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Apple TV vs Google TV

Apple and Google have competed with each other year after year. When Apple comes out with a new iPhone, Google comes out with another Droid phone. The competition has been great for the markets and nobody has complained. I believe that the competition brings many great debates between these two major corporations. The newest debate is between Google TV and Apple TV.

We all saw this in the near future, Google trying to compete with Apple TV and it has come out with a bang. Google features 4 GB of RAM and a 1.2 GHz Intel Atom Z515 that is featured in many netbooks. Google TV has dual HDMI and dual USB ports. Google certainly has a faster processor than Apple and is not afraid to show it. The TV box itself is bigger and not the most attractive thing next to your TV. It definitely is not home friendly and I would definitely try to hide it so it is not an eye sore. Google has brought in almost every internet source to push into this little box. It boasts Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, NBA Game Time, Blip.TV, VEVO, Pandora, and Napster. Google runs their Android O.S. to power their TV. It is a proven O.S. that is built in the Android phones. The problem with the Andorid O.S. is that it has no regulations. Many users will soon come across bugs and will start to notice that Google TV will run slower. Google will be releasing an sdk for developers to start making their own apps. Apple TV does not have this feature, but an App Store may be coming soon. Google does support flash, something that Apple cannot say and probably never will on their devices. Google lets you “Fling” which allows you to start a show on your phone, pause or stop it, and pick it back up again on your TV. Many of these features are very handy when it comes down to the wire, but Google may be trying to push this feature just so that it looks better on paper.

Apple has certainly made a name for themselves in this department with the Apple TV. Apple TV has been around since the start of 2007. Apple has 256 MB of RAM and 1 GHz from the Apple A4 chip. The A4 chip is also in the iPad and iPhone and is extremely reliable and nobody can say that the A4 chip is not great. The A4 chip has impresses us all on the iPad. The iPad looks extremely and runs almost flawlessly.  Apple TV has an HDMI port, optical audio, and micro-USB. Apple TV is a looker, it is definitely prettier then the Google TV, but that is what Apple does best. They make great innovative designs that attract many buyers to the product. It is definitely something that you want to be shown right next to your TV. Apple TV has iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, and Flickr. Apple definitely has less video and non-video content but, that is something that Apple is not afraid of. Apple has iTunes which is extremely proven to hold many videos and music videos. Apple does have set backs because of what Google TV has brought to the table. Google has had more time to make the Google TV but Apple will not take any excuses. Apple is a lot easier to control, considering the fact that everyone is familiar with Apple’s devices. Apple TV features AirPlay which allows users to stream content from their iPad or iPhone to their TV. You can also start watching a movie on your device, then continue from where you left off.

Both of these products are extremely good. Apple hasn’t disappointed us again with their simple and easy interface that makes it very user friendly. Google has definitely surprised me with all of their features that makes Apple TV look slower and smaller. Google boasts more content and video and non-video content. Apple of course has their own remarkable operating system, but the android O.S. isn’t to bad itself. Many people will have trouble choosing between these two products because they are just that good. The competition has been brought forth from Google and they definitely have no disappointed. People that are die hard apple fans, or like the user friendly and sleek design. On the other hand, if you are willing to try something new, Google TV will certainly match every expectation you have for the device. Google has certainly not disappointed us and has made a strong statement that better things will come in the future for Google.

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Review: Disk Drill Data Recovery

Have you ever accidentally formatted an external hard drive that held your precious pictures from amazing vacation with your family.  Well, if you haven’t I know I have!  When this happens the first thing that goes through your head is “How will I get my pictures back?”  Well here is one solution, Disk Drill by Clever Flies.  This is a unique media recovery application because it gives the option to actually protect your device.  Another nice feature is the option to make a “Deep Scan” of your device, which is a much more complete scan of your device.  When I ran this scan on my 8 gb. flash drive, it was able to find picture, music, and documents that had to have been on there quite a few months ago.  The other option is to run a quick scan, which will most likely find anything that was last deleted on the device.  “Deep Scans” will take much longer than a quick scan, but if the data you are trying to recover is very important to you, then I would suggest using a “Deep scan.”  When I was testing Disk Drill, it worked perfectly every time.  If you want to check out this application for yourself visit Clever Flies website at http://www.cleverfiles.com/.  Visit their site now to try this application for free while it is still in beta mode!

