AnthonyKinson.co.uk

Design is something i enjoy doing, and the excitement and overwhelming pride that takes over me when i complete eye catching, good looking designs comes second only to when i pull off an app that i thought i couldn’t achieve.

With this in mind, i have decide to embark on the skinning journey for IPB 3.0, skin choices at the moment are very limited as its still early days for Invisions fantastic new software, and with that in mind i am working on 7 skins with different theme’s all based around the 7 deadly sins.

The 7 sins idea came to me a while ago but i never put it into effect, reason being IPB 2.3 was going to be replaced, and the determination to put so much effort into creating skins that were going to be no use in a couple of months seemed like a waste, so i waited.

Starting off the themes is the 7 Sins (Pride) skin. When looking at it you may wonder what does this skin have in relation to pride. Well, the skin is based on BouncyBootlegs and BouncyServers design, something 2 sites in which i am very proud of, so this skin is more related to my own personal pride. both sites have come along way in the last 5 years, especially BouncyServers, with a bigger client database than ever and more and more people seeing the benefits of hosting with bouncyservers i think it is definatly something i should be proud of.

As usual you can see the development in progress of these skins, at time of this writing the default skin on the dev forum is the pride skin, which i am still finishing off, but you ca register and comment on the skin and leave any comments in the shoutbox, or here on my blog!

The default skin will be replaced with the next skin i work on when it starts so you can visit at any time and be sure to see the current skin that’s being worked on.

http://dev.bouncyservers.co.uk is the link you will need, or you can check out the screenshot below

So i have had OS 3.0 on my phone for a few days and was unable to setup internet tethering because o2 did not offer the service until today. However, yesterday there tethering information page came online along with their prices for the service.

So first of all let me explain to you what Internet Tethering is. It basically allows you to connect your mobile phone to you PC or Laptop via USB or Bluetooth  and then allows you to use your iPhone as a modem, providing internet to the device its connected too. Pretty much like a mobile broadband dongle does.

Now, anyone with an iPhone from o2 will be aware that all contracts come with unlimited data over 3G and from WIFI Hotspots, so there is no need to purchase additional internet to use your phone tethered right? wrong!

This is another services in which is provided solely for the provider to make money.

The image to the left shows the prices o2 are charging to use the internet tethering feature on you iPhone. Now the problem with this is that it actually costs o2 or apple NOTHING for us to use Internet Tethering yet they are charging us for more data to use with tethering, when we already have unlimited data plans!

Now, i also have the fortune of owning a Nokia N95 and over the last year, when i have needed an internet connection on my laptop, i have put my Sim card in my Nokia N95, USB connected it to my laptop and launched Nokia PC Suite.

Now Nokia PC Suite comes with a program called “One Touch Access” as seen in the below image. This allows your laptop or PC to connect to the internet using your Nokia N95 as a modem and using your phones 3G or in my case 3.5G connection as the sources.

Now last year i phoned o2 and asked them if my laptop using my iPhones 3G data would cost me anything, to which they replied “No, you have unlimited data plan, you will not be charged for using data”

So, Nokia have provided this feature for years, and now Apple have finally jumped on the bandwagon giving it a new name of “Internet Tethering” and forcing operators to charge for the service… yes, FORCING.

Yesterday i phoned o2 with a few questions, first was why my iPhone would send MMS but not receive them, answer being i have os3.0 early and o2 have not provisioned the MMS receiving yet. when i questioned them about tethering, they said its something they have to charge for as its in their agreement with Apple. So the prices as shown above or just ridiculous, i have unlimited data, yet i have to purchase extra data just to use for tethering, when the data is provided the exact same way! Over 3G, so why should i have to pay extra for it.

Now, like me, many other o2 iPhone customers already spend a minimum of £45 a month on their contract with o2. with the smallest tethering package, that price will jump up to £60 a month and only allowing you 3GIG of internet for tethering!

The iPhone is a great device, but they are starting to annoy me big time with the charging for services which have been free on other devices for years! I really don’t understand how they can justify it or how they can charge you such a high price to use a feature that is absolutely free on other devices.

Slowly backing away from the iPhone, and i can see myself Jail Breaking it now just so i can use the device i paid for how i want to use it, not how Apple force me to use it!

The Bouncy Radio Center admin modules are now complete! and with it some cool new features.

First of all it now has its own error reporting functions meaning if there is a problem with your radio connection it will tell you what the problem is, and suggest how to resolve the problem (see above screenshot).

Now, there are 2 modules, an Overview Module and a Managment Module. Overview is the default and gives you a quick look at various things about your radio such as Scheduled Shows Today, Scheduled Shows This Week, number of resident DJ’s and number of Guest DJ’s. It now also has an upgrade history showing you what versions you installed and when.

Managing DJ’s is now much more simple. You no longer have to search for a member and edit their profile. You can now see all DJ’s from one page, Add new guest or resident dj’s, change a dj’s type or delete a dj (see below image)

Bouncy Radio Center 9 should now be ready for release very soon! Not much further to go boys and girls!

Stay Tuned!

Summer is here and what better way to spend a hot summers day than in a swimming pool. Its a very simple process. Set up the pool, fill it and jump in.

Well, we got an easy set pool… a massive one, so you would think it was easier. For the people who don’t know what an east set pool is, it usually involves no construction, just a inflatable ring round the top, because air rises in water, the force of the water raises the sides, meaning you have a solid set pool with minimum effort.

Below is a picture similar to the one we have just bought.

Its actually identical, except ours has a white ring around the top, and a different filter pump. Now, your probably wondering what the fire brigade has to do with this?

Well, the first time i filled it, with a regular outdoor garden hose, its took a whole day, and then some. kids were a bit disappointed, so the next day came along, and we took the cover off it, done.

Problem is the time it takes to fill, after so long the water becomes manky, the filter can only clean it so much.

Now, i was told that the fire brigade will fill pools for you, for a price of course. So i gave them a ring.

First of all the receptionist didn’t know anything about them filling pools and put me through to the fire chief, he said to me that they do fill them but its quite expensive. at this point I’m thinking hmm, maybe charge £20 – £30 so the chief said he was going to get the price list, and then he said it, the price for me to have the fire brigade come to my house and fill the pool.

£284 per hour

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shocking right, £284 for the fire brigade to fill the pool in the above picture.