Jun/092
How to use Google Apps Chat in Beejive / Adium / Pidgin
… or any third party instant messaging client for that matter. So that you can use Google Talk on your Google Apps domain on your iPhone (through Beejive or IM+), or through your instant messaging client of choice. Even iChat!
First of all, you’ll need to update your SRV records. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them before, it’s really easy. Log into your domain control, and, in the same way you would add DNS records, add the following SRV records (replacing domain.com with your domain):
_xmpp-server._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 5 0 5269 xmpp-server.l.google.com.
_xmpp-server._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server1.l.google.com.
_xmpp-server._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server2.l.google.com.
_xmpp-server._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server3.l.google.com.
_xmpp-server._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server4.l.google.com.
_jabber._tcp.gmail.domain. IN SRV 5 0 5269 xmpp-server.l.google.com.
_jabber._tcp.gmail.domain. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server1.l.google.com.
_jabber._tcp.gmail.domain. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server2.l.google.com.
_jabber._tcp.gmail.domain. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server3.l.google.com.
_jabber._tcp.gmail.domain. IN SRV 20 0 5269 xmpp-server4.l.google.com.
_xmpp-client._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 5 0 5222 xmpp-server.l.google.com.
_xmpp-client._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5222 xmpp-server1.l.google.com.
_xmpp-client._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5222 xmpp-server2.l.google.com.
_xmpp-client._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5222 xmpp-server3.l.google.com.
_xmpp-client._tcp.domain.com. IN SRV 20 0 5222 xmpp-server4.l.google.com.
The last five are the most important, and they’re not included in Google’s article on the topic. They are the part that lets you log in from a different instant messaging client.
Next, just add a Google Talk account, with the username being ‘username@yourdomain.com’ . It should all be good from there.
Let me know how you go, if this works for you (or if it doesn’t).
Jun/090
Gmail iPhone app, no address bar chrome
I love the mobile gmail. Even more than I love the iPhone’s mail app, configured to work with my gmail account.
That’s why I always use mobile safari to access gmail. The only problem is I always got the address bar and bookmarks bar at the top of bottom of mobile safari (these UI controls are called ‘chrome’), ruining the whole mobile gmail experience.
That’s when I noticed that mobile Google Talk, which I had added to my home screen, didn’t ever display the mobile safari chrome. The same wasn’t true for the Gmail site on my home screen – so I decided to fix it.
If you head to http://carbis.fu8.com/iPhone/gmail on your iPhone, then quickly hit the + button and add it to your homescreen before it redirects, then you too can have Chromeless Gmail on your iPhone.
Don’t be phased by the lack of icon. After you open the home screen icon for the first time, your iPhone will give it the right icon.
I hope this works for everyone, let me know if you have any trouble, or even if you don’t!
Jun/092
Post a tweet from an anchor link!
Wow! You’ve heard of mailto: links that automatically launch your mail client, and iTunes links that open the iTunes music store, but did you know that you could make a link that posts a tweet on twitter!
I discovered it when learning about Fussy Follow Friday on Matt Stratton’s blog.
First, an example: Click here to tweet!
And now, here’s some html how-to goodness:
<a href=”http://twitter.com/home?status=type twitter status here“>Click me!</a>
Of course, if you’re not signed into twitter, it will ask you to sign in first… but if you are signed in, it will post automatically.
Jun/090
Media PC (completed)
Okay, I’ve just about finished my media PC, just waiting on a few last parts from Umart. Here’s how things went in the end:
- Gigabyte GA-8VD667K Motherboard: already owned
- Pentium 4 3.0Ghz: $49
- Socket 478 Cooling Fan & Heatsink: $11.77
- 512MB DDR RAM: (already owned)
- 750GB SATA 7200RPM 32MB HDD: (already owned)
- SATA / IDE cross converter: $6.41
- PSU: Included in case
- Sony 20x DVDRW IDE: $36.50
- Asus 802.11b/g Wireless PCI Card: $32
- CoolerMaster RC283 Media Case: $116
- Logitech X-530 5.1 Speakers System: $90
- BenQ G2400WD 24? Lcd Monitor: $350
- EVGA PCI GF6200LE 256M Low Profile: $86
All up it came to a total of: $777.68, a little over budget, but not too bad when you consider the size of the screen and quality of the speakers.
Without the screen or speakers, the whole thing only cost 337.68, which is a hell of a lot cheaper than a mac mini. I hope you’re reading this, darling wife. 