Bought Samsung Galaxy Note II

I finally got the chance to replace my aging HTC Thunderbolt.

The Thunderbolt was actually fine until Verizon pushed a 4.0 firmware update (without my knowledge and without prompting me first...if I'd have known, I'd have done some research and postponed the update).

The update caused issues.  ICS is designed for multi-core CPUs.  The T-bolt is single-core.  After the update, I noticed serious lag in response times when clicking on objects.  2-3 seconds of lag, in some cases. I decided to restore back to the factory settings and wipe the microSD card of data.  Even after doing that, there was still lag (although not as much...but it was much more random).  As well, the battery was draining more quickly than it used to...power consumption was already kinda bad without adding ICS.  Sometimes the phone would shut down with little warning.  At first, I thought it was a system crash, but began to notice that the battery was dead, even when showing at least 50% power.  I don't know if the battery needed to be replaced, but I wasn't about to buy a new one when I was close to being eligible for an upgrade.

So, I was due for an upgrade.  The window of the upgrade would open on 3/9.  I'd been researching the last 4-5 months and had set my eye on two phones:

Samsung Galaxy SIII
Samsung Galaxy Note II

For those that don't know, both of these phones share the same hardware.  The Note II is bigger, though.   The SIII has a 4.8" screen and the Note II has a 5.5" screen.  The SIII is sold in a 16GB version and 32GB version.  The Note is only sold as a 16GB version.

I decided multiple times on the SIII 16GB version (I'd add my 32GB microSD to expand the storage), but I kept going back to the Note II and changing my mind.

**Another thing (treat this as a warning):  do not get these phones from Verizon.  They're a lot more expensive than 3rd party vendors such as Radio Shack and Best Buy.  As of 3/5/2013, both Best Buy and Radio Shack sold both SIII versions (the 16GB version for $99 and the other version for $199 -- Verizon sold the 16GB version for $199, AND Verizon only sold the 16GB version).  Both of those stores also sold the Note II for $199, whereas Verizon sold it for $299.  No-brainer for me...do not buy from Verizon.

So, I decided to get the Note II.  I wanted a traditional color, so I got the gray one.  I got it yesterday afternoon.

First, it is a BIG phone.  It is big, but I love the size of the screen.  The extra space is an asset.  It is also highly configurable.  I thought I liked ICS on the Thunderbolt (it was nice...it was just that it appears that ICS didn't like the phone's hardware)...  My Note II is running v4.1.1 (stock ROM, which I'm happy with).

I haven't found anything that I dislike about the phone so far, and I'll looking hard.

I got a case for it as well, the Platinum Series Kickstand Case.  At first, I wanted the Samsung flip case, but I read reviews that said that they're not durable.  The case that I got is pretty hardcore, but it is hard to remove the bottom portion...not a problem until you have to install or remove the microSD card or battery.

As well, the battery capacity is outstanding.  I can probably go 24 hours without recharging the battery, with heavy usage.  Wireless reception is very good.  4G reception still needs to be tested (I only have average reception when I'm at home, due to the distance of the tower from the house), but I shouldn't have a problem with that.

All my apps work fine on this phone (I've a crapload of apps, both free and paid).

The camera is outstanding.  The screen renders colors the way that most Samsung products do...extremely well.

All I have to do now is get insurance coverage, as I've read that it's a fragile phone.  I'll cancel my T-bolt coverage and add the Note II instead.

Overall, I'm very happy with this phone.  I'll be studying up on its capabilities by joining web forums that cater to this make and model.

I may donate the T-bolt, but may play with it to experiment with ROMs.  I'll have to get another microSD card before I do that, though.  At this point I should probably just donate it, because, really, my older iPhones are more capable than the T-bolt.  I liked the T-bolt but it got old rather quickly (was already an old phone when I first got it).

** I'm referencing US-spec models.

Thrustmaster T16000M and Windows 8

They don't mix.  I'm trying to fly planes in BF3 again and I didn't have this issue with Windows 7, but within Windows 8, I don't have full rudder control, even if I configure it within BF3.

I've downloaded these (2009_FFD_2.exe...based on the naming convention, these are rather old...Thrustmaster, fix this shit, please) drivers from Thrustmaster's support pages.  We'll see if that helps.

EDIT:  Yes, the drivers got the rudder to work.  BUT!  The drivers also appear to be causing some weird issues.  For example, whenever I get into a chopper, I occasionally hear my primary weapon being fired (ie, a sniper rifle, for example).  Also, once I exit the chopper, I can't sprint or reload a clip...the buttons will not work.  I experimented a bit, trying to determine where the issue lied until I realized that the joystick was the factor...when I disconnected the joystick, I found that I could sprint again, and reload a magazine.  the sniper firing while piloting a vehicle has stopped.  I captured footage of this happening.  It's a shame, because I was planning on practicing the upcoming DLC release of End Game.  I do not want to have to adapt to flying via mouse...screw that!  So, count this as a rather major negative in migrating to Windows 8...this did not occur with Windows 7.  Sure, this probably isn't the fault of Microsoft and is more than likely a Thrustmaster driver issue (that I'll report), but it ruins the experience of Windows 8 regardless.

iPhone Lockscreen Can Be Bypassed With New iOS 6.1 trick

And here we go again...

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/14/3987830/ios-6-1-security-flaw-lets-anyone-make-calls-from-your-iphone

A security flaw in Apple's iOS 6.1 lets anyone bypass your iPhone password lock and access your phone app, view or modify contacts, check your voicemail, and look through your photos (by attempting to add a photo to a contact).

Something very similar happened with iOS 4.2 (see the article for a reference link).

The article also includes video footage of the flaw being taken advantage of.

Logitech G700

I forgot to mention that I got a new mouse a few weeks ago.  The TactX was acting wonky (apparently, the mouse cable tends to wear over time).  I was a bit pissed, since I spent a good deal of money on that mouse.  It works very well, but I expected it to last much longer.  That was the first wired mouse I've owned in awhile, but this time I went back to the tried-and-true wireless mouse.

I bought a Logitech G700, a gaming mouse.  And it is badass.   It has a replaceable battery and can be charged while using it (via USB cable).  It has profiles and has adjustable on-the-fly sensitivity settings.  It has this tactile material where your thumb sits that offers nice feedback/grip.  It has a ton of buttons.  It is heavy, as well, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Loving it so far.

I explain more about it here.

Alienware: Upgraded to Windows 8 Pro

Last month, I saw several posted articles mentioning MS selling upgrades for Windows 8 Pro for $40 ($39.99, actually).  I bit.  Why?  Because it was a good price for an upgrade and if I found I didn't like Windows 8, I could always go back to Windows 7 with little money spent.

The install wasn't bad and wasn't the best either.  Since this was an upgrade and it is typically best to use a fresh install, I opted to restore my system back to factory configuration.  I did not want any issues with programs that I'd installed in Windows 7 not working in Windows 8.  The factory configuration wouldn't negate this but the factory configuration doesn't have as much installed either.  So, I whipped out my special flash drive with the copy of the factory image and installed.  I then immediately installed Windows 8 from flash drive as well (to speed up the install).  It was rather cumbersome and long, even via flash drive, but it installed flawlessly.

Afterward, I checked to see what wasn't running against the listing of what Windows 8 had flagged that might not work.  Alien Respawn wasn't working.  I'll have to get a Win8-specific copy of that and install it.  Everything else worked.

I then installed my free copy of Windows 8 Media Center.  When I entered the product key, it conflicted with the product key for Windows 8 Pro, which I thought was odd.  Many people were complaining of the same issue and there were some solutions but none worked for me.  Apparently, the system didn't like being upgraded then immediately having Media Center added.  So, I had to call the automated Microsoft number listed in System Information (I believe...I'll check that and correct myself if I'm wrong).  I called the number and followed the instructions.  I had to key in 8 or 9 five-digit codes via phone keypad, then the automated system read back 8 or 9 five-digit codes that I keyed into the config window.  After I did that, the system properly registered!

