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yet another Microsoft blogger

 Sunday, August 14, 2005

Presence for your PC

This is freaking awesome and I have to have one. I’ve always wanted to be able to walk away from my Work PC and have it “Lock” automatically etc. Have Messenger say I’m “Away” when I’m really away… geez.

Well look no further. For $15 and some free software from non other than Scott Hanselman, you can do just that.

They should put this article in the next Make Magazine (Scott just let me now that this is in progress).

update: you can purchase one from ThinkGeek.com. It's more expensive, but I got a cool t-shirt while I was at it.

 

Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:23:14 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
I do this right now with Salling Clicker (http://www.salling.com) and my Sony Ericsson cell phone. It automatically puts my IM as away, pauses iTunes, and optionally locks the screen when I leave my house (or get a phone call). Then starts it all back up when I come back (or hang up the phone).
Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:28:30 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
BryanB is writing the article for MAKE right now...;)
Scott Hanselman
Sunday, August 14, 2005 10:30:02 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Sailing Clicker doesn't work on Windows :-).

Scott, very cool!
Monday, August 15, 2005 7:51:22 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
RE The dongle at Geek: What happens if someone pulls the USB attachment form the machine?
Christian M. M. Brady
Monday, August 15, 2005 10:25:51 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Christian-

Not sure. I'll find out in a few days and let you know :-).
Wednesday, August 17, 2005 8:38:09 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
I tried to design the system to fail securely. So when you pull out the USB receiver it treats it as if the keyfob went out of range, and locks the system.

When you plug the receiver back in, the app reconnects, and if the keyfob is in range it treats it as if you came back into range.
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