NeutralAxis

Maybe you’ve tried wireless keyboard/mouse devices before.  They’re usually good for 3 or 4 feet but then start to get unreliable.  The Adesso 2.4Ghz Wireless SlimTouch Mini keyboard with integrated touchpad (WKB-4000US) is advertised to reach 100ft.  I’m hopeful it will be useful with my Acer AspireRevo running XBMC. (continue reading…)

A few months ago, I bought an Acer Timeline 5810TZ laptop computer.  My first impressions review of it is at this post.  The summary of that review was that I wasn’t happy with it and returned it for a refund.  Since then, I had been gravitating toward the Asus UG50, which uses a Core2Duo version of Intel’s ultra low voltage processors.  These ULV processors are helping manufacturer’s make full size laptops with light weight, a thin profile, and battery life up to 8 hours.  I’ve finally pulled the trigger on my new purchase, but it wasn’t the Asus. (continue reading…)

After Christmas, I picked up a Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-Ray player for $129.  In addition to the standard blu-ray and DVD playback are internet services for Blockbuster Video, Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, and Youtube.  I tried Netflix back in 2000 but quit because the turnaround time to send in a movie and get the next one back was more than week.  I know they’ve fixed that by opening more distribution centers, but nonetheless, I haven’t gone back.  I’m also not into Youtube except for instructional type videos.  It was the Pandora service I was anticipating most. (continue reading…)

Saw my first Dyson AirBlade hand dryer in a restroom this evening.  Seems to work as advertised in that it dries your hands reasonably well and very quickly, but its jet engine noisy. You insert your hands, fingers pointing downward, and the fan turns on.  Or should I say, THE FAN TURNS ON.  You then slowly pull your hands up and out while a thin blade of high speed air wipes them dry.  Drips collect in a reservoir below and slowly evaporate.  Afterward, my hands were adequately dry.  I suppose there are two key benefits to this device.  First, that because it has no heater and runs for less time, its more energy efficient.  The second is that there’s no defaced sign on it saying “Push butt to turn on.”

After a rough start, I’ve been successfully running XBMC Live on my Revo.  The instructions on Lifehacker.com either aren’t complete, or they glossed over problems they surely must have had since the software and hardware they used is identical to mine.  First the good news … DVD ISOs and VOBs play great, and that was my main goal.  The bad news is that MP3′s played too fast, and video files like avi, flv, wmv are playing way too fast.

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I picked up the new Acer AspireRevo AR1600-U910H with the intention of installing XBMC on it as a HTPC.  A writeup about this model and XBMC on Lifehacker.com made it look easy as pie.  So far, I’ve run into a roadblock at every turn.  [Updates with some solutions]

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This 15.6″ laptop is part of Acer’s Timeline series of very thin, very long battery life models based around a new Intel ultra low voltage Pentium processor.  Its supposed to get up to 8 hours on a charge and is 1″ thick.  I’ve managed to avoid Vista up to this point by buying custom systems where Vista wasn’t bundled, so this is also my first experience with Vista.  First impressions are not good.  [Update: Its going back to Walmart.  The "Moon" trailer in HD is my test video and it performed terribly trying to play it full screen.]  See my new post about the Gateway EC5801u and EC5802u which are nearly identical but higher performance. (continue reading…)