by Jason Prahl | Nov 5, 2009 | Blog, Miscellaneous
I’ve noticed lately that searching within the Zune marketplace was going really slow. I just figured it was my internet connection at work. While listening to the Windows Weekly podcast with Paul Thurrott he mentioned this issue and a fix for it.
Paul said to open Internet Explorer and remove the checkbox from the “Automatically Detect Settings” in the Internet Options/Connections tab/Lan Settings.
It sounded a bit far fetched and I was skeptical that it would work (which is exactly what Paul said on the podcast) but it made a huge difference! The results pop up immediately instead of taking 30 to 45 seconds!
Thanks Paul for the tip!
by Jason Prahl | Oct 8, 2008 | Blog, Computer Hardware, Miscellaneous
Well, the Mac only lasted 5 days in my hands. I wanted to like the Mac. I tried to like the Mac. I don’t like the Mac. The Mac OSX is a sharp operating system and it looks really nice. It performed well and even running Windows Vista nativly on the Mac book was not a bad experience. There’s just to many wierd nuances to use the Mac book as a Vista laptop, which is sad because they do make really well designed and sexy laptops!
In the end the wierd nuances pushed me to return the Mac and I’ve purchased a Lenovo Thinkpad instead. I wanted to get another Sony, but they are way over priced. I ended up with the Lenovo T400. Not the sexiest laptop on the block, but it’s solid and performs exceptionally well.
In the end “I am a PC”.
by Jason Prahl | Feb 6, 2007 | Blog, Miscellaneous
I’ve had my Zune now for several months, well, since it came out in November to be exact. I still love the Zune as much as when I first cracked open the box. I use it nearly everyday either for music, videos and I’ve actually started using the FM radio everynow and then when I just can’t find music that I really want to listen to. I love it so much that I ventured into modding and replaced the 30gb hard drive for a 80gb.
I’ve found one feature about the Zune that I really like is the ability to change the wallpaper on it. I’m a wallpaper freak, I change the wallpaper on my laptop and 3 other PC’s at least as much as I change my underwear! I started making my own wallpapers, but just wasn’t digging those as much. Then I found ThemeZune.com and was able to get my wallpaper fix and show my Zune some wallpaper love. They have tons of Zune sized wallpapers arranged by type. There are enough wallpapers on there to suite just about everyone.
by Jason Prahl | Feb 2, 2007 | Blog, Miscellaneous
I think the recent cold weather here has frozen my blog as well as my photoblog. We had a nasty ice storm spell during which we went without power for 12 days. Going that long without being able to flip on a light switch, plug my laptop into a wall outlet and turn on the stove to cook whenever we please was a strange experience. You just don’t realize just how dependent we spoiled gadget freaks are on electricity. I found myself thinking, “I’ll just jump on the internet and…oh wait, I can’t get on the internet.” I don’t know how many times I walked into a room and flipped the light switch and thought “man, I need to change that light bulb…oh wait, not I don’t.”
On another note I picked up a Wii and have to say that I’m impressed. The Wii Sports is a great game that my whole family really enjoys. The idea of actually getting up off the couch to play video games is just awesome. The news channel on the Wii is cool too. You can sit and have news headlines on the screen along with a globe that spins to where the current news headline is from. This spinning globe is used in the weather channel on the Wii as well and is equally as impressive. Surfing the internet on the Opera browser that you can download for the Wii works really well. I think it’s worth mentioning that when I read that Nintendo had changed the name of it’s next console from Revolution to Wii I was convinced that they had shot themselves in the foot and I remember predicting that the thing would not make it. Boy was I wrong and boy do I like this machine. Sorry Sony, I’ll pass on the PS3. Although I still want a XBox360 just for the cool menu system alone! :)
by Jason Prahl | Jan 20, 2007 | Blog, Miscellaneous
Still have ice…still have no power at home…still no internet either…today more snow falling…blah
The above picture and these pictures that Brandon took pretty much sums it up.
by Jason Prahl | Jan 3, 2007 | Blog, Miscellaneous
Like a speeding subway 2006 has sailed right past us. Along the way there were a couple of technologies that I embraced and have begun using extensively. There were a lot of pieces of hardware and software that I experimented with and came into contact with this year. To make the list, the technologies have to be something that I really ended up integrating into my life somehow. They didn’t have to necessarily originate in 2006 either. There were many things that came to mind but most of those were simply interesting in passing, but didn’t really change my life at all. So here are the things that I consider the top tech of 2006:
1. Sony Reader – I have to say that Sony is beginning to fade from being the top technology company that they used to be. They certainly have some nice hardware like the PSP and I like some of the Vaio laptops. I’ve long wanted a better way to read electronic books and the Sony Reader is the perfect device for doing just that. I can say that I’ve read at least 4 books on the reader and it’s as good as reading a paperback book, plus it gives me the high tech high I so love! Read my full review here.
2. Microsoft Zune – Microsoft has certainly managed to drum up it’s share of haters and lovers. I for the most part really like Microsoft and their products. The iPod is an impressive device and is clearly the dominating mp3 player. I’ve owned 3 or 4 iPods and liked each one (not the Nano as much though). I can honestly say I like the Zune more than the iPod though. There are still some features that I wish the Zune had, but they aren’t that big a deal to me. I’ve really began using the Zune a lot to watch video podcasts and even a movie or two. I almost always have the Zune with me and I haven’t listened to the radio in my truck hardly at all since I got it. It’s certainly a device that I have integrated into my lifestyle.
