New Galaxy Alpha

So just picked up a new phone the other day after my temporary disposable smart phone crapped out on me.  And, as you see from the title, it's a Galaxy Alpha.  It was a toss up originally between the Alpha and the S4 Mini, but after a debate over cost, size, and computing power, the costlier, slightly larger Alpha won out.  And I'm glad it did.

Usually, size is my first issue with a phone.  Bucking current trends, I don't like a massive smart phone, preferring something that can easily hide within a shirt pocket and not be noticed.  The Alpha really pushes this envelope for me, being closer to a standard smart phone in size.  But only five days later, I'm hooked.

The features that did win out kind of surprised me, too.  The screen is amazingly crisp and vibrant, the best I've ever seen on a phone.  The sound quality is awesome, too, making entertainment features fantastic.  And at 32gb of storage space, there is 0lenty of room for games, video and music.

Needless to say, I'm sold on the Alpha, and may just be a devoted fan of Samsung in general.

Most Atrocious Use of Linux

So, I have come to the personal opinion that I have found the most atrocious use of the Linux kernel to date.  Gtech lottery systems.  Now, I don't know if its as bad on all of Gtech's products, because my only experience is the ones in Washington. 

But goodness, I didn't think it was possible to make a system more finicky and unstable than Windows ME.  This thing absolutely stinks.  And the major problem, Java.  Its what the whole system is running on.  There is a quick boot from the bootloader, then its on to a Java interface, and this thing is buggy as hell.  Sometimes the system I work with prints mystery tickets, sometimes it won't print tickets at all.  It will crash if communication with Olympia gets cut off.  Its a nightmare to deal with some days.

So, as this seems to be the most shameful misuse of the Tux logo, I'm giving it two fruit, as it is still more secure than the NPC windows units Wal-Mart used.

Product Pick: Rosewill RC-215

So, here we are again with another product pick, this time I'm reviewing the Rosewill RC-215, a SATA 1.5G/ATA raid card.  Now, this pick will be short and sweet.  Windows 7 automatically detected the hardware and set it up in-system, but this raid controller gets an automatic fail, 1-fruit listing.  Why?  Because the bios wasn't installed on the chip, and I haven't been able to find a way to flash the rom with the update.  Even Rosewill's own Rom update couldn't install it.  Till next time, catch you on the flip-side.

Product Pick: QR Code Reader

So, I'm not going to waste a lot of time here, because there is definitely a lot of time to waste.  There are so many QR code readers out there, and all of them seem to think you need this amazing plethora of features you will never use.  That in mind, my pick automatically goes to Google Goggles.

This lightweight and easy to use QR reader is the fastest I've seen.  I tried it out against the Best Buy product reader app, and QR Droid, the two previous android readers I used, and neither could hold a candle to it.  Its just amazingly fast.  Which is great when you're trying to read a QR code on the fly.

Also, the Google Goggles app has an added feature that actually made my reader experience more secure.  From what I've read, there is only one other major market reader that has this feature, but Goggles actually previews what the web address is that you are being taken to, so you can actually check it out and make sure it isn't some seed place that will infect your phone with malware

So overall, the Google Goggles app gets a five fruit rating, because it was an amazing improvement over the garbage I had to suffer through before.

Mobile Blogging

So, I'm testing out the new Blogger Android mobile app and seeing how well it works for mobile tech posting.  So far I'm rather impressed.  Its simple.  And I mean its really simple.  When you load it up all that comes up is a two button menu, title and content boxes, and publish, save and delete buttons.  Just te bare essentials for writing posts on the go.
Its quick, simple, and effective.  Everything it needs to be, so I give it four out of four fruit.

Ah, High-End Equipment

     I told you yesterday that I had a really great product review coming up, and boy is this thing awesome.   Though I will tell you now it is not for the faint of heart, the price tag is something most would choke on.  Today's product pick is the D-Link Xtreme N Storage Router.  And let me tell you, if you want a router that does it all, this thing does it all.
     Equipped with four gigabit network ports, full 300mbs wireless N, the ability to add a hard drive for internal storage, display port for viewing photos and network stats, and date and time functions, about the only thing this router doesn't do is play your music.
      And its performance isn't too shabby, either.  As of this writing, I don't have a hard drive installed to test with yet, but all other stats are top notch.  This thing sings.
     Though, as a router, I really don't have much else to say on the matter, it handles my data, well, and that is the most important characteristic of any router.  The D-Link Xtreme N Storage Router gets a solid 5 out of 5 fruit, and is our pick for a high-end home router, if it isn't a bit overkill.  So, until next time, catch you on the flip-side.

Long Lapse

     Wow, its been a few days hasn't it?  I've kind of fallen by the wayside, flu's to blame, but I'm back and posting tonight.
     First thing, the first pieces of on display for DF Con 2011 showed up, some stuff from Intel to help answer questions customers might have over some of our new product line.
      Also, a surprise package from our most generous investor arrived, and I'm floored.  So, a new product pick tomorrow, and all of you get to find out what it is.  I need a little more time to put it through its paces.  Until then, catch you on the flip side.

Product Pick: Beginning C++ Game Programming

     So, it feels really weird to be doing a book review on a digital technologies blog, but as I have re-associating myself with some of my less used programming languages, I thought it might be nice to share some of the titles that helped me learn the trade of programming in the first place.
     Beginning C++ Game Programming, by Michael Dawson, was my first step into programming with any variant of C.  And honestly, I'm glad it was.  While not a full dive into the deep, deep underworld of C++ programming, it is easiest manual I have found for starting out.  Its coverage not only discusses the syntax of the C++ language either, like some manuals I've since picked up, but it covers the topic like you are completely new to programming.  It discusses ways to accomplish in code what you're thinking in your head.
     What I really like about the text, though, is that it comes at the subject of game programming by teaching you how to program easy, text based games, keeping you interested in the subject matter, and finishes up each chapter with a large project that works you gently into doing larger, multi-file projects.  This approach helped me to overcome the overwhelming concept of learning a programming language all by myself, with no teacher or mentor.
     Though the title has changed somewhat since I bought my copy, (it is now called 'Beginning C++ Through Game Programming, which I think is an attempt at being less misleading in the title), the content of the book remains the same in the third printing of this book.  And, at only $19.99, its a steal compared to the thirty dollars I shelled out for it back in the day.
     For anyone, both aspiring professional or simple hobby enthusiast, this book is the perfect starting point for anyone trying to break into the world of C++ programming.  And, to top it off, Michael Dawson has published several other books, and many of them on the subject of game programming, that, having read this title, you will have a better understanding of how they work.
     Looked at by itself, the book is thin for a programming manual, but it is an essential step to the goal of becoming a game programmer, and it won't go outdated.  This book would have worked with computers twenty years ago, and I'm sure it will still be usable on computers twenty years from now.  It is an investment in your future, and well worth the twenty bucks.
     Sadly though, as much as I love this title, it only receives a four out of five fruit.  That is only because there are some subjects I think could have been added to make a more rounded study of C++.  The book is just a primer, but I did have questions when I finished reading.  Overall, though, I think this one book has been the most instrumental in starting me off as a programmer.

Product Pick: Kaspersky 2011 Internet Security

     So, once again one of my favorite security suites is on the chopping block.  Though, sadly, this product pick will be initially incomplete.  I'm just going to be covering the user end of things, I'll be covering the security end of things in another post once we've worked with it on another system.
     First things first, this installment of the popular Kaspersky internet security suite, Kaspersky 2011, is chock full of features, not all of which might seem immediately useful.  But trust me, they are features selected with a lot of forethought.
     Now, it comes with the standard disk scan and active protection it always has, which are work amazingly well, but there are some other features that I enjoy that will help keep you safe.
     There is the link scanner, which lets you know if Kaspersky labs knows if a server is infected or not.  This is your first step in preventing problems before they start.  This has become almost a universal feature for all anti-virus, and I use it all the time.  Kaspersky's is top notch.



     On top of this, I've found some new features that I think will go a long way towards helping people keep from getting infected with crud.  Kaspersky 2011 offers three different safe-runs, one for applications, one for web-browsing, and one for your keyboard.  Now these three modes are based on a technology I've been pushing for people to use for the last year now, a sandbox.  The concept of a sandbox is simple, yet it can be amazingly effective in stopping viruses.  The concept; nothing can play outside the sandbox.
     So what does that have to do with safe-runs?  Safe Run for applications will let you try out installing an application before really installing it to see if the application contains a virus, or if it will try and download a virus once installed.  The Safe Run for web prevents malicious code on websites from actually running on your computer.  It isn't allowed outside its little box.
     The third run mode is a little different though, you use this one to keep on-line peeping toms and applications from seeing your keyboard strokes.  This keeps them from obtaining sensitive information with applications like key loggers.
     Over all, these three elements make this the ultimate in security protection.  The only problem now is the user.  If you are serious about computer security, and you use Kaspersky, make these three Safe-Runs a part of your regular computing routine.
     Also available are the rescue disk, vulnerability scan, browser configuration, privacy cleaner, and system restore tools.  All of these can be useful, but they're more icing on the cake than really necessary functions.  You can also set parental controls, which work as an internet filter to keep kids and guests off of unwanted web domains and applications.  But unlike most filters, you can go overboard with this one.  Almost any computer function you could ever really want can be blocked.  Be careful with this one, too much restriction can almost be as bad as not enough.
     Over all, Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 is the pinnacle of personal internet and computer security.  This one definitely gets five out five fruit, plus my personal mark for being top notch.

