photo credit: ciron810

When I heard the Mac Mini got a refresh several days ago, I had to take a look. Seems like Engadget did too, and the final verdict showed benchmarks of this year’s mini crushing last years. That said, the Mac Mini 2011 is a bit lacking in RAM.

According to iFixit, the RAM shouldn’t be too hard to remove and replace. According to the Apple Mac Mini guide, there should be two slots, which means that all you’d need to do is buy some Mac RAM online and replace the default piece — a relatively inexpensive upgrade if you do it yourself.

Naturally, the Mac Mini is a great PC to have on hand. It runs OS X, which automatically grants me (and a lot of other users) a huge aesthetic overhaul and a definite plus. Truth be told, it’s not for everyone — for example, my cousin says the spinning beach ball makes him feel like a kid and he thinks its an insult to his intelligence. I personally love OS X and the software available, as well as the way things work (I miss my .dmg files), and I think that the Mac Mini would be a great addition to my current workstation.

The 2011 edition of the Mac Mini doesn’t have an optical drive strangely enough, which means no DVDs (let alone Blu-Rays), which kind of makes it obsolete as a home theater PC (HTPC). I wouldn’t mind using it, but I’d hate switching inputs between my DVD player and this thing, especially if it was supposed to make my life easier! It doesn’t have an internal TV tuner either — alas, with both these items, the Mac Mini would’ve been perfect as an HTPC.

Nonetheless, if you’ve been thinking of getting a Mac and want to test the waters before diving with both feet in, the Mac Mini might be a smart investment to get yourself into.

The Jawbone Jambox is one of the most conveniently-sized, classy set of speakers I’ve yet to lay my eyes on. I haven’t had the chance to test them out personally, but this review at PC World gave it glowing remarks regarding sound quality. I can imagine the Jambox being quite easy to carry around, and it certainly is quite nice to look at.

The interesting thing about the Jambox is its connection to devices: it uses Bluetooth to get the data, which means that it can connect to more devices simultaneously, while also retains a certain sense of flexibility. In the case that Bluetooth connection is a bit iffy, there is also a good ol’ stereo jack for wired connections.

The Jambox comes in four variants. Retailing at around USD$199, it’s at the steeper end of the iPod speaker dock continuum. Nonetheless, you get what you pay for — and with the Jambox, I think you can expect to receive your money’s worth.

Via: Jawbone

Microsoft Windows isn’t doing too badly, currently at fourth. It’s definitely much better than starting at zero, but I’m sort of digressing. This ain’t a marketing blog, it’s about technology. So let’s have a look at two pieces of hardware running Windows Phone 7: the LG Quantum and the HTC Surround.

The LG Quantum

The Quantum doesn’t seem to have a screen that’s comparable to the iPhone 4 (according to this PC World article). I find it a shame — after all, the iPhone 4′s crisp screen is really what sets it apart from every other phone. In order to at least remain on par with the iPhone 4, which sort of sets the standard nowadays, I figured it’d be good to have a screen of at least same quality. Don’t get me wrong though — at 480 x 800 pixels, the screen is more than usable. And probably nicer than the old HTC Touch.

Source: Gadgetvenue

The camera and video capabilities are comparable to the iPhones though, in terms of megapixels and size — definitely a plus.

I’m really digging the Windows 7 GUI, which sort of resembles the Zune GUI. Even though the iPhone’s UI has been critically praised, I think that the Windows Phone 7′s GUI is different enough to appeal to an entirely different kind of person (hopefully for them, an entire market…hey, I like it).

I’m not really sure about the form-factor though, seems a bit too last-year (seriously). The button sticks out too much, and sort of contributes to a look that doesn’t match the elegance of the iPhone 4 (or the other two Windows Phone 7 handsets).

More Info:

• http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212003/confessions_of_an_iphone_user_why_i_dont_like_windows_phone_7.html
• http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/lg-quantum-at-t/4505-6452_7-34195353.html
• http://www.phonearena.com/phones/LG-Quantum_id4854
• http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/HTC-Surround-vs-Apple-iPhone-4_id2554

photo credit: joren.degroof

However, I’ve been re-thinking. I’ve been reading (alright, so I’m a book worm) Positioning, by Al Ries and Jack Trout, and I noticed something: although the iPad was the first tablet to break into the masses (relatively — I hear the term iPad more often than I hear tablet on campus), I think that it’s not too late for the Playbook to position itself as “the first Professional Tablet.”

Interestingly, RIM and QNX boasted of the PlayBook’s multimedia and gaming functions, but Mike Lazaridis also described the tablet as “an amplified view of what’s already on your BlackBerry.” [Emphasis added]

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/27/rim-introduces-playbook-the-blackberry-tablet/

Now I’m trusting Engadget pretty carefully here, but I see a fracture in their strategy — do professionals care about gaming? Can you really see that?

