KeithBarrett Online

So yesterday I received this…

I had entered Google’s Project Glass program back in Feb. Under the terms of the program you could submit up to 3 times, and what you submitted could be a short text, photos, or a 15 second video. I submitted all 3.

…Read more about Google #glassexplorers

This article explains how I got my Philips Pronto Universal Remote editing working under Mac OSX using a USB-to-RS232 Adapter.

Philips Pronto Remote Control

No universal remotes made today are as versatile as the original Philips Pronto line. My two TS-1000′s are still going strong, although they are wearing out. These remotes have been discontinued for a few years now, and earlier this year Philips Home Entertainment division was sold off so there’s little hope they’ll make a come back. We’re still waiting for someone to produce a reliable touch-screen remote with programable button designs and IR commands. The closest match on the consumer market today I can find is the L5 Remote, which adds an IR dongle to an iPad or iPhone, however its macro ability is limited and it freezes frequently if you press buttons too quickly (due to a hardware limitation of the dongle and iOS interface). I have the L5 and I’ll post an article when I get it working satisfactorily.

Connecting a Philips Pronto to a computer requires rs-232 serial communications, using a special cable that converts the minimal 4 pins of a 9-pin connector to a male 4 “ring” 1/4″ phone plug. This cable comes with the Pronto, so if you don’t have one you’ll either need to make one or find one on the Internet. …Read more about How To Program a Philips Pronto Using USB on Mac OS X

Would you like to have a traditional Thanksgiving turkey (or ham) dinner at Walt Disney World without needing a reservation? Or dealing with the holiday crowded parks? Or even needing a park ticket?

Most people are aware that many full-service restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World property provide a special Thanksgiving dinner option (here is a list of places for 2011), BUT did you realize that some Disney resort hotels with quick counter service dining also provide an affordable special Thanksgiving meal? You never see this advertised or talked about. Almost everyone I tell this to, Cast Member and knowledgable Disney fan alike, has no idea this happens, but it’s been available for years.

…Read more about A WDW Thanksgiving Dinner Made Easy

KeithBarrett.tv has a new name and a new format: “The Vidcast Network“. The old URL will point to this new location, as will some new URLs (such as VidcastNetwork.com). The web site is still a work in progress (for example; the video viewing counts have not been updated, and iTunes distribution is still in the works), but it is ready for general use.

Keith originally coined the term “Vidcast” for Video Podcasts when he launched the studio back in 2008. This new site provides a vehicle more representative of the diverse content being created, and allows for hosting the videos and live streams using any backend service and still provide a single, transparent viewing and chat room experience for the audience. It also supports a calendar schedule of upcoming live broadcasts. The Twitter handle for the studio is @VidcastNetwork. …Read more about Announcing THE VIDCAST NETWORK

It seems everyone is into the great zombie apocalypse. Movies, games, and even an anime series. But why? I have several ideas on this.

Zombies Can Be Attacked Without Guilt
They’re already dead, but they’re not, and they’re people, well sort of. You can attack them, shoot them, burn them without fear or guilt of murder or sin. Zombies also hurt people, so you are justified in protecting others from them.

Zombies Can’t Die
It’s an enemy that is tough to destroy. They keep coming back, like a movie thriller villain or virus.

Zombies are Gory
We like special effects, and can be creative about it here. …Read more about Why Do We Like Zombies?

These are Google+ issues that should have been quick to fix, but are still with us detracting from my experience. I left feedback on all of them, some weeks ago.

[This list does not include joining Hangouts (even audio only) from my Android Phone because I recognize that is not a quick fix item.]

1. Email notification links don’t run the app

It’s great that I get emails on my phone informing me someone commented on my post, but the link at the bottom of the page to go view that conversation causes the painful-and-doesn’t-work-with-G+ web browser to execute rather than bringing it up the Google+ [Android] app. Even Facebook got this one right.

…Read more about 6 Easy-To-Fix Things About Google+ That Irritate Users

Google+ had an historic explosive growth. Changes where made to Google services to accomodate this, and more changes are coming. Here are some areas to keep watching.

1. Picasa Photos

In order to support Google+, Google had to quickly alter the Picasa photo system. Facebook is the largest repository of photos on the Internet, and the record breaking growth of G+ meant that Picasa had to be set up to handle that part of social networking fast. All those photos and animated GIFs included in a stream post had to be stored somewhere, even if the user had no prior Picasa account. …Read more about 8 Things Google+ Users Don’t Think About Much (But Should)