Apple iPhone and Blackberry Curve/8830 -- The Comparison

Apple’s iPhone has been out now for sometime; long enough for Apple to release a second version, the 3G iPhone.  Prior to the 3G iPhone release, Apple had not really tried to push its ‘jesus’ phone into the corporate landscape; however with the 3G model Apple in turn added Exchange Push Email support and synchronization via Activesync to the iPhone 2.0 OS (2G iPhones also get the update)

Up to this point, I would never consider comparing an iPhone with a Blackberry fair since each device seems to be aimed for a different market sector (iPhone = consumer, blackberry = corporate/business).  But things have changed and both Apple and RIM are venturing into sectors they had left alone until now.  So today I will be giving a comparison of an iPhone 3G to a Blackberry Curve/8830 (I’ve used the 8830 for quite sometime but decided to include the Curve since it is basically the same as a 8830 except that it has more consumer extras vs corp on the 8830).  Keep reading for the details on the comparison

awakening from my geek-sleep

wow! it hasn't been a month but nearly since i've last posted.  i apologize on the lack of updates; had to get some summer in since most was missed w/my company's hardware rollout.

so again, i promise to start bringing weekly geek updates. :)

expect to see some iPhone recipes/blogs, a full review of the MSI Wind and disassembly guide, and the usual PS3 rants and ravings and other random geek goodness.

with that being said, we now take you back to your regularly scheduled program.

Me and my Wii, we can still be friends right?

well, its official.  my once loved and coveted Nintendo Wii and i have had a falling out.  the last year has been a pretty ugly one for the two of us.  it started as love at first site on launch day back that fateful november 18th in 2006.  however, after a great 6 month honeymoon, things started sliding. the slew of 'casual games' kept coming and coming, drowning the very few good AAA titles (of course Nintendo titles, Zelda, Super Mario, Metroid).

finally, it happened. i cheated on my Wii and got a PS3.  since my PS3 purchase, my wii and i haven't spoken very much.  i've taken the cowards path and been avoiding this day for quite some time but it had to happen....

HP dv6700t: one month recap.

well, i've realized a few things recently after reviewing some of my older blog posts, recipes.  1) i need to check my posts a bit more prior to posting (dang you grammar!!)  and 2) i need to do more followups after i do reviews.

most of the time, i've realized i'm a bit 'geek-struck' when i first get a new device and do a review on it.  a real test of any new device, toy is the first month of using it.  to me, the first month is very critical month for owning a device.  if i am not woo'ed over or impressed or get annoyed with it; i will turn around and either return it or resell it.   so this weekend, i thought i'd do a post one-month recap on my new shiny HP dv6700t.  Keep reading for some minor flaws and fixes i ran into while using Vista and OSX on it. :)

Time Consumption: tagging my photos

well,with my new laptop i've decided to use Vista as my main OS on it since it runs Vista very nicely/like vista should be ran.  (which is kind of funny cuz vista is like xp was; us users were unwilling to spend more money to upgrade our hardware for the OS.  however once we did, we realized it wasn't that bad of an OS and now are finally loving, ie windows xp).

vista seems to rely more on metadata tags for searching.  the os as a whole integrates its ability to read this metadata very nicely.  i'll give you a quick example of my just recent use/waste of my time tagging every digital photo i had (prob around 8,500 only).  this process took me about a week to do off and on.  i am using vista's built in photo manager (it is a pretty decent one, i used to use picasa in xp but vista's native app is pretty good) to tag the photos and organize; photoshop cs3 of course is my flavor of editing software...

the search for my next digital camera...

i've been without a 'real' digital camera (being one thats not a cell phone 2mp or my temp 4mp used sony) since about January of this year.  I originally had my DSC T9 that i loved and kept for almost 2 years.  however a fateful jump into the ocean in mexico combined w/my ass smashing the sport watercase = me looking for a new camera.

in the past, one of the main selling points of a camera for me was compact designs and fast startup/shooting times (for those random party moments, occasions).  however lately my needs are more video related w/camera features coming in second.  so the search begins!

HP dv6700t and OS X Leopard (quick vid)

as promised in my review, here is a quick video of os x leopard running on my HP dv6700t.  i used the kalyway build and have it setup to use the Vista bootloader and the chain0 method to dual boot vista and leopard.

[youtube WzRwHKGMz9M]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzRwHKGMz9M

i plan to post a few more videos, again i apologize for the static; still need to get a new digital camera! :)

Review: HP Pavilion dv6700t CTO w/Blu-ray

HP Pavilion dv6700t CTO Laptop Review
by seamonkey420, 06/08/08



Introduction:

last week, i eagerly awaited and received my laptop (props to fedex and their excellent customer service!) that i built from HP.

prior to my purchase i had debated on whether i wanted to rebuild a new desktop computer or to go the laptop route and of course went the laptop route due to the fact that i was going to be traveling quite a bit this summer and i don't really pc game anymore either (or alteast hardcore game, fps, etc).

so lets take a look at my HP dv6700t (my machine is the maxed out version) and some of its fun features and specs and how OS X Leopard runs on it. :)  a video demo of vista and osx leopard will be posted later next week, along w/a demo of the hp hdtv tuner. keep reading for the my review!

there's a geek in us all... family edition

this holiday weekend i decided to head up to my parent's farm to spend some time with them and relaxing in the middle of nowhere. 

to my surprise, the first thing i notice in my parent's living room is a nice ole 40" Samsung LCD HDTV.  Bravo mom and dad!!  Most of my pals don't even own hdtvs but yet my retired, ex-farming parents do.

upgrade time! retooling of my setup, system, way of computing

a few posts back i had mentioned that i was contemplating a full system upgrade either by building a totally new desktop or by going the laptop route.  well, this week i finally made my decision.  choosing between mobility/convenience vs raw power and upgradability is a hard choice for me since i'd like to have all four things at once (which you really can't get in a desktop since well its a desktop and stuff). 

yup, a laptop would fit me the best right now.

however, after making my decision i realized that not only was i going to be getting a fast new laptop vs a desktop but i also was in turn going to be changing the way i computed, worked.

