March 2005 - Posts
We recorded Mondays to a whopping crowd of 8 people in Orlando. The conference people said we couldn't publicize it, and, well, we didn't promote it at the conference. So we ended up telling old stories and using old gags to a very appreciative if small audience and we just decided to scrap it for this week.
Next week's show will be recorded live tomorrow at 4:30 EST. It should be great!
Carl
So I was sitting in the speakers lounge at DevConnections last week with lots of people you know and love and Kim Tripp whips out her Pocket PC phone. I was really impressed. I'd heard about these PDA phones before, but this one had so many cool features, and I was due for a new phone anyway so with a little help from Richard Campbell I found the model that works with Verizon, my carrier, the Samsung SPH-i700.
Even though this review is a few years old, it still covers the basics pretty well: http://shrinkster.com/4i6
The phone retails for $899 but I found a b-stock unit online at http://www.zTradingPost.com for $369. It's just like new, but with no software.
I took it to my local Verizon store yesterday, and got the unlimited data plan (thanks to Ken Getz, I know about it). I can use it as a DSL/Cable speed modem from anywhere for $45/month. I had to find a good reference site for software, etc., but I did just that at http://shrinkster.com/4i7 where there are step-by-step instructions for downloading the Verizon CDMA drivers for your PC and creating a connection for it. All of this went flawlessly.
It has a camera and speakerphone built in. No bluetooth, but I picked up a Jabra bluetooth headset and transmitter for $130 at the Verizon store.
Next I downloaded a trial of VoiceCommand from Microsoft and installed it. Easy easy easy!
All this is very cool, and I had NO TROUBLE installing or configuring ANY of it. I am very surprised, actually. HOWEVER:
What I really want does not exist yet. I want to use the Etymotic earbuds and yet have a little dial to mix in audio from a microphone so I can interact with my environment. In fact, I want a shirt-pin that has a mixer dial, a phone answer/dial button, and a voice command button. I also want the device to be intelligent about answering calls. Currently if I'm listening to music and I get a call, the music stops (ok, I'd like the option for it to turn down as well) and the call is announced... out the speakerphone! What? Why when I'm listening to music with the earphones does the device speaker have to be activated? I'd like the music volume to decrease (or at least pause and restart after the call) and the call answered by button or voice command.
So, I hope the Phone/device people are listening. If you can make it so that I don't have to take the device out of my pocket to use it, then it becomes something much different than anything we have today, even with the addition of voice commands. You still have to touch the thing. Also, give me a way to listen to the microphone so I can wear headphones and still hear what people are saying to me, and interact with my environment.
Am I right, people??
Rhocky Lhotka and Bill Vaughn return in this *live* recording of Dot Net Rocks, from the March 2005 Dev Connections conferene in Orlando, FL
http://www.dotnetrocks.com/default.aspx?showID=107
I am about to check out of my room at the Hyatt Grand Cypress Orlando after a week of intellectual and pleasurable pursuits. I got here last Saturday, spent several days taking in the great content at DevConnections (Indigo, ADO.NET 2.0, SQL 2005, SOA, etc.), MCing a few gatherings including the Harley giveaway and the final session, and drinking Margaritas poolside. If you've never been to DevConnections, go. It's fabulous. The highlight of the show for me was, of course, recording .NET Rocks! in front of a crowd of about 150-200 people with Richard and Geoff, and guests Rocky Lhotka and Bill Vaughn. I think we're onto something here - recording .NET Rocks! live at developer conferences. We have already scheduled a live recording at TechEd 2005 on June 8th. Richard and I throw around the idea of doing a .NET Rocks! World Tour.
My family came down on Wednesday evening and I spent Thursday relaxing with them. Friday we went to EPCOT and got Disneyfied. I love EPCOT. Great place. Hate crowds though. Oh well. The next day (Saturday) we went over to Ormond Beach to visit some friends, and Sunday they came back to the hotel for more hot-tubbing and swimming. I got the fam on a plane Sunday evening and went to the Boma African restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you've never been there, go. Huge buffet. Great stuff.
http://www.thedailycommute.com
From the website: "Imagine waking up in the morning, grabbing your mp3 player, and on the way to work, listening to people read a personalized set of news headlines, the sources of which you can pick yourself from popular websites like SlashDot, Wired, CNet, or the BBC. The Daily Commute is just that: a continuous podcast of news headlines and summaries read around the clock."
You can subscribe to this RSS feed to be notified when the site goes live.
http://www.thedailycommute.com
From the website: "Imagine waking up in the morning, grabbing your mp3 player, and on the way to work, listening to people read a personalized set of news headlines, the sources of which you can pick yourself from popular websites like SlashDot, Wired, CNet, or the BBC. The Daily Commute is just that: a continuous podcast of news headlines and summaries read around the clock."
You can subscribe to this RSS feed to be notified when the site goes live.
Stream info at http://www.franklins.net/calldotnetrocks. Same as .NET Rocks!
The Chat room #mondays is open, but we won't be watching it. It's too distracting.
We will have a live schedule online in a few weeks at the latest.
We'll be recording and broadcasting .NET Rocks! live tonight at 6PM Eastern time.
For details on how to get into the IRC chat room and connect to the streams, go to http://www.franklins.net/calldotnetrocks
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