Thoughts on Apple Airport Extreme Part 2: Airport Disk

As I mentioned in part one, the Airport Disk feature was the primary reason that I chose the Airport Extreme over it’s competition. We purchased a 500GB Buffalo DriveStation SATA in anticipation of our new router’s arrival. I had visions of backups dancing in my head. I had those visions until I plugged the disk in.

I had read the help documents included with Airport Utility and formatted the drive according to the information there. I plugged the disk in to the base station. Nothing. I rebooted the base station. Nothing. I repeated different variations of this process for a while. Periodically, I tried different partitioning and formatting schemes to solve the problem, but nothing worked. Last night, I finally had success.

I connected the drive to my laptop, which has worked the entire time, and opened Disk Utility. In Disk Utility, I repartitioned the drive with a single Mac OS Extended (not Journaled) partition using an Apple Partition Map. The Apple Partition Map setting can be accessed by clicking the Options button. I dismounted the drive and disconnected it from the laptop. I unplugged the router and plugged the drive into it. After powering on the drive, I plugged the router back in. After that, it has been working perfectly for 24 hours.

I did a full back up of my computer last night and I’m performing a full backup of my wife’s iMac as I type this. The functionality is great. It works very well after it is set up. I’m getting good performance writing to the disk, so life is good. I’m concerned that the disk doesn’t seem to ever spin down. It doesn’t need to spin continuously, so I’m not sure why it is. It might be a firmware update that is coming.

My main complaint is that the documentation doesn’t provide solid instructions for configuring a drive. It pretty much says “plug it in and it will work”. That is clearly not the case. Armed with this knowledge, I can recommend the base station. It performs fantastically as a router and Airport Disk works as advertised after it is configured. I just wish the documentation lived up to Apple’s high standards.

Technorati Tags: airport extreme, Apple, airport disk

Thoughts on Apple Airport Extreme Part 1: Setup

One of my big projects this month was setting up our new Airport Extreme. I chose the Airport Extreme for a couple of reasons. One of the big new features of the Airport Extreme was the addition of Airport Disk, providing support for plugging USB hard disks into the router, then sharing them on the network. Support for 802.11n is great, even though I don’t have any devices that support the higher speeds. I also liked the idea of pairing an Apple router with our Macs here at home, but I know that doesn’t really mean anything from a technical perspective.

The first thing that I noticed after I purchased it was how small it is. It matches the Apple TV an Mac Mini in footprint. It looks nice sitting on a desk, unlike my trusty old Linksys WRT54G. Physical setup was easy since I was replacing an existing router. I’m still a little disappointed that there are only three ethernet ports, but it really is geared for wireless devices. Keep in mind that the consumer desktops that Apple produces include wireless support as well.

The new Airport Utility is fairly intuitive for initial setup. There is an easy-to-understand wizard that walks the user through the initial setup of the router. For most people, this setup is fine, though I was surprised that the default subnet is 10.0.1.x instead of the traditional 192.x.x.x range normally found in consumer routers. For advanced users, there are some low-level configurations that can be performed, including IPv6 routing, wireless compatibility modes including 802.11a, and many other routing options that are found on most routers now. If you would like more detail about Airport Utility, Gizmodo has a nice walkthrough with lots of screenshots.

The highlight for me is Airport Disk, which I will cover in part two.

Technorati Tags: airport extreme, Apple

Parallels Desktop update released

Build 3186 of Parallels Desktop was released today. It includes official support for USB 2.0, CD/DVD burning, drag and drop between operating systems. I’ve been using Parallels since its release and can’t live without it. For Mac users, it is a must-buy if they need Windows-based applications. Coherence makes that integration seamless.

Coherence: Our coolest new feature! With Coherence, you can run Windows applications on your Mac OS X desktop, just like they were native Mac applications. You can even load Windows applications directly from the Mac application dock.

from The Official Parallels Virtualization Blog: It’s Here! Get the Parallels Desktop Update with Coherence, Transporter, USB 2.0, and more!

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Blackberry 8800 Telenav GPS System

I’ve been playing with the Blackberry 8800’s built-in GPS system for a couple of days. For those of you who are not familiar with Telenav, it is a company that produces a Java-based GPS client for mobile phones, among other things.

I like the interface. It is intuitive and relatively straight-forward. It navigates nicely with the 8800’s trackball interface, though it doesn’t take advantage of scrolling sideways. I really like the location-based services, like the business finder and gas by gas price search function. The voice sounds pretty good, but, like most voice synthesis software, it can’t handle things that do not sound out easily. That’s ok until it really messes up the next turn.

I threw it off by not making turns several times and it recovered cleanly each time, though it sometimes really wants you to go the way it said, even if that doesn’t seem to be the most efficient way. The 3D map works great and makes for a nice demo tool, though most people are almost as impressed with the compass and MPH reading in compass view.

I was happy to see that I could hide the application, do other things, and still get directions when appropriate. I made a few calls and they worked fine with Telenav still tracking in the background. Voice dialing didn’t work consistently with the software running.

The only real disappointment for me was the fact that the maps aren’t terribly up to date. My three year old street still isn’t in the database. A road nearby that has been closed for more than three years is still shown as open. It would have been really bad if I didn’t know how to get to my house already. I know that my area is a bit of an exception, since there have been significant changes since I have moved here, but it would be nice to see it be a bit more up to date.

All told, it is a great experience, but it is on the pricey side. Unlimited routes will set you back $9.99 on Cingular, with 10 routes monthly clocking in at $5.99. I’m not sure how the other pieces of the software fit into that pricing scheme, but they seem to be no extra charge. If you travel a lot, it’s definitely worth the investment.

Technorati Tags: blackberry, gps, telenav

Fastest way to peel an egg

via RGS.

Long weekend

I’ve been gone all weekend, hence the lack of posting. We were very busy:

1. Fixed a big problem
2. Painted a bedroom
3. Bought a lawn mower
4. Bought a grill
5. Went back to Five Guys Burger and Fries. If you have one close, go.
6. Slept a little

Gmail.app doesn’t work on Blackberry 8800

At least not yet. The Gmail client for mobile phones spits back a “400: bad request” when trying to connect to the service. I’m not sure if it is the program or a configuration item on the phone, so I’m still messing with it.

Technorati Tags: blackberry, GMail

Something ate my iTunes Library

Funny, but true story. Something caused my iTunes library to disappear. I don’t know what, but I’m thrilled I have backups in place.

My first day with the Blackberry 8800

I got my company’s first Blackberry 8800 this morning. I have been using an 8700 for about a year, with a few exceptions, like when I tested the Blackberry Pearl a few months ago. So far, there is a lot to like about the 8800.

The most obvious difference is the move to a trackball from the jog dial that has graced the Blackberry platform until the introduction of the Pearl a few months ago. I’ve used a Blackberry for more than seven years, so I’m very comfortable with how it works. I like the trackball, but it takes some getting used to, mainly because of differences in the way the Blackberry reacts to it.

With the dial, a click usually brings up a full menu. The new software brings up an abbreviated menu, if it brings up a menu at all. Both new models add a menu button to the left of the trackball, so that is the best way to get consistent menu behavior. The back button is no longer on the side. It is located to the right of the trackball. All together, the new control scheme is a positive change, since it allows the same control with a single thumb. The new control scheme also allows lefties easier access to the device, since the buttons are centered on the face.

The keyboard has also been improved, though it is subtle. A bezeled edge has been added to the keys, giving an easier feel-based typing experience. A headphone jack was added to complement the media playback functionality, but I haven’t been able to test media playback yet.

The software has evolved, but the basics are the same. One of my biggest complaints about the system is how useless some of the themes are. The included Dimension themes all seem to have a fatal flaw of some kind, so I settled on the default Cingular theme. The Cingular theme has changed a little from the 8700. The background has been replaced with a fairly subtle cloud image and the icons have changed a bit. The biggest difference that I noticed is that installed applications appear on the main screen instead of in the Applications folder.

Voice dialing finally made it! When Voice Command was added to the Pearl, I was hopeful that it would make it into the 8800 as well. Voice Command is very well constructed. It recognizes strange names with a high degree of consistency. If you don’t want what it came up with, a simple ‘no’ causes the software to present more choices. It handles multiple phone numbers correctly as well. It is much better than the other voice dialing programs I have used, though my experience with them is fairly limited.

The Blackberry 8800 is a great upgrade to the 8700. I haven’t gotten to test the internal GPS capabilities yet, so I’ll probably be posting more about the phone soon. If you’re considering upgrading from a pervious model, it is well worth it. I was concerned about the changes to the control scheme, but I’ve adapted to it quickly. Honestly, the addition of Voice Command was enough to warrant an upgrade for me, but the other features are also compelling.

Technorati Tags: blackberry

Two Families on Fox

How is this supposed to be funny? I must not get the joke.

[Beau] Bridges, a three-time Emmy winner, will take the lead in the comedy “Two Families,” playing a man whose secret — he has two families and neither knows the other exists — comes to light after an accident.

from Roache Scurries to FOX’s ‘Law’ – Robinson, Bridges also take FOX pilot roles – Zap2it

Back to Google Reader

I’m always tempted by Google services and Google Reader is no exception. I’m very particular about my RSS readers. I’ve been a Newsgator user for a very long time. I started with it when it was Outlook only, then migrated to the web client. I like the look and feel of Newsgator Online, but I like the integration that Reader provides.

The most notable thing is the gadget for the customized Google homepage. Since I use Google.com/ig as my home page, I can see at a quick glance if there is anything interesting. The gadget is very flexible, allowing a newsreader-in-a-bubble view of the article, ’starring’ (clipping), and tag views. The mobile client leaves a lot to be desired, but at least I can save articles from it, unlike NGO.

I’m not sold either way yet, since I still have a year left on my Newsgator subscription, but I’m leaning heavily toward Reader, at least for today.

Technorati Tags: Google

David Blaine rips his own heart out

David Blaine is a fantastic illusionist. If you don’t believe me, watch this clip.

smcFanControl2

Back in October, I wrote about smcFanControl 1.x. A new version has been released and it is much improved from an interface perspective. It resides in the menu bar now and gives a few new options around current power configuration. If you have an Intel Mac, especially a Macbook Pro, you will appreciate the fan tweaks.

• Displays temperature and fan speed in the menubar

• Apply different fan-settings with just one click

• Let’s you set different minimum speeds for every fan seperately and save them as favorites

• Autoapply different fan settings when the powersource changes (macbooks only)

from smcFanControl2

Technorati Tags: mac, smcfancontrol

A story of Valentine’s Day cheer

We just got back from the Cheesecake Factory. Great meal, but we also got a funny story to go with it. I will tell it in timeline form. I figured our meal would run long, so we – or as was soon explained to me, I – decided to rearrange our trip. We needed to pick up a few small things (an Airport Extreme and two AppleCare plans) at the Apple store.

7:00: Arrive at the mall and park. We get a sweet spot not too far from either place we needed to go.
7:05: Walk into the Apple Store.
7:10: Walk out of the Apple Store.
7:15: Walk into the Cheesecake Factory. I get our pager.
7:17: Begin our 45 minute wait for a two person table.
7:30: Listen to the slurping of two people enjoying their Valentine’s Day in public.
7:35: Still slurping. Baby screaming. We scoot closer to the palm tree that is close by.
7:41: Kid next to me solves a Rubik’s cube in no time at all. It really was amazing.
7:45: Talking and slurping. At the same time. We move into the pot with the palm tree. There is no escape.
7:47: Giggling about talking and slurping. Resume slurping.
7:59: We finally find the slurping amusing on some level.
8:05: The slurpers, who came in 15 minutes after us, get a table.
8:06: I ask the hostess how much longer. They have found a table for us, but have to set it.
8:16: Our pager goes off. I hand it to the other hostess who counts out a pile of eight (8) menus.
8:17: I look at the pile of menus and smile. The hostess asks where the other six guests are. I have no idea.
8:18: They realize that they have a small error, namely a banquet table reserved for the two of us. They offer us a booth instead.
9:15: My wife is carted from the table in a food coma, smiling.

Have a great Valentine’s Day!

You are coming to a sad realization. Cancel or allow?

I’ve been a moderate fan of the Get a Mac ads, but the new Vista security ad is a true gem. When I first saw it, I wrote it off as a competitor’s exaggeration, but after spending the last few days wrestling with Vista, I came to the same sad realization.

I was downloading a software package to install a random piece of software. It doesn’t really matter what it was. As I recall, it might have been ISO Recorder – a fantastic burning app to complement Windows built-in burning capabilities – but I could be wrong.

As far as I remember, the process went something like this. I went to the website in IE7 and clicked on the download link. IE blocked the download. I right-clicked on the banner and allowed the download. Vista prompted me to see if I wanted to allow the download. I clicked allow. The download started. IE prompted to see if I wanted to save, run, or cancel. I chose run, since I needed it installed right then. The download completed and the install started to run. Vista the prompted me, warning that I had downloaded something from the Internet and it could be harmful. I said continue. Vista asked if I wanted the installer to change my system. I said yes.

This is the most annoying “security” I have seen in a long time. Check that. Ever. I understand the point, but that isn’t security. A regular user will be so frustrated that they will probably give up and just play solitaire. Who could blame them.

Life is worse if you run as a standard user, instead of as a local administrator. Then, you have to log in as an administrator at half the prompts that are presented. I use a really long password – ironically, I do it for security – so this is torturous.

Ultimately, Vista tries to solve Windows security problems by asking the user. I don’t mean to minimize the back-end changes that I know are there. Adding Windows Defender to the OS is a good move, though I’m sure security vendors don’t like it much. However, in-your-face security is the least effective kind. If no one wants to use the end product, why bother?

Technorati Tags: vista