Professional quality video distribution

via Justaddpower.com

Other than crazy wealthy individuals there are few people that will appreciate the sheer awesomeness of this product, but some of my work projects of late have put me in proximity to video distribution and I appreciate this. I don't know that it supports multicast (one transmitter outputting to many displays simultaneously) like my dream for it would be, given that it appears Vlans on the network. I for some reason envision this allowing for the networked home to finally have the ip video and audio distribution rather than proprietary or custom cabled jobs.

via Engadget via CEpro

College basics for the masses

Straighter Line has an interesting idea for improving college with flat rate pricing. $99 for the course and the can count for college credit from accredited Universities. Now I am not sure that this would work with every class ever, but certainly the basic courses that most University students find themselves in would be easy enough to package into a digestible web-course that could be taken in a self-paced manner, and still transfers the applicable knowledge to the student. Interestingly the have not chosen to chase an even lower hanging fruit of certification training courses for Cisco and Microsoft. Most of these would benefit from this type of a setup, and would significantly challenge several businesses that are basically training centers that do little more than this for 5-10x's the price. I would think that the target audience for these courses would be bigger than the one for college kids, and with a straight forward pricing model could really disrupt that market. At best some colleges will accept Straighter Line and a few more will put in rules that block this specifically form counting for their degree work and it will not change the overall education landscape.

Interesting, not a game changer.

Paperback book co-op site

I hadn't really ever considered it, but frequently I don't really buy a book to own it, I buy the book to read it once and lend to friends or family from that point on. Normally I don't re-read too many books and as a result I have sold books to Half-Price books before simply because I had no need of them, and didn't want to throw them out. Paperback Swap offers an alternative to sell or pitch, it lets you trade them for other books in the network. I can see how this would be useful for people that purchase a few books a year, but also want to have access to more without having to rely on the library.

I am going to sign up for the site, and working on finding some of the reference books that I have some interest in. As it gets closer to the birth of my Daughter I am interestingly focused on art projects and home improvement. I have 3 specific art projects for the nursery, and a few improvement items for the house to complete. I think a resource on stone working, and basic carpentry are what I need right now.

HP DreamScreen, Do want!

img via HP

I really like the idea of these screens. I think that they could be pushed a little farther in terms of functionality, but they are safe and decent info screens. If you where to add anything I would like to see background Music playing and the ability to browse recipes. If it had Allrecipes.com integration you could view your "recipe box" and still stay in the neat Internet portal niche HP appears to want this to stay in. This is another product that I think is ripe for a remake.



Via Engadget

Cool Idea, I don't like number pads on your house though

img via Kwikset

I like the ability to remotely check the lock status of my house, and also to be able to unlock/lock the door from a variety of methods. If they sell these without number pads I would be sold, I just don't like the attention that I think they would draw in a high traffic area. More gory details in the press release.

via Engadget via Kwikset

Final drink for summer

*img via Chow.com

As summer draws to a close here in the Northwest it is time to have a final fairwell drink for the summer. I choose the Lemonhead to be mine.

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 ounce limoncello, chilled
* 5 ounces cava brut, chilled

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour limoncello into a champagne flute, top with cava, and serve.

I am scared of the viaduct tunnel

The rosiness and confidence which the legislators are brushing aside the doubters of the tunnel makes me even more nervous than the claims that the tunnel is a go and "a done deal" like we have no option, no alternative. Despite what Olympia has to say, the switch can be pulled back and there are other options.

If they would talk honestly about the questions that Tunnelfacts bring up I might be more willing to have hope, in the tunnel project but with ominous other deep bore failures in the area, I just don't think I can.