Peter Hajas2012-05-14T16:08:01Z/atom.xml/DashPeter Hajas2012-05-14T16:06:33Z2012-05-14T16:06:33Z/blog/dash.html
<p>Documentation is essential for software development. I’m always interested when someone presents a new way to navigate documentation. I remember when Fileability came out with <a href="http://fileability.net/ingredients/">Ingredients</a>. Sadly, Ingredients <a href="https://github.com/fileability/Ingredients/issues/16">doesn’t seem to work</a> on Lion.</p>
<p><a href="http://natestedman.com/">Nate</a> told me about this new documentation viewer called <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dash-docs-snippets/id458034879?mt=12">Dash, from the Mac App Store</a>. It works <em>fast</em>, can be accessible with a hotkey, and has support for “snippets” (kind of like TextExpander) which can sync over DropBox.</p>
<p>It also includes support for custom documentation sets, and has a growing library of one-click-install docsets.</p>
<p>It’s free at the time of this writing, and I recommend it.</p>
Noise in the CeilingPeter Hajas2012-04-17T21:33:39Z2012-04-17T21:33:39Z/blog/noise-in-the-ceiling.html
<p>I’m currently attending a <a href="http://www.rpi.edu">university</a>, about to graduate this May. I live off campus in an apartment with 4 other roommates. Several weeks ago, I had an idea to play a prank on my neighboring roommate. I had heard about the <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8c52/">ThinkGeek Annoy-a-Tron</a> and thought it was an excellent idea for something like this. I wanted to one-up it, though. Using an Arduino and some other components my other roommates had lying around, I built a similar device that can be controlled over <span class="caps">HTTP</span>.</p>
<p>The noise device:</p>
<p><img alt="The noise device, wrapped in a plastic bag" src="/media/img/noise_device_bag.jpg" /></p>
<p>Pretty menacing, right? I wrapped it in a grocery bag, for dust shielding, but this seemed dangerous for static.</p>
<p>Here’s the Mk <span class="caps">II</span>, which I switched to shortly thereafter:</p>
<p><img alt="The noise device, Mk II" src="/media/img/noise_device.jpg" /></p>
<p>I installed it 3 weeks ago, in the drop ceiling between our rooms. I thought he’d notice within several days.</p>
<p>The device listened over port 1337, and parsed the <span class="caps">HTTP</span> request to generate a particular tone. For example, <code>device:1337/1000</code> would sound at 1000Hz, <code>device:1337/2000</code> is 2000Hz, and so on.</p>
<p>I wrote a script to send it <span class="caps">HTTP</span> requests at a random interval, between 2 and 8 minutes (just like the Annoy-a-Tron). I ran this script all day, and all night, for at least a week.</p>
<p>At some time, I stopped running the script for whatever reason, but would casually check in and make the device beep manually every now and then.</p>
<p>My roommate never said anything. I assumed he couldn’t hear it, despite the noise being definitely audible from my room.</p>
<p>Tonight, he noticed a power supply running into the drop ceiling of my room, on the wall adjacent to his room. He didn’t know that this was for an Arduino in his ceiling, but suspected something. I turned up the intensity, and the rest of my roommates joined me in a hunt for the source of the noise. They, of course, had all known since I first installed it.</p>
<p>Finally my roommate realized the prank. He confessed that he heard the noise, <em>every single time it sounded</em>, and that he was convinced it was coming from his computer or television. He was afraid of saying something because he was afraid of sounding crazy.</p>
<p>Needless to say, this went on for a little longer than I intended. Worth it.</p>
Emotive TextPeter Hajas2012-04-09T02:47:00Z2012-04-09T02:47:00Z/blog/emotive-text.html
<p>I’m currently taking a course in Typography. For a class project, we were asked to investigate the relationship between typography and language. While individual letterforms are interesting from a design standpoint, they are traditionally used to convey language and emotion.</p>
<p>Because we could choose <em>any</em> medium for the project, I decided to write software. I recently have become <a href="/projects/genesis.html">very familiar</a> with Core Text, and I wanted to try my hand at various natural language processing toolkits.</p>
<p>I had this idea, early on in the semester, of animating type in a fullscreen application. I have a strange passion for large text fields and unusually colored text carets. I ran with these ideas for the project.</p>
<p>I wanted to make something to visualize the emotion given in a particular sentence or phrase. I thought natural language processing sounded perfect for determining the emotion of a sentence, and then I could use Core Text to typeset it, and Core Animation to animate it.</p>
<p>First, though, how do we determine the emotion present in a given set of words?</p>
<p>I searched around, and found a very interesting <a href="http://nodebox.net/code/index.php/Linguistics#emotional_value">component of a project called NodeBox</a>. This <code>en</code> Python library is capable of evaluating the emotion of a given noun, verb, adverb or noun. It includes a lite version of <a href="http://www.nltk.org/">nltk</a>, and has no external dependencies. <em>Awesome.</em></p>
<p>Now that I had emotions for given words, I could begin to write some Objective-C to do the typesetting and animation. I bugged <a href="http://alexgaynor.net/">Gaynor</a> for help with using Python.framework to glue Python into an app.</p>
<p>I wrote a text attributer, which would utilize the emotion mapping given by <code>en</code> to assign a custom “emotion” attribute to each word in a provided phrase of text. Then, a font assignment object would parse these emotions, and set the typeface accordingly. Finally, using some (very hacky disgusting) Core Animation, I put each glyph into its own <code>CALayer</code>, and animated them all.</p>
<p>For setting fonts, an easy choice would have been to find typefaces that match the emotions expressed in that sentence. This seemed too obvious. <a href="http://alexandraburrell.com/">Alex</a> pointed out that it would be cool to assign fonts representing the <em>opposite</em> emotion. This sounded very interesting. Once I implemented all the fonts, reading sad messages in “happy” typefaces and vice-versa felt unusual and uncomfortable. This emotional connection was surprising to me, and exactly what I wanted for the project.</p>
<p>Once I glued all these components together, something still felt off about the project. Due to the inherent nature of Python (and the <code>en</code> library), processing the emotion of text was slow. 2 or so seconds, but still, not instant and visceral like I wanted.</p>
<p>How could I get <em>instant</em> emotion for a phrase, as the user types it? No natural language toolkit (that runs on commodity hardware) is that fast. But, if you can’t do something fast enough at runtime, maybe you can precompute it!</p>
<p>It took very little time to write a program to test the emotional status of <em>every word</em> in <code>/usr/share/dict/words</code>. 50 hours of Mac Pro time later, I <code>pickle</code>‘d these to a Python <code>dict</code>. Then, I used <code>PyObjC</code> (in the interpreter!) to translate this dict into an <code>NSDictionary</code> property list I could load into my app.</p>
<p>I was initially worried about having enough disk space to hold this emotional mapping file. After discovering it was less than 50K, I jumped at the opportunity to have it in memory.</p>
<p>Combing through the emotional mapping, I noticed that there were many emotional synonyms. “sadness” and “depression”, “joy” and “elation”, and so on. I wrote a quick “synonymizer” object to resolve these synonyms, thereby increasing the word scope of the app.</p>
<p><img alt="Emotive Text Screenshot" src="/media/img/emotivetext.png" /></p>
<p>And now it’s instant, and pretty much done. You can clone it and play with it at the <a href="http://github.com/peterhajas/Emotive-Text">GitHub Repo</a>. It requires <span class="caps">OS</span> X 10.7 “Lion” or later.</p>
<p>(Please excuse the dirty, disgusting <span class="caps">CA</span> hacks and unoptimized <code>NSDictionary</code> code. This was written quickly, and for one purpose, and is not something that I will need to maintain).</p>
Instapaper 4.1 looks fantasticPeter Hajas2012-03-22T14:54:41Z2012-03-22T14:54:41Z/blog/instapaper-4.1-looks-fantastic.html
<hr />
Original article:<br />
<a href="http://www.marco.org/2012/03/16/instapaper-4-1-released"><strong>Introducing Instapaper 4.1 for iPhone, iPad</strong>
by Marco Arment→</a>
<hr />
<p>I recently updated to Instapaper 4.1 on my new 3rd generation iPad.</p>
<p>The text looks incredible. Arment has licenses from various foundries, and the new included typefaces are best-in-breed for screen reading. I prefer <a href="http://processtypefoundry.com/fonts/elena/">Elena</a> on iPad, and am tending towards <a href="http://www.fontsite.com/3058/lyon/">Lyon</a> on iPhone, although I’m still a bit undecided.</p>
<p>A great update to one of my all-time favorite iOS apps.</p>
Don't Cut SlackPeter Hajas2012-03-02T13:37:04Z2012-03-02T13:37:04Z/blog/dont-cut-slack.html
<p>Let’s say you needed a can opener (and for whatever reason, you didn’t own one yet). You go to a store, and purchase one.</p>
<p>That night, extremely excited (as many people are about new can opener purchases), you hurry into your kitchen. Tonight, you’re going to prepare a meal! And some of the ingredients will come from a can, yum! You bust out a can of sweet corn, hook your brand new department-store can opener onto it, squeeze, and turn the crank. After a few seconds of turning the hand crank, the top comes off, and you can enjoy your sweet corn. Yum!</p>
<p>Later that same week, you’d like to again cook yourself a delicious meal whose ingredients also come in an aluminum enclosure. Just as you did before, you hook the can opener up, and begin to turn the crank. Only this time, you hear a terrible grinding noise. Before you can stop turning, the can opener has cut up metal shavings of the can, and put them in the food. Furthermore, due to the destruction of the can, a lot your food has leaked out onto the kitchen counter and floor. Your dinner is ruined.</p>
<p>Maybe the owner’s manual for this can opener had a specific angle you were supposed to hold it at. Perhaps it had a suggested service plan - after so many turns, you need to get it serviced to have it work the same as before.</p>
<p>You now have a lemon can opener (without service or new parts), and a wrecked meal for the evening. Besides doing nothing, there are two courses of action you could take.</p>
<p>You could take the active approach. Maybe you’d write the company. You could contact consumer advocacy campaigns, you could return the can opener. You were sold a defective can opener, and you’re going to get your money’s worth!</p>
<p>Or you could be passive. If this freak can opener incident happened to you, you’d probably never buy a can opener of this style or from this manufacturer ever again. You might even tell your friends, and recommend that they too stay away from this particular kind of can opener.</p>
<p>You wouldn’t be cutting this faulty can opener any slack. You certainly would not assume “Oh, this is just how can openers work”, and conclude that you’re stupid or wrong for not following the bizarre requirements. You weren’t wrong. The tool was wrong. You’re not cutting it any slack.</p>
<p>Maybe you don’t cut a can opener any slack because it’s not very complicated. You can understand the basic principle behind how it works.</p>
<p>Would you cut a more complicated thing more slack?</p>
<p>What about a car? Maybe you own a car (perhaps from the same company that brought you that fantastic can opener<sup>1</sup>), and it works alright. Every 10 or so times you start it, though, the engine fails to turn over and needs to be jumped. This isn’t because of a faulty component in the car, this is just how the car works. Everybody who owns this car has this same problem. Driving around, you frequently see people jumping each other to start these cars. This is commonplace. Also, every six months or so, these cars require major service to keep working. You need to have the engine rebuilt, or else the car won’t run nearly as well as it used to. Your speed will be limited, you’ll use more fuel, and the car will emit a terrible odor.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><ol class="footnote">
<li value="1">I wouldn’t recommend buying a car from a company that makes can openers. Or a can opener from a company that makes cars.</li>
</ol></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Cars are significantly more complex than can openers. Lots of parts make up a car, and they work together in complicated ways. Unlike a can opener, most people do not understand how a car works (beyond basic principles of internal combustion, maybe).</p>
<p>But I bet most people would not cut this car any slack. They’d return the car. There would be class action lawsuits against this kitchen-tool-and-automobile company. This company would be scolded publicly - why can’t they make cars that work the way they should work? If you owned one of these cars, you wouldn’t accuse yourself of being stupid or wrong for not following the unusual service requirements. You would blame the car company. You wouldn’t cut them or the car any slack.</p>
<p>So, if complexity isn’t a factor, then what about something that’s similarly as complex to a car?</p>
<p>What about software?</p>
<p>People cut software a lot of slack. Way too much, if you ask me.</p>
<p>I see people all the time who deal with issues with software similar to the ones I’ve described for can openers and cars. If the computer does something bad, like loses a document because you forgot to save like you “should”<sup>2</sup>, the computer gets cut a lot of slack. People feel bad, they feel stupid, they feel like they did something <em>wrong</em>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><ol class="footnote">
<li value="2"><span class="dquo">“</span>Save early and save often” is an unfortunately common mantra.</li>
</ol></p>
</blockquote>
<p>For a lot of people, every 10 or so times they turn on a computer, they’re presented with a strange dialog or screen they don’t understand before it’ll start. Maybe it didn’t shut down cleanly, maybe it needs to rebuild some internal cache, maybe it needs to do a filesystem check. Most people don’t understand what this means (they <em>should not</em> have to understand what this means), and they may bring it in for service. Not because the machine’s doing something weird or cryptic, but because they feel too dumb to understand their computer.</p>
<p>I go to a <a href="http://rpi.edu">fairly technical school</a>, and it’s common practice for many students here to “re-image” their computers two or three times a year. They view it as good hygiene for their software - this is something computers need to function well. They think nothing of the fact that several times a year, they need to drop everything, and spend a day “cleaning” their computer.</p>
<p>Or, worse, they blame themselves for needing to do this.</p>
<p>If only they hadn’t installed all that software to bog it down, if only they had defragmented their disk more often, if only they remembered to check for spyware and malware. If only they had used the computer the “right” way, they wouldn’t have to do this.</p>
<p>Maybe people cut software so much slack because it often costs less than a car. Cars cost tens of thousands of dollars, while software is frequently much cheaper (or free). I believe, however, that upfront cost is not the whole story behind how much slack we should cut things.</p>
<p>Let’s take a free example, to make things easier. Let’s talk about <a href="http://gcc.gnu.org/">gcc</a>. <code>gcc</code> is free software, both in terms of speech and beer. I didn’t pay anything for it.</p>
<p>How much is <code>gcc</code> worth to me?</p>
<p>Certainly more than $0. I’d argue that <code>gcc</code> and similar free tools like it are worth a lot to me. They’re critical to my craft. They’re how I make stuff. How important is a pair of shoes to a runner? Or a paintbrush to an artist? Or a guitar to a musician? Much more than their retail price, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>It’s hard to put a financial value on these things, but it wouldn’t be difficult for them to be competitively priced to a car. For many people, they’re how they make a living.</p>
<p>Software is extremely important to many people’s lives, more than just software developers. Think of how many jobs require email clients, word processors, spreadsheeting applications and internet browsers.</p>
<p>If this stuff is so important to us, why do we cut it so much slack? Why do we blame ourselves when it doesn’t work right or how we expect? Why do we assume that frequent maintenance is acceptable for something so important?</p>
<p>Maybe we cut software slack because we have to. Because there’s rarely any other option. Sometimes you can’t just switch or stop using a piece of software.</p>
<p>It’s a problem with the software industry. Companies are used to people cutting their software slack, and as a result, they don’t try as hard. They start to make users custodians of the system, and user-centric design takes a back seat to cheaper operating costs. Who’s going to call them on it?</p>
<p>Intentionally or not, an attitude of guilt has been instilled in consumers regarding software. Companies aren’t likely to change if this attitude stays the same, if we keep cutting software slack.</p>
<p>We shouldn’t cut software slack. It’s a tool, and it should work like one.</p>
iOS Text EntryPeter Hajas2012-02-07T15:55:00Z2012-02-07T15:55:00Z/blog/ios-text-entry.html
<p>In iOS, there are two provided text input controls. <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/uikit/reference/UITextField_Class/Reference/UITextField.html">UITextField</a> provides a simple text field. It’s great for entering things like usernames and search queries. <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/uikit/reference/UITextView_Class/Reference/UITextView.html">UITextView</a> is for longer form text, like a document body. Both of these controls support a global style for the text they display. </p>
<p>Because <a href="/projects/genesis.html">Genesis</a> is a source code editor, I need to have a text input control that supports multiple styles. This can be done in one of two ways:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p>Use <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UIKit/Reference/UIWebView_Class/Reference/Reference.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006950">UIWebView</a> and a Javascript syntax highlighting library (like <a href="http://alexgorbatchev.com/SyntaxHighlighter/">SyntaxHighlighter</a> or <a href="http://code.google.com/p/google-code-prettify/">google-code-prettify</a>).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Implement a custom text input view. Draw text using <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/StringsTextFonts/Conceptual/CoreText_Programming/Introduction/Introduction.html">Core Text</a>, and take user input using <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/IOs/#documentation/UIKit/Reference/UITextInput_Protocol/Reference/Reference.html">UITextInput</a> and related protocols.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>I initially tried the first approach. I explored having a hidden, invisible <code>div</code> that would take editing focus, and have the syntax highlighting view at exactly the same location. Matching up scrolling seemed pretty hacky. I next tried using <code>contenteditable</code> on the <code>div</code> containing the highlighted code. When I started looking into key events to trigger re-highlighting the text, it became apparent that this was not an elegant solution.</p>
<p>I decided to pursue the second route. Native is better, and I can provide a more customized experience with regards to the caret and text selection. This also gives me an excellent opportunity to learn Core Text.</p>
<p>I have an early iteration of this custom text editing view, which I’m calling <code>GNTextView</code>, in the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/Genesis/tree/customTextView">customTextView</a> branch of the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/Genesis">Genesis Github repository</a>. It supports text input, most cursor movement operations, and displays <code>NSAttributedString</code>. It’s early, but solid progress towards a great source code editing experience.</p>
Spring 2012 Research - GenesisPeter Hajas2012-02-03T00:15:00Z2012-02-03T00:15:00Z/blog/spring-2012-research-genesis.html
<p>Since my sophomore year here at <a href="http://rpi.edu"><span class="caps">RPI</span></a>, I’ve been working with <a href="http://rcos.rpi.edu"><span class="caps">RCOS</span></a>. It’s an undergraduate research group, committed to writing cool open source software. It’s one of the most unique opportunities I’ve seen at <em>any</em> university, and I feel fortunate to be able to participate.</p>
<p>This semester, being my last at <span class="caps">RPI</span>, I wanted to focus on a project with large implications. I’ve been toying with an idea in my head for a long time, and now is the perfect opportunity to turn it into reality. I’m working with a fellow senior, <a href="http://www.jeffhui.net/">Jeff Hui</a>, and we’re both really excited about this project.</p>
<p>So, what’s the big idea? What’s the cool “last-hurrah” <span class="caps">RCOS</span> project?</p>
<p>It’s called <strong>Genesis</strong>, and it’s one simple thing:</p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be great to write software <em>on your iOS device?</em></p>
<p>I know, a pretty daunting task. Several products currently exist. For example, the really interesting <a href="http://twolivesleft.com/Codea/">Codea</a> (formerly known as Codify) allows you to write <span class="caps">LUA</span> scripts on your iPad, and run them on the device. Also, <code>ssh</code> apps like <a href="http://panic.com/prompt/">Prompt</a> from the cool guys at <a href="http://panic.com/">Panic</a> (hi Cabel!) allow you to <a href="http://yieldthought.com/post/12239282034/swapped-my-macbook-for-an-ipad">remotely write software on another machine</a>, if you’re happy with <code>emacs</code>, <code>vim</code> or <code>nano</code> (or <code>echo</code> and <code>></code> if you’re super hard-core).</p>
<p>I see these apps on opposite sides of a continuum. Codea is beautiful, and takes advantage of a touch input device to aid in writing software (for example, giving the user a color wheel for <span class="caps">RGB</span> values), but you’re stuck in <span class="caps">LUA</span>. Prompt allows you to write in any language you choose, and work on all your software projects using a terminal editor. This is really versatile, but due to the nature of an <span class="caps">SSH</span> client, is not optimized for software development. Also, because it’s emulating a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleprinter">teletype</a>, enhancing the interaction possibilities with touch is not really possible.</p>
<p>It would be great to have an app that’s the best of both worlds, in the middle of that continuum. Work on any software you choose, and do so in a way that’s designed for touch. A beautiful gesture-based experience.</p>
<p>I’m really excited just considering all the possibilities a touch interface can bring to development. After talking in January about some new source code visualization techniques with a friend of mine, I’m itching to get started.</p>
