Twitter Tools, modified to ignore @tweets

For the past month or so I’ve been using Alex King’s fantastic Twitter Tools WordPress plugin to display on this site the latest tweet from my Twitter stream (see sidebar). However, I have one semi-trivial issue with his very robust plugin, namely that it doesn’t allow you to keep @tweets — tweets directed to a particular user — from being displayed. I changed that.

To ensure that my changes wouldn’t break any of the “main” features of the plugin, the only function I modified in twitter-tools.php was aktt_latest_tweet() (i.e., the function that displays the latest tweet). If you use any of the other features and want this @tweet-exclusion to be plugin-wide, it shouldn’t be too hard to incorporate my changes into the other functions you’re using.

The modifications

I increased the query limit from 1 to 5, so that the last five tweets are retrieved instead of just the latest. These five tweets are then cycled through until a non-@tweet is found, at which point the loop breaks and the non-@tweet is output to your site. If your last five tweets are @tweets, then the function will simply output “No tweets available at the moment,” which is what it would otherwise display if there was some error in initially retrieving the tweets. If you’re constantly @replying to other users, you may want to bump the query limit to some larger number.

I should note that this is a modified version of Twitter Tools v1.1b1 (the latest version of the plugin is v1.2b1). If you’re currently using v1.2b1, but invoking only the aktt_latest_tweet() function, then you can safely overwrite your twitter-tools.php file with this modified version. If you’ve made any modifications to either v1.1b1 or v1.2b1, or if you use any of the other available plugin features, then you’ll want to overwrite only the aktt_latest_tweet() function.

Download the modified twitter-tools.php file (remember to change the extension from .phps to .php after downloading).

Future plans

I think at some point I may completely gut the Twitter Tools plugin, and release a much simpler version that does nothing more than display the latest tweet, minus @tweets.

Amazon Kindle

Yes, I realize that this piece is a bit “late,” but I wasn’t able to get my hands on a Kindle until just a couple of months ago.¹

The five-second, 192-char review (inspired by Twitter)

I love the Kindle, and totally see myself using and enjoying it (and its progeny) for many years to come. I’m reading more because of it, and seriously doubt I’ll ever read a paper book again.

Why I bought one

My explanation (justification?) is likely going to sound either abstruse or semi-reasonable, depending on both how well you know me and where on the luddite↔technophile continuum you fall, but hear me out.

I’ve always been a rather voracious reader (I’m that guy who has to read the side of the cereal box, etc.), but since becoming so completely caught-up in this web thing many, many years ago, almost all of my reading has moved to the computer. So, while I no doubt read much more than the average person each day, the bulk source of the words has shifted from books to Internet-based “news,” and all that that has come to mean.

At the end of the day, I really wanted to get back to reading books.

You could obviously argue that I could read books without the Kindle, and you’d be right. Partially. Sure, I can go out and pick up a book (and I’ve certainly done that over the last decade, though probably only a handful of times a year), but these books are missing what I’ve come to really appreciate and enjoy about reading online — the ability to [re]search and easily switch between sources. The Kindle fills these gaps.

For example, you can immediately lookup the definition of a word by using the device’s built-in dictionary (simply move the cursor to the line where the word is and choose “lookup in dictionary” from the menu). Relatedly, and given that the Kindle comes with a lifetime EV-DO Internet connection, you can use Wikipedia to easily lookup anything on which you’d like more information. It all works quite brilliantly and is obviously something that simply can’t be done with a paper book.

As another example, consider the auto-bookmarking feature, which automatically remembers where you left off in each of your books (and yes, you can manually place as many bookmarks as you’d like). Such a nicety also finds a parallel in the computer world: my browser automatically remembers not only tabs and other session information, but also the position at which I stopped reading the pages within the tabs.

Another feature I really like is the ability to see, at a glance, how far along you are in a book simply by looking at the dotted line at the bottom of the screen (the dots are “bolded” as you go), which can be considered equivalent to the scrollbar on a web page. Moreover, when viewing your list of books, these dotted lines are made relative to all the books on your Kindle; it’s kind of neat to see not only how far along you are in each of your books, but also how long each book is relative to the others on the device.

