Christmas PC 2013

I’ll close out the year and have a Christmas post with specs lists. These are hardware lists with nothing on Windows. I really don’t know if I’d ask for a copy of Windows 7 or go with Windows 8.1. I’m leaning to Windows 8.1, though, given what I’ve written about it.

So now, if I were to buy a PC these days, it would have one of these 3 combinations:

	Intel Core i5 (Haswell)	AMD FX (Piledriver)	AMD APU (Richland)
CPU	Intel core i5-4670K	AMD FX-6300	AMD A10-6800K
MB	Z87 motherboard	AM3+ motherboard	FM2 motherboard
GPU	nVidia geForce GTX 760	AMD Radeon R9-270	(on-chip Radeon 8670D)
RAM	2 x 4gb DDR3-1600	2 x 4gb DDR3-1866	2 x 4gb DDR3-2133
SSD	160 GB SSD	160 GB SSD	160 GB SSD
HDD	Seagate 1TB (2x in RAID 1)	Seagate 1TB (2x in RAID 1)	Seagate 1TB (2x in RAID 1)
ODD	dvd writer	dvd writer	bluray writer
MCR	3.5" card reader	3.5" card reader	3.5" card reader
casing	Coolermaster 690 III	Coolermaster 690 III	Coolermaster Elite 361
PSU	Coolermaster Silent Pro M2 700	Coolermaster Silent Pro M2 700	Coolermaster Silent Pro M2 600
HSF	Coolermaster V8 GT	Coolermaster V6 GT	Coolermaster Vortex+

Winamp Is Going Goodbye Soon…Or Is It?

So I haven’t been able to blog properly. It’s been more than a month since my last update and I’ve got some unfinished and pending articles. Then I came across this a few days ago:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Winamp-to-Be-Discontinued-on-December-20-2013-402176.shtml

That almost broke my heart. Like my procrastination in techblogging, I actually just got to install Winamp on my desktop about a month ago. It felt good. I’ve been using Windows Media Player for my music for almost 3 years. I have Winamp on my 10-inch netbook, though, but since it got replaced by my 12-inch netbook months ago, well, I haven’t been using Winamp for a good amout of time. To think, I even made myself winamp skins during the Winamp 2.x days.

Then here comes hopeful news:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Wants-to-Buy-and-Save-Winamp-Report-402567.shtml

On my Windows 7 taskbar, I replaced IE with Chrome and WMP with Winamp. What if in the not so distant tech future, Winamp would be the preinstalled media player in Windows? That’s assuming the Windows OS thrives and doesn’t go self-destruct and MS doesn’t do a MechWarrior with Winamp.

I was getting ready to put Winamp in the same part of the tech past as MusicMatch, WinMX, and I can’t really think of more examples at the moment. Exactly! But there’s a glimmer of hope. Let’s keep ourselves hopeful.

Windows 8.1 is Out

I’ve been optimistic about Windows Blue when it was announced so when the open beta Started, I got myself copies of the 32 and 64-bit versions. I have the 64-bit version installed (in dual boot with Windows 7) on my secondary desktop PC (with a 22-inch monitor) but I don’t use it. My 12-inch netbook (also in dual-boot with Windows 7), however, boots to Windows Blue 32-bit

I found Windows 8.1 as a possible saving grace for Windows 8. It is, after all, still Windows 8. People liking it because of the return of the Start Button but still hate it because of the Start Screen. Let’s face it, the Start Screen interface and the Modern Apps are more for tablets.

Impressions: Xperia Z1 f (mini)

Sony should definitely release the Xperia Z1 f internationally and not make it a Japan exclusive. Sony Ericsson did the mini concept right before. When the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini was released in 2011, it had practically the same internal hardware as the flagship that year, the Xperia arc. Actually, the internal hardware specs were shared by the arc, neo, pro, ray, mini, and mini pro. We have to admit, though, that the arc and its batchmates didn’t have top of the line hardware. But still, same internals at different sizes, that’s how it should be done.

Samsung and HTC offer the Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC One Mini respectively. Good for their size but not as powerful as their larger flagship counterparts. I have to hand it to both, though, that their mini phones do look good and have decent sizes. They’re almost close to my ideal smartphone size which is the size of the iphone.

I’ll be waiting for this Z1 f. I’m even tempted to get the Lime variant. They call it Lime, but it’s still yellow to me.

