|
|
[Semi-RANT] Why You Should Care about the iPhone
|
|
|
|
|
 Most of you might be sick to your spleens with the endless news about Apple's new iPhone. What's so special about it? It's nothing more than a glorified iPod or an overly expensive PDA or even a rip-off of a prototype as some would suggest. It's more significant than everyone thinks.
Ask yourself, when have you been really been excited about a mobile phone? Okay, now when has the whole WORLD been excited about a mobile phone? Really? Never? Think about it. No real mobile phone got this much buzz from mainstream media. When Nokia launches a new phone, will Europeans telco's fight for an exclusivity deal? Did the P990i boost Sony Ericsson's stock when it was announced?
Why is it so important? No real mobile has this much advanced technology behind it. Not Nokia, not Sony Ericsson. Most mobiles coming from those companies are evolutionary not revolutionary.
This may sound like hot air coming from a Mac fanatic. But watch the Macworld Keynote. Skip to the 26m 50s mark for the iPhone announcement. Watch the demo. See for yourself how much technology is in it. And ask yourself again, does any current or announced mobile have all of this functionality? Forget 3G for a second, and think about it. What phone has a highly advanced touch interface? What phone can detect whether it's rotated to landscape or portrait and adjust the screen orientation accordingly? What PDA-phone has Google Maps built-in? And what music phone has the ease of use of an iPod?
If you still don't believe me, just watch the Keynote or if you can't just go to the official site here. If you still don't then honestly, you're just lying to yourself. It's not a perfect phone, not by a long shot. It doesn't have 3G, which is a minor thing in my opinion. It only has a 5-hour talk time and the battery is not user replaceable. And we won't be getting one until 2008. But even with those flaws, you have to get your head wrapped around the idea on what Apple has done. They have truly reinvented the mobile phone. I will guarantee that other mobile phone manufacturers will incorporate all, if not, some of the technologies of the iPhone in some form in the near future. And that's the nice way of saying that they'll copy the iPhone.
In conclusion, Scott Kurtz said it best in his PvP comic strip:
 [Click to view Larger Version]Labels: Apple, Rants, Tech, Toys, Web Comics |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
|
|
What was that I said about being Black and Shiny?
|
|
|
|
|
Apple did it. They released a Phone. An iPhone. The former computer company (now simply called Apple, Inc.) has now crossed into cellphones and entertainment media.
I want. ほしい. Gusto ko niyan. Damn you, Stevie J. You just made me want to spend more for something I'll probably have to take several odd jobs to pay for. [Sigh] It's tough to be a geek.Labels: Apple, Geek Stuff, Toys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's Geek Week™!
|
|
|
|
|
 I didn't realize until recently that Geek Week™ happens every second week of January. Why? Because of Macworld San Francisco and the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) happens (usually) on the second week of the new year! It's during these event that Apple and other Consumer Electronic companies announce their latest products (read: Toys for geeks)! It's a great week to be a Geek!
Oh, and pay no attention to the floor, it's just covered in geek drool.Labels: Apple, Geek Stuff, Tech |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, November 17, 2006
|
|
My Mom is a Mac User
|
|
|
|
|
 This post can go either way. On one hand, my mom, who is possibly the most tech illiterate person I know, can be the best example how Macs are so easy to use. But on the other hand, Mac bashers would use this as an opportunity to say Macs are not "hardcore" enough that mere housewives use them. But that's not the point of this post.
[Cue Apple Switch Music.]
My mom has been nagging my dad and me about getting her a laptop. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as she kept persisting that she absolutely needed one. This coming from the same person who, even after countless times my dad and brothers teach her how to send e-mail or how to use Word, still manages to forget everything we taught the second she leaves the PC.
But still, even with the knowledge that she'll not be able to fully utilize her own computer, my dad relented and decided to surprise my mom and get her a Black Core Duo MacBook for her birthday. I just picked it up from the store today and am now currently setting it up for her, while still trying to figure out how to make really, really, really simple for her to use without having to call me or my other brothers for help.
It's gonna be a rough couple of weeks. But the smile on her face when she got her present is all worth it.
Shouldn't you be getting your loved one a Mac?
