And I have tried everything so fix it, unplugged all USB devices running checkdisk with install DVD and checking memory and all checked out, I have yet to reformat and have to redo everything since the backup I made with the built in backup to DVD isn’t recognized, great. I do have most of my music backed up, if I don’t I have the original cds I can re rip, so no big problem there. But I will lose all my videos and Vegas files since the backups I had were on my USB drive and someone stole it, don’t worry most files were encrypted.
So for now I have been running Ubuntu 7.10 Live Disc until I can find a way to fix th problem, or at least back up my data since there is an error on the hard drive linux won’t let me mount the drive. I know that is what I get for not backing up in the first place, even though I did have one on DVDs but for some reason VIsta didn’t like it, even though it made it for me.

Oh well I will hopefully figure out a way to get my data and restore my computer and get it back up and running. Good thing I don’t really need it this week, besides maybe a paper or two which I can type on Google Docs till I can get Windows to work again.

After downloading, it well of course installed, but taking after the Zune welcomed me. And that made it true that it wasn’t just a glitch. yay

Then after clicking next and whatnot it installed then restarted and configured, took a bit longer than a regular update, but hey it is, it’s a SP. And to make sure it really installed I checked my computer, or system.

As you can see it says SP1, and some more of my stats. After installing I noticed an increase in transferring files and coping them, also the archiving. I guess there were more improvements but haven’t really noticed them. I heard it helps out people with laptops because it increases the battery life since it uses less processing power to operate normally, but not really sure since I’m running Vista on a desktop. Anyways so far so good with SP1, no major problems for me, but really didn’t run into many before the SP. Some of my problems are a couple old programs I had don’t work with a 64 bit OS, which I run, sucks but oh well I can find some other program to do what I need. So can’t wait till 64 bit becomes more standard. But hey that’s what I rick running something new or newer, just like being an early adopter of Vista, you find out first hand it kind of sucks.

Oh after talking to someone I figured out why I got SP1 early the legit way, not changing the registry. I got it early because I have OEM activation key, I thought all activations keys were the same, but guess not.

Well on September 5th Apple announced their new line up of their iPods, even added a new version, the iPod Touch. By the name of it you can tell it most likely has a touch screen and it does. It is basically a iPhone without the phone feature, it has internet, contacts and what not and a 3.5" screen, great for movie, but costs $300 for the 8 gig version, and the $400 is only 16 gigs, so in my opinion this is pointless since they have also lowered the price of their iPhone by $200 so if your going to get the $400 iPod Touch why not just get the iPhone.

They also revamped the other iPods and still have the iPod classic, which was the iPod video but now way better. They also still have the Nano but now looks like a little fat nugget instead of something sleek which Apple is known for, but it now plays videos, they also still have the Shuffle, looks basically the same.

Overall I think the best of it all is the iPod classic because they really did a great job with it, except for no wide screen. They come in 80 GIGS! for $250 and 160 gigs for $350 and video playback of up to 5 hours and 20-40 hours audio playback making this one damn good iPod and too me the best buy if you are thinking about getting a new iPod. Plus with all that memory you could fit a lot of great movies on it in pretty good quality, but I would like to have seen a wide screen but oh well Apple can’t please everyone.

There is also rumors going around that Apple is might be releasing a Movie rental program in iTunes which would be really cool, even thought I might not use it too much since I have NetFlix, also Apple is trying to lower TV episodes to 99 cents and I just have to say good luck Apple on that one.

Source: Rumor, Gizmodo

While the format war continues and people deciding what side to take, which format is the best, electronic companies are trying to make it cheaper for their consumers, well some. One of those such companies is Venturer and their HD DVD player which is going for a super low price of only $199, that is way below the other companies and their HD DVD player, for example Toshiba’s HD DVD player goes for around $300, still pretty cheap if you compare it to Blu-ray. I bet once Venturer’s HD DVD player hits the market and people start buying it Toshiba will either lower their prices and or release a new model to compete with Venturer, but that may be awhile until Toshiba can lower their production costs, and the reason why Venturer’s price is so low is because it comes out of China so it is real cheap. But I do not think it will take long for Toshiba since HD stuff is going down in prices fast, so you can always wait for Toshiba to lower prices if you do not like Venturer.

Oh I almost forgot for the Xbox 360 owners out there you can also get the HD DVD add on which is down to about $180, and right now at Amazon and buy it you get 8 free (after rebate) HD DVDs, better hurry not sure when it ends. And they still include King Kong.

And for you Blu-ray lovers you are still going to need to fork over $500 for a cheap model. And the only two companies I can think of that make them are Samsung and of course Sony, also Toshiba makes hybrids if you want both in one, but those will cost way more since it needs both lasers in it, and Blu-ray’s lasers still cost way too much to produce.

Now after the prices of HD DVD becoming so cheap I wonder how it will play in the war, I would especially like to see what happens after this holiday season. What do you guys think?

Source: Gizmodo

The battle is still going, and going strong. Some say HD DVD is the way, others say Blu-ray is the way. Production companies taking sides and changing sides and making their HD movies exclusively on one HD format. And well even social network users are taking a side in the war, this social network site is FaceBook. They have daily polls on the site but mostly I do not pay too much attention to them, but I saw this one and had to check out the results and see what the users think of it, and the results surprised me greatly.

As you can tell from the bar graph FaceBook users who voted like HD DVD better. I thought for sure Blu-ray would have been the choice of the user but apparently they proved me wrong. Maybe HD DVD still has a fighting chance, just maybe, I know I still have hope for it, do you?Also for more information check out my thoughts and info on the war.

Toshiba announced they will be releasing three, that’s right three new HD-DVD players for under 500 bucks, and that means they are all cheaper than today’s Blu-ray drives. The cheapest new HD DVD player is going to be 300 bucks which is pretty cheap, considering a year ago DVD recorders went for that, also Toshiba said they will be giving away five movies with their new HD DVD players. Now this is just another great blow toward Blu-ray which I am very glad for since I am a HD DVD supporter.

Also not only is Toshiba releasing new cheaper HD DVD players Microsoft reduced the cost for their HD DVD drive add-on for their Xbox 360, now it is down to $180, also it still includes “King Kong” since I saw the sticker on a few boxes at my local Wal-Mart.

So basically all this means HD DVD still has a great chance since people love great deals and right now the great deal is with HD DVD, so if you are a movie loving DVD watching person and want something extra pick up a HD DVD player and some HD DVDs and enjoy the great quality you have been missing, you also need a HD TV too and those are getting cheaper too. Trust me once you go HD you won’t want to go back to standard.

Source: Arstechnica