Walking around on Halloween

Halloween came and went so fast. Getting ready for that night meant alot to my girls. After much costume searching, we were ready. That night the kids were uniquely dressed. We walked around dressed as a Sassy pirate, the Queen of Hearts, and Harley Quinn - the Jokers crazy side kick. My honey did not dress up this year since her back is still bothering her, although she still looked cute. I finished my costume and walked around as the Rocketeer. Yes, the Rocketeer from the Disney movie of the same name. I spent two months on this costume and boy did I learn a lot.

It all started as an idea. I was talking to my honey and she gave me the idea to make it. She thinks I can make just about anything so I figured, why not go for it. I used my iPad and started to draw and draw. A few days later I had my sketch and a few more days later I had my build drawing. Before starting I got the OK from the creative department, my girls. They loved the idea and if it was up to them, I was supposed to make it fly. I loved their enthusiasm and it got me pumped..

I was able to make the rocket and head piece with PVC piping, paper mâché, gorilla glue, construction adhesive, Plexiglas, glowing fans, batteries, paint and also a helmet. I started out making the rockets. It took some time so that I could get that coned out look on them. I then shaped it out to be a backpack with some more piping and Plexiglas. With the shape in place I formed out the center and other spots to put in some glowing fans. Fans in place and the jet pack solid, I could now put in the wiring and shape capacitors on the outside. It was coming together nicely and it felt good. Throughout this whole time, I looked for a used helmet but that was easier said than done. I wound up getting a new one that I could modify, the costume would not be complete without a good helmet. Next was the painting and my honey suggested Krylon spray paint. That paint is great for crafts and plastic. Needless to say i finished on Halloween day and could not wait to go out with the kids and help them score some candy. We got so into the Halloween spirit that I forgot to put on my costume tan pants and went in jeans. I have to say, three full bags and a backpack of candy later, we were happy. I got such a kick out of stopping and showing my costume off and putting on that blue Rocketeer glow out of the center fan. I even got some candy for myself, it wasn't much but it felt good. Check out the pics and let me know your thoughts.

They backpack has 3 glowing fans and are activated by a control switch in the right palm.

The helmet is a full face helmet with the addition of a custom made fin.

I want a Tank

Why should that be a problem. I want a tank. Not a full size tank but the Desktop size Tankbot sold by Desk Pets International. They are small, hold a rechargible battery that will be charged by USB and you can control it via your Iphone or Andriod phone. I have seen these before at an expo and it was hard to buy them then but soon they will be available at Radio Shack and Toys R Us.  Check out the video below to see it in action. I myself want the Yellow one, or the Red one.

Halloween and Custom Costumes

I want to be this and I want to be that is what you usually hear for Halloween. My 3 girls are each different and sometimes you get a princess, a frog, a dinosaur, a princess again, a super hero or just about anything else. My honey and I usually get dressed up with them. She has more creativity in her little finger than I have in my two hands. It is fun and exciting to see the kids just as excited for you on Halloween. We usually buy costumes right off the shelf, except for a time or two, but this year it is different for me. I am making my own costume and it is time consuming to say the least. I am learning that not all glue is the same, plastic doesn't always bend and there are more things to use for sculpting than plaster. I also found that there are some pieces that you just cannot go and buy used easily. It should not be that hard to buy an unwanted and used motorcycle helmet.. Really.. I don't want to give away what my costume will be just yet but I can say, if it were real, I would be on my way to the stars. Hint Hint..

The big G has been busy

Google was someone's dream. In time that dream has become a grand reality. Woorkup.com has visualized the 102 companies that were acquired over time by Google and it is an amazing list. Check it out here.

My IPAD 2 fun with a Pogo Stylus and Note Taker HD

I have had my IPAD 2 for several months now. I have less than 10GB left out of 32GB already having filled it with apps for productivity, entertainment, and leisure, you need a few minutes of down time at work and can sneak in a fun app. The best thing I have that simply enhances my use of the IPAD is a pogo sketch stylus. It has helped me write, draw, annotate, sketch and play better in several apps. Of the apps that I have used the stylus successfully more often, Note Taker HD is one of them. Note Taker HD is a note taking app the allows typed notes in addition to hand written notes. You can use your finger to create notes but it is much easier with the stylus. I was able to take a picture of a follow me trail from a book one of my kids have with the IPADs built in camera. It's one of those grids that you have to find the right path to get out. I imported the picture into Note Taker HD, and then my daughter could try it over and over on the IPAD, no pencil or eraser mess. They loved taking turns using the stylus instead of their fingers. When the were done I output there done trail to a PDF file for them to print later.
There are several stylus on the market but I found the pogo sketch to be better than others. It has a soft fuzzy tip that glides over the screen whereas others are rubber and tend to drag on the screen. The IPAD display also stayed cleaner and had much less smudges as well, that is a bonus. Check out the stylus yourself and let me now what you think.

Pogo Sketch by Tenone Design

I bought my Pogo from Microcenter. You can see their product link here. The Note Taker HD app was purchases through the Apple app store. You can check that out here.

The Illusive ASUS Transformer and Apple IPAD 2

I have been trying to decide for some time to purchase a tablet to go along with my Dell net-book. I was considering the ACER ICONIA Tablet or the IPAD 2. I went a few times to Best Buy to take a look an no where could an ACER be found, although there were plenty of Motorola XOOM tablets at each store. I was able to see an IPAD 2 behind protective glass but no ACER tablets. Then I saw a commercial for an ASUS Transformer. After seeing what it could do, I really really wanted one. I waited for the day that they were announced and thought they will be in stores soon and I will be able to make a final decision. To this day, I have yet to see one in the store. They are in demand and the supply is so short that it will be sometime in August before one even makes it into a Best Buy, or so I have heard from a few people. I even tried ordering one from KMART only to be told at the last step, OUT OF STOCK. Doesn't look like KMART likes to update their on hand stock often.  So off I went with a friend to the Apple store.

I had looked at the IPad2 before but with the idea of it being a cool gadget. Now I had the chance to actually use it and run it through some steps and I loved it. The apps on it were easy to use, the screen was responsive and it was really light. I asked if they had one in stock but they did not. With this experience in mind I headed to Target and Best Buy. I tried the XOOM and the ACER ICONIA there. I did not like the glare from the ACER's screen nor did I like the wierd response from the XOOM. After about an hour, I decided... I want an IPAD2.

For several days I called Best Buy and I finally got one. I could have ordered it online but it was the thrill of getting it at a store and having it in your hand. I have been using it for days now and there is no turning back. I will post more on my experience with it in the new future..