<p>Writing software isn’t nearly as useful if you can’t test it, and that’s where I think we have an innovative solution. Instead of needing to have your whole stack on-device (frameworks and compilers and debuggers), why not let your <strong>computer</strong> handle that stuff? Genesis has a cloud component. You run a piece of server software on your main development machine, and connect it to our cloud service. The device can use your development machine to build, run, test, debug, commit and push your changes, and there’s no need to run native code on your phone or tablet.</p>
<p>Genesis is open source, under the <span class="caps">BSD</span> license. The repository is <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/Genesis">on Github</a>.</p>
<p>So, that’s Genesis. Jeff and I are really excited to work on it.</p>
A New SitePeter Hajas2012-01-30T15:07:00Z2012-01-30T15:07:00Z/blog/a-new-site.html
<p>I’ve been working the last several months with a talented web designer and developer, <a href="http://alexandraburrell.com">Alex Burrell</a>, on a new version of <a href="/">peterhajas.com</a>. I’m really excited to deploy that today.</p>
<p>The new <a href="/">peterhajas.com</a> is powered by <a href="https://github.com/hyde/hyde">Hyde</a>, a static website system written in Python. The webserver (currently run by the cool guys over at <a href="http://prgmr.com">prgmr</a>) is just serving <span class="caps">HTML</span>, so there aren’t any database queries to create scaling issues. Static has always been well respected, and allows lots of <a href="http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/03/18/brent-baked">big sites</a> to meet demand. I’m excited for the opportunities a totally static system brings.</p>
<p>For example, source control. The full source content for this site, from <span class="caps">CSS</span> to images to Hyde template files, is accessible on <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/peterhajas.com">GitHub</a>. Feel free to take a look.</p>
<p>I recommend that you play with the really cool new <a href="/projects.html">Projects</a> page. </p>
<p>I think this medium will let me write with less overhead. I’m excited to engage with all of you regarding the things I express here.</p>
<p>You’ll notice that there are no comments. The old blog had comments that were victim to spamming, and this was too much to keep up with. On every post you’ll instead see a link to tweet your thoughts to me. This allows us to continue the conversation more effectively.</p>
<p>I look forward to sharing my thoughts, projects and ideas.</p>
MobileNotifier Beta 5, Ecstatic EggoPeter Hajas2011-05-29T05:44:00Z2011-05-29T05:44:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-beta5-ecstatic-eggo.html
<p>After all the press surrounding my last post, I had to do something. Instead of confirm or deny anything, I decided to do something. Something big.</p>
<p>I’m presenting the final release of MobileNotifier that I’ll have a part in before my absence. MobileNotifier beta5, Ecstatic Eggo. This release is big in more ways than one. It’s the most revolutionary release since the project’s inception.</p>
<p>Here’s a video I made of the release. I’m the guy in the middle:</p>
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-mP0CCytmoM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>What’s new?</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>MobileReply. Reply to text messages while within other applications! It works like magic!</p>
<p>Here’s a picture:</p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta5 MobileReply" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta5-mobilereply.png" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Full message text! Read everything in the alert, not just the first few words.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Redesigned minimalist alert display!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>A brand new AlertDashboard, inspired by our amazing lockscreen view!</p>
<p>Here’s a picture:</p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta5 AlertDashboard" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta5-alertdashboard.png" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Dismiss alerts right from the popup! Hate going into the dashboard to remove alerts you’ve just archived? Simply hit the “X” in the popup to dismiss them for good!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Recall the most recent alert easily with an Activator action. Then use MobileReply to reply to it!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Thanks to work by <a href="http://easen.co.uk/">Marc Easen</a>, MobileNotifier now supports calendar invitation alerts!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Way way faster.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>What’s been fixed?</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Lockscreen no longer displays if you have it set to “off”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Various small bugfixes.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Did I mention way way faster?</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>You’ll need to reconfigure your Activator actions for MobileNotifier.
MobileReply, for you developers, is something you can use in your software too! It’s self-contained. Check out <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier/blob/master/MNSMSSender.h">MNSMSSender</a> in the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">MobileNotifier source</a>.</p>
<p>Grab the release at the repo - phajas.xen.prgmr.com/repo - and enjoy yourself!</p>
<p>The MobileNotifier Team, <a href="http://kyleadams.org/">Kyle Adams</a>, <a href="http://timnovinger.com/">Tim Novinger</a> and myself, along with external help from <a href="http://easen.co.uk/">Marc Easen</a>, have been working on lots of great new features, and we’re truly happy to show them to the world. Along with Kyle, I tested over 100 builds of this release before shipping it.</p>
<p>All of us are also on Twitter! <a href="">@peterhajas</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/kyleadamsdotorg">@kyleadamsdotorg</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/timnovinger">@timnovinger</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/marceasen">@marceasen</a>. Say hi if you’d like!</p>
<p>I really hope you all enjoy this release, I know I’m ecstatic about it!</p>
<p>Like I said in my last post, I’m taking a break, but I’ll be back. I think we’ll see some great things.</p>
Taking a BreakPeter Hajas2011-05-27T14:42:00Z2011-05-27T14:42:00Z/blog/taking-a-break.html
<p>I’m taking a break from MobileNotifier and Widge for a while. I have other opportunities and priorities currently. I won’t be able to do much (if any) work on the projects, and I won’t have time to respond to many Tweets or emails. The project is in capable hands, with Kyle Adams, Tim Novinger and others (like Marc Easen) keeping things going. This is definitely not goodbye.</p>
<p>I can’t say why, but it’s worth it. Trust me. If you look around hard enough, you’ll probably figure it out.</p>
<p>I hope you guys understand, and I look forward to bringing you more awesome, great, free open source software in the future. Stay tuned for some amazing things!</p>
<p>If you absolutely must get in touch with me, send me an email.
Until then, stay hungry and stay foolish.</p>
Making the WidgeKit Developer Prerelease PublicPeter Hajas2011-05-12T10:27:00Z2011-05-12T10:27:00Z/blog/making-the-widgekit-developer-prerelease-public.html
<p><img alt="WidgeKit logo" src="/media/img/widge/widgekit-logo.png" /></p>
<p>Hi guys!</p>
<p>I’m really pleased to announce today that the WidgeKit Developer Prerelease is going totally public! That’s right, starting today, everyone can gain access to the Developer resources and start to make their own widgets.</p>
<p><a href="http://peterhajas.s3.amazonaws.com/WidgeKit%20Developer%20Prerelease.pdf">Here’s the Developer Prerelease!</a></p>
<p>I hope you all enjoy it!</p>
<p>Peter</p>
MobileNotifier Beta 4 - Decadent DinobitesPeter Hajas2011-05-04T00:27:00Z2011-05-04T00:27:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-beta4-decadent-dinobites.html
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta4 logo" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta4-logo.png" /></p>
<p>I am proud to announce the immediate availability of MobileNotifier beta4, Decadent Dinobites!</p>
<p>Go to my Cydia repository (phajas.xen.prgmr.com/repo) and grab it :)</p>
<p>There’s lots of new stuff! Here are the biggest things:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Brand new alert style that lives in the doubleheight statusbar. Takes unobtrusive notifications to the next level!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Totally redone lockscreen view. Tap the bar to see a preview of your pending notifications!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Intelligent alert dismiss - alerts from the same sender are dismissed if you take action on one of them. Way easier to deal with!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Significant performance and bug fixes. Way faster, way less memory and battery footprint, way friendlier to your device!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>And more! Lots of fun surprises in this release that users will enjoy!</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Please note the following:</p>
<p>MobileNotifier is beta software, not everything will work. Please use the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/mobilenotifier/issues?sort=created&direction=desc&state=open">MobileNotifier GitHub issue tracker</a> to report. This is the only way I can keep track of issues, bug reports and feature requests reliably.</p>
<p>MobileNotifier currently is incompatible with 3.x devices inevitably. The overhead of supporting both platforms was getting strenuous. I may change this in the future, but no promises.</p>
<p>There are other releases planned within beta4 that will include other features that I think users will really love.</p>
<p>Enjoy, and let me know what you think!</p>
WidgeKit Developer PrereleasePeter Hajas2011-04-30T11:01:00Z2011-04-30T11:01:00Z/blog/widgekit-developer-prerelease.html
<p><img alt="WidgeKit logo" src="/media/img/widge/widgekit-logo.png" /></p>
<p>I’m extraordinarily pleased to announce the Developer Prerelease of WidgeKit, the framework for developing widgets for Widge.</p>
<p>If you’re a developer interested in making widgets, please email me at <a href="mailto:peterhajas@gmail.com">peterhajas@gmail.com</a> with the subject line [widgekit-include] and I’ll add you to the developer prerelease.</p>
<p>I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with!</p>
Widge, an iOS Widgeting System - Some Bits of InformationPeter Hajas2011-04-04T10:27:00Z2011-04-04T10:27:00Z/blog/widge-an-ios-widgeting-system-some-bits-of-information.html
<p><img alt="Widge logo" src="/media/img/widge/widge-logo.png" /></p>
<p>Hi everybody!</p>
<p>After reading responses to my announcement of Widge, my iOS widgeting system, I thought I’d clarify a few things about the project. I hope to have a beta release of Widge very soon!</p>
<p><strong>What is Widge?</strong></p>
<p>Widge is an open source widgeting system for iOS that I’m building along with jailbreak superstar <a href="http://howett.net/">Dustin Howett</a>. Widgets are single-purpose applications, much like the <span class="caps">OS</span> X Dashboard Widgets, Windows Vista/7 Gadgets and <span class="caps">KDE</span> Plasmoids. Widge has been built from the ground up to not affect system performance to a significant extent. This was a fundamental design decision which we believe makes Widge very competitive. The source is available at the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/widge">Widge GitHub page</a>. It’s GPLv3 licensed.</p>
<p><strong>How does it work for the user?</strong></p>
<p>On iOS, Apple has defined visual language for the homescreen that makes sense. Swipe to the right to see all your other pages, and the left to access Spotlight. Like many other iOS users, I don’t use Spotlight very frequently. Wouldn’t it be great if we could move Spotlight over a page to the left, and insert Widge in its place? That’s exactly how Widge works - you have a Dashboard-like page on Springboard to access your widgets. If you have more widgets than the page allows, they scroll.</p>
<p><strong>I’m a developer, how can I write widgets?</strong></p>
<p>Hi! I’m glad you’re excited about writing widgets for Widge! I’m in the process of writing a framework called WidgeKit that allows you to write widgets for Widge very easily. If you’re interested in getting in the prerelease program for WidgeKit, please email me - <a href="mailto:peterhajas@gmail.com">peterhajas@gmail</a> - and we’ll talk. If you already have emailed me, look for a message soon!</p>
<p>Anyways, for developers, here’s what you need to do:</p>
<p><strong>UIKit/iOS developers:</strong></p>
<p>Write a UIViewController for your widget. It needs to subclass WGWidgetViewController (from WidgeKit) and import it. Once that’s done, beyond implementing your widget, you need to write the following functions:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>(NSString *)widgetName;</code></li>
<li><code>(int)iconRowsWide;</code></li>
<li><code>(int)iconColumnsWide;</code></li>
</ul>
<p>and that’s it (so far!) Just tell Widge what the name of the widget and its dimensions, and Widge will take care of the rest. Please note that dimensions of widgets are specified in terms of icon dimensions.</p>
<p><strong>Web developers</strong></p>
<p>A powerful part of Widge is its ability to accept widgets written in both Objective-C and in web technologies such as <span class="caps">HTML</span>, javascript and <span class="caps">CSS</span>. Stay tuned for more news on web widgets - the implementation is being drafted currently.</p>
<p><strong>When can I try Widge out?</strong></p>
<p>If you’re a developer, sooner rather than later! I want to get WidgeKit in the hands of as many people as possible. If you’re an ordinary user, don’t worry yourself! A prerelease will be out once I have a decent library of widgets for you to use. Get excited!</p>
<p><strong>Where can I direct questions?</strong></p>
<p>Email me - <a href="mailto:peterhajas@gmail.com">peterhajas@gmail</a> - if you have any questions - especially if you’d like to be a WidgeKit developer!</p>
MobileNotifier Beta 4 - What's ComingPeter Hajas2011-04-03T16:16:00Z2011-04-03T16:16:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-beta4-whats-coming.html
<p>Hi everybody!</p>
<p>Wow! Since my last post, I was featured all over the internet for MobileNotifier beta3! I was mentioned on <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/28/mobilenotifier-iphone-alerts-improved-video/">Engadget</a>, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/#!5772414/why-cant-apple-just-make-ios-notifications-like-this">Gizmodo</a>, <a href="http://www.redmondpie.com/mobilenotifier-how-ios-5-notifications-should-work-jailbreak-tweak/">Redmond Pie</a> and last (but certainly not least!) <a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/03/mobilenotifier-for-ios-embarrasses-apples-poor-effort/"><span class="caps">WIRED</span></a>, among many many others! Thanks for all this awesome press!</p>
<p>So, moving forward, what am I looking at bringing to MobileNotifier next?</p>
<p>Here is a blueprint of what’s coming:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Sound fixes for users reporting duplicate sound issues and other problems. I’m working as hard as I can to fix these sound problems.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>biteSMS support for users that have requested it for QuickReply.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>QuickReply support provided internally for replying to your messages immediately.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Significantly less obtrusive alerts - living in the statusbar instead of over the view. Kyle Adams and I have been working very hard on this.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Brand new lockscreen view - with alert previews and everything!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>3.x compatibility fixes. I want older devices to run this - it’s made for everybody!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>And more! Tons of bugfixes and fixed issues.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Stay tuned here and on my Twitter account <a href="http://twitter.com/peterhajas">@peterhajas</a> for updates!</p>
<p>One more thing: what’s the <span class="caps">ETA</span>? As soon as it’s done. I want to make sure there are no bugs with the new issues before I ship out a release.</p>
<p>If you’re curious about Widge updates - especially everybody who emailed me about WidgeKit and developing widgets - stay tuned! Big news is coming soon!</p>
MobileNotifier Beta 3 - Copious Corn FlakesPeter Hajas2011-02-27T00:54:00Z2011-02-27T00:54:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-beta3-copious-corn-flakes.html
<p>MobileNotifier beta3, “Copious Corn Flakes”</p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta3 logo" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta3-logo.png" /></p>
<p>First things first, for those of you who hate reading:</p>
<p>Repo address is <a href="http://phajas.xen.prgmr.com/repo">http://phajas.xen.prgmr.com/repo</a></p>
<p>It is with great excitement that I release this build of MobileNotifier. This is the largest change since the project’s inception, and I believe it’s really ready for general use. Read on for the details.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, MobileNotifier is open source! You can access all the source on <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">GitHub</a>. It’s <span class="caps">BSD</span> licensed.</p>
<p>Before I go any further, the <span class="caps">UI</span> design work was done by Kyle Adams, a talented graphics artist who’s contributed his free time to the project. Be sure to follow him on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/iamkyleadams">@iamkyleadams</a>, or check out his website, <a href="http://kyleadams.org/">kyleadams.org</a>.</p>
<p>In the third beta - referred to internally as “Copious Corn Flakes” - everything’s been reworked. The utility is sleaker, faster, leaner, better looking, and considerably refined. Here are the headlines:</p>
<p><strong>New Alerts</strong></p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta3 new alerts" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta3-new-alerts.png" /></p>
<p>Probably the biggest feature in this release is the addition of new alerts. These alerts - designed by Kyle Adams - are easy on the eyes, animate cleanly, and show the app icon. They’re just like they should be - unobtrusive and user-respecting.</p>
<p><strong>AlertDashboard</strong></p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta3 alert dashboard" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta3-dashboard.png" /></p>
<p>In beta2, I released an early preview of a new feature - the AlertDashboard. This idea has nowe been completed and realized. Accessible from the multitasking switcher (or your own Activator action, should you not have a multitasking device), the AlertDashboard allows you to view your pending alerts, and either remove them or take action on them. It’s really smooth and slick, and I think you’re going to love it.</p>
<p><strong>Lockscreen View</strong></p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Beta3 lockscreen" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-beta3-lockscreen.png" /></p>
<p>MobileNotifier now has a handy lockscreen view, showing you the number of pending notifications in an unobtrusive way.</p>
<p>Push Notification Support (really)</p>
<p>In beta2r4, I released full support for push notifications. This is still the case with beta3, but now the application icon is shown on the new alerts and in the AlertDashboard.</p>
<p>And more!</p>
<p>So much has been added in this release, I’d spend a long time writing about all of it. Here’s a complete list of what’s changed:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>New alerts</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>AlertDashboard</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Lockscreen View</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Full push notification support</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Completely reworked MNAlertManager, considerably more intelligent</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Time encoding support with each alert</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Numerous usability improvements</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Bug fixes relating to 3.x compatibility, alert display and other internal aspects of the utility</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>and more! The commit log on GitHub is the best place to see all the iterative changes.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Enjoy! Comments, questions, concerns go to peterhajas@gmail.com. Issues and bugs go to the aforemention GitHub page’s Issues section.</p>
iPad 2Peter Hajas2011-02-23T16:19:00Z2011-02-23T16:19:00Z/blog/ipad-2.html
<p>On January 27th, 2010, I sat with my very good friend Vincent Decenzo, eagerly watching the live update text/photo stream from Engadget. It was the day that Apple was set to show off their “latest creation”. Everyone knew it was a tablet - an image of the device surfaced the night before, showing a fullscreen maps application. I recall pointing out this means it doesn’t multitask - something that was quickly shot down by others online. I was half-right, and the current iPad on 4.2.1 does multitask, but not in a “side-by-side” way.</p>
<p>Anyways, I remember seeing the blurry, Josh-Topolsky-taken photographs of the tablet. Indeed, it did resemble a “big iPod touch”, 4 icons wide on a touch screen, with a dock at the bottom, and a statusbar at the top.</p>
<p>The rumored price, at that time, was $999. I remember saying to Vincent - “there has to be a killer feature here, we’re missing something.” He agreed with me, and suggested “the killer feature must be price.” We were walking from my class to his, in the middle of the event, while I was failing to refresh the news on my phone. I was pretty obsessed with it.</p>
<p>We arrived at his class, and sat in the back. I opened up the lid on my notebook, and we continued to watch the stream. Boom. It hit us. $499. Vincent was right, the killer feature was price. I was sold: it’s an amazing large multitouch tablet from Apple, how could you not be?</p>
<p>In the weeks that followed, I told myself I would get the 3G model, in the largest capacity. “I want the remote connectivity” I’d tell myself, “and <span class="caps">GPS</span> is important.” The only issue was release date - the 3G iPad was set to launch a full month after the WiFi model, and I was bummed about that. I assured myself that I would be able to wait.</p>
<p>That spring, in the period of 5 days, I wrote padBoard, an app that you’ve read me talk about on this very blog. It was accepted into the store, and it was confirmed that it would launch with the iPad. I was thrilled.</p>
<p>April 3rd, 2010. iPad WiFi launch day. I planned to go with my highschool teacher, close friend and padBoard <span class="caps">UI</span> designer J Jolton, to the local Apple Store to check out the iPad. We were both sold on the 3G model, but we wanted to play with them. In a turn of events, I was excited to also be joined by my dad when we went. The three of us met outside the store, and watched people filter in and out, tablets in hand. We went into the store, and were all amazed by the iPads there. It was around that time that I decided I wanted one - a WiFi model - instead of waiting for the 3G version. It’s pretty amazing to be convinced after a 45 second demo.</p>
<p>Walking out with my new iPad, I sat down with Jay to talk to him about my spur-of-the-moment decision. He asked for my justification, and I told him one word: Instapaper. Jay was so floored by this that he too returned to the store, purchasing his own WiFi model. We sat in the mall’s Caribou Coffee, slates in hand, and played with the devices.
