About this blog...

Technology consumes me. It's everywhere and getting exponentially more exciting every year. I categorize myself as a junky, always looking for my next big 'fix' that captures my attention... Here I'll be writing about cool things I discover, buy, or build, and your occasional rant for flavor. If you're like me, then you can always use one more place to find that attention grabbing fix...

Tuesday 11 October 2011

The Future of Television, Console Gaming, and Entertainment as we know it...

Is sitting down in front of your TV and watching what you want, when you're ready for it too much to ask?  Why is Big Hollywood so keen on holding back on technology when every arm chair critic paying attention can see the overwhelming obviousness of the shift to truly on demand content?  It would seem that money does corrupt absolutely as it's preventing some otherwise really smart people from capitalizing on some serious disposable income.

My big question...where are you Google & Apple?  I'm ready to open my wallet to a world of Android and iOS powered televisions, where channels become apps, shows wait patiently to be watched according to my schedule, and advertising gains the advantage of cloud connectivity, delivering online purchasing, audience targeting, and a delivery method far more affordable than what is currently in place.

It's time for a change.  Millions of people are ahead of the curve by way of torrenting & P2P.  You complain that they infringe and are costing you your tried and true business model, but don't you see that your efforts could be better spent delivering content by a means that we all want; and so dearly enough to risk personal repercussion.  In fact you might say that it is you cheating us, and that you are costing yourself the first stab at a new way of thinking... but instead you give away that head start to your future competitors.  In the end, when people who had not the means to create and distribute valuable content before now have the world at the other end of an established online market, no one will want your precious television broadcasts and you can have it all to yourself...

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Why Apple is not special, and why Steve Jobs isn't God...

Ok, first things first.  I'm going to get this out the way, as I'm sure Apple fan-boys everywhere will have issues with this post if I don't.  Here goes...  I undeniably declare that Apple deserves vast credit for what it brought to the table over the last decade.  They stirred unprecedented interest in technology from a demographic of people usually known for their lack of enthusiasm and disinterest in adopting new & life changing technologies.  They made a good product, they had a fantastic marketing strategy, and they successfully put an advertiser's wet dream into the hands of the common idiot.  With that said...it's now time for you Apple-ologists to get off your high horses and realize why exactly Apple has had such success.  The joke is truly on you, so read on for an explanation of the punchline that you might this time be able understand.

So what is Apple?  Is it a garden of eden, where technologies are hand picked by Messiah Jobs and destined for greatness by simply having a lower case i imprinted on their packaging?  Or is Apple simply a company?  One that wants to compete in a marketplace by rising above the competition?  One that has shareholders to report to, like any other, and lives or dies by the margin of profit they are able to make?  Hmm...sounds like the later is more probable to me...  Let's look deeper.

It's the mid - late '90s.  Technology is running wild in the land of consumer electronics.  Sony, LG, Microsoft, Apple, IBM, RIM....the list is a mile long with companies struggling to make a name for themselves and trying to establish their place in the market.  Technology, while still in its infancy, is seeing major software improvements that is making it easier for the common person to buy, setup, and use consumer electronics all by themselves.   Problem?  It's still not quite there yet for the average citizen.  It wasn't so long ago that people were complaining about how difficult it was to program the VCR, let alone be expected to comparatively shop for a desktop computer...install windows 98 from scratch...watch out for those device drivers!...a virus? What now?  Technology was very unorganized from an end user perspective; like swiss cheese, it was full of holes and one had to know at least a little about they were doing to not bring everything to a crashing halt.  But what did we expect?  Technology was literally born yesterday in technological years!  With so many companies carefully pumping money into hardware development, it seemed that software (while important) was always a step behind.

So what does this all mean?  Well, it means that the scene was ripe for a company such as apple, to step in and capture the attention of the layman.  Realistically, there wasn't even anyone else poised to do so at the time.  An operating system is a complex piece of software, so your startup programming company couldn't take on such a challenge at the time, let alone be taken seriously.  Your only players really were Microsoft and Apple, and Microsoft was too busy grabbing the corporate world's dollar to really have any time to focus in on the average user.  Google, at this time, is years away from dominating its current markets, so Apple was literally like a little kid alone in a sandbox; all it needed to do was build a damn castle and it would be king.

This brings us to today.  Apple has definitely had a good run, and took advantage of some solid years of having no competition.  But like any discovered untapped market, others are sure to follow, and be bigger and brighter than what came before.  While Apple certainly has it's strengths, it also has weaknesses.  With Android being freely available for multiple platforms, Apple drew it's own limits on how far it could go by limiting it to it's own hardware.  Did it think that other manufacturers were simply going to go away?  HTC, Samsung, Nokia, LG...all these developers were now looking for a comparable platform to propel their own products.  Apple effectively made it necessary for these companies to outshine them, as that is business after all.  Google saw this opportunity, and despite Apple having a 2 year head start, the two giants now sit neck and neck, with Google's success expected to rise to several times that of Apple.  Heck, I even recently read a blog article that predicts Windows Phone Seven will outshine Apple by 2015...how embarrassing considering their past marketing commercials...

Anyway, again I want to say that I have nothing against Apple.  Heck I even recommend their product from time to time...  They are a fine company, with a fine product.  But ask any Android user, who's had experience with iPods & the iPhone platform, and they will tell you what the clear difference is...  iPhones are for the kids who don't know how to program their VCRs; it's more like some kind of Phone-for-dummies, the electronic version.  It has a basic interface, with basic settings, and doesn't even believe you can wrap your head around a file manager or SD card.  Apple has made it's fortune knowing that it's user base is stupid, and making sure their product is frustration free, which consequently eliminates everything beyond simple concepts.

In the swimming pool of phones, Apple thinks you can't handle anything but the kiddie pool.  The funny part about it is, they also have their followers convinced that there's no deep end and expect them to wait in line for what they have to offer.  Well while you do that, and think so highly of yourself for owning every Apple product ever to come out, (as if you designed it yourself or something), please note that everyone who actually has knowledge of the subject is secretly laughing at how stupid you are for being suckered in to such a blatantly obvious marketing ploy.  I have some iSnake Oil and some iHair Growth Tonic for you to buy while you're at it too...

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Religion & Planes...a recipe for disaster?

So I just read a Reuters article about this Alaskan airline flight that had to make an emergency landing due to what was thought to be a terrorist attack! You can read the full article here for more details, but I needed to voice my thoughts to you fine, sane people and get your feedback!

It amazes me when I read these kinds of articles, specifically about the false alarm plane hijackings, or false alarm airport security scares. Statistically speaking, it's probably bound to happen, I guess. There are how many planes taking off every day? With how many passengers? So one could assume that at least a small percentage of those people are idiots... But here we are, 10 years after 9/11, with sooo much talk about airport and plane security on the news, and you still have idiots...it floors me.

Enter Idiots, Scene 1, Act 1:

So these Orthodox Jewish people (but it could have as easily been any religion), while in flight, decided it to be the time to practice some kind of prayer ritual and ended up frightening the crew (which required a total flight deck lock down), frightening all the people on board, frightening everyone on the ground, and required the response of the fire crews, foam trucks, the FBI, the TSA, and local police! Now tell me, what exactly were they doing that couldn't wait? Prayer? Give me a break...

Now normally, one could make the argument 'It's their religious freedom!', and I'd be right behind you on that, but I have to say, this wasn't just a mumbling of some prayer... These guys strapped small black 'prayer' boxes to their arms and foreheads with big black leather straps and started chanting in a foreign language! Chanting in a foreign language! Seriously? I understand religious freedom, but that means freedom from religious persecution, not freedom to scare the shit out of people with your nonsensical religious practices! While we live in the most frightening time in aviation's history (perceived as such anyway), at least have the courtesy to inform the flight attendants that you're about to do something bat shit crazy! But more to the point, could we tone down on the religious practices, at least for the duration of a flight! Scaring the bejesus out of a plane load of people and their families on the ground, and requiring the attention of no less than 5 types of emergency respondents is not ok! No matter what it is you are doing! Where does the line get drawn between someone's religious freedom, and my freedom to not have the shit scared out of me? Should I have to endure a 3PM ritualistic slaughtering of a goat too?

While not religious myself, I support religious freedom, but not at this cost. Want to board a plane? Then sit there, keep your mouth shut, and enjoy your beverage, pretzels, and in-flight movie until the plane lands. Your religious freedom allows you to sit there and pray quietly, period. Don't expect me to be up to speed on every religious practice out there, and not freak out if yours so happens to include tying yourself up with a black box stuck to your forehead and chanting in a language I don't understand. If that's something you must do, do it on the ground! At least on the ground, if I deem it necessary, I can run for my life! Consider it something on the long list of things that have no business being done at 40,000 ft with a large group of captive strangers.

These people should be jailed for causing undue panic in an already sensitive situation, and be on the hook for costs to the taxpayer caused by this little stunt! Religion has had a free ride to do whatever it wants for far too long.

Thursday 10 March 2011

YouTube Trollin'

So I just watched some FAIL blog episode where some military dude was in some kind of display ceremony, and when he threw the gun in the air, the other dude didn't catch it, which I guess is supposed to be a bad thing… Now I have nothing against the Military.  I have family serving in Afghanistan right now in fact.  But I just don't get whats with the Army and thinking it's so impressive to walk so slowly and accurately? And what's with the twirling?  Was he in gymnastics as a kid? Seems silly to me...kinda makes them look like a slow-mo Michael Jackson. I'd be way more impressed if they were just firing guns off and blowing things up. Or is it maybe more like some kind of human peacock like strutting ritual; left over from our evolutionary process that subconsciously we're not aware of yet as a species as being ridiculous?  Anyway, I asked this question on the forum and boy did I get some interesting responses!  I will admit, I had a little fun at their expense during the whole ordeal, but that's time well spent on a comment board these days...

Here's the video:




COMMENTER: This is the Marine Corps you un-educated dipshit. If you're gonna criticize something at least know what you're criticizing.

ME: LOL I know exactly what it is, my question is why is walking slow & twirling your gun so impressive? Seems kinda girly.

END CONVERSATION


COMMENTER: Marine Corps dude. They are Marines, not Army. And the accurate and precise marching is to show how disciplined and intense they are.

ME: Hmm nope, I'd still think blowing something up is way more intense than walking slowly. And my dog is disciplined, it's simply not that impressive.

COMMENTER: Yeah, sure. Unimpressive. Why don't you try going through the training they do? I bet you wouldn't last.

ME: Hey! There we go, I'd be impressed with seeing them do that! No question! That'd be way more impressive than walking slow. I mean I play sports, go to the gym now and then, pretty fit I suppose, but I tried this kick-boxing endurance class a few weeks ago, just about killed me! So maybe an obstacle course, some shooting of guns, and something blowing up...I'd be impressed with what my tax dollar has gone towards. Kinda feel riped off with the slow walking though.

COMMENTER: Dude, this is just one of the many things that the Corps organizes in order to give the soldiers some down time. If they were constantly training to fight and kill people and then going off to fight and kill people, they would all have break downs. In order to keep the Marines sane they need to give them some sort of entertainment. Believe it or not this "slow marching" is for the betterment of the troops who protect your country. Not everything is about explosives and shooting.

ME: Oh common, we were all in air or sea cadets as a teenager...nobody actually enjoys that shit lol Which one of those guys wakes up inthe morning and exclaims 'Oh Boy! Standing in one place for an hour and marching in a straight line is scheduled for right after breakfast! Hooray!' LOL You know they all would much rather be playing PS3 or XBox to unwind. Or get the troops a subscription to Showtime! Who doesn't enjoy Showtime?

END CONVERSATION


COMMENTER: your dog is disciplined to not run off or piss on your carpet. everything must be precise, clean, and professional. it is not easy to stand at attention for an hour. try standing in one spot and not move a muscle, i bet you wont make it longer than 10 minutes

ME: Not true! My dog can easily sit still for 10 minutes, with a treat on his nose no less!  Let's see them do that! And my dog can get me a beer from the fridge! That's some serious discipline!

END CONVERSATION


COMMENTER: shut the @#$% up

ME: Haha, your mad :( <----- That's a frowny face, in case that was lost on you.

COMMENTER: You really are an imature little shit arent you.

ME: Well, in your world at the moment I certainly am! How does it feel to be able to do nothing about it, other than to think of yourself as the bigger person and walk away? Feel good? Cause I gotta tell ya, mouthing you off feels waaaayyy better! haha

END CONVERSATION

Wednesday 9 March 2011

MediaSonic Pro Raid Box

Time and time again I tell my Clients, Friends and Family...BACKUP YOUR FILES!  Slowly, some are taking heed to my warnings, but others I simply find myself shaking my head that in this day and age, it's still not a priority to most.  There are lots of backup solutions one can chose...from external hard drives, to using Windows Backup, to the good ol' copy/paste method.  Although I won't go into all the possibilities in this posting, as that would be a blog topic in itself, I want to share the one I hand picked from the pack as MY ideal solution, at least for the time being.  It costs a little more than some, but in the end I wanted something with a large capacity, transportable to future technologies, and most importantly of all WORRY FREE!  With that said, on to the specifics:

So my 'important files' consists of a plethora of photos, documents, software, TV Shows & Movies, music, and random other content I don't care to categorize.  My ideal solution involved something self contained, RAIDed (will explain what this is later), with USB 3.0 connections.  Why were these important aspects?  Dammit, calm down, I was getting to that!

Until now, I had a standalone server, with 3 internal hard drives.  One drive was solely for the OS and applications, the other two were setup in a Mirror RAID to house all my data (this is when the PC sees only one logical drive, but data written to the drive is actually written to both physical drives simultaneously.  If one drive tanks, the other can be restored).  The data from the server was shared out to my home network and media devices, acting as central storage for everything.  The pain in the ass was such that if the Server went down due to hardware issues (and it did on occasion), I had to worry about the Server AND the RAID installation because the RAID information/setup is specific to the system board with such an internal setup.  If I had to replace the system board for any reason, I had to hope that the RAID would be recognized on the new board.  I know we're getting somewhat technical here, but go with me on this, it gets easier.  Anyway, I knew I needed to separate the RAID from the Server if I was ever going to have piece of mind...

There are lots of options for external hardware RAID setups, but I was looking for something specific.  My ideal solution housed multiple disks, had hardware RAID functionality, and used some form of fast connection that might keep up with my gigabit network.  Initially I was looking at the Drobo 4 Bay Storage Array, at a price of $399.99 plus the cost of disks.  At the time, this was really the only option I could find, given my requirements but I was still not quite satisfied.  The Drobo is pretty, it's easy to setup, it houses 4 disks and uses RAID, but one thing was standing out that I didn't like; it used it's own proprietary file format...  While not a big deal to some, this was a deal breaker for me as when something breaks or goes wrong, I like to be in the deep end of the pool, drowning with lots of other people!  A grim analogy I know, but what I mean to say is that I like to have the best chance at finding someone with a similar problem and reading about how they went about fixing it.  Something told me, with a proprietary file format, I'd be pretty alone if I needed to restore a file from a broken RAID.  And so I waited for something better to come along...

Luckily I didn't have to wait long!  MemoryExpress (who you will get used to me citing quite a bit, as they're my favorite PC company to deal with where I live) suddenly listed a new player to consider, the MediaSonic Pro Raid Box, at a much more affordable $219.99 plus the cost of disks.  Not only does it use a standard NTFS filing system, but it also came equipped with the new USB 3.0 standard, which boosts transfer speeds from 480Mbps to 5Gbps (if you don't have the faintest idea why 5 is better than 480, then just take my word that it's quite a bit faster).  As the new emerging standard, I knew it would be my favored connection choice.

So I picked it up, as well as a couple of 1TB Seagate SATA drives (I already had 2 from my Server RAID, so together it totaled 4 identical drives), and it was a breeze to setup.  Basically insert all 4 drives, follow the instructions on how to define the RAID Array (this time going with RAID 5 instead of Mirroring to maximize space & speed), and connect via USB.  My PC picked it up as a single 2.73TB drive and I was golden!  I've yet to redo my server (which I will do a future blog post on when I find my ideal solution) so that means I'm stuck on USB 2.0 for right now.  I could spend $39 and buy a USB 3.0 expansion card, but really I don't care right now, as I still get 35 - 40 Mbps speeds on USB 2.  The result I have achieved now is such that my RAID is portable, and fully independant from my server...  Go ahead server!  Crash!  I dare you! Muahahaha...but seriously don't, I need you in my life server!

Anyway, I know this isn't quite your typical review of a piece of hardware, but really if you want to know the knitty gritty specifics of the device, Google it yourself!  LOL  This will be the typical format of my Blog, basically stating my reasons for going the way I did, and why I'd recommend it to anyone.

Enjoy!