Macworld Expo

January is here, and it usually marks a few notable things. For one, it's the first month of every new year and, as with every year before it, resolutions are made and destined to fail in January.

Secondly, the CES (Consumer Electronics Expo) usually dazzles technophiles with new technologies, products, software and related items and is currently underway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

But, the third thing I usually think of and have for many years now is the Macworld Expo, which is held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. The Macworld Expo, by comparison, is much smaller than the CES and has been since its inception in 1985 which was held in Boston, MA that year.

The notable thing about any Macworld Expo of recent years, say of the last ten or so, is that even though it is smaller in size and only draws vendors related to Mac hardware, software and accessories, it usually generates a media buzz equal to that of the CES.

I was using Macs predominately in the late 90's and into the early 21st century until my "switch" back to Windows hardware and software, and every January, I was excited to see what offerings would emerge from Cupertino. This year is no different.

Our family's imminent switch back to all things fruity has gotten me virtually frothing at the mouth trying to divine what will be revealed this year. Last year, the buzz was all about the iPhone, and for good reason. Apple was entering a very crowded market with their entry into the mobile phone arena. This year, everybody's bet seems to be on some sort of ultra-portable laptop sans internal optical drive and sporting a flash HDD. I've also heard the generalized rumors of an updated iPhone, some sort of "dock" for the aforementioned laptop and, of course, updates to the current MacBook, iMac and Mac Pro lines.

On January 15th, Steve Jobs' keynote will be the only event that will define what will actually materialize...

Technorati Profile

...just testing a super-secret new feature that is just BOUND to change the world!

Another day off...

So I've been off for over two weeks now, and it's fairly nice to not sit in an office for 8 hours, five days a week. No complaints here.

I returned the Apple keyboard, however. Was it wonky? No. Was I dissatisfied with its performance? Nope. I simply missed some of the controls (volume, media keys, etc.) that my Logitech G15 has, so I went back to it. No big deal, really, because when my wife and I get our Macs in a month or two, it won't matter.

Oh yeah, about that...we'll be (hopefully) obtaining a MacBook Pro and an iMac at some point here in the next couple months after the tax-return rolls in. I'm wanting portability, so I'll be going the MacBook Pro route while Nigel wants the larger screen, and desktop form factor. I'm sure she'll enjoy the iMac as much at home as she did with the demo in our local Apple dealer.

More to come...

Cool...I'm taller now.

So the lumbar disc replacement went very well and I'm finally back home. I gained at least a half and inch in height, so I got a tad bit of an extra added bonus there.

I'm digging this Apple keyboard, despite not being able to use the "F" keys within Windows XP at this time. The keyboard is very solid (since it is made mostly of aluminum), and the keys feel much like a lot of laptops I've had. Apple industrial design continues to amaze me with their attention to detail and overall ability to keep creating beautiful hardware.

Ok, I'm a bit worn out from the whole surgery thing, so I'm going to go lay down now...

An Apple keyboard, a blog and a surgery...

Well, I go under the knife tomorrow to have a lumbar disc replacement. I'm very excited to even have the remote possibility of not having back pain for the first time in several years. Thanks, family, for passing down the degenerative disc disease!

Christmas has come and gone, and our family ended up with some spending cash and gift cards...so, what did we do? Well, we spent it, of course. I chose to spend my cashola not on games (for the first time in quite a while), but on a new keyboard. I decided to give myself a little more flavor on my desk by purchasing one of the new Apple aluminum keyboards after checking forums to see if compatibility were an issue (which, other than the few "specialized" Macintosh keys for functions such as Expose' and Spaces, wasn't an issue).

This is actually the first bit of typing I've done with the new keyboard, and I'm very satisfied. I read mixed reviews from Mac and Windows users alike, so I took the plunge and so far, I'm not displeased in the least.

The next blog may be from my hospital bed, if I feel up to it; I'll have a 2.5 day stay, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of time if I'm not drowsy the entire time.