One of the best features of the Kindle is its storage capacity. Out of the box it can hold roughly 200 books, and that space can be expanded many times over using its available SD memory slot. It’s so nice to have multiple books at your fingertips (as you have multiple tabs at your fingertips inside a browser); you can flip back and forth between completely different subject matter, all from a single, light device that automatically remembers where you left off the last time.

Finally, the Kindle lets you highlight certain passages and take notes along the way; and like a web page (or the Internet generally), these highlights, annotations, and even the books themselves are searchable.

All of this may seem perfectly obvious, not perfectly analogous to the web world, and completely inconsequential to you, but for me, in the aggregate, it’s exactly what I currently want in a book.

The end result of all of these things is that I find myself not only wanting to read more, but actually reading more. A lot more.

Design

Let’s be honest, the Kindle looks like a crossword-puzzle device a grandfather might receive from his grandson at Christmas (and so it is with some trepidation that I use it in public), but the fact is, the design is actually very thought out, and well at that.

At first blush, the design seems irretrievably flawed. Indeed, when I first saw the pictures I couldn’t believe Amazon went with what looked to be the worst type of design: ugly + impractical. In fact, I didn’t feel too much better upon taking the device out of its packaging, but after some serious use I’ve come to really appreciate the way it works. Sure, even after nearly two months of use, I still find myself hitting the next/previous page buttons when I don’t mean to, but I’m willing to look past that given that they work so well when you actually do want to move between pages, and which ease-of-use isn’t predicated on the device’s position.

I usually find myself holding the Kindle with one hand (i.e., near the bottom of the device with my thumb on top and fingers below), and switching back and forth between my right and left hands. The back cover is a rubber-like pad that actually feels pretty good and definitely makes the Kindle a bit easier to grasp.

As previously mentioned, it’s hard to use the Kindle for anything other than reading without accidentally hitting the large next/previous buttons that make up most of its sides. That said, the layout of the buttons really does work well when you’re reading; because they take up most of the sides, they are generally very accessible no matter how you hold the device, or even if you lay it down on a table, bed, lap, etc.

Many have criticized not only the large buttons, but also the combination of the “select wheel” and “scrollbar,” used to highlight menu options and other controls. I quite like the select wheel and think it’s a great compromise given the limitations inherent in e-ink. The wheel has a nice rubbery feel to it, and gives tactile feedback when you press down on it (not unlike the scrollwheel on a mouse). The one thing I’m not a huge fan of is the “cursor,” which runs along a track parallel to the screen, and which corresponds to what on the screen you wish to select. It’s a bit shiny (think reflective), and for reasons I can’t quite figure out. I should note that the cursor also acts as a progress indicator in some instances, but I’ve yet to find that functionality useful.

One of the nicest things about the Kindle, and something that is inherent in such a device, is that, unlike a regular book, its orientation and weight aren’t constantly shifting. With a paper book, you are made to move [it] around as you shift from the left to the right page, flip pages, etc. With the Kindle however, all of that shifting disappears and you can hold your chosen position indefinitely.

Such a “feature” generally allows you to expend less energy when reading. For example, I like reading in bed while lying on my side. With a paper book you have to constantly hold the book to keep it open and to move it slightly depending on whether you’re reading the right or left page; with the Kindle, you can just let it rest on the bed and then tap the next-page button as needed. I realize that this may sound like a trivial thing to devote a paragraph to, but it really is amazing how such a device can change the way you read, or make the way you’re used to reading that much better.

The e-ink display

If you haven’t seen e-ink before, you owe it to yourself to check it out. It really does read like paper. Of course, this technology has been available to the public for quite some time (most notably via Sony’s e-book Reader), but never has it been presented in such a perfect package (the Kindle’s looks notwithstanding). Not only does the screen read like paper, but the viewing angle also mimics paper (i.e., it’s limited more by your eyes than the technology), and it’s very non-reflective, which means you can read it just the same in the bright sun as you can next to a lamp in a dark room (I’ve yet to find lighting conditions under which I couldn’t read it, save no light at all). It’s great.

