a new computer

I'd been considering buying a new home computer for well over a year now. I kept going back and forth about if I really needed it. I mean, the machine I was using was an old Pentium 4, 2.5 ghz, 1 GB RAM (which was the max supported!) 533 mhz FSB, 160 GB Dell. It treated me well over the past 6+ years but was starting to show it's age even when trying to do basic web browsing while playing a YouTube video. (With dual monitors, it's easy to multi-task but the computer just wasn't up to it!)

I use a Mac for work and love it, so I was considering one for at home too. But I just couldn't justify the price difference. I didn't want to spend a ton on a new system since we've had a bunch of other expenses lately so I ended up with a Dell.



I bit the bullet a couple weeks ago and now I'm up and running with my new machine. Here are the specs for anyone interested: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.3 ghz, 1333 mhz FSB, 4 GB RAM, 400 GB hard disk, eVGA nvidia 9600 GT 512 MB video card, DVD-DL burner. I'm still using my old monitors (dual 17" Planars) but wow, the difference in speed is shocking! I had no idea what I was missing. And the best part, the new machine was only $499 + $80 for the video card! Since I've been selling a bunch of old junk on craigslist lately, I've almost already paid for it with that money so it didn't really cost anything to upgrade after all.

thoughts on google latitude and other location aware services

(I'd like to emphasize that this is my personal blog. The views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not those of my employer.)

The other week, Google released a service called Latitude which I think is pretty neat. There have been other companies doing location-aware software too, so it's definitely an emerging trend. Within the first day of launch, I had a couple of friends already sharing their location with me. Basically, this program lets all your buddies know where you are (either by computer or cell phone) so that you can meet up, find each other, or whatever. Cool idea huh? Well, I'm sure there will be plenty of interesting stories that come along about how some guy saw his friend at his girlfriend's house and it turned out she was cheating on him.

At first, I thought it was a bit creepy to let people know where I am. Sure, I have a blog and a Facebook page, but I control that content (for the most part). The thing is, you have control over this too. But that's beside the point. I think that even if you are philosophically against this type of thing, it still might be a good idea to share your location with your spouse or another family member. Everyday we hear tragedies about people getting lost, injured, kidnapped, or stranded somewhere. By enabling Latitude, loved ones could find you (or at least your cell phone) even if you were unable to phone them due to injury or worse. If you're the type of person who has an earthquake emergency kit in your home, this service might be perfect for you. Not to mention it'd be a great way for parents to keep tabs on their kids (I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing though.)

Oh, and remember how in spy/FBI/crime movies 5 or 10 years ago it was always such a huge ordeal to try to trace a phone call from a cell phone to determine the location. If services like Latitude are available to consumers now, I can only imagine the technology the government and military are using.

michael masnick the trent reznor case study

I've written on this blog about how Nine Inch Nails is shaking up the music industry in terms of concerts and free music. But here is an excellent presentation that sums it all up.

For those of you who are interested in marketing and love music, check out this case study by Michael Masnick of Techdirt.com. This is a great summary of how Nine Inch Nails has been successful in a world where MP3 piracy, DRM, and RIAA lawsuits are so prevalent. The music industry has been hit hard in the past few years and Michael provides some lessons to be learned from this failing industry.

burlingame avenue feeling the economic crisis

Burlingame Avenue is a trendy little shopping district with plenty of big name retailers like J.Crew, GAP, Pottery Barn, and even the controversial Apple store. And for the most part, I've always thought it was pretty insulated from economic downturns because of the wealth in the area. But apparently I was wrong. This past Sunday I noticed quite a few "For Lease" signs on storefronts I'd grown accustomed to seeing. It seems that the current economy is even taking it's toll on retailers here.

I'm sure commercial leases on Burlingame Avenue are expensive and from what I've heard, a handful of only four or five people own most of the property. It's tough to see some of these retailers shutting their doors and it's more pronounced when many close at the same time. There's never been a shortage of turnover on the Ave but usually it's confined to smaller businesses and restaurants. In the six years I've lived here, we've seen lots of places come and go but never to to the extent of today.

I hope the trend stops soon because I'd hate to see Burlingame Avenue lose it's appeal. (And that would certainly hurt home prices in the immediate area.) The big retailers thrive on each other since they serve to attract different customers and allow people to do lots of shopping at once. I mean, if there were only the one or two stores, would people from all over the Peninsula come shopping on Burlingame Ave? I doubt it. People like that there is a bunch of stuff all within walking distance of each other. And for residents like myself, I love the convenience of having these stores so close-by.


The Gallery(?) is closed on Primrose Road


Ann Taylor is closed on Burlingame Ave


BabyStyle is closed on Burlingame Ave (note: there are like 4 other baby stores still!)


MacGerathy's(?) is closed on Burlingame Ave


Local collectibles place is closed on Burlingame Ave


BEBE is closed on Burlingame Ave


Eve's is closed on Primrose Road


But new brands are on their way in too. American Apparel opened just this past month.

new baby, new furniture (for the parents!)

Having a baby on the way gave us a bit of an excuse to buy some new furniture. Since it's pretty likely that either Danielle's or my parents may be "crashing" at our place periodically we thought it'd be useful to have a couch with a pull-out bed in the living room. And what a perfect opportunity to redecorate the whole living room! Actually, we kept the tables and stuff but we did end up getting two new chairs to complete the set. Check out the pictures below to see the new set-up. (By the way, despite the modern style of the leather chairs, they swivel, rock, and recline!) I'm realizing that I an an interior design geek. We went with contrasting rather than matching chairs...what do you think?

From Condo Remodel

From Condo Remodel

From Condo Remodel

From Condo Remodel

From Condo Remodel

From Condo Remodel