17 posts tagged “technology”
Dearest darling Steve Jobs (real or fake),
Please send me a new Mac Book Pro. Preferably the kind with the 17" screen. I have, for the past few years, bought a new Mac from your company - including an "aluminum" PowerBook just over a year ago to replace the "titanium" one from the year before, so that I could complete the volunteer publishing projects I enthusiastically signed up for when my cute little boy started kindergarten. (Note to PTA folks: kindergarten parents are easy targets.)
In fact, I purchased Aluminum about a month before you introduced the Mac Book Pros - you know, the ones with the dual Intel hoo-ha chips - leaving me and Aluminum in the proverbial techno-dust. And I'm sure that if I go forth and buy the spiffiest Apple laptop out there today, a new one will debut a month later. History has proven this.
So why should you help me? My current PowerBook is an embarrassment, and I'm certain that you really don't want me walking around town with it anymore than I have. First, the hinge is broken, so I have to keep it shut with a large and unsightly rubber band. The heat from the over-active battery causes the rubber band to break fairly often, and it's hard to find rubber bands to fit this computer.
Another cosmetic faux-pas is the giant glob on the bottom of the case. Made from several melted gummy bears (courtesy of my kids, who incidentally won't share their Macs with me), I've tried everything to remove this baked-on, sugary mess - to no avail.
Lastly, the SuperDrive isn't quite so super anymore. Sparkly stickers from my three-year-old seem to have the power of Kryptonite, deftly neutralizing your Super optical devices. Put in a disc, and it emits a frightening noise.
After purchasing almost all your software, I've come to realize that none of it is actually designed for my present model of computer. It's simply "compatible." With Aperture, I have literally *fallen asleep* while trying to load and edit photos at night. Yes, it works, but not quite in this lifetime. The slow processing speed is contributing to my sleep deficit and overall grumpy disposition.
I have another volunteer project coming up, so please send that new laptop soon.
Love,
Chitoes
Show us the gadgets you carry with you.
I recently upgraded my everyday camera to a Canon G9. It's clunky and bigger than my ultra-compact Casio Exilim, but I enjoy the manual controls. And the face-detection and anti-shake technology rock for taking snapshots of the kids. With a black metal body, it weighs nearly 13 ounces and comes with a neck strap instead of a wrist loop. Definitely trade-offs here, but it's been good so far.
Show us your favorite gadget at work.
These days I feel like I spend endless hours driving to and fro. As chauffeur de la maison, I've grown fond of the Garmin for the times that the minivan and I stray from the beaten path. That said, I *still* manage to miss turns and feel extra lame when I do. The kids can be brutal about this. And then of course there's the dreaded announcement, "Recalculating..." (which means I did something stupid and the little box has to figure out how to get me back on track).
Perhaps the next hottest accessory for the tech crowd and greenies alike will be the new Mac Book Air. Thinner, lighter, and gorgeous in its design, Apple's new laptop weighs in at a mere 3 pounds. There's no doubt that it'll turn heads and start conversations with perfect strangers, much like its cousin the iPhone did last fall.
Though MacWorld isn't part of *my* world anymore, I couldn't resist checking it out online. Does the name "Air" refer to the minimalist form factor? Or is it because it ships ready to connect to WiFi networks and Bluetooth (which is strangely lacking on the iPhone)? For existing Mac users like me, the wireless migration seems like a huge selling point; apparently the Migration Assistant can move over all your "stuff" from your old Mac remotely - a tremendous convenience (assuming it works!), as migrating computers has taken me weeks in the past.
The sleek aluminum clamshell opens up to reveal a bright, 13.3-inch screen that's backlit using LEDs. Kudos to Apple! Though LED lighting isn't quite in the mainstream for home use, it seems to be one of the most promising green technologies because it's bright and uses very little energy. The Air claims a battery life of five hours and is free of mercury (found in fluorescent bulbs) and arsenic. Its hidden ports remind me of how the controls have disappeared from today's integrated dishwashers.
The other seriously cool enhancement that grabbed my attention was the adoption of "gestures" used for navigating the iPod and iPhone. The new, larger trackpad on Air recognizes pinching (for zooming in) and swiping motions (like turning pages). How quintessentially Apple is that?!
Interestingly the Mac Book Air lacks an optical drive, though it can connect to a local drive via the USB port or share a drive on another computer using its built-in wireless connection. As an aspiring iTunes user, I'm not sure how I feel about not being able to pop in a CD or DVD; besides, my kids would be so disappointed.
As enticing as the Mac Book Air looks, it sounds like those in need of serious computing power might have to wait. Air is available with a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor at the upper end, but compared to the 2.4 GHz chips in the larger Mac Book Pro systems, I imagine it might still be slow for editing photos in Aperture, for example.
I've been waiting months for a new laptop, hoping that MacWorld would bring my dream machine. But not quite. So it's a tough decision. Form or function? Nab something now, or wait for the next generation of the Pro? Decisions, decisions...
The other day I had my iPhone downloading email while I was enroute to picking up E. At a stoplight, a wireless network appeared that made me do a double-take: "AC Transit Wi-Fi."
Looking up I saw a large, familiar-looking bus about to pass me in the opposite direction. Sure enough, it was an AC Transit. Wireless is truly everywhere, and I half expect that Internet-addicted drivers will start following these buses 'round town.
Over a million iPhones have been sold. Have you: bought one, considered it, or decided it's not for you?
I love my iPhone - and my very thoughtful husband for bringing me one on Day 1.
But I do have a few techno-gripes. Downloading email can be really slow. YouTube doesn't work then I want it to, and the selection of videos is limited. Calendaring is so-so (and not as good as Palm/Treo in many ways), but the list view is good.
But... The interface is cool and easy to use. It feels nice in my hand. Visual Voicemail rocks. Every so often I have time to listen to my favorite NPR podcasts.
The selection of items at Polyvore spans a huge and overwhelming number shopping sites around the web. The images link back to the original retailer - so, in most cases, you could actually put together an outfit and then click over to buy the various pieces. You can also use their bookmarking tool to add an image to your personal collection while you're browsing a retail site.
Until now, I've found shopping portals to be pretty useless. But the ability to aggregate items across retailers, search, and display them in ensembles is really cool. And it could make online shopping a whole lot more fun.
I hope the company does well - and maybe they'll come up with a site where I can redecorate my home, too.
What's the greatest video game console on the market? Do you own it or is it on your wish list?
We have a Wii. There, I said it. I actually lost sleep when we got it, fearing that I'd sold the soul of my first-born child. Thankfully he hasn't become a video game addict; the Wii gets played maybe twice a week, at most. It's fun and hilarious.
One of our favorite aspects of the Wii is the Mii. To create a new player, you make a little cartoon person. Even S has one - it's short, has bobbed hair and a slightly wicked grin - even though she's much too young to play. The Mii Plaza, where all the Miis mill around, has become a visual guest book of our friends and relatives who've gotten sucked into a match or two with E.
Our family-friendly game stash:
- Wii Play - A collection of games, such as fishing, bubble popping, cattle racing, target shooting (no blood or people)
- Wii Sports - Active games like golf, tennis, boxing; make sure to keep enough room for wild swings
- Big Brain Academy - Brain teaser puzzles; E is surprisingly good at this
- Boogie - Choose songs, follow beat patterns, and sing into the Wii microphone; hokey tunes and tons of fun
- Wario Smooth Moves - A very silly bunch of mini-games, the strangest of which is speed-shaving
- Ratatouille - This is the only story-style game we have; not as much fun as the others, IMHO
And, since I'm not getting any exercise lately, DDR is at the top of my Wii wish list. (Actually, it *is* my wish list.) America's Funniest Home Videos will be calling me for an exclusive once that puppy ships...
As for the famed Wii injuries, E got walloped by a friend during a video tennis match, and my wrist felt a little tired after an extended session boogie-ing with E. All in all, it's been a good time.
So after more than a dozen attempts, iWork was still not working. Just as I was about to give up, guess what popped out along with the disc... a metallic turtle sticker. Surprise!
Well, I wish there were a happy ending. But no... On closer inspection, I notice that the turtle's front legs and part of his head are missing. And the CD still won't load...
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