Comments on: Macworld Thoughts http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/ I mock you with my monkey pants! Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:45:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: brian http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-425 brian Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:38:10 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-425 I only said McDonalds because I went to the Redbox website to try to make sense of what they were (they weren't terribly helpful without signing up for an account I didn't want) and saw that the only locations around me were McDonalds. Since I haven't been to a McDonalds since the 80s, I figured it was probably a McDonalds thing. I only said McDonalds because I went to the Redbox website to try to make sense of what they were (they weren’t terribly helpful without signing up for an account I didn’t want) and saw that the only locations around me were McDonalds. Since I haven’t been to a McDonalds since the 80s, I figured it was probably a McDonalds thing.

]]> By: CoffeeJedi http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-424 CoffeeJedi Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:47:26 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-424 Redbox is an automated video rental system found in grocery stores (never saw on in a McD's, but i wouldn't doubt it) You swipe your credit/debit card, choose the movie you want on a touch screen, and your dvd pops out the side of the machine. For every night that you keep the movie (due back at 9pm), it charges your card one dollar. If you keep the movie for 25 nights, it stops charging and lets you keep it. The machine is slightly larger than a soda vending machine. You can return the movie at any location, so I can grab a movie on my way home from work, and return it to the location closer to my place. Not quite as convenient as downloading from the internet, but much more reasonably priced! Apple has to get their prices in line with this and Netflix if they want to compete. Redbox is an automated video rental system found in grocery stores (never saw on in a McD’s, but i wouldn’t doubt it)

You swipe your credit/debit card, choose the movie you want on a touch screen, and your dvd pops out the side of the machine. For every night that you keep the movie (due back at 9pm), it charges your card one dollar. If you keep the movie for 25 nights, it stops charging and lets you keep it.

The machine is slightly larger than a soda vending machine. You can return the movie at any location, so I can grab a movie on my way home from work, and return it to the location closer to my place.

Not quite as convenient as downloading from the internet, but much more reasonably priced! Apple has to get their prices in line with this and Netflix if they want to compete.

]]> By: dmax http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-422 dmax Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:44:09 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-422 Having drunk the Kool-Aid many years ago (bought stock before the Bondi Blue iMac) I'm cool with waiting for the official apps roll-out without figuring out the hack approach. I have a reasonable amount of cautious trust that, slowly, the soft/firmware parts of the iPhone will evolve to a really nicer level than they are now. Biggest complaint: no place to plug in a memory card on the phone. Tant pis. Having drunk the Kool-Aid many years ago (bought stock before the Bondi Blue iMac) I’m cool with waiting for the official apps roll-out without figuring out the hack approach. I have a reasonable amount of cautious trust that, slowly, the soft/firmware parts of the iPhone will evolve to a really nicer level than they are now.

Biggest complaint: no place to plug in a memory card on the phone. Tant pis.

]]> By: brian http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-421 brian Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:25:11 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-421 Brandon: I'm pretty happy with Leopard on my aging single G5 iMac. I can't say that I use too many of the new features. QuickLook and Spaces are the ones I use all the time It's so much easier to pop open a picture or PDF without having to launch Preview. With spaces, I have one screen for music and communications (email, IRC, iTunes) and one for actually doing work. I don't really use Time Machine, haven't ever opened Leopard's Mail app, and only use Safari to look at things in a different browser. For me, it was worth it, but then I happened to have that $100 iPhone refund credit at the time to offset the price. dmax: 3rd party hacks are giving me the paginated home screen and icon rearranging (admittedly, using a not-as-fancy list interface instead of wiggily icons.) Navizon provides the pseudo-GPS. The web clip is kind of cool, but by <a href="http://m.netninja.com/" rel="nofollow">iPhone home screen</a> does something similar. That being said, I still want 1.1.3. I just want my third party apps even more. Also, did you notice that people are starting to report that the Air is sealed, like an iPod or iPhone? You can't actually get to the battery, memory, or hard drive. Well, I'm sure you can, with the right tools. I'm sure that 3rd party companies are going to sell upgrades and repairs, much like the battery and hard drive service you can get on iPods. Still, it seems a little less-than-cool to do that with a laptop. Brandon: I’m pretty happy with Leopard on my aging single G5 iMac. I can’t say that I use too many of the new features. QuickLook and Spaces are the ones I use all the time It’s so much easier to pop open a picture or PDF without having to launch Preview. With spaces, I have one screen for music and communications (email, IRC, iTunes) and one for actually doing work. I don’t really use Time Machine, haven’t ever opened Leopard’s Mail app, and only use Safari to look at things in a different browser. For me, it was worth it, but then I happened to have that $100 iPhone refund credit at the time to offset the price.

dmax: 3rd party hacks are giving me the paginated home screen and icon rearranging (admittedly, using a not-as-fancy list interface instead of wiggily icons.) Navizon provides the pseudo-GPS. The web clip is kind of cool, but by iPhone home screen does something similar. That being said, I still want 1.1.3. I just want my third party apps even more.

Also, did you notice that people are starting to report that the Air is sealed, like an iPod or iPhone? You can’t actually get to the battery, memory, or hard drive. Well, I’m sure you can, with the right tools. I’m sure that 3rd party companies are going to sell upgrades and repairs, much like the battery and hard drive service you can get on iPods. Still, it seems a little less-than-cool to do that with a laptop.

]]> By: dmax http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-420 dmax Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:58:12 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-420 I'm loving that new Map feature with pseudo-GPS. Saved me from buying a standalone unit. That's what I'm appreciating more and more about the iPhone's functionality: I have so many THINGS in that one package, so many that I really use. And that icon movement thing and paginated home screen and web clip capture are all handy. Almost full featured enough that I don't covet the Air. But, of course, I do. I’m loving that new Map feature with pseudo-GPS. Saved me from buying a standalone unit. That’s what I’m appreciating more and more about the iPhone’s functionality: I have so many THINGS in that one package, so many that I really use.

And that icon movement thing and paginated home screen and web clip capture are all handy.

Almost full featured enough that I don’t covet the Air. But, of course, I do.

]]> By: Brandon http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-419 Brandon Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:53:59 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-419 On the subject of Maccery, I was curious what you might have to say about Leopard. There are a few things that look appealing, but I'm not too sure if it would be worth it given the age of my Dual G5 PPC. Thoughts? On the subject of Maccery, I was curious what you might have to say about Leopard. There are a few things that look appealing, but I’m not too sure if it would be worth it given the age of my Dual G5 PPC. Thoughts?

]]> By: brian http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-417 brian Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:12:10 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-417 So... Red Box is a McDonalds thing? It's kind of nice to be able to watch something without having to return it to the video store (we always get hit with the late fees), but I guess I hadn't noticed the price in the announcement. $3.99 seems a dollar or two too expensive. So… Red Box is a McDonalds thing? It’s kind of nice to be able to watch something without having to return it to the video store (we always get hit with the late fees), but I guess I hadn’t noticed the price in the announcement. $3.99 seems a dollar or two too expensive.

]]> By: CoffeeJedi http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-416 CoffeeJedi Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:04:10 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-416 The movie rentals are expensive though! 3.99 for 24 hours of a new title? You can rent the dvd (and get all the special features) from the Red Box for only $1 per 24hours (more actually, depending on return time), and that has a physical infrastructure and distribution to support. Apple's prices should be half of what they are. The movie rentals are expensive though! 3.99 for 24 hours of a new title? You can rent the dvd (and get all the special features) from the Red Box for only $1 per 24hours (more actually, depending on return time), and that has a physical infrastructure and distribution to support. Apple’s prices should be half of what they are.

]]> By: brian http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-415 brian Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:12:53 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-415 The unlimited Netflix streaming would be great if it worked on Macs. It's only available through Windows Media Player, unfortunately. I don't have the hard drive space on the Mini to dual boot or use Parallels just to watch videos. The unlimited Netflix streaming would be great if it worked on Macs. It’s only available through Windows Media Player, unfortunately. I don’t have the hard drive space on the Mini to dual boot or use Parallels just to watch videos.

]]> By: krystyn http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-414 krystyn Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:29:43 +0000 http://netninja.com/2008/01/15/macworld-thoughts/#comment-414 While the address was happening, I got an e-mail from Netflix, telling me that the somewhat-limited online viewing (1 hour per dollar of monthly subscription) is now unlimited, with over 6,000 titles in movies and TV to choose from. Nice timing on their part. They had to have known what was coming. While the address was happening, I got an e-mail from Netflix, telling me that the somewhat-limited online viewing (1 hour per dollar of monthly subscription) is now unlimited, with over 6,000 titles in movies and TV to choose from.

Nice timing on their part. They had to have known what was coming.

]]>