Until then, Happy Holidays!

...of cats and dogs...

I realized something a few minutes ago; I'm coming to another "fork" in my quest for technological superiority, and I related it to my love of animals. More specifically, my self-imposed "hatred" of cats and my "love" of dogs.

You see, I told myself that I didn't like cats many, many years ago. I felt like their attitudes were horrible. They couldn't care less whether you were around or not. They turned their noses up at you for seemingly nothing, and all of that I divined "just because."

I loved dogs, however, because hey, they're "man's best friend", right? They're cuddly, loving and really enjoy having people around. I enjoyed the dogs that I had from the time I originally got married up until today, and had no reason to really look into having or liking any other type of animal...but a trip to the local pet store on an animal shelter weekend with all the family changed that. Here's how my thought process tied my love of animals and my love of technology together.

I began my tech life with gaming consoles such as the Intellivision and the Commodore back in the late 70's and early 80's. It didn't take but one session with the Intellivision my father purchased to get me hooked on technology.

The late 80's brought the Macintosh computer into my life in the form of the Mac IIc, and again, I was hooked on a certain cross-section of the tech world as it began its burst into American homes.

Throughout the early 90's, I was fairly devoid of contact with much regarding tech due to the financial stresses my parents faced at that time. It wasn't until around 1995 that I was able to purchase my very own PC (for the first time) via a wonderful medium called "credit." From that point until some time in 1998, I used the famed Windows 95 and endured its barrage of cryptic messages and unreliability.

In 1998, I viewed something that would change my perspective of personal computing forever: the Apple iMac. I went to the only local Apple dealer in Springfield at that time (well actually, it still is) and viewed this "iMac" for myself. I was hooked once again on something technological. I somehow managed to come up with the funds to purchase one, and I was enamored immediately by its Macintosh OS 8.6 interface. I couldn't believe there was anything better or more fun to use than Windows 95!

So, fast forward to 2003. I used Apple Macintosh computers in various forms all throughout that time. It was only when I realized that 1) it was more difficult to find replacement parts for a Macintosh at that time and 2) I wanted to play games more seriously than a Mac would allow me to that I began to look again at a Windows machine. I mean, hey, Windows XP was pretty new on the scene and was getting rave reviews from those who had been sick of Windows up to that point.

I dug in, at my pride, and sold off my swivel-screen iMac and decided to build a Windows machine, which I found out that I was very good at doing. I was very pleased with the flexibility that building my own PC offered, and realized that I had access to more gaming possibilities.

Now I sit here today, still using a PC both at work and at home. Am I satisfied? Well, it depends on what level you refer to. I am extremely happy that I can fire up any "made for PC" video game and commence killing bad guys. I enjoy the myriad compatibilities with peripherals and software that I encounter. I do, however, lament the fact that I do not enjoy my computing experience very much. There is something missing, and I have nailed it down to this: I just don't like working in Windows. Period.

Over the past few months I have again evaluated my technological being and decided that what I need is to enjoy my computing experience, and the way I'm going to do that is to buy a Mac again. I have made the conscious effort to weigh the pros and cons of both types of systems, and have come to the conclusion that I truly want to enjoy my computing experience above all else with regards to technology.

Tax Season 2008 will bring the Holderby household back into the Macintosh Arena. I will once again enjoy the subtle nuances that make up a computing session. I enjoy a rich, beautiful desktop, and the only way I'm going to achieve that is to give Apple a few of my hard earned bucks.

I started this post with animals in mind, so how did I get on the subject of computers? Well, my love of the two have had very similar life-cycles. I'm going to pick up a new kitten tomorrow morning, and I'm REALLY excited about it. My wife, children and I picked out a perfect little guy named Tiger (which is weird in relation to this post), and we can't wait.

The strange part of my pet conundrum is that I haven't warmed up to my wife's dog 100% yet (after 7 months), and I continue to be pissed off at him for chewing up household items, running away whenever we make the mistake of opening the garage door and his incessant slobbering.