I did NOT like Metro.  I know there's a way to remove it, but I'm now getting used to it and I think it is oddly intuitive.  I'll keep using it for now.  What I also like is the Windows 7 shell...I can fall back to that when I feel the need.  Chrome only works within the Windows 7 shell, which I don't like, but it's not a huge deal.

The system appears to be quite a deal quicker, but I've never benchmarked Windows 7 on this system and haven't benchmarked Windows 8 either.  Note that I'm not using an SSD (I'm running two 750GB drives in RAID0).  SSD will not help me all that much...it's not going to make my gameplay any faster (only upload faster, but really, that's nota huge deal for me).  One day, I'll go the SSD route, but I want lots of drive space and SSDs aren't cutting it in that department yet.

So, I'm keeping Windows 8 for now.  I may even reinstall it just to get a pristine image of it captured onto flash drive (backup copy).

Apple Disables Java

http://slackfiles.blogspot.com/2013/01/apple-disables-java.html

Posted on my security blog, but since this applies to Apple, I decided to link that blog entry here.

iMac Repair, Part II

Reference http://whitemacbook.blogspot.com/2012/08/imac-repaired.html.

So, not long after I got a replacement drive installed in my iMac, Apple sent me an e-mail stating there was a recall on the drives of certain iMacs.  WTF.  They replaced the drive then want to replace it again???  It means I'll have to pack up and haul the damned thing back to the Apple store again.  That was a pain in the ass last time and it'll be a pain in the ass again.  The iMac is working fine now, but eventually I will have to commit to participating in the recall.  :(

I'll have to research on how to restore using Time Machine, since I lost my backups after the last repair (the damned thing wiped out my backups to backup a fresh hard drive!).

White iPad Mini

I'm the new owner of a white iPad Mini.  It is the wifi-only version and is 64GB in capacity.

This replaces my 32GB 1G iPad (full-sized).  That unit is now my son's (on loan...if he misbehaves, I will take it back and sell it).

I'll be reviewing the Mini when time permits.

I still use the following, as well:

• iPod Classic 30GB - car jukebox, since it has lots of space.
• iPhone 3GS 32GB - car jukebox, since it also has bluetooth.
• White Macbook Core Duo - I still use it ocassionally, although it has been replaced by my Alienware M17x R3.
• iMac 27" - I use this when I really need screen real estate...but the Alienware is faster and I use it more often than the iMac. I use it as an additional screen as well, specifically when playing BF3.

My daughters got iPad Mini (wifi-only, 16GB models, one white and one black), as well.

Then, my wife went a bit crazy.  She initially bought the girls their Minis.  I saw them and played with them, then decided I might want one.  She ordered me one but the order didn't go through properly, so it was cancelled...it was also white when I wanted black.  She ordered a black 32GB and then changed her mind and decided to get another that was 64GB, with plans on returning the 32GB model.  Well, a few days before Christmas, she presented them to me both as early presents.  I was to pick one of them.  The only thing was, she couldn't find a black 64GB...they only had white.  I was expecting a black one but not expecting her to get a 64GB version.  I opted for the 64GB version, even though it was white.  I also mentioned to her that the 32GB unit was actually marked as 16GB...they shipped her the wrong one.  She pannicked, because the receipt stated she purchased a 32GB unit and she thought they'd reject her claim.  She called them and it took awhile for them to process the RMA...in the meantime, they sent her the proper unit, so that when she returned them, it would be less of an issue.  So she has two extra iPads (that need to be returned).  I got a headache when trying to track all that!  :)

Currently, I'm trying to back up my 1G iPad and iPod Classic.  This is difficult, as the iPad is now backing up to iCloud and I've to determine how to generate a local backup without duplicating music/vids/books.  As well, iPads and iPhones always want to back up from iTunes.  That's a problem, because my iMac's hard drive had to be replaced by Apple and I lost all my data (and Time Machine backups).  I think I did a write-up a few years ago on how to restore data from the iPhone back into iTunes...I just need to find it.

EDIT ---

So, I found the write-up:  http://whitemacbook.blogspot.com/2008/05/itunes-issues.html

There's a problem, though.  I've over 1500 tracks that need to be backed up.  Senuti will only back up 1000 tracks, unless you purchase a license.  I didn't want to have to fork over $20 for this, especially since I've only used this program twice in 4+ years.  I'll look at other options listed in my write-up and purchase a Senuti license as a last resort.  Another issue is that Windows will NOT sync my iPod Classic since it is running a Macintosh OS...I'd have to wipe the drive before I can use it in Windows, so I've no choice but to use my iMac (not a problem in itself, but that means I can't use SharePod, since it's a Windows-only app.

EDIT 2 ---

Oh shit...there are methods of doing this from the terminal!!  I'm done...no need to purchase Senuti or any other program, if I'm reading the directions correctly...gonna give the following a shot:

**from http://guides.macrumors.com/Recovering_Songs_from_an_iPod**

===

The iPod songs are hidden away on your iPod in an invisible folder, ie one that the Finder won't display normally. It is possible to let the Finder display hidden files as outlined in this guide or with 3rd Party Software. Otherwise you can follow the below instructions.

All songs are stored in this location:

/Volumes/[YouriPodName]/iPod_Control/Music

In this folder are a number of folders usually labelled from F00 to F49 or higher. The songs are actually stored in these folders with obscure names that are usually not relevant to the song.

To copy these songs using the Terminal, follow these steps:

1. Launch Terminal which is located at /Applications/Utilities/Terminal
2. Type in (replacing [YouriPodName] with the name of your iPod)

   cd /Volumes/[YouriPodName]/iPod_Control

3. To copy the music to your Desktop, type in

   rsync -r Music ~/Desktop

4. Once the rsync command has completed, drag the Music folder on your Desktop onto the iTunes icon on the Dock or in Finder
5. Wait while iTunes imports all the songs

Notes:

• This method does not recover your playlists, ratings or play count.
• If you use the standard copy command "cp", it will copy the special hidden flag and not allow you to see the folder in the Finder.
• This method does not work for the iPhone or iPod Touch, as they do not have "disk mode".

[edit]

===

I'll confirm if this works, but I'm already within the Music/ directory within the command-line interface.

EDIT 3 ---

Yep!  Worked!  Backing up the files and storing onto my backup drive.  Will also transfer the files from this system to my Alienware, so I can put them on my Mini.

Verizon Mifi

I mentioned earlier that I've a few new toys.  One of them is a Verizon Mifi.  I got the 890L, which is the black top and red bottom device.

I went to get a new holster for my phone...mine had recently broken.  While at the Verizon shop, the salesman looked at my account and offered me a plan refinement, which I took.  The adjustment allowed me to purchase a Mifi...in fact, I cut off $50 when adjusting the plan (employee discount helped a ton there), then I used the $50 to get the Mifi.  I also got a $50 rebate, so really, I got the Mifi for free.

It uses my current data allocation and I can use it when I go on vacation when there's no internet.  I can tether my iPod to it, or my iPad.  My wife can tie her Kindles to it.  My daughter can tether her Nook to it.  I've warned them to not stream videos and music when tethered to the Mifi, though...I don't want them using all my bandwidth.  I can also use it for work when I'm traveling on business (or if I need to do some emergency work while on vacation).  I can use it to access the internet using my iPad when I'm at autocross meets, too, which I actually welcome.  I can tether up to 10 devices to it.

The Mifi is extremely easy to tether to.  I gave it a test run while at work, tethering it to my iPad since I can't get a wifi connection from my cube.  It worked quite well.

I also can use my existing Verizon phone's charge cable to charge it (basically, it can use any micro-usb charging cable).  I've no idea how long of a charge it has and how long it can keep a charge with a tethered device connected to it (without the Mifi charging).  We'll eventually find out, although I do NOT want to hit my bandwidth limit.

Another thing:  I can update my data plan to 4GB if I have to, for only $20.  I'm on the 2GB plan now, and my data usage trend is 1GB/month on the average, so if I find I'm toeing the limit, I'll get a notice on my phone, then if I have to, I'll either stop using the Mifi for that month or upgrade to the 4GB plan.

