How is Sprint's cell phone service?

If you're thinking of switching to Sprint, I recommend you check out my post on my other blog. (http://www.jaypoc.com/sprint-cellphone-safety/). I won't repeat the details here, but basically Sprint sold me equipment that doesn't work on their network with a payment plan ($27/month for 2 years), and won't allow me to return the unusable device and get out of the payments, even though I asked to return it with in the first 20 days of owning the device. It seems that lately, I have had a lot of issues in fact.

1. Representatives do not have all the details when they review and come to a decision (I had one claim I was already credited, when the credit was for a previous issue, and had nothing to do with my current complaint) 
2. They promise to apply credits or discounts, but fail to. Followup calls deny ever offering it. 
3. Reps don't check but claim there is no network issue, when 3 other reps and even the Sprint-supported message boards confirm the issue. 
4. Reps don't call back when promised. (This is a major pet peeve of mine) 
5. Phone reps advise you that you have to go to the store. Then the store personnel refuse to help referring you to the phone support. 
6. While most issues are resolved, it's not until you've exhausted 6 or more hours on the phone dealing with them. 
7. They changed my plan and I had to pull my phone records for the past 3 years to prove to them I was right. After 8 hours and tons of me shoving their own documentation back at them, they resolved the issue) 
8. They still can't explain what the "Premium Data Fee" is. I encourage anybody thinking about using Sprint to take a serious look at the other providers. Some of them may cost a bit more, but you get what you pay for.

Windows XP Free Edition!

After last week's announcement by Steve Ballmer that Windows' biggest competitor is pirated versions of Windows, it's amazing to me that Microsoft isn't changing their ways. In many ways, they're promoting piracy of their software.

As a PC builder, I get enjoyment out of the freedom to put together a PC a la cart. This Motherboard + This CPU + This Memory, and so on. In current times, you'll usually match an equally powered name-brand PC, except you would not get an operating system with your build as you would with the store-bought PC.

Buying Windows will cost you $100 or more (up to $300) which puts you $100 - $300 beyond the cost of an equally-equipped OEM system. Is it worth it? No. What's the solution? Don't pay for Windows! Pirate it!

Windows is freely and readily available on any Peer-to-peer, Bit-torrent or newsgroup network and can be downloaded and installed quicker than going through the process of deciding which version of Windows you want (and can afford). Free alternatives (Linux) are just as easy to obtain, but are not as refined, and not as widely supported. Mac OS is not an option because it's restricted to Apple hardware.

How else does Microsoft promote piracy? I have experienced one way first hand. I have a Zune MP3 player. I want to begin by saying that it's a great device. I recommend it to everybody. But I will give this warning, If you don't have windows, you have a $250 brick.

My home server runs Ubuntu Linux, and as that's where I store all my music, I wanted to set up my Zune to sync with the server itself. I wanted something that could maintain my media any time. Both my desktop and laptop get shut down when they're not in use, but the home server sits in it's rack and doesn't shut down. It's the perfect machine to just plug my Zune into at night and go to sleep while it updates with podcasts and new music.

One problem. There is no way to sync a Zune in Linux. so I have to turn on my laptop any time I want to sync my zune. Unless i want to install Windows on my server. That would cost me at least another $100. More if I wanted to install any type of Windows Server software.

Many people will simply download and install the version of Windows that they need rather than turn on their laptop when they need to sync their MP3 player. Even Apple doesn't restrict the iPod to MAC users only, and Microsoft shouldn't restrict their customers to using Windows only. It just helps perpetuate and encourage piracy.

Microsoft needs to encourage people to use their software legitimately, rather than forcing them to use the software regardless of their ability or desire to pay for it! Lower the price of Windows and stop promoting proprietary hardware and you won't be your biggest competitor. You'll probably be farther ahead of your other competitors as well.

In True 3D!

So for Valentines day, I was invited out by Vince and Gina to see My Bloody Valentine in 3D! I have been to 3D movies before, and was expecting something dumb such as, "when the killer raises his axe, put on your 3D glasses!" and then we'd get some cheesy 30 seconds of 3D video. I was mistaken.

The entire film was shown in 3D. The theater used polarized lenses to separate the images which is far superior to the Red and Blue lenses, and allows for accurate color representation.

Further research on this style of 3d imagery showed that this style of 3D imagery is created by two projectors each one fitted with a polarizing filter set at a 90 degree angle from the opposing filter. In addition, the screen must be made of materials that reduce the reflected light from altering it's polarization. All this would explain why it could be very difficult to have a home theater set up the same way, although, I have a feeling that this is the principal being used by cutting edge "3D Televisions". I'd have to look into that a bit farther though.

A week ago or so, I had announced to friends that i had ordered a pair of Anaglyph 3D glasses. These are the Red/Blue glasses. This was prompted by my receiving the Amber/Cyan Anaglyph glasses at Wal-Greens for the Super-bowl/Chuck 3D TV events on Super-Bowl Sunday. They were kind of cool but because of the amber tint, they were not good for the numerous Anaglyph You Tube videos I found, so I hopped online and spent $15 (including shipping) for a pair of GOOD 3D glasses.