Product Pick: PlayStation Portable

     So, this product pick has been a long time coming, mainly because I've been having a hard time getting my hands on one of these systems for testing.  But finally, I have one.  And to top it off, its a bundle pack with a game from one of my favorite game series.
     Our review is on the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker bundle.  The set includes the PSP 3000, MGS: Peace Walker game, a download voucher for the movie 2012, and a two GB Memory Stick Pro for data storage.
     First things first, this is a review of the PSP system, and it's bundle.  I'll be reviewing the included game, and possibly even the download movie, in a different post.
     Now to get down to business.  Second to the DS Lite, this has been my most anticipated console purchase.  But, where I simply wanted the DS for gaming, the PSP is a full multimedia experience.  It isn't just a gaming outlet.
     But, as of the time of this article, I'm starting to wonder if the PSP is trying to be to many things at once.  There is a lot of functionality that probably won't be used.  The PSP comes pre-installed with a Skype client, an internet radio app, web browser, music services, digital comic reader, photo viewer, video player, and its own download store.  On top of that, you can add an optional web-cam and connect it to your PC to download content from there as well.  And, for icing on the cake, it reads Sony's proprietary UMD format discs, for both movies and video games.  This thing just comes fully stacked.
     Out of all of the features, I was, of course, most concerned with its abilities for gaming.  Out of the two console style handhelds on the market (the DS being the other), the PSP dominates in the graphics department.  If stunning visuals are your thing, this system will win your vote.
     Also, its ability to play back movies and video files with decent volume and high resolutions for a portable device, the PSP also wins in the media department.  And for an added bonus, if you want to shell out the extra twenty or thirty dollars to buy it, you can get a cable that allows you to connect your PSP to a television and watch videos there too.
     For risk of going on and on and making this post too long, I'll cut out the media stuff.  Maybe I'll add to this post later, I don't know.
     As to the contents of the bundle pack, I liked how not only did I get the game and movie, but I got download codes for Metal Gear Solid for additional equipment.  That was a nice touch.
     Over all, I'm overjoyed with this purchase, and I'm pleased with the PSP system as a whole.  For shear overkill in terms of a portable device centered on gaming, I'm happy to award the PSP the first five-fruit rating in one of these product picks.  But this rating is just for the PSP 3000.
     Since this was a bundle pack, I'm going to tack on an additional rating for the bundle.  This one is a little less lustrous.  I had major problem with the bundle.  The movie download from the playstation store was a little large, taking almost five hours to download on my internet connection.  And I had to go out and buy a new memory stick just to handle the download.  The included memory stick was only 2GB, and the movie download was 2.5GB.  I think if they are going to include things like this they need to enable you to download shortly after opening, not after additionally purchasing.  For that, the Metal Gear Solid PSP bundle only gets three fruit of five, because I should be able to use everything the box includes right out of it.  Also, I'm disappointed that the game it came with didn't include a full UMD case, just a cardboard sleeve to go over it.  UMD do have an outer casing, but just like Sony's MDs, this isn't enough, they still need a case.

