Keynote 2 Keynote

You Control: Tunes, Control iTunes From The Menu Bar

2007-02-23T22:45:00.000-10:00

I've slowly been trying to rate a bunch of my mp3's in iTunes. Its a real pain to be constantly switching to iTunes when each new song begins to rate it. I knew there had to be a better way. Google to the rescue. I initially found Synergy, but it wasn't free so I kept looking. My next search yeilded You Control: Tunes, which to my delight was free and fit the bill!

You Control: Tunes has a wide variety of features. Using You Control: Tunes you can navigate through your music via small back, forward, play, and pause buttons located in your menu bar (previously I used Bytecontroller for this). You can also rate the song that is currently playing by clicking on the star ratings next to the navigation buttons. Another neat aspect of this little application is that when a new track begins a small window pops up showing you the artist, song name, album art and other configurable information.

This helpful application has allowed me to easily rate my music while keeping most of my concentration focused at the task at hand. I'd recommend that you at least give You Control: Tunes a shot. Since its free, there's no loss if you don't like it. But, I doubt you'll be uninstalling this puppy!

My First Mac Convert!

2007-02-22T22:05:00.000-10:00

Today was pretty exciting. My Aunt stopped by and said that she wanted to get a new laptop. Her 7+ year old HP portable with Windows ME (yuck!) is finally almost dead. Being the computer guru of the family she wanted my opinion. Of course, the new Mac fanatic in me reccomended that she check out the MacBook and MacBook Pro computers. She said that she had read some reviews that said that Apple produces some phenominal laptops. So she was a bit interested in Macs to begin with.

Since she had never really used a Mac I let her take my MacBook Pro for a spin. I showed her iTunes, iPhoto, Photo Booth, the Dashboard, and a few other things. She was pretty impressed at how easily I manuvered between the programs and commented on how easy everything seemed. I assured her that everything on a Mac is super simple and she'd be using it like a pro in no time.

Like most computer users she mostly surfs the internet, checks her email, writes documents with Office, and uses QuickBooks. I told her that she could easily do all that and more with a Mac. She had heard that you could use Windows programs on a Mac and wanted to know a bit about it. I filled her in on Parallels and BootCamp. I told her that I had installed Parallels thinking that I would use it all the time. But, it turns out that I only used Parallels when I first installed it to check it out. I've since had no reason to use it. I doubt she'll need it either, but said I'd install it for her if she thought it would make her feel better about the switch.

At the end of the conversation she was ready to buy a MacBook Black edition! She's my first Mac convert since becoming a switcher myself. Not only does it excite me that I'm helping spread the word about the best OS on the planet, but I'm confidant that she'll be 100% satisfied with her switch. Since she's never really used a Mac I'm sure she'll have a bit of learning to do, which I'm more than happy to help her with. Maybe I can get her to write a short series of articles about her switch for the site : )

Apple Portables From 1989 To Present

2007-02-21T23:34:00.000-10:00

This article written by The Apple Gazette has been floating around the internet lately. I found it rather interesting. The author took the time to rehash the evolution of Apple portable computers. Beginning with the inception of the Macintosh Portable and finishing with the MacBook/Pro you'll get a feel for how Apple has continually tried to push the envelope.

Apple has routinely made market firsts with their laptops, all of which took place in the 90's. Here are some of the most notable firsts.

1991 - PowerBook 100: The keyboard was placed close to the display, leaving room for palm rests and the trackball.
1994 - PowerBook 500: Built in Ethernet, and a trackpad.
1996 - PowerBook 1400: Built-in: CD-Rom drive.
1997 - PowerBook 3400: PCI architecture, EDO memory, and a 64-bit wide internal bus.
1999 - iBook "Clamshell": Designed and sold with internal wireless networking.

1989 to 1991 is considered to be the first 'Golden Days' of apple, which was coined by MacAddict magazine. Following the 'Golden Days' was a big slump between 1991 and 1997. During this slump Apple was not profitable and wouldn't be until Steve Jobs revived the company in 1998 with the iMac.

That being said, I'm really surprised that nearly all of Apples market firsts in the mobile sector took place during the companies slump. Where as the original 'Golden Days' and Apple's current success has produced nearly no notable portable computing market firsts. Maybe, coming to market later with new technology is better? It definitely worked with the iPod and time will tell how it comes into play with the iPhone and iTV. As we all know, Apples recent success with consumer electronics has been due to 'reinventing' current technologies.

Marware Sportfolio Laptop Sleeve/Case Review

2007-02-20T23:43:00.000-10:00

My journey began 10 days ago when I began looking for a case/sleeve for my MacBook Pro. What's kind of funny is that I kinda thought I knew what I wanted when I made that post. In the following four days I kept researching. After reading a bunch of recommendations and some hands on reviews I decided on the Marware Sportfolio.

The postman dropped off the box this afternoon and I immediately tore it open. I was really stoked to see how awesome this sleeve was. My first reaction was... wow, this sleeve looks amazing! Not only does it look sleek and stylish, but its well constructed.

The outer neoprene feels rugged get fairly pliable. The interior is very soft and reassures me that my MacBook Pro is safe. The zipper protection is impressive. I wasn't sure what to expect since I've never used a case that offered it. The zipper protection consists of an extra lip of neoprene that sits between the zipper and the laptop. I half expected the extra neoprene to get in the way of zipping and be more of a hassle that its worth. However, the zipper zips with ease and the extra neoprene offers the protection that is advertised. The bottom edge of the case is wrapped in very thin rubber. Behind the rubber is a fairly hard plastic insert. The insert is unobtrusive and sewn into the case to do its duty to serve and protect.

I was hoping to be able to fit my digital camera in the front pocket of the case. Its just a bit small for that though. It should hold anything the same size or smaller than an iPod Video. I have yet to figure out what I'll store it it, but I'm sure I'll be able to find something :)

In my opinion the fit is one of the most important aspects of a case. Without the correct fit its hard for a case to do what its designed to do, protect your computer. When I slipped my MacBook Pro into the Sportfolio I was happy to find that it fit perfectly. The case wasn't so loose that the MBP shook around inside. Nor was it so tight that getting the zippers zipped around the corners a pain in the butt. The Marware Sportfolio is made specifically for the MacBook Pro computer. If you order a case online and it doesn't say that its crafted for a certain computer you're taking a gamble and it may end up fitting incorrectly.

Now I just need to go on vacation so I can use the case :)

So if you are looking for a case for your MacBook Pro I recommend the Marware Sportfolio with 100% confidence. If fit and style are important to you I promise that you won't be disappointed. You can purchase the Sportfolio on Marware's website for $29.95.

New Site Design Preview

2007-02-20T00:47:00.000-10:00

I have just a few more CSS issues to work, but other than that I've got most of the design done. I just wanted to give you all a sneak peak at what I've been working on. You'll find that its a lot more functional and looks tons better than the lame default blogger theme, hahah.

Bandwagon Plug,,, Get Your Free Account

2007-02-19T23:31:00.000-10:00

Bandwagon is for music geeks that use Macs. If you have a huge music library that you never back up, then it may be time to look Bandwagon. The service officially launches February 22nd, 2007. Essentially But, I've got some great news. They have a neat promotion going on right now. Post their logo on your blog and you get a free account for 1 year... hence the shameless plug, lol.

I probably wouldn't normally try out their service, but if I get a free account out of this then I'll give it a shot. Of course, if I get a free account you can all expect a review :)

Apple Tattoo Photomontage

2007-02-18T23:19:00.000-10:00

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Ever thought about getting a tattoo? How about an Apple logo tattoo. The idea had never crossed my mind, but I saw someone walking down the street with one today. It got me thinking... Is that common? When I got home I did a quick search on Google and found that it was more common that I thought! Flickr turned up a bunch of results as well. I even found sites dedicated to people with Apple tattoos.

The Apple Collection
Revenge of the Tattooed Nerds (not all Apple tattoos)
Apple Tattoos

I don't know why or how, but it inspired me a bit. After an hour or so I had created this!

Small: 400 x 480
Medium: 625 x 750
Large: 2000 x 2400

Neat eh? I still don't think that I could permanently inscribe my love for Apple in my skin. A big high five to those that have. Your devotion to your brand of choice is amazing!

The tattoos in the image are mostly Apple logo's with power button icons, sad face macs, and one startup screen image mixed in. I tried to only include one image from each person in the picture, but after a while one black Apple logo started to look the same as another :)

One neat trick I learned tonight was that if you type shift+option+k in a text editor most standard fonts will display an Apple logo. By using that trick and pumping the font size up to 1200 I was able to get my high res Apple logo.

If you found this interesting and you own/use a mac check out the 100 Apple Users/Switchers Collage thats still in the wroks.

My MacBook Pro Airport Connection Problem And Solution

2007-02-17T22:41:00.000-10:00

Out of the middle of nowhere today my MacBook Pro wouldn't reconnect to my WiFi connection. This happened after I awoke the computer from sleep. It took a restart to get it working again. A few hours later the same thing happened when I woke the computer up again, but this time it wasn't fixed after a restart. I connected to my Linksys wrt54g wireless router with a manual IP address and snooped around. I ended up clearing the DHCP clients table and then trying to reconnect with DHCP. The router assigned my computer a new IP address in the clients table, but the computer itself didn't get the address. This seemed kinda strange.

After a bit of reading on the internet it seems that there are quite a few people who's Mac's won't reconnect their WiFi after sleeping. I attempted some of the most common fixes.

Turning AirPort on and off
Reconnecting to the access point
Deleting the following files

com.apple.internetconnect.plist

com.apple.internetconfigpriv.plist
com.apple.internetconfig.plist

None of this worked. So I gave up for an hour or so. When I returned, as randomly as it stopped connecting to the internet it started working again. Maybe it was a delayed reaction from one of the above fixes. However, this was only a temporary fix.

Whenever I would put the computer to sleep it would loose its connection with the access point. However, unlike before, I could reconnect by turning AirPort off and then back on again. This is less than optimal though. It was really a pain in the butt to do all the time. Especially since I have the computer set to go to sleep after 5 minutes of inactivity.

I set out to eliminate this problem. I must have created a new 'Location' in the Network System Preferences when I first got my computer before I knew what I was doing. So I deleted that. Then I clicked the options button and set 'Keep looking for recent networks' when a preferred network is not found. Next, I removed all the 'Preferred Networks'. Followed by opening the Keychain Access application and removing all keys related to those preferred networks.

After all these changes my MBP now reconnects upon waking up from sleep again. It took me a few hours to figure out what was going on and find a fix for it. I can't say for sure exactly what the ended up being the solution since I was trying multiple things. I do know however, that one of the things listed above took care of the problem. At least now if it happens again I'll be able to hopefully fix the problem quickly!

RadTech BT600 Bluetooth Mouse Review

2007-02-16T19:58:00.000-10:00

RadTech has pulled out all the stops when it comes to the BT600. Its offers everything anyone could want in a Bluetooth mouse. We're talking 5 buttons, all functional in OS X, unlike many other Bluetooth mice... An on/off button to help conserve battery power and to keep the mouse from waking the laptop up while traveling... No Bluetooth dongle required... Rechargeable through a USB cable... Its almost as if the list never ends. These features are what initially led me to the BT600 while searching for a BlueTooth mouse.

Before purchasing the BT600 I was a little skeptical. I didn't think that a mouse from a company that I had never heard of could produce a product with these features that would not only work, but work well. After receiving the mouse it wasn't long before my skepticism was washed away.

The mouse comes in a well made package without that impossible to cut/tear plastic stuff, which is nice. Included in the box was a small instruction sheet about how to pair the mouse with the Bluetooth on a Mac and PC, two AA sized NiMH batteries, a short USB cable for charging, and the mouse. I was surprised to find that there was no driver CD. The BT600 paired quickly with OS X without a hiccup. I quickly found that a driver is not needed for the BT600 to work with OS X. However, if you want to customize the functionality of the 5 buttons you'll want to download RadTech's RadMouse driver for OS X.

The 800dpi sensor is no slouch. I found the mouse to responsive and accurate. While doing precise selections with the lasso tool in Photoshop I had no problems. The mouse also works great with World Of Warcraft which is good, because I was having a hell of a time trying to play with the trackpad before.

I'm pretty impressed with the power consumption of the BT600. I was half expecting to half to charge the mouse every night, or at least every few days. This is the reason its taken me so long to write this review. I've been trying to gauge how long the batteries will last. So far I've logged 12+ hours on the mouse and have yet to have to charge the BT600. The only time I've gotten to use the neat charge by USB feature was the first day I got the mouse. While the mouse was plugged in and charging I was taking the mouse for a test drive! I really loved being able to charge on the fly and use the mouse at the same time. This is probably one of my favorite features of the mouse.

When researching the BT600 I was a bit worried about the on/off button located on the top of the mouse. I thought that I may accidentally turn the mouse off while using it. But, after purposely trying to do so I was unable to succeed. The button needs to be pushed down quite a bit to power off the mouse and it is simply not possible to do so with your palm. I had also read a few comments online about how the buttons of the mouse felt cheap. This is not the case. The right/left buttons and the scroll wheel click and feel exactly as my Logitech MX500 does. The back/forward buttons located on the side near my thumb are a little stiffer than what I'm used to. Its not a big deal and I'm sure that as I use the mouse more they will loosen up a bit.

Something I found odd while using the mouse was the default functions of the forward/back buttons. The button I was expecting to be the back button was the forward button and vise versa. Swapping the functionality was a quick fix in the System Preferences via the RadMouse software.

I only have one gripe about the mouse and I've already adapted so its not an issue. Its a bit tough to explain, but when you lift the mouse off the mouse pad it keeps tracking slightly. This only happens if you keep the mouse very close to the surface of the mouse pad. By lifting the mouse a little higher than normal I've been able to completely eliminate the rogue movement.

I'm thoroughly happy with my RadTech BT600 Bluetooth mouse. It not only has a bucket load of features, but all of them work exceptionally well. I'd recommend this product to anyone who's in the market for a Bluetooth mouse. Hell, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a mouse period, its that cool :)

The RadTech BT600 Bluetooth mouse can be purchased here if you are interested.

Random Rambelings For the Day

2007-02-16T02:34:00.000-10:00

With all the work on the new site that I've been doing its been difficult balancing time between writing new articles and the design on the new site. I suppose that the content for the last few days has been lacking because of this. With any luck I'll be rolling out the new design shortly and it'll be worth it! In the mean time I plan on getting my RadTech BT600 mouse review finished up and posted tomorrow. I know I've been promising this for a few days now. Honestly, whats holding me back is that I'm trying to run the batteries all the way out so I can judge how long they will last. But, after about a week and 12+ hours of use its still running strong.

February 15, 1997: The Tiger is Unleashed…For the Apple II?
That's right... only 10 years ago! I remember a few of these Apple II computers sitting in my high schools computer lab when I was a freshman in high school. They seem so primitive by today's standards! Its hard to believe how far we've come in such a short amount of time.

If your in need for a good laugh watch the following video. A spoof of Apples get a Mac commercials starring Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. There are a few sware words in the video, so if you are at work its probably best to wait till you get home.

The Valentines Day edition of Full Frontal Nerdity is worth a read. From what I can tell this web comic doesn't normally do Mac related humor. My favorite line... "The resulting ANGER, if harnessed, could power Los Angeles for a MONTH!" This is of course referring to the heated debates that spring up about Mac's Vs PC's.

Marware Laptop Case/Sleeve Ordered... woot!

2007-02-14T23:43:00.000-10:00

I ordered a neoprene sleeve for my MacBook Pro today. I had to treat myself to a Valentines Day present :) I ended up not going with any of my original choices. After doing a bunch more research and reading some hands on reviews, I chose to go with the Marware Sportfolio.

The Sportfolio boasts a neoprene design, zipper guards, and a snug fit! Everything I was looking for. Additionally, the sleeve has a pocket for an iPod/mp3 player or a digital camera. The pictures on Marware's website show the Sportfolio with very nice blue accents that seem to compliment the black design nicely. I hope that the blue will match my RadTech ScreenSavrz.

I think I've made the correct choice and can't wait to get my hands on this sleeve. If its as cool as I've read it is I think I'm going to love it. Now I just need to mod (aka sew... yuck!) my backpack and put one of those laptop separators in it. I'd consider buying a specifically designed laptop backpack, but I love my Oakley pack to much to retire it (I have the original before they added the laptop compartment). Maybe I'll just give Grandma a call :)

RadTech ScreenSavrz Cleaner/Protector Review

2007-02-13T09:30:00.000-10:00

When I bought my mouse I also picked up their Notebook ScreenSavrz product. Since I'm still in the process of testing their BT600 mouse I decided to tell you a bit about the ScreenSaverz. I'm not sure why I bought the ScreenSaverz. Maybe it was because of bad experiences in the past with the keys of notebooks rubbing on the LCD. Basically what would happen is that sweat/gunk would begin to build up on the keys. Then, when I closed the lid the build up would transfer onto the LCD screen. At first all that I needed was some of those little laptop screen cleaning wipes to take care of it, you know the ones that remind you of mini baby wipes? After a few months, the LCD itself began to get very small scratches/abrasions from the keys! This damage was irreversible short of replacing the screen.

It may have just been a particular Dell model that was prone to this, but I was determined to prevent this from happening with my new baby. From what I've seen of the ScreenSavrz, there is no way that your keys can do any damage to your screen!

The ScreenSavrz was packages in a neat little tube. I'm definitely going to be able to find another use for the tube, which is a bonus :) The ScreenSaverz popped out of the tube without trouble. My first impression was how soft and firm it was. I was expecting something similar to those little cloths that you clean sun glasses with. However, this is not a fault. In fact, I see it as a plus since I've been able to use it as a mouse pad is some instances. I'd compare the cloth to a very very thin piece of neoprene that feels like microfiber.

My ScreenSavrz fits perfectly across my MacBook Pro's 15.4" LCD. But if you're sporting a different portable you're still in luck. RadTech offers the ScreenSaverz cloth in many different sizes to provide the perfect fit on your machine. Aside from sizes there are a handful of colors to choose from. You can even get it customized with a quote, your name, or logo if you choose. I chose Indigo since I think that blue looks awesome in conjunction with silver.

I found the ScreenSaverz alone adequate to protect my MBP. But if you are looking for even more protection RadTech offers Wildeepz, a way to keep even space between your screen and the case. But, $13-$17 dollars is a bit too expensive for some little plastic things if you ask me.

Site Revamp In The Works

2007-02-13T01:31:00.000-10:00

Today I began looking back into WordPress. Initially I started this blog out on WordPress, but I had no clue what I was doing. Blogger was simple, and got me posting right away, so I decided to go with Google's blogging software instead. But, Its been over a month since I started the blog, and I'm ready to do some customizing. I found a free web host, AwardSpace, and installed WordPress to do a little experimenting. After some fooling around, I'm 100% sure that I'll be switching to WordPress. Once I finish installing plugins, and work on the CSS I'll be rolling out the new Keynote2Keynote. Hopefully this will take place within the next 1-2 weeks.

I'm really excited about the changes that I'll be making and I'm sure that everyone else will enjoy them. I secretly told myself when I got started that if I could get 20 RSS feed subscribers I'd think about putting a good chunk of time into a custom theme/template. The site's been creeping up towards 20 and I hope I'll be able to get the revamp done within a few days of the goal being reached :)

Completely unrelated... I received my RadTech BT600 mouse and have been testing it the last few days. I plan on getting a full hands on report posted tomorrow or the next day. I can tell you now however, that I'm a happy camper and loving this little guy!

So there I was... 3am and 7 FireFox Tabs...

2007-02-12T09:45:00.000-10:00

This should be interesting. Last night, while I was surfing around trying to figure out what to write about I fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up till 3am. Since I don't have a well thought out post, I'm going to write about the open FireFox tabs that I had open when I woke up!

I just love all these parody Mac ads... If you haven't seen the next one, you're in for a good laugh...

This iPhone ad is well done in my opinion. It uses a background color close to that of the iPod ads. And the art is definitely done with Apple in mind. It looks like it could have come strait out of the art department in Cupertino.

Thats the extent of my Mac ad surfing. On to the meat and potatoes.

If you're the do it yourself kind, give this a shot. An iPod charger for your bicycle, made from a hand crank charger. This is a great idea. I didn't take the time to look, but if there isn't already a commercial product similar to this, there should be. Mac users are usually pretty savvy and often hip to energy conservation.

Take your iSight camera and turn yourself into Quasimoto! Then show the world on The Mac Metamorphosis Meme. This page is dedicated to making a fool out of yourself :) I plan on getting a pic up there as soon as I take a shower, lol.

Need to know if its time to upgrade your Mac? Mactactic helps you decide. It tracks updates to the Mac line and tries to predict if a hardware update is right around the corner. I had another site similar to this, but better bookmarked at one time, but I lost the link :(

The last page I had open was the latest Applgeeks 3.0 comic.

There you go. Its my mash up of what I was reading last night before I fell asleep, lol. Enjoy your day and try not to drool on your trackpad like I did.

Looking For a MacBook Pro 15.4" Case

2007-02-10T23:59:00.000-10:00

I have yet to take my MacBook Pro anywhere except the patio, couch, or bed. But, one of these days I'm going to christen him and take him on his first voyage. Before I can even think about taking him out into the harsh elements of the real world he's going to need some protection.

I'm not looking for a large bag that will carry every accessory known to man. I can use a backpack for that. What I need is one of those neat neoprene zip up cases that I can slip into my backpack or just carry as is. I've been looking at a few of these cases but haven't come up with a concrete decision yet.

Tucano Elements: This is the only case that I've actually seen in person. Its pretty much exactly what I want. I'd buy this case in a heart beat if I could find it anywhere other than ebay from sellers in the UK.

RadTech NeoCase: I'm not sure if I like the 'work in' type case that allows you to use your computer while its still in the case. Another thing about this case that I'm unsure about is whether I'll like the handle. Since I'll be mostly placing the case in my backpack I'd image that the handle would get caught on cords and aggravate me.

MagicSoft SkinBook: Another 'work in' style. I think I mainly like this case because they show a graphic of an egg falling on the computer, hahaha.

Every forum I go to has a sticky with PAGES & PAGES of people saying which case they use, but its hard to surf through it all. What would be nice is a site dedicated to neoprene laptop case user reviews. There are lots of questions one could potentially want to know about a case. How snug of a fit does the case provide? Are there guards around the zippers to prevent them from scratching the edge of your computer? Etc.

If I can find the Tucano Elements case in the US I'll probably buy that case, if not I'm not sure what to get. I suppose that I'll have to break down and actually make my way through those forum posts and just pick one out of a hat :)

Links For 2-10-2007

2007-02-10T23:45:00.000-10:00

Just a few tidbits from things I ran across today.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Laptop Battery: Info on recalibrating your battery and ways to save juice while on the go.

Apple TV Ship Date - Feb 27th: Gizmodo claims that Apple employees confirmed the ship date.

Apple Commercial Mash Up: Neat video that combines cuts from many Apple commercials since the initial Nike advertisement.

CNET Reviews OS X Tiger 10.4: Reviewed on 2/2/07... Release date: 4/28/05... Anyone find it funny that it took CNET so long to do a review? lol

AppleURLS: All Your Apple News in 1 Place.

Belkin ExpressCard Multimedia Reader/Writer Hands On

2007-02-09T23:14:00.000-10:00

Since I've got a portable computer its really important to me that my perifrials are equally portable. This has infulenced my decisions to buy a surge protector (Tripp-Lite Traveler 100Bt), a mouse (RadTech bt100), and now a memory card reader. I currently have have a Sony DSC-N1 Camera and also chose it for its size and image quality (for a point and shoot its pretty decent). Carrying around the cable to transfer pictures onto my computer along with many other cables just isn't cool. So in an attempt to declutter a bit I've purchased a Belkin ExpressCard reader/writer.

I can leave the ExpressCard in my MacBook Pro wherever I go. The card sits in the ExpressCard slot flush and I don't even notice its there. I was amazed that everything worked right out of the box and didn't require any drivers. As for supported formats the Belkin ExpressCard supports: Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Pro Duo (with adapter), MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, xD-Picture Card. Since my Sony DSC-N1 uses a Memory Stick Pro Duo card thats all I'll be able to test it with.

The process to move pictures off the camera and onto the computer is easy. Remove, Memory Stick Pro Duo from camera and insert it into the Memory Stick adapter. Then place the adapter in the Belkin ExpressCard. Push the card into the card till you feel a bit of resistance. If you push the Memory Card in to far, the ExpressCard will eject. This is an issue with how the MBP's ExpressCard slot is designed. It would have been nice if Apple used an eject button for cards instead of the 'push-release' method. Once the card is in all the way an icon on the desktop appears and simply drag your images onto your computer. You'll notice that the Memory Stick only goes about half way into the ExpressCard. This is a slight bummer as it could get bumped and damage something.

If I wasn't such a nerd I'd end this story here, but this is where the fun begins! I was curious how the transfer rate of the ExpressCard compares to using the DSC-N1 usb cable. I decided to run two different tests. The first test would entail transfering a 1gb file using the ExpressCard and then just the usb cable. For the second test I'll transfer 100 5mb files with the usb cable and ExpressCard.

I wrote the following ksh script to help with the experiment...

#!/bin/ksh

# This script creates n number of files whos sizes are in
# x megabytes
# Usage ./createfiles [filecount] [filesize in megabytes] [output file name]

if [ "$3" = "" ]
then
Echo "Usage: ./createfiles [filecount] [filesize in megabytes] [output file name]"
exit -1
fi

FILECOUNT=$1; # The amount of files you want to create
FILESIZE=$2; # The file size in megabytes
FILENAME="$3"; # The name of the output files

bc |& # Use bc to convert mb to bytes
print -p "$FILESIZE * 1024"
read -p FILESIZE

FILESIZE=${FILESIZE/.*} # Remove the decimal place

# Create as many files as FILECOUNT specifies of
# the size FILESIZE
for ((i=1; i<=FILECOUNT; i+=1)) do
dd if=/dev/zero of="$FILENAME""$i" bs=1024 count="$FILESIZE";
done

Basically this allowed me to create the 1gb and the 5mb files needed to run the tests. Gotta love the unix aspect of OS X :) Once I had all the files created an on my Memory Stick I tested the transfers individualy using terminal and the following commands

neyoung$ time cp 5mbfile* ~/speedtest/
neyoung$ time cp 1gbfile ~/speedtest/

And here are the transfer times...

1gbx1 USB: 267.38 sec.
1gbx1 ExpressCard: 217.15 sec.

5mbx100 USB: 135.42 sec.
5mbx100 ExpressCard: 54.20 sec.

As you can see, the ExpressCard was faster in both tests. But, you'll notice a much bigger gap between the USB/ExpressCard test on the 5x100 test than the 1gb. As is the case with trying to time your computer there can always be factors that will affect the outcome. If I had more time I'd run the tests multiple times and take the average, but its getting late. I suspect that with multiple tests the USB cable times would be more in line with the ExpressCard. If anyone has the time to do this I'd be interested in the outcome :)

Anyways, overall I'm pleased with the Belkin ExpressCard Reader/Writer. It works with no hassle and the speed is impressive. Another bonus is that I don't have to carry my camera cable around with me! For $27 I couldn't be happier.

Apple Mail Does Gmail But No Syncing :(

2007-02-08T23:45:00.000-10:00

Yesterdays iCal/GoogleCalendars success got me excited for todays task. But it ended up being short lived. Since Google and Apples calendar apps work so well together I figured that their email offerings would work equally well. As I stated yesterday, I like having a local copy of my data as well as a web version to view when I'm not using my personal machine. Getting the two copies of data to sync is a big bonus. Even if its only a one way sync (web to computer) its better than nothing.

Since I'd like a full two way sync, IMAP is the only way to go. IMAP allows you to sync your web mail to your hard disk and vice versa. Any changes made in either place will be reflected in the other. But, unfortunately Google doesn't offer IMAP for Gmail. Instead, only POP is available. So, although I won't have full syncing capabilities it'll still be nice to have a copy of all my email to reference while I don't have net access. POP essentially allows users to download mail off a mail server. The mail on the server can either be left there, or deleted once its downloaded. Because GMail gives its users such large (2gb+) mail boxes, I chose to leave my email on the server after its downloaded. Other web mail sites might give you a very small disk cap and deleting the mail on the server would be best. If you'd like some instructions on how to setup Apple Mail to receive email from Google's GMail check Google's official walk through in the Help Center. If you want to configure how GMail handles your mail after you download it you'll need to change your GMail settings. Its under 'Settings' -> 'Forwarding and POP'.

This solution is more or less the same as I was able to achieve with iCal. Syncing from Googles servers to my MBP is doable, but the opposite isn't. Hopefully that will change, because IMAP is perfect for having your mail synced in multiple locations. I have a feeling that IMAP hasn't been released for GMail due to the use of Labels instead of folders. GMail allows email to be organized under multiple labels instead of the conventional single folder method. IMAP could get quite tricky under this situation.

I feel that I've only half tackled this task. Until IMAP is available with GMail I won't be satisfied. Its funny how I'm ok with my calendar only being able to sync one way, but not my email. I suppose that I hold higher standards for some things than others.
Oh, and Google recently started allowing public signups for GMail. You no longer need to find someone to invite you. The new sign up is a bit goofy though. It requires you to give Google your cell phone number. They will then send you a text message with an activation code, which is used to open your gmail account.... Told you it was a bit goofy!

Subscribe/Sync Google Calendars to iCal

2007-02-07T23:44:00.000-10:00

Three to four months ago I moved a lot of my data over to Google's servers (bookmarks, mail, calendar, RSS reader). I knew that I was going to buy a new computer, probably a Mac. I also knew I didn't want to deal with migrating the data over to the new machine. Furthermore I figured that its best to be able to access your information from anywhere, rather than one computer. I'm fully impressed with all three web apps. But, now that I have this great portable computer, I may go some places that don't have internet access, and thus no calendar :(

OS X comes with a full fledged calendar app named iCal, and I figured that I'd give it a shot. If I had to move my calendar data, day by day into iCal I wouldn't even consider trying it. But, Google Calendar supports iCal quite well. Google Calendar basically offers the equivalent of an RSS feed of your calendars, and iCal supports subscribing. You can even subscribe to any public Google Calendars through iCal, which allows you to get Federal Holidays, Moon Phases, and many others. The process is pretty strait forward, but if you'd like a step by step walk through check out GoogleTutor.

Within 5 minutes I had imported all my Google Calendar data into iCal. I didn't expect it to go that smooth. There are limitations to this though. Any changes you make in Google Calendars will show up in iCal. However, changes made in iCal won't be displayed in Google Calendars. This is due to the fact that you are merely subscribing to a feed rather than syncing the two. After a bit of searching around I found SpanningSync. Although still in Beta SpanningSync will offer two way syncing between iCal and Google Calendars. Ultimately this is what you want. But for now, as long as you understand the limitations of subscribing you'll be able to get by till SpanningSync is officially released.

The Joy Of Tech - Updated

2007-02-07T00:06:00.000-10:00

In response to Apples resolution with The Beatles, the artists over at The Joy Of Tech have released a new comic. It would have been funny if this comic came out when the original iMac (Grape, Tangerine, Lime, Strawberry, or Blueberry) computers came out... now those were lickable!

The Only Windows XP Feature I Missed

2007-02-06T23:33:00.000-10:00

One of the only features of Windows XP that I have been missing is the 'Show Desktop' button in the quick launch bar. That little button immediately clears your workspace and tosses windows in the task bar. Sure OS X has Exposé, but sometimes it just doesn't do the trick. F11 is nice, but the windows are still there once you toggle it back on. And hitting Apple+M or Apple +H really fast isn't efficient.

Luckily I found a 'Show Desktop' clone, ironically named Show Desktop :) This little app resides either in your Dock or Menu Bar. When clicked, all of your open programs get hidden (so you can still Apple+Tab through them) and finder windows get minimized. This is as close to the Windows XP version as it could get. Now if only I could figure out how to set a keystroke to Show Desktop I'd be set!

iEatBrainz

2007-02-05T23:05:00.000-10:00

As you know I've been living in ID3 tag hell. You know those mp3's that you got from a friend that don't have an informative file name and the tags are completely empty? Picking through those songs one by one trying to figure the song name or artist out takes a rediculous amount of time. Of course you don't want to get rid of the songs, but you don't want to slowly figure each song out either.

Well, there is a solution!

Have you ever heard of acoustic matching? Basically all music files have an audio fingerprint. This fingerprint can then be used to identify your songs. BrainzMusic maintains a database of a huge amount of audio files. Included in this database along with the fingerprints are ID3 tags. So those unruly mp3's without tags are no longer a problem. The database won't work on 100% of your music files, but it is fairly robust and will be able to tackle most of what you throw at it.

The Mac client, iEatBrains, integrates with iTunes which is awesome. Simply load up iTunes and iEatBrains, then select the songs in question within iEatBrains. The search takes a second or two for each song. When the searching is complete you can choose from potential matches and update your iTunes library.

This is definitely a nifty tool if you're music tags are in shambles! Best of all... its FREE :)

Search For The Perfect Bluetooth Mouse

2007-02-04T23:38:00.000-10:00

Let me start by saying that the track pad on the MBP is large and responsive. The button also clicks very nicely and is quiet. In most cases this is the only pointing device that you'll ever need. For some instances (gaming, photo work, etc) when you need a bit more precision or another button or two, having a mouse is nice. Everyone has their own opinions on what is the most important criterea when choosing a mouse and I'm no different. Here's what I want in a prospective mouse.

Wireless - I've got a computer that can be used without a power cable, internet that doesn't require a wire... why not a wireless mouse as well?
No Dongle/Base - If you've looked around at wireless mice you'll notice that most come with some sort of base to recharge and connect the mouse, or a usb dongle. RF mice require one of the two. Bluetooth mice do not since my MBP has built in Bluetooth. Why buy a wireless mouse and then deal with something that plugs into your computer. Not only that, but its just another thing to carry with you when you travel.
Working Buttons - Another thing you'll notice when researching Bluetooth mice is that many of them have numerous issues with OS X. In most cases all the extra buttons on the mice don't work. I can't justify buying a product that doesn't do what its advertised to do no matter how many cool buttons or lights it has.
Power Consumption - Whats the point in buying a wireless mouse if the batteries are always dead or if its gotta sit in a charging cradle. I don't want to spend a ton of money on batteries so a way to recharge the mouse would be nice. The mouse must have an on/off button to keep it from waking up during travel.
Size - I can't stand insanely small or overly large mice.

With this criteria in mind I've settled on the RadTech BT600. I looked at many different mice from a wide variety of vendors and this mouse seemed to fit my needs the best. I've been using Logitech mice for as long as I can remember, but the only Bluetooth mouse in their current lineup just doesn't cut it in my opinion. Microsoft didn't have anything that sparked my interest either. Apples Bluetooth Mighty Mouse just isn't my cup of tea.

The BT600 is average sized and boasts Bluetooth. From what I've read all 4 buttons and the scroll wheel work fine in OS X. My favorite feature about the mouse is how its powered. The BT600 uses 2xAA NiMH batteries that can be swapped out for regular alkaline batteries in emergencies. You'll know when you need to recharge via the integrated status meter in the scroll wheel. The best part is the NiMH batteries are charged via a standard USB cable. Unlike charging docks, you can still use the mouse while its charging!

The only negative aspect of the mouse that I could dig up was that some people thought the buttons felt a little 'cheap'. I'm used to the great build quality of Logitech mice so I hope it doesn't feel 'too' cheap. I'm willing to overlook a 'little' cheap feeling if all the other features live up to their potential. I'll report back when I receive the mouse and give it a test drive :)

Surge This

2007-02-03T23:21:00.000-10:00

My electricity has been going nuts lately. Probably once every day or two I notice at least the lights dimming if not the power going out completely. This has reminded me how glad I am that I bought a slick little surge protector with my MBP. The Tripp-Lite Traveler 100Bt is about half the size of the MBP AC adapter, which is the perfect size to bring with you on the road! You always want to protect your investment from surges, but big bulky surge protectors just aren't practical to take on the road. This little guy solves that and is exactly what travelers need. The 100Bt boasts 1050 Joules surge protection, a retractable plug, two outlets to plug into, and a telephone/ethernet jack.

I really like the retractable plug. It not only decreases size, but prevents the plug from scratching anything. The button that slides the plug in and out feels a little weak though :( I read a few reviews online where peoples buttons broke off, but I have yet to experience that. I'd recommend everyone to use a surge protector any time you plug in your ac adapter. If toting around a full sized surge protector isn't possible then give the 100Bt a shot. You won't regret the $12.95 it'll run you. A big bonus is that if anything gets fried while using the 100Bt, Tripp-Lite will replace equipment up to $50,000!

Unix Trickery Explained

2007-02-02T15:08:00.000-10:00

I realized this morning that I should probably provide a bit of explanation about the Unix commands that I used yesterday.

find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {}

find is a shell program built into OS X and most if not all Unix based systems. If you type 'man find' in the terminal it will tell you all the info about the switches you can use with find. You'll notice that there are many ways to search for things, including by name, type, permissions, etc. Find also allows you to execute programs on its results using the -exec switch.

chmod is program that allows you to set permissions on files and directories. Alternatively you can set permissions using 'Command + I' and looking under 'Ownership and Permissions'. This doesn't allow you to change a bunch multiple file permissions at once, so thats why chmod is useful. chmod is a bit confusing to explain but I'll do my best. To use chmod effectively you need to understand how it works. The numbers after the command set the permissions. To illustrate this open up the terminal and type 'ls -l' This will list all the files in the directory and information about them. The first column is the permissions on the files. You'll notice they are in the format 'drwxrwxrwx'. R stands for read, W denotes write, and X means execute. The first set of 'rwx' is the users permissions, the second set is the users group, and the final set is the world (ie anyone).

In the command 'find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {}' the 6 corresponds to the first set of 'rwx', the middle 4 corresponds to the second set of 'rwx' and the last 4 corresponds to the last set of 'rwx'. The numbers 644 correspond to binary bits, x=1, w=2, r=4. The 6 stands for rw- (read=4 + write=2). So the user has read and write permissions on the file. The 4 stands for r-- (read=4). So if amazingly you are still following me 644 means user has read and write permissions, and group and world have read permission. Heres a rundown of each possibility.

7 = rwx (read write execute)
6 = rw- (read write)
5 = r-x (read execute)
4 = r-- (read)
3 = -wx (write execute)
2 = -w- (write)
1 = --x (execute)
0 = --- (no permissions)

If you've made it this far I've got a treat for you! Do you ever want to open a terminal that is already at the directory that you are currently at in the finder? I do. I can't stand having to cd all the way to a directory (or type the full path) to execute a command on a file. If you download and install Open Terminal Here you won't have to.

iPhoto Automation

2007-02-01T23:50:00.000-10:00

Tonight I busted out some archive DVD's I had laying around with photos on them with the intent of slowly importing them into iPhoto. Once I copied the 10gb worth of pictures onto my MBP I set out to import them. Somehow I noticed the file permissions were a bit botched up though, which lead me to a bit of unix trickery :)

find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Thank god for the sysadmin class I took in college. That saved me tons of time.

With this hurdle out of the way I moved on to creating folders/albums for my pics. I figured that there must be a way automate this and there was! Allan Marcus wrote iPhoto Folder Import 1.0, a great script that creates iPhoto albums from folder names. So if you have all your pictures already sorted into folders that are neatly named just drag the folders onto the script icon and ZING! You got your albums! iPhoto can handle drag and drop album creation, but only with 1 folder at a time. The importer can handle multiple folders :) I expected to only get through a few years worth of photos, but instead I got through ALL of them.

With a bit of extra time I was able to install Keyword Manager (thanks Galley) and start fooling with it. This little plugin/script seems really awesome and I can't wait to get all my photo's tagged :)

ID3 Tag Hell

2007-02-01T09:49:00.000-10:00

Sorry I haven't had anything enlightful to write lately, but I've been living in id3 tag hell :( Not taking the time to edit the data in in the songs when I ripped them proving to be a big pain in the butt. And the tags that are there are a mish mashed mess. Luckly its easy to edit id3 tags in iTunes. Taking the time to edit all the tags is a good thing. All my music will be well organized, with proper meta data, and have album art! Its pretty exciting to know that my mp3's will be in order for the first time.

I've been manually downloading my album art from Amazon. I found a script called FetchArt that automatically finds and downloads the art for you. Unfortunately, it isn't compatible with Intel Macs :( I've been told that iTunes will download album art for you through the iTunes store, but I don't have an iTunes store account yet.

I may be the only person on the face of the planet that doesn't have an iPod. My trusty iRiver iHP-140 has been kicking along like a champ for years. When it dies I'll probably replace it with a video iPod, but for now it does the job. The biggest bummer about my iHP-140 is that I can't sync it with my iTunes library. I did find an open source solution, iRiverSync 2.0. The original site is down but it can be download here. I have yet to try it yet since I'm still moving my data off my mp3 player still, but as soon as I'm finished its going to be the first thing I'm going to try. I don't know if it will work though, since it was developed for iTunes 4.7. Maybe the iTunes leprechaun will give me a bit of luck and it'll work.

Well, I hear the whip cracking, that must mean that its time to get back to importing music.

Oh, 1 last thing. Is it common for people to put the track number in the 'Title" field for id3 tags? (ie. "07 Happy Birthday" in the title field instead of just "Happy Birthday"). I have the track data in the track field and also at the beginning of the file name of the actual mp3.

To iTunes Or Not To iTunes, That Is The Question

2007-01-30T22:57:00.000-10:00

I've been debating this question for a few days now. While using Windows I used winamp for a while, then ditched it. Eventually, I ended up just playing my music in Windows Media Player. I never set up play lists, I just opened up a handful of songs at a time and went from there. As you may have read before, I'm a little paranoid about handing my data over to a program without knowing what the program is going to do with this data.

I don't remember any of the specifics of things I've heard in the past, but for some reason I have this suspicion that iTunes doesn't play well with non iTunes store music. And since I've never used iTunes, all my music is DRM free, mostly ripped CD's. My biggest fear is that iTunes would bring down an Iron fist and start trying to control where I can play my music. Although these feelings seem foolish, its hard for me to adopt iTunes with this fear. Tonight I decided to give iTunes a whirl and see if I could debunk my suspicions.

It wasn't long before realized that I was wrong, which is great, because I really want to use iTunes :) When I import my music into iTunes they retain their original file format and don't get converted to the DRM laden ACC format. This means that iTunes won't be able to control what I do with my music!

As I import more of my music and get some time to explore more of iTunes I'll give my full blown opinion of iTunes.

From the Boiling Pits of the Internet

2007-01-29T17:26:00.000-10:00

I'm going to try something new today. Each day I spend a bit of time surfing the internet for interesting news, images, and videos. Usually Mac related stuff since I'm a new switcher. Sometimes I write about the things I find, and other times I don't. Even though I don't write about some it doesn't mean that many of you wouldn't mind spending the time to read the sites. So, every few days I'm going to post a quick list of what I've been reading and give a short description when needed. Enjoy todays links :)

New Applegeeks comic. Applegeeks Lite comic, below the main comic is quite funny.
Where are they now? Interview with “Switcher Girl” Ellen Feiss
The PowerBook Prank
Andrew Youll's Experience From Windows XP to Mac OS X. From 2005, but its still relevant.
Murphy Mac, 1 a day Mac screencasts.
From Windows to OS X, a great ui/feature comparison of the two operating systems.

Adventures With iPhoto

2007-01-28T17:42:00.000-10:00

I'm not one to jump into using new applications, especially when years of data is in question. But, since I made the switch to Macs I might as well jump in head first and explore iPhoto 6.

I always like to do a bit of research before I start using a program. I like to know how its going to handle my data and where I need to go to back it up. My adventure with iPhoto was no different.

In Windows, I used to just store all my pictures in folders. Then when I wanted to view them I'd surf through the folders and 'view them as a filmstrip'. This worked ok. I tried out a few photo organization apps, but was never pleased with them. It seemed that they always wanted to store my photos in weird hard to find places with goofy organization. So I was a little hesitant to use iPhoto. If OS X had the 'view pictures as a filmstrip' built into the finder I probably wouldn't have given iPhoto a shot.

But, if that was the case, I'd be missing out on a killer photo organization app!

If you're like me you'll like to know how iPhoto stores your images. Most if of iPhotos data is stored in the /Users/uid/Pictures/iPhoto Library/ directory. The original unmodified versions of your photos are in the Originals directory. Within the Originals directory photos are organized just how I like them (Year/Album/Photos). If you edit a photo from within iPhoto, its saved in the Modified directory. You will never lose your originals! iPhoto's data storage met my approval, so I started importing pictures.

By dragging folders full of images into the iPhoto window an Album with that folders name is created for you. iPhoto also figures out the dates the pictures are taken and also organizes them by year. So you have 2 ways to look at your pictures at this point. Look in the Album or in the year.

Once you are finished importing all your pictures there are many things you can do. The biggest feature that most users will use will be editing. iPhoto has some nice editing tricks up its sleve. Rotating, Croping (with aspect ratio constraints), Red Eye Reduction, and Retouching are some of the simpler features available. More advanced editing includes Effects (Black & White, Sepia, Antique, Fade Color, Boost Color, Matte, Vignette, and Edge Blur), and Adjustment of brightness, contrast, saturation, tempeture, tint, and exposure. All of these effects give you a real time preview! There are 2 interfaces for editing pictures. To edit within the iPhoto window click the Edit button in the bottom left. To edit in full screen mode click the button to the right of the key located in the bottom left.

Slideshows are also really simple to setup in iPhoto. Navigate to an Album and select which photo's you'd like to add to the slideshow. If you'd only like a few select pictures hold down the shift key while selecting pictures. Once you are happy click the Slideshow button near the bottom of the page. This saves your slideshow in the left pane of iPhoto. When you select the slideshow you can set lots of options like Effects, Transitions, and Music. My biggest gripe is that there is no way to view a Slideshow without it being saved. I'd like to be able to click an album, watch a Slideshow of that album and move on. If anyone knows how to do this I'd love to know :)

This covers most of the basic features of iPhoto and most of what I'll probably be doing with it. However, Apple has some other neat things you can do from within iPhoto. You can get Books, Calendars, and Cards created with your pictures and Apple will mail them to you. You can also order prints of your images as well. iPhoto additionally provides a way to make and subscribe to Photocasts (similar to a podcast except with images). You can also easily upload your photos to iWeb via the 'Share' menu at the top of your screen. If you use Picasa or Flickr you'll need a 3rd party plugin to upload to their servers through iPhoto. The plugins are linked to at the end of this article. Backing up your photos seems easy enough, but I haven't tried it yet. Under the Share menu is an option to 'Burn' which should burn a backup of your images.

All in all, I'm impressed with iPhoto. Due to experiences with other photo organizing programs my expectations weren't very high. However, iPhoto meets my needs and I'll continue to use it. With more time I'm sure I'll find more things that will impress me and I'll be even more happy that I started using iPhoto :)

Here are a few pages that you might find interesting if you have time for some extra reading.

Productivity ++

2007-01-27T22:58:00.000-10:00

I don't know what it is, but it seems like I can get things done quicker with OS X. Lots of Mac users claimed that they get increased productivity on Macs vs PCs and I used to think it was a bunch of crap. But now that I'm using OS X full time I can notice a difference. I don't know if I didn't take the time to learn the key strokes in Windows, but they didn't seem very intuitive. Cut, copy, paste, alt+tab, and of course ctrl+alt+del were about the only key strokes I used.

Now that I'm actively trying to learn a new operating system I'm making a point of it to try to use keystrokes. Its making my productivity go through the roof. Which everyone knows is a big plus.

I think your atitude changes when you move to a new opperating system. Out with the old and in with the new... All the negative thoughts and reminders of bad experiences are gone. You're ready for a fresh start. Time to give something new a shot.

In rolls OS X. You're excited, amazed, and wowed. Everything is positive and because of that you're able to get things done. No more slamming your mouse when things crash or kicking your desk to retaliate against a virus. I can see why Mac users are so out spoken about loving their Macs.

If you are interested in learning a bunch of new key strokes I'd recommend the official OS X Keyboard Shortcut guide.

Day 1 With MBP = :-)

2007-01-26T23:55:00.000-10:00

I've had about 24 hours with my MacBook Pro now. And as I said yesterday, its amazing. I've been around quite a few laptops in the past and this blows them all out of the water. My sister has had 1 Dell laptop, and now currently owns a Sony. My father has had 3+ dell laptops, anywhere from desktop replacements to midrange. He is now using a Fujitsu Lifebook. I'll tell you what, I wouldn't give up my MBP for any other machine I've ever seen.

Out of the box the machine is beautiful, and it doesn't end there. After going through the short setup process upon the initial boot, I was left to tinker. The MBP connected immediately to my Linksys wrt54g router with no hitches, which allowed me to make my first post on a Mac last night!

With one day under my belt, here are some features that keep blowing my mind. I have by no means explored everything, and I'm sure there will be new discoveries every day! Here's my list of my favorite things thus far.

Magsafe Power Connector - This was one of the first things I ran across. Instead of a male/female type plug the Magsafe connector uses uses a magnet to keep the power cord plugged in. The beauty of this design is that if you over extend or trip over your power cord your MBP won't suffer any damage! You gotta love that.

Built in iSight camera - I knew the computer had this, but with Photo Booth preinstalled the camera is a bunch of fun. I've read about people taking a picture of themselves everyday for X years and making a video out of it. I might have to give that a try, lol.

Frontrow + IR Remote - With Frontrow you can easily watch your dvd's and videos, view your pictures, and jam out to music. Think Windows Media Center except a whole lot more elegant. The MacBook Pro is accompanied with a small infrared remote to control Frontrow. Everyone knows its not fun for 3-4 people to crowd around the screen to look at a few pictures. With this combo, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Dashboard - I had never heard of the dashboard before, but wow is it cool. Being able to see current weather, a calendar, and a calculator at the touch of a button (F12) is really handy. The functionality doesn't end there. Check out Apple's download page for more widgets.

Illuminated Keyboard - The MBP has a built in ambient light sensor. This sensor is used to automatically activate a light that allows you to see the keys on your keyboard in the dark! Great for those hunt and peck typers, or for handling those strange keys like: @#$%&.

Expose' - This feature of OS X is very useful. When you come from Windows XP, land of the 'fully maximized windows' you might find OS X to be a bit untidy at first. But as soon as you discover Expose' its like having a butler working behind the scenes. Expose' puts the window/application you need at your fingertips. So make a mess and let Expose' handle the rest.
Expose' Shortcuts:
F9 Display all open windows in every program.
F10 Display all open windows in the active program.
F11 Shows the desktop. Similar to Windows 'Show Desktop' feature.

Two finger right clicking - As a switcher you'll not only notice that there is not taskbar, but also that there no right mouse button! How do you access context menus? Well, you don't really need to since most actions can be achieved using key strokes. But, if you must use the menus just put two fingers on the track pad and click. If this is wierd for you, then using the 'Apple Key' + click is the same as the two fingered clicking.

Spotlight - I don't know what to say about this search tool, other than I'll never use the search feature in Windows again. Seriously, Spotlight is so fast and accurate, its not even funny.

So there it is. These features and applications have made my experience above and beyond what I had expected. I don't know what the next 24 hours have in store for me, but I know I'm looking forward to it!

My MacBook Pro Arrives!

2007-01-26T01:17:00.000-10:00

DHL pulled up today and handed me my new MBP. I was amazed at how fast it got here once I reordered it from MacConnection.com. I placed my order Jan 22nd, it shipped the following day, and then arrived on the 25th. I'm really happy with my experience with this vendor.

I savored every moment of opening the box. Apple really does a top notch job with the packaging on these laptops. I knew this machine was going to be awesome, but WOW! It is above and beyond ALL of my expectations. The incredibly sexy exterior, the jaw dropping display (glossy), and the snappiness of OS X. I couldn't have asked for more. I spent hours snooping around in the System Preferences and giving the ui a bit of a personal touch. Each time I sit down at this thing I'm just floored by it.

You don't know how hard its been writing a blog about Apple computers without actually having one :) I feel legit now, a full blown switcher. After dreaming about my MBP all night I plan on getting a bunch of pics and some more thoughts posted tomorrow. More than just, "OMG...THIS MBP OWNS!" Which is about the only way I can describe this computer in my current stage of amazement :)

More tomorrow...

The Second Instalment of The Apple Web Comic Roundup

2007-01-24T23:22:00.000-10:00

The first installment of The Apple Web Comic Roundup can be read here.

Its time for the second installment of the Apple Web Comic Roundup. I unintentionally ran across MacBoy.com this week and was surprised to find not one, but two great comic strips! After a few short email exchanges will the site owner, William, he directed me to a third comic. I have a feeling that finding more comics for a third installment of the roundup is going to prove quite difficult. If anyone has any recommendations feel free to insight me :)

Title: The Joy of Tech
Creators: Nitrozac and Snaggy
This strip is updated very regularly and consists mostly of Apple related content. The two authors do a great job at writing about whats hot at the time and are able to get the comic out to capatalize on the moment. The graphics slightly remind me of Fox's King of the Hill cartoon. If your looking for a great punchline look no further The Joy of Tech delivers! The authors have also built a whole community for readers to hang out and discuss the latest comic, geekdom, and just about any other topic on their forums.

Title: Zap the Pram
Creator: William Levin
Although this comic stopped being updated in 2004 there are plenty of strips to read up on. These single pane comics are just what you need if you only have a few seconds to get a quick dose of Apple humor. Each comic has a small paragraph giving the context of the situation. This strip reminds me of the political comics seen in Time magazine or your daily news paper.

Title: Mew and Zach
Creator: William Levin
This comic is done in the typical 'funnies' section in the news paper style, right down to the black and white. "Mew & Zach is a weekly comic strip about life in the music recording industry, and all things Mac Music! Mew is a hip-hop civet, and Zach is his nerdy engineer friend. They discuss the lighter side of the music industry, with a Macintosh slant." This strip is also no longer being updated, but again, has plenty of archives to read!

100 Apple Users And Switchers Project

2007-01-23T23:27:00.000-10:00

Have any of you participated in the 2000 Bloggers event? If not heres some info. Tino Buntic is building a collage of 2000 Bloggers. Anyone with a blog and a picture of themselves can be added to the collage. The collage can be seen here.

I'd like to recreate the event here with a slight difference. I don't want just anyone with a blog, I want Apple Users and Switchers! If you've been reading my blog then you know that I believe that a big part of making the switch to Apple is the amazing community. If you're interested in meeting fellow users/switchers, then keep reading.

Instructions
Write a comment to this post that contains the following information...
1) Your name
2) A link to your blog, website, myspace/facebook/etc profile (blog preferred)
3) There MUST be a picture in an EASY to find place in the above URL.

I intend to shoot for 100 people, but if we get a whole lot more then thats great! I'll add each pic/url as they come in.

The 100 Apple Users And Switchers collage can be viewed HERE

If you'd like to promote your participation in this project, add the following image/link to your site :)

Light Laughs For The Day

2007-01-23T21:41:00.000-10:00

So a bit of humor after yesterdays drama :)

In the shadow of the iPhone release and the iPods success, Worth1000.com is looking for your insight into Apples next consumer electronic device. What was the most popular product? Well, there were more iToilet/iPotties than any other product submission! My personal favorites were the iRobot and the i Candi. I wonder if the iCandi flavors would be the same as the colors of the original iMac; Blueberry, Tangerine, Grape, Strawberry, and Lime.

If you can stomach an Apple bash parody commercial without taking offense, then check out the following video... Will definitely give you a chuckle!

When I used to use Mac's in High School the 'accidentally rename when you click on an icon' and the 'drag items off a cd onto the desktop' things would always get me. Had there been Apple Retail stores at the time I'd have 'ran to the genius bar screaming!'

Lastly, an update to something I wrote about a few days ago. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has written four more installments of his MacBook Pro Experience. I think that its going to be interesting to see how my experience with my MB is going to compare to his... other than the fact that he got his for free :(

Apple Gives Me The Runaround And I Save $259 On My MacBook Pro

2007-01-22T20:19:00.000-10:00

So the saga ended today. You would think that for a $2599 laptop (I added the 160gb hard drive) Apple would work a little harder to make the sale a success, but that wasn't the case. In case you haven't been reading my blog I'll recap everything for you.

Jan 11 - I decided to switch to Mac, but didn't have a high enough limit on my credit card.
Jan 12 - I got the limit on my credit card increased and ordered my MBP
Jan 13 - Apple notified me that my shipping address didn't match my billing address. I got this fixed immediately and they said everything was ok.
Jan 14 - Sunday, Apple probably doesn't process or ship orders on Sundays.
Jan 15 - Apple emailed me and said that my credit card was declined. Credit card company said it was their fraud monitoring program and that things should be good to go now. I called Apple back and they told me that everything was now ok!
Jan 16 - I was looking forward to my MBP shipping since the online order status ship dates were 17th-19th.
Jan 17 - Another problem... Apple was undercharging my order so it couldn't get processed. Apple gave me a $20 discount to cover the undercharged amount and to make up for the delay. Phone rep said that everything was ok now.
Jan 18 - Waiting for MBP to ship, order status says everything is ok.
Jan 19 - Waiting for MBP to ship, order status says everything is ok.
Jan 20 - Waiting for MBP to ship, order status says everything is ok.
Jan 21 - Sunday, Apple probably doesn't process or ship orders on Sundays.
Jan 22 - Apple notified me at 2pm PST that there was still a problem with my order. At this point I was so fed up with the whole ordeal and just canceled my order.

After 10 days of waiting and Apple telling me 3 times that everything was in line with my order I had gotten no where. Why would the phone support people tell me 3 times that everything was all set with my order when it wasn't? Apple offered to give me the upgraded shipping for free when I told them I wanted to cancel my order, which I obviously didn't accept. I still wanted the MacBook Pro though, I just didn't want to deal with the Apple phone reps anymore.

So, I went to check out MacConnection.com. Turns out they had some amazing offers;

$150 rebate
FREE photo printer ($100 value)
FREE carrying case ($69.88 value)
FREE Parallels Desktop ($79.99 value)
FREE Logitech V200 Mouse ($29.88 value)
FREE Shipping on Web Orders Over $499 (PRICELESS!)
No Sales Tax, which Apple had to charge since there is an Apple store in the state :(

So, the MBP from Apple was $2499 + $100 (160 gb hard drive) + $104 Sales tax = $2703
The same computer (minus the 160 gb hard drive) was $2499 - $150 rebate = $2344

So I saved $259 by ordering from MacConnection.com. I also went ahead and got Parallels since it was free. If I would have taken advantage of all the offers I could have gotten another $280 in savings or $539 savings total!

Now as long as MacConnection.com doesn't give me the run around Apple did I'll be one happy customer :)

RSS Feed Change... Issues?

2007-01-22T10:06:00.000-10:00

Is anyone having issues with the RSS feed? I switched to a feedburner feed and wanted to know if anyone is having problems. In case you were subscribed to the old feed the new one is at

http://feeds.feedburner.com/Keynote2Keynote

Let me know if there are any problems :)

Simple is Better

2007-01-21T23:18:00.000-10:00

Thomas Fitzgerald wrote an article today called, The Changing Role of the Personal Computer, and why The Mac leads the way. He claims that the personal computer is becoming an appliance and that users choose Mac's because they "...just work". Thomas then goes on to state that... "The idea of a Computing Appliance is something that fits so perfectly with Apple’s “Digital Lifestyle” message of the last few years that Microsoft has had to sit up and take note. People are beginning to realize that the operating system needs to get out of their way and let them do what the want."

I believe this to be true. If you frequent any Apple related forums on the internet the "I'm buying my first mac" posts are a daily occurance now. It would be impossible to put a number on how many people switch to Apple a day, but I guarantee that its just the beginning! Apple enthusiasts have been called fanatics for a reason, its almost like a cult. Users become preachers on a mission to convert their families, friends and coworkers. Follow me, I will show you the path of righteousness! If you glance at the other camp, do you see any strays wandering back to the mother ship? I have no real numbers to go by, but I would venture to say that Apple to Windows switchers are FEW and FAR between. Is it because Macs "just work"?

Apple's strategy to create a digital lifestyle has payed off big. They have made it so easy to use your computer to create content and manage media that many Apple users claim huge productivity boosts on their Mac. Malware, spyware, viruses, system crashes all completely defeat the purpose of a computing machine. Why spend time dealing with these annoyances when users can sidestep them 'almost' entirely and use their computer for what they please?

Usability is key! Back in the Windows 3.1, 95 days, and to some extent Windows 98 there was likely only one application or method to complete a task. But today there are hundreds. How do you weed through the crap an accomplish anything? Usability! By simplifying the users experience you not only increase their productivity, but also the enjoyment of their experience. Whats more fun to show off, a home made movie you created in an hour or a 5 day hodgepodge that you've had to start from scratch 3 times due to crashes? Society uses their computers for such a wide range of purposes. The experience needs to be efficient, enjoyable, and successful and this takes place when the OS is unobtrusive. Simple is better!

Taking Things One Day At A Time...

2007-01-20T20:32:00.000-10:00

My MBP still hasn't shipped yet, which is disappointing. I ordered the machine on the 12th, and here it is the 20th. Granted there was some problems with the machine being undercharged and not being able to ship which took a few days to take care of. But, its already been a few days since this was resolved and the machine still hasn't shipped. Is this typical? I was told that custom configured Apples take a bit longer to ship, but its only a hard drive! Had I known that it would have taken this much longer to ship I would have just bought it with the default config and replaced the hard drive myself. So, needless to say I'm a little bummed.

One article I read today however, was able to cheer me up and got me excited about making the switch again. SmokingMac.com has posted an article labeled 10 Reasons Why I Don’t Miss Windows. While reading through the list one can't help but get excited about dumping spyware, IE, and the horrible Windows Search. The author lists the Windows default ui second in his/her list. I personally don't have a beef with the Windows ui, but now that I'm thinking about it... I'm in need of a change. I've been using the same ui for the last 4-5 years, and honestly its rather boring. So bring on Mac OS X, Aqua, and all its glory! I'm ready for it... now only if my Mac would ship...

Apple Web Comic Roundup

2007-01-19T20:20:00.000-10:00

Web comics bring humor and insight to everyday life and there are thousands of them. I've been a long time reader of Penny Arcade and its given me some great laughs over the years. I ran across an Apple plot oriented web comic today and it prompted me to look for others. I was expecting to find endless panes of Steve Jobs fighting all that is evil and promoting the iPod/iPhone/AppleTV. Boy was I wrong. Finding Apple based web comics was harder than I thought. In fact, I could only find two additional strips after my initial find! So if you have your own or frequent a strip let me know so I can add it to my list.

Title: Apple Geeks
Creators: Hawk & Ananth
Your first impression of this web comic is going to be WOW! The graphics are simply amazing. If your looking for a strictly humorous comic then Apple Geeks isn't for you. Thats not to say that there isn't mixed humor throughout, but most of the comic is serious in nature. The cast consists of two characters who are reflections of the creators, their family, and one Apple based android.

Title: Shutdown OS Land (SDOS)
Creator: Alberto De Armas
I have high hopes for this comic. Its in its early stages, but from what I've seen so far its going to be awesome. The first chapter introduces the four main characters, Steve Apple, Bill Money, Mack InTouch, Pee C. Box, and one special guest, Wozzy. If you know any history about Apple you can probably guess the premise of this comic. The creator claims that SDOS is, "Based on a true story (with a fantasy twist)."

Title: The Little Apple Dude (The LAD)
Creator: Reece James
Apple users know what its like in a world of PC users. As a minority amongst the masses you are often the butt of jokes and criticism. The Little Apple Dude (LAD) is no different. LAD is a Computer Science major and one of few Apple users. He at a constant battle with the 'The PC Dude', who is basically just a reference to anyone who isn't a Mac user and shows support for Windows. There are a few other minor characters, namely The Exchange Student, Nini, and Shrike the Linux Dude.

Give these comics a read. I'm sure that you won't be disappointed!

The Keynote2Keynote Variety Show

2007-01-18T21:32:00.000-10:00

What does a switcher, lojack, PC running OS X, and a hidden dictionary have in common? They are the topic of conversation for today :) We got everything but the kitchen sink!

First off, heres another report of a switcher! Colleen Lynn's mom just purchased her first Mac. And in true boyfriend dumping fashion they plan on 'burning' some memories. Remember what Smokey the Bear says... "Only you can prevent another windows user." LOL.

So what do you do when you you fancy sports car gets stolen? You trace the bad boy with that expansive lojack system you got installed. How would you like to bring that kind of security to your Mac? Well Jonathan Zdziarski over at Nuclear Elephant has developed an application with this in mind. " MacLoJack is a system daemon running under Mac OS X designed to call home when your Mac is reported stolen. Once activated, MacLoJack will wait until it has an available network connection and every 60 seconds upload as much data as it has available..." This data includes an external IP address and iSight pictures of the culprit!

What happens if you are a switcher at heart, but don't have enough confidence to take the dive and ride the Apple train? You install OS X on your PC! I haven't tried this myself, but some clever people are doing just that. Its not a short process, but if your determined it shouldn't be a problem. Once you get a taste for OS X its doubtful you'll return to windows and you'll be one step closer to becoming a switcher.

Lastly, did you know that you have a hidden dictionary feature available, a way to invert colors, slow motion, text clipping, and multiple ways to take screen shots? All of these features are built into OS X and ready to use, so take a look!

I hope thats enough to keep everyone busy tonight :)

Cause For Delay

2007-01-17T17:36:00.000-10:00

I got an email from Apple saying that there was a problem with my order. It seems that they had under charged my order by $17 and change. Since the order hadn't been paid in full they haven't shipped my order yet. After calling Apple they ended up giving me a $20 discount to cover the $17 dollars and do make up for their mistake. Its kind of a bummer that I have to wait longer for my MacBook Pro, but the $20 discount is nice :) So everything is in order and my MBP should be on the way!

So what I have for you today is Uninspiring Vista written by Erika Jonietz, Senior Editor of the MIT Technology Review. Erika claims that she was not only "...just a fan, but a champion" of Microsoft. She claimed that in years past "When I was forced to use Apple's Mac OS... I grumbled, griped, and insisted that Windows was better." Turn the page to Windows Vista and OS X Tiger. "For me, if the choice is between struggling to configure every feature and being able to boot up and get to work, at long last I choose the Mac." Claims Erika.

It seems that Mac OS X has won over may seasoned windows users. In fact, I think that the initial reviews of Vista are fueling users decisions to switch to Apple. People see the future of Windows with Vista and they don't like what they see.

Ship That Mac!

2007-01-16T21:49:00.000-10:00

I'm hoping that my MacBook Pro will ship tomorrow :) Its supposed to ship between the 17th and the 19th, so maybe I'll get lucky! Until I get the machine I'll continue to attempt to immerse myself in the Apple community and keep everyone updated. I've been trying to be active on many forums and help people make the switch like I did.

I'm getting quit a list of ideas to write about once UPS/FedEx drops a package at my door. And each day the list gets longer and longer. Until then I don't have to much to write about.

So for the time being go check out Adrian Kingsley-Hughes blog. He received a 17" MacBook Pro from Apple to review for a few weeks. He's giving a day by day report on his experience with the machine, similar to what I will be doing except for a much longer period of time. My favorite quote of the blog, "I'm wondering if at the end of this review I'll want to buy a MacBook Pro or not." I don't see how he could not want one. So far 6 days have passed and other than his WiFi issues Adrian has been pretty impressed with the MBP. Hopefully in a week or two we Apple will have another 'switch' customer.

You Won't Get Mugged in You Living Room

2007-01-15T22:56:00.000-10:00

I was quite narrow minded when considering Apple communities yesterday. There seems to be a world outside of the interweb! No, I'm serious! Someone named Solo reminded me of this in his comment to yesterdays entry. User Groups are a good way to not only meet people in your area but to learn as well. Believe it or not there are a great deal of Mac User Groups (MUG) around the world! Here is what Apple has to say about Mac User Groups.

"Apple user groups are always excited to welcome new members. So check one out to see what you think. You’ll probably find yourself connected to other Mac users in your area. You can get help and offer help, you can make new friends and contacts, and you’ll have fun. If you’ve got a Mac, you’ll want to join. Find out why, and learn how to get involved. --Apple"

Why Join a User Group?
Who Joins User Groups?
Questions About User Groups?

Not only does Apple provide all this information but they even allow you to find User Groups in your area! If you are unable to find a user group near you don't hesitate to become narrow minded and resort to the web. Consider I/O MUG, which is a user group based on the internet only (I/O = internet only).

Remember, its not what you know, its who you know! So go out, join a MUG!

Those Who Helped Me Make The Switch

2007-01-14T20:10:00.000-10:00

Today I joined all the Apple forums that I've been secretly surfing. I was able to get a lot of really good information that helped me make my decision to switch to Apple from these communities. So here's my shout out to them!

MacNN
AppleInsider
MacRumors
MacWorld
Mac-Forums.com

I'll try to remain active on each of these communities. Hopefully I'll be able to help as many people as have helped me on these forums. Thanks again for the support guys!

Are there any communities comprised mostly of Apple 'switchers'?

Edit: The people over at MacNN pointed me to TUAW. It seems to be a nice Apple blog. I also stumbled across The Apple Blog and Cult of Mac

Should I See a Dentist About My Bluetooth?

2007-01-13T20:33:00.000-10:00

So I've been thinking about all the possibilities that built in Bluetooth gives me. A wireless mouse without the need for a cradle would be simply awesome. I know that Apple has their own Bluetooth mouse named the Mighty Mouse. But, coming from the PC world I don't think that I'd be able to get used to the odd form factor. I was also looking at the Logitech MX900. The MX900 has nearly exactly the same form factor as my MX500, which I love. However, I read that users experienced flaky compatibility with Max OS X. I suppose I could always give the MX900 a try and if it doesn't work return it.

After checking out the mice I delved a bit deeper and checked out Bluetooth headphones. I read somewhere that basically any Bluetooth headphones would work with OS X. I also read about people having problems getting Bluetooth headphones to work with any computer not just OS X. A pair that I really like are the Motorola HT820 stereo headphones. These headphones even have a built in microphone that could be used for Skype calls or similar voice chat programs. But after reading a few reviews users had problems connecting or pairing these to their computer, both PC and Mac. Just like the MX900, I guess I could give them a shot and if they don't work I could just return it.

The Point of No Return

2007-01-12T21:23:00.000-10:00

The deed has been done. After getting my credit card all in order this afternoon I made the 'switch'. So now I guess its the waiting game. I wonder if apple processes orders on the weekends... Anyone know? So far my experience with Apple has been great. Who would of thought? Most transactions in online stores go smoothly and so far this is no exception. I can't wait till that friendly man in brown comes a knockin on my door to deliver my new baby. If by chance he decides to have his way with my new Core 2 Duo machine he's going to be faced with one angry mofo!

In the mean time I'm going to start building a list of cool programs to load on the machine as soon as it shows up on my front steps and possibly some mods...

So far my list only includes.

iSpazz
FanControl
Apple logo color replacement (similar to this mod for the G4)

If anyone has any recommendations I'd like to check them out and possibly add them to the list.

EDIT: Yesterday I talked about finding some programs well suited for 'switchers'. I was pointed to a great resource that has a huge list of great software for OS X and found another on my own.

List SOFTWARE & Freeware GUIDES for MAC (translated from Italian to English)
Flërnk: A Guide to OS X Software for Switchers
My Computer My Programs
Apps that make switching easy and worth it!

Both sites are a great place to begin a quest for good OX software. I still have plenty of time to keep researching till my MacBook Pro arrives.

Credit Goes Where Credit Is Due

2007-01-11T21:48:00.000-10:00

So there I was... with a MacBook Pro sitting in my shopping cart on Apple.com. Then I decided that I should check the balance on my credit card to make sure that I had room for the purchase. Low and behold I hadn't even considered that I didn't have a high enough credit limit on my card! I suppose I could use my check card, but I want those damn reward points. So I'll give my credit card company a call in the morning and ask them to increase my limit.

To be so close to making the switch and being shot down is heart wrenching. Could this be a sign? Are there secret unseen supernatural forces that are attempting to prevent me from making the 'switch'? I suspect that Bill G is up to his dirty deeds again, trying to brainwash me.

At any rate, since I can't wow you with my 'switch' I'll post a 'switch' video. This is the video that Steve Job's showed during his keynote address during MWSF 2007. I'm not sure if its a new commercial or just one I haven't seen yet, but I got a chuckle out of it :)

EDIT: No clue why this video has so much space above it. If you have any idea I would love to hear from you!

Blogger Here I Come

2007-01-10T14:34:00.000-10:00

Well, I heard a log of good stuff about WordPress so I decided to give it a go for my Keynote2Keynote project. BUT... I didn't like the amount of control that WordPress gave me. Maybe I missed some stuff, but Blogger seems to allow me to do more of what I want to do easier. So I've moved the content from WordPress to Blogger. I will resume the remaining 364 days of my blog on this site.

MacWorld Expo 2007 Keynote in a Nutshell

2007-01-10T08:39:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was the annual MacWorld Expo. This is one of the four events throughout the year when Apple announces new products or updates to existing products. Here's a little rehash of what was announced.

Apple TV ($299)

40 Gig hard drive
Wi-Fi (802.11 g/b/n)
720p HD image quality
Plays iTunes video/music
Displays Photos
Auto sync content from one computer
Stream content from up to five computers
Comes with remote
more

iPhone ($499 -$599)

4 GB and 8GB models
Runs OS X
3.5 inch touch display
Quad band (GSM, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0)
2 Megapixel camera
Google Maps
IMAP or POP3 email
Safari web browser
Exclusive carrier will be Cingular
SMS messaging with iChat similar UI
more

Complete MacWorld Keynote info! (text)

Complete MacWorld Keynote! (video)

Dr. SteveJobs, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Make The Switch

2007-01-09T21:36:00.000-10:00

Why? Well, I decided to throw in the towel and buy a Mac. Today was Apple’s MacWorld Expo in San Francisco where they announced the iTV and iPhone. Both seemed pretty damn rad. But, that’s not the reason I’m switching. Honestly, I’m just ready for something new! I’ve owned one laptop, and one Apple product (the same machine… a G3 PowerBook). I’ve been a long time PC user and avid gamer for longer than I can remember. That’s enough about me, but I’ll unveil a bit more about me as the year progresses.

I’m starting this blog to document my experience with Apple and their product/services over the next 365 days… MWSF 2007 to MWSF 2008. I hope to learn a few things along the way and possibly show seasoned vets a few things as well. I’ve also wanted to play with WordPress and this gives me the chance. Anyways, thanks for reading and enjoy the ride!