Craig.Carlen[Online].com

It’s been a long while since I’ve posted anything to this blog. I would attribute that to the new job I’ve been trying to settle into - and I say job because at this point, I don’t exactly consider it a career move.

Enough about that…I want to get right into this.  I was reading through some blogs and other sites tonight and came across this little gem: Apple just gave out my Apple ID password because someone asked.  Brilliant!  I don’t even need to comment - although I will - for no other reason than I really enjoy taking shots at Apple.

I’ve been pondering as of late what it is exactly one gets with the overpriced hardware commonly referred to as a Mac.  You see we recently had to replace my wife’s four year old laptop - it died like any piece of hardware can - unexpectedly and out of warranty.  The system we ordered is similar in makeup as this top of the line MacBook Pro.  Although you’ll need to make some upgrades: upgrade to 4Gig of Ram, and upgrade to the 300Gig harddrive - although the one we ordered is slightly larger and faster.  So once the 17″ MacBook Pro is properly configured (including a warranty) it’s exactly 2.3349249658935879945429740791269 more than the new laptop my wife will soon have delivered.

So for the Macaphites who contend that comparable Windows-based systems are comparably priced - go over to the corner, sit there, and take your medicine - because it’s not true.  And now it seems that the .Mac service Macaphites willingly pay $100/yr for - a service that you can honestly get for free using a few web-based applications - is prone to a few - well at least one security flaw.  Again, I say Brilliant!  Just Brilliant!

I suppose with all the recent security updates to the OS X operating system, Apple should have included a few well placed memos on handling security for user accounts.

Hey - Everyone - LOOK!  The new iPhone is set to hit the streets on July 11th.  3G capable, more overall features and a $199 price tag which is $200 less that the first generation phone.  WOOT!

But…and it seems with Apple there’s always a but… …there’s a catch.  Your shinny new iPhone will really cost you $160 more than the first generation phone.  That’s right, it’s $200 cheaper out the door, but Apple and AT&T have changed some of the rules with their voice/data plans.

Previously, the iPhone set you back $399 with a two year contract with AT&T.  The least expensive voice/data plan you could get was $39/month for 450 minutes plus $20/month for the data plan which included 200 text messages.  So your total out-of-pocket expense after two years - assuming you stayed within the guidelines of your plan - would be $1815 (not including various taxes and fees).

Well now the 3G iPhone is $199 with a two year contract with AT&T.  The least expensive voice/data plan you will be able to get is $39/month for 450 minutes plus $30/month for the data plan plus $5/month for 200 text messages.  So your total out-of-pocket expense after two years - again assuming you stayed within the guidelines of your plan - would be $1975 (not including various taxes and fees).  Or $160 more than the first generation iPhone.

But what did Steve Jobs say during his keynote address at this years WWDC:

And last but not least — everyone wants an iPhone, but we need to make it more affordable.  The number one reason people didn’t buy iPhones is because they just can’t afford it (56%). So as we arrive at iPhone’s 1st birthday — we’re going to take it to the next level.

So either AT&T is back-ending Apple on this and Jobs is clueless - or Steve Jobs is as intelligent as we all think he is and once again Apple is back-ending their consumers.  Thanks for that birthday present Steve - next time I’ll take a cake - and  stick with Sprint.

Source: Gizmodo

I will always be the fist to admit that when God was handing out drawing/painting skills I skipped out of line and ran to the bathroom.  I have zero (nada, none, ziltch) artisitic drawing or painting skills.  Heck, I have a tough time painting a room a single color…

For those of us that have always wanted to be an artist but found the process painful, uninspiring, difficult, and/or impossible, I present to you Bomomo.  Let your budding (but well hidden) artist out - have fun, experiment with the different tools, and ENJOY!

Just a few days ago I posted this - now it seems Wal-mart is resorting to bullying, threats, and illegal detainment…all over 4 bags of sugar.

Now everyone repeat after me…I will not give my hard earned money to the Evil Empire from Bentonville, AR.

I forgot to mention…a few weeks ago I finally got around to putting some of my media projects I’ve either been a part of or created out right here on my site.  They’re on the projects page.  I’m proud of all of them in one way or another:

• The CentrePointe Commemoration Service just because of the sheer scope of the project.
• The recordings with The Avian Conspiracy because of the potential I saw in layering three electric guitars and getting to work with an amazing group of young men.
• The Graduate Student Resource project from my class I Michigan State - I was awed by the talent I was working with.  Talk about an easy group to manage…and to be chosen as an award winner from all the projects submitted from all the undergraduate and graduate classes throughout that year was a nice touch.
• The CentrePointe Photo Montage is really my favorite.  I put a lot of myself in that video.  It’s still not quite what I had envisioned - but it’s pretty close and by all accounts was pretty meaningful - which meant more to me than most would have known.

As I complete more projects they’ll find their way onto this site.  For now my miniDV camera has finally gone and died - I can’t complain…It lasted 11 years.  But there’s a new Canon Vixia HV20 miniHDV with full 1080i capabilities on the near horizon.  Waiting has always been a problem for me…

I know, this has nothing to do with technology and how it impacts lives… But what have I said about Wal-Mart…If it’s only avaialble at Wal-Mart then I don’t need it?  Well they’re doing nothing but help to solidify my feelings about them: Student Jailed on Bogus Wal-Mart Forgery Charge.

If you’ve at all looked near the top of this blog I promote the use of FireFox (or other W3C compliant browsers).  I’ve never liked Internet Explorer and with the release of IE7 my feelings didn’t change.  It’s still not compliant and knowing Microsoft it never will be.

Well The Mozilla Foundation is putting the final touches on FireFox 3 - the highly anticipated release that FireFox users are hoping will take care of several bugs and annoyances.  I’ve been using FF3 for about two weeks now and have found it to be as stable as FF2 while being substantially faster at loading pages.  It still has some issues with plug-in support - but it’s up to the author of the plug-in to supply a properly coded plug-in.  At this point 7 of the 20 plug-ins I’ve been running on FF2 do not work with FF3.  Not a huge deal and at this point and I’ve not really missed them.

Something I truly enjoy about the Internet - and specifically the World Wide Web - is that it’s constantly in flux.  It’s always changing - never quite the same as the last time you saw it.  But sometimes when things change they are really remaining the same - they just look different, or feel different.  Something that my studies at Michigan State focused on quite a bit was usability and sustainability.  Looking at how usable a website or web application is and how sustainable will it be.  This is accomplished with a variety of methodologies like play testing, focus group analysis, competitive analysis and so on.  Usability testing can be rather tedious - but its fruits can be very valuable.  Just ask Google.