Happy Apple Day
Monday, June 08, 2009

Sorry folks I know its been a while but I will see what I can do on getting back to my blogging. Anyways, today Apple had their big developer conference where they discussed the new OS Snow Leopard, laptops and the new iPhone and OS 3.0. Let me tell ya, it was amazing and something that will make everyone want a Mac or iPhone (or upgrade their current devices).

The new OS Snow Leopard has some great improvements over Leopard and can be purchased for only $29. This sounds great on the surface but I only see Snow Leopard as a really big patch to Leopard and not a full fledged OS upgrade. Apple can call it what they want but that is what it really is. Something to come out before Microsoft's new OS 7 and back to school. Exchange integration into the iMail & iCalendar apps is very cool and the big part is 64 bit support for the current chip sets. Basically things run faster and you can multi-task much more than before.

As for laptops, they transitioned the 13 inch Macbook into the Pro family and the only differences between the 13in and 15in are 2 inches on the display, a larger screen resolution and the speakers on the side of the keyboard. Pricewise its $200 more for the 15in so if you are buying one these are the only things to take into consideration when deciding.

Now onto the iPhone, the part everyone is waiting for. Well Apple is releasing the iPhone 3G(S) on June 19th and they will be $199 for the 16 gig and $299 for the 32 gig. You will be able to buy the current 3G 8 gig for $99 as supplies last. The new features are faster processor for increased speed, faster Data access (once ATT upgrades their network), 3 megapixel camera, video recording/editing capabilities, a digital compass, increased battery life and Voice control where you can hit the home button, call out a name to voice dial or band to start playing music.

The new iPhone 3.0 OS upgrade (which is free to existing 3G phone users) will include cut/paste, MMS text messaging (about time), landscape keyboard, increased search features, voice memos, ability to buy movies, tv shows and audiobooks, improved calendar, internet tethering (connect your laptop to internet if no WiFi is available and will probably cost you), shake to shuffle for music, iPhone locater and remote wipe (if you are a Mobile Me subscriber) and the latest in application push technology.

Do you need the new iPhone, no unless you have the 1st generation and you will want to upgrade ASAP. The new OS will contain most of the features sans the camera, video editing, voice control, better battery and digital compass. Now all of these things are great and will be nice to have but the OS upgrade will get you by until its time to get a new phone.

Hope you enjoy the Apple recap for today.

Posted by mardenhill 6/08/2009 04:15:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Wine Steward
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

I just found a new app for my iPhone and its called Wine Steward. It was only $1.99 and is much better than other programs that retail for more. I suspect this is an intro rate since the app should be selling for at least $4.99. The idea is simple, you can search for any food and it will give you a wine pairing based on your choice. It only gives you grapes not actual brands but its enough to help you narrow down your wine selection. The database is full of many types of food so you will find what you are looking for with just a few letters typed in.

Other features are your wine cellar and the use of Cover Flow. Unfortunately you need to manually type in your collection and while the database does some of the type ahead for you don't expect it to find everything. You have to build the wine profile with the name, region, grape etc but the one feature that stood up was the integration of the iPhone camera. You can take a picture of the label/bottle and when your iPod is turned sideways you can flip through your cellar like you do with albums. I really find this feature quite cool and one that I would definitely utilize. As with most wine apps you cannot take an existing wine cellar database and upload it into the app or even through a web interface. I don't have the time to sit down and type each bottle in, if I were able to upload a spreadsheet I wouldn't mind snapping photos and using this feature. Until then I will just use it for my pairings and wait for further application updates. You can check out the app at the website below. You can also play with the wine pairing portion on the web.

http://smartywine.com/

Posted by mardenhill 4/01/2009 07:14:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology, Wine

Twitter
Thursday, February 26, 2009

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
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Twitter has entered the mainstream over the last few weeks with political pundits and politicans harnessing the technology. What I find quite funny is how Newt Gringrich believes he will snake this technology from the left and use it to rebuild the GOP brand. Sorry Newt, the GOP lost the internet years ago and trying to use Twitter to combat the blogs won't work. The Left has been all over Twitter from the start so you are still playing catch up.

Expect to see more politicans jump onboard over the next month and bloviate about how cool it is. Problem with these people is that the staff tends to write the postings and not the actual people. You will see some candid spots but for the most part they are just more campaign fodder. There are a few that are still doing it themselves and I hope it stays that way.

