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Alite Monarch Chair

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Since I’ve been spending a lot of time playing console games, I’ve had an ongoing issue with a lack of good seating in the room my consoles live in (the guest room). There’s the guest bed, but it’s uncomfortable to sit in for long periods.

I’ve looked at gaming chairs, but they all suffer from complaints about them being built for kids/teens, or uncomfortable, etc. Then my wife mentioned a camping chair that a friend had purchased. The Monarch Chair by Alite. While a bit spendy, I did have an REI gift card, and the gaming chairs I was looking at were all at least $70. A quick drop by REI, and I came home with the chair. Basically, it’s like an L shaped hammock that uses sturdy tent pole type framing to hold it together. It’s really meant for camping/backpacking, but the comfort wonderful. And if you put it right infront of our guest bed, you can basically lean back into it. You also get the same basic rocking action that gaming chairs have.

While I haven’t done any marathon sessions in it, I can say it is MUCH better than sitting on the bed, and may even rival the comfort of my Aeron at work. I will post back after I give it a good 4+ hour session, but in initial testing, it’s very comfortable. Plus, I can take it camping/backpacking. =) Alite may have a whole new market on their hands. =D

[xrr rating=4.75/5]

iPhone/Aux audio adapter

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I play some online multiplayer computer games with a friend (Portal 2, Starcraft, Diablo, etc) while talking over the phone with him. It’s generally easier than Skype/Teamspeak/etc since the cell call is free (same carrier), and doesn’t slow down either machine. After a year or so of playing while wearing my iPhone earbuds/headset, then over-the-ear headphones over the top of them, I realized what I needed was a dual input headset (like this), and that I could probably make something like this with some clever adapter use.

After buying what I thought would work (a 4 pin splitter, a combiner, and a mic), and finding out it did not, I decided to MAKE what it would take.

My first design, which I guess I would consider “version 1” is shown below (note: it seems this is improper, and should have some resistance inserted (see link below)). The parts were pretty simple. I salvaged the two cables needed, but if you wanted to buy all the parts, here’s a list:

  • 1 x Project box
  • 2 x 3.5mm Stereo jacks (female)
  • 1 x 3 pin TRS jack (male)
  • 1 x 4 pin TRRS jack (male)
  • Some wire

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Repeated Wrong Number Calls

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I have a long standing (going on a couple months now) issue with someone in Portland calling my cell phone when she actually means to be calling her mom or something. Anyway, she’s probably done this a couple dozen times in the last 2 months, and a bit ago, I decided to actually do something about it, since ATT doesn’t seem to have any free way to keep this from happening.

Turns out, I’m not the first one to have this issue. And after finding this post, I was easily able to add the silent ringtone, and then add the number to a contact with that custom “ring”. And now, if this happens any more with another number, you can just assign them to that contact as well, and they’re gone! Sure, you can still “see” the incoming call, but you don’t actually have to hear/feel it (with iOS 5+, you can assign no vibration to certain contacts as well).

Luckily the person isn’t dumb enough to leave me a message. =/