I liken the two diametrically different objects within the post this way: I am taking on a new way of thinking. I am changing my tech life and my personal life (i.e., my love of one "brand" of animal equating to my love of one brand of computer), and I'm very excited to do so. Come February, life will be good.

Another day...

Well, what can I say? Another day, another dollar. Again, it’s been a bit since I’ve posted, mainly because I just forget to do it or that there really hasn’t been anything happen much as of late.

Ok, well, I got married on September 13^th, and that IS a big deal. Wow, I guess it HAS been a while since I posted last. I got married to a sweet, funny girl whose name just HAPPENS to ALSO be Nigel! Go figure. We’re having a great time together and our kids drive us 5x as crazy now!

I sold the iPhone…then I bought another one. Typical of me to say the least. I needed a new digitial camera (I ended up buying a spectacular point and shoot for portability, the Canon Powershot SD850IS Digital Elph), so I sold the iPhone because I knew it would be worth some bones. I missed it terribly, however, and bought another after I sold my HP laptop.

I change technology like I change socks…

iPhone Update #1...

Well, I've had my iPhone for a week now, and I have to say that the overall experience has been pleasing. I've used iPhizzle (my pet name for it) arduously since last Friday, and it has performed admirably.

Some of the positives include: a large, gorgeous screen; ridiculously easy one-finger navigation; full web-browser; iPod interface, including Cover Flow view; Google Maps; global weather; YouTube browsing; simple Gmail integration and intuitive phone controls.

And, as with any device in general as well as first generation devices specifically, there are the iPhone's flaws: no Flash integration or movie plug ins within Safari; strange crashing while listening to the iPod and surfing with Safari (crashing back to the home screen); strange crashing while only surfing via Safari (again, back to the home screen); no removable battery; no 3G radio; current lack of add-on Web 2.0 applications; relatively small memory for a full-featured iPod and something minor, the lack of being able to input a string of numbers into a person's phone number field in their contact card without the iPhone formatting the numbers as if it were a phone number (IM ID's are sometimes transmitted as a string of numbers rather than an actual screen name, such as when I receive a text message via somebody else's IM account).

Although there are some issues that can be worked out via direct updates from Apple, some of the downfalls are on the hardware side and cannot be changed without a full model revision (i.e. Gen 2 iPhones). I can't complain much because I look at the overall picture: I can now eliminate all but one device to get me through my day of siphoning information from the world...

The iPhone: What the?

Where did this thing come from? I stare down at the spacious, glossy and downright gorgeous glass face which serves as the iPhone's gateway to information and wonder how the engineers at Apple manage to keep pumping out innovation such as this.

Yes, I stood in line at one of my local AT&T stores on Friday night, a mere one hour before the iPhone went on sale mind you, and scored an 8GB Apple iPhone. Well, I didn't go it alone...my two daughters stood with me and we kept each other company, laughed a lot and talked it up with fellow-linegoers.

The process began with the drive into AT&T's parking lot at roughly 5pm and ended by leaving said parking lot (+ one iPhone) at about 6:30pm. The experience wasn't as excruciating as I had anticipated, and my journey with what has been dubbed "The Jesus Phone" would soon begin.

I'll post pictures and impressions soon...

Apple iPhone

I think I was born with a transistor in my hand. I must have, because I can't remember a time when I wasn't enamored by technology.

There are vivid memories floating around in my head of playing Intellivision with my father when I was growing up in Arizona. I also keenly remember having to use a step stool to play the latest arcade game on our "gaming weekends" together.

In the years leading up to now, I have had technology to satiate me...to be a companion during those times when nobody else was around. Games, phones, PCs, Macs, handhelds, CD players...the list goes on. The chances are good that I've had my hands on just about every major device to come down the pike since I burst on the scene back in '75.

A new era of handheld technology will be released upon the world tomorrow at 6pm local time...Apple's iPhone. I am going to leave work a bit early, pick up my daughters and then make my way to one of the local AT&T stores to see if I can catch a glimpse of the already legendary iPhone. I have followed this thing from Macworld to WWDC and have been completely blown away at its elegance, intelligence, form-factor and overall "ooooh-factor" the entire time.

I have owned many Macintosh computers in the past several years, and I can't get over how completely sexy they are and how talented the design and coding teams are at Apple. It never ceases to amaze me at how the engineers at Apple can stuff such great things into such beautiful exteriors.

So, with that said, I'm going to wait the next 23 hours semi-patiently for my chance at swiping my fingers across that spacious, elegant screen. Cheers.

...a few more SMT5600 pictures...

Audiovox SMT 5600 Smartphone...

I recently picked up the Audiovox SMT 5600 Windows Mobile Smartphone through Cingular Wireless. This particular candybar phone runs Windows Mobile for Smartphone 2003/SE. Also included within this device is a VGA camera, Bluetooth 1.1, USB connectivity and a 1050 mAh lithium ion battery.

I have had this smartphone for just a day now, but I can certainly agree with all the positive reviews; I am having a great time with this phone and it is very stable, has a beautiful screen and has great call quality.

I should have more as the days go by...

Man, I want this thing!!!

I recently happened on to a newly announced/released Windows Mobile phone/PDA that looks like what a lot of people have been looking for. The hybrid animal went from being called the HTC Universal to the "JASJAR". iMate makes this baby, and it is currently being sold overseas...no word on when a U.S. release is planned, although TMobile has been named as the probable carrier.

Among the features included with this amazing device are: WiFi (802.11B), Bluetooth 1.1, Windows Mobile 5.0 (the latest and greatest from Microsoft), two cameras (one for shots, the other for video conferencing), a QWERTY keyboard, 640x480 VGA touchscreen, portrait/landscape screen orientation, a swivel screen, and 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM.

The phone portion of this device is a tri-band GSM model running the 900/1800/1900 frequencies. So, if you can find an unlocked version, you can most likely use it on several different networks with the proper SIM cards.

Expansys USA (http://expansys-usa.com) has it for a little over $1000 right now, but expect that when the U.S. shipments arrive, the price will drop a little bit.

...the nano strikes back...

Well, a few problems have cropped up with the iPod nano, but I think I've gotten them worked out.

The first oddity that occurred was that whenever I would click the "Music" link that would normally take me to all the artists, albums, etc., the nano would reset. I could reproduce this every time. I tweaked my settings to not even show the "Music" category, and none of the other menu items caused a reset.

The second thing that went goofy was that after a full charge, I began listening to my music. After about an hour, even though the battery meter showed nearly a full charge, the nano quit playing music and flashed the low battery icon on the screen...then it promptly reset itself only to play again immediately with no issues.

Once I got home after all that, I restored the nano to the factory state, and loaded all my stuff back on it. Up to this point, it hasn't done those things again. The "Menu" clicking doesn't produce a reset now, but I'm not sure about the spontaneous resetting, low battery thing yet.

...the nano arrives...

Well, after a relatively short wait, the black iPod nano arrived today. I eagerly opened the box(es), and beheld the shiny, black, diminutive iPod. "How cute!" I quipped...no, I really didn't. I took all the shrinkwrap off everything, took the plug covers off the USB cable and plugged the little fella into the AC outlet to make sure it had a full charge.

After just a short time, it was fully charged and ready to be paired with my PC and iTunes. Once the software was installed and the nano was connected to my PC, I immediately began putting my favorite songs on it. So far, I've still got over 2.5GB left on it.

I went to messing with settings and menus a little while later, and had a few spontaneous resets; oh, boy...I hope I don't have a dud on my hands. I haven't listened to it yet, and haven't messed around with it any further for the day. Tomorrow, we'll see how it holds up!

