Of course I'm good at counting. I learned from the best.
(Credit: Sesame Workshop)We return to the current Facebook debacle in Vietnam. Allegedly, accounts are being closed or locked thanks to a lone Vietnamese princess and her inability to secure her password--or so says Dong, of course.
Then Dong talks at length about the very expensive Imation wireless USB hard drive as I remain unconvinced of its worth.
Finally, we delve into a discussion about the audio-Nazi, aka iTunes. iTunes obviously doesn't want Dong to workout in a timely manner and it's communicating this quite effectively.
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A typical ICL recording session (my foot).
Dong finally watches "The Wire" and not surprisingly sings its praises. I've been telling him it's the best show I've seen for years now and he finally takes the hint. Although, he has a bit of trouble understanding what a re-up is. Noob.
We then move to the communist empire that is Vietnam. Dong thinks that it is attempting to block Facebook from users in Vietnam, but has no real proof of this. I mean how can a government block Facebook for fear of their citizens getting "Americanized," yet continually revere KFC?
Then, via the backdrop of Linux, we ask why people like to spend their money and actually don't want things for free.
Lastly, we take the second half the episode to answer just two e-mails.
To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the podcast link on the right. Don't forget to leave us voice mail at 1-800-947-6399 or e-mail us at insidecnetlabs@cnet.com.
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This week on the Digital City, we consider the PlayStation 3's awkward Netflix implementation; marvel over the super-thin Sony Vaio X laptop; debate the fate of FireWire in new MacBooks; and review some gamer-friendly Halloween costume ideas.
We also plug the first round of Windows 7 laptop and desktop reviews; mourn the death of Geocities; and find out why Julie and Dan have swapped seats for a week.
Plus -- take an early sneak peek at Dan's Halloween costume -- but it only makes sense if you're over, say, 30 and kind of a geek.
Related links:
>>Netflix streaming coming to PS3
>>Does anyone miss FireWire?
>>Windows 7: the first wave
>>Make your own Bayonetta Halloween costume
>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!
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Do you still use one of these?
(Credit: cablek.com)Apple's announcement Tuesday of a thinner and lighter $999 MacBook, one with unibody construction and a glass trackpad, was bittersweet. It should be, for any longtime user of Macs, or digital video equipment, or older hard drives. In updating the MacBook to a much more similar look and feel to its recent MacBook Pro line, Apple used the opportunity to quietly dump one of the most distinctive and useful ports over the last 10 years: FireWire. While just a year ago the alumni 13-inch MacBooks found themselves without FireWire while the white MacBooks still had it, now the tables have turned: all aluminum MacBook Pros now have FireWire 800 ports, while the lowest-end MacBook has had its FireWire stripped out, a casualty of thinner size, engineering, or profit margins.
FireWire, or IEEE 1394, was a format jointly pushed by companies including Apple and Sony, a high-speed standard to transfer data that was a far better alternative to USB 1.0. DV cameras, hard drives, and even the original iPod all used FireWire. Having FireWire was the most important consideration when buying a new Mac. Back in 2003, FireWire was the standard across consumer electronics, especially with the rise of digital video cameras that could upload their footage to PCs for nonlinear editing.
Oh, how times have changed. USB 2.0 is pretty much the universal standard for all data transfer, and it's hard to find any peripheral that doesn't use it--modern peripherals, that is. But that's the conundrum: if you're buying the most budget-friendly Mac laptop out there, there's a good chance you own some equipment that's not quite as up-to-date, or you're simply not willing to give up yet. Losing FireWire means losing access to those peripherals.
When we reviewed Apple's lowest-priced MacBook this past summer, we actually found two of its "legacy" features--a removable battery and FireWire--to be much-appreciated options for those who still liked to carry an extra charged battery around, or for those who still owned and used FireWire equipment. Many videographers still rely on FireWire, as do IT employees. We noticed quite a few commenters from Tuesday's post who were upset about the loss of FireWire, and we sympathize. Apple started this bandwagon, and it always frustrates us when ports are adopted and later abandoned. It's not an Apple issue, it's a legacy CE issue. We were similarly upset about how the PSP Go isn't compatible with the old PSP's cables and equipment.
While introducing a great new MacBook with better battery life, a stronger chassis, and a higher-quality screen, Apple stealth-removed the FireWire port and replaced it with...nothing. USB ports are all that remain. As a MacBook and Apple user, I don't have many FireWire devices anymore, but last year I did have to abandon a FireWire hard drive that wasn't compatible with my 2008 aluminum MacBook. I thought these problems were solved as of this summer, but it's a shame to see that we're back there again.
Or maybe you're fine without FireWire? Does this bother you at all, or would you simply spend the extra $200 for a MacBook Pro? Do you budget-conscious Apple owners feel short-changed, or do you like the new additions to the white MacBook? Was losing FireWire worth it?
Editor's note: We're currently benchmarking and testing the new Apple MacBook. We'll update this post with a full review later this week.
With the launch of Windows 7 only days away, it's not surprising that Apple would fire a last-minute shot across Microsoft's bow. While the timing may be suspicious, Mac fans are no doubt pleased to see an update to the most popular laptop in the Mac lineup, the $999 polycarbonate white MacBook.
While it's neither the less-expensive entry level MacBook some had hoped for, nor the long-rumored touchscreen device, the new 13-inch MacBook can now escape its designation as the lone holdover system from Apple's previous generation, thanks to an upscale makeover that keeps the price stable at just under the $1,000 mark.
But, does that mean recent MacBook buyers should run out and upgrade?
Like the aluminum MacBook Pro models, the MacBook now has a unibody chassis, although in this case, it's still made of polycarbonate. Unibody, Apple's preferred term, is a bit of a misnomer, as the bottom panel is separate, as are the multiple parts that make up the lid and display.
While still recognizably a MacBook, the new version has more gently sloped edges on its glossy white lid, making it look slightly slimmer when viewed straight on. The bottom half also has a rounded edge, making for an overall effect that's much less boxy, although it's still the same 1.08-inches thick as the previous version. The unibody switch shaves a little weight off the system, going from 5.1 pounds to 4.7 pounds.
The separate bottom panel is particularly interesting. It's a darker off-white color and has a matte non-slip feel, different than the glossy lid and keyboard tray. The unibody construction means the battery is no longer removable, as with the current MacBook Pro lineup -- a cause for concern to some, but we've never felt a non-removable battery was a deal-breaker in a laptop.
The matte finish bottom panel, hiding a non-removable battery.
The touch pad is the same large glass multitouch version found on the MacBook Pros, and it dominates the wrist rest area. The 13.3-inch display is now LED backlit (making that a standard feature across the entire Apple laptop lineup), which is better for both power consumption and environmental concerns. However, unlike the more expensive Pro models, you don't get the slick-looking edge-to-edge glass over the display. Other points of differentiation include the lack of an SD card slot and backlit keyboard.
FireWire fans should note that port has finally left the building. We would have thought this would be a good opportunity to add the same SD card slot found on the Pro 13-inch, but it was not to be. While we're not regular FireWire users, this does leave Apple open to accusations of removing functionality from the system.
Internal components are very similar to the previous plastic MacBook, including the Nvidia GeForce 9400 graphics. The Intel Core 2 Duo CPU has been bumped from 2.13GHz to 2.26GHz, and the default hard drive is now 250GB, up from 160GB. Configuration options are limited to 4GB of RAM (over the default 2GB) and 320GB and 500GB hard drives.
If you own a recent polycarbonate MacBook, or even an older model still in good working order, we don't see an immediate need to upgrade. But, if you've been in the market for a MacBook, and waiting to see if the holiday season would bring lower prices, this new upscale version of the MacBook is as much of a slight recessionary nod Apple is likely to give, as well as the best version to date of it's non-Pro laptop line.
On Sale Now: $954.59 - $999.00
View the latest prices for Apple MacBook Fall 2009 (Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Nvidia GeForce 9400M)
Goodbye, FlyWire: The now-cancelled product will never see store shelves.
(Credit: Belkin)Belkin will not be releasing its FlyWire wireless HDMI accessory.
CNET has learned that the company has decided not to offer the FlyWire for sale. A Belkin spokesperson confirmed the product's cancellation, saying that "its retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy."
