Oct 28

Similar to offers we've seen from companies like Costco, the RadioShack Online Trade-In Program will swap your old gadgets for gift cards. You search their database for your gadget and offer the best quality assessment that you can, and they provide a mail-in sticker that you print. If all goes well, they'll send you a gift card 10-14 days after the unit is received. But remember, that's only if all goes well. So assuming worst case scenario, what are your totally broken gadgets worth?

3G iPod (10GB)
$3.23

1st Gen Zune
$5.81

Palm Treo 650
$3.69

Xbox 360 Premium
$9.65

DS Lite
$4.25

Wii
$15.85

PlayStation 3 (60GB)
$23.48

Needless to say, if you've trashed all of your electronics, you may be able to unload them and score a few bucks in the process. [RadioShack]



Tagi: palm treo 650, worst case scenario, ipod 10gb, zune, xbox 360 premium, palm treo, wii, radioshack, xbox 360, costco, quality assessment, mail, gift cards, electrics, treo 650, best quality, gift card, ly, gadget, gadgets

Oct 28

Similar to offers we've seen from companies like Costco, the RadioShack Online Trade-In Program will swap your old gadgets for gift cards. You search their database for your gadget and offer the best quality assessment that you can, and they provide a mail-in sticker that you print. If all goes well, they'll send you a gift card 10-14 days after the unit is received. But remember, that's only if all goes well. So assuming worst case scenario, what are your totally broken gadgets worth?

3G iPod (10GB)
$3.23

1st Gen Zune
$5.81

Palm Treo 650
$3.69

Xbox 360 Premium
$9.65

DS Lite
$4.25

Wii
$15.85

PlayStation 3 (60GB)
$23.48

Needless to say, if you've trashed all of your electronics, you may be able to unload them and score a few bucks in the process. [RadioShack]



Tagi: palm treo 650, worst case scenario, ipod 10gb, zune, xbox 360 premium, palm treo, wii, radioshack, xbox 360, costco, quality assessment, mail, gift cards, electrics, treo 650, best quality, gift card, ly, gadget, gadgets

Oct 28
Samsung Electronics Co. said Friday its third-quarter profit fell 44.4 percent, citing the global economic downturn and lower prices for its mainstay semiconductors and flat screens. Its shares tumbled 14 percent.

Tagi: flat screens, ecomic, quarter profit, electrics, mainstay, downturn, samsung

Oct 28
Most of us knows what barcodes are and feel their importance in our lives:) Virtually any thing we have has or had label with barcode on it. This set of white and black lines automates job of cashiers, simplifies logistics and significantly reduces human factor:)
Humans need more and more... Barcodes came close to limits - they cannot keep as many data as we need. Next logical step was to use two dimensions in stead of one. It means useful utilization of area plus new features like error correction that allows correct reading of code even if it is damaged partly. Lines became squares. Of course, detection of 2D codes needs more powerful devices and sophisticated mathematical algorithms. Fortunately, modern electronics can supply required things.
There are plenty of different standards on 2D codes, some of them are QR Code and Datamatrix. Both offers reasonable informational density, comparable error correction possibilities; both require similar processing power. For me, the most important feature is an ability to capture and process 2D code by low resolution cameras built into modern mobile devices. I use QR Code.

To scan barcodes, either laser guns or linear image sensors are used. To detect 2D code we need real picture and use CCD or CMOS sensors similar to ones built into digital cameras.

In spite of possibilities of modern 2D codes to keep huge amount of data (even 16 KB), consumer phones offers relatively low optical resolution products. Take into account noise in dark environment, focusing problems and dirt on lenses... As a result we are limited in code size. General rule is - the bigger squares and higher contrast between black and white elements - more reliable reading we have.

My application is based on QR Code that can keeps 27 decimal digits and offers correction in case of corruption of 30% of the code.

123456789012345678901234567

It is enough for indexing services I plan to create.

Tagi: linear image sensors, cmos sensors, mathematical algorithms, decimal digits, laser guns, envirment, phes, utiliti, indexing services, digital cameras, logical step, processing power, electrics, stead, squares, qr code, mobile devices, ccd, barcode, spite

Dec 17
25 things about me
Posted by in facebook, electrics, god, toys on 12 17th, 2009| icon3
(I'm going to start posting more things non-iPhone related. If you only subscribe for iPhone stuff, follow my iPhone tag. I'd love you to stick around though. )

There's been this "25 things" trend on Facebook where people post 25 things about themselves and let all their friends learn a little more. I decided to post my 25 things here because not all of you follow me on Facebook.

I've been meaning to do my 25 things for a while. As a somewhat private person it's generally quite difficult for me to open up. But here goes.


1. My full name is Nathaniel Paul True. Nathaniel means “God has given” and Paul means “small”.

2. As I was growing up I was fascinated with how my toys worked and would take them apart all the time. I soon became interested in assembling my own electronics and dove into that.

3. I also took up programming early on...

Read the rest of this post


Tagi: facebook, electrics, god, toys

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