The Apple iPad a world of possibilities…

The iPad is out and finally we can all rest and go buy our sleeping bags for April.  A few things have jumped to mind for me that I have not seen much coverage on, and that is what happens when this thing gets in the hands of innovators, app designers, and hackers.  I see two things that are very interesting:

• Video chat w/ skype app.  How awesome would it be to use this device for voip calls using wifi?  Why not?  The technology is all there and with this interface it is natural for me to use this instead of my iphone for such purposes
• USB drive is missing, but not really – there is a camera adaptor that makes the standard Apple 30-pin connector into a usb drive for importing pictures.  If you can mount a camera than I can see no ‘technical’ reason why this could not be a nice ability to expand the drive and use your iron-key (or RSA USB dongle for this so inclined).
• Hacking – the iphone once it was jailbroken unleashed an entire B-side market for applications and uses.  A device of this size creates some truly new and interesting opportunities.  While I respect Apple’s no-hacking policy, there is something to be said about the trend for B-side applications being ‘approved’ in the itunes store after enough critical mass.

Looking forward to what comes next…

Dreaming and tinkering,
James DeLuccia

Book Review: Present at the Future

Currently I am reading Ira Flatow’s book “Present at the Future” and have found it an interesting collection of topics.  What is especially invigorating is the velocity of change in the field of science since this book has been written.  In some areas the author accurately predicts the results of certain experiments (that have recently been completed).  Events such as Climate-gate, the Collider coming online, and Dark matter research are all bringing new information to light.

I found a couple neat references for those reading this book:

• Dark Matter Discovery or at least “maybe” – Article on Next Big Future
• Video on proving Ink + Paper + Nanotubes = BATTERY!

I will update this post as additional relevant items catch my attention.  All in all very exciting to see science moving beyond theory.

James

DIY: Patching Sheetrock

I own my home – which means I have to do handiwork.  A neighbor had a pipe problem and ruined a part of my wall, so I had to cut out a hole about 6×3 feet in the sheetrock.  I followed this tutorial site and followed each of the videos.  Overall the project looks good.  One extra lesson – MAKE sure you have it even (use shims or whatever) instead of trying to make it even with Joint Compound.  Also, on the first coat I would suggest adding a bit of water, to make it cleaner.

Tutorial Link here.

Good luck homeowners,

James

Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Warning .. annoying

Anyone who has gotten the red screen on their dashboards has surely had a moment of panic and then annoyance upon discovering the lack of a “scary situation”.  My C350 had a horrendous time of flashing this light and despite almost 10 visits to the dealership (3 overnights) and a separate mechanic we did not solve the problem.  How did I solve the problem – I used my eyes… I noticed that the tires looked low at the door tire pressure specifications (the same ones the dealer and it seems every car mechanic uses for reference), and had the tires inflated 5 PSI higher.  Once I did that no problems for months…

So,  being curious I began to wonder what the solution was and found out after the TPMS started going all red screen on me.  The answer is simple:  Tire Pressure for the C-350 (and I assume other MB) should be done based on the GAS CAP levels, which ironically enough were right on par with my guesstimate.

So fear not, open the gas cap and pump those tires full of the right amount of air.  The Red Light of Death will be banished, until the seasons change severely and proper tire pressure maintenance kicks in again.  There are a dearth of online posts related to this problem, and it is good to know there is a rationale fix.

BTW – I did have my control board and one sensor replaced over the 2 years, but that never solved the problem.

Happy Motoring,

James

Photoshop Magic: Erasing Telephone Poles

The other day a family member mentioned they were trying to fix a photo.  Basically the photo was of a beautiful landscape but there was a huge telephone pole in the middle + 5 dark telephone lines going across the sky, trees, and ocean.  After many attempts I was left with artifacts that only appeared on printing.  I did however find a final solution using the Clone Stamp Tool and the Smudge tool.

I used the tutorial at this site, and after about 5 hours I was done and the printouts look great!  I am not a photoshop guru, but can handle a mouse and follow directions – that is all that is needed for this little effort.

Happy Photoshoping,
James

Capital Grille – a Great meal

In a previous post I described a truely disappointing meal at the Capital Grille and a dialogue ensued with their very aware and service oriented management.  I promised to return to give the restaurant another chance, and they certainly improved the complete evening!

First off – the waiter and the barman were great.  They had great humor, knew when to leave us alone, and were kind enough to give us tips that were reflective of their own tastes and not just what was popular or expensive.

We shared a nice half-bottle of wine, had a fine set of appetizers and each enjoyed two great pieces of steak.  The winner of the entire meal though was the French Onion Soup (btw you can get it in a CUP size and not just the huge bowl).

There was no annoying “wait” (you know…when you arrive on time for a reservation and they ask you to “wait” at the bar and then magically have a table for you once your a drink down), and the room was quite nice.

I would advise wearing a jacket – despite some of the slobs that were allowed to dine in jeans and polos, it is a nice restaurant and you should dress to the occassion.

Bottom line:  Enjoy the restaurant, and have a cup of Onion Soup-> awesome.

James DeLuccia

Book Review: Outliers

So, after seeing Malcolm Galdwell speak (basically recant his ‘Blink’ book on stage) at RSA in 2008 I was not jumping up and down for the latest works called ‘Outliers’, but when handed to me by a family member I was commited.  So – he again puts together a very readable quick book that highlights the outcome when people’s backgrounds and situations come together to impact the full outcome of ones experiences.

I am not a fan of situations predict a person, but I am a believer that our past makes who we are… those who are forced to struggle and work hard are naturally more inclined to do such in their adult lives… those who are used to being handed everything will subsequently be the same as adults.

Overall the book is a good read, and definitely one worth reading if someone hands it to you, but if you are flying across the U.S. – bring 2 books (it is really that short), and skip the last chapter.  It is a built too self fulfilling…  Nothing wrong with that – it is his book, just was a bit too razor thin focused for me.

Bottom line: Borrow it; Don’t Read it

James

WD TV – Firmware update 1.01.02

As discussed earlier I choose WDTV as my HD digital media player (discussed here).  This morning I updated my firmware to the latest and greatest.  The feature list is quite extensive and wonderful (WD PDF is here):

• Added .MKV chapter selection for video playback for MKV with chapter support
• Added .MTS file extension support
• Added .TP file extension support
• Added .TS file extension support
• Added 1080p 24hz support
• Added disk volume name to folder navigation in list mode
• Added EXIF orientation flag functionality for auto picture rotate
• Added file size in filename
• Added jump feature to the remote: While fast forwarding or reversing, if the “Next” or “Prev” buttons are pressed, video will jump 10 minutes in the respective direction
• Added progress indicator for the duration of the FF or REV function
• And Much More…

Once I made the update I was unable to play my VOB / ISO files.  These were the same files that WERE working before the upgrade.  You must be asking – why update then – well, I had trouble and had Audio support issues that were targeted at being addressed.  After several tests (different drives, different formats) everything failed.

Final result was a need to Downgrade the firmware back to the original factory version (the version that was working).  This is unfortunately not available by WD.  If you like you could decided to downgrade back to the factory original state.  I found the tip on how to do that here (great detail), and the actual firmware here (also very good).

This adventure also introduced me to some future firmware hacks that could be applied, and some possible launch of features for WD to deploy.

The bottom line – I am staying at this version because it works.  I advise sticking here unless you need one of those features.

Happy Hacking,

James DeLuccia

Ron Wiener’s Top Ten Tips for Funding a Start-up Company

I caught an article in the Special Financial Report of INC. last month and there was a nice bit of detial on the VC community and a special highlight for the Atlanta Angel / VC market – always nice to see the South East’s Silicon Valley is still getting good press!  As I am actively involved these days in start-ups and fundraising, I am always on the prowl for tools to make my efforts more successful.  In the article there was mention of Ron Weiner’s post on how to get funding.  A minor bit of Googling took me to his home site here.

Overall I thought he had good tips.  I felt that they were a bit to high level and generic, but definitely great primers to give people something to think about when going through the process.  I personally was looking for my tactical tips – i.e., “when giving a presentation have 10 PPT slides covering XYZ“, or other such specifics.  Having been in the hot seat a number of times I can vouch that passion and the moment can take over and without strict bumpers (think bowling bumpers) one can easily stray and damage their ability to communicate.

Nonetheless – check it out, absorb it, and keep innovating.  Thoughts?  Great additional resources?

James DeLuccia IV

Great cappuccinno in Downtown Atlanta: Octane Coffee!

Headed to see Charles Prince of Oracle and talk about the opportunities in Cloud computing, and found this great coffee shop. I am crazy about coffee and love perfect foam. This place is excellent. Parking is terrible; Atlanta downtown is pretty dodgy with bums and such – but it is worth it.

Best part – everyone is brainstorming and creating – great vibe for thinking through exciting ideas!

If you are in the area check it out.

Octane Coffee Bar & Lounge
www.octanecoffee.com

1009 Marietta St NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 815-9886
Get directions