New website for Hughes Manufacturing

Whoo hoo!  I just launched a new website for a local business in Giddings Texas that sells flags, pennants, and custom banners.  It was a rewarding experience working with Leslie, Mark and Linda.  Check out their new site at: www.hughesmanufacturing.com

Working with the Microsoft Bluetooth Stack

I was looking for a way to use the Windows Sockets Bluetooth API: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa362932(VS.85).aspx

I quickly learned that if you can compile and build an example, it will likely not work on your Windows machine, because it will have some other Bluetooth driver stack installed, as opposed to the Microsoft stack. In order to quickly diagnose and resolve that issue (and basically replace the other stack with the Microsoft stack), check out this most excellent tool:
http://bluetoothinstaller.com/

Of course, you should only do this on a development machine where you are not afraid to muck around with the drivers and potentially mess something up. However, it worked great for me and all the comments I found about the tool were very positive, so my personal confidence in it is high.

Mobile Development News

JIL and BONDI
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2359363,00.asp

Windows 7 Mobile
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/windows-phone-7-series-is-official-and-microsoft-is-playing-to/

Silverlight and Windows 7 Mobile
http://www.crn.com/software/222900433;jsessionid=W1JIWCFD4SDQXQE1GHRSKHWATMY32JVN

Look ma, no hands...right...

I've had my hands on a Nexus One phone for a week now (which is powered by Google's Android operating system, Version 2.1), and finally realized that true hands-free dialing, via Bluetooth, etc..., is not yet supported. The debate around this is getting heated. See the following link:

http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1412

Yes, there is a cool app on the Market Place that helps the issue as much as possible, but still falls short of a true, and safer, hands-free experience:

http://www.dfxmobile.com/voicedialerhf

Supposedly, the code exists, but is commented out or disabled. I'd expect some type of update, bootleg or otherwise, to surface soon, though...

Apple iPad Development

The Apple iPad was annnounced today: http://www.apple.com/ipad/. If you've done any iPhone programming, then you already have setup the iPhone SDK on a Mac of some sort. I'm on a slim budget (or just tight) and sprung for the Mac Mini as a development platform (unfortunately just days before they upgraded the hardware and kept the same price!).

Anyway, I came home today to download the updated SDK which supports iPad development, and found that you are required to have Mac OS X 10.6.2 installed (i.e. the latest version of Snow Leopard...I am still running POL--plain old Leopard). So, I just got done ordering a copy of Snow Leopard online, and I won't even try to download the SDK until I've done the upgrade. Probably just as well since the Apple site is getting slammed right now.

Until then, it's back to Android 2.1 development for the Nexus One, and to updating our church restoration blog (http://serbinchurchrestoration.blogspot.com)