tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83796247562784381632024-03-12T22:24:33.974-04:00Arielistix Mash-Up!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-89496937186097055372012-12-08T14:08:00.001-05:002012-12-08T14:34:58.031-05:00Do You Roku?** Please note the following is NOT intended as a product review. This is simply to share my experience of a new gadget. Thank you for reading. **<br>
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Since 2008 I have live without cable TV. My TV viewing habits continue to survive with the help of services like Netflix, Hulu, and even YouTube. My decision to leave cable TV behind was motivated predominantly by Steve Jobs who pushed the idea that in the future all conventional medias will become obsolete. Users will not desire their content to be delivered to them by the will of a TV network. Neither will users want to deal with physical media such as CD, DVD, even BlueRay (a media dead before it was born). Or even deal with useless equipment such as PVRs. The future of TV and movies rides on copper, fibre, and open space on a series of TCP/IP packets pipped directly into our desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. And I love it!<br>
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My decision isn't without consequences. In my living room stands a Sony 46” LCD TV that has been neglected by me, cause the only time it gets lit up is when I plug my laptop to it over HDMI. And it doesn't happen often. Most of my contents is delivered to my Mac Mini displayed over a 23” Cinema Display. Until recently....<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/12/do-you-roku_8.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-28038038382065605282012-07-04T22:41:00.000-04:002012-07-05T11:15:22.849-04:00Virtual Hackintosh<br>
like so many people who desire to own a MacBook, but can't afford one at the moment, i decided to attempt a Hackintosh virtual machine with Mac OS via VirtualBox on <a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-new-hp-pavilion-g6.html" target="_blank">my HP Pavilion G6 (AMD) laptop</a>. so i did some research to find out what it takes to do the install. i figured it would be a lot less complicated and cheaper, because i would be running it as a virtual machine. this means not having to deal with buying parts, and putting together another physical machine. i found many web sites that dealt with the subject, and followed along hoping it was as simple as they made it sound.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/07/virtual-hackintosh.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-21112089811882186052012-07-02T17:22:00.005-04:002012-07-03T12:28:00.979-04:00B.ll Sh.t Apple Predictions: iPhone 5 With USB 3<br>
with the excitement of the upcoming 6th generation iPhone (5), there's been a lot of talk about what's going to look like, what CPU it's going to run with, form factor, 16:9 display, and whether or not it's going to feature Thunderbolt connectivity. i have no doubt that Apple will release an impressive next gen iPhone, but aside from <a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/02/3rd-gen-more-coincidental-than-rule.html" target="_blank">my obsessiveness over storage</a>, the one thing i'm hoping from the next iPhone is USB3 connectivity and not <a href="http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/" target="_blank">Thunderbolt</a> - which i think will happen for the following reasons.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/07/bll-sht-apple-predictions-iphone-5-with_2501.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-65090225066579020012012-05-22T21:29:00.000-04:002012-05-22T21:37:54.787-04:00I'm Being Throttled!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHt6qAnh-eoJWOHc34DKmcvtcTvTE3YRLc4cjjZjdpnPg1mHECACJ6YcIHuKxguJKGGETzrayKK_-euH0vO2JnBMzxsZM1FShSD6ECmQUUxbvu1ecAr1xVdYpbz0Ks2Bp4JVdja6gKILc/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHt6qAnh-eoJWOHc34DKmcvtcTvTE3YRLc4cjjZjdpnPg1mHECACJ6YcIHuKxguJKGGETzrayKK_-euH0vO2JnBMzxsZM1FShSD6ECmQUUxbvu1ecAr1xVdYpbz0Ks2Bp4JVdja6gKILc/s320/large.jpg" width="282"></a></div>
i received a text from AT&T informing that my unlimited data plan will be run at full speed until i hit the 3GB speed bump. from then on it’ll be throttled back. i think this new policy of theirs to limit mobile user’s data by capping or throttling is bad, not just for mobile users, but for the internet services out their we use.<br>
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for example storage/syncing. we have cloud storage to supplement what mobiles devices have been limited with due to design and/or expense. services like DropBox, Box.net, and iCloud give mobile users the ability to extend the limited storage found within mobiles devices by providing them with access to cloud storage services. as a DropBox user i find syncing files between my desktop, laptop, and iPhone very useful. but it'll suck if syncing files to my iPhone is going to eat up some of my data.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/05/im-being-throttled.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-13104778393062023982012-02-28T19:26:00.000-05:002012-02-28T19:27:22.316-05:00iPad3, It’s Getting My Attention<br>
my first iPod is 3rd gen.<br>
my first iPhone is 3rd gen.<br>
my first iPod nano is 3rd gen.<br>
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do you see the pattern here?<br>
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Apple is at the cusp of releasing their 3rd generation iPad, and it’s getting my attention. IF <a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/02/3-magic-number.html" target="_blank">the rule of "3rd gen"</a> prevails the iPad3 will prove to be a device worth the wait.<br>
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so far the only rumors circling the blogo-sphere is that the iPad3 will have the A5X processor, and retina display. i’m surprised that no mention of increase storage has been projected; perhaps a boost from 64GB to 128GB - which would be the ultimate deal-breaker for me.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/02/ipad3-its-getting-my-attention.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-88111997042801588882012-02-26T23:24:00.000-05:002012-07-02T21:36:35.022-04:003rd Gen, More Coincidental Than A Rule<br>
one comment i need to make regarding 3rd gen Apple mobile devices which makes it more coincidental rather than a rule. in all cases the deciding factor has come down this one thing - storage. if you haven’t notice i delay buying each of these device families until one was released with the amount of storage i felt would satisfy my needs.<br>
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increased gigabytes is indicative of so much more than just storage, but all the hardware that would have to be present in order to support managing it all.<br>
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working in a high tech environment you learn things like that. when a new product that boast 2x or 4x the amount of cache memory, it’s usually complimented with increased processing power to manage it all without performance loss.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/02/3rd-gen-more-coincidental-than-rule.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-6572969024665665702012-02-25T23:49:00.000-05:002012-02-26T23:57:32.480-05:003, The Magic Number<br>
3 is the magic number designating the generation of each Apple devices that i own. why is this so special? it’s probably more coincidental than anything else, but when i look deeply into it waiting for the 3rd generation of Apple products have benefited me with the most feature rich products, and future-proofing - that is to say the longest lasting, most used devices.<br>
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i have outlined three particular Apples products that i own. my thinking behind waiting for the 3rd gen, and how proceeding generations in my mind wasn’t worth the immediate upgrade.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2012/02/3-magic-number.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-82383738941198509052011-12-04T14:33:00.001-05:002012-02-11T20:38:20.942-05:00My New HP Pavilion g6** please note: the following is NOT intended as a product review. this is simply an attempt to share my experience of a new gadget. thank you. **<br>
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i have a new member of my digital family. no it’s not the powerhouse MacBook Pro that i wanted. nor is it the even more powerful Thunderbolt equipped iMac either, or the modest discless Mac Mini with the specs all maxed out (as i would have wanted).<br>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/arielistix.21/HPPavilionG6G61c45dx?authuser=0&feat=directlink" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeTqKWFueS2uJvsFGuakgAljkGbnLVtsIYPBDQFKigBFpNd61kb25fproczXfgXw01PuQvIRyL29b1DTriFxwR2Spaoxcie76R4wwM8Ylruw7yciKCT07CLUprFU7A9gMbYbiGEFcl1A/s320/DSC00257.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
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no people, this new addition doesn’t run on Mac OSX. It runs Microsoft Windows 7. it doesn’t even have an Intel i(whatever) processor, but an AMD A4 Vision. what it does have is 4GB of memory, a 500GB HDD, and 15.6” screen. it’s got a bluetooth 4.0 adapter, an HDMI connector, and an SD card reader.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-new-hp-pavilion-g6.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-2561983088821559312011-12-03T17:16:00.001-05:002011-12-11T15:16:46.926-05:00Jambox by Jawbone** please note: the following is NOT intended as a product review. this is simply an attempt to share my experience of a new gadget. thank you. **<br>
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back in 2005 i purchased the JBL OnTour portable speakers, and since then they have been the only speakers that i have used for my iPod, iPhone, and Mac Mini. these, i have to say, have been the best sounding speakers i have ever heard coming from a portable set like these. i’ve taken them to work to enjoy some tunes, and its has traveled with me to North Carolina. its mostly resides under my 23” Cinema Display connected to my Mac Mini as part of my desktop setup.<br>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/arielistix.21/Jambox?authuser=0&feat=directlink" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkfB-LcuGDgPaFMAhl4_CbN6vA7VyX8zxYmCXWyj7BabD3MwouZD9RjYhaYHMJPD2UkOlT86hr4QK71qPIITZbMqgGnOFclgR_J3zfGr3zv7kT2JmTqNU8He_MeR0tNZtuPsqbVzvY7k/s320/DSC00276.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
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but recently i have replaced it with something different. mostly due to the fact that portable speakers now-a-days offer so much more than just great sounds. many of them are powered with a rechargeable a battery. they have built-in microphones. they work wirelessly over bluetooth. the replacement is the Jambox by Jawbone.<br>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2011/12/jambox-by-jawbone.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-66085371264447451622011-10-06T21:52:00.001-04:002012-02-25T18:34:39.816-05:00Steve Jobs: What he meant to me.<div style="clear: both;">
<a class="image-link" href="http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/"><img height="346" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ews4FIRizJM/To5bSN04ZnI/AAAAAAAACh0/7vOCDzDwC-k/s800/t_hero-thumb.png" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="379"></a>i don't know Steve Jobs personally. i never met him at an Apple event, or store opening. He's not the first person i think about when i wake up in the morning, or the last thought as i fall into R.E.M. sleep. he's was - at most times - a figure taken for granted; as long as he was around Apple would continue to make products that affect my life and - to some extend - my thinking.</div>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2011/10/steve-jobs-what-he-meant-to-me.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-88071383751330579812011-04-09T13:37:00.007-04:002011-12-04T15:53:32.896-05:00Jesus Christ Superstar<div style="clear: both;">
<a class="image-link" href="http://www.stadiumtheatre.com/Event/202"><img height="259" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TaCXaksnPLI/AAAAAAAACWU/_WshaXK0rF4/s800/202_2_thumb-thumb.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="380"></a>one day back in November 2010, my work buddy John (of <a href="http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeu9ndu/musicallyreclined/index.html" target="_blank" title="Musicallt Reclined">Musically Reclined</a>, and no stranger to theater) persuaded me to head down to the Stadium Theater in Woonsocket R.I. to audition for a role for a <a href="http://www.twri.org/" target="_blank" title="Theater Works">Theater Works</a> production of <a href="http://t.co/4dkSfps" target="_blank" title="Jesus Christ Superstar">Jesus Christ Superstar</a>. to be completely honest i was aware of the 1973 movie, but never familiar with any of the songs from the musical (at least that i know of). however, that same day i went down there, filled out a form, had a head shot taken, and received a white adhesive label written with the number 37.</div>
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<a href="http://arielistix.blogspot.com/2011/04/jesus-christ-superstar.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-10450317266139547502011-04-08T20:00:00.006-04:002011-12-04T14:49:47.051-05:00Vimeo App<div style="clear: both;">
<a class="image-link" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vimeo/id425194759?mt=8#" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="178" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TZ-hlR0ukTI/AAAAAAAACWM/r5PiMqXcqMc/s800/000123-thumb.png" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="178" /></a>last week i downloaded the new Vimeo iPhone app just after reading about it on <a href="http://lifehacker.com/#!5787159/vimeo-app-puts-high+def-videos-and-editing-on-your-iphone-or-ipad" target="_blank" title="Vimeo App Puts Free HD Video Editing on Your iPhone or iPad">Lifehacker.com</a>. i was a little skeptical cause i'm still rolling with my 3GS. but it was free, so what would be the harm. i gotta say that it's not bad.<br />
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it crashed on me a few times. and 1 was a little frustrated every time i tried to add a pic shot in portrait mode it would somehow appear turned 90 degrees to the right. i figured out i'd have to save the project every time i added something to the timeline. so after overcoming the frustration with the app crashing i managed to piece together a short video consisting of a photo and two video clips of me and my buddy jimmy climbing an indoor rock wall. i was able to add some text, however adjusting the volume levels after adding a music track was probably too much my 3GS to handle. it would consistently crash doing that.<br />
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<span style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="533" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/22147750" width="400"></iframe></span><br />
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as for the video...<br />
my buddy Jimmy and i decided to do a little indoor rock climbing at the Lifetime Fitness center in Cary N.C.. i was about 4 feet away from reach the top. my only excuse is my 30 minutes of high cardio on an elliptical machine prior to talking the wall. it's all good fun, however. i must admit i was very concerned (and perhaps a little scared) that the safety line wasn't going to hold me if i fell. there was quite a bit of panic in that last moment just before my fingers gave out. good times.</div>
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camera work by my buddies Dennis, Jimmy, and myself.</div>
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back to the app...<br />
despite the crashes i have to say that the app worked very well. and i'm willing to put up with it cause 1) it's free, and 2) it works on my phone. </div>
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hopefully i can make more use of it later on down the line. perhaps Vimeo will release an update that will address the crashes on my 3GS, and add some nice features that will rival that of Apple's iMovie for iPhone. one can only hope. thanks Vimeo!</div>
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peace,<br />
@riel</div>
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<br class="final-break" style="clear: both;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-78691736040907225742011-04-02T19:02:00.003-04:002011-04-02T19:25:13.526-04:00Pandora App, What's missing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1005.photobucket.com/albums/af171/GabeMoon/pandoraicon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="160" width="160" src="http://i1005.photobucket.com/albums/af171/GabeMoon/pandoraicon.png" /></a></div>Pandora is another app deserving of being among my top 5. i probably use this app more often than any other. i have created so many radio stations which include artists from New Edition to Squarepusher; Expose to Run DMC; Imogen Heap to Daft Punk. <br />
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lately i have gotten hooked into Steely Dan. a lot of the songs Pandora has been playing base on that have been songs i've heard so many times over growing up, and some i've have never heard of before. despite that i'm really digging it.<br />
