Airjoe : ATP Development

New Laptop

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:12:39 GMT

Hardware:
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 processor at 2.5 GHz (6 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB, 64-bit CPU)
Memory: 3GB RAM
Screen: 15.4� WSXGA+ (1680x1050) TFT display
HDD: 160GB 7200RPM hard drive
Graphics Card: 256MB NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M graphic processing unit
Optical Drive: CD writer/DVD writer (dual layer)
Network: 10/100/1000 on-board Ethernet and 56K modem, 802.11a/b/g/n integrated wireless
Ports: 3 USB 2.0, Docking/Port Replicator, External Display, Headphone / Line out, Microphone / Line in, Firewire (IEEE 1394)
Slots::PC Card Slot, ExpressCard Slot, Media Card Slot
Battery: 9-cell Lithium-ion battery (one-year warranty)
Other:UltraNav (touch pad/TrackPoint) pointing device
Fingerprint Reader
Bluetooth

Warranty:
Four-year manufacturer's warranty
Four-year ThinkPad Protection (accidental damage)

Software:
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit)
Microsoft Office Pro 2007
Maplesoft Maple - symbolic algebra program
MathWorks MATLAB
National Instruments LabVIEW
NX5 (Unigraphics) - CAD package
MapInfo Professional
Bentley Microstation
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Symantec anti-virus software suite

Schwing!

Can you picture it? [College contest]

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:58:53 GMT

Help me win $250 from my college!

Here is your chance to show us your creative side. You all have been mailed a red RPI hat to celebrate your enrollment. We would like to challenge you to a little friendly competition. This is how it works:

1. Have someone take a photo of you wearing the RPI hat. Do something fun with it. Show your school pride in an original way. Document your adventures with a digital photo. All photos must be legal, in good taste, and become the property of Rensselaer upon submission.
2. Submit and post your photo online at http://apply.rpi.edu/engage/contest. (Maximum number of photos allowed per student is five). All photos must be posted no later than Wednesday, August 13, 2008.
3. Vote for your favorite photo! You may vote as many times as you would like.
4. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges, including Rensselaer staff and current student ambassadors. This panel, along with the Class of 2012, will choose the favorite photo.
5. The winner will be awarded the Nintendo Wii Game or a $250 MasterCard gift card upon arrival on campus for the fall.

Any ideas?!

I Hate Ergonomic Computer Devices

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:13:26 GMT

Does anyone here actually use an ergonomic keyboard or mouse?

I was in BestBuy (ugh, don't ask) the other day with a friend who just bought a new laptop and wanted an external mouse to go with it. We went to the mouse section, and despite there being an entire row, every single one was a freaking ergonomic mouse.

I hate using an ergonomic mouse. I don't find them comfortable. I find them harder to use, because for 12 years I've been using a normal freaking mouse, and it worked fine.

That's my favorite mouse in the world. It's a simple, normal, fifteen dollar, optical USB mouse. It comes with a short cable, perfect for using with a notebook, and with a USB extension if you like to use it with a desktop.

Tell me, how is something like this comfortable?

And that brings me to my next point: cordless devices. I also hate using a cordless mouse or keyboard, because unless you get a really expensive one, they just absolutely blow.

But worse than an ergonomic mouse is an ergonomic keyboard. I mean, the curvy kind like this are bad enough, but jeez, what moron decided to split the keyboard right down the middle? We have some of these at work, and they completely suck.

Ugh. Just decided to rant while look for a mouse and keyboard for my new desktop. I decided to go with the plain and simple:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126015
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826147007

Accepted!

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:45:51 GMT

I've been accepted into my Number 1 choice for College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, up in Troy, NY, about 2 hours North of me. Now, how to come up with 200,000 dollars... I don't think RPI has a blackjack team ;]