Reviews on Godlike Nerd

D-Link DCM-202 and Firmware How-To

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 14:55:57 +0000

Because I’m a cheap bastard, I decided to buy my cable modem instead of rent or buy from Comcast.

Review

It’s hard to review a cable modem really. Sites like CNet can do group comparisons, but I have neither the cash nor the time to do a full comparison like that. I can use it for a bit to see if I need to reset it and what kinds of speeds I can get.

EyeHome Review

Sat, 25 Jun 2005 21:59:26 +0000

Earlier this week, my El Gato EyeHome arrived. It doesn’t come with any AV cables. So I had to march down to Wallyworld to pick up some cables. Then the fun began.

I had a few choices when it came to cables. There’s composite, S-video, and component video outputs. For audio, there’s component and optical. Now, if I had the right equipment, the right connections would be the component video and the optical audio. Optical audio: isn’t that an oxymoron? I don’t and I need the most flexibility, so I went with the component video and audio. Note that there is no RF coaxial output, so if that’s all your TV has, you may have to route it through a special adapter box or through your VCR.

Waterfield Sleeve Case

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 22:36:08 +0000

I made a startling realization when I got my 12″ Powerbook. It’s a lot smaller than the classic Pismo that I’d been lugging around for 4 years. My L.L. Bean saddle bag’s laptop slot was actually too big for my shiny new Powerbook. The sides of the compartment are padded, so they naturally hold the shape. There’s so much room that the new ‘book flops around in it. It’s unsettling.

After a brief quest of asking for opinions on sleeves to insulate my Powerbook as well as some searching forums, a name that kept coming up was Waterfield. Much like Apple, the agreement was that the bags were pricey, but worth it. I liked the styling, so I bit the bullet and got one of their sleeves for my recent birthday.

I wasn’t let down.

Medal of Honor: Breakthrough

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 23:51:02 +0000

Perhaps the greatest thing about first person shooters is that they inevitably have expansion packs which cost dramatically less than the game originally. You essentially get more of the game you liked originally.

Then sometimes, they don’t give you more of what you liked. They give you something loosely based upon something you liked. It’s sort of like the new Star Wars movies. Breakthrough features the same great gameplay, graphics, and weapons of the first two. It even seems to have better performance than Spearhead. However, it’s not quite as good.

Review: Macally BTMouseJr

Mon, 06 Sep 2004 16:06:27 +0000

Following a lengthy search for a good Bluetooth mouse (see entries one and two), someone mentioned the Macally BTMouseJr and the fact that it recently was released. I decided to check it out.

I hadn’t heard much about it, which seems like a marketing blunder considering the demand being generated by new Powerbooks with Bluetooth built-in. Wireless has become an attractive option for laptop users because the surfaces users may work on may not allow for cords. Cords also tangle and are a pain to put away repeatedly. This prompted some companies to come up with solutions for travelers. For example, Kensington made the PocketMouse Pro which features a mechanism to wind the cord within the mouse. The also made a wireless mouse with a compartment to put the USB dongle. Why not use the wireless already built into many laptops, including Windows-based ones? In addition to others, Macally has.

BBEdit 8.0: Evolutionary

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 14:16:31 +0000

Many of you may be familiar with the uber text editor, BBEdit. I recently upgraded to the 8.0 version of this fine utility.

My verdict? Well, it’s pretty similar to 7.0. There are a few key new things that made it worth the upgrade price to me. The first is the document sidebar. Instead of having a few dozen windows open, you can have just one and switch between them. This is a big win for small screen users (like those of us with 12″ Powerbooks). It also highlights the current line, which seems minor, but is amazingly useful. Hunting down the cursor can be a real chore, so this is a real time-saver. It also lets you the system spell-checker (which I’ve become addicted to.

Review: Aliens vs. Predator

Sun, 15 Aug 2004 00:49:51 +0000

I went to this movie with high hopes of something original, something unexpected.

I was let down. This movie was fairly predictable. Once you watch the first couple minutes, you can guess the rest of what happens. As much as Alien Resurrection was berated for being a weak sequel to the other Aliens movies, I feel it was a piece of art compared to this film.

The only saving grace of the film was Lance Henriksen of original Alien fame. He’s captivating to watch no matter his role (and yes, I still miss Millenium). I’d say more about how I’m disappointed with his use, but that would spoil the (small) plot for any of you wanting to see the film. Let’s just say that they didn’t use him or his character to their fullest.

Free Email is Back, in a Big Way

Sun, 25 Jul 2004 17:52:04 +0000

Once upon a time, someone thought to serve email through a web-based interface for easy access anywhere (that saved users the process of setting up an email client). HoTMaiL was one of the first of course, but is now owned by Microsoft. The number of services like these exploded and just as quickly collapsed (or got bought up like Rocketmail).

When web search giant Google announced GMail, its 1 GB email service, the major (and minor) webmail provider’s realized that in order to retain any of its members, they would have to amp it up.

Review: RadTech Notebook ScreensavRz

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 10:35:28 +0000

After making a semi snap decision about screen protection for the 12″ Powerbook, I ordered a Notebook ScreensavRz from RadTech. Wanting to maintain the color scheme of the Powerbook, I ordered the Titanium color with the Powerbook logo on it. The other colors and designs are cool, but not my taste. I ordered last Friday (at 8:26 PM).

My first compliment (of my series of many that will follow in this review) is that they processed and shipped my order that day. Most businesses close up shop at 5, but not RadTech apparently. They diligently processed and shipped my order only a couple hours later. Not only that, but my order arrived on yesterday (Monday). I can’t entirely give them credit for it coming here so quick through the mail system, but I can give them credit for actually shipping my order when they said they did.

The ScreensavRz itself came in a neat little tube. I’ll attach pictures later on if I can figure out how and I still have the motivation. Inside was the ScreensavRz itself, and a one time use alcohol wipe. My laptop is new, so I said that pad for later (even though I already have an iKlear Power Klean Kit). The tube is nice enough to reuse either to store the ScreensavRz later (though it’ll be with the Powerbook about 99% of the time) or other little things.

I pulled out the very soft ScreensavRz from the tube and, to be frank, it looked a bit smaller than I expected. Just to emphasize this point for potential buyers, it does not completely cover the surface of the Powerbook. It leaves a bit of a border (which again, I’ll take pictures of given time and motivation). However, this border is about the width of the border around the display or a little less, so your screen is, in fact, completely protected. I imagine this was done to avoid bending of the computer that would result from the cloth being pressed between the two sufaces (if it were larger). It is large enough to perform its task and stay put, so there are no worries there.

Thanks to the material RadTech decided to use (Optex), it doubles as a cleaning cloth. I can attest to this. I sneezed, getting some of my wonderful saliva on the screen, leaving some spots when it dried. I took the ScreensavRz and wiped the spots right off, even without wetting it. That won’t work for everything, and you can actually dampen it in order to get off more stubborn marks. The material is also washable, so using it to clean won’t permanently besmirch its appearance.

All in all, I’m wholly satisfied. For $13.95-$17.95 (dependent on size), you get quite a few things: an LCD cleaning cloth, LCD protection, a one-time use cleaning pad, a nice little carrying tube, and peace of mind. I’ve read testimonials about how it’s not possible for the keys to touch the screen and honestly, it’s not that I don’t believe them. Examining my own Powerbook has convinced me of that. However, with the extra functionality provided by the ScreensavRz, its low cost, and the reassurance that marks will never happen, I feel this is a worthy complement for any Powerbook and worth a look.

Continue reading for pictures

Kame Hame Ha!!

Wed, 16 Jun 2004 22:00:34 +0000

I finally broke down and bought Dragonball Z: Budokai 2. It was on sale for $20 and while I was at it, I got Budokai 1 (again for $20). I was looking forward to comparing the two games, but unfortunately, the first Budokai was out of stock (even though it was the one not on sale).

So, I’m sure you’re dying to know how it is. I’ll tell you. It’s pretty good. The game play is decent and the moves are pretty cool. What problems do I have with the game? It’s a little complicated for one. You get these cards describing new items. Sometimes it’s a new character, a new move, or a new arena. However, sometimes they’re items. If it’s an item or move, it shows up in your list of capsules (confused yet?). How you enable these capsules for characters isn’t obvious. Once you go to do this, sometimes you can’t enable them (but there is no explanation of why). Once you figure it out, it’s not so bad.

Macally IceKey: Keyboarding Perfection

Tue, 01 Jun 2004 20:11:32 +0000

Most people don’t pay attention to their keyboard. I didn’t either for a long time. I actually loved the feel of my Pismo’s keyboard. The scissor key design made for keys that wore very well and pushing on any part of the key had equal resistance. When I started converting my Pismo into mutated desktop, I decided to get an external keyboard. That started my hunt for the perfect keyboard.