I'll keep you informed of my Mifi usage and the positives and negative.

iMovie and GoPro

So, I got me a new toy (several, actually):  a GoPro Hero 2 HD Motorsports Edition.

I've been getting some driving footage during my commutes to/from work, just to get a feel for how to use the GoPro.  I got about a bit over an hour of footage and only wanted to collect up the footage of my car's exhaust (Subaru Impreza STI).

I tried to use VirtualDub on the Alienware, but VirtualDub doesn't like the .mp4 format that the GoPro utilizes.  I tried to use VideoPad, but and it's conversion tool (converting it to .mpeg) but Windows Media Player doesn't like the conversion.  So, I tried using the tools on my Macbook...bad move.  For one, the Macbook seems to be seriously under-powered when it comes to video editing.  My Macbook also doesn't come with iMovie (using Snow Leopard...the max OS X version it can utilize, which doesn't come with iMovie).  What's funny is that the wife's Macbook DOES have iMovie, and is an actual C2D system, while my Macbook is just a Core Duo system, which came in the first generation Macbooks.  So, next I tried my iMac.  I found that it had iMovie (it is running Mountain Lion).  It also did not bog in the least when it came to creating the montage I had in mind.  It was much easier to use than VirtualDub, as the interface is decently intuitive.

It took awhile to get the video footage from the SD card of my GoPro to the iMac, though...the files were rather large (recorded in 1080p at 30fps), so I went to bed while the files were transferring.  The next day, after work, I began to edit the files, which didn't take all that long.  I took about 8.5 minutes worth of clips and consolidated them, putting in the transitions I wanted.  I then finalized my project at 1080p/30fps, which took about 3 hours to do (went to bed while it was finalizing).  The next day, I reviewed the final product and it was very nice.

I uploaded it to YouTube.  It is here. While it is not raw, there is no music (I wanted to capture the that boxer rumble), as well as no annotations or text comments.  There's no title either.  I'll experiment with all of this sometime soon.

I'll be messing with iMovie a lot more when I get more footage, as I plan to use the GoPro when I have autocross meets and when I ride the motorcycle.  Maybe I'll play with VirtualDub and VideoPad a bit more, but I'm thinking iMovie is the best of the three tools...I do want to try to use the Alienware to edit videos, though, especially when/if I'm not home.  The laptop is my strongest system, so it may just outperform the iMac when using iMovie.

Now, let me tell you about this particular GoPro.

It is NICE!  I bought some accessories with it:  16GB SD card, as well as 2 extra batteries and a wall charger.  The Motorsports Edition comes with a bunch of accessories as well.  It comes with a suction cup mount, which has several bendable joints, including where the camera attaches to it.  It comes with several more permanent mount points (straight and curved) that you can stick to almost anything.  It comes with a back plate that allows sound into the protective case (the standard back plate makes the case water-proof, though).  There's a charging cable that I can use to connect to a computer to download the pictures from the camera, instead of removing the SD card.  That same cable will also charge the battery within 4 hours (provided the camera isn't currently being used).

The camera can take pictures, can be adjusted to take, for example, a picture every second or every 5 seconds (for time lapse vids)...up to a picture every 60 seconds.  It has various HD video configurations or can take VGA video.  It can do up to 60fps with certain HD video settings.  I believe it can take up to 11 megapixel pictures.  The max size of SD card allowed is 16GB.  I can take up to 4 hours of video footage, depending on how I'm using the camera.

The suction cup mount can be used on my motorcycle's fuel tank (that's about the only place it can go, since I've no fairings, although I could mount it on the tail of the bike, if need be).  The tank might be the best mount place, since I've seen much bike video footage that has a LOT of wind noise.  I can purchase several mounting accessories for motorcyling, too (helmet mount or chest-mount straps).

About the only thing I'm worried about is if the suction cup fails if I decide to mount the camera outside the car.  I'm thinking of fashioning a tether, but I don't want a huge dent in my car's aluminum, either.  I'm gonna have to think this through.

I really can't wait to test this thing out some more, but I'm going to have to wait about a month before I can do autocross footage.

iMac Repaired

I got my iMac back last Thursday, but was unable to do anything more than pick it up from the Apple Store, since I had to immediately go on bereavement leave.  I got back home today and I've just now finished installing Mountain Lion.  It is NICE!

Yes, my hard disk had to be replaced, but I've verified that S.M.A.R.T. isn't showing errors.  I'm now installing patches and will go through Time Machine to determine what I wanted restored to the drive...this'll be a week-long process.

So, stay tuned for whining and praises of Mountain Lion!

iMac showing SMART failure

Wow...this is the second time in a row where I'm having drive issues with my Mac.  The firs time, it was my Macbook, where the drive outright failed.  This time, it is my iMac.

I purchased Mountain Lion two days ago.  I began to download it last night to install on my iMac and during the install process, I was asked to select where to install ML, so I selected the main drive.  A pop-up appeared stating there were errors on the drive and that failure was imminent.  It would not let me install.

So, I've made an appointment to the local (if you want to call it that) Genius Bar, for tomorrow morning.  I've to pack up the 27" iMac and tote it to the Genius Bar.  That's going to be a bit of a PITA.  Then I'm probably going to be told that they'll have my iMac for a week or so...let's not hope I have to go through the same situation as my last visit.

Now, this problem is rampant on the Apple.com forums, as well as MacRumors.com.  Many people were blaming Lion, but some people were running Snow Leopard when this occurred.  I don't believe it is any Mac OS version, but something isn't quite right here.  Many people were affected by this.  The culprit is either a bad batch of drives, which Apple has a "recall" on (my system didn't qualify for this recall...weird), or a cooling issue that is adversely affecting hard drives, as many have complained that their systems are running excessively hot.  Many people have also stated that OS X is becoming smart enough to actually correctly assess imminent drive failure (whereas the previous OSs were not able to do this consistently).  That only partially explains the large amount of drive failure complaints...what's causing the failures?

Another thing:  I have no idea how long my machine has been showing "fail" as a SMART status.  You'd think the user/admin would be prompted somehow that there's an issue related to drive failure.  I wasn't made aware until I tried to install v10.8.  An admin shouldn't have to check the SMART status daily, weekly, or even monthly.  Really...this is 2012 and an OS should somehow convey (proactively) the nature of such a status.

I've Time Machine, so I've a backup.

Legacy Macbook Woes

I got the Macbook back in 2006, I believe.  It's pre-C2D and apparently doesn't support 64-bit OSs.  My wife's computer is C2D (mine is Core Duo), so her CPU is 64-bit...the motherboard probably doesn't support 64-bit, though.  I'd try to install Lion on it but she'd kill me.  It took her awhile to get used to Snow Leopard when I upgraded it without her consent (LOL).

So....

http://www.glitch.com/forum/general/11684/#reply-122479:

"The issue I experience with this is that I have one of the first intel core duo macs. This means that the max memory it can handle is 2 gigs. This means that the mac cannot handle running 10.6 even though it has 64-bit capable processors. This means that my mac is stuck at 10.5.8 until it breaks and I am forced to buy a new iMac (a few thousand dollars I do not want to spend until I have to since the iMac still does everything that I need it to). This is not a huge deal for me since I have 2 Windows machines and 1 Linux machine that run Glitch perfectly, but if anyone else has this issue and therefore is unable to use Flash 11, please post here so the devs have a better idea of usage statistics and can make a decision as to wether or not it is worth dedicating resources to allow people to play the game with Flash 10 with the caveat that it may not work right."

Yeah, I'm pretty much stuck in the same situation as the above, although a reply to the above hinted at a workaround:

http://www.glitch.com/forum/general/11684/#reply-122489:

Landar, first off your Mac will run *better* under 10.6 than 10.5, with the same hardware you have right now. I've done that with MacBooks and iMacs of that generation.
Second, almost all the C2D Macs can actually handle 3-and-a-bit gig (it's the usual Intel motherboard limitations) or even four, look up your system at www.everymac.com/systems/by... and click through to the details page.

So, there may be hope after all.  I'll need to look into this.

