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just purchased an Acer Aspire at Staples for cheap

retroDan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:57:40 +0000

Hey, guess what? Staples is offering a great deal on a laptop this week and since my defective HP Pavilion Dv7 is no longer any use to me, I quickly snagged one before it went out of stock. Actually it was “out of stock” online all day yesterday but surprisingly the laptop became available first thing this morning. I’m not that familiar with the way the Staples website inventory works but I’m glad I got in on the deal.

Here’s what I got:

it’s the Acer® Aspire AS5741Z-5433 for $399 (sale ending 8/28).
it features -
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core P6000 Processor (1.86GHz)
4GB installed memory
320GB hard drive
8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
15.6″ HD Widescreen CineCrystal™ LCD Display (1366 x 768)
Built-in HD Webcam (1.3 megapixel)
Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
1 – HDMI™ Port
6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
1 year warranty

So what do you think? yeah, I know it’s on the low end in terms of tech but after what happened to my 17″ HP, I’m a bit gun-shy about spending more money than I should on a laptop that may or may not last two years. Hopefully this little Acer won’t let me down. At the least, it’s a bit reassuring to know that the Acer is PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice for budget laptops.

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Thanks for the defective laptop, HP!

retroDan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:16:21 +0000

well, I finally got a call from the local PC repair shop about my laptop. They simply confirmed what I already knew. It’s the motherboard and there’s no cheap fix for it. The motherboard can be replaced for $400 but as all of us know, you can easily get a new laptop for that price.

So, does anyone want my HP Pavilion DV7 for parts? I might as well put it up on ebay to get something out of this piece of crap. It’s only a year and a half old and now it’s just a paper weight. lovely.

Thanks for nothing HP.

issues with the laptop

retroDan — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:30:29 +0000

hey all!

I’ve got lots of updates for the blog including a review of last night’s Asia concert but my personal laptop died on me. Well, I’m still hoping and praying that it’ll come back to life so we’ll see. There’s tons of important stuff on the hard drive that I don’t want to lose so hopefully I’ll be able to get it back up on running.

Anyway, just thought I’d post this notice for those waiting for new posts here.

stay tuned…

Guns N’ Roses scheduled for 2010 Rock ‘N Rev Festival

retroDan — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:55:52 +0000

You know, I wasn’t aware of this but apparently Axl Rose and his updated version of Guns N’ Roses are STILL out on the road supporting their 2008 album Chinese Democracy. I guess since most of the tour dates have been outside the U.S., I personally haven’t seen much buzz about them. But now the folks over at Rock ‘N Rev Festival have announced that GNR are headlining their five day festival. This is a big deal since GNR haven’t performed in the U.S. in four years. And so far, this is the only U.S. date on their current tour.

Here’s the official press release:
Los Angeles July 20, 2010 – Making their first U.S. concert appearance in four years – and playing their only U.S. show in 2010 – Guns N’ Roses has been officially recruited with Daughtry to join the inaugural Rock ‘N Rev Festival and cement its assault on the legendary Sturgis Rally’s 70th Anniversary celebration in Sturgis, SD, at the newly constructed Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA.
Guns N’ Roses will headline the fifth and final night of the festival, as it moves to the Brand New Rock ‘N Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA in Sturgis, adjacent to its original location. L.A.’s notorious rock ‘n’ roll bad boys – one of Q magazine’s “50 Bands to See Before You Die” – have combined forces with HDlogix and DC3 Global for this rare and very special appearance on home soil to bring the “full-out rock ‘n’ roll spectacle” (Spin) of their 2010 “Chinese Democracy World Tour” to Sturgis and finish off the hijacking of the world’s biggest, baddest biker event, Monday, Aug. 9 through Friday, Aug. 13, 2010.
Guns N’ Roses’ final night performance, immediately following previously announced Aug. 13 headliner Alice in Chains, is the ultimate climax to five full nights of undeniable rock ‘n’ roll bedlam, and now gives the Rock ‘N Rev Festival six of the most explosive, multi-platinum AMERICAN Active Rock Bands of 2010. Daughtry, supporting its second consecutive #1 album, will join 3 Doors Down, Hinder and others on Aug. 12, the 4th night of the Rock N’ Rev Festival.
In order to welcome Guns N’ Roses and Daughtry to the Rock ‘N Rev Festival, new festival owners HDlogix and its producers, DC3 Global, are starting construction immediately on the Rock N’ Rev Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA, a new custom-built amphitheater on a 25-acre site at Monkey Rock designed to maximize logistical opportunities while enhancing the overall experience for everyone attending – from the bands to the fans.
“We are truly blessed to be able to announce the addition of Guns N’ Roses at this historic moment in the band’s history, along with Daughtry, just as we relocate the Rock ‘N Rev Festival to our own Amphitheater at Monkey Rock USA,” said DC3′s co-founder, Daniel E. Catullo III. “Monkey Rock’s vision to create a nationally recognized brand among the world’s top motorcycle rallies is a perfect fit for us, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them as our partners.”
Raising the insanity level to previously unimaginable heights, Guns N’ Roses and Daughtry are just the latest high octane multi-platinum rockers to join the growing list of bands at the Rock ‘N Rev Festival. They unite with fellow headliners Stone Temple Pilots, Godsmack, Creed, Alice in Chains and 3 Doors Down to establish the Rock ‘N Rev Festival as “The Home of Rock’s Hardest New Chart Toppers” – a different one topping each night’s lineup.
Tickets for the Rock ‘N Rev Festival are $45 per day, general admission ($150 for a five-day pass), and On Sale Now through Ticketmaster.com and rocknrevfestival.com and at all Ticketmaster locations, or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available in person beginning August 5, 2010 on location at the Festival’s on-site box office. For more information on exclusive VIP packages ($150 for a single day, $300 for all five days or $1,000 5 day platinum packages), including backstage access to a VIP area to special, air-conditioned tents with private bars, motorcycle parking, luxury bathroom facilities and more, go to rocknrevfestival.com.

and here are the rest of the tour dates for Guns N’ Roses –
Fri 08/13/10 Sturgis, SD Amphitheater @ Monkey Rock USA
Fri 08/27/10 Reading, United Kingdom Richfield Avenue
Sun 08/29/10 Leeds, United Kingdom Bramham Park
Sat 09/04/10 Rome, Italy Pala Lottomatica
Sun 09/05/10 Assago, Italy Mediolanum Forum
Wed 09/08/10 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion Zurich
Fri 09/10/10 Amneville, France Sem Amneville Galaxie
Mon 09/13/10 Paris, France Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Thu 09/16/10 Geneva, Switzerland Geneva Arena
Sat 10/02/10 Lille, France Zenith Arena
Sun 10/03/10 Arnhem, Netherlands Gelredome
Wed 10/06/10 Lisbon, Portugal Pavilhao Atlantico
Sat 10/09/10 Madrid, Spain Palacio Vistalegre
Sun 10/10/10 San Sebastian, Spain Estadio de Anoeta
Thu 10/14/10 Badalona, Spain Pavello Olimpic De Badalona
Sat 12/04/10 Sydney, Australia Olympic Park Showgrounds

and check out this clip from GNR’s June 12th gig at The Sweden Rock Festival.

The current GNR lineup include:
Axl Rose, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer, Ron Bumblefoot Thal and DJ Ashba.

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thanks for the wild goose chase, Walmart

retroDan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:06:59 +0000

so, it seems that I wasted the whole evening last night thanks to Walmart. yup, good ol’ wally world. Apparently you can’t trust their “in-store availability” info on their website. I know, I know, what do I expect from a place like walmart where customer service is virtually nil. But against my better judgement I believed what the site was telling me. And it was telling me that a store way out in the boonies (approximately 40 minutes away from my house) had an item that I’ve been searching for the last couple days. yeah, I know, why am I even purchasing anything of value at wally world anyway. groceries and mundane stuff, yes. more expensive stuff, no. anyway, the website indicated that one store out of a dozen in my area had this one item in stock and it was in a place I’ve never driven to before.

so, after dinner I dragged my wife and kids in the van and searched for the holy grail, somewhere out in the great beyond. first problem was google maps. OK, scratch that. the first problem was of course trusting walmart. enough said. second problem was google maps. it gave me misleading directions to this place. apparently google isn’t that familiar with the boonies either. So, I overshot my destination by ten miles or so and by that time, I was extremely low on gas. so there we were in the middle of nowhere at night searching for a gas station. I was literally riding on fumes by the time I found a station in a small no-name town. I swear I heard dueling banjos ala “Deliverance” playing in the background as I tried to fill up the tank as quickly and as unobtrusively as possible so that I wouldn’t disturb the natives. and just my luck the automatic trigger to stop the pump when full was busted so I spewed gas over the van and my shoes. great!!

anyway, after cussing at myself for getting all of us into this mess, I got back on the road and restarted the search for this godforsaken walmart. after a few turns here and there on dark, lonely roads and with a little help from “The Force”, we eventually stumbled onto the damn place. It was getting pretty late in the evening at this point and I just wanted to grab what I was there for and get the hell home.

And you guessed it!! after all that driving and me smelling of gas, Walmart did not even have the damn thing even though the website says it does. nice!

Thank you for a lovely evening Walmart. never again, my friend. never again.

Motorola i1 coming to Boost Mobile iDEN and Best Buy

retroDan — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:48:26 +0000

Motorola made the announcement back in March that they’d be releasing the first Android powered smartphone available for the iDEN network. The initial announcement was for the phone to be released through Sprint/Nextel which disappointed a whole lot of Boost Mobile iDEN users. Well, Boost iDEN folks, you’re in luck!! It appears that Sprint/Nextel won’t have exclusive dibs on the Motorola i1 after all. There’s word that Boost will be releasing its own version of the i1 this summer. No official word yet on a release date for the Boost version but there’s already a page set up for the phone on the Best Buy website which is a pretty good sign that it’s indeed for real. The bad news is that the Boost version of the phone will cost $350 since there’s no contract with the carrier. Plus, you can’t use the pay-as-you-go plan with this phone, only the $50 unlimited plan. But for those wanting a smartphone on the iDEN network, this is the only choice (for now at least).

Motorola i1 features: Android 1.5 OS, Opera Mini 5 browser, 5.0 MP camera, built-in Wi-Fi, bluetooth, 3.1″ HVGA touch screen, microSD memory card, nationwide walkie-talkie, 210 minutes talk time, 100 hours in standby mode.

I’m still curious to hear about web access on this phone. Since iDEN wasn’t built for high speed data throughput, surfing the web might be a bit on the SLOW side. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see once the phone hits the streets.

Raleigh Bud Light Amphitheater to open in June

retroDan — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:33:31 +0000

While in downtown Raleigh on business, I took this snapshot of Raleigh’s new downtown outdoor concert venue. As you can see, it’s no where near finished. They’ve got lots to do before the June 4th opening with the Connells.

Plus they don’t even have an official name yet. Well, for now it’s called the Raleigh Amphitheater. But the city is waiting for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to approve the naming of the venue as “Bud Light Amphitheater”. Apparently there’s a state law that prohibits alcoholic beverages as part of the name of a public venue. So, hopefully they can get that worked out soon.

Anyway, here are the upcoming acts scheduled for The Raleigh “Bud Light” Amphitheater:

04 June 2010 – The Connell, I Was Totally Destroying It, The Small Ponds
06 June 2010 – Backstreet Boys
23 July 2010 – Honda Civic Tour – Paramore, Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory
25 July 2010 – Carnival of Madness – Shinedown, Chevelle, Puddle of Mudd
28 July 2010 – Legalize It Tour – Cypress Hill, Collie Buddz
30 July 2010 – Chelsea Handler
09 August 2010 – Goo Goo Dolls, Switchfoot
10 August 2010 – O.A.R., Citizen Cope
13 August 2010 – Umphrey’s McGee, Rebelution
14 August 2010 – Heart
25 August 2010 – Sound Tribe Sector
17 September 2010 – Black Crowes

and here’s an artist’s rendition of what the amphitheater should look like when completed:

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Sprint announces $25 unlimited data/text plan for Virgin Mobile

retroDan — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:17:26 +0000

It looks like Sprint/Nextel is about to shake things up again in the prepaid wireless market. Last year, Sprint/Nextel caused a huge stir in the industry by introducing a $50 unlimited plan on their Boost Network. And now it’s time for Virgin Mobile to shine. Virgin Mobile is Sprint’s other prepaid/no-contracts brand and for a while there, it looked like the brand was going to flounder in the wake of Boost Mobile’s popularity. But the recent unveiling of Virgin Mobile’s “Beyond Talk” plans changes everything.

