New YouTube look

 

So YouTube rolled out a new layout and I can say I love it.  It is great for people like me who use YouTube to reach others.  It has not changed so much the overall layout of the page but more so the channel page.  You can get such a better for for the content of the page your on at first glance now, which is a great addition. Here take a look.

I especially love the banner now at the top with the included social networking sites, great touch Google.  Also a welcome change are the related channels on the right hand side and the recent window activity.  I can't wait to see what the next changes bring they just keep topping themselves.

The iPhone 5 . . . . . meh it's OK

So Apple has released another rendition of the iconic iPhone, labeled of course the iPhone 5.  Shouldn't it be like 7 or 8 by now but anyway the phone finally gets a screen size change and a minor redesign on the exterior.  Inside are the necessary upgrades that should come along with a new generation device.  A quicker A6 processor, 4G LTE radio, and updated iOS.  Now you would think with all of these upgrades to the hardware some significant redesign would come to the UI as well but no, not this time.  Apple has been using the same icons since the iPhone showed its face back in 2007.  C'mon guys I think it is time for something to change.  I'm not trying to be Debbie downer here but these little changes here and there ain't cutting it anymore.  There is room for customization within the Apple ecosystem but you always have to jailbreak the device and I am not against that at all, it's just that the iOS 5 jailbreak didn't go public for almost 5 months after release (who knows how long it will take this time)?  As you can tell I am a bit underwhelmed by the software and UI but you really cannot beat Apple's engineering and hardware design.  Oh well I guess you can't have everything, cue iPhone 6 rumors now. 

Windows 8 Pricing

So Windows 8 is set to hit shelves on October 26 and I was hoping they had simplified things as far as how many versions they were going to offer.  If you remember in the past Windows has always had multiple versions of the OS home, pro, ultimate or what have you whenever Microsoft released the OS you needed to have a damn manual on which version would be best for you.  You can breath a sigh of relief, there are only 2 versions this time.  Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, it seems like they finally listened and got rid of all those ridiculous versions they have had in the past.  So they got one right and screwed up another now the actual pricing is what will confuse you.  Although lower than it has been in the past you know need an explanation for the pricing of Windows 8.  Mr. Gates goes against the grain this time and offers the OS for a mere $40 bucks if you are a previous Windows user, this however is only available through January 2013.  A retail version will be sold in stores at the same time but for $69.99 which is what the online price will move to after January 2013.  So will this radical price drop promote early adopters of Windows 8 or will it put people off as an interim upgrade?  What do you think?

Wouldn't it be great? #2

So I think it would be great if you could watch YouTube videos through your Roku 2 streaming device.  The Roku 2 is already bad ass with all the streaming services you can get from it, but why no YouTube?  It seems they used to play nice together but since Google forced Roku to take down the app fellow users have become quite resourceful in finding other ways to access YouTube content.  There are 2 private channels Raterix and 1080P showcase.  How I do it is through the Plex app for Roku, but it forces you to have a dedicated pc running the Plex server software.  So technically you can watch some YouTube content on the Roku box but as always I must ask, Wouldn't it be great if we could get an OFFICIAL app for YouTube on the Roku?  What do you guys think, does the work around satisfy you or are you in the same boat as me?

New toy . . . . finally

Yes it is finally here.  I just got my Nexus 7 and I didn't have to wait for shipping at all.  I was able to go and pick it up at my local Staples retail store.  So I guess you could say similar to shipping, but anyway I have had the device for a few days and even through I still have that new gadget love I can tell that this feeling will last for quite some time.  Getting the sleek device in my hands only leaves me wishing for one thing, to have been able to go to Google I|O 2012 and to have had a Nexus Q bundled with it.  Even though the Nexus Q is a bit overpriced for what it does now I can't wait to see what some developers will be able to do with it, but that is a whole other conversation.  I had a rooted Kindle Fire before picking this up and compared to that it is significantly lighter all while packing a camera, better speakers + processor, volume buttons, GPS and blue tooth.  The software on this thing matches the build quality easily and may surpass it, running Jellybean Android 4.1.1 (at the time of writing).  This new revision of Google's OS is focused heavily on user input and experience trying to stop Android from dragging it's heels so much and I must say they have gotten it damn close to that liquidy goodness all you iOS device users are accustomed to.  Google has put all tablet manufacturers on the watch with an exception to the iPad and I always welcome competition because that means better gadgets at lower prices for all of us.

Problems with Google's new toy

Uh Oh looks like there are some issues with the new tech from Google and Asus.  So this makes another problem for the super tablet from Google, before supply just couldn't keep up with the insane demand now it's just more bad news with problems like back light bleeding for a small one all the way up to some users reporting that during data intensive operations the touchscreen would get a bit janky and non responsive.  Now that sucks if I must say because I wanted one of these bad boys but I wasn't smart enough to reserve one earlier.  On the extreme side of jacked up some Nexus 7's have been coming with defective screens that are not attached correctly and can become detached from the housing of the tablet.  Of course you can return the tablet if you get on that is screwed up.  Maybe it was a good thing I didn't pre-order the tablet.

The Dark Night Rises movie review

So just got out of the theaters a few hours ago and I was throughly entertained during my viewing of the final installment of Christopher Nolan's take on Gotham's caped crusader Batman.  Running 2 hours and 45 minutes it is quite lengthy but I barely noticed I was in the theater that long.  Christian Bale puts in a solid performance as Bruce Wayne but Batman is barely seen in the movie(I kinda started to miss the over scratchy bat voice) till about an hour in.  I was a bit worried about Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and rightfully so, all of her fight scenes were totally unbelievable, scarce as well.  I was left longing for more action and kicking ass by Batty but there are only 3 major fight scenes involving Batman, but when on the screen he did not disappoint at all.  He had all his familiar toys plus a new mode of transportation known as the Bat, a flying bat mobile if you will.  Stealing the show surprisingly was Tom Hardy as the villain Bane.  Hardy to pack on some serious weight to play the role and you can without doubt see just how jacked he is(he dwarfs the Dark Night)30 pounds to be exact.

I thought his voice would be hokey as hell from what I heard in the previews and teasers but while watching I have to shamefully admit I was waiting in anticipation.  Every scene with Bane had me asking for more I loved his presence in front of the camera, especially scenes with him and the caped crusader.  All in all I whole heartedly enjoyed this movie and it is definitely worth the 10 bucks to go see it in the theater.  Not to spoil anything but the last 5 mins of the movie will def have you thinking could there be another movie in line for Mr. Nolan and I would love that.

Final score 8 out of 10