The problem with having a Kindle…

...is that now I might have to scrap my plans to build one of those.

At the time of this writing, I have 293 titles on my Kindle, most of which are public domain ebooks downloaded from Project Gutenberg, Amazon’s free kindle book offerings and Manybooks.net.

My Kindle (and the very nice Brookstone Microbeam booklight you see in the picture) was a birthday gift from my ever awesome Sara.

How to: DIY realtime GPS mapping/navigation with Google Earth

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Look Ma! Its me on Google Earth!

I previously posted on how simple GPS loggers could be a great tool for travelers, backpackers or just people who are on the move a lot and would like to keep a record/log of their travels, geotag photos or just gawk at cool looking paths in Google Earth. But wouldn’t it be even cooler if you could put together your own (relatively) low-cost navigation/mapping solution with tools that are either free or you probably already have?

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Notes on gadgets: The Qstarz BT-Q1000 Bluetooth GPS logger/reciever


One of the best little gadgets I have managed to blow my hard-earned cash on lately is the BT-Q1000 Bluetooth GPS “travel recorder”/data-logger from Qstarz. I’ve had the device for a few days now and been trying out its functionality, and I like what I’ve seen (so far).

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Notes on gadgets: The Lenovo X61 tablet, part I

I’ve had the Lenovo X61 Tablet for 11 days now, and been using it extensively in tablet mode for in class note-taking, meetings, etc. My unit is spec’d as follows:

  • Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 1.6 Ghz

  • 1 GB of DDRII RAM

  • 12.1’ 1024×768 XGA Multitouch display

  • 120 GB, 7200 RPM Seagate hard drive

  • Windows Vista Business

Here are my initial impressions:

Design and Aesthetics


The X61T carries the unmistakable genetic characteristics that is true to a long and deep-rooted ThinkPad heritage: functional, minimalistic, non-nonsense, sans frills design. The X61T is not a pretty machine, but it is not ugly either. Its character doesn’t say “look how cute and pretty I am!” every time you set your eyes on it, but rather has the productively refreshing aura of “c’mon, quit dicking around and lets get things done!”. The matte, all-black magnesium alloy finish is as aesthetically pleasing (in my opinion, at least) as it is functional (no finger prints and smears!)


Build Quality


Here is where I have mixed feelings. Read on…

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It’s here! The Lenovo X61 Tablet

I’ve been lusting after one of those since it was announced back in May. This is the successor to an already great tablet, the X60. I received it a few days ago and instantly transfered all my data and apps from the Fujitsu P1510 for a semester of intense use. In a few days I will be posting first impressions and later extended review (in the context of my usage pattern as a graduate student).

A tip for running with hard-drive based iPods

The least favorite part of my workout routine is running. I used to be a good runner back in my handball days, but when I went to college I neglected long-distance running in favor of more training for strength and speed. My aerobic fitness dropped to what I though was an acceptable level until I was jerked back into reality by way of getting my ass kicked by a certain 56-year old runner in a short run in Alexandria back in March 2006. Anyway, that’s another story altogether (that will not be told- by me anyway- in the interest of keeping such embarrassment under wraps).

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