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December 31, 2004
Bill Gates' Castle
CNET has posted a new gallery with pictures of Bill Gates' house/castle taken from a boat in Lake Washington and several other nearby locales. Now why can't Steve Jobs' house look like that?
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
My Powermac G4 Is Here!
The Powermac G4 I talked about in the last podcast has arrived and, after a quick reformat of the hard drive and reinstallation of OS X, it's working great. I"ve got an ethernet link between the Powermac and my iBook, so I can transfer any files or apps I need and share my iBook's wireless internet connection (the G4 doesn't have an AirPort card). As far as the specs go:
Processor: 450 MHz PowerPC G4
Memory: 384 MB
Hard Drive: 60 GB
Graphics: 16 MB Rage
Ports: USB (2), FireWire (2), Ethernet, Mic Line In, Audio Out, Monitor Out, Serial
As you can see, not an extremely impressive machine, but much faster than my iBook, and it was free so I'm not complaining. The G4 processor makes all the difference. It'll be a nice computer to last me while I'm waiting for the Powerbook G5s to come out.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 30, 2004
Google News: Apple's New Computer Looks Like the PSP!
Well, I guess that's what you get when you ask robots to run a news site. For the most part, Google News is seamless, but every once in a while a story is filed in the wrong place. I guess artificial intelligence just isn't quite to the point where it can be perfect in tasks such as this, but we're getting there. Above is a recent error I noticed. It seems Google saw a similar price value between the Apple Computer story and the PSP one and filed them together.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Earthquake Accelerated Earth's Rotation
The recent, devastating earthquake, which measured 9.0 on the Richter scale, is believed to have reduced the earth year by a fraction of a second. The quake pushed two tectonic plates together, making the Earth more compact and causing it to spin faster. In addition to causing the planet to spin 3 microseconds faster, it also caused it to tilt about 2.5cm on its axis. Also, the island of Sumatra's position was shifted 36 meters, and several islands around it were moved significantly as well.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 29, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/29/04
I'm back home, and I've got a not-so-successful demo of my new Jabra bluetooth headset for you, as well as the scoop on Apple's new sub-$500 computer, the hoax that was the "Christmas Light Webcam," a tiny robot that lives by digesting dead flies, plus more news concerning the Santy worm that attacks phpBB forums.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 18:54 | 8.7 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 28, 2004
How-To: Synchronize Group Calendars Using iCal
If you work with a group and are constantly having to check individually with everybody to when you’re scheduling appointments, you may want to look into a digital solution. If you’ve got iCal and an internet connection on each person’s computer, you can easily synchronize all their calendars and have an automatically updated database of calendar entries that each user can download from the internet.
Materials Needed
Computer Running Mac OS X
iCal Calendar Software
Internet Connection
What to Do
1. Open up iCal and create a new calendar by clicking the plus icon in the bottom-left corner. This will be your “shared” calendar, which you will post on the internet for you group members to download.
2. Go to icalx.com and create a new account. This will be an account for the entire group, so don’t use your own, private username and password.
3. When you log in to icalx, at the bottom of your user page you will see URLs for public or private calendar publishing locations. If you want a public calendar (open to anybody on the internet) copy that link, or if you want a private calendar (only open to people who know the username and password) copy that link.
4. In iCal, select your new shared calendar and go to Calendar>Publish. Under “Publish Name” enter the name that you want your co-workers to see when they subscribe to your calendar. IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE “PUBLISH CHANGES AUTOMATICALLY” IS CHECKED.
5. Select Publish Calendar: On a WebDAV server. For the Base URL either enter the public or private URL from your user page on icalx that you copied earlier. Make sure you enter the appropriate login and password that corresponds to your icalx account.
6. Click “Publish.” You should now see your newly published calendar on your user page of icalx if you log in. You should also see a small broadcast icon next to your calendar in iCal.
7. Repeat this process on all of the group members’ computers, but name their shared calendars individually (e.g. every person’s calendar’s name corresponds to their name).
