Steven Hobson

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-24T09:40:00.000-06:00

I would just like to wish everyone a good holiday, and a happy new year. 2006 has seemed to have gone so fast. All the best for 2007.

-S

Vixy.net Flash Extractor

2006-12-10T20:48:00.000-06:00

I am currently listening to Net@Nite Episode #6, live on Talkshoe. Amber MacArthur has just talked about a web service at Vixy.net. It is a flash extractor which allows you to extract videos from websites like YouTube. You can also output it in many different formats including Divx, MP4, and iPod Video format. Check out this cool service now!

Thanks to Amber for the link!

-S :)

Kevin Rose leaks iPhone info on Diggnation

2006-12-03T17:42:00.001-06:00

Kevin Rose on Net@Nite Today!

2006-12-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

Kevin Rose will be participating in Net@Nite tonight at 8:00 pm CST. Kevin is the founder of Digg. He also recently commented in his Diggnation Podcast that he had reliable information about the upcoming Apple iPhone. I have asked Amber MacArthur if she could ask Kevin about any other information he knows on the upcoming iPhone, on tonight's show. Everyone tune in on TalkShoe and listen to Net@Nite!

Exactly the way I feel...

2006-11-16T16:29:00.002-06:00

First Net@Nite Live Netcast with Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur

2006-11-05T20:29:00.000-06:00

WOW! I am listening to Net@Nite netcast live right now on Talkshoe. It is really great, pretty good quality. I think this is really going to be the next generation of podcasting, because of the audience participation. I think it is really funny how Talkshoe shuts down completely except for Net@Nite (see picture). Thanks to Leo and Amber for a great show, and I look forward to future shows!

www.STEVENHOBSON.net acquired

2006-11-04T16:34:00.000-06:00

I have finally acquired a real domain name for myself! WWW.STEVENHOBSON.NET is my home on the web. You can go there and see all my websites on the Steven Hobson Web Network. Unfortunately, www.stevenhobson.com is taken, and will be for the next two years. I figured .net is the next best thing. I have started registering a bunch of domains through GoDaddy and there services work great.

P.S. How do you like the new blog theme? Let me know about any glitches or inconsistencies!

A Good Wireless Mouse, for People with Big Hands

2006-10-25T18:12:00.000-05:00

My Apple Mighty Mouse of just over a year died recently, and I absolutely HATE buying mice. None of them ever fit my hand properly and are often poorly designed and do not work well. An exception to that would be the Logitech MX Laser 1000. This is the first wireless mouse I have owned, and it is VERY good. At $99.00 Canadian, it is what you would expect from a mouse of that price. It has a battery life of about 8 hours. It also comes with a dock that you sit the mouse into to charge it, which is really nice not having to take out or replace any batteries. The base also serves as the wireless base with a USB connection out, which plugs right into my keyboard and provides the wireless connectivity. The wireless signal has been pristine, and I have not had any interruptions since I have started using the mouse. It has got many buttons, which I like. It is also LASER not optical. I debated whether I would notice a difference with a laser mouse over an optical, but I did. It is much more precise and has better handling. Logitech quotes it as being "20 times more accurate than optical", and I would agree with that statement. The biggest joy of using this mouse however, its SIZE. This mouse is not for people with small hands. It is BIG compared to others on the market and quite heavy. I have a big hand, and I like how my hand controls the mouse, without slipping away or moving too fast because the mouse is small and light. Overall the MX 1000 is a great wireless mouse, and it has made my web browsing in particular, a much better experience.

Happy 5th Birthday to the iPod.

2006-10-23T10:19:00.000-05:00

On October 23rd, 2001, Apple introduced the original iPod. Today, which marks the 5th birthday of the iPod, sure makes us realize how advance technology has become. The original iPod which came in 5, 10 and 20GB models was a monster compared to the iPods today, which have capacities in 30GB and 80GB. Today's iPod's also have the advancment of being able to deliver video content on a handheld device. Congratulations to the Apple on the iPod's success. It has sold over 70 million units.

MySpace, I have.

2006-10-15T10:28:00.000-05:00

Well it has happened. I have bitten the MySpace bug. I just wish they would update the horrible user interface to make it easier to use. Visit my MySpace page.

Apple Introduces New Red iPod nano

2006-10-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

As expected, Apple announced today the RED version of the 4 GB iPod. The new nano is identical to other Nanos, but comes in a bright red color (go figure) and $10 of every sale goes to The Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.

Sleek, lightweight, and just $199, the 4GB(2) iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED delivers everything you’d expect from the world’s best-selling digital music player.
For more information about the Global Fund and (RED), visit JoinRed.com. For more information on the red iPod nano and to buy it, visit the Apple Store.

Apple has released this iPod in collaboration with U2's Bono. He made an appearance on Opera today, and talked about the work that is needed to fight AIDS in Africa. View the CNN news story about this.

Amber MacArthur's New Show on CityTV

2006-10-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

If haven't checked out Amber MacArthur's new show on CityTV Canada called "City News International", you have to see it. The show is a unique new way of presenting news, divided by areas of the world. Ambermac does a segment everyday near the end of the show. She reports on what is new on the web, and how it relates to current news. You can view her segment online at http://www.citynews.ca/international. Amber has just recently made, what seems like a very successful move from G4TechTV Canada to City TV. She will also have another new show on City TV, airing soon, called "Popnology". I wish Amber well at her new job, and to continue doing great newscasts. A lot more people watch CityTV news because of her.

Google acquires YouTube

2006-10-09T22:54:00.000-05:00

Google acquired YouTube.com for $1.65 Billion in stock.

YouTube is a popular video sharing site which allows users to easily upload and share video clips. Following the acquisition, YouTube will continue to operate independently with its own branding.
When the acquisition is complete, YouTube will retain its distinct brand identity, strengthening and complementing Google’s own fast-growing video business. YouTube will continue to be based in San Bruno, CA, and all YouTube employees will remain with the company. With Google’s technology, advertiser relationships and global reach, YouTube will continue to build on its success as one of the world's most popular services for video entertainment.

Apple has been rumored to be in talks with Google about supplying streaming videos to Apple's iTV product when it ships next year. It's unclear if this acquisition would have any bearing on the negotiations.

Hmmm.... I wonder what will happen to Google Video now?

Steven Hobson Photography

2006-09-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone! My newest website Steven Hobson Photography has officially launched. You can now view my photographs of landscapes, people and places all in one convenient location. Also if you are interested in getting pictures taken, please email me at stevenhobsononline@gmail.com. Be sure to check back for updates, I think I am going to take some fall outdoors shots soon.

Apple Updates iMacs, adds Core 2 Duo and 24" model.

2006-09-06T17:38:00.000-05:00

While keeping the 17 & 20 inch form factors, Apple has released a new big brother to the iMac lineup. The new machine features a 24 inch widescreen in the familiar all-in-the-screen form factor. Under the hood all of the iMacs now feature the newly released Intel Core 2 Duo with speeds from 1.83 GHz to 2.33 GHz, making it up to 50% faster than the previous 20" iMac. The new machines are available in the following standard configurations:

17 inch 1.83GHz
$999 US
1440x900 resolution
2MB L2 Cache
512MB RAM
160GB SATA HD
24x Combo Drive
Intel GMA950 64MB
Airport Extreme

17 inch 2.0GHz
$1199
1440x900 resolution
4MB L2 Cache
1GB RAM
160GB SATA HD
8x Double Layer Superdrive
ATI Radeon x1600 128MB
Airport Extreme & Bluetooth
Apple Remote

20 inch 2.16GHz
1680x1050 resolution
4MB L2 Cache
1GB RAM
250GB SATA HD
8x Double Layer Superdrive
ATI X1600 128MB
Airport Extreme & Bluetooth
Apple Remote

24 inch 2.16GHz
1920x1200 resolution
4MB L2 Cache
1GB RAM
250GB SATA HD
8x Double Layer Superdrive
NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 128MB
Airport Extreme & Bluetooth
Apple Remote

The new iMacs are available at the Apple Store.

A new beginning for Amber MacArthur...

2006-08-31T10:02:00.000-05:00

On August 28th, 2006 Amber MacArthur posted on her blog at www.ambermac.com, that she will be leaving G4TechTV Canada within the next month. She also posted a video explaining her reason for leaving. She states "While it's difficult to say goodbye, I'm definitely ready for some new challenges while still focusing on tech/Internet content. Starting mid-September, I'll be working at City-TV in Toronto in a new role for them as their Internet/New Media Reporter on City-TV News. I'll also be the Host/Producer of a weekly show on CP24 (which will start late October) that will cover the pop/tech culture world that I've grown to love." She will dearly missed by viewers on Call For Help with Leo Laporte and Torrent. She has made very clear though that she will continue to make CommandN with Mike Lazzzera and Inside the Net, a podcast on the TWiT.tv network with Leo Laporte. Congratulations on your new job Amber!

