X10 (x10.com) *is* the company that invented X10. Yes, at x10.com you can get authentic X10 modules, that use the X10 protocol. They've been around as long as I can remember, but I'm only 31. They used to advertise on the backs of my Commodore magazines back then.
At SmartHome.com, you can get a lot of X10 compatible stuff; a lot of it is better than what is available right from X10.
At the smarthome link, there are lots of third-party X10 compatible stuff. My favorite's the IR receiver that works with any programmable IR remote. Eliminates the need for the transceiver, but still works on one "phase" (in the USA there are two leads that are 240V to each other, but 120 to ground, but they're not really separate phases, otherwise you'd have about 210V to each other). Okay, the solution is a bridging capacitor, also available at Smarthome. Throw in across the "phases" in the circuit breaker box, and the X10 signal traverses them both. No need for a second anything.
Well, Software Update didn't have anything needed for this, but they're all online:
(1) iTunes 4 -- for some reason I got 3.01 the first time. Same link the second time (two minutes later) got 4.0. YET.
(2) QuickTime 6.2 -- had to get the installer; doesn't show up in QT update either. YET. Oh, requires restart.
I'm impressed, When I want a song, and it's there, I'll DEFINITELY pay the $0.99. If my wife wants an album, I'll DEFINITELY pay the $9.99 and burn it. YES, it's worth it especially for full albums. The, uh, less than honest way takes too much time for entire albums and there's a lot of broken stuff out there. Most albums are only $9.99, no shipping, no handling, and (for the wife) a cheapie $.20 CD. WAY COOL.
Of course, there are things that WON'T be in the Music Store for a while. Until then, if I only want a single song, I'll stick to the, uh, traditional procurement methods.
DRM? Simple enough to evade if I need to do that. But that's only *if*.
Left to check: can I burn my iTunes onto a data DVD so I can use the MP3's in my DVD player?
You can run Mac OS X on just about any modern PPC system that can run Linux. Although contrary to the Mac OS X License, Mac OS X runs under the MacOnLinux virtual machine.
My PowerBook (Bronze) batteries (both of 'em) from July 1999 are still strong as they've ever been since I ditch Mac OS 9. With both batteries in I get about 5.5 hours of life. Mac OS X 10.2.4.
Why I don't hate 'em, I thought *I* was the strange one for having just disconnected mine. I never used it but for emergencies. It still works for 911 (free, even), and if I need to call someone, it gets on the America's Roaming Network with a credit card. That $6.00/minute once a year will easily make up for the $220/year I was paying.
Slashdot Mirror
X10 (x10.com) *is* the company that invented X10. Yes, at x10.com you can get authentic X10 modules, that use the X10 protocol. They've been around as long as I can remember, but I'm only 31. They used to advertise on the backs of my Commodore magazines back then. At SmartHome.com, you can get a lot of X10 compatible stuff; a lot of it is better than what is available right from X10.
At the smarthome link, there are lots of third-party X10 compatible stuff. My favorite's the IR receiver that works with any programmable IR remote. Eliminates the need for the transceiver, but still works on one "phase" (in the USA there are two leads that are 240V to each other, but 120 to ground, but they're not really separate phases, otherwise you'd have about 210V to each other). Okay, the solution is a bridging capacitor, also available at Smarthome. Throw in across the "phases" in the circuit breaker box, and the X10 signal traverses them both. No need for a second anything.
Well, Software Update didn't have anything needed for this, but they're all online: (1) iTunes 4 -- for some reason I got 3.01 the first time. Same link the second time (two minutes later) got 4.0. YET. (2) QuickTime 6.2 -- had to get the installer; doesn't show up in QT update either. YET. Oh, requires restart. I'm impressed, When I want a song, and it's there, I'll DEFINITELY pay the $0.99. If my wife wants an album, I'll DEFINITELY pay the $9.99 and burn it. YES, it's worth it especially for full albums. The, uh, less than honest way takes too much time for entire albums and there's a lot of broken stuff out there. Most albums are only $9.99, no shipping, no handling, and (for the wife) a cheapie $.20 CD. WAY COOL. Of course, there are things that WON'T be in the Music Store for a while. Until then, if I only want a single song, I'll stick to the, uh, traditional procurement methods. DRM? Simple enough to evade if I need to do that. But that's only *if*. Left to check: can I burn my iTunes onto a data DVD so I can use the MP3's in my DVD player?
You can run Mac OS X on just about any modern PPC system that can run Linux. Although contrary to the Mac OS X License, Mac OS X runs under the MacOnLinux virtual machine.
My PowerBook (Bronze) batteries (both of 'em) from July 1999 are still strong as they've ever been since I ditch Mac OS 9. With both batteries in I get about 5.5 hours of life. Mac OS X 10.2.4.
Why I don't hate 'em, I thought *I* was the strange one for having just disconnected mine. I never used it but for emergencies. It still works for 911 (free, even), and if I need to call someone, it gets on the America's Roaming Network with a credit card. That $6.00/minute once a year will easily make up for the $220/year I was paying.