Possible iPad Potential

Yes, it resembles a giant iPod Touch. No, it doesn’t have multitasking/Flash/webcam/USB/SD/HDMI/toaster. Yes, you should probably just get a netbook with a full OS. So what’s it good for?

Amidst all the iPad hype bashing of late, it is difficult to find any words of praise or optimism for the thing. I’m not going to sit here and act like the iPad is a revolutionary device, but I do believe it is a game-changer, to a degree. It has, as far as I know, the most advanced tablet hardware out there right now (just not the most comprehensive). The combination of capacitive multitouch + accelerometer has been proven a success in the iPhone, and with the increased screen real estate comes an increase in the number of ways people are going to think about using this device. One use I have been pondering recently is the realm of remote and VNC apps.

I use AirMouse on my iPhone to control my WallMac, and have used a couple different VNC apps with my iMac just to see what it feels like to remotely control a computer with a phone. It’s cool, but the iPhone’s screen is just too small for it to be efficient for VNC.

Yes, apps like AirMouse and Jaadu would work on an iPad, but they are built specifically to run on an iPhone, and they take into consideration the form factor of the device. AirMouse is meant to be held in one hand, moving the cursor and clicking with your thumb. This wouldn’t be possible on the iPad. Not to mention a giant, pixel-doubled rendition would look pretty crappy (especially a VNC app).

The solution is building remote and VNC apps from the ground up, specifically for the iPad. Do you have a Mac Mini (or any HTPC) hooked up to your flat screen? Ditch the awkward Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, the iPad could be the perfect couch companion with a large trackpad and nearly full-size QWERTY. Can’t bring your desktop to the coffee shop, can you? An iPad with a solid VNC app would let you work on all your files remotely. And you have Flash! Neat, huh?

I can guarantee you that people building native iPad remote and VNC apps as we speak. The SDK is out, and devs have less than 60 days intil they can test their apps on the real deal. Not sold on remote and VNC apps? How about having a full controller for your house? X10 and Sonos already have iPhone apps that let you control every light and sound in your home, and I would be shocked if they didn’t re-develop them for the iPad.

Like the iPhone, I think the real “wow” of the iPad won’t hit until developers who take into consideration this new format figure out cool ways for me to play with it. No, it won’t replace the laptop, netbook, or Kindle, but it’s in that small yet vacant middle ground in which the iPad resides, and if we’ve learned anything from it’s diminutive counterparts, it’s all about the App Store.

Warhols Stolen!

Ten privately-commissioned Warhol silkscreens were stolen from the home of businessman Richard Weisman in L.A. two weeks ago. The collection of one-of-a-kind portraits featured the likenesses of Pelé, Muhammud Ali, O.J. Simpson, Dorothy Hamill, and one of Weisman himself, among others. The paintings’ actual worth is unknown, but rewards for stolen art are typically set at 10% of their value. There is currently a $1 million reward.

The LAPD Crime Alert .pdf can be seen here.

The Story of a Fixed Gear Bicycle

Five weeks ago I went to the Chesapeake Bay for the 4th of July and I saw an old road bike, a Fuji del Rey, in the garage. “Wtf?” I said. “From where did this bike come?” (That’s right, I don’t even dangle my prepositions on vacation). My step-dad had stolen it bought it for $40 at a church’s silent auction, but it ended up being not for what he was looking. I looked up the serial number stamped under the bottom bracket and it turned out to be from 1984. Of course I couldn’t just let it sit there, all unloved and vintage. “Up with this I will not put,” I thought (what did I tell you?). I liberated the bike of superfluous parts like brakes, dreailleurs, and a ridiculous seat, and shipped it to Phat Tire in Bentonville, AR. They “hooked it up,” as it were, with a wheelset with fixed rear hub and a spiffy new saddle, and I picked it up last weekend. (click for larger images)

Former 12-speed. The boys at Phat Tire took care of that:

Parts list, for those who are into that kind of thing:

• 1984 Fuji del Rey frame & fork (Original)
• Sugino crankset, 42-tooth cog, 170mm arms (Original)
• Nitto bars & stem (Original)
• Goofy cruiser grips (Original, will be removing shortly)
• Alex rims laced to unknown hubs (New)
• Surly 15-tooth track cog (New)
• Selle San Marco Regal saddle (New)
• Time ATAC Alium pedals (New)

Loving this bike. Simple to maintain and a blast to ride. If you ever get a chance to ride a fixed gear bike, try it, it’s very different and very fun. For more information on the what & why of fixed gear, visit the all-knowing Sheldon Brown.