"BlackBook" Review

So I recently got a "BlackBook" (Black MacBook) from the Online Apple Store, and I have many thoughts and opinions about this new laptop. First off, I will start by saying that I was upset that I did not get the MacBook Pro instead, but I got the high-end BlackBook; which is still a great computer, but it is not the "creme-de-la-creme" so to speak.

My BlackBook has 2G of Memory, 250G of Hard Drive Space, and has 2, 2.4GHz Intel Proccessers.
It runs very fast and without showing any signs of problems or errors despite the rigorous downloading I put it through.

I heard from people that the BlackBook cannot run those CPU-heavu programs such as iMovie and Final Cut Express, but I found that the only thing it really shows signs of rebellion against, is my stickies application, which takes a while to open, ironically.

Overall, I would rate this computer as follows:
(Out of 5)
Speed: ****
Looks: *****
Screen Size: ** (I was hoping for either a 15 or 17 inch, so 13 was a disappointment)
Network Usage: ****

Overall Rating: ****
An amazing computer, but it is no replacement for the MacBook Pro, just 1 or 2 hundred dollars more expensive.

What's Up With Nintendo?

So my Wii broke a couple weeks ago, and I am in the proccess of fixing it. The Wii is an amazing console; more so than the PS3 and Xbox360 in my opinion. It is not really %100 broken, but my RockBand disc got stuck inside the CD Drive when I dropped it by accident. So this break is not the Wii's fault, but I am still upset, because to get the CD out, I have to either send it in to Nintendo for 5 weeks and $100 or take it apart and void my warranty (which is my choice as of now) and manually extract Rockband. $100 in my opinion for a simple repair is absurd, seeing as I payed $200 for the Wii itself! They also told me that all of my memory could be deleted during their "proffesional" repair.

I buy a lot of Nintendo hardware, and have always been pleased by their Service, and the quality of their products, however, lately, everything has been aggrevating.

Over the years, I have bought the GameBoy Color, the GameBoy Advance, the DS Lite, the Wii, and the Gamecube. I plan on still buying from Nintendo, but I think that the quality needs to improve if they plan on keeping my loyalty.

Enough of my complaints, I want to review the Wii. This is the best console out there, for many reasons:

1. It is the cheapest, at around $200 as opposed to $500 and $350 for the PS3 and Xbox360

2. It presents a new way of playing, rather than the standard controller, with it's motion sensitive "wiimotes" which allow for more gaming potential, and for more enjoyment.

3. It has many party games, which will allow you to have multiplayer fun with large groups.

4. You do not have to pay for Online Services, as opposed to the Xbox360.

All in all, your next Console should be a Wii, despite what most people say about it being lame, I can play it all day without getting an ounce of boredom! (Literally, once I played 9 hours straight of MarioKart at a party)

iPod Touch

So I just ordered my Black MacBook, and it came with a free iPod Touch (8Gigabytes) and though it has not come in the mail yet, I have used it and am looking forward to receiving mine. The product is great, and almost flawless in my opinion. My first impression is that it would be cheesy and not very useful along with being very slow, but after using it, I was very impressed. The first thing I like about it is that the screen is nearly indestructible (scratch-wise) unlike the earlier generations of iPods. If you do not believe me, watch this:



Another thing that makes this unbelievable is the ability to be "JailBreaked" which allows you to install 3rd Party Applications, such as Instant Messenger, or Solitare, and pretty much anything you can think of.

The Touch also has a built-in iTunes store, where you can buy music right off of the iPod and then the next time you sync your iPod, it adds the song (which was instantly uploaded to the touch) to your iTunes on your computer.

My first impression when the Touch came out was a Waste, but after looking at the tech specs, it is a very sophistcated piece of hardware, from it's 24 hours of battery life, to the ability to read your e-mail, to watching movies on it's large widescreen display.

So all in all, I would highly recommend the iPod Touch as your next Apple MP3 player choice; it is very worth the price and the time getting used to the touch screen!

-Gabe Bishop