Bose Computer MusicMonitor: You Got Cash?

Do you like to travel? A lot? Think you've got your weight limit sorted? Laptop packed? Films on the hard drive? Speakers? What, no speakers? Well think again..

I'm a big traveller, whenever I can, I move countries with my job. But this means that I am limited to 30kgs of baggage (including the girlfriend's shoes). But I like my music, I like watching movies, and I love playing games. The problem I always had was with the sound quality, laptop speakers just don't cut the mustard, even with these fancy "subs" they are claiming to have.

Nuclear Free Blog!!!

Is yours a Nuclear Free Blog? Let everyone know with this banner:

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I drew this banner after the events in Japan on March 11th 2011. Living there at the time, I was immediately thrown into the unknowing desperation of all the locals as to whether the food and water would be safe. It still isn't. Show your support for alternative renewable energy sources by flying your flags high!!

(right click on the image to save and please link back to this blog!!!!!)

Unselectable Text In Your Blog Posts

A lot of people want some of the text in their blog to be unselectable. This can be achieved, but as always with anything on the net, nothing will stop a willing person from finding a way around, or just retyping what you wrote. But that's no reason not to make it difficult for them!! For example, try selecting the orange text above. Not so easy is it. Here's how I did it...

EDIT: For images click here.

Logitech G19 Keyboard: Who is it for?

I used to have the Logitech G15 Rev. 1 keyboard. With 18 custom assignable macro keys, a monochrome screen and built in USB 1.1 ports. It also sported 2 brightness settings for the blue backlit keyboard while also being fully usable with the lights off in full daylight. The key action was the best I personally had ever used for gaming and it was seemingly indestructible. So after having to sell it (many reasons…) I have always been on the lookout for something better.

The Old Logitech G15 V1

I really got used to the separate LCD panel, using it to monitor stats within games and also as a system monitor, with the large clock being very useful to make sure I got to work on time, so for me the replacement was going to have to be another Logitech as other companies (quite rightly you might say) don’t see the need for a screen on a keyboard. The other day I got to play with the G19 in a shop.

What was this thing? The keys on my old G15 were something that felt more natural than anything I had used before, or since. The new G19 keys are narrower on top and tilt back and forth a little under use. I’m sure I could get used to this but why should I have to when they had it perfect before? The option to change the backlight colour scheme to anything I want is nice, but they have done away with the 2 brightness settings. Now if you want to reduce the brightness you have to change the colour scheme to a darker colour altogether. Not impressed. And if you want to turn the backlighting off? You have to turn the screen off too (at least I didn’t find a way to keep the screen on).

Yes, the screen is full colour, has its own operating system (so hundreds of programs can be written for it down the line), and can be used to watch films while playing games, but it is also power hungry. To use this keyboard as intended you need to plug it into the wall. I have never heard of something so ridiculous. In an age of USB powered monitors this seems a major oversight. Surely they could have done away with the full USB 2 powered hubs and used 2 USB plugs to power the keyboard?

I’m unconvinced. I don’t understand who needs this keyboard. I love gadgets and toys but even for me this seems like an over the top novelty keyboard. I would much rather have a cheap plastic normal keyboard and spend my money on the G13 Advance Gameboard. In actual fact, I may just get back on eBay and buy my old keyboard…

Mini Mod: Project Hand Baggage

After the tragic breakdown of my laptop I was left with no computer for my travels around the world. I was about to leave for Turkey and I needed some form of PC to keep me entertained and to stay connected to the world. Back in 2004 I bought myself a computer with an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ and ATI X800 GPU and was thinking that maybe that could be brought with me as hand baggage. I went back to my parent’s house, where it was stashed, and saw the size of the case I had bought for it. The Cooler Master Centurion.

It was just far too big. I needed something smaller. While thinking of a solution to this I was also thinking of how to improve on a Socket 939 motherboard without spending too much money. After asking for advice on the Bit-tech forums I got an X2 3800+ and a new graphics card. They told me to get an ATI 5450 but I got a 1GB GDDR5 5670 from a friend for next to nothing.

So new bits, still no case. On returning home to Italy my girlfriend told me she still had a computer that she bought in 1996 and that I could use that case. Ignoring the looks of the case, I measured it up and realised that it was perfect for flight hand baggage allowance. Awesome. So here is the beige goodness: