Recently I have had issues with my mighty mouse scroll wheel (which would be the same as any apple mouse), where it would stop scrolling back up. By pushing down hard on the nodule would help it work again, but gradually that stopped working. You can actually feel and hear the feedback, and rather than a little click it was smooth.

The most obvious reason for this is that it was dirty, or there was something stuck in there… much like the old mice with the scroll ball on the bottom, you would need to take out and clean the rollers with your finger nails, removing mostly deadskin I pressume!

Naturally did was to try and take the mouse apart, but due to apple engineering, I would end up breaking the mouse, so I needed to clean some other way.

At first I just blew hard, nothing much happen… then I licked the nodule and rolled it, a little happened… then I got a cotten bud and some metho and applied it to the nodule, pushing down and continuously rolling. I noticed a discolouration of the metho, as it was dissolving some of the muck. 10-15mins later after the metho had completely dried the mouse is back to normal, and the feedback is much more noticable.. so if you have issues with your apple mouse scroller I recommend metho and a cotton bud.

What started it was I wanted a handsfree phone kit for my car, but I hated all the bulky add on’s so I needed to incorporate it into the car stereo.. the only option here was a car pc. I thought cool, if I get a car PC I can get sat nav, and the list started to get bigger, and soon I wanted a double din touch screen beast, similar to the G4 multi-media computer system.

The main problem is that they are too expensive a pose as a ‘Steal Me’ becon, and I’d hate to come back to my car with a smashed window and no system. Therefore it needs to be portable. Thats when I immediately thought of the iPhone… yeah baby, its realistically a little computer with a phone built in… and with the sickest touch screen usuablity in the world. It would be the perfect companion for your car audio system.

So I started search the web thinking there would be someone doing such a thing. The only things i really found were a GPS app from the guys at Nav N Go and some possible AM/FM radio apps, Oh and that apple are building an in-car system for Mercedes. But there were no way to link your ipod into the dash of your car. There are loads of cradles that hold the iPhone, but they’re crap and dont really intergrate with the dash. I want something seamless and neat and apple! I realise that apple are building this in car system, but I think that having a iPhone attach into your din is perfect as you can take it with you once you get out of the car, your not again having the hassles of seperate computer systems!!!

As a designer I started putting together some designs, and yesterday I came across Tom Worthingtons blog and I thought cool heres a guy thinking the same as me, there must be loads of people out there thinking of it, that when it prompted me to finish of my designs and post my concept of what I would like some one to build… so here they are!

basically with out the iPhone attached it would be a cd/dvd/mp3 player (possibly with a harddrive attached)
there would be a simple lcd display.

I wish I could build it myself and sell it, cause I know everyone would want one, and with the new iPhone SDK out it would easily be possible to make it all possible.

L

On the 16th Feb 08 I fractured both my heel bones (calcaneus), the left requiring surgery, where they reassembled the shattered bone, I am now bionic as I have 13 screws and a big plate inserted into my foot… I tell you what its painful, and right now the wound is the problem, taking what seems like donkeys year to heal.

The thing is I’m stuck in bed most the time, restricted to a wheel chair for getting around (I’ve got crutches but for very small distances) luckily I am staying at my parents house. They are being very kind and helpful, sometimes too helpful… so I’m spending a shit load of my time on my laptop and thought fuck it, I should put the effort and do my own blog. Hell I’m a freelance web desginer/developer and everyone else makes an effort, why not me now that I’m stuck in the position and can’t just go out and ride my bike, or be active as used to.

Dont worry I’ll be positive, I will be up and doing the things I used to, just with a bit of pain and a new perspective on life.