The FlyWire was introduced at CES 2008. The unit was a transmitter/receiver combo: the transmitter toggled between multiple audio and video sources (HDMI and analog), which were then wirelessly beamed to a receiver. Since the tiny receiver required only AC power and utilized a single HDMI output, it could be stealthily mounted behind wall-mounted flat screens or ceiling mounted projectors, eliminating the need for long unsightly cable runs. At one point, Belkin was mulling two versions: an initial high-end, multiroom-capable $1,499 version for multiple AV sources, followed by a less pricey single-source transmitter.
Early demos of the FlyWire impressed us--enough that we nominated it as a finalist in the Home Video category for Best of CES 2008. (It was edged out by the Dish Network DTVPal DVR.) But the FlyWire's premature death is just another indication that wireless HDMI technology is all but stillborn at the consumer level. Other notable no-shows, at least so far: the Philips wireless HDMI kit (introduced January 2007) and the Monster Express HD System (announced summer 2008).
... Read more
(Credit:
CNET)
Unless you've been living under a rock (or in Redmond), you've no doubt seen the flood of product news coming from Apple's WWDC 2009 conference--from the new iPhone 3G S to an entire line of revamped MacBook laptops.
While we're down with the new SD card slots and lower prices (see reviews for three of the new MacBooks here), there are still a few items on our MacBook wish list:
Matte screen options
Despite the fact that nearly every serious laptop user we know prefers matte, non-glossy screens, only Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro offers a matte option--in the form of a $50 anti-glare coating add-on.Especially with the current models' edge-to-edge glass, popping open a MacBook outdoors (or in an overlit room) is just asking for trouble. Sure, glossy screens make colors pop and movies more dramatic--but we'd like to have the option of choosing a matte screen anyway (and not for $50, either).
Blu-ray drives
While high-capacity Blu-ray drives aren't quite a necessity, the format is slowing gaining a foothold. Many inexpensive Windows laptops at least offer it as an option, and many high-end laptops in the MacBook's price range include a Blu-ray drive by default.Leaving aside the idea of having a high-capacity optical backup capability, Blu-ray seems like a natural fit for the MacBook's multimedia-friendly vibe.
Mobile broadband options
Another widespread option from most PC makers. We're slowing getting to the point where having a mobile broadband account connected to your laptop is just a common tool, rather than an exotic novelty--especially with AT&T's iPhone tethering plan not yet available.While having to choose one carrier's antenna over another is a hassle, we found the built-in Verizon 3G on the HP Mini 1151nr Netbook to be "an obvious mashup of two useful technologies."
HDMI outputs
Mini DisplayPort is Apple's video connection of choice, and we've also seen a push toward it from PC makers such as Dell. But few of us have an external display with DisplayPort--HDMI, VGA, and even DVI are all more common.Apple offers some helpful adapters (at $29 each) for DVI and VGA--but no way to connect a new MacBook to an HDMI-equipped TV, for example. Fortunately, some third-party vendors now offer a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter for around $15.
Touch screens
If we had a dime for every blog rumor about an Apple tablet we've seen, we'd have at least enough for a large soy-based coffee beverage from Starbucks. Plus, Apple has already proven it's mastered the touch screen in the iPhone and iPod Touch.Actually, someone has already done this, in a way. Axiotron makes custom MacBook-based tablets by buying stock MacBooks, taking them apart, and rebuilding them as tablet PCs.
Of course, we haven't missed these features enough to keep us from bestowing the coveted Editors' Choice award on the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros. What's on your list of missing MacBook features? Let us know below!
> Need more laptop news? Follow me at twitter.com/danackerman.
> Laptops and more every week on the Digital City.
On Sale Now: $2,224.00 - $2,499.00
View the latest prices for Apple MacBook Pro Summer 2009 (Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT with 512MB, 17-inch)
The last MacBook standing.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)Apple's lowest-end laptop occupies a special place in the Mac spectrum. As of WWDC 2009, it's the last MacBook standing in the lineup--all the other Apple notebooks are now MacBook Pros. The MacBook (we can call it "the" MacBook, now) also is the last to retain the polycarbonate white plastic glossy casing that once defined a whole line of machines.
