My New Copy of Windows Vista Business Edition

Thank you Microsoft for sending me a free version of Vista.
I thought I would never see it come in the mail.
But it came today.
Thanks to the Power Together Campaign. I will be installing Vista onto my Macbook Pro once, final version of Bootcamp comes out.

Thank You Microsoft

Apple's record quarter: inside the numbers

Yesterday, Apple Inc. reported record profits of $1.14 per share ($1 billion) on revenues of $7.1 billion, which was also a record. The earnings were a pleasant surprise for Wall Street given analysts' expectations of around 78¢ earnings per share.

Over at Arstechnica, they briefly breakdown Apple's success in the 4th Quarter of 2006. Apple is really riding a wave, with the various incarnations of the iPod, and the newly released Intel based computers. Apple made a very smart move switching over to Intel, be it I wished they would have gone with AMD, but now the computers can finally run with the rest of the pack. Also with each use of OS X, it keeps putting my Windows experiences in the dust. Way to go Apple.

My only worry is that I hope all this success does not go to their heads. Previous history within Apple, has shown that success can go to their heads especially Steve Job's. I hope they can keep focus, don't branch out to far, and do what the do best creating software that runs on very well designed and integrated hardware. I also find it interesting has OS X become more and more popular, how people's thinking of computers may change once they have to know how to use Windows and OS X interchangeably.

» How to Be a Curious Photographer

As I pondered these questions I thought of the images that I see each day on Flickr?s interestingness pages (the shots in this post come from there). Some of the shots are just so unusual that I would never have thought to take them. Obviously there are some ?curious? photographers behind them - but how do they do it?

An interesting post about being more curious about taking photography.
Take a look at Flickr's Explore Interesting photos. Some of the photos on the page are really interesting, others are middle aged photography studio at home wannabe, that takes to many photos of there kids in cute moments tripe.

Cingular to become AT and T on Monday - Engadget

Like, no time at all -- in fact, ComputerWorld is reporting that AT-T will begin using dual Cingular/AT-T branding this coming Monday.

Interesting move. As Cingular brand was really growing momentum they are now going to kill it off, and bring back the much tainted AT-T brand name. Whatever, the new logo and design will look like or if they don't change it at all and keep boring AT-T old school logo. I for see a lot of customers moving away or not renewing, due to Cingular being a shitty company, and now being associated brand wise with a not so steady footed company in recent years. Oh well...

Why is it that Cell Phone companies can never keep the same name and branding.

Sorry for the funky title, Blogger does not allow the and symbol in blog titles.

Music Videos

I was watching VH1 top videos, and saw the Smells Like Teen Spirit Video. I wondered who the director of the video was and looked him up on Wikipedia.
To my surprise Samuel Bayer who directed Smells LIke Teen Spirit, also directed many prominent 90's music videos. Such as No Rain, Zombie, and to my total suprise Bullet With Butterfly Wings.

Honda Future Concepts and Cars - the Official Honda Autos Web Site

The Accord. Honda's best-selling model in North America. And now, 30 years after its inception, Honda welcomes the eighth-generation of its legendary vehicle. For the first time ever, an Accord concept car made its stunning debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. In the evolution of the automobile, the Accord Coupe Concept's unveiling gave us an exciting sneak peek at the styling of the next-generation Accord. Without losing its signature of graceful simplicity, the Accord Concept Car pledges top-line design, sleek style and a dash of confident vitality.

New Honda Accord Concept is pretty sweet looking. Only problem is that it appears to be void of Accord heritage. Maybe a step in the right direction though. As the current Accord has been rather boring and way too big! I do like the other concepts such as the Bus Concept, that looks like and Element and old VW Bus. Also there is a Mugen Civic coming to America, which I've always wanted something Mugen on my car. Having an entire Mugen car would be killer!

Atwater Village Newbie: Decoding Target Discounts: Look for the 4

Full prices end in 9. Every time Target discounts, the final digit of the price drops. The lowest the final digit will go is 4. If you see something you want and the price ends in 4, buy it. You won't get it for less.

Not sure how true this is, but I will have to keep a lookout to see if this actually seems plausible.

I originally saw this over at Boing Boing.

Boing Boing Update/

Update 2: Josh sez, "I worked for Target from December 2005 until June 2006 as a departmental manager, that's how I know this information. There is a pricing team within each store. The sole purpose of this team is to reprice and mark down sale merchandise. Target has a weekly sale that starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. These sale prices vary and the stores only get the sales flyer 2 weeks in advance. Markdown pricing is done via a database of prices coming out of headquarters Minnesota. It is not really done on an individual store basis. This information is fed into the store for the markdowns to be taken. Each pricing team member has a PDA (PDA or LRT in Target speak) type device that directs them around the store to change the prices of items. Each department has a set markdown day. In my store, (T1499) electronics markdowns happened every Wednesday. Ideally if an item is being marked down soon, there will be a stockroom purge of those items in the days leading up to the clearancing of those items. The items are then priced and placed on the floor, usually on back clearance endcaps away from the main racetrack aisles of the store. Typically items are first marked down at 15% off. After two to three weeks, the items will go 30% off. Then 50%, finally 75%. It is generally two weeks between markdowns but that varies. For seasonal items (Christmas, Valentines, Halloween) the markdown is much faster and can vary from store to store. My store once piloted a faster markdown scheme for seasonal items. Immediately after the holiday, they went 50% off, two days later 75% and on the fourth day they were 90% off. The pricing teams have no way to look into the future to see what markdowns will be taken next week, they can only offer you and educated guess as to what will mark down and when. I've found that they are generally helpful if you ask them when items might be reduced further. The pricing team works a morning shift, usually 6 am - 2:30 pm, although this varies. They are easy to spot as they will be pushing buggies filled with items that have gone 'salvage'. These items have been removed from the floor to be returned to the manufacturer or to the Target warehouse where they will be sold off or donated to charity. In my experience, electronics are rarely reduced beyond 50%"

Macworld Drinking Game 2007 | 43 Folders

This is a pretty good one! A Macworld drinking game. If followed tomorrow could be a pretty good start to the day if one was to follow along, and wasn't at work for the day. I myself am kind of confused by all the attention and hype Macworld has been getting as of lately. I mean are the going to announce that Apple is going to end the war in Iraq or something?

Well cheers

The Macworld Drinking game was originally posted by World Leader Pretend1, at Flickr.

Tetris From Russia With Love Google Videos

A BBC Documentary titled Tetris From Russian With Love, about the creation of Tetris in Russia, by the creator Alexey Pajitnov. One of the classic games, that almost everyone enjoys to play. Many people don't know about the many legal battles that this game has created, from who owns the rights to the game, to different software companies wanting to license and release the game. A relic of late Cold War Era of Russia, that what was created by a person but not seen as intellectual property of that person, but that of the state. An interesting struggle against the capitalist and the communist over a video game. It is rather odd how many different things we Americans take for granted. The fact that for some time Alexey did not receive much or if any pay for his work. But, he was happy that he had provided something enjoyable to his friends as well as the rest of the world.

It is really odd how times have changed as well. When Tetris was created Russia was torn within the Cold War, and was facing many struggles within it's own system. A system that was failing, and creating a society of struggle and unhappiness. How something so enjoyable and entertaining could be created in such an environment is beyond me. I guess when you don't have much to look forward to, you create something to look forward to. As for Russia, or now know as the Russian Federation is in many much different than how Russia was when Tetris was created. A country caught up with consumerism, and capitalist ideas, that where once greatly feared, and now has relaxed enough to take a holiday break like no other. It is interesting how a little game could cause so much trouble, and may have created some sort of inspiration for a generation to come.

As a side note; I find the mystical elegance of Tetris very interesting, such as how Tetris's role in the launch of the Gameboy, and Nintendo's prominent seeking of simplistic intelligent games.

Oh and this reminds me of one of my much wanted items, The Tengen copy of NES Tetris, which I had almost forgotten about!

Vending machine shenanigans - Machine tricks

I can't believe this. The iPod Vending Machines runs Windows! I guess Apple did not over see the actual housing of their beloved iPods. Surely someone will find a way to hack the machine to dispense free iPods. But would probably be quickly busted if their are located in monitored areas.

TIME 25 Top Ten List 2006

It was an extraordinary year for breakout shows and showbiz breakups, for hot business deals and shady business dealings, and for the queens of film and fools of sport.

Well once again for the New Years different media sources do their annual Top Countdown list. The TIME'S list is usually pretty good, and has various different categories this year. Unlike 96.5 The Buzz list Top 96 of the 90's which was well.. crappy. Many of the movies listed I have not heard of, so I will have to keep a look out for those. Wii Sports got the top Game spot! As I get more time, I will have to look further into some of the items on the Time's list.
At the top of my list is my wonderful pookie April. :)

Adobe Lightroom Killer Tips

I just received an e-mail from Adobe about Photoshop Lightroom tutorial website. Appears that it is sponsored by Adobe and The National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Wiki