Reviews by vytas

vytas says "The best laptop on the market gets better." about Apple MacBook Pro 15" Unibody

vytas — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:51:29 GMT

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been four years since I made the switch to a Mac. My first Mac was an Apple MacBook Pro 15 Core 2 Duo (read my review here) and it served me well. Recently I was given the opportunity to upgrade my hardware to the latest and greatest version of the Apple MacBook Pro 15” Unibody and I took it.

So how does an already great laptop become even better?
The most obvious improvement is processor speed, but that can be said about any laptop. Yes my new laptop is graced with a 3.06 GHz dual core Intel processor, but more importantly, the latest generation of MacBook Pros support 8GB of RAM. My recommendation for anyone running Mac OSX is to get at least 4GB of memory and if you can afford it, max it out at 8GB. Let’s face it, the less you have to access a hard disk to get things done the better and 8GB of RAM goes a long way - especially for Adobe Photoshop users.

The body of the MacBook Pro is a testament to both industrial design and a manufacturing process...

...

vytas says "Underwhelmed...but I'll give them another chance" about Steve's Deli - Chicago, IL

vytas — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:03:26 GMT

Yesterday a group of us went out to grab lunch at the newly opened Steve's Deli. With only a few days under its belt (it opened three days ago), Steve's Deli was a scene of chaos. There was plenty of staff, just it didn't seem like they knew what their roles were. It started off with confusion over who would take our order - once we located a gentleman to do so, he was completely unfamiliar with the menu so it took a bit of time to explain each selection. Once the order was placed we proceeded to wait 35 minutes for our order to be filled. During that time, a number of potential customers wondered in only to turn around and walk out after a few minutes of watching the chaotic scene. When we finally received our order, out of the five in our group, one's order was completely forgotten. Had we walked out of the deli without checking the bag after paying, there would have been one very unhappy customer.

I ordered the Steve Special which is a bowl of soup and half a sandwich of your choice....

...

vytas says "Sear, stir fry, boil, coddle and simmer with abandon" about Miele Cooktop - Gas 36 in. KM3474

vytas — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:07:20 GMT

Over a year ago, we completed an addition and renovation of our home. Part of the work was a brand new kitchen. After spending countless hours online researching cooktops, followed up by numerous visits to appliance stores to see the top picks in person, we chose the Miele KM3474 Natural Gas Cooktop (it also comes in a model for LP gas).

There were several criteria that I had when I began my search for our cooktop:

at least one wok burner (generally a burner over 15,000 BTUs - to use a wok properly requires high heat);
a deep pan for catching liquid from boil overs;
sealed burners - less maintenance and easier clean up;
a continuous surface so that heavy pots could easily be moved around;
logically laid out controls for the burners (always select the correct knob without thinking)

Pretty much any cooktop with a deep pan comes in one of two finishes: stainless steel or a colored porcelain. The other option is glass, but then you're looking at a flat top with no pan. The only downside that I have...

...

vytas says "New convert to the Apple iPhone fold" about Apple - iPhone 3G Cell Phone

vytas — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:18:38 GMT

I've been eyeing the Apple iPhone ever since it was introduced over a year and a half ago. The first generation iPhone was just too expensive and its connection was too slow.

That changed on July 11th (2008) when the Apple iPhone 3G was officially released into the wild. The second generation Apple iPhone boasts 3G connectivity (which according to Apple is twice as fast as an EDGE connection - AT&Ts older data protocol), built in GPS, push email and more. Also Apple and AT&T slashed the initial price of the handset in half, bringing it down to $199 for the 8GB version of the Apple iPhone 3G.

Another big change is the migration of Apple's .Mac service to a re-branded MobileMe service. The killer feature for me with MobileMe is keeping all of my contacts, calendars, password keychains and browser bookmarks in sync. That means that if I add a new calendar entry on either my work laptop or my home desktop computer or my iPhone all of the others are updated with that information without me...

...

vytas says "They don't write dialogue like this anymore" about His Girl Friday 1940

vytas — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:01:19 GMT

This is one of my favorite classic movies. Definitely in my top ten. The chemistry is great between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell with dialogue that moves a mile a minute. They most certainly don't write scripts like this anymore. Although it was released in 1940, His Girl Friday it has stood the test of time. In fact I had the opportunity to watch it again last night and would gladly do it again - it's that good. From the crooked politicians to the reporters that will do anything to get the scoop and then twist the story to their own ends, this movie will have you laughing and chuckling while you reach for the remote to replay some snippet of dialogue that just wizzed by. Look for it in your TV listings as it pops up every so often, or rent it from your favorite video store....

vytas says "I think I developed multiple personalities watching this one" about Sunshine

vytas — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:29:10 GMT

I was looking to try out the new iTunes movie rental feature and stumbled across this movie - Sunshine. I have to say that I had never heard of it and the central idea for the plot (that was contained in the description of the rental) seemed that it would require a bit of a stretch to accept (reigniting the sun via a detonation of a bomb near its surface). But the reviews on iTunes seemed pretty positive and some of the comments even alluded to the film being a tip of the hat to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Being a sci-fi movie fan I decided to hit the rental button and take my chances.

I was pleasantly surprised by the well crafted visuals of the movie. On that front, it far exceeded my expectations. The story was, for the most part, straight forward though it definitely had undercurrents of crew members on the verge of losing their sanity as their several year trip to the sun wore on. At times, the undercurrent was subtle, and at others it was hallucinogenic. Sunshine itself was cast as a character......

vytas says "Finger pickin' good" about Rodrigo y Gabriella

vytas — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:02:27 GMT

...

vytas says "Wouldn't prepare my BBQ ribs without Sweet Baby Ray's" about Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce

vytas — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:14:10 GMT

...

vytas says "Great sushi that's family friendly" about Sushi House - La Grange, IL

vytas — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:08:53 GMT

If I could afford it, sushi would be on my radar every week, and Sushi House would have the lion's share of my business.

Located just west of La Grange Road in the heart of the town of La Grange, Sushi House has never disappointed. Every time my family has been hit with a craving for sushi (who knew a six year old could start salivating at the mention of salmon maki rolls), we've headed to the Sushi House.

On our last outing, I came across Spider rolls which contained soft shell crab that was incredibly delicious. I'm also a big fan of hamachi sushi - who knew raw fish could be so flavorful. My kids love the maki rolls (with salmon being their prefered choice). My wife and I also enjoy some of the more spicy rolls.

Tip: if your kids are gung ho about using chop sticks but aren't very adept at using them, ask the staff for a little plastic adapter that you attach near the end of the chop sticks (essentially converting the chopsticks into a pair of tongs).

Overall, Sushi House is very clean,......

vytas says "As much as I liked the first three - this one had me snoozing" about Live Free or Die Hard

vytas — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:37:18 GMT

Live Free or Die Hard failed to deliver the goods. Although there where a few good action sequences, overall the movie quickly devolved into plot line that stretched the bounds of credibility - even for a John McClane flick....

vytas says "Kamehachi is arguably my favorite sushi bar in Chicago" about Kamehachi Old Town - Chicago, IL

vytas — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:01:53 GMT

...

vytas says "If only all art was this much fun!" about Niki de Saint Phalle

vytas — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:19:05 GMT

This is what art should be - fun, engaging for all ages and put a smile on your face. This is exactly what the sculpture show named Niki in the Garden does and my kids couldn't get enough of it. There are over 30 sparkling, colorful sculptures displayed among the flora of the conservatory (no not a music conservatory - it's a massive green house) and in the adjoining gardens at the back of the conservatory. These are the work of French artist Niki de Saint Phalle. The sculptures are whimsical, colorful and more often than not just calling out to be touched (and in some instances climbed or sat upon). The artist used various glass materials in the surface of her creations, from mosaic glass and mirrors to marbles and art glass making her sculptures both a visual and tactile feast. This is one show that is a must for all ages. Make sure to bring a camera!

The show runs until October 31st at the Garfield Park Conservatory in the heart of Chicago's west side.

For details visit: http://www.nikiinthegarden.com/......

vytas says "Beautiful, Brawny, Blissful Computing Experience" about Apple iMac 24" Desktop Computer

vytas — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:35:43 GMT

The family computer (a six year old Dell desktop) refused to boot. Microsoft Windows XP decided to take a permanent holiday. My family was starting to grumble about the lack of a computer in our home. What was I to do?

A year ago I started using a Apple MacBook Pro at work and had bid Microsoft Windows adieu. This seemed like the perfect moment to switch over to a Mac at home. I considered the Apple Mac Mini since I did have the screen, keyboard and mouse from the Dell, but evaluating what hardware (processor, video card, web cam, speakers, hard drive, RAM, etc.) you got with the iMac, I decided that it was actually a better deal to go with the iMac instead of the Mac Mini. In addition, the iMac is an all-in-one computer (screen, speakers, web cam, CPU, power supply, DVD drive, USB and Firewire ports all contained in the screen's housing) which made it more attractive than all of the cables associated with regular desktop computers (Mac Mini included in that company).

I also explored the......

vytas says "Beautiful HD in size XL that won't break the bank" about Panasonic Multimedia Projector PT-AX100U-EC

vytas — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:34:43 GMT

I have been following digital projectors for more than a decade. From office use projectors to home cinema projectors. Until recently, projectors were prohibitively expensive and of relatively low resolution. Their projected images lacked color fidelity and left a lot to be desired in the home theater arena. That was until recently when a crop of projectors started offering lower prices, better performance and HD resolution.

The Panasonic PT-AX100U is the third interation of the most popular HD home theater projector line ever produced. Panasonic really hit its stride with the PT-AE700U and then went on to get raves with the release of the PT-AE900U.

What really sets Panasonic PT-AX100U projector apart from others is its film like quality - there are no pixels to be seen. This is inspite of the fact that it uses 3 LCDs to generate the image - Panasonic has outdone itself in finding a way to mitigate the screen door effect that has plagued LCD projectors for years. Panasonic also worked with......

vytas says "Spectacular documentary for the whole family" about March of the Penguins 2005

vytas — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:32:47 GMT

This movie had my kids (ages 5,7 & 9) rivited to the screen. It is not every day that one sees an awe inspiring movie that fundamentally changes your understanding of how a particular species survives in a remote corner of our planet. This is what The March of the Penguins is all about.

Everyone knows that the Antarctic is one of the most inhospitable places on earth. But after viewing this movie, one can only wonder at how the penguin species has managed to not only survive, but to grow. It makes our lives look like a cake walk.

The cinematography is breathtaking. I can't imagine the challenges that the filmmakers faced documenting the life of the penguins in one of the most inhospitable places on earth.

The March of the Penguins is a must see for everyone - both big and small - to appreciate one more corner of the planet we call our home. This movie opens up a whole new world.

Morgan Freeman narrates the english version of the film.

Long live the penguin!...

vytas says "Comfortable, capacious and well armored" about Spire Fuse

vytas — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:12:03 GMT

If you're a commuter who moves on public transit and uses foot power to move in urban or natural environments, you'll appreciate the thoughfully designed Spire Fuse backpack. Especially if carrying a laptop around is part of your daily commute.

The Spire Fuse is a comfortable backpack that includes a removable “boot” (a special padded snug sleeve for your laptop). I have to say that I have yet to worry about the safety of my laptop (currently an Apple Macbook Pro) - I also used it with a Dell Lattitude 610) since I started using the Spire Fuse. The one thing to note here is that you make sure you get the correctly sized boot whan you order the Spire Fuse.

The shoulder straps are padded and include a sternum strap. I find the sternum strap keeps the backpack snug on your back and relieves any back pull on the shoulder straps thereby distributing the weight evenly on your upper body. The rear of the Spire Fuse is also padded ensuring that nothing abrades your back.

The Spire Fuse has three......

vytas says "Make your old DVDs step into the HD world" about Oppo - DV-981HD - 1080p High Definition Universal DVD Player with HDMI

vytas — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:43:35 GMT

Looking to make your DVD collection shine on your new HDTV or HD projector?
Then look no further than the Oppo DV-981HD 1080p High Definition Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI.

What does that long product name mean?
It means that the Oppo DV-981HD DVD player takes the 720x480 pixel interlaced video encoded on DVD discs (which is of lower quality than what your HD TV is capable of displaying) and upconverts it to your selected resolution of 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p. Perhaps most importantly, it upconverts using the industry leading DCDi by Faroudja video processing technology. Faroudja is the company that provides image processing technology to high end systems (that cost in the thousands) and to digital movie theaters. Essentially, you are getting a high end video processor for a fraction of the price.

For more information on the upconverting features of the DV-981HD see:
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv981hd/dv981hd_info.html#Q1

What does the player not do?
The Oppo DV-981HD DVD player......

vytas says "Open your mind to something better" about goodexperience.com

vytas — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:43:46 GMT

Every so often you come across a web page where you rest your mouse and stop to think.

That's the type of site goodexperience.com is.

To start off on a lighter note, visit the This is Broken area. You'll find a wide range of amusing photos of bad usability (I think most readers will be amused by the postings).

Another intriguing piece is the Uncle Mark Gift Guide & Almanac. A weird name perhaps, but quite an intersting no nonsense perusal of a number of items that the author presents as good solid choices in the consumer jungle. In addition, he includes some odd topics such as How to Give a Best Man Speech and How to Run a Meeting. In fact he dispenses some very practical advice.

One other site that it links to is gootodo.com, which is a to do list management site with some pretty unique and easy to use features (perhaps it will be the subject of another review).

If you have any interest in usability questions or developing a good experience for yourself or others, checkout goodexperience.com...

...

vytas says "Better phone service for less than half the price" about Speakeasy.net

vytas — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:12:30 GMT

In 2004 I ditched my phone line and have never looked back.

Ever since VOIP became an option, I've been using the service. I started out with Vonage, but after a couple of years, I decided to switch my VOIP to my internet service provider - Speakeasy.net (I already had DSL service through them).

What is VOIP?

VOIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol - is having your regular telephone service delivered through your internet connection. You get a small device that you hook-up to your internet connection and plug your regular phone into. Once the service is up and running, you dial and receive calls just like you would with any POTS line (Plain Old Telephone Service). The only difference that I've noticed is that the sound quality is better. One thing that most old style telephone companies won't tell you is that they have been using VOIP to route your long distance calls for some time.

Speakeasy.net also claims that they use their own network to ensure the quality of the service.

There are a couple...

...

vytas says "HD TV + Tivo on your Mac for less than $150" about Elgato eyeTV Hybrid

vytas — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:12:48 GMT

As the HD TV wave hits the nation and analog TV is slowly reaching the end of its line, I was interested in getting exposed to HD without spending gobs of money. Enter the Elgato eyeTV Hybrid.

What is the Elgato eyeTV Hybrid? Quite simply it's a small USB dongle that is able to pull in over the air HD - High Definition television - (also know as ATSC) broadcasts as well as regular analog TV from the air and over cable (though NOT HD cable signals). In other words any free source of TV signals can be viewed on your Mac. It also comes packaged with eyeTV software that manages the viewing and recording of TV programming - essentially Tivo for your Mac. You can record, pause live TV, skip commercials in recorded programs or delayed live TV. Your Apple Remote will work seamlessly with eyeTV.

I mention in the cons above that the USB unit's width blocks adjacent ports (at least on the Apple MacBook Pro). Elgato doesn't leave you frustrated - they also include a short (approximately 6 inch) USB extension...

...