Pages

Thursday, December 8, 2011

My Top 10 Gift Wish List

It occurred to me that the Holiday Season is upon us, and that many people will be exchanging gifts this year. Until recently, I didn’t really give it much thought. And while I’m sitting at the airport, waiting for my flight, what better time than now to ponder the wonderful gifts I could receive.

Of course, I could wish for any manner of outrageous items, such as an Aston Martin, a house, or a private plane. However, it behooves me to keep it in the practical range.

10. Well, as I’ll probably have plenty of hearty meals (like most of us), I would like to start my wish list off with a Concept 2 road bike. This bike will allow me to train for the upcoming triathlon. With a bit of a hefty price tag (less than $2000 US) this bike could get me through a whole season of rough riding.

9. Seeing how more-often-than-not I spend a whole lot of time behind the wheel of a car, I figure that time could be better spent listening to quality music. And since my CD changer has many of the top classical musical pieces, I was hoping some variety: An Yngwie Malmsteen CD. Yngwie is probably the “world’s fastest rock guitarist” and he originated (or at least highly influenced) the new genre of “neo-classical” guitar - which is essentially classical music played at a fast pace with rock guitars. I love his playing so much, that I would be quite happy with a simple CD, to be honest.

8. Recently I ran into Christian - who is a chef from France. Christian is actually a chocolatier, and hand makes his own chocolate: a quite innovative design similar to a “jewelry box” with chocolate pebbles in it. Funny thing that the box is superb tasting itself (so I heard). That would go hand-in-hand with the Concept 2 bike (#10).

7. One item which I’ve had my eye on for quite some time is the Breitling Transocean Chronograph. The watch is brilliant in design, and smooth-looking and rough-looking at the same time. This contrast in the design is what appeals to me a lot.

6. Considering that in the past few weeks much of my time has been spent making videos, I could really do with one of them new digital camcorders, such as the Canon VIXIA HF M301 Flash Memory Camcorder. In particular, I like the digital recording aspects, and the on-the-fly features of this camcorder.

5. Some time ago, while visiting a client, I wondered into a Salvadore Ferragamo store. VERY nice products, but “Gulp!” - pricey. In particular, one pair of shoes got my attention.

4. Then again, what would make a better gift, than, say, a Mauii trip?

3. Now the other day, I was strolling past Brookstone, and I saw the coolest remote control helicopter. This is by far one of the best ways to blow steam after a long grueling day. Eh, J.D.?

2. Since I’m in the technology field, of course the list wouldn’t be complete without my favorite, a tablet. But not just any tablet. Viewsonic has got a new tablet which is dual-boot. It runs both Windows, and Android - well, not at the same time, but it can run both! This is amazing, because I cannot find any Android app to replace certain things that are a must for me and exist in Windows, and at the same time it can run Android (which is by far one of the best tablet OSes).

1. And of course, last but not least: A TALL BLOND. I think either a Corona, or Heineken for me, with my friends.

Happy Holidays

ARKJR94TKVUB

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Why I Like Android Over iPhone

Yes. It's true. I'm going against the norm (again). I'm a rebel.

Indeed, the iPhone has quite a good reputation. And that for good reasons. Well, for one thing, its user interface is superb, and it is very user-friendly. You can find apps for almost any activity you like, from social networking, to banking.

However, I find the Android more appealing.

Allow me to explain. The Android, over the last couple of years, has developed considerably, and so now has a great user interface, almost comparable to iPhone's. And it has become also user-friendly.

But for me, those are not an issue, since I consider myself an "expert user." What is appealing about the Android is that it is less restricted in its usage, allowing far more freedom in how you can use it.

For instance, on the iPhone, you can not run Flash - for no other reason that Apple, Inc. doesn't like Adobe's Flash. It is not a technical reason.

Also, another appealing feature of the Android is that when you purchase an app (a paid one), it is registered to you, so you can download it again, at ANY time. It doesn't matter whether you get a new phone, or a new tablet, etc. You can just install it from scratch. Whereas on the iPhone, once you download the app, it's up to you to back it up, and restore it on a new device.

But these are less important gimmicks than the real reason I prefer Android. And that is: I can completely hack the Android OS and reset it, just the way I like. On my phone, I have wiped the system (as it came from T-Mobile) and replaced it with the original Google's version of Android.

And yes, this is legal! I've checked.

If I wanted to, I could modify Android to operate in specific instances, as I wanted - it is "open-source" after all.

On the iPhone, you're limited to how your phone comes. You cannot use your phone except as limited by restrictions of the system.

Considering I have about half a hundred apps on Android already, and the freedoms it provides, I much prefer the Android.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Does Size Matter?

Weighing a little over a pound, and measuring 10.1" in diagonal length, you can fit this little monster in your bag, or carry it inconspicuously. And with a 6 to 8 hour battery life, it sure can come in handy, when you really need it. It can make your day!

I know where you can get it, if you would just continue reading on...

Of course, I'm talking about a NetPC.

What is a NetPC, you ask?

It's a cross between a PDA and a Laptop, where it takes the advantages of both worlds, meshing them into a very useful and versatile tool - one that you can take nearly anywhere with you.

A NetPC can run most of the recent software that are available, such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, and even Microsoft Office, .

Typically, it runs on what is called "Solid-state hard-drive" (SSD) which is a complicated name for an "internal flash-drive." The SSD drive is what enables memory with low power usage. However, it could run on a regular hard-drive as well.

I've been reviewing the HP NetPC 110, and it's a very robust machine. It comes with 3 USB ports, an Ethernet Port, an internal wireless card, an on-board camera, a single speaker, a headphone jack, an Intel Atom dual-core CPU, and 1GB ram, as well as a 16GB SSD-drive.

I has a monitor port, so you can connect a large monitor and run everything on it.

And it comes with an SD memory card port, to boot, so you can expand the machine's capacity as to the applications that it can run.

What else can you fit into the little package?

It comes loaded with Windows XP, Microsoft Office (trial version), and a host of other applications that anybody could possibly think they would need.

Another advantage of the system is the ability to go into "Sleep mode" as soon as you close its lid, and has one of the fastest wake up times seen to-date.

Priced at around $300.00, you can not go wrong with this sweet deal, perfect for the student or professional on-the-run. It is available at almost any office supply store, in your neighborhood. Or you can buy it directly from DanLogix.com.

So, it definitely can fulfill its role due to its size, and portability.

ARKJR94TKVUB