So today I decided to try to make my own 3D image. I actually took 3 pairs of photos in my living room of various areas/objects. This one is my first (and ironically, came out the best.) If you have a pair of Anaglyph glasses (even the cheap cardboard ones) click on the image and take a look. It's not bad and you can see the depth in the couch and on the animal's body. Not bad for a first try!

My name is...

When you find yourself up at 2AM, you come up with the sillyest things. Although, I've known about Pocky for about a a year and a half now.. Why is it that I now came up with writing "JAY" on the box? lol - I need sleep.

Happy Belated New Year!

Typically, I would post this on the first, but I seem to have slept through it. I've thoroughly enjoyed 2008 and I'm looking forward to 2009. As I do each year, I set out at the last minute to get a great group of people together. And each year, we continue to have a blast. I am thankful for and love all my old friends, and have already welcomed some new.

After the party, I found my place among the bodies laying asleep in my home. People were still trickling out up to 5AM, at which point I managed to get some sleep. I woke up with everyone hanging out around me, and sat up with them for a few hours in the morning. After they left, I cleaned up a bit and found my way back to my own bed. I guess this was around noon. I woke up in the early evening. Probably about 7PM and cleaned some more. Come 11 PM I decided to get myself back on schedule and set my alarm for 9AM. Surely I'd be able to wake up. And thats just what I did... wake up... at 2PM. Somehow I slept right through the alarm. Perhaps I turned off my alarm in my sleep. Who knows.

I finally got up and finished cleaning. I think I have another load of dishes left, but for the most part, you can't tell there was a party at my place just 2 nights ago. and it's still clean (and those of you who know me well, might even see this as a religious sign!)

It's been a normal day since. Hanging out with my parents and typing this entry on my brother's computer while he's out.

Just 27 days until my birthday! Just one more year to 2010! Exciting times. Happy New Year..

No More Television!

My family has always been very handy. My father and uncle both skilled craftsmen. My father did a lot of home repairs, and my uncle, being an engineer, handled a lot of the electrical work. Perhaps this is where I got my interest in DIY projects.

I remember working with my father and uncle years ago, putting together electronics projects. I was young and didn't know what was going on, but learned at a very early age what electrical components were called, how to read resistors, and even picked up some general theory about electronics. It was back then that I learned to soldier electronics, a skill I apparently still have today.

After what must be 10 or so years of not touching a soldiering iron, I decided to assemble the TV-B-Gone kit I picked up at The Last Hope conference. I'd say it took me about 30 minutes to an hour to assemble, kinda pathetic considering it's just 19 components. Then again, I had to re-acquaint myself to the equipment, and try to deal with my tremors, which were actually no problem at all. My hand was rather steady.

I took my time, and the TV-B-Gone is assembled and works. I was able to shut off my TV (Funny thing is, it turns it off, then on, then off again. I guess my TV uses the same code for on and off. Makes sense since there's only 1 power button on the remote). The next trial will have to be somewhere where there's a lot of TVs. Maybe Wal-Mart/Best Buy/etc...Maybe a bar. Who knows. I'm still impressed that it works!

I'll have to look for some other electronics projects to pick up so I can get used to this sort of thing. Then, maybe next time my stereo breaks, instead of spending $600 on a new one, I'll try to fix it myself.

Flight Plan

So I open my eyes this morning and it's 4:30 PM. I slept the entire day! Granted I needed the rest, but I may have just screwed up my sleep schedule. I need to be at work normal time tomorrow, so I have no clue what time I should call it quits tonight. Maybe I can force myself asleep by 2AM or so.

I've had a lot of free time the past few days so I've broken open some of my old projects. While in Pennsylvania, I picked up the screws I needed to fix my eFlite Blade CX Helicopter. I could have gone locally, but I found myself at a toy store that sold them, so I asked for the parts while I was there. I put the Heli back together and started it up. In the past, I have not been able to control the chopper. I could make it ascend, but upon trying to move it, I would typically hit a wall, the couch, etc...

Somehow, I was more relaxed, and almost in control as the heli lifted off. It started to move but I adjusted it and even had it hovering on it's own for the first time! It was a momentous occasion as it drifted above the Hanukkah candles, extinguishing them, then smashing into the wall right next to them. Oh well.

I had to run out to the hobby shop to repair it this time, but have now replaced all the plastic parts with their aluminum equivalents. I paid very close attention to what it was doing and was able to stabilize the controls so that the hellicopter can actually be controlled fairly easily. I have had several successful flights (and landings!) since and am finally getting some decent air time.

I still have a bit of trouble maneuvering and getting used to controlling the chopper in a full 360 degrees, but the last time I flew it, I could barely go up and down properly, so a few more baby steps and I'll be running with the big kids.

Who knows, Maybe I'll get my next Helli in a year or so.