Category: Jared Burham

  • Speed and Effeciency to be wed?

    I’m a true, red-blooded American who loves the sound and feel of a true, red-blooded American muscle car… but I’m also intrigued by what automotive engineers have come up with in terms of a more refined, efficient mode of transportation.

    Pictured is the new Wrightspeed X1 Prototype. There are other electric cars out there, but most lack something I consider to be essential to any sweet ride, and that’s speed. Speed is something the X1 does not lack however, boasting the ability to go from 0 – 60mph in 3 seconds. You read that right…. three.

    Check out the rest of the specs here, and check out a video of the X1 going up against a Lamborgini Gallardo and a NASCAR here.

  • This ain’t how your Grandpa went fishin’

    I’ll admit I have a soft spot for boats, and this one is no exception. Pictured is the 2008 Four Winns Express Cruiser V458.

    I priced one on their website to the tune of $786,768… but I guess that’s the premium you pay for iPod compatibility.

    More pics after the jump.

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  • The poor man’s touch pad

    Some of you may have seen this already, but for those who haven’t… check out the video here.

  • Sprint broadband

    Sprint Ovation U727

    Recently the company I work for had the need for Internet access at a job site where there were no traditional means of connection, so we decided to give Sprint’s wireless broadband a try.

    For the choice of card, I opted for the USB Ovation U727. The tech support said it boasted the highest signal strength of any of the USB models due to the flip-up antenna.

    We have an older Dell laptop we needed access on, so I bought a PC card USB 2.0 adapter to run the Sprint card on. I had difficulty, however, getting the card to stay connected; it just kept connecting and disconnecting through the USB.

    I quickly realized that the problem was in the PC Card adapter, because the card worked fine plugged into the USB 1.1 port on the laptop. So much for trying to maintain current standards…

    Once connected, I was impressed at the speed, though I couldn’t stream video very well, most of the broadband meters clocked the connection at just under 650 kbps…. not bad for broadband wireless if you asked me.

    When downloading software updates from their own server, I averaged around 80 – 90 KB/sec, also faster than I had expected.

    We’ll see how service fares on site, which happens to be in Crete, NE. The map shows the general area being in a ‘roaming’ zone, but we’re waiting on clarification from Sprint on that detail.

    All in all, initial impressions were good, but overall opinion is pending network performance on site… will keep you posted.

  • Things that make all other things like it seem crappy: Part I

    Rockport Turntable

    This is Part I of a series I will post every so often showcasing products that your average person wouldn’t be able to afford, mainly electronics. I had the idea because I enjoy reading about such products, even though there isn’t the slightest chance of ever owning any of them.

    The Rockford Technologies System III Sirius Turntable definitely belongs on the list, unless you could argue that $73,750 is a reasonable price for a turntable…

    According to Forbes.com, the system weighs in at 535 pounds, not including the 50 pound air compressor “that is required to power the pneumatic suspension and which floats the plinth (the chassis of the turntable) on a cushion of air to eliminate the nasty effect of vibration.”

    From doing a search, I found that there’s actually at least one other turntable out there that’s more expensive… The Goldmund Reference II . This one has more visual appeal and weighs in at $300,000. It is quoted on bornrich.org as being the world’s most expensive. Check out more pictures after the jump.

    They’re selling a limited edition of 25 based on subscription, with a production of only 5 per year, so you better get your name on the list now if you want one.

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