Haha! Would like to try that out.
Boo hoo hoo. Just when I thought I’m getting one of the latest and greatest smartphones on the market (i.e. Nexus One), the previous generation iPhone 3GS still manages to beat it even at hardware (never mind the software comparison of Android vs. iPhone OS - Android loses by a mile). I don’t know how badly the iPhone 4th gen is going to annihilate the Nexus One. Oh well.
| — | BBC News - Muslim rocker on his ‘jihad’ against extremists |
| — | Indian Railways |
Yay!
Philips - In-Ear Headphones SHE9550/97
Surprisingly good sound for its price - I don’t mind listening through them without any equalizer. BUY it NOW if you want to upgrade from shitty bundled earbuds. In fact buy it even if you don’t intend to upgrade, you’ll thank me later ;-)
| — | Massimo Vignelli (in documentary “Helvetica”) |
Maybe things are different in college and the non-tech world, where you can slap a penguin sticker on your laptop then waste an entire night trying to fix GNOME after a botched update and no one really cares one way or the other.
I’ll take “Hi, here is my laptop. I’ll be back after I see a movie down the street.” “Ok sir!”, any day.
| — | enantiodrama ~ via Digg.com |
Apple to competing tablet PC manufacturers
Can’t help but laugh at yet another “open” Linux-based project almost on the brink of failure.
Techno-geek questions; designer answers
- Joshua Topolsky (Engadget): And one other item of note — Apple chose to place the headphone jack at the top of the device. We don’t know about you, but we think the idea of draping our headphone cord across the screen or snaking it around back is a tremendously bad idea. And guess what? In practice, it kind of stinks. Why the company didn’t opt for putting the plug in the logical place — say, the bottom of the iPad, or the side even — is a mystery that will undoubtedly haunt our every waking moment.
- John Gruber (Daring Fireball): But the top of the iPad *is* the side half the time. It’s meant to be held horizontally just as often as vertically. Perhaps the headphone jack placement isn’t optimal for listening to music in the background, but it seems pretty good for watching video. And putting it on the bottom means you wouldn’t be able to use headphones while it was docked. If you really want your headphones plugged into the “bottom”, just turn your iPad all the way around so that the home button is at the top.
| — | John Clark (via John Gruber) |
Indian/South Asian buyers beware: Canon EOS 1000D
If you are buying the Canon EOS 1000D dSLR camera in India — keep in mind that Canon doesn’t bundle the Image Stabilizer lenses in South Asia. Instead, they include a 2GB SanDisk SD card and the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II lens (the 2nd edition). Taking shots is mighty difficult if you don’t have a tripod and are photographing in low or indoor lighting without a flash.
To add insult to injury, they also conveniently include 2 booklets and a CD containing promo material about their IS and macro lenses and other accessories.
My wishlist
Giving in to rampant consumerism, I decided to compile a list of all the things I would like to buy, so that when it’s actually possible to buy them I don’t have to do all the same research again.
They are not in any order of priority.
Music/audio equipment
Fender Stratocaster - Standard — €515 — Mahogany fingerboard, 3 single-coil pickups, candy red finish. Rest of the specs are pretty standard for a std. Mexican strat.
M-Audio Keystation PRO 88 — €448 - This is freaking expensive, but it has hammer-action weighted keys! Might need to revise this choice, step down to a semi-weighted one like 88ES (€178), or perhaps just get a digital piano.
E-MU 0202 USB audio interface — €99 - 2 input, 2 output, 24/192 (!), mic pre-amp, USB powered and OS X support. What more could I need at this price point! But may not have phantom power. (note to self: M-Audio interfaces apparently has driver issues with OS X). Also look at Edirol UA4FX, has MIDI ports too.
t.bone SC400 condensor mic — €59 — Cheap! Large gold diaphragm condenser mic which is getting great reviews everywhere. I WANT! So I can finally move away from crap mics..
They redesigned their perfectly fine website and now I cannot access sub-genres. Whoever came up with this brilliant idea? Anyone know how to access sub-genre lists (like electronic > drum n bass, instead of just electronic).
15th century erotic literature
A friend of mine (an English major) sent me this on the eve of his examination. I thought I’d share. It’s really nice in my opinion, though often times funny.
Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear,
That th’eyes of busy fools may be stopped there.Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime
Tells me from you that now it is bed time.Off with that happy busk, which I envy,
That still can be, and still can stand so nigh.Your gown going off, such beauteous state reveals,
As when from flowery meads th’hills shadow steals.Off with your wiry coronet and show
The hairy diadem which on you doth grow:Now off with those shoes: and then safely tread
In this love’s hallowed temple, this soft bed.In such white robes heaven’s angels used to be
Received by men; thou, Angel, bring’st with theeA heaven like Mahomet’s Paradise; and though
Ill spirits walk in white, we easily knowBy this these Angels from an evil sprite:
Those set our hairs, but these our flesh upright.License my roving hands, and let them go
Before, behind, between, above, below.
