01 Dec 07 Imagine building your own gadgets :D

Just a very quick post!
Imagine the ability to build your own gadgets!
Imagine the ability to program your own gadgets using Java!
Imagine fixing your own bug(s)

Got it?
It will be easier than you can imagine

Really!
I just found this Bug.
Bug is a new concept in Gadget, where all the software is opensource, and you build your own gadget with modules
The base is a mini linux based computer!
The programing environment is a OSGi based framework at an Eclipse Based IDE!

From the site:

BUG is a collection of easy-to-use, open source hardware modules, each capable of producing one or more Web services. These modules snap together physically and the services connect together logically to enable users to easily build, program and share innovative devices and applications. With BUG, we don’t define the final products – you do.

The only thing I can say about that is:
I want one

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Tags: cool, gadgets, hardware, opensource

Filed in mobile with 1 Comment

19 Oct 07 Why do you need a laptop? Try PortableApps.com

Ok, it will not really replace your laptop, but it is really useful, and can even be fun

The picture above is a screenshot of the PortableApps installed on my flash drive, I can use any installed software at any windows machine I’m using at the moment.That is great, because I love my Kubuntu box at home, but in most of my clients the machines I need to use (most do not allow me to use my laptop at their networks) do not have my preferred softwares, so I carry them with me.

OpenOffice 2.0 – this one is very useful at speeches and trainings.
7-Zip – The best windows archive manager
GVim – My Ruby On Rails editor of choice, I use it on linux, and now I carry it on my pocket to use when I’m in a windows machine, the only problem is that it was not compiled with omnifunc support, so it does not have code completion.
Firefox – Simply because I can’t use IE, it is not for me
Putty
WinSCP
VNC Viewer
Sumatra PDF (A very lightweight PDF reader)
VLC
MPlayer

Now I can bring every thing I need with me (ok, almost every thing)

So, if you liked the idea, take a look at PortableApps.com download it, choose what software you want with you all the time, and be happy!

Versão em portugues aqui.

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Tags: freeware, mobile, opensource, postable, productivity, windows

Filed in productivity, windows with 1 Comment

18 Oct 07 Use your mobile phone to control your presentations with Open Office

Most people when doing any kind of presentation that use slide, prefer to use a wired or wireless mouse to control the flow of this presentation.
Others prefer to ask some one to control it and have to make some kind of sign during the presentation to ask for the next slide (in my last experience the sign was: next slide please!).
I use my cell phone to control my presentations, using this great piece of free software: mOOo Impress Controller

The Software was developer using:

Open Office UNO (Universal Network Objects)
Java Micro Edition
Marge Project

What do you need to play with it?
Mobile:

at least CLDC 1.0
at least MIDP 2.0
JSR-82 (just the package javax.bluetooth). If your mobile has Bluetooth, it does not mean that it implements JSR 82. You can check if it has the btapi at http://www.j2mepolish.org .

Desktop:

OpenOffice.org 2.2, BrOffice.org 2.2, or compatible.
Java SE 5.0
Bluetooth USB Adapter or any other Bluetooth hardware.
Bluetooth Protocol Stack in your OS (Operating System).

Ok, it is cool, but what are the real benefits of it?
Think about, when people see that you are using your cell phone to control the presentation, you can talk about any shit, they wont hear you, they will be looking at your cell phone
Well, at least if your public is not reading it right now

I tested it here and it just worked like a charm!

After you test it, please give the developers some feedback using this form, event if it did not worked within your environment, this will help them a lot to improve this very cool thing

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Tags: bluetooth, cool factor, freeware, mobile, openoffice, opensource, presentation

Filed in mobile with 2 Comments