Cardio poker

[SamIAm]

When I was with family over the holidays, I had the opportunity to exercise on their elliptical trainer while within their wireless network. That weekend, I wrote an AHK script to use an old gamepad to play poker. (Including GetInWaitlist, TakeTable, etc.) Then I used MTH to 6-table $0.50/$1 while exercising. It was awesome.

I have elliptical trainers in my condo's gym, and usually watch movies. Yesterday I took my laptop down, and discovered that this is the one room in the entire building that's not within somebody's unsecured wifi. /images/graemlins/frown.gif I can't even see a secure one. (I thought about going and making friends with my near-gym neighbors, but it wouldn't even help.)

The thing is, I'm willing to spend some money on this project; if it works, I'll be getting paid way more than minimum wage to exercise, so I don't mind spending some up front. I'm not sure of the best plan, though.

My laptop has a modem, but I haven't found any phone ports in the gym or nearby rooms. (I wouldn't mind stringing a 50' phone chord, if I had to.) My cell phone is a fancy ipaq thingy (http://h30094.www3.hp.com/product.asp?sku=2628431&jumpid=oc_R1002_USENC-001_HP%20iPAQ%20h6320%20Pocket%20PC). Could I use that as a modem? I'll be exercising during free-time, so I don't mind the cell bill. What if I was willing to pay for the phone data network?

Any ideas?
-Sam

P.S. I'm happy to share my AHK script if anybody wants it. It's slick. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[BradleyT]

OT -
If you do HIIT cardio you only need 15 minutes a day a couple of times a week. You should be focusing on the cardio and not on poker.

[SamIAm]

[ QUOTE ]
You should be focusing on the cardio and not on poker.

[/ QUOTE ]It's when I'm focusing on the cardio that I get unhappy. When I have music and movies to distract me, I'm much more content.

My cardio is decently intense. The machine says I burn 1000 calories during the hour. (I don't really believe it.) It's intense enough that the lack of bloodflow to my brain makes sitcoms funny. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I once teared-up during a sad moment in Friends. It wasn't my proudest moment.

The real question will be whether this exhaustion will effect my poker, too. I usually play $5/$10. I'd like to massively multitable $2/$4 while exercising, but maybe on the trainer, I'm a fish like all the rest.

Now, no more thread-hijacking. How do I get my laptop online?
-Sam

[DarthIgnurnt]

Buy an elliptical trainer for your apartment.

1) it's easier and probably cheaper than doing some convoluted network hookup in a gym

b) multi-tabling online poker just doesn't sound like something you'd want to do in a public place

I have a monitor on the wall in front of the treadmill in my house and a laptop affixed to the top. Works great, and I can feel free to react naturally to the ups and downs without a crowd watching.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
Could I use that as a modem? I'll be exercising during free-time, so I don't mind the cell bill. What if I was willing to pay for the phone data network?

[/ QUOTE ]

Who is your service provider?

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]

1) it's easier and probably cheaper than doing some convoluted network hookup in a gym

b) multi-tabling online poker just doesn't sound like something you'd want to do in a public place

[/ QUOTE ]


this is the obvious solution.

UNLESS you are just an attention-whore who WANTS people to stare and gawk and ask a bunch of questions WHILE you are exer-poker-cizing

[rJ_]

Whenever i do the treadmill i set up the laptop. I have found (small sample size) my ring game does suffer a little, but (small sample size) my s&g's are improved, likely because of less tables so i can watch each player more.

rJ

[SamIAm]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Could I use that as a modem? I'll be exercising during free-time, so I don't mind the cell bill. What if I was willing to pay for the phone data network?

[/ QUOTE ]Who is your service provider?

[/ QUOTE ]I'm with Cingular.

As to the suggestions that I buy an elliptical trainer, I'm disinclined to pay the space OR the $500 it would take to get a crummy version of what I have for free already. There are two great machines in an empty gym that I pay for with facility fees. I'd be a lonely attention-whore indeed in this tiny exercise room.

I was hoping for somebody to say "Oh, you should get <this>. It's a PCMCIA cell-modem." or "You should get <that>. It's an external, long-cable extension for your wifi antanae so you can get the wifi from the hall." or SOMETHING. I can't believe the zoo's letting me down.
-Sam

[Mr_J]

I'm just about to buy an exercise bike, and use it at my desk.

[Mr_J]

There's nothing wrong with doing low intensity while working. I'm getting an exercise bike for when I play. It's not going to replace a run, but it will be like walking for 2hrs, which is pretty good for you.

[DocMartin]

if you are using the elliptical correctly you really shouldnt have your hands free for poker

[craig]

Also a bit OT:

If anybody can help him with that: My kitchen doesn't really pick up my wireless router for some reason. Does anybody know of a way that I can cook 6 course meals and play poker at the same time. Also, sometimes I am organizing my closet and want to play poker. I am sure there is a way to do this as well. I don't even want to have to think about painting my baby's room next week. There has got to be a way to play poker while doing that. Somebody please help!!!

craig

p.s. I am having surgery next week; any chance of poker while I am under the knife.

[MicroBob]

poker while painting strikes me as a VERY bad idea.


Can't you pick up wireless signal extenders or something at comp-usa or best-buy or wherever (I'm extremely computer ignorant so don't know how effective these are).

[zram21]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Could I use that as a modem? I'll be exercising during free-time, so I don't mind the cell bill. What if I was willing to pay for the phone data network?

[/ QUOTE ]Who is your service provider?

[/ QUOTE ]I'm with Cingular.

As to the suggestions that I buy an elliptical trainer, I'm disinclined to pay the space OR the $500 it would take to get a crummy version of what I have for free already. There are two great machines in an empty gym that I pay for with facility fees. I'd be a lonely attention-whore indeed in this tiny exercise room.

I was hoping for somebody to say "Oh, you should get <this>. It's a PCMCIA cell-modem." or "You should get <that>. It's an external, long-cable extension for your wifi antanae so you can get the wifi from the hall." or SOMETHING. I can't believe the zoo's letting me down.
-Sam

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean like this?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobileoptions/broadband/index.jsp

[MicroBob]

Well...that assumes he's willing to pay an extra $60 or $80 a month for the service (plus another $100 for the card).


The verizon wireless-broadband is precisely the service that I have and I think it's pretty good. Not sure how well you'll get the signal in a basement though (but if your cell-phone has a good signal down there you should be in decent shape).


Not worth it as much if you are in a small-market that doesn't have the broadband service. In smaller cities you will be getting just digital-cell internet service (roughly 2x the speed of dial-up...when it's working properly...the disconnects were frequent with mine).

So if you live in a major market (NY, LA, CHI, DAL, ATL, DC, etc) then they almost definitely have it.
And many medium-sized markets have gotten it recently to0 (as small as Louisville, Memphis among others)

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
Also a bit OT:

If anybody can help him with that: My kitchen doesn't really pick up my wireless router for some reason. Does anybody know of a way that I can cook 6 course meals and play poker at the same time. Also, sometimes I am organizing my closet and want to play poker. I am sure there is a way to do this as well. I don't even want to have to think about painting my baby's room next week. There has got to be a way to play poker while doing that. Somebody please help!!!

craig

p.s. I am having surgery next week; any chance of poker while I am under the knife.

[/ QUOTE ]

They sell signal boasters, I saw them in Best Buy today but didn't really look into them so I can't give you much more info.

Buy a womba and then you don't even have to watch the baby.