• Live Science:  13 Glaring iPad Shortcomings

Forget the iPad, this tablet by Freesource can run Linux, Chromium OS, or the Android OS.  It has a 7″ screen, can run HTML5 video, and retails for $199, roughly $300 cheaper than its Apple counterpart.  The look is pretty cool, and the open architectures of Linux/Chromium/Android make the possibilities for development far greater than for that of the Apple iPad.  It is still a prototype, but it looks pretty cool.  A video of the workings of prototype in action is below the break.

• First, from the horse’s mouth: Apple’s official iPad page
• Some fairly mainstream press from CNN
• And a technical critique

In my own opinion, I think this is a disappointing release. I think it does everything that an iPhone or another smart phone does, but now it’s not big enough to put in your pocket. Also, the iPad might have been a great video chat device, but a camera was left out.

To carry it around, you’d need a bag for it, anyway So why not spend hundreds of dollars less, carry a couple of pounds more, and just use netbook or laptop? It’s definitely got the cool factor, but it just doesn’t seem usable enough to me to be of interest to anyone beyond the usual Apple enthusiasts.

For my money, I’d rather just use a smart phone. With today’s bright beautiful touchscreens, even reading for long periods is a pleasure on a smaller, more practical device.

Sensing the tone of this write-up, Mike’s wife found an interesting slideshow of prior Apple mis-steps.

I have been wanting to build a Home Theater PC for a while, but was waiting for the launch of Windows 7 to do so.  When Windows 7 was released on October 22, I started researching what I would need to assemble my own Home Theater PC, and began ordering parts.  Last week, the parts arrived for building my home theater PC using Windows 7 Media Center.  I spent a good deal of Friday night and Saturday putting it together and getting it ready for use.  By Saturday afternoon, I had the PC up and running and connected to my television.

Windows 7 Media Center has a lot to offer as a Home Theater PC (or really, a Home Entertainment PC), including Recording and Playback of TV (DVR-functionality), Movies and Netflix, Hulu and Internet TV, Music and Photo Libraries, and more, all controlled via a remote control and optional wireless keyboard.  Media Center also supports hardware (called Media Center Extenders) that allow you to stream your Media Center content to other TVs throughout your home.  What sets Media Center apart from just a traditional DVR or TiVo is the extensibility.  Third party developers, enthusiasts, and hobbiest programmers can create programs that extend the functionality of Windows 7 Media Center, much like people write apps for smart phones such as the iPhone and Google Android.   Best of all, it comes included in all editions of Windows 7.

Windows 7 Media Center Main Menu

While more of an afterthought in Windows Vista (and a separate version in Windows XP), Media Center in Windows 7 has matured and become a real usable product.  With the new availability of hardware to support CableCards (a small card provided by your Cable provider to decrypt your channels), it is now possible to hook up your media PC to watch and record your digital cable television.  A media PC can do away with the need for a set-top box, and give you more flexibility than a TiVo or traditional DVR, such as copying recorded shows to your laptop or portable media device to take with you on a trip.

Over the next several weeks in a series of posts, I will be providing details on Windows 7 Media Center’s functionality, and how it can be used as the media hub for your home.  I will also provide a more advanced post of the parts and process I used to put my media PC together.  In reality, you can purchase any modern PC, add a tuner or two, and have a viable media center.

Windows 7 Media Center is an example of software done right.  While there are always things that could be better (that’s what upgrades are for), I’m finding it to be intuitive, well-performing, and very flexible, making for a winning product.

‘NAS’ is short for Network Attached Storage. Basically, it’s a machine on your network that serves as a big hard drive for the users of that network. They’re very common at large- and medium-sized businesses, and they’re popping up in small businesses and homes more and more. On a home network, you can give each of your users a chunk of disk space on the NAS for their documents and media. It’s not recommended to actually install programs to the NAS, but this stuff, especially photos, music and video, can quickly take up a very substantial amount of hard drive space. Having it all in one place reduces duplication, and allows to set up a workable backup regiment.

A consumer-level NAS works more like a little network device, rather than a computer, even though, deep down, it is basically just a PC. You usually don’t actually interact with the operating system on the device, but instead a web interface or a piece of software that you install on some other machine on your network. There are even some routers to which you can connect storage (via USB, usually) that can then act like a NAS themselves. Ars Technica recently had a quick write-up on NAS devices; it’s worth reading.

If you’re a little more technically savvy, you might consider just buying a smaller desktop whose sole purpose would be to store your users’ files. Then you could dispense with the web interfaces and whatnot, but you would have to be comfortable with configuring those file services yourself. Microsoft sells Home Server to help with that, as well. Any number of Linux distributions would be ideal for this purpose too. You could also be sure that it includes a DVD burner to make those backups even easier. A home server, though, is a bit more than a NAS. And it’s enough of a topic for a whole other article..

So, whether you’re upgrading from Vista, you’ve been holding out since XP, or you’re thinking about jumping (back?) to Windows from Mac or elsewhere, there’s a lot to take in about this latest OS from Microsoft.

A Little History

There’s a wide perception that Microsoft dropped the ball on their last major release, Windows Vista. Whether this perception is justified or not (I don’t think it is), it’s out there, and quite prevalent, so Microsoft has had to address it. You might say that Windows 7 is Microsoft’s main effort in this regard.

Microsoft completely redesigned how hardware interacts with Windows Vista, so there were understandably some growing pains. For instance, at one point, crash statistics from Microsoft indicated that almost 30% of Vista crashes were caused by one vendor’s poorly written video drivers. Despite that initial instability, the hardware layer in Windows Vista is widely accepted as far superior and more secure when compared to XP. Good thing, because of all the changes in Windows 7, that part of the OS has remained unchanged. In fact, in most cases, you can use the same drivers in 7 that you used in Vista.

The name is perhaps a little confusing. Windows 7? This is the seventh one? Well, apparently by somebody’s count at Microsoft, it’s #7. I can’t complain too loudly, though. What the heck does “Vista” or “XP” mean? At least Windows 2000 was released around that year. There are definitely worse names than “7″.

So What’s New?

From the perspective of the guts of the operating system, i.e., how programs run and how hardware interacts with the system, little has changed from Vista to 7; it wouldn’t be entirely unfair to think of 7 as a minor update to Vista. The big changes have come in the interface

The Taskbar – This is probably the most noticeable interface change in Windows 7. The taskbar was polished up a little in Vista compared to XP, but the Windows 7 taskbar is a new animal entirely. Microsoft has sort of made the QuickLaunch toolbar (shortcut buttons on the taskbar) the central idea, and taken a few logical steps. You can now “pin” shortcuts to the taskbar, like you could with QuickLaunch, but now, when you start a pinned shortcut, it just highlights that button on the taskbar. Any subsequent instances of that program you start are all collected under that button.

So, if you have 7 Mircosoft Word documents open, there’s just one button on the taskbar for them all.

Windows 7 thumbnails

Hovering your mouse pointer of the button will pop up thumbnails of the windows associated with that program, and you can switch to those windows by clicking the thumbnails (like Vista). Just hovering over a thumbnail, though, brings that window to the forefront, making all other windows on your desktop transparent but leaving their outlines in place (referred to as “glass”), without actually switching to that window. Move your mouse away, and your windows all fade back to their prior state. It’s a little hard to explain, but it truly makes life easier if all you need to do is look at another window quickly. It’s much faster than switching to another window, and then switching back.

Using Aero Peek with "Glass" effect

Another use of the “glass” feature is functionally similar to the old “minimize all windows” button (or Win-D). Instead of minimizing all windows, you can just hover over a button at the the right end of the taskbar, and all non-minimized windows go “glass” so you can see your desktop. Since gadgets are now free on the desktop (rather than being confined to a sidebar in Vista), getting a clear, quick view of the desktop has some utility. Clicking that button does the same old “minimize all windows” trick.

Windows Live Essentials – Not exactly new features, but updated software. Perhaps for anti-trust reasons, Microsoft has opted to remove several pieces of software that used to come standard with the OS. They’re now available separately, but still for free. Windows Live Essentials is that collection of software, including Photo Gallery and Movie Maker. Also included is software called Family Safety, which allows parents to control access to certain websites, including email filtering for Microsoft’s webmail, Hotmail.

There are, of course, many many more new features, but I’m just trying to point out those that would be quickly noticeable. The best list I’ve found is the wikipedia article on the topic.

Still Using XP?

As you might expect, if you’re upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7, it will be quite a shift for your regular computing tasks. As for a family PC, not much has changed from Vista to 7, but XP users will welcome features in 7 that were originally introduced in Vista to make family and multi-user computing easier.

Not only is there a Parental Controls control panel item in 7 (and Vista), but you can also choose which games rating system to use (i.e., ESRB in the US, , and you can restrict individual users from playing games with certain ratings. You can set time limits and maintain a list of dis-allowed software, all on a per-user basis. The game ratings restrictions are quite fine-grained, but I would say that the approach of the list of allowed programs is a little cumbersome. To block programs, it looks like Windows basically finds all .exe files, and turns it into a check list. Would everyone remember to allow explorer.exe? I think this could use some work. A little guidance and helpful default settings would go a long way.

Also, trying to have a limited user account, as opposed to an administrator, wasn’t very workable under XP. On that operating system, software would try to do administrator-only tasks with a limited user account, and just crash or cause some other issue. Vista and 7 can very easily elevate to administrator permissions (with a password, of course), or just cancel the whole operation. Actually, it’s as much a matter of the software as the operating system, but with Vista, software developers finally got on board with the multi-user and limited user paradigm.

Worth the Upgrade?

I don’t want to recommend or not recommend Windows 7. If one of the features discussed above or in an article linked from here sounds like a deal-maker to you, go for it. I personally think this is a compelling upgrade from both XP and Vista. Do keep in mind, though, that if you’re coming from XP, you’ll be able to buy the Upgrade package, but you will still need to do a complete install, so get ready to back up your data. Coming from Vista is an easy decision, though. 7 is basically Vista++.

If you’re happy with your current set up, whether XP, Vista, or something else entirely, I would suggest waiting until you purchase a new computer, and get the operating system preinstalled.

Windows 7 is released at retail on October 22^nd, 2009. I’m basing my review and opinions on the Release-to-Manufacturer version, widely released as a preview by Microsoft.

He Said

Full disclosure: I’m a Beatles fanatic. I didn’t really realize this, though, until I started to talk to friends in college about music. I found that some of them hadn’t actually heard all of Sgt. Pepper’s, and some didn’t hold Revolver as the pinnacle of pop music. I had trouble understanding this. I had thought those were settled questions.

I’m a Beatles fanatic because I was weaned on them. My father’s extended family, of about 50 people or so, are all Beatles fanatics. At family weddings, there is always at least some period when Rocky Raccoon must be played, and all the assembled sing every single word, including all the “doot-da-doos”. I’ve been told that’s it’s a little unnerving from an outsider’s perspective.

So yeah, big Beatles fan here.

That all being said, before a few weeks ago, I had never seriously played any of the guitar/band rhythm games (Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band). The few times I had tried, I was discouraged pretty quickly, and I usually found the track selections to be a bit cheesy.

But then The Beatles: Rock Band was announced. As stated above, I adore the music, so I was very intrigued. Then the price hit me. $250 USD for the whole bundle with drums, mic, mic stand, and guitar. Fortunately, lately both the Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour bundles (both with guitar, mic and drums and fully compatible) are easily found for $100 lately. Then The Beatles is just $60 for the game by itself. Still a substantial chunk, but also substantially less than $250. And there’s the bonus of getting a whole other game as well.

My wife had no objection (“You’re spending your own money..”), so, on the advice of a coworker that the games are fun even solo, I took the plunge. My wife promised to give it a try with me, but she expected not to be too impressed by it. She likes the Beatles fine, but is not a fanatic by any means.

A couple of hours of Rock Band 2 later, and we had our in-game band rolling. We were both much looking forward to The Beatles: Rock Band.

She said

I made it very clear when Brian was admiring the Rock Band 2 kit that he’d be a solo performer. I distinctly remember saying “You’re on your own there.”  The pop culture references surrounding the instruments that aren’t quite instruments was enough to make me, an actual musician, head for the hills. “Why don’t you just learn to play a real guitar?”   Well, it’s been three weeks since the guitar and plastic drum set have set up residence in our home, and I’ll openly admit that I’m a changed lady.

What I initially was afraid of was the novelty factor of RB2 wearing off– as it did for us with DDR and its successors. I didn’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars for something that would be fun once or twice only to end up collecting dust and taking up space in our family room. What I’ve found with RB2, much to my surprise, is that the simple plot is compelling, comfortably challenging in nature, and a great pick-up game when you have a few minutes or an hour to spare.  I was impressed with the variety of songs available to play and the option to purchase individual songs. Our first duet was Modest Mouse’s “Float On”– by the end of the song, I realized my foot was keeping rhythm, and I really felt like I was playing an instrument.  Granted, as a non-guitar player, I know it’s not the same experience, but the actual gameplay really did feel musical. I attempted the drums on a few songs as well, and while the rhythms were fun, I found the noise of the plastic drum heads a little less enjoyable for me than the guitar. That worked out, of course, as Brian seemed much more comfortable with the drumsticks while I strummed away with lead guitar. We both attempted the vocals to a few songs, which was surprisingly challenging given the need to match pitch and lyrics while providing an occasional tambourine or cowbell backup by thwacking the microphone.

I’ll leave the technical details to my husband on this one, but as far as aesthetics go, I was thoroughly impressed, from the RB2 guitar, to the options for personalization within the game. I can compare RB2 with Guitar Hero after playing one of their models last week while on vacation; though I’ll admit that an arcade-style version of Guitar Hero isn’t a completely fair comparison, I could definitely tell the difference between the guitars.  While I found the brightly colored tabs on GH much easier to use, the more subtle color bands on RB2′s guitar made the instrument seem less childish and more like a guitar. The visuals of the game were quite fun. Brian and I each created a character for use in the story mode; by adjusting everything from the amount and color of facial hair to my general performance attitude (myself, punk, and Brian a rocker), the game felt really personalized. In addition, by successfully playing songs, you earn money that can be spent on upgraded guitars, clothing, and transportation during gameplay. The final element in the storyline mode which makes it truly a fun and personalized experience is that your newly created band picks its hometown from a select list. We chose to be based out of Chicago (our real home town), which made playing in various venues (that really exist!) a fun and realistic experience.  In addition, there are “local artists” set lists of songs for lesser-known bands in your selected hometown.

Beatles Rock Band, a recent release, appeared to me to be a streamlined and more focused version of what I enjoyed in RB2.  Though I wouldn’t consider myself a huge Beatles fan like my husband, I definitely enjoyed the musical gameplay presented in chronological order.  Instead of earning money for embellishing your character, you unlock various group photos of the band and Beatles history memorabilia, and of course, more songs to play. I’d say this aspect of the game is strictly tailored to Beatles fans, as I didn’t find it nearly as exciting as my husband did. Similarly, since you’re actually playing as the Beatles, there isn’t that option for tailoring your character. In fact, you’re really experiencing a fairly linear plot with little personalization. I’d say this is a drawback when comparing it to RB2, but I think the point of the game is more about a tribute to the Beatles than anything individualistic.  However, I think my opinion of the Easter eggs and prizes would be very different if the game was Billy Joel: Rock Band.  Still, for a game that offers so much variety in how you play, the plot seems strikingly too limited. I could see myself playing through once, then shelving BRB until friends and family came over to join in. RB2, however, I think has much more potential for replaying through with a different hometown, characters, and challenges.

