Posted May 8th, 2014 @ 07:58pm by Erik J. Barzeski
I've often wondered how and when we're going to have home security systems that are a bit more complex than a metal key ((Then again, it's a testament to the general "goodness" of people that we really only protect ourselves and our "stuff" with simple metal keys.)). After all, they're not exactly difficult to defeat - they can be picked, keys can be lost or easily stolen and copied, etc.
But what's the alternative? How about… this: Kwikset Kevo Single Cylinder Satin Nickel Bluetooth Enabled Deadbolt for iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, 5S and Included FOB-925 KEVO DB 15 at The Home Depot?
So… rather than using a metal key (which comes with the system), you need to have a big key fob or your charged phone in the vicinity. And hope that the batteries haven't died in either. And hope that nobody has Bluejacked you. And that you can pair your phone, and remember to do so when you get a new phone.
Something tells me most people will just… continue to use the metal key.
Posted in Technology | 2 Comments »
Posted May 7th, 2014 @ 09:07pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Wirecutter recommends the G1W Dashcam. Do you have a Dash Cam? How long until cars are coming with them as standard features?
Posted in Technology | No Comments »
Posted May 6th, 2014 @ 10:39am by Erik J. Barzeski
Physicists Detect Gravity Waves, Lifting the Veil on the Beginning of the Universe.

I could have sworn I posted about this before. I guess perhaps not? Fascinating stuff.
Posted in Human Condition | No Comments »
Posted May 5th, 2014 @ 12:45pm by Erik J. Barzeski
A few days ago, Dave and I each leased a 2014 Smart Car Electric Drive from Smart Center Buffalo (the Mercedes-Benz dealership).
We're going to "wrap" the car in advertising, and drive it around whenever we can. It's surprisingly roomy. A golf bag even fits in the back (you have to take the clubs with headcovers off and angle them, but all the irons fit!). The front seating feels quite spacious fore and aft (the car is only 5'1" wide so there's not a lot of room between the seats). The car goes about 70 miles on a charge (which costs about $1.25) and goes 75+ MPH. I've driven it on I-90 back from Buffalo, NY, and it performed admirably.

It's quite fun to drive, too, and inexpensive. Even with conservative numbers and just factoring in gas savings and not depreciation, I will only be spending about $40/month to advertise with this thing… and it should be effective advertising, as everyone looks at the car when we're driving it somewhere.
P.S. Advertising for Golf Evolution.
Posted in Golf | 1 Comment »
Posted May 4th, 2014 @ 05:52pm by Erik J. Barzeski
From Brent: inessential: Google AdSense and Analytics
99.9% sure that article is a complete farce, though.
Posted in Technology | No Comments »
Posted May 3rd, 2014 @ 05:24pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Filtered Mail
387,913 Good Messages
504,515 Spam Messages (57%)
142 Spam Messages Per Day
SpamSieve Accuracy
1,581 False Positives
4,140 False Negatives (72%)
99.4% Correct
Corpus
14,470 Good Messages
17,688 Spam Messages (55%)
1,558,296 Total Words
Rules
34 Blocklist Rules
11 Whitelist Rules
Showing Statistics Since
8/24/04, 8:00 PM
Almost a decade now!
Last done: March 2013.
Posted in Blogging | No Comments »
Posted May 2nd, 2014 @ 10:01am by Erik J. Barzeski
Posted in Apple | No Comments »
Posted May 1st, 2014 @ 10:03am by Erik J. Barzeski
Wow. That's about $30k/year if you work full-time.
Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Posted April 29th, 2014 @ 09:41am by Erik J. Barzeski
Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Posted April 28th, 2014 @ 09:16am by Erik J. Barzeski
PulpFiction was great. Cyndicate was even better.
But now neither are really no more, and it's only a matter of time before Cyndicate stops working.
That will be a sad day for at least two or three people. Namely myself, Brad, and one other person I know who loves Cyndicate.
I love how feeds are sorted by their content, not the blog from which they came. I could probably manage a similar thing in other blog readers if I use smart folders or something, but that seems like a bit of a weird approach and that the individual blog feeds are always being thrust in your face as "how you're supposed to use this app."
I've heard good things about ReadKit. And of course NetNewsWire is still out there.
NetNewsWire (I just tried a recent one) still screws this up. It sorts feeds into folders, but doesn't show you the contents of the folders when you select them. Seriously… So does ReadKit work this way? Because this way sucks, TBH. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't seem to be…
Posted in Apple | 3 Comments »
Posted April 27th, 2014 @ 09:10am by Erik J. Barzeski
Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Posted April 26th, 2014 @ 08:56am by Erik J. Barzeski
This is a particularly bad example: Car UI.
It's not news that Apple's CarPlay is re-igniting the discussion about just how bad the UX is in most modern vehicles.
A friend of mine works on the UX for Tesla, though, and if I had to choose a car with the best UX, it may be one of those bad boys.
Posted in Technology | No Comments »
Posted April 25th, 2014 @ 11:21pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Posted in Apple | No Comments »
Posted April 24th, 2014 @ 07:37am by Erik J. Barzeski
a) 10.10? I forgot that with Mavericks being 10.9 we were about to find out whether we were getting "Mac OS XI" or what…
b) Apparently we have to get ready for Helvetica Neue according to Craig Hockenberry. That's fine. I think Analyzr can handle it.
Posted in Software Development | No Comments »