Posted by mardenhill 2/26/2009 08:57:00 AM 1 comments    

Labels: Technology

iPhone vs Blackberry Storm
Friday, December 12, 2008

I have been using an iPhone for a couple weeks now and all I have to say is WOW. The phone is freaking amazing, email, internet, texting, misc apps, phone calls and music all work with very little issues. The virtual keyboard was the hardest to overcome but I have done a very good job at adapting. My only complaint would be the battery life but that is expected on a device like this.

I currently have 3 email accounts loaded on the iPhone as well as a few gigs of music. I still need to add more and a few video files. I have downloaded about 13 free applications from the Apps Store and most are pretty useful. I love the fact that you can browse the store from the phone and download on the fly. The internet web page display rivals anything out there and I love the ability of flipping landscape and expanding/cropping the page with my fingers.

As for the Blackberry Storm, I am still new to it, I am currently setting up my corporate email on the device as I type this. The main difference between the devices would be the force feedback you have on the Storm when typing or opening/launching anything. You have to push down so it feels like a button instead of a touch. The portrait/landscape rendering is slow and a bit clumsy as well as the keyboard. When in portait mode you have the doubletype keyboard which I really, really hate. Add on top the so called word complete Blackberry is so fond of and I am ready to throw it out the window. You can turn it sideways but then the keyboard covers over half the screen, big problem I say. I had a hard time scrolling on menus and even if I selected the right option I still hit the one below it which I found annoying.

I know I just spent the last paragraph dogging the Storm but this was from the initial setup. I plan on playing with it over the weekend and at that point have a better idea on the device. Unfortunately there are not a ton of apps you can install on the blackberry but next quarter RIM will be launching an online store.

So far my co-workers hate the Storm and its up to me to salvage anything good out of the device. I know it will never compete with the iPhone but I am interested to see how it does against the HTC Touch.

Posted by mardenhill 12/12/2008 05:14:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Finetune For The iPhone
Friday, November 14, 2008

My favorite music social networking site is Finetune and it's finally available for the iPhone. If you are not familiar with Finetune its a website that allows you to create your own playlists and stream them over the net. It took me a while but I now have a playlist containing 500 songs and growing. Finding 500 songs isn't that easy since the site doesn't always have what you want and you can only select up to 3 songs per artist. You have to become creative when looking for new things. I have had a link to my playlist on the right of the page for a while now and its free to anyone who is interested. Just click the play button and enjoy. If you have an iPhone you can download the Finetune player and link to my playlist or even create your own.

Posted by mardenhill 11/14/2008 10:15:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music, Technology

Latest Blackberry Phones
Saturday, November 01, 2008

Here is a quick breakdown of the new line of Blackberry phones coming our way. The first going left to right is the Blackberry Bold which is an AT&T exclusive. The next is the Blackberry Curve 8900 (not out yet). You can see the two are pretty close the only difference being the size. The curve will be more of a consumer phone whereas the Bold is marketed to the business community. It looks like RIM has taken a page from the Apple playbook with regards to duplicate hardware just smaller sizes. Anyways both will be great phones and it will come down to a personal preference. The 3rd phone is the Blackberry Storm (ignore the size of the photo, the phone will actually be as large as the Bold or even bigger). This phone will only be on Verizon for a while and features a full touch screen (iPhone competition). From what I have read, the Storm has some great features but will need a 2nd revision before its an iPhone killer and by then the iPhone will be light years ahead. Next week I am attending a Blackberry Storm launch party at the MotorCity Casino and will be able to provide additional information on the device.

I am very impressed with the Bold, 1 gig onboard RAM (about time) with a Micro SD slot. There is enough memory to install 3rd party apps without killing your device. Decent camera 2.0 megapixel, GPS, WiFi and Media Player. What separates the Bold from other devices is the screen size 480 x 320 which is great for a phone.

Now for the Blackberry Storm Specs. Impressive Camera 3.2 megapixel, GPS, Media Player but no WiFi. Screen size is 480 x 360 and is a touchscreen with virtual keyboard. Same memory as the Bold, 1 gig onboard with Micro SD slot.

Both phones are world phones with GSM support but the Storm features CDMA which is why its on Verizon. As for CDMA its the North American network that both Verizon and Sprint support. Outside of this no one uses it which is why GSM is actually better. GSM is used around the world which is why AT&T phones are much better. You can pop sim cards in and out, not tie a phone to your service by the phone itself.

Right now I have no info on the new Curve but I would expect it to be comparable to the Bold. So there you go, if you are in the market for a new phone and are interested in a Blackberry these are your choices. Btw, more people are using Blackberrys outside of a corporate environment which is possible. You can setup your email and surf the web just like any Windows Mobile phone. Are they better, well I would say no since there are more apps available on the Windows Mobile and iPhone side. Blackberrys are improving but I wouldn't consider them the top of the pile when it comes to non corporate customers.

Posted by mardenhill 11/01/2008 12:00:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Apple TV
Saturday, October 25, 2008

I have been considering the Apple TV for about a year now and we finally decided to get one last nite. If you are not familiar with the product, it allows you buy content from the iTunes music store via your TV. With the Apple TV, you can browse movies, watch trailers and rent ones either in standard def or high def. You have 30 days to watch the movie, once you start you have 24 hours before it disappears. The cost is $3.99 for standard and $4.99 for high def. Older movies are $2.99 and $3.99. You can also purchase movies and tv shows. You can search for movies by title or actor and add movies to your wish list to view or purchase at a later date. You can also browse the vast collection of podcasts both video and audio as well as YouTube. You can use your Apple TV to stream music, photos and videos from other computers running iTunes.

Setup is easy, you just plug in an HDMI cable, sound if needed (going to a home theatre) and you're done. If you have a wireless network, type in your SSID and password. This took a few extra minutes since I had to change my current wireless router from WPA TKIP to WEP encryption (Come on Apple support WPA!!!!). Once that was done I was connected and browsing the iTunes store.

Overall I am happy with the product, I like the idea of renting on demand and browsing the whole store. One of the things that drove me nuts with the cable OnDemand was the lack of selection. You were held hostage to what they wanted to provide and it was never really good. Now we have the ability to rent any movie (as long as the store has it) in just a few clicks of the remote. If we missed a tv show and feel the need to really watch it we can always buy the episode. The Apple TV comes in two sizes 40 gig and 160. We went with the 160 gig since downloading high def content will no doubt fill up quickly.

http://www.apple.com/appletv/

Posted by mardenhill 10/25/2008 10:22:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

MacBook and MacBook Pro
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Apple just updated their laptop line and for anyone who was holding out (i.e. me) it was well worth the wait. The case is all aluminum, the trackpad is now glass and much larger and there are new NVidia video cards for graphics. There are not that many differences between the MacBook and MacBook Pro which is good and bad. On the surface you have a choice between a 13.3 inch screen and a 15 inch. Besides being larger, the Pro sports a higher video card, faster processor and a firewire 800 port. The Macbooks are $1300 and $1600 with the Pro coming in at $2000 and $2500 so much for that price drop they promised. The updated trackpad is now on the Macbook series and the only reason I really see to buy the Pro would be for the 15 inch screen. I was set to buy the Pro when it came out but if the regular series will offer me everything I want for $400 cheaper, I may have to rethink my strategy. I will check them out at the store and if I can get by on the 13 inch screen then I will probably go that route.

Posted by mardenhill 10/14/2008 06:53:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Olive Opus N*4 & Melody N*2
Sunday, August 10, 2008

Posted by mardenhill 8/10/2008 12:20:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

IKEA
Thursday, August 07, 2008

Courtesy of Gizmodo.com

Ikea To Seel Flatpack Solar Panels Soon?

That's what the Cleantech Group is reporting, based on details of a recent €50 million investment into Ikea's GreenTech fund, used to finance research into consumer solar panels, green building materials, alternative light sources, etc. In the same way that Wal-Mart can basically fart one night and wake up the next morning having changed the face of massive globalized retail, Ikea moving to sell presumably affordable solar gear for everyday users could be a big push to the industry. There's a reason why your Ikea is usually next to a shipping port—these Swedes move serious weight. But the question is, what will they be called? SØLECKK? SUNGLYÄSS?
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Now this is pretty interesting, as usual no specifics but if this is true and the panels are affordable then this would be a big win for IKEA and the rest of the world. Just imagine a do it yourself kit where you could setup a few solar panels on your home that anyone with a pulse could do. The panels wouldn't have to take you off the grid but a percentage of energy would be worth it and something I would definitely consider. It also depends on your area and even though the metro Detroit area isn't Palm Springs we do see a good deal of sunlight throughout the year. I will be keeping my eyes on this one but I don't forsee anything happening for a couple years.

Posted by mardenhill 8/07/2008 01:58:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Some Mac Rumors
Monday, July 28, 2008

According to Weintraub's sources, the new MacBooks will be thinner than the current MacBook and MacBook Pro designs while slightly more rounded. The case is said to be made of one piece of aluminum and bears some similarities to the MacBook Air. The trackpad on the new notebook is to be made of glass and support multi-touch and the use of gestures, but the notebook will not incorporate a multi-touch screen.