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this app keeps me company while driving to work and back, when i'm grocery shopping, or just relaxing at home.<br />
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here's the problem; i have created a lot of radio stations, but the app - or perhaps the service itself - only allows me one QuickMix. A QuickMix is a way to combine multiple radio stations so that you can get enjoy a greater range of music selections. <br />
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if Pandora and i were to sit together over coffee and talk about what i think is missing in the app and/or service there's only one thing i would request for, multiple QuickMix's. <br />
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i think it would be great to organize different radio stations into playlists or QuickMix's. i could name each QuickMix. there would be a section just for QuickMix's for easy access. you can edit them allowing you to add new stations to them.<br />
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still - absent being able to do that - it's my among my most used app. and well deserving of being among my top 5 app.<br />
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peace,<br />
@rielAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-66605538902963935012011-04-02T17:45:00.003-04:002011-04-02T19:20:51.847-04:00NetFlix App, Whats missing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn-0.nflximg.com/us/pages/wn/nfrd/20081110/devices/iphone-detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="296" width="409" src="http://cdn-0.nflximg.com/us/pages/wn/nfrd/20081110/devices/iphone-detail.png" /></a></div><br />
the Netflix app for my iPhone is within the top 5 apps i use regularly. the fact that i can watch movies or tv shows when eating a quick meal at a restaurant, or waiting for a doctors appointment, or my flight at the airport is among the best ways to kill time. the app itself is very easy to use. the app simplifies the process by limit you to only parts of the service that applies to the streaming video. the video quality has yet to disappoint. and Netflix is mindful of their customer's experience with their product and services. every so often i get an email from them inquiring about the video quality and playback of the what i just finished watching.<br />
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i have no doubt that Netflix is always looking to improve the user experience for their customers. if Netflix were to sit down with me over coffee and ask what i think is missing in their mobile app and/or service i"d tell the following:<br />
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1. multiple instant queues<br />
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this would be nice to have so that i can organize several queues by movies vs TV shows, or comedy vs sci-fi. <br />
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2. create and organize playlists<br />
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this would be especially nice so that i can put together a series of tv shows available and let the player run through them without having to be prompted to move on to the next show. this may pit them even deeper against Hulu.com, but that's competition for you.<br />
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all in all i'm very pleased to have Netflix's mobile app on my iphone. since i downloaded it i've managed to enjoy dozens of TV series such as Futurama and The IT Crowd, and movies such as MST3K. the streaming over 3G is prompt, and the video quality is more than adequate. and because of my frequent use it's deserving of being in my top 5.<br />
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peace,<br />
@rielAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-25226271030451106362010-11-08T01:20:00.000-05:002010-11-08T22:20:01.124-05:00John & Mark covers "Jessie" (video)<p style="clear: both">lately i've been fortunate with a opportunity to assist as a photographer and videographer on a music venture by two co-workers of mine. John Lobe (vocals) and Mark Benton (keys) have formed a new and budding two-man band specializing in easy listening music for the older crowd. so far I've recorded them at T<strong>he Rose Garden</strong> in Upton (twice), <strong>FireFlies</strong> in Framingham, during the <strong>Westborough Festival</strong>, <strong>Borders Bookstore</strong> in Shrewsbury, and during rehearsal sessions. most of those footages will be seen on the group's <a href="http://bit.ly/cxgV1b" target="_blank">band site</a>. </p><p style="clear: both">but i have posted a video on Vimeo i edited during one of their rehearsal session. this video is special to me, because it's the first time i ever edited anything like this. a simple linear editing process using footage shot from two different angles. </p><ul style="clear: both"><li>camera #1, front - JVC Everio 30GB HDD, wide screen mode</li><li>camera #2, right - Sony DSC-H9 in standard mode</li></ul><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevLOBlcgI/AAAAAAAACVE/YolHbmajl0Q/s800/Photo_Nov_08__2_58_13_AM1.jpg" class="image-link"><img class="linked-to-original" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevKFUO_GI/AAAAAAAACVA/fzLaxcIPqD4/s800/Photo_Nov_08__2_58_13_AM1-thumb.jpg" height="285" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a> keep in ming that i'm still working with my 2008 Mac Mini. and working with this <strong>little-</strong><strong>train-that-could </strong>wasn't easy. things are little different now that i'm running Final Cut Express 4 (FCE4) under Snow Leopard 10.6.4. my 2GHz Core 2 Duo w/ 2GB of 667 memory is barely enough to edit a single video source within FCE4. but two?</p><p style="clear: both">to make this simple music video required a some prep. first off after extracting the videos from my cameras i had to convert both video sources into readable MPEG2 files, and extract the audio tracks using <a href="http://www.squared5.com/" title="http://www.squared5.com/" target="_blank">MPEG Streamclip</a>. </p><p style="clear: both">i dumped both video and audio files into a FCE4 project and began the lengthy process of syncing everything together. i wasn't going to use both audio tracks, just the one from the JVC camcorder, as it was the better of the two audios. but both were needed in order to help with the syncing of the two videos. probably not the most efficient way to go about this, but my little mac can't handle the video scrubbing very well. so using the both audio tracks (lined up with their respected video tracks) helped a great deal.</p><p style="clear: both">once both video tracks were synced up and match to the main audio track, the next step was to determine how to pan from one video track to the next. after listening to the song and trying to identify certain cues, i ended up with the final edit.</p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevLxGmKCI/AAAAAAAACVQ/F98xhlDwCaI/s800/timeline.png" class="image-link"><img class="linked-to-original" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevLmhP6ZI/AAAAAAAACVM/pva7oaRHbK8/s800/timeline-thumb.png" height="135" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a>filters were added to both video tracks to help with the brightness, contrast, gamma, and de-interlacing. these took a while to find a satisfactory adjustment, because of the under-powered nature of Mac Mini. actually it wouldn't be so bad if the mini had a real GPU with (and here's the key now) dedicated video memory. but i digress.</p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevMZKbcRI/AAAAAAAACVY/Bgq1Xt-7RWw/s800/filters.png" class="image-link"><img class="linked-to-original" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TNevMGeudZI/AAAAAAAACVU/5hEvqmw2Op0/s800/filters-thumb.png" height="377" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a>after exporting the final cut to an MPEG4, i imported the video into <a href="http://handbrake.fr/" title="http://handbrake.fr/" target="_blank">Handbrake</a>. i love this app. it takes all the imperfection found from the original source videos, and the compression process from FCE4 and cleans it up real nicely. because of the poor low-light performance of both cameras at the time of recoding, the source videos were very grainy. Handbrake helped to fix of all - if not most - of that and produced a great quality video playback. </p> <p style="clear: both"><span style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16605758?portrait=0&color=ffffff" height="293" frameborder="0" width="520"></iframe></span>the video sources may not have been the best - i know, it looks <strong>80's-public-access-channel</strong> cheesy - but the focus here was on the editing. all in all i'm quite pleased with the final cut. i hope to do more work like this in the future, but first off i gotta get an iMac - i know i keep saying that - along with better camcorders. damn it! why must my hobbies be so expensive?!!!