While the MacBook's more pedestrian appearance may not catch the eye as much as the unibody aluminum MacBook Pros, don't be fooled by its throwback looks--inside, Apple's done a good job of keeping the components on par with its more expensive brothers. In fact, the white MacBook has very comparable specs to the lowest-end 13-inch MacBook Pro. Its 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo processor is close to the MacBook Pro's standard 2.26 GHz one, and the Nvidia 9400M graphics processor is the same one that's in the MacBook unibody 13-inchers, so the gaming and media capabilities are comparable.
Depending on your specific needs, for $999, you're getting a real bargain with the last MacBook. You can either approach this as "for $200 more I can get a MacBook Pro," or "I can get something nearly as good as a MacBook Pro and save $200." The latter perspective, however, requires you to be willing to skip some of the Pro-level features.
The MacBook comes with two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-DVI port, a FireWire 400 port, and both a headphone and mic jack. The 160GB hard drive can be upgraded to a maximum of 500GB when ordering, a first for a MacBook. The polycarbonate body, as always, feels sturdy and well built, if thicker than the aluminum versions, and the pleasingly minimalist glossy plastic exterior and matte white interior might be more prone to picking up scratches and staining.
What you're missing by not upgrading to the $1,199 13-inch MacBook Pro is a better color-depth LED-backlit screen, a thinner, lighter body, FireWire 800, DDR3 RAM (the MacBook only has DDR2), a longer-life seven-hour (according to Apple) non-removable battery, the oversize multitouch touch pad (this smaller one does support some multitouch gestures), and an SD card slot.
If you can live without these, then the $999 MacBook just might be your bet. Even better, Apple's current back-to-school promotion throws in a free 8GB iPod Touch (minus sales tax) if you're a student, sweetening the deal a bit more, although the promotion runs across all Macs.
How PowerLine adapters work in a network.
(Credit: D-Link)If you want to take your network connection to a far corner of the house where the wireless signal can't reach, the best way to get this done is with a pair of PowerLine adapters. These little devices basically extend the network connection through the electrical wiring of the house and turn any power socket into a network port.
Generally, you need at least two adapters to make a PowerLine connection. Each adapter can be plugged into a wall power socket and each also has a network port. Once plugged in the wall socket, the adapters will have power and will transmit the data signal between the two.
D-Link recently released its next-generation PowerLine HD Network Starter Kit the DHP-303, which comes with a green twist. The kit includes two adapters that are equipped with D-Link Green Technology. This allows them to detect data transmissions to automatically power down when idle.
PowerLine adapters generally use very little energy and this kit is the first I've seen that's designed to even further reduce the power usage.
D-Link's new PowerLine HD Network Starter Kit
(Credit: D-Link)Other than that, the DHP-303 kit offers similar features as other products from Netgear, Cisco, or Belkin. It's capable of delivering speeds up to 200Mbps, fast enough for HD media streaming. It has support for Quality of Service to help prioritize data, enable smooth video streaming, and reduce lag for gaming. It also features an easy way to create a secure connection between the two adapters. You can simply get this by pressing on a button on each of them while connected. Users of Windows Vista will also be able to view the device in the operating system's Network Map.
The DHP-303 PowerLine kit is compatible with any device that uses a regular Ethernet port, including computers, printers, set-top boxes, and game consoles. All you need to do is connect one of the adapters into the router and the other into the network device, and then plug each into a power socket.
Unfortunately, D-Link's DHP-303 adapter has only one network port. This means if you want to connect more than one network device at the remote location, you will need to get a hub. New PowerLine kits from Belkin or Cisco offer up to three or four network ports at the remote location.
To make up for this, the DHP-303 kit seems greener and more importantly, comes with a friendlier price tag of $140, about $40 cheaper than the other vendors.
Fashion-forward headphones are nothing new. In the past couple of years, we've seen quite the parade of chic earphones from the likes of V-moda, Radius, and even Monster Cable. Nixon, a company best known for its board-sport-inspired line of watches and other accessories, has decided to dip its toe in these waters, too, and it should come as no surprise that the company's Wire Mic earphones are among the most stylish we've seen. However, quality is not all about good looks, and we're not without some criticisms for these $90 'buds.
