| DIY hack uses Google Calendar to automate home heating system (video) Apr 26th 2012, 12:22  Sure, Google Calendar is helpful, but ultimately it's on you to get yourself to that meeting. Wouldn't it be nice if the utility could handle some of the to-do list itself? Hack A Day scoped out an example of it doing just that, after a home owner named Shane posted a video of his DIY system that uses Calendar to control his heater. First, he connected a USB-powered mbed microcontroller with an ARM Cortex M3 processor to the internet via an Ethernet cable. As it happens, the mbed also has a temperature controller and solid state relay for turning the heater on and off. On the software side, he took advantage of a feature in the Google API that let him sync the mbed's network time, with the mbed able to "see" in advance what temp changes are scheduled on the calendar. In other words, if turning on the heater is on the schedule, the mbed system knows it and makes it happen. In a brilliant act of disaster prevention, Shane also tweaked the on-board temperature controller to not go above a certain number of degrees. For more technical details, check out the video below and the photos at the source link. Continue reading DIY hack uses Google Calendar to automate home heating system (video) DIY hack uses Google Calendar to automate home heating system (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Hack A Day |  Fern Tree Shack | Email this | Comments | | In Ticketing increases options for venues and promoters, as long as they're using iOS Apr 26th 2012, 11:53  Converting a cellphone into a credit card reader is nothing new, but transforming one into a box office for live events could shake things up a bit -- or, at least provide a bit of friendly competition for NFC-based alternatives. In Ticketing has just launched InHand Box Office software for use at live events. The company claims to be one of the greener ticketing outfits out there, and plans to turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a device capable of wirelessly processing payments (and printing out paper receipts, unlike Square or PayPal Here) at independently run concerts or festivals. Potentially reducing time spent in line and preventing congestion at the entrance translates into more people inside the venue, and using your phone instead of a difficult-to-establish credit card merchant account should reduce the friction in throwing such an event. As long as you tend to carry the appropriate iDevice with In Ticketing's new app installed, you can marry it to that iAPS Sled you see above to create your own personal CC processing machine. The only issues? Convincing Gotye to play your house party instead of Coachella next year, and that awkward lack of support for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. Continue reading In Ticketing increases options for venues and promoters, as long as they're using iOS In Ticketing increases options for venues and promoters, as long as they're using iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | In Ticketing | Email this | Comments | | MetroPCS announces Q1 2012 results: total revenues up, new subscriber growth shrinks Apr 26th 2012, 11:34  Regional network MetroPCS has announced total revenues of approximately $1.3 billion for Q1 2012, up from $1.2 bilion in the last quarter and up seven percent from the same period in 2011. Users on contract now total 9.5 million, with 16 percent of them making the move across to a smartphone. Net income has, however, dropped 63 percent since Q1 2011, with cost per user up 16 percent compared the same period last year. MetroPCS puts down to "retention expense" and the roll-out of its 4G network. The fifth biggest US carrier added over 131,000 new subscribers, but growth continues to slide -- it's down from 190,000 in Q4 2012. On the positive side, users are creeping onto the carrier's 4G network, with 580,000 LTE subscribers nowmaking up six percent of its total subscription base -- regardless of those creeping costs for unlimited data. Continue reading MetroPCS announces Q1 2012 results: total revenues up, new subscriber growth shrinks MetroPCS announces Q1 2012 results: total revenues up, new subscriber growth shrinks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | BusinessWire | Email this | Comments | |
