I’m in the market for a new notebook computer, and I’ve decided on a Mac.
What I haven’t decided on, though, is which Mac.
The new MacBook Air is undoubtedly sleek, and exceptionally portable, but the technical sacrifices made to achieve the notebook’s diminutive size and weight eliminate it from my list of choices.
I’m left with two choices, the MacBook and the MacBook Pro.
Being a college student, portability is important. I rarely use my current laptop (a 15.4-inch HP Pavilion) in classes, but I do take it with me somewhere at least three times a week. I haven’t had any issues with the portability of my current computer, but I don’t want a computer bigger than what I have now. That rules out the 17-inch MacBook Pro, much to my bank account’s relief.
I’m not a graphic designer, but I do use software such as Adobe Photoshop quite frequently. That makes CPU speed a key factor in my decision. My current computer has a 1.8 GHz single-core processor. It has done a sufficient job, but when using demanding programs like Photoshop, it occasionally hiccups if I try to multi-task. The lower-end MacBook has a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. While that would certainly be an improvement, it’s not enough of one for me. I could definitely get by with the upper-end MacBook’s 2.2 GHz. Incidentally, the lowest-tier MacBook Pro has the same processor.
While many claim the importance of RAM is overstated, it is a good idea to have a comfortably amount of it. The MacBook comes with one gigabyte, and the MacBook Pro comes with two. Apple offers upgrades, but their price is hefty. Any upgrading by me would be done after the purchase. I tend to go twice what the current minimum is considered to be when I buy or recommend computers. I know that if I were to choose the MacBook, I would end up adding another gigabyte of RAM.
Hard drive size is a consideration, but it doesn’t make or break any of the computers for me. If I choose a MacBook, I’ll end up with a 120 gigabyte hard drive. I’ll opt for a 160 gigabyte hard drive with a MacBook Pro.
Everything else which factors into my decision falls under the category of design.
The plastic case of the MacBook is more durable than the aluminum casing on the MacBook Pro. However, while I don’t baby my computers, I’m not careless with them either. The casing isn’t going to matter much in that respect. The aluminum does dissipate heat better. That’s important.
Since the last revision of the MacBook featured a redesigned keyboard, which comes into play as well. I don’t mind the new keyboard, but I prefer the more traditional feel, probably more due to being used to it than anything else. The illuminated keyboard of the MacBook Pro isn’t a necessity, but is a nice feature which I know will come in handy.
MacBook displays are all glossy, while MacBook Pros can be purchased with either a glossy or matte display. I prefer glossy, so the option of matte doesn’t affect my decision.
Perhaps the most important feature of the MacBook Pro that the MacBook doesn’t have is a dedicated graphics card. I don’t have a DVR, and I usually miss most of my favorite TV shows when they air, so I watch shows online from ABC and CBS often. Integrated graphics cards tend to struggle with the HD content. Obviously, the graphics card would also help with gaming, but I don’t do much of that on computers.
Odds are, I’ll end up getting the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The portability and durability of the smaller MacBook make it extremely appealing, but I know I’ll want to use a resolution higher than 1,200 by 800, and I like the extra hardware bonuses of the MacBook Pro, such as the illuminated keyboard. The biggest reason I have to go with the Pro is the dedicated graphics card.
What do you think? With all these considerations, which of the two would fit your needs? Is there anything else that should affect the decision?
Many universities have taken it upon themselves to restrict students’ access to the Internet.
These universities have employed the “SafeConnect Solution Architecture” from Impulse to control what students living on-campus can do with their internet connections. Students are required to install a “Policy Key” which checks for compliance with the school’s network access policies.
The policies range from disallowing peer-to-peer file sharing programs to requiring anti-virus software be installed and running on a student’s computer.
The key also checks to see if a student is using a router, which is also disallowed.
It’s certainly not difficult to see the upside of the policy key for universities. By preventing students from using file sharing applications, they can avoid confrontations with the MPAA and RIAA about movie and music pirating.
It is also fair to say that universities are wise in trying to protect themselves. They are, after all, the ones in charge of the internet connections, meaning they could easily be considered liable for any illegal activities that take place on their networks.
But there is a lot wrong with Impulse’s policy key.
Obviously, there’s an eerie “Big Brother” element to it. The key is aware of what programs students are running, and what students do with their internet connections. If that was being done by a normal internet service provider, it would be considered an invasion of privacy. But since students must agree to using the policy key to simply connect to the internet, they are forced to forfeit their right to privacy.
The policy key also makes online gaming and networking next to impossible.
I’ve had a miserable time trying to play games online while using an on-campus internet connection. My PlayStation 2 will disconnect frequently, if it connects at all, and my Xbox 360 doesn’t fare much better.
Since the use of a router is disallowed, I can’t connect to the internet on a second, older computer which I’d like to use for simple, frequent tasks such as e-mail and chatting (without circumventing the policy key by disabling what it looks for). I have only one Ethernet port, and I’m restricted to only connecting to one device with it.
The policy key forces students to give up their right to privacy, and it prevents basic, legal uses of an internet connection. That’s not fair to students who live on-campus at universities that employ the software.
If you’re still watching over-the-air broadcasts on an old analog television, the government is providing coupons for converter boxes which will keep your TV working when broadcasters make the analog-to-digital transition next year.
When the switch takes place on February 17, 2009, all analog televisions without the converter boxes will no longer be able to pick up any over-the-air signal.
