pre-iPad quickie, unified apps in the app store

i only got a quickie post today leading up to the iPad hoopla.  Looks that Apple has released the iPad app store.  It include several free apps such as eBay, Netflix, ABC... WAIT NETFLIX?!?! Yup! Its there!

Netflix and Hulu could be the killer/scale tipping (for those not sold) apps for the iPad.  The form factor of the iPad is just asking to be used as the current day portable tv. :) it just seems to be a perfect update to a missing modern gadget.  plus, you got gaming, music, web, and who knows what else in addition.  $500 doesn't seem so bad for what this thing may end up doing.  We'll see once us geeks and consumers get our hands on one this Sat.

Finally, the Apps store now has a new category of apps:  iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad Apps.  IMDb Movies & TV app is the first i've ran across.  Hopefully we'll start to see more and more of these multiplatform apps and also a ton more iPad ones.  Saturday can't come fast enough. Btw, i ended up ordering a 64GB Wifi+3G version so expect to see my launch 16GB Wifi up on eBay once i get my 64GB.  Till then, keep it geeky!

iPad, the magical tablet: thoughts

Well, I have a feeling that the next 7 days are going to be pretty saturated with iPad news and 'leaks' and rumors.  I expect to see more than the usual amount of apple fanboy trolls on comment boards and also their arch-nemesis, the anti-apple fanboy trolls.

As a gadget whore, I was obliged to purchase an iPad on launch so I in turn pre-ordered a 16gb WiFi version to get shipped (should have just picked it up after realizing the 3rd is a Saturday! hope work has Saturday deliveries).

Honestly, I know that I really don't have an apparent need to fill with the iPad (again, except for my appetite for the latest gadgets and toys) but am really curious to see if it will fill a need I never knew I had.  Keep reading for my reflections on past netbook / media devices and if the iPad can overcome their failings.

My Top Android Apps for the Google Nexus One

Sorry about the delay in getting this post up.  Like any blogger/geek, we all have our lists and this is my list of favorite Android Apps available for the Nexus One.  These apps are available for most other Android devices, but my experience with them are limited to the Nexus One and Android 2.1.  I will also cover a few other hacks/tweaks that i've played around with and if they are worth the time of doing/learning.

Keep reading for the full list (including root required apps)!

For my fellow Nexus One Readers... seamonkey's n1 wallpaper pack

Here is a zip of about 104 of my personal wallpaper/photo creations.

Download (rapidshare)

They are all formatted for the Google Nexus One's dimensions. Enjoy :)
960x800px, jpg

Preview below

ps sorry for the rapidshare link though

its my first time: my google nexus one / android experience (part 2)

Well, I'm back wtih my part 2 of 2 on my google nexus and android experience.  This time around, we'll be looking at the software that powers the nexus one, Android 2.1 (eclair build).

Prior to my Nexus One, i had not had any direct experience/using of Android.  One of my pals had a T-Mobile G1 but sadly the cpu was underpowered to really show what Android can do.  Again, my main reason to purchase the Nexus One was that it had the cpu power to anything android wanted and not blink.  So, does it? Is Android mature enough to stand up to the standard that the iPhone has left us with? Lets find out!

its my first time: my google nexus one / android experience (part 1)

so yes, i was one of those geeks. up until the day of launch, i was not really too sold on the new Google Nexus One phone.   Android didn't seem to be as mature as the iPhone OS but still seemed to have a one-up on Windows Mobile/Web OS though.  However, after doing more research on the technology being used in the new Nexus One I was sold.  The Snapdragon CPU alone was worth it imo (cpu speed has historically been the weakest part of most devices, and of course balancing it w/decent battery life) and the fact that there were visual notification options (external led and trackball notifier).

So, what does this previous iPhone 2G and 3G user think of Android and the Nexus One?   Hit the jump to get my part 1 of 2 on my experience.

PS3 Slim Quickie: Harddrive Upgrade in less than 5 mins (video)

here's an updated harddrive upgrade video for the PS3 Slim.  Fast and easy, can be done in less than 5 minutes.

Keep reading for the embedded video or click here to go to youtube page.

gadget pr0n: my Google Nexus One and super cheap data...

yesterday was a big day for me. it was the first time in almost 2 years that i bought a new phone. the features and cpu in the Google Nexus One were too tempting! However, i decided to buy the more expensive unlocked version since I have a great plan at the moment and suspected that my $5.99 plan would get me full 3G.....

and it did! :)  my previous plan worked just fine on my jailbroken iPhone 3G but I only got EDGE on it since the 3G was AT&T's bands, not T-Mobiles.  However, to my delight, once I popped my SIM in I got a nice 3G icon and some up and down arrow action. SCORE!!! My savings from not having to switch data plans would let me save the amount I spent on the phone. :)

here's some comparison geek pr0n with an iPhone 3G and PSP Go.

