Geek in Heels - Page 206

Jul 24, 2008 • In Thursday Geek-isms

Hump Day Hook-Ups

Sorry I have been MIA lately. Summer is the busiest time of year for me at work, and since I’ve been concentrating on my health and trying to get better, I’ve been doing my best to prioritize and actually *gasp* not try to tackle everything all at once.

My face is getting a lot better, and my body has finally adjusted a no-caffeine diet. That’s the good news, along with the fact that I no longer want to go around punching handicapped children due to my high levels of stress.

The bad news is that I’m still on medication and it makes me über-sleepy. Oh, and I can’t forget the most important con: NO ALCOHOL. No taste of sweet and frosty Heinekens after a long day at work. No complimenting delectable meals with savory wine. No experimenting with yummy cocktails. Sigh.

Here they are, my favorite webposts of the week. I added an extra to make up for my absense in the past week. Okay I lied – I couldn’t decide on just ten, so you’ll just have to suffer through an extra one. Ha! Take that!

Question of the Day: Does Your Partner Understand Your Gadget Obsession? Gizmodo. J once said to me, “I finally figured it out. Gadgets are to you what jewelry is like to other girls. You just can’t get enough of them! You won’t stop buying them or whining if you can’t afford it!” I asked him if he would rather I prefer jewelry and he shut up. 🙂 At least he understands my obsession, and sometimes encourages it.

22° Halo and Other Fascinating Light Phenomena, Neatorama. Hello. Very visual, color-freak artist/designer here. Isn’t it only natural that I would let out a little “Eee!” when I saw these pictures? Oh, and going to Alaska to witness the aurora borealis is on my list of things to do before I die.

Font Conference, College Humor. Hello there, we meet again! Along with being a color freak, I’m also a font freak. Even if you can’t identify fonts at first glace as I can, I guarantee you will still enjoy this video. Just imagine popular fonts as people…meeting at a conference.

I Must Have It!: Little Knitted Link Doll, Geekologie. Duuuude. I wish I had the money to commission the entire Star Wars cast. Wonder how much that’ll be…

WordPress For iPhone Is Available on App Store, Cult of Mac. This is the first iPhone app that made me want to run around in circles and howl like a cat in heat. The first that made me seriously consider switching to AT&T for an iPhone. Must…restrain…myself…..

Exclusive: Inside the Lego Factory, Gizmodo. Those lucky bastards at Gizmodo continue to taunt us by posting a video of their experience at Lego. Just entering the vault and seeing every Lego set ever made wasn’t good enough for them. Nooo, they had to continue by taking pictures, writing about it, and now posting videos of the plastic dreammakers in production. Jerks.

26 Important Comic Books, Mental Floss Blog. Most of these were released before I was even born, but they’re so legendary that I have read or heard about them. And of course I remember Superman #75…I bought a copy and read it over and over, hoping that the ending would somehow change with each reading.

Twitter is Not a Micro-Blogging Tool, Mashable! The author of this article seems a bit…well, angry with Twitter. However, he does make some valid points and reminded me this Plurk, where ProBlogger asked, “Does Twitter and Plurk distract you from blogging?” I personally don’t use Twitter or Plurk as micro-blogs, but more as outlets. I like to think (well, at least I hope) my blog is deeper and more analytical. What to you think?

The Story of the Fail Whale, ReadWriteWeb. A great write-up on how even a site’s shortcoming can be marketed into something fun and profitable.

iPhone Defines the New Leisure Class, Cult of Mac. I’ve done my share of lining up for gadgets, but it became restricted to weekends only after obtaining a full-time job. I’m also scared that if I ever do end up getting an iPhone, I would never be able to enjoy it to its full capacity because I just don’t have the time to do so. Well, here are those who have the time to wait on line and download a gazillion apps…our new leisure class!

Star Wars Meets Classic Art, Gizmodo. How could I not include this? The results of a fun Photoshopping contest! (FYI, I was tempted to enter but again, the whole time issue stopped me in my tracks. Grr.)

