Shameless Plugs

Create a (ColdFusion) comic using iPhone apps

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It’s no secret how I love my iPhone.  Further, it’s no secret either that I love ColdFusion and making silly cartoons around the office or home.  Time to roll it all up into one effort.

The Abbreviated How To:

  1. Take a couple of pictures on your iPhone
  2. Use the “ComicStrip” app to create the layout and captions
  3. Save the output from ComicStrip
  4. Open the image you just made in the “SketchMee” app
  5. Fiddle with the settings until you get the sketched look you like
  6. Save the output from SketchMee
  7. Post to the www

imafan of imakey

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I use a USB drive almost every single day. I have a problem keeping up with USB drives and caps so this can be problematic. † Enter Lacie’s imakey USB drive. I never would have thought I’d be dorky enough to carry a USB on my key ring, but this looks so much like a key I’ll risk it.

Lacie imakey USB drive

Just got it in the mail today. It’s sweet.

Adobe CS4 Download File Too Large For USB Sandisk Cruzer

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Adobe CS4 Download File Too Large For USB Sandisk Cruzer

Part I
I finally took the plunge and bought the upgrade to CS4 yesterday from Adobe.¬† Downloading the gi-normous 4.8 GB file was like watching my cat try to eat a chijuajua.¬† Painful.¬† I guess I could have downloaded all the trials and entered the license code, but it just feels more “official” to download the single file.¬† At $599 I need “official”.¬† Update: I moved my downloading operation to my work computer since it was dying at home.¬† Once I finally got the file downloaded though I encountered a second problem.


Part II
I have a Sandisk Cruzer (8 GB).¬† However, after trying to put the 4.8 GB file on it 10 times and getting “The disk in the destination drive is full, please insert a new disk to continue” each time I finally did some googling and realized that the problem was that by default the Cruzer is formated to FAT32 and the maximum file size for FAT32 is 4GB.¬† Here is how to reformat to NTFS.

Dual Monitor Heaven USB2VGA

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I have finally joined the world of dual monitors.¬† Finances and standards at my office have thwarted my quest for two years to have a dual monitor setup.¬† My propensity to multi-task and staring at a fairly small (by developer’s standards) monitor for many hours a day has made this a painful defeat.

But at last… victory.

Meet the USB2VGA from startech.com (purchased via Dell).¬† This little guy finally allowed me to win the battle of not having to “open the box” to install any hardware.¬† It works quite well, is cost effective, and best of all… easy to configure.¬† If you can plug a device into a usb port then you have skills to set it up.

Who’s down with OPPM

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I have struggled for some time now with an expanding workload.  I direct a lot of projects for a couple of different business entities.  Since I have yet to find a way to disrupt the time space continuum and add more hours to the day I am ever searching for ways to stay focused and cram more into a 24 hour day.

Enter the OPPM.

one page project manager for it projects

The OPPM (One Page Project Manager) is the most effective tool I have found yet for project tracking/communication.  The real genius of it is its simplicity.  It literally is a one page document that can be easily interpreted by the boss, the project stakeholders, the managers, or just about anyone.  All you need is about 2-5 minutes to explain it to them once.  Where can I get more information you ask?

The OPPM (One Page Project Manager) website is a good start.

Then buy the book and read it.¬† The one I read is the one specifically geared for IT projects.¬† It’s about 125 pages and you can read it (and more importantly digest it) over a weekend.¬† Actually, once you read the first two chapters of the book you’ll be up and running.¬† Although I recommend reading the whole thing to learn the finer points.¬† I found the analysis of team member personalities very interesting (I’m the one with lots of unfinished books on the nightstand).

“But dude”, you say.¬† “I just dropped a wad of cash on MS Project.”¬† Don’t fret my friend.¬† You probably still need it to manage the nitty gritty.¬† And don’t throw out your Outlook task lists.¬† You can still use them.¬† The OPPM is meant to augment standard project management tools and methods.¬† The power of OPPM shines in meetings when people actually UNDERSTAND what is going on with the project without having to be a PMP.

Get it.  Use it.  You will be glad.

Kicks Retired at 350 & replaced by Nike Air Zoom HAYWARD

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Nike Air Zoom HAYWARDRunning shoes last about 350 to 550 miles.  This mostly depends on the surface(s) you run on, your weight, and your running style.  Since I weigh a little more than the average runner and I run on asphalt and sidewalks my shoes are bald around 350 miles.  Today I retired my Air Pegasus in favor of a sweet new pair of Nike Air Zoom HAYWARD (pictured above). The Hayward’s run a lot like my old Nike Air Zoom Moire’s.

Nike Amp + gets me amped to run… no seriously

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Nike Amp

I’ve had my Nike Amp + for several months so I’ve logged probably 300-400 miles with it. I’d say this qualifies me to finally pass my judgment on it. For anyone who has gigantic, hulking biceps that are too large for standard arm bands would rather just put their iPod in their pocket this thing is the shiz.

In a nutshell, I dig it. But rather than be Nike’s promo boy, here’s my list o’ cons.

CONS

  • You have to cut the band to custom fit your arm (rendering it useless to all your puny wristed friends). Come on Nike. You’re better than that.
  • The watch function is only available at the press of a button.
  • My wife tried controlling her nano with it for fun once and now when we run together it randomly controls both of our devices at times, which pisses her off. You have to keep explicitly unpairing them.
  • The clasp is prone to unbuckling.