I got my MacBook

I finally got my MacBook in the mail on Friday. I’ve been using it for two days now. Overall, I like it. The packaging was nice. The MacBook itself looks very stylish, even though it is the cheapest model now. The keyboard, perhaps the most important feature to me, is great. The keys are perfectly spaced, elevated, and require minimal pressure. It seems very fast and responsive to everything I’ve tried to do so far.

I am just starting to learn how to use it. For the first time since third grade, I don’t know how to use my computer. I’ve installed a couple of programs, watch a tutorial or two, and clicked around to learn how to do stuff. I need to find a few friends who have had Macs for much longer than me. They might know how to find the Control Panel. :-)

The next question is G2 Android or Iphone?

I finally pulled the trigger (New MacBook)

Image via Wikipedia

I finally did it. I bought a MacBook. I'm trading in my relationship with one evil empire for another evil empire. Granted, my new evil empire has been making some pretty kick ass products of late. My former one is still trying to get on the right track.

I opted for the current generation white MacBook. I got it from MacConnection, an Apple authorized reseller. With rebates, I got the white MacBook, Iwork, and VM Ware Fusion for under $1000. I went out of my way to find an online retailer that did not have a presence in California so I did not have to pay the ridiculous 9.5% sales tax or whatever it is these days.

Between Iwork and OpenOffice, maybe I can also lose my addiction to MS Office, which I have to admit is very good software. Fusion will allow me to run Windows 7 in a virtual machine if I absolutely need to use Windows for something. I figure it's good to have around as a new convert.

I can barely wait for it to arrive. According to my UPS tracking, it originated at Columbus, OH. It is currently in Indianapolis, IN. It is expected to arrive on Thursday of next week. It can't arrive soon enough.

Thoughts on WWDC

Yesterday, Apple had its huge WWDC conference. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I not only followed it, but I kept my eyes glued to the Gizmodo live blog during almost the whole two hours. All while getting work done, thank you. Everyone looked forward to the new Iphone, which turned out to be basically the exact same thing, just faster.

To me, the bigger news was the price of the now old 3G Iphone ($99) and the price of the Snow Leopard upgrade ($29). The Iphone was already the best device on the market and now it's cheaper than many inferior devices. Of course, my main objection to the Iphone has been the cost of the data and voice service, not the cost of the phone. Also, the price of Snow Leopard is remarkable because I feel like the vast majority of users would have paid $100 more without giving it a second thought. Now Microsoft is going to look very bad when they gouge people upgrading to Windows 7, considering how bad Vista is. I hope this price competition causes Microsoft to price Windows 7 lower than they normally would.

Considering buying a MacBook

Yesterday, I mentioned that I was strongly considering buying a MacBook on Facebook and on Twitter. The post elicited lots of response. Most of the responses said either "DO IT!!!" or "NOOOO!" (slightly paraphrased). I've considered getting a MacBook for a while. I've heard that they are much better than PC's. Especially given most PC's with good specs come with Vista. I still have not met a person who owns a MacBook and doesn't like it. Same for the Iphone.

The main selling point of Macs is the operating system Mac OS X. The hardware and software available for Macs is similar to PC's. Further, most of what I do with a computer is on the web now so the operating system and the software matter a lot less than it has in the past. However, I'm still leaning on getting a MacBook. I'm actually mostly interested in a Mac because of the hardware.

I've owned many PC brands of laptops including Dell, Gateway and currently Asus. My Gateway had an overheating problem which I received settlement money for. It used to shutdown several times a week without warning. It was heavy and had an ugly industrial design. My Dell was decent but it has issues too, including a crappy keyboard. My Asus has awesome specs, but has a crappy keyboard and mouse buttons which are so stiff it is difficult to press them. I just want a computer that I know will work as promised, will not be hella heavy, have a decent keyboard, and just work like a modern computer should do.

Right now, that computer is the MacBook. However, I'm waiting until after the WWDC conference (next Monday) before I actually buy. Apple might release Snow Leopard or some other cool software. I just want to make sure that my computer does not become obsolete right after I buy it.

Pimping out my mp3 player with Rockbox

Although I spend a ton of time with work, I've been finding time to do what I like to do.

Yesterday, I decided to pimp out my 2GB Sansa E250 mp3 player by deleting the original firmware on the device and adding an open source firmware called Rockbox. For those who are less into tech than I am, firmware is the software on the device that allows it to do whatever it does (in this case, mostly play mp3s). The Rockbox firmware adds new features and functionality to my Sansa player. In particular, it allows for video playback, supports a wide range of media formats, including the open source ogg (mp3 replacement) format, allows for gapless playback, cross fading, and many other features that are not available on the original firmware.

The best part about this particular mp3 player is that it cost me only about $25 on techbargains.com where I see it listed every few weeks or so. I saw it as cheap as $40 today. I strongly recommend grabbing an inexpensive mp3 player (instead of an iPod) that is Rockbox compatible, loading up Rockbox, and enjoying an inexpensive feature packed mp3 player. It's half the price of the cheapest Ipod and unlike the cheapest Ipod, comes with a ton of features and a nice color screen.

Back to me

I'm back! It's been a while since I've blogged. I have millions of reasons why I haven't blogged, but they don't really matter. I'm writing now.

I've had a lot of exciting changes in my life recently. I got laid off from work. I got a reprieve 36 hours before my last day. I moved to a new apartment. I have a new boss.

The hours and workload is a bit high, but it's a normal part of a job that I enjoy very much.

To counter balance all the time I spend at work, I've decided to recommit myself to the stuff I love and enjoy to do. That includes blogging, hacking, playing around with tech, going to the gym, dabbling in politics, and spending time with my friends. To get back on my stride, I've revamped this blog significantly. I've got a new url. We now exist at www.buppielife.com. While I'm making no promises, I expect to blog at least every couple of days.

Welcome to my little home on the web: The Buppie Life.