Techcraver.com | Craving tech, craving life!

this is awesome - check out what the DIY folks at Make magazine put together.  I want a Roomba really bad, but they’re expensive.  That’s what sucks about being a gadget craver on a budget - everything’s too expensive

Here’s a nifty pic

Turn an RC car into a floor sweeper

Hey Everyone,

here are more pics…we got more snow in overnight…its so fun!

For those of you who don’t understand - we hardly get snow in Western Oregon so it’s so fun to get it early!

I got so excited this morning - it snowed! Typically where we live in snows in January or February - but it snowed today!

I was running around like a kid who got to skip school!

While perusing the interwebs, I found this very interesting story about how a worker felt her privacy was violated while the company she worked for monitored her online activity.

I can’t believe this train of thought. When you are at work (whether it be a company or government agency) you are using the company’s computer and their bandwidth. They pay for these resources for you to do your job. It’s true you may have lunch time or whatever to do personal surfing and what not but you should always assume someone is watching everything you do. It’s their right to do so!

Recent lessons in Internet law have showed us that the one footing the bill for the Internet access is liable for use on that network.  So if someone uses your bandwidth to download illegal content (such as the RIAA has shown us lately), you’re on the hook.  Court battles have yet to show us how these cases will shake out.
With the nature of the internet, users assume there’s a level of anonymity. Well there isn’t. Everything you do on the internet is trackable no matter who you are or how you’re connecting.

Ok I’m taking a step back from my soap box

Link to original story

There’s a name that’s common and well-known in the web world - Amanda Congdon.  She used to be the host of an awesome daily web show called Rocketboom. 

Well about 2 or 3 months ago there was a disagreement that resulted in her quitting Rocketboom and doing her own thing.  Well now I read in this article that she’s going to work for ABC and is doing really well.

What’s the lesson to learn from all this?  Well, to me, it’s to be passionate about your work and to love what you do.  When she started Rocketboom, Amanda probably had larger aspirations but knew it was a great place to start.  You may not be in a job right now that totally meets all your needs, but stick with it - and keep an eye out for the next step.  Remember, we all had to start somewhere!

There are two main programming languages in the .Net universe (the one I live in from 9 to 5).  They are VB.Net and C#.  I have used both, but C# is my language of choice currently.

Anyways I found this article on the Register that says I’m in good company!

Why do you ask?  It’s the week the PS3 gets released:

As well at the Microsoft Zune (their iPod competitor):

Using this hack, Google Reader becomes even better!

The UI is a little cluttered, but not any more!

I’ve been wanting an HDTV for a little over a year. I was working at a projector company and was leaning this way but there are too many issues. Mainly all the wires dragged across the floor and that my room has too much light in the room I watch TV in.

So I’ve been looking at Plasmas and LCDs at Costco (I love you costco!). Currently I’m looking at the Vizio GV42L. Cnet has a pretty good write up on it and I know someone who has it - and it looks great at their house.

I’m looking for opinions - since most affordable (sub $2000) LCDs are still 720p models - should I wait for 1080p to come down in price? I don’t want to regret my purchase 2 months after I pull the trigger.

UPDATE: shortly after this post went to press, I see this article on Cnet: The case against 1080p

If I did, I’d love to give this mobile Gmail client a shot. It looks really cool.

I’d like to have a smartphone, but I’m not willing to pay Verizon’s $60 monthly charge for data on a mobile - that’s friggen ridiculous!

link to original blog post