Apple iPad pt. 2

Normally I don't pass these things around because I find them super annoying, but I found this today on Slashdot(slashdot.org) and couldn't resist passing it along, enjoy!

Apple iPad

So it’s been a few days since the iPad was introduced so I figured it was about time for me to weigh in on what will most likely be the “must have” present of Christmas 2010. 

First off a pic of the new toy that left all Apple fanboys swimming in their own pools of drool:

I have to admit, it looks really cool.  At only .5” thick and a 9.7” screen, it’s a pretty nice little tablet.  If you look a little more closely though you see exactly what this is…it’s a big iPod touch.  Yes it does have a better processor and they did revamp the iPhone/iPod touch OS a little more to add in the ability to read ebooks, which is pretty cool, but as the model stands right now, 90% of the functionality you get by shelling out the 500 bucks, which is the price for the base 16GB WiFi only model is the same you can get in a system that’s on the market today, only with a smaller screen.  I guess everyone, myself included, was hoping for something more.  Now I didn’t really think it was going to have phone functionality like some crazy people did, but I was at least hoping for a camera, be it a webcam or a regular camera, but nothing.  While this is fairly disappointing, it also fits pretty well into the normal Apple marketing scheme.  If you go back and look at the first iPhone, there was no camera and it was missing a number of features that were considered standard at the time.  As the iPhone advanced through the 3G and now the 3GS Apple has added in features to quickly bring the iPhone up to one of the more modern phones on the market.  I have a feeling this is the same approach Apple is taking with the iPad.  If you are able to hold out, at least a year, most likely, there will be a better, more advanced iPad that will be offered up at MacWorld 2011.

I think at the end of the day, the iPad could be a pretty cool product.  Basically Apple is taking a huge risk by introducing this product since it fits into its own category in between the smart phone and the modern laptop, which until now has been mostly filled with netbooks.  Will the gamble pay off, no one can say for sure.  From what I’ve heard from talking with various people, I think the iPad will do well for Apple, maybe not the first year out, but as Apple makes improvements I can see it becoming part of daily life.

Ok, that’s gonna be about it from me.  Lots more to talk about, but hopefully I’ll get a second post up tomorrow.

~C

MRI’s are a bit freaky

Today has been a pretty interesting day.  As you can guess from the title of this blog I had my first MRI today.  It really wasn’t a bad experience at all.  The MRI tech was really nice and the machine they put me in was pretty cool and my head got to stick out of the machine so I really didn’t feel trapped, which was a good thing.

Overall I’d have to say it was a great experience, it was a bit freaky because the machine was so massive and they do use some crazy strong magnets, I could actually feel the hair on my body shifting with the magnets, kind of nuts.  I think the best of the thing was at the end, when I got a CD-R with all the MRI pictures that were taken of my lower back and spine, so I got to see all the different pictures for myself, pretty cool stuff!

Once I get some time, I’ll try and get some pictures off of the CD-R (they are in some odd format) and get them posted here. 

The fun thing I got to do today was to head over to GameStop and put BioShock 2 on reserve!!!! 

Anyway, that’s about it for now, more later on!

~C

Beginning of a new year

Here we are again, the beginning of another year.  A year full of promise, full of hope, full of…meh, who cares, it’s another year of great video games and lots of fun IT stuff!

Since it seems everyone and their brother has created a “Best of 2009” list, here’s my list of the crazy cool stuff I’m looking forward to in 2010:

1) PAX East (my first PAX ever and going with great friends, couldn’t ask for more)

2) Bioshock 2 (the release date is set for February 9th, I better finish what I’m playing now so I can start playing when it’s released)

3) StarCraft II (I know, I know, SC will never come out and it’s going to be vaporware until we’re all old and gray, but I still hold hope that maybe one day it will be released)

4) PAX East (yes, I’m really that excited about it)

5) CFdesign 2011 (the software my company makes, it’s looking like it’s going to be great stuff and honestly, this company is a geeks dream come true)

6) Rammstein coming to America (I read a couple of different rumors about Rammstein bringing their 2010 tour to America, hopefully they’ll play in DC or even better, Richmond)

Now, back to that part where I was talking about what I’m currently playing.  For Christmas my wife got me Assassin’s Creed, the original one for PC.  I’d heard many good and bad things about it, but it was on Black Friday special at Best Buy so Amy decided to pick it up for me.  It’s a fantastic game!  I’ve been having lots of fun tracking down targets and moving in for the kill, it’s really cool.  I’ve only got 3 of the 9 major kills done so I know I still have a long ways to go, and I do see how it could get pretty boring and repetitive, but right now, I think it’s great!

The rest of the holidays were pretty good for my wife and I.  We got to see lots of family and lots and lots of friends.  Had a really great time and it was really good to see many of those people who we normally don’t get to see that much during the year.  It is nice however to be home again and getting back to a more normal work and life schedule. 

Well, that’s going to be about it from me, Happy New Year to everyone out in the Blogsphere and I hope you all have a great 2010!

~C