You are in a meeting. Your phone vibrates. You look, see it is your wife calling. You can't get up to take the call, but you are concerned to make sure she doesn't keep trying to reach you. You press the button on your Treo to decline answering the call. Immediately, with SharkMsg, your Treo asks if you'd like to send one of your precanned SMS messages to the caller who just called. With one touch, you SMS your wife to let her know you are in a meeting, and will call her. If she needs you sooner, she can SMS you.
Oh, did I mention IT'S FREE????
You are in a meeting. Your phone vibrates. You look, see it is your wife calling. You can't get up to take the call, but you are concerned to make sure she doesn't keep trying to reach you. You press the button on your Treo to decline answering the call. Immediately, with SharkMsg, your Treo asks if you'd like to send one of your precanned SMS messages to the caller who just called. With one touch, you SMS your wife to let her know you are in a meeting, and will call her. If she needs you sooner, she can SMS you.
Oh, did I mention IT'S FREE????
Word of the day: vermaport
Ever been to one of those new Target stores? The ones with Disney-esque escalators for the shopping carts? Bet you didn't know they had a name: vermaports. Thanks to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, we are now so enlightened.
Mystery solved?
Pete strikes again! The mysterious installation has something to do with the FAA. Might have to get my butt up there to see for myself, but Pete documented the heck out of it!
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Google strange weather, redux
Ok, does this mean I should head home because aliens are about to invade?!?!?
Ok, does this mean I should head home because aliens are about to invade?!?!?
Monday, October 17, 2005
Pete reveals more insight into the mystery...
Pete Reynolds took me up on the challenge to determine the mysterious installation I see from my house to make an in-person visit. As he says:
"This thing is about 30' high and is surrounded by a circle of 'mailboxes'. When I got close I come hear a constant hum from inside."
Pete Reynolds took me up on the challenge to determine the mysterious installation I see from my house to make an in-person visit. As he says:
"This thing is about 30' high and is surrounded by a circle of 'mailboxes'. When I got close I come hear a constant hum from inside."
More as it develops!
Retro Gaming: Nirvana
I'm a big fan of Retro Gaming. The last time Charles and I went to the arcade, what did we hit the most of? Ivan Stewart's Off Road, of course! Looks like we are not alone. PC World has this article on a service I may just need to try. $15 a month is a little excessive, but it sounds like it just may be worth it!
Saturday, October 15, 2005
What the heck IS this??
Ok, you probably know all about Google Maps/Earth, MSN Virtual Earth, etc. One guy has used their API to do the Google Earth experience, but instead of a downloaded application, it's web based, in Flash.
Having said that, this is a mysterious installation I can see on a ridgetop from my house. I have NO idea what it is. Anyone?
Having said that, this is a mysterious installation I can see on a ridgetop from my house. I have NO idea what it is. Anyone?
Friday, October 14, 2005
Yeah, I've been remiss...
Been a bit busy. Lots to discuss, though. More Mobile Life Tips coming soon. In addition, I'll be introducing the rants of fantasy football. And finally, a treatise on friendship and the vagaries of life. Nothing too much...
For now, I'm going to talk about Google Sidebar. It's a part of Google Desktop, the ability to index and search your hard drive with Google. Sidebar sits on the side of your screen, displaying cool things like headlines, RSS feeds, and more. If you ask me, Desktop Sidebar is actually far better, but a but less elegant and buggier. For work, I've needed Google Desktop for searching email, so Google Sidebar it is.
One of the more amusing things are the cryptic weather icons. For instance, check out the forecast for tomorrow. Does it mean they don't know, or it might rain? More interesting ones, as I capture them.
Been a bit busy. Lots to discuss, though. More Mobile Life Tips coming soon. In addition, I'll be introducing the rants of fantasy football. And finally, a treatise on friendship and the vagaries of life. Nothing too much...
For now, I'm going to talk about Google Sidebar. It's a part of Google Desktop, the ability to index and search your hard drive with Google. Sidebar sits on the side of your screen, displaying cool things like headlines, RSS feeds, and more. If you ask me, Desktop Sidebar is actually far better, but a but less elegant and buggier. For work, I've needed Google Desktop for searching email, so Google Sidebar it is.
One of the more amusing things are the cryptic weather icons. For instance, check out the forecast for tomorrow. Does it mean they don't know, or it might rain? More interesting ones, as I capture them.
Trillian users: there's a