The Battle of the +’s

So we have Sky+ and TV Drive (Virgin Media), but which one should I go for I hear you ask. If like me you are a tech geek and love the thrill of getting to know new technology then you can stop reading.

However, I decided to give the benefits of both systems and the pros and cons of each and I will leave it to yourself to make your mind up.

TV Drive/Virgin+ we all k ow the problems Sir Richard has faced in the past with BA, and Custom and Excise (illegally importing records etc etc) so why should the Sky machine be any different. Much to the disappointment of most Virgin Media customers Sky pulled the plug, however it was an upward struggle, but Sky decided it was a silly thing to do, Mr Branson stood his ground, and Sky 1, 2, 3 returned to the Virgin topsets. That aside, here are my findings between Sky and Virgin. Hardware first:
Virgin Media Tv Drive+
80gig Hard Drive
Record 2 watch a third
All the channels Sky offer
Unable to watch Sky HD channels

Sky+
40gig Hard drive
Record 1 watch 1
Most Sky channels HD

Unfortunately Virgin is not in all areas some people will not be able to get it. Sky on the other hand is everywhere so no problems there. Sky charge an arm and a leg for their packages whereas Virgin don’t. So it’s up to you where you.

Both have benefits over each other, but to be honest and only purely on this fact alone, I would go for Sky if I could afford it because of the HD properties.

- Posted from my iPhone

A narrow escape

It been one of those days where everything went from bad, to worst, and yet I am still here to tell the tale. Most people are aware of the terminology, ‘things happen in 3′s’ well not so this day.

It all started when I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom for my daily grooming. That was fine, and mission was accomplished. After having my regular bowl of Scotch Porridge Oats I was ready to face the world. So, my day begins!

I decided to use my iPhone camera more as sometimes things that are not used go redundant, and it just as well I did. If I didn’t, you would not believe me how bad this day was about to get. Remember what Jack Bauer says in the first episode of season 1, 24 – ‘my name is Jack Bauer and this is the longest day of my life’. Here is my version My name is @*%^ %|¥€\$|¥~ (do you really think I was going to reveal who I really am?) and this day I feel like Jack Bauer!

I left for work and thought what a lovely day, I think I will walk to work. Off I go with a Starbucks in hand (Home brewed of course) when I heard hooves behind me, and snorting! What can this be I wondered? As I turned round I was met with this

A bull charging down the street, if I was not quick I would have been impaled on those horns of his. Fortunately, I escaped and the bull was safely impounded in the feild where it belongs.

Arriving at the train station I purchaed my ticket and decided as it is a lovely day why not have a seat by the window. Making myself comfortable I set about reading the Herald newspaper (better thean the Daily Record, sorry Fabish, but it is and that’s that!) when the driver announced we were about to crash! Oh my gosh!!! I looked out the window and he was not kidding -

The bridge had collapse and we were on plummeting in a canyon like a dart! So I folded the broadsheet and prepared for impact. We were so lucky there was a river below which would absorb some of the impact. Some jumped before impact and some stayed in the carriages and were safe. Again I found myself reaching for the camera and this person passed by

Given the fact the Herald is a huge newspaper I smashed the glass and recused the damsel in distress. She was so grateful she asked if I would like to go for a ballon ride across America. How could I refuse such an offer. What an opportunity to get take some fantastic pictures of aerial views. However, it did not go to plan as we started losing altitude due to a small puncture on the ballon itself. We found ourselves decending like a bullet, into the middle of nowhere and here’s the proof!

What a disaster! Luckily I brought a parachute and was able to escape unscaved. Finding myself out in the middle of nowhere I activated my iPhone compass and got my bearings. I started off heading
north, albeit a little bedraggled, and worse for wear. When I was set upon by a pack of wolves. I was left no option than to run for my life to try and avoid being eaten. Running through the wilderness is no easy feat. Now, I can totally empathise with the Gazelle’s when they are chased by lions, cheetah’s, and Leopard’s but there was no way I was allowing myself to be eaten regardless how bad things may seem.

I live to fight another day! I beded down for the night cold, hungry, and all alone. I could hear the wolves howling and it sent a chill through my blood. But I was not to be beaten. I will survive (Gloria Gaynour) was all I could sing and think about. I wondered if anyone would miss me, or even thought about me.

Waking up the following morning, I set my course and found an old rope bridge. Being a little apprehensive I took great care in attempting to cross. Low and behold just my luck, the thing gave way

I eventually clambered out of the forrest and found that they had been looking for me. Who were looking for me I hear you ask? None other than the RAF, who advised they had scrambled a rescue service and were here to take me home and how glad I was.

Sometimes disaster seems inevitable, but how we choose to deal with it will determine if we come through the otherside.

Broken Windows

There is nothing worse than living in a house with broken windows. It is an absolute nightmare. having to repair or wait till it gets fixed. Most of you will probably be thinking about windows in a house. sorry that where your wrong. I am thinking about Windows based computers! (gotcha)

I’ve been using windows for sometime now, and like most thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. However, after XP was released things went from bad to worse, and worse yet. think of it this way, how many viruses have been written for Windows, how many patches have been released, how many security vulnerabilities have been exposed? I know, no Pc or Mac is bomb proof, but every time you connect to the web, you get the message ‘Windows is scanning for updates!’.

Where do I go from here you may ask. Simple, you go to Apple Macintosh.

