Archive for the Hardware Category

Courier: not a font

Posted in Hardware, Video on 2009/09/24 by Ron

If you haven’t heard about it yet you will sooner than later.

Microsoft Courier is their new hardware creation which is a tablet computer.

Check here for more info as it becomes available.

If it is as good as the video it will most likely become the new “thing” in the cyber-world.  Take a look below.

OOPS – Apple tries to shut up burning iTouch man

Posted in Hardware on 2009/08/03 by Ron

Legal threats were not enough to silence the truth
Apple’s iPhones and iPods have been known to have overheating problems, at times bursting into flames.  Apple is reportedly doing everything in its power — or more aptly in its army of lawyers’ power — to keep these relatively infrequent incidents away from the public eye.

Ken Stanborough, 47, was among the victims of an exploding iPod and legal ploys by Apple.  Mr. Stansborough bought an iPod Touch for his 11-year-old daughter.  When holding the iPod one warm day last month, it began to overheat.  He states, "It made a hissing noise.  I could feel it getting hotter in my hand, and I thought I could see vapour."

The father resorted to playing hot potato with the iPhone, tossing it…

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Aspire One & iTunes a great combination?

Posted in Hardware, Software on 2009/01/05 by Ron

Well, I have been using my Acer Aspire One for a couple of weeks now and other than one crazy setback (I had to rebuild it the third or fourth day I owned it) it has been the perfect machine for me.

So now, my next big step.  Being that I own a classic 80GB iPod I need to run iTunes somewhere…and guess where?  Yes, right here on the AAO.

For the past year or so I have run the iTunes/iPod combo on my work notebook.  Yes, I know, “You shouldn’t be doing that on a work computer!”  However, last summer for work I was gone pretty much six days a week from mid-April to the end of July on a huge project.  The least they could do was supply me with a base for some type of entertainment.  (Me being the “try to do the right thing” kind of guy I am also check with IT and they said fine.)

But now the AAO is much more convenient to use; spell that “small & lightweight”.

Once, Synctoy has finished it’s run on all the files to transfer them to the AAO I will see how it works.  Maybe this time I will let iTunes manage all of my music…nah, I like to have some little bit of control.

Trying out the new Acer Aspire One

Posted in Hardware on 2008/12/23 by Ron

Rons new Acer Aspire One

Ron's new Acer Aspire One

OK, so far this little Acer Aspire One or “netbook” is perfect.  It has 120GB hard drive and everything my old notebook had but size (10.75” x 6.75” x 1.25”), weight (2.2 lbs.) and hard drive (80 on the old notebook) .

Look at the quarter to the right of the mouse pad as a size indicator.  Sorry about the crappie photo but hey it’s from my camera and it’s shaky…too much coffee this morning I guess.  You may also click the pic to go to my TwitPic.com site.

Screen size is great for what I use it for which is basically: writing newspaper articles, surfing the web, email and of course using MS Live Writer to post here, like I am now.

Only one con so far, the keyboard is smaller than I am used to; however, I seem to becoming more used to it as i type, so this con may disappear soon.

Since the 4-5 year old notebook broke a couple of weeks ago and I can’t afford to buy a new one the price on this puppy is great and it’s small and light weight (2.2 lbs).  Sorry for repeating myself but the size and weight are wonderful features for me.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and if you are a geek and get one of these you will be happy with it.