31/07/2008 by Gavin.

Play.com are advertising their 32Gb SDHC card for pre-order for just under 60 notes!  This is fantastic for Photographers who shoot in RAW mode along with Netbooks like the Eee PC which benefit from the additional storage.

We’re almost getting to the stage with terrabyte HDD and multi gigabyte storage cards where we don’t need to worry about the space we have left.  I’ll still fill it though

Posted in Cameras, memory, Eee and Clones | Print | No Comments »

30/07/2008 by Gavin.

So, been playing with the App store on my iPhone and iPod Touch.  One thing I’ve discovered is that you can install the same app on many devices.  If you have already purchased an App store application and then log in on a different device it comes up with a message saying  you have already purchased the app and proceed to redownload.  This is excellent and allows for fair use if you own more than one iPod.

It also means that if you change or lose your iPhone there is no need to repurchase, which is exactly as it should be.

Posted in Apple, iPhone, Phones | Print | 1 Comment »

27/07/2008 by Gavin.

Well, first weekend with my new iPhone.  First impressions:

The App store is tremendous in its application.

The iPhone interface is wonderful.

It crashes…a lot!

I miss Video as I’m always taking little vids of things.

Safari is great….but Opera 9.5 on the HTC Advantage  is my preferred mobile browsing option.

Exchange integration just works…and well (but where are my tasks)!  I won’t be trying Mobile Me.

No MMS - Grrrrr

I prefer the Windows Mobile 6.1 implementation of threaded SMS.

More thoughts to follow, video review and comparison between iPhone, HTC Advantage, N95 and N95 8Gb also.

Posted in Apple, Phones | Print | No Comments »

22/07/2008 by Gavin.

OK, so as my contract with T-mobile was up for renewal, and given how well served I currently am by my Nokia N95 if things don’t work out (!) I caved, and my new iPhone 3G arrives tomorrow.

Expect a review and an N95, N95 8Gb, HTC Advantage, iPhone 3G, shootout  soon.  I might even be brave and do my first video review.

Posted in Apple, iPhone, Phones | Print | 2 Comments »

22/07/2008 by Gavin.

As a frequenter of a number of forums it is INCREDIBLE the number of people who can’t use the word ‘lose’ correctly.  Examples, you LOSE your temper, not loose it.  You LOSE your keys, not loose them!  Your might have a LOOSE connection.

And while we’re on the subject:

Look over THERE

Rant over.

Posted in Are you having a laugh? | Print | 1 Comment »

17/07/2008 by Gavin.

There’s a piece on BBC News today citing a Gatner report that the mouse will be dead within 3 to 5 years.  It then goes on to waffle about the Nintendo Wii and touchscreen.

“”You even have emotive systems where you can wear a headset and control a computer by simply thinking and that’s a device set to hit the market in September.”  Honestly, this is the perfect case of some techno journalist getting all excited about gadgets n gizmos.  You can almost see his thoughts as he typed away on his PC with keyboard and mouse “thought control, face recognition, tactile feedback!!!”

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I love tablet PCs, iPod Touches, iPhones, my daughters wii but let’s face it, do we really think that for the work the majority do day to day, inputting text, emailing and similar, the standard keyboard and mouse combo can be beat?  I see the technologies being discussed complementing keyboard and mouse along with finding niche applications, perhaps in the design or medical space.

Yep, it’s an exciting time technology wise but sometimes something is so right is will be difficult to change.  And that something is the humble mouse.

Posted in Are you having a laugh? | Print | 1 Comment »

13/07/2008 by Gavin.

This is strange.

I visit a site called Giveaway of the day.  They let you download, legally, a different software app that has been made free for the day by its publisher.  The thinking being if you like it you will eventually buy a copy.  Now, today I downloaded this here.  Quite a useful little app.  However, when I installed it, it turned OFF UAC!

Now, I only knew this because Security Centre flashed up a bubble warning.  So, tried it on my Laptop and the same thing happened.

I can’t believe that an app can do this, running in non administrator mode and so I’m going to investigate some more.

Posted in Security | Print | No Comments »

08/07/2008 by Gavin.

Putting down the extra cash for a solid state disk in that shiny new laptop may not result in the geek nirvana we all expected.  Following on from the recent Toms Hardware lab test (which provoked much controversy), here is an interesting article over at Computerworld where they interviewed Fujitsu VP Joel Hagberg.

Personally, I think there’s plenty life in HDD tech yet!

Posted in SSD, Tablet PCs, PCs, UMPC | Print | No Comments »

07/07/2008 by Gavin.

Ok, so we’ve all got our cheap mobile data plans and USB dongles for laptops are great value now BUT as we are in the holiday season a timely warning.  Do not under ANY circumstances use data abroad.  turn off your data function on your phone and don’t even think about plugging in that dongle.

Roaming costs abroad are still ridiculously expensive and while in a modern EU there is absolutely no excuse for it, until the European Commission actually does something about it then unless you’ve got a pre-arranged, still expensive, roaming plan with your operator leave the data at home.  Have a Sangria instead!

Alternatively buy a local Operator PAYG sim if you really need net access and there is no wifi or public access terminal.

See what happened to one unlucky punter here…….the Register

Posted in Phones, Are you having a laugh? | Print | No Comments »

03/07/2008 by Gavin.

Hey…….isn’t that an MSI Wind?  Better get over to PC World to check as it is in stock now!

Posted in Eee and Clones | Print | 1 Comment »