First purchased iPhone app: SmartSokoban

I generally do not buy applications unless absolutely necessary and usually only the best in class. I've purchased VMware Fusion, OmniFocus (if it had support for time keeping, billing, and simple reporting I'd probably use it), and OmniGraffle.

However, for $4.99, SmartSokoban (AppStore link) is worth all 499 pennies. Sokoban is a puzzle game where you have to move boxes around a maze and set them in the appropriate place. The trick is you may only push boxes. This implementation has very slick looking and minimalistic graphics, in fact it looks better than any other implementation I've seen. It also features the option to download additional Sokoban level libraries.

Of course, SmartSokoban could use a few features like counting how many moves, concurrent level libraries, and many other obvious ones, but it is brilliant in its current simplicity.

P.S. If anyone figures out the level 11, let me know. I'm pretty sure it is unsolvable.

Goodbye Treo 700p, Hello iPhone 3G

Apple must have known I wanted to ditch my decrepit Treo because I picked it up today after ordering three days ago, even though they told me 10-21 days. The delivery quickness might be due to ordering the white version, or maybe it is Kharma making up for BMW still not having my motorcycle fixed even though they've had it for a month. From tracking various availabilities on the Apple web site, it seemed that white was in stock more often to black, and I didn't really care about the color as I'll be putting a skin on it. Any recommendations?

Here are my first impressions:

• The sound quality is awesome. My parents said I sound so much clearer, unlike the fishbowl of the Treo.
• The UI is a little confusing at first. E.g., sometimes you use gestures to navigate and sometimes you have to click little buttons to go forward and back. Not really confusing, but I was trying to use my gesture-fu only to find it was lacking. Otherwise, no complaints.
• The keyboard is a little difficult until you realize you want to aim the center of your finger, and not the edge, on the center of the letter. Still would be nice if rotating the phone would always give you a bigger keyboard.

My current list of installed apps:

• eReader - Gotta have a book to read.
  
• Google mobile app - Just testing, seems redundant right now.
  
• iWant - So far seems useful for finding things near my location, but it doesn't appear to find the closest movie theater (or I just think there should be one closer than the one it found.)
  
• iYardage - Just in case I caddy because I ain't playing golf no mo'.
  
• Moonlight Mahjong light - I've always liked Mahjong.
  
• Pandora - Wow, this is definitely an awesome app. Needs a buy from Amazon MP3 option... I wonder if Apple would allow it, and will Amazon will sue if not?
  
• Phonesaber - No, I'm not happy to see you, I've got a phonesaber in my pocket.
  
• Twitteriffic - At least until there's a better Twitter app. This one's good, but the ads could get annoying.
  
• VoiceNotes - I thought you could already take voice notes on the iPhone, but maybe the iPhone doesn't sync those. These get sync'd.

More updates as I think of them...

100 Things or Bust

Since I am moving to Colorado Springs and staying in the house of friends, minimizing my stuff to the essential was necessary. I had read a while ago about a guy living out of a rucksack, which was interesting but impractical for anyone not busking for quarters on the street corner or running from the law. Also a while ago, I read about people limiting their personal items to 100 things, and more recently about Dave Bruno, oddly named the same as an elementary school friend who I just reconnected with via LinkedIn, doing the same thing.

Playing by the Rules

Like the Constitution of the United States, a simple statement may be interpreted many different ways. Limiting yourself to 100 Things is equally flexible. I chose to casually follow these rules:

1. 100 Things
2. Books are excluded, but limited to the unread or essential reference material.
3. Certain items may be counted as 1 regardless of number, e.g. socks, underwear, and support items for computer equipment. Shoes are not counted this way (sorry, Jeff!)
4. Completely excluded from the list are sporting equipment (hockey, baseball, camping, ...) If you have hobbies, you are going to have stuff, and the more complicated the hobby, the more stuff it requires. (Sorry again, Jeff, N pairs of hiking boots are still counted individually.)
5. I’m not sure whether to count the luggage required to haul this stuff around, but I'm not. So I guess I am sure.
   

I’m contemplating something more like 200 Cubic Feet (10×10x2) since it might make packing easier.

Summary

Narrowing down my items to an essential 100 Things was much harder than I thought, even with the exceptions. Part of the difficulty was the accounting and packing process happening at the same time. The most difficult were the last 25 items during the last hour of packing. Right now I’m not sure how many things I actually have sent onwards to Colorado as that final, frantic hour was a bit of a whirlwind. There were a number of late entries like the Viget ski hat swag Brian gave me while out for drinks on Thursday night. Please note that swag is free stuff, and schwag is low grade marijuana -- probably good to keep discrete.

Overall, just attempting to limit my possessions was fun and insightful. It will be a week or so until I realize what I may be missing, and I will follow up accordingly. Regardless, I’ll be back in DC to get my remaining stuff (kitchen supplies, keep sakes, artwork, and the like) during the middle of August, so I can probably suffer through anything I might not have, if only because I’ll be living in a sweet Victorian house built in 1996 containing a 54” HD LCD TV.

The existence of the TV will be interesting because I’m more or less broken from watching it since my XC motorcycle trip. However, once hockey season starts up I’ll probably suck it down like last week’s 31 year old Macallan.

Update 1 (already???)

OK, so I'm here in Austin visiting Erica and I've already forgotten some important things. They are replaceable, but annoying. The first item I noticed missing was the power supply for my Macbook Pro. Oops! The backup power supply is in a box on a slow boat to Colorado Springs, but I do have 2 batteries, and Erica should keep me suitably entertained to not want my computer. Jeff has kindly acquiesced to overnight it.

While I managed to pack all my dress shirts and pants, I neglected to pack my casual summer shirts. This is a problem in Austin as it is 100 degrees and walking around in a dress shirt on a Saturday might make people think I'm a Mormon (not that there's anything wrong with that.)

Update 2

Here I am in Colorado Springs, really missing my laptop power supply and squeaking by with one for a MacBook Air (ugh, Worst Buy stacked a discounted, open box Air one behind the Pro one and I grabbed w/o checking.) "Just go return it" would be great advice but the BMW dealer neglected to note the date I was returning and pushed off repairs until this week (i.e. until I called and asked when it would be done...)

Turns out I am also missing my GPS charger. I'm not even sure where that might be because I don't remember seeing it.

The List

1. pillows
2. comforter
3. duvet and sheets
4. bag, rust, REI duffle
5. tent, teal, 2 person
6. sleeping bag, blue, Northface 3 season
7. shoes, brown, dress
8. shoes, black, dress
9. shoes, brown, casual
10. shoes, brown, sockless
11. sandals, brown
12. sandals, green, Chacos
13. sandals, orange, Crocs
14. shoes, white, running
15. shoes, grey, trail
16. boots, brown, hiking
17. jacket, rust, light windbreaker
18. jacket, green, North Face soft shell
19. jacket, green, Marmot waterproof shell
20. jacket, black, Fieldsheer motorcycle jacket w/ warm, waterproof liner
21. long sleeve t-shirt, white
22. long sleeve t-shirt, yellow
23. pants, black, dress
24. pants, khaki, dressy-ish
25. pants, jeans
26. pants, jeans
27. pants, blue, dockers
28. pants, khaki, dockers
29. pants, black
30. suit, black
31. mock turtleneck, green
32. t-shirt, orange, biking
33. dress shirt
34. dress shirt
35. dress shirt
36. dress shirt
37. dress shirt
38. dress shirt
39. iomega hard disk backup, black, includes power and cable
40. shuttle computer
41. keyboard
42. usb wifi
43. wireless mouse
44. GPS
45. southwest quilt
46. motorcycle helmet
47. underwear
48. socks
49. MBP and other goodies
50. ipod, red, 4gb nano w/ 2 pair headphones
51. camera, black, canon 870is and accessories
52. t-shirt, white, undershirt x 5
53. shorts, blue
54. shorts, green
55. shorts, khaki
56. shorts, khaki, fast drying
57. shorts, blue, fast drying
58. shorts, khaki, convertible
59. shorts, black, swimming
60. shorts, black, swimming
61. shorts, blue, running
62. pants, gray, rainwear
63. pants, black, light sweats
64. pants, black, light exercise
65. shorts, blue, running tights
66. shorts, black, biking tights
67. long sleeve shirt, black, cold weather
68. long sleeve shirt, blue, fleece
69. jacket, blue, Marmot fleece
70. long sleeve shirt, orange, Mountain Hardware windproof
71. gloves, black, exercise
72. gloves, black, windproof
73. hat, orange
74. hat, black, balaclava
75. water reservoir, blue, Camelbak w/ spare valve
76. sweatshirt, blue, rochester hoodie
77. surge protector, black, 4 port
78. power supply, white, spare Macbook pro power supply
79. speaker, white, portable
80. bath towel, green
81. bath towel, red
82. bag, silver, BMW waterproof duffle
83. t-shirt, green, breathable
84. t-shirt, rust, breathable
85. t-shirt, blue
86. t-shirt, blue
87. t-shirt, green
88. t-shirt, black
89. t-shirt, khaki
90. t-shirt, khaki
91. t-shirt, grey
92. GPS motorcycle mount, black
93. bicycle helmet, orange, w/ gloves
94. books, none, reference and unread books.
95. baseball glove, brown, Nokona w/ baseball
96. alarm clock, brown, Zen chime
97. battery charger, white
98. baseball hat, red, Phillies signed by Chris Coste
99. speakers, white, ipod portable