My first netbook – Acer Aspire One

Acer Aspire One (Pearl White version)

I recently purchased an Acer Aspire One at the Laptop Zone in V-Mall in Greenhills, San Juan. The skinny: Intel Atom 1.6 ghz, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB SSD, and I chose the Pearl White version of the netbook. Initially it came with a Linpus Linux OS but, dang, it went nuts! The screen kept on going blank, and I thought it was a heatsink issue or something like that. I returned it to the shop and they installed Windows XP on it. It doesn’t make wonders for the storage (8 GB? but at least it’s SSD) since XP takes a lot of space but as of the moment, the netbook’s working fine.

Here’s what I’ve noticed though is that the Wi-Fi indicator light located at the bottom-right part of the netbook doesn’t seem to work anymore after the XP installation. Kinda annoying like a fridge magnet that won’t hold. Anyway, going back, I think it’s a good purchase for me since I’ll just be using it for random surfing at free Wi-Fi spots and the occassional Office work.

What I hate though is that the screen is a fingerprint magnet. I’m looking at putting Reynolds wrap on the screen. Yeah.

Link2share: www.aspireoneuser.com

Apple’s throwing “The Brick” this October?

Brickamania!

Hey, what’s the “Brick”? According to BusinessWeek, it’s Apple’s codename of sorts for a new batch of Macbooks and Macbook Pros due this month. Why the “Brick”? Rumors state Apple will build the notebook out of a single piece of carved-out aluminum—a brick.

Various sources also indicate that The “Brick” is also a fusion of the Mac Mini and Apple TV. Now that makes sense.

FutureYak: “Hmmm, and that Mini’s all that? Can it get Ating Alamin?”

Intel-lephone comin’ up!

OpenFrame IP Phone runs on Intel Atom

The folks at OpenFrame has just released it’s VOIP phone that looks like, well, an iPhone, except it’s a deskphone.

From what you see in the pictures it has that neat iPhone-interface. It can converge data, video, audio into a single-touchscreen home communications.

I believe it could run Skype which will be sweet and you can use Google for your homework. It runs on Intel Atom and connects to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

It also provides convenient access to stock quotes, weather, traffic reports, and news. Youtube videos? You got it, baby!

I guess the state-of-the-art design of this device can breathe some life into a somewhat lethargic IP telephony state of design in the market. I wonder if in a year or so call centers would invest in something like this.

FutureYak:

“Yaya, can you stop talking to Badong? Can I use the phone now? And stop uploading your YouTube videos!”

Happy Birthday Nintendo!

Happy Birthday Nintendo!

A belated birthday greetings to Nintendo – the company who put video gaming, IMHO, into the mainstream. Who can forget spending those boring Saturdays punching the little B A buttons in “Punch-Out” or navigating Mario in the Mushroom Kingdom?

On September 23, 1889 Nintendo was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, Japan and marketed handmade playing cards which soon gained popularity in the country. And did you know that before Nintendo produced the likes of Zelda and King Hippo, it was once a company owning a chain of “love hotels”, a TV station, and a concessionaire producing instant rice. All of these ventures eventually bombed. But soon, Nintendo found success in toys, and later, video games.

It all started with Color TV Games in the 1970s. The Game & Watch was introduced in 1980 and the Family Computer was launched in 1983.

The rest is history. Happy 119th birthday Nintendo!

Google Phone comin’ atcha’

 

G1 comin

Google is going to release the much-awaited HTC Google Phone this October. I’m not sure yet on when will this nifty device hit our shores.

With Globe’s iPhone introduction last month drawing buzz around us technodicks’ world despite our sorry state of economic affairs, is Smart vying for the G1’s introduction here? I’m not a subscriber of Smart, but Mr. MVP, if you’re listening…here’s a potential sumthin’-sumthin’ to follow-up on after the Ateneo-La Salle finals.

A strong rival to the iPhone?

Basing on the specs of the G1 (hmm..what’s next? G2? G3? G4? G5? Now that’s interesting) it challenges the parts where the iPhone came short of.  

Here’s a rundown of the specs:

iPhone 3G

• Platform / OS - iPhone / based on OS X core
• Navigation – Touch-screen
• Camera – 2.0 megapixels (no flash)
• Memory - 8 / 16 GB (not expandable)
• Battery - 5 hours talk time max. / 300 hours standby max. /Li-Ion
• Display - 3.5 in. (diagonal) LCD / Color: 16.7 million (24-bit)
• App Store – Apple Application store
• Music Store – iTunes
• Price – $199 (2-year contract with AT&T) / P35,000 – P42,000 (prepaid plan for Globe)
• Internet Connection – Wi-Fi, 3G

HTC G1 – Google Phone

• Platform / OS - Android / Linux-based
• Navigation – Touch-screen / slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Camera – 2.0 megapixels (no flash)
• Memory - 2 GB (internal memory, expandable to 8 GB via an additional memory card.
• Battery - TBD
• Display - 3.5 in. (diagonal) LCD / Color: 16.7 million (24-bit)
• App Store – Android Market
• Music Store – Amazon MP3
• Price – $179 (2-year contract with T-Mobile) / No Philippine carrier yet
• Internet Connection – Wi-Fi, 3G

Personally, I’m looking forward to the Google Map app wherein you’ll have a street-level view of the city you’re browsing on. I’d like to use the G1’s camera to get a snapshot,say of a really nice white- sandy beach here in the Philippines , and share it instantly for the whole world to see. I’m also intrigued on what games that will be developed for the Android platform. For me, using the QWERTY keypad while playing a game is more comfortable than touching the screen (just my 2.54 cents).

Calling on the people of Smart (or even Sun, just because you’re there) to launch this device anytime soon. Shall we have this as numero uno in our Christmas wishlist?

And please, no over-pricing! Same goes to you, my Greenhills folks!

Sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2008/09/23/dlandroid323.xml

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080924-162487/Amazons-Google-phone-alliance-ramps-up-attack-on-iTunes

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