</p> <p style="clear: both"><br />peace,<br />@riel</p> <br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-54809975861463668122010-10-20T23:28:00.000-04:002010-10-20T23:28:54.150-04:00Mac OS Lion, And Other Stuff.<p style="clear: both"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TL-zdCAFy4I/AAAAAAAACUY/Hswswzd8ugc/s800/lion_bg_hero3.jpg" class="image-link"><img class="linked-to-original" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TL-zceBY3iI/AAAAAAAACUU/DcmSA1LadrU/s800/lion_bg_hero3-thumb.jpg" height="194" width="378" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a>i can't believe i gotta wait until next year to get this really cool update. And though my prediction was an epic failure i wasn't completely off. at least in a matter of speaking.</p><ol style="clear: both"><li>An app store for the Mac</li><li>iOS, or at least some resemblance of iOS's design and behavior in the Mac OS.</li></ol><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">iLife '11 looks pretty decent as well. probably will have to wait until i get a new Mac before i truly work out my feelings for it. </div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">the new MacBook Air looks nice. if i was willing and able to spend the cash on it, i probably would for general purposes. it's a bit over-priced just to have a light-wieght and compact nettop, but i think it's worth it.</div></p><p style="clear: both">well at least the wait is over. now the only thing we have to look forward to is Apple's WWDC next year to get more details on new Mac OS.</p><p style="clear: both"><br />peace,<br />@riel</p><p style="clear: both"></p><p style="clear: both"></p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-55639173319422459742010-10-15T22:59:00.001-04:002012-07-02T21:41:16.936-04:00B.ll Sh.t Apple Predictions: MacBook Air<div style="clear: both;">
i had a very spirited conversation with my best friend about what may be expected from the upcoming Apple event. specifically what may become of the MacBook Air (MBA) product if Steve Jobs announces a new one.</div>
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my b.ll sh.t prediction is that the Apple will forgo using Intel chips and start using the Apple A4 processor. same one found in current iPad product. in addition to that making the MBA the first Apple laptop to run iOS. this to me this makes perfect sense on so may levels. </div>
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<img height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLkdMhutYDI/AAAAAAAACTo/X0Vv8exzxS8/s800/macbook-air-thumb1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="378" />first of all, the potential to continuously promote their Apple A4 processor. the A4 is already found in the iPhone, iTouch, iPad, and now the new Apple TV. with respect to the MBA: just think of the iPad with a hardwire keyboard in a clamshell design. no more having to buy custom Intel Core 2 Duo chips. in fact all Apple would have to do is just redesign the logic board from the iPad to fit into MBA. </div>
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<img height="213" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLkdNIadeGI/AAAAAAAACTw/0n4ZcHcNMLc/s800/a4-apple-chip-top-1-thumb.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="380" />second of all, why the iOS?. the next MBA is reported to have a reduction of the screen size down to 11.6 inches. just shy of the size of the iPad. why is that significant? cause Apple doesn't see their Mac OS in it's native form as a one-size-fits-all solution for all their products. continuing to use the Mac OS was important to the iPhone, but it needed to be scaled down to fit on a device with limited storage. in addition to that it needed to have the UI redesigned in order to be accommodated on a 4 inch screen while supporting the fingers and thumbs as the primary input devices. and even though the iPad's screen is substantially larger than the iPhone's, iOS continues to work well on it while allowing Apple to expand their micro OS's potential. in addition to that opening up the App Store to another product. </div>
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lets presume that the upcoming MBA doesn't have a touch screen like the iPad. how would a user interface with it using iOS 4? one basic interaction would be with the track pad. with the established hand gestures already found on the MacBook/MBPro, a user could use those same gestures to swipe from one desktop page to the next, bring up the multitask bar, or pinch & zoom. basic functions. nothing too special. of course it would just be cooler if the MBA did have a touch screen.</div>
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in terms of the kinds of 3rd party apps that would run on it, i would imagine that developers would have to include additional support for the MBA on their already existing apps. or, perhaps, develop unique apps just for the MBA just as there are unique apps for the iPad in the App store. </div>
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speaking of the App Store, this opens it up to a new device, and gives the developers something exciting and unique to develop for. especially when developers could offers their wares for free courtesy of Apple's iAd service - another service that benefits Apple's bottom line</div>
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<img height="238" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLkdNs3liiI/AAAAAAAACT4/s_qtdMu9Gk4/s800/iphonesdka310-thumb.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="363" />with WiFi connectivity to be expected, the MBA could be the first MacBook to have a 3G wireless subscription service (a la AT&T) just like the iPad. if the MBA includes a front-facing camera, think about the iPhone's Face Time on it.</div>
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now let take this a step further. what if this prediction the MBA becomes true? the way i see it Apple may use the MBA as an experiment to see how well the masses respond to the iOS on Mac hardware. let's assume users love this idea, and the iOS UI becomes more liked than the current Mac OS UI. it would seem to me that Apple may one day release a Mac OS resembling that of the iOS.</div>
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of course i'm just talking unpredictable b.ll sh.t here. when it comes to predicting what Apple may release, i'm so far off. still, fun to think about it.</div>
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<br />peace,<br />@riel</div>
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<br class="final-break" style="clear: both;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-43673857389698552692010-10-14T15:55:00.001-04:002010-10-14T16:18:42.880-04:00Mac OS 10.7 (Lion?)<p style="clear: both"><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5662920/apple-back-to-the-mac-event-october-20th" class="image-link"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLdgG992xYI/AAAAAAAACTg/VW2KWNoacEY/s800/backtomaaccc-thumb1.jpg" height="252" width="379" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5619933/imac-touch-interface-shown-off-in-apple-patent" title="iMac Touch Interface Shown Off In Apple Patent" target="_blank">earlier Gizmodo</a> posted an entry revealing a new design patten for the iMac allowing it to be position so that the display panel can be used as a touch surface. </p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5663014/is-the-mac-ready-for-multitouch" title="Is the Mac Ready for Multitouch?" target="_blank">this week Gizmodo</a> posted an entry detailing the next Mac OS - 10.7 (Lion?). the new gimmick with the OS? mutli-touch capability. i'm not entirely sure how i feel about this, but a new OS is always good news. and not since Tiger has Apple promoted a better feline. both of my Mac Minis came with Tiger, and based on promotional images it's quite possible my next Mac may run this new "Lion" OS. </p><p style="clear: both">Oct 20 is the next Apple event that will reveal more details about this, and perhaps a few other product announcements. i'll be checking out the coverage, and probably have a lengthy discussion afterwards with my best friend over it.</p><p style="clear: both">i hope to give my thoughts about it sometime after the event.