FremLog

Why, when the computer locks up or freezes, do all our network connections drop? Think about it. Everything stops. AIM, downloads, peer-to-peer transfers, etc. This can be a problem, since many download sites generate a unique, one-time use URL to prevent file leaching. If you’re 99% done and your computer locks up, the connection drops and you’ve gotta download the entire file again. Why must we even reconnect?

Idea: a “black box” approach. Just a little box that sits between your Ethernet port and the wall/wifi. It runs an extremely minimal embedded OS, highly stable, no moving parts, etc. When you init a download, it’s going thru the box. If your computer stops accepting bits, the box keeps the download running and caches it until you can reboot or whatever. Maybe noone would buy something like that. Combine the gadget with an external hard disk as a really neat extra feature.

Some guy has a blog entry featuring fan-made mock-ups of what a cell phone designed by Apple Computer might look like. Of course, there seems to be an unwritten rule that any such official results would be integrated with an iPod. I think it far more likely that it would be integrated with a Newton-like system, but whatever. I’ll run with the iPod assumption for now.

Now, if I was Apple, I wouldn’t go with any of those proposals. Instead, the rotary phone would be king. It would go wonderfully with the iPod’s scroll wheel.

Here’s how it might work. When the thing is turned off, there would be no controls visible on the scroll wheel. When turned on, the controls would be displayed via a blue light behind the wheel. I’m not entirely sure how this would be accomplished, but I’m thinking of something like a doughnut-shaped glowing liquid crystal display. This would allow different controls to be visible in different modes. It would also let the thing to be used in the dark.
In music mode, the traditional iPod controls would be visible. In phone mode, numbers would light up on the dial. The user could drag their finger around the wheel to dial, like on a rotary phone, or they would be able to simply punch the buttons.

Sadly, I fear an Apple made phone may be nothing but a dream.

A year and a half ago, I wrote of my dream: A robotic lawn mower that would save the summers of teens all over the globe. It took me months and minutes of hard thinking, tears, and bloodshed. And now, some bright person at some company listened to me! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! (I chortled in my joy)

However, with their excitement in designing, manufacturing and marketing this thing, they made one slightly minor mistake: They forgot to ship me one. I clearly stated in my previous entry:

So, yeah.
Oh, and if any companies actually make this, I want one for free because I came up with it.

I think the burden of proof, innocence and justice now rests in their court.

I humbly request the minds behind the LawnBott to think this over slowly. Ship one to me, or I shall to follow my trail of justice. All vermin will be ignited!

Thank you.

First up is the Microsoft iPod box. rofl!
That rocks. Seriously. It’s almost sad how true it is.
I love the music. Anyone know where it came from?

I’ve said was not interested in the Origami Project in the past, but this ad has sparked my interest. Not only does that not look half bad, it actually looks pretty cool. Of course, one of the first things I’d do to it would be to install Linux, but still.

I’m hoping the section showing the college student implies that it’s gonna be reasonably priced.

Could it be? Is Microsoft actually making cool stuff again?