Archive for February, 2008

29
Feb

Posting a Note/Link to Pownce with ActionScript and the New Pownce v2.0 API

By admin 2 Comments
Categories: Pownce, API, Adobe AIR, Flex, Flash and Actionscript 3

So this morning Pownce finally released a true API that allows us to use the full functionality of Pownce. A while back I posted information on how to do this in a reverse engineered method, but now we can do it without the feeling that we might be doing something bad (although that can be fun sometimes to can’t it).

The code sample below shows how to Authenticate to the service using HTTP Basic Authentication and posts a note/link.

Steps to take
1. Get a pownce account if you don’t have one.
2. Register to get an application key.
3. Use the following code. Change “app_key” to your application key. Change “login” and “password” to user you want to post with.


Private Paste Link to Code

import mx.utils.Base64Encoder;
 
private const APP_KEY:String = "<app_key>";
 
public function initApp():void{
	sendNote(
		"Example of note in the new API.",
		"http://pownce.com/initapp",
		"<login>",
		"<password>"
		);
}
public function sendNote(note:String, link:String, login:String, password:String):void{
	var urlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
	var urlRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest();
	var urlVariables:URLVariables = new URLVariables();
 
	var authHeader:URLRequestHeader = new URLRequestHeader("Authorization", "Basic " + base64Encode(login + ":" + password));
 
	urlVariables.note_to = "public";
	urlVariables.url = link;
	urlVariables.note_body = note;
 
	urlRequest.requestHeaders.push(authHeader);
	urlRequest.url = "http://api.pownce.com/2.0/send/link.xml?&app_key=" + APP_KEY;
	urlRequest.data = urlVariables;
	urlRequest.method = URLRequestMethod.POST;
 
	urlLoader.addEventListener(HTTPStatusEvent.HTTP_STATUS, onHTTPStatus);
	urlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, onComplete);
 
	urlLoader.load(urlRequest);
}
private function onHTTPStatus(event:HTTPStatusEvent):void{
	trace(event);
}
private function onComplete(event:Event):void{
	trace(event);
}
private static function base64Encode(data:String) : String
{
    var encoder:Base64Encoder = new Base64Encoder();
	var bytes:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
	bytes.writeUTFBytes(data);
 
    encoder.encodeBytes(bytes);
    return encoder.flush();
}

If you want to hear more of my occasionally relevant information then add me to your friends in pownce: http://pownce.com/InitApp/


Note: I did this example using Flex and used mx.utils.Base64Encoder. If you’re not using Flex you’ll need to use an alternate package for your Base64 encoding.

16
Feb

The Sony Style Cage Match

By admin 2 Comments
Categories: Sony, Apple and Life in general

When you hear the word notebook you think of something you can just throw in your bag. Something you can carry around with you anywhere without notice, like a comb or wallet. Lets face it, when it comes to computers, notebook doesn’t equal notebook.

Currently I’m in the process of trying to find that “true” notebook. The computer that I can “always” carry with me and yet is powerful enough to develop on (flash, flex). After much research and investor meetings (involves my girlfriend and many back rubs), I’ve narrowed the search down to either the Macbook AIR or a Sony VAIO TZ.

Macbook Sony TZ

Being in the final round of the decision making process I decided to visit the Sony Style Store at the Metreon, and the Apple Store in downtown SF. First I stopped over at the Metreon which also has a theatre where I watched Jumper the movie. I wish I could say it was a great movie, but it wasn’t. The most annoying part was how Skywalker jr/sr kept mentioning being in a Marvel Team-Up comic, too bad his super power isn’t acting. This is mentioned to be fair about my mind set when visiting the Sony Store.

Sony Metreon

The layout at the Sony Store is fairly sheik. Its somewhere between Tokyo cyber-chic and Sharper Image chic. I realize that is a wide range. Toyko being bad-ass and Sharper image just being, why would I want to pay $400 dollars for air purifier/alarm clock bad. Anyway, its right in the middle. When you walk in you realize that Sony has cool toys, the kind of toys you just want to pick up and hug, and pet, and love. They give you the kind of body buzz excitement you used to get on that once a year trip to toys-r-us when you were a kid.

bodyslam.jpg

This is where the fun stops, lets start with the security guards. They have the look of former pro-wrestlers who couldn’t quite make it and are aiming to make one more body slam happen before they retire. Honestly, I’m extremely timid about picking up any of the cool toys for fear that I may be that last body slam.

aibo1.jpg

So what can we do to resolve the security guard issue? First, lets change their CIA-esque attire. Put them in AIBO t-shirts and put smiles on their faces. Then, move them from hanging over my shoulder to the front of the store where they greet people as they come in. They could say things like… I don’t know “Welcome” and “Have fun!”. Remove their Rocky 4, The Russian, “i must break you” presence and replace it with the “protective older brother” that loves you, and is just there to look out for you and make sure you’re having a good time.

Happy wrestler

Now lets move on to the sales people. The guy might as well have been trying to sell back to me my overclocked, 200MHz pc circa 2000 with the IBM processor that overheated so bad that I would just leave the case off the computer and set it next to an open window during the Michigan winter to keep it running smooth. What I’m trying to say is that they lack passion for what they sell. When I ask you about the TZ in comparison to the Macbook AIR, there is no reason to boot in to the Shutdown defensive safe mode. You would think that I’m a lawyer putting them on the stand with simple questions about battery life. The bottom line is that Sony computers are high quality computers and its cool to represent that. I believe that they can stand next to the Macs, and I wouldn’t be in the store shopping if I didn’t. Especially since I’ve admitedly been a bit of a Mac zealot over the last few years. I was looking for a reason to get the TZ at the store and all I got from the Sales person was a cold stare, and re-read of the card on the stand next to the notebook. (I can read on my own thank you)

Apple Sales Person

The review of the sales person at the Sony Store wouldn’t have been so harsh if my experience at the Apple Store hadn’t been the polar opposite. When I asked the Apple person about the AIR and the TZ they proceeded to take me to a computer and pull up, “using the Internet”, specs on both computers. Not to get off on a tangent here but having the Internet connection available on all of the computers just seams like a no-brainer to me. With the Internet there, I’m more likely to stop in, spend more time there, and more likely to buy there. Anyways, back to the apple sales person. They gave me a fair and balanced comparison of the two computers. Of course they leaned more to the AIR but they in no way dogged the TZ. Above all, the friendliness of the apple sales people showed through, and I felt like this is someone I could hang out with. And most of all… at no time while at the apple store did I feel like I was in danger of receiving a pile-driver.

pro-wrestling-11.gif

Believe it or not I’m still on the fence with this decision. I do like the Sony but feel I’m lacking in “special moves”. I have perfected the “magnum” but that only seems to work on my girlfriend.

The Magnum

flickr