3. Windows Media Center – Yes, I know another Microsoft product. Early in the year I really began using Media Center a lot. I’ve had a PC in my living room with Media Center since the end of 2005 but it was in January or so that it really took over my TV. I even got my wife, who protested at first to having another computer in the living room, to really liking it. Yes, you can do the same and a bit more with a Tivo, but to my understanding, you have to pay a monthly fee for it. We use the Media Center to record TV, watch DVD’s, look at weather, listen to music, surf the internet and play games on as well. My kids have got to the point where they know how to record shows and look for up coming things they want to see. It’s certainly something that’s heavily integrated into my family’s life. I’m looking forward to moving up to the Vista version of Windows Media Center, it looks even better than the current version.
4. Treo 650 – I’m a late adopter of the whole smart phone craze. The Treo650 came out sometime in 2004 I believe and before that there was the Treo600 and some others. Sometime in the last year my work purchased a Treo650 and a data plan for it. Now I look back and wonder how I got along without it! Instant access to email and the web (not that I do a lot of surfing on that tiny screen) is just plain cool. There are several apps that I use regularly as well, like Google Maps. Brandon and I found this while lost somewhere in San Diego and it really works well. The documents to go is useful as well (of course this has been around for awhile). I’ve never been much of a text messaging person, but I’ve done a lot more of it since getting the Treo650. Now I just wish Alltel would come out with the Treo700p!
Honorable mention goes to podcasting. It kinda goes hand in hand with the Zune, but even before the Zune I had began in 2006 to listen to a lot more podcasts than I had previously.
So those are my highlights of 2006 and technologies that have really taken leaps forward in my life.
Some things I played with but didn’t fully embrace:
- UMPC’s – I had one of the Samsung Q1 ultra mobile pc’s but it just wasn’t something that I really embraced. I don’t thing their time has yet come.
- XBox360 – I want one, but gaming is just not one of those things I really do and have a lot of time for.
- Linux – It’s sharp and fast and free, but just not ready for prime time yet.
- SATA drives – I’ve used a couple of them, but I think this year will be their time to take off.
- Digg.com – I actually go there a lot, but there’s just too many hot heads and too many silly posts. Slashdot is too far the other way for me. Can we get somewhere in the middle please?
What’s something that I would like to check out? Nintendo Wii for sure. I’ve played the Bowling on the Wii and it’s a whole big bag of fun. Who would have guessed it?
What about you? What kind of technologies did you get into this year? What are you looking forward to in 2007?
by Jason Prahl | Dec 29, 2006 | Blog, Miscellaneous
I’ve been loving my Zune. There are still some things I am hoping Microsoft corrects, like gapless playback and the ability to use the Zune as a hard drive, but overall I’m extremely pleased with the Zune. I’ve used it to watch movies, listen to music and yes even listening to the radio as well. Despite Leo Leporte’s crazed ranting against the Zune, I like it alot better than the iPods I’ve owed. (It’s ok Leo, I’ll forgive you for being wrong this time!) One thing I wanted was more space though. After reading a post about upgrading the Zune to a 80gb I decided to try it. I ordered the 80gb Toshiba 1.8 inch drive from ComputerHQ.com. Then using the step by step instructions on ZuneScene.com and iPodmods.com I took my 30gb Zune and made it an 80gb Zune. I haven’t seen any adverse effects so far, but I just did it today. So, I’ll be watching it closely as the new year roles in and will let you know if anything goes awry. Overall it’s pretty easy to do.
One thing to point out is that the 80gb hard drive is a bit thicker than the 30gb so to install it you have to leave out a metal bracket that is in there either to take up space or to give some added protection to the drive, though I’m not sure just how much protection it would really serve and my zune tends to stay in it’s leather case anyways.
If you are shy about popping open your brand new Zune then you can send it to iPodMod’s and they’ll do the upgrade for you.
If anyone has any questions, I’m no expert, but I’ve done it once and can do my best to answer questions.
For those of you interested below are some pics of the process.
Thanks to Brandon for being the photographer during the process! :)
Oh, and don’t leave me any comments about how I could have got an 80gb iPod and not had to take it part and blah, blah, blah and actually spent less and blah, blah, blah, because I don’t want a iPod I want a 80gb Zune, thanks. :)
Click the pictures for a larger version.
Before starting the upgrade.
After taking the small black piece protecting the dock and removing the back.
This was the most nerve racking part because I was worried about denting or scratching the Zune.
After removing the battery and folding out the hard drive.
Removing the ribbon from the 30gb hard drive.
There is a very small black lever on the hard drive connector you pop up to get the ribbon to slide out.
There are black rubber bummpers surrounding the 30gb hard drive that have to be trimmed down.
See the pictures on iPodMod’s instructions for more details.
Putting the back cover back on. This part took a couple of tries to get it back on correctly.
Once it’s all back together you simply turn it on and follow the directions.
The Zune software re-installing the firmware on the Zune.
After the firmware installs it’s all done. Now it’s time to sync all that music and videos back on there.
by Jason Prahl | Dec 18, 2006 | Blog, Computer Hardware, Miscellaneous
If you are following the Zune, like me, then this article provides some good insight into the current features and some of what lies ahead for the Zune.
by Jason Prahl | Dec 16, 2006 | Blog, Miscellaneous
I change the wallpaper on my Zune (which I love!) as much as I do on my pc’s desktop.
So here’s some more. The last four of these are from photography from BrandonCrain.com
All the rest including previous posts on this site are from my personal photography.
by Jason Prahl | Dec 16, 2006 | Blog, Miscellaneous
Some more Zune size formatted wallpapers…
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