We have recently recieved technical questions from folks who are re-creating our projects. For those of you new to the site, We have a forum section on the site where you can post your questions, and get them answered by the Guru's. (if we are able to answer em!)

Check it out at www.2pointhome.com/forums

Let us help you with any of your technology problems.

And for those of you in need of one on one help, I will be doing a live Ustream Friday right here at 2pointhome.com! I know you are struggling with that technical issue, or want to know more about the Blackberry Storm. Join me Friday and bring your questions!

Now this will be your chance to ask a Guru anything, but lets keep it clean unlike our friends in Springmill!

No, It's not Peanut Butter and Jelly time. Its time for my pick of Tech Joke of the Week. This week I am sharing something a little more personal.

Engineer's Pick-Up Lines

Engineers are known for thinking outside the box. Well this holds true when thinking of Pick-Up Lines as well.

This week's Jokes are courtesy of Zach's Page of Science and Technology Jokes. Zach shares his favorite Engineer's Pick-up Lines which are quite funny.

"Isn't your email address beautiful_girl@mydreams.com?"

My personal favorite:

"Girl, you're sweeter than Glucose!"

"You and I would add up better than the Riemann Sum!"

"We're as compatible as two similar Power Macintoshes!"

"You're hotter than a bunsen burner set to full power!"

LOL read them all here.

Enjoy!

...and for your viewing pleasure, this week's pick of best FiOS commercial. Well, its actually a compilation of the commercials featuring Matt McCarthy. Enjoy!

Liberty is defined as the condition of being free from strict control. However the city that houses the Liberty Bell has had its liberties restricted when it comes to Television Choice.

There is a revolution upon us and it is taking place on a piece of glass the size of a single strand of human hair. It is time that we stand up to the monopolies that dominate our choice for quality Television Service!

Thursday, November 12th, Verizon asked the City Council of Philadelphia to approve a 15 year video franchise agreement, allowing it to offer FiOS TV in the city.Councilman Darrell Clarke introduced an ordinance to give Verizon the right to run a cable TV service, a measure the council is expected to vote on by the end of the year.

Verizon says it could start offering FiOS TV in the first year after the deal is made.

The deal would bring in much needed revenue for the city of Philadelphia, and provide jobs in the city as well. The franchise agreement before the City Council calls for Verizon to provide and support up to 15 public, educational and governmental channels, pay the city 5 percent of cable TV revenue in franchise fees, operate four local service centers and agree to certain customer service provisions.

For the good folks of philadelphia, and the Fans  of My Home 2.0 in Philly who have been watching our show, you are one step closer to having the FiOS power you need to "2 point 0" your home!

Watch all of our past episodes, and make sure you know your My Home 2.0 History, and check the Casting and Events Page often for your opportunity to get a home makeover!

For 3 years of my High School career I was a leader on the Balloon Launch team. Our goal was to launch a weather balloon into the atmosphere, and collect real-time data throughout its ascent and descent back to earth. We used a ham radio to communicate with the temperature and pressure circuits we launched into the air. By the third year we built a GPS tracking device to track the balloon.

Two of the best teachers I've ever had-Dr. Sigren and Mr. Taamrat-were excellent mentors for the project. This project sparked my interest in Electronics which led to my study of Computer Engineering.

Programs such as this may not be available to future students of HSEP, which is one of the motivations behind GO HSEP.

Read more about the organization at www.gohsep.org.

Up on deck is the Blackberry Storm by Verizon. At first glance, this device looks like an iPhone or G1 clone. Sure all these devices have their unique features, but what sets the Storm apart from the rest of the field? Lets take a closer look.

So the end is in sight for my current device, the i730. This PDA has endured the abuse and love only Gurus can give it (Yue has one also!)

Well, at first glance the Blackberry Storm looks like the adult version of the i730. In fact, if you really look closely, the Storm looks like the offspring of the i730 and Apple iPhone!

The Touchscreen

The Storm features a touchscreen like both the i730 and iPhone, but its touchscreen differs from the rest of the field by implementing a feature called ClickThrough. ClickThrough essentially turns the entire screen into a physical button, so when you want to select an item on the screen or letter on the keyboard, you depress the entire screen, and it makes a click similar to any other hardware button. This dynamic is only one feature that sets it apart from the rest of the field. Having had all touchscreen phones in my phone career, I welcome the ClickThrough interface, as it may make typing on a touch screen more feasible.

Multitouch

Like the iphone, the Storm features multitouch capabilities. Some uses for the multitouch are selecting and copying text on the screen. Blackberry is known for being the device for the busy person on the go, and with the added multitouch capabilities, this will only make life easier.

www.gizmodo.com

Internet Email and Browsing

Blackberrys are highly regarded for their messaging and email support, and the Storm is no different. There is access to messaging and sms right from the home screen, and notifications appear as soon as you get a new email or text. The browser is full browser and very functional. However powerful the device may be, it IS still a handheld, so there are limitation on what you can view from the web.

Network

The Storm is has both EVDO and HSPA for data downloading and uploading. EVDO is the 3G, or third generation, network for Verizon. HSPA is the "3.5G" network, and offers faster download speeds where it is available. The one thing missing from it is wifi, which would make browsing on the internet a breeze, especially if you have FiOS at home.

Other goodies

The Storm strikes with other features including GPS, Bluetooth, VZ Navigator, Blackberry Maps, micro-SD expansion slot, and all the traditional goodies you can expect in Blackberry devices. To top it off, if you get the storm and you travel overseas, the device will work in some locations in Europe! Verizon offers a plan for discounted international rates.

Now of course as a developer, the biggest thing I am curious about is how developers feel about the device. Check out the video after the break for a look at Viigo development on the device.

 * You start introducing yourself as GuruLloyd at 2pointhome.com.
 
 * Your wife drapes a wig over the monitor to remind you of what
   she looks like.
 
 * You check your mail. It says "no new messages" so you check it
   again.
 
 * You name your children Twitter, Mozzilla, and Dotcom.
 
 * All of your friends have an @ in their names.
 
 * You tell the cab driver your address is http://2pointhome.com
  
 * You get a tattoo that says "This body best veiwed with Firefox 2.0"
 
 * You ask the plumber how much it would cost to replace the chair
   in front of the computer with a toilet.
 
 * You start tilting your head sideways whenever you smile. :-)
 
 * As your car crashes through the guardrail on a mountain road,
   your first instinct is to search for the "back" button.

And for your viewing pleasure, my pick of the funniest FiOS Commercial of the week.



Have a great weekend! :D

I am always looking for interesting ways to integrate technology into common inanimate household objects. This morning I came across a really cool hack that turns an ordinary mirror into a portal into another world.

LitStudios.com turned a full body mirror into an Interactive Interface that not only shows reflections but also has the ablility to display any image a normal computer screen displays!

The mirror has a projector behind it that is connected to a computer. Similar to the Multitouch Screen created in the MET Lab at Drexel University this mirror recognizes the position of your finger and maps it to the mouse function on the computer. This would be really neat if it were a multitouch mirror.

Things I would do with this setup:

I would upload my wadrobe, so when I get out of the shower, I could preview my outfit before I put it on.

I would integrate a video phone application so that I can see the person I am talking to, and also see my reflection so I know what I look like to them

I would have a widget that lets me know what I should wear based on weather conditions outside.

Those are just a few things that I would do with this hack.

Check out the video after the break to see what LitStudios.com has done with their first iteration of the mirror!

Microsoft is dealing with a case against hardware vendors with regard to Vista's compatibility with new and existing hardware. This issue has caused alot of hardware vendors to either build seperate support for Vista, or drop support for the Operating System all together.

Despite the issues with Vista, the OS has built in features that make for a safer and more rewarding computing experience. Now what if we could have an Operating System as feature rich as Vista, but was compatible with all hardware, and booted up faster? Well that may be the case sooner than later with Windows 7.

Windows 7 is the next version of Windows, that promises to support more hardware, and give users a more feature rich experience. Some new features include:

• Integrated Desktop Gadgets (without the sidebar)
• Multi-touch Support (watch this video)
  
• New multiline Calculator with more functionality (pictured above)
• The new and improved task bar with "superbar"(check this video out to see it in action)
• Improved Boot Performance
• Integrated Windows Live Login - This allows you to login to any windows 7 PC and have all your programs and settings load.
  

And the most important feature; hardware support, hardware support, hardware support!

The future of computing is moving from the mouse and keyboard days to a more hands-off (or all fingers on) interaction. In fact, Bill Gates hinted to a future where we have moist chewy computers in the Jerry Seinfield commercial. (Check out the commercial here.)

Windows 7 looks very promising, and I can't wait to get my hands on it and dive in deeper!

Speaking of the Microsoft commercials, Check out the hilarious full version of the "New Family" Microsoft Ad.

.

Bird Bird Bird! The Bird is the word! (Listen to this song by The Trashmen to understand why)

Building an anamatronic bird was a bit of a challenge for Guru Brian, but he managed to pull it off in record timing! Not only that, he is just in time for Halloween!

Check out the video above on how you can build your own Anamatronic Bird!

I'm Brian Albert, and I approve this message.

Looking back on this incredible season, I want to take time to thank Ryan Howard, the good folks of Abbington, and the My Home 2.0 Crew who made this a memorable season for me. The hard work everyone put in for the hack-a-bat project, as well as all our other projects has brought joy and entertainment to the lives of many, including mine. Thank You!

Now that the Phillies have one, and our friend Ryan Howard is a champion, lets take the time to reflect on his visit with me and crew back in May.

It all started with the pitch...

Guru Lloyd's First Pitch from My Home 2.0 on Vimeo.

Then came the bat...

