Photos from Sun-coast Smarts Sanibel Island trip 11-8-09.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Smart car in Gulfport
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Home Again
Back home from Frankfurt, back to my MacBook Pro.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
One thing at a time.
Boingo is working out fine on the iPhone, no issues.
Skype is working well. Voice quality is excellent on the iPhone.
I can check my emails and websites just fine on the iPhone. I can Skype home. I'm updating my blog. I just can't do It all at the same time like I can on my MacBook.
The iPhone doesn't multitask. It can only run one app at a time. If I'm chatting on skype and I want to check out a website I have to log out and start safari. Skype can't run in the background while I'm on the web. I have to restart Skype to continue my chat.
If there's a Achilles heel to the iPhone, I think it's the lack of multitasking. The ability to run more than one app at a time is missing. I always have 4 or 5 apps open on my MacBook, it's what I'm used to.
Still, it beats not being online. I can get things done. And it's incredible that I can fit all of this capability in my pocket.
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Traveling light.
At Dulles on my way to Frankfurt, I left my MacBook Pro home. I'm trying an experiment to see how well the iPhone does solo.
I'm using the iPhone app "BlogPress" to write this post. My Internet connection is via Boingo's iPhone plan.
It's a little slower typing on the iPhone's software keyboard than the MacBook. I'm a fast touch typist but the iPhone suits my writing style. I tend to edit as I write and go slow anyway. The iPhone keyboard isn't that bad.
More updates to come...
-- Post From My iPhone
Friday, May 1, 2009
I'm a proud Dad
Thursday, April 30, 2009
An Artifact from the Future
Everywhere I go the smart gets a lot of attention. I met my daughter at Firestone yesterday to get a tire on her car replaced. All of the guys from the shop came out to see the smart. They even asked to see the engine. One of them knew it was made by Mercedes and had a safety cage. They all seemed to like it but said it was too small to fit on their lifts.
I catch lots of other drivers staring open-mouthed at my smart like they've never seen anything like it before. I"m afraid I'll cause an accident! Lots of drivers give thumbs up or shout "I like your car!" I haven't had any negative gestures or remarks yet. Maybe it's because I'm such a positive person? People of all ages are always asking about the car in parking lots. I've given away quite a few of the smart handouts.
The positive reactions I'm getting regarding the smart are an indication that this country is ready for a change. People have started to think about ditching the SUV. They know that energy is important economically, environmentally and politically. They know we're headed for a crisis and something needs to be done.
When the iPhone first came out a reviewer described it as "an artifact from the future." It was a paradigm change, so far ahead of the competition it seemed like it came from a time machine.
I've seen the automotive future--I'm driving it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Calcutipr update for iPhone is finally here.
After one week in limbo the update to Robert's iPhone app "Calclutipr" finally arrived at the iTunes store.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jacaranda in Bloom
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Calcutipr
Favorite iPhone Apps While on the Road
From the very first day I've been a huge fan of Apple's iPhone. I waited in line for the debut at AT&T in St. Pete, and I was at the Apple Store in Tampa for the 2nd generation rollout.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Island of Electronicus
I remember this from about 1973. It was out at Tierra Verde. They played spacey music on Moog Synthesizers. The audience sat on pillows, there was a light show. They served soft drinks--no booze or drugs. It was an attempt to popularize and market Moog's synthesizers.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Big storms in St. Pete today.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Segway Puma
Segway and GM are partnering for a 2 seat version of the Segway called the PUMA.
Calcutipr
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Dad
My Dad passed away March 29th after a long battle with Parkinson's. He was 90. I'll miss him a lot.
He was the best father I could imagine having. He was a kind gentle man who didn't preach but lived his life as an example that I can only aspire to.
I remember observing and helping him build electronic projects. I learned to use tools, and work on the car. He never talked down to me, he was a wealth of knowledge and inspired my love of technical things. And German cars!
One of his great loves was building and flying kites. He's the only person I know who has built a complex parafoil kite from scratch, it flies great. I remember flying huge box kites with him on windy days in Colorado. The kites would pull so hard they'd break one-hundred pound test line. He wore heavy gloves and I think that the harder the kite pulled the happier he was.
When I got older and started sailing my Dad would crew occasionally. He wasn't what you'd call a natural sailor, but he would come along anyway just to be with me. He was my very first passenger when I got my pilot's license. He loved flying and always encouraged my aviation career. We went to a lot of air-shows and fly-ins together, including Oshkosh and Sun-and-Fun.
After my Dad retired, he and my Mom traveled the world. It seemed like they were always going somewhere. They took tours, cruises, and went to a lot of Elder-hostels together. Between his military career and their post retirement travels my parents have covered most of the globe and collected many treasured memories.
My Dad loved card games and was a very competitive bridge player. My parents played regularly and made many friends playing bridge.
Some time ago my Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Over the years his condition got worse and worse. Eventually he had trouble walking and started to fall. Trips to the emergency room became regular and my Mom became unable to care for him without help. We moved him into the assisted living facility.
At the very end my Dad went into Hospice. He left this earth with dignity and without pain.
I was flying a trip from Frankfurt when he passed, I got home late that night. When I saw my Dad before I left I didn’t know it would be our last time together. He wasn’t doing very well. Most of the time his eyes were closed and he wasn’t very responsive. He was weak and barely spoke.
As I was leaving I gave him a kiss on the top of his head and said, “I love you Dad.”
He perked up and said, “I love you too.”
Those were the last words we spoke to each other.
My Dad lives on now in our hearts and in our memories. I know that I’m a better person for knowing him. I’m proud to be his son. I love you Dad.