Found on vacation

Bumper sticker: never re-elect anyone!

Yes, okay, I’m a bad blogger.

Not posting since February. It’s been awhile (duhhh).

Everything looks like it has a fresh coat of paint

Just got a new pair of progressive glasses. Always liked the way new glasses make everything look like it has a fresh coat of paint. I don’t like the headach it gives me getting used to the distortion in my peripheral field of vision.

I Iz Applez Fanboy

For those hiding under a rock, Apple announced it’s latest piece of tech to “change (and likely save) the world” (scare quotes mine). The iPad, a larger version of the iPhone or iPod Touch, with a tablet computer feel, was announced by Steve Jobs today.

I was very excited for this announcement. Still am for that matter. The iPad is, I suspect, likely to be a major game changer for a lot of folks looking at a cheap laptop or netbook. And, there’s a while lot to like about the device:

• 10 inch screen (though actually it’s a bit less)
• works in portrait or landscape modes
• uses the iPhone OS, so it will be very intuitive
• 10 hour battery life with 1 month (!!!) standby capability (according to Apple. Take all manufacturer estimates of battery life with a grain or two of salt)

Additionally, Apple made some very good decisions along with the hardware design:

• They’ll be releasing real productivity apps at reasonable prices – $9.99 each for iWork chunks.
• No lock in with a single cellular network, although they’re continuing to partner with AT&T for available 3G service.
•Making a dockable external keyboard available.

All of which makes it an excellent choice for more than just a media consumer appliance; it can readily be used as a business too as well.

But, they didn’t do everything right. It has a few flaws too:

• No built in 3G capability. You’ll have to fork over more for that – about $150 more if memory serves correctly. The base model, regardless of SSHD (i.e., flash memory) size, will only have wifi networking capability.
• No camera. At all – front or rear facing.
• No contract option for cheaper cell network data coverage. I know, I listed this as a plus; sue me, it goes both ways. You can sign up with any data carrier for their (ripoff) rates, or not sign a contract with ATT for “unlimited” data at $30 a month with no minimum service term. I’d almost like to see someone offer a subsidized price for one even with a minimum data plan contract. That add-on charge for Apple to include a 3G radio is a little outragious.

That said. Yeah, I still want one.

Passion? What’s thst?

Every job change guru tells you to find your next career in something you are passionate about. The problem becomes, how do you figure that out? What happens if you are interested in virtually everthing, but nothing leaps out to say “Me first!”

Review: First Lord’s Fury

Jim Butcher’s ending of his Codex Alera series came out today. It’s well worth reading.

The backstory of the Alera series is a world apparently settled by Roman Empire descendants. The Alerans generally use a form of elemental magic based on taming the spirits, called Furies, of Earth, Air, Fire, and so forth. Some of these Furies are more powerful than others and the ruling class is based on how powerful the nobility is in using the various Furies.

The protagonist is, at the beginning of the series, something of an Aleran freak in that he has absolutely no ability in fury “crafting”, skill at controlling these spirits.

Turns out that Tavi, the young man, is actually the hidden scion of the ruling family and his furycrafting ability comes to Jim in spades later.

First Lord’s Fury takes up where Tavi is the presumptive heir to the throne, but the Realm is threatened with extinction by the insectlike Vord. Tavi, now Octavian, must deal with the war while quickly learning how to control the Furies, and managing his forces and his nonhuman allies.

Butcher has built a very believable and engaging world here, one which I’m sorry to leave. But, at least we have plenty of Dresden File books still to come. Four and a half piggies for this work, only because the afterword feels a bit rushed.

Take that spammer scum!

Using the iPhone app for WordPress. LOVE it!

Lets me mark all the .ru comment spam as spam. If only it allowed mass actions on comments now.

Even on the iPhone

First person shooter games give me a headache. Must be me afterall.

The new toy

I’m writing this on the new iPhone 3G S (or is it 3gS?). I likes me my iPhone.

I does not like me my Internet provider though.

Mind you, I’m not talking about AT&T either, but about my home provider. Gatehouse Networks has got to be the worst customer service ever. If you didn’t know better, you’d think they didn’t want our business.

Oh, yeah, they don’t.

Turns out, they want to sell the contract for cable and Net service to Comcast – or so I’ve heard.

If the iPhone didn’t have pretty good 3G coverage, it would drive me nuts.