All Posts

concrete5 and the Zend Framework

June 23, 2010
Learn how concrete5 makes use of the Zend Framework, and why.
Posted in concrete5, PHP and Web.

concrete5 Add-On Developers: Create Your Own concrete5 Demo

May 27, 2010
This article provides guidelines and code to let concrete5 add-on developers or anyone setup a concrete5 demo, complete with a limited administrative user, auto-installed packages, and locked down permissions. The demo can easily be reset at any time.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

Review: Das Keyboard Professional

May 27, 2010
I get down and dirty with my latest purchase, a keyboard I grew enamored with at SXSW. Full review with audio, screenshots, and (non-scientific) results.
Posted in Reviews.

JavaScript, jQuery and concrete5

May 20, 2010
An introduction to integrating a wide variety of rich JavaScript functionality into the front-end of your concrete5 applications and blocks.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

concrete5 Primer: Auto-Nav Block

May 12, 2010
Learn how to build navigations in concrete5, including what the Auto-Nav does and what its options mean. Then explore some practical examples, how you can control the way it displays and links pages, and how to theme and extend it.
Posted in concrete5.

Build a Single-Page Powered Editing Interface for concrete5 Pages

May 05, 2010
Learn how to build a simple FAQ system from scratch, including a single page interface for listing and sorting entries, a single page interface for editing entries, a page list template for displaying them.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

SEO Tip: Force concrete5 Pages to Display at One URL

April 20, 2010
Keep users from landing on concrete5's index.php?cID=xxx pages with a handy, simple snippet of code.
Posted in concrete5.

Dear Apple: It's Time to Listen to the Canary in the Coal Mine

April 13, 2010
Apple's heavy-handed tactics regarding its iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch app store are starting to tick off developers writers – and this could create problems.
Posted in Apple/Mac.

Apple iPad, Private APIs, and a Tempest in a Teapot

April 13, 2010
Programmers lambast Apple for using private APIs in its own software – but where do you think public APIs come from?
Posted in Apple/Mac and concrete5.

6 Things I Learned As an Exhibitor at SXSW Interactive 2010

March 20, 2010
Let me deliver these valuable lessons unto you.
Posted in Fitness, Humor and Web.

Improving the Performance of Zend Cache

March 04, 2010
Here's a simple option you can enable to improve the performance of Zend Cache. I'm including code for usage with concrete5, but this option is available to any application using Zend Cache.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

Building a Custom RSS Feed Using Single Pages, Controllers, and the Page List class.

February 27, 2010
The page list block handles RSS feeds, but what if you need a bit more control? Do you want a prettier URL than the one the page list block generates? Check out this tutorial on a custom RSS feed.
Posted in concrete5.

The Apple iPad and The Era of Ubiquitous Computing

February 01, 2010
The tech industry has been quick to label Apple's latest creation a pariah. Here's why they're wrong.
Posted in Apple/Mac.

Creating a Simple concrete5 Wrapper Custom Block Template (Without Duplicating Code)

January 20, 2010
concrete5's custom block templates are powerful - but what if you want the entire functionality of the original block's view template, just wrapped in something else? I'll show you how to make that happen.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

Optimizing your concrete5 Website for the iPhone

January 16, 2010
Download an iPhone-optimized concrete5 theme, and learn how to automatically display it to mobile Safari on the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
Posted in Apple/Mac, concrete5 and Web.

5 Easy Ways to Speed Up a concrete5 Site

January 12, 2010
Eek out some more performance out of your site, without pulling your hair out.
Posted in concrete5.

Welcome to My Website

December 30, 2009
I'm migrating from electricstate.com to andrewembler.com. 2010: Out with the old, yadda yadda yadda...
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

Arctic Blast

December 28, 2008
Recorded in Christmas 2008, as a response to the ridiculous hype over abnormal wintery weather conditions here in Portland, OR.
Posted in Humor and Music.

Screencast: How to build a concrete5 Theme

October 28, 2008
The first concrete5 theme developer screencast.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

The Real Reason for the MacBook Air

January 09, 2008
We learn the truth behind one of Apple's hottest products.
Posted in Apple/Mac, Humor and Web.

A First Look at OpenSocial

January 01, 2008
How does it work, what can it do, and what can it not?
Posted in Reviews and Web.

Political Bubbles

October 26, 2007
Build chat bubbles for the American Presidential Candidates of 2008.
Posted in Humor, Oddities and Web.

Gmail Now Offering IMAP

October 23, 2007
The best webmail just gets better.
Posted in Web.

Lemonade.com Officially Launched

September 10, 2007
My firm, Concrete Websites, officially launched the website for Lemonade.com, a startup with whom we’ve been working for months.
Posted in concrete5 and Web.

The Next Great Apple Fan Implosion is One Month Away

August 23, 2007
Dispelling some rumors about a touch screen iPod.
Posted in Apple/Mac.

Safari 3: No More Blinky

June 12, 2007
Safari steps it up a notch.
Posted in Apple/Mac, Reviews and Web.

Google Desktop for the Mac in 2600+ Words

April 21, 2007
The definitive review of Google Desktop for the Mac.
Posted in Apple/Mac, Reviews and Web.

My Survivalism Remix

March 16, 2007
My remix for the Nine Inch Nails track, Survivalism.
Posted in Music and Web.

The Five Biggest Issues with the Five Biggest Issues with the iPhone

January 11, 2007
No, that's not a typo.
Posted in Apple/Mac.

The Gaping Hole in the Apple TV

January 09, 2007
It's not perfect - but it could be.
Posted in Apple/Mac.

Audition: A Web CMS for Bands

May 01, 2006
concrete5 was not my first CMS.
Posted in Web.

The Portland Scene: Web 2.0 Playground

January 05, 2006
In early 2006, I launched a site that I hoped would compete with Citysearch.
Posted in Reviews and Web.

Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel

December 25, 2001
Recorded with my wife Amy for Christmas 2001, largely in response to the relentless push toward war in which the US found itself. Based on an arrangement originally by Kevin Gilbert and Jonatha Brooke. One of my favorites.
Posted in Music.