MacBlogz - One Stop Apple News » Irrational Purchases

Caught in the Wild: Super-Mini Edition iPhone

Dave — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:12:45 +0000

It’s finally here! The official Global Limited Initial Publication Super-Mini Edition iPhone. Feel free to breathe a sigh of relief as the much anticipated, widely rumored iPhone mini has made its global debut. For a mere 568 yuan, or approximately $82, you can be the proud owner of this piece of technological history.

Make sure to catch the “Global Limited Initial Publication Super-Mini Edition iPhone” imprint on the back of the device. The size though, when compared to a standard credit card would definitely catch on with consumers.

Keeping Cupertino on their toes with this dazzling new User Interface. Look at that sexy pixelation! Those horizontal and vertical puke colored bars are gorgeous! And the colorless white icons! Does it get any better?

They’ve even thought of the ladies too! A pink version is available as well.

On a serious note, an Apple iPhone nano has been rumored for some time now. If Apple were to unveil a similar device (size, weight, lower-price), I would imagine it would be a hit with consumers.

The End All Be All of a Fanboy’s Dream Ride

Dave — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:57:04 +0000

Looking to tap into the the heart of every Apple Fanboy’s fantasy, Hyundai Motors America and RIDES Magazine have teamed up to form the ultimate mobile computing experience by tricking out a custom Hyundai Genesis, set to be unveiled at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show next month.

Dubbed the RIDES Digital Genesis, this rolling WiFi hotspot is able to support up to 50 users simultaneously. So what’s the best way to connect to your own network? The Genesis comes packed with nearly every Apple amenity you could possibly imagine, including two Mac Minis, a MacBook Air, an iPod Touch and an iPhone 3G. Back seat drivers are sure to keep their mouths shut as they can be occupied with the wireless Apple keyboards set atop flip-down tray tables and 8.4-inch VGA headrest monitors.

Associate publisher for RIDES, Ben Harris, notes, “This Genesis perfectly suits the mobile executive, with multiple Mac computers and its own mobile Wi-Fi network,” adding, “All of the modifications complement the Genesis’ natural attributes and emphasize the sleek look and luxury interior. We are looking forward to the SEMA show and displaying this amazing vehicle.”

And if that isn’t enough to tickle your fancy, pop the trunk and feast your eyes on a 20″ Apple Cinema Display and keyboard mounted to a motorized tray, perfectly fit for any emergency roadside endeavor.

MacBook Air and Mac Mini at work with the 8.4″ VGA monitors.

Another side shot from the right…looks impressive.

Shot from the left… don’t miss the iPod Touch in the center console.

And the Pièce de résistance… 20″ Cinema Display, Keyboard and Mighty Mouse set on a motorized tray.

A home for your iPod Touch/iPhone.

[RIDES-MAG]

Brilliant Steve Jobs Work of Art Now Up for Auction

Dave — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:28:58 +0000

Titled “The Introduction; Steve Jobs at Macworld,” a 12″x12″x1.5″ masterpiece by artist Nitrozac has recently been put up for auction.

Got some empty space on those bare eggshell white walls of yours? I sure do, and what better way to fill it than with this one of a kind hand painted work of art depicting Steve Jobs’ launch of the MacBook Air at the past Macworld. The painting truly captures the essence of Steve’s shimmering smile on the background screen as he shows the world what he has created, while onlookers snap photos of the momentous occasion.

The artist expresses an exquisite interpretation of the piece saying, “For me this painting is a timeless study of that moment and of the remarkable Steve Jobs. It’s more than just the unveiling of a product. It’s captures the man’s amazing ability to inspire desire in us, and his intense pride over his new creation. It’s as if he is showing off his new child to the world, and he is beaming with the pride and love that only a new parent has. He invites us to share his pride and love by owning the new object. It’s powerful, and infectious, and if you have ever held a product like this in your hands, a Macbook Air or an iPhone, you feel these emotions, a result of Apple’s exceptional engineering and artistry.”

To get your hands on this beauty, you can bid directly from here, but get your wallets ready, as the current price is nearing $600. You can also read more from the artist here.

Bring Your Gear into Battle with a Monolab Design Trunk

Dave — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:58:32 +0000

Cleverly described as a 4TB iPod, this modern case seems to be fit to take on anything…including impending doom.

Four years in the making, Ismael Ghalimi had found that the stress of traveling with his equipment had become far too much of a burden on both himself and his workstation. Built from German made anodized aluminum, the piece stands at 5′ tall and weighs nearly 300 lbs. After numerous calculations to coincide with additions to Apple’s desktop line of Macs, Ghalimi had settled upon a proper design, that I must say beautifully combines form and function.

