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September 22, 2006
You know the Prog Power family is expanding when ...
Funny thing happened to me today and I realized...
You know the prog power family is expanding when your co-worker asks you.
"Hey, did you go to prog power last week? because I thought I saw you in the airport on the way home!"
It so happens a co-worker of mine who sits 2 cubicles away from me also went to prog power.
I laughed because while at work I usually stay to myself and never knew this person was into the same music. heh!
Posted by Me at 01:00 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 21, 2006
LIFEBOOK P1510D
So I found the need to get a new laptop for my micro mobile needs.
Actually the issue stems from the rude/inconsiderate people on the NYC subways.
Frankly I think handling a 12" laptop on my lap is not much of a big deal.
Yet it always seems you'll get some jealous person who will see you with it and then start messing with you. I.E casually bumping into you multiple times to try and force it to fall.
Well fortunate for me, I can switch it to tablet mode and go smaller.
However I felt the desire to get smaller and lighter.
Don't get me wrong, I love my lifebook T4210.
It's a hefty machine and pretty light, just slightly cumbersome to pull out of my bag and situate correctly amidst someone sitting next to me.
I know I need a new top loading/opening bag, yet that has been pretty hard to come by these days. Most of the bags I've encountered are not in the configuration with opening zippers to expose the laptop the way I need it to be. It seems style and times have changed. Most require you to remove the machine from the bag via lift out.
So lo and behold I threw a hail mary bid on a lifebook P1510D.
Heck, the machine is so small and cute and I thought, Gee, it would make a nice media player, kinda like Packgrog's, only on a grander scale.
This machine is a PC that wants to be a PDA.
So there I am at progpower checking mail that says I won. I couldn't believe it.
It arrived on Thursday and I gotta tell you this thing is cute!
Tiny and light (2lbs).
There are plenty of indepth reviews of this puppy around the net, so I wont go into too much detail. I'll just give an overview.
For the most part. This machine is "small!"
It's not too much larger then a CD case.
Your two hands side by side can completely cover the keyboard.
The keys are quite small, yet surprisingly usable once you get used to it.
The screen is small to. Think 6x9 1024x600 WXGA.
Also the tablet screen is a touch screen rather then an active digitizer.
This means the cursor does not track movements with the stylus.
I.E. it only moves to position when the stylus actually comes in contact with the screen.
I knew this going into the purchase, however I was a bit surprised to find out that the "touch screen" was only touchable with the stylus.
There have been many a complaint that the touch screen picks up palm or finger strokes.
Here I was thinking I could navigate with my fingers. I was wrong. (sigh).
I wasn't looking for 100% tablet/stylus functionality. If this was a real touch screen I would have been happy. So the only downside is I have to keep pulling the stylus out of the socket when I want to navigate around in tablet mode. (minor peeve).
Also the screen's dimensions are odd to work with.
So there are a number of usability factors here.
I.E. with my aging eyesight I find the need to use my glasses for certain reading situations.
The particular unit I won has a 60GB HD and bluetooth.
As a media player this thing rocks, but I'll probably have to invest in some sort of remote control. Possibly the griffin airclick or the hiro pcmcia remote. I'm still waiting for someone to come out with a bluetooth remote media controller and once that happens I am there!
I went for the extra bluetooth functionality for a few reasons.
wireless mouse, possibly wireless headphones and possibly a wireless remote control.
Bluetooth seems to be up and coming for wireless accessories, so I might as well be prepared.
For my T4210, I use a bluetooth mouse and I love it. No dongle!!!
Battery life on the P1510D is great too. 3 Hours on a battery.
There is also an extended battery that can yield 6 hours, yet it will extend past the screen about an inch.
With compact flash and SD card capability I have access to expansion.
My only wish was that it had PCMCIA. From what I read on the boards, they are coming out with a version that does PCMCIA. w00t! I'll be there!
So overall I love this machine. I do use it for quick browsing and emailing, but not for long extended sessions. I use it for a media player. eBook reader & source code browser which will probably be my primary use of it. Who needs an iPod when I have a fully capable PC with all the trimmings and plugins. I have not attempted VMware on it yet, not sure if I'll bother. Although the CPU is probably capable enough, I just don't feel the need for Linux or development on the lil guy.
I'll probably get an FM transmitter, car adapter and GPS setup for the vehicle.
Who knows what other uses I'll find for it! (and my other 3 laptops). Yes I have 4 laptops for various uses.(well actually 5, but I plan to sell of my compaq N400C 3lb P850 on eBay soon). More on those used puppys later.
Pros.
Small 6x9
Light 2.2 LBS.
Tablet Functionality.
WiFi/Bluetooth
SD/CF slots.
Makes a great Media Player
3 Mouse buttons, (middle to help scroll).
60GB drive w00t!
Cons
Keyboard is kinda small and can be cumbersome until you are used to it.
Trackpoint takes getting used to (each machine has it's own feel and the ones I am used to have a slightly different feel)
Screen dimensions odd and how software handles it.
No CD ROM slot (must be external).
No PCMCIA. could be one in the future.
Not really a touch screen as people say.
Stylus location (I wish it were on the other side or lcd screen like the lifebook).
Gets a bit warm on heavy use, yet it is withstandable.
Cover for VGA port on back lends itself to being ripped off/out of the machine. Very flimsy design.
I have some gallery pics here.
http://www.cotrone.com/rob/gallery/Lifebook_P1510D
http://laptopmag.com/Review/Fujitsu-LifeBook-P1510D.htm
Posted by Me at 11:00 PM | Comments (1)
Post Op Follow Up
Today was Tricia's post op follow up for the second operation (on the same eye).
Tricia happens to be in alot of pain. More so then the last time.
The Dr. said the bandage might not have been on tight enough (we did see it lift off) and subsequently may have scratched her cornea when she opened the eye.
The eye was numb at the time so she would not have felt it until the medicine wore off.
(which is what seems to have happened).
So for the next few days she will litterally have to sit there with her eyes closed to avoid the pain.
The Dr. prescribed some drops and recommended an over the counter product called Genteal. It's in a tube and a thick forumula for tears. Tricia said it is very soothing.
Overall the Dr. said the operation was successful and there was no internal bleeding in the eye.
There was however, some surface bleeding when the tool was removed from the eye.
So on first look her eye is all bloodshot. Most importantly is the success of the re-attachment an d no internal bleeding. We'll see how next weeks post op follow up comes out.
I am forwarding all notes and well wishes. She loves hearing from y'all. Thanks.
Posted by Me at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)
September 20, 2006
Under the knife again
I found out last Thursday that Tricia has to go for another operation on her eye.
The same one that was recently operated on.
It seems that the edges of the retina are lifting up and the Dr.has to go in again to see what is going on,
This put a bit of a damper on Prog Power as I've been very concerned.
The Dr. made a comment that he had to go in 5 times for one person.
Today was the operation and the Dr. said that everything went well.
He extracted the fluid, did more laser surgury on the edges and put new fluid back in.
He put a shorter acting gas bubble this time around so she'll have vision sooner.
It seems that now the other eye is giving Tricia trouble and is deteriorating rapidly. It will have to undergo the same procedure.
To those that have expressed thier well wishes I have forwarded them along.
Tricia said "Thank you for all your support"
Posted by Me at 06:00 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 17, 2006
Back from Progpower VII
Just flew in from Prog Power VII and Boy are my arms tired.
Pics posted in The gallery under Prog Power VII
http://www.cotrone.com/rob/gallery/ProgPowerVII
No Captions yet
More to come later. Thanks to all who called and emailed to say hello.
Posted by Me at 09:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 13, 2006
I made it!! (finally)
I finally made it here in Atlanta. It was a fiasco... (more about that later!) time to party!
I'm in Room 612 at the Marriot Residence Inn 404-745-1160
Posted by Me at 09:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Prog Power VII - Here I come!
I'm off to Prog Power USA VII !!! Seven years of metal! \m/
I should arrive in Atlanta GA approx 6-7pm.
I'll be posting updates to my gallery with pics as I get them online.
http://www.cotrone.com/rob/gallery/ProgPowerVII
Posted by Me at 08:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 11, 2006
Vacating once more again
So once again, I'm on vacation. w00t!
Only this time I'll be heading out of Rockaway to Prog Power VII.
For the first part of the week, here I am preparing for the trip.. and what happens.. I get a sinus cold! Sheesh!
Well hopefully lots of rest, vitamins and echinacea will help beef me up for Prog Power.
Can't believe this will be the 7th year of this event!
I should be more psyched, but without Tricia this year, it will sort of be diminished.
Dr, said no flying till Thanksgiving. Hopefully she'll be able to attend next year.
Still, it will be great to see all my metal buddies!
w00t!
Posted by Me at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2006
Review: The Logitech Cordless V270 Bluetooth Mouse
The Logic V270 Cordless Bluetooth Mouse
A number of months ago if you asked me about bluetooth technology I would have not given it much credance. Simply because there was not too much use for it at the time and I also thought, did we need another wireless protocol?
Well since I've been living with the lifebook, I've gotten a colorful mouthfull with blue teeth
My PDA had bluetooth, but my prior notebook didn't. I just couldn't spend the money on yet another dongle for the notebook. After all I already had one for the wireless mouse.
The Fujitsu lifebook came with bluetooth so I figured I would look into it more.
After a while of dealing with the wireless mouse and dongle I did a search for A bluetooth mouse and found a few.
The one that struck me was the Logitech Cordless V270 Travel mouse with bluetooth.
This was just the answer I was looking for. A way to have a cordless mouse and get rid of the USB dongle.
There are plenty of other reviews and comparisons around the web, so I'll only go into opinions, pros/cons and what they might not have said already.
Frankly, This mouse works great. Pairing it up with the notebook computer was all done at the notebook said. I was up and running in 5 minutes.
It's pretty responsive considering all. When it does go into auto sleep, it wakes up faster then my prior memorex wireless mouse.
I like having an on/off switch on the mouse to save the batteries.
It's small enough to tote along with my laptop as I go back and forth to work.
On that particular lite wood surface, it's response can miss a lil, but it's a small price to pay. eventually it works well enough.
The only feature I gave up with this mouse was not being able to recharge the batteries directly via a USB cable. This was a really nice feature about my prior notebook mouse. When the batteries were low, plug in a cord and it recharges the batteries.
To compensate, I purchased a USB battery recharger for when I go away to Prog Power.
heh, I'll need it anway for other battery operated things.
One beef was the pricing on this unit. it was at least $10 more then any other cordless mouse and it did not even have a receiver. It relies/expects the fact that you have bluetooth already. it was a hard pill to swallow, but I did it anyway. (Bastages!).
Another point in regards to bluetooth is performance. I've noticed when things get busy, the mouse can actually lag behind, almost seeming to have a mind of it's own. A funny thing happened once after I visited a site. Some interference or performance issue cropped up and the mouse stopped responding... a moment later, I saw the mouse move on it's own and frightfully thought for a second I was hacked with someone accessing my computer. LOL!!!
For the most part I'm happy with it.
I would give it a 9 out of 10.
The only feature I wish it really had was the ability to charge the batteries while in the mouse.
Posted by Me at 06:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack