Backslash, anyone? Ok, after playing around with my new PB, there’s one thing that bothers me: Keyboard labeling. Compared quickly to my logitech keyboard, the de-layout keyboard misses the following keys (besides the multimedia keys, of course): \ {} [] ~ |. And yes, I actually use them on a regulary basis!

Well, anyway, pressing a bunch of key-combos (never liked beat-em-ups for exactly that reason!) revealed the following:

<shift>+<alt>+<7> = \
<alt>+<8> = {
<alt>+<9> = }
<alt>+<5> = [
<alt>+<6> = ]
<alt>+<7> = |
<alt>+<n> = ~

There are more oddities to that keyboard, but then again, it’s a new architecture. I’ll get used to it eventually.

One a sidenote, although using it all the time, I still find myself amazed when looking up things at Wikipedia. It even has a pretty extensive entry for Double Dragon. This was the only exception on beat-em-ups. I played that like crazy with a friend on my Atari ST, about 14(!) years ago. Fsck! Seems I’m finally getting old..

My PowerBook arrived, after only two days! Well, now let’s see what’s in this package..

With all the latest hype around the Mac mini, I read a lot about about Apple’s products and considered getting their latest offspring. (un-)Fortunately I couldn’t get my hands on one of those little devices. After long and pretty exhausting discussions (errr, sure..) with a friend I changed my mind and decided to get the PowerBook G4 12:

• Portability. Sure, you can cary around the Mac mini as well, but that isn’t that much fun if you also have to pack in TFT, input devices, speakers and find yourself searching for power outlets in the strangest places.
• Power. The Powerbook has a slightly faster CPU, 512MB RAM by default and a GF FX go5200 with 64MB VRAM.
• Connectivity. It shipps with Airport Extreme and Bluetooth out-of-the-box.
• Design. I took a look at it at a local dealer today. I looks as good as the mini. At least.

Of course, it’s still 1489€ for the smallest PowerBook against 869€ for the mini in the desired configuration, but hey, at least I didn’t go for the PB12′s bigger brothers..

Delivery is scheduled for March, 11th.. we’ll see about that one.

digg lists an interview with Joon Yang, CEO of reigncom, which is selling digital audio products under the label iriver. Worried about the customers which actually don’t like Apple’s iPod, Yang wants to offer an alternative, a way out of this applified existence full of iPodism. Well, thanks Joon San. At least that gives me an opportunity to finally sort my thoughts on this topic and share them – not that blogs would need either opportunity or thoughts anyway.

Seriously, I myself own iriver’s IHP-120, a 20GB HD-player and I’m quite happy with it since about a year:

• runs flawlessly under GNU/Linux as mass-storage device (Do I really have to do all this to get an iPod running with an alternative OS?)
• supports Ogg Vorbis
• works as voice recorder
• has built-in FM-Radio (which you unfortunately can’t record from using the player for HDD causes interference)
• can be controlled by the included remote
• last but not least: doesn’t tie you to DRM!

I’m sure there are more pros, but I guess you get the picture. Of course, there are some for the iPod, too:

• meanwhile, the iPod seems to be cheaper (294€ vs. 329€, amazon) – well, wait. Reduced functionality, no remote and crippled by DRM? On the other hand, it comes with a cradle and a IEEE1394 cord, doesn’t it..?
• Apple Exclusivity. Your chance to join the exquisite circle of apple users. Well, actually you don’t, mac-users won’t accept you for an iPod, but anyway! Now even cheaper with an iPod shuffle! Then again, it doesn’t sound that exclusive with the whole world carrying around that device..
• Design! Surely related to the above but definitely worth a separate bullet. IMHO, this is the only valid argument. Of course it isn’t. Or do you want to be one of those shallow persons judging books by their covers? We all know what count’s on the inside, so how dare you?

Long story short: for the majority prefers to join the hype instead of thinking about what they actually spend their money on and design mostly is emphasized over function, there’s not going to be an iPod-killer anytime soon.

Also check patrick’s reasons for not getting an iPod and those for getting an iriver.

If you still don’t have enough of iPods

• visit this gallery of little iPods in Iraq, especially those of some “stupidpo1tergeist”. If some of those guys are really allowed to operate weapons, I’m somewhat afraid. A collection of those pictures alone would be worth a very evil comment of epochal dimensions.
• browse the search results for iPod on digg. The amount itself is simply ridiculous.. now read the topics.
• google for iPod vs. <anything> for all kind of creative and not-so-creative flaming in all directions.

One of the things that gives me the creeps every now and then is audio-output on a linux-system, that is, at least on my system. Seems that I’m not alone with this. Eugenia from osnews.com posted a rant to the alsa-devel mailinglist some time ago and she surely had some valid points. Anyhow, I don’t want to complain, what’s following is just my own perception; your mileage may vary.

It’s not like basic audio output itself, no matter if using OSS (anyone still using it with a current kernel? OK, who cares about it beeing depriciated.. ) or ALSA, is difficult to set-up. It’s the “exotic”(!?) stuff you never thought about when using other operating systems. Maybe other distributions provide solutions that work out-of-the-box but getting multiple applications to output to a non-h/w-mixing capable sounddevice can be a real pain on the local Debian installation. And before some smart person comes up with it: no, there’s simply no space left in my XPC to put in a cheap Soundblaster with h/w-mixing capabilities. Long story short: this is about watching videos without having to quit my audio player using the hardware at hand.

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