After trying to get Windows 7 to install, XP Pro to install, and after that Ubuntu (even Ubuntu failed) on an older Windows laptop, I gave up. Each one had a different bitchy reason as to why it would refuse to install. After a few hours of trying every trick in the book I basically said f it. I had really hoped Windows 7 would have installed, because I think its a GREAT effort from Microsoft, best they’ve done since XP dropped over 8 years ago. Cest la vie.

I guess my Mac-hating was pretty justified over the years, but now theres no reason to not consider one from Apple. The software compatibility / availability is pretty on par now, and Leopard OSX 10.5+ REALLY flies compared to their older versions. I went with the white 2.0 ghz core duo and added 4 GB of ram into it. I wasn’t concerned really about a 13″ screen (its pretty big and viewable), at home I hook it into my 52″ LCD if I need to see more.

Being 64 bit, Leopard can handle every bit of that RAM too. 32 bit OS like XP and Vista cannot use more than 3GB of ram, which was always a point of stupidity to me. Why would software have such a limitation? Now I can run what I want without worrying that I am going to run out of memory. It has BootCamp standard, which means I could install XP/Vista if I chose to for dual boot purposes. Like if I needed to use something in Windows.

Honestly? I haven’t even reached for an install disc, and I don’t think I am going to. I am even considering getting a 24″ iMac this year to replace my aging desktop.

Pete and I have a feeling Microsoft will be on the way out in the next 5 or 10 years. It takes forever to explain, but using another OS for an hour like OSX or Ubuntu and its clearer to see why; it all just works.

So why Gmail? For starters, its really simple to import existing contacts into your system from your other accounts. Gmail also supports POP3 and IMAP- for free. This means that you can use any email client like Mozilla Thunderbird (also free) from any desktop and connect to your email. Last time I checked, Hotmail and Yahoo! both charged an annual fee to do this which is ridiculous. It isolates customers who don’t want to be tied to a web interface all the time. My storage cap at that time was like 250 MB, a ridiculously small amount. So it was no contest to switch to Gmail, who offer 6 GB to 8 GB per account, almost enough to last a lifetime (I have 7000 email conversations in my inbox).

Included with Gmail is Google Docs, Google’s online alternative to Microsoft Office. It is a lightweight application for basic word processing or spreadsheet creation. You can also share access with other Gmail clients (coworkers, friends, employees) by putting in their email address into the access list. They can then access the files and make revisions without ever having to connect to a server or downloading / uploading files, its all done from the web interface. And if that isn’t enough, Google Talk is embedded into the mailbox sections loaded with your contact list. If they also use Gmail, you can IM directly through Gmail instantly through the power of AJAX.

For those that are tech savvy like me and own an iPhone or iPod Touch, Gmail is supported fully either through Safari or the device’s Mail application- which to me is even more addictive than the Blackberry (Crackberry).

All of these reasons alone are enough to cut ties with other email services and sign up with Google. If that wasn’t enough, check out this article detailing 10 Reasons To Switch To Gmail.

Well, egg on the face my friends. The only reason Cuil’s search index is bigger is because their contextual and ranking algorithms suck. Try any kind of broad term in Cuil and you’ll typically get back pages and pages of linkbait / linkfarm sites. Found that out on the second search, first, trying my full name, and then, a targeted phrase. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Cuil is nowhere near Google in terms of search relevance. Looks like they got ahead of themselves with the announcement and now look quite foolish.

Besides, what good is a search index of 121 jillion pages if results on the first 5 pages aren’t worth jack? Statistics show that most users will try a new search after reaching the third page, if they even bother to go that far.

Cuil suhx. But for the curious… http://www.cuil.com

For those who don’t know, the iPhone and iPod Touch are identical (the iPod has no phone capability, obviously). As long as iPhone is on AT&T, I’ll never have one. I don’t think I would want my phone and iPod as one anyway for various reasons, but I digress.

The AppStore boasts a few hundred applications with more on the way. Apple is encouraging developers around the world to develop for the iPhone, and even make a little money too (some apps are free, others cost anywhere from 1.99 to 99.99).  The SDK has been available for some time now, and there are tons of unique apps on AppStore. Ironically, its the free ones that seem to be the best (the paid ones are poorly to mediocrely scored). Users weigh in on AppStore apps with reviews, for usability, performance, purpose, stability. It’s like a condensed version of an Amazon product page.

I browse the AppStore daily for new apps or updates. My only complaint with it so far, if not the only one, is that there isn’t a section to see ‘New’ apps.  I can’t tell if these are mixed in with the listings, but they are not easy to spot unless you have a pretty good memory. Perhaps a future update will make this easier to view.

I am an avid music lover, so I was quite thrilled to find the following apps on AppStore. Incidentally, they are what I consider the best current apps on AppStore so far, basically because they saved me from having to invest in Sirius or XM Radio (I have a huge disdain for FM radio- its disgusting crap that never changes because the industry is so messed up, but thats a whole other topic). Now with these I have immensely supplemented my playlist of ~3000 mp3s with free streaming music:

1. AOL Radio – Besides AOL Instant Messenger, this has to be hands down the best thing AOL has ever put out, period. With tons of stations at your fingertips, there is always something brand new just a tap away. So long as you have a data connection, you have music, and its all totally free. On top of that, you can mark favorites, or tap to purchase the track from an online store, and see a list of recently listened to songs for purchasing. This alone is worth the investment for an iPod Touch / iPhone. But wait, theres more.
2. Last.fm – Last.fm was another internet service that I was a heavy user of. It works based on delivering songs to you from picking genres you like. The userbase tags songs and artists so the results that stream to you are fine tuned. I used this a lot last year to discover new music and now its on the iPod Touch / iPhone too. It also keeps complete logs of what you’ve listened to on your account page. Can’t get any better than that.
3. Pandora – I remember when Pandora was an technical demo of sorts back in my first year of college (2000). I was quite impressed at the level of accuracy and the algorithm behind Pandora that makes it such a great / unique service. It’s very simple: Pandora lets you input your favorite bands, and based on what you put in, it creates playlists for you of music it believes you will enjoy. There are so many factors and ways it indexes music its insane- and for me, it’s rarely off the mark. Over 400 different musical attributes (see List of Music Genome Project attributes) are considered when selecting the next song. These 400 attributes are combined into larger groups called focus traits. There are 2,000 focus traits. Examples of these are rhythm syncopation, key tonality, vocal harmonies and displayed instrumental proficiency. It’s almost like Pandora can read your mind.
4. Tuner – Tuner is very similar to AOL Radio, but with full listings of Internet radio stations, or ShoutCast radio stations. These are indie stations created by users and their own playlists. There is just so much music here its insane. Comedy and talk as well. I heard this app was pulled from AppStore though, but I cannot confirm.
5. WeatherBug – Normally I wouldn’t dare ever suggest to anyone to put WeatherBug on their computer, due to its bugginess and spyware/adware it throws on your PC. But for a portable device like the iPod Touch / iPhone, it’s indispensable. If only the device’s Weather program was more robust I wouldn’t need this. But when you live at the beach, this is a must have- especially for the Google Map Weather Radar mashup.

This is just the start for what AppStore will have. It will only get better as time goes on. The top 5 apps above are free, with the exception of Tuner ($5.99).

The games are great too. One game, Super Monkey Ball (first released as a GameCube title, unbelievable) uses the accelerometers to guide the ball through the mazes. Just a glimpse of what is possible with the future of handhelds in general. It’s been said that the iPod Touch alone is as powerful as the Sega Dreamcast, a console from 2000/2001 which saw its demise when the Playstation 2 was released. That is pretty damn powerful, as most fans (including me) still have/use the Dreamcast from time to time. Mine is loaded with 800 classic Nintendo games. Child of the 80′s.

Get one of these. You’ll be glad you did.

www.kevinquillen.com

I am waiting on a few more books to come in. I now have roughly 3 on order every 2 weeks. I should be getting in ‘No Country for Old Men’, and ‘Slash’ this week.

http://www.designmeltdown.com/chapters/GotWood/Part4.aspx

Second row of thumbnails, #2. Bayball Classic has been part of a recent feature on Design Meltdown, one of the biggest graphic design websites on the internet. Every few weeks the authors select a handful of sites from the internet and feature them as part of their theme article. “Got Wood?” features a classic design element of using wood as a major design piece. Bayball Classic, a website for a local basketball tournament, has a hardwood court background that fills the site. Even though the site is a year old, its still one of my favorite designs here.

“Interesting how we can read into the people behind a site based on such a simple element isn’t it? Just serves to show that you have to think things through. Your saying something about yourself with every design decisions you make.” – From Design Meltdown

Inclind, Inc. definitely makes a statement with every design, website, and web application we make.

Contact us (302-856-2802) for more information.

If you are unfamiliar with the band, here are two music videos of theirs. “Sink into the Underground” and “Close Yet Far” (respectively), both off of their 2003 release “Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild”.

Their new album (to be titled) is due in early 2008.

Sink into the Underground:

Close Yet Far:

For those of you on the Delmarva Peninsula, CKY will be coming around again on October 31st for a show at the Electric Factory, in Philadelphia, PA.

To see all their tour dates, please visit:

http://www.ckyalliance.com/events/index.cfm