Gamerx287's Wordpress Blog

Cisco Valet M10 Router

gamerx287 — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:12:28 +0000

A few nights ago, I came across an issue on my Linksys WRT160N router that has been causing some problems with the internet for a while, but I never did try to fix it. It is a known issue that this model of routers sets one of the DNS servers as 192.168.1.1 rather than picking up one of your ISP’s DNS servers. I’m not big on having hardware that has problems like that, so I brought it back. For about $15 more, I bought the Cisco Valet M10 router. I am a big fan of Cisco products, which is why I always buy Cisco or Linksys routers. This is one of Cisco’s newest routers and it works flawlessly. So far, this is probably the best model of routers I have used from Cisco. One of the new things with this model is that it has a USB key that is compatible for Mac and Windows that is basically an easy setup for the router. Now, I don’t use that kind of stuff because I prefer to manually configure my router. However, from the reviews I saw for the USB Key, it works, but isn’t the greatest. On another note, my connection has been pretty snappy and it has been very stable. Both the wireless signal and the speed is so much better than any other router I have owned. So, if your looking for a great router that will last for a while, this is the router for you. It retails for about $90 or you can get the Valet Plus for $120.

Twitter for iPhone

gamerx287 — Fri, 21 May 2010 21:51:13 +0000

About a month ago or so, Twitter bought Tweetie, which is a Twitter client for the Mac and iPhone designed by atebits. Just a few nights ago, Tweetie 2 was pulled from the App Store on the iPhone and a few hours later Tweetie 3 (Now known as “Twitter) was released to the store for free and as a free update for users who already have Tweetie. Ever since the app first came out, it has been my absolute favorite Twitter client of them all and don’t see myself using another anytime soon. Not many things have changed in the new iPhone app, but not much has changed since Tweetie 2. It still has the elegant design, but I have noticed it freezes up on some actions in which the previous version. Another thing that has changed is the retweet option. Previously, you were able to choose what type of format you want to retweet in, but now it is just the standard. retweets also have a different way of showing up in your feed, which does get a little confusing if you’re not used to it. Finally, the search option has definitely gotten an improvement. It now allows you to search users and/or tweets by their location (nearby), everyone, or just your friends. It also allows you to manage your Twitter lists and scroll through popular tweets on a nice interface. Overall, I think this is a must have app, especially since it is now Twitter’s official app for iPhone and iPod Touch. Not to mention, it’s free!

Steam for Mac

gamerx287 — Mon, 17 May 2010 22:46:42 +0000

Last week, the long anticipated release of the gaming platform, Steam, got release for Mac. I was really excited about this because I haven’t been able to use my Steam account since I got rid of all my Windows machines. First off, not all games are available for Mac, but most of them will soon be ported and all future releases should be available for Mac. In anticipation for the Mac release, Steam is giving everyone a free copy of Portal which works on both Mac and PC. Overall, it is a pretty nice release for a first version of the client. One downfall to it is that Portal does not play well on my Mac Mini, but works decent on my MacBook. The first few days, downloading some games, like Portal, were kind of slow because everyone was downloading at the same time. The client is practically the same as the PC client, but a little more elegant in my opinion. I definitely can’t wait until more games get ported to the Mac such as Counter Strike: Source and Team Fortress 2. Overall, I hope they improve performance with games on the Mac mini and that more games get ported to the Mac as soon as possible. I definitely recommend the download if your a gamer and use the Mac.Last week, the long anticipated release of the gaming platform, Steam, got release for Mac. I was really excited about this because I haven’t been able to use my Steam account since I got rid of all my Windows machines. First off, not all games are available for Mac, but most of them will soon be ported and all future releases should be available for Mac. In anticipation for the Mac release, Steam is giving everyone a free copy of Portal which works on both Mac and PC. Overall, it is a pretty nice release for a first version of the client. One downfall to it is that Portal does not play well on my Mac Mini, but works decent on my MacBook. The first few days, downloading some games, like Portal, were kind of slow because everyone was downloading at the same time. The client is practically the same as the PC client, but a little more elegant in my opinion. I definitely can’t wait until more games get ported to the Mac such as Counter Strike: Source and Team Fortress 2. Overall, I hope they improve performance with games on the Mac mini and that more games get ported to the Mac as soon as possible. I definitely recommend the download if your a gamer and use the Mac.

Why I’m Returning My iPad

gamerx287 — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:44:23 +0000

This will be a brief post, but a good explanation of why I’m bringing back the iPad. I absolutely love the iPad. I think it is an extraordinary device that has changed the view on tablet machines forever. However, it’s not something I absolutely have to have right now. I already have an iPhone, so I could use that since it’s more portable. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to keep an iPad, but another reason why i’m brining it back is because I have money to use on something else at this time. I have a tight budget. I need to pay my own phone bill and my own server bill monthly. Not to mention, I am getting the next generation iPhone next month and I am going to need the money to do that. Either way, if I get a better paying job soon, I will get the iPad when the 2nd generation model comes out next year. Until now, I am going to need my money for some other things.

Dropbox App

gamerx287 — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:09:44 +0000

Almost a year ago, I started using this really great service for backing up my files called Dropbox. They currently have 3 plans: 2 GB of storage for free, 50 GB of storage for $9.99 per month, and 100 GB of storage for $19.99 per month. However, my main focus in this post is on the iPhone and iPad app for Dropbox. If you are ever in the need to have access to one of your files while your on the road, this app is for you. One of the first things you can set in the Dropbox app is the ability to have a passcode lock before viewing your files, which is an important security measure. Other than that, you pretty much have the ability to view all of your backed up files within the app itself. Sadly, not all file types are compatible with this app yet, but hopefully they will work on that. On the iPhone app, to view your files, you just tap the file you want and it goes to a separate window and lets you view the file. On the iPad, however, it is a lot nice with a bigger screen because if you turn it to landscape mode, you will be able to see a menu of your files on the left-hand side and a window to view files on the right-hand side. There is no way to edit any of the files in the app, but I don’t think there is any need to do it from an iPhone and iPad. I highly suggest this app if you are a Dropbox user like I am. This app is free in the App Store.

WordPress App

gamerx287 — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:20:15 +0000

Many bloggers on the internet today use a blogging platform called WordPress. I use WordPress on just about all of my websites and I absolutely love it and highly recommend it. When the iPad was first introduced, one of the things that stood out to me was that the keyboard looked really awesome to type on. So, when I heard that WordPress was going to port a version of their WordPress iPhone app to the iPad, I could not wait to try it out. Sure enough, the WordPress app for the iPad/iPhone is an absolutely awesome app. I am mainly going to focus on the iPad, but the iPhone is a pretty awesome app as well. This app allows you to be able to manage a WordPress.com blog or if you use the WordPress platform on your own server. Once you have your blog linked, you can manage and post comments, edit and publish posts and also edit and publish pages. The interface that comes up when you are typing a comment, post, or page looks very similar to the interface that comes up when you type an email in the Mail app on the iPad. On the iPad’s side, the keyboard is absolutely fantastic to type on. In fact, I am typing this post on the iPad using the WordPress app. Anyone that uses WordPress, I highly suggest you download this free app from the App Store. It is available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

N.O.V.A for iPad

gamerx287 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:28:11 +0000

One of the first games that launched with the iPad is a game called N.O.V.A. If you are curious, it stands for Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance. It is an absolutely fantastic game made by GameLoft and sells for $6.99 in the App Store. It is well worth the money if you are a fan of first-person shooter games. The graphics are pretty nice for what it’s worth. It has a good storyline and the fighting in it takes a little getting used too, but work nice for the space available. I have come across a few bugs that could be fixed, but aren’t of high importance right now. Those include going off focus while you are shooting at an enemy and the shooting button not working sometimes, even when the gun has sufficient ammo. Aside from the few bugs this game has, it is an overall REALLY addicting and fun game and if you have an iPad and love first-person shooters, this game is a must have for you. Check it out!

ABC Player Review

gamerx287 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:02:43 +0000

I have been really happy with my iPad which I purchased about 3 or 4 days after its release. One of the very first apps I downloaded, was the ABC Player app. Besides being the first iPad app I downloaded, it is my absolute most FAVORITE app I have used thus far. First off, the overall UI of it is absolutely gorgeous. The picture quality is fantastic and the videos play flawlessly. The first panel that opens up is the Featured Shows which is the most popular of the ABC network. They don’t have every episode up at one time and you can’t watch shows live, but they do have a nice selection of recent episodes. The next panel shows a schedule of the shows that come on ABC in the time zone you live in, which works out really well if you don’t get the newspaper TV Guide. Next, they have a list of most of the shows (Primetime and Daytime) by name. The second to last panel shows a history of what you watched, which works well in some cases. The last panel is a information about the app and also gives you the ability to give feedback within the app. I strongly suggest getting this app if you watch ABC shows and have an iPad. You really have no excuse, it’s free!

Godfinger for iPad

gamerx287 — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:16:54 +0000

A few posts back, I wrote about an addicting game from ngmoco called We Rule for the iPad. Since then, I have come across another addicting game from the same people called Godfinger. Yes, the name sounds a bit “iffy”, but hear me out. In this game you are basically a god of your own little planet. You eventually start having little people coming to your planet who don’t believe in you. You have to perform a wonder to make them believe and start doing stuff on your planet. Wonders include rain, sunshine, lightning, etc. Once you have some people you can eventually start making some money by making the people work at different buildings or farms. First off, in order to do miracles, you need to have enough mana, which you get over time and by letting your followers worship you which entails running around a totem pole. Aside from having your own planet, you can also add friends planets as neighboring planets and visit them. While visiting a friend, you can enchant one of his/her followers and both receive some coins and/or mana for it. Describing it and watching people play it really doesn’t do it justice, so I strongly encourage you to give it a try. This app is free from the App Store and exclusively for the iPad in the US. However, it will becoming to the iPhone/iPod Touch in the US sometime in the near future.

My iPad Review

gamerx287 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:05:53 +0000

I have had my iPad for almost 2 weeks now and have loved every moment with it. Usually after a few days of having something new, the hype kind of dies down, but my hype for the iPad has not diminished. When I first watched the keynote, I was excited and my hopes weren’t very high on what to expect from it. I thought what it did, at least for a first generation system, was pretty good. However, I’m not one to buy first generation product so I wanted to wait until the second generation to get it. Everything changed when I actually saw a non-biased review of the iPad from Andy Ihnatko on MacBreak Weekly. I was blown away at the speed and how it didn’t lag at all. I decided to go to the Apple Store to try one out. I was on one for about 45 minutes and came back the next day to buy one. There is not much about this device to complain about, but there are a few things I think Apple can change either in the next generation or in a system update. First off, this is something not related on the device itself, but the accessories are EXTREMELY overpriced. Secondly, the screen picks up fingerprints extremely to much. This is more of a software update thing, but I think iTunes needs to have cover flow when you turn it in landscape mode. I was one of those people who could care less if it had a camera or not. Now, the things I absolutely love are the speed, the amazing screen and the stability of most of the apps. Not to mention the battery life. I have only charged it twice in the almost 2 weeks and haven’t even turned it off. There are definitely a lot of good apps, but some of them work a little buggy. However, this is fine because the developers had only a limited time to develop an app and have only been able to use a simulator. So, now that the iPad is actually out, apps should be getting better in the next few months. My final verdict is that you don’t have to rush out to get one, but if you feel like it, go get it. I love my iPad and will probably be posting a lot of app reviews in the future.