Tag: Updates

Thank You, Steve Jobs

Updates

My parents saved up Campbell’s Soup labels and gave them to my school. For whatever rationale, the school would get computers from Apple based on the number of soup labels collected. We got a lab of Apple II’s, then came along the IIe, IIgs, and finally the Macintosh. I spent most of my early time on the Apple IIe programming. This was a very significant time for me and planted the seeds for my future career in software. I was inspired to create and can’t think of an existence without his influence. While we mourn the loss of a great one, I wanted to say, “Thank you, Steve Jobs.”

“…the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. Think Different.”

– Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

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Top 100 “Internet of Things” Thinkers

Updates

We all love lists and some lists are really cool to be on. Postcapes selected me as one of the Top 100 Thinkers in the emerging field of the “Internet of Things”. They based their decision on many criteria, but I think the one item that sets me apart is my charisma (CHA of 16 is nothing to sneeze at). I am on the list at #88! It’s honor to be included with so many of the people who I have been following during my career.

Top IoT Influencer

From Postcapes,

As a Software Developer at ioBridge and active speaker, and developer (including having over 800 people following his toaster on Twitter) in the Internet of Things space Hans Scharler is someone to watch as he sits on the interesting intersection of DIY’ers and corporate products.

Follow Hans and his latest on Twitter @scharler.

New Gig, Less Hotels

ThingSpeak

A few months ago, I decided to join ioBridge full-time. I will be leading the software development for a whole bunch of commercial products that license our technology. ioBridge will announce a few major developments in the coming weeks that made this transition possible. I am excited for the new challenges and look forward to working with a start-up company.

My first project with ioBridge was building a remote sensor network web interface on top of the Google Maps API. The sensor network allows for the real-time monitoring of tide levels. The project got written up on MIT’s Technology Review blog and the ioBridge Projects blog. You can demo the tide monitoring application at www.TideAlerts.com.

Change is not always easy. I had a great job and got to see all of the United States minus Alaska, Hawaii, and Idaho (yes, Idaho, I have flown all over you but never landed on you…). I got to design, maintain, pen test, and provide training for some of the largest networks in the US for utilities and telecommunications providers over a 10 year period. Yes, you can blame me the next time your call drops.

This also means I saw a lot of hotels and airports. I probably stayed at a Hampton Inn from 30 different states. I can’t tell you how many times I woke up to a USA Today being crammed under my door. For whatever reason on my first trip to a DSL testing company in Manchester, New Hampshire, I saved the room key. I know you are supposed to return them, but maybe in the excitement of it all, I kept it. This tradition continued with my next project in Lincoln, Nebraska and the next and the next. When I got home I would shove the room key in a box. I just dumped it out and could not believe it…Here’s a photo so you can see what I am saying…

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I don’t advocate stealing room keys, but this pile is  a quick snap shot of 1000’s of trips and projects and experiences. With the new gig, I will travel less and that might be good. I am looking forward to it and might even join a bowling league where I can actually make the games. I will keep you updated on the progress. It’s time to start-up (.com).

A New Set of Downs

Updates

A lot has changed for me in the past 10 years. I have watched the Internet go mobile. The web has come a long way since the 90’s – my Geocities website is a faded memory. I have owned domains that are over 16 years old. If they were children, they would be graduating high school, voting, and starting their credit ratings. I can’t start to imagine what will happen in the next decade. I hope to be a part of the story though. I wish you well as we venture together.

Stay thirsty, my friends.