</p><p style="clear: both"><br />peace,<br />@riel</p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-2250533350042716682010-10-12T13:45:00.002-04:002010-10-14T18:19:18.980-04:00My blog tools: iPhone + BT Keyboard<p style="clear: both">the last couple of blog posts (including this one) have been written on this set-up. nothing more than my iPhone 3GS and my Apple's bluetooth keyboard. and i love it.</p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/arielistix.21/20101012NewBlogTool?feat=directlink" class="image-link"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLSe0Y5J8eI/AAAAAAAACSk/XsINVKpQpzA/s800/2010-10-12_New_Blog_Tool000-thumb.jpg" height="285" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a><div style="clear: both;">i bought the Apple wireless keyboard along with the Apple Mighty Mouse when i purchased my second mac mini (the 2GHz Core 2 Duo), but i wasn't going to use them with the new mac. instead they were slated to be part of my TV PC setup in the living room with my first mac mini (1.66 GHz Core Duo) repurposed as my media center. but since Apple added the Bluetooth keyboard support to iOS 4 (a benefit reserved mainly for the iPad), it's become somewhat of a nifty novelty to be able to the type on my phone using this. i can control the screen's brightness and the volume control from the keyboard as well and use traditional cut & paste shortcuts.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/arielistix.21/20101012NewBlogTool?feat=directlink" class="image-link"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/TLSe0_GdYhI/AAAAAAAACSs/-ZRjJGRZPh4/s800/2010-10-12_New_Blog_Tool-thumb.jpg" height="213" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a>my iPhone 3GS is powerful enough to run iOS 4 along with other apps i tend to run. as i type this on the Notes app i'm listening to audio being streamed via Safari/Quicktime along with Twitter, BejiveIM, and Mail app at this time.</p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">it is a unique alternative and experience to using a laptop. admittedly the screen is a little tight to see the text - which can be fixed by going into in the accessibility panel and changing the font size to 24pt - but all i really need is to be able to quickly type out my thoughts. and the wireless keyboard makes the experience a little more effective than typing on the on-screen keyboard.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">don't get me wrong, i still want a Macbook Pro. unfortunately i'm not in position to afford one just yet - especially one with the hardware config i want. still this is more portable than a nettop, laptop, or iPad. and more convenient and lighter to carry around. and unlike a MacBook or iPad i can make or take phone calls. i've taken this out public at coffee shops and restaurants. so far i've gotten a few compliments, but mostly curious eyes. </div></p><p style="clear: both"><span style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Farielistix.21%2Falbumid%2F5527213351714126001%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="192" width="288"></embed></span><div style="clear: both;">i have to give it to Apple for coming up with some really cools gadgets. </div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">peace,</div><div style="clear: both;">@riel</div></p><p style="clear: both"></p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-91772012095187848382010-10-11T19:13:00.001-04:002010-10-11T19:17:45.949-04:00I had the weirdest dream the other morning...<p style="clear: both">i had the weirdest dream the other morning, and for whatever reason i felt compelled to write about it. this dream couldn't have lasted for more than 3 minutes, but it seemed as if the entire sequence could have lasted 30 minutes on if it were filmed. mind you, this dream came to me between <strong>hitting-the-snooze-button</strong> sessions. </p><p style="clear: both">i'm not sure how to begin this, but here it goes... </p><ol style="clear: both"><li>it starts out with me driving a car on a remote road. </li><li>suddenly i get pulled over.</li><li>somehow i find myself on my knees upright in the right rear-seat.</li><li>there are well dressed people standing outside my car.</li><li>three men, one woman.</li><li>one of the men is searching my car's trunk for something.</li><li>another climbs in the driver's seat.</li><li>the third is holding a gun in to my face.</li><li>the man with the gun is yelling at me asking "where is it?"</li><li>confused - i'm not sure what the hell he's talking about.</li><li>the man with the gun is become really aggressive.</li><li>the man in the driver's seat looks somewhat conflicted as to whether or not they got the right guy.</li><li>the man with the gun becomes impatient</li><li>he pulls the trigger twice.</li><li>the bullets pierces my chest.</li><li>i don't fall back.</li><li>suddenly i feel a tremendous amount of heat radiating from my chest.</li><li>i don't see blood, yet i feel wet and cool on my back.</li><li>i start feeling week in my legs.</li><li>breathing is becoming difficult.</li><li>i look over to the man in the driver's seat.</li><li>he is shaking his head slightly with a look in his face as if saying "why the hell did you do that for?"</li><li>i look back out through the window.</li><li>the woman is standing behind the man with the gun.</li><li>she's appears to be keeping a lookout.</li><li>the man searching through my car's trunk states "it's not here."</li><li>my legs finally give way.</li><li>i fall backwards as my vision goes dark.</li><li>next thing i wake up in my bed.</li></ol><p style="clear: both">what do you think it's all about? it seems like a scene from a TV show or movie that i've seen before.</p><p style="clear: both">obviously weird and violent - the first of it's kind on my blog - but it's given me the idea to write short story based on the given details. a good way to spend my vacation, i suppose.</p><p style="clear: both"><br />peace, <br />@riel </p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-50559895620171868582010-10-10T08:28:00.007-04:002012-02-25T18:33:59.548-05:00I'm not on Facebook.<div style="clear: both;">
this is another dated posting i pulled out of my draft box, but recently i watched the movie "The Social Network" - which i highly recommend to everyone - and felt this would be a good time to revise and post this.<br />
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its been reported by many sources that Facebook has over 500 million users on their service and counting. however i'm not among the masses that have been swept up by the phenomenon that is this social network giant. and i have my reasons. so many of the people in my life - family, friends, acquaintances - have inquired about friending me on Facebook, and i have had to quaintly explain that i'm not service as a simple form of protest.<br />
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why do i protest being part of a social network as big as Facebook with benefits such as:</div>
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<li>keeping in touch with the people so close to me</li>
<li>meeting old friends from years ago</li>
<li>making new friends</li>
<li>playing games and competing with other over the web</li>
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simply put: the people who i love, care, and/or concern over i stay in touch personally. and i already have all the tools i need or could want to maintain that connection. let me count the ways. </div>
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<li>mobile phone (voice/text)</li>
<li>email</li>
<li>instant message</li>
<li>Skype</li>
<li>Twitter</li>
<li>Blogger</li>
<li>Youtube</li>
<li>Vimeo</li>
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admittedly my social network is rather decentralized. however, i prefer it that way. there are no exclusivities in many of the services i subscribe to. my friends are not required to have the same cell phone provider as i do to call or text me, nor have the same ISP as i do to send me an email. neither are they required to be members of Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, or Blogger to enjoy any my contents. but to access their profile page on Facebook - just to check it out - does require me to join. not fair.</div>
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as for reacquainting myself with friends long ago, my view is this: past relationships are now a chapter in my life that came and went. its a bit of a sad truth, but if a friendship is solid enough to last then a service like Facebook is not required.<br />
