The most significant obstacle that I've run into yet in my quest to create a homebuilt Garmin 696 is the relatively dim screen in the Asus Eee.  The display of the Eee 900 series is between 130 and 250 nits, and we need to get as close to 1000 nits as possible in order for the display to be considered sunlight readable.  I have been researching ways to hack the BIOS, or even to find an external display that could be connected to the Eee, and it just occurred to me that there may be a solution sitting right under my nose.  Or actually, slightly to the left of my toes, in my computer bag. (No, not the money I could be saving with Geico...)

The Amazon Kindle 2 debuted recently and is probably the best known eBook reader.  About a year ago I purchased an iLiad iRex, much less well known than the Kindle, but it received excellent reviews and is better suited to my needs, (it's also sold as the eFlyBook when bundled with aviation-specific software).  One of the greatest features of this ebook reader is its display: 

16 shades of gray

124×152 mm (W×H)

768×1024 pixels

160 ppi density

electromagnetic ink

wacom compatible digitizing screen

Which Oscillating Tool Is Right For You?

I suppose it's a sign that I've been working late, but I caught another infomercial that piqued my interest, for the Fein MultiMaster oscillating tool.  I like to leave the television on for background noise, and the channels that I usually have on are prone to late-night tool infomercials, I guess.

Oscillating tools are used for sanding and for cutting.  Until recently, Fein owned the patent on oscillating tools, so there were no competitors.  In August 2008, Fein's patents expired and several manufacturers released their competitive products, which benefits us by giving us a broader range of choices in price and capability.

So I did some research and here's what I came up with:

The guys at The Garage Journal have started a thread for their members to comment on Harbor Freight tools.  From their introduction:

The problem with H(arbor)F(reight) is that some of their stuff is OK, and some of it is horrible. But you never know which is which, till you buy it and try it.

So what if we made a thread where we posted our HF purchases with a PASS or FAIL grade? After awhile we could check this thread and see what's what.

The list is impressive, with hundreds of reviews on everything from hammers to air tools.  Definitely worth a look before your next trip to the Harbor. Check it out.