Crawling through the code it was clear had a very limited understanding of what the hell I was doing back then. It was still running as a CGI on Postgres in the development environment. Gee. Wonder why it was slow?

I think you’ll like this version much betteh! And still Not (always) Safe for Work.
View at your own risk.
Parental Guidance Suggested.
Dangerous Curves Ahead.
Maximum Load 3000lbs.
Do Not Use Near Open Flame.

Technically, I played with more cool stuff like RSpec, Scriptaculous effects, Haml, Sass, MySQL, more modern version of Rails (but not yet 2.0), Capistrano, ActionMailer, REST, siFR, and no more HTML tables.

1882 shirts for your viewing pleasure.

Played with setting up my favorite channels and added some channel icons. This just sends the channel numbers to the screen 8-4-7 (select), kinda slowly, but I think you can adjust the delay.

Also started changing the screens for my audio receiver, which came pre-loaded with 18 screens of 6 options. On my first screen in the device, I wanted to setup the audio inputs (Replay, DVD, SAT2, iTunes). Since you control the naming, I can easily map Replay to InputDvd/Ld. With my other remote I had to know the source was #4, but there was a little TV label underneath it. iTunes is an Airport Express feed but haven’t figured out which command triggers it. The receiver thinks it should be InputTape, but the Harmony triggers the feed from my other satellite box. There are only 30+ Inputs to pick from so this could take some trial and error.

I also tweaked my Replay controls so the arrows will also trigger Replay (7 sec back) and Advance (30sec skip). Digging around I noticed that in a Device mode you can specify which buttons send which commands to any device. My other remote locked sound control to receiver, but Harmony takes it to another level.

Never thought so much about how I would like to control my TV. Plus realize now that I have something to compare, how worn out my other remote is. Note to self: Please change everything all the time to keep a fresh perspective.

Progamming a remote control that you have to reboot once you upload your changes. What do full-on non-technical people do? I wonder if anyone one has some freaky version of linux and apache running ruby-on-rails over IR on this thing yet. Harmony won’t support Bose gear since the RF is Z-Wave, but if I can convert my Bose to IR, it might.

Bomp bomp bomp bomp. I <3 techno.

So far I like:

• rechargeable batteries - I hate trying to find AAA’s lying around
• cradle - gives it a home so I know where to keep/find it
• easy setup via USB on Mac
• can setup favorite TV channels - I can never remember the exact channel for DSC… its in the 280’s somewhere
• all the button sets do have affordances so you can feel which set you’re rubbing
• you can import custom graphics for buttons, backgrounds, and channels - skin a remote control yeah and it supports .png!

Things I might not like:

• software to set it up requires a network connection
• device setup seems to be all GUI-driven, versus being able to write a config file
• each device gets a list of screens of options that you scroll horizontally and activate with the three buttons down each side of the small LCD
• all the buttons are kinda tiny
• the LCD font is not anti-aliased

My A/V setup is not that crazy. I have 2 DirecTV receivers, Stereo w/ 5 disc CD, DVD 5 disc, a ReplayTV, IR distribution, a 4 channel A/V distribution thing, and an XBox w/XBMC. Its more of a cabling nightmare than anything and I still need to install a small media rack in my closet.

I know I’m ready for a new remote, my existing RCA Universal Custom 8 is old and wearing out. I haven’t thought through what I am looking for in my dream remote so experimenting with the Harmony 720 should help me clarify.

I can haz ur TeeVee chanjin’ ur channelz to pr0n! Wurd.

Sonare Technologies - Products / Privacy / Phone Babble / Product Story

I’m still waiting for Active Noise Cancellation for open spaces. Having sat under a white noise generator, I realized I could never fully concentrate. The noise was being detected by my subconscious and distracting it. Since it was random noise, my brain either never (or it just took much longer to) quit paying attention and filtering it out like happens when there is a consistent whine of a computer fan or something.

I’d applied to attend TED2007.

I was one of more than 800 competing for 50 slots.

I just found out that I did not get in.

Sniff.

TED Conference

Seriously! I have to re-skin a web app and was making good progress. I must not boot up the MacBook. I must wait. I must take my time and read “Mac OS X: The missing manual”. I must focus. I must pretend the MacBook isn’t here. I must pretend that the MacBook is not ready without the 2G of RAM that is on the way. What a dilemma! It’s just a laptop. This is ridiculous.

So once you’re in the Mac cult do you have to get a tattoo? Is there a secret language or handshake? Do I have to wave at the Mac people I pass by? Have I now been irreversibly changed?

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Qty      Item                           Price  Shipped  Subtotal
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Amazon.com, LLC items:
   1     Apple MacBook MA472LL/A 13...  $1,499.99      1  $1,499.99

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So much for getting work done this week!

I love buying stuff from Amazon because I get the instant gratification of the purchase and then the surprise of it showing up on my doorstep a few days later since I will have forgotten about it by then.

• 1 of: Apple MacBook MA472LL/A 13.3″ Notebook PC (2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive)-Black

I think it is time to change everything again.

In a some book I’d read someone referenced using a diver slate which is a small rectangle that provides two erasable writing surfaces for a carbon pencil. I found a company that makes a 45 page notebook in the same style.

Solution:
Dive Rite Dive wRites Underwater Notebook

There are also companies like Rite in the Rain that makes waterproof paper in various formats (notebooks, loose leaf). Combine them with weatherproof pens like the Fisher Matte Black Bullet Space Pen and you are free to write in any condition.

I went with the diver slate for now since it is erasable and I just need it for temporary capture. A weatherproof notebook could be useful for long term writing in inclement weather or just to reduce the damage of coffee spill related incidents.

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