Simplify GR Updated to 1.2
Today I have released version 1.2 of my Safari extension, Simplify GR.
I have added a frequently requested feature: Keyboard shortcut support. Pressing the letter b will toggle opening the article in FancyBox (the Alt key will alternate between Instapaper text view and the original web page, depending on your Preference setting, when clicking the article link or using the keyboard shortcut).
This version adds support for the following Google country sites: .ca, .de, .nl, .fr, and .it. It also includes two new stylesheet options Lucidica and Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Lastly, the bundled FancyBox and jQuery versions have been updated to 1.3.4 and 1.4.4, respectively.
Hit the update in Safari or download the latest version directly and try it out. (As usual, please post bug reports and feature requests on the actual Simplify GR page. Thanks!)
Simplify GR Updated to 1.1
Today I have released version 1.1 of my Safari extension, Simplify GR.
This new version enables the much-requested support for Google Reader over an SSL (https) connection. If you are using Google Reader over an SSL connection, the extension will also use an SSL connection when loading articles in Instapaper’s text-view.
The bundled versions of FancyBox and JQuery were also updated in this release.
Hit the update in Safari or download the latest version directly and try it out. (As usual, please post bug reports and feature requests on the actual Simplify GR page. Thanks!)
AmpliTube iRig for iOS Review
A few months ago I came across IK Multimedia’s iRig. A small device that utilizes the three-channel headphone connection in Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to connect a guitar or bass. Being a guitar player and a fan of Apple’s iOS devices, I was instantly intrigued.
At the time the only place I could find to purchase the $39.99 USD device from was IK Multimedia’s web site. The idea of paying a foreign currency, plus the cost of shipping, plus the cost of the iOS app(s) did not seem immediately appealing. I put the prospect of owning one on hold. That is, of course, until I happened to be at a local Apple store and the package caught my eye (and for only $39.95 CAD).
The iRig setup consists of two components. First there’s the hardware. A small device that provides a 1/4″ connection for your guitar or bass, and two 1/8″ connections—one female for a set of stereo headphones, the other male to connect to the iOS device itself. The second part is the iOS software, AmpliTube [iTunes link].
While the hardware supplies the means for connecting your instrument, the software provides the amp simulation and effects. The entire package provides an incredibly portable guitar rig for light jamming and learning new music (more on that later).
Simplify GR 1.0 Released
Today I have made public my first Safari 5 extension: Simplify GR.
My goal in putting this together was inspired by my use of Reeder on iOS. Reeder is an iOS app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It syncs with a Google Reader account and lets you read your articles in a very elegant manner. After using Reeder for a couple of months I always found using the regular web interface for Google Reader a little cumbersome. Having to open some articles in separate tabs in my browser seemed unnecessary and time-consuming. I also appreciated Reeder’s ability to use services like Instapaper to show only the text and images in the actual article (not all the menus, ads, etc. that go along with a web page).
The end result of all of this is Simplify GR. A small, easy to use extension that makes using Google Reader a more enjoyable experience.
Give it a try and share your comments. (Please post bug reports and feature requests on the actual Simplify GR page. Thanks!)
Life, The Universe, And Everything In It
One of my favourite passages is in Psalm 8. Maybe it’s because science and technology are an area of interest for me–I cannot help but marvel when I read what David penned:
1O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.2From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.3When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,4what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?–Psalm 8:1-4 (NIV)
I’m sure the stars seemed brighter in David’s day. At least they would have been easier to see (with the naked eye) then than today living in a brightly-lit city. Of course David’s “consideration” of the heavens, moon and stars would have been different from ours. David didn’t have access to all the space telescopes we have today. For me this only solidifies that David’s words were divinely-inspired.
I happened to come across an interesting article on Popular Science’s web site. In it they share a video that was created for an exhibit at the Rubin Art Museum. The video simulates, to scale, the journey light takes as it travels from Earth through space. All the way to the edge of the known universe (then the video reverses). I generally take things from Popular Science with a grain of salt, given their prejudicial favour against Creation, but this video simulation really helps put into perspective just how small we truly are in light (pun intended) of all that God has created. It lends credence to David’s closing words in Psalm 8:
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!–Psalm 8:9 (NIV)
Click the link to watch the video. Read more