Trying to run Windows on my Mac

2006-08-13T18:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I decided yesterday afternoon that I would try to get my Powerbook to run Windows with Virtual PC like I used to. So It took me about 3 hours to get it up and running again (not going to mention the details, probably very illegal in many ways). So this morning at 3am everything is working fine until I try to install Windows Live Messenger. All these errors start popping up after I install it (literally, 50 a minute) with that Windows XP "BONG!". So finally after about 5 mins of these errors, Windows froze my Mac completely. So after a hard restart I attempted again to open Windows Live Messenger. It would not launch and 6 different errors came up when I tried to open it. By this time it was 4am and I was too tired to go any further. 8 hours later... I try again, same situation. These errors are becoming so overwhelming. So I was thinking about how you can roll the system back to when it was working (thanks Sully), so I tried to do that and I click on the date (yesterday) before I installed Windows Live Messenger and it says simply click next to reboot Windows back to this time. Well I clicked next and Windows did not budge. I clicked it about 300 times before realizing it wasn't going to work (ya, I know thats overkill, but hey, its Windows ppl). So then all these errors started getting worse and one of them said, make sure your system is updated. So I thought that must be it, we need to update, so I shoehorned my way through the start menu to finally find Windows Update. So I started updating (not really knowing what, it doesn't even freaking tell you what it is doing). So the updates are almost done when I get this warning that I need to reinstall freaking Windows because there are critical system files missing. BULL-SH*T! I try to bloody update and I ruin my OS, I can't imagine people who use Windows as there main OS. AHH.

(Click on pictures to enlarge them)

First errors start appearing, about 50 a minute, popping up on the screen.

As I am updating, this warning comes up that I need to reinstall Windows.

I leave to go to the gym and return a long 3 hours later, expecting to see my update done, and this is up on the screen.

As you can see, this a fine example of why I don't use or attempt to use Windows (never again, except school). I pitty people who choose or a are forced to use this OS, and if I was one of those people, this blog would not exist, and neither would I, because I would have electricuted myself with my computer's power cord by now. Thats all folks.

Apple Previews Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard to Developers

2006-08-08T00:24:00.000-05:00

Also during Apple's WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs previewed Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). Among the features demonstrated were:

- 64 bit application support extended throughought the User Interface layer of the OS, allowing "full" 64-bit application development and deployment.
- Time Machine, automatic backup and restoring of files corrupted or accidentally deleted or overwritten by the user.
- Spaces, Apple's implementation of virtual desktops.
- Core Animation
- Enhancements to Dashboard, Spotlight, Mail, iCal and Universal Access
- Boot Camp, and "next generation" Front Row, and Photo Booth bundled

Apple plan to release Leopard in "Spring 2007."

More information can be found at Apple's sneak peak Leopard pages.

Apple Introduces Mac Pro

2006-08-08T00:21:00.000-05:00

During Apple's Annual Worldwide Developer Conference Keynote given by Steve Jobs and a host of other Apple top executives and product managers, Phil Schiller introduced the PowerMac's Intel replacement: the Mac Pro. Advertised as having "millions" of ways to configure the machine, the base configuration includes the following:

- Dual-Dual Core 2.66 GHz Xeon 5100 Processor, upgradeable to 2xDual 3 GHz.
- 1 GB FB-DIMM RAM (2x512 MB), expandable to 16 GB
- 250 GB Hard Drive, 3 empty slots (3 Gbps SATA)
- NVidia GeForce 7300 GT (256 MB VRAM), configurable to ATI Radeon X1900 XT or Quadro FX 4500 (512 MB VRAM)
- SuperDrive (2 5.25" slots total, 1 remaining)
- 4 PCI-Express Slots (One extra-wide, taken by GPU)

According to Apple VP Phil Shiller, the new Mac Pro is anywhere from 1.6 to 2.0x faster than the latest PowerMac G5 "Quad".

The Mac Pro is available immediately on-line via the Apple Store.

Windows Vista Speech Recognition Demo Gone Awry

2006-08-02T20:26:00.000-05:00


I love Microsoft, don't you? They make me laugh so hard.

My new shoes!

2006-08-02T20:17:00.000-05:00

I went out today and bought new shoes. I bought Lakai shoes, and I love them. I don't usually go for an almost all black shoe, but the way they look is so good, I went for it. I bought them at King's on Pembina. YAY

2006-08-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Mentos and diet coke

This is awesome!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

2006-07-08T09:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Canada Day everyone! I know that this post is kind of late, but I guess it is better than never. I didn't really do anything exciting for Canada Day. I am at my cabin right now and will be for a couple more weeks. The weather here has been so nice. Above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) almost everyday, and we haven't had any rain for weeks. I again wish you all a Happy Canada Day, and enjoy the summer.

Photobooth

2006-06-30T00:44:00.000-05:00

2006-06-25T00:28:00.000-05:00

AOL Interview

I can not believe this! You MUST watch this video.

NEW LOOK!

2006-06-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

I decided that I was tired of the boring templates that I was forced to use. So I designed my own to my liking! What do you guys think of this new design? FYI: A picture of my old blog style is below for reference.

Random Phone Pictures

2006-06-22T19:52:00.000-05:00

Here are some random pictures from my new phone, the Motorola Razr V3i. I LOVE IT. A full review of my new phone to come soon.

Squirrel sleeping.

Backyard.

Squirrel sleeping.

MOD rocks.

My favourite movie.

My awesome computer, which I could not live without.

Newly organized cords. (Believe me it looked like 100 times worse before).

Movie time.

Yes.

Dell Laptop Explodes

2006-06-21T22:45:00.000-05:00

Check this out.
Michael Dell, can you repair my laptop?

Email is down!

2006-06-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

Well here is my rant for the day. Shaw's email services have been out for 15 hours now, and it is pissing me off so much. After waiting 8 mins and 12 secs on the phone (btw, very good for Shaw's standards), the receptionist boy told me that there was a major power outage in Calgary (I will believe it when I see it). He said I should start receiving emails within 3 hours and full services should be restored in 5. I am so looking forward to the 60 emails I am going to have to respond to (NOT!). Shaw my friend, you are getting very, very tedious.

UPDATE: Full service was just restored at 23 hours down. That is pretty pathetic, but I am happy it is working again. Now I have to go awnser emails.

YA RLY

2006-06-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

YA RLY!

Apple Releases New U2 iPod

2006-06-07T20:33:00.000-05:00

Apple has released it's next generation U2 iPod. Like the last generation, the iPod comes in black with a red click wheel. A difference on this model is of course video playback capabilities and also the biggest change is the standard chrome back of the iPod. The new U2 iPod now has a black chrome back which makes for a more sleeker look along with all the band members signatures on the back. Personally, when I saw this iPod came out I thought "so what". It really hasn't changed a whole lot from the old model, which makes it not outstandly unique in anyway, but still gives the option of having a really cool looking, special-edition iPod. Pricing for the new U2 iPod is set at $379 CAD. This is $30 more than the normal fifth generation iPod, but the U2 iPod also comes with a $30 gift card for exclusive video and interviews from the iTunes Music Store. Check out the new U2 iPod here. Also a first look at the new U2 iPod on iLounge is here.

Glenlawn Jazz Cabaret

2006-06-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

I attended the Glenlawn Jazz Cabaret on June 2nd and had a wonderful time. The cabaret had free food, drinks and lots of dancing. Performing was the Glenlawn Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Jazz
bands and Vocal Jazz. A special shout-out to my friends Amy and Kayla, your performances were amazing girls!

Apple Introduces New MacBook

2006-05-30T18:17:00.000-05:00

Apple has announced the highly anticipated MacBook. The MacBook is a replacement of the iBook. It comes in 3 configurations. 1.83GHZ Intel Core Duo, White, Combo Drive ($1249.00). 2.0 GHZ Intel Core Duo, White, Superdrive ($1449.00). 2.0GHZ Intel Core Duo, Black, Superdrive ($1649.00). According to some owners of the new MacBook, it does have the same heat and whine issues as it's big brother the MacBook Pro. Apple has made no comments on this, or the issues with the MacBook Pro. It turns out excessive applying of thermal paste seems to cause the overheating and whining. Apple recently released a firmware update for the Mac models with Intel processors, which made the fans turn on more in these machines, which would keep the heat and whine down, while compromising the quietness of the machine. The MacBook also comes with a new glossy screen. There are mixed feelings about these screens. Apple also made a glossy screen an option when ordering the MacBook Pro.

SeanKermit

2006-05-26T20:03:00.000-05:00

Sean and I goofing around in Vera's class. What else to do? Why is that woman still teaching? I don't know.