Product And Service Reviews | Electronically Obsessed: A tech addict's guide to using the Internet to streamline your life

28Jan/100

The iPad review roundup

By now, I'm sure all of you have heard about Apple's new product, the iPad tablet computer. I will review this as soon as a get the opportunity to demo one, but until then, here's a summary of the features:

Price

Wi-fi Only

16GB - $499

32GB - $599

64GB - $699

If you want 3G, add $130 to the cost

Data Plans via AT&T (no contract)

up to 250 MB - $14.99/month

unlimited - $29.99/month

Reviews

Engadget: Solid feel, no Flash support, no multitasking, no camera, great CPU - very responsive

Gizmodo: 3G models include GPS

MacBreak Weekly's wall-to-wall coverage: Great panel of guests. Leo is always so enthusiastic, it's infectious!

Justine Ezarik: The lucky girl didn't have a press pass, but still was able to get into the demo room.

24Jan/100

Running more than one operating system: Cross Platform Software and Virtual Machines

Cross platform software like Parallels Desktop for Mac lets you run multiple operating systems at once (iStockphoto)

Since I made the switch to a Mac back in November 2008, I've really enjoyed the user experience. For my personal use, Mac OS X offers pretty much everything I need, from chat clients like Adium, to a very good Office Suite with Open Office. However, while I've almost completely stepped away from Windows for my personal use, I still have to use Windows XP every single day at work (this makes me sad).

Why virtual machines?

At first, I thought I would just buy a copy of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, but I read about incompatibilities between the Mac and Windows versions, particularly if you are creating and editing complex documents. I had the same issue with Open Office. Instead of dealing with incompatibility headaches, why not just run Windows on my Mac? That way, I can run whatever Windows-based program I need for work.

I considered using Boot Camp, which is a feature bundled with Mac OS X that allows you to boot into Windows. However, I didn't want the headache of having to reboot every time I wanted to switch between Windows and Mac OS X. Instead, I opted to purchase a copy of Parallels Desktop for Mac, which allows you to run Windows within Mac OS X.

Parallels Desktop for Mac

Parallels works by creating virtual machines that run inside the Mac OS X environment. Mac OS X acts as a host operating system for the virtual machines. The virtual machines are basically programs that act like a physical computer. After the virtual machine is created, you can install whatever operating system you want on the virtual machine. At one time, I had separate virtual machines for Windows XP, Windows 7 RC 1, and Ubuntu Linux. Now, I only have a Windows XP virtual machine for work.

Blue Screen of Death? No Problem!

The great thing about using virtual machines is that if they crash, you can just restart them like you are rebooting a physical computer. However, restarting a virtual machine doesn't affect your host operating system. For example, if you're working in Windows XP virtual machine and you run into an application crash, you can restart your Windows XP virtual machine without affecting Mac OS X.

The Power of Choice

The great thing about running virtual machines is that you can select whatever operating system you want without having to reboot your computer. Also, running a Windows virtual machine on a Mac essentially means that you own both a Mac and Windows machine. You can switch between them as needed.

Viruses and Spyware

One thing you do have to remember is that you do need to protect your Windows virtual machine as if you would a real, physical Windows computer. It's probably a good idea to install antivirus and antispyware programs. You should also run Windows Update on a regular basis to make sure your Windows virtual machine has the latest patches and fixes.

One good thing about virtual machines is that if one gets infected with a virus or spyware, you can just delete the virtual machine without it harming the rest of your computer.

Action Items

If you think that running virtual machines is something you want to do, click here to purchase some cross platform software. I prefer Parallels Desktop for Mac, but I've heard very good things about VMware Fusion as well.
Tell me about your experiences or questions regarding running more than one operating system on your computer. Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

Note: The cross platform software link is an affiliate link. This means that if you click the above link and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

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Tagged as: cross platform software, parallels No Comments

19Jan/100

Top 5 Favorite Mac Applications

You switched to Mac.... Now what? (iStockphoto)

You made the switch! Now what?

A friend of mine just made the transition to a shiny new iMac. I personally made the transition to a Mac in late 2008 and I haven't looked back since. Here are the Mac applications that I use every single day.

Adium: My favorite instant messenger aggregator - supports AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Facebook, GTalk, etc.
Tweetie: I prefer the smaller screen footprint of Tweetie to Tweetdeck.
Cross Platform Software: I prefer Parallels Desktop for Mac. Parallels allows you to run Windows applications side-by-side with your Mac applications.
Open Office.org: This is a very credible Microsoft Office substitute.
Dropbox: Backup, file transfer, and file synchronization, all in one.

Note: The cross platform software link is an affiliate link. This means that if you click the above link and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

Action Item

Tell me about your favorite Mac applications. What are your top suggestions for new Mac users? Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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29Dec/092

Product Review: Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

Bose QuietComfort 15 (Photo taken by the Author)

Bottom Line Review:

If you can stomach the sticker shock, the Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphonesare some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. The noise cancelling function is truly remarkable, where the sounds of a loud store were instantly pushed to the background. Unfortunately, the headphones cannot work without the noise cancellation function turned on. When the battery dies, the music goes with it.

Detailed Review

Sticker Shock: $299! Are you out of your mind?

A few months back, my now-wife mentioned that we should look into getting some Bose QuietComforts for our plane trip to Los Angeles. I took one look at the price and thought, "I don't care if those headphones can sprout wings and fly us to Los Angeles. I'm not paying $299 for a pair of headphones."

A couple of weeks ago, The Wife tried them in the Apple store and wanted me to try them as well. I wanted to stay away from them, fearing that if I did put them on, I would want to get a pair.

Giving it a chance

Last week, I was shopping for Christmas gifts in the same Apple store and walked past the Bose QuietComfort display.

After taking a deep breath, I slipped on the Bose® QuietComfort® 15s.

Maybe I was wrong

The iPhone connected to the Bose® QuietComfort® 15swas playing "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. As far as audio reproduction goes, it was impressive. I am not an audiophile, so I won't comment on pure audio quality. However, the noise cancellation function truly impressed me. At the time, the Apple Store was SLAMMED. Last minute shoppers and Apple employees scrambled about, looking for the perfect gift. Needless to say, it was loud in there.

The Bose® QuietComfort® 15spushed all the sounds of frantic Christmas shopping to the background. In fact, I had to concentrate to hear the background noise over the sounds of Steve Perry and Journey. I was sold. A few minutes later, I walked out of the Apple store with a brand-new pair of Bose® QuietComfort® 15s
.

I can't wait to try them on a plane. I guess we'll just have to take another trip soon!

Pros

Very comfortable, excellent noise cancellation function.

Cons

Expensive, cannot operate without the noise cancellation function active (when the battery runs out, the headphones don't function)

Action Items

If the Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphonesare for you, click hereto purchase them via Amazon.com.
E-mail me or comment below to tell me about your travel experiences with your gadgets!

Note: The above links are affiliate links. This means that if you click the above links and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

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Tagged as: headphones, noise cancelling 2 Comments

15Dec/090

Games on the go – Top 3 Free iPhone Games of the Moment

Sometimes, you're stuck waiting in a line or just have a few minutes to kill. Here are my current Top 3 favorite iPhone games for those times!

1. Word Warp Free (Free - iTunes Link)

Word Warp Free (Screenshot taken by the Author)

This is a simple, but addictive game that reminds me of a cross between Scrabble and a crossword puzzle. In the time allotted, you must try to come up with as many words as possible, but you are limited only to the provided letters. If you get stumped, you can hit the "warp" button, which reorders the letters in a random manner. Word Warp plays very much like Text Twist.

2. Chess with Friends Free (Free - iTunes Link)

Chess with Friends (Screenshot taken by Author)

Chess with Friends is a great way to play chess... with your friends, over Wi-Fi or 3G. Chess with Friends resembles playing chess via the mail. Each time a player makes a move, a message can be sent (via push notifications) to the opposing player that it's time for the opposing player to make a move. There is also an in-game chat program that enables real-time or offline chat for prime chess trash talking!

3. Words with Friends Free (Free - iTunes Link)

Words with Friends (Screenshot taken by the Author)

Words with Friends, by the makers of Chess with Friends, is a Scrabble-like game for the iPhone. Words with Friends includes the same features as Chess with Friends (push notifications and in-game word smack talk!)

Action Item

If you are an iPhone user, give Word Warp, Chess with Friends, and Words with Friends a try. Tell me about your favorite iPhone time wasters! Please comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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9Dec/090

Product Review: Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger

Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger (Photo taken by the Author)

As I mentioned in a prior post, the Wife and I just spent a few days in San Francisco for our honeymoon. During our trip, we depended heavily on our iPhones for directions and communication with our friends back home.

iPhone Battery Woes

As any smartphone owner knows, any sustained or frequent use of your smartphone will tax your battery. The iPhone is no exception. However, since the iPhone doesn't have a removable battery, you can't just take out the battery and pop in a fresh one. When traveling, an external battery is a must.

Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger

As we stood in the Apple store located in San Francisco's Union Square, I realized we had a problem. Even if I bought a backup battery for our iPhones, we would have no way of charging them up since we didn't plan on sitting next to an outlet for the next few hours. Then, the Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger caught my eye.

But does it work?

My answer would be a qualified "yes." The Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger includes the words "Hybrid" and "Emergency" for a reason. As you can see in the picture above, the Solio Mono includes a large solar panel for charging the internal battery. The Solio can also be charged via USB as well, hence the term "Hybrid."

The word "Emergency" is a wiggle word. Unfortunately, you can't rely on the solar panel as your sole source of energy. If your Solio is completely out of juice, it takes about 5.5 hours of sunlight to get about a 20% charge.

Of course, we basically used the solar panel charging function as a supplement. Once we emptied the Solio on the first day, we just left it out to literally soak up the sun for the rest of the day. We actually got a few more minutes of 3G data access from leaving the Solio out. If you're an outdoors enthusiast, the Solio's solar charging can be a useful last resort if you're nowhere near a power outlet.

Not just for the iPhone

The biggest strength of the Solio Mono is not the solar charging function, but its ability to charge USB devices. Many iPhone accessories are limited to use with Apple products. Not so for the Solio. The package includes a USB charging cable to enable charging of virtually any other device that can accept a USB charge.

Action Items

If the Solio Mono Emergency Hybrid Solar Charger is for you, click here to purchase it via Amazon.com.
E-mail me or comment below to tell me about your travel experiences with your gadgets!

Note: The above links are affiliate links. This means that if you click the above links and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

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16Nov/090

Break free from (and cancel!) your cable or satellite subscriptions (Part III): Netflix on the Playstation 3

Internet Streaming vs. Blu-ray

The Playstation 3 is more than just a game console - it's actually a Trojan horse. In 2006, Sony used the Playstation 3 as a weapon against Toshiba in the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD high-definition video war. By equipping each Playstation 3 with a Blu-ray drive (and selling them at a loss), millions of Blu-ray-capable players were installed in homes all over the world. While Blu-ray offers some of the best video quality for the home market, Internet streaming services such as Netflix's Watch Instantly (which allows on-demand streaming of thousands of movie and television titles) are not far behind.

Netflix Watch Instantly on the Playstation 3

Last week, Netflix released the Playstation 3 Netflix Watch Instantly disc. If you are a Netflix subscriber and own a PS3, this disc enables your PS3 to stream movies from Netflix and display them directly on your television. I received my disc on Friday and have been really impressed by the streaming quality. I didn't notice any dropped frames, stuttering, or synching problems between the video and audio (all of these were issues with Media Mall's PlayOn Digital Media Server). However, the best part of the experience is that the Watch Instantly service offers some movie and television titles in HD! Watch out Blu-ray!

Action items

Subscribe to Netflix. Get at least the $8.99/month plan for unlimited disc rentals (one-movie-at-a-time) and unlimited Watch Instantly streaming.
If you don't already have a Playstation 3, this is the best time to buy one. Click the following Amazon.com product link to buy one now --> PlayStation 3 120 GB. The newly-redesigned PS3 is only $299. This is a great deal because a standalone Blu-ray player can easily cost $200.
Order your Netflix Watch Instantly PS3 disc here.
Load up your disc in your PS3, select a movie or television show, and enjoy!

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12Nov/090

Break free from (and cancel!) your cable or satellite subscriptions (Part II): PlayOn Media Server

TV on the Internet

While Internet TV can be used as a replacement for cable or satellite subscriptions, most people like to enjoy their television programming in their living rooms. For some, watching television on their computer screens is just not as satisfying. Enter Media Mall's PlayOn Digital Media Server!

Quick Take:

MediaMall's PlayOn Media Server streams web video to game consoles (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and now, Wii) for display on televisions. Cautiously recommended due to impressive video quality (for web video) and easy setup (due to uPnP).

However, PlayOn suffers from inconsistent availability. Frequently, these outages are outside of Media Mall's control. Customer service (in addressing the outages), on the other hand, is stellar. Media Mall has a very active user forum. They are also known for addressing outages quickly. Cost: Initial 14 day free trial, with a one-time charge of $39.95 after the end of the trial period.

Detailed Review:

Hulu

I've been a huge fan of Hulu since the service became available to the public in March 2008. I had actually signed up for the private beta test by submitting my email address, but didn't receive an invite until after the service went public. Not only does Hulu allow me to catch up on previous episodes of some of my current favorite television shows like NBC's "The Office", "Chuck", and FOX's "Dollhouse," I've also been able to watch older shows that I missed during their original broadcast like FOX's "Arrested Development."

Slow Computer Blues

While I initially didn't mind watching Hulu on my Windows Vista HP laptop, I felt that it would be great to enjoy my favorite shows on the couch, in front of my HDTV. Until recently, my standard Hulu setup involved a direct connection between my laptop and the PC input of my television. Unfortunately, my laptop's integrated graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150) just couldn't handle the task of displaying full-screen video without jitter and distracting stutter. I tried everything: updating the drivers, downgrading to Windows XP, installing a clean install of Windows Vista Ultimate, adding a USB key in hopes of taking advantage of Vista's ReadyBoost memory feature. Nothing worked.

I was ready to give up until I read an Engadget post about MediaMall's PlayOn Media Server.

Media Mall's PlayOn

PlayOn is a Windows-only (XP or Vista) media server that downloads video from Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and other Internet video sites and streams that content to a Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii or any other DNLA (Digital Living Network Alliance)-compliant networked media device. When the service is operating, the results are absolutely stunning. The video is crisp and clear, with no detectable jitter or lag. To my eyes, the quality is somewhere between standard-definition TV and DVD. Setup was a breeze too, thanks to Universal Plug and Play (uPnP). All I did was download the program, install it on my PC, turn on my PS3, select the "PlayOn" icon under the "video" option in the PS3 menu, and seconds later, I was watching "Chuck" on my HDTV. Brilliant.

After the installation of PlayOn, my PC and PS3 share the responsibilities of providing the content to my television. The PC downloads and transcodes the content into a format that the PS3 can understand. Then, the PC streams the content to the PS3 over the home network. Both wired Ethernet and wireless (802.11b, g, and n) connections are supported, but my setup allows me to have both the PC and the PS3 connected directly to my wireless router.

Plug-ins for More Content

Upon installation, PlayOn enables streams of Hulu, CNN, ESPN, Netflix, CBS, YouTube, and Amazon Video-on-Demand. Downloadable unofficial plugins (which are not supported by MediaMall) from PlayOnPlugins bring even more content (Revision 3, The Food Network, GameTrailers, HGTV, NBA, etc.) to your television.

PlayOn has a 14-day trial period where you can truly test the software to see if it's a good fit. After the trial period ends, you have to pay a one-time charge of $39.95 to continue using the software.

Action Items:

Go to http://themediamall.com and download the free, full function trial software.
Interface your PC with your Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii (or any other DNLA-compliant media client)
Enjoy Internet video on your TV
Purchase PlayOn when your 14 day trial is up!

Note: This post is an edited version of a post originally featured on the original Electronically Obsessed site.

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Tagged as: cancel cable, Internet TV, PlayOn, playstation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 No Comments

11Nov/090

Establishing your online presence (Part II): Putting up your website

Blog (iStock)

In Part I of the "Establishing your online presence" series, we discussed selecting a webhosting provider. In this article, we will discuss how you can quickly and easily design and construct a new website using an open-source tool available via the Internet.

Once you have signed up for a webhosting account and picked your domain name, the next step involves putting up a website.

Creating Your Website

Many people think that putting up a website involves hiring a web designer, waiting a few weeks for the site design, and paying a web administrator to maintain and update the website. Others think that putting up a website involves taking classes in HTML and spending hours learning how to use expensive web design tools like Dreamweaver.

Enter Wordpress

In fact, Wordpress is a free, open-source, and (relatively) easy-to-use platform that anyone can use to quickly create a website. One of the great things about my recommended webhosting service, Blue Host, is that a video tutorial on how to install Wordpress is included with your webhosting subscription. When you install Wordpress on your webhosting account, this Wordpress installation is typically known as a "self-hosted Wordpress blog."

The greatest strength of Wordpress lies in its ease of customization. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Wordpress theme templates that allow the user to instantly change the look and feel of their site. There is a large open-source movement that generates and supports plug-ins (bits of code that performs a function such as, for example, display Twitter updates of the author). The plug-ins allow people who have no interest in combing through code to quickly include new functionality to their Wordpress blogs.

Wordpress.com vs. Self-Hosted Wordpress

If you just want to experiment with Wordpress, check out Wordpress.com. Wordpress.com is a web service that hosts your Wordpress blog for you, usually for free. A trade-off is that your addresses usually take the form of <YourSite'sName>.wordpress.com. Another major trade-off is that you are severely restricted from running advertising on your Wordpress.com blog. Because of these restrictions, I would recommend that you either start with a self-hosted Wordpress blog or migrate your Wordpress.com blog to a self-hosted Wordpress blog as soon as you decide to monetize your traffic to your site.

So, what does this all mean?

In my case, I registered for a webhosting account with Blue Host and installed Wordpress in a matter of minutes. Less than two hours later, I had a live, customized site with a few posts. So, here are a couple of items you can do right now and should take about two hours.

Sign up for webhosting.
Install Wordpress in your webhosting account
Find a theme that you like
Install the theme
Write your first post --- You are LIVE!

And you didn't even need to pay a web designer....

Note: The link to Blue Host is an affiliate link. If you click on the Blue Host affiliate link and subsequently purchase web hosting, I will receive a commission on the sale.

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10Nov/090

Establishing your online presence (Part I): Webhosting

Web address (iStock) Businesses and individuals have maintained websites for years. In the past, putting up a decent website might cost thousands of dollars and months of development. These days, with the use of a few simple tools and a few dollars a month, you can register a domain name, create a website, and go live in a matter of hours.

Here are a couple of options for webhosting that allows users to quickly establish a online presence.

Webhosting

Personally, I use Blue Host, which appears to be a good choice for someone just starting out with their first website. Hosting costs $6.95/month. When I signed up with Blue Host, my domain name registration was included in the cost of the web hosting fees.

However, despite the reasonable fees charged by Blue Host, what really impressed me were their very easy to follow video tutorials. The video tutorials take you, step-by-step, through popular functions, from setting up a self-hosted Wordpress blog to using a FTP utility. These video tutorials were invaluable for web site newbies.

I have also heard good things about PowWeb, but have not personally used their services.

Note: The link to Blue Host is an affiliate link. If you click on the Blue Host affiliate link and subsequently purchase web hosting, I will receive a commission on the sale.

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