So I have recently placed an order for a new 27" Widescreen iMac. Bethany and I agreed after receiving my new computer and getting everything setup, I am going to put both my Apple laptop and PC Desktop up for sale to make up as much of the cost as possible.
One of the things about the new Apple computers announced recently is that they come with Apple's new "Magic Mouse". This is a mouse where most of the top is a touch interface. This touch interface is supposed to replace scroll wheels and scroll balls.
I was a bit hesitant about this new mouse and decided to head over to the local Best Buy so I could try it out. Granted this isn't going to be my typical usage test, but it was enough to give me a feel for it. One of my biggest concerns initially was that the touch interface was going to replace clicking. I would have to pick my finger up and tap the touch interface like a trackpad in order to click. This wasn't true, as a good friend of mine had told me beforehand. Sure enough the Magic Mouse maintains a clicking interface.
My next concern was right clicking. I right click quite a bit on any system I am on and the description I had read made me feel like the area to detect right clicking was going to be a small corner. This also turned out to be fine. I don't feel like I made any extra special effort to right click in a certain spot and it registered it correctly.
The next thing to try was scrolling. Up and down, left and right. I found a webpage that was tall enough to require vertical scrolling and was fairly pleased. I've read some reviews that say adjusting the scrolling speed helps a lot here. I didn't find much that required horizontal scrolling but I created a Numbers spreadsheet and added lots of extra columns and rows and tried it out. This seemed to work out great. I even used it in iTunes by placing the cursor over the volume bar and side scrolling and volume went up and down.
The last feature to try was the swipe. I tested two fingers horizontally in Mail, iTunes, and Safari. In Mail it went from message to message, iTunes, track to track, and Safari it went Forward and Backwards in my browsing history.
Overall I think I'll get along fine with the new Magic Mouse, however I am disappointed because I currently use my Mighty Mouse's scroll ball button to activate Expose for all apps, and this will no longer work. All in all however, I am satisfied.
2009-11-04
2009-10-23
Volery Launches as Ninite
So you will recall my post a few days ago about Volery, the multi-app installer for Windows. I received the following email last night:
I have visited the new website and found the addition of one or two things, and hopefully they will continue to add frequently requested things like Wireshark.
I have had the chance to try it out as I reloaded my home computer with Windows 7 and used the Volery installer to install over a dozen applications. I was able to run the small executable, go to bed, and wake up to having them all installed. I will say it was a very handy tool. So what are you waiting for? Go check it out!
Hi there,
We're pleased to announce that Volery is launching to the public today
under the new name Ninite at http://ninite.com. Feedback from beta users
like you has been critical in shaping the product and we can't thank you enough.
Your feedback has guided us to develop features like automatically installing
64-bit versions of some apps on 64-bit Windows and caching downloads to save
on bandwidth. We also have some new, heavily requested apps like Microsoft
Security Essentials available on ninite.com.
You can start using Ninite right away at http://ninite.com. Any Volery
installers you have saved will continue to work. The basic version is free
for personal use. Until we figure out the pricing for our premium plans
advanced features like caching downloads to save bandwidth are free too.
See http://ninite.com/info/advanced for details.
If you enjoyed using Volery, help us spread the word about Ninite by
clicking the Digg button on http://ninite.com.
Thanks,
The Ninite Team
http://ninite.com
I have visited the new website and found the addition of one or two things, and hopefully they will continue to add frequently requested things like Wireshark.
I have had the chance to try it out as I reloaded my home computer with Windows 7 and used the Volery installer to install over a dozen applications. I was able to run the small executable, go to bed, and wake up to having them all installed. I will say it was a very handy tool. So what are you waiting for? Go check it out!
2009-10-18
Customized Multi-App Installer with Volery
If you are organized enough to have your scheduled computer reload every 6 months but not quite organized enough to have created an image of your base install to restore then this app I read about might help. I personally plan on trying it out with my next reload since I haven't made an image to use for restoring.
I found this app on the DownloadSquads feed.
The app is called Volery, and the link to the Download Squad Article can be found here.
Quote from the Volery page:
To sum it up let me summarize they had the browsers worth downloading, antivirus software, developer tools, graphic tools, IM Clients, Media Players, and more. Download Squad had a special you could try it out by using their code so head over to the link I provided and then give it a try yourself.
I found this app on the DownloadSquads feed.
The app is called Volery, and the link to the Download Squad Article can be found here.
Quote from the Volery page:
So I went through the list of Apps the other day and then I compared it to a list I made a week or so ago of Apps I needed to download in preparation for reloading my computer. The only apps they were missing from my common downloads was Putty Connection Manager (essential Puddy addon for Tabbed interface) and Wireshark. However, since they had a place to suggest applications to be added I requested them both. I do have a license for Office 2007 for school, and they have an option for the Office 2007 Trial Edition. I am unsure if this would do the install and then just allow me to enter my serial or not. I'll have to try that out.The easiest way to get apps.