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Koss Pro4AAAT

From a first glance at a picture of a Koss Pro4AAAT you might think WOW, it looks very sleek and that the headphones are made completely out of metal. But the truth is that they are made mostly out of plastic and like most products it looks better in advertisement then in real life. Also they are very big and bulky even though it is part of the design as a full size headphone. If you are able to get over the look of the Koss Pro4AAAT headphones then they are nearly perfect from the incredible sound quality to the comfort of the headphones.

The Breakdown:

– Brand: Koss

– Name: Koss Pro4AAAT

– Price: $149.99

-Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

-Frequency Response: 10—25,000 Hz

-Impedance: 250 ohms

-Sensitivity: 98 dB SPL/1mW

-Cord Length: 8ft.

-Plug: 3.5mm

-Color: Silver/ Black

– Intended for: Home and everyday studio use

– Materials: Metal/ Plastic/ Leather

– Components: Headphones, Case, and Amp Adapter

– Size: 8.6 x 9 x 3 inches

-Weight: 4lbs

Point-Scaled Grading:

For reviewal of all products by The Real Mac Genius.com, a point-scale grading system is used to cover each individual aspect of the product. Said grades on varying scales are then weighed to determine a final score, which is then translated to an overall grade, as follows:

Style: 1-25 Given: 22

Price: 1-15 Given: 12

Quality materials: 1-15 Given: 12

Brand name: 1-10 Given: 7.5

Modern technologies: 1-15 Given: 14

Compatibility: 1-15 Given: 15

Ease of use: 1-5 Given: 5

OVERALL: 87.5/100 B+

For further explanation, continue reading.

Continued Evaluation:

The Koss Pro4AAAT is an overall great buy for people who listen to music a lot or people who are DJs. The headphones also seem to be very durable especially since they are immense in size. Another item to talk about is the headphone‘s case. The case is just a little bit bigger then the headphones themselves so that they fit in the case without moving or bouncing around. The case is somewhat hard so if you dropped it, the headphones might take a little to no damage depending on how it is dropped. It’s clear to me though that any serious music lover or DJ would love to have a pair of Koss Pro4AAAT headphones.

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Quick Look

Quick Look is a quick preview feature developed by Apple. It operates on the Mac OS X v10.5 “Leopard”. The Quick Look feature instantly let’s you preview your documents without ever having to open them. All it takes is a single click and your files are presented to you instantly. Quick Look works with almost every file including PDF documents, movies, Keynote presentations, Mail attachments, and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Make the most of your Quick Look feature because it is just that handy. You can listen to songs, flick through movies, and more without even having to open up the document.

There are many features such as the index sheet, zooming and examining your trashed files. The index sheet feature allows you to look at many different windows without having to flick through them one by one. The previews of each file will shrink down to one grid, once you click on one window; it will automatically open up to full size. To zoom into different objects, you hold down the option key and a magnifying glass will appear. To zoom in and out, you use the scroll wheel on the mouse. To put a whole bunch of files into your trash is a complete hassle. Not only do you have to examine each one very closely, but once you trash them they are usually gone forever or you have to replace them back onto your desktop. Luckily Quick Look works with items in your trash so that you can quickly go thorough them to check if you deleted anything important.

Quick Look is actually very handy because it makes your life easier and less complicated. Quick Look makes your computer hassle free and finding documents are easier then ever. The time machine allows you to store your documents once you trashed them. When you go back to check the document, Quick Look is there to help you look at the file quickly and then restore it back onto your desktop. Quick Look doesn’t just look in the finder, but also your Mail and iChat. If you receive an email with a bunch of attachments, you can use Quick Look to put them all onto a grid and see the attachments all at once. Many people always need to find that one document that you saved many years ago. Quick Look helps you go through those hundreds of documents you saved quickly.

