Blackberry Bold 9000
"Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?"
-Clifford Stoll
This quote rings true when it comes to myself and technology. Ever since I got my hands on my first computer I've been addicted. Now I have a slimmed down version of a computer attached to my hip. Crackberries are called that for a reason, they are extremely addictive. One word can sum up this post, the Blackberry Bold is awesome. I've only had it for a few weeks but I'm already realizing how many doors having one of these things opens. Not only can I make and receive calls / texts; but I can receive/send email from multiple accounts, send pictures/videos/voice via the Internet, check the weather, check Facebook, get directions from my current location, and browse the internet anywhere that I have service. This has kept me in touch with my friends to a level that I didn't think was possible. On top of all that functionality it is wrapped in a great GUI that is very aesthetically appealing. I should add that I am only at the beginning when it comes to unlocking the potential of the bold. There are still a lot of great applications that I haven't got to toy around with yet. If you don't have a smart phone yet, I recommend that you get one. Think about a Blackberry! =D
The Good
- Email access on the go
- Apps such as weatherbug and facebook are great
- Snap a picture, and upload it to the web on the spot
- Works great as a normal phone as well
- Browsing the internet can kill downtime when on the go
- Uploading media from a PC to the blackberry is fairly painless, as well as software upgrades
- Calendar events from facebook, or a BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) sync to your phone well
The Bad
- Browsing can be painfully slow at times, most apps overcome the lack of speed
- The battery life is great, but when you use it a lot (which you will) it can drain quickly
- Charging from USB on a PC is similar to snails running a marathon
- It doesn't do the dishes for me
World of Warcraft
That's right, I said it. The World of Warcraft.. what a game. Just when I thought I've played it all the way through they either add a new class, new content, new talents, or something else new that makes me want to play. I picked the game back up tonight after a four to five hour homework binge. My brain had fried and it needed a release valve. I'll be leveling up a Death Knight named Wazted on Gorgonnash Horde. I'm going to give the Frost tree a go. I hear it's good crit based damage, should be fun. I don't think I'll get as hard core about playing as I did in the past, but it's nice to have something to do on my downtime. WoW is always a good excuse to relax for a couple of hours, kill mobs, and listen to music. If you haven't tried the addictive World of Warcraft you should give it a shot. Be warned though, if you enjoy it too much it will ruin your life.
Disclaimer: I take no responisbility for any careers, degrees, or families that are wrecked by World of Warcraft usage. You as the reader take that responsibility upon yourself.
Carbonite, Over-advertised and Under-delivers
If you ever get the oppurtunity to use the Carbonite system backup software, eh... don't. It's absolutely horrible. The interface is garbage, it seems to slow a computer down a considerable amount, and their customer service is horrible. I recently had to re-image a doctor's computer. We didn't bother making a backup of the files on the computer because everything is backed up by carbonite. Three days, two customer service interactions, and fifteen emails with the doctor later; the data backed up with carbonite is still no where to be found on the new build. Check out the following screen shot to see how well carbonite restores data.
Notice how many files were successfully restored? Ugh.. just stay away from this software. Do a google search for Dropbox if you want something similar to Carbonite that actually works.
Windows 7 First Impressions
As you might know, the Windows 7 Release Candidate came out today. As such, we can all download Windows 7 and use it for free until sometime in 2010. I picked up a 32-bit copy and installed it on a laptop at work. So far it seems great, seems like everything that Windows Vista should have been. A few things that I like are the improvements to the Task Bar at the bottom of the screen and the ease of use of the new network connection manager. I have not been able to get too much time in on it yet, but I will say that Avast Antivirus installed without any problems. I am thinking that most XP programs will work on the new platform. Just when I thought I was going to get sucked into the Linux tide... Anyways, click on the picture below to be teleported to Windows 7's home page. (The pic below is an included desktop background, it rocks)
Kelly Software’s Matrix Screen Saver
Ok, where do I go with this one? I downloaded Kelly Software's Matrix screen saver .exe, installed it, turned it on, and now when I'm away from my computer for 20 minutes Matrix code strings down the screen. It's simple and awesome. I'm getting ready for when Morpheus comes to save me from the Matrix. Then I'll be one of those coder guys in the movie, in between my coding sessions I'll be pumping iron and getting ripped! Click here to get it!
Matrix Streaming onto both of my monitors!
