Year: 2005

MX 3100

I’ve given in to geek toys yet again and bought a new keyboard and mouse – Logitech MX 3100. I already owned a wireless Logitech mouse (which will find a new home at work) but the mouse in this pack was a laser mouse, supposedly much smoother and more reliable than the other optical mice. Verdict – it is smooth but only when I through away the mouse pad which is a bit odd considering it’s supposed to work on a larger range of surfaces. Still it’s comfy and the battery charge lights are very useful as are the number of buttons on it which allow for quick web browsing and app switching.

The keyboard is a lot better than my old MS wired keyboard. Very comfy and a nice response when typing. It also comes with a large amount of extra buttons mostly for media playing and easy zooming/scrolling in supported apps. Also some buttons for IM & calc buttons but none for launching a web browser. Easy fixed by customising the apps launched by each button but still an odd omission.

One word of warning is that it was a bitch to set-up. Took about 3 hours of faffing about, restarting and removing all known trace of Logitech products, removing batteries and letting capacitors run dry and eventually a half hour break from it before returning and getting it working…eventually. Not recommended if your not prepared to get your hands dirty but if you are it really is a lovely keyboard/mouse combo.

Revenge of the Sith

The last of the new trilogy and hopefully the last Star Wars movies Lucas directs, Revenge of the Sith is without doubt the best of the new bunch but isn’t on a par with New hope never mind Empire. Word of warning – spoilers ahead. Considering everyone watching the film knows the outcome and who lives/dies it’s still a good film to watch mostly due to it’s darkness. There’s a beheading, wife beating (ok…strangling) and probably the scene that got most gasps at the cinema was the killing of the child jedi’s (although I couldn’t help laugh at the use of ‘younglings’ throughout the rest of the film – it just sounded so false).

The special effects are stunning although there’s maybe too much in certain scenes – the opening space battle for example requires 3 or 4 watches to catch everything that’s happening. Even then the feeling of ‘falseness’ is throughout the film as scenes are ruined by the overuse of special effects – the final battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin is a prime example. I was enjoying the fight and the lava looked amazing. Then both Jedi jump onto small robots in the middle of the lava flow – rather than enhancing the battle it made it feel more like a computer game or a battle of between graphic artists and cgi modellers in an attempt to outdo each other.

I also had a few issues with the structure and storyline, namely:

  • Anakin’s move to the dark side has been gathering pace throughout Episode II & II but when he gives into dark side it’s sudden and with ease – did not sit well with the rest of the film
  • Palpatine was so obviously the dark lord – it should have been fairly obvious to the Jedi but again this was glossed over
  • Obi-wan – why did he not kill Vader when he was so near death. Considering he had wiped out all the other Jedi’s this seemed the weakest point of the film
  • Speaking of the other Jedi’s they died very easily. Too easily. Made a joke of their position in the Star Wars universe.

    • The actors in the film did a pretty good job. Ewan McGregor was pretty good (much better than Episode I) although some of his dialogue was pretty sucky. Same can be said for Hayden Christensen. The best was undoubtedly Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine. The evil pored out from him at all times – great to watch. Christopher Lee was underused and yet again a good character in Dooku (like Darth Maul in I) was lost to easily.

    It will be interesting to watch IV, V and VI again – I’ve not seen them in years but I feel the 6 episodes will not gel well at all. R2D2 for example is like a super droid in II & III compared with the last three films – I guess he got old. I’ll be treating the Star Wars films as two separate trilogies – one a great space story, the other a good tale and a good use of new technology.

    X&Y

    Listening to the new Coldplay album over the last couple of days – yes a download but I’ll be picking up the CD tomorrow. Nothing ground breaking, more of the same and definitely doesn’t grab me in the same way as the last two albums. Herald review nailed it when they described it as a refinement of ‘A Rush Of Blood To The Head’ and that it grinds out the tics and what was left of their originality. However by the end of the summer once Live 8 and the summer festivals are over no doubt this will be the years biggest sellers and the album hailed as a classic – not by me it won’t.

    K750i

    Took receipt of my new phone today – Sony Ericsson K750i. Since getting a T68i I can’t see past Sony phones – the T610 was next and now the K750i. I’ve only had a few hours to charge and play with it but already it’s very impressive and certainly the most feature rich phone I’ve owned. What wins it for me though is the connectivity.
    k750
    Continue reading “K750i”

    Weather

    Was I the only one that liked the new BBC weather graphics? More detailed, easier to understand and bang up to date. I wasn’t even bothered by the angle the UK was looked at but it has been changed so that Scotland is more in proportion – and it works.
    weather
    Annoyingly the SNP are now claiming a victory over this change. How sad. One MP even raised a motion in the House of Commons for the map to be changed – great use of political time. The Tartan Tories strike again.

     

    The Greatest

    So what am I referring to? Why – the greatest cup final…ever. Last nights Champions League final was fantastic – non-stop entertainment, 3 fantastic Milan goals, a great comeback from Liverpool, a goal that wasn’t offside, a penalty that never was, tired players and then a fantastic penalty shoot-out with the old Grobbelaar legs back on display. That for me had everything and it must have been destiny – Liverpool put out Olympiakos when they looked dead and buried needing three goals and then put out Chelsea with a goal that never was. Great TV and how a final should be, not the bore’s that they have become recently. Just hope Eufa back down and let Liverpool defend their title.

    Star Wars Revisited

    Hopefully seeing Revenge of the Sith tonight and in preparation I’ve watched Episodes 1 & 2 again.

    Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace
    Oh dear. I really struggled to sit through this film. Stilted dialogue, uninspiring acting and laughable interaction between the real and CGI actors. If we hadn’t seen episodes 4,5 and 6 I really doubt that anyone would have signed up a follow up based on this. Out of 5 I’d give it a 2. Taxation of trade routes – is that the best they could come up with? Pah!

    Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones
    I liked this film. Maybe it was after the high expectations of Episode 1 and the subsequent let down but even watching it yesterday after at least 18 months or so from the last viewing I still enjoyed it. Far better plot, more action and better use of the main characters. A geek pleasing Yoda fight, more darker tones and more impressive CGI than the first one – no Jar Jar. Dialogue still painful, especially the love scenes between Anakin and Padme. 3.5 out of 5.

    Which leaves Revenge of the Sith. Most websites are reporting that this is the best of the three and based on trailers alone this does look to be a cracking film. I still have doubts though – maybe the lack of expectation will again increase the enjoyment.

    There’s been a murder

    Last week we spotted a mouse outside. Next day it was in our kitchen. Little bugger. I popped of to B&Q and picked up poison, traps and a weird bait type box. The mouse has spent the last few days ignoring the traps but enjoyed the baited food – but when will it die? Today, that’s when. Popped down the stairs this morning to find the mouse in the baited food gasping for air….and another mouse caught in the trap. Joy of joys. Hopefully that’s the end of them.

    However it highlights how much we miss having a cat around the house. A good friend and handy if we do find another mouse. The Cat Protection League hasn’t been too successful so far…must widen the hunt.