My latest issue with them resulted in more than a week of technical issues and wasted time. It was only resolved when I moved my domain to a different company. I was further irritated when they billed me for the domain, that had been transferred to another company a month earlier, and forced me to fill in a form and fax it across the continent to be reimbursed.

A word of advice for 1&1 customers trying to setup or change GLUE (nameserver IPs) for their domain. After making changes to your subdomains ns1 and ns2.yourdomain.com, you must go into the settings for yourdomain.com and click “update” to start the update process. Otherwise nothing will happen and your GLUE will not be updated, and sometimes even this doesn’t work. Best of luck.

1. Cellular Data switch: This is great news for people outside of the US and UK who have limited data plans. Now if you have no data plan, are reaching your limit, or just don’t want to use any data at a given time you can turn it off independently of 3G/edge voice and SMS.
2. Missing music controls: Double tapping on the home button to bring up Multitasking has come at the cost of the iPod controls (the little blue menu that would appear over whatever app you were working in). I suppose this doesn’t matter when you’re using Apple earphones, but I already miss that feature quite a bit and I hope they can re-implement it.
3. Threaded email doesn’t work (yet): The universal inbox works perfectly, but the actual threading makes strange mistakes. Completely unrelated messages from different people are grouped together, not all conversations are threaded…its a mess. Hopefully Apple can get this figured out by the Summer release date, and I’ve just disabled the threading for now.

There’s actually a surprisingly wide selection out there, and these are some details you should pay attention to when looking for a backup / external battery for your phone.

• Capacity: iPhone’s have about 1200 mAh capacity, so bear in mind how many times you mind want to charge your phone.
• Size/shape: For this to be useful you’ll have to carry it with you. Pick a battery that fits in your bag, case or purse.
• Price: Prices range from about $9-$60. More expensive batteries aren’t necessarily any better. Read on for my suggestion.

I chose the Monoprice iPhone Battery Pack (1900mAh). Its holds enough to charge my phone 1 and 1/2 times, its small enough to slip in my bag and it was super-cheap! $9 + $2 shipping to Canada got this to my door in just under two weeks.

Monoprice is an excellent company; in my experience their products are exceptionally high quality and very reasonably priced. The backup battery was no different-it does exactly waht its supposed to. You charge it with your iPhone cable or dock and pack it away for when its needed. Then when you’re running low on power just plug it in the bottom and the phone starts charging immediatley.

So if you’re thinking about getting the Monoprice device, or any backup battery, go for it. You won’t regret having the security.

So when I got my 15″ Unibody MacBook Pro I decided to get a hardshell case along with it. I travelled to a few local Mac resellers, the Apple Store and various websites, considering what options were available along the way. I asked a couple questions that helped me make a decision:

1. How well does this fit and will it make use difficult?
2. How effective is it at actually protecting my Mac?
3. What’s it going to cost me?
4. Will it make my sleek computer look dorky?

So here’s what I discovered. Cases from Incase and Speck both fit reasonably well, with the Incase having a slightly better implementation. It’s hooks seem more sturdy and connect in better places. Neither case seems impede use at all, except that they make the screen feel looser. It will fall if you use your MacBook at an extreme angle (this is annoying if you use your computer in bed).

Both cases will protect a Mac from bumps and scratches. I couldn’t say which would do a better job over time, but I doubt there’s a big difference.

The Incase and Speck offerings have the same exorbitant price of about $60 CAD (Can you spell collusion?). For the love of broccoli, how could two pieces of plastic cost that much? Anyway, its a price that I agreed to pay to protect and customize my MacBook and YMMV.

The dorkiness factor is a pretty subjective topic, so bear with me here. I found that the Speck product looked a little cheaper and less refined. It doesn’t follow the shape of the MacBook Pro as closely and and it looks bulky when attached. The Incase seems to preserve shape and sleekness, following the nice lines and curves of the computer very well.

So I settled on a green Incase 15″ Hardshell Case for MacBook Pro. Public opinion of my case is good. Two or three people ask me where I got it everyday, and its always easy to tell which laptop is mine. It fits well, protects my Mac, cost me a lot and looks pretty good. Probably my favourite part about the case is the soft-touch rubberized coating. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you should really go see one of these cases, because its truly awesome.