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another part of why i protest joining Facebook has something to do with my time spent as a user of MySpace years ago. i was freshly divorced and looking to expand my friend base by including some internet pen-pals. MySpace seemed like a good place to meet new people. i never accumulate many friends on it. the only ones friended were people i knew personally. whenever i did receive a friend requests they were from people (mostly girls) who had hundreds or thousands of friends on their list - which meant i would have been nothing more than a number to them. also got friend requests from a few budding musicians, comedians, and web-cam porn stars. i came to conclude that MySpace was nothing more than a popularity contest. no real potential to make friends. i became disillusioned with the whole experience. i figured Facebook would be no different.<br />
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continuing my reasons for my protest was a moment where i sent someone a well crafted personal email expressing my appreciation over an event that was taking place in Worcester. this person was a city official that, along with many others, were coordinating an event to commemorate the contributions U.S. Army soldiers from Puerto Rico have made. what i got in return was a form letter from her Facebook account explaining how much better it would be for me to join to stay in touch. so... i take the time to write an email, and this is what i get in return? that really pissed me off!<br />
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the lack of enabled privacy settings on Facebook is also among my strongest protests. i've never been much of an early adopter when it came to technology. i like to sit back and see how others who have taken the plunge express their views on it. with Facebook there was a time when i considered joining, but i held off. good thing; lately there have been many reports of the lack of privacy settings enabled by default after creating an account on Facebook. because Facebook by design and intent is a social networking site, by default all (if not many) privacy settings are turned off. the motive behind this is to promote the notion that all Facebook users should desire their personal information to be open to the world no matter how private or public that information is. so there is no need to change the privacy settings ever. after all, the mission statement of Facebook is "Making the world more open and connected." yet this ideology is costing Facebook many users that are waking up to this revelation, and leaving.<br />
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another strong protest of mine is the lack of a user's accessibility to out right delete their Facebook account quickly and safely. if a user wishes to delete their account with Facebook, it takes an act of Congress to do so. a user has to really go out of their way to remove their profile from Facebook. to comically illustrate the frustration in deleting a Facebook account South Park's Stan Marsh had to enter into the Tron-like universe of Facebook and defeat his account in a game of Yahtzee. the kicker is even if you do manage to "delete" you account, it's not gone for good. it's just been made inaccessible to other users. however, all of the user's personal data remains on Facebook's servers. why? because all that data a user provides on the Facebook service - be it texts, photos, videos, statuses, etc. - becomes property of Facebook. it is part of the agreement between the user and Facebook as outlined in the Terms of Service which grants Facebook complete ownership of that user's data. that doesn't sit well with me.<br />
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lastly, but not my final protest, is that having a Facebook account would another web service i'd have to spend time managing.<br />
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to speak of the company itself, Facebook is worth billions of U.S. dollars($), but it doesn't generate any revenues. that doesn't stop investors and business partners from pouring cash into it. what allows for Facebook's financial success is the philosophy that personal information freely provided by their users is more valuable than revenue generated from advertisements. Facebook collects as much data as users are willing to give about themselves which in turns helps their business partners better understand trends of behavior. and, granted, Facebook is not alone. there are other sites such as Twitter and Google (with some exception as Google does generate some of their revenue from advertisement, but not all) that work the same way. they don't make money, yet they are worth billions. again it's all about data collecting, organizing, and analyzing.<br />
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all this being said, i do recognize the incredible impact that Facebook has made in our world, both good and bad. it have escalated itself to level of great importance that cannot be ignored, and a powerful tool of communication. there may come a time when Facebook could take over the entire communication sector. instead of AT&T or Verizon, it could be Facebook that powers future mobile devices. so in a continuous effort to live my with the least amount of hypocrisy i will say this: as long i draw a breath upon this e@rth the possibility and probability of joining Facebook is there, but i'm going to hold out as much as i can. </div>
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@riel</div>
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<br class="final-break" style="clear: both;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-44496239096976188662010-08-19T19:45:00.003-04:002012-02-25T18:28:58.102-05:00Why I won't be buying an iPad... any time soon.<div style="clear: both;">
this blog post is way over due, and the subject matter outdated, but in an effort to get back to writing i decided to go ahead publish my thoughts about Apple's new iPad, and why i'm not getting one. simply put i haven't found how to fit this into my current digital life. i can't even find a way to shoe-horn this thing into it either. but that's a personal matter.<br />
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still i can't help but wonder what Apple was thinking when they decided to release this product. they touted it as a universal device best suited for eBook reading, Internet surfing, gaming. and so forth. but when i think deeper into it, it seems to fail in comparison to devices that are designed specifically to address these areas of digital life. Apple uses words like "magical", "wonderful", and "boom!" to describe how awesome the iPad is. however during the introduction event of he iPad I could not help but wonder if anyone in the audience was actually impressed let alone marveled. after all it turned out to be a larger iPod Touch. and despite the mediocre functions of the iPad it has gone to sell millions worldwide. my curiosity can only assume those who have bought it have a far better or unique use for it than the average user.<br /><br />
here are some of the applications the iPad address and the reasons i feel they don't.</div>
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<strong>Reason 1, eBook reader:</strong><br />
one of the selling points of apple's iPad is that it servers as an eBook reader. however when i think of the ideal eBook reader the Amazon Kindle comes to mind. it's a thin device weighing in the ounces. it's large enough to accommodate the text of a typical book. it's black and white like most printed pages. it's ambient reflective background simulate as close to paper as much as possible so it's easy on the eyes thanks to it's E-Ink technology. and as a big bonus it's so good on the battery that a single charge can last it up too 300 hours.<br />
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the iPad fails in every aspect listed above. it weighs in at 1.6 pounds. and though that may not seem much, after 20 minutes it does start to put a strain on the wrist when maintaining it upright. the screen size as adequate for accommodating text of a typical book, but the LCD screen couple with a LED backlight can cause a bit of strain the eyes. lastly because the iPad is not a dedicated eBook reader but rather a general purpose device with a function to display eBooks, battery life is terrible; only 10 hours before it needs a charge.<br />
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best use of the iPad as an ebook reader is short term; perhaps 20 minutes at most. most avid readers (at least the ones i know personally) typically spend an hour reading text.<br /><br />
<strong>Reason 2, gaming platform:</strong><br />
the Nintendo gameboy, Sony PSP, hell, even the iPhone (to some extent) are typically the devices that avid gamers prefer when it comes to portable games. they are light weight, fast, contains an extensive library of games, and with exception to the iPhone, are equip with physical controllers that help add to the sensation of the game's experience.<br />
