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OK, so this is odd… it’s funny, but I think it’s serious and real.

Apple sued over iPhone keyboard

Haha, sued over the keyboard that’s hard to type one. The one you have to switch pages to get to numbers, symbols, or punctuation.

I thought that in light of my monthly clean install, I’d make a list of all of the software I have installed. I’ve paid for nearly all of these. I choose my software carefully.

• Font Explorer 2007 – A cheap (compared to $2,500+) program for temporarily installing and managing fonts. It also previews, sorts, groups, etc.
• Winamp – It’s a cheap, extendible media player. I use it mostly for audio. It has built-in iPod support among other things. It’s fast and doesn’t hog resources like Apple iTunes.
• VideoLAN VLC Media Player – It’s a FREE, cross platform, open source media player, mostly for video. It plays just about everything with no additional codecs needing to be installed.
• True Launch Bar – This program is awesome. It allows total menu or submenu customization for the Windows taskbar. It replaces the Quick Launch toolbar. It uses no resources. It also as plugins and widgets. It’s only $15.
• SmartFTP – Perhaps the fastest FTP client I’ve ever used. It supports FXP among lots of other features. It’s free as well, but you can purchase a nag-free version.
• Trillian Astra – The best multi-network instant messenger ever. Its in alpha right now, but I have no problems with it. There’s also going to be a web-interface version!
• Firefox – The best web browser ever. IE can go die now.
• SnagIt – A screen capture program. It’s highly customizable and features a built-in editor and multiple output options.
• Nero 7 Ultra Edition – The best CD/DVD burning software ever. The suite contains over 20 programs to do what you want with digital media.
• AnyDVD – Removes the copy protection of DVD movies for viewing or copying. Runs in the background.
• Synergy – It’s a software based way to share a single mouse and keyboard with multiple computers over a network. It’s fast and simple.
• Easy CD-DA Extractor – This is simply the fastest CD ripping software I’ve ever used. Also features converters.
• Helium Music Manager – The ultimate music management system. It features advanced libraries and makes managing and tagging a breeze.
• WinRAR – RAR file compression. Supports many formats.
• DU Meter – Monitor network interface bandwidth.
• Anapod Explorer – Interfaces an iPod right inside of Windows Explorer. Syncs with a folder very fast. Also features a web-based music server right from the iPod!
• Diskeeper 2007 – Real time disk defragmentation and optimization.
• True Image – Disk imaging and file backup software.
• Disk Director Suite – Disk partition management.
• VMware Workstation – Run Windows XP inside of Vista? No problem. True virtualization software.
• Steinberg Cubase – Audio production software. Pro Tools can bite me as far as I’m concerned.
• Microsoft Office 2007 Professional – It’s simply the best office suite. Open Office is coming close, but it’s not there yet.
• Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 – A great map and navigation program that you don’t need an Internet connection for. Works with my Bluetooth GPS.
• Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection – Every program of Adobe Creative Suite in one package. Brilliant.
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom – A photographer’s dream. Makes managing and developing a breeze. If you own a DSLR, you need this.
• Adobe Audition – Formerly Cool Edit Pro. It’s a high powered audio editor.
• Microsoft Windows Vista – It’s a lovely operating system, contrary to all of the Microsoft bashing going on. Don’t bash it if you don’t know how to use it either. Don’t say they copied off of Apple OS X either, Apple ripped from Linux, which is free, and charges for it.

I wipe my hard drive nearly every month or two. I can have all of the above installed within a couple hours. Amazing.

Dell XPS M1730 spotted in the wild?

It appears that my 8.5 month old laptop will soon be out of date.. or at least no longer the “flagship” model. No fear though, I have a little room for upgrade down the road. As soon as prices get cheaper, I plan on switching to 800 Mhz RAM over the 667 Mhz RAM I have now. I will most likely be getting a 200 GB Hitachi 7K200 sometime this week.

Other than that, I would imagine processor, video card and Bluray upgrades could be done next year.

As for this M1730, whatever that case design is, I don’t like it, or the red action. The numerical keypad is interesting, but if it makes the rest of the keyboard smaller or a different layout, I think I’ll pass. I’d imagine you’d be typing off to the side as well.

I bought myself a Logitech NuLOOQ Navigator. I’ve wanted one for a long time. When it first came out, it was Mac OS X only. Recently, they made software and support for Windows… so, now I have one. It zooms, scrolls, and has five buttons on it to make a lot of tasks easier. The top of it is basically the click wheel used on Apple iPods. I think it’s made by Synaptics, but correct me if I’m wrong.

Anyways, check it out, it’s pretty nice.

I just put a Geforce 8800GTS w/ 320MB RAM in my desktop. I immediately launched Guild Wars, and was happily pushing 65 fps @ 1680×1050 resolution. That’s basically HD gaming folks! Yay. Now I need to find (or wait for) some DirectX 10 games.

iPhone review – Engadget

Everyone who thinks they want one should read this. Everyone who already spent $500+ on one should read this, and take it back. Oops, did I say that?

I think it’s time I address what seems to be the device of the decade. First of all, I have nothing against Apple. I’m on my 2nd iPod. I know Mac OS X better than Mac owners. I also have nothing against all-in-one devices. I use a Motorola Q with Verizon Wireless. It’s wonderful. It was only $79.  And so, here are some points I’d like to make from a technology enthusiast, all of which are presumed to be true as I have no used an iPhone:

• On a phone, you need tactile buttons. Otherwise, you have to look at the screen all the time!
• If I’m going to pay $500-$600 for an iPod / cell phone hybrid, it better be a 40GB or 60GB iPod. 4GB or 8GB doesn’t cut it for me. My USB flash drive holds 4GB.
• At only 8GB max, it certainly won’t replace a real iPod like Apple is marketing.
• It’s kind of big! It’s bigger than an iPod. It might be slimmer, but it still looks larger than I’d like a phone to be.
• It’s on AT&T. I’m sorry, but Verizon has a much more solid network… especially a better data network. If you’d like to see just how bad EDGE is, check out this video.
• For $60/month, I would expect to have unlimited nights & weekends, and more than 200 TXT messages.
• Sure it has Wi-Fi, but Wi-Fi isn’t always free.
• First generation Apple products always go down bad. At least wait until iPhone Gen 2.

Scientists Now Know: We’re Not From Here!

Gosh.. I go almost 25 years being told we’re from the Milky Way, and all of a sudden, I find out that my planet came from somewhere else.

Adobe to open Lightroom to developers

Updates are always a plus in my book… especially when features are added. Have I mentioned how much I love Lightroom?