Volery works in the background, 100% hands-free.
- Pick the apps you want.
- Start your customized installer.
- You're done!
We install apps with default settings and
say "no" to browser toolbars and other junk.
All we do is install the apps you choose.
Not even volery is installed.
To sum it up let me summarize they had the browsers worth downloading, antivirus software, developer tools, graphic tools, IM Clients, Media Players, and more. Download Squad had a special you could try it out by using their code so head over to the link I provided and then give it a try yourself.
2009-10-16
Finland Gains Legal Right to Broadband Internet Access
As read on /. which was quoting from CNET, the country of Finland has made it a legal right to have internet access. The rate at which they say their right should guarantee them access is 1Mbps. I'm assuming this is symetrical. The things I've read indicate this is a little fuzzy in the details but it's very interesting.
Since I work for a FTTH (Fiber to the Home) Service Provider I try to stay up to date on the happenings of Service Provider related things around the world. I've been following fairly closely our feeble attempts at a National Broadband plan for the last while. However I doubt that our National Broadband plan would put the broadband line at 1Mbps. Because if this is the case then many providers that offer services below 1Mbps would no longer be qualified as Broadband. They'll dump millions into pockets to keep this defnition as low as possible so they don't have to offer the services they should.
This is where I have a hard time. On the one hand I overall think governments should not be involved in providing internet access. But the old adage that if the customers want it then it will be provided isn't working for internet access. There are black holes without good access in almost every major urban area in the country, let alone the more rural areas. I know the US has some major challenges in the size of the country and the overall population density, but we need to address these factors head on and not avoid them.
Like Finland, I think 1Mbps symmetrical access is a good starting point for the country as a whole. Mostly this would push the slow uploads still being offered as "broadband" to come up to par or lose the qualification.
What do you think? Should broadband internet access be a right to every citizen of the United States?
Since I work for a FTTH (Fiber to the Home) Service Provider I try to stay up to date on the happenings of Service Provider related things around the world. I've been following fairly closely our feeble attempts at a National Broadband plan for the last while. However I doubt that our National Broadband plan would put the broadband line at 1Mbps. Because if this is the case then many providers that offer services below 1Mbps would no longer be qualified as Broadband. They'll dump millions into pockets to keep this defnition as low as possible so they don't have to offer the services they should.
This is where I have a hard time. On the one hand I overall think governments should not be involved in providing internet access. But the old adage that if the customers want it then it will be provided isn't working for internet access. There are black holes without good access in almost every major urban area in the country, let alone the more rural areas. I know the US has some major challenges in the size of the country and the overall population density, but we need to address these factors head on and not avoid them.
Like Finland, I think 1Mbps symmetrical access is a good starting point for the country as a whole. Mostly this would push the slow uploads still being offered as "broadband" to come up to par or lose the qualification.
What do you think? Should broadband internet access be a right to every citizen of the United States?
2009-10-09
Google's Tale of 10 Million Books
So most people who know me know that I love to read. I have a growing library in my home office and feel that any book worth buying is worth reading. I also prefer actual books to reading anything lengthy on a computer or other digital device. As such I've never been real excited about eBooks or the digitization of everything printed. I like the idea that once I buy a book and take it home I can read it wherever I want, whenever I want, and unless I have a disaster or it's stolen, nobody can take it away from me.
This thought process was reinforced by the recent deletion of "1984" off of people's Amazon Kindle device.
See one of my concerns with purchasing digital copies of anything is that should that company go under, or the format is no longer supported, or something similar, my money will be wasted. Whereas I own CDs that I purchased as a kid and they still work, as long as I've taken care of them. Now I have taken into account the very real possibility that any form of media will eventually be so obsolete that the physical medium will no longer be useable.
This doesn't apply to books though. As long as I can take care of them and I don't forget how to read, I can enjoy them as long as I'm around to do so. With digital media I could delete them on accident, have a hard drive crash, or other virtual disasters that have very real consequences. The average user doesn't have the capability to retain all their digital content over the long term without losing something along the way.
This is where my comments on the Google Books project comes in. I just saw a tweet from @google reading thus:
However, that being said I think these companies are a little more likely to keep that data safe over more than a single lifetime. Which is ultimately what will happen to all the books on my bookshelf. Anything that was important to me, but not my children, will wind up in a garage sale, garbage heap, or being used to fuel a fire.
The mission of the Google Book project is to digitize and make available every piece of literature ever created. The blog entry referenced talks about the complications of books still owned by a person or publisher.
I know businesses are in business to make money and I'm sure Google has found a way to make money on this project, with advertising probably. They can advertise anywhere, why go through the trouble of digitizing books to advertise with? I think this is a noble project. Books are a great thing and I think everyone should be able to enjoy the books I enjoy, or reference books written by great authors of all kinds in the past. However if the physical copies are not maintained or reprinted, they will all eventually fade to dust.
As the world moves into an ever increasing digital age it makes sense that digital information has the potential for a longer life than some hard copy information. Just like a book it will have to be maintained. As long as it is maintained it could last for a long time.
I'm still going to continue reading physical books and prefer them over digital books. But I think that taking the world libraries and digitizing them is a good thing for everyone and future generations.
This thought process was reinforced by the recent deletion of "1984" off of people's Amazon Kindle device.
See one of my concerns with purchasing digital copies of anything is that should that company go under, or the format is no longer supported, or something similar, my money will be wasted. Whereas I own CDs that I purchased as a kid and they still work, as long as I've taken care of them. Now I have taken into account the very real possibility that any form of media will eventually be so obsolete that the physical medium will no longer be useable.
This doesn't apply to books though. As long as I can take care of them and I don't forget how to read, I can enjoy them as long as I'm around to do so. With digital media I could delete them on accident, have a hard drive crash, or other virtual disasters that have very real consequences. The average user doesn't have the capability to retain all their digital content over the long term without losing something along the way.
This is where my comments on the Google Books project comes in. I just saw a tweet from @google reading thus:
google Sergey Brin's opinion piece on Google Books (first on @nytimes, now on official @google blog) http://bit.ly/15EE5zSo I read the article referenced, here, and my general thought process has changed. A little. Large companies the operate and maintain some of the largest sets of information have the capability to maintain this information over long periods of time. At least that is the thought process. What happens in the unlikely event that Google, Apple, Amazon, or some of these companies who hold virtual truckloads of digital information, should go out of business? I know it's unlikely, but what happens to all the media purchased from the Apple Store, especially video content still heavily locked down, should Apple close up shop. Or exit the Digital Media arena? I know it's far fetched but anything is possible.
However, that being said I think these companies are a little more likely to keep that data safe over more than a single lifetime. Which is ultimately what will happen to all the books on my bookshelf. Anything that was important to me, but not my children, will wind up in a garage sale, garbage heap, or being used to fuel a fire.
The mission of the Google Book project is to digitize and make available every piece of literature ever created. The blog entry referenced talks about the complications of books still owned by a person or publisher.
I know businesses are in business to make money and I'm sure Google has found a way to make money on this project, with advertising probably. They can advertise anywhere, why go through the trouble of digitizing books to advertise with? I think this is a noble project. Books are a great thing and I think everyone should be able to enjoy the books I enjoy, or reference books written by great authors of all kinds in the past. However if the physical copies are not maintained or reprinted, they will all eventually fade to dust.
As the world moves into an ever increasing digital age it makes sense that digital information has the potential for a longer life than some hard copy information. Just like a book it will have to be maintained. As long as it is maintained it could last for a long time.
I'm still going to continue reading physical books and prefer them over digital books. But I think that taking the world libraries and digitizing them is a good thing for everyone and future generations.
2009-10-06
Luke's Tech Talk
One of the things that I do in order to try and stay up to date with the technology industry is I read blogs and newsfeeds from all over. The world of technology changes so fast that you really have to stay on top of things or else you'll just be left in the dust.
I use Google Reader to subscribe to all my feeds and I've been using the "Like" and "Share" features there for a while but I don't quite know anyone else who uses it the way I do so I figured I could repost feeds I read here with my own comments about them and share the things that I think are interesting.
I work for an ISP as a Network Engineer so I read a lot of telecom and network related things, but then since I'm a bit of a geek I read all sorts of other things that I think are even remotely interesting.
Mostly I figured another blog would just be a good spot for me to post my own comments and thoughts on things that I read about and tech related things that I find interesting. I don't want to bore my family and friends with the technology interests of mine that I am sure none of them could care less about.
So enjoy!
I use Google Reader to subscribe to all my feeds and I've been using the "Like" and "Share" features there for a while but I don't quite know anyone else who uses it the way I do so I figured I could repost feeds I read here with my own comments about them and share the things that I think are interesting.
I work for an ISP as a Network Engineer so I read a lot of telecom and network related things, but then since I'm a bit of a geek I read all sorts of other things that I think are even remotely interesting.
Mostly I figured another blog would just be a good spot for me to post my own comments and thoughts on things that I read about and tech related things that I find interesting. I don't want to bore my family and friends with the technology interests of mine that I am sure none of them could care less about.
So enjoy!
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