Walter Talks Global Positioning

Walter asked us to post this on his behalf, because he has no hands. He's a wedge after all. Anyway, he bought some satellite laser box or something and is jumping up and down about it. Here y'go.

WALTER TALKS GPS MODDING

A week or two ago I was in the local Wedgeland Canadian Tire (yes, they have Canadian Tire in Wedgeland) and saw a GPS for $49.99. I thought this was neat, because I like shiny things with buttons. Turns out several other people like cheap neat things, too, as evidenced in this thread on Red Flag Deals. The GPS has old map data and a clumsy interface, but isn't too shabby as far as hardware is concerned: 372MHz ARM processor, 64MB ram, 2GB built-in flash with an SD-slot. Not bad for $49!

Very quickly, some smart kids found that this GPS was very easy to hack. Within minutes, by changing a single line in a text Editor, you can get to a Windows CE (Core 5.0, bleh) shell and start installing other stuff. Neat!

I won't go into detail on how to hack the unit, it's been covered in the aforementioned thread, and summarized in a recently created wiki. Stick to the Wiki, at 2700+ posts, the Red Flag Deals thread's signal to noise ratio is a bit low.

The first thing I did was to install BBMenu, an alternative menu system to replace the clunky Curtis software. It comes with a bunch of stuff like:

- Core Player, for playing divx and other video formats
- An EBook Reader
- An MP3 Player
- A bunch of games (Sudoku, guys, SUDOKU)
- Shortcuts to the Windows CE command/line

Also, it kind of makes the UI look like an iPhone. Is that still cool? I'm new, it's still cool to me. And for those who want to try out alternative GPS software, it has icons ready to be pointed at Tomtom, Garmin, and iGo navigation software, all of which reportedly work on the GPD359. Just remember to buy legitimate copies, kids! BBMenu installation help is on the wiki as well.

What I'm working on right now is getting some more intense gaming action out of this thing. I'd like to get a NES or SNES emulator running, ultimately. My old first generation Compaq iPaq (Pocket PC) could run a NES emulator, and this has twice as much RAM as it did. But, I thought, before trying that out I should go for something a little less intensive. I thought ScummVM would be a good choice as it's been ported to EVERYTHING. Here's a brief walkthrough on the steps to get it running on your GPD359:

0) "Unlock" your GPD359 following the instructions on the aforementioned wiki.

1) Download ScummVM for Windows CE: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/scummvm/scummvm-0.13.0-WinCE.zip?download

2) Unpack and copy the ScummVM folder to somewhere on the GPS (/ResidentFlash/ScummVM/ or /SDMMC/ScummVM/) are good bets. ScummVM will fit in the resident flash memory but you may max it out if you install more than a couple games. You must have Windows Mobile Device Center installed to copy to your device, but you already installed it as part of the instructions to unlock your device, right? If you have a separate SD card reader, by all means use it instead. ActiveSync is dog slow (assuming a relatively slow dog, where a dedicated card reader would be a middle-of-the-road Greyhound).

3) Download GAPI. GAPIS is the "Game API" library, written by Microsoft and subsequently abandoned. Some nice, probably European people have written a free clone (Save this somewhere on your PC): http://www.wincesoft.de/GAPI_for_HPCs_v403_with_Apps.CAB

4) .CAB files are the Windows CE equivalent of .MSI installer files on Windows XP/Vista. Using Windows Mobile Device Center (aka. ActiveSync), copy the file anywhere your devices (ResidentFlash/ or SDMMC/, perhaps).

5) Load Windows Explorer on the GPS (if using BBMenu, there is an icon to load Windows in the apps subscreen). Find the .CAB file on your device and double-click it. It will install GAPI and the .CAB file will magically disappear. Don't despair!

6) With GAPI installed, you need set it to emulation mode. Unfortunately, no native GAPI configuration [yet] exists for the GPD359. In Windows Explorer on the GPS, click your way to \Windows\ and find the GAPI executable. Double-click it to load the options dialog.

7) Select the 'Emulator' tab, check "Use GAPI emulator'. Ensure Emulated Display size set to 320 x 240 (Native).

8) Go back to the ScummVM folder you copied over to the GPS earlier and click ScummVM1 or ScummVM2 (older games use ScummVM1, newer ones ScummVM2). You may need to go through the GAPI dialog once more, after which, you're presented with the ScummVM main menu!

So here's the rub. I can't yet figure out how to make the GAPI installation "stick". Every time the device is shut off, everything non-stock (including GAPI) is purged from the \Windows\ folder on the internal flash memory. Anyone gotten around that? Please post in the comments!

Other than that hitch, it's Scumm time! I'm off to play some Maniac Mansion. Or Monkey Island. Ooh, or Kings Quest 5! Did you know all the old Sierra games run on ScummVM? Amazing!!

Next task: Get PocketNES or similar running and beat Final Fantasy with 4 white mages. It has happened before and it will happen again!

PS: RIP Battlestar. My sadness is tempered only by GPS fiddling.

Where and How to adopt a wedge!

Spring is coming! Maybe it's here already for some of you! So its time again to think about stopping wedgelessness and adopt a wedge!

Simply visit the Wedge adoption centre:
http://adopt.wearewedges.com

Or maybe you have an etsy account, then you can adopt your wedge here:
http://wedges.etsy.com


Don't like the online thing?
Then why not stop by Kensington Market in Toronto and check out Kid Icarus!75 Nassau Street
Toronto Ontario
M5T 1M6
T: 416-977-7236

http://kidicarus.ca/

Or maybe you're in Barrie, Ontario!
The visit Awkward Stage!
Awkward Stage can be found beside Le Petit Chapeau on Lakeshore Mews
a(Mulcaster and Simcoe), Barrie Ontario.

Blog Carnival: Be My Valentine

Love is in the air in Wedgeland, seeing as Valentine's Day is coming up soon and all.

So what mating rituals do Wedges follow? How does a wedge choose its valentine?


Here we have Walter, a Wedge person, he likes to eat cereal, make music, and build things.

This is Brie, another wedge person. She likes to shop, paint circles on everything, frogs, and forts!

Some would say they are polar opposites, especially since Walter is very, very, tall, and Brie is very, very petite!

So how did Walter and Brie become sweethearts?
Was it her keen sense of style? Her no nonsense intellect?
Or was it his sense of humor and crooked smile?

Lets interview Walter:
Me - Walter, when you first saw Brie, what made you look her way?
Walter - I liked her red colour.
Me - What did you think of her?
Walter - Pretty...
Me - Is that it?
Walter - Pretty...
Me - mmm...ok...why did you ask her out?
Walter - she smells like diverse gene pool...
Me - What did you do last Valentine's Day?
Walter - Took her to a park and gave her some cherries...


Lets interview Brie:
Me - Brie, what was your first take on Walter?
Brie - I thought he was very tall and very thin, other than that, I didn't think much about him.
Me - So how did you two start dating then?
Brie - he asked me out, and I said why not.
Me - So did things pick up from there?
Brie - I got lots of free dinners...oh and some cherries...
Me - What took it to the next level?
Brie - sparklies.
Me - You doing anything special this Valentine's Day?
Brie - Oh, we're going adventuring.

Etsy Bloggers February Feature: Donna Pool

Donna Pool's Etsy Shop has a lot to offer. From cards, to buttons, mirrors, photos and handmade plush toys. As a plush toy maker, I have to really admire her toys, completely handmade (no sewing machine used!!!)

Cuddly teddy bears!!! Great for Valentine's Day!

...and how about some brain working puzzle balls!!!I am amazed at these! Nicely intricate, beautifully handsewn!

Want to get to know this crafty artist??? Check out her blog: http://ddpool.blogspot.com

Why spend money on a loved one? Buy a Wedge instead.

I want to start by saying that in typing my subject heading I was reminded of a guy who told me that he wasn’t that into his girl and that he planned to dump her before Vday so that he wouldn’t have to give her anything… Hmmm actually come to think of it maybe he did give her something after all.

Valentines Day. I think my best valentine was my mom who would sneak little cinnamon hearts into my lunch as a kid. The fiery red that burned at my throat and stained my tongue was like a warm hug.

Now because I don’t have a particularly bad V-day to write about, which kind of feels like a lost pastime, or a particularly amazing one… I will tell the tale of two wedges in LOOOVE. The added o’s are meant to indicate the icky-ness level.

As you maybe know Rochero owns both gwen and beck. One morning she went to Gwen’s cage in hopes of getting her out and BLAMO she was gone!!! Rochero went to becks cage…she peeled back the blanket to reveal two very guilty looking wedges. 35 days later and BABIES!!!!! I guess this is maybe about love cause Gwen loved the whole ordeal enough to pull the same stunt 1 year later.


‘Love is blind,’ and it’s a good thing too.

Let’s get romanitcal.

So it is almost February…which I am deeming the month of love. After which you can go back to resenting your significant other, or to being extremely alone and cynical. Anyway this blog is going to have a theme…can you guess it… if you thought ‘superior intelligence’ and ‘witty charming goodness’ you were right by default but no. Anyway I am going to throw a wrench in the system by saying that Feb 14 is no longer Valentines day…and because of the “witty charming goodness’ bit you buy it.

So it’s what Jan 29… and I say bring on the love!

First on the theme of Looooove you can go here myspace.com/thetinamarlinincident and read the blog called ‘First kisses- swap some spit’ OMG!!! Did I just name drop myself…indeed I did.

Next.

The thing on everyone’s mind I’m sure…is what wedge would make the best mate. And by mate I mean other half…significant other…etc. etc. What I don’t mean is the verb form of mate… everyone knows that wedges don’t have reproductive organs –cringe. ANYWAY I digress. Okay best mate award, for me, would have to go to Octo who can both hold your hand and hold the door at the same time.



Come back for more love. We’ll be here all month. [note: the ‘we’ is 50% me and 50% my ‘LOVE’ at the end of the month I am the part of the 50% that isn’t going anywhere…}

Roll Call - Featuring Rose Works Jewelry

So this month’s featured blogger is Rose Works Jewelry. Her shop features an array of bejeweled goodness. And despite what I initially thought, no snakes were actually harmed in the making of the snake tail bracelet.



http://RoseWorksJewelry.etsy.com
Be sure to check out her other store and blog:
http://kstreasures.etsy.com
http://RoseWorksJewelry.blogspot.com

Now it is time for making promises and commitments that I am already scheming ways of backing out of. Like in terms of goals for the blog… I will try to post more regularly (actually that one I mean…for real), maybe add some more eye bling like pictures, and videos, and my beautiful hand crafted goodness…yay adobe. Maybe take the wedges on the streets to the ppl and document it for the blog, or finally make my short film which I can’t tell you about but which includes some indecent exposure, wedges, an old suitcase, and random strangers…could be my big break.

And now for your pleasure, the worst joke on the internet:

Q: What do you get when you cross Star Wars and road construction?
A: R2Detour