dennis @ 1:53 pm — Filed under: 2 finds today and I haven’t even finished my ApplePhoneShow Podcast from over 2 weeks ago:
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jim @ 10:50 am — Filed under: Here’s a pretty cool thing which I’m looking for an opportunity to try, Google added a new feature to their maps where you can call local/long distance businesses for free.
Here’s how it works: Search for a business, like a hardware store, on Google Maps, and click the ‘call’ link next to its phone number [insert link of live example]. Then, enter your phone number and click ‘Connect For Free.’ Google calls your phone number and automatically connects you to the hardware store.
There are two things that I really like about this. The business’s phone number is automatically stored in your caller ID so you can easily call back in the future. And by checking the box to save your phone number, you can make future calls from Google Maps with just two mouse clicks (after you pick up your phone, of course).
We’re offering the ‘call’ link as a free service to all businesses. These aren’t ads and don’t influence the ranking of businesses in the search results. We foot the bill for calls (local and long distance), but airtime fees or other mobile fees will still apply if you use a mobile phone number. Currently, the calling feature works if you live in the U.S. and are looking for a business located in the U.S.
(Via)
Try it out, looks pretty awesome.
jim @ 11:03 am — Filed under: 
Funny how from time to time things like this come about. Was poking through some links and found the full source code for MS DOS. Yes, the same.
Pretty crazy to see the way they compliled all this together. I’m not a C programmer, but like any good language the logic is universal, in this case it’s just madness. Check out this snip from FDISK:
yikes, and I thought my AJAX spinny-loader thingy was tech. hehe.
jim @ 5:56 pm — Filed under: So at one time or another most programmers out there have had to deal with embedding characters, encoding types, content types and some text just plain mismatching. It’s never fun because it usually means you have to make some major changes in your database or your end file. That was the case today when I was working with Tim on bringing some XML into flash. It started off fine, but when we realized the case of the Microsoft Smart Quote had made it’s way into the database, I felt like hurting someone quickly.
Long story short, after no luck in embedding, setting content types and tweaking the heckout of flash, I found this post on php.net that saved the day.
function all_ascii( $stringIn ){
$final = ”;
$search = array(chr(145),chr(146),chr(147),chr(148),chr(150),chr(151));
$replace = array(“‘”,“‘”,‘"’,‘"’,‘-’,‘-’);
$hold = str_replace($search[0],$replace[0],$stringIn);
$hold = str_replace($search[1],$replace[1],$hold);
$hold = str_replace($search[2],$replace[2],$hold);
$hold = str_replace($search[3],$replace[3],$hold);
$hold = str_replace($search[4],$replace[4],$hold);
$hold = str_replace($search[5],$replace[5],$hold);
if(!function_exists(’str_split’)){
function str_split($string,$split_length=1){
$count = strlen($string);
if($split_length < 1){
return false;
} elseif($split_length > $count){
return array($string);
} else {
$num = (int)ceil($count/$split_length);
$ret = array();
for($i=0;$i< $num;$i++){
$ret[] = substr($string,$i*$split_length,$split_length);
}
return $ret;
}
}
}
$holdarr = str_split($hold);
foreach ($holdarr as $val) {
if (ord($val) < 128) $final .= $val;
}
return $final;
}
?>
Example usage:
Thank you anonymous friend, you are my hero.
jim @ 11:33 am — Filed under: Nike and iPod present shoe that gives feedback - Technology - International Herald Tribune
You figure it was only a matter of time before someone got the brilliant idea to take two Monopolies, both of which dominate over their competitors and see how they can further push the cool factor. I like the idea, makes me wish I was a runner. But I will give it to them for integrating the ability to upload the data to the community-based website where you can share your geek-ish running stats with your friends.
The iTunes plug for sports icons was only a matter of time, and come to think of it, was probably the reason they introduced this anyhow. Seriously, do they really need a reason to entice you to buy more $0.99 tunes from celeb playlists?
Nike has announced that it will make running shoes that will tell the wearer how far and how fast he or she has run and how many calories they have burned. The instant information will come from a miniature iPod, made by Apple Computer, and a new wireless system called Nike iPod.
Nike shares rose more than 2 percent after the announcement Tuesday that it planned to capitalize on the popularity of iPod portable digital music players with runners, 75 percent of whom already listen to music while they exercise.
The Nike iPod Sports Kit, which is expected to sell for about $29, will use miniature versions of the iPod to provide audio data on time, distance, pace and calories burned through an attachable receiver that will get the data from a sensor embedded in the insole of special Nike shoes.
The new Air Zoom Moire line of running shoes - priced at $100 - are the first to have space for the sensor, but others will follow, Nike said. The removable sensor, about the size of a piece of chewing gum, can be used with any compatible shoe.
…
Apple, which has shipped more than 50 million iPods, controls 77 percent of the U.S. market for portable digital music players, according to the market research firm NPD Group.
…
Apple will also include a Nike Sport Music section on its iTunes music store, which will feature playlists by well- known athletes like Armstrong, the companies said.
The Nike iPod system will let runners call up a favorite song instantly as well as upload their workout information to a Web site, www.nikeplus.com, where they can share the information with their friends.
greg @ 9:12 am — Filed under: It seems that Adobe was on the case, updating dreamweaver to include revisions to the OBJECT/EMBED tags (Which makes the recently remodeled Internet Explorer happy). The update is included in the latest revision to dreamweaver 8.
Dreamweaver 8.02 Update
Those of us who appreciate the WYSIWYG will be able to view their flash files again.
greg @ 4:59 pm — Filed under: Seems that every one has their own legitimate way of organizing code that does not have a specific linear order. I find the only thing better than hours of mind numbing all nighters is to check out other developers practices. Here is a nice one on css organization.
jim @ 10:19 am — Filed under: For those of you who dont have the IE 7 Beta installed yet, the IE dev team has been hard at work to help. A few ago they released the IE Developer Toolbar Beta 2 which works VERY well now and integrates with IE great.
On that note, I was browsing around and found this program called “Fiddler” which also snaps-in to IE and is kind of like the HTTPLiveHeaders big brother. It monitors all traffic in and out of your browser and reports back really well. Perfect for me to test AJAX calls and watching form _GET & _POST actions. Check it out.
jim @ 9:30 am — Filed under: 
Who wants to impress their friends with a brand spankin new memory stick.. err, stick stick. Kind of like the ThumbDrive, but taken a little to the extreme. I guess you could say they took the whole memory stick idea a bit literal, maybe a mit too much. I couldn’t see throwin this thing in my pocket, but hey, it would make for interesting conversation I’m sure.
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