8. Once all members of the group have their iCal calendars published to icalx and are continuously updating them whenever they change them, it is time to get every computer to download all the calendars.
9. Visit icalx.com on each computer and use the subscribe links beside each entry on the group account’s user page to get iCal on their computer subscribed to everybody else’s continuously updated calendars.
10. Now, if you’ve done everything right, every computer should have its own published calendar, which updates the internet copy whenever a change is made. Each computer should also have a read-only copy of all calendars but its own that are updated every so many minutes determined by the preferences of that calendar (usually every 15 minutes). Whenever one person makes a change to their individual calendar, the change is reflected in the read-only copies that are on all the other computers, allowing everybody to see the shared calendars of everybody else in the group and enable faster and more efficient group synchronization.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 27, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/27/04
It's a CarCast! Almost live from the car heading north, I talk about the possibility of encrypted music CDs, an 18-foot-tall robotic exoskeleton, and I play some of my own Garageband music. Also, a flip through last week's New York Times Circuits section.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 13:36 | 6.3 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 02:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Bandwidth on the Trip!!!
I'm at the Oxford Inn & Suites and they have bandwidth in their lobby, courtyard, and rooms. I am currently connected to "oxford court" but there's also something called "Metrospot-500" available. I'll have to check it out later. I recorded a podcast in the car on the way up and should have it uploaded shortly. The pipe here does not seem to be extremely wide, but it's still a broadband connection. My RSS feeds are scrolling across the top of my screen, iPodderX is downloading any new content, life is good!
Posted by Alan Joyce at 02:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 25, 2004
Merry Christmas!
It's Christmas Day, in case you didn't know. I have spent the day eating Christmas lasagna with my family and have not had time to get a show ready for tomorrow. I'll see if I can get one together, but if I can't it may be a show during Monday's planned 4-hour car trip. I've got a brand new cigarette lighter to AC outlet adapter and I'll definitely be using it on the trip. I'll see what I can get together as far as a podcast, but for now, Merry Christmas!
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 23, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/23/04
How video games are the new tranquilizers, WalMart's $498 laptop, a phpBB warning, the new calendar proposal, and some non-RIAA mp3 Christmas music.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 19:56 | 9.2 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Delays, Delays, Delays
Well, it looks like it'll be another couple hours before I will be able to get the next podcast out. I have spent the entire day so far in bed due to a migraine headache, which requires complete darkness in order to run its course as quickly as possible. It seems to have ended now, and I'm listening to the Daily Source Code. I'm planning on doing the podcast after the DSC finishes, unless my headache comes back.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 05:38 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 22, 2004
So Slooooooow
Well, here's what happens when you try to scroll through all of the Engadget RSS feed entries using a somewhat processor-intensive aggregator on a 500 mhz G3 with an 8 MB graphics card. Yep, I sure hope that G5 Powerbook is coming soon.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Very Close...
I've got the next podcast planned out (except for the music) and I hope to get it out sometime later tonight. I just received the new Daily Source Code, so I'll have to finish that before getting to work, meaning its going to be at least another 45 minutes or so before I begin. I should have worked on it more earlier today, but instead I worked on the new randomly selected title banner at the top of the page.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Apple Suit is Over 10.4 Tiger
Reliable sources are now confirming that Apple's lawsuit is against three software developers and is concerning a pre-release version of OS 10.4 Tiger that the developers posted on the internet without permission of any kind from Apple.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 21, 2004
New Calendar Proposed
Richard Conn Henry, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, is proposing a static 12-month calendar for the world to use. With his calendar, every year would be identical to the one before it, meaning every day of the year would always be on the same day of the week each time it comes around (e.g. if Halloween is on a Saturday one year, it would be on a Saturday every year). This new calendar is offered as a way to eliminate the high costs and complications of working with a different calendar every year. If adopted by society, it is expected to save corporations and individuals a great deal of time and money. The only problem: you have a 71% chance of your birthday being a weekday, each and every year.
