MacBook Air is out- but, Oy Vey! The price!

OK- everyone here knows I love free, but there are times when investing a little money is just fine when the result is high quality, great performance and cutting edge technology.

Apple delivers that with the new MacBook Air. Weighing in at a miniscule 2 lbs, the name "Air" is certainly appropriate. Boasting an 11.6" screen and no thicker than a pencil at most , this is the computer you want when lugging a 5 lb. computer for 10-12 hours a day gets to be a tiring chore.


Compared to the standard laptop below it, the Air is
positively razor thin.
(credit: Cnet)


So, how does it work? Pretty well, it seems. But there is a catch. With all of this lightweight construction and power saving features, the Air has to make compromises in order to achieve its remarkable light weight. The battery is kept small and, as a result, the processor has  lower performance to maximize power consumption. The memory is smaller to reduce size, so 500G hard drives are out as an option.

The upside? Well, obviously size and weight. The quality of the components is very high, as is the construction (all metal and high quality plastics). The computer comes with Mac OS 10 and there is a certain pride (snobbiness?) to owning an Apple and having everyone around you "oooh" when you pull out this little marvel.

The price? Starts at $999 and zooms up from there as options are added like bigger drives and extra batteries. Is a lightweight computer worth a grand? Not to me- but, hey- I'm cheap.

Ubergeek.com has a balanced review of the MacBook Air here and they seem to think it's a pretty good buy if it fits your needs and lifestyle.

It's not free, but it may be money well spent.

Windows 7 mobile- it's time for a three-way fight for your cell phone dollars.

Life comes in threes: McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's...Moe, Larry, Curly...Ford, GM and Chrysler and now- iPhone, Android and Windows.

Wait. What? Windows, you say? Is that possible to cram an entire operating system in one of those thin, little phones? No, of course not.

What Microsoft has done is create a viable competitor to the long standing duo of iPhone OS and Android in the rough and tumble world of the smart cell phone market. Life here can be a long, hard road. Just as Palm, who basically dried up and folded before HP bought them recently.

Look for this soon at your favorite retailer
(credit: Microsoft)

The Windows 7 mobile system is inspired by the Zune HD theme and has pretty much gotten positive reviews across the board. Why should you care? In a word, competition. Competition drives innovation, keeps prices lower and motivates the competition to keep outdoing each other and that, my friends, means consumers like you and me get better products.

To see how the Windows 7 Mobile phone stacks up, Mobilecrunch.com has a great review for your reading enjoyment. Click here to see it.

What other good things come in threes? Oh, that's right- my kids!

Break.com- Take a break with a few minutes of laughter, awesomeness and OMG!

Ever need a quick and easy time-out? You know- a few minutes recess from the stress and trouble of daily life? Well, take a break, because Break.com is here to rescue you.

Packed with videos, pictures and games for a limited-time distraction, this site provides short term entertainment. For instance, you can enter the topic of video or picture you're interested in seeing (i.e., "golf", "skiing", etc.) and literally hundreds of selections will appear for your review.

Take a Break!
(credit: Break.com)

There are also games to explore and play. The caveat here is that some are entertaining and some are not, some are tasteless and some are truly gems. Luckily, there's a rating system that tends to weed out the non-players.

If I haven't made my point yet, Break.com is not meant as a mind-challenging sophisticated site filled with class and distinction. It does have a wide selection and plenty to see and do so if you have a few minutes to kill, head over to Break.com by clicking here.

Disclaimer: there is some risque content (pinup girls, bikini pix), but no nudity.

Ten great FREE apps for the Android phone.

Oh, I love free.

Free, free, free!

Go get 'em... The price is right!
(credit:unknown)

If you are like millions of others and just bought an Android based phone, here are ten FREE apps for the Android phone you can use to make your experience and your life easier.

There are apps that help you with money, buy groceries remotely, read a book on your new phone or even exchange contact info simply by tapping two phones together (I kid you not).

Andriodapps.com has the skinny on these apps that you can enjoy FOR FREE!

Go here to see. After all, it's free!

New Ipod Touch- Is it the iPhone without the phone?

Apple's been on a roll lately- new iPhone 4th generation, new Apple TV, new iPod Shuffle and Nano. Now, Apple has debuted the 4th generation iPod Touch.

Like the iPhone, the new Touch has new features that make it stand apart from the crowd and allow it to cement its role as the premiere music player in today's market. Although it looks just like an iPhone, the Touch can't make calls. However, it can play apps, play games, play movies and music and shoot HD video and play it all back on a crystal clear Retina display.

The coolest thing, however, is something called Facetime. Think of it like a mini-Skype system. By aiming the camera at yourself, you'll be able to see not only yourself, but also the party you're speaking to on the same screen right on your iPod Touch. The catch? You can only communicate with another 4th generation iPhone or Touch and only via wifi...for now.

Apple is gearing up to sell millions of these over the next few months, so this may not be as big a limitation as it seems. Go to the Apple website to see everything the 4th generation Apple iPod Touch can do for you. Click here to go there now.

I hope that's the last new Apple product for awhile- my fingers are starting to cramp up from all of these introductions!

Sony Playstation Move Review- it's not like a Wii (but kinda is)

A few years ago, the Nintendo Wii came onto the scene and puzzled the American buying public (or ABP)with wand-like controllers and the ability to detect their movement in a 3D space without wires.


Sony hopes these wands are magic for sales.
(credit: Sony)

 After a few months, the ABP started to see the potential in the Wii and started to buy them in record numbers. Well, it only took a few years, but the Wii's main competitors- the Microsoft Xbox and the Sony Playstation - have finally started to catch up with "wand controller" versions of their own (see my blog post of the Xbox version- called Kinect- here) .

The Sony Playstation Move uses two Wii-like wands to control the actions and movements of the characters and objects in the game. Move your arm in a large sweeping motion and the character will follow suit. Go back and forth and the character follows the movements. Other controls can be moved with the thumb and fingers.

So, how does it work? Well, the geeks at geeks.com have a full review and they have some good and less than good things to say. But you'll have to follow this link to read it for yourself.