September 19, 2008 by hr.

This has been floating around for a while but I figured it was worth another look.  Many of you know Stephen Colbert as a no-nonsense news reporter.  Well, he was also a recording artist during the 80’s.

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September 14, 2008 by hr.

It taunted me!

"Hey Big Boy, I’m Windows Mobile 6.1!  Why don’t you plug your BlackJack II in and we get flash(ed) ROM style."

Sure, that’s enticing but I have been bricked before.  In addition, my friends are telling me about this nasty i760 ROM going around.  After a lot of flirting and adding each other to our respective Facebook profile I finally decided to take the plunge and update my BlackJack II to Windows Mobile 6.1.

Samsung released the much anticipated update last week.  Besides being the latest and greatest, the update includes: ICS, Voice Dialing, threaded SMS, improve call quality, and a snazzy interface.  While I somewhat liked WM6 Standard interface, it doesn’t set the world on fire.  WM6.1 doesn’t as well, but it is a huge improvement.

"Sir, I know the iPhone.  I have friends who have the iPhone.  Mr. BlackJack II, you are no iPhone."

Instead of a stale ribbon, the Home Screen consists of multiple ribbons with different groupings.  The top ribbon has the time.  As you scroll down you get the messaging ribbon.  Scroll left to right and you can toggle between email accounts, text, and SMS.  With the calendar ribbon, you can scroll side to side through upcoming appointments and a link to create a new appointment.  Both ribbons are a huge improvement but not the best part.  Access to your pictures, music, and videos are easily accessed in their own ribbon.

In terms of button configuration, nothing is changed.  The center dial spins and can be clicked in 4 directions.  When you select the start menu get get a condensed applications screen which is aimed to replace the old applications ribbon in 6.0.  Since it is condensed it only shows the most recent programs.  The left menu button will show all programs.  I didn’t know if I liked this at first but I got use to it and it make sense.

Without a doubt the biggest improvement is the addition on Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).  For those not in the know, ICS will allow you to easily tether your device for connectivity (warning, tethering data plan required).  The benefit of ICS over the old Dial-Up Network (DUN) is speed.  When you connect via ICS your computer sees the phone as a NIC.  As a result, you can use TCP/IP and a NIC connection instead of a serial connection in DUN.  This translates into raw speed.  Big, fat, sloppy, human organ juice speed.

With DUN, you will probably max out at 200kbps even with a 3G connection.  With ICS I am getting anywhere between 600-1.2mbps depending on my connection. 

You can connect with ICS either through physical connection or through a Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN) connection.  The same benefits of ICS apply to PAN.  Even though you are using bluetooth, you can still get a good connection.  I was getting comparable speeds to my USB cable.  Although bluetooth PAN is not too bad on the battery, the benefit of  using your network cable is your computer charges your PDA.  Of course the upside of PAN through bluetooth is NO WIRES!  For those who speak spanish, no el wireos!

Pre-WM6.1 I was a BlackJack II fanboy.  It has great battery life, design, speed, and features.  This upgrade makes it better.  For those BlackJack II owners who don’t mind rolling the dice try the WM6.1 a firmware upgrade.  One piece of advice I always give, read the instructions.

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September 14, 2008 by hr.

If you had the sad misfortune to watch any of the cable news networks this morning you would know there is a lot of buzz around Sara Palin.  Props to John McCain, this choice got him back into this race.  I just have one question through, who’s saying some of these things about Sara Palin.  In regards to Sara Palin, they only thing the news outlets will talk about is the media criticism of her. 

Apparently the media is criticizing her work life balance, family values, how much times she spends with the kids, etc.  Let me ask you, who’s making this criticism?  I know a lot of people are talking about the criticism but nobody criticizing.

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September 11, 2008 by hr.

Like I mentioned earlier, one of the benefits to ordering through the Dell outlet is shipping.  Sure, price is always a consideration; but being able to get a machine within 7 days is nice.  Many times I have ordered systems from Dell and it took two weeks to build.  During that time I would find a deal that would match or beat what I thought was an awesome deal.  It’s amazing to see how chip prices drop in a matter of days.  With computers, you should expect a certain amount of obsolescence, but 5 days is ridiculous.

Yesterday my wife’s new Dell XPS M1530 in blue was delivered.  First impression, not bad.  The brushed metal top and colored matted back make it an impressive looking machine.  Although I only got the 1200 by 800 resolution monitor, it is still impressive.  My only knock is that the case on the bottom of the machine seems a little cheap.  Almost like a Sunday Morning Toshiba (cheap, door buster).  Overall, the ascetics are pretty nice.

From this point forward, I am drawing a line in the sand.  Any new machine that I personally purchase will be configured with a 64 bit OS, no exceptions.  While the M1530 did ship with a 32-bit version of windows I quickly wiped it (as I do with any OEM image) and installed a 64-bit version of Vista Ultimate.  While Vista is not perfect, a super-fast processor with 4gb of RAM on a 64-bit system sure does make me forget about some of the speed issues I had on my old Latitude D620.

While Dell doesn’t specifically configure the M1530 with 64-bit Vista, installation wasn’t too challenging.  While Dell does not have a 64-bit video driver from nvidia for the 8400, Vista was able to find it.  I was able to download 64-bit drivers for all other hardware including the ethernet card, wi-fi card, and fingerprint reader. 

Once the image is configured I will post some images and a full reivew.

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September 8, 2008 by hr.

Despite my recent purchase of a Dell XPS 1530 (my wife’s new laptop), I have been holding off purchasing something new for myself until Microsoft gets their Media Center act together.  Since Windows Media Center was released I have been a "fanboy."  The interface, features, accessories, add-on’s, and stability make it one of the best DVR’s.  Currently, I have a Dell Dimensions E510 in my office running Windows Media Center 2005 connected to a digital cable box.

My hesitation to buy anything new comes down to one thing, HD content.  With Windows Media Center 2005 and Vista you can add a ATSC tuner for over the air HD.  That’s great and all, but I live in area where you cannot get over the air HD.  Plus, standard TV sucks!  At minimum, I need ESPN and Mojo (big 3 Sheets fan).

I thought all of this would be resolved with Windows Vista.  Leading up to the release of Vista Microsoft indicated that it would support cable card connectivity.  In addition, there was buzz of a DirecTV tuner for Vista (H.264 support).  Both would allow your PC to become a high-end HD DVR.  Sadly, all Home Theatre PC (HTPC) enthusiasts were disappointed.  With Windows Vista, you can buy a PC that supports cable card connectivity.  Unfortunately, there is only one approved cable card tuner on the market.  In addition, you need to buy a cable card capable PC from an approved OEM builder.  Doing it yourself is not allowed. 

ATI’s Cable Card Tuner

To add insult to injury, setting up these OEM approved cable card PC’s can be tricky.  First, you have to deal with your local cable provider.  Last time I checked, MIT graduates didn’t gravitate towards Comcast to become cable installers.  This support issue is compounded since cable card connectivity is such a niche market.  Lastly, it looks like cable operators are going the direction of cable switching (a post for another day).

I won’t drown too much on this one, but NFL Sunday Ticket is only available on DirecTV.  For all intensive purposes, H.264 support on Vista is dead.  Good luck on Windows 7. 

On a dim note, Microsoft is throwing HTPC enthusiasts a bone with the upcoming Windows Media Center TV Pack (WMCTP).  Right out of the gate, WMCTP makes setting up a cable card easier.  In addition, it adds QAM support.  If you are not familiar with QAM, it allows cable companies to send HD channels over coaxial cable without a box because the signals are unencrypted.   In areas where providers offer multiple channels in QAM, this is an awesome feature.  For those Comcast subscribers, they typically only offer your local channels in the clear.  In my opinion, all standard (non-premium) HD channels should be in the clear (another post for another day).

Like many things Microsoft these days, the carrot is attached to a string.  WMCTP is only available to OEM builders.  This might change but I wouldn’t hold my breathe.  Ultimately, I don’t know any mainstream builders that is deploying this pack.  Where’s Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc?

A lot has changed since I built my first HTPC in 1999.  The OS has improved, Windows 98 was abysmal.  The interface is much better, Microsoft does deserves a lot of credit for this.  In addition, the promise of HD is making things exciting.  Unfortunately, there are more rules and restrictions placed on these builders such as myself.  Not everything is Microsoft’s fault, copyrights and licensing from the media outlets dictate a lot of this process.  With that said, Microsoft hasn’t necessarily done a lot on their end to make it easier for the HTPC builders. 

Until something gives, the invasion of HTPCs into the living room will be stunted.  One key element which helped Microsoft win the OS wars 20 years ago was the accessibility and community that wasn’t available on Mac or OS/2.    With Windows, you could install it on almost any x86 hardware.  It was easy and you could do cool things.  This freedom provided the incentive for many home builders to choose Windows even though it may not have been the best OS.  In addition to expanding their market share, these home builders provided the feedback and demand that helped grow the overall PC market.

These same home builders helped drive the initial development of Windows Media Center.  Until Microsoft and the media providers get out of the way and give the home users some freedom, this market is going to stutter.  Windows Vista is going to continue to stutter.  Advertising and revenue through the web will miss an opportunity.  What’s worse, these enthusiasts will look in other places.  We will look at different OS’s and different media outlets.    YouTube, Mark Cuban, and many other sites are proving that there are other entertainment outlets not named Universal, Sony, or BMG.  In the same breathe, software developers like Sage, Snapstream, and eyeTV are proving that there are alternatives to Windows Media Center.

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September 7, 2008 by hr.

No, it’s not a reference to the Porky’s Thrillogy or a place where you can get a virus that leads to a disease, it’s Fox’s new hit show.  Well, I use the term hit loosely.  None the less, it’s probably the cheapest show to produce (next to ABC’s Wipe Out).  Basically, get a bunch of contestants, a minor prize, and really cheesy theme and you got a hit. 

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September 5, 2008 by hr.

To honor my friend’s recent exploration into the world of blogging, I thought I would talk about a new beer that has caught my eye: Bud Light Lime. 

For those of you who are familiar with the Pinthead Blog, Alex Brenner and his friends are chronicling their experience with beer on the web with the assistance of Google.  Needless to say, if you like the smell of ass you will love the Pinthead Blog!

About 3 weeks ago I was hanging out with my friend Sean when we decided to go on a beer run.  I have known Sean since I was seven so I know he’s a solid guy.  When he has an idea it is generally a good one.  Getting beer is always a good idea. 

Between us, we have tried just about everything carried in most North Bay grocery stores and specialty outlets.  From the the high end to Natural Ice, we have done it all with the exception of one beer.  While intrigued, i wasn’t sure I could try Bud Light Lime and continue to call myself a male.    Luckily, Sean was my wingman in this journey into the lame. 

Much to my surprise, Bud Light Lime is not that bad.  Like any Busch Beer, it’s a mass produced lager that has been streamlined.  Imagine a consistent Corona Light with the limes already in the beer.  Perfect!  Since some of us are not vegans like Alex, we need to watch what we eat and drink.  The fact that Bud Light Lime has only 64 calories means it is a girlz best friend. 

So if you like to dress like Mr. Furley, sit out on a deck, and enjoy a sweet/sour beverage; try Bud Light Lime.  Trust me, it isn’t that lame!

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September 5, 2008 by hr.

I have been in the North Bay for about 11 years now.  Over that time city planners and community organizers (future Obama’s I am sure) have been trying to find ways to reduce traffic in Marinwood.  If you are not familiar with my area of the world, Marinwood is a sleepy little community in North San Rafael.  Sleepy until rush hour traffic hits each weekday morning and the surface streets are filled with cars.

When cars pack the streets of Marinwood the local soccer moms and crazy oldies come out in anger.  These concerned citizens are worried that the cars will cause pollution, jam-up our surface streets, and put the kids walking to school at risk.  More importantly, I think a lot of residents are just pissed by having to wait 10 minutes to pull out of their driveway.

The first action taken to minimize traffic was 8 years ago when the City of San Rafael condensed Miller Creek Road from two lanes to one.  The hope was that this would slow the flow of traffic onto Las Gallinas (which runs parallel along Highway 101).

Miller Creek and Las Gallinas

In some ways this worked.  There are less cars on the road in Marinwood during the morning commute.  Unfortunately, the roads of Marinwood are still congested.  Between 7:30-9:30am each weekday the cars are still lined up between Miller Creek onto Las Gallinas all the way into Terra Linda.  Traffic on the smaller streets around Miller Creek and Las Gallinas are also packed. 

From a personal standpoint, I can contest that the commuters who use Marinwood as a way around traffic on 101 drive quickly through Marinwood.  Since I drive like a 85 year old man nowhere near a farmers market, this worries me.  I was almost ran over just crossing the street the few times I have been walking around the neighborhood during the morning commute hours.

Much like McCain’s horrible smile, the community planners will not stop until the ugly pig gets screwed.  Last Monday the neighborhood woke up to see the entrance to Miller Creek off Highway 101 has been narrowed with magical yellow dividers.  Just like the Baltimore Colts Moving Company, all of the work was done in the middle of the night before anybody had a chance to object. 

Traffic merging onto Miller Creek

Cars backing up

What’s the goal?  While nobody from the Mayor Al Borro’s office have answered my telepathic requests for interviews, I have a few theories.  First, by narrowing the lane approaching Miller Creek drivers exiting the highway will be encouraged to slow down.  Second, since the new dividers have blocked the right and left turn lane at the intersection of Miller Creek/Marinwood, the hope is that cars will back up to the highway and drivers will be persuaded to avoid the area as a possible short cut.  Before, if the intersection was blocked some drivers would find other surface streets to connect to Las Gallinas.  With no dedicated turn lane, drivers cannot swoop to the right and make a quick turn, they have to wait in line.

Will it work, who knows.  Does it bother me?  Not really.  I take the bus and carpool each morning.  On an average day I am in the SF by 7am (at the latest).  At first it bothered my wife.  I then explained to her that it does not affect her commute.  To be honest, it still bothers her.  Ultimately, if it works; great.  If not, at least it won’t affect the residents it aims to protect.  To many public works projects end up harming both.

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September 4, 2008 by hr.

Overall, I think McCain did a A- job.  While he did go over, he had a very clean and cornice message.  Sadly, that message didn’t include substance, but it was still good.  Unlike Palin’s speech, McCain’s was not angry.  If anything, I was shocked.  It was more motivational.  Maybe he can speak to at risk kids and corporate at retreats. 

"My friends at GE, join me, join me, join me to make the best stuff GE and its subsidiaries can!  What do you make again?  Are you on the Internet?" 

At one point this week I almost picked up a shot gun and took my own life.  After the 4th day of speakers who told me the military is awesome and John McCain was in a POW camp, I could not take anymore.  Oh yeah, did you know he cannot lift his hands high enough to salute?  Enough already.  McCain did mention his POW experience, but it at least it was from the horses mouth.

What could McCain have done better?  Maybe substance.  He only alluded to a few vague policies.  Outside of the same lower tax crap, nothing on the economy.  Didn’t the Dow tank today?  No mention of health care or the environment.  Then again, this is the GOP.

What did he do well?  A lot.  McCain did make you feel like Washington was corrupt and he and Palin are ready to clean it up (even though the Republicans so controlled politics for the last 8 years).  McCain did look less creepy (with the exception of his weirdo smile).  McCain didn’t lose his cool yet still kept that fire that draws die hard McCain supporters.

The best thing McCain did was go out with a bang.  The last 4 minutes of his speech was probably one of the best finishes to a political speech I ever saw.  Not only did it get the crowed on their feet, it was transcending.  Obama-like if you will.  While he probably didn’t sway any liberals or many moderates, he at least made them think that he isn’t such a bad guy.  That gives him a fighting chance.  Too bad it ran past 11pm ETS, it could have make the local news.

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September 4, 2008 by hr.

Growing up I always felt something was missing.  Tonight, I realized what it is.  I have always longed for a mother who can hunt moose.  Let us hope mothers everywhere answer the call.  The call to kill moose.

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