Anyone want a Chumby?

Kilarney

So I have to admit, the Chumby intrigues me.

I like a little internet box that is totally customizable. There are a lot of things that I'd like to have easy access to without having to turn on a computer. (e.g.: weather, news headlines)

I'm just not entirely convinced that this would be that handy. It's not like I'm away from a computer while at home. So is it really just an alarm clock on steroids? If so, is it worth $180?

Apreche

Gadgets like this are constantly showing up. Someone gets an idea to make something because it is possible, but doesn't stop to think about who would actually need it, or for what. Give me even one example of how this thing can improve my life? How does it make anything I do easier/better than it currently is? Name one thing it does that I can't already do. Didn't think so.

Kilarney

What appeals to me is having information right when I wake up when I'm too tired to turn on the computer. But really that just makes it a glorified weather and sports scores unit, since I can't think of anything else that couldn't wait until I am in front of the computer.

Apreche

What appeals to me is having information right when I wake up when I'm too tired to turn on the computer. But really that just makes it a glorified weather and sports scores unit, since I can't think of anything else that couldn't wait until I am in front of the computer.

Yeah, I usually just sit in front of the computer after I shower.

Kilarney

I usually hop on the computer for a little while in the morning since I'm an early riser.

So I guess you just saved me $180. Thanks for confirming what I thought. ;-)

kage_rod

Huh. Maybe it's for those eBay users out there.. You know, the ones that snatch the item just as it's about to close. Maybe this is how they manage to go about their lives and still freaking get all those goddamned bids.

It'd really explain a lot.

...

You can hook your iPod to it. Wi-fi. I'd say it's just a fancy alarm clock, not worth $180.

Omnutia

Any way I could get the same kind of thing on my desktop? I sort of like the rotating widgets.

Railith

I'll buy one if it can talk like a Tachikoma and act like one too.

Jason

I wake up at about 9 a.m., surf several forums for about 20 minutes, then hop in the shower. Kilarney, are you turning your computer off at night? WHY, GOD, WHY?!

Kilarney

Kilarney, are you turning your computer off at night? WHY, GOD, WHY?!

Al Gore got to me.

trogdor9

Kilarney, are you turning your computer off at night? WHY, GOD, WHY?!
Some of us keep our computers in the same room we sleep in.  The fans and hard drive ticking can get distracting.  I've only tried it a few times when I had to get a torrent finished.  What a bad night of sleep that was.
What do you guys think of this open-sourced iPhone?  Its biggest downfall is the lack of storage space--MicroSD only.

Andrew

Some of us keep our computers in the same room we sleep in. The fans and hard drive ticking can get distracting. I've only tried it a few times when Ihadto get a torrent finished. What a bad night of sleep that was.

I don't think I could sleep without the hum of my fans...

Apreche

What do you guys think ofthisopen-sourced iPhone? Its biggest downfall is the lack of storage space--MicroSD only.

I've seen that phone and other similar phones as well. The problem is that they are not popular enough to garner widespread support. So basically you've got the opposite problem of the iPhone. Sure, you can do whatever you want. But you either have to pay out the ass for service and support, or do it yourself.

Viga

Some of us keep our computers in the same room we sleep in. The fans and hard drive ticking can get distracting. I've only tried it a few times when Ihadto get a torrent finished. What a bad night of sleep that was.

I don't think I could sleep without the hum of my fans...

I'm the same way strangely enough.

kage_rod

Some of us keep our computers in the same room we sleep in. The fans and hard drive ticking can get distracting. I've only tried it a few times when Ihadto get a torrent finished. What a bad night of sleep that was.

I don't think I could sleep without the hum of my fans...

I love my computer on all night in my room. The fans are very soothing to me, especially since in the silence I hear noises as if someone was trying to get into my room. Creeps me out. Plus, it gets my torrents downloaded and it warms up my room. I do turn it off when I go to school, even if it is for a few hours... I let my room and the computer cool off a bit when I'm gone, otherwise it tends to get unbearable.

Jason

I've heard from both sides of the fence on this one, and perhaps Scrym can lend us some wisdom -- is it better or worse for the computer to turn it on and off daily? Not from an energy consumption standpoint, because, frankly, a computer uses very little power (TAKE THAT, AL GORE'S HEAD!).

I've heard that turning it on and off does/doesn't discharge static build-up, that the initial electrical flux into the motherboard when it's turned on is harmful, that keeping it on keeps dust out, that keeping it on causes the hard-drive to break faster, that the sustained heat is bad, and that it's best to keep the fan running constantly.

What is myth, and what is fact, oh ye mighty lords of the technologies?

Apreche

I just leave it on. As long as you have proper cooling, your power supply isn't shit, you have a proper UPS/surge protector, and your hard drive spin down settings are ok, leaving it on won't hurt anything other than your electric bill. Then again, leaving it off isn't harmful either.