Pantech PX-500 EVDO Rev A Card on Linux
Yes, you can use that Sprint EVDO Rev A Pantech PX-500 card on Ubuntu! Network credentials are stored on the card so all we need to do is make sure we have a couple of kernel modules loaded and write two simple scripts to get it all working. The PX-card has an OHCI compatible USB bridge internally off of which hangs the CDC serial port so it's pretty easy.
First make sure you're running a recent kernel by running uname -r and a terminal prompt.
Then, insert the card and let's make sure you have the necessary kernel modules loaded:
michael@feisty:~$ sudo lsmod | grep cdc
cdc_acm 15904 0
usbcore 134280 7 cdc_acm,ohci_hcd,xpad,usbhid,uhci_hcd,echi_hcd
If your output matches the above, you already have the cdc_acm and ohci_hcd kernel modules loaded automatically.
1) Install the Sprint Connection software on Windows XP or Vista
2) Insert the card, choose yes to update the firmware and activate the card by calling Sprint and providing the necessary information.
3) Reboot into Linux and insert the card into a free PCMCIA slot. This tutorial will be done on Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn with kernel 2.6.20-16-generic. If you use the the 2.6.20 kernel, you won't have to compile in any additonal modules.
4) We've already confirmed that we have the correct kernel modules above so now you'll need to create two extra files using these steps:
michael@feisty:~$ sudo vi /etc/ppp/peers/Sprint_EVDO
noauth
# Connection Script
connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/ppp/chatscripts/sprint-evdo"
defaultroute
replacedefaultroute
usepeerdns
/dev/ttyACM0
230400
local
novjmichael@feisty:~$ sudo mkdir /etc/ppp/chatscripts
michael@feisty:~$ cd /etc/ppp/chatscripts
michael@fesity:~$ sudo vi sprint-evdo
TIMEOUT 5
ABORT '\nBUSY\r'
ABORT '\nERROR\r'
ABORT '\nNO ANSWER\r'
ABORT '\nNO CARRIER\r'
ABORT '\nNO DIALTONE\r'
ABORT '\nRINGING\r\n\r\nRINGING\r'
'' \rAT
TIMEOUT 3
OK ATE0V1&F&D2&C1S0=0
TIMEOUT 3
OK ATS0=0
TIMEOUT 3
OK ATDT#777
TIMEOUT 20
CONNECT ""
5) run this command to start the connection:
michael@feisty:~$ /usr/sbin/pppd call Sprint_EVDO updetach
And you're good to go. Interestingly, I saw about 25% faster speeds consistently under Linux and XP compared to Vista. I know the card hasn't been officially certified under Vista, but it's not certified on Linux either and 25% is a huge difference. Test your speed over at Speedtest.net
P.S. You might get different results with another distribution (especially Suse) and kernel but if you are still having problems, drop me a line at mikebuckingham at gmail dot com and I'll try and help.
Microsoft Surface
I'd been working on this great post about Microsoft's revolutionary new interface, Surface until I realized that Luke had written a much better preview and commentary than I could come up with. You check it out, complete with an amazing video here.
I can't remember the last time I saw something so revolutionary and cool.
Oh, just for full disclosure, Luke writing a pro Microsoft post is one of the seven signs of the apocalypse, just fyi...
Misheard Lyrics- Pearl Jam’s Yellow Ledbetter
Of course this video ruined this song forever for me but it's damn funny. I'm pretty sure even Eddie himself has no idea what he is saying in this song.
[EDIT]:
And Even Flow... (I love the Heathen Frog line)
Snakes. Why Did It Have To Be Snakes?
I love all animals, I really do. But I'm not a fan of snakes. Like some people have an irrational fear of heights, I have an irrational fear of snakes. And it's puzzling too because it wasn't always like that. In middle school, my science teacher Ms. Freeman had six snakes in the classroom and I used to love to have Zoe (a South American Boa) slither across my desk in class. I remember feeding her and the other snakes and just loved to hang out with them. But over the years, I've begun to really dislike snakes which is a bad thing if you live in Southeastern Colorado. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is EVERYWHERE. On the roads, sidewalks, parking lots, everywhere. We even have rattlesnake awareness classes and drills at work in addition to the normal fire drills.
Until today, I had the luxury of seeing them from the relative safety of my SUV. While climbing a ridiculously long, steep and narrow hill today on my bike, I had fast traveling traffic to my left and only had about 6-8 inches of shoulder to ride on. Near the crest of the hill, where I was most knackered, a coiled rattlesnake lay about 50 yards ahead of me. 
Despite my hypoxic state, I quickly determined I had two options: 1) run right over the snake hoping that he didn't take a bite out of my left calf and probably killing him in the process or 2) quickly veer 10 feet to my left into traffic probably killing myself. I know this sounds stupid, but I chose the latter. I may hate snakes but I'd never want to kill one and risk getting bitten in the process. It seemed certain that one of those two would happen where I might stand a chance of not getting hit by a car. Since you're reading this, I didn't get hit but I got a pretty good honking at. I missed the snake but my right leg was still in striking distance and that thought pushed my heart rate even higher, so much so that I had to get off a take a break at the top.
I love wildlife but now I know they tell you to never hike with headphone and to stay on the trail no matter what. I used to laugh at all the snake warning posters at work but won't anymore. Or maybe I'll start looking for jobs in nrothern Alaska...
I Told You That Hook Would Bring You Back
After reading yesterday's post, Amy didn't see the connection between Blue's Traveler's Hook and the classical song I had in mind so I did some googling and found this Youtube gem:
