Alex Harries's diary

While wandering around Digg dot com, I noticed this story about the guy who (used to) play the part of the Mac user in the Mac vs. Windows adverts Apple have been running (although they were more likely to be found on US rather than UK TV sets).

What makes me laugh is the description of the Mac guy - Justin Long - as a "smug little twit" by a reviewer, and - even better - how he's "just the sort of unshaven, hoodie-wearing, hands-in-pockets hipster ["hipster" - their word, not mine] we've always imagined when picturing a Mac enthusiast".

As I read that, a quick glance down confirmed my status: Macbook Pro on lap - check. Hoodie worn? Check (and a rather nice Gul one too, I might add...). Hands in pockets? Check. Smug little twit? A subjective response to this one, granted, but "Check" anyway...

I guess I've begun to turn into the stereotypical arty-type of person I've always felt a bit scared of. Mind you, I lack the associated talent and cashflow, so I'm sure I'll be ok for the time being... ;o)

I've just paid for software. Admittedly, I've spent the last three days trying to find a way around having to pay for a program to transfer all my information from Outlook to Entourage (the Mac version of Outlook... Or so it seems) with no luck, so I've trusted Some Random American Company (TM) with my card details and have splashed out $10 on a serial number - a string of letters and numbers any self-respecting obsessive-compulsive could probably memorise in a couple of minutes - to let me use this program that so far looks most likely to save my sanity.

We'll see whether that's true in a couple of hours - it looks like it's going to take some time for this Shiny New Program (also TM) to finish slinging all my precious information out of Outlook.

Oh, and my Macbook Pro can understand voice commands. I didn't have to train it, beat it, or even coax and bribe it - apparently it just needed to be turned on. Now I can tell my laptop to do "stuff"... Exactly what stuff that might be, I have no idea - I think it means I can play hands-free chess with my computer or something...

Right, I'm off to bed. If anyone needs me, I'll be having a small panic attack in the corner of the room again... ;o)

Yup, I'm that sad, I took some photos of my Macbook Pro. Click here to see them, or here for something completely different.

... it's great. Sorry, boring to hear though it may be, I still haven't decided that it's a waste of money.

(This post is very much a rambling stream of consciousness. Don't bother reading it. No, seriously...)

I mentioned yesterday that I'd found a problem with the construction that left a small gap between the lower case and the front edge of the wrist rest. I boxed the whole lot up today and went back up to the Apple store at Bluewater. Since I tend to dress like a tramp at the best of times, I noticed a few looks from people glancing first at my trampish look, and then at the box with the picture of the very shiny, 'spensive-looking laptop on it... And then back at me again, as if to say, "Ok, who did you rob?" (Truthful answer - the Student Loans Company, or at least that's how it feels).

The Apple Store were happy to replace the MacBook for an identical one, but the new one also has a (much smaller) ripple in the same place, as did almost every other MBP on display and in use at the store, so I suspect I won't get away from having this little bit of "personality" as part of the whole Mac experience.

So far, I've learnt...
- that illuminated keyboards are great
- it's thinner than it looks
- it looks really thin
- ... and it looks really pretty

Ok, so I might just be focusing on the aesthetics a little too much here...

I've found loads of helpful pages for life-long PC users, installed a load of helpful toys, including Quicksilver (wow... no, really - Wow) and MenuMeters, managed to get iSync to synchronise with my Razr. And iCal's so damned pretty, but I think I might find out if Outlook's bundled with my copy of Office 2004 since I use it so much.

I still haven't found out if there's an equivalent to NetDrive that works on OS X, so I can edit PHP scripts on UPSU.net directly (I tend to write a line, save, then go to the browser and F5 to see if it worked or not. Slow, but usually effective), and until I can do that I'm going to have to stick with the Vaio (not that that's such a bad thing, but... y'know... New toys and all that - I wanna play!).

Front Row is really very Gucci, and the remote is a lovely little touch. Shame the slim pocket on the front of my laptop bag doesn't have a velcro flap to stop things falling out when I do loop-the-loops 'cos it would be perfect for the remote.

The speakers sound great - really crisp top notes, and a reasonable level of mid-range. There's even an appreciable bit of mid-bass, although I still prefer using my Sennheiser earbuds. It's another nice touch, and the stereo positioning of the speakers makes for some very well-defined lefts and rights.

I have to sign off to drive back to Pompey - I'm back on Helldesk tomorrow, so I need to start making a dent in the several hundred support e-mails I have to reply to. If you're in getting an NUS card this week, do come and say hi - I'll be the sleep-deprived, dribbling wreck in the corner of the room, holding an animated conversation with a chair about how cool Apple Macs are. Or something...

Next object of lust on my list: a silver 8Gb iPod Nano.
Next thing to do: get on eBay and sell everything I own.
Next thing I *should* be doing: my induction week project.
... and when it'll probably be completed: graduation week.

No, not in that way. Honestly, if your initial reaction to the title of this entry was something related to smut, go take a quick look through the archives of my blog to see that there's less hope of me getting up to anything kinky than there is of my Mum's goldfishes winning Celeb Big Brother (they're way too talented, y'see...).

Anyway, I've gone to the dark side - today, mainly thanks to the generous contributions of the Student Loans Company and Her Maj's Courts Service (jury service payday), I dropped in to the Apple store in Bluewater and picked up a beeeyoooteefool Macbook Pro - the cheapest one, naturally, since my Northern heritage prevents me from spending a penny more than I absolutely have to, but even then it's a helluva toy. The Apple Higher Education discount gets me 15%ish off the price, so the laptop "only" cost £1,180 instead of the £1,399 list price - mmmm, discounts...

If ever there was a time to come down with a cold, this is definitely it - new toys are great at taking your mind off the fact you're in pain (although the nagging voice reminding me I can now only afford one tin of beans and cup of tea until Christmas is starting to keep me awake at night...).

Naturally I can't be arsed to recount the specs - you can find them here if you like - but really, you should just trust me that it's great. The best bit so far? The keyboard lights up at night - automagically. It's the little things that make me happiest... Oit, stop giggling at the back of the class.

There's a bit of a downside though - the damned thing wasn't put together properly: the case is slightly out of alignment, so it doesn't close snugly, and the wrist rest is "kinked" (oddly, so is my Vaio laptop...). I've had it for six hours and it's going back in the morning for a swap. Shame, but I'm not giving up on it that easily. It's a common problem, and pics can be found here if you're interested.

I also picked up a nice new bag to put my new toy in, and a wireless Mighty Mouse. I'm even that much of a saddo that I took photos of the unpacking fun.

Now I'm broke, but happy. I'm coming down with a cold, but I don't care, 'cos I've got a laptop with a glow-in-the-dark automagic keyboard.

At least, I'll be happy until I have to figure out how to transport 200 kilos of engine from a farm in Hertfordshire to the 'rents' house in Kent. As paperweights go, it's a bit over the top, but it'll make a nice spanner-monkeying project once I've graduated and the only work I do is a 9-5 asking people if they want to "Go Large with that, Sir?" /Al ;o)

Oh, and by the way, this message was off-topic. Bet you couldn't have guessed that, eh?