Author Archive
Nokia N810 and Bluetooth
Posted in Technicalon Sep 10, 2008
The Nokia N180 Internet Tablet has built in Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Bluetooth is a protocol for exchanging data between devices within several feet distance.
When I connect the Nokia with my Windows Vista laptop, Windows reports the following services:
- Audio Source
- Headset Audio Gateway
- Object Push (Obex)
- Remote Control
I’m not really sure what these services are or how to use them.
The Nokia also shows up in “Computer” (along side all the connected drives) but clicking on the Nokia/bluetooth icon does nothing.
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- Tags: gadgets, N810, nokia
Nokia N810 and Wifi
Posted in Technicalon Sep 10, 2008
One of the connectivity modes for the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet is wifi… the same type that you would use on your laptop to access a wireless access point. The Nokia connected flawlessly to my home access point. However, in one of my class rooms, I couldn’t get it to connect at all.
My Windows Vista laptop identifies the access point security type as WPA-Personal with TKIP encryption. When I try to connect the Nokia to the access point it prompts me for a “shared key.” I input the access point password which is published (and used successfully on my laptop), but after a few seconds the Nokia comes back with “Network connection error.”
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- Tags: gadgets, N810, nokia
Acid 3 revisted
Posted in Technicalon Sep 8, 2008
In March I ran the Acid 3 web browser stress test against all the most modern browsers at the time to see how they performed. Since then, there are new versions of browsers which justify a re-run of the tests. Here are the results:
- Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1 – 71/100
- Google Chrome 0.2.149.29 – 79.100
- Opera 9.52 – 83/100
- Windows Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13 – Too bad to tell. Perhaps 5/100?
- Apple’s Safari 3.1.2 (525.21) – 75/100
- Flock 1.2.5 – 53/100
All the web browsers were run on the same Windows XP system.
Then, out of curiosity, I decided to check the memory usage of each browser and found the following:
- Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1 – 55M (After all add-ons were turned off)
- Google Chrome 0.2.149.29 – 41M
- Opera 9.52 – 27M (But then crashed on subsequent loads)
- Windows Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13 – 41M (But still couldn’t render the test at all)
- Apple’s Safari 3.1.2 (525.21) – 41M
- Flock 1.2.5 – 54M
Where is Anbar?
Posted in Politicson Sep 1, 2008
I think we’ve been so focused with domestic news that we’ve forgotten that the planet isn’t flat–that there is news all around the globe.
For example, I found a success story about Iraq. Anbar, a province in Iraq west of Bagdad, used to be the most lethal place for Americans. On Monday, the U.S. handed back control of a much more peaceful Anbar to the Iraqi Army and police force.
From the full New York Times story:
On Monday, following a parade on a freshly paved street, American commanders formally returned responsibility for keeping order in Anbar Province, once the heartland of the Sunni insurgency, to the Iraqi Army and police force. The ceremony capped one of the starkest turnabouts in the country since the war began five and a half years ago.
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- Tags: death, Iraq, police
Shame on CNN
Posted in Politicson Sep 1, 2008
I tuned into CNN on Monday night expecting to hear of extraordinary efforts to save livelihoods of those victims of Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana. Instead I found Larry King and guests destroying the life of a teenage girl.
Recently news broke that Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s 17 year old daughter is pregnant. I tuned into CNN to find a full panel of guests discussing this news item.
Even presidential opponent Barack Obama deplores news coverage of this claiming that “people’s families are off limits, and people’s children are especially off limits.”
Having heard so much about journalistic integrity, I found the fact that CNN chose to cover a story about a teenage pregnancy (remember Palin’s daughter is still a minor) surprisingly horrific. I can only imagine the devastation this might bring to a 17 year old girl as she watches news of her pregnancy being reported on national television.
CNN’s self-proclaimed motto is “The most trusted name in news,” but there is nothing trustworthy about reporting news of a teenage pregnancy, regardless of who her parents might be. Shame on CNN for representing a very low and unethical level of journalism.
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- Tags: CNN, Obama, Sarah Palin, teenage
You minus I, a year-long reply
Posted in Writingson Aug 30, 2008
About a year ago, I told you, you’re wrong
I even wrote it in a poem or a song
Now I repent, and say you were right
But I’ll never forget that starlit night.
In time thats pass, I’ve still called you friend
But never an email, I did send
Here is an idea–I hope I don’t miss
I’ll add you to my Christmas card list.
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- Tags: Christmas, friends, poem
Flash on the Nokia N810
Posted in Technicalon Aug 28, 2008
In my continuing evaluation of the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, I was delighted to see that Adobe Flash was included as part of the web browser. This means that I can watch Strongbad’s Emails and Youtube from a device that fits in my pocket.
However, I am disappointed that the version of flash installed does not recognized the built in camera or microphone. This means that I can’t send video messages to my friends on Facebook.
So, plus on the fact that flash is included, but a small negative because the flash doesn’t support that camera.
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- Tags: adobe, facebook, flash, gadgets, homestarrunner, N810, nokia, Video, Web Browsers, YouTube
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