Cox Crow

Asking the Stupid Questions Since 1971

Monday, September 23, 2002

1:05:41 PM #

Minor Details

The OXO potato peeler is considered a marvel of industrial design. Unfortunately, they forgot a little something when they applied the same design to their paring knife.

When you pick up the knife, which direction is the cutting edge facing?

12:37:14 PM # Google It!

The second season of HBO's The Mind of the Married Man introduces a new character: his TiVo. In "The Cream of the Crop", the Married Man's TiVo thinks he's gay. So he spends some time trying to convince TiVo that he's not, by recording Manly Shows

12:01:07 PM # Google It!
categories: Media

Convergence, the Way It Should Be

I don't think this will happen any time soon, because folks are all hot and bothered about making special-purpose devices into multiple-purpose devices, and general-purpose devices into special-purpose devices. But in any case, here's what I want from my tools.

I want my data, anywhere.

You go to the camera shop. You ask a couple of questions about photography, and buy a camera. You bring it home. Your network sees it. It sees your network. Your ~~computer~~ general-purpose device talks to it. You take pictures. And the only thing you think about it is taking the picture.

You go to Radio Shack. You ask a couple of questions about sound quality and sensitivity, and buy an audio recorder and an external microphone. You bring it home. Your network sees it. Your general-purpose device talks to it. Your camera, of all things, talks to it. You scurry around the house trying to catch the rugrats while they're saying something funny. And that's all you think about.

What makes this possible? Common protocols.

What makes this impossible? Control.

11:41:19 AM # Google It!
categories: Industry, Media

Why Couldn't Apple Have Included a Microphone on the iPod?

I need an audio recorder so I can record my younger daughter's breathing for the doctor. My requirements:

somewhat high fidelity microphone
portable
data not locked in the device
under $100

If I can't get the recording off the device and into my computer, then it better be dirt cheap, because it might as well be disposable.

10:27:49 AM # Google It!

Worse Than Changing Cubicles

I was issued a laptop the other week, and am only now getting around to moving files from the desktop to the laptop. I found Windows 2000's Synchronize feature, but haven't found how to add anything to the list other than "Offline Web Pages." Supporting two end-user systems does not feel much simpler than it did eight years ago. What's wrong with this picture?

8:30:35 AM # Google It!