DriveImage XML

Did a backup of my M17X last night using DriveImage XML.  It was simple to execute.  So now, I've a fresh copy of Windows 7 on my recovery partition, a copy of that with some apps installed stored to a memory stick, and now I've a copy of the C: as it is right now.  At some point, I need to do a drive-for-drive image, but I don't want to have to buy another backup drive (and a big one at that)...a drive-for-drive image will be copying used and unused space...all 1.5 TB of it...or am I wrong?

What I really want is an extra copy of the restore partition, so I can burn it to CD and put it somewhere safe.  DriveImage XML won't even let me see the recovery partition, although native tools such as diskmagn (the default Windows disk management system) sees the partition.

Now I need to take that backup that ran last night, and place it on the MBL backup drive.  :)

Installing a Couple of Flight Sims

Installing Wings over Vietnam and Strike Fighters Project 1...older games, I know, but I want to start using my simulator games on the Alienware system.  I'll get Strike Fighters 2 next payday and maybe install Blackshark and A10C sometime this week, also.

EDIT:

Installed both but I believe that Wings over Vietnam is the successor to SFP1, so I'm going to remove SFP1.  Played some last night and I enjoyed myself.  Went to ThirdWire's website and downloaded the patches and installed without a hitch.  One problem, though, is that the game continues to use my integrated graphics card instead of my dedicated 580M.  Not that it matters with this game, though, since it is older and this system is so powerful.  I tooled with the game's settings as well as the Nvidia control panel and could not get the game to use the 580M.

Miscellaneous...

So, I'm finding out that the M17xR3 is bulky enough to where I don't want to carry it around from one part of the house to another, so I've still been using my Macbook (when I'm lazy).  Been using it a lot to pay bills, IRC (##slackware), and web browse.

So, one day, I unplug it and go to another room to help my wife with a project and notice that the battery icon is still showing 100% after not being plugged into AC power for about an hour.  I click the icon and it states that I'll be needing another battery soon.  COME ON!  First I run into the limited hard drive space, now I'm going to need a new battery?  GRRR...  Might be time to retire it.  Granted, this battery has been stellar since the original was replaced...it IS about time for a replacement, I guess.  And, it could do with more than 80GB of drive space.  So, it looks like I might be refreshing both sometime this year.  Maybe July/August, if I can hold off.

About the M17xR3.  I've decided to subscribe to Carbonite as a backup utility.  I was using Dropbox but didn't want to pay for the extra space (using the free account...and no, I'm not going to hawk Dropbox to my friends to get extra space).  Carbonite has no limit on backup spacing, but is tied to one PC.  It also won't backup the OS or applications, but will backup everything else.  I purchase the HomePlus version of Carbonite and it has a drive mirror option, but requires a dedicated local drive to mirror the drive...BUT...I'm using two drives in RAID0 format (stock configuration), which HomePlus won't support.

I'm also using DriveImage XML and plan to perform a whole disk backup (as soon as I figure out where to store the image...it should be pretty big).  I will also need to back up the restore partition.  I do have a clean image backed up to USB drive (using Alien Respawn), but it is a copy of the drive without most of my apps, which is a good start, I guess.

I've been gaming a lot from my dining and living room (via wifi connection), playing L4D2 and BF3.  The Killer wireless card is awesome, as I've noticed NO lag or connectivity issues.  I'm loving the fact that Killer prioritizes the packets associated with gaming...that may be why I'm seeing no connection issues.  I do notice that it takes BF3 longer to load (which I was attributing to my RAID0 setup), but most of my clanmates are experiencing the same issue, and they're using standalone hard disks.  The load issue wasn't present before the last BF3 patch, so I'm thinking the issue is related to that.

I'm having issues with using my iMac as a second screen now.  Not a real issue, but for some reason when I try to get BF3 to show on the 27" screen, Windows 7 keeps placing the gaming window on the M17x monitor instead.  I didn't have this problem initially, so I wonder why W7 is doing this.

I began to use my G930 wireless headset with the M17x and it is awesome.  I still need to get the headset set up so that W7 detects that it is in use and uses the headset by default when it is plugged into the Alienware system (I have to manually go into the sound settings to enable it).  I don't remember having this issue with my Turtlebay headset, but want to use my G930 since it sounds soooo much better than the Turtlebay.

I've been hitting on max disk space usage on my Mac (80GB drive). Wondering if it's worth upgrading the drive to something bigger, but I don't really use this machine anymore.  I mean, I do, but it's not a primary machine anymore...it has been replaced by my Alienware M17xR3, but I use the Macbook when I feel the Alienware is too bulky (there ARE times that the bigger machine is inappropriate).  I deleted 465 files from the Downloads directory (for browser)...freed up maybe a gig of space. Will be downloading Disk Inventory X to see if there are any extremely big files that need to go.

Update -- Oh yeah, Disk Inventory X is a Mac port of WinDirStat, by the way.

Update -- Freed up 6 more gigs of data. Found that I had some TomTom files that I didn't need (upgrade files).  I've quite a bit of music also...I might need to archive it or move it to the iMac (got 1.5TB in that one).

Got my mini-DisplayPort Cable!

I ordered a mini-DisplayPort cable this weekend.  The idea was to be able to use my iMac screen as additional screen real estate, so that I can game on a big screen (like 17" isn't enough...it's plenty but more is always better).

So, the cable arrived today.

Results:

All I need to figure out now is to how to configure BF3 sound to be heard in the headset (vs the iMac speakers).  Also, there's an issue where game sounds (on the iMac) lower or mute...the OS is apparently turning down the sound automatically.  It wasn't doing this when playing BF3 through the M17x audio and display.  I'll figure it out later.

Also, as a note, only the mini-DisplayPort cable will work (or a DisplayPort cable with mini DisplayPort adapters).  The main cable has to be DisplayPort...HDMI will not work.  This solution will also not work for Thunderbolt Macs.  My iMac is pre-Thunderbolt.

I'll be going to OBX for vacation next week.  I plan to take the M17x so I can occasionally play BF3 or other Origin/Steam games.  We'll see how that goes, especially since I don't know what type of internet connectivity we'll be provided.

M17x R3 Has Arrived

  

  

My M17x R3 has been delivered!

It was delivered 3/20/2013, late in the evening, around 7:45PM (rather late, but that's another story).

I cracked it open but decided not to capture the box-opening on video...there are FAR too many videos of this on the internet as it is.  Once you've seen one, you've basically seen them all.

Anyways, this is a large notebook, especially since I've been using a 13" Macbook almost exclusively.  This notebook positively dwarfs the tiny Macbook in size as well as weight (this notebook weighs at LEAST 10lbs).

The screen is awesome.  It's on par with my iMac's screen for brightness and clarity.  I'll certainly test both, as I plan to use the iMac screen when gaming on the M17x via a mini-DisplayPort-to-mini-DisplayPort cable.  I played BF3 several times over the weekend using the new notebook and my KDR went up at least on percentage point (it has been dropping in the last six months).  I primarily use the sniper class and noticed that I can aim and shoot quicker on this system, so I decided to use the engineer class last night.  This is something I usually don't use, unless I anticipate having to fix vehicles.  I used that class in Operation Metro, which usually has me dying left and right.  I used the AKS-74u.  In 8 minutes of gameplay using that class and that weapon, I raised my engineer score by several thousand and killed without mercy...checking BFStats.com, I found that my accuracy with that weapon went up 1.14% with that gaming session alone...unbelievable.  And with the M40A5, my accuracy went up 1.87% just with last night's few hours of play.  A large part of this is probably due to the video card in this system.  I also played some BF3 on my AMD 6-core system and noticed immediate differences in clarity.  I still have to install Fraps onto the M17x but I'm positive that the 580M is outgunning the ATI 5600-series card in my desktop system.  I've seen this before, when moving up from an Nvidia 7500 to a 9500...my gameplay kill scores skyrocketed due to pure FPS increase.  This means I might consider upgrading the vidcard in my desktop (again...when will it end????).  And we'll see if things get even better when I push the video to the 27" iMac screen...