PS3 and PSP remoteplay styled (video)

Most people I know haven't really messed around w/the PS3s remoteplay features since well, it requires a PSP and PS3. One feature that was recently added is the ability to output audio via the PS3 and in turn your stereo/tv.

Here's a quick video of it in action.  Hit the jump for the embedded video or click on over here for the youtube vid.

my wii and emulators in action (nes, snes, genesis, n64)

i thought i'd just post a longer demo of a few of the emulators on a softmodded Wii (v4.2).

this is a longer vid so you've been warned but i demo a NES, SNES, Genesis, and N64 emulator running via the HBC and an SDHC card.

hit the jump for the embedded video, or click here for the direct youtube vid.

geek pr0n: PSPGo and PSP Phat (PSP-1001) side-by-side shots

i know. i'm that guy. after debating about it, i decided to go out and upgrade to a PSPGo. here are some quick shots of it next to its older and phatter PSP 1001 brother.

enjoy :)

thoughts of a launch psp owner (post 4 1/2 years)

Well, I just realized today that I've owned my Sony PSP for almost 4 1/2 years! I originally purchased my PSP on launch day way back in March 24th, 2005.  The PSP's superior screen and hardware (running nearly a full ps2 processor) impressed me from the start but would that alone make the PSP a competitor to the already successful Nintendo DS?  Would Sony get a foothold in the portable gaming sect?

After 4 1/2 years, I thought I'd recap on my experience with the PSP (being that I have also owned a Nintendo DS) and my thoughts and reflections.  Keep reading for the full scoop.

you're doing it wrong! (rant)

<rant>

wow, just wow. that's all i can say really these days whenever i read another article on the industries who seem to have held onto their old and dying business models biting the hand that feeds them.

as you can probably already tell, today's post is a soap-box rant which does not reflect the opinions of tech-rx or its owners.

keep on reading for a full fledged yo-momma rant on the music, video and newspaper industries.

post release: Windows 7, homegroups and me

Microsoft released the much anticipated Windows 7 OS to retail on Friday Oct 22, 2009.  The general consensus among the majority is that it is indeed a great OS and worth the upgrade (especially if you avoided Vista and are still on XP). Upgrades from XP and Vista to Windows 7 have been pretty smooth for the most part (minus the fiasco w/the Student Windows 7 upgrade problems).

This last weekend I finally clean installed Windows 7 Ultimate Edition Retail on my Wind and HP (prior to this I was running beta/rc versions of Windows 7).  I also received my Windows 7 license for my desktop and did another clean install (wiping vista right off) of Windows 7 on it.  Previous OS upgrades have taught me one thing; upgrading can/will bite you in the end.  I recommend backing up data and doing a clean install to avoid any possible issues that may crop up later down the road (ie driver incompatibilities, software that doesn't work on Win7, crashing).  So my advice, if possible clean install.  Yes, its more work to start with but may save you some and frustration down the road.

After my installs were completed, the first thing i did was setup networking on the machines and in Windows 7 case, join a Homegroup. Keep reading for more info on my homegroups and media sharing experience.

fall 2009 and some geek thoughts, reflections

Well, I've decided to blog on a more regular basis (at least once a week) and thought I'd start with a nice old op-ed piece on this years tech/geek news and trends and possible future ones.

Microsoft tries to redeem itself for Vista by accelerating development of Windows 7 and to everyone's delight, it appeases most with its updated UI and performance.

Netbooks became a household name and have started to grow out of its own genre.  Nvidia Ion chips are now starting to appear in the latest netbooks ( Asus and HP were the first to offer) and seem to do a great job in playing back HD content.  Touchscreen are starting to appear more and more in both netbooks and normal laptops.

Add on top of that the prospects of Microsoft and Apple's 'new' tablet offerings. Nintendo in spring of 2009, released its updated DS model the DSi (a touchscreen based portable console) to its category dominating DS Lite. Android devices started to finally hit market with HTC offering some very tasty hardware (HTC Hero, upcoming Leo) and Motorola making a comeback after its somewhat fall from fame (razr made and then broke them, moto q was a disaster) with the new Android based Cliq and Motoblur (both touchscreen/slider based phones).

Windows 7 teases us with the Surface Addon Pack that turns select multitouch touchscreen pcs/laptops/tablets into a mini Microsoft Surface.  Google announces its making its own OS for netbooks/devices. Apple updates its iPod lineup and releases the much anticipated Snow Leopard.

2009 sure seems to be the year of touch and user interfaces.