Thrashing Stinks http://www.kickflop.net/blog eating bandwidth since 1992 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:19:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Seidio P6800 Case for HTC Mogul (Review) http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/06/19/seidio-p6800-case-for-htc-mogul-review/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/06/19/seidio-p6800-case-for-htc-mogul-review/#comments Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:10:28 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=485 I picked up a Seidio P6800 hard shell for my HTC Mogul. Yes, $25 is a ripoff in my opinion, but that’s your call to make on your own. Installation is a 10 second breeze. It comes in 2 pieces, each having tiny edge-grabbing “feet” in key spots to latch onto the top half and keyboard respectively. The only downside I have found so far is that the surface texture is grippy. Great for grip, but it makes it hard to remove from your pocket due to the pocket cloth grabbing. Anyway, here are pictures.

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/06/19/seidio-p6800-case-for-htc-mogul-review/feed/ JPG Magazine Submission http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/31/jpg-magazine-submission/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/31/jpg-magazine-submission/#comments Sat, 31 May 2008 23:48:38 +0000 JB http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=483 Feel free to vote by clicking on the image.

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/31/jpg-magazine-submission/feed/ Fender Sonoran SCE Added to the Family http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/26/fender-sonoran-sce-added-to-the-family/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/26/fender-sonoran-sce-added-to-the-family/#comments Tue, 27 May 2008 01:10:44 +0000 JB http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=482 This weekend, Jessica and I bought a pre-owned Fender Sonoran SCE acoustic-electric guitar from Sam Ash in Clearwater. I think we got out the door for around $399 after a $20 Hartke tuner, a $10 floor stand, the instructional book and DVD below, and a 2 year service plan thing for $35.

We played last night, following along to Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method 1, until the tips of our middle fingers couldn’t handle any more G notes.

I think it goes without saying that I referred to it as our “axe” for “shredding” all night long. I don’t think she got the Jake and Amir reference, but that’s okay.

Here’s the guitar in all its glory.

PS: I also got a good candid shot of Jessica.

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/26/fender-sonoran-sce-added-to-the-family/feed/ Obvious Wii Sports Baseball Improvements http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/08/obvious-wii-sports-baseball-improvements/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/08/obvious-wii-sports-baseball-improvements/#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 19:12:37 +0000 JB http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=481 It occured to me today that Wii Sports Baseball could have been improved quite a bit without losing its simplicity. I mean, let’s face it, when all you do is either pitch the ball or hit the ball, things get boring.

As it is, the number of bases rounded is purely a matter of the software making a determination based on where the ball lands in relation to fielders. Isn’t it pretty much a no-brainer to have added “shake the wiimote up and down as fast as you can to run to the bases” ? Likewise, it seems a no brainer to have added “shake the wiimote up and down as fast as you can to get the ball fielded and thrown back in as fast as possible”. Or why not let the pitching player, once the ball is being fielded, point and select the base he or she wants the ball thrown to?

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/08/obvious-wii-sports-baseball-improvements/feed/ Dumbphone to Smartphone: Part 2 of N http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/07/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-2-of-n/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/07/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-2-of-n/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 21:12:44 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=471 Continuing from Part 1 of N, it’s time I got the device doing what I want it to be doing.

Add-Ons

Google Maps Mobile : Installing and using this (in very basic form) was my first test of the Sprint HTC Mogul’s GPS receiver. I mention Sprint only because this same device does not have the GPS chip when sold via other providers. All I can say for now is that it worked and it’s FREE. I told the app to use GPS, it gathered data from 7 satellites and showed my exact location on a Google Map. I will obviously investigate the actual navigation functionality in time. Other “real” GPS navigation solutions from TomTom and others are $100+ but they have the large bonus of not eating up data plan minutes like Google Maps Mobile will (since the map data is on the internet). The “real” GPS solutions store map data on the device’s microSD card.

GooSync : Synchronize your main (singular) Google Calendar data to/from your device for FREE. If you need more than that, you have to pay for it. Data shows up within the native Windows Mobile calendar application. Standard Google Calendar event “Pop-Up” reminders that have been assigned are carried over as WM alerts. This is a must-have for me.

MilkSync : Free if you already have a Remember The Milk “Pro” account. If you don’t, you’ll have to get a Pro account to download this and use it. RTM tasks show up in the native Windows Mobile Task application.

Spb Mobile Shell : Although not free, this completely transforms your Windows Mobile interaction into something at least approaching pleasant. Watch the media at the website for more information. Strongly recommended.

SplashID : Not free, and although I am not completely thrilled with it, I have enough data from the older version on my defunct Palm m515 that I just decide to carry it over to Windows Mobile. “Ehh. It works…”

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/07/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-2-of-n/feed/ On Perspective Changes http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/on-perspective-changes/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/on-perspective-changes/#comments Tue, 06 May 2008 04:15:58 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=472 There’s a sarcastic non-conformist (nihilistic?) saying, “Eat healthy, don’t smoke, get hit by a bus anyway.”

There’s a period in most people’s lives where they consider this saying and convince themselves that it might possibly be a valid mentality.

There’s a second period in most people’s lives. It’s only a few seconds long, but at the end of it you consider the “Eat healthy, don’t smoke, get hit by a bus anyway.” mentality to be foolish nonsense.

The third (and final) period is called one of being old or getting wise. Which one is it? Choose carefully. - JB

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/on-perspective-changes/feed/ Dumbphone to Smartphone: Part 1 of N http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-1-of-n/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-1-of-n/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 16:53:19 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=469 After my lowly voice-only Samsung phone’s charging pin finally died this past weekend, I had a decision to make: Go for another low-end voice-only phone or step up finally to something with data transmission and storage capabilities?

I’ve never purchased a portable MP3 player. I’ve never purchased a portable or car-based GPS unit. I don’t own a laptop.

I purchased an HTC Mogul.

The basic reasons and features are:

  • Existing Sprint contract.
  • Sprint high-speed data network.
  • A history of excellent Sprint voice service. I’ve lost maybe 5 calls in 2 years.
  • Remember The Milk is available for Windows Mobile
  • Music playback (video as well, but I don’t care too much about that)
  • GPS (when an additional HTC “puck” is purchased)
  • Bluetooth
  • 2MP camera
  • Wifi
  • Voice memo recording and voice-dialing
  • Physical QWERTY keyboard
  • Landscape screen presentation when keyboard is slid out

My First Impressions

I realize this smartphone has been out for a year or so, so this is certainly not meant to be anything more than my experience with this new device coming from a voice-only phone.

Windows Mobile’s UI Sucks : If the screen was 5″ or more, the WM6 UI would be far more tolerable. As it is, and I am sure it has been said many times before, it’s just an adaptation of the typical Windows UI. Zero innovation and zero real effort put into making a sensible UI for a device of this size. Keep in mind that I’m comparing the WM6 UI to nothing. It simply sucks on its own when evaluated by anyone with half a design clue.

The Keyboard Works Well Enough : I’ve only put in around 5 minutes of continuous typing (if you added it all up), but I’m making very few mistakes at my current typing pace. I could probably rock out 25WPM if I had the hands of a 6 year old.

Wifi Works Fine : Simple to configure. Toggles on and off via a slider on the side of the phone. Zero problems with my home WPA-PSK/TKIP network.

No 2.5mm Headphone Jack : To use a set of headphones with a normal 2.5mm male plug, you must use the included mini-USB to 2.5mm adapter. There is no 2.5mm jack on the device.

Speakerphone? Hello? : During normal voice calls there is an onscreen button for speakerphone. During calls to my voicemail there is no such button and I have to select “Menu” then “Turn speakerphone on”. Um…. ooookaayyyy.

Anything not mentioned so far has not been evaluated enough to make a statement. That’s all for now. I’ll post again when I have something further to add. Update: Part 2 of N is now available.

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/05/05/dumbphone-to-smartphone-part-1-of-n/feed/ Google adds iGoogle Artist Themes http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/30/google-adds-igoogle-artist-themes/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/30/google-adds-igoogle-artist-themes/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:40:35 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=466 Check them out.

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/30/google-adds-igoogle-artist-themes/feed/ Graphic Design: The New Basics http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/29/graphic-design-the-new-basics/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/29/graphic-design-the-new-basics/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:29:41 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=464 Here’s a quiet flip-through I recorded of Graphic Design: The New Basics by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips. You know, for those of you who order books online but want to at least see some of what you’re getting. I recommend clicking ‘watch in high quality’ once you get to the YouTube page (bottom right under the video).

]]> http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/29/graphic-design-the-new-basics/feed/ Caffeine and Dehydration http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/14/caffeine-and-dehydration/ http://www.kickflop.net/blog/2008/04/14/caffeine-and-dehydration/#comments Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:21:56 +0000 Administrator http://www.kickflop.net/blog/?p=461 An ex-girlfriend of mine used to nag me about my caffeine intake (which really was far from bad) because, “It dehydrates you.” I argued that any coffee or carbonated beverage with caffeine was largely… umm… water. “You’re telling me that the caffeine in my Coke not only completely obliterates the 11oz. of water in the can, but also saps existing water from me like a parasite? Bullshit.”

Turns out I was correct.

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