XBOX 360 Elite
After quite a lot of speculation and rumor mongering, the XBOX 360 Elite has been announced by Microsoft.
The basic summary of changes include a console in black, a HDMI port, 120 GB hard drive, but still no official word on the small 65nm processor which supposedly runs cooler. The only “upgrade” here that I would even remotely consider is replacing my stock 20 GB hard drive with the larger 120 GB variety.
I currently use the component cables to connect my X360 to my TV and optical audio cables to get the games surround sound. With an HDMI option I would just need to run a single cable to get everything. However, since I already have 2 HDMI devices plugged into my receiver I would need to invest in some sort of an HDMI switch to get this 3rd device going. In my book, that’s just not worth the extra money, not to mention that the XBOX 360 Elite already costs about $479 to start with.
Perusing a few of the gaming forums seem so to indicate that I’m actually in the minority of existing X360 owners who has no intentions to trade in their existing X360 at a loss and fork over lots more money to get the Elite version. Many of these people also don’t have a TV that have HDMI inputs, so this must be the true definition of a fanboy.
Cheers
Ubuntu Edgy Eft
I recently decided to upgrade my computer to be somewhat relevant to todays CPU speeds and, more importantly, storage space. So, this past weekend I sat down to put the new PC together and having done so decided to install both Linux and Windows XP on there. I chose the Ubuntu distribution, as I had used the older Ubuntu Breezy and had liked it.
I got the newest Ubuntu Edgy Eft installer CD and booted into it and was surprised to see that I got the full GNOME window with a usable Linux as opposed to the usual install screen. This is, by far, the smartest thing any Linux distribution can do. Edgy Eft is actually a Live Linux CD that allows you explore what Linux has to offer before choosing to install it. All my peripherals were detected and optimized. So, I could watch videos, listen to music, browse the web and check my mail; all without having actually installed Linux.
Needless to say, I installed Ubuntu and couldn’t be happier. My hats off to an absolutely awesome distribution and installation method!
Cheers
Google Maps and Live Traffic
Google is introducing live traffic status for select cities around the US. Visit Google Maps and once having set your destination, click on the Traffic button the top right to get a glimpse of how your commute to that location is going to be like. This is definitely a welcome feature, and in the future getting updates as to why a portion is red or yellow would be welcome.
Sirius and XM, together?
There are many news reports today indicating that Sirius and XM might be merging to form a single satellite radio company. In my previous car I had access to Sirius and in my new TL, I have access to XM so I’ve had a chance to listen to both of them.
In my opinion, the sound quality of Sirius was audibly superior to XM. The channel lineup and the music also was much better on Sirius. Additionally, being a football fan, I really enjoyed the exclusive access to NFL.
Now, with the possible merger, I could get access to the NFL again, and perhaps much better music. However, as my car only has the XM receiver, I think I would get the inferior sound quality unless Acura came up with some sort of a replacement to handle the better fidelity of Sirius.
Seeing as the merger hasn’t been official approved yet, I might just be getting way ahead of myself. But can’t blame me for imagining. 
Cheers
100 Million IE7 Installs
Microsoft announced Friday it has hit the 100 million installation milestone for Internet Explorer 7, a figure that makes the new browser the second most used behind IE6. #
IE7 has been pushed out to many unsuspecting Windows users as part of the regular Windows Update cycle for quite some time now. Many Windows XP users have set the Update to happen automatically and seldom do they check to see what update is being installed when they are prompted. So Microsoft can hardly take pride in this milestone. A software that people must specifically find, download and install is worth counting as opposed to something that is essentially pushed to you, whether you want it or not.
The iPhone
Apple has unveiled the iPhone. For those of you hiding under your rocks, the iPhone is Apple’s answer to LG’s Chocolate, Motorola’s ROKR and other forays into a phone/MP3 player combo. Why is it that Apple just seems to know how to do things right?
The Linux Equivalent Project
A lot of people would consider switching over to Linux as their desktop OS of choice if they could get access to the kinds of applications they currently use in Windows. There are a lot of applications that provides functionality similar to their Windows brethren on Linux, but finding them is key.
The Linux Equivalent Project aims to provide that service, though in it’s infancy, I see potential for this service.