WES 2008 wrapup thoughts

well, WES 2008 came and now gone. or my first conference/convention it went very well. i wish i would have planned a bit more for it but nonetheless i got a ton of good blackberry info and met some very interesting vendors.

the introduction the blackberry bold was probably one of the highlights since i got to get my hands on before it hits the stores and retail sector. it is a VERY nice blackberry and again shows RIM's continued vision of its products and meeting the customer needs/desires. up until the pearl was released; blackberry's were pretty fugly.   they really did not need to be pretty since they did what they did very well and that was all that mattered initially.

ray kurzweil was very fun to listen to speak and gave me back my optimistic view on technology and humanity. perhaps technology will the unifying component that can bring the human species together. 2029 seems to be an amazing time era to be in since a ton of breakthrough events should be happening around then.

my BES certification went, well.. yea, i'll be retaking it lets just say. however, i half expected that since i have never installed a BES or was even involve in the implementation of the bes servers or got any training.

and finally, i realized how amazingly convenient and awesome having EVDO Rev A built into my Dell XT Tablet. i tried to use my Wifi but just got sick of the problems of trying to find a good hotspot or a strong signal whereas my sprint evdo modem got signal everywhere.

this weekend, i will be continuing on in my laptop vs desktop upgrade series. i think i have finally made a decision and will explain which route i plan to go (lets just say i won't be committing to either side quite yet).

its my first.... WES 2008

'i swear, your my first...'  ... computer/geek convention that i've attended mind you! :)  well, after a slightly delayed flight, uber long ride from the airport to my hotel, i finally made it to Orlando, FL; the site for WES 2008.

i hope to be blogging from WES this week from my (who would have thought) blackberry.

so far my early speculations were on the money (but then again, these were the 'given' speculations/rumors that we all knew were going to happen), RIM is releasing a new handheld over WES called the Bold.

Supposedly I'll get me a little hands-on on time hopefully tomorrow in the Solutions area; however i do not believe i will be able to snap any pics or videos in that area though.

i will also be tagging these next WES related posts in my WES2008 category to make referencing them a bit easier.

my blackberry app of the moment: viigo

as many of you may or may not be aware but next week WES2008 will kick off down in Orlando.  what is WES?  WES = Wireless Enterprise Symposium, basically its THE blackberry event of the year.  i will be attending the conference/convention this year and hopefully will be posting updates from the event. 

so, what is this viigo appliation?  basically its an RSS reader for your blackberry.  however, viigo offers several deeper features such as partnering with CTIA and WES to let you view your conference/convetion schedule; allows one to import ones own Bloglines, Google Reader, or My Yahoo! links. 

rethinking of my computing setup...

i am a desktop user.  period.  ... or am i?

i started my computing history of course with desktops since well they were more accessible than the early portables (ie uber crazy prices for the times for the early laptops).  the apple IIe to the powerpc to a packard-bell 75mhz to my first computer/laptop toshiba 133mhz.  i then built my first desktop system, an AMD Slot A, 900mhz Athlon and about 20+ more systems.

anywho, davak's recent blogs about helping his dad find a new computer has me really rethinking my setup.  currently i run a rather older (well imo older, Athlon 64 x2 cpu, socket 939; 2gb ddr1, 1.5+TBs of space) desktop which really needs to be updated if not replaced all together.  i also have an even older Athlon 64 htpc setup that just sits and collects dust but yet would not be worth even trying to sell. 

so what do i do? 

davak posted a nice follow up on this, desktop vs laptop, which really got me thinking.

i know that if i go with a more powerful laptop i won't just toss my current desktop setup in the trash or sell it for pennies on ebay.  as a computer user, i've definetely come of age recently ie am 'starting to get old', hehe or so it seems.  work has become a bit more demanding and having a more portable solutions seems more viable.  however when i am at home though i do want to still be able to do the more powerful things i do normally with my desktop such as rendering 720p video i've created or just sd video rendering or basic web server/file server features. 

also as a side note, i saw the best buy deal this last weekend for a toshiba a205-s5825 laptop for a mere $450 and got one and am so far pretty impressed with it for the price.  so the price of a decent new laptop (non mac one that is) is within the 1000us dollars range, imo.  a decent desktop would prob cost me around the same price if i built new from scratch and did not reuse parts (which i prob would not).  yes, the desktop would by default be more powerful but i really do not plan to game on my pc. my main uses these days are hd content, video, music, productivity (office), photoshop, web work.

so.. what do i do?  hmmm... to be continued....

GTA IV quick take.. (ps3)

well, i'll admit it.  i really never got into GTA III prior to GTA IV's release. it may have been due to the fact that i passed that generation of console gaming for pc gaming (ah..  imo, kind of the glory days of pc gaming thus far; tons of good games and the fact that your hardware outpaced game requirements was nice on the pocket book too!). 

i really wasn't sure what to expect with GTA IV on my Playstation3 ; i had played GTA III a few times at my pals and on my psp but i never for more than 20 minutes.  GTA IV's hype was pretty huge especially with the release of the first batch of reviews giving it mainly 10/10, perfects.  so my impressions are not of a GTA vetern but of a newb after 3 hours of gameplay (not watching others play, hehe).

First things first, the intro is very well done.  gives you a movie feel and warms you up to getting down and dirty. ;)