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Bowers and Wilkins P5 Mobile Hi Fi Headphones

Bowers & Wilkins’ have struck again, except this time, with Hi-Fi headphones.  The B&W P5 Hi Fi headphones surpass many others in the same price range with their extreme comfort, quality materials, and of course, sound quality.  Before I go any further, here are the specs:

Technical features: Closed back design

3.5mm/ 1/4″ jack adapter included

Fold Flat

Driver Type Dynamic

Neodynium Magnets

Price= $299.95 (Bowers and Wilkins)

Drive units 2x Ø40mm
Impedance 26 ohms
Frequency range 10Hz to 20kHz
Left/right tolerance +/-1dB at 1kHz
Max. input power 50mW
Distortion @100dB I25<0.05% for 80-20kHz <0.2% for 20-20kHz
Sensitivity 115dB/V at 1kHz
Inputs 3.5mm stereo mini jack (on cable)
2.5mm mini jack (on Headphone)
Height 180mm
Width 150mm
Depth 35mm folded flat, 60mm in service
Weight 195g
Finish Enclosure: Real Leather and metal

Quality:  B&W’s P5s scream quality from the box opening to the materials on them.  B&W have not taken the easy way out, and to use painted plastic, yet they only use the best materials.  For instance, the pads are made from New Zealand Sheep Leather. Let me repeat that, the pads are made from New Zealand sheep leather. The outsides are made of quality aluminum bearing the Bowers & Wilkins name.  The headband on top is also made of sheep leather as well.  The P5’s feel is overall, flat out incredible.

Design:  Bowers and Wilkins do a great job making the P5s stand out from other competitors  with the different kind of style. These cans are on ear, but B&W tilted the pads slightly so the headband will sit more with more comfort toward the front of the head instead of slipping off the back.  The colors are a modern silver and black combination giving them a pleasant look.   The pads are also magnetic so changing the audio cord is easier (The connection to headphones is secured under the pads) to change out.

Features:  The P5s  have a microphone and remote on the cord allowing one to use these as a mobile headset.  This can be a very handy feature for those that want to have high quality sound headphones, as well as a hands free headset for the road.  On the box it specifically reads, “Made for ipod” and “Works with iPhone”.  As I was listening to my iPod Nano (2nd Gen) I was attempting to turn the volume up with the remote.  After being frustrated with my iPod, I checked the box again. It read  that the remote and mic are supported by iPhone 3GS, iPod Nano (4th and 5th generation), iPod Touch (2nd generation), iPod classic (120gb/160gb), and the 3rd Generation shuffle.  I then tried out the P5s on my 2nd Gen iPod touch, and the remote worked great. I have heard that the remote and mic are compatible with all iPods, as well as iPhones that offer the features this remote/mic is designed to work with so there’s no need for doubt about if it is compatible with the new Apple iPods. Bowers and Wilkins also include another cord for compatibility with all other sources. These cans also fold flat for storage in the case.

The Case: Usually I will say a bit about the case because I believe it is important, for a high quality product to come with protection.   Bowers and Wilkins uses an all black quilted type soft case for the P5s.  This case is very soft, but not as sturdy as some of the harder cases (like the Quiet Comforts, or the Koss Mv1s).  This means that the P5s can easily be slipped into a backpack or purse without taking up too much space, but it sacrifices a bit of protection.

Sound Quality of the B&W P5s is incredible.  Rich sounding bass and clear cut treble give these headphones high marks on my sound quality charts.  Considering that all B&W make are Hi definition speakers, putting them in headphones definitely worked out.  They managed to fit the enormous amount of sound quality into a pair of luxury headphones.  The P5s also have good sound isolation considering that they cover the ear openings.  This truly makes it a “Concert for One”.  Needless to say, I was extremely pleased while listening to these headphones.

Point-Scaled Grading

For reviewal of all products by The Real Mac Genius.com, a point-scale grading system is used to cover each individual aspect of the product. Said grades on varying scales are then weighed to determine a final score, which is then translated to an overall grade, as follows:

Style: 1-25 Given: 25
Price: 1-15 Given: 12
Quality materials: 1-15 Given: 15
Brand name: 1-10 Given: 9
Modern technologies: 1-15 Given: 15
Compatibility: 1-15 Given: 12
Ease of use: 1-5 Given: 5

OVERALL:93 /100 A-

The Bower and Wilkins P5 Hi Fi Mobile headphones prove to be worth more than the price tag that they are set at.  Although the value for what comes in the box is great, the price tag is still a lot for the common consumer.  I would recommend these for people who have the money to spend the P5s are worth every dime.  Try them for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.