Sitting in the mall coffeeshop is a very vivd memory for me. I recall people walking by, asking “is that an iPad?”, and us giddily responding that yes, indeed, this was the mythical Apple Tablet. We were the very definition of Cool.</p>
<p>There was one other thing, though, that sticks out in my memory about this event at the coffeeshop. I pulled up the main page for a news outlet, I can’t remember which, and saw an embedded video. I tapped the “play” button, and the video started playing - inline with the content - right on the screen. I was shocked. I had seen this on computers before, but this was something different. The fluidity of the experience was exhilerating, the form factor felt human. This felt natural. That’s where I think the magic lies in the tablet form factor.</p>
<p>When I arrived home, my entire family crowded around me to see the iPad. They were as amazed as I was. I recall starting iBooks, and showing a page turn. My mom remarked how much cooler it was than a Kindle. I agreed. I juxtaposed this moment with the time I brought home an iPhone 3G on launch day. Nobody was impressed. This was different.</p>
<p>I’d be lying if I said I weren’t excited about the iPad event next week. Like others, I’ve pondered over the features and spec sheet this device may be packing, and I’m pretty pleased to say that I’m excited either way, and that I’ll be buying one either way. This is the first “computer” that my grandmother on my mother’s side will have ever owned, and I think that’s amazing.</p>
<p>Here are my predictions for the next iPad:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Thinner, lighter form factor. 1.25 pounds, 0.3in thin. Lies flat on a table.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Front and rear facing cameras. Same resolution as the iPod touch cameras (front <span class="caps">VGA</span>, rear 720p)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>New screen. I’m fuzzy on this - it won’t be 1536x2048, but I don’t think 1200x1600 is out of the question. It’ll be brighter, more sunlight readable and less straining on your eyes. It’ll use the new “close-to-glass” manufacturing technique Apple’s used in the Retina display.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Slick system-on-a-chip, likely called “A5” by Apple. Faster processor, dual core, with more <span class="caps">RAM</span>. At least <span class="caps">512MB</span>, probably <span class="caps">1GB</span>. New PowerVR graphics that are amazingly fast.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Quad-band <span class="caps">GSM</span> and <span class="caps">CDMA</span> compatibility for the cellular model, with a choice between Verizon and <span class="caps">AT</span>&T.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Display out on the device, likely with DisplayPort/Lightpeak/Thunderbolt or whatever it’s going to be called.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">USB</span> or <span class="caps">SDXC</span> slot almost a sure lock.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>WiFi, bluetooth, pretty standard.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>New prices:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>WiFi:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">16GB</span> $399</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">64GB</span> $499</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">128GB</span> $599</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>3G:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">16GB</span> $499</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">64GB</span> $599</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">128GB</span> $699</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>New case accessory which locks the iPad when it’s closed.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>New iWork</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>iLife ‘11 for iPad, $10/app, featuring iPhoto, Garageband and iMovie.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>And that’s it. I think this is a pretty good list. I’m pumped for next Wednesday.</p>
MobileNotifier Now Jives With Push NotificationsPeter Hajas2011-02-18T15:39:00Z2011-02-18T15:39:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-now-jives-with-push-notifications.html
<p>I’m extremely excited to announce that the latest version of MobileNotifier - a new release of beta2 “Bountiful Bran Flakes” - supports push notifications entirely now. Read the full text of notifications, along with their sending app.</p>
<p>I also have a repository - add phajas.xen.prgmr.com/repo to Cydia, and you can install the latest version of MobileNotifier without compiling anything.</p>
On SleepPeter Hajas2011-02-12T13:53:00Z2011-02-12T13:53:00Z/blog/on-sleep.html
<p>On sleep,</p>
<p>Being a busy person, I often don’t get the recommended amount of sleep I should every night. Due to factors in my life like schoolwork, research progress, and the occasional game of <a href="http://www.minecraft.net/">Minecraft</a>, I frequently miss out on my full 8 to 10 hours. This leads to being less productive, less energetic, and overall makes me feel more tired during the day. In the morning, due to this lack of rest, I find it very difficult to wake up. Making matters worse, I’m addicted to reading before I go to bed on my iPad - I have around 500 saved articles (constantly pushing the maximum) on my <a href="http://www.instapaper.com">Instapaper</a> account, and I keep going, from article to article, before I sleep. Minutes become hours, and again, I’ve stayed up too long.</p>
<p>This all changed recently.</p>
<p>I decided several nights ago to not use the iPad, to simply lay down and rest. Instead of being distracted by the constant flood of Instapaper news and other things from my connected reading device, I voluntarily disconnected, and decided I’d see what I lost when I started to use mobile devices.</p>
<p>The effect was immensely liberating. For one, it allowed me to sleep better, and naturally wake up in the morning without aid of an alarm. I also felt far more well rested, even though I was going to bed at the same time (note that before, “going to bed” was when I pushed the Instapaper icon and my head hit the pillow).</p>
<p>There was another change that I felt, however, something more than mere rest. I forgot the liberation of screenless thinking. As I laid there, I found that I thought. I remember this fondly from several years ago; I would sort out my thoughts and generally get my mind in order with regards to the day. If you’ve never had this experience, or simply haven’t had it for a while, it’s phenomenal. I found myself thinking about projects, schoolwork, and life in general, and it was amazing to think of these things without being interrupted by technology.
When we walk around, we’re usually glued to our smartphones. When we lounge, we’re far too into our mobile device. When we go to class, we’re distracted by laptops and the constant flood of information. When we’re in conversations, the phone is the constant interruption.</p>
<p>As someone who’s so eager about the future of technology, I found myself changing my opinions drastically when I sat there disconnected. I recommend it.</p>
<p>(note: I’m not a doctor, so don’t take sleep advice from me, but I was really good at that Nintendo <span class="caps">DS</span> game “Trauma Center: Under the Knife” several years ago).</p>
Research Plans for the Spring 2011 SemesterPeter Hajas2011-02-03T17:00:00Z2011-02-03T17:00:00Z/blog/research-plans-for-the-sprint-2011-semester.html
<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I’m hard at work on my two (yes! two!) research projects for the Spring 2011 semester. Both of them are iOS related, no surprises there, and one of them you’ve heard of. The other one’s pretty new, but just as important.</p>
<p>The first, which I’ve worked on before, is <strong>MobileNotifier</strong>.</p>
<p>As you can read on this blog, MobileNotifier is an open source iOS notification system that aims to be better than Apple’s lackluster implementation.</p>
<p>MobileNotifier went through a lot of progress last semester, and I aim to continue that progress this semester too. We’ve already had two beta releases (Awesome Apple Jacks and Bountiful Bran Flakes) and the third release is being worked on as I type this (well, it’s in TextMate, so I guess it’s a cmd-tab away). I plan the following improvements this semester:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Push notification support</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Vastly improved user interface. We have a user interface designer, <a href="http://twitter.com/iamkyleadams">Kyle Adams</a>, working with me onMobileNotifier, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve posted a mockup of Kyle’s work below, and you can see he’s got a keen eye for design.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Better integration with the operating system</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Smoother look and feel</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Mac connectivity (more on this in a future post!)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>and more! This semester will really “round out” MobileNotifier, and make it much more usable, bringing it into a real product state. At that point, I will submit it to a Cydia repository.</p>
<p>Here’s a mockup, done by <a href="http://twitter.com/iamkyleadams">Kyle Adams</a>, of what the new MobileNotifier will look like:</p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier mockup by Kyle Adams" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-adams-mockup.png" /></p>
<p>(image copyright Kyle Adams, all rights reserved)</p>
<p>The other project I’m working on is something that I’m also very passionate about. It’s an open source iOS widgeting system called <strong>Widge</strong>.</p>
<p>Widge is a project that’s been in the planning and design phases for quite some time. I’m working on it with my colleague and friend, <a href="http://howett.net/">Dustin Howett</a>. It currently adds a home page to SpringBoard, and it will later have support for loading widgets from NSBundles. Expect more news on this soon!</p>
<p>This is what I’ll be working on. I’m excited to let you all play with it!</p>
<p>Leave your throughts in the comments!</p>
Using the NOOKcolor as a Legitimate TabletPeter Hajas2011-01-17T21:14:00Z2011-01-17T21:14:00Z/blog/using-the-nookcolor-as-a-legitimate-tablet.html
<p>Recently, I was fortunate to pickup a <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fnookcolor%2Findex.asp&ei=tfc0TdP4FIeglAf1r-XMCg&usg=AFQjCNF-dkchnhy0RfuuYaJhZPpzGHI0IA&sig2=OPuktLeW6xgBmxlnG2wBFQ">Barnes and Noble NOOKcolor</a> (hereafter referred to as “nook” or “Nook”). It’s a pretty impressive device for its $250 price tag: 800MHz processor, <span class="caps">512MB</span> of <span class="caps">RAM</span>, a 7” <span class="caps">IPS</span> display at 1024x600 little tiny dots and a really beautiful looking design. The device was actually designed by the designer of the original <span class="caps">XO</span> <span class="caps">PC</span>, and the design influences echo through. Rubberized back, little hole-thing in the corner (more on this interesting choice later) and a wonderfully carved “n” in the back. It feels almost (but not quite!) Applesque, and I’m a fan of stuff like that.</p>
<p>So, I picked up this device because I wanted to hack around on another mobile operating system. If you haven’t noticed by now, judging by the posts on this very blog (more soon, seriously!), I’m pretty into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_(Apple)">one particular mobile <span class="caps">OS</span></a>. I wanted to build up experience with this new “Android” thing all the kids are talking about.</p>
<p>Now, please note that when you buy the Nook, you’re not getting an actual tablet immediately. The device has an alright-web browser, some so-so laggy book software, and a reasonable assortment of cheesy “apps” if you can call them that. A lot of this <span class="caps">UI</span> sluggishness has been previously mentioned in <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/16/nook-color-review/">Joshua Topolsky’s excellent Nook Color review</a>.</p>
<p>Anyways, I was less than impressed with the device’s initial offerings. Maybe I’m spoiled by <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipad/">more expensive, yet superior alternatives</a>? Perhaps. Either way, I bought the device because I knew it could be “rooted”, a process similar to jailbreaking an iOS device from what I understand. So, I took my microSD card and headed off to the <a href="http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_Rooting">Nook Color rooting instructions on nookdevs</a> and got to work with their “auto nooter”.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, all of my attempts seem to fail in spectacular fashion. You see, while I was using dd to copy the image, I was either mounting it via the Nook or with a cellphone/digital camera/pico projector (seriously) and not just straight with a reader. Turns out I needed a legitimate reader, which I did not have. Off to Target I went to find the cheapest reader possible.</p>
<p>One thing to mention here: that little corner hole thing where you can hang the Nook from your backpack or ear? Yeah, around back in that corner is where the microSD card slot is. Installing this card is no big deal, but removing it is like brain surgery with a gavel. I was not pleased with this part of the experience.</p>
<p>Upon returning home, it worked! I stuck the now “burned” microSD card into the Nook, turned it off, and plugged in the cable into my computer. Through the power of Grayskull, the device rooted itself! It was a scary process - the screen was dark for a whole minute or so with no signs of life - but eventually it booted back up.</p>
<p>I launched the “Extras” app on the Nook’s flip-up menu, which happens to be the Barnes and Noble equivalent of an app launcher. From here, I launched the Android Market and went to town.</p>
<p>I quickly learned that, on Android, there are many launchers to choose from. Dissapointed by the offerings of the default Nook launcher, I tried many of them. Zeam, LauncherPro or Plus or something, <span class="caps">ADW</span> and others. So far, I’m torn between Zeam and <span class="caps">ADW</span> (currently on the latter) but I think I’ll head back to my old-friend Zeam; it seems to perform pretty snappy and looks nice to boot.</p>
<p>This rooting procedure also seems to inject in a lot of the apps that normal Google Android phones have. Things like Maps, Gmail (why does everyone rave about this? it’s a so-so email client), YouTube, Calculator (comically large on the Nook’s screen) and Navigation (which, lacking a <span class="caps">GPS</span> module, I have not tried).</p>
<p>I installed some more “must have” apps - things like Dolphin Browser <span class="caps">HD</span> (a decent web browser, although the Firefox beta for Android seems better), Google Sky (goes up and down, but not side-to-side, that’s what she said?) and Widgetsoid (customize widgets on your homescreen). I added some widgets, which is a very cool feature of Android, and changed the wallpaper using this very sketchy (yet great!) app called Wallpaper Set <span class="amp">&</span> Save. Angry Birds, which I’ve enjoyed on the iPad, is also a blast. I recommend trying it out if you have a Nook, it scales extraordinarily well to the large screen.</p>
<p>So, how does the device perform? Given its low cost, very admirably. The scrolling in the browser isn’t silk smooth, nor is pinch-zooming, but it performs really really well for the price. Reading on the device, browsing, checking out apps and playing games is all handled pretty well. Android 2.1’s less-than-awesome multitasking (read: run everything! yay!) required Advanced Task Killer, but I hope that that’s fixed in a rumored software update. The device is, at times, sluggish, but not nearly as bad as other Android tablets I’ve seen. The closest device to it is probably the Galaxy Tab, and to be honest, I don’t know why you’d pay 3 times the price. The Nook is thinner, feels slicker and feels less delicate than a Galaxy Tab.</p>
<p>I also seem to have some problems occasionally with multitouch. I can’t tell if it’s hardware or software (I suspect hardware) but quitting all apps and wiping the screen down with a t-shirt or small dog seems to resolve the issue. It’s a minor annoyance, and it might be just on my device. If so, I should probably take it back to Barnes and Noble and exchange it.</p>
<p>Anyways, I hope this gives a decent explanation of my experience with the NOOKcolor as a tablet. Better than an iPad? No way. Pretty slick? Definitely. I enjoy using the device, and find myself reaching for it occasionally over the iPad when I want something smaller and lighter.</p>
<p>I recommend checking one out if you get a chance. If you’re looking to experiment with Android (like I was!) on a device that’s affordable, look no further. I’m excited about the future prospects with this device, especially if Android 3.0 Honeycomb comes out for it.</p>
MobileNotifier - Push Notification SupportPeter Hajas2010-12-20T02:38:00Z2010-12-20T02:38:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-push-notification-support.html
<p>Woohoo!</p>
<p>I’m pleased to announce that the current source on <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">MobileNotifier’s Github page</a> has some preliminary push notification support, and I’m really stoked about this. Feel free to clone it and play around!</p>
<p>Also, the beta repository is coming! I’m working on getting this up and running as soon as possible (working on some domain issues at the moment) and I’ll let you know here as soon as that repository goes live.</p>
<p>I’m excited to push forward with this project!</p>
MobileNotifier Beta 1 - Awesome Apple Jacks ProgressPeter Hajas2010-12-08T02:52:00Z2010-12-08T02:52:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-beta-1-awesome-apple-jacks-progress.html
<p>Yum, Apple Jacks!</p>
<p>MobileNotifier Beta 1 is currently in development, I plan to have it ready for this Friday.</p>
<p>What’s new?</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Totally refined class structure and hierarchy</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Full Push Notification support</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Redone alert stack mapping (no more “dead” space on screen!)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Way streamlined code</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>and more! I hope to write more about this soon!</p>
What Am I Doing? AlertDash for MobileNotifierPeter Hajas2010-11-06T22:56:00Z2010-11-06T22:56:00Z/blog/what-am-i-doing-alertdash-for-mobilenotifier.html
<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>You may notice, if you use <span class="caps">RCOS</span> dashboard, that things are looking a little not-green (both for this blog and for the source!)</p>
<p>This isn’t because I’m not working on MobileNotifier - not at all!</p>
<p>It’s actually because <span class="caps">RCOS</span> dashboard doesn’t track other branches - check out the progress on my dismissable branch for proof!</p>
<p>I’m working on a new component of MobileNotifier called AlertDash - a handy display for all your alerts.</p>
<p>Trust me, you’ll see some awesome updates to MobileNotifier soon!</p>
MobileNotifier ProgressPeter Hajas2010-10-19T21:00:00Z2010-10-19T21:00:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-progress.html
<p>Hello!</p>
<p>If you didn’t see, I gave a talk on MobileNotifier recently. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYaMEFYe7Co">You can watch it here.</a></p>
<p>I’m hard at work every chance I get making MobileNotifier better. If you missed it, a week or so ago <a href="http://www.peterhajas.com/blog/2010/10/11/mobilenotifier-alpha1-release.html">I shipped the alpha1 release of MobileNotifier</a>, which was pretty awesome.</p>
<p>I’m working at getting this up-to-snuff for alpha2. Alerts already look a lot better, and after some usability testing, I think I’m going to do multi-line alerts (one line for header, another for alert text) to make the alerts as easy to read at-a-glance as possible.</p>
<p>I plan to release alpha2 before this Friday, where I will be giving my second presentation on MobileNotifier. Look for some exciting progress!</p>
<p>Also, MobileNotifier is (and always has been) open source! The code is available <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">here</a> and I recommend cloning it, forking it, pulling it, pushing it, and doing most other things, provided it’s legal in the contiguous United States.</p>
<p>I look forward to updating all of you on the status of MobileNotifier.</p>
MobileNotifier Alpha 1 ReleasePeter Hajas2010-10-11T04:23:00Z2010-10-11T04:23:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-alpha-1-release.html
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Alpha1 logo" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-alpha1-logo.png" /></p>
<p>I’m very pleased to announce the immediate availability of MobileNotifier alpha1!</p>
<p>Here’s a screenshot:</p>
<p><img alt="MobileNotifier Alpha1 screenshot" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-alpha1-screenshot.png" /></p>
<p>and here’s the link:</p>
<p><a href="http://peterhajas.com/storage/application-binaries/com.peterhajassoftware.mobilenotifier_alpha1_iphoneos-arm.deb">MobileNotifier alpha1</a></p>
<p>Enjoy. Welcome to the future.</p>
<p><span class="caps">PLEASE</span> note that this is <span class="caps">ALPHA</span> software. I am not responsible for anything bad that happens to your device. See MobileNotifier for more details. I have only tested this on iPhone 4, but it should work on all devices. Please tell me if it does or does not work on your device!</p>
<p>Also, the presentation I gave on MobileNotifier <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYaMEFYe7Co">is viewable on my YouTube channel here</a>. I plan to edit this with some other captures of the presentation and the presentation slides and put up a slicker video. Until then, enjoy this!</p>
<p>As always, <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">the source is available on GitHub</a>.</p>
MobileNotifier Presentation, Updates and More!Peter Hajas2010-09-27T10:07:00Z2010-09-27T10:07:00Z/blog/mobilenotifier-presentation-updates-and-more.html
<p>Hi there!</p>
<p>I gave a presentation on MobileNotifier last Friday! I’m still working on processing the video, which was shot from three angles, into a better format. Until then, <a href="http://peterhajas.squarespace.com/storage/presentations/FirstPresentation.pdf">the presentation slides (in <span class="caps">PDF</span> form) are here</a>.</p>
<p>Stay tuned for a <span class="caps">WWDC</span>-style Keynote video!</p>
