Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 vs. Nintendo Wii: A Technical ComparisonMajor update: This comparison has been updated to include information about the new

Major update: This comparison has been updated to include information about the new Xbox 360 Elite.

It's the battle of the ages, played out with a new generation of hardware that, for the first time, appears to leave all but the most high-end gaming PCs in the dust. Opinions about Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 vary, but it's pretty clear that both devices kick serious butt from a technical perspective. Looking over the specifications, and listening to representatives of both companies, however, I've come away with a few general thoughts. From a pure processing standpoint, the PS3 appears to beat the Xbox 360, but the first generation PS3 games are not graphically superior to anything that's available on the Xbox 360. The PS3 has a few advantages, however. For example, it's mostly compatible with the millions of existing PlayStation (PS1) and PlayStation 2 (PS2) titles, which is a huge plus (in US and Japan only: European PS3 units lack a compatibility chip, making them far less compatible with previous generation games).

Crumpler's The Considerable Embarrassment Laptop BagMacworld seems a world away now. When I went to Macworld I took my Crumpler bag with me. This in i

Macworld seems a world away now. When I went to Macworld I took my Crumpler bag with me. This in itself is significant. Why? Because as I was packing to leave I took out my WWDC 2006 bag that was provided by Apple. I imagined myself in line at the keynote, getting Mac-respect from others around me as they looked longingly at my WWDC 2006 bag. I even packed the bag. It really isn’t that bad, but after using the Crumpler bag for the previous few weeks I couldn’t do it.
So, at the last minute I scrambled to unpack the WWDC bag and transfer the contents to my Crumpler bag. Like any good product, it is the good things that make the Crumpler bag really sing. The material, to start off with, is of high quality, very strong, and waterproof (within reason, not waterproof as in you can swim with it). My MacBook Pro 15” fits perfectly within the case. There is a dedicated protected area for the laptop with a nice velcro overlay. The machine has more than enough padding for any road warrior’s travels, whether they be in the air, rail, or on foot.

Mac to Xbox 360 with Connect 360

It came to my attention the other day that many Xbox360 owners who predominately use Macintosh computers in their household aren’t aware of a little piece of software that brilliantly links up an Xbox 360 and any form of Mac computer with networking capabilities.

iPhone Realizes Steve's Dream to Exploit Mac OS

If the iPhone succeeds, it will very quickly have numbers that could dwarf the Mac and run down the iPod. That alone could lead to a significant halo effect. But being a very visual device with a sexy flavor of OS X running on it (unlike the iPods whose interface now looks suddenly 1983 by comparison) this will expose millions to the real Mac experience, especially, if as expected, Leopard bears much similarity to the iPhone’s OS X.

Meizu M8 vs. Apple iPhone

Since the iPhone’s announcement back at the Macworld Expo in January this year, there have been a number of following announcements from various manufacturers of their own iPhones, thereafter labeled as “iPhone Killers” by the media. It’s always flattering for Apple to have its own products listed as the standard for that area of the market, but is it necessarily true? In the case of the iPod it certainly is, as it’s currently the single most popular MP3 player in the world, dominating the music scene with its partner in crime, iTunes. But the iPod has been out for 6 years and the facts and figures are there to prove its dominance and title of “the one to beat,” so how can a phone not yet given an exact release date be given the same title?

Google, Please Bring Picasa to the Mac

This piece is meant to be a review, but instead, it became a bit of a tirade and a plea. I spent hours yesterday trying to find an application to solve a problem that just shouldn’t exist in the first place. Have you ever been stuck on a Mac with an older version of iPhoto than your iPhoto library, which you’ve got a copy of but, sadly, old iPhoto can’t open? Fair enough it can’t open, but it doesn’t get you back down the creek.

Microsoft in Talks to Buy DoubleClick, Journal Says

March 28 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. is in talks to buy DoubleClick Inc., the Internet advertising company owned by private-equity firm Hellman & Friedman LLC, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the situation. DoubleClick hired Morgan Stanley to explore its options, including a possible stock-market listing, the Journal said, citing the people, who indicated there are other potential suitors. Hellman & Friedman is seeking at least $2 billion, almost double the $1.1 billion it paid for the New York-based company in 2005, the newspaper said. Question in my mind is: What is MS phishing for now? LOL!

US 'no longer technology king'

The US has lost its position as the world's primary engine of technology innovation, according to a report by the World Economic Forum.
The US is now ranked seventh in the body's league table measuring the impact of technology on the development of nations. A deterioration of the political and regulatory environment in the US prompted the fall, the report said. The top spot went for the first time to Denmark, followed by Sweden.

Dell to Ship Linux on Desktops, Laptops

Dell confirmed on Wednesday plans to offer Linux pre-installed on select desktop and notebook systems, beyond its current Linux-based servers and Precision workstations. The decision comes after feedback on its IdeaStorm site and a survey that garnered over 100,000 responses.
No specific timeframe was given for the expanded Linux plans, although the company said in a blog posting that it will provide an update in the coming weeks regarding the effort. It will detail "information on which systems we will offer, our testing and certification efforts, and the Linux distribution(s) that will be available," Dell said, adding that, "The countdown begins today."

Apple TV Now Shipping

Apple is now shipping Apple TV, an easy to use and fun way to wirelessly play all your favorite iTunes content from your PC or Mac on your widescreen TV, including movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts. But the big question is: Will it be worth dishing out close to $300 for it? Hmmm! Remain to be seen!