John Obeto
You've just got to take a lot of the crap blathered by a lot of IT pundits as face value: c-r-a-p, crap!
Take the brain dead, grossly under-powered Linux PC Wal-Mart had been supposedly selling for the past few.
Today, the US INCITS voted to approve the Open Office XML document format specification for fast-track approval to the ISO.
Why?
Actually, why not?
It is always a good idea to take your daily dose of sensational headlines in the IT press with a grain of salt!
In the last couple of weeks, the blogosphere has been abuzz with news that (Microsoft’s) BitLocker drive partition encryption process was penetrated, and indeed, easily defeated.
My first thought upon reading the research document from a team including the esteemed Edward Felton, was that this was an attack more likely to occur in exotic situations, and/or against highly targeted victims.
I have been reviewing the Pinnacle Systems MovieBox Plus.
This is a hardware/software bundle containing the Pinnacle 510 hardware dongle, and the latest version of Pinnacle System's award winning Studio video-editing software, Studio 11.
The Pinnacle Systems MovieBox Plus systems comes in a box with the Pinnacle 510, two software DVDs program, bonus materials, a USB cable, a FireWire cable, a quick start manual, and a very detailed Studio 11 user guide.
To get the most of this system, I decided to use a Canon HD20 HD camcorder as the source input. I also had a Samsung Mini-DV camcorder as a backup unit.
The PC used was a Logikworx WORXstation with 4GB RAM, 512MB Radeon x1950 graphics, oodles of hard disk space, a LightScribe DVD burner, and running Microsoft Windows Vista™ SP1.
Since I had recently made several movies at a personal event, it was quite fortuitous that I had the MovieBox Plus.
Extracting the movies was easy: I opened up Studio 11, clicked on import, and selected the HD camcorder. Studio 11 placed them in a timeline, and I was off to the editing menus.
A couple of the things I have never had the patience to learn are in-depth photography and videography. Studio 11 had me working away like Z.Z. Von Schnerk*!
A dazzling array of features in the program made this possible.
I easily added titles, menus, and transitions to my movies. Still images? No problem.
I even went further, adding voice-overs to some sections of videotape, something I have never attempted to do before.
Burning the finished product was as easy. And foolproof.
How would you like to attach any video input to your computer, start up some software, and have a DVD burned for you in real-time?
Well, one of the products I had been waiting for was Instant DVD Recorder, from Pinnacle Systems.
I was pleased to find it is included in the MovieBox Plus package.
I immediately produced several DVDs from Mini-DV tapes lying around, and remain satisfied with the result.
Easy.
In December of 2007, I lambasted Pinnacle systems about their lack of progress delivering Windows Vista software and/or drivers for their products, especially the Pinnacle Instant DVD product.
My post was seen, and brought to the attention of Andy Marken, of Marken Communications, who, while sympathetic to my plight, wanted to correct my views of the Studio product, and Pinnacle Systems as well.
In fact, in his initial communication to me, he stated,
"…Pinnacle is staffed with exceptionally good people who want to deliver quality and features to the consumer 100% of the time. Do we get it right 100% of the time? …we wish we did, but we try not to over promise...just over-deliver. We'll continue down that path because that's the way we earn the market's trust...hopefully we can win you back again"
Subsequently, he made this review possible.
I stand corrected.
I will also update my December 2, 2007 post to reflect this.
I would like to thank him, his staff, and Pinnacle Systems for the opportunity.
The constant nag screens and dialog boxes asking users to register online. Please, pretty please, make it stop!
The fact the I did not get the MovieBox Ultimate system to review.
I found Studio 11 to be very easy to use, and very powerful in features. It is also an exceptional value for a hardware and software bundle. Coupled with the fact that you can output to not only DVDs, but also Blu-Ray and HD DVDs (why, why?), it is a solution that will be here for a while, further extending the value to buyers.
It also speaks to the excellence of Studio 11 that it is one of the featured Exclusives on the Windows Vista Ultimate site. Folks, those featured Exclusives represent what the editors of that site think are the best products out there right now for the best version of Windows, Windows Vista Ultimate Edition.
It really does not get any easier than this.
I really should have started this review with: 'I have been enjoying the Pinnacle Systems MovieBox Plus…"
I really, truly hate to be wrong about people, things, and companies. However valid my concerns were back then, I am glad that they have been put to rest.
I am looking forward to acquiring some units of the MovieBox Plus (or Ultimate) system for use at Logikworx, SmallBizVista.com, and the Orbiting O'dua (my home, also known as UniMatrix Zero-1).
*Z.Z. von Schnerk, movie director extraordinaire, was a fictional character in an episode of The Avengers, a BBC production, circa 1967.
We are currently evaluating Graffiti CMS, another product from the excellent developer-focused firm, Telligent*.
We use Community Server here at AbsoluteVista.com. However since we do not avail ourselves of the other powerful features of CS, moving to Graffiti for blogging alone will be 'a god thing'.
Props to Telligent for another hit!
*Telligent's main product is Community Server, which has powered AbsoluteVista.com for the past year. Telligent is also one company I wish Microsoft would purchase, since the ease of use of their products, and the fact that the products provide solutions for Microsoft technologies would, IMO, make it a good fit. Furthermore, they take tech support to the max, even for their free products.
Earlier today, Microsoft released Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solutions Accelerator.
This free tool, first blogged about here , will enable you to do the following:
Windows Vista™, build 6.0.6001.18000, was released to manufacturing three weeks ago.
After over a month working with the RTM bits – which I received prior to RTM, and greatly expanding our test to select customer sites, we have seen better driver coverage, increased performance, and no unexpected compatibility issues.
Yahoo, the company, not it's board
Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly....
...and we all know how that ended.
The same seems to be about to play out in the Redmond vs. Sunnyvale drama, with Microsoft being the spider, and Yahoo! taking up the role of the fly.
In my SmallBizVista Editorial, I look critically at the issue as it stands today.
Free downloads of:
We have all seen those commercials/infomercials about noise canceling headphones all over the TV and in print.
Well, do not buy it.
Why?
The Able Planet NC1000CH Clear Harmony headphones with active noise cancellation handily beats it in performance, comfort, and cost.
I have been testing the Able Planet Clear Harmony active noise-canceling Headphones.
At the 2008 CES, I had the opportunity to try out the Able Planet Clear Harmony headphones, and I was impressed with two things: the clarity of the material being delivered me, and the very perceptible volume of the same material when active noise canceling was turned on. In fact, I had to do an audio double take between the Bose QuietComfort headphones and the Clear Harmony in order to make sure I was not being schniedered in any way.
Recently, I received the Clear Harmony to review.
As a frequent traveler, I wanted to see if the Clear Harmony could deliver on sound clarity and comfort on long trips. Secondarily, I also wanted to test for audio performance using home audio equipment for a follow-on review.
Conclusion
I enjoyed using the Able Planet Clear Harmony.
In this hotly contested field, it is surprising that the Able Planet Clear Harmony would be able to best a Bose product.
Then again, Able Planet has been in the business of providing superior hearing devices from its inception as a company providing hearing aids. The use of their patented LINX AUDIO™ technology no doubt gives them a great advantage over other manufacturers.
Based on my review of this product, and the very visible benefit to frequent travelers and businesses, I am awarding it the SmallBizVista.com Preferred award, and making it the recommended noise canceling headphone choice for our clients.
Really?
A better title should be:
In a post last week, on St. Valentine’s Day no less, Chris Pirillo states his 50 reasons to switch from Windows (any version?) to OS X.
After getting past his preamble about neutrality, he delivers his thoughts.
Actually, we are supposed to take his thoughts as neutral, since, in his opening statements he declared his relationships with some sponsors. Feel free to ingest a grain/several grains of salt with his recommendations.
I have taken it upon myself to provide a public service by attempting to debunk some of the outright errors, factual errors, product plugs, and gross misconceptions in his beliefs.
There you have it: an impassionate dissection of his reasons.
What did I find?
A few – total 5 good, true, or valid points.
Or 8%
8%!
He is true in his declaration that the article was not an Apple lovefest.
It was worse than that.
Without meaning to be invidious, the only thing I can say about the article is that he did his sponsors proud.
Who knew?
I have been testing Microsoft Windows Vista™ SP1 for the past several months.
Windows Vista SP1 is a worthy compatibility and optimization pack to Windows Vista. It is NOT a replacement for Windows Vista.
Contrary to the either uninformed writings of some so-called tech pundits, and the unprepared CYA rants of lazy IT administrators, it was NOT necessary to wait for SP1.
An online site, in two teardown reviews, bring us the innards of the Sony PlayStation 2, and today, the Iomega Zip drive.
A year ago, the 'WOW' was born.
Windows Vista was released into general availability.
The rest is history: about 100 million units sold, new sales records, etc, etc.
Happy Birthday, Windows Vista.
Today, I received my first quad-core review system, a Dell PowerEdge 1900 server powered by dual Intel Xeon E5310 processors.
A few days ago, St. Steve of Jobs revealed the latest from the minds of the loops at 1, Infinite Loop, the Macbook Air.
Baldwin Ng, Senior Program manager for the Microsoft Assessment & Planning Solutions Accelerator is interviewed by David Tesar of TechNet Edge in this two-part video.
Part one:
Part two: