Abstracting hardware: obsolescence obsolete (with OnLive)

Most everyone has heard the news of OnLive, the new cloud-based computer gaming platform. I’m not here to regurgitate that for you. Instead, I intend to give it some context. Cloud computing is all the rage right now. With netbooks growing in popularity, all sorts of Internet-based services are popping up to make the experience of owning a netbook more rich. OnLive applies this model to PC gaming while...

The netbook trend

Netbooks have reached an amazing level of popularity in a very short space of time. In 2008, the netbook saw a 3,000% increase in sales over 2007. In the third quarter, netbook sales even outpaced those of the iPhone. To the average consumer, the choice is a simple one: I can go with a 15″ laptop for $600 or a 9″ netbook for $300. However, many netbook buyers are now learning that comparing a netbook to...

Recession relief: Getting geek on the cheap

As an Internet user, you should know you never have to pay retail for almost any gadget you might want. Internet retailers can sell much cheaper and they discount much more aggressively than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Here are some of my favorite sites for getting great deals on geek sustenance—games and gadgets. Games Cheapassgamer.com- Maybe you want to save $5 or $10 on a game that’s launching...

Video: Easy Digital Music Recording

  Colin Campbell is my brother, and, more importantly for the purposes of this video, he is a singer/songwriter who records music digitally and distributes it online. He uses a very cheap and simple method. If you want studio-quality recording, this isn’t for you. If you want to continue to gain exposure while you finance your studio gear, or if you simply want to be heard regardless of how it sounds,...

Macbook Pro XP/Vista audio stuttering fix

My PC has seen less and less of my gaming activity in recent years. It makes me a little sad, but the current generation of consoles is delivering a more cohesive and simple gaming experience than the PC ever could. The PC still has it’s strong suits: games like RTSs and FPSs that demand the fast and accurate control only a mouse can deliver or the modding communities that have sprouted around hit PC games for...