Another nice side-effect of the e-ink technology is how little power it draws. Indeed, because there is no backlight, the only time the Kindle really touches the battery is when the screen is refreshed (e.g., when you go to the next page). Subsequently, the device can go for a very long time without a recharge, which, as you might guess, is incredibly freeing.

The Kindle offers six different font sizes, which is useful in ways you might not imagine. For example, lately I’ve been taking the Kindle to the gym if I know I’m going to be riding the bike, and if my arm gets tired from holding the device in a particular position for a prolonged period of time, I can simply increase the font size and set it on the control panel of the bike. Similarly, when reading at night, if my eyes start to feel really tired, I might turn the font size up a few notches to reduce the strain.

The refresh rate of the screen seems to bother some people, but my guess is that these complainers have either never used an e-ink device (and are commenting just to comment) or have only used one for a very short period of time. I’ll readily admit that the first few times it was a little weird to have to “wait” for the screen to refresh, but given that it takes less than a second — roughly the same amount of time it takes to flip a page in a book — it’s a total non-issue.

The included case is crap

The Kindle comes with a usable, but cheap case that uses one of those annoying elastic bands to hold it together (think Moleskine). Moreover, the device is secured to the bookcover-type case by just two flimsy braces located near the middle of the case. It’s crappy.

Within two minutes of using the supplied case I started looking online for third-party options, but there were very few available. In fact, I could find only one company making Kindle cases, and I picked up their Slip Case. It’s nice. It’s certainly not going to win any design awards, but it gets the job done. It’s very thin (fits well in the small pocket of my computer bag), is hard on one side (to protect the screen), and holds snugly the device. I definitely recommend it.

Buying books is addictive

I was amazed at how many books I bought within the first two weeks of owning the Kindle.² It’s so incredibly easy to buy books, either directly from the device itself, or through Amazon.com; either way, it’s essentially a one-click process, and the book arrives on the Kindle within a minute of the purchase.

Using a similar process, you’re allowed to download, for free, the first chapter of any book available in the Kindle store. A great move, which costs all involved parties essentially nothing, and in the best case may lead to a purchase.

Did I mention that there are currently ~120,000 books available, and most for $9.99 or less? I don’t think you’ll ever want for content.

The send-to feature

The ability to send to the Kindle, by email, long-form articles and other content (for 10 cents an email)³ is invaluable. If I come across a long article that I think I’ll probably never actually finish reading on the computer, I simply email it to my Kindle address and seconds later it’s on the device. OK, so the formatting is hit-or-miss, but what do you expect? Amazon obviously can’t be expected to be able to parse perfectly everything you throw at it, and I’m sure this is something they’re constantly improving.

Things I haven’t tried yet

I’m so preoccupied with reading that I haven’t spent any time at all connecting it to my computer (I’ve done everything over-the-air), adding music (much less listening to music through either the built-in speaker or headphone jack), adding memory by way of an SD card, or downloading and listening to audiobooks. I have spent a little time playing around with the “experimental” web browser, and while it’s usable, I don’t see myself ever actually using it, save for Wikipedia lookups (web pages just aren’t meant to be consumed on a device like this, with non-scrolling e-ink).

What I’d like to see in future versions

I’d like them to offer different colors, or at least one other color (i.e., anything other than bright white).

It would be really nice to have my highlights (i.e., book passages that I’ve “circled”) available to me through my Amazon account. Amazon currently keeps track of the books you’ve bought (and will allow you to re-download them at any time if, for example, you’ve removed them from your Kindle to make room for other content), but doesn’t offer a way for me to use the highlights I’ve made, without plugging the device into my computer (though I think they’re saved together with the book, and come along with it should you re-download it).

I use the keyboard so infrequently that it might be nice to have it slide in/out or otherwise hide itself, so as to bring down the overall length of the device. Then again, I’m not quite sure how I would hold it if that extra space wasn’t there.

The behavior of footnotes can be inconsistent, even within a single book. I think this needs to be a bit more standardized across all books. When it works, it works great, but when it doesn’t, you can be made to figure out where you left off (which may be next to impossible in some cases).

Should you buy a Kindle?

