Link's space

I'm a tough critic, let's face it. I tend to really beat on things and I know it. I'd like to say this would be different but it's not. This is my review on the Macbook Air. As with most I'll organize it into categories, usefulness, power, hardware quality, software quality, price, and features. Let's jump right into it.

Power: The Macbook air is of course the smallest laptop in the world (well, was until the Eee PC), but don't let it's size fool you, it's just as powerful as far as Processor speed and RAM as the standard MacBook. The Air does lack on one major feature though, harddrive space, in a day when 160 gigs in a laptop are standard, the Air is short changed at an 80 gigabyte standard or a 64 gigabyte solid state drive. The solid state saves power but sacrifices room and it's a 1000 dollar "upgrade." The reason I'd avoid it is because solid state drives are not all they are cracked up to be, they have a very fast random seek time, meaning they find files very fast, but they have a slower write time than standard drives. Solid state drives are ideal in a hybrid setup, I don't know about Macs, but windows drivers for hybrid drives make Windows store the pagefile.sys and Virtual Ram on the solid state drive, as most files that are stored there are small, and things like documents and music and such are kept on the standard.

Hardware quality: kind of a hard one to rate on the Air. Things like the screen, keyboard, and casing on the Air are yes very high quality. It feels very sturdy and well built. One issue I had on the keyboard was that although full sized, the keys had almost no resistance to them, bearly thouching them would start it typing, making it easy to make mistakes.The screen was a beautiful LCD but the LCD lighting tended to make the center of the screen slighty darker than the rest, as well as using slightly more power. The case is built out of sturdy aluminum, but is slighty heavier and also forms a major issue when you go to set it on your lap after it's been on, it gets *hot*. I though it was a "laptop" not a stove top.

Software Quaity: Well of course it comes loaded with the newest version of MacOS 10.5 Leopard, so there is really nothing for me to comment or complain about new. Just read my earlier articles for the exact same info I could fill up pages to add here.

Features: This is the Air's weak spot. By features I don't mean software features (well, one I do) as it's Mac OS so nothing special VS any other Mac. Features that it does have include jeastures on the touchpad. For instance, pinch (iPhone), rotation (use two fingers to rotate images), and skip (three fingers to go back and forth in Safari or iTunes). Now before I go further, look at the Macbook and think about *who* it's intended for, road warriors would be my guess. Well here is the issue, it lacks half the features travelers need, 3G wireless or a slot for Wireless boradband card, only one USB, and biggest of all to me, no CD drive......... I see how Apple made it so tiny, they just stripped out everything that most of us use. In order to use a CD, you either have to buy a seperate USB CD drive (using your only USB port) or use a program on the MacOS 10.5 disk that comes with it (ironic that they send it on a disk no?). The program on the MacOS disk can be used on a PC or Mac and allow the Air to use their CD drive as it's own. What *really* bothered me is that in the tutorial video I watched, the Apple Exec continually said "this new and powerful feature". "New" feature huh? It's only been new to PC users since NT 4.0 in 1996........

Price: The biggest negative everybody has with Apple computers, the cost. This PC can cost in upwards of $3000. The price is just not worth it when the MacBook Pro is the same price and twice as powerful, and that's not considering a PC.

Usefulness: The entire usefulness of this machine is strongly dampered by its lack of hardware that *everybody* uses. Come on Apple, at *least* and I mean at *LEAST* give us a CD drive. Honesly how many people who buy this evidently gold plated computer and still have a second one to use as a CD drive? Yeah it's light, but honestly my Toshiba only weighs a wopping 4.7 pounds, and it's the got the same full sized keyboard and a fully lite screen, not LED. I don't have to skip on storage with 120 gigabyte hard drive either. So my verdic, invest your money on a computer several times more powerful and get *those* bragging rights instead, like the Macbook Pro or a high end PC laptop. Trust me, being able to brag "I have the smallest laptop ever" is not as good as "I have an insainly powerful laptop".