<p>If you’ve been following the <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">source code on GitHub</a>, you’ve seen that there has been a lot of progress on MobileNotifier. 30 commits in the last 16 days, averaging a little under 2 commits a day. That’s rapid progress! I’m starting to integrate MobileNotifier into other popular jailbreak applications, such as <a href="http://github.com/rpetrich/libactivator">rpetrich’s awesome Activator</a>, to allow customizable gestures for opening an eventual “notifications pane”. This is pretty awesome stuff.</p>
<p>I also have other stuff on the brain. padBoard is definitely not something I’ve forgotten about - I’m still excited about getting it to be even faster and more slick. There are a lot of “under-the-hood” improvements that will make it a far more maintainable project, and I’ll be sure to clarify those in an upcoming blog post.</p>
<p>Until then, I’m really excited to be working on these two projects! There may very well be more in the future…</p>
Looking Ahead - MobileNotifier for iOSPeter Hajas2010-09-22T16:52:00Z2010-09-22T16:52:00Z/blog/looking-ahead-mobilenotifier-for-ios.html
<p>I attend <a href="http://www.rpi.edu/"><span class="caps">RPI</span></a> for my Computer Science education, and one of the awesome programs they have here is called <a href="http://rcos.cs.rpi.edu/"><span class="caps">RCOS</span></a>. <span class="caps">RCOS</span>, or the Rensselaer Center for Open Source Software, allows students to work on open source software while they’re at <span class="caps">RPI</span>. This is an amazing opportunity, and I thank the sponsor of the program, Sean O’ Sullivan, and the faculty coordinator, <a href="http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~moorthy/">Dr. Krishnamoorthy</a> for their efforts.</p>
<p>I’m participating in this program this semester, and I’m working on something quite near and dear to the hearts of many iOS users. I’ll be working on a new notification system for iOS. It’s my goal to make something much better than the current modal and interrupting notifications that iOS uses. Due to how intimately I hook into iOS, MobileNotifier requires the device to be jailbroken.</p>
<p>MobileNotifier, iOS Notifications done right. Like 2010 right.</p>
<p>The current <span class="caps">UI</span> isn’t pretty, but it does work for <span class="caps">SMS</span> and <span class="caps">MMS</span> messages. It’s just a proof of concept <span class="caps">UI</span> while I iron out the innards of the application.</p>
<p>If you’d like to check out the source, <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">it’s on GitHub</a>.</p>
<p>A mockup I’ve done in Photoshop for these new notifications:</p>
<p><img alt="Initial mockup of MobileNotifier" src="/media/img/mobilenotifier/mn-first-mockup.png" /></p>
<p>I’m giving a presentation on this on Friday, and I’ll be sure to post the slides (and maybe the video!) when I get a chance.</p>
<p>Again, <a href="https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier">the source for this project is on GitHub</a>. Fork it, branch it, merge it. And anything else <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoPplpBPQxQ&ob=av3n">in that one Daft Punk song</a>.</p>
<p>I look forward to updating you all on the status of MobileNotifier!</p>
<p>Also, don’t think I’ve forgotten about padBoard! I have a lot of big plans for padBoard 2.0 which I’ll be outlining in the coming days. It’s a good time to be excited!</p>
padBoard 1.5 Submitted to the App StorePeter Hajas2010-05-23T02:43:00Z2010-05-23T02:43:00Z/blog/padboard-1-5-submitted-to-the-app-store.html
<p>padBoard 1.5 is a big deal. A Big Deal.</p>
<p>padBoard 1.0 was developed in less than a week. padBoard 1.5 has been in constant development for the last 7 weeks, and I’m extremely excited to announce that it’s been submitted to the store! This update brings a <span class="caps">TON</span> of new features, here’s what’s new:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">VGA</span> Support for projectors! Now collaborate with students in a classroom or during a presentation!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Much smoother drawing engine, 4100% as smooth as before. That is not a typo.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Layer support! Now you and your collaborators don’t have to draw over each other’s ideas!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>More defined drawing area with a better frame image</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Your padBoard document is now saved when you exit the app so you can get back to drawing faster</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Slick new icon</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>New intuitive Help menu</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>New Options/About pane</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Fixed a bug with the eraser size overwriting the marker size</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>20% more efficient <span class="caps">P2P</span> communications</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>and that’s just the big stuff! You’ll likely notice that padBoard looks, works and just feels better and easier to use. I’ve put some considerable thought into usability for this release, and that will definitely jump out at you when you start using padBoard. It’s an awesome app!</p>
<p>Part of the fluidity that’s been added is thanks to the new drawing engine. After some fun figuring out bezier curves (thanks to <a href="http://twitter.com/bwahacker">Mitch Haile</a> at <a href="http://www.biscade.com/">Biscade</a>/<a href="http://www.pancetera.com/">Pancetera</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/tedvb">Ted Von Bevern</a> for their help) and making them work well-enough in Objective-C, I was able to get the drawing and plotting much smoother. In the old padBoard, every point the app detected was marked as a point, and it drew lines through these points. 3 points detected meant 2 lines drawn. In the new version, between every three points we draw 80. So for 3 points detected, we draw 82 lines. So it’s safe to say this new engine is 4100% as smooth as the old one. I’m positive current users will love it.</p>
<p>In the coming days/weeks, I’ll be posting about a lot of the internal design choices made with padBoard. This includes things like <span class="caps">UI</span> design/thought process, <span class="caps">P2P</span> communication structure and user testing.</p>
<p>I’m excited to bring padBoard 1.5 to the masses once it’s (hopefully!) accepted, and I’ll be sure to share that moment as soon as it happens. Until then, look forward to an awesome version of padBoard!</p>
A Word is Worth a Thousand Pictures, or is it?Peter Hajas2010-05-13T15:09:00Z2010-05-13T15:09:00Z/blog/a-word-is-worth-a-thousand-pictures-or-is-it.html
<p>Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how padBoard 1.5 should look and behave. The user interface needs to be cleaned up, modernized and made more straightforward. To this end, I considered going with icons for all in-app functions. I then read some of John Gruber’s thoughts on using a “floppy disk” icon for save, and I read this article:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.asktog.com/columns/038MacUITrends.html">http://www.asktog.com/columns/038MacUITrends.html</a></p>
<p>which states that an original Apple design philosophy was to avoid icons as much as possible. To this end, padBoard will strive to be as similar to Apple apps (which people already know how to use) as possible with respect to icons, text buttons and what these <span class="caps">UI</span> elements mean. I’m interested to read what the readers of this blog think.</p>
<p>Also, padBoard 1.5 is definitely still in active development. Expect a blog post soon detailing all the new features in video format. All the old features I cited previously will be there, along with Layers and lots of other fun stuff. Make sure to tune into that soon!</p>
<p>Thanks for reading! Sound off in the comments!</p>
Looking Towards the Future of padBoardPeter Hajas2010-04-22T16:09:00Z2010-04-22T16:09:00Z/blog/looking-towards-the-future-of-padboard.html
<p>padBoard’s been available for about 3 weeks now, and it’s enjoyed some great success with sales! I’ve also spoken to many padBoard users about what improvements could make padBoard even better.</p>
<p>I’ve been working over the last two weeks on an updated version of padBoard. This version solves several minor bugs, and adds a host of new features. I don’t want to talk about all the new features now, but here’s a sneak peek:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span class="caps">VGA</span> out support for your padBoard documents, to allow collaboration with an audience</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Dramatically faster and smoother drawing engine</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Really intuitive help system</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Refactored <span class="caps">P2P</span> communications</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>and more! There are features that I am working on now that I don’t want to “promise” will be out with this next release, but rest assured that they’re “big” features, not just small ones.</p>
<p>I look forward to rolling out the new version of padBoard to the App Store in the near future!</p>
padBoard on the App Store Officially - Check It Out!Peter Hajas2010-04-01T14:16:00Z2010-04-01T14:16:00Z/blog/padboard-on-the-app-store-officially-check-it-out.html
<p>That didn’t take long! Shortly after being accepted, we hit the App Store in an official capacity! <a href="itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/padboard-collaborative-whiteboard/id364197864?mt=8">Go check it out!</a></p>
padBoard Accepted Into the App Store!Peter Hajas2010-04-01T11:42:00Z2010-04-01T11:42:00Z/blog/padboard-accepted-into-the-app-store.html
<p>Wow!</p>
<p>I’m very very pleased to say that padBoard, the collaborative drawing application for iPad, has been accepted into the App Store! Apple’s given me the “Ready for Sale” green icon that signifies that it will be available at launch!</p>
<p>Furthermore, AppShopper seems to have an exclusive look at iPad apps <a href="http://appshopper.com/ipad/">here</a> and you can see the page for padBoard <a href="http://appshopper.com/productivity/padboard-collaborative-whiteboard">here</a>. I’m very excited for the launch this weekend! Also, if all goes well, we should soon be receiving some reviews of padBoard from large internet names. Pretty neat!</p>
<p>padBoard will be released this Saturday along with the iPad!</p>
padBoard - A Collaborative Whiteboard for iPadPeter Hajas2010-03-31T16:15:00Z2010-03-31T16:15:00Z/blog/padboard-a-collaborative-whiteboard-for-ipad.html
<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>Long time no post, but I’m pleased to announce the availability of a brand-new application for iPad. padBoard is a collaborative whiteboarding application for iPad that allows you and a collaborator to edit documents simultaneously on multiple iPads. There’s more information on the <a href="/projects/padboard.html">padBoard</a> page.</p>
<p>Here’s a photo:</p>
<p><img alt="padBoard screenshot" src="/media/img/padboard/padboard.png" /></p>
OS X Flip Clock Screensaver ReplacementPeter Hajas2009-09-05T21:34:00Z2009-09-05T21:34:00Z/blog/osx-flip-clock-screensaver-replacement.html
<p>I used to use an awesome screensaver for Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X. It was classy, cool, and suited my needs. It was this neat little screensaver called “<span class="caps">FLIQLO</span>” that would display a classic-style flipping clock.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, with the release of Snow Leopard, it has been broken on systems running 10.6. I couldn’t use my flip-clock screensaver anymore!</p>
<p>Today, I decided that I would whip up a quick replacement. This is by no means the “final” edition, just a release so that people can still play with it if they’d like to, and use it as a day-to-day screensaver.</p>
<p>Here’s a screenshot:</p>
<p><img alt="Flip Clock screenshot" src="/media/img/misc-projects/flip-clock-screenshot.png" /></p>
<p>In the comments, please tell me if you like this look. What does it need? I was thinking about a box bezel around the numbers. Any other ideas?</p>
<p>Here’s a link to download it:</p>
<p><a href="http://peterhajas.squarespace.com/storage/application-binaries/FlipClock.qtz">FlipClock.qtz</a></p>
<p>Installation is simple. Open up System Preferences, go to Desktop <span class="amp">&</span> Screen Saver then drag the screensaver to the Preview pane. This will install it. Select it for use, and away you go!</p>
<p>Of course, the screensaver is fully compatible with other quartz-enabled versions of <span class="caps">OS</span> X.</p>
<p>All rights reserved.</p>
<p>Enjoy, and leave feedback in the comments!</p>
Divingboard Sourcecode and OS X BinaryPeter Hajas2009-08-02T16:00:00Z2009-08-02T16:00:00Z/blog/divingboard-sourcecode-and-osx-binary.html
<p>Wow!</p>
<p>It was only a few short months ago that I set the very high goal of developing touch-suite applications. I got distracted by things that seemed immediately more relevant (iPhone and Arduino,) yet I did continue to work on the applications. I have a working web browser, stable enough to be in “beta,” that I am releasing today under the <span class="caps">BSD</span> License. It’s name, still not finalized, is “WebView.” Very very original, I know…</p>
<p>Attached, you will find a .zip containing the source. It’s well commented, and I think it’s written pretty efficiently. When using the applications, you will notice elements that don’t work. This is due to me not having the time to continue active development. I considered redoing the WebKit example that came with Qt (and I still may) but for the time being, I thought that doing my own would be much more informative.</p>
<p>Currently, the view is pushed into a QGraphicsView, but this is easily taken out by removing three lines of code.</p>
<p>Please: enjoy, recode, comment and use this program to your heart’s content. Feel free to comment here about how you like it.</p>
<p>You can find the code <a href="http://peterhajas.squarespace.com/storage/code/WebView%20-%20Source%20-%200.1.zip">here</a>. It is also posted on the Projects page.</p>
<p>An <span class="caps">OS</span> X .app file is available <a href="http://peterhajas.squarespace.com/storage/application-binaries/WebView%20-%20OSX%20Binary.zip">here</a>.</p>
iPhone and Arduino, Oh My!Peter Hajas2009-07-05T18:37:00Z2009-07-05T18:37:00Z/blog/iphone-and-arduino-oh-my.html
<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>It’s been more than a month since my last entry - I apologize for that! I have been hard at work, however, on two new things. First, let’s talk about iPhone:</p>
<p><strong>iPhone</strong></p>
<p>I’ve been learning a lot about iPhone development recently. I bought a book, “Beginning iPhone Development” and also downloaded the Stanford <span class="caps">CS193P</span> iPhone course. It’s turning out to be fun! Objective-C is definitely a little more rigorous than C++, and is proving to be a tough challenge, but I’m getting it! Here’s an example shot of an app I’ve written:</p>
<p><img alt="Right Triangle App screenshot" src="/media/img/misc-projects/right-triangle-app.png" /></p>
<p>It’s obviously very basic, but it’s something! You slide the sliders to determine a right triangle’s dimensions, and the other sliders and values will change accordingly (so that it’s always right.) I’m currently learning about how to do multiview applications, and UITableView, then I should be ready to work on my first real iPhone app. If anyone wants the code for RightTriangle, don’t hesitate to ask!</p>
<p><strong>Arduino</strong></p>
<p>After talking with Adam Hooker, I determined that an Arduino would be a fun project to look into. I was right! It’s really really easy to get started with Arduino, making little LEDs blink and stuff like that, and I’m hoping to build some fancy servo-tied keyless entry systems and robots. I will keep you updated!</p>
<p>Arduino Unboxing:</p>
<p><object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lyJYQaWw7WQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lyJYQaWw7WQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></embed></object></p>
Rotating Qt Apps in (Literally) 6 Lines of CodePeter Hajas2009-05-31T12:53:00Z2009-05-31T12:53:00Z/blog/rotating-qt-apps-in-literally-6-lines-of-code.html
<p>Recently, I’ve been striving to make the Codename Divingboard applications rotate from landscape to portrait. This would be handy if your computer’s onboard display does not support rotation, allowing you to still use your applications in a portrait layout.</p>
<p>Here’s a sample screenshot of the web browser for Codename Divingboard (currently called “WebView” internal):</p>
<p><img alt="Codename Divingboard Browser" src="/media/img/misc-projects/codename-divingboard-browser.png" /></p>
<p>Please note, the <span class="caps">UI</span> choices in this sample screenshot are not final. There are no images or icons added to this version yet, because I haven’t had the time to do proper graphics design. However, if you have any layout suggestions, feel free to suggest them!</p>
<p>This is the application running at its native layout. But what if we wanted it turned, say, 70 degrees?</p>
<p><img alt="Codename Divingboard Browser rotated" src="/media/img/misc-projects/codename-divingboard-browser-rotated.png" /></p>
<p>Isn’t that neat? Unfortunately, due to obvious limitations of the windowkits in modern operating systems, we can’t rotate the “traffic” controls or window header. However, everything else rotates!</p>
<p>Here’s how to add this to your Qt application:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p>Open the main class definition file (.cpp)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Add the following lines (in the constructor):</p>
<p><code>QGraphicsScene *scene = new QGraphicsScene();</code></p>
<p><code>QGraphicsView *view = new QGraphicsView(parent);</code></p>
<p><code>QGraphicsProxyWidget *proxy = scene->addWidget(this);</code></p>
<p><code>view->setScene(scene);</code></p>
<p><code>view->show();</code></p>
<p><code>view->rotate(70);</code></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>This will add your <span class="caps">UI</span> to a QGraphicsScene, then display the QGraphicsView and rotate it.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>This method will, unfortunately, not resize the layout if you have one defined, although I believe that there are functions within QGraphicsView that involve resizing elements based on the size of the main window.</p>
<p>Enjoy your new sideways applications!</p>
What is Codename Divingboard?Peter Hajas2009-05-28T22:10:00Z2009-05-28T22:10:00Z/blog/what-is-codename-divingboard.html
<p>I speak mostly on this blog about Codename Divingboard, a project I’ve been working on for the last 4 or 5 months. It will eventually be a large suite of applications, following a very specific set of user interface guidelines. These applications are aimed to be used by users with touch-enabled computers or computing devices who would like a simple, easy-to-use and powerful application suite designed <em>from the ground up</em> to be used on touch-enabled devices. People with tablet computers, like myself, are tired of working with applications that are designed with the “keyboard and mouse” paradigm in mind. Instead, we’d like to use applications designed with touch in mind. Codename Divingboard will address these concerns, and be a one-stop suite of touch-enabled applications.</p>
<p>I expect the first release of the web browser within the next week or so. Binaries will be released on Mac <span class="caps">OS</span> X, Windows and Linux platforms. On all three platforms, you will need the <a href="http://www.qtsoftware.com/downloads">Qt Framework</a> in order to use the applications I will release. Artwork and other such designs will follow shortly.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p>
Web Browser and CalculatorPeter Hajas2009-05-28T15:11:00Z2009-05-28T15:11:00Z/blog/web-browser-and-calculator.html
<p>Currently, I have a working Web Browser and a nearly-working Calculator. I don’t have names for them yet, but I will soon. I will soon post binaries of the browser for <span class="caps">OS</span> X, Linux and <span class="caps">XP</span> so people can play with them. Depending on licensing, I may also release the code under a <span class="caps">BSD</span> or similar license. Please note, you will need the Qt libraries (available for all major computing platforms) in order to run the software.</p>
Began DevelopmentPeter Hajas2009-05-22T22:22:00Z2009-05-22T22:22:00Z/blog/began-development.html
<p>I got my touch netbook recently, which finally provides a way to actually test my prototype applications. So far, it’s in the middle of an operating system switch, but I’m still actively developing <strong>codename divingboard</strong> which is explained more on the <a href="/projects">Projects</a> page. I will be posting more information, and videos, shortly.</p>
Room Selection and More!Peter Hajas2009-04-05T16:38:00Z2009-04-05T16:38:00Z/blog/room-selection-and-more.html
<p>Today, I finally got to choose my room here at <span class="caps">RPI</span>. While it wasn’t the exact one I wanted, it certainly is nice, and a good deal bigger than my current dorm. I will probably look into exactly what sort of configuration is “optimal” for this room. Maybe I’ll use some modeling tools on the computer to do so…</p>
<p>That aside, progress on WebView (temporary name for DivingBoard’s browser component) is moving along very well. It currently lacks adding bookmarks, deleting bookmarks, cookie support (uh oh), tabs or downloads. That may seem like a lot, but I should be able to fix those.</p>
<p>However, progress will need to slow. I have not been paying attention to things I should pay attention to. I need to reevaluate my priorities and make sure everything gets a fair chunk of time.</p>
Touch and QtPeter Hajas2009-03-31T02:05:00Z2009-03-31T02:05:00Z/blog/touch-and-qt.html
<p>If you head over to the Projects page, you’ll see DivingBoard. Over the last two days, I’ve worked very heavily on a new application to be released as a part of DivingBoard. It’s coded and designed in Qt, which I’ve just recently started to learn, and it’s starting to look very mature. Some time in the summer I intend to release a preview of DivingBoard.</p>
<p>Until then, keep your eye here, and I’ll keep the blog up to date on all the new changes in DivingBoard.</p>
Blog!Peter Hajas2009-03-26T21:42:00Z2009-03-26T21:42:00Z/blog/a-post-called-blog.html
<p>Hey there!</p>
<p>I’m so happy to have a real, live, functioning blog working! SquareSpace has been nothing but wonderful, so I think I’ll be here to stay for a while. Check this page for information about me, my projects and my ambitions. I hope to be writing here (on the blog) about my ideas.</p>
<p>Thanks for stopping by!</p>