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Jul 24, 2008 • In Movies, Reviews

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The Dark Knight Review

(Disclaimer: I have tried my best to not include any spoilers for those who have not seen the movie. Enjoy!)

I’m a bit late on this review, but hey, better late than never, right?

I was one of the fortunate few who were able to procure a ticket to an IMAX showing of The Dark Knight on opening night (tickets had been sold out for weeks beforehand).

To put it bluntly, I believe The Dark Knight is the best movie ever produced in my lifetime.

(I said my lifetime, you dopes. This does not include Star Wars Episode 4, because it came out before I was born!)

The entire experience was uncanny, starting with the previews. They only showed two, but what they lacked in numbers they made up in raw power.

The Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince trailer had all but one line, “Once again, I ask you to do the impossible, Harry,” followed by the famous Harry Potter jingle. What a tease! I cried bucketfuls at the end of this book and I know I’ll cry at the movie too.

And Watchmen! I’m a sucker for any good comic book adaptation, but to put the director of 300 to work on the only graphic novel ever to win a Hugo Award (and the only graphic novel to be on Time magazine’s list of “the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present”)….hello beautiful! Yes, I believe a dark movie can be beautiful, and I believe this movie truly has 300-level potential. Go watch the trailer here, and see if you can resist running to the theaters come 3/6/09. And is it just a coincidence that the Smashing Pumpkins’ “The Beginning Is the End is the Beginning” plays in the background, when the song first debuted in the Batman and Robin soundtrack? I think not.

Enough with the previews. Sorry I got so sidetracked. Needless to say, they thoroughly whet my appetite and elevated my adrenaline in preparation of The Dark Knight.

When Batman Begins was first announced, many had doubts that Christian Bale (or any other) can fill the mighty shoes of Michael Keaton. The Tim Burton days of the Batman films were the most celebrated, with Joel Schumacher (rightfully) taking crap from fans and critics alike for his ludicrous monstrosities.

However, Batman Begins prevailed. Christian Bale accurately brought to the role the dark, tortured soul depicted in the comics. I once read that Batman is so demented that he truly believes himself to be Batman, not Bruce Wayne. So in other words, Bruce Wayne is Batman’s alter ego, not the other way around. And I am able to see this in Christian Bale, both in Batman Begins and in The Dark Knight.

(all images from IMDb)

However, in this movie, the hero was clearly eclipsed by the villain. And unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few months, you should know that I’m talking about Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Batman’s nemesis, Joker.

I confess that I had my doubts when I first heard about Christopher Nolan’s decision to cast Heath Ledger as the Joker. J proclaimed, “Jack Nicholson is the Joker. THE Joker. No one can ever top Jack as the Joker, ever.” And I wholeheartedly agreed with him…until I saw the movie. (FYI, J went back on his previous statement after viewing The Dark Knight and said, “I didn’t think it could be done, but it’s happened. Heath Ledger is the better Joker.”)

Heath Ledger is so convincing, so believable, that on many occasions I had to remind myself that there is a handsome man under the paint. Several times I had to question Heath Ledger’s own sanity to be able to depict such a dark and twisted character. The Joker is insane and brilliant. His cunning yet delusional view on the world and human condition makes one wonder, “I understand why and I admire his how…am I evil as well?”

I read shortly after his death that Ledger had trouble playing the Joker because of the dark place of mind required by the role…the thinly veiled wall between acting and reality became more sheer as he threw himself into character, resulting in insomnia, agitation, and paranoia. Was the sacrifice worth it? Not for the life of the actor, that’s for sure. However, I would not be surprised if Ledger wins a posthumous Oscar for this role.

The rest of the cast was stellar as well. Maggie Gyllenhaal is an obvious upgrade from Katie Holmes, and Aaron Eckhart’s lovable performance causes the audience to actually emphasize with Two Face and his motives.

I especially loved how the trailers (even the full 5-minute one) seemed to show so much but kept some thing completely as a surprise. And these are great surprises, moments that caused gasps, cheers, and applauses throughout the movie.

As I walked out of the theater, I couldn’t help but notice the reactions from the audience. I had never before in my life seen so many collectively happy and excited faces after a movie.

I’ve read that Christopher Noland and Christian Bale have both signed on for another movie. And the rumors hint at a Penguin (who may have made an appearance as a mob boss in The Dark Knight) and possibly…Catwoman? Michelle Pfeiffer was a damn good (and sexy) Catwoman. Can she be replaced? If Nolan’s track record proves true, the answer is yes…and more.

Hump Day Hook-Ups

The past 7 days was a slow week for news. Maybe I’m getting too jaded and selective? Or perhaps it’s because the damn iPhone 3G seemed to take over my Google reader. Whatever the reason, here they are, my favorite links for the week. (And sorry that iPhone-related news take three of the spots…hey, like I said, nothing else gathered as much interest.)

Autoblog takes iPhone 3G’s navigational abilities for a spin, Engadget Mobile. The verdict? Not so great. My LG Voyager does better (and gives traffic conditions, and talks to me).

Guitar Hero: World Tour demo video blowout, Joystiq. Watch the last video. Holy crappers. Can’t wait till it comes out!

Sprint and SK Telecom in Talks to Co-Develop Awesome Phones, Gizmodo. Most of the world is on GSM networks, but I personally think that CDMA is better….if utilized correctly. If this rumor comes to life, Sprint will have the power to revitalize the US mobile market.

’24’ will kick off new season with movie, USA Today. A full-length feature film with Jack Bauer! My favorite Jack Bauer-ism: “If everyone listened to Jack Bauer, the show would be called 1.”

UPDATE: Steve Wozniak (With Posse) Has Space Saved In Line at San Jose iPhone 3G Launch, Gizmodo. The original title of this post was “Sneaky Steve Wozniak (With Posse) Cuts In Line at San Jose iPhone 3G Launch.” Apparently, witnesses at the scene thought Woz cut in line at a San Jose Apple Store in anticipation of the iPhone 3G. Woz’s people now say that they were waiting in line since 4am and Woz was just taking a break when the store opened. Um, if you are one of the co-founders of Apple, wouldn’t they send you one (or ten) anyway?

Anguish of ‘Stock’ Splits, New York Post. I know it’s mean, but I can’t help but laugh at the people featured in this article, which chronicles the rising divorce rates in this economy. No summer house in the Hamptons. No summer camp for the kids. No 3-week vacations to Europe. No country club. Boo-effing-hoo.

Scarcity, Seth’s Blog. Seth Godin’s take on how Apple could’ve done things better on the iPhone 3G launch day. It makes a lot of sense, and I sure hope someone in Apple marketing read this.

Alexandre Duret-Lutz – Wee Planets, haha.nu. Photography is another medium I enjoy, and I wish I were better at it. Some scoff at the advent of digital photography and digitally post-processed images, but I think they add another dimension to photography that could never be achieved with traditional film. Take these panoramas, for example. They are altered to create mini-globes of each scene with spectacular results. The linked site even has instructions!

No camera. No lights. Just data, Official Google Blog. Radiohead’s new music video for the song “House of Cards” was created with new laser technologies called Geometric Informatics and Velodyne Lidar. I love how this band always breaks the rules, sets new trends, and just sets the bar so high (plus, J went to the same high school as them!). Go visit this site for a link to some behind-the-scenes, extra feature goodies.

2008 Olympics Uniforms: Designed for Performance, Mental Floss Blog. The new Olympic uniforms are built to break records. Is it me or does this seem…unfair? I say they take a cue from the first Olympics and do every event in the nude.

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Jul 14, 2008 • In Gadgets, Geek

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Was the iPhone 3G Launch a Success?

I know I’ve been doing some Apple-bashing over the past couple of months, but let’s get one thing straight: I love Apple. I’m a total Machead who’s always trying to persuade her friends to switch to the Mac platform, and we only have Macs at home…three of them, in fact (my MacBook Pro, J’s black MacBook, and an iMac we share as a desktop and media hub).

I also believe that the iPhone is one of the greatest cell phones available in the US, with the best phone web browser of any handset out there.

So why the dissing and slamming?

I’ve been overly critical of Apple because I have such high expectations for it. I’m like a parent, who are our biggest critics because they love us so much and know exactly what we’re capable of.

That being said…

I think that the iPhone 3G launch was akin to attending your child’s first dance recital and watching her fall off the stage.

(Which, incidentally, I have done.)

First, there was the activation problems, rendering the newly-purchased iPhones unusable and frustrating hundreds of thousands worldwide. A clever reader at Gizmodo declared it an “iPocalypse“. Those adept at Photoshop took more creative approaches:

failPhone by Sean Osteen

iBrick by Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo

With the servers down, the first-generation iPhone owners were unable to upgrade to the iPhone 2.0 software. iPod Touch users ran into similar problems. MobileMe was another nightmare, with push issues, slow transfer speeds, and downtimes.

It is now Monday afternoon, and most of the issues above have been ironed out. Many of my tech feeds today were abuzz with Apple’s successful launch of the iPhone 3G, having sold 1 million units in just one weekend. Steve Jobs added, “It took 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so the new iPhone 3G is clearly off to a great start around the world.”

Hold on there, buddy.

Let’s not forget two main differences between the iPhone launch in 2007 and the iPhone 3G launch in 2008: price and availability.

iPhone, 2007 vs iPhone 3G, 2008 $499 for 4GB $199 for 8GB $599 for 16GB $299 for 16GB avail. in US only avail. in 21 countries

Sure, the economy in 2007 was undoubtedly better than now. But based on these figures, isn’t it obvious that more iPhones would be sold in a shorter amount of time?

Stumble, stumble, and a bit of clever PR. I was not impressed.

My Internal Clock

I have an uncanny sense of time.

I usually know what time it is without looking at a clock, and I’m almost always within 5 minutes of accuracy, to boot.

I can also set an internal “alarm” to wake me up whenever I wish.

For the past year or so, I’ve always woken up almost exactly an hour
before my actual, physical alarm clock blares its annoying beeps.

Yes, it’s a total pain in the ass. And for some reason, I cannot seem to find the “off” button to this internal alarm.

After waking up (unnecessarily) at 6:00am again this morning, I finally realized why.

I’m such a control freak that I force myself to wake up on my terms, not the alarm clock’s.

My Parents’ Old Mexican Workers

This past weekend, Neatorama posted an article called U.S. Economy Sucks, So Illegal Immigrants Are Goin’ Home!

I was immediately reminded of Mario, a worker at my parents’ old dry cleaners.

A Mexican immigrant, Mario worked the heavy press machines. He worked at the store for almost the entire 15 years of my parents’ tenure. Slowly but steadily he was able to build his salary to $700 a week.

A few years after Mario started working at the store, he married a fellow Mexican immigrant named Maria. He was able to procure a position for her at the same store. She didn’t work as many hours as him, and earned $400 a week.

Although the store was located in the wealthy suburban area of Weschester, NY, Mario and Maria rented a tiny apartment and kept their living expenses at a minimum. They did not save the surplus money; rather, they sent it to their family in Mexico.

Over the years, they were able to send enough money home for their relatives to buy two houses and send several younger cousins to college.

All on just $1,100 a week.

Reading this article made me think of Mario and wonder how he and Maria are doing. Do they still work at the same store? Did they, like many other Mexicans, choose to go back to our neighbor to the south?

As depressing as the article was, it put a smile on my face as I thought back to Mario and Maria. I hope they’re doing well.

Hump Day Hook-Ups

Bah! Humbug! Such is the life of a corporate slave. I will say no more. Read on and enjoy!

Hyundai readies Elantra LPI Hybrid for 2009 Korean launch, Engadget. As much Korean pride I may have, I’m not the biggest fan of my mother country’s automobiles. However, Hyundai’s announcement of the first hybrid to be “powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and adopt advanced Lithium Polymer (Li–Poly) batteries” sounds pretty fierce, especially in light of today’s astronomical (and rising) gas prices. Go Hyundai…*fighting*!

11 Korean Yogurt Stores that’ll Knock Your Pinkberries off, Mental Floss Blog. It’s no secret that I don’t like sweets. Hence, I’m not a big fan of ice-cream (or frozen yogurt…eh, same thing). However, I do love me some Pinkberry because it’s not sweet at all. My preferred flavor is plain, with a sprinkle of raspberries. Here are some Pinkberry alternatives for y’all! (I’ve tried Red Mango and honestly, I couldn’t tell a difference.)

Having fun with logo equations, Logo Design Love. What do you get when you add an apple and the rainbow flag, and divide the sum by a set of chompers? The old Apple logo! I love all the equations in this post – you have to see them for yourself.

Top 10 Modern Survival Tips, Lifehacker. We’re all familiar with the yellow cover of the Worst-Case Scenarios Survial Handbook. And who can forget the hit series Survivorman? But let’s face it. Just how often will you come face to face with a polar bear in the artic? Read these tips to get a heads-up on how to survive every day life.

Duhon officially signs and the Summer League roster is released, The Knicks Fix. How can I leave out one of the biggest Knicks-related announcements since D’Antoni signed on to replace Thomas? Marbury isn’t out yet, but it looks hopeful. I shall remain hopeful.

Apple Hires New VP of Product Design, Boy Genius Report. Apple is one of the top companies in the world for product design, so Doug Field has quite a shoe to fill. I agree with ol’ Steve-O in believing that the Segway sucks in terms of industrial design…how will Mr. Field fit in at Apple?

Joystiq hands-on: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii), Joystiq. I haven’t been this excited about a game since Super Smash Bros Brawl. Heck I might even get the lightsaber attachments for the Wiimote!

Are Gadgets Using Up Some Elements? Gizmodo. Duuude. As much as I love me my gadgets, this news is pretty depressing. Would they get rid of the elements from the periodic table?

Mona Lisa Graffiti, Neatorama. I need to include this in here because my sorority nickname was Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named youuuuu. You’re so like the lady with the mystic smile…okay I’ll stop singing. Go check out Leonardo’s masterpiece in action!

Secrets of Stradivarius Explained, Wired Science. Look, I’m a violinist (or, I used to study it seriously). My mouth salivates and the fingers on my left hand start twitching whenever I’m in the presence of a beautifully carved, exquisite-sounding instrument. And yes, The Red Violin is one of my favorite movies. Naturally this article made me gasp and squeal some…can it be that wood density is the secret to the Stradivari violins?

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Jul 8, 2008 • In Geek

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Why I Won’t Be Joining the Masses on July 11th

On Friday, July 11 2008, at 8:00am, the iPhone 3G will be upon us.

Those with disposable vacation days have started to line up already:

(Photo courtesy of Engadget)

As the first person in line at the Auckland, New Zealand Vodaphone store, this lucky bastard will be the first person in the world to own an iPhone:

(Photo courtesy of Gizmodo)

So comes the question at hand: will the Geek in Heels, the self-professed Apple lover and gadget freak, be lining up as well come this Friday?

The answer is no.

I confess I would have broken my Verizon contract and jumped ship if the 2nd generation iPhone seduced me enough.

But it didn’t.

Tempted? Just a smidge.

Seduced? Eh. David Hasselhoff doing his “Hooked on a Feeling” routine is more seducing:

Allow me to explain why.

1. There isn’t enough of a change from the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G to warrant a switch.

The main difference between the two is that the 2nd gen has 3G and GPS. True, we must take into account that the original iPhone was (and is) one of the best cell phones on the market. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

However I, and many other Apple fanboys, were expecting more from the 2nd gen iPhone. Improved security. True push capabilities (the iPhone 3G’s version of push is more of a workaround). A flamethrower. Just give us one more thing to set it apart from other handsets.

My current phone, the LG Voyager, already has 3G and GPS. It talks to me when it gives me directions. Give me something new, and I’ll switch.

2. The hardware design is worse than the original iPhone.

I don’t care if plastic gives better reception than brushed aluminum – the brushed aluminum looked better. And the difference in reception is minimal anyway.

And the curves…oh the curves! I honestly don’t like the design of the MacBook Air for this same reason. I like a more boxy, industrial look to my gadgets. Curves tend to make gadgets look like toys.

3. No physical keyboard.

Okay, so this was my main gripe with the original iPhone. Call me old-fashioned, but I need a physical keyboard. I need to feel the clickitty-click under my fingers.

My Voyager has a touchscreen too, but I hardly use it. I prefer the flip-out keyboard.

In this case, the added bulk would be worth it.

4. The iPhone 3G is not less expensive than the original iPhone; in fact, it’s more expensive.

Read this article from the Consumerist that proves it. And the fact that Apple and AT&T are only advertising the lower initial cost pisses me off.

5. The iPhone is still locked with only AT&T and this time, you have to activate the phone in-store.

I know they’re only doing this to protect their own interests, but c’mon.

Will the next version of the iPhone meet my expectations? I hope so, but I doubt it. Will any phone ever meet all my expectations? Yes, when we are able to customize our handsets to the T. Which, in other words, means no.

Feeling Unattractive

I think every girl has those days when she feels Jabba-esque.

You know what I’m talking about. When all your outfits make you look fat. When no amount of concealer will hide the dark circles under your eyes. When your hair refuses to acquiesce to endless styling and products.

Lately I’ve been having more of these days, mainly due to my lopsided face. It’s subtle, but I can tell the difference, and when the owner isn’t feelin’ it the body tends not to cooperate.

“Do you think I’m ugly?”

This is the question dreaded by men all over the world. How do you respond to that? What if your girlfriend or wife does in fact, look like shit that day?

Lucky for me, J always has the perfect answer to that question:

“Look, I’m a very superficial and shallow person. Why would I be with you if I didn’t think you’re pretty?”

It’s so outrageous and downright cocky that I can’t help but laugh and end up forgetting why I was feeling down in the first place.

Hump Day Hook-Ups

The doc has put me on a caffeine-free diet. Add that to the herbal medicine which is supposed to help me relax, and…

ZzzzZzzzzzzzZzzzz

I have never been more tired in my life.

I’m so tempted to pass out, but I can’t ignore my Wednesday tradition, can I?

WordPress Stays Hip with the Times, Adds Gears and Looks to OAuth, ReadWriteWeb. WordPress is implementing Google Gears! This will be revolutionary…or a great disaster. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to try it out.

Twitter Boycott: Declare your independence from Twitter on July 4, Conversational Media Marketing. Twitter has been a major PITA as of late, and I’ve found myself using Plurk a lot more. Yesterday, I even replaced the Twitter widget on this blog with a Plurk badge – the Twitter widget was slowing my load time due to Twitter’s problems. I will surely be joining in on this boycott come Friday.

Macgyver Gets Lazy, xkcd. xkcd does it again! Click over for this hilarious one-frame comic strip.

Guitar Hero III getting free ‘Top Gun Anthem’ DLC, Joystiq. J nearly busted his nuts when he read this. Unfortunately, we have Guitar Hero on the Wii, NOT XBox. Doh!

Touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder Is BlackBerry 9500, Has Higher Res Screen Than iPhone, Gizmodo. I have a whole slew of reasons for not getting the iPhone (will write a post about it later), but the BB Thunder looks mighty tempting…

Shape-shifting, organ-probing chembots coming soon, Engadget. T-1000! T-1000!!!!!

Adobe Makes Flash Searchable – The Holy Grail of Website Usability? ReadWriteWeb. Searchable Flash is definitely a major step in website development. However, the more I think about it, many websites have been steering away from Flash lately. Will this increase the presence of Flash on the web? I’m not so sure.