case in point

this is a funny post, but in my experience, i did it myself. i get sick with all the dust coating the DVD boxes, so i decided to move them on to sleeves instead (you can find lots at x-tremegeek.com). even the CD cases went away (really, all my CDs have been ripped to digital format anyway, but i still kept them in library binders). the racks and towers were left for donation. but i'll admit boxed sets are nice to look at. that's why they survived the cut.

arc of a viewer

after a couple of weeks of usage, i'm turning in the verdict for the gift i got from my family, the Archos 705 Mobile DVR.

really, i just wanted something to watch my movies in a larger screen, during my commute. the iPhone doesn't cut it (not if i want to save whatever eyesight i have). this baby does a lot more, but it does the basics and does it well. for that alone, i'm giving it a thumbs up.

the interface isn't Apple, but its okay. you can use your finger or the accompanying stylus (note: the iPhone doesn't accept stylus input - booo!)

you have obvious icons for videos, music and photos. i doubt if i'm going to use this as a music player, since the iPod and iPhone are the proper unobtrusive devices to use for the mobile commuter (mobile = walking).

the video list shows a looping few second clip of each movie. so far, it played the files i asked it to, except a couple with some codec issues.

since this is basically a hard drive, you can also use it as a DVR. but you have to buy some extra hardware (naahhh).

and you also have the choice to watch your movies on the big screen (ehhhh).


plug it in the electrical outlet, and you can be a security guard who'll never be bored.



now, it would be two thumbs if a couple of things happened:

1) i get the browser plug-in without paying anything ... somebody heeeeeelp!!

2) longer battery life - although we can skirt this problem by not forgetting to charge every other day, i feel that they could've done better. i've had a couple of incidents where i thought i had enough juice, but it conked out on me. i thought the files were bad, or worse, the battery was. i think it gets drained a lot when it goes into a suspended state. battery power is still the bane of portable gadgets.


and as i expected, i managed to watch a lot more stuff in my commute than i do at home:

The Bank Job - superb, superb movie! i don't care what you say about Jason Statham, i'd watch anything he's in.
The Proposition - a way-dark Western, set in Australia. Guy Pearce must be choosing roles that gives him all the opportunities not to take a shower. i don't think he took a bath since Ravenous.
The Matador - Pierce Brosnan as the anti-Bond? The Thomas Crown Affair and After the Sunset still had the Bond aura about him, but films like this and The Tailor of Panama shows there's life after 007.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - on the road to sobriety, Iron Man and triumph, Robert Downey Jr made this inventive little crime noir-slash-comedy with the now-underrated Val Kilmer. peaches.
The Golden Compass - i never thought about this beyond an adventure yarn. actually bitin pala, and since it flopped (by their standards) i guess i won't see what happens next.
Untraceable - a stab (pardon the pun) at torture porn, but mostly candy-wrapped with the presence of Diane Lane. its also unbelievable.
Walk Hard (The Dewey Cox Story) - now this one made me laugh with its double-entendre-a-minute style. perennial supporting actor John C. Reilly finally shines, and now i have proof how hot Pam the Receptionist is.

so far i haven't dropped it yet, but the odds are substantial ... better have good hands.

goodbye, Windows

well, from the home desktop at least.

no, wait, i still might need to install VMWare to put in a guest XP box to run my DLink Media Server. i still have to find a way around that.


but otherwise, Hardy Heron has seemed to do for me what Edgy Eft couldn't do two years ago (get the proper display drivers, for starters).

cheers, Ubuntu!

drug is the drug

unearthed from the last century!



i remember getting addicted to this when i first played it. its as addictive as the drugs you "peddle" in whatever metropolis you choose. note that this is the crude DOS version, and is much fun even if it isn't the Windows one.



by the middle of the month, i remembered how to sell, managed to pay off my loan, and even banked some money. hoooo-haaaaa!



by the last day, i banked most of the dough and took a slight hit with some unsold Ecstasy. almost $190,000 earned in 30 days. not bad for a one-off.



if only i was this judicious with money in real life. wait, that means i'm gonna be dealing. or in jail. or dead.

thanks for the memories, Beermat Software!

feeling like this

the patheticity

iI don't know if there's such a word, but it sure describes my blogging from a bar.

the view

i always love a delivery guy when he has something for me.



my effusive thanks to my bro, sis, mom and dad for sending this my way! dropping hints in a blog can be effective - i kid, i kid. salamat pong muli!!!