justrhysism design

Well, I may have just found a way to increase my blogging frequency…

I’ll Flock you!

What is Flock? Well, it’s a social media browser. Imagine -

Twitter
Digg
Picasa
flickr
YouTube
delic.io.us
Facebook
Wordpress
+ many more!

- all in one neat application/browser. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it (once you’re used to it) changes the way you view social media sites. It’s fantastic!

Right now I’m blogging from within Flock, purely because it’s easier. I used the inbuilt web clipboard to get all these images by just dragging and dropping them into the blog window… baha! Too easy.

For anyone that is serious about blogging (and therefore social media sites too), give Flock a week or two and see how you go.

Tags: Flock, browser, web

Since I haven’t had any programs to download thanks to the writers strike… I have downloaded the entire Top Gear series. Well, so far I’m up to downloading the fourth season, and have watched to near the end of the third season so far. I just can’t get enough of it.

I am an addict. I guess the first steps to recovery is admitting it. But seriously though, it is an absolute top show. I did find it interesting in the first season how the audience was only a handful of people, and there was a focus on actually bringing useful information for people that might want to buy a vehicle. Then by the third season they have almost forgotten about normal every day cars, and have started realising the entertainment in pointless tests and races. Which is awesome!

For anyone that hasn’t seen Top Gear, do yourself a favour and switch it on when the new season starts later this year. You don’t have to be a car buff to enjoy it. It is entertainment more so than journalism. You don’t need to know anything about cars at all really. It’s just brilliant!

I must say that I am quite jealous that my namesake from Wales has watched Top Gear on set. I even saw him (well, after an eagle-eyed search) in the audience! Bastard!

Well, I now have a whole NINE people watching my item. Today I finally got around to cleaning up and taking a photo of the amp ready for sale. I am still actually using it, and it still works so awesomely… I don’t know how I’ll go for those few weeks without a amplifier/receiver.

So people can see EXACTLY what they are buying, here’s a pic of it.

 It’s beautiful isn’t it? When you plug it in, and bring around your mates, it’s just like… “Woooooow…”

Oh yeah, I don’t fool around when it comes to awesomely loud and clear sound. 

For those (in Australia) who are looking for a kick-ass premium home-theatre amp (well, mid-class, depending on who’s talking), I have one for sale on eBay. 

Ah, the Onkyo TX-SR603 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver. It is a fantastic amplifier, and still does blow me away. I used it only half an hour ago to enjoy the fourth installment of the Harry Potter franchise (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Yes, I know, I’m a little behind the times. I thought I might finally watch it.

So anyhow, I’m selling it because I need HDMI. What? You say… High Definition Multimedia Interface. Oh, it’s just like the latest and greatest with digital A/V connections. … I won’t go into detail.

I have listed the amp for $699, not bad considering it is less than 2 years old and was originally worth $1399 (RRP). I have all the original packaging and manuals for it. It is also the last of the 600-series amps to get the awesome chunky remote (the new models have a pathetic cheap plastic remote), and the blue glow is soooo damn cool!

The amp was (and still is) very popular, and considered great value for money. To be honest, I actually much prefer the look and feel of this one to the new models. I am going to stick with Onkyo for my new amp (probably the TX-SR705B, retail $1899), but I really think the new models are getting a bit cheap. They have lost that ‘tough, muscle’ feel to them. Nevertheless, I want HDMI, so I upgrade.

It will be sad to part with it… I have shared many awesomely loud hours with it.

Happy bidding! 

Well it has been another long time since I last posted anything - this is mainly because I have a hatred of Internet Explorer, and am well aware that my website is IE-incompatible, yet CAN NOT for the life of me, work out WHY IE won’t play ball. What makes it harder is that I’m on a mac, and need to run downstairs each time to test IE on my housemates PC.

Also, Christmas and New Years are somewhat busy for me. I mean, they are busy for us all - but those who work in retail would know that it is STUPIDLY busy. Up until this week, it has been really crazy with all the post-christmas and new-year sales on. It’s actually kind of nice to be able to put my feet up.

Thursday if I’m not too hungover I’ll tell some stories. For now, WordPress needs upgrading, and I need to sleep.

I am still super geek, yet despite the fact that the new OS X Leopard has over 300 new features, I like it because it’s pretty.
You heard me. It’s pretty, and that is why I like it.

Spaces, Exposé, Stacks, Cover Flow, Time Machine (Which for lack of a suitable external hard drive I’m yet to try) are all fantastic. But it’s the little things that I like. Like when you change the clock on the Dashboard, it doesn’t just flick instantly to the new time. Oh-no, it actually winds the clock around until it reaches the desired time. I loved it!

This weeks self revelation - I like pretty things. Simple, pretty things.

OS X 10.5 Leopard has renewed my love for my computer. I was actually considering upgrading, as my 2-year-old PowerPC 2GHz G5 seemed to be getting a little long in the tooth. But it’s like a whole new computer now. Runs a little faster (amazingly), and has given me that new sense of child-like wonder. Steve Jobs has done it again.

Yep, my geek status has been confirmed in concrete with titanium supports and laser security.

I have pre-ordered my copy of the new cat.

The new what?

Mac OS X Leopard. The long-awaited new operating system from Apple.

I have never been so excited for a product made of lines of code… oh wait… yes I have. But other than that, I am totally pumped to sink my erm… fingers onto this OS.

Problem is, I have a massive assignment due this Friday. It is a Java Swing assignment, which requires heavy use of my computer. So, do I take the chance of a flawless install and set-up, plus a few hours of exploring and tweaking… or do I wait until the assignment is done?

I know what I should do. But I know what I will do… I’m in for a late night.

Okay, I know I am a bit behind the ball on this one…

But one reason I am late is because I’ve been playing it quite a bit since it was released. Halo 3 has had a HUGE amount of hype to live up to.

And it has.

The campaign mode, which is about ‘Finishing the fight’, is quite entertaining, and had me stuck on my bean bag for many many hours. Although I did feel that it was a little short. But there were many epic battles that would have you sitting in the same spot of the map working your ass off to knock down all the Brutes and move on.

I finished the game on ‘Heroic’ (hard difficultly, mind you, not the hardest). It was very challenging in some parts, and you really can’t just run out and blast away. The AI is very intelligent, running away from grenades, throwing grenades of their own to flush you from cover, and even flanking you in some situations.

You get to use all sorts of vehicles and weapons, which makes the game really fun. There is nothing quite like driving around in a massive tank blowing the crap out of everything.

The music is none other than epic. The classic military style Halo theme music plays out and gets your spine tingling for some Master Chief action. (Although, I must admit, I prefer the guitar style of the original music) This game must be played with a good quality sound system (preferably surround sound) or at least a good pair of headphones.

The Multiplayer.

Well, since I finished the campaign so ‘quickly’, what else is there to do? What we have all really been waiting for. The multiplayer battles.

These are fantastic. With so many new weapons, and extra devices and tools to use, it takes the game to a whole new level. The maps are quite good. A good mix of tight close combat maps to huge sniper-friendly maps. It will keep me going for quite some time.

If you sign onto Bungie.net, you can keep track of every single medal you earn online. It records how many kills you have had with each and every weapon on each map. Keeps track of your overall K/D spread. You can access your screenshots that you’ve uploaded from the theatre. It is just awesome. Totally awesome.

Then there’s the theatre. You can watch back every single game you play from pretty much any perspective you like. Replay those flukey skillful head shots from across the map. Watch in slow motion as your rocket follows a Banshee through the air. It is just amazing, and takes up huge amounts of my time.

You have to be pretty hard to impress if you don’t like this game. It has something for (nearly) everyone.

I’m in love.

This game is just phenomenal.

Very realistic in every sense.

The graphics are mind-blowing.
I just can’t get enough of this game. If you own an XBox 360, and you don’t mind the odd race. This is THE racing game.

I would love to babble more about it, but I’m off to put a new engine in my Camaro… wow…

I don’t blog all that often as it is, and it might just fall even a little less frequent, as yesterday I picked up my new found love.

An XBox 360… Elite.

What’s so special about it?

Well, it’s black. It has a massive 120GB Hard Drive. It also has the new digital HDMI connection for 1080p High Definition glory. (Not that I can use the full 1080p… but 1080i is fine with me.)

Other than that, it’s not really that different, and I have probably just spent a whole lot of money that I could’ve done without really needing to… for black. Meh… Interest free terms… I’ll pay it later.

Well then Rhys, why are you so excited? I hear you say.

I am probably one the first people in Australia to get my hands on one!

How?

It’s release date is the 30th August. Through my connections, I pre-ordered one, and took one home last night. TWO DAYS before it’s release date! HURRAH!!!

I feel so special… no, not really. But I am pretty stoked. Although my contact was almost not going to give it to me unless I settled down as I jumped about a humped random objects in excitement.

But now, I’m off to sharpen my Halo skills to be prepared for the Halo 3 release on the 26th September. Much love!