How 2.0: Hack a Bat - the Ryan Howard Speed Test from My Home 2.0 DIY on Vimeo.

Then the interview...

Ryan Howard and the Science of the Swing from My Home 2.0 DIY on Vimeo.

Check out the photos below for a look back on good times!

Brian and I did a presentation describing some of our projects, and an introduction to Electricity Demand. Check out the recorded presentation above! (There is no sound, and the recording is 3 hours long, but hey, the guru's still look good!)

1. Whatever I ate last night has asked for a refund, and wants to return from whence it came;
2. Those 2000 push-ups I did right before bed are pushing back.
3. Bodily Functions are critical; in dire need of Lora Kaczor's Pumpkin Seeds! 

Considering I had some AMAZING Jerk Chicken, Rice, Greens, and Plantain last night I can easily eliminate number one, and well, as athletic as I am, I can honestly only do 200 pushups a day. So through the process of elimination I must need those pumpkin seeds!

For those folks new to My Home 2.0, last October Lora Kaczor taught me how to bake Pumpkin Seeds.

The recipie calls for:

Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up salt

Pumpkin Seeds (Commonly found in Pumpkins)

Patience

Check out the video below for our little DIY video on how to make em! 

MMMMMM!

Solar Power works well in places that get lots of sunlight throughout the year, and can save you money on your electric bill.

On Grid Solar Systems

On Grid Solar Systems are systems setup at a residential or commercial location where the Solar Energy compliments the Energy from the Power Company. This setup is ideal if you do not want to rely 100% on Solar power. When the energy generated from the solar panel can not handle electric demand of the location, the system seamlessly switches to the power company. Since you are still relying on power from the electric company, you will see a reduction in your bill, but it may not be completely reduced. If however, your solar panels produce more energy than you use, that energy will be fed back into the power grid, and you will recieve credit from the power company!

Off Grid Solar Systems

Off Grid Solar Systems are solar systems that are setup at locations where there is no connection from the power company. These systems usually have batteries setup to store the energy generated when there is little or no demand. These batteries kick in at night time, and when the demand exceeds the supply from the panels.

How can FiOS help me with an alternative energy setup?

Good Question. FiOS provides reliable high bandwidth internet connection that would help you keep track of the your home's electricity demand, and the real-time view of the ammount of energy generated by your alternative energy system. Management of this supply-demand system can be done at the location, piped through the FiOS network to a secure server, and made available to you instantly. I will explain this in closer detail later.

Check out the video below for more information on Solar Panel systems for residential and commercial locations.

The Phillies and good friends of the show Ryan Howard have been on a mad dash for the title since the allstar break, and I am glad I have been along for the ride! The Hack-a-Bat started out as a plan to provide Ryan Howard more information about his swing, and sparked interest amongst folks out there who also want access to that information as well. In this article, I will recap the concepts behind the bat, and ensure that you have what you need to create your own Hack-a-Bat! My only stipulation is that you must not hack the bat of any active player from the Tampa Bay Rays or Boston Red Sox! ;)

Review

Recall the goal of the Hack-a-Bat project was to perform analysis of a batter's swing by modeling the motion and position of a person's bat. This is accomplished by analyzing the bat's six degrees of freedom, and creating a profile of each swing of the bat. This requires a microelctromechanical systems or MEMS circuit called an Inertia Measurement Unit or IMU. The IMU measures the Roll, Pitch, Yaw, X, Y, and Z which are the 6 degrees of freedom we need to profile our swing.

Communication with the bat

The aformentioned circuit is sealed inside the bat. Now there are two ways we can retrieve that data. We can program our bat's circuit to store the data locally on non-volatile memory. The issue with that is that we would need to remove the circuit after each swing and download the information. This process would become tedious after a few swings. Alternatively, we equipped the bat with a radio, and streamed the serialized IMU data to our computer.

In the DIY article you will find instructions on how to use the MAC version of the software, but many folks have asked about a PC version. Well, in the case of the PC, here is a solution that will allow you to retrieve the Hack-a-Bat Data.

You will need the following:

• PC with Windows 98 or Higher or Linux
• IMU 6 Degrees of Freedom w/ Bluetooth
• Bluetooth Doggle if your PC is not Bluetooth enabled

The IMU circuit listed above comes with software with a nice interface that gives you a visual of each degree of freedom measurement.

The data from the IMU is transcieved via a Bluetooth profile that emulates the serial port on your PC. If you are familiar with the serial protocol, you can code your own interface using Visual Basic, C or C++, Python, PHP, etc. Once you have established communication between the PC and hack-a-bat, reffer back to the previous articles if you want to know how to get speed or the position of the bat.

Well, good luck, and God Speed future hack-a-bat Gurus! May the gravitational force be with you!

Now, enjoy some videos!

And the boys wasted no time either! Dove right into the sea of technology goodies and appeared to be enjoying the setup the Guru's provided for them. Check out the video after the break.