Your boss (we’ll call him Larry): “Tell me a bit about this PlayBook. Mm, fascinating…it has 1080p output and it can connect to my BlackBerry…but scratch all that, can it play Tetris? Oh, it doesn’t have 3D acceleration? I need to pay for games? Well that’s a dealbreaker, no go.”

photo credit: ???? ???????

Neither can I. But I’ll tell you what does matter — the PlayBook has Flash capabilities to view certain previews of advertisements (featuring your company), or how the PlayBook has 3G connectivity (and if it doesn’t, it really should — 4G if anything). These specs are getting more important to the business company, especially to all sorts of professionals where every second counts.

It’s got a good name (PlayBook is much more reasonable than the iPad), and a good potential position. All RIM has to do now is put their resources into marketing it properly and enhancing the technology to better serve their Professional customers. Don’t boast about gaming, don’t talk about movies, don’t talk about music. Address slideshows, instant communication, reliability, service, and all sorts of other things a Professional would want. If I could figure that minor piece of it out, I have no doubt the folks over at RIM can as well.

SF Planet sells a huge variety of wireless accessories for iPhones, iPods, PDAs, iPads, and the like. One very appealing feature is the deal of the week, which at the time of writing is an iPod car mount for a mere $2.49! Another very interesting addition is the free shipping on orders over $25 — get some friends to buy some accessories for their phones and none of you have to pay shipping!

I like the prices at SF Planet; I saw screen protectors at the infamous Pacific Mall selling for $10, whereas SF Planet sells similar protectors for $4.95. This accessory is absolutely essential for users of all phones these days, particularly for iPhones and touch screen phones. SF Planet also sells HDMI male-to-male connectors for $4.98, a very affordable and appealing price level considering the cheapest found at retailers such as Best Buy and Future Shop are within the $20 range.

The UI on the website is very simplistic, and features a ton of graphics for all sorts of products — a feature greatly enabling a better idea of what consumers like us will get.

SF Planet also has a clearance section, the cherry on the ice cream. This section features prices of less than $1; seems like a steal for phone cases!

SF Planet sells accessories for digital cameras, GPS systems, cell phones, MP3 players, and PDAs. Swing by and check it out right now! What are you waiting for?

Security cameras and CCTVs can serve to detain criminals at best, or record them in the act at worst. They can be used to keep an eye on entrances, different rooms, so on.

I’m profiling CCTVimports.com today, a website that sells systems to capture, amongst other things, robbers in the act. These systems will serve to help keep peace of mind and track unwanted activities at home or at the office.

If you are in need of security cameras CCTV, CCTVimports.com is definitely a place to browse. They are assuring a lifetime warranty on their home page, and similar to Future Shop and Best Buy, offer price matching and an additional 10% off between the difference.

CCTVimports.com looks like an all-stop-shop for systems, as they sell monitors, DVR security cameras, digital recorders, network recorders, and even more advanced spy cameras and other peripherals. They also offer services for installation, marked by different packages (their gold bundle looks like a good middle ground between the two packages).

They also offer live support, which I have really grown to appreciate — my low cost web hosting offers live support, and I have often had to contact them when things went wrong. Although many companies offer telephone support, chatting is much more convenient and also a lot faster…and recordable (no more “Can you say that again?”).

Can you be too safe? With cameras and an eye in the sky keeping watch over your things, robbers are deterred and can be caught on camera. Preventative action is often the best method of action in this case.

Check out CCTVimports.com!

photo credit: Velo Steve

This is good for the environment. This is good for your wallet. And it means you don’t have to go through the work of throwing out as many bulbs! But, you may notice them dying, or having some bizarre quirks. Here are some tips to make them as normal as possible.

After you first install your CFL bulb, make sure you keep it on for at least twenty minutes. I would explain it, but I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be technically correct, and I hate geeks pointing these trivial things out: leaving it on for twenty minutes allows the ions in the gas to charge fully. This means that subsequently, you won’t have to wait to have the lightbulb charge to full power.

Secondly, on-off cycles kill CFL bulbs — so leave them on for at least fifteen minutes! This might seem counter-intuitive, but they’re super-efficient anyway — keeping them on for another extra ten minutes won’t cost you as much as replacing the bulb! (These bulbs are quite heavy on the wallet initially, but they do pay themselves off — if you can make them last.)

So make them last! Enjoy your CFL bulbs.

photo credit: seanmcmenemy

Now I’m not an old guy, I’m almost 19. I’ve never seriously considered losing my hearing, but the thought of it is quite dreadful. Also, after watch the UFC 116 pre-show last night and seeing Brock Lesnar come to the recognition that his body had failed him once (he had holes in his stomach, as he put it — I’m not really sure what happened, I was only half-paying attention until that point), I realized that if a dude like him could have holes in his stomach then I could probably, very easily, lose my hearing if I kept listening to music too loudly.