Nokia 6682 from Cingluar finally released...

Cingular wireless finally released and made the Nokia 6682 phone available on their website yesterday. The 6682 has been one of those "highly anticipated" Nokia phones, and now you can own one for $299 with a 2 year service contract ($399 without a service plan).

The 6682 is a standard tri-band GSM/GPRS phone and has a lot in common with phones already available with most GSM carriers. A couple of the differences, however, are that the 6682 has an expandable memory card slot for games, ringtones, etc. and the built in camera has a flash next to it. This phone also sports a light sensor on the front which detects the light levels...this enables it to change display brightness accordingly.

The new Nokia offering has a candybar design, unlike some of its newer clamshell cousins. The camera is housed behind a sliding "panel" on the back of the phone and is easily accessed.

So, go out and buy yourself one!!

Oh yeah, and iTunes 5 is out...

Did I forget to mention the release of the newest version of my favorite music player, iTunes? Well, along with the Motorola/Apple/Cingular ROKR and the new iPod nano, Steve Jobs announced the availability of iTunes version 5.

The newest version of iTunes includes several new features, least of which is a newer UI. Also new to iTunes 5 is a new search bar that sits above your songlist and allows you to look for content more easily both in your library AND in the iTunes store. Another feature that people have been clamoring for is the ability to use "folders" where your playlists sit. This feature will enable people to make a folder, and then categorize different playlists within that folder for a more streamlined look and more practical approach to content management.

Of course, those aren't the only new features to iTunes 5. With the release of the ROKR and the new nano, iTunes will also showcase the ability to sync Microsoft Outlook calendar/contacts with the nano. The ROKR will also show up like an iPod when connected, so songs, audiobooks and podcasts can be synchronized.

iPod nano is on its way...

Well, a shiny new black iPod nano is on its way at this very moment. I looked all over the Springfield area, but no one would have them for a week or more, so my sister and I ordered two from Apple via telephone.

Along with the two black nanos, a five pack of colored rubber "tubes" are coming as well. The tubes will help protect from nicks, scratches and some low falls...something that an item with any expense attached to it should have!

I'll post further when they come in.

Motorola ROKR and iPod nano...

Well, Apple dropped their usual Fall bomb on the world by announcing the new Motorola/Apple iTunes phone dubbed the "ROKR E1" and a new iPod named the "nano" that renders the iPod mini (that I just got :( ) obsolete.

The joint venture between Motorola and Apple is a first in the music/phone industry: not only is the ROKR a full featured cellular mobile phone, but it can also house up to 100 of your favorite songs for playback with a mobile version of iTunes. The phone includes Bluetooth wireless technology for connection to a PC, headphones and a slew of other Bluetooth items. The ROKR will be carried in the U.S. by Cingular Wireless, and start at $249.99 with a 2 year service agreement.

The new iPod nano is thinner, lighter and resembles the traditional white or black iPods that we've come to recognize, and hey, don't use a capital "N" for these babies, Apple chose an all lower case moniker this time around. The nano is only 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.27 inches and weighs only 1.5 ounces. This thing is THIN!! Also upgraded is the screen: no more monochrome screens for the iPod, color is IN! These new iPods will support picture viewing as well as the normal music/file functions of the current lineup. Capacities will start with 2GB ($199) and 4GB ($249).

Man, I never have enough dough lying around when these things are announced!!

Green iPod Mini...

Well, I finally got the "nearly required for every human on earth" iPod Mini a couple of weeks ago. Actually, I spent a couple of days fixing my mom's PC, and to say "thanks", she repaid me with the new, Green iPod Mini. How's that for saying thank you?

I'm pretty impressed by this little bugger. Not only did Apple finally make a product in my favorite color, but it is small, durable and sounds great! I spend a lot of time listening to it; I like to listen to certain songs over and over so that I can learn them and subsequently play them in my band (well, OUR band) and the Mini is nice to have when I'm settling down to sleep when at the fire station (heck, last night alone I listened to it for three hours before I made myself go to sleep!).

The Mini is very pocketable; the aircraft-grade aluminum body is hollowed out of a single piece of metal...no seams or anything of that nature, so it slides in and out of pockets nicely. The size is great, and you nearly forget it is with you.

One thing I wish Apple would have included is a charging adapter. The USB adapter is nice and all, but it isn't very practical away from your PC or when your PC is off. But, I suppose that is how Apple gets their millions...ACCESSORIES!!!! I had to buy a separate, $29 charging adapter that allows your USB cable to plug in and therefore charge via the normal US AC wall outlets.

Now, if I can find my fancy schmancy Sony earbuds that deliver crippling bass and nearly unimpeded sound clarity, I'll be in heaven!!

Ringo Pro for the Treo...

I thought I'd point to a review I just completed regarding the application Ringo Pro by ElectricPocket. Ringo Pro allows you to use MP3 songs/sounds as your default ringtones on a Treo smartphone, as well as use pictures for individuals and groups in your address book. You can further personalize the experience by having certain songs set up for individuals as well.

The full review can be found HERE.

A reminder...

I just wanted to post a reminder to visit three of my favorite Palm related sites, treo Addicts, PalmAddicts and PalmForums. Both have religiously updated Palm hardware and software related information...

So, any time your dome is craving Palm info, visit them!!

nVidia GeForce 7800 Series coming soon!

According to TechSpot news (http://www.techspot.com/story17737.html), the nVidia 7800 series graphics cards will be emerging sometime at the end of June. I am both excited and bummed out about this announcement. I'm excited because the 7800 series will offer unprecedented graphics capabilities, but I am bummed because I most likely be able to afford it!!!

"The graphics processors will be equipped with up to 512 MByte memory, support SLI and will be built in an 110nm process by TSMC. There is no reliable information on the potential of the cards at this time. However, manufacturers claim the 7800 will "clearly" outperform the 6800.

Sources mentioned that pricing of 7800 cards should be in line with the 6800 series and come in between $550 and $600 for the GTX model. But the almost traditional short supply of the new generation processors is likely to significantly inflate the price of 7800 cards.

Anyway, check out that quick tidbit, and I'll have more information when it is released...

Intel and AMD both going dual-core...

This is some pretty cool news, especially for us socially challenged nerds who love a good techie product release. Intel and AMD have both begun using dual core technology...a technology which is the future of all processors.

Intel's line of dual core processors has been dubbed the "D" series, and has an 800-series numbering scheme. AMD has given their dual core offering the name "X2" (which, oddly enough, makes me think of the X-Men every time I see the name).

Basically, Intel and AMD have done the same thing except they both went about it in different ways. Dual core technology has a few advantages that its single core cousin just can't compete with. First off, as the name implies, there are physically two cores on each SINGLE chip. What this does in a nutshell, is that you basically have two separate processors on one chip...multitasking has just become the norm. Let's say you have Norton Antivirus running a scan already, but you want to burn a CD of your favorite music. With a single core chip, these two tasks would make your system crawl unbearably. With DC's, performing these two processor-hungry tasks moves along at a wonderfully fast pace, as if you were running them by themselves.

Another huge advantage, and one that will pave the way for more than two cores in the future, is that the new architecture cuts down on energy consumption and heat production. I am running a 3.4ghz Pentium 4 HT "Prescott" single core processor, and it runs the hottest of Intel's processors. I hate that. I've had to focus on cooling much more than I would like to. Not only that, but I have had to place a humongoid Thermalright XP120 (120mm) heatsink and a Panaflo 120mm fan in my PC case...it basically sounds like the flight line of an aircraft carrier in my room! I have had stability problems in the past, and I'm sure it was the direct result of overheating...

So, visit AMD (http://amd.com) or Intel (http://intel.com) for more details/specs on their new dual core processors...