Diversify Your Life - A Blog by Vijay Narayanan

2X Client allows full and unrestricted remote desktop access to any Windows machine, provided the machine has XP Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate/Professional. Think of it as using Remote Desktop Connection, except in the palm of your hand. If your laptop/desktop is behind a router, port 3389 needs to be forwarded as well as allowed through the firewall. The external IP address needs to be entered for the "Server" (far left) . Before connecting you're given a plethora of options, such as color depth, resolution, desktop background and animated menus and windows (middle) . Your desktop appears as it will on any other computer (far right) . I wonder if there's an app to do the reverse now...

XiiaLive Lite is an app that allows you to stream music live from all over the world. It includes over 20 genres along with radio stations from Asia, Europe, India, and the Middle East (far left) . Each genre also has over 30 stations to stream from (middle) . You can tag a song if you like it, as well as a specific radio station (far right) . The songs will continue playing and the volume can also be controlled while the screen is off, a feature that Google has yet to implement with YouTube. Listen away.

Just upgraded to an unlimited data plan from T-mobile w/ a 2 year contract agreement, along with a free HTC G2 smartphone (above) . I previously had the HTC G1, the first phone with Android version 1.5. After much research I started getting into Android development, and ended up rooting the G1 (synonym for jailbreaking), which allowed me to upgrade to Android 2.1. I previously purchased two G1's back in 2008 (one for me, one for my mom) without the data plan and sold the other for double the price, resulting in mine being free. My goal was to do the same for the G2, but a data plan contract is mandatory on all smartphones now. The data plan and unlimited texting are more wants than needs; after you start putting the data plan to full use it turns into a need...

Just started a new bench press program which will increase a 1-rep max on the bench press by nearly 30 lbs over a span of 14 workouts. Works out chest 2 times every 6 days. So by doing the math - within 42 days if all goes well, the 1-rep max will be 30lbs more than it currently stands. My max at the beginning of the program: 185 x 1 with a spotter. And yes, it's with correct form: thumbs wrapped around the front of the bar, grip shoulder-width apart, elbows tucked in, lowered completely down to the chest, and pushed completely up. Time to up the protein, carbs, healthy fats, and H2O like never before. EDIT: Max at the end of the program: 200 x 1 without a spotter. So a 15lb increase in bench press isn't bad, in about 1-2 months. I can't complain.

Take a minute to read the above letter we received from my sister's high school. If you're too lazy to read it, let me sum it up. My sister's high school is honoring her academic excellence by charging each member of the family who wants to attend the honorary event $35 (including my sister). My sister remained mum about this but if it was me, I'd be ranting just as I am in this blog. I'd be ranting about how I'm being charged a "fee" to attend my own event to honor the fact that I've placed in the top 10% of my class. Not to mention, they claim to serve snacks and not even a full course meal. Instead of doling out cash to attend their own party, the kids should be given a stipend for their hard work. I guess the superintendent thinks he's living in a Great Depression rather than a recession.