Finally, Weintraub expects the new MacBook to be released at the end of September.
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Well here are the latest rumors on the updated Macbook Pro front. Seems like they will be dropping sometime this september. Interesting seeing how back to school is next month. I guess Apple will try to pawn off the old laptops before the refresh hits. This may all change so just take these rumors with a grain of salt. I am still holding off for the new design even if it means forgoing a free iPod Touch.

Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2008 08:05:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

iPhone 3G
Friday, July 11, 2008

Happy iPhone 3G day, the phone that everyone has been waiting for. The new version of the iPhone is 3G so faster data speeds and has corporate email support. The iPhone Application store also launched with hundreds of apps to download many free. Besides that the iPhone software version 2.0 is now available for 1st gen iPhones and iPod Touches. This will give the device corporate access and the ability to download and install additional applications.

Along with the launch is the new Mobile Me offering for those who need to be mac centric in every aspect of their life. This includes an email account that will utilize push technology instead of pop3 or imap which schedules email syncronization. This will also sync your calendar, contacts and give you online storage for photos and files. Pretty cool except that it is $100 a year, too steep for me.

The good news, now that the iPhone 3G launch has finally started, they can now start working on the updated MacBook Pro that is rumored to be out before September. This one I am interested in......

Posted by mardenhill 7/11/2008 01:09:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Over 5 Billion
Friday, June 20, 2008

As of this week Apple has sold over 5 Billion songs from the iTunes music store, quite a feat if you ask me. They also announced "iTunes customers are now renting and purchasing over 50,000 movies every day, making iTunes the world’s most popular online movie store".

Gone are the days of the big announcements, free giveaways, now its just a press release. Anyways this is good news for the digital medium and the more Apple can compete and win against Walmart and Best Buy the better. I have been thinking about the Apple TV lately, I know I have discussed it before but it is actually pretty cool. I don't like the fact that it is only a 160 gig hard drive but the idea of renting HD movies is worth it. We have rented a few movies thru Wide Open West's On Demand service but their HD selection is quite thin. Apple's store has much more to choose from and would be worth it. Its still on the back burner since I need a laptop first and formost but maybe come Xmas. I don't forsee myself buying a Blu Ray player anytime soon so the Apple TV might be a good replacement.

Posted by mardenhill 6/20/2008 08:54:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

iPhone 3G
Monday, June 09, 2008

Well Apple just upped the ante in the battle for cell phone supremacy. Today they announced the new iPhone running on the 3G network available July 11th. Besides faster data speeds, the new iPhone has integrated GPS which will allow you to use Google Maps like a GPS device with a moving dot on the screen showcasing where you are. The iPhone is slimmer and also comes in 2 colors, Black and White. The developers store will be launching soon with applications that you can download via the cell phone or computer and apps can be customized for enterprise environments. It still gets better, Apple has dropped the price and the iPhone starts at $199 for the 8 gig model and $299 for the 16 gig. This will definitely put a damper on the Windows mobile, Treo and Blackberry market.

Apple also changed the .Mac site into MobileMe a website that will contain mail, contacts, calendar, photos, data etc that syncs with your desktop or laptop. This is not a free service, its $99 a year but you have push technology when it comes to email and calendar. Think of it as enterprise software for the common user. Is it worth $99, probably not but its an option none the less. You will now go to www.me.com from any computer and sign in.

Existing iPhone users will get the 2.0 software soon which will allow them to take advantage of all these features sans 3G data speeds and integrated GPS.

Overall, this is a win win situation for Apple. A foot into the corporate world and a chance at cell phone domination. They did it with the iPod and they may do it with the iPhone as well.

Posted by mardenhill 6/09/2008 03:52:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

When We Left Earth
Saturday, June 07, 2008

Starting tomorrow night at 9pm, Discovery Channel will be airing a 6 part series regarding NASA and the last 50 years of space exploration. Like Planet Earth, this is in High Def and has never before seen footage. I am looking forward to this series since I enjoy anything space related and when its in HD its even better. You can check out the promo at the site below.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/nasa/nasa.html

Posted by mardenhill 6/07/2008 12:01:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Science, Technology

Time To Buy A Mac
Wednesday, June 04, 2008

If you are in the market for a Mac, the next 3 months is the perfect time. If you are a student, or can get your hands on an ID or someone else to purchase a computer, you will receive a free 8 gig iPod Touch. You can also upgrade to a higher capacity iPod and pay the difference after $299. The deal is on the whole line of Macs except the Mini. I am still holding out for my laptop, I am hoping the MacBook Pro series has its refresh within the next couple months. If not I may just get the current MacBook Pro and since I am back in school, I'll use the Education discount to score myself a free iPod Touch.

Posted by mardenhill 6/04/2008 11:01:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

27 Days......
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) is scheduled for June 9th next month and the Mac rumors have been flying for weeks now. Its certain that Steve Jobs will announce a new iPhone, when it will come out, what will be on it, possible design changes are all up in the air. I believe its safe to say that this model will be 3G (faster data connectivity) and will feature the newest firmware v 2.0 which contains Active Sync. This is good news for the business community since you will be able to sync your Outlook email via push technology. There are reports that a black model will be available and that the case has been slimmed down. There is also talk of a dual camera which can be used for video conferencing, not sure how true this is or practical.

All the talk about the iPhone is drowning out the Macbook Pro redesign rumors. I plan on buying a new laptop and patiently waiting for an updated pro series. I hope this conference isn't all iPhone and no laptop because I don't know how long I can hold out.

Posted by mardenhill 5/13/2008 10:16:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Western Digital My Passport Hard Drive
Thursday, April 24, 2008

Posted by mardenhill 4/24/2008 08:26:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

My iMac
Sunday, April 20, 2008

Its been nearly 6 months since I have been able to power on my iMac due to some electrical issues here at home. Last year we had some power surges that were due to the meter box on the back of the house. Once that was fixed and the electrical outlets upstairs replaced, it was time to try out the mac. Unfortunately the mac would only power on for 1-2 minutes and die. If you would try again it would fail on the blue startup screen. This lead me to believe that either the power supply or logic board had been fried during the surges. The logic board along with the hard drive had been replaced in the past due to other issues and at this time the iMac was out of warranty. I had to make a $100 gamble to figure out if it was the power supply or not. Without the warranty it wasn't worth bringing into the apple store for them to tell me what I already believed was the problem. Since the transistors on the logic board looked good it could be one thing and if I was wrong, well it only cost me $100. So I bought a new power supply off of eBay and hoped for the best. The good news, I was correct and my iMac is back to life.

Although my iMac is only a G5, I love the design and ease of use when repairing. You unscrew 3 screws and the back comes off. You can replace any piece of the computer without issues. The new design of the iMac has made this next to impossible since you need to take the screen off to access everything. This fall my iMac will turn 4 but for the most part is a workhorse and an amazing machine. It feels good to have it back up and running once again.

Posted by mardenhill 4/20/2008 11:41:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Slacker Personal Radio
Monday, April 14, 2008

I wrote about this a while ago when it was still in development mode. Just this weekend I received an email stating that the players are now for sale. For those of you not familiar with Slacker.com its a very cool website and the portable player is very cool. Slacker was born out of the old Musicmatch jukebox which ruled the digital world until iTunes became the universal standard. There are a number of stations broken down by genres kinda like satellite radio. You can take it a step further by selecting artists themselves and Slacker will recast an updated playlist based on similar artists. When you select a specific artist, different songs will play every 4-5 songs and you have the ability to skip past tracks. This is a free website that can be accessed from any computer. You do not need a separate player since everything is streamed thru the website.

Although the site is free you will have to purchase the handheld. Prices are $199 for 15 stations, $249 for 25 stations and $299 for 40 stations. These stations can be changed so you are not locked into any specific genre or artist. The handheld operates on a WiFi network streaming from the website when in range and caching songs when no network connectivity is present. The player holds up to 4000 songs that are refreshed when connected to the network. You don't have to worry about repeats since there is plenty of space to hold a vast collection of songs before your next sync. For $7.50 a month you can subscribe to the premium service which allows for unlimited skipping (the free only gives you so many each hour) and even more personalization. Slacker has found a way to combine the iPod with satellite radio and repackage it into an easy to use interface. You have the portability of an iPod, the music selection of satellite radio and you do not have to purchase any music or sit around trying to organize a playlist, hence the Slacker name.

I will admit, Slacker isn't perfect sometimes the artist selection isn't very deep and features shallow comparisions but for free I can't complain. I am interested in seeing the handheld in action and depending on battery life and how long it took to sync I might be interested.

If you havn't signed up for your free account, check out www.slacker.com and give the website a chance.

Posted by mardenhill 4/14/2008 09:30:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology