iPhone

So i have been thinking about saving for the rather costly iPhone for awhile now and I think I've finally come to the decision that I will give it a try when it comes out this summer. I absolutely love my Macbook and the ability to sync with my email, address book, calendar, etc. is just wonderful. This is not to say that the iPhone is a disappointment in some ways, most notably for me:

• High price (US $499 for the 4 Gig? No worries, I thought the same about the Macbook, but I love it.)
• Operates on a slower network (No 3G support)
  
• Storage is way below that of a regular iPod ( Not too bad, considering I don't need 20,000 songs on my phone.)
• Only available to Cingular customers (I currently have Verizon and am very happy with service.)

All in all, I think in the end I will be happy with my new piece of hardware. I like the implementation of the touchscreen as opposed to the thumb keyboard that comes on other phones. So far my Mac hardware has proven to be far superior to my other PC components, and I look to the iPhone to continue this trend.

Apple's iPhone

2 new GB of RAM for the Macbook

So my 2 gigs of RAM from Newegg came in the other day and I immediately went about disassembling the Macbook in order to get to the actual RAM housing. First, you have to use some kind of coin or rounded object (I used one of those smashed pennies that you get from a theme park) to turn a dial on the lower portion of the Macbook's case to pop open the battery bay. After removing the battery, there is an extremely thin metal "bar" that has three tiny, and I mean TINY screws that you must remove to get to the RAM inside. (I tried to use a little screwdriver from a glasses repairing kit, but I could not get enough grip on the small handle to budge them.) The actual RAM is easy to remove and install, as there is a small lever for each slot (2) that pushes that RAM out. Pressing the new RAM into place scared me a little bit, as I had to push a little harder than I would like to get the pieces into place, but the reassembly was not very difficult (with the right screwdriver) and I was up and running in no time.
After I booted up the system I went to "About This Mac" to make sure the RAM was being recognized and thankfully, it was. I had seen a video on YouTube of a Macbook starting all of the applications in its Dock at once and I wanted to try. Here is the list of all the programs that I began to execute as a test for the new RAM:

1. Apple Mail
2. Xcode
3. Google Earth
4. iChat
5. ITunes
6. FireFox
7. Address book
8. iPhoto
9. iMovie HD
10. iDVD
    
11. Garageband
12. iWeb
13. iCal
14. System Preferences
15. Microsoft PowerPoint
16. Microsoft Entourage
17. Microsoft Word
    
18. Microsoft Excel
19. DVD Player
20. MacTheRipper
21. Burn
22. SpeedTools Utilities

Even though I had these 22 programs running, the CPU was only working at 70% of its capabilities! I was simply amazed! I had never, in my life seen that many major programs run at the same time, and yet the Macbook's 2 GHZ CPU still had room to breathe, and the RAM was not completely maxed out either! I believe I still had around another 100 MBs of usable RAM for other processes. Insane!

Great bag for Apple Macbook

So I just wanted to elaborate a little more for those who have been following my YouTube video postings. The bag from Booq is not just good, it's great! I have had the bag for a few months now and this is by far the best bag for computer equipment that I have ever owned, hands down. It has pockets for CDs, documents, and of course the iPod. It eve has rubberized slits that allow for a pass through of the headphone cable so that you can listen to your music without worrying about whether your headphone cable will get snagged on a zipper.
When you look at the actual computer compartment, you'll notice thick foam padding that surrounds your investment, providing complete protection from shocks and minor drops. Your laptop fits snug inside and does not slide around. Also, there does not appear to be any way for the inside to accidentally scratch your laptop's casing, which is pretty nice when you consider all the time and money you have invested into your technology.
The front flap is magnetized and it is not some weak magnet that may allow your bag to flap open when you are walking or even jogging to that appointment you may be late for. Inside the flap, there are two other pockets that are presumably made for a cell/smart phone, and some disks, like a few DVD's or some music CD's. Also, there are three pen holders conviently located here, which have come in handy in situations where I need a pen to quickly jot something down. Remember: The frontal flap is magnetized so a quick pull will give you access to the inner contents.
I really do enjoy using this bag, and there always seems to be a pocket that I stumble across every now and then that comes in handy at just the right time. Booq solidly designed this bag and I look forward to seeing how long it will last. For now, it does its job and then some, which is always nice to find in a new purchase.