In my computer organization class, our labs involve programming a Motorola M68HC12 microcontroller. While doing my lab work today, I discovered that the CPU12’s instruction set contains a SEX instruction. The mnemonic is short for “Sign Extend into 16-bit register.” Maybe this is why my professor last semester was so obsessed with sign extension?

The SEX instruction is pretty gratuitous. It is simply an alternate mnemonic for a the register transfer instruction. However, who doesn’t like a little gratuitous SEX?

After two years with my trusty LG VX6000, I have upgraded to a new and shiny Motorola E815 for free. Although my new phone does not support analog (the VX6000 didn’t either), it does support EV-DO. EV-DO is the CDMA network’s next generation data, capable of near-broadband speeds over the cellular network. However, this service isn’t available everywhere and is restricted to metro areas. I was surprised to see that my phone was reporting an EV-DO signal right near here in Newfields, NH and Stratham, NH. Does this mean more data options are coming soon? The high speed data service isn’t very useful to me right now, but if I was working on the road like my Microtime Computers field service job it would sure be nice.