Spectre’s Sayings

My MacBook’s hard drive died last night. The Apple Support Forums show that there is an epidemic of this affecting MacBooks. It happened to mine at a really inconvenient time. I was just about to start a new web design project for a neighbor, and it had been a little while since my last back up. Of course, the warranty has expired. I’m also a bit strapped for cash, and don’t really want to have to fork out the money for either a replacement part (and I’m not sure I want to open it up to swap out the hard drives) or a replacement machine.

But I need a functioning computer. GAH!

I don’t know about the Kindle, but it’s rather difficult to get one’s hands on one of the other dedicated eink ebook reading devices, such as the Sony Reader (PRS 505):

or the Bookeen Cybook:

When they’re all out-of-stock or back-ordered, that tells me there is a lot of demand for these types of devices.

OK, so my predictions were both right and wrong. I was wrong about the “air” moniker. It actually did refer to a new computer, the MacBook Air. But they did upgrade Apple TV. And of course, I didn’t expect any handheld, and had my expectations met.

MacWorld 2008 starts tomorrow at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, and the rumors are running wild about the gear that Steve Jobs is going to unveil during his keynote address. Last week, Apple fueled the rumor-mill by releasing updates to its MacPro and XServe lines. Further fueling the fire is the tag line on banners raised by Apple at the convention center. It reads, “2008. There’s something in the air.”

Many geeks and fanboys have taken that enigmatic tag line and tried to figure out what sort of hardware it refers to. Hence, ideas about the “MacBook Air,” a sub-compact laptop.

I think they’re on the wrong track.

I don’t think “air” refers to a new moniker but an old one. Apple already has a couple of products with “air” in their names. Those are the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express base stations. And what would be the something which is in the air? Data.

I think Apple is going to announce some sort convergance between its wireless routers and the AppleTV, which will include updated AirPort stations. WiFi, WiMax, and streaming HD video are some of the features I expect.

On the other hand, I’d love to see an ultramobile Mac. Having a form factor of the iPhone’s big brother, this handheld computer would feature the full version of MacOS X, and include a multitouch screen. That would rock, but I’m not getting my hopes up, because it’s rather unlikely.

SpaceShipTwo to be unveiled January 23rd? From the International Space Fellowship:

Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites plan to present their SpaceShipTwo with its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft on January 23, 2008. Testing is planned to start in mid 2008 with the first commercial flights starting at the end of 2009.

SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers and two pilots up to 130 kilometres and offer several minutes of weightlessness experience for a prize tag of $200.000. The first ship will be named VSS Enterprise, while the second one is named after adventurer Steve Fossett, VSS Spirit of Steve Fossett.

Condingsanity has posted a review of upgrading to Windows XP from Vista.

This webcam looks suitably steampunk. Hat tip: Brass Goggles.

FastCompany.com has an update on the progress of NASA’s Constellation program in general, and the Orion spacecraft in particular. An interesting read.

And, to put things into perspective, here’s an interesting quote from the article:

NASA and Lockheed Martin must find the discipline to produce a straightforward spaceship, with a clear mission and mature technology. And they must do it by 2015, with a total budget of only $8 billion–the equivalent of six weeks’ expenses in Iraq.

The transistor is 60 years old this month.

I tried all of these on a Windows XP machine. How very strange.

Popular Mechanics has an article about high-speed trains, with attention given to Maglev. I think the technology is really cool. I hope it’s the future, but I’m so jaded, cynical, and pessimistic that I don’t think we’ll be seeing it in widespread use in my lifetime.

The ethics debate over the use of embryonic stem cells is now obsolete. Great news!

Amazon has released a new competitor in the ebook-reading device market. Dubbed the Kindle, this device features the ability to download purchased ebooks wirelessly over a cell phone network, so no wi-fi hotspots are required. Amazon is covering the costs of cell connectivity, so you don’t need a contract, or a computer. This is a killer app.

You can put stuff on it via a USB cable from your computer, if you want to. I just wonder if it’s compatible with ebooks purchased from other sellers.

I’m still leaning towards getting a Cybook, but this will certainly make me do some comparison shopping.

Update: Popular Mechanics reviews the Kindle here.

Now this is a cool device. A keychain, a USB flash drive, and a beer bottle opener all in one. Appeals to the geek in me as well as the beer drinker. What’s not to like?

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) is reporting that a hacker has installed Mac OS X on an Asus Eee PC, the cute little 2-pound linux-based PC laptop. Totally in violation of the user license, of course, but a cool accomplishment nonetheless. Although, who’d want to use OS X on a 7″ screen. It’d look better on a 27″ screen.