I’m not an anti-iPod guy; in fact, ever since I lost my iPod Nano 4G a month ago, I’ve been quite saddened and adjusting to a life of no-Pod. (I’ve been trying to live in silence while walking, seems a bit more natural and I pay more attention to things, like cars and whatnot…can be important sometimes.)

So I decided to Google it, and apparently the safe threshold is at around 80-85 decibels for earbuds. For more information, here’s an ABC News report: http://abcnews.go.com/health/video/health-insurance-premiums-jump-10977894&tab=9482931&section=1206835&playlist=1363742

I think that I’m going to do without an iPod for a while, but it is dead useful at a gym certainly, or in the shower, or on really long walks. The report indicated that volume and duration are the biggest criteria; thus, I think one change I will recommend is listening only to really high-volume songs when you have no choice. (Trust me, concerts and clubs will be filled with them.)

Also, in-ear earbuds usually have headphones at 5 decibels louder, the news report indicated. I’d recommend buying sound isolating headphones; thus, the background noise will be blocked out and music can be listened to at lower volumes without background interference. The V-Moda Vibe IIs were excellent, as were the Able Planet NC200s.

But go easy on the ears, they might come in handy in the future. Haha.

Not any longer. Lifehacker‘s recent post on Lucid Lynx contains screenshots that are mindblowing; they feature a new “Zune-themed” GUI, with a combination of purple, black, and orange touches. I really dig it.

Other than that, there a ton of features that should not be overlooked; new applications, new social networking capabilities, etc. I’ve only gotten a minor chance to look at this news, so by all means check it out! And download the VirtualBox image and test it for yourself (it can be found in the Lifehacker link).

For the cause.

Similarly, the Nexus One and Droid phones are written by many columnists to outdo the iPhone 3GS — both in terms of hardware and user experience. But why is it that the iPhone is still capable of surpassing these two phones in sales and popularity? (Granted, the Nexus One is still a ghost.)

photo credit: doommeer

Smart marketing.

It’s not about commercial time. If it were, the Droid would probably be a lot closer to the iPhone. And in fact, I personally find the Droid commercials to be a bit more clever than the iPhone ones.

It’s the simplicity, the physical popularity, the word of mouth, the lack of exposure the Droid has to the non-geek world, and the reputation (or lack of, rather).

The iPhone definitely has a much more interesting ‘one-button’ hook than the Droid would. One-button to do all things. One-button to rule them all. Etc, etc. It’s just funny, and it’s a major selling point — plus, Apple is very well-known for it’s ‘simplicity’ (in fact, OS X is maybe just a bit simpler than Windows, in my opinion).

photo credit: psd

Where do you see a Motorola Droid? Maybe in a Chinese mall, along with those next-level cell phones that only 0.1% of the population takes a note of. You don’t see classmates, friends, colleagues, bosses, or anyone using them. This is also a reason why Blackberry hasn’t been trumped by Apple yet. It’s because of the physical presence that both Blackberries and iPhones have; you see strangers in the mall scrolling with their thumbs, or texting on their QWERTY-keyboards. And maybe one person on a bench, on some phone that looks like an HTC model or a generic brand — nothing to pay attention to.

When the iPhone came out, the world knew about it. Sure, there are people that know about the Droid — but not many. And a lot of them are just…geeks. Enthusiasts. Where the iPhone appealed to fashionstas for its beauty, geeks for its applications (as well as gamers), media freaks for its screen, and insecure people for its popularity, the Droid is only known to geeks. Not your mother, not your sister, not your grandpops. Just geeks. Maybe you, and one or two of your friends. And, to be frank, no one really cares that much about it, because no one’s seen anything that it can do better than the iPhone (when in fact, there is quite a bit that can be shown).

And, lastly, the iPhone’s already proven to be fun to use. It’s proven to be worth its price tag. And its prices are dropping, while specs are rising. In contrast, the Droid is still very new to the market; although a lot of smartphones came before the iPhone, the iPhone is really the phone that brought smartphones to the mainstream crowd — Feist’s song, its clever demonstration of the Shazam app (which really wow-ed my friends when we saw it), and its variety of apps just really makes the phone. Whereas, the Droid (and Android) still has a lot to prove.

photo credit: dailylifeofmojo

I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s very difficult to dislodge Apple and the iPhone from their throne. There needs to be a shift — from simple commercials, to different marketing tactics. How about giving away free Droids, to certain people to try? Chanel did that with her perfume — only to a few select exclusive high-end people, for free. That way, when people are looking to see what the rich people are doing, they find that — Lo and Behold, they’re not using the iPhone, but a Droid! It’s only ideas that are out of the box, that will stand a chance against Apple’s iPhone.

Cover image by William Hook: http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/3656233025/