JT’s Blog

I am thinking that Radio Shack has become my new source for inexpensive computer solutions.  I picked up a 3.5″ Gigaware hard drive enclosure for  $19.99 plus tax.  The enclosure gave life to a spare 160GB SATA hard drive I removed from my 17″ iMac last year.

Instead of letting it continue to collect dust, I dropped $20 and have a nice back up drive for my MacBook.    I could have spent more and gotten a enclosure with Firewire or even more that was network capable, but went with a USB version.

I was able to pull off information I had been meaning to do so for the past year.  I formated it and began using it as my Time Machine Back Up drive for the 13″ Macbook.  At the end of the day I suggest a cheap hard drive enclosure to bring an old hard drive back to life.

The folks over at MacUpdate have presented Mac users with another great deal on OS X software. They are offering a software bundle valued at $521.71 for $49.99. There are a total of 11 applications and if your one of the first 35,000 to purchase, you get a total of 13.   As of this post, the offering will be over in 3 days.  The programs include the following:

• TechTool Pro 5
• Parallels 4.0
• RipIt DVD
• DVDRemasterPro 5
• NetBarrier X5
• Circus Ponies NoteBook
• BetterZip
• Posterino
• Paperless
• MoneyWell
• Multiplex
• Voila (Bonus)
• RAGE MapDesign (Bonus)

I already own Parallels and RipIt DVD, but thought there was enough to make it worth the purchase.  It has been a pretty good week for software.  Including all the announcements from the WWDC and this purchase, I will have plenty programs to learn.

The Colors of Spring, featuring Silver Sage Elementary 1st and 2nd Graders. Directed by Christy Schneider and Kristen Houchin.

Podcast: Download (101.9MB)

I don’t know if it was the Mac User Group presentation, my mother in-law’s computer power supply failing or the sale price at Sam’s Club last week, but I finally purchased my first UPS.

For those that do not know a UPS is a uninterruptible power supply.  A UPS comes in handy when there is a sudden power loss. In the event of a power loss the UPS provides battery power for your computer or other electronic device.

This allows you time to turn off your computer of other electronic devices in the event of loss of power. This is particularly important as it allows you time to properly shut down your computer. The data cord that comes with the APC interfaces nicely with Mac OS 10.5, allowing you several setup options in the event of a power loss, such as how long the computer should run on the battery backup until it shuts down.

The UPS I purchased was a APC BN600. This UPS has 4 battery/surge outlets and 4 surge protection outlets. The battery provides up to 60 minutes of battery back up and the APC UPS provides up to $75,000 protection. The purchase price was about $40, which is a cheap price to pay for this type of insurance.

The UPS is not a perfect solution, but it is a very good solution for random power loss or spikes. My 17″ iMac and WD backup drive hold all if my essential pictures, documents and digital media. It would be very disheartening if I lost that information via a power loss.  I do also I recommend an alternate form of off site back up as mother nature has a funny way of raising its ugly head.

RipIt DVD is a simple DVD ripper.  I now use RipIT DVD in lieu of Mac The Ripper as it has not had a new release in quite some time.  Unlike the latter, RipIt DVD is not a free program, but does offer a 7 day restriction free trial.   It should be noted that version 1.0.4 of the open source DVD Ripper Farimount was released March 21, 2009.

Podcast: Download (11.2MB)

Noticed that my Energy Saver Icon updated with the latest update of Mac OS 10.5.

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What a great day, I finally got my hands on the Peal Jam Ten Deluxe Re-Release consisting of 2 CD’s and 1 DVD from Best Buy for the sale price of $27.99. The first CD is the re-release of 1991’s Ten album. All I can say is I have a fresh off the press copy of one of the first CD’s I ever owned.

The second CD is the remaster of the Ten album with some previously unreleased songs. I have taken a listen to all 17 songs at least twice today and wow what an experience. I was blown away with the changes, most notably “Breath and Scream” and “State of Love and Trust”. Both songs appeared on the Singles Movie Soundtrack, but Eddie and the guys really mixed things up and made these songs shine.

Two songs I had never heard “2,000 Miles Blues” and “Evil Little Goat” did not match the level of the rest of the album. “Just A Girl” and “Brother” are songs I have had in my collection for some time. ” Brother” was previously released on Lost Dogs 2 disc set and “Just A Girl” is a song that is one, let us say came to me via the Internet long ago.

The DVD is of the footage from the 1992 MTV Unplugged Performance. Though I have had a copy of the audio of the show for some time (see above) it was shocking to see Eddie, Stone, Jeff, and Mike so young, with the long hair, the “green” look in their eye and having fun and playing music.  It was a far cry from the band that would afterward protest things such as music videos on MTV and Ticketmaster.

If your a Pearl Jam fan the Deluxe set is a must have, if your a crazy obsessed Pearl Jam fan, then the Super Deluxe set, which includes the Vinyl versions of the CD’s and some other collectors items, is a must have. Either way this was a great day for Pearl Jam fans and the Band. Oh, as a special bonus if your a RockBand owner, you get 3 free Pearl Jam songs.  Good Times!!!

Podcast: Download (24.1MB)