Yes I’m text-blogging again. Funnily enough my Firefox is locking up every two words and that makes it very difficult to type without mistakes or for that matter without taking like 3 hours to write one line. I really need to upgrade to the latest version of this browser at some point.
Oh my, you must have a lot of things to catch up on having not blogged for a month or so…
I do have a lot to catch up on. Here’s a list of what goes down in this blog:
- What is wrong with your Firefox, Aidan?
- What is the state of the IT world at this moment in time?
- Why are you so grumpy and rude today, Aidan?
- How is your study going?
- Where is your music? I like your music why aren’t you making any?
- That obvious question you really want an answer to….
- Sign Off
Whats wrong with your Firefox, Aidan?
Ok so the major problem right now is obviously that Down Them All is rapidly allocating 400MB blocks at a time so the entire browser locks up for a good 20 seconds. And then theres the whole WordPress publishing engine exceeding the memory limits that firefox can grab at one time. On top of all that I’m using Firefox 3.5.0 with addon-compatability checking disabled, so half my addons don’t work but I cant upgrade because I’m an old man and am very stuck in my ways -_-”
No seriously – The upgrade problem
I’m just one of those guys who either uses the old-stable or the alpha. I don’t want to use the alpha because they’ve made a right cock-up of the theme (the aero menus, etc look gross!). I cant use the latest stable because it messes with ALL of my extensions – which also have available updates – unfortunatley I tried an update and it all went to hell so I’m back here with 3.5.0. How can you put up with bi-seccond lockups? yes that is troublesome and I may have to switch back to Opera till the next stable the problem with that is I hate Opera.
What is the state of the IT world at this moment in time?
There are these things I believe they are called.. news sites? perhaps you should try one some time. *quick note: switched to chrome – BETTER (only temporary – AND IT HAS SPELL CHECK)*
No but you wanted a serious answer and I don’t mean to be so mocking it’s just sometimes I get sick of people asking me “whats cracking in the tech world dude!?”.
What has happened since I lasted talked about technology -
- iPad (Seen it – Rubbish – Don’t get one)
- iPhone 4 (Better screen – Still Rubbish – Don’t get one)
- Microsoft Kinect (Microsoft? Need I say more)
- Playstation 3D
- The price of EBB went UP (Internode)
I know this isn’t even HALF of whats been going down but they are fairly major developments (except the Kinect – thats just silly). First things first lets talk about the iPad.
iPad
The iPad is literally the most gimmicky thing I’ve seen all year. 
Now you may know that in short bursts I have support for some of Apple’s technology I.E. MacBook + Mac OS X + Logic Studio = Nice Music. I’m over that by the way – Ableton gives me the same sound on a better platform : P.
The iPad is literally an over sized iPod Touch or iPhone (without the phone part). Apple added a few extra apps, removed Cover Flow and gave users a productivity suite (iWork @ $11/app?) . Now sure I can see the appeal of messing with one of these things for a while and the developer applications of the multi touch screen seem fun except.. oh wait.. still no open development, so I guess thats out the window.
People lay into Apple about how they should have Flash on the iPhone/Pad/Pod/Touch. Now this is a nice theory and supposedly the only reason we don’t yet have Flash on these devices is because Flash is ‘Too Bulky” and would damage the battery life. Now this is all very well and good but you have heard of Flash Lite right? The one that (HTC) Android is using and Windows Mobile has had for.. years?
Granted if you want a full Flash experience you probably need some real processing power and if Apple cant produce that power then its not Adobe’s fault but come on guys, you really think HTML5 is ready RIGHT NOW to overtake Flash?
Anyway – If you’re an Apple fanboy/girl you can go right ahead and get an iPad just know its a pointless waste of your valuable $$.
iPhone 4
Ok so the iPhone 4 actually looks like the first half-way-decent iPhone. No I did not just say go and get one. The iPhone 4 has a higher screen resolution – Better camera (and 720p video capture) it has FLASH.. no wait.. A flash.. sorry to get
your hopes up. and of course it will have multi-tasking and folders (*cough*last phone OS to get these features*cough*).
It is also ‘sporting’ a new ‘industrial’ look: Instead of those rounded edges and smoothness everywhere its now like a glass sandwich. There are two pieces of (bulletproof? bullshitproof?) glass on the top and bottom with aluminium (that famous Apple aluminium) around the edge of the device. Personally I think it will look better than older models – I’m still not saying get one.
Apple also seem to be trying to get people excited about Video Conferencing being the first iPhone with a front facing VGA camera and oh man it’s going to be awesome /sarcasm.
But seriously – Please don’t jump on the iPhone bandwagon. Not yet at least. Get a real phone first (Android / Blackberry) see how you like it and if it’s not for you the iPhone probably is.. and you probably have the IQ of a small rodent (No offence : D).
Kinect
The Microsoft Kinect is yet another gimmicky thing. It’s basically taken a bunch of sensors and cameras to make a “Gaming Experience” that requires nothing but you.. Remember the WII? Yeah its that.. Without the controller. I must admit compared to the Playstation and its “Light on a Stick” concept it seems quite a bit.. better but really.. who wants to use there hand as a gun? we aren’t in the 5th grade (lol I didn’t steal that at all). So yes people have been very excited about this… mostly the Xbox community of course and personally I don’t have an Xbox 360. I had an original Xbox.. and 2 games.. and it sat in the cupboard.. gathering dust.
I just realized I was using way too many ellipses and writing a gigantic paragraph – so here’s a break.
Obviously I haven’t used a Kinect yet and so I cant comment on its value or if its even any good but I will try and use one and give an update on what they are like some point later down the track.
Playstation 3D
Am I trying to set the record for how many times one can say Gimmicky in one blog post?
Look – 3D – As far as I can tell – As a commercial solution to multimedia – WILL NOT TAKE OFF FAST ENOUGH. The problem is what… 90%~ of the people who have a tv still have bubble? Granted 3D works on these but this ISNT the type of 3D we’re talking about. In theory we can get 3D video on ye-olde bubble TV far easier than we can get it on our sub-100hz-lcds and in theory its polarized. Back on topic – The 3D that is bundled with the PS3 – AS FAR AS I KNOW – Requires a 100+hz LCD / LED TV.
Anyway the problem I see with this is of course the 10% that do have LCD / LED TVs of that what 0.01% are more than 60hz and so you’ve gotta buy ANOTHER tv?
Fortunately for me I have a 150hz 1050p (thats right 16:10) projector and so I can has all the 3d I like - Unfortunately the hardware required to do this with a projector is A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
It also seems there isn’t any images I can steal for this product because it’s only been announced in the last.. what.. 10 hours?
Easy Broadband
What? you say… Yeah I know. You don’t care about Australian ISPs. You Americans / Europeans with your pay-for-speed internet. Well I felt I’d make a comment about Broadband Bundling and why it’s actually more expensive than it looks. Ok I’m not the most informed person on this exact topic but I can tell you that if you compare the price difference for me bundling broadband works out to be $50 more expensive.. every 3 months (my billing cycle).
Why do I have a problem with BB bundling?
I don’t actually have a problem with bundling your broadband in theory. I do have a problem with it’s pricing. Calls VS Telstra are more expensive Rental VS Telstra is more expensive, etc. The only advantage is it knocks $10 of your broadband (with Internode) but you’re actually loosing more than that by changing over anyway?
Anyway you really don’t are about this topic so I’ll just say this one last thing: Internode is still BY FAR the BEST ISP in Australia. Thx.
Why are you so grumpy and rude today, Aidan?
Clearly I’m always grumpy and rude. I’m grumpy because its 1:36 AM and my Firefox is on the fritz. I’m rude because thats just who I am and if you didn’t come here for at least some abuse you’re in the wrong place. I’m not spilling out my soul to you on a platter you’re on this blog for technical reasons and for those technical reasons you will be satisfied. Go get your drama on another blog or my Twitter : P
How is your study going?
My study. HA. Ok as usual TAFE sucks. I’ve finished Semester 1 of Certificate IV in Web Design. I’ve done SOME of Semester 2 of Certificate IV in Web Design (few resubmits to do). Really I can’t wait to go to uni. : D
Where is your music? I like your music why aren’t you making any?
My music is on hiatus. I still play around the house of course, strum of the guitar here tap of the piano there I’m just not MAKING music for YOU LOT. I’m not making music for you lot because I’m in a state of emotional-frozenness and I require some unfreezing to make music sound decent. I am not implying that my music is by any stretch of the imagination GOOD but at least you don’t run for the hills when listening.
I don’t presently know when I will be creating again but it probably wont be soon. If you are looking for something to listen to I have a few suggestions:
- Inon Zur – Game / Movie composer, has some very good work - particularly Dragon Age: Origins
- John Butler Trio - A few new additions – April Uprising: “I’d do anything”, “Ragged Mile” and “Gonna Be A Long Time” are by far my preferences.
- MGMT – Kids / Time To pretend – because they are – admittedly – awesome songs.
That obvious question you really want an answer to….
No. You cant have an answer to that. : )
Sign Off
Holy crap batman. I’ve written nearly 2000 words here. There is a lot on technology so be careful you don’t suddenly have black thick rimmed glasses and gain 30 pounds (ignore that.. inside joke).
I promise I will keep up to date more now: I’ve decided to stop V-Logging almost indefinitely (for now) it’s too time and space (Meglebytes) consuming.
