www.chadalderson.com http://www.chadalderson.com Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:06:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 My iPad Prediction Circa 2008 http://www.chadalderson.com/my-ipad-prediction-circa-2008 http://www.chadalderson.com/my-ipad-prediction-circa-2008#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 21:35:35 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=317

I was combing through some old posts today and came across one from 2008 that predicted Apple would launch a “soup-ed up” eBook reader within 9 months. It would include:

Wireless capability (probably over ATT’s network)
News and RSS reader
Baked in iTunes support
Safari web browser
Multi-touch technology
Large full-color, hi rez screen

No native RSS reader, but what the hell?

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/my-ipad-prediction-circa-2008/feed 0 Fringe Season 1 on Hulu http://www.chadalderson.com/fringe-season-1-on-hulu http://www.chadalderson.com/fringe-season-1-on-hulu#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:01:40 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=298

I’m a big fan of Fringe on Fox. It is a solid sci-fi crime/thriller reminiscent of X-Files. Here are some cool Fringe links:

Official Fringe website on Fox
Fringe season 1 on Hulu
Roberto Orci (co-creator, writer and executive producer) can be found on Twitter

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/fringe-season-1-on-hulu/feed 0 My Kindle 2 Ships! http://www.chadalderson.com/my-kindle-2-ships http://www.chadalderson.com/my-kindle-2-ships#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:28:59 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=294

kindle2

I will post unbox photos later in the week.

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/my-kindle-2-ships/feed 0 How To Get Facebook Comments Widget on WordPress http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-get-facebook-comments-widget-on-wordpress http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-get-facebook-comments-widget-on-wordpress#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:21:36 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=281

After many posts on Facebook’s developer forum I was finally able to get Facebook’s new Connect Comments Box Widget working under WordPress 2.7.1.

To add the Comments Box to your site, follow these instructions:

Step 1 – Set up a basic Connect application

If you don’t have a basic Facebook Connect application, you should set one up now. When you do, be sure to note the API key and specify a callback URL to your website (you will use the API key in a second).

Step 2 – Get Facebook’s cross-domain file

Download Facebook’s cross-domain receiver file, and upload it to your website’s root folder. This should be your WordPress root and not your theme’s root.

Step 3 – Edit the files

Now go to your theme’s directory (<path to wordpress install>/wp-content/themes/<yourtheme>) and edit the following files:

header.php

Within the <html> tag, add:

xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml"

For example, my <html></html> tag looks like this:

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml“>

comments.php (or any other file you want your Facebook Comments Box Widget to appear):

Next, open the file where you want your Facebook Connect Comments Box to go and drop in this code:

<script src="http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php" type="text/javascript"></script><
fb:comments></fb:comments>
<script type="text/javascript">
FB.init("YOUR_API_KEY_HERE“,"<?php bloginfo('url');?>/xd_receiver.htm");</script>

Mine looks like this:

<?php if ('open' == $post->comment_status):?>
<script src="http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php" type="text/javascript"></script>
fb:comments></fb:comments>
<script type="text/javascript">
FB.init("MY_API_KEY_HERE", “<?php bloginfo('url'); ?>/xd_receiver.htm");
</script>
<a name="fbcomment">
<?php endif; ?>

You may have noticed that mine is slightly different that the one above it:

  • I put mine in between an if statement that checks to make sure comments are enabled for the post.
  • I also added an anchor name below the comments box so that I can link to the comments section from my index page.

Both of these are optional.

Step 4 – Give it a run

That should work – load up your page and give it a refresh. If you run into trouble, check the official documentation here and here, but be aware that it is not WordPress specific, whereas the stuff above is. Also, if you are looking to customize your Facebook Comments Box Widget CSS or want to control some of the output, take a look at the Facebook Developer Wiki article.

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-get-facebook-comments-widget-on-wordpress/feed 0 Build Your Own Pair of Chuck Taylors http://www.chadalderson.com/build-your-own-pair-of-chuck-taylors http://www.chadalderson.com/build-your-own-pair-of-chuck-taylors#comments Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:28:06 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=272

I came across http://www.converse.com‘s shoe builder tonight. Although it is a blatant rip-off of NikeID, I still think it is pretty cool. I built a pair of Chuck Taylors to honor the Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee – heh:

thegeneral-1

This top view makes you want to go sliding across the toe-hood right?

thegeneral-2

Side view – you can almost smell the rubber burning…

thegeneral-3

No pair of shoes would be worthy of the General Lee’s proud name if they didn’t have the General’s 01 displayed proudly on the heel:

thegeneral-4

Sure, but what’s Cooter’s take on all this nonsense?

cooter2

Yeah, Cooter looks a little orange – but let’s not get hung up on it OK?