Here are some sources about the Xperia Z1 f release:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sony-Xperia-Z1-f-mini-Officially-Unveiled-with-4-3-Inch-Display-Snapdragon-800-CPU-389871.shtml

http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_launches_xperia_z1f_on_ntt_docomo_in_japan-news-6951.php

Two Years Using Two 2nd-Gen. Intel Core PC’s - Part 3: CPU, Motherboard, and RAM

The usual distinction among PC’s is the CPU. It becomes a most fundamental specification or decription that overshadows the other parts. It is, afterall, central.

The motherboard’s importance becomes somehow underrated even though from a software point, the motherboard is the PC. It’s actually also called a mainboard. Replace the motherboard and Windows (software and licensing) treats it as a different PC. People don’t usually distinguish between motherboards as the PC’s performance is less dependent on this. As long as it can make the CPU and the other chosen parts, it’s already at least good enough.

RAM also has a similar case, with no obvious performance differences between frequency specifications. Performance varies, though, when you change the amount RAM and that is where overall system performance.

	Work PC	Home PC
	Intel Core i7 system	Intel Core i5 system
CPU	Intel Core i7-2600K	Intel Core i5-2500K
MB	MSI P67-C45	Asus P8P67 LE
RAM	4x 4GB Kingston DDR3-1333	8GB (2x4GB kit) G-Skill Ripjaws DDR3-1333

Two Years Using Two 2nd-Gen. Intel Core PC’s - Part 2: Work and Play

Wow. It took me a week for the second part. Oh well. Moving on...

Of note in the table from the previous part are the costs of the two computers. My work PC costs around 20% more than my home PC. That makes sense since it is justifiable for a machine that’s meant to generate income to be more expensive than one meant for entertainment. (The latter actually results in more cost but the income from the former offsets that. Besides, we work to have fun afterwards. Haha. Anyways...)

Removing the software cost as those don’t really have a performance impact, it makes less sense now. It went from a difference of PHP 12,000 to only PHP 4,000. With only that difference between the cost of productivity and the cost of entertainment, the home/play PC begins to seem a bit overpriced. The work PC on the other hand, even with the higher cost, becomes of better value. This is where subjectivity comes in.

	Work PC	Home PC
	Intel Core i7 (LGA 1155)	Intel Core i5 (LGA 1155)
Total Cost	PHP 81,000	PHP 69,000
HW only	PHP 66,000	PHP 62,000

Two Years Using Two 2nd-Gen. Intel Core PC’s

Personal computers have become a big part of everyday life for many of us. I for one use a PC for work and a PC for play. Currently, my work and my home computers are very similar. I have an Intel Core i7 system at work and an Intel Core i5 at home. Both have 2^nd generation “Sandy Bridge” Core processors released by Intel in 2011. For more or less 2 years, I’ve been using these pieces of tech.

1st Post - Intro

Here's my shot at a tech blog. Well, more than tech. Anime, gaming, music, etc. Geekery.

People consider me a techie person. Maybe. Although I think I’m more of someone with a techie mind. A techie person would have a whole lot of techie stuff. S/he may or may not understand those gadgets and gizmos deeply, but s/he would be able to acquire and use them somehow. I don't think I have enough—and frequently new—consumer devices to qualify as a techie person. Either I choose not to buy or my wallet disagrees with me. Eitherway, I find it entertaining to get updated with most if not all tech trends.

Geekery doesn't stop there. I find interest in anime and related hobbies—figures, gunpla, etc. I don't think I’m in the same level as some of my closest friends, but I must be more in depth than most of anime's target demographic. My anime indulgence is also a bit limited to mecha and even more limited to the Gundam franchise. I have to admit, the only Macross series I’ve seen is frontier. Of course, it's not totally just mecha. But yeah, not super otaku level.

I don't think I’m a gamer. I [used to] say, I’m no gamer, more of a player. But I keep up with at least popular knowledge of the gaming industry. Somehow, it does feel right to be simply informed. I’m also a pc gamer. Never owned and was never good at consoles. But as I said, still informed.

Lastly, music must be one of the driving forces in my life and many around me. I consider myself and average musician. I play the guitar and bass and know how to read music. I’ve been performing with bands from time to time and sing in a choir. I have established my taste and have my opinions on music and the music industry. There's some geekery to that, too.

I do find interest in other stuff and they may appear on this blog.

There you go, a blog of geekery, somewhere in the middle of it. This isn't entry level nor hardcore. This is Geekery Middle.