Comment Re:WTF? (Score 2, Interesting) 434
sorry, you can outsource gov't contracts
Comment Re:Today's news = sad days for new iphone3g owners (Score 1) 770
so you're part of the 3% that doesn't have an existing cell phone? assuming you didn't break your contract, you're price is 99 + 24x(difference between current and new plan), which could be $99
Comment Re:The missing part? (Score 1) 429
if we're talking about trucks, I don't think you can tow/haul with a non-diesel turbo engine. that would be why they are big naturally aspirated engines.
Comment Re:O.K., I have to ask ... (Score 1) 170
actually it's got an application layer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZigBee_specification
Comment Re:iobridge (Score 1) 170
iobridge looks interesting but I don't have a ethernet available where I would want to use it. And at $99 is a bit pricey.
Comment Re:Why ZigBee will fail (Score 1) 170
Control4 on Oprah? I gotta start watching.
Comment Re:Problem is ZigBee itself (Score 1) 170
ZigBee was never designed for streaming music or transferring files, so shockingly, it doesn't do that well. How many bytes do you need to open a window shade? X10??
Comment . expensive (Score 1) 170
I have no problem with insteon except for their proprietary nature. Last I checked the best you could do was a closed source .NET SDK with shaky support.
Comment Re:Too expensive (Score 1) 170
Actually ZigBee was designed for interoperability. Check out ZigBee Application Layers::
http://ftp1.digi.com/support/documentation/90000976_C.pdf
I think part of the problem with automated light switches is they're high liability and low volume. It burned down your house? oops sorry.
Comment Re:Too little too late (Score 1) 170
I have to agree with you about ZigBee. If you're into tinkering with electronics, you can get XBees for about $20 a pop http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigbee-mesh/xbee-zb-module.jsp I have used them for a few projects and found them to be very reliable, well documented and having a good support community. There's also a fair amount of open source software out there for interfacing with them. However if you want a commercial solution, it's Control4 and you're going to pay out the wazoo. It's too bad someone can't step up with a low cost alternative. The RF chip itself is under $10 in volume.
Beginning iPhone Development 216
Cory Foy writes "When my wife got a Touch several months back, the first thing I wanted to do was build some applications for it. Who wouldn't want to play with a device that has accelerometers, position sensors and multi-touch gestures? But being new to the Mac world, I needed something to help guide me along. Beginning iPhone Development aims to be that guide. But does it live up to the challenge of teaching a newbie Mac and iPhone developer?" Read below for the rest of Cory's review.
Comment accelerometer? (Score 1) 176
either no accelerometer on this or they just didn't list it.
Inside Apple's iPhone SDK Gag Order 495
snydeq writes "InfoWorld's Tom Yager takes a closer look at Apple's iPhone SDK confidentiality agreement, which restricts developers from discussing the SDK or exchanging ideas with others, thereby leaving no room for forums, newsgroups, open source projects, tutorials, magazine articles, users' groups, or books. But because anyone is free to obtain the iPhone SDK by signing up for it, Apple is essentially branding publicly available information as confidential. This 'puzzling contradiction' is the 'antithesis of the developer-friendly Apple Developer Connection' on which the iPhone SDK program is based, Yager contends. 'You'll see arguments from armchair legal analysts that the iPhone developer Agreements won't stand up in court — but those analysts certainly won't stand up in court on your behalf.' Anyone planning to launch an iPhone forum or open source project should have 'a lawyer draft your request for exemption, and make sure that the Apple staffer granting it personally commits to status as authorized to approve exceptions to the iPhone Registered Developer and iPhone SDK Agreements,' Yager warns."
iPhone App Enables GSM To WiFi/VoIP Switching 153
alias420 writes "You can save on long distance and air time with the new 3G iPhone. iPhone Hacks has the scoop on an upcoming iPhone 2.0 App named 'iCall', that will let you switch between VoIP and normal GSM calls anywhere in North America. You can check out their recently released video proof of call switching in action . This software requires no hacks and will be completely official. Here is a little quote from the developer: 'We are part of the Apple iPhone developer program. This is not an application for you naughty jail breakers ;-)'"
Submission + - Congress considering more low power FM stations (reclaimthemedia.org)
Skapare writes: According to a ReclaimTheMedia article The Local Community Radio Act of 2007 [PDF] would remove the artificial restrictions imposed on LPFM by a 2000 law passed at the urging of corporate radio giants and NPR, claiming that small community stations would interfere with the signals of larger stations. If passed, this bill will pave the way for educational groups, nonprofits, unions, schools and local governments to launch new local radio stations across the country. More coverage is at Prometheous Radio Project, Free Press, and Expand Low-Power FM. More info via Google.