Read Story [Johns Hopkins News]
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 20, 2004
iPod Phone a Reality
Apple has finally publicly announced that its partnership with Motorola will be going farther than just developing iTunes software for Motorola phones. Apple said it will be working with Motorola to create an accessory for the Apple iPod, apparently giving it mobile phone capabilities. This seemingly sudden announcement may have come as a result of Apple's recent internal information leaks and a sudden need to officially catch up with the rumors.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:19 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 19, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/19/04
Apple's lawsuit against information leaking employees, an iPod repair update, and a hilarious website filled with stupid tech support calls.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 15:37 | 7.2 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 18, 2004
Expanding and Collapsing List Test
Well, I don't have Radio UserLand, but I've found a javascript that emulates an OPML outline and allows a similar method of expanding and collapsing the nodes.
Below is a test list I have been using to work out all the details of the script. Let me know what you think.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 02:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
iPod Repair Is Looking Good
I just got off the phone with the people at ipodmods and it looks like an iPod repair could finally be happening. They gave me a quote of $145 for the 15 GB 3rd generation hard drive and the labor to install it, as well as a $10 charge for priority shipping. Considering that's about $100 less than Apple wanted to charge me to replace the device, it sounds like a pretty reasonable price to me. I'm going to do a little more investigation and if all goes well, I should have a working iPod within a week or so.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Christmas Lights Galore
Inspired by the Christmas light webcam I mentioned in the December 17 podcast, I've decided to keep an updated gallery of my own christmas light photography from houses around my neighborhood. I'm using my cameraphone to take these pictures, so don't expect very good quality.
Click any picture to enlarge it.
UPDATE: Trip to a "Garden of Lights" at a nearby botanical garden.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:35 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 17, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/17/04
New iPod minis, a Christmas light webcam, my first trial of a Nintendo DS and this week's New York Times Circuits section.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 23:11 | 10.7 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Nintendo DS: First Impressions
I got a chance to try out the Nintendo DS for the first time today. My first thoughts were about how small and compact it was and of course the impressiveness of the dual screens. There are some negative aspects as well, however, including a little awkwardness with the buttons and the fact that it's a little hard to concentrate on both screens at the same time. I'll have a full review for you in tonight's podcast which I'm about to go do now.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 15, 2004
Rockwell Automation's Retro-Encabulator
 Rockwell Automation has a revolutionary new product combining the technologies of numerous companies and enlisting the cooperation of several organizations to produce a machine that will set the standards for customer success. Check out their promotional video for this new product. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
More minis!
 Looks like there are going to be some new iPod mini models coming to an Apple Store near you. Apple is planning a 5 GB model of the regular mini and it seems to be confirmed that Apple has begun manufacturing flash-based iPods in Taiwan.
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Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 14, 2004
AdSense Makes Sense
 | Yep, Google AdSense ads are now appearing in the right-hand sidebar of the EverythingDigital.org site. Don't worry, they aren't like any other ad, they are simple, unobtrusive, and to the point. Looks like they've already figured out what I like to talk about and are providing related links. Go ahead and give them a click, and as well as visiting an interesting website, you will be supporting the EverythingDigital Podcast and easing the costs of bandwidth that are associated with any podcast. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 13, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/13/04
Sunday's trip to the Apple store for an official iPod problem diagnosis, Google Suggest, and the possibility of cell phone companies releasing your number to tele-marketers.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 18:44 | 8.6 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 12, 2004
EDP on the DSC!
| That's right! The EverythingDigital Podcast was featured on the recent Daily Source Code evrabody! Thanks to Adam for playing it, and I hope my *75 gigs of bandwidth* can withstand a little extra traffic. Well, it looks like I've spent too much time listening to the DSC tonight, I don't think I'll be able to get a podcast out today, but I should be able to record one Tuesday night. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 11, 2004
Striking Similarity
Anybody ever noticed the incredible similarity between the Google and Yahoo! Search main pages?
They are, of course, two completely different search engines, but their main pages sure look awfully similar. Look at the links to the right of the search box. Definitely seems like the Yahoo! designers took a peek at google.com while they were creating their search page.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:06 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
A Little Premature Maybe?
Well, looks like somebody is wasting no time registering what will definitely be a high-demand domain name. The logo doesn't exactly look great, but they do have a podcast. Seems to be just about the only thing on the site and it's not much besides speculation yet. If Apple phones really do become a reality though, whoever owns that site will either have a big check for the domain name or a cybersquatting lawsuit heading their way.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 10, 2004
1950s Futuristic "Home Computer"
 (Click to Enlarge) | Could it be? A 1954 prediction of what a home computer could look like in 2004? Well, look just a little closer... Wondering why the prediction model has a steering wheel and pressure gauges? This should clear things up. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/10/04
The possibility of a flash-based iPod, the first EverythingDigital Podcast audio comment, another odd eBay auction item, and a look at yesterday's New York Times Circuits section.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 24:43 | 11.4 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 08, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/8/04
iPhone rumors, the Nintendo DS's arrival and the possibility of Windows going 64-bit.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 20:48 | 9.6 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Getting There...
Sorry for the delay, but I should have an EverythingDigital Podcast up later tonight. I've got most of the material together and I'll hopefully begin recording within the next 30-60 minutes.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 06, 2004
um.............WOW!
 | Yeah, that's from a video game. Engadget and Games Radar are reporting that EA has released screenshots of games for either the new Xbox or PlayStation. This one seems to be from an unidentified racing game. Take a look at how each individual tree leaf's shadow is rendered and check out the ray of sun shining through the branches as well as the reflection in the Porsche's back window. Amazing how advanced 3D modeling has become. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:26 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
everythingdigital.org is Googleable!
The old EverythingDigital site is still first on the search list, but it shouldn't be for long. I've added a meta description tag to the index here, so Google's description of the site should soon be updated to be better than just a site text excerpt.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 05, 2004
The iPhone?
| Well, the rumors are growing, and now even Engadget is reporting it. Could there be an Apple iPhone in the future? If so, you can bet it's going to be one extremely well-designed phone. I like my Motorola v600, but an iPhone might be too tempting to resist purchasing. Oh, by the way, don't get too excited about the picture on the right, it's just a mock-up ad featured in iCreate Magazine. There aren't any pictures of a real prototype on the internet yet. |  |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Moto V3 Razr
Here you go, some V3 pics...
(Click to Enlarge)
Posted by Alan Joyce at 05:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Rain, Rain, Rain
 | Well, it's still raining and I'm very happy about it. Hopefully this will continue through tomorrow and the local plant life will green up for the week. |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 05:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/5/04
The new Motorola V3 and one of its first TV commercials as well as exploding cell phone batteries.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 18:11 | 8.4 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
They're Everywhere!
(Click to Enlarge)
The cellular service providers sure know how to disguise them though!
Posted by Alan Joyce at 01:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Alright!
The format is working and everything is on track. Now to plan out today's podcast...
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Progress Update
Ok, I just got all of the archived episodes up (transferring 18 mp3s at once certainly took some time) and I backdated posts for all the previous episodes. Now, I'm going to start working on the formatting of the site, and transferring my RSS feed to the new domain. Hopefully I'll have a podcast for you later today.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 04, 2004
Welcome!
Still figuring out this Movable Type thing, but I think I've got it working pretty well. I've got to do some work on the formatting of the index page, but other than that everything seems to be like it should. I've got the new bluehost.com site working as you can see and I'm working on creating backdated entries for all my previous podcasts.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:53 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 03, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/3/04
A nuclear bomber up for auction on eBay, and robots that are armed and dangerous.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 17:27 | 8.1 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 02, 2004
EverythingDigital Podcast 12/2/04
Hard drive problems, Ken Jennings on Jeapordy, and a quick flip through the New York Times Circuits section.
DOWNLOAD THE MP3 | 20:55 | 9.6 MB |
Posted by Alan Joyce at 12:00 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack