Flashing LED supplier

I think I'd better stock up for some upcoming projects!

First Videoblog!

Springdoo.com rocks! I've been using their services for a couple of months now and I love it. Katya recommended me to them and I just found out that they offer video services too, so I've been happily sending off video emails now. So, here's and adaptation of their service to my blog. Check it out!

Don't die little one!

This is what happens when I run a video converter, bittorrent, and the internet at the same time. My poor laptop whines to stay cool. It's six and a half years old now and I'm proud of it. It may not be as fast as the new computers, but it's held its own.

Back it up!

I recently bought a portable USB 80GB drive cuz I got sick of burning multiple CD-RW's to back up my school files. I don't usually transport large files from work to home, so I'll mostly be using it to back up school stuff. I looked around and decided to try out Norton's Ghost 10 software. I've been really happy with it so far. Looks like it's doing a great job. I've got it scheduled to do my back ups at night. No more burning! Yahoo!

Once I had my PC set, I felt like I should have my Mac protected as well. I've been doing manual back ups with Retrospect Lame version... so, I looked around and bought a license for SuperDuper! This software works a little differently. It makes bootable clones of drives which I like because I'll have zero downtime if something goes wrong with my internal drive. The downside is that it doesn't make "check-points" for recovery like Norton Ghost. So I can't roll the system back a few weeks to an older configuration. I don't think that'll be much of an issue though.

Of course, I hope I'll never have to use any of this software in a dire situation. I've already lost one of my external drives connected to my Mac last year and was lucky enough to recover the majority of the data. Not again!!!

Now I just gotta get HJ set up and we'll be set.

Stop lugging around that PC

I'm sick of lugging around my PC to the LC to show PowerPoints to the students. I've been holding off buying a new iPod since I can't really justify getting a new one. I have a 3G iPod and it's holding up just fine after a new battery install a few months ago. But, I've been helping Doreen with her new 5G 30GB model and we've just figured out how to rename her slide files to insure the correct order of play from her iPod. Kind of a pain in the ass work around, but still very nice. All she'll need is an AV cable and she's off! Now I wanna get a new iPod and do the same thing! Wahh!

Bubbleshare Test

I just found out about this service that let's you upload images for free. Unlike other services though, you can add audio annotations to each image. I'm thinking of using this service in conjunciton with my classes here at KTC to get the students to record their voices. I'm hoping to implement this service into a podcast-like series.

PSP movie conversion using FFmpegX

I'm again trying to work out a conversion tactic for getting movies on to the PSP. In order to use FFmpegX to do any conversions I basically need to use a VOB. I can easily acquire VOB's from DVD's, but I can't use VOB's to make duplicate DVD's using Popcorn. FFmpegX has a lot of cool tools to convert, mux, etc. files... but ultimately I think it's just easier to use MacTheRipper twice to create a VOB and a VIDEO_TS file. It'll take less time and no more space than any of the other methods would.

Avatars

Here's a good generator if you're looking for facial avatars:
http://www.funnypics.cc/media/create_your_avatar.php

New Wedding Blog

I just added another blog to provide online RSVP services and announcements regarding our wedding. I hope to get some links and pictures of the wedding site where folks can check them out. It'd be nice if our guests would feel comfortable enough to leave comments to let us know how they're doing too. Man this is a lotta work. And to think I've only done about 5% of what Hyunjoo has been doing! She's the real superstar here. Thanks HJ!

Battery FAQ

The battery has become our steady travel companion - it helps call a friend; it expands our workplace beyond four walls; and it supports critical missions for people in need.

Performance specifications for batteries and chargers are often based on ideal conditions.

Manufacturers carry out battery tests on brand new equipment within protected environments. In Batteries in a Portable World, Mr. Buchmann observes the battery as used by consumers in everyday life.

(continues)

Commercial links from Panasonic, but still offers considerable and easy to digest information for "The Everyday Joe." It covers both NiCd's and the NiMH types.

Great places to buy batteries:
Battery Space
Only Battery Packs
Green Batteries

From pachinko to PS1

Click to view Slideshow

One of my students put together this homemade "portable" monitor for his PS1. He said it only took him a couple of days to make. Finding a working pachinko screen was the hard part!

New Mac's

I have to say that as jazzed as I am about the new Intel Mac's, I'm not psyched about having to get all new "Universal" software. I'm confident that all the major software manufactures will be quick to offer new versions. Heck some Windows app designers might figure out an easy way to port PC apps to the Mac (not that we need their software)... I'm still not happy about a new upgrade.

In the end, it's for the best and ultimately it was necessary. I just wonder how slow apps will be running on Rosetta.

