Category: Technology

  • Intel Aside


    As it turns out, I’m weak. The lure of a faster Mac and a laptop that runs Windows was too much for me to resist. I ended up getting a MacBook Pro. What finally sent me over the edge was realizing that I wasn’t just making some rationalization — it really is a legitimate business…

  • Anybody want a used PowerBook?


    I was thinking I was showing considerable self-control. Apple’s been releasing all kinds of new iPods and new, slightly different alternate-universe Macs that were just like the ones I have but slightly better and shinier. Still, no desire to buy one. “I’ll wait until they come up with something that’s significantly better,” I thought. “No…

  • 180 on the 360


    Another inconsequential post on SFist, this time about the rumored video iPod with a bigger screen that, like me, is touch sensitive. And still I can’t work up much of a reaction other than “meh.” Either I’m getting more mature (plastic guitars notwithstanding) or I’ve just reached consumer electronics saturation what with all the handheld…

  • At What Price Progress?


    Today (or I guess, yesterday) was the first day in a long while I’ve made real tangible progress with my work, instead of just doing research or clerical and maintenance work. So instead of downloading and installing and re-installing and reading documentation and uninstalling and re-re-installing, I actually wrote a good bit of code. About…

  • Writing Too Much About iWeb


    There’s a new post on SFist wherein I talk about how iWeb isn’t as cool as HyperCard. And talk, and talk, and talk — I blame ecto. I liked it enough to pay for it, and now it means I don’t have to use web browser editors for my crucial blogging endeavors. Which means I’ve…

  • Face for Radio, Voice for Print


    My copy of iLife ’06 was waiting for me when I got back from the southland, so I spent last night and most of today playing with it. Early impressions: GarageBand seems like it’d be cool if it’d work, but I get no sound and no preferences pane, so until that bug is fixed, I…

  • So Much For My Pulitzer


    Yesterday’s post on SFist was about the MacWorld Expo. I only got to see it one day, because I’m in LA for business the rest of the week, but I think one day was plenty. I actually got up early enough yesterday to make the morning keynote address, but I’d assumed that my exhibits-only pass…

  • 10,000 Pixels In Your Pocket


    I wrote another article for SFist, this one about Apple’s announcement and the new video iPod. The comments section is pretty funny. As angry and bitter about computers that I am, I’ve got to laugh at being called an Apple-hater, as I’m sitting here using Safari on my Mac mini hooked up to the second…

  • I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Input Device


    I’ve grown to realize that my Microsoft Intellimouse Optical is the Hilary Rodham-Clinton of input devices. I will admit that I’ve strayed. I’ve tried the newer, flashier versions. The sleek green one that came with my PC — oh, it looks nice, and at first grasp it seems a perfect fit for my hand. Form-fitting.…

  • Not so Mighty


    In other news, my Apple Mighty Mouse came in the mail today, while I was comatose. I’m starting to think the love affair is over between me and Apple, because I just don’t like it. Apple’s strengths have always been industrial design and integration — stuff just works, and it all works together. This just…

  • Cards v0.1


    A while ago, Rain was saying that she didn’t have a version of solitaire for the Macintosh I made her buy. So I offered to write one. There are plenty of versions already out there, but I have my reasons. I’ll list them, in fact: I’ve never seen a freeware one that’s as lightweight and…

  • PowerPC and the Apocalypse


    I’m only breaking my temporary blog hiatus because I got a notice saying everyone who’s got a blog website has to put up something about Apple’s move to Intel chips. It’s fair that all of us who’ve bought PowerPC-based Macs recently will be concerned that our machines will be made obselete when developers move over…