Musings from a boy...(me).

2006-04-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

You can visit the new site... Here. It's still in Beta testing right now, but I thought I would go ahead and let everyone take a look...C-ya.

2006-04-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I got my new iMac yesterday, and I am now using it to create an all new M.F.A.B.. The new site should be up within the next few days. 'Till then... C-ya.

2006-04-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hi, if anyone still reads this blog I have some exciting news... I get my new iMac tomorrow!!! I will post pics and a review tomorrow. C-ya.

2006-02-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

Thank God U2 kicked ass at the Grammy's!!! See ya later Kanye and Mariah. I'm so fucking sick of hip hop and rap. The Grammy's shouldn't even consider rap and hip hop as real music!!! All it is, is a vocal track and some bullshit backing beat. Lets see those fucks play instruments besides a turn table and mixing board. It's time America stops kissing their talentless asses!!! Rock On U2 and all rock bands!!! C-ya!

2006-01-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

Ever hear of Lucid Dreaming??? I hadn't either until last year. I stumbled across this site http://www.dreamviews.com/ by accident. Lucid Dreaming is dreaming while being aware that you are dreaming. Confused? Ok, think of it as being conscious while dreaming, or better yet, being able to control your dreams. There have been instances in the past where I was able to control my dreams, and upon awakening I would wonder how I was able to accomplish this. After reading the information provided on this site I was able to better understand how I was able to control my dreams, and I also learned new techniques to control my dreams more often. Personally, I love to make myself fly like Superman...

Here are some the songs and albums I have purchased recently. Give them a listen, but you don't have to take my word for it:

"The Denial Twist" "Black Jack Davey" "Ball and Biscuit" "Black Math" - The White Stripes
"Portland, Oregon" - Loretta Lynn ft. Jack White
"Skeleton Jar"(Album) - Youth Group
"Team Leader"(Album) - George Lopez
"Armed to the Teeth"(Album) - Abandoned Pools
"Amarantine"(Album) - Enya

I'm going to update the showcase and podcast(and new vidcast) sections later this week. Lots of new features will be added through out this year as well... 2006 is going to be fun...C-ya.

2006-01-10T18:27:00.000-08:00

M.F.A.B. Lives!!!!! Tomorrow...

2005-11-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Busy, Busy, Busy... that's the only way I can describe this boy's life. This place almost seems like an old deserted town you see in old western movies. First of all, I want to say congrats. to a close friend for finally finding himself again; self discovery is a wonderful thing. Next on the agenda, I updated the weekly showcase. I should rename it the "monthly" showcase. Here's some of the recent music that I have purchased from iTunes and Target...

Ladytron - White Light Generator
Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl
Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene(Album)
O.A.R. - Stories of a Stranger(Album)
Nada Surf - Inside Love
VHS Or Beta - Alive
Deepest Blue - Give it Away
Living Things - Bom Bom Bom
Blink 182 - Not Now
Blink 182 - Another Girl Another Planet
Goo Goo Dolls - Better Days
Death Cab For Cutie - This Temporary Life
Godsmack - Batalla de los Tambores

Finally, I've been doing a lot of reading these past few weeks, which is probably why I have been neglecting this blog and my iPod, and I strongly urge you to read "Angels and Demons" or "The DaVinci Code" both written by Dan Brown. I read both books in a little under 2 weeks... yeah, that's how good they are. Once you start reading either of these books it gets really hard to stop. Anyways, give everything I've recommended to you this week a try... but you don't have to take my word for it. C-ya.

2005-10-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've decided n0t to post a review of the apple even that was held last week. You can read reviews about the all new video iPod at ilounge.com. Instead, I will post a review of the video iPod when I actually get one... hopefully that will be in the next few weeks. I plan to also update my weekly showcase this week and maybe a new Top 5 list. The last list caused quite a stir... C-ya.

2005-10-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

About another 30 minutes before Apple's special event starts, but it looks like Apple will be releasing a new iPod of some sort. Look at this picture, taken from inside of where the event is being held, the screen on the iPod looks bigger and the headphone jack has been moved from the center to the left... Could this be the mythical video iPod???? We shall see... C-ya.

2005-10-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow is the big Apple event... and still, no one really knows what is going to happen. For the past week there have been hundereds of conflicting rumors about what Apple is planning for this event. Many people think that we will see a new iPod of some sort. Maybe a video enabled iPod will be released, which is what most people want to see happen. Like I said in an earlier post, I personally don't think we will see a video iPod tomorrow, but instead updated versions of the existing full size iPods. I might be wrong, and I may be right... we'll have to wait 'till tomorrow to find out. Check back tomorrow closer to 12pm central time as I will be updating info as I recieve it. C-ya.

2005-10-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here's one of my "Top 5" lists that I promised earlier in the week...

My Top 5 Most Annoying People or Things On The Web...

5) Web pages that still require people to view the page using IE... Come on!!!! When are people, companies, and designers going to realize that Internet Explorer is junk. I won't use this post to voice my hatered for IE.

4) Users of Myspace.com... "lIk omg I luv yor pg. itz so kewl. U R d best. l8rz!" Yeah, it's pretty much a bunch of clueless high school kids or adults who are desperate for attention. I swear, after the the first time I visited that site; I felt my IQ drop a few points.

3) Blogs that are nothing but long, drawn out soap operas... I was guilty of this when I started my first blog and blogging was still new. There were times when I even hated reading my own blog. It's one thing to talk about personal things every now and then. But when the blog becomes a daily dose of, "I broke up with my boyfriend today" or "Nobody understands me" the blog becomes, Blahhhh!!! I bet that 95% of readers don't give a flying fuck about what is going on in your personal life. I think some people the term web "journal" way too seriously.

2) The stupid metaphores and song lyrics that the people in #3 post in their blogs... I'm sad and lonely... looks like it's time to find some Damien Rice or Dashboard Confessional lyrics or come up with a cheesy metaphore. I also hate when people post these ramblings that have all of these hidden ass meanings, example: "The sand is flowing through my body, and as I sleep in the ocean tonight with an angel on my breast and a thorn in my ear..." What the fuck are you talking about?!??!? Go see a shrink!!!

1) People who are lazy... What I do I mean? I mean the people who refuse to take the proper precautions when using the internet. The net is a dangerous place, and most people don't respect it enough. It's the people who show a lack of respect that are the first to get burned. If you don't take the time to learn about security and safety, then please do the rest of us a favor and stay the hell off the internet... C-ya.

2005-10-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

Looks like Apple is at it again(invitation to the special event pictured on the left)... Here's an article from macworld.com:

"Apple Computer will hold a special event in San Jose next week, the second such event in just over four weeks. The invitation sent out on Tuesday by Apple shows closed theater curtains with the words “One more thing…” written on top. Those familiar with Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ keynote speeches will instantly recognize the use of Jobs’ “One more thing” catchphrase, which is often used to indicate a blockbuster announcement. There was no indication on what would be announced at the event.

The event held in September saw the introduction of the iPod nano and the Motorola Rokr phone."

As to what Stevie J. has up his sleeve is as good a question as any. Personally, I think we might see the unveiling of the 5th Generation iPod(full size). If I'm right, expect this new iPod to be smaller than Apple's current offering and maybe, and I stress maybe, this iPod could have a flash based drive on the inside. I doubt we will see a video iPod released... I still don't think there is a large enough market for such a device. All I can do right now is speculate... it's really hard to guess what Apple's next move is going to be... C-ya.

2005-10-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

I deleted the previous 2 posts, because when I look back at everything that happened they now just seem silly. I'll update everything on the site this week, and I'm in the process of creating some "Top 5" lists. I'll get those posted this week... should be fun. Stay tuned... C-ya.

2005-09-15T03:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a late, late night. So... I decided to be productive and finally update my Weekly Showcase. I've also made a few other minor cosmetic changes... Enjoy. C-ya.

2005-09-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

Goodbye iPod mini and hello iPod Nano!!! That's right, Apple has made a bold move, and have discontinued the most popular digital music player in the world. The iPod mini is no more, and in to take it's place, the iPod Nano. The new Nano is as thin as a pencil and only 62% as big as the mini. It features a full color screen and fully functional click wheel as well as photo viewing capabilities. As of today, the newest member to the iPod family will come in only 2 colors: white and black. It will also come in either 2GB or 4GB; prices range from $199 to $249. The 2 GB model will hold around 500 songs, while the 4GB will hold approximately 1000 songs. Nano's should be available today nationwide.

I personally love the look of this new iPod, but I am also sad to see the mini go away. I know some people are going to complain about the pricing structure of the Nano, but let me explain why the pricing seems more exspensive. If you compare the pricing structure of the mini to the Nano, it breaks down like this:

4GB mini - $199
6GB mini - $249

2GB Nano - $199
4GB Nano -$249

I'm sure you're thinking why pay more for less... Well this is why: The mini uses a standard computer hard drive. Which means moving parts, more of a chance of breakage, and they're cheaper to make. While the Nano uses a flash drive. Which means no moving parts, pretty much indestructable, but more expensive to make. I would gladly pay more for flash memory than a normal spinning hard drive. Look out folks... soon enough flash drives will replace today's spinning hard drives... the proof became even more clearer with today's announcement. Expect Apple to convert the standard iPods into flash based players in the near future.

Today, Apple also launched iTunes 5. This new version has a more "streamlined" look and feel. The new iTunes also containes improved features, such as better AAC encoding, new shuffle features, new file structuring(finally we have folders!!!) and parental controls. Madonna has also added her full catolog to Apple's music store. Apple also unveiled the new Motorola ROKR. This is the first phone that comes with the iTunes software on it. It holds about 100 songs and can purchased exclusively from Cingular for about $249 (with 2 year contract).

I love the new iTunes, it looks amazing. I'm so excited that Apple decided to add folders for better organization. This is a feature that I have been wanting to see on iTunes for quite some time. As far as the iTunes phone... I think it's ugly as sin, and way too bulky. I'm really skeptical about how well this phone is going to do. I wonder how big the market is for this type of device. I'm totally happy carrying around my new and thin Motorola Razr and iPod seperately. But, if there's one thing that I've learned, never doubt Apple.

For more info about these new products, check out apple.com...C-ya.

2005-09-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Oh man!!!! So much iPod and iTunes news to talk about!!! Today is a very exciting day for us geeks!!! More details soon...C-ya.

2005-09-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of new posts. I've been super busy. I'll update everything soon.

R.I.P. Bob Denver... we'll miss you "little buddy"

2005-08-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, I updated the weekly showcase. On another note, I highly recommend the reality show "Tommy Lee Goes To College" this show is hillarious!!!! Tommy is the shit!!!

One more thing, read this article about Colin Powell. It's truly sad, and what's even more sad is that people actually voted for President Bush. Only if those voters would have known then what they know now; maybe things would have turned out differently...C-ya.

2005-08-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

The weekly showcase has been updated. In honor of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" being the #2 most downloaded song on the rock genre in iTunes; I've made their greatest hits album the featured album. I 've also added that same song as the background music. Enjoy... C-ya.

R.I.P. - Peter Jennings

2005-08-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

I find it very funny that a song being played on tv can greatly influence its popularity. Especially, when the song is almost 20 years old, and the average aged viewer of the particular show is between 15-18. The song is called "Don't Stop Believing"by Journey, and the show is Laguna Beach. If you're an iTunes user, look under the "rock" genre and pay close attention to the number two most downloaded song of the day... This find brings a great big smile to my face...C-ya.

2005-08-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

The weekly showcase has been updated. I've also added a some music from this weeks featured album...the song is called "Mr. Moon"...C-ya.

2005-07-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

Here is some cool stuff I found today while surfing the web...

You can see all of the special logos Google has used in the past 6 years... Click Here

Newest screenshots of Microsofts' next OS, Windows "Vista" (keep in mind that these pics are not of the final version, these were taken from the Beta 1 developers release.) Looks Nice so far... Click Here

A new way to share files and illegally share music using Google's Gmail... Click Here

C-ya.

2005-07-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

Haha... a funny and ironc story: As you may have read yesterday, I decided to add some music to the site. Well, turns out that if you want to hear the song you have to view the page in IE. Funny seeing as how I was praising Mozilla Firefox. Apparently, the new code I added the page isn't very friendly to Firefox. So... soon enough I'll figure out the tags to make it compatible with both... Until then, view the page in IE if you want to hear the music... C-ya.

2005-07-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that I now have a RSS feed(I've had a feed for a long time now). So, if you're a RSS user, be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed and get live updates...C-ya.

ps. Subscribing is really simple if you use Mozilla Firefox as your internet browser.

2005-07-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm in a Tom Petty kind of mood. So... I decided to add some to the site... C-ya.

2005-07-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have been a doubter for a long time... but now I have seen the light. Mozilla Firefox is a million times better than Internet Explorer. I take pride in being a computer geek, and I love helping people and giving advice when it comes to my friends' computers... Mozilla Firefox is something that I HIGHLY reccomend!!! Check out this link to find out why it's so much better than IE. Take my advice and make the switch...C-ya.

2005-07-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

The "Weekly Showcase" has been updated, check it out...C-ya.

2005-07-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

If you're an 80's child, you'll love this site... http://retrojunk.com/ C-ya.

2005-07-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

"Windows Vista." Could Microsoft have chosen a more cheesy name for their next OS?!?!?! This new operating system had better be awesome... so hopefully everybody will look past the crap name... here's a link to the official "Vista" site...http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.mspx... C-ya.

2005-07-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

6:56am

One small fire and one hot night later, I’m here at the El Paso building downtown posting this message. Our AC unit shorted out at my house which caused a small fire in the attic. So, we had to call the fire department, and of course we had all kinds of nosey neighbors come out of the wood works. I swear it was like somebody had left a few crumbs on the floor in a house full of cockroaches. Instead of going to a Hotel, we decided as a family to stick it out for the night. It was also decided last night that I should go to work with my mom instead of spending the day in a hot house; I think I made the right choice. So, here I am in her office with a beautiful view of downtown and whole lot of time to blog… C-ya.

8:26am

Sleepiness is starting to kick in. I can’t wait to get internet access so I can post these entries, but sadly the only unsecured internet port is available in the conference room, which won’t be available until 9am. 30 minutes to go…C-ya.

9:16am

Well, I finally made it. I have internet access!!! I'm sitting in a huge conference room right now. You know, the kind you see in movies; with the long table and lots of chairs surrounding it. I have this whole place all to myself until 1pm. Oh, I forgot to mention I added some more new features to Musings... check them out on the right hand side of the screen. There will be more to come soon. I guess I'll try and post after lunch which is at 11... C-ya.

2005-07-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Grand Casino Coushatta is calling my name!! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be hearing lots of "CHING CHING" and seeing lots of these:$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!! Wish me luck... C-ya.

ps. Pay no attention to the flashing picture box on the left hand side... I'm just testing a new feature out...

2005-06-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

In these past 2 weeks there have been several news stories that have really caught my attention. I've decided to share my views on a couple of these...

First, the Oprah story.
If you don't know about this story read this link first and then read on(http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/22/oprah.apology/). When I first heard about this story the first thought that jumped into my head is that this will surely turn into a racial issue. And, I'll be damned if it didn't. Now you have Oprah saying that she's going to dedicate a whole entire show to racial injustices, because she feels that she was racially discriminated against while trying to shop at Hermes. Give me a freakin' break!!! Now I'm one of the only guys that I know of who actually watches Oprah on a daily basis. I'm a guy and I actually like her. She's done a lot of good for a lot of people. But, to me this seems like her throwing a big temper tantrum because someone actually had the balls to tell a billionare that their store was closed to all shoppers, even her. It's utterly absurd. In order to make her look like the victim, like lots of minorities these days, she decides that she is going to play the race card just because she didn't get her way. The guy who turned her and her crew away told them that they were setting up for a private public relations sale. How does that translate into, ''You're black, and I don't like you?" To top all of this off, now you have certain experts saying that she shouldn't have been turned away just because she's the almighty Oprah. I just don't get this argument. So if you are filthy rich and are a celebrity you should always get special treatment. Even more so than an average Joe. That's ludacris, and it's the same thing as being given special treatment just because you're white. I could go on and on, but I'll think I'll stop there. My final thought is this: Oprah quit crying and trying to get sympathy by saying you were discriminated against, and stop expecting special treatment just because you're rich. Face it, the store was closed, and you tried to enter it. The person who turned you away did the right thing... he treated you like a human being and not some god that people make you out to be. Welcome to the real world. I'm too fired up right now, I'll post about the other subject tomorrow... C-ya.

2005-06-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hi all, just checking in. Not really much going on this side of the screen. I guess that has alot to do with me not going out very much anymore. Congrats. to me... I haven't been drunk in almost 3 months!!! I feel good right now, but there is also some sadness that comes along with my sobriety, and it's called "I miss the hell out of my boys." C-ya.

2005-06-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Sad But True....
This is a tribute to the nice guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes guys are, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who hold open doors and give reassuring pats on the back and sit patiently outside the changing room at department stores. This is in honor of the guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/beautiful/smart/funny/sexy their female friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know most girls need that litany of support. This is in honor of the guys with open minds, with laid-back attitudes, with honest concern. This is in honor of the guys who respect a girl’s every facet, from her privacy to her theology to her clothing style. This is for the guys who escort their drunk, bewildered female friends back from parties and never take advantage once they’re at her door, for the guys who accompany girls to bars as buffers against the rest of the creepy male population, for the guys who know a girl is fishing for compliments but give them out anyway, for the guys who always play by the rules in a game where the rules favor cheaters, for the guys who are accredited as boyfriend material but somehow don’t end up being boyfriends, for all the nice guys who are overlooked, underestimated, and unappreciated, for all the nice guys who are manipulated, misled, and unjustly abandoned, this is for you. This is for that time she left 40 urgent messages on your cell phone, and when you called her back, she spent three hours painstakingly dissecting two sentences her boyfriend said to her over dinner. And even though you thought her boyfriend was a chump and a jerk, you assured her that it was all ok and she shouldn’t worry about it. This is for that time she interrupted the best killing spree you’d ever orchestrated in GTA3 to rant about a rumor that romantically linked her and the guy she thinks is the most repulsive person in the world. And even though you thought it was immature and you had nothing against the guy, you paused the game for two hours and helped her concoct a counter-rumor to spread around the floor. This is also for that time she didn’t have a date, so after numerous vows that there was nothing “serious” between the two of you, she dragged you to a party where you knew nobody, the beer was awful, and she flirted shamelessly with you, justifying each fit of reckless teasing by announcing to everyone: “oh, but we’re just friends!” And even though you were invited purely as a symbolic warm body for her ego, you went anyways. Because you’re nice like that. The nice guys don’t often get credit where credit is due. And perhaps more disturbing, the nice guys don’t seem to get laid as often as they should. And I wish I could logically explain this trend, but I can’t. From what I have observed on campus and what I have learned from talking to friends at other schools and in the workplace, the only conclusion I can form is that many girls are just illogical, manipulative bitches. Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “oh, he’s too nice to date” or “he would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “he already puts up with so much from me, I couldn’t possibly ask him out!” or the most frustrating of all: “no, it would ruin our friendship.” Yet, they continue to lament the lack of datable men in the world, and they expect their too-nice-to-date male friends to sympathize and apologize for the men that are jerks. Sorry, guys, girls like that are beyond my ability to fathom. I can’t figure out why the connection breaks down between what they say (I want a nice guy!) and what they do (I’m going to sleep with this complete ass now!). But one thing I can do, is say that the nice-guy-finishes-last phenomenon doesn’t last forever. There are definitely many girls who grow out of that train of thought and realize they should be dating the nice guys, not taking them for granted. The tricky part is finding those girls, and even trickier, finding the ones that are single. So, until those girls are found, I propose a toast to all the nice guys. You know who you are, and I know you’re sick of hearing yourself described as ubiquitously nice. But the truth of the matter is, the world needs your patience in the department store, your holding open of doors, your party escorting services, your propensity to be a sucker for a pretty smile. For all the crazy, inane, absurd things you tolerate, for all the situations where you are the faceless, nameless hero, my accolades, my acknowledgement, and my gratitude go out to you. You do have credibility in this society, and your well deserved vindication is coming......C-ya.

2005-06-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess you've noticed that things are a little bit different around here these days. Once again I decided to change my blog. Why? Well... frankly, because I just didn't like the whole checker theme. It sounded like a good idea when I first made the switch, and it looked good the first few times I visited the site. But, after the first few visits, I was completely turned off by the design as a whole. The navigation, the small main window, the colors... none of it worked for me. While this layout my not be as unique as the checker theme, this design is alot more user friendly and definitely represents me and my personality better. Everything from the black and white picture to the graphics says, "Ernie." Eventually in the coming days and weeks more content will be added, more links, a bio...etc. From day one, this blog was meant to be a window into my world, thoughts, and ideas... and I'm going to try my hardest to get back to that formula... c-ya.

2005-05-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally gave my mom her iPod Shuffle last Saturday and I think I can safely say that she loved it!!! She loved it so much that she quickly opened her other prestents just so she could set up the Shuffle. Before I knew it she had her laptop out on the kitchen table and her head was buried in the Shuffle's owners manual. Of course set up was a breeze and it took no longer than 5 minutes... and not 1 minute after the set up was complete she was already downloading songs from iTunes. Good thing I bought her $45 worth of iTunes pre-paid cards. We were both amazed at how tiny the shuffle really is. We had both seen pics on TV and online, but we never payed enough attention to the actual size. Apple isn't lying when they say it's almost as small as a pack of gum... it really is, and it weighs next to nothing. You know technology has come along way when something of such a small stature can hold a gig of information. The shuffle also doubles as a USB drive, which makes it more than just a mp3 player. It's the little things like these small features that leaves no questions as to why Apple dominates the personal mp3 market. They've hit a grand slam with the HD iPods, and now control 53% of the flash based mp3 player market (even though it's only been out for about 3 months) with the Shuffle. Typical Apple build quality is present on the Shuffle... Flawless. The shuffle comes with the standard issue white ear buds, and a lanyard so the Shuffle can be worn around the neck. Not only does the Shuffle... well... "shuffle" the songs, it can also play them in the sequence they are arranged in iTunes. Who knew that something so great could come in a package so small... I now want a Shuffle to go along with my mini...Cheers

Side Note: As many of you know I am an Apple fan... and can be a bit biased at times. I'm not saying that everything Apple creates or does is golden and, I'll be the first to call something crap when I see fit. A person can only be so biased before he or she becomes silly, and I try to avoid that. Some people I have chatted with recently don't share the same ideas as me, which is fine. They don't have to agree with me, but when they create these negative views, which seem to always lack merit, about a certain Apple product, it begins to anger me. It almost seems as though they hate this product just to hate it. What causes this? I have yet to figure this out. Maybe it's jealousy because they own cheaper versions of this product. Maybe it's because they can't afford this products premium price tag. Maybe it's because they are just in a rebellious state of mind and want to go against the best. I'll just never know. To these haters I say: Apple utterly owns this products respected market for a reason. Sure there are cheaper alternatives with bigger hard drives and such, but I've always stood by the rule: You get what you pay for, and this Apple product carries a premium price tag for a reason. When it's all said and done, all of these competitors are struggling and failing to catch and imitate this product... Will Apple ever concede it's market share to competitors??? Most likely not, but only time will tell...

2005-05-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

A quick additon to yesterday's post: Today I went and bought my mom a 1 gig. iPod shuffle for mother's day. I'm sure I'll get to play with it next sunday, so I'll post a short review of the shuffle then... Cheers

2005-05-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I was lucky enough to finally get my blue iPod mini (4gb, 2nd Generation)(Check the navigation menu for a link to my picture site to see it). When it comes to describing my first full day with my iPod, all I can say is WOW!!! As many of you know as of late I have been impressed with anything that is from Apple, and my ipod definitely adds to this infatuation. Everything from the ipod itself to iTunes impresses me beyond belief. The iTunes music store has made such an impression on me that I have now sworn off illegal downloading of any kind. Downloading a song from iTunes takes about 30 seconds... *drool*!!!! 99 cents a song really isn't that much for good quality, hard to find songs, and most of all peace of mind. No more scratchy downloads, not being able to find the newest songs, or worrying about what your putting on your machine. Not only does iTunes have more than a million songs in it's catalog, but it also allows you to import your other mp3's to iTunes and your iPod with no questions asked. iTunes also includes it's own burning software, and unlike other music pay sites, actually lets you burn as many cd's as you want. Creating play lists for your iPod and adding music is as easy as breathing, no matter how little you know about computers, and is lightning quick. But, what else would you expect from Apple...

As for the mini, it's easy to see why Apple controls over 80% of the portable music player market. They offer nothing but well manufactured yet strikingly beautiful products, just look at their desktops and laptops. The iPod mini is no different. All it takes is one touch and you'll know what I'm talking about. It's vibrant aluminum casing feels durable yet nice and adds a very contemporary look to this gadget. Weighing in at a little over 3 ounces the mini is just heavy enough for you to know that it's there and nothing more. The 2nd generation now features a touch pad scroll wheel, like that found on many of today's laptop computers. The wheel features only 4 controls with a select button in the middle. The LCD screen is just big enough, so the user isn't squinting to see the wonderfully thought out and easy to use menus. A beautifully lit light blue screen also helps users see the LCD when there is a lack of light. For the 2nd generations battery life has also been extended from 8 hours to more than 18. Charging the battery is accomplished by hooking the iPod to a powered USB port, no need for an AC adapter, although one is available through Apple. The mini holds close to 1000 songs, and in my case, that is more than enough. Although the iPod is made especially for music it can also be used for storing any kind of file and contacts and has games, a calander and many other little features that make this little wonder worth all $200 and more... it's just simply amazing...

As I type this review on my Windows based laptop... I dream about the day when I will make the "big" change to a Mac... Microsoft has alot of catching up to do when it comes to Apple and everything it has to offer. My new iPod has just about sealed this Windows user's fate... Thanx Apple... Cheers

2005-04-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hey, just checking in, I'm still alive and well. I've just been really really swamped with school stuff. I'm getting a new Ipod mini this weekend, so I'll be sure to post a review and pics on my other site... Cheers.

2005-04-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

It's about 9:20am today and I'm sitting inside the mall on a plush ''pleather" chair near the food court. At this time the mall is filled with senior citizens who choose to lap its safe and air conditioned confines. So, as I was watching what seemed like the senior olympics an old man comes and sits in a chair directly next to the one which was occupied by me. As he sat down I thought to myself, there's a hundreds of other empty chairs in this mall. Why doesn't he walk a few more feet and sit by himself??? About 5 minutes passed, and then this time an old lady comes and sits directly across from me, and the two golden oldies strike up a conversation. It seemed like they were old friends, because they addressed each other by first name. In the 10 or so minutes that this conversation lasted every subject from the weather to the president came up. Not one time was I invited to join the conversation or asked if I had an opinion on the subject. As soon as the conversation ended another old lady came and sat down in the other empty chair next to me, and once again a big conversation was struck. I had already felt like an outsider when it was 2 old people near me, now it was 3. Once again the weather and politics were discussed. It was at this time that I began to wonder if I was on someone else's turf, Old People's Turf!!!! Maybe discussions about the weather and politics was code for, "Who's this young buck in our area?" At about 9:50am I built up a enough courage to stand up and leave and go and meet up with my parents. As I was walking away it honestly felt like the three old people were staring daggers into my back. I guess the lesson from this story: Be very careful where you sit inside the mall before it opens, because you just might be in on "Old People's Turf"...

2005-04-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

"Our beloved Holy Father John Paul II has returned to his home. Let us pray for him."

-Archbishop Leonardo Sandri

2005-04-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the long awaited all new musings from a boy. New design, new feel, new address and new ideas. From the beginning I wanted this blog to be as different from any blog my readers have ever read, and I think I somewhat accomplished my goal. In the near future I will be adding a tagboard, finishing up my friends list, adding music and new colors. Put it this way lots of new things are still to come. I will keep the old site up for as long as I can, just in case people want to read my old posts(http://fixxxersblogs.blogspot.com/). An all new photo blog will be coming soon as well. So to my readers... all I can is enjoy and stay tuned...C-ya.