dsandler.org/wp

Archive for October, 2005

Crucial differences.

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005

I was poking around Crucial’s web site to see if I could use my iBook G3’s RAM (PC133 SODIMM) in my iMac (which freston is always telling me is an iBook in a different costume).

The answer appears to be yes. But can anyone tell me what the difference between these three products is (besides a dollar or two)?

I’ve noticed this with other RAM vendors too: market segmentation (differentiated pricing for the same product) based on how you discover the product. Mac users are usually charged more; at Crucial the prices seem to be semi-random.

Posted in Notebook | No Comments »

Adventure.

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005

Apple’s marketing hasn’t been this suggestive since the SE/30.

From: toddt@…
To: …@dsandler.org
Subject: I love it when Apple talks dirty to me

Seen at http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html:

“Adventure in Every Port”

TT

Posted in Notebook | No Comments »

iMac remote control

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005


Fig. 1: Front Row. Boop-bip!
How does the new iMac’s remote control thingy work? I’d have guessed BlueTooth, but it has a slab of shiny black plastic on one end, which screams IR. Where’s the IR transceiver on the iMac base unit? (Did Apple somehow use the iSight, now built in to the iMac’s bezel, to detect IR pulses?) And how soon before Front Row becomes the Apple TiVo? (With the ability to buy TV shows from the iTunes Music Store, it arguably already is.)

Posted in Notebook | 8 Comments »

Apple announcements, etc.

Wednesday, October 12th, 2005

Nobody was surprised about the Video iPod and the availability of music videos for purchase on iTunes. What surprises me is that Apple negotiated with Disney to sell episodes (and, yes, entire seasons) of ABC shows on the iTunes video store. Apple’s website is slammed at the moment—

Gateway Timeout

The following error occurred:

[code=GATEWAY_TIMEOUT] A gateway timeout occurred. The server is unreachable. Retry the request.

Please contact the administrator.

—so it’s hard to see exactly what the offerings are (just last season’s Lost? this season as well? tonight’s episode?). Time will tell. (Update: Looks like so far they only have Season 2, through last week: pic. Update 2: they have all of Season 1.) I’d love it if other networks would sign on; that way I wouldn’t have to fork over a huge amount of cash for a second TiVo to watch conflicting shows, but instead spend a couple bucks per episode of (for example) Everybody Hates Chris.

Posted in Notebook | 1 Comment »

1999 called; it wants its money back.

Tuesday, October 11th, 2005

Kevin Burton makes me feel better for not being a part of this Web 2.0 stuff: Dot Bomb All Over Again?

A lot of the recent news around Web 2.0 is starting to frighten me. There is just too much money flying around with too much hype and too little value. Take the Web 2.0 conference for example. This thing was way over hyped. It was fun and all but worth $2800? I don’t think so. Mostly suits from my vantage point.

Heck for $2800 you can buy two database servers for your website.

Posted in Notebook | No Comments »

Googl.icio.us

Tuesday, October 11th, 2005

Google has snuck del.icio.us-like features into their My Search History feature:
Google has silently added a Bookmarks feature to My Search History, enabling you to quickly tag and comment any web page you’ve visited.

Posted in Notebook | No Comments »

Where were you?

Tuesday, October 11th, 2005

Over at the Chronicle: Where were you for Burke’s HR?

Certain games, you remember where you were, with whom you were watching, sometimes even what you were drinking or eating. [...] Over the years since then, I’ve been fortunate to be in stadiums when memorable moments occurr … so where were you Sunday afternoon? And does this trump all the others in Astros and Houston sports history?

Where was I for the longest playoff game on record? In my apartment, forgetting it was even going on, minding my own business, when I heard our downstairs neighbor through the floor:

“OH HOLY FUCKING SHIT! SHIT SHIT SHIT! OH MY GOD! FUCKING FUCK! SHIT!”

It was at that point that Erin and I looked at each other and wondered if there was some sort of sporting event going on. We turned on the TV in time to see Burke cross the plate. Since we hadn’t been watching for all six hours, we certainly didn’t earn the moment, but it was nice to see it live.

Posted in Notebook | No Comments »