Y’all come back now, ya here?

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/build-your-own-pair-of-chuck-taylors/feed 0 Valentines Day Massacre http://www.chadalderson.com/valentines-day-massacre http://www.chadalderson.com/valentines-day-massacre#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:08:33 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=266

I took this picture on Valentine’s day as my girlfriend and I passed one of those arts and crafts places. All these guys were in there with their girlfriends painting clay pottery. We stood in the window for a few minutes to take it all in…

page_1

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/valentines-day-massacre/feed 0 iDisk http://www.chadalderson.com/idisk http://www.chadalderson.com/idisk#comments Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:13:08 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=259

I just set up iDisk so that I can mount to a password protected drop box. I spend a fair amount of time transferring files to and from my work PC so hopefully this will help streamline my workflow a bit more.

idiskgenericicon

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/idisk/feed 0 My QUAKE LIVE Beta Invite Experience http://www.chadalderson.com/my-quake-live-beta-invite-experience http://www.chadalderson.com/my-quake-live-beta-invite-experience#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:52:20 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=242

Owning a Mac can be frustrating at times. For example – I got this e-mail in my inbox today:

quake-live-1

Which I got super excited about. I quickly created an account on beta.quakelive.com and was greeted with the beta test homepage:

quake-live-2

The next step was to create my Quake Live gamer account so I clicked on the create account link and got this:

quake-live-3

BUMMER. Worst part: I can’t even give my account to anyone without violating the Terms of Use. DAMN.

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/my-quake-live-beta-invite-experience/feed 0 How To Make Firefox Send Mail Using Gmail http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-make-firefox-send-mail-using-gmail http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-make-firefox-send-mail-using-gmail#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:57:51 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=239

With the introduction of Firefox 3.0 a new feature was added that allows you to set Gmail as your default mailing application inside of Firefox. Any in-browser mailto links that are clicked will now open up a new message window inside of Gmail – the To: field will be defaulted to whatever e-mail address is specified in the “mailto:” link.

Here’s how:

  1. Go to Firefox > Preferences
  2. Click on Applications button
  3. Under the Content Type column, scroll down until you see mailto
  4. Under the Action column, select Use Gmail from the drop down menu

Screenshot:

Set Firefox to use Gmail

]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/how-to-make-firefox-send-mail-using-gmail/feed 0 Blog Redesign – Overview http://www.chadalderson.com/blog-redesign-overview http://www.chadalderson.com/blog-redesign-overview#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:56:11 +0000 admin http://www.chadalderson.com/?p=236

Here is an overview of the upcoming blog redesign I’m working on for www.chadalderson.com. The current design that is here now is just something I’ve put up temporarily until I’ve completed all the stuff outlined below. Wireframes are in flight and will be posted as I complete them.

Here is a walk-through of each section:

Global elements
These will be information blocks and design elements that are consistent within the UI. They consist of:

  • Header – will hold the main navigation
  • Footer – will hold misc navigation stuff and contact info block
  • Contact info block – will contain my contact info

Side-bar elements

  • This will be a side-bar module that may be contained in the sidebar. It will contain:
  • Contact info block, expanded – it will have a headshot and some other goodies.

6 main sections of the site

Home

  • A quick overview of my skill-set with a link to My resume
  • A highlighted project – with a link to Projects
  • Links to twitter and LinkedIn accounts and possibly other social networks with a link to Lifestream
  • A condensed list of my most recent blog posts and a link to Blog
  • A short flickr photoset block with link to Photography

My resume

  • My resume (optimized for search engines)
  • Downloadable versions
  • Contact info block (see global elements)

Projects

  • Project list page (condensed list of projects I’ve worked on)
  • Project detail page (a case study page providing a narrative and supporting screenshots & video that illustrates the work)
  • Contact info block (see global elements)

Photography
This is my hobby so I want a way to showcase some of my favorite photos that I’ve taken. It will be a very simple section containing:

  • A Flickr photo block
  • A lightbox2 modal popup window to view a larger photo
  • An info block containing a list of photography gear that I currently own

Lifestream – this is my “social thumbprint” on the web. It will contain:

  • My twitter stream
  • LinkedIn profile
  • xBox Live gamer’s tag
  • NetFlix movie queue
  • Facebook link
  • Contact info block (see global elements)

Blog

  • A posts page (listing most recent 10 posts)
  • A post detail page – will contain a comment box at the bottom of the post
  • Messages that I’ve (the author) adds to any comment thread will be styled differently than the guest author’s (people commenting on the post)
  • An archive page
]]> http://www.chadalderson.com/blog-redesign-overview/feed 2