Yep, I'm finally ready to make a review on Zune. Zune has been the object of ridicule since it's release back in the long past days of 2006. Back in the day Ipod users where very critical of the Zune dismissing it as just a lame copy. But in reality the Zune as of the Version 2 firmware update and software release is easily able to fend for itself in my mind. The zune is actually not a copy of the ipod but an OEM version of the Creative Gigabeat. I has all of the same features plus some. Here are some of the features I feel need to be mentioned an I'll go over each one on their own.

1. Wireless sharing and sync

2. Podcast support

3. Radio

4. Apple format support

5. Zune software

6. Zune Marketplace

7. Zune social

1. Wireless sharing and sync. This is the most noticeable feature added to the Zune. Taking from the idea that music is a social thing, Microsoft has given zune users the ability to share music Zune to Zune. It is really a neat idea, as the song is sent to a special section on the zune for the receiver to listen to three full times (note there is no limit to the number of times a song can be transferred) and if the user likes it they can mark it to be bought the next time the Zune syncs up using the new Zune pass (14.99 per month for an all you can eat buffet of music). The three listen limit is how MS has managed to step around copyright laws while still making it a "sharing". Wireless sync is also a new feature in the version 2 updated. When the Zune is plugged in with wireless turned on, if no music is playing, it will automatically connect to the linked PC via a wireless network and retrieve new content and also download new content from the zune store if it was marked. The wireless sync can also be initiated manually from the settings menu, but it lowers battery time by about 3 hours on the Zune 30 and 1 hour on the Zune 80 (and the 8 and 4). The wireless sync is also much slower than simply using the USB cable, but if your like me and have your stereo in a different room VS your PC, it's pretty handy.

2. Podcast support. Yep the Zune now supports Podcast's, and it does it well, better than iTunes some say. I'm not a good person to review the podcast feature as I hardly use it, but in my usage of it, it's just like setting up an RSS feed, which is all a Podcast really is, an RSS feed linked to a video.

3. Radio. Either you use it or you don't. I use the radio quite often, but not on my zune. The zune sadly doesn't quite cut it out where I live. I live 40 miles from the nearest radio tower, thus reception is very hit or miss, my current stereo has a 15 foot antenna and gets decent reception is good weather, thus the Zune using headphones as the antenna is simply not going to get a signal. When I'm in town it get's great reception though, loud and clear, thus if you live reasonably close to a station (aka closer than me :P) it might see a lot of use if you ever listen to radio.

4. Apple format support. One of the things that always erked me about iTunes was it's need to convert .wma and .wmv formats instead of simply using an open source codec. Zune solves this issue by simply supporting the common QuickTime and Apple formats, all the mpeg formats, m4a, m4b, m4v, mp4, ac3, acc, as well as the MS formats and mp3 and m3u formats.

5. The Zune software version 2. The new update is a huge step over Zune 1. Rather than be a crappy iTunes/WMP mash up thing, it's actually it's own UI now. It follows the spiral UI on the Zune device by making categories at the top, Collection, Device, Market Place, and Social. Each can be divided up further, like Collection is divided into Music, video, pictures, etc. A new ID3 Tag editor is in the 2.5 update allowing all the same edits found in WMP. Also the social section now has a friends section, allowing one to sync their friends Zune cards to the zune device and software. The cards have lists of songs that can be opened to find an add to cart option, so that the next time the Zune is synced the songs will be downloaded or asked to be bought.

6. Zune Marketplace. This is one of the biggest improvements over not only Zune 1 but any other music marketplace I've used. Zune market place is full of links, artist bios, samples, comments, and forms a really deep integrating with the Zune software or your Internet browser out of zune.net. Song prices remain cheap and entire albums can be bought from 8 to 5 hundred Microsoft points, and individual songs usually around 79 Microsoft points. MS points are the online currency that MS uses on the marketplace, there is a conversion factor, it's something like 10 dollars for 800 points (if memory serves).

7. Zune social. The zune social network is a community of zune users (not just device) who can talk about the zune, music, or other topics. The zune card, developed my what you listen to on the Zune or the software is like your avatar or ID card. Zune can be pasted into Facebook, Myspace, live spaces (as I've proved) and other networking sites. The Zune forums is where most conversations go on, from favorite music types, artists, all the way to a Device and software feature wishlist. You can even talk with Zune developers, get support from them right on the forums, or talk to MS execs even. Zune social even adds a competition feel, awarding badges to members who become bronze/silver/gold listeners of albums or artists, I myself have something like 50 or 60 badges, although none are above a silver. :P

No that is not my opinion :P. But honestly does anyone see an issue with this equation. Okay unless you've been living under a rock, you know about Microsoft's offer to buy out the fading web icon Yahoo. If you share the same opinion as I do about Yahoo, you couldn't care less right? Uhm, no. Yahoo is currently the under dog and simply is going to get bought by someone. The question is who and what would be the outcome. Well lets examine the Giant Juggernaut first. Over the past year or so (since Vista's launch) the new MS OS has been failing despite being the Windows system with the fastest selling licence, that statistic that MS is trying to say is a positive spin is falsified for a few simple reasons. 1. There are far more computers in the world today then in 2001 with XP's launch so of course there are going to me more sales. 2. MS doesn't say anything about that Vista is the most downgraded system since the flop that was ME. Okay, back to my point, with Vista's launch they also started developing "Live Services" of which I'm using :P. Well, if you watched or read any of the MS presentations at Electronics expos, then you know what they are trying to do. Using Live services and the single Live ID they are trying to eliminate the need for a "personal" computer. Okay imagine this, you go to a friends house, sign into Windows 7 by this time at least using your Live ID, and via internet, it loads all your personal settings, via Live Skydrive loads all your files and programs, via Live Mail all your email, Via Messenger all your contacts, etc. Sounds cool right, it actually does to me as well. Well as of now, MS has nowhere near the internet infrastructure to implement this idea. Where as Messenger and Hotmail are big, they are only a fraction of online services. MS's monopoly doesn't branch onto the web as much as they'd like. So what I believe MS would do is use Yahoo's current user base to help along and boost their presence on the net. It makes a lot of sense to me. Okay, now for the universal name, Google. Google is the online of MS. A much larger User base than both Yahoo and MSN it has the ability and the expertise and size to handle pretty much anything that any company can throw at it. I'm a major Google fan btw. Say Google buys Yahoo, I can see they using Fliker to expand their image search and integration with Picasa, using all or most of the Yahoo Mail because it is a ways ahead of Gmail's foundation as far as the UI and storage goes (but honestly who uses 6.6 gigs as of now for *just* mail. I've got more online files on Gmail than I could imagine) but still keeping Gmail's open-ness such as POP3 forwarding (which yes many of us still use :P). I can see pretty much the best search engine on the net being a combo between Yahoo and Google web search. Google is also about the king of open standards right now, they don't hold alligence to either side of the open source fight and thus could possible be the most flexible. They have already proved this by going with two completely different companies in Google pack in an attempt to get their name onto OS's. They have partnered with Symantec for the Norton Security Scan and also give a packaged version of Firefox (with the Google toolbar add on of course). And finally, I can see a major growth in Google itself. Either way there is going to be good, but as far as I could see, Google buying Yahoo would be the best way. MS getting even bigger cannot be a good thing, as if 98% of the Computer OS share isn't enough.

What in the world is CNET thinking. Okay, yes I do see some of the issues they outlines in Norton IS 2008 (I'm using it as we speak), but the whole time they kept comparing it to Mcafee Total Protection which is a completely different animal. Mcafee Internet Security is the program that would be comparable, not Total Protecton. If they compared Total Protection to anything, it should have been Norton 360. They said pretty much that Mcafee for a lower price also has system cleaning tools and all this yammer. Well that's true it does, but that's Total Protection, Norton Internet Security is just that, Internet security, that's all it does and it's designed to do it very well (and does, it works fine). Norton 360 is the Symantec program that has system tools, backups, and all the extras. All I can say is I know who is paying CNET this year. 06=Kaspersky, 07=Symantec, 08=Mcafee.

Ready for a full version, or as close as a beta can be. I've been using Advanced WindowsCare V2 for a very long time. Beta 3 was released not long ago and I took a look. The program has closed the difference between Personal and Professional with a real-time cleaning, RAM management (that I suspect is based off of Free RAM), defragmenter (that has some issues if you have other defrag programs), and other very powerful items. A simple click of the large "Care!" button in the middle runs all the basic scans. Beta 3 also sports a brand new interface. Although I do like the new interfaces navigation on the left side, I didn't like that even on the right side it hides things under several tabs like mainly on the System Utilities section. The Personal edition still lacks the automatic update which is slightly aggravating, but not a huge deal, remembering to update as I run the program isn't that big of a deal.

It's new revamped set of tools includes: Basic Spyware removal, Registry fixer, Privacy Sweep, Junk file clean, System Optimization, Security Defense, Defragmenter, PC Analyzer, Advanced Disk Cleaner, Disk space explorer, FireFox TCP optimizer, SmartRAM management, Start up manager, Settings Backup Genius, IE Security Assistant, Windows System Manager, Auto Shutdown, Settings Restore manager, and a very good System Information tool. Quite a list on a free program if I do say so myself. The frosting on the cake is that the cleaning tools in the Daily Maintenance section can be set to scan all the time to keep the system running in top shape. This is an excellent *full* system care program. I have had no problems with it so far, it makes various backups before altering anything on your PC making it very save to use and easy to recover.

Other ScreenShots:

Daily Maintenance Screen

System Advisor Screen

System Utilities

Sorry for the long time span between these packages, here is my PC up keep package. This one is small, IObit smart defrag, Advanced windows care, and CCleaner.

File: PCupkeep.zip

Well, it's about time that Mozilla prepares to release the next version of Firefox, and first off let me tell you, it's going to be awesome. Overall most of the improvements are going to be in the rendering engine, Gecko. For starters, Firefox 3 beta 3 can now pass the Acid 2 test which both Safari and Opera have been passing for a while (IE has yet to pass the Acid 2). The second largest improvement is to Firefox's usability, the toolbar has been overhauled, bookmarks and RSS feeds have seen improvements, and the download manager has also been made over (it scans files for simple viruses now XD). Lets put it this way, I'm comfortable using the beta.

Firefox's new toolbar (is it just me or do I recognize the pearly blue orb theme???):

Now for the bad news, I've had small issues on the side of an overall nice package. First, it's been having issues with some of my online emails and some uploading services, Gmail and Hotmail mainly (Yahoo's remained free of new issues). Youtube also wouldn't upload my video right. Second, is I've had major compatibility issues with add-on's, needless to say this isn't Firefox's fault considering it's still in beta and there are bound to be issues, it seems that the constant change in the program itself between beta's is causing incompatibilities. Finally, I've also had issues with flash rendering, but I think this is for the same reason add-on's are having issues, that Adobe Flash Player (or Macromedia) cannot simple keep up with the constant change in the program.

Overall, like I said I'm comfortable using the beta as my mains browser aside from it's little quirks. This edition of Firefox has been in development longer than any other version as of yet, and it seems the extra time is pulling off. The changes between Firefox 1 and 2 where mainly refining the start of the browser in Firefox 1, so it's only expected that Firefox 3 be a hodgepodge of new features and improvements.

I'm sorry this is just a nitpick of mine. Since Mac OS 10.5's release, Apple has branded it with the "most advanced OS in the world" title. I'm sorry, "most advanced" you say, "in the world" you say? No. Quite simply, no. There is no doubt in my mind that Mac OS is a very powerful OS, but I'll tell you what, "most advanced" is a claim that has rightfully belonged to Solaris 10 for quite some time. Solaris is without doubt the most powerful and well made OS I've ever used despite it's rather mild looks, etc. Solaris, despite being Linux based, is free of most of the normal Linux issues, like drivers and a lack of professional support. The only complaint I have against Solaris is that it takes over 8 gigs with most of it's features installed, but these days with 100 gigs the minimum, I don't think 8 gigs is really an issue, Vista's 20 gigs on the other hand.... Mac OS is also rather bloated and despite Vista's love of taking Ram, Mac OS can take up to 500 doing *nothing* which coincidentally is about how much Vista takes. Sorry I'm not trying to turn this into a Mac VS Windows debate, but it's turning out that way, I should be a Solaris VS Mac. Anyhow, that's my opinion the claim that if you ask me doesn't hold any water.

I've finished my security Package. Programs include Avira antivirus, Sygate personal Firewall free, AVG Anti-Spyware, Mcafee Site adviser, Spybot search and destroy, Spyware Blaster, Windows Defender, and the GDI+ files for defender on Win 2000. Note that the Windows Defender is tweaked to run on 2000 after installation of the GDI+ files. I cannot promise that the Defender will fully work or work at all, but I doubt that it will cause any major issues that a simple uninstall won't fix. Extract the GDI+ files to your system32 folder (C:/[System root, WINNT or WINDOWS]/System32) folder.

File name: secsetup.exe

I have just finished the installation of my Media Package in my public skydrive folder. This includes CCCP, Qlite, Real Lite, and Media converter SA edition. Look in the information provided during the installation for more information. Look later for a security package.

File name: mpksetup.exe

Isn't that about all you need to know? CCCP is lighter, faster, safer, and simpler than any other Codec I've found like KLite. It contains only one codec per media file, unlike most that can have 3 or more, thus keeping you from telling where a problem is. CCCP comes included with ZoomPlayer and Media Player Classic, two of my favorite players (that reminds me, maybe I should post an article on different media players XD). You can find all the help, FAQ, or other info on the Official Wiki, you can download either the pack or the CCCP Insurgent (finds and helps in the removal of other codec packs that can cause issues) on the CCCP main site. Here is a quote from the Wiki:

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"Why Should I Use the CCCP?

Because we couldn't find a codec pack that worked in all the cases.

All the other codec packs that are around have at least one of the following problems:

• They just don't work.

It's no good installing a codec pack if it doesn't help. The CCCP was put together to be able to play all the latest files by all anime groups and all videos in general.

• They damage your system.

Some codec packs like the Nimo codec pack can actually cause damage to your system that can only be fixed with a format. Not cool. We wanted the CCCP to be a codec pack that was 100% safe. Please, if the CCCP ruins your system, tell us on our forums so we can fix it. Total number of irreversible errors caused by the CCCP: 0.

• They are bloated.

When a codec pack has five decoders that do the same thing (as K-Lite does), it's almost impossible to work out what the problem is if something breaks. With the CCCP, we wanted to create a compact codec pack, which had less annoying extras, and fewer places for problems to crop up in.

With the CCCP, we KNOW that when you install it properly, it just works. You don't need to mess around in the options to get it to work, and chances are it will resolve any other conflicts on install as well. We invented the CCCP so we can say "Uninstall everything else, install the pack and live forever happy". That said, for the adventurous there are pages of options available to tweak if you feel like it.."

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I will tell you from a few years of experience with this pack and others, what they say is almost always true. I used to rely on KLite taking 120 megs of hard drive space, and having to constantly reinstall it because errors seemed to plague it. Alas no more, CCCP is on every windows PC in my house (thats...... like 6 now).