The coupons, available at dtv2007.gov, will take $40 off the cost of the converter boxes, which are expected to cost between $50 and $70.
The application for the coupons is short and simple, and allows up to two coupons per household.
The analog-to-digital transition promises TV watchers a clearer picture and more programming options. Some of the analog frequencies freed up by the switch will be given to police and fire departments for communication.
The government is poised to make money on the switch by auctioning most of the frequencies to wireless companies.
Consumers who subscribe to cable or satellite television services will be unaffected by the change.
LED gadgets are a lot of fun. Some have practical uses which can make daily life easier, while others are used primarily for decoration.
But not all LED gadgets are worth your time, such as the LED Flashing Sweetheart kit and the Flashing LED Finding Nemo Clown Fish Necklace.
So, here are 10 of the best LED gadgets around, for those who love useful things that glow.
TIX LED Clock
Made popular by Chris Pirillo on his live stream, these LED clocks look confusing, but prove surprisingly intuitive. The clock consists of four sections of blocks, each representing a digit on the clock. The number of illuminated blocks in each section is the digit. For example, in this picture, the clocks read 12:34.
Bi-Color LED Blow On-Off Candles
There’s something to be said for the simple elegance of these LED candles. Made of solid wax, they emit a gentle, flickering light, and look convincingly like normal candles. Like regular candles, these can be “blown out,” but unlike those candles, these can also be “blown on.” They’re perfect for dorms where real candles aren’t allowed.
LED Faucet Lights
Somewhere between practical and just plain cool are these faucet lights. There are two kinds, one always causes the water from your faucet to stream with a cool blue aura, and the other changes from blue to red when the water temperature reaches 89 degrees, making the light a nifty visual indicator of water temperature.
Cyron HT1502 Media Highlighter System
Though Cyron markets these LED wands for placing behind home entertainment items to add a colorful aura to your media experience, there are plenty of other places you can put these color-changing lights in a room to create a dynamic glow and make the room more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.
Garrity Power Lite 3 LED Crank Light
This compact flashlight is ideal for stashing in a drawer, a travel bag, or a glove compartment for that moment when you need it. The flashlight requires only one minute of cranking to provide an hour of bright LED light. The best part is the battery, which will never need replacing.
Spotlight Rechargeable LED Light
If you’ve ever dropped something down the edge of your car seat, you know how difficult it can be to find where the dropped item went. Weiguo Solutions came up with this clever little flashlight for those times you need some extra light in the car. It plugs into your car’s power outlet and recharges as you drive.
LED Binary Watch
For the geekiest among us, these watches display the time in a binary format. The top row of lights represent the numbers 8, 4, 2, and 1, for the hours, and the bottom row represents 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1 for the minutes. To get the time, add up the illuminated lights on each row. The time in the picture is 10:15 (8 + 2 on top, 8 + 4 + 2 +1 on bottom).
LED Umbrella
While no more useful than a normal umbrella, this LED umbrella gets points for its similarity to a lightsaber. With the push of a button, the shaft of the umbrella lights up, illuminating the holder and the surrounding area. While it’s probably an afterthought for most buyers, the umbrella also keeps you safe by making you visible to cars at night.
Multi-color LED Lightbulb with Remote
This LED lightbulb is perfect for mood lighting and parties. With 16 different colors, four transition effects, and multiple brightness settings, this lightbulb can change the atmosphere of any room. It fits into standard lightbulb sockets, and comes with a remote for changing colors and settings on the fly.
Yamaha TENORI-ON
It doesn’t look like it, but the TENORI-ON is a musical instrument. It features a 16 x 16 LED button matrix which serves as both the input and the display, allowing users to compose music visually and intuitively. After creating a musical composition, the user can save the recording to an SD card. Here’s the catch: it’s $1,200.
Dishonorable Mention: Optimus Maximus Keyboard
The Art. Lebedev Studio has been teasing tech fans with this OLED keyboard since July 2005, when images of it made their way around the web. The original release date was scheduled to be the end of 2006, but it was pushed back to December 2007 and January 2008 for customers who preordered the keyboard in May. Everyone else is out of luck. Sounds like too much work to get a $1,500 product.
While on vacation in India, blogger and graphic designer David Airey received e-mails from friends telling him his website had disappeared. Someone hijacked his Gmail account and used his e-mail address to transfer ownership of his domain, DavidAirey.com, away from him.
The hijacker held the domain name at ransom, initially asking $650 for the domain, and later taunting Airey with a $250 “special Christmas offer.”
Airey stood by his principles and decided not to pay the hijacker. Instead, he wrote a blog post on the ordeal. The post received nearly 4,000 diggs and over 400 comments. It was also linked by The News York Times, Lifehacker, and numerous other sites.
Thanks to the overwhelming support, including e-mails to Bob Parsons, the CEO of GoDaddy, Airey now has his domain name back.
One of Parsons’ assistants e-mailed Airey, explaining how he could use an “Undo of Change” request form to nullify the transfer of his domain from his web host, ICDSoft, to GoDaddy.
Say what you will about GoDaddy, but they went above and beyond for someone who isn’t even their customer, because it was the right thing to do.
Airey’s ordeal has been an important lesson in security for bloggers and webmasters everywhere.
More importantly, as Airey said in his blog, it was a “testament to the good-will of the blog community.”