I find I don't play as well if I have to use the notebook's keyboard (I bought the TacX keyboard for use with this notebook).  The TacX keyboard and mouse are awesome!  I play better with this keyboard because I'm used to the external keyboard layout when I game.  I have to have the arrow keys when gaming (I'm not a fan of WASD and never have been...been gaming since FPS became prevalent), as well as the upper row between the numpad and QWERTY keys.  I *might* try to adapt to the laptop's keyboard...we'll see.

I've installed only a few apps, such as Norton 360 and Norton Management, Origin, TeamSpeak, WinDirStat, HWINFO64, Chrome, BF3, and one or two others.

Temperature-wise, the 580M has been good, so far.  There are quite a few complaints of throttling due to heat on the NotebookReview.com forums, but the highest I've seen so far is 59C when playing BF3.  *knock on wood*

I've a few desktop gadgets running:  CPU usage, GPU meter, drives meter, and network meter.  When I installed Norton, it installed it's own desktop gadget, which I'll tolerate since it should keep me situationally aware.

I haven't noticed any issues with the notebook so far, which is good, since Dell's support appears to be rather shakey (from what I've gathered on the forums, as well as the pains I went through to even get the notebook delivered).

One last note.  The RAID 0.  It's getting a rather low WEI rating, due solely to the performance (or lack thereof) of the RAID 0 setup.  Now, I've not noticed anything abnormally slow with the drive writing and reading at all.  WEI has been massively sensationalized...the system runs good regardless of the low rating.  I don't need an SSD at this moment in time...really.  Many people are pushing for SSD, but it won't do much but help the OS start and shut down a few seconds quicker.  It might help game loading a bit, but not really much.  Besides, SSDs are REALLY expensive and to afford one, I'd have to buy a small one and shift my games back and forth between a platter drive and the SSD...not conventional at all and certainly not convenient to have to micromanage the notebook in such a manner.  No thanks...it's not for me.

Alienware M17x R3

It's been awhile since I've posted here and at my iWeb site.  I'm a bit turned off by Apple, their Macs, and some of the software debacles lately, so I've been debating on where to post my Mac material.  I'm hating iWeb more and more (and it's not being updated any longer...as well as MobileMe being end-of-life), so it looks like I'll stick to this site as my main blog.  I'm not even going to bother with trying to import my other blog entries over to this site.

On this note, I've bought a new notebook.  And it's not an Apple product.  I bought an Alienware M17x R3.  The specs are below:


Stealth Black, soft-touch
Intel Core i7 2760QM 2.4GHz (3.5GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz (4DIMMS)
17.3-inch WideFHD1920 x 1080 60Hz WLED
2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M
1.5TB Raid 0 (2x 750GB 7,200RPM)
Custom Nameplate
AlienFX Color, Quasar Blue
Alienware Command Center Software, M17X
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit Service Pack 1, English, w/Media
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Internal High-Definition 5.1 Surround Sound Audio
Killer Wireless-N 1103 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology

I opted out of the 3D 1080p screen (I don't care about gimmick items), although the resolution is a tad better than what I got.  I almost got the red version, but thought that the AlienFX coloring might clash with the red case color.

I'll be making space next to my iMac for this machine, as I plan to use the 27" screen for gaming.  I also  to use this notebook in tandem with my AMD 6-core desktop system.  In some regards, the M17x will replace my gaming desktop, especially when I'm traveling.

I also bought the Alienware TacX keyboard and mouse, a My Book Live 2-TB NAS drive for extra storage (I'll speak further on this later).  I bought a Cooler Master NotePal LapAir and Swiss Wenger messenger-style Legacy Slimcase (which is checkpoint-friendly).  I also bought a Cooler Master NotePal  U2 desk cooler with fan system, for the desk.

The system is due to be delivered March 13th.  I may be taking off that day to be sure I'm home to pick up the system and get it situated.  I ordered it Feb 18th, so I've been waiting awhile for the system to be built.  There was/is a stocking issue with the NV GTX580M video card, due to this past winter's flooding in Asia.

Another thing:  RAID 0 with the HDDs on a laptop.  They configured RAID 0 to offer optimal speed, but if one drive fails, I lose all the data of both drives (since data will be spread over both drives).  I'll see how fast the machine is, and if I'm not satisfied, I'll contemplate changing to RAID 1.  Then again, this is why I got the NAS drive.  I'm not ready to go the SSD route...I've spent enough on this system to where I just want to use it for awhile before buying anything else.  I *might* install more RAM, since I eventually plan to use virtual machines.  Also, I'm not planning on running Linux natively on this machine...there's just no need, since I've a ton of natively installed *nix machines already.  I might at least install Cygwin, though, as I've found Cygwin to be invaluable to use on Windows systems.

About the NAS drive, this thing was a PITA to get working with my Macbook.  After doing some internet digging, I found that I have to ensure that my Macbook is already connected to the NAS drive via AFP (not SMB) as a user, otherwise Time Machine won't connect to it.  It took me maybe a week to figure that out, and it's not anywhere on WesternDigital's knowledgebase (but is on their forums).  The NAS' network connection speed is satisfactory.  I was able to back up the Macbook in 24 hours (close to 70GB of data over a network connection).

I'll do some videos and take pics of the system when it arrives.  I will NOT video the unboxing of it...there's enough of those types of videos.

Application Removal in OS X

I had to remove an application in Mac OS X.  I've never really bothered with this before, but thought I'd like to know the process of removal.  Well, it isn't as straight-forward as Microsoft OSs such as Windows XP (and yeah, I know that not all applications are removed cleanly by install/remove programs).

Here are a few tips.

Backup Drive Corrupted

I was on vacation and upon return noticed that my periodical backups hadn't been running since the 21st of Jan.  I back up data using Time Machine, to a LaCie 750GB drive.

I hadn't restarted the iMac in awhile (to which the drive is attached), so I restarted it...that didn't get it working.  I also restarted the drive itself...no resolution either.

I opened up Disk Utility and it saw the drive, so now I'm running a "verify disk" and "repair".  I'm hoping this fixes the issue, but I'm now wary, as it's taking quite a while, but this is probably due to the size of the drive.  Also, maybe there's a ton of errors?  I don't know.

I'd hate to lose the data on this drive.  Perhaps I need to think of some type of backup procedure of the backup drive (maybe backing it up every six months or so).

It might be time to look at a different solution.

EDIT:  Yeah... Disk Utility couldn't repair the partition, so I had to erase it to get it working again.  It is fine now, but I think I'm going to need to periodically back up the back-up drive.  Lost a LOT of pictures and such.  I'm actually thinking on using a cloud-based storage solution.

Stolen iPhone Saga, Part Deux

Wow!

Apple iCloud pricing revealed in developer beta

Apple has revealed its pricing structure for its iCloud service in a beta launch for developers

More here.

Core Duo Not Supported by Mac OS X Lion

So, I plugged my Macbook to the network, thinking I'd download and install Lion via the App Store (by going to Store --> Purchased (since I'd already bought and installed Lion on the iMac), but found that Core Duo machines aren't supported:

WTF...

It looks like my Macbook now has one foot in the grave.  I'll have to stick with Snow Leopard, but eventually, that will be unsupported.  It's not a huge deal, I guess, since Lion just came out.  I wonder when Leopard goes end-of-life (if it hasn't already)...

This is a rather large bummer.  The laptop isn't THAT old.

Well, there's one other Macbook in the house...my wife's.  It is a Core 2 Duo machine.  I don't even know if she wants the upgrade but it is available to her if she'd like to give it a shot.

It looks like I've a good excuse to buy me a new Macbook next year with whatever bonus I get.  If I do, I'll go Pro this time, more than likely...so I can game on it.

May as well back up with Time Machine since I've got it set up beside the iMac, though.

OS X Lion Brings Major Security Overhaul To Apple Users

OS X Lion Brings Major Security Overhaul To Apple Users

I haven't yet fully read the article, but it will definitely be on my weekend hitlist!

OS X v10.7!

Yep yep!  I got the big Lion!  I'm using it on my iMac and once I get used to it, will be putting it on my Macbook.

I'll update this post as I discover issues and/or things I like.

