iJams

[SWLinPHX]

I am really interested in iJams too! I remember, a few years ago I talked to Dave when I was working on a system of having digital song books that don't need printing or carrying with easy updating and searching and sorting. I had purchased a bunch of second-hand Palm Tungsten handhelds all with bluetooth. I exported and imported my song list as database files and had figured out a way to have the requests "slips" sent like memos, which I would receive on my laptop. I also experienced with an Adobe pdf viewer for Palm. I remember Dave saying he was interested in something electronic for books and wireless requests too, so I'm glad this is here (especially since I have a new MacBook Pro and iPod touch). The kJams documentation is brief and I still have a few questions:

1) I would really need it to work with a local computer-to-computer network as mentioned above because some commercial venues don't have free WiFi or WiFi at all, and same with some houses, hotels, backyard parties, etc. But with laptops and iPod/iPhones all from Apple it seems there should be an easy way. What have you concluded is the best way to do this?

2) If someone is using a Blackberry (I've never used one) or other smart phone from Samsung, etc. and has full Internet access can they connect via the kJams URL or at least browse the song book (library) with their browser? Not sure what kind of browsers are available or made for Blackberries. This would help for those without iPod touches or iPhones.

3) Because I have these Palm handhelds I bought only for this purpose, what can be achieved using the built-in bluetooth (30 ft. radius limit will do) or even infrared ports (both the Palms and my MB Pro have them but obviously not the best way since have to be in a short, direct line of sight), or maybe if I added WiFi cards to them in the slots, although that seems like an unnecessary further investment. I figure I have these and might as well get some use out of them. Even if not ideal and there is not full compatibility.

The main thing though is not having to have a WAN connection/Internet access, just a local connection between computers or smart phones all equipped with WiFi and/or bluetooth. Since all the data is on the local server (laptop) and all are communicating in short range, it seems the advantage should be that you don't need to rely on free available Internet access.

[Sedge]

#1 - yes, absolutely - in fact, there was a very recent thread here about setting up your MBPro to create an ad-hoc network that everything could run off of.

#2 - Any smart phone/device would have to have a halfway decent browser, and the ability to jump on to a local WiFi network. I use a Blackberry, and it is the model prior to the one with local wifi. However, I have been able to jump in to kJams and play around a bit with it, and while not as clean as using an iPhone with iJams, it will work, especially with the Opera browser.

#3 - I'm not going to say it can't be done, but trying to establish TCP/IP over bluetooth may be pretty tricky. Bonjour over bluetooth? no idea. I doubt the Tungstens even support Bonjour. I owned an early one. However, with wifi cards and a decent browser app, they should work fine. I'd certainly test with one before buying a bunch of wifi cards for the lot. At least nobody's going to steal Tungstens, as most everyone's phone is better anyway these days!

[dave]

#1 yes, you can create an Ad-Hoc network served from your own machine, which iJams can connect to. No need for the establishment to have it's own wireless LAN

#2 yes, correctly answered

#3 no clue. If you were like The Most Awesome KJ In The World™, you would ditch the Palms on eBay and get a few of the lowest-end iPod Touch's. THEN you'd be future-proof, and word would spread about your Awesome factor.

[jfbiii]

...that sounds like a recipe for being named The Most Naive KJ In The World™. How could you possibly keep people from stealing them. At least with surplus pcs that aren't even fit for re-use in grade schools you're putting out something that nobody wants to steal. Hey, I don't suppose you could write a version for the Zune? They might have staying power.

[Sedge]

Ooh. You could Squirt™ your requests at the KJ. That would make for a sticky KJ. Eww. Nope, some fool would steal those too. I like cheap laptops - my two are both old Dell P3's with 256 MB ram, no hardware worth mentioning, although they have pretty impressive screens, I suppose.

[dave]

ummm.... RIGHT! What He Said!

[SWLinPHX]

If you were like The Most Awesome KJ In The World™, you would ditch the Palms on eBay and get a few of the lowest-end iPod Touch's. THEN you'd be future-proof, and word would spread about your Awesome factor.

Yes, but the fact is I already invested almost $1K in these Tungstens (five T3's and one T5) and if they all have bluetooth they can still be used to at least keep a song database to search through (without maintaining, updating or carrying extra books) and even to send to my laptop via bluetooth Memos if desired. If I have them why not employ them?

...that sounds like a recipe for being named The Most Naive KJ In The World™. How could you possibly keep people from stealing them.

Yes, well when I bought these about 5 years ago I needed the biggest screens (480x320) for readability that also had bluetooth and card slots, and these fit the bill (at least I bought them used). I'm not sure which you are referring to that offer this that aren't fit for "grade school use" as you say. And my intent was to only give them out in exchange for holding a driver license or car keys until returned. I'm only doing private parties and events at this point; I've stopped doing fixed-scheduled, lower-paying jobs at bars & clubs. Besides, I'd be much more concerned about theft or damage handing out iPod touches! The problem is people learning how to use the database app during the span of one show and even if theft is dettered, what's to keep them from being damaged with food or liquid (or dropping in a backyard pool).

But I ain't getting a refund so some use is better than none. If anything I'll try using them as "digital song books" with a database of all songs that you can search and sort however you want.

[jfbiii]

Oh no, you misunderstand...I think it's cool you're using the Tungstens. I was ONLY talking about Dave's idea of buying iPod touches to let people use at shows. I should have been clearer. Even the cheapest ones I could find. The "not suitable for grade school use" remark was referring to old surplus pcs so out of date that even an elementary school wouldn't be interested in them as a donation. Because that's the only way I could see supplying hardware to people would make sense: it would have to be cheap enough that I simply wouldn't much care if someone ruined them somehow. If anything, I'm commenting on my lack of confidence in my patrons to take care of anything that they didn't pay for. And in a college town, there's a good number that have never paid for anything themselves.

Sorry, I really didn't mean for that post to be interpreted as a criticism of what anyone was actually doing.

[SWLinPHX]

None taken. I was just clarifying as well. It's just that I first had this idea about 5 or 6 years ago so am glad to see it work for Mac (I have seen a similar program a California KJ & software/hardware developer made and implemented for PC's about 3 years ago).

[dave]