New Palm TX

I went to the Post Office yesterday to pick up a package from the States. Like everything else, running the simplest of errands can be a chore. Thankfully it went smoothly. I had heard once that the post office in Imunozu-something-or-other was the local holding area for any packages. I was so anxious to get the TX I drove over there yesterday morning. Thankfully the lines weren't long and I was able to get the package alright. I had to consciously make the effort to not get my hopes up.

Everything worked out and the TX fired up with out a hitch. I had troubles syncing at first. I had an old profile with Palm Desktop for my Clié that I didn't want to install since this an entirely different platform.

My first big project was moving everything from Entourage to Palm Desktop. I was getting problems with my contacts and decided that a change was best. I had to manually scrub the databases, but it was worth it and my address book is in the best condition it's ever been.

More PSP Encoding projects

I've been working on getting PAL DVD's onto my PSP and I finally figured out how to do it using FFmpegX!

I learned that PSPWare doesn't like VOB's with multiple audio tracks. Unfortunately Mac the Ripper doesn't let you select which audio tracks to include in the rip. 0SEx 0.0110a1 does and so I used that app to make a VOB of "Black Hawk Down" and it seems that I was successful. I'll still have to try out the file on the PSP when it's done encoding, but it's looking good!

I still need to get a title with subtitles to encode properly. I don't think I've done that yet.

New WiFi lifestyle

My first big revolution was broadband two years ago when I moved to Japan. It opened the door for VoIP international calling, Bittorrent downloads, large file swapping, blogging, podcasting, and a huge spike in my surfing habits.

Enter WiFi... in the past couple of days I've unleashed my laptop - mostly for kicks. But, it also lets me close the door to my study which means one less area to heat depending on what I'm doing in the apartment.


The real benefit is using my PSP to surf in bed. The screen is large enough that I can view a decent portion of web pages while browsing. I can check blogs, news, email and my favorite websites as though I were reading a book before sleeping! This thing has changed my lifestyle! Unfortunately, the PSP doesn't have a lot of onboard memory for high speed browsing, but that isn't much of a problem. I can't wait to try out an online game using the PSP in infrastructure mode!

Flickr limit!

Oh no! I just realized that flickr only let's you keep your most recent 200 photos in your viewable archive for free. It seems that my older ones are still there, but can only be viewed if they are linked elsewhere - like in my blog. I'd better start linking my favorites ASAP!

Wireless!

I just installed a brand new wireless router and am currently running my PowerBook G4 and my PSP untethered. We'll need to buy a WiFi card for Hyun-joo if she wants to enjoy the freedom as well.

I was a little concerned about the speed, but it hasn't been a noticeable problem yet. The range is excellent through out our small apartment. I'd be pretty disappointed if there were problems.

Once I get my Palm TX, I'll have two WiFi devices! Very cool.

Missing my PDA

I'm traveling around in Korea now and it's got me thinking about all the digital accessories I tote. Ever since my Clie died a few weeks ago, I've been trying to live more simply... with out a PDA. I bring around my PSP, my iPod, my IXY 400, and my Vodafone handset so that I can have:

1. a portable game console
2. a PVP
3. a mass storage device
4. a portable PDF viewer
5. an MP3 player
6. a digital wallet
7. a 4MP digital camera
8. a crude planner
9. a crude to-do list
10. a cell phone

But I miss having

1. an E-book reader
2. a real planner
3. a real to-do list
4. all my addresses
5. a portable document reader
6. a digital notepad

With the new Palm TX Hyun-joo bought me for Christmas I'll also have

1. WiFi
2. Bluetooth

Photo Mosaic Software

Click to view website
Hyun-joo came up with a great idea to incorporate a mosaic into our wedding invitation. I didn't do a lot of checking around, but this software seems pretty decent.

The plan is to use poraits of everyone we'd like to attend the wedding to create a mosaic of something... we don't know what that'll be yet. Think of it as a surprise.

Recording for the podcast

I know, I know. I just gotta get the thing finished and published. I've got a lot to do in the next few days before vacation... stuff for classes... stuff for korea... x-mas stuff... and ofcourse the podcast. I've been wasting my time trying to figure out how I'm going to conduct field recordings, like interviews. My damn R-1 keeps giving me the "Low Battery" warning and dies during recording, even when I have new batteries in the thing! I'm using the factory supplied memory card and I don't want to go out to by yet another card just to find out that my R-1 doesn't work. What a pain in the ass. I paid over $300 for the R-1 and it's been unreliable at best! Don't buy one. The unit is made of flimsy plastic and the control knob pops off entirely. Don't buy one!