[EDIT (7/23/2011):


So, I'm finding --


1.  That I like Mission Control...a lot.
2.  I like that I can side-scroll the desktops.
3.  FaceTime looks cool.  I'll have to give it a shot soon.
4.  I like the fact that I can use the Magic Mouse like the touchpad on my Macbook...even if I can't do everything the demo video shows on the Apple pages).
5.  I read in an article that I posted here that security in Lion has improved drastically.  Good job, Apple!
6.  My Macbook (Core Duo) is NOT supported in Lion, so I can't install Lion on that machine...not good!
7.  Full disk encryption will secure your data if your Mac is lost/stolen.]

Doubletwist and More Phone Things

So, I finally finished importing my iTunes files to my Thunderbolt.  Only, now I've a ton of duplicates.  This is a known issue with Doubletwist, unfortunately.  Well, at least I've all my files imported now.  I'll have to go through the SD card and manually remove the duplicates.

I also went to Manassas today and was able to pick up a strong 4G signal...ran a quick speed test using the Speedtest.net app.  I got speeds greater than my home wifi.  Latency is higher, though.  Upload is lower, also.

See below:

Based on those screenshots, I can't wait to have 4G where I live, which is like 4-5 miles down the road from Manassas.  4G is JUST out of reach...AAARRGH!!

Also, we lit some fireworks last night and I tested the phone's camera and HD capability (@ 720p):

Non-HD video footage:

One Less Reason To Have Me.com

So, I found out that the Thunderbolt won't synch with Me.com (what used to be .Mac and MobileMe).  While it's not a surprise, it is rather irritating.  I used to rely on it to synch with my phone, as well as my wife's phone (and all the Mac systems in the house, of which there are four).  Well, I still have my iPad also.

What am I using now, on the Thunderbolt?  Google Calendar, which appears to be simpler (fancy that...something that's simpler and more intuitive than an Apple-grown app).

I'll still use my Me.com account for other things, such as photo sharing and archiving, extra e-mail accounts, and tracking my iPad (if I lose it) and daughter's iPod Touch.  As I said, I still have Mac systems in the house.

Also, this phone is a power hog!  I have a car adapter for charging and use my work's Blackberry charger to charge my Thunderbolt at work (I also have a micro-USB cable that I can use and plug into my laptop when I need to charge both the BB and the Tbolt).  Still, I find it consuming lots of energy, and I'm barely on a 4G network throughout the day (I touch it maybe once or twice for 10 minutes at a time).

I'm still drooling over the HD videos it records, too.  I recorded some fireworks that we set off tonight and the video turned out very well (once I found out how to adjust focus).

AT&T called me last night wanting me to participate in a survey once they found out that I cancelled my service with them.  They called me on my Tbolt and asked if I was on a cell or landline (WTF?).  When I told them I was on my phone, they told me they'd call me at my home phone, which was rather odd.  When I later told my wife, she said, "they were afraid the call would be dropped".  I almost snorted my lunch out of my nose when she said that!

And on that note, no, I still haven't had a dropped call and it's been almost a week since I've had the new phone.  If I were using my iPhone, I'd have had at least 4-5 dropped calls already.

Mac OS X - how to disable auto logouts

How do you disable automatic logouts in OS X?

System Preferences -> Security -> There's a checkbox for auto-logout.


I don't know why I haven't done this (until now).  I guess I just got too tired of coming back to my system after being diverted and finding that I got logged out.


Now, that being said, still, I'd like to be able to lock my session without using the GUI.  I guess my research isn't yet done!  :)  [EDIT:  Here it is, and I've implemented it...it works!   http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20090831093941225]


EDIT:  Wow...on that same page, in the comments section, someone mentioned using ctrl+shift+eject...that works...so, maybe I can remove the edits I did?

HTCing

A few things:

1.  I've installed Prey on my Thunderbolt.  I've run it on my Dell Mini but wasn't aware that they made it so that it can be used on Android phones (which is Linux at its core).  On a side note, they also now make versions for Macs and Windows.

2.  Noted that there's no Zinio for Android versions below v3.0.  That's a huge bummer.  I'd wanted to use it on this phone but this phone is using Android v2.2.1.  I might not ever see v3.0.  I don't even believe there are many phones using v3.0.  I've no idea why they didn't focus on what's being used broadly.  I guess I'll have to continue to use Zinio on my iPad and Macbook.

Some of the apps I've installed so far:

androidVNC
AutoKiller Memory
Delicious
doubleTwist
Dropbox
Facebook
JuiceDefender
Linode Android
Lookout
Motorcycle.com
mSecure
Prey
Speed Test
Tapatalk
Unit Converter
White Noise
Zedge

Some of these were suggested to me, but most of these I either used on my iPad or iPhone.  I haven't used them all yet.  I need to, because some of the UI on these apps have quite a different layout than their iPhone versions.

I also have gotten a taste of 4G LTE, but only at work, and even then it's sporadic, since where I work is at the fringes of coverage.

I've noticed I haven't dropped a call yet, and I've tested in the places where I used to constantly drop calls when I used the iPhone.  This is good!

I also got my 25% employee discount enabled on this phone's account...can't wait for that to kick in.

Tried the speaker phone today, also...I love it.  I do notice that the speaker sounds a bit muffled when the kickstand isn't pulled out, but the speaker is way louder than what I had on the iPhone.

It also feels GOOD to have REAL Bluetooth again!  :)

Got a New Phone!

Bought a new phone yesterday.

Yeah.  I went Verizon.  This is the first time in years that I'm not using an iPhone.  Since I've done a lot in the last 24 hours with the new phone, I've a bit to discuss.

The wife wouldn't let go of her vacation and stretched it to the limit yesterday.  She took the kids to the water park and I was positively done with vacationing, so I opted out.  I took the boy with me and decided to drive around Massanutten/Luray/Harrisburg in Virginia.  Then I got to thinking that maybe I should go look at phones at the closest Verizon Wireless center.  After driving around for a bit, I went to Harrisburg, looked around, and asked them if they had HTC Thunderbolts.  They did and I began to ask questions.  I looked at other 4G Verizon phones but had all issues with them.  The Droid X2 had a BIG screen but wasn't 4G.  The Revolution and Charge were OK but again, they weren't meeting my requirements, which I explained in my last post.

So, I ended up getting the Thunderbolt.

My 24-hour impressions are below.

1.  This phone is HEAVY.  When I say this, I'm comparing to my current iPhone 3GS.  My wife's Samsung Infuse makes the T-bolt seem like a boulder.  But I do like the solid feel.  I do like the heft, though...it doesn't seem fragile and is probably more durable than my iPhone.

2.  The screen is brighter than I thought.  It was blinding my wife when I was in bed reading.

3.  Voice clarity is incredible.  I called my mom and could hear everything going on in the background.

4.  Still getting used to the Android Market.  There's a LOT of junk apps...seriously.  I'm not used to that.  I was trying to find a free and GOOD free screenshot app but couldn't find one (and all want you to have a hacked phone (for root access).  I'm still looking for a good screenshot app, too.

5.  I had to find some critical apps that matched what I was using on my iPhone, such as mSecure.  They had mSecure for Android phones but it was a real pain to get a backed up copy imported onto my T-bolt.  At first, I mailed a backup to myself, but the phone wouldn't let me copy the encrypted backup (it was several pages long and the phone wouldn't let me copy AND scroll down).  So, I used mBackup and my Macbook to get a copy onto the T-bolt.

6.  I had a difficult time figuring out how to get my iPhone pictures onto my T-bolt.  Finally, I plugged my T-bolt into my Macbook with a USB cable, which mounted the phone as a drive.  Then I just copied the pictures onto the micro-SD card.

7.  I had to repurchase my highly desirable apps.  Apps such as Tapatalk and Motorcycle.com (as well as mSecure).  That was undesirable but unavoidable.  I found that I'd invested a bit into the iPhone, enough to where it was a bit painful for me to repurchase these apps.  I left alone such apps as Angry Bird, especially since I'd have to start all over with playing it (I don't believe Angry Bird saves game progress to the level that I can continue from the same place I'd left off on the iPhone).

8.  I love the speaker phone.  It is loud.  I love the fact that the speaker is big (it is behind the side stand).

9.  My bill should be the same as what I had with the iPhone, with the exception of the activation fee, which is $35 and will only show on the first bill.

10.  Data plan usage is NOT unlimited, but the salesperson swears that most people don't bump into the limit.  He insisted that 2GB is fine for most people.  We will see, as I do sometimes use data (at work when I can't reach the wifi hotspots).

11.  The voice plan I selected was the 450 plan.  Lately, with AT&T, I'd been bumping into my limit but what was saving me was the rollover minutes (I have a TON of them).  I'll have to watch my usage very closely.  No more speaking with mom for 1+ hours in the middle of the day!

12.  The seven (7) virtual screentops may not be enough for me.  Or, maybe I need to reconsider what I place on those screentops.  I'm used to the IOS's way of grouping screentop icons.

13.  The FriendStream app is NICE!  The wife also has it on her phone (but she doesn't use it...I'm going to push her to try it, as it is VERY cool.

14.  The front-facing camera on this phone is wicked.  It rivals my wife's Infuse (that statement would be scandalous to some).  The flash is bright, also.  The clarity is good.  The rear-facing camera is decent, also, but I would like to test it with apps such as Skype.  Sadly, Skype isn't ready for this phone yet.  Yahoo might work, though.

15.  I love the way I can kill running apps and have an app manage battery consumption.

16.  The micro-USB cable is a life-saver.  No more proprietary cabling.  I HATED the iPhone's cable and the fact that I couldn't do crap with it without iTunes.

17.  The 32-gb micro-SD card is a lifesaver...and it is rather large in storage capacity.  Too bad that you can only access it by removing the battery.

18.  This phone pretty much flies when asked to do something.  I rarely see it running slowly.

19.  I had a few large software updates waiting for me.  It's nice to have these loaded directly to the phone instead of relying on iTunes.  Word of advice, though, some updates can be large...it would be wise to use a wifi connection when updating.  Also, I preprogramed the phone to get the updates while I was sleeping (so it wouldn't interfere with me doing other things...plus, the phone gets hot when downloading large files).

It's going to take me awhile to get used to this phone, especially since I'm coming from an iPhone.  I'm ready for a change, but I'm not going to lie when I say that the iPhone is the phone to have if you just want crap to work.

Loving it so far!

EDIT:


Still need to import my iPhone contacts and music to my Thunderbolt.  I'm currently in the process of importing my contacts.  What I had to do was save all of my contacts in my address book on my Macbook into a vcard formated file.  I then placed this file on the micro-SD card, then I imported the file into my People app.  It looks like it worked fine.  The real test may be my music, especially my iTunes-purchased music.  :(


EDIT 2:


Tried using ITMW (itunemywalkman) to get my music into my Android but it was cumbersome, but I remember a phone salseman mentioning Doubletwist.  I installed that and my music appears to be synching.  It will be awhile, as I've 29GB of stuff to transfer.  I suppose I can do this a few hours every day for a few days.  Most of it is podcasts, I think, so I could maybe remove all the podcasts (I don't listen to them anymore anyways).  We'll see how it turns out.

So, I'm on vacation...

I now have some time to geek out.  I suspect it will involve something with Apple products, whether it be the iPad or the Macbook.  The wife has her Macbook with her, also.  Maybe I'll take a look at hers to see how she's doing on disk space.  I may delve in some scripting on mine.  Or, play with web serving.

Regarding the iPad, I forgot to bring the charger, but I do have my standard iPhone synching cable with me, so I may have to slow-charge the iPad (when I'm sleeping or something, but that means I'd have to put the iPad to sleep).  I'm charging it now as I type, and it charged 2% in 10 minutes, so that's actually not bad, especially since it was at 92% to begin with.

My iPhone is about to be replaced.  I'm not even sure I'm going to stay with AT&T, as I'm tired of dropped calls.  I also work for Verizon and will get a pretty substantial discount (15%) if I switch.  The only Verizon phones that catch my interest are the Droid X2 and the HTC Thunderbolt, which are both LTE/4G phones.  The AT&T phones that interest me are the Samsung Infuse and the Motorola Atrix (the Atrix has a dual core CPU, as does the Droid X2), and both of those are considered 4G phones, even though AT&T doesn't yet have a "true" 4g network...they have that HSPA+ crap that isn't quite on par with 4G but insist that it is equivalent to 4g

My wife has the Samsung Infuse and it is a great phone, IMO.  The screen is 4.5"...huge!  And the clarity of the screen is typical Samsung.  It has front- and rear-facing cameras, also, which is another one of my requirements.  The camera at the back of the phone is 8MP, and the front camera is 1.3MP, I believe.  It is an Android phone.  My wife doesn't like it, but she's coming from an iPhone 3GS (which I have right now), which she loved.  The Infuse isn't as intuitive as her old phone.  I told her if she didn't like the phone, she should return it before the 30-day satisfaction guarantee expired.  In the end, she kept it, as she liked the clarity of the screen and the cameras.  I'd have taken it off her hands if I wasn't still tied to my phone number...we could've swapped (and no, you can't swap the SIM cards from one to the other, between the iPhone and Infuse).  But, she complains of dropped calls and bad reception at work, while Verizon phones tend to get good reception inside buildings.  I've friends who say they can make/take calls when in the subways...can't really beat that.

Comparing both the Infuse and the Thunderbolt, they appear to be very similar in hardware.  What I like about the Thunderbolt is that you get a 32gb micro-SD card with it, out of the box!  The cameras are the same.  The screen on the Infuse is larger, though.  The Thunderbolt is true 4g.  The Infuse has super screen clarity.  The Samsung captures video at 1080P, while the HTC does it at 720P.  This is going to be a hard decision.  Also, I'm still under contract, although I'm seven months out.  I'd have to pay something like $80 as an early termination fee (which isn't bad).  A comparison of the two phones is here.

Why am I not getting an iPhone 4?  I see no need to continue to be tied to any iPhone, as intuitive as they are.  My main complaint about my current iPhone is the fact that I can't customize it the way I want.  I sometimes wish I could have some of the Android apps, as they tend to let you do some pretty awesome things.  I want more screen area, also.  I want the option of having my data stored on external media such as an SD card (no, Dropbox doesn't cut it).  I want real 4g (and 3g will no longer cut it).

I've yet to decide if I'll migrate to Verizon.  I've yet to decide what phone I want, but I want the Thunderbolt pretty bad.  I've seen it on display and it is a nice piece of work.  About the only thing I haven't done is actually used one on the LTE network.  It is pretty much either the Samsung or the Thunderbolt, right now, but I haven't even looked at Sprint's phones.  I'm going to have to do that, also.  I refuse to look at T-mobile, since they are pending a merger with AT&T, with AT&T buying them out.  AT&T will get rid of a lot of things that make T-mobile good.  I do not want to buy a T-mobile phone and find that I'll have to get another phone in a year...that would piss me off.  I hope that merger doesn't go through, either, as that would mean there are only three major players (Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint). 

I do want to check out Sprint's phones, though.  It will have to be a top-of-the-line Sprint phone, though.  HTC's EVO 4G would be the Sprint phone I'd probably look at first.

Smartphones NOT So Smart!

Me: If I don't move for 5+ hours, my phone should be aware and quit polling for nearby wifi hotspots. Not found in 10 min, try again in 10 min.

Friend: I just turn wifi off

Me: I turn it off too, but by the time I remember, it's already used 25% battery life. I use wifi at home, otherwise I'd turn it off altogether. They make this crap seem like its innovative, but they stop just to make the phone look pretty. Apple: Fix the software and make it more intelligent...THEN beautify!

Ugh!

I'm beginning to HATE iWeb. I can only post things if I use my MacBook or iMac. I can't create iWeb content using my iPad or a Windows machine (WTF). There's also the issue with my Macbook having an older copy of iWeb...I'm trying to prevent having to spend $70 to get the latest version of iLife. Yeah, its only $70, but factor in that I have to use the word 'only' every time I purchase software or computer supplies...that stuff adds up (seriously).

So, coming back to Blogger seems to be the logical solution. I can access Blogger from any system while I can't with iWeb. I don't have to pay for Blogger to ensure compatibility, either. I think iWeb has become an afterthought for Apple. The Apple mindset of "we know better than the user/consumer" gets old after awhile...

Apple Taps Unisys to Assist With Business and Government Support

 

Bloomberg reports that Apple has brought in IT service provider Unisys to help with support for its corporate and government customers, a growing area of focus for Apple.

More here.

iPhone 4 Sells Out in Apple's Chinese Online Store in Only 10 Hours, Scalpers Blamed

Earlier this week, Apple debuted its Chinese online store, offering consumers in that country the ability to order the full range of Apple products directly from the company. M.I.C gadget reports, however, that the store's supplies of the iPhone 4 recent incidents in Apple's retail stores in China, scalpers are being blamed for rapid depletion of Apple's online store stocks. With Apple employing more stringent standards for in-store iPhone 4 sales, including reservations, purchase limits and ID requirements, the new online store appears to be scalpers' latest target.

More here.

iPad now available in AT&T and Verizon retail stores

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/28/ipad-now-available-in-atandt-and-verizon-retail-stores/

AT&T is offering only the three Wi-Fi + 3G models, priced at Apple's standard $629/$729/$829. The company also continues to offer its two no-contract monthly data plans at 250 MB ($14.99) and 2 GB ($25.00). Monthly international data plans are also available for those traveling outside of the United States, although at significantly higher prices than domestic data.

For its part, Verizon is offering the the Wi-Fi-only iPad models, promoting bundles with the carrier's MiFi mobile hotspot for $629.99/$729.99/$829.99, effectively offering an over-50% discount on the MiFi's standard no-contract price of $269.99. No-contract monthly data plans for the iPad/MiFi bundle are offered at 1 GB ($20), 3 GB ($35), 5 GB ($50) and 10 GB ($80). The carrier is also offering unbundled Wi-Fi iPads for $499.99/$599.99/$699.99.

Is there Kismac for iPad?

The title says it all.

I left my Macbook in the passenger seat on the way to work one day, leaving Kismac running...

What I wanted to know was how many unsecured WAPs I crossed on my way to work.  I no longer have the gathered data but I was shocked...approximately 20% of the observed WAPs were not secure at all.

I'd like to be able to do this again, leveraging my iPad.  I'm currently looking for something similar to Kismac (or Kismac itself) for the iPad.

[Edit:  found something here...not particularly good news but it is understandable.]

iPad = Desktop/Laptop Replacement?

Do you think that an iPad can replace a laptop (not a netbook) or a desktop?  If so, why?  Feel free to leave comments.

The reason I'd like to leave netbooks out of the equation is that netbooks and iPads are going to be similar, specification-wise.  I don't always like to compare apples to apples.  :)  Besides, if someone is going to argue that iPads can be used as full-on computer systems, it would make for a stronger argument if the comparison was against a non-netbook system.

I believe Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) even suggested that the iPad wasn't designed to be a laptop/desktop replacement.  While the iPad can be made into something it isn't, the design goals shouldn't be changed, at least not without real planning/scoping on the part of the Apple dev team.

The iPad is a good tool...but its not a laptop or desktop replacement.  I'd not even want it to be.  There will always be things that a laptop or desktop will do better...sometimes mobility doesn't matter (like when I'm home?).

iPad First Usage FAQ

I'm going to attempt to keep a tally of questions regarding the first few weeks of iPad usage.

Q1. I plug my iPad to my Macbook so that it can charge, but it isn't charging. What's the deal?
A1. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4060 states that this won't work, as the iPad is beefier equipment and it requires a strong power source (or charge it while it is in sleep mode, when it's drawing almost no power).

Q2: Can I manipulate what shows in images I select as backgrounds?

A2: Yes: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9565984&postcount=2. When setting up the wallpapers, you can pinch/zoom and pan them around to get them centered just how you like...the trick is, if you then rotate the system, you can do it again for the other orientation, and it remembers both. This way you could use a 1024x768 image, and then zoom in the portrait version so that it fills the 768x1024 screen without being ugly.

I'll add more as I discover more learning challenges.

iPad Time!

So, I got me an iPad today...the 32GB wifi-only model. In fact, I'm postIng from it right now!

I also got the Apple case for it, and the camera connection kit.

Right now, I'm trying to get data to it (pictures and music and such).

My major interest right now is learning what is needed for iWorks stuff, like Keynote. Movies would be nice too.

I've yet to tell the wife that I got it, so some sparks may be generated when she finds out.

Mac Remote Printing?

I'm still delving/experimenting with printing in OS X.  I've not messed with the OS X configuration much regarding printing, but apparently the printing service (CUPS) is enabled:

macbook:~ rsinclair$  telnet 192.168.1.109 631
Trying 192.168.1.109...
Connected to imac.home.
Escape character is '^]'.

Connection closed by foreign host.

I also found that I can print docs that are local to me at a remote computer by using the following command:

cat filename.pdf | ssh unixfool@192.168.1.109 lpr *

It asks for a password (for logging into the remote machine so that it can execute the 'lpr' command against the file output.  The resulting printout gets the job done but its not particularly pretty.

* Gleaned from http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20061203204459481.

Magic Mouse Is Indeed Magical

So, I bought my iMac on 2/20/10.  It came with a Magic Mouse.

I've been using the same batteries that the mouse came with.  Today, those batteries went dead.  So, I got 53 days of use out of them.  That's NOT bad, especially for Bluetooth!

There's a thread on Apple's iMac forums discussion the 'horrible' battery life of Magic Mice.  I'm not seeing those experiences.  Some are trying different mice, but I think it would SUCK to not be able to use the Magic Mouse's features.  This mouse is like no other!

iWeb - Location of iWeb File (For Backup)

So, I just learned where iWeb stores its files: 

~/Library/Application Support/iWeb/Domain

 

Note that this is one file instead of a bunch of them.

 

I've a different version of iWeb on my Macbook than I do on my iMac.  I'd like to begin using my iMac to develop my web pages.

 

Another thing I should do is find out how to upgrade some of the Apple software on my Macs.

Mini DisplayPort and Macbook/iMac?

I'd like to use the iMac as a second screen to my Macbook.  Apple's site hints that this is doable:

Mini DisplayPort output port with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately). 27-inch models also support input from external DisplayPort sources (adapters sold separately).

I know that my Macbook has a Mini DisplayPort out.  The iMac has the same thing but the 27-inch models also support input from external DisplayPort sources.  So, based on the above quote, what I want to do is possible.

Today, while at Microcenter to purchase Windows 7, I decided to stop by their Apple department.  I told the salesman that I had both a Macbook and iMac and that I wanted to use the iMac as a second screen for my Macbook.  He gave me a Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter.  I thought this was fine at the time, but when I got home and had a look at the back of the iMac, I saw that it also had a Mini DisplayPort...the adaptor that the salesman gave me won't work.  I either need a cable that has Mini DisplayPort connections on both ends or I need to buy another Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter (to use with a DVI cable, putting both Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters on each end of the DVI cable).

Now, Apple's Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters are $20 each.  If I had to buy another, I'd be paying $40...and I also don't have a spare DVI cable, so I'd have to buy that also.  That may add up to almost $50!

I saw this a few minutes ago.  Look at the cost! $6.39!  And the customer reviews are nothing but praises on how easy it is to use....and it's just one cable, with no adapter(s).  Someone told me on the Apple forums that I'd have to buy some $150 adapter...ermmm, he's wrong.

So, I'll order that cable either tonight or tomorrow.

I'll also either use that Windows 7 (Professional 64-bit) on my iMac in Parallels or Bootcamp, or just use it on my gaming machine (which is currently running Windows XP SP3).

[EDIT (4/4/2010):

I found out two things:  I need a $150 converter and the $6 cable won't work without the converter, as I've a mini-DVI on the Macbook, not a mini-Displayport.  I'm not going to pay $150 to use the iMac as a second display.  $150 will pay for a new monitor!  I'll use another monitor before I do that.]