Media

Google Maps 8-bit for NES

Google Maps is now available for 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment Systems (NES). Availability in Google Store is TBD but you can try it on your browser by going to http://maps.google.com and clicking “Quest” in the upper right hand corner of the map.

20th March 2012

It’s Not a Priority

Instead of saying “I don’t have time” try saying “it’s not a priority,” and see how that feels. Often, that’s a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don’t want to. But other things are harder. Try it: “I’m not going to edit your résumé, sweetie, because it’s not a priority.” “I don’t go to the doctor because my health is not a priority.” If these phrases don’t sit well, that’s the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently.

via Laura Vanderkam – Are You As Busy As You Think?

18th March 2012

Android

2012 Personal Goals – Create one Android application

Last year one of the goals that I ignored was to create one Android application. Android is an operating system for mobile devices like phones and tablets. This year I want to try again. I have no idea what the app will be but I just want to do something basic to get back into coding. It will hopefully stretch me some and lead to other apps and projects.

I have been using Android since I bought the Motorola Droid on the day it was released October 17, 2009. If the iPhone was available on Verizon originally instead of AT&T this story may have been different. I have been using “smartphones” since around 2004 I think. I have been doing some research on all the cell phones I have purchased over the years dating back to around 2002. The first cell phone I used was senior year of college that Kyli bought for me. I can’t find the model number but it was just a basic flip phone. I had a palm pilot around that time and saw the value of email, calendar, etc on the go. The funny thing was there was no internet on that device so what could I have done with it? Ha! When it came time to upgrade cell phones I decided it was time to stop carrying a palm pilot and a cell phone. So I purchased my first smartphone the Samsung SCH-i600 which ran windows mobile. This phone was expensive but it did have data.

I have had more smart phones than dumb phones. All but 1 of my phones had internet. I have always been an early adopter of technology and I have paid the price for it. Here is a summary of the phones I have owned.

First Cell Phone – unknown model but it was just a basic flip phone that had a small external screen and keypad/larger screen when opened. I can still picture it but after searching extensively I haven’t run across it yet.

Samsung SCH-i600 – Windows Mobile 2002, 200MHz processor, 2.2 inch 176×220-pixel screen, and weighed 5 ounces. The original price was $499. (pictured above)

UTStarcom XV-6700 – Windows Mobile 5.0 and has EV-DO, WiFi, Bluetooth, 64MB of RAM, 128MB of flash ROM, a miniSD memory card slot, a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, a 416MHz processor, a 2.8-inch, 320 x 240 LCD display, and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for $299.

LG Voyager – 2.8-inch, 400-by-240-pixel touch screen, stereo speakers, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, EV-DO, 3G, GPS, and 4.69 ounces for $299.

Motorola Droid – Android 2.0, Wi-Fi networking, 5-megapixel digital camera, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth, 3.7-inch 854×480 touchscreen display. It also includes microSDHC support with bundled 16 GB card, free turn-by-turn navigation from Google Maps, sliding QWERTY keyboard, and Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor running at 550 MHz. The original price was $199.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus – Android 4.0, 4.65-inch 1280×720-pixel HD Super AMOLED curved glass display, dual-core 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 1.3 MP front camera and 5 MP rear camera, 4G; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n; Bluetooth; GPS, barometer, NFC, and 32 GB of internal storage. The original price was $299.

Well that was a fun tangent. I will work on a post just about my Galaxy Nexus with details about the software and configuration. All that to say I like Android and need to work on an app. Have any ideas? Let me know.

P.S. I was glad to see one of the biggest Apple fanboys has become a Google employee as of tomorrow.

16th March 2012

Fax Free Friday

Today I am declaring Fax Free Friday. Instead of using your fax please send an email. Your IT person will thank you!

Picture via http://thedoghousediaries.com/1251

13th March 2012

2012 Personal Goals – Rethink Food and Exercise

Over the last three years I have focused a great deal of effort on learning about money. I cleaned up all my debt except for my house (which I refinanced to a 15 year fixed) and started giving, saving and investing. This has been a monumental shift for me and will hopefully return great dividends in the future. I read a few books on the subject but Dave Ramsey spiked my interest initially.

This year I want to do the same except with nutrition. Since freshman year of college I have been gaining weight (sometimes on purpose but most of the time not). To compensate for this weight gain I was running on and off. I would gain some weight over months or years and then run everyday until I was back down to a “normal” weight. Over the course of one year (2006 I think) I lost 45 lbs running 12-15 miles a week and eating differently. I always thought that I would just eat whatever and run when I needed to lose some pounds.

This past summer/fall I was running again and really got tired of it. I replaced my running time (6am – 7am) with reading and don’t want to give up my morning reading time. I started thinking about what if I was just more careful with what I ate. Would I be able to eat healthier and not feel like I had to run every morning? Could I exercise less and enjoy it more? Could I enjoy less sugar and more whole foods?

I don’t know the answer but I am asking the questions. I have changed my diet around in January to include a lot more fruits and vegetables than before. Over the 2.5 months I have lost more weight than I expected and I am anxious to see what happens after twelve months. If you know of a great book on nutrition please let me know.