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games are being published for IPad. most of them were originally made for the iPhone/iTouch that have been adapted for a bigger screen. the problem is trying to handle the iPad while playing some of these games. i'm not entirely sure what kinds of games are being sold that would be best for the iPad, but i can't imaging that the arcade crowd is jumping on this. i downloaded Street Fighter IV on my iPhone, and though i hate the fact the 20% of my screen is taken up by my thumbs, I continue to enjoy it. to play this game on an iPad would seem clumsy considering the dimensions of this device. on top of that there's the reoccurring issue with the weight previously mentioned.<br /><br />
then only kinds of games that i can see passable on this platform are board games, and some puzzle games that may not required the iPad to be held up-right. in fact the one genre of games that would be quite impressive are the strategy role-playing games such as Final Fantasy, or even better World-of-Warcraft. you wouldn't need to hold the iPad upright; just lay it down on the table and use the the multi-touch feature to play the game.<br /><br />
<strong>Reason 3, portability/versatility:</strong><br />
it's portability becomes an issue with me as it's not as small to fit into my pocket like the iPhone, and not as versatile as a notebook.<br /><br />
let say i'm in some coffee shop (i know, it's always some trendy coffee shop) i can't whip out my iPad and start surfing the web with one hand while drinking my caramel latte (mmmmm, caramel ) with the other. nope, I'll stick to my iPhone, thanks.<br /><br />
let say i'm working on a blog post. to type on an iPad would require me to position it at a slight angle just to type. with the virtual keyboard and the screen on the same plane one of two things suffers: 1) your wrist due to the weird angle, or 2) your eye sight from the glare off the glass. it may be possible to suffer both. one solution is use a Bluetooth keyboard.... screw that! just use a laptop. at the very least the screen won't need to be held up with you hands.<br /><br />
<strong>Reason 4, an internet device:</strong><br />
this is by far the the most impractical reason. when is comes to the internet it only comes in two sizes; large (rather the full rendered web page) and small (the mobile version of the large size). that's what makes the notebook and mobile phone devices perfectly suited for this task. on top of that to sit and hold onto the iPad to read a web page... well see <strong>Reason 1 </strong>and<strong> 3</strong>. in contrast the iPhone (despite its screen size) can be palmed, and though navigating a web page with a thumb does require some practice, at least it's completely efficient.<br /><br />
<strong>Is there anything the iPad is good for?</strong><br />
the iPad suffers the same problem as most tablet computing devices; it's a niche device. however, I do believe the iPad can serve several functions. consider the following:<br />
<strong>Any job that utilizes a clipboard:</strong><br />
take as an example a hospital setting where the ipad can be used in place of paper medical charts. the doctor walks into a room and the patient's charts appear instantly on the device.<br /><br />
<strong>Visual creation:</strong></div>
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an electronic easel is an ideally suited application for the iPad. i've seen video of artists draw incredible works of art right on the iPad. very impressive.<br /><br />
<strong>Music creation:</strong></div>
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people talented in the ways of music have used the iPad as an electronic instrument, part of their DJ'ing equipment, mixer. i mean there's all kinds app out their to help make music.</div>
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in an effort to live my life with the least amount of hypocrisy i will say this: i will not discount the possibility of owning iPad completely. as i've said before i haven't found how to fit this into my current digital life. after all despite the stated reasons, it is a pretty neat device, but completely useless to me at this time.</div>
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peace,<br />
@riel</div>
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<br class="final-break" style="clear: both;" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-71682942470491492282010-02-02T17:32:00.003-05:002010-10-11T17:50:14.238-04:003D Movie Scam<p style="clear: both">when Avatar came out, like most movie goers, the first time watching it was in 3D. not in IMAX, but in a typical movie theater where 3D was available via a pair of 3D glasses by <a href="http://www.reald.com/" target="_blank">RealD 3D</a>. the price of watching this visual masterpiece? $14.50! later i watched it again at <a href="http://www.jordansimax.com/" target="_blank">Jordan's IMAX</a> in Natick with the experience being infinitely superior. price? $12. Why is IMAX cheaper?</p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;"></div></p><p style="clear: both">the stupidity in all of this is the fact that in a movie complex (here in MA) you pay $10.50 for a movie. but for an extra $4 you get the movie in 3D along with the 3D glasses. at the end of the movie, when you leave the theater room, there's a bin just outside with a pile of used 3D glasses thrown in. the sign on it asked to return the glasses - the 3D glasses you paid for - by encouraging you to "re-cycle" them.</p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">do you see the scam here? after charging you $14.50 the multiplex takes the glasses you threw away - excuse me, re-cycled - then sell it to another patron, and start the scam all over again.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">it's a good scam, don't get me wrong.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">in contrast at IMAX you pay $12 for a movie. you get the 3D glasses before you take your seat. then you return the 3D glasses to a friendly employee at the end of the movie.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">i (and perhaps you) would think patrons would be encouraged to keep the 3D glasses they get at the multiplex, and get some kind of discount for the next 3D presentation so they're not paying the full $14.50. man, at least take $2 off the price of the ticket. or how about charging us $12 for the movie, and $2 for the 3D glasses if needed? in this economy any chance to save a few bucks is a welcome.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">ever wonder how much energy is wasted to "re-cycle" those used 3D glasses whether they are simple disinfected before they are repackaged for resale, or melted down to make news ones?</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">the last time i saw Avatar in 3D at a multiplex, i decided to keep my 3D glasses. why not? i paid for them. plus i like wearing them better than the ones you get from IMAX. i'll bring them along with me for the next 3D movie i watch in IMAX where the experience is infinitely superior, and the price cheaper.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;"><br />peace,<br />@riel</div></p><p style="clear: both"></p><p style="clear: both"></p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-80245320962240143552009-11-05T11:32:00.002-05:002010-10-11T17:53:53.550-04:00From Global-Flat To Cambridge-Flat To Video<p style="clear: both"><a href="http://www.global-flat.com/news/" class="image-link"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/SvL2to-_naI/AAAAAAAACQc/Vr2_yP7xfes/s800/global-flat_logo-thumb.png" height="82" width="376" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" /></a><div style="clear: both;">for a little while i've been a member of <a href="http://www.global-flat.com/profile/index.php?u=4993" title="my profile" target="_blank">global-flat.com</a>. it's a site dedicated to BMX riders who practice the discipline of flatland freestyling. as you may know, i too practice this discipline, and i've been fortunate to meet with some very good people from Mass on this site.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><img class="linked-to-original" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xBRRXOqdra0/SvL2uE2rG2I/AAAAAAAACQk/nKqmSR9oj6k/s800/CamFlat-thumb1.jpg" height="285" width="380" style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;" />on Oct. 25 i hooked up with a bunch of guys from the Boston area. they congregate in a street hockey rink in Cambridge right on Charles St. upon my arrival i first met Rick. we first corresponded over global-flat.com. he told me that he too was a 35 y/o getting back into flatland freestyle. though married, and with children, he has made an effort to get back into a sport that he enjoyed once as a teenager. so we had a couple of things in common sans the marriage and children.