Time for a change?

Now that I have my Mac back, I figure maybe my blog deserves some sort of birthday present. Yes, I did miss the day itself (February 6th?) but that again is down to the Mac-Death.

I wonder how and why McDonald’s and Mac have never had some sort of joint campaign. Then I realise McDonald’s are the spreaders of evil and spawn of the devil, and that even if sometimes it doesn’t just work, at the very least, Apple make sweet machines designed to help others make the world a prettier place. Surely that’s a good thing.

This evening I saw Babel. I loved it. I can seldom say that about a film without going further, but in this case maybe it’s the simple fact that I can’t explain it in a sentence that I loved the most. The simplest take on it is “lordie, what damage one bullet can do”… but even saying that seems to insult the intelligence not only of all those involved in creating, producing… birthing… the film, but also, and perhaps more importantly, those who have joined me in experiencing it. Iñárritu is an absolute genius, remind me to watch all his films forever more…

Back! At Last!

There are certain ‘groups’ that I never wanted to feel a part of, and despite my inclination to list them all, instead I will focus here on the one group of people that I have been forced into recently, much to my own utter dismay.

‘Those Who Have Watched Their MacBook Die’

YURGLE.

So that’s where I’ve been for the last six weeks. Or rather why I have not been here. Some time in early January my beautiful, three month old MacBook decided to take a lengthy nap. So lengthy that I got it back from the repair dude(ttes) today. After multiple, multiple repairs and replacements. Today, my Mac doesn’t know me – and that’s as sad to me as it may well seem pathetic to anyone reading this who has never loved a Mac.

It doesn’t help that my boyfriend is a MaCynic (my word, officially copyrighted, thanks very much). He pretends to love them when he wants a pretty new toy for the living room, but mainly likes to mock their ad campaign. Specifically the words ‘It just works‘. Needless to say I’ve had those words repeated to me much more than I felt was strictly necessary during these last traumatic weeks.

So I have spent the last hour setting up my email account, trying to remember what I had done with it that made it so ‘right’… In case my utter misery wasn’t making it obvious enough, my hard drive had to be replaced (amongst other things – bravo Steve). I didn’t mind this too much, if only because I had nothing vital on the machine that I didn’t have elsewhere. Other than a few photos that I realised this morning I had no backup of. Which I’m furious about. But that’s besides the point. My dashboard widgets are gone. My photobooth photos are gone. This isn’t exactly vital stuff, but it’s what makes your Mac ‘yours’… and now it’s all gone, and I’m going to be spending the next four days fixing it!

Enough moaning. Let’s face it, in the scheme of things, I really don’t have the right!

Stupidly brilliant products…

Apple and Nike. It’s not a combination I can possibly appreciate. It’s like if Darth Vader and Yoda decided to join together in civil partnership and spawn some really messed-up kids. And yet, it seems to be a reality…

In the spirit of “Ka-CHING”, Nike have created yet another pair of fantastically over-priced running shoes, no doubt ‘fabricated’ by the hands of a severely underpaid and equally malnourished seven year old child somewhere in Asia. The difference this time is that Apple have joined the party.

Maybe it was only a matter of time, but I still didn’t foresee the emergence of the “Nike+ Ipod” system. What does it do? Short of making you actually fly, it attunes itself to the pace of your workout and chooses music accordingly, while broadcasting a strange voice into your head telling you how well you’re doing.

But that’s only the half of it. In typical Apple style, this information will be simultaneously broadcast to your own personal webspace, where you can track your progress/weight-loss/soullessness in full-colour, with some very funky graphics to boot.

And now for the piece-de-resistance: The Power Song. For when you’re 42 minutes into a 45-minute workout and your energy levels are running a little low. Hit the centre button of your crazy little iPod, and your Power Song of choice will play – whatever song you choose that “energises” you the most.

That’s just MAD…

It all works via a ’sport kit’ – a receiver that fits in your Nike+ shoe, and a little attachment for your iPod nano. They talk to each other, and then you buy lots of other expensive Nike+ gear to match your iPod, and your shoes, and your wireless lunacy. It’s not that it’s a purely spurious and fairly evil cash-in on our society’s obessions with both possessions and supposed healthy living. It’s just a really, really good idea…

Wow…

What a fantastic way to make your day…

To Mac or not to Mac?

Surely that is the only question.

So I’m supposed to be doing a masters in September, in computers no less. This requires the acquisition of a laptop. Fair enough. There’s one issue though.

I WANT A MAC!!!
I don’t need ten reasons.
I don’t need great ad campaigns.
I don’t even need an iHiFi or whatever the official name is

But I NEED a Mac. I had four last year. Now I have none. Surely the arrival of Bootcamp was designed with me in mind??

My dilemma is clear. A Dell for €1700 or a Mac(Book Pro no less!) for €2500… the latter deal is financially more costly, but will ensure the sanctity of my inner soul. Surely that’s worth it??

Surely….

Making my day, the apple way

I have been an apple fanatic for a very long time. Which is made all the more surprising by the fact that I don’t own one. A year ago I had an office with four macs, all to myself. All I really want is a MacBook Pro. Some day soon I’ll sort that one out. But for the moment, the dream of my mac is enough for me. That, and these ads.