Yes, assuming you like to read books (or simply want to read more of them), I can’t recommend this device highly enough. Amazon has made the entire process — from searching for and buying books, to reading and annotating them — effortless and fun. They really do have something special in the Kindle.

Belkin CushTop

Earlier this month I wrote about my quest for a new laptop stand, and commented on the stand I had recently purchased, the Allsop Cool Channel Platform. I also referenced the iLap, which I had been using for years, despite some fairly serious flaws.

While the Allsop was OK, I very quickly resigned myself to continuing the hunt for a better solution. Just a few days after publishing that piece, I came across the Belkin CushTop, and while I had seen it many times before, it always struck me as a bit too bulky and cumbersome, but this time I decided to give it a shot, and I’m really glad I did.

There’s no getting around the fact that it’s a little large, but I’m here to tell you that it works very well besides. In fact, I liked it so much, that after just one night’s use I picked up another so that I could have one at my girlfriend’s place when I was over there.

I was worried that the fabric covering the CushTop would not be sticky enough to keep the MacBook Air from sliding around on its four rubber feet, but the Air actually sticks to it really well, which allows you to work in a lot of different positions; in other words, you don’t have to sit perfectly still with the stand flat against your thighs, but rather have some real freedom to move around a bit.

Part of its large volume has to be attributed to its slightly unusual height, but that it’s so tall is actually good for a couple of reasons. The first is that the heat from the bottom of the laptop is that much further away from your body; this, coupled with the inch-plus hole in the middle of the CushTop, means that you feel no heat from the notebook. Very nice.

The other advantage of the increased height is that the screen is moved closer to your plane of sight (i.e., you don’t have to bend your neck as much), and with protracted use this can make a huge difference. As a corollary, the keyboard is also raised a significant amount (when compared to other stands, which usually raise the back of the laptop much more than the front); while some people might not like the extra height, I actually prefer it — I can generally type faster and for longer periods of time when the keyboard is raised a few inches above my lap.

After using the CushTop for a few days, I’m no longer actively searching for a new laptop stand (that’s right, all of you can breathe a heavy sigh of relief, and sleep well knowing the hunt is over — my gift to you).

Help, I need a new laptop stand

For the past four years I’ve been using an iLap to keep my laptop away from, you know, my lap, but a few weeks ago I decided to pick up an Allsop Cool Channel Platform. I had been looking for a new stand for a while, and just happened to notice the Allsop model while waiting in line to return the BlueAnt Z9.

While there was nothing particularly wrong with the iLap, I was getting a bit bored with it (yeah, I know, I know, it’s a laptop stand), and I’ve found the front pad, which connects to the stand by velcro, pretty annoying all along (something I kind of touched on in my original iLap piece). The whole setup never felt very solid, yet for whatever reason I stuck with it for years.

As far as the Allsop platform goes, it’s generally alright, but definitely suffers from some problems, especially if you are using a MacBook Air.

My favorite feature of the stand, and indeed the main reason I bought it, is the “lip” in the front, intended to keep your notebook from slipping off the platform.¹ This feature allows you much more freedom to place the laptop in various positions on your lap, stomach, etc., and knowing that it can’t slip off the front is pretty liberating. The problem though is that the platform just isn’t rigid enough; it bends very easily. In fact, with just the lightweight Air resting on it, and it on a slightly less than perfectly flat surface (e.g., your lap a lot of the time), it will bend. This desire to bend, coupled with the Air’s super-low profile, means that the front of the Air often finds itself on top of the lip, instead of behind it, which obviously completely defeats its purpose.

I’ve also had a problem with heat dissipation, even though Allsop says the platform “uses a non-slip woven surface with engineered channels for passive air circulation to help keep your notebook computer cool.” With the Air, the heat vents are located on the bottom of the notebook, near the back where it starts to curve. Because the platform is slightly cushioned, and because the Air’s feet are very short, the entire bottom of the Air tends to touch the surface of the platform, which inhibits the heat’s dispersion. My Air tends to run 10-15 degrees hotter when on the platform (as opposed to a table). So, while it does keep the heat away from your lap, it actually causes the Air to become hotter than it otherwise would.

Long story short, I need a new laptop stand. Any recommendations?