</p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">later in day more riders began to show up, and the scene was becoming more active with rider pulling off all kinds of spinning moves. initially all i could do was watch and envy at their skills, hoping that one day i could do all that.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">i got to know some of them and found out they too were in their 30's, and though there were a few in their 20's, it kind of solidified my impression that, at least within the states, flatland freestyle was being practice mostly by the older crowd who lived through the glory days of BMX during its roots in the late 70's and 80's.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">conversely, on an international scale, flatland freestyle is dominated by a younger crowd.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">it's funny when you meet people who share the same interests as you. there's this phenomenon that occurs where you seem to do better at executing moves in the presence of others than alone. or perhaps it's just me trying to impress them, and i just got lucky. either way i felt as if anything can be possible so long as i practice with a peer group.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">for example, i've been trying to nail down a <strong>pedal kick tail-whip </strong>(non-foot jam style). on rare occasions alone i'd get it, but it's mostly a miss. but in front of these guys i was able to get it down no problem. it even seemed like an effortless move. last night i tried several attempts of them in my "backyard", and damn it if i couldn't get it at all. what happened?</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">well, back to my story...</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">so i brought along my camera in case i had the inclination of recording my experience there. the guys seemed pretty cool with me taking some videos of them. so i started shooting manually, following them around trying to get some good angle shots. these were nothing but random videos that were taken of any riders as they rode by me. a few times i mounted the camera on a tripod provided by another rider name Rich (the second rider to show up at the rink). this way i could be in some of the footage.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">after spending 5 hours with these guys, i decided to retire, go home, and review all of the videos taken that day. i recorded about 5GB of MPEG1 video, 640x480 @ 3000kps on my Sony DSC-H9. what was i going to do with all this footage? put it to music, of course. i told the guys that i would most likely make a music video out of them, and post it on Vimeo and YouTube. no one objected to the idea.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">so i spent that week importing all these videos into a Final Cut Xpr project, picking and choosing which clips of footage i liked best. tried to keep all the riders well represented throughout the project while at the same time maintaining the actual time line of recorded events. i added a few scenes of myself, but mostly focused on the more experienced riders.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">once i had initially selected all of my clips, i began to think about the music i wanted to use. like most of of my projects i was going to pick one song and use that, but i didn't have anything that would cover the 8 minute run-time. so instead i decided to use multiple samples of songs about 1~2 minutes in length. i'd mix up the tempo and style using Drum n' Base, down-tempo, and hip-hop tunes. i chose six song from my iTunes library i felt worked well in in certain portions of the video. the end result was a nice mix that, not only would keep the viewer entertained, but seemed to play well with the video.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">later i started to notice moments in the video where some unintentional choreography took place between the riders and the songs. this gave some ideas, and decided to rework the video to get more of this incorporated.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">i don't know why i never though of this before. that was one of my intended design for my AMV, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fScwq-Uyw-k" target="_blank">Dyson's Revelation</a>.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">so i continued with the process where it started to take me into a different direction. more editing was done, and more thought went into the presentation.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">in the end i took it about as far as i was willing to go. this video project almost became an obsession. i wanted (almost needed) to complete it by the end of the week; no more. it took some good time away that could have been spent riding. especially now that time is becoming so precious cause the air is getting colder, and i don't have a place to go ride during winter season when the snow starts to fall.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><div style="clear: both;">i've posted the video on both <a href="http://bit.ly/yM8cz" title="FlatJam Session #01: Cambridge, Ma." target="_blank">Vimeo</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/3vV7Pt" title="FlatJam Session #01: Cambridge, Ma." target="_blank">YouTube</a>. so far the responses have been positive. and though this project took time away from riding, it was a lot of fun to work on. it left me thinking that i'd like to do more of these kinds of videos. perhaps i will, if the guys let me. and who knows, in time i may get better and have a nice featured moment in one where i'm doing more than a mere pedal kick tail-whip.</div></p><p style="clear: both"><span style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;"><object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7386757&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7386757&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="300" width="400"></embed></object></span>all-in-all meeting these guys was a good experience. one i hope will continue as i practice the discipline of flatland freestyling. global-flat.com is a great place to meet other riders in your neighborhood.</p><p style="clear: both"></p><p style="clear: both">peace,<br />@riel</p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8379624756278438163.post-43772513452130784732009-10-11T13:02:00.001-04:002010-10-11T17:54:41.880-04:00iApp Post: Flash for Free, FilterFX<p style="clear: both">normally i would post something like this on my twitter feed, but this iPhone app, i felt, could use a little more attention seeing is how useful is has been, and, therefor, give my personal recommendation. </p><p style="clear: both"><a href="http://freetheapps.com/" title="FreeTheApps" target="_blank">FreeTheApps</a> has released a handful of free apps for the iPhone that adds some useful functions for your photo taking needs.</p><p style="clear: both">the first is <a href="http://freetheapps.com/app.php?app=flash" title="Flas for Free" target="_blank">Flash for Free</a>. this app helps to increase the clarity of any photo from the camera roll by providing 9 levels of brightness. </p><p style="clear: both">the second is <a href="http://freetheapps.com/app.php?app=ffx" title="FilterFX" target="_blank">FilterFX</a>. this gives the user the ability to add some fun filters to any photos. the app includes the following filters:</p><ul style="clear: both"><li>Vivid</li><li>Cool</li><li>Warm</li><li>Vignette Black</li><li>Vignette White</li><li>Black & White</li><li>Sepia</li><li>Vintage</li><li>Soften</li></ul><p style="clear: both">check out some sample photos. the original taken on the deck of the USS Massachusetts using my iPhone 3G [S]. the rest were processed using FlashforFree and FilterFX. turn on the captions to see which filters were used, or go to the <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/arielistix.21/20090813TestShots#" title="2009-08-13 Test Shots" target="_blank">photo gallery</a> to see them in detail. </p><p style="clear: both"><span style=" text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 10px;"><embed pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Farielistix.21%2Falbumid%2F5391372802758568321%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="267" width="400"></embed></span>these are just two of the apps available from FreeThe Apps, and there are several more. go check them out, and enjoy.</p><p style="clear: both"><br />peace,<br />@riel<br /><br /></p><br class='final-break' style='clear: both' />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16139566124193551237noreply@blogger.com0