Product Pick: Epic Mickey Collector's Edition

     So, today's product pick is Disney's new game Epic Mickey.  And, as my wife bought me the collector's edition, we will be including that in our discussion as well.
     To begin, this game is dark.  As much as people may clamor a Disney game can only be for toddlers, this isn't your classic Toy Story or Disney princess title.  Each and every battle is a moral decision.  Should I be good, or should I be bad?  Should I befriend my enemy, or should destroy him?  Its questions like these that the player faces all the time.  And there are some situations where the right answer isn't always readily apparent.  So, in my book this game wins points for not sticking to the traditional.
     Which is ironic, because as untraditional as the game-play is, the game design is all from yesteryear.  There are even spots in the game that make homage to Mickey Mouse games from the NES and SNES.  The whole section of Mean Street is based off of Main Street Disneyland.  It definitely creates an air of nostalgia, and as you play through the game you'll get sucked into the way it looks and feels.
     One thing that did bother me with the game, though, is that the story has some slow and confusing parts.  Depending on how you play the game, there are certain skits and explanations that never happen, so you get left with quests you're trying to accomplish when you have no idea why.  Its not a major problem most of the time, but it can get aggravating.  Like the beetlebots, a particular type of enemy in the game.  If you've been trying to be a good Mickey through most of the game, you can skip the section of the game where you first meet them,  but when you meet them later, no explanation is given as to what they are or who made them.  You're just left to figure it out for yourself.
     So, game-play gets a solid 3 fruit.
     But theres more:  The collector's edition contains bonus stuff, a making-of DVD, and special packaging.  The packaging is what originally caught my eye.  Emblazoned with a new logo designed from the classic Mickey mouse ears.  It fits in with the edgy look Disney was trying to portrait with this game.  For Disney, its evocative imagery.
     The extra stuff included consists of an action figure of classic Mickey around 4½" tall, and Wii skins for the Wii console and one for a Wii remote.  As far as collector's editions go, these are okay.
     But the real gem in this set is the bonus DVD.  On it are videos chronicling the making of the game, which have some really cool incites into the production of a major game like this.  It also has a section full of concept art, and four re-mastered classic Mickey Mouse cartoons.  If you are big fan of Disney, especially the classic stuff, this is probably the best part of the bonus content.  This disc really made the collector's edition a collectible to me.
     So, after extensive game time and a lots of fun, I'm going to have to give Epic Mickey four out of five digital fruit.  The loss of the fifth fruit only because game mechanics were clunky at times.  Also, a lack of driving story line in the beginning of the game helped to influence that decision.  But over all, a game worth buying.

Product Pick: Rosewill NIC

     So, as the title suggests, our product pick for the evening is the Rosewill RC400-LX Gigabit network card.  First note on this pick, this is budget hardware, so if you're looking for top quality performance, I'd point you to my earlier post on the Linksys gigabit card.
     That being said, the Rosewill RC400-LX has to be the cheapest way to upgrade your network to anything resembling 1000mbs networking speeds.  At the ridiculously low price tag you can purchase these things for, they are amazing.  That's the good part.
     Now for the bad part: they have very little compatibility with operating systems that don't start with the word Windows.  Not a concern for most people, I know, but this is a major concern for some of us in the small-to-mid sized business sector.  There is supposed to be a way to get this card to work in Linux, but I have yet to have success installing it in any of the major distributions I use.  I wouldn't even suggest trying to install it in a Franken-Mac situation, unless your running it in a virtual machine.  Another downside is that this network card is from the very lowest end of the networking spectrum, so the performance isn't on par with things like Linksys and D-Link.
     Other than these few hang ups, this has been a pretty solid little piece of hardware.  I'll have to give it at least three out of five fruit.  If you are looking to get into the gigabit wired realm with out the tremendous price tag, this is your ticket.
     Until next time, I'll catch you on the flipside.

LinkSys EG1032

     So, this is another product pick.  Today on showcase, we've got the Linksys EG1032 Gigabit network card.  As time rolls on, the cost of these things just seems to plummet in price, with out any real hits in performance.
     I have to admit, I was hoping to put this thing through the most difficult setup I could imagine, but it ended up being a bust.  True Cisco's dominance of the networking world, this Linksys card installed, without any additional work or drivers, in a desktop Linux setup.  No hassle, no complaint, no problems.  I was almost disappointed.
     Windows wasn't much harder, with the disk installing the drivers quickly, and no hassle after installation.  Gigabit networking speeds have never been easier to achieve.
     So, with this post, I'm introducing a new convention for these product pick.  This card has pick 5 Digital Fruit out of 5.

Product Picking 2011

     Hello and welcome to the first product pick of 2011.  It feels like its been forever since I last typed one of these (and I'm sure you feel it, too).  So, to kick it off right, we're reviewing an energy efficient piece of networking equipment.  Because, as a New Years resolution, each of us should be working to lower our power bill.
     The piece I've chosen to day is Trendnet's GreenNet 5 port 1000mbs switch.  So, when I bought this thing about five months ago, I was just looking for a piece of hardware that could get me 1000mbs traffic on my network, since I had two device capable of hitting that speed, and I wanted to get the maximum I could out of my hardware.  I saw it on sale, so I grabbed it.  Turns out to be one of the best impulse buys I've made.
     The unit supports up to four computers and a line out to another router if you want, or five individual computers if you just need that.  Not a whole heck of a lot, but if you need a few more ports, there is an eight port model for about twice the price.
     Once I got the ports filled on the back with all the devices I wanted connected, I flipped the power switches and started the engines.  I was trying to get my Western Digital World Book to connect to the computers I have as fast as possible, since I have seven operational units on my network at any one time, and they all draw information from that central point.  On the old 100mbs network, even with full duplex, it took a little bit for things to load from the World book.  But, with matching 1000mbs hardware (which I will be reviewing later), the wait was gone!  No more lagging load times, no more annoying blank screens with an hourglass.  I would simply click, and there it would be.  I immediately fell in love with 1000mbs connection speeds, and even more with the Trendnet GreenNet switch, because I knew I was going to break the bank in energy costs.
     (I must admit, at the moment, Digital Fruit has no means of determining the actual difference of energy used from the Trendnet GreenNet switch and other 1000mbs switches, but what I can test is the amount of heat being output, which is an excellent mark of how much or how little energy a device is gobbling.  After testing other 1000mbs switches, and beginning to wonder if my desk was going to catch on fire, I found that my Trendnet switch was putting out less heat than most other brands, even within Trendnet's own line of products.)

New Software Added to Our Arrsenal

     So, in our efforts to do the best quality video production we can, Digital Fruit has acquired a new program for computer graphics.  We've added Daz 3D Studio to our array of 3D production tools, and so far, we're impressed with the setup.
    The best benefit I've found to using DAZ Studio 3 Advanced is that it does the icky stuff for you. Not many people want to spend hours and hours setting up the perfect rigging, or even just a decent rigging, for a mesh. That, and not everyone feels they have the skill to do all the work of designing a whole 3D scene.  DAZ Studio takes all of the guess work out of it.  And even with just the free models downloadable from the website, there is a heck of a lot that can be done with this program.

Office Suite Winner

     So, way back on August 4 I wrote a post about office software suites and which one I liked most.  So, after almost three months working with most of the options(the 30 day trial of Microsoft Office 2010 expired in September), I have come to the conclusion that my original decision still stands.  IBM's Lotus Symphony takes the pick.
     Why? Because of its ease of use.  Since that article, I have helped a customer who knows little about the workings of computer software to streamline his business paperwork using Symphony's spreadsheets, I've started writing a novel using the documents part, and I've really been looking for a reason to create a presentation using the slide show, but can't really justify it.  So after all of my experience using Symphony's charts, spreadsheets, page layouts and calculations, it just flows well, like Microsoft Office used to once upon a time.  Plus, any need I've had for Symphony as of yet, it has worked like a charm.  So, congratulations IBM, you're the winner.

Product Pick in Reverse

     It has been so long since I've done a product pick, and it will probably be a long time before I do another really good one.  Today's article is actually something of an anti-pick.  I had the opportunity today to try out Netflix's live streaming to the Wii.  Unless you are already a big fan of the Netflix system, this will not be the feature that sells you on it.
     This sad addition to the Netflix family has a simple set up; you are given categories pre-selected by Netflix, and then given a selection of movies for these categories pick by the happy people at Netflix.  That is all.  I have always been one for keeping things simple, the most user friendly and elegant systems are usually so.  But there are certain features of any system that are essential, and must be included.  The streaming to the Wii does not have these.  There is no search functions for quickly finding just the right movie for you, there is no menu system to set your preferences in movies, heck, there isn't even a decent navigation system.  I was constantly having to turn the Wii remote away from the sensor bar just to keep the pointer from interfering with the other controls.
     So, as you can guess from this very short review, I am not impressed by the Netflix streaming to Wii.  I'm not sure if I'll even try it out for the Playstation 3.  All I can say is that this whole experience has been a big disappointment.  I don't suggest using this to anyone.

Product Pick Delayed

     Well, it has been a few days since I've done a product pick, but now I'm here again and ready to get to the nitty-gritty.
     Today's product pick will be the start of a small off-shoot product pick category, Video Games. So, on that note, we will start with the first of our video-game related products listing; The Nintendo Wii® .
     The funny thing is that what makes this system top of the line is not the fact that it is different from its competitors, which have all come out with motion controllers, and even have better graphics than the Wii, but the fact that the Wii®  has less to work with and still seems to come up with more enjoyable games and mechanics. I've been more impressed with what this little system has put out since it was released than the Xbox® or the Playstation 3® . Its just seems to work better in my opinion.
     Also, as I mentioned before, there seems to be a larger amount of fresh ideas floating around on the Wii® , which is certainly helping the world market for video games.
     But all philosophy aside, the Wii® has an amazing motion system, which has recently been enhanced even more.  Also, with the ability to use multiple controler types and motion styles, the system has such a wide range of gameplay that no one will be disappointed.  The one that I was most shocked about was how well First Person Shooter style games went.  Most game connoisseurs feel that a FPS should be played on the PC, and have proven many times over that it is the fastest method to play these games.  But on the Wii I was shocked with how well many of the FPSs I tried played fluidly, and the controls just seemed to work.  This one is definitely my pick for a game system.