Wednesday, August 27, 2008
My Technology Past
Obliging Tin with this entry. She posted this "Tech Survey" on her side of multiply and urged me to do the same. So, here are my answers:

Mobile Phones
First: Nokia (Yuck!) 5110. Back when texting was free and Nokia was the only viable brand.
Favorite: I've only had my new mobile for 4 days. Jury is still out if I'm totally in love with it. But I have got to say that my favorite phone so far is my Sony Ericsson z610i. [edit] Oh, who am I kidding, I {heart} my iPhone! ^_^
Current: Apple iPhone 16GB (White). Why, hello there. I'm an Apple Fanboy.

Handheld Consoles
First/Favorite/Current: Sony PlayStation Portable. Sad but true. I don't really count those "brick games" as hand held consoles. Never owned a Game & Watch either. My folks wouldn't buy me a Game Boy back in the day. Now that I'm earning, I'm buying all the crap my parents never got me when I was a kid.

Desktop PCs Macs!
First: XT Desktop PC with DOS I-forgot-what-version. Ah, the good old days of floppy disks. None of that fancy GUI bullcrap we have today. dir/s all the way, baby.
Current: iMac 24" Aluminum. 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo. 4GB RAM. 320GB HDD. ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 Memory. Running OSX 10.5 Leopard.
Dream Mac: A Mac Pro with maxed out specs with 2 30" Apple Cinema Displays and 3 Drobos. Ooh, I wet my pants.

Notebooks
First/Current: MacBook Pro 15" 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo. 2GB RAM. NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 128MB of GDDR3 SDRAM.
Dream Notebook: The high end 15" MacBookPro. The 17-incher is too unwieldy for me.

Game Consoles
First: Atari 2600. Played Kaboom! all day long until my brother plugged the thing into the 220v outlet and really went Kaboom!
Favorite: Sony PlayStation 3 60GB Launch unit. Blu-ray/UpscalingDVD player, HD & Online Gaming, DivX Player, and can playback all my old PS2 and PSOne games. Best of all, no Red Ring of Death.
Current: Nintendo Wii and a PS3.
First PC Game: Hmm, don't remember the first. But the first one I remember enjoying was Day of the Tentacle.
Favorite PC Mac Game: World of Warcraft. The Eater of Souls.
Last PC Mac Game Played: World of Warcraft. What part of "Eater of Souls" didn't you understand?
Palm or Pocket PC? iPhone.
Music Player of choice: Apple iPod 5G 80GB (White). The iPhone is a close second.
Aside from your mobile, PDA and laptop, What other gadget you can never be without? My SLR.

*Skipped the watch parts... don't care much about watches.

Ultimate Dream Gadget: The DeLorean Time Machine. 1.21 Jiggawatts!

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Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Greed List 2008: I own an iPhone.
Looks like I got it a little earlier than expected. Been using it for a day now. I'm one of those saps who got one on launch day. Well, by proxy, at least. Still getting used to having a candy bar phone again, not to mention relearning to text using the mini-QWERTY keyboard.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. Touching is good. Problem is the thing is impossible to text with while driving (not that you should), and that my room is still a dead spot for Globe.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Four Down. Last One to Go.

The Greed List™:
Sony Bravia KLV-32V200 LCD TV
Wacom Intuos3 6x11 Widescreen Tablet
Nintendo Wii
8-Core Apple Mac Pro (15" MacBook Pro 2.2GHz)
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens (Sigma 24-70mm DG Macro)

If you've been following this list, you'll know that it is a list of compromises. As much as I lust for an 8-core Mac Pro, practicality states I need something that can be moved around. But in a sense, I did get a Mac Pro, just the one with "Book" in the middle.

In the last major event that I covered for work, I had to lug around my office iMac so I can do designs on site. While the iMac is an all-in-one device, 24-inches isn't exactly mobile. So using work as an excuse, I took out a computer loan and got myself (and my family — another excuse) a MacBook Pro, a powerful compact machine to do my design work on the go.

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Saturday, October 06, 2007
ThWii Down. Two to Go.*
The Greed List™:
Sony Bravia KLV-32V200 LCD TV
Wacom Intuos3 6x11 Widescreen Tablet
Nintendo Wii
8-Core Apple Mac Pro
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens (Sigma 24-70mm DG Macro)

That's right, people. My 13th month pay just kicked in and I got me a Wii, b!+(#es! ^_^

I originally planned to buy this in December— when I thought I'd receive my 13th month pay—but I guess Christmas came a little early this year! ^_^

* This foolhardy purchase may or may not be related to the previous post.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007
I Killed my iPod.
Well, it happened. My trusty 40GB Third Generation iPod is dead. It snagged on the audio cable it was hooked up to in our sound system in the office, slipped out of my hand then a sudden drop then a sudden stop.

The whole room gasped as they saw it happen. My face started contorting as if a hollow block dropped on my foot. I quickly grabbed it off the floor and tested to see if it was still okay. For the first few minutes it was. I even got to play a song out of it. Then it stopped. Then my Playlists disappeared then all my songs were gone. Panicking, I reset the iPod. Then I heard the worst thing to ever come out of an iPod besides boy band music... clicking. It wasn't the clicking sound when you use the Click Wheel, it was the hard drive. It sounded a lot like this. That sound is one the first signs that your hard drive is dead or dying. I had killed my iPod.

I was planning on retiring the old girl when the touch screen one comes out (the iPhone sans the phone). But as my luck would have it, it won't even reach a fourth year with me. I thought about salvaging it by having the hard drive replaced at the Apple Center, but I was told that the replacement drive would cost PhP11,000, almost as much as a 30GB Fifth Gen iPod. So all hopes of spending one more year with my baby, the first iPod I bought. The first iPod in my barkada, way before people knew what iPods were.

The drive to work won't sound the same anymore.

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Sunday, June 17, 2007
Two Down. Three to Go.
My Coveted Toys*
Sony Bravia KLV-32V200 LCD TV
Wacom Intuos3 6x11 Widescreen Tablet
Nintendo Wii
8-Core Apple Mac Pro
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens (Sigma 24-70mm DG Macro)

Yup. Bought another expensive frivolous toy. I just finished setting it up a few minutes ago then my brother takes over to watch some cartoons. Oi vay. Me? What am I going to do with it? Umm.... play some videogames.

For those unfamiliar with my Greed List, read my first post about it here.

P.S. Arian... yogamat!

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Thursday, May 03, 2007
One Down. Four to Go. [Update 1]
My Coveted Toys:
Sony Bravia KLV-32V200 LCD TV
Wacom Intuos3 6x11 Widescreen Tablet
Nintendo Wii
8-Core Apple Mac Pro
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens

I decided to treat myself a little today. But when I say "little," I really mean "a lot."

It's not the same exact lens I was going for at first, but it's hell of a lot cheaper and just as good.

____
UPDATE: Uploaded some test shots on my Multiply site.

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Sunday, April 15, 2007
An Exercise in Rapacity
My Dad's 40" Sony Bravia LCD TV arrived yesterday and I've finished the first series of tests. And what's the verdict so far? Damn it, I want one. It's currently sitting in our den whilst my dad figures out where it will reside. So my PS3, naturally, is down there with it.

Since I'm lazy, I'd rather not want to have to go down to the den to get my gaming on, not to mention all the TV traffic we're bound to get with it. Now, the wheels in the greed center of my brain started turning and now I'm saving for one for my own. But then I thought, why stop there? While my greed is at its usual high levels, I compiled a list of my coveted gadgets of the moment.

Do I really need these? Not really. Are they essential as breathing? Perhaps not. But do I have an unhealthy lust towards them? Maybe just a little.

So here they are, in no particular order:
Sony Bravia KLV-32V200 LCD TV. So I can have HD gaming from the comfort of my own room. Besides, my bed is there.

Wacom Intuos3 6x11 Widescreen Tablet. My trusty old Graphire tablet is due for a replacement. I've had it since my college days and has served me well. But ever since I switched to the Mac, the small 4:3 aspect ratio is causing some minor, albeit, annoying issues. The larger working area and widescreen layout will be a better fit for my Mac and the angle sensitivity will definitely help with my digital painting.

Nintendo Wii. Yes, I already have a PS3. But the Wiimote controls compels me to buy one. Not to mention that the Legend of Zelda franchise is on it.

8-Core Apple Mac Pro. 8 Cores! That's 4 times more than what I have! I never said that this list was rational, did I?

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens. I've given up on the 70-200mm monster I've previously coveted but I really need to replace my standard 18-55mm lens with something more robust. I'm told this one makes for nice pictures.

That's all I can think of on the top of my head. None of those are exactly as cheap as yoga mats, but they do so much more than yoga mats (at least for me). But mark my words: these will be mine, oh yes, these will be mine*.

* Okay, maybe not all of them.

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Friday, February 23, 2007
Black is the New Black
What did I say about Black and Shiny Gadgets? Yeah, I tend gravitate towards them. Got bored and took some snapshots of my black gizmos. I just realized that most of my black gadgets are Sony products. Fancy that. Click the image for more of my practice photography shots.

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Friday, February 02, 2007
I've seen the Light, and it's in HD
I hadn't the slightest idea what High-Definition content would look like. I've always thought DVD was the best picture quality we'll ever get. Boy, was I wrong.

Oh. My. God. DVD ain't got nothing on HD.

HD truly can't be described to you. You really have to see it yourself. Running my new toy on a measly 1080i resolution has already impressed me, it boggles the mind what 1080p would be like. I'm just relieved that I've justified my impulse purchase.

If all this HD Resolution jargon made you go cross-eyed, read more here.

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Don't Look at Me! I'm a Weak Shell of a Man!
Yes, I did it. I gave in. I'm pathetic. I needed a cheap (Cheap?! Since when is 39,000 pesos cheap?!) thrill. Don't look at me, I'm so ashamed!

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Friday, January 12, 2007
[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]

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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.

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Saturday, December 09, 2006
New Toy
No, you won't see anything new there. What's new is the doohickey I used to take this photo with. Got myself a second hand Speedlite 420EX external flash for my SLR and I'm currently testing it out.

I've always hated using the built-in flash for my photos. Those of you know a thing or two about photography, you'll know how harsh direct flash it is on your subject. But these external ones can be redirected to have a more natural look, or perhaps even add a little more effect. It's always fun to get new attachments for SLR cameras, it makes them feel new again.

Here's another photo of my iMac. That's my work area at home. Fairly simple, really. I let the flash bounce of the ceiling for this shot. Notice the absence of glare on the screen. Now that I think about it, I've gloated about my iMac countless times but never posted a photo of it. Hmm, fancy that.

P.S. Yes, I cleaned up a bit for this last shot.

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Saturday, October 14, 2006
z610i: Black and Shiny, Just the Way I like my Gadgets
I think I've found my next mobile. I've always been a clamshell person (I refuse to call them flip-phones). I absolutely loved my old z600 but was severely disappointed with my current z800i. Sony Ericsson's other clamshell offerings were a bit "meh." I was ready to give up and switch back to candybar models when this little black (and Aqua and Pink) beauty showed up on the Philippine SE site.

Oh, sure it doesn't have a 30.55513451 megapixel camera or DVD-quality video captures or a twisty-turny swivel thing, but it does however, have a simple elegant design and a fricking sweet OLED display. It's got the secondary camera for 3G video conference calls, which really hasn't took off yet. A 2.0 megapixel primary camera, which is small by today's standards but I have my trusty EOS350D (8.0 megapixel SLR, motherfuckers) to handle all my photography needs. Besides, anyone who gauges their mobile phone purchase on the built-in camera is a fool. There, I said it. But I digress.

I'm not a mobile phone man. I don't really need to have the latest and greatest phone, though my gadget geek sensibilities get the better of me at times. I made a mistake switching from my z600 to this clunker of a phone, and I've been hurting for a new phone since. Hell will freeze over and God will dance the Salsa with Lucifer before I go back to Nokia. I am Sony Ericsson's bitch.

Learn more about this lovely mobile here.

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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.