Posted by Michael

iPhone VS. Kindle 2 OR iPhone AND Kindle 2?

The hype about the Kindle 2 has been pretty insane over the last few weeks. The addition of the Kindle for iPhone application added more fuel to the fire.

I’m interested in the Kindle – and I love my iPhone.

So are these things adversaries – or are they accomplices?

Is it Kindle VS. iPhone or Kindle AND iPhone?

We’re going to find out FIRST HAND today.

There is a Kindle currently on its way to my office as I type this. It’s in Dallas, TX right now – and on its way. It’ll be here shortly, and when it gets here I’m going to put them head to head, and use them together…just to see how this whole thing works.

Expect a full review of both the Kindle 2 and the Kindle for iPhone App very soon.

Apple’s 1984 Commercial makes a cameo in “Watchmen”

I just got back from one of the early showings of “Watchmen” today, and was surprised to see that even in a 1985 where Dr. Manhattan has brought electric cars to the masses – the Macintosh is still a revolutionary product, and Ridley Scott still directed the commercial above.

If you’re an Apple fan the commercial will stick out like a sore thumb when you see it in the film, and I don’t want to accidentally spoil any portion of the story for those that might not be familiar with it.

I only have one word of caution for those of you with kids…this is NOT a super hero movie for them. It is a HARD “R” Rating – and you should keep that in mind before you decide if they should see it. There is graphic sex, nudity, extreme violence, and (of course) foul language.

Having said all that – it’s a fantastic film, and I highly recommend both it, and the graphic novel that inspired it. It is truly one of the greatest comic books of all time – and it has been very lovingly translated to the screen.

If you’ve “watched the Watchmen” – did you see the Apple spot?

Mac Mini, AppleTV, TiVo, Netflix – Who Needs Cable?

Recently we moved into a new home. Getting the cable installed properly has been a nightmare, and it has caused me to take a long hard look at traditional TV service.

Between being lied to by the cable company about the products that they offered, to having to have them out for a THIRD time and still not having cable in the bedroom, there were some pretty compelling reasons to look at my month bills and decide if this $70+ expense was even necessary.

And you know what? It’s really not.

All the networks here have made the digital switch, and they come in beautifully over the air in HD. NBC, CBS, ABC, CW, FOX, PBS – it’s all there…and its gorgeous.

I purchased a TiVo to serve as my DVR for this cable company, but even if I leave them, I’ll still have DVR for my HD locals, and I’ll have the many benefits of TiVo including Netflix service, and super simple podcasts downloads that stay right there with my normal television programming.

I also have an AppleTV, as well as a first gen Mac Mini – so I have plenty of options for buying TV from iTunes and watching it in HD on my television.

I even have HULU as an option if I choose to hook up the Mac Mini, so I don’t have to pay for things like The Daily Show and Colbert if I don’t want to. Of course, I can also watch them on my desktop…which is where I watch those shows the most anyway.

After I finished having a shouting match with the cable guy about disconnecting my high speed Internet (which they also lied to me about), all these options started clicking. Between Netflix and TiVo I’m already spending about $20 a month on my television, and I hardly ever watch the thing. When I do its typically a network show or a podcast.

So it’s time to tell the cable company to suck it.

I tried this when the AppleTV first came out, and found that I really didn’t need cable then…now there are even more options (Neflix “Watch Now” is the dawn of a revolution my friends), and that money could be better spent buying ammo and toilet paper for when the world collapses in on itself. Which reminds me…there’s another reason not to have cable…I’ll no longer have Fox News piped into my home against my will.

:)