Sorry for the long time between posts!

As you know, I’m loving my PC very much. I impulsively decided to splurge some more on it.

I recently upgraded my RAM to 16gb courtesy of very pretty blue Patriot RAM. I also bought:

Like my screen? I now have the problem of deciding what to assign to each button. SO MANY BUTTONS!

If there’s one thing that really annoys me, it’s waiting for things to be delivered. And if there’s one thing that annoys me more, it’s the fact that the couriers lose that item you’re waiting for. Yes, a real courier, with a tracked package.

I decided I wanted to buy the Sony Tablet S I reviewed a while back as it was on sale for Boxing week. It’s been more than two weeks and I haven’t gotten yet which had lead me to contacting Sony to start an investigation into what happened to it. To put things into perspective, the cover I ordered for it arrived last Friday. I had bought the cover a whole week after the tablet.

Yep. I’m frustrated is all. Which is why I’m…

Listening to: Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts II OST) – Yoko Shimomura

Now gotta get used to writing the year 2012 when writing the date.

So I’ve been working almost every single day since my birthday week. It’s pretty tiring but it’s alright. Just have to try not to fall asleep on the bus home and miss my stop!

I gave in and bought the tablet I reviewed. Should be arriving this week. Damn boxing day sales!

Other stuff; my PC is awesome. Runs Portal 2 at 300fps like a boss. No monitor though, have to resort to my TV (which is no longer in my room ) that has an unfortunate scratch. Oh well.

Currently saving up for a car, no more big spending till I get one. I even decided I’ll hold out on the Vita until a good bundle comes out or a slim model. If I can win myself a console, or something of equal value; even better, but one can only hope.

That’s all for now. Happy new year guys~

Hey guys, so my birthday was last week and I decided I’d get myself a present.

What present did I get? A new PC. Went around to different places to pick up different parts (just acquired the graphics card today). Here are the specs:

• Intel Core i7-2600k 3.40GHz
• GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD4
• 2x4GB RAM
• Corsair HX-850w modular PSU
• Noctua NH-U12P-SE2 CPU Cooler
• Patriot Pyro 60GB SSD SATA3
• Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200rpm SATA3
• Inno3D nVidia GeForce GTX580 1.5gb GDDR5
• Thermaltake Dokker Case

And here is a picture:

It runs pretty well, I’ve got a Windows experience rating of 7.5 (7.9 for graphics ).

Using Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Works a treat.

Oh yea, I named this PC the Firebolt – after Harry Potter’s broomstick. There’s a whole bunch of blue LEDs from the fans too . I plan to add red LEDs as well. Only downside is that it’s louder with more fans.

Will enjoy this PC for a while.

Sure you do!

I’m running a competition on my Facebook at the moment where all you have to do is comment on this post (through the link, not on this blog post) and tell me which Sony product you love and why. It’s that simple!

The only requirement is that you must post your entry through Facebook as a comment on my competition post. I’ll pick the best entry and if it’s yours, you get the Bloggie! Happy days.

Competition will be open until the 15th of December. Get to it!

I received a Sony Tablet S this week to test and review. It was an opportunity to have a play with the device and use it properly at home and out and about – something that you aren’t able to do with in-store demonstrations.

After using it for a few days, I think it’s time to write my review. Here goes. You can click on the pictures for a larger view.

There’s not much in the product box. There’s the tablet, the AC charger and a few sheets of paper including a quick-start guide pamphlet. There isn’t a product manual or any other accessories apart from a strap (which I don’t think has too much use on a tablet to be honest). So in terms of what you get out-of-the-box, I find it somewhat lacking and disappointing. No USB cable? No SD card? It’s a shame as there is even space in the box for more things!

Moving on to the tablet itself; the Sony Tablet is designed to be easy to hold with one hand, due to one side being thicker to provide more weight to that side and in extension, your palm. Most of the back has a series of little bumps to aid in grip. The design is good, the power/lock and volume buttons are located in a little “ridge” if you like, on the edge of the tablet. Also located on the opposite side is a micro USB connection point and a slot to insert SD external storage as well as a microphone/headphone port. Overall, it is nice to hold and has a nice weight to it but at the same time it’s not heavy and doesn’t feel flimsy – despite how it looks, it’s actually quite rigid.

On the bottom is where the power cable connects. I don’t really like this too much. When it’s connected, it wriggles around and doesn’t feel like it’s secure. It is also somewhat bulky and you have to plug it in a certain way, no moving it around which is less convenient. I would have preferred the ability to charge through the USB port like I do with my phone.

The tablet runs a version of Android (3.2) designed for tablets. It works very well and is nice and fluid. Combined with the great specs of the tablet (1ghz dual core processor, 1gb RAM) it makes it a pleasant experience to use and navigate. It doesn’t take much getting used to or learning to be able to use the software – it’s very easy to pick up and start doing things which is always good. Browsing the web is a breeze, and I’m even able to view desktop sites (ie. non-mobile optimised) on the clear 9.4” screen.

Being Android, there is a large amount of apps available through the Market (accessible from the device) in addition to the preloaded apps provided by Sony. My favourite would have to be the Universal Remote Control which uses the Tablet’s IR sensor to be able to control almost anything that uses an IR remote. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked, I could just select my brand of TV and went through the preset remotes and it worked great. It also has the ability to learn from other remotes and map/edit the buttons to make a custom remote – I was really impressed by this.

The Sony tablet is the first tablet to be “PlayStation Certified”. This allows certain PlayStation games to be played on the device and also gains access to the PlayStation store which ties in to Sony’s PSN and Entertainment Networks. The tablet is also preloaded with Music and Video Unlimited apps which uses the same network to stream music and movies on demand. This would be a great feature for a lot of people.

Some other features worth mentioning: There’s two cameras, front and rear which allows you to record video and take photos. The advantage of two cameras is that it makes Skyping more convenient as you can have the tablet facing either way. The tablet has a GPS built in and together with Google maps, makes a great navigating tool.

The official battery life info states that the tablet will last 430 hours on standby and up to 8 hours of normal use (browsing web with Wi-Fi, watching video, listening to music). Having used the device first-hand, these figures are pretty accurate and I find myself having to charge maybe every one to one and a half days with medium use. It could be a little better, but there isn’t much to compare it to as the tablet is a unique device with different functions and uses.

What I like

• Design. It’s easy to hold and it doesn’t look at all ugly.
• Android OS. Good selection of apps and easy to use.
• Has IR technology. Works with universal remote app, very handy.
• Gaming capability. I’m a gamer. Anything I can game on is A-OK. :P
• Two cameras.
• WiFi. The tablet supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n. So it’s universal in that sense.
• GPS. No need to buy a SatNav, the tablet does that for you (although lack of a constant internet connection does hamper this ability).
• Bluetooth. You aren’t stuck to just your bulky headset, you can use the same device you use for your phone.

What could be better

• I feel that the box should include more accessories or at least something more than just sheets of paper
• Charging mechanism
• The keyboard. This is more of an Android issue than with the tablet itself but the keyboard is a pain to type with, especially in landscape mode. The text correction needs work too.
• The price. The tablet is a little too dear for my liking. Almost $600 for the 16gb model is a lot, especially if you compare it to smartphones and laptops around the same price range. It doesn’t even have 3g.

In conclusion, I very much like the Sony Tablet (as you probably have noticed in my other posts). I wasn’t too interested in owning a tablet but I thought I’d try this one out and I am very happy I did, using the Sony tablet has got me very interested in tablets and what they can do for me around the house as well as out and about.

If you are in the market for a tablet, be sure to consider the Sony Tablet S as it is one of the best out at the moment. It’s at the top of my Christmas/birthday wishlist for sure.

I made this video for an entry to the Sony (X) CES competition. The chance to win a trip to CES 2012 in Las Vegas and join the Sony Australia team is very exciting indeed. If I win, I think I’d explode in happiness (and put myself back together in time for the trip!). Having only seen conferences and tech events like E3 and CES streamed online and by following news/blog posts, it would be especially cool to actually attend one of these events and experience it all first hand. I hope you like my entry!

Do you have a PSP? Do you have no idea what to do with it?

If you answered YES to those questions then hey, do I have the video for you.

THE ANSWER TO YOUR LIFE’S BIGGEST PROBLEM IS HERE!

In what is a very informative guide, this video shows you how to get the most out of your Sony PSP and how to use if most effectively. You’d be lost without it.

You can thank me later.

Argh. Why must I have an obsession with technology?

If you’re friends with me on Facebook, you’ll know that I received a Sony Tablet to trial for a week. After only playing with it for a mere few hours, it’s come to my attention that THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANT.

So um, with my birthday coming up and all, reckon I’ll be able to fish enough cash for it so I can buy one?

If I weren’t already planning on buying the PS Vita next year, I’d totally be buying a tablet.

Feels good to be done with study for another year.

So it’s the holidays now, with nothing to worry about until March next year (not counting exam results). Shame I’m not going anywhere these holidays.

Using this break as an opportunity to learn some keyboard/piano. A friend lent me his keyboard so I can practise while he’s overseas.

I’m also currently awaiting a Sony Tablet that I’m going to be reviewing and trialling for a week. It’s supposed to arrive today but no sign of it! There’s also an opportunity to win which I hope I do! My birthday’s coming up so it will be a nice present for myself.

Listening to: Clash on the Big Bridge (The Black Mages) – The Black Mages

EXAMS!

Oh, how I do not look forward to them. But alas, I need to pass them so I can actually get somewhere in my degree.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, been busy doing nothing. No, really.

So things that have happened since last time:

• I won an inFamous 2 t-shirt
• I won $70 from the Melbourne Cup thing from my work (still don’t know how i managed that)
• Did some serious assignmenting in the last week of semester
• Got Uncharted 3 and finished it (thank goodness, otherwise it’d be too big a distraction)
• Got a haircut and new colour

I’m now looking forward till AFTER the exams. Got so much I want to do without feeling guilty about not studying. Will probably finally do the Ghibli and Harry Potter marathons I’ve been meaning to plan. I also have a back-catalogue of games I still need to finish.

Listening to: Aru Machi no Gunjou (Live at Zepp Tokyo 2007) – Asian Kung-Fu Generation