Pricey initially, but cheaper in the long run. Lets compare:

Cheapest Mac = £499 Cheapest Pc/Laptop = £329
Operating systems Snow Leopard upgrade = £25 Windows 7 upgrade = £65
iWork (like MS Office) = £69 MS Office£200 (if your not a student)
Anti Virus Software none required for Mac Windows = £42.50

There you go, a brief run down of price. Now to sell the finer points of Mac. When installing a programme on Mac all the files are located in the folder, whereas, with Windows it will borrow different files other programmes which creates the security vulnerabilities (at this point it is worth noting that most Virus writer’s use Mac of which Apple chose not to comment). When you install a programme into Windows you will find it sprays itself all over the computer. ‘Wait a minute I thought I uninstalled that’!, you did but it always leaves tentacles lying around your Pc. With Mac, its one folder per programme, alot cleaner to say the least. You install the programme, a folder is created, and thats where it stays. Everything concerned about that programme stays in that folder. When you uninstall the programme everything is wiped. No tentacles! That’s Mac for you.

If you are planning on an upgrade, or a new computer, buy a Mac, everything is alot easier and simplistic. At the time of writing, I purchased a Mac Mini 2GB processor, 2GB Ram, 320GB Harddrive. Imagine how I felt when Apple released the new version!! 2.53GB Processor, 4GB Ram, 320 Harddrive, I took it back and was immediately given a replacement, no questions asked because I was still in my 14Days remorse period. Talking to one of the store staff he advised they sold 27 MacBooks, and they were expecting 27 MacBooks to come back to the store in exchange for the new Mac Book. One thing that cannot be faulted is the Apple After Sales Service!

One link I think you will enjoy watching:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

Spotify – Oh No, Not I

Well they finally did it, was it peer pressure, was it what the consummer wanted? Were they trying to please everyone, or was it a false impression?

To be honest I think it was false impression. Spotify finally hit the App store today, and me being a music lover thought I would download it and see how it compares to the likes of Last FM, and Wunder Radio. Unfortunately I didn’t even get that far.

Disappointed to say the least!!! To download the app it’s free, to listen to music Apple very sneakly applied a little boundary. You must have a premium account with Spotify to use the app! That’s not good when it will set you back £9.99 per month.

How would I like to pay? I don’t want to, how does that grab you? I’m sorry, but that put the nail in the coffin for me. Why would I want to download an app that’s going to cost me £9.99 pm??

I would recommend the Absolute Radio app which us free and you can listen to as much music as you like with a no repeat guarantee.

Sorry Spotify, you have been put in your place, you have been filed under B.

– Posted from my iPhone

Oops! This Can’t Be Coincidence

As most of you have probably gathered I enjoy going to the gym, working out, and riding my mountain bike. So this day was no exception.
In a bid to save money, the environment, I thought it be a great idea to take my bike to the Spin-Fit class at my local Sport Centre. I got myself clipped in and off I went.

Where we stay it is sometimes quicker to walk than take the car, because when they built the place, they made walkways to all the local amenities. As I was making my way there I came down a flight of stairs and proceeded down the path. It was just then it happened! I caught something out the corner of my eye. Just a glimpse. It moved between the corner of the house and a space between the bush. What was it? Oh-No! Too late, bang, crash, wallop!

A young boy runs straight out in front of me and I smacked him with my right handlebar and fist. (The reason for the fist was because I had 2 fingers over the brake leaver). I was travelling at about 12mph, he was running at say 6mph that gives us a total collision impact of roughly 18mph. Upon contact he hit the ground with a thud that I will probably remember for many weeks to come. I went over the handle bars (again!) an immediately went into a commando roll to try and break the fall. The young boy gets up screaming and I think to myself ‘oh-no, I’ve broken his nose’. I asked where he stayed and I follow him home. I told his mother what happened and aplogised profusley.

I got back on my bike, clipped in and started to make my way to the gym (a little worse for wear, bleeding, bruised, scrapped, but not out). Coming to the place where I hit the first young boy, I catch something out the corner of my eye, and at the top of my lungs I shout ‘WHOA’. Another young boy comes speeding round the corner on his bike and, you guessed it, ‘Smack’ straight into me. I come off the bike ‘AGAIN!!!’, the young lad screams holding his mouth and I think here we go again (Deja-Vu). This time I let him cycle to home as I didn’t have the time to explain what happened. Eventually I made it to the Spin Class.

On the way home I decided to see how the first young person was. I had a quick chat with his father and explained what had happened. It was then the father adivised me I also got his younger brother, and he lost a tooth into the bargain. It was a primary tooth which means he still has a secondary tooth to come in. Again I apologised, even though on both ocassions it was not my fault.

In conclusion, maybe I should take up knitting or something. It’s not as dangerous, or knowing my luck I would probably harpoon myself on a needle.

The Magnificent Duo Ride Again

The saga continues…

One thing I really love about my mate Ian is his passion for the outdoors and Mountain Biking. As humble as I am, I was looking for someone to ride with (not much fun when your by yourself) and decided to ask him if he would be interested. Like a child in Willy Wonka’s Choloate Factory his eyes lit up. The only problem was his wee commuter bike. It would not last 5mins on the tracks/trails we hit. So we kept our ears to the ground and eventually found him a bike that could handle everything the hills/mountians would throw at it (some more than others).

On his first adventure all you could hear were screams and laughter of sheer exhilartion as he came charging down the trails shouting at the top of his lungs ‘the was emmense’, whilst laughing his head off at the same time. And so the door was opened in which he walