ranty, impulsive
Archive for May, 2010
Favorite iPad applications
14 years
by Shane Short
in Uncategorized
Having spent some considerable time browsing through the app store for the iPad, I thought I’d publish the list of apps I’ve found fun, useful or just plain cool.
iPad install progress
14 years
by Shane Short
in Uncategorized
Well, my iPad finally arrived on Tuesday and all I can say is… Wow! I love it, time will tell just how useful it will be, but I’ve found myself hardly using my laptop of late! The keyboard is surprisingly good (I’m typing on it right now), the screen is extremely bright and vibrant and boy, is it quick!
(more…)
iPad Car Install
14 years
by Shane Short
in Uncategorized
After watching a guy in the vlogging his iPad install in his car (here), I’ve been inspired to do the same thing. So far, reading and looking about I’ve compiled the following list of bits:
- iPad 16GB 3G (ordered, en route)
- Camera Connection Kit (ordered)
- Cables To Go 22327 USB 5.1 Audio Adapter (ordered)
- 12v -> 5V 2.5A regulator (parts ordered)
- W. iPod Breakout/Extender PCB with 1 soldered connector (http://www.chargeconverter.com/shop/connector.htm?connext.htm)
- Audison Bit One (ordered)
The only thing I really need to look into is the charging, from what I understand of the pinouts, I should be able to supply my 5V to the USB power and the USB audio adapter should bring the data pins high, causing the unit to charge. I’ve emailed the soundman guys to see if they’ve managed to get it working yet.
More posts as bits arrive.
Startups– Exciting! Awesome! Lots of damn work!
14 years
by Shane Short
in Web In A Box
If you ever find someone who says that doing your own startup is a good idea, listen to them.. if they tell you at any stage it will be ‘easy’, slap them in the face for me.
While on the surface most startups appear to be easy, usually there’s some serviceable market you want to target, you think “easy, lets build something that services those people.. then it’s profit!” but let me stop you right there and share my story with you 🙂
Web In A Box started as an idea while carpooling on the way home from a previous job (and the business name was thought of on a very similar car trip…). That was nearly 4 years ago now and while Web In A Box is a self sustaining business now– it’s still got a long way to go to be as awesome as those little initial thought bubbles said it would be.
It doesn’t help that none of us worked on it full time (until recently) so progress was.. slow. The initial scope of what we were planning to do ballooned out of control and quickly we realised what we’d gotten ourselves into.
This isn’t to say that the trip hasn’t been extremely rewarding, writing a billing system and building a full hosting cluster around it has been challenging and fun, it’s just alot more work than any of us had in mind at the time.
The main reason it’s taken so long is we’ve generally had a stance of “if we can’t fully integrate it in to our management UI and have it completely automated, we’re not doing it.” which has obviously made certain projects take longer than they’d otherwise take elsewhere.
So, go-on, do build your own startup from the ground up– be a perfectionist, but be prepared for the amount of work involved 🙂