Rational Geekery

It’s no secret that Microsoft is looking to stimulate sales of its XBOX with a price cut (the expected GTA4 bump didn’t materialise), but now, via. Engadget, we have confirmation that Microsoft Australia has gone official and published the new price structure.

I think whatever happens now, the XBOX 360 is a success. Okay, the quality of the components in the hardware have been appalling, but the games have been of a very good quality, the pad is excellent, and the online gaming has revolutionised the console experience. Sales have indeed slowed, but the console is still selling, and if only Microsoft hadn’t rushed the bloody thing out, I’m sure they’d be making a decent profit.

Hopefully, the new pricing structure will mean a pick-up in sales. I’d also like to see another SKU with built-in Wi-Fi, 250GB HDD, (maybe) Blu-Ray, a new component rack form-factor, and all the technical problems resolved. Then I’d think about upgrading.

Is hot water.

Will whoever is in charge of the maintenance in my building, please switch the hot water back on?

If I have to suffer another ice-cold shower, I’ll have a seizure.

One of the observations I have made while living here in Tallinn is the sheer ubiquity of electronics stores.

Every supermarket has at least one tech store adjacent to it. And usually you’re only a stones-throw from an even bigger multiple that sells HDTVs, white goods, and media. We’re about 15mins walk from the airport. On that 15min walk you pass 3 electronics outlets, two of which are large, and a huge shopping complex with at least half-a-dozen specialist tech retailers - not to mention cell-phone stores, which often sell computers and equipment (even Macs, occasionally).

There is also a fantastic photography outlet, which sells all the DSLR manufacturers (inc. Pro bodies and glass), Manfrotto, Kata, Tamarac, Sigma, Velbon and all the bits you could ever need. It’s heaven.

These Estonians sure love their gadgets. :o)

I hate insider shit. But.

The latest TWiT podcast, which reminisced about Bill Gates, was the best geek-out I have ever listened to.

Whenever Leo gets Jerry Pournelle on the show, it rocks.

Glorious stuff.

This week’s episode of Diggnation was hilarious.

Hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht were pissed. The whole thing fell apart, and it was brilliant to watch. Quite why we watched that guy draw Captain Jack - for about four minutes - is beyond me. Not sure what I’d do without WebShows over here - the only Anglophone TV is CNN (60% ads), Eurosport (which has no sport), and BBC World (like the BBC without any of the good stuff).

Also, twitter, get your act together or me and this microblogging lark are over. Capiche?

I’m going to give twitter a break for 24-hrs.

If the bullshit Valley types are right, my world will fall apart and the sky will fall in some time soon. I doubt this. twitter is fun and it definitely has self-promotional and communicational functionality, but let’s get one thing straight, it isn’t the “new internet”. Okay?

I’m tired of the BS hyperbole. So I’m going to see how giving up twitter effects my day. Will I be lonely (maybe), more productive (almost certainly), or will I crawl the walls as my addiction gets the better of me (somehow, I don’t think so)?

To get me through this difficult experiment, I have bought some tea and various potato-based snacks. I also have The Wire on DVD to finish. Wish me luck. *waves*

This week’s Dork Talk, over at The Guardian, stars a little Polaroid printer; the PoGo, no bigger than a med-sized cell phone, with 3″x2″ prints.

Apparently the prints are also stickers, and the backing can be peeled off - giving me all sorts of Moleskine-based ideas. Now it’s hardly going to be the solution for realising the 10.2mp prints from my DSLR, but the £99 device may be a great travelling companion and wonderful for printing <5mp images from my cell-phone to stick in a wallet or notebook.

Just listened to the latest TWIP podcast. As always, utterly indispensable (thanks the sponsors who make the show happen :: Audible and Drobo).

Not sure if readers are also downloaders of the This Week in Photography (or readers of the accompanying - and equally great - blog) podcast (Jams, huh?), but IMHO it’s far-and-away the best photography show, and possibly the best tech show out there (sorry Leo, I still love TWiT and MacBreak* lots).

This week’s episode discussed the hairy subject of selling images, with many warnings and caveats to be considered before even thinking about “turning Pro”.

In the next few weeks I’ll be writing a “best-of” review of the podcasts I follow (inc video ones), so keep your eye’s pealed.

BTW. Have you seen the “leaked D700″ images? Wow. I hope they’re real. I’d hate for the rumoured D90 to make my D80 obsolete so soon…

*Where the hell is Merlin, huh?

Okay. So I’ve only been in Tallinn a week, but there are already gadgets that I’m missing. I travelled light(ish), so I’m now compiling a list of things for Olga to bring in August ::

Grado Headphones - because the speakers on the MBP (and my wee Sennheisers) just don’t cut it for music

Nintendo Wii - because I need some gaming (and I still need to complete Super Mario Galaxy), thinking Wii fit looks good too

Pentax Optio X - I need a little point-and-shoot (why did I forget this?)

More to follow…

Things I can’t bring (Boo-Hoo) ::

Sony 40″ Bravia HDTV (1080p) - too bloody big

XBOX 360 - If I haven’t got my TV, what’s the point?

iMac 24″ - Too big and it’s Olga’s machine (but baby is it gorgeous…)

My Hi-Fi - Too big