The huge buzz is centered around the low price point of the $25 a month plan. The $25 plan includes unlimited messaging, email, data and web. The plan also includes 300 minutes of voice calls per month. This is currently the lowest price in the industry for unlimited data & text. With the high demand of 3G mobile web service, this deal is a game changer. Especially when you take into account that there’s no long term contracts and no extra hidden fees.

For those that want a Blackberry, don’t fret. VM’s got you covered as well. The blackberry plan adds $10 on top of the Beyond Talk plans so at the lowest tier service, you can get by with just $35 a month for voice/data.

I’m personally itching to get in on this deal. I’m currently on Boost Mobile (iDEN) which isn’t built for high speed data. Plus I’m a bit tired of the old-school Motorola phones on Boost. I need to get with the times and get me a newfangled data-driven handset. The new LG Rumor Touch looks perfect for my needs.

Here’s the recent Virgin Mobile press release:

WARREN, N.J. – May 6, 2010 – Sprint today officially unveiled its comprehensive multi-segment approach to the prepaid wireless marketplace. Since Sprint’s acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc., the company has rolled out a series of new prepaid products, enhancements and industry-advancing products, each designed to appeal to specific customers in the wireless space.

“We brought together the resources and experience of the Boost and Virgin Mobile teams in late 2009,” said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. “Since that time, we have been developing the critical pieces of our multi-brand prepaid strategy. Our approach to the prepaid market can truly set us apart from the competition with tailored offers that will address specific needs in this growing market.”

Virgin Mobile USA

Reinventing prepaid wireless once again, Virgin Mobile will introduce an innovative new value proposition that focuses on serving customers who use text and data services to power constant connection with their social networks.

With unlimited messaging, email, data and web included on all plans starting at just $25 a month and a new high-end handset lineup, Virgin Mobile will offer a clear alternative for customers who want a data-driven service without expensive annual contracts and thousands of unnecessary voice minutes. With the addition of the lowest-priced BlackBerry® service plan in the market, Virgin Mobile will provide real value for individuals looking to stay connected without compromising on handset or service quality.

The way youth and young adults communicate has changed dramatically over the past few years. Data from Nielsen shows that usage patterns for postpaid mobile subscribers aged 18-34 shifted from 2007 to 2009. Minutes of talk dropped over 10% while messages sent and received grew by more than 150%. The amount of data usage within this group grew by over 1800% during the same time period.

Beyond Talk

On May 12, Virgin Mobile will unveil three new “Beyond Talk” plans that all include unlimited messaging, email, data and web [with no incremental fees or taxes ]:

* The revolutionary $25 plan is the industry’s lowest price point for unlimited messaging, email, data and web with 300 minutes of voice per month, ideal for high-end device users seeking an unbeatable price to enable the text and data services they need.

* The $40 plan includes unlimited messaging, email, data and web with 1,200 minutes of voice per month — the perfect value for those seeking an affordable plan with everything they need.

* The $60 plan includes unlimited messaging, email, data and web with unlimited voice to offer great value for high-end smartphone users expecting an unlimited plan to cost much more.

For the first time, Virgin Mobile customers can add Blackberry® data service to any of these plans for just $10 more, enabling an unprecedented $35 plan consisting of both voice calling and Blackberry data service.

“Our new offers target a continuing evolution in wireless consumer behavior – increased use of text and data services as a form of wireless communication over talk,” explained Schulman. “These Beyond Talk plans offer the most accessible solution for customers seeking that data-driven lifestyle — unlimited text and data on their terms without a contract, at prices they will love, without requiring them to buy extra minutes they don’t need.”

New Handsets

Virgin Mobile’s new handset lineup proves that a two-year contract isn’t necessary to get a hot data-driven device:

* The Blackberry Curve™ 8530 smartphone is a particularly desirable device without a contract. Key features include an approachable form factor, full-QWERTY keyboard, optical track pad, Wi-Fi connectivity, dedicated media keys, and 2 MP camera. The Blackberry Curve 8530 smartphone will be available for $299.99 at retail and at www.virginmobileusa.om at the end of May.

* The LG Rumor Touch™ at $149.99 is the first full touch interface handset from Virgin Mobile and is only available without a contract on these plans. Customers can use all the data they want and message all of their friends easily and simply with a Beyond Talk plan. This handset is ideal for the super-connected with an external memory drive that can store up to 16GB of data.

* The very popular LG Rumor 2™ QWERTY launched last year, also only available without a contract from Virgin Mobile. For $89.99, it allows customers to message quickly and easily with preloaded apps like the Ultimate Inbox, threaded messaging and Connect social networking. The popular Opera Mini web browser is included as well.

* The Kyocera Loft QWERTY for $69.99 suits message-savvy customers perfectly with an embedded instant messaging and email application, and message threading for SMS and MMS in a single inbox. The camera phone includes the networking features mentioned above as well as a Google Maps and other navigational applications.

Virgin Mobile USA continues to serve its current base of prepaid customers with a wide range of handsets, monthly unlimited plans, Minute Packs, Texters Delight and Broadband2Go.

Broadband

Broadband2Go, launched last year under the Virgin Mobile label, also targets the needs of the high data-using crowd that wants easy wireless Internet access wherever they are but doesn’t want to sign a long-term contract.

“Since we expanded distribution, lowered the price, and added more data capacity without changing prices, sales have tripled,” said Schulman. “We’ll continue to enhance this product line as well, possibly under multiple brands to include new services and the very latest in high speed networks, including 4G where available.”

Broadband2Go operates on Sprint’s Nationwide Network, unlike other prepaid broadband offers.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company’s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores.

Boost Mobile upgrades texting platform on iDEN network

retroDan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:34:35 +0000

with all the emphasis on CDMA phones on the Boost Mobile network lately, I’m glad to hear something/anything about the iDEN side of things. Especially since I’m an iDEN subscriber myself! According to a recent posting on Boost’s facebook page, Boost/Sprint finally got around to upgrading their text messaging system to help resolve issues users had with texting. You may remember problems of delayed or lost text messages for those on Boost Mobile last year. The issues stemmed from the old iDEN network not being equipped to handle the massive influx of new subscribers wanting to take advantage of the $50 unlimited plan. Oh, and apparently iDEN wasn’t originally designed for things other than voice transmissions. Anyway, the Boost rep on facebook reassures us that we should no longer be seeing any delays/issues with texting.

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here’s what was posted on FB:

Well folks, a few of you were waiting on some official answers into what we’ve been doing to enhance iDEN network texting. Here it is, hot off the press:

Since we launched Monthly Unlimited on our iDEN (walkie-talkie phones) network last year, our text messaging volume has grown by immensely massive levels. Text messaging performance was impacted, and we’ve been working extremely hard since then to improve the experience for our users on that network.

Last month, we completed the last major migration of all Boost iDEN messaging traffic onto an entirely new messaging platform/system. A large amount of resources were dedicated to this important task, as the customer experience is the main priority for our company. Since then, iDEN messaging, according to our nationwide monitoring, has never been better due to our massive efforts. In short: All iDEN network customers should have seen significant improvement in text messaging over the last few weeks!…

So yes, as of a few weeks ago, almost all iDEN users have been moved onto an expensive new texting platform. You should see improvments at this point!

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Come on VH1 – how about bringing back the music for a change

retroDan — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:46:45 +0000

VH1 recently announced their lineup of upcoming shows slated for their cable network this summer. It’s good to hear that they’ll be continuing the “Behind the Music” and “Storytellers” series. And THANK YOU VH1 for pulling the plug on “Rock of Love” and the assorted spin offs. Good lord, who has been watching that trash anyway?? It’s safe to say that WE the VIEWERS are all tired of the trashy reality shows on VH1.

I totally understand that it is expensive getting clearance to broadcast music on the network but come on, VH1, can’t you find something other than reality shows for the network???

I mean really? “You’re Cut Off” – a rehab show with nine spoiled party girls???

and this – “Money Hungry” – a mashup of a weight loss contest and their other show “I Love Money”???

Sorry, I don’t see any of this increasing your viewership, VH1. sad, sad, sad.