Other than the price, I don’t have anything negative to say about the Incase. If you follow the instructions its simple to attach and forget its even on. It is difficult to remove, but there is no danger of damaging your Mac in the process. And in all honesty, if you plan to remove the case that often you should probably be looking at a sleeve-type case anyway. All in all I’m very happy with this purchase. If you’re looking for a hardshell case for your MacBook I’d recommend it for you too.

The app is put together by Mira Software, who provide frequent updates and, in my experience, excellent support. It works with a great number of devices and there is an updated list of compatible phones. These are my favourite capabilities:

• Readings texts on my Mac’s large screen
• Receiving instant notification of new messages
• Typing messages on a full size keyboard and sending them through my cell
• Mass archival, moving or deleting of texts
• All over Bluetooth (as the name implies) so there aren’t any messy cables

The applications provides a seamless SMS experience. When you receive a text your Mac’s screen flashes white, and the message appears in an iChat-like window. You can then type your response and send without having to touch your phone. Messages in the chat windows are threaded so you have one open with each of the contacts you’re chatting with.

BPE also has a number of calling features. I don’t really use them since Skype is available on my computer, but they are impressive nonetheless.

When you receive a call the screen flashes and displays a window that contains the phone number of the caller. If the caller is in your address book, it will also show their name and display picture. Even better, the app will fade out and pause iTunes if music is playing, and then resume playing when the call ends. You can also initiate calls with a dial pad on the screen or by clicking “Call So-and-So” straight from your address book. The integration is nearly flawless.

Issues and Solutions

I use BPE with my KRZR K1m on the Telus network in Canada. This setup has worked very well for me, although I’ve had a few issues. Sending texts on my phone is not possible when “Hands-Free” (the protocol that lets you make calls through your Mac’s speakers and microphone) is enabled. I’ve solved this problem by choosing “Suspend Hands-Free” from the BPE menu. Alternatively you can set an option that only opens Hands-Free when in a call, which was successful in my limited testing. You should know that the Caller-ID and iTunes features work regardless of these settings.

MMS messages also seem to mess with BPE, so they should deleted or moved before you use the app (at least on some phones). I don’t imagine these issues will affect every phone, mine is quite old, but this is what I have learned through trial and error and in conversations with the support team.

Conclusion

Its definitely a great app, but before you buy you should test to see wether your phone is fully compatible. Fortunately Mira Software provides a trial period, and if you’re still not sure you can even request a trial extension. Given the complexity of the app, its a bargain at $24.95 USD. I would recommend it to any Mac user that spends a lot of time tied to their computer and phone.

If you have any questions about app I’d be glad to answer them in the comments.

My criteria was pretty simple: its gotta be cold, its gotta be cheap, and it had better not break one week in. So after considering about half a dozen different models, I settled on the Haier Commercial Cool 7000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (CPRB07XC7).

What is a portable air conditioner?

A portable A/C is a like a window mounted air conditioner (the kind you see in hotel rooms) shoved into a box about the size of a bar fridge. They can travel between rooms, and require only minimal amounts of installation. All you have to is secure an exhaust hose in a window and plug it in. They’re meant to cool one room at a time.

Why the Haier?

I decided to get the Commercial Cool unit after a few hours of research. It best fit in the criteria I outnelined above.

• Its cold: 7000BTU is more than enough for my 150 sq/ft office space. Its kept the room cool while outside temperatures hovered around 80F (and can probably handle higher).
• Its cheap: about $300CAD when all was said and done
• It hasn’t broken [yet]: I can’t comment on the longevity of a product I’ve only used for a week or so, but I’m confident it will keep on chillin’ well into the future. This model is supposedly the least returned among low tier portable A/C’s (according to two stores).

Its also not hideous. As far as cheap appliances go, this thing is actually pretty decent looking as long as you ignore the exhaust hose.

Any concerns or complains?

The CPRB07XC7 doesn’t have any controls on it except an on/off button. You have to use a remote to specify the mode (cool, dehumidifier, fan), adjust the temperature, change the speed or set the timer. This is a concern, because if you break or lose your remote you’d be out luck. You would be, except that Haier sends along an extra remote just in case.

I think that’s a nice touch, but not a replacement for on-unit control. I hope they appear in a future version. Its also a little noisy, but not any worse than three fans its replacing.

Suggestions

Any single room air conditioner is most efficient when in a more or less sealed environment. If possible use tape to cover any seems between the exhaust assembly and the window, and close the door of the room you’re cooling.

I found that on this unit, the fastest cooling was actually on the medium setting. Perhaps this allows air to cool better, or reduces heat from the fan’s electric motor.

Overall I’d say this Haier Portable Air Conditioner was worth the purchase, and I know I won’t regret it next summer when portable A/C’s are sold out everywhere. If you have any questions about it please feel free to ask.

So what exactly is this creature?

1. Canon: This lens is made by Canon for the Canon EOS line.
2. EF-S: Its built for the EF-S mount (part where the lens attaches). It is only compatible with APS-C sized sensor based cameras in the Rebel (XTi, XS, XSi, T1i etc), semi pro XXD (7D, 20D, 40D, 50D etc) lines.
3. 55-250mm: A decent reach, and a very nice 4.5x range. See below for some comparison shots.
4. f/4.0-5.6: These are the max aperture values, depending where  the lens is on its zoom range. The lower the number the better, because smaller f-values mean wider aperture openings (and therefore more light, and clearer pictures in dark places). This lens is adequate, but not spectacular.
5. IS: Image Stabilization is a technology that corrects most camera shake. It makes pictures with longer shutter speeds (up to 1/10th in my experience) look nearly perfect.
6. Telephoto Zoom: A telephoto lens brings subject closer. This lens zooms (allowing you to move closer or further away from the scene by twisting instead of waling).

How far does this thing zoom? Do I need 300mm?

The lens will take you pretty close to the action, and to this point I haven’t regretted purchasing a 250mm over a 300mm lens. As you can see from the shots below (sorry they aren’t amazing, they’re just for the article), there is a massive zoom range. Its been more than adequate for wildlife, theatre and sports photos.

Lens at 250mm.

Lens at 55mm.

Any problems with 55-250?

Yes there are a few irritations. The first issue occurs in bright lighting outdoors. Exposure can be hit or miss, trending to be over-exposed when there is a problem. I suspect my Rebel XSi is metering incorrectly, and I wonder if other cameras would handle these situations better. The other issue is vignetting, which is quite noticeable at the 250mm focal distance with a wide open f/5.6 aperture.

Vignette in corners.

Notice blown-out detail in flowers.

Ok, how about some real pictures? Conclusions?

Here a few of mine, there’s plenty more on flickr. Despite the issues described above the lens performs well, and its definitely worth the low price. The lens is plastic, but built well. Chromatic aberration (colour fringing / bleeding) is well controlled. Image quality is comparable to the kit lens, surprisingly sharp through most of the range. Overall, I’d say this a great lens and I would recommend it to other photographers entering the world of Canon DSLRs.

If you’d like to read a more technical review, you should take a look at The Digital Picture’s assessment of the 55-250.

Want to sync to your address book, calendar, and bookmarks? Don’t want to pay $100 a year? Doh.

fruux is a lightweight and convenient system preference pane, that syncs your Address Book, Calendars, Tasks and Bookmarks between different Macs.

All you’ve got to do is download the .prefPane, double click to install, and make you’re account… That’s it. No credit card, no blown budget, no lost contacts, no MobileMess. If you’ve got a desktop and a notebook you can install it on both and start syncing right away. If you’ve got a lab full of Macs you can install on all of them too, because there are no silly limits on how you sync.

This isn’t to say that MobileMe is a bad product, and certainly not that this service is any better. Fruux is all about “Just Sync, No-frills!” so you won’t find disk space, website hosting, email, web-access, or any of the other neat features that MobileMe comes with. There’s really no comparison between the two though, if your looking for free syncing then use Fruux. If you want anything else (think iDisk, email, etc) then you need MobileMe. 

Fruux's sync log in System Prefrences

Of course, if you’re crafty you can find free alternatives to those other services too. In conjunction with Dropbox, an IMAP GMail account and a free hosting account for your site you could be setup as well or better than a bona-fide MobileMe account at no cost. Thanks Fruux!!

UPDATE: Elgato’s Canadian EPG is now out of beta, and purchasers will receive one year of free access with purchase of an EyeTV tuner.

A couple months ago I ordered the Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus from the online Apple Store (free shipping FTW). Technically speaking its a TV tuner, but I bought it for its cassette digitizing abilities – more on that later. I thought that was the only use I’d get out of it too, since Elgato doesn’t offer a Electronic Program Guide (EPG/listings) for Canada. Until now. The past few weeks they’ve been rolling out a beta version of the EyeTV 3 software that includes support for a Canadian EPG.

You might be wondering exactly what an EPG is and why its necessary for watching TV on your Mac. Basically its a file that EyeTV downloads to display the local listings for your area. The truth is that it isn’t really required, but in a world where everyone has a cable box, built in schedules are a given convenience that I know I wouldn’t like to live without. So it goes without saying I was thrilled to read about this beta version.

I signed up and got my beta invitation very soon afterwards. It was a breeze to download, install and configure EyeTV for use here in Vancouver, BC. It seems that some other parts of Canada aren’t covered yet, but I’m sure that’s coming in subsequent releases. It seems that Elgato has partnered with TV Guide Canada to makes this happen. Also worth noting, us Canadians only get a year of free service. Come next October I’ll have to pony up $19.95 (USD no less) for a rewenal. That’s not fair, eh.

Functionally its been almost flawless. There was this weird problem where programs starting at 4:00PM would have a duration of 0:00, but I believe that’s been fixed. I’m with Shaw Cable and all the analogue channels come through fine. I also have the digital cable package and box, but my EyeTV doesn’t pick those channels up for some reason. It does see the digital music channels though, so I don’t know what’s going on there. The quality is fair, but you’d never mistake it for HD. I’ve included a few screenshots that you can click to enlarge. Audio comes through very nicely with steady treble and tight bass.

There’s something nice about being able to pause live TV, or replay something you missed. Start watching or recording with one click. Schedule recordings up to two weeks ahead of time, then have them converted and placed in iTunes for you. There’s lots of cool stuff, its the best TV experience I’ve had thus far. I honestly prefer downloading HD shows/movies from iTunes or similar outlets, but that can take time and you rarely see obscure programming you may want to watch. I and friends have made a number of TV appearances lately. All I had to do to record them was set the time, and when I got home they were ready to post on YouTube.

All of that, and I only bought this little device to convert my VHS and 8mm tapes to DVDs. By the way, it does that very well too. Its as simple as plugging in your device (VCR, camcorder, LaserDisc) with composite or SVideo and hitting record. Then you can export to iTunes (for your iPod, iPhone or AppleTV), Toast (CD DVD or Blue Ray) or via a number of other options.

The EyeTV 250 Plus is a nifty little creature that can finally call Canada home. Its ease of use and capabilities make it worth every cent, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to other Mac users in Canada. If you have any questions about it I’ll take them in the comments..

Here are some complaints I’ve heard:

• I don’t like the new wall
• I can’t see all the stuff on my profile now
• I can’t find x or x, and I don’t know where x went
• Its too wide and theirs too much whitespace

At first I was complaining too. When I stopped and looked at the changes objectively, however, I realized that all of these complaints were drop dead stupid. The new wall is an improvement, it consolidates the massive amounts of information people share on Facebook into one easy to read cornucopia of awesomeness.

The Facebook developers took out all the boxes that applications made and put them on their own tabs. They’re still easily accessible, but without having to scroll for decades or wait an inexplicably long time for profiles to load.

People are having problems finding things because they’re still thinking about the original interface. Let go. Approaching the site as if you had never visited makes it easy to figure out, its really well laid out if you forget about the weird conventions of the old UI.

The width makes way for new, better ways to organize information on Facebook pages. It also allows for that whitespace, which we really should love. Most people prefer living and working in open and clutter-free enviorment, so why not Facebooking? 

The reason comes back to what I was talking about before, the status quo. People are used to the old Facebook, they like the old Facebook. Some have even vowed to stop using the site over the change. Its time to forget all that hate and move on.

You know what I hate? Junk mail. And starvation. And cancer.