Burningbird's RealTech

The good news is, Netflix WatchNow will now work on the Mac. The bad news? It only works with Silverlight 2, which only works within the Intel architecture.

Should be no problem, to Engadget:

Unfortunately for super-duper late adopters, the software will only work with Intel-based Macs, so if you've been holding onto a G3 for dear life, here's one more reason to finally can it, along with your Xbox 360 HD DVD player, Von Dutch trucker cap, and gas-guzzling Escalade.

I believe that the last version of Mac machines with the PowerPC architecture is G5, not G3. As for being antiquated, I have the last of the Powerbook G4 laptops, bought less than three years ago and still covered under Apple warranty. I guess that puts me in the Engadget "super-duper late adopter" category.

This is another nail in the coffin for machines that really aren't that old, primarily brought about by Apple's indifference to the fact that it switched architectures and then has done little to ensure that older architectures get full support. Though I appreciate the Universal platform Apple provided, which means applications work on both PowerPC and Intel machines, too many applications such as the recent Photoshop CS4, and now Silverlight 2, forming the background for services such as Netflix Watch Now, are being released only for Intel machines.

However, there's not much we can do about companies like Netflix, Microsoft, and Adobe, and their lack of support for machines that really aren't that old. Well, other than look for other sources of software. What bothers me more about this story, though, is the disdain demonstrated by the Engadget author, especially in light of today's economic environment.

Too many of the writers for sites like Engadget assume this is 1999 all over again, and money flows, and everyone can afford a new machine every year. On the contrary, we're heading into a recession, if not in one already. The estimates are that the unemployment rate in this country will hit 8%, or more, before we're done; the impact on the job market could be worse in other countries. Yet here we have Engadget, sneeringly poking fun at those who are staying pat with their existing machines, not because the people who haven't upgraded are cheap, but because they have no other option.

Personally, if there's one thing I hope does occur from the current economic crises, it's that sites like Engadget either fail, or starting looking more closely at today's reality and begin to adapt their stories accordingly. Being frugal and making do can be just as challenging, interesting, and yes, even sexy, as buying every new generation of iPhone, iPod, or whatever that comes along.

Interesting reading about the new Apple notebooks. They do sound very attractive, but I think people were expecting a little more when it came to the "under $1,000" market. One dollar under is more marketing than real commitment to the changing times. You can't even buy a gallon of gas, or milk, for under a buck nowadays.

I'm sure all the machines will do well, and many will sell. They do sound innovative, and rather powerful. I won't be buying a new machine, but good for those that can.

AppleWatch has an interesting article on the price differences between Apple computers and PCs. According to its analysis, Macs now cost close to twice as much as a PC for approximately the same hardware. Though people may prefer the Mac OS X, at the same time, can we afford such a price difference?

I recently wrote about needing to get a new computer. Both my Powerbook G4 and my Dell Inspiron 1505 are aging, and though they're able to handle the load, my interest in HD video has really a strain on both. In addition, I'm starting to run into "Intel only" issues with my Powerbook; enough to make it difficult to keep up with my interest in, and work with, web graphics.

I have looked at refurbished iMacs, as well as Macbook Pros, and Macbooks. The Macbook Pros are way too expensive—I can't swing them, end of story. The Macbooks have integrated graphics, and just won't work for my interests. The iMacs, now, do interest me, but the one that I would want to get is still close to $1800.00, refurbished. I can get one of the new Dell Studio Hybrid, or an HP, or other machine for half the cost.

There is that issue of operating system, though. I do prefer the Mac OS X, hands down. I love my Macports and all that free software. I love how easy it was to set up Rails for a book I'm currently tech reviewing. I also appreciate the Parallels capability, in addition to others, that would allow me to run Windows and Linux side by side with the Mac OS X. It is, to be succinct, sweet. However, I can't afford spending close to a couple of thousand on a new computer, not at this moment. It's not a question of being frugal, or cheap, but of literally not having that amount of spare cash.

My hope for the Secret of Signals web site was that I could somehow turn it into an income earning site, focusing on digital how-tos, and the new state of internet video, and so on. This is one reason why I need an upgraded machine.

At the same time, to be ruthlessly honest with myself, I've never been able to really turn any kind of profit from my online sites, and I'm not sanguine I can do the same with SoS. Or any other of my sites, come to that. I couldn't even earn $5.00 a quarter posting Amazon links for my books. In fact, my sites have never been anything but a labor of love, and sometimes not even that.

Pair that with spending an extra thousand on a computer and one can see why a person, such as myself, died in the wool Mac fan, would hesitate between a Mac, with its lovely OS, and a PC, with, ugh, Vista.

My hope is the rumors I'm hearing of newer, cheaper Macs hitting the streets soon are true, which is why I haven't bought anything yet. In the meantime, I make do.

update I just noticed that the percentage difference for buying a refurbished Macbook Pro over a new one has increased to 35% for some models. I wonder if this isn't signaling that there is some truth to cheaper Mac laptop coming, soon? Probably not, but it's nice to dream.

I received my Powerbook back from repair. Neither the Apple store guy nor I could decipher what was fixed on the machine. The parts list is as follows:

SUBASSY, AP EXT/BT, 11CHNL,Q85
FLX CKT ASSY, BT,WIRELESS,PB15"
RETURN: Within Specifications
PCBA,LIO/SOUND,PB15"
FLX CKT ASSY, SOUND,IO Q16C

The returned item was the battery, as there was a separate page saying that though the battery wasn't optimum, it wouldn't be covered. We also deduced that the Airport card was probably replaced. It looks like the sound card may have been replaced.

If you can decipher any of these items, drop a note in comments, and my thanks in advance.

As fun as I find writing lengthy posts here, all of which have little impact on whatever I am writing about, I must turn my attention back to finishing the draft of my new book. First, though, I have a question about computers, but this time addressed to the Windows side of the house.

Both my Mac and Windows based laptops developed problems, but only my Mac was covered under warranty. My Dell laptop lost its LCD, and it will cost about $250-300 to fix. It's going on three years old and I'm not sure it's worth the repair costs. I'm considering getting a new laptop, but I don't want to get another Dell. I don't like the Dell company's business practices.

I've found an HP Pavilion that looks to be a decent deal, but I've never had an HP. Any of you have experience with an HP? How about with other Windows-based laptops?

The purchase has to be inexpensive. I would really like to keep the costs at $700.00. Any and all suggestions and feedback on HPs or other Windows laptops would be welcome.

Oh, and hey, go me.

I have good news and bad news about my Powerbook.

The bad news is that the mother board is DOA. The good news is that I'm still covered under the extended AppleCare warranty.

For some reason, I had thought the warranty was expired, but the guy at the Apple store looked up the machine and said the warranty was good until 2009. Yahoo for buying extended warranties on computers. (Yahoo, the shout for joy, not the defunct search engine.)

PB is on its way to get a new heart, and she'll be as good as new when she gets back. The guy at the genius bar enjoyed my password. He agreed with me that it might be a bit dated.