[Fade in Apple Logo.]Labels: Apple |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, November 02, 2006
|
|
The Mac is Back!
|
|
|
|
|
 After a good 2 weeks or so, my iMac is back in (so far) fine working condition. Apparently, my power supply gave way because of constant power fluctuation. And the last big storm made the fluctuations worse. So now, I'm getting reacquainted with it and have a lot of backlog podcasts to download... but all is right again with the world (for now).
I have to give credit to the local PowerMac center in San Juan. Here I thought there were no Mac Genuises in the Philippines but I was wrong. I was really worried of having some other people maintain my computer, but I can now rest easy to know that there are very competent technicians for Apple products in the country. One of my main concerns with owning a Mac has been answered. You really are in good hands with Apple. Bless you, Steve Jobs and all Mac Genuises around the world.Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes, it sucks being a Mac User
|
|
|
|
|
 I'm no stranger to hardware maintenance. I know how to troubleshoot and isolate faulty hardware. If something goes wrong with a PC, I usually shrug it off and take out my trusty screwdriver and start taking it apart. I've done this countless times before. I've probably fried a couple of them too. It's routine. It's familiar. It's a piece of cake... for a PC that is. But what about Macs?
I've been gloating about my iMac ever since I got this 20" beauty (See? I'm still doing it). But the dark side of Macs finally rears it ugly little head for the first time in 9 months. For some odd reason, my Mac suddenly powered down and won't power back up. For the first time in YEARS, I've never felt so helpless. Macs have a beautiful, sleek enclosure, but how the fuck do you open one? Do I even want to open it and risk voiding my warranty?
[sigh] This is one of the things I had to give up when I switched. I trusted Apple that their machines would run like butter (inside Mac joke). And for the most part, they run great. But when they don't, well, you're up shit creek without a paddle. I hate being helpless, but that's the price I have to pay to play in Steve Jobs' playground. It's all about equivalent exchange, baby. One cannot attain something without giving something up.
P.S. Bring on the Mac mockery, Pao, I'm ready for it. :p
P.P.S. Well, Holy Shit! It's Friday the 13th and I never noticed! Watch out for freaks wearing hockey masks tonight!Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, September 07, 2006
|
|
Damn you, Jobs! Redux
|
|
|
|
|
 [WARNING: This post may contain drool stains.]
It's a well known fact that I am being personally pissed on by Apple Computers, Inc. As soon as I bite into their new products, a few weeks later, a brand spanking new one comes out. Case in point, when I first bought an iPod. I was the first one from Nior C to get one of these musical gizmos. I was so proud to be the first kid on the block to have this new toy. I admit I enjoyed the gawks and gaping mouths from my peers when I first whipped it out of my pocket. Hell, I expected them to do so, I spent 33 thousand pesoses on this motherf**ker!
But alas, those conspirators at Apple decided to put my arrogant ass in its place. Literally a week later, the next generation iPod came out with better controls, better battery life and, adding more insult to injury, a goddamn cheaper price tag. The following week, everyone and their grandmother's second cousin twice removed has an iPod.
And now, history repeats itself. But this time around, it concerns Apple's other fine product, the Mac. This time around, I wasn't the first kid on the block to get a Mac (For the record, it was JC). I thought I would've been spared. But no, someone in Cupertino must really likes to yank my chains (I'm looking your way, Stevie J). No sooner as I get my 20" iMac Core Duo, they go and make a bigger one. A 24-inch beast with Intel's newer, faster Core 2 Duo chips. And, like my iPod experience, now everyone seems to be buying Macs. Mai is a proud new owner of a MacBook. Berns is looking to buy one. Even Arian has a bloody MacBook Pro! [sigh] But like all the other Macheads out there, I can't complain. We're a bunch of masochists, the lot of us.
I shall just leave this as a warning for potential switchers. Make sure to buy a new Apple product when it's launched. Lest ye suffer like I have suffered. But seriously, I welcome my new Mac converts! Praise be to Jobs and spread the good word of OSX! Huzzah!
Once you go Mac...Labels: Apple |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why There are New iPods Each Year
|
|
|
|
|
 Labels: Apple |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Of MacBooks and Vanishing Billboards (part duex)
|
|
|
|
|
 Let me just get this out of my system. The new MacBooks are out, sans the Pro monicker. They come in white and black. Just like the iPod. They have Dual Core Processors, just like the iMac and the MacBook Pro. What they don't have is a dedicated video card. In non-geek terms, that means you won't be able to do any hardcore graphic intensive things like edit video and play graphic intensive 3D games. Well, you can, but it won't be the best experience. But what they are good for everything else, like word processing, watching movies, playing music, etc. You know, average consumer (read: not tech geek) kind of activity. It's pricey, like everything Apple, starting at US$1099 (PhP57,148 sans tax) – US$100 more than the iBook its replacing. But for me, the additional Benjamin is well worth it in terms of overall performance. Plus OSX just mops the floor with Windows XP (In the operating system arena. Stand down Windows Fanboys. I'm looking at your direction, Pao).
Black is only available in the high-end model, which is US$1499 (PhP77,948 sans tax). Which is a bummer if you love everything black. I was really coveting the black MacBook until I saw real world photos (i.e. not the product shot type like you see above) of the machine. The look cheapens the MacBook. It lookes like a normal IBM/Lenovo/Dell PC. But that's just me. Judge for yourself here.
By Popular Demand: Pictures of Billboard-less EDSA (And the South Super Highway Thrown in for Good Measure)
  I risked my life and the lives of other motorists to take these photos for all of you. Okay, fine, only Paolo really wanted to see these. But he made it sound like a challenge! (yeah, right) Anyway, the photo up top is from the C5 exit at the South Super Highway. The one directly above is from EDSA approaching Guadalupe Bridge. Note the ginormous empty steel/iron frame of the once most ginormous billboard in Asia (or the world, I don't really care) at the right part of the photo.
See? Doesn't it look a whole lot better than before? Don't answer that.
[Note: Don't know that the hell I'm talking about? Maybe you've missed my first blog post about Vanishing Billboards. Read it here.]Labels: Apple, Photography |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Macinization™ of Arianwen Dagmar Androu Tapang Lopez
|
|
|
|
|
 This post is fairly late (blame it on WoW), but I'd like to formally welcome Arian to the Mac fold. That's a 15" 1.83GHz Dual Core MacBook Pro he's stroking. We couldn't get the bloody smile off his face for days.
You truly are a Mac Whore™, Arian. Welcome to the Cluster.Labels: Apple, Friends |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just When I Thought I was Out, They Pull Me Back In!
|
|
|
|
|
 GODdamn it! The Evil Empire strikes again! Just when I thought I've finally rid myself of everything Windows® related, Apple has to pull this shit out of its bag!
I didn't even spend enough honeymoon time with OSX! [sigh] Story of my life. Anyway, I'll get back to my Mac gloating (and long delayed greeting cards and shout outs) next week, which I'm told is pretty Holy.
P.S. I know this is fairly "old" news, but I just wanted to bitch. And I am aware of the fact that I don't have to install Windows on my Mac. It's just why did they have to do that after I get a Mac? Curse you, Jobs!Labels: Apple |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
|
|
One-Point-Five!
|
|
|
|
|
 My Macinization™ is almost complete. For now, I will gloat.Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Damn, I'm Good
|
|
|
|
|
Stories have been passed on from computer to computer of a user so vile, so unfathomably evil, that a simple keystroke from this monster will bring even the most sophisticated system down to a crashing halt.
The newer systems merely dismiss this as an obsolete folktale. As obsolete as those computers who refuse to let go of the story. And it seemed to remain just an old folktale until that fateful Sunday morning in March.
Rumors sparked anew when a seemingly invincible system was struck down in an eerily similar manner told in the stories. Alas, the phantom user has indeed struck again. It claimed yet another unsuspecting young computer, so young that it was only one day of age. To make matters worse, the youngling was no ordinary piece of hardware. It was a platform revered in the computer world as "uncrashable:" The Apple iMac.
In her final breath before a mandatory reboot, the iMac uttered the name of her would-be assassin...
"Jin"
A few days later, a post from the prime suspect's blog had only one screenshot and these words of warning:
 I make Macs Hang.Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Behind Door #2
|
|
|
|
|
 Isn't it a thing of beauty?
[Wow. All this fuss over a computer. And I wonder why I still don't have a girlfriend.]Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's this? What's this?
|
|
|
|
|
 A large unmarked brown box? What on earth could this be???
[Such spine-tingling suspense! Stay tuned!]Labels: Apple, iMac |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saturday, February 11, 2006
|
|
Podcasts… white meat for your iPod.
|
|
|
|
|
So you finally got one of those brand-spanking-new fifth-generation iPods (that’s the one with video for you non-geek people), and now you want it to load it with videos. But you’re too lazy smart for that and make your geek friend do all the work for you. Of course your geek friend makes these wild excuses of how much cumbersome it is to convert his existing collection of porn wholesome videos to an iPod compatible format. On the other hand, if your geek friend is truly madly deeply in love with you, he/she will do it in a heartbeat, but chances are you’ll just end up staring at him/her blankly.
So, as your geek friend toils to convert all his videos for you, what can you do in the mean time? Well, you can download Podcasts. Podcasts? What’s that, you may ask? Google the motherfucker (jeez, you’re on the internet, use it). Anyway, if you notice, your iPod came with a program called iTunes. You know that thing your geek friend uses to sync your songs to your iPod? For my his/her sake, try using it for yourself. If you have version 6, you’ll notice below your Library there’s a (gasp!) Podcasts button. Click that and if you aren’t subscribed to any yet, iTunes will promptly take you to the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) podcast directory. From there you can find all sorts of podcasts. Sports, TV, Film, you name it, if there’s a geek out there who likes it, chances are there’s a podcast about it. Now wait a minute! These are all audio! I want my videos damnit! Well, if you only use your eyes instead of flapping your mouth you’ll notice they have a video podcasts link smack dab in the fucking middle of the iTMS page. Click it, and download some good times.
But there are so many! Where do I start? I’m not a total prick all the time, so I’ll give you some of the stuff I watch/listen to (note: most of these are tech related stuff):
This WEEK in TECH (audio) Website | iTMS link
If you loved TechTV, then you’ll like this. Some of the old hosts from TechTV are back to discuss weekly tech news stories. Heavy geek talk inside.
Tiki Bar TV (video) Website | iTMS Link
Like I said, if there’s a geek out there who likes something, there’ll be a podcast about it. It’s about alcohol and it’s funny. If you like both, then you should watch it. (this is why I never got into the advertising business)
Diggnation (audio/video) Website | iTMS Link
A weekly tech/web culture show that talks about some of the top stories of the equally popular social bookmarking website digg.com. They drink beer and they’re funny. Well, geek funny anyway.
Adobe® Photoshop® Killer Tips (video) Website | iTMS Link
I (heart) Photoshop. Sometimes I make it look easy to use it. But I still need help. This is a daily video podcast that gives Photoshop tips and tricks. Even I learned a couple of things from this podcast. It’s a small podcast (about 4MB per episode) so you can try downloading it via dial up. Now if you have broadband, you might wanna check out its big brother video podcast: Photoshop TV.
Once you've downloaded the podcast, sync it to your iPod as you normally would. Then viola! Free video for your expensive geek toy your boy/girlfriend/sugardaddy/mommy gave you. (If you have your iPod to automatically sync, you may have to toggle the auto-sync of podcasts as well.)
There is a catch though (there always is, isn’t there?). You will need a broadband internet connection to download video content. You can always try downloading it with your slow ass dial up but make sure you have two copies of War & Peace to read beside you.
Now, if for some reason, you hate iTunes (you know who you are “p”), you can always download Juice. It’s for Windows and Mac and it’s free. If you still don’t like that one then go to Google and find some more.Labels: Apple |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Name: Jin
Occupation:
Graphic Artist/Pirate
Geek Toys:
20" iMac Core Duo, PSP, iPod (3G), EOS350D
Special Attack(s):
La Serpiente Strike
El Gato Fist
|
|
|
 |
|
Being the mindless drone of fashion that I am, I decided to jump on the Blogging bandwagon. This site contains all my rants and raves about current events, technology, video gaming, cinema and the occasional snippets of my own geek life. (Yeah, quite original, I know.)
Best viewed at 1024x768 on Firefox or Safari. Internet Explorer 6 sucks donkey dick.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
© 2006. All rights reserved.
Illustrations and Character Designs: Jin.
The Sims. © 2006. Electronic Arts, Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