My overall opinion? Rock Band is well worth the money for musicians and non-musicians alike. I could definitely see myself playing this solo, though I think I’ll always have a willing drummer nearby.  Beatles Rock Band, on the other hand, would be great for parties and a game for the Beatles fanatic. If I were to purchase one, it would definitely be RB2. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a gig to play at the Palace Hotel Ballroom.

He said some more

Rock Band 2 comes with over 80 songs, and on whatever platform, you can download more songs, whether they’re whole albums (for instance, Pearl Jam just released their latest album for download on Rock Band), or individual tracks. All the music in the game tends to lean in the direction of hard rock, but there is a bit more variety in the downloadable tracks, which include classic rock as well as country.

The Beatles: Rock Band on the other hand, only has 40 or so songs, and only Beatles songs, as opposed to Guitar Hero: Metallica, for instance, which includes several songs from artists that inspired the band. The upshot to the paucity of tracks in BRB is that several complete Beatles albums will be released for download soon. Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Rubber Soul will be released in October, November and December, respectively.

As far as downloabable tracks, the PS3 and Xbox 360 both handle this much better than the Wii. With Rock Band 2, both the PS3 and 360 can import the tracks from previous games in the series, or from track pack discs purchased at retail. There is no such option with the Wii, even if you have a large SD card. Overall, both the PS3 and 360 versions of seem to be the premier platforms, but which each iteration, the Wii comes closer to feature parity.

As for graphical presentation, this is definitely a game that works much better on a wide screen TV, and the bigger the better. Each player must watch a relatively tight region of the screen, and a wide screen display gives everyone a lot more breathing room. Also, having a large display lets every see the screen fine at a reasonable distance from the television.

As you would expect, the PS3 and 360 versions of these games look much better than the Wii version, but that’s not to say the Wii games looks bad. On the contrary, we’ve been playing on the Wii, and have no complaints whatsoever with the visuals. The Beatles: Rock Band, in particular, might be one of the best looking Wii games ever. In the original Rock Band, the Wii version only displayed a video for your band playing rather than your actual avatars like the other two did, but that shortcoming has been remedied in Rock Band 2.

A Few Notes on Hardware Compatibility

If you’ve got any of these games already (any Guitar Hero or Rock Band installment), or think you might want to pick up more, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with which instruments are compatible with which games. Generally, the more recent instruments work with all the more recent games, but the farther back you go with either side of the equation, the sketchier compatibility becomes. There are quite a few games and instrument combinations to wrap your mind around. Thankfully, there are a few guides online for this question:

Harmonix (developers of Rock Band) compatibility list: Rock Band Instrument Compatibility

It’s tougher to find one place where Neversoft (current developers of the Guitar Hero series) maintains a list of peripheral compatibility. I was able to find this matrix from Joystiq, though.

• Keeping Shopping Lists
• Searching the vast array of food blogs (shameless plug:  My wife has a food blog called Domestic Pursuits) for finding recipes
• Storing and easily retrieving recipes, both thoes found on food blogs and those originally on paper
• Monitoring Children’s Internet Usage
• Checking on important emails while waiting for food to cook
• Using Skype or Google Voice as a primary audio/video phone

Now, MSI has created a new, counter-top touch-screen PC specifically for the kitchen called the Wind Top PC.  It is reminiscent of Apple’s iMac, but with a PC AMD processor, and provide a home PC for the kitchen that makes sense.  It comes equipped with a WebCam and microphone (for those who care to use Skype on a regular basis), and is a fairly beefy computer for the size.  It’s shape and size make it ideal for a non-desktop environment for use in the kitchen.

As we become more technologically sophisticated as a people, the need for computers in various capacities continues to rise.  Gone are the days where most families had a single desktop or notebook computer to share.  Now, with desktops, notebooks, mobile, and more specialized computers such as MSI’s Wind Top, computing is becoming a facet of everyday life.  As technology continues to improve (especially with touch-screen technology), we will see more and more specialized computers and devices pop up for other uses.  MSI has capitalized on this trend, and the introduction of the Wind Top PC directly addresses the growing trend of kitchen PC’s.