Beta 3 is out and the new OS fixes the non-working Youtube from the previous beta.
[Update: and also breaks syncing, which now hangs on “Syncing contacts…”]
[Update2: Seems like the contacts syncing hang was a temporary issue…]
MacBook hard drive upgrade
I just got a new drive for my MacBook (MacBook2,1 – black) and am quite pleased with the simplicity of the process. First up, I didn’t need to add a jumper to throttle the SATA II drive down to SATA I speed. I put it in, it was recognised OK. The drive is a Seagate ST9320421ASG.
Secondly, the restore from Time Machine was pretty damn simple and effective. It’s always the same question with backups – if you don’t test them, do you know they’ll work? I’ve grabbed individual files from Time Machine and that seemed fine, but I had no way of knowing, without having a new drive with which to test, if a system restore would work. It did. Just boot with the DVD (or a copy of it on an external drive, if your DVD drive doesn’t work, like mine) and choose to restore from Time Machine. Just pick which backup to use, pick where to restore it to and wait. I suppose it took about an hour.
Once that’s done, reboot with the new system.
The only things I noticed awry were that my hosts file wasn’t there and that my Downloads directory wasn’t either! Seems a bit odd… Anyway, copy old hosts file to new location, copy old Downloads directory to home dir and sorted. I need to look into the missing directory issue, but all in all, not too bad an experience.
[Update: small, possibly even unrelated error: the firewall seemed to have Ruby blocked for some reason, even though it was listed as allowed – just switched it to block, then back to allowed and it worked.]
[Update2: the Downloads directory wasn’t there because I, er, set it to be excluded… ahem. I’d forgotten about that.]
(Un)believable!
It would be unbelievable if it wasn’t something I’ve almost come to expect here: Movistar’s iPhone page only works in IE.
Analogue watch for the linux geek in your life…
Nice watches on ebay at Poljot Watches, and if you’re a penguin-bothering type of geek, especially this one, with 24-hour dial *and* penguins!
Question Box: one-key, no-screen internet
This is an interesting idea, that seems slightly mad at first, then starts to make perfect sense once you think about it. Then it seems really obvious. Then it makes me think about that fact that I already provide this service to family members! Cool.
I want one!
Wooden Clock
This is a pretty nice piece: a wooden clock that looks just like a plain block of wood when switched off. But when you switch it on the digital numerals shine through… nice.
Canon 5D DSLR rumour mill
Ah, how I love the rumour always associated with possible new Canon cameras (especially DSLRs)… This time it’s the turn of the 5D and it certainly looks like, if true, it’ll be an interesting addition to their DSLR line-up. The usual “It’s real!”, “No, it’s fake!” is going on, but I’m hoping for true.
One of the biggest issues with this model is the name 5D is the name of Konica/Minolta’s budget DSLR, which should be fun! Then again, this is aimed at a completely different segment – I’m not sure too many shooters in the market for a full-frame Canon will be accidently purchasing the Maxxum (or vice-versa, given the price differential.)
### The supposed features:
– 13 MPX Sensor, full frame
– 3 fps to a maximum of 60 shots at high quality JPEG
– 9 point AF
– 2.5″ LCD
– Magnesium body
– DIGIC II
– USB 2.0
Cosmetically, it’s a lot like a 20D but with that nice big screen dominating the rear. Much discussion is about how it looks like a Photoshop-adapted 20D in fact, but there are enough differences that at the very least it was a nice bit of work pushing pixels! IMHO, the thing doesn’t look all that Photoshopped, but what’s the diff?
Most commenters seem to have missed the price, given in [this](http://alex.netfun.ro/Canon5D-specs.pdf) PDF: 3.459€ which sounds about right to me.
I’ll stick my neck out and say that the announcement *will* come, as purported, at the end of August, with the camera available in October.
Scary robo-felines
If you ask me, cats are scary enough, but the robot variety freaks me out. The movie for Nocoro’s felines should give you an idea what I mean ;)
Firebox VoIP Cyberphone
While snooping that slightly mad Phobile Handset over at Firebox the other day, I noticed their VoIP Cyberphone, which seems to answer my previous question on what’s out there in the Skype phone world. Anybody tried this out?