The unit houses a Mac Pro, a 23″ Apple Display and a set of aluminum enclosed Webern Loudspeakers made by Vienna Acoustics.

“In order to grant access to the DVD tray, the Apple Mac Pro is mounted on industrial ball bearings that are a miniature version of the ones used for the ladder mounted on fire trucks. And to make operations as smooth as possible, the two front doors are attached to hydraulic dampeners, similar to the ones used by car manufacturers for rear hatches. Once again, the whole thing is pretty solid, which is why it’s so heavy.”

Not only does the sound construction and badass look make this a pretty sweet way to get your gear around, but would also fit well as a Pièce de résistance in any living room.

Full Article

iPhone case holds iPhone; requires higher tax bracket to purchase.

Dave — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:15:38 +0000

If your feeling like your current iPhone case is simply not gonna cut it at your next black tie event, designer Christian Dior, has released a posh alternative priced at $450. Lets see, that’s over double what the 8GB model iPhone 3G is priced at, and still more expensive than the 16GB model.

If plastic or neoprene isn’t your thing, the designer notes that, “this holder is not only neat and elegant but also made in fine quality of calf leather.”

And if an iPhone in general wont cut it, Christian Dior, has released a mobile phone that is sure to break the bank at a ridiculous $26,000. Complete with a 2.6″ touch screen and a 2MP camera, it fits right in with the smartphone market, right? Oh yeah, but the device is draped in crocodile skin and loaded with 640 Swarovski crystals totaling 3,251 carats.

I like to make my gadgets feel comfortable and at the very least be protected just as much as the next guy. But, lets face it, if your pockets are this deep, you may just lose your iPhone in them all together.

Me and the Macbook Air. Like Jenny Craig and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Aviv — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:42:07 +0000

I feel like someone 6 months into a strict Jenny Craig diet who can’t stop thinking about a $3,000 box of Kispy Kreme Doughnuts. It would make absolutely no sense to eat these doughnuts, let alone buy them. I don’t need them, I have a perfect meal right here, but I can’t stop thinking about them. Personally, I have absolutely no use for a computer such as the Macbook Air with so many physical limitations. It doesn’t have an optical disc drive (I’m installing component drivers all the time). It doesn’t have firewire ports (I’m neurotically backing up data all day long). It only has one USB port. The battery isn’t swappable (so you can’t carry around an extra battery while you travel). Unless you opt for the $3,000+ SSD version of the Air, your hard drive is going to spin at a lousy 4,200 rpm. Which means you better love beach balls. The screen resolution is only 1280-by-800. Let’s face it, these are some lousy specs any way you look at them. But I want, want, want, a Macbook Air. Even though they’ve been shipping for nearly 6 months now, I’m still considering irrationally buying one of these machines.

My current notebook is a Penryn based Macbook Pro, purchased after my Powerbook G4 was stolen by Steve Ballmer. I keep the Macbook Pro in perfect sync with my primary machine at the office, which is also a mac. The Macbook Pro is definitely one serious piece of hardware; The screen real estate is generous, the performance and overall speed is astonishing, it’s reliable, trustworthy and very responsive. But I can’t stop thinking about the Macbook Air, like a forbidden mistress. Daily, I find myself trying to justify purchasing the Macbook Air, but I just can’t go through with it. I scour eBay trying to see how much my exact model Macbook Pro is fetching, and ponder putting it up for auction… “Let’s see, Penryn based 15″ Macbook Pro. 2.6 GHZ with 3 years of Applecare should get me $2,200 if I’m really lucky.” If my numbers are right I’m still at least $800 short of the Macbook Air that I would want, or would even consider buying. One word… insane.

The thing is, the Macbook Air air is just sooo sexy. I find myself (as shallow as it sounds) lusting over this thin beauty. I may sound like the fanboyest of fanboys here, but there’s no denying the sheer design quality of the Air. It’s light-weight, the keyboard is perfect (combining the Macbook’s keyboard and the Macbook Pro’s backlit keys), the screen is full-size, there’s an SSD option, a large multi-touch trackpad and it’s just so damn attractive.

Can I justify buying a Macbook Air? Are any of you reading this post on your Macbook Air? If so, please let me know how you’ve adjusted to life with no optical disc drive and one USB port. My common sense speaks louder to me than my raw desire to max out my credit card and buy a Macbook Air. But it’s very, very tempting. If anything, I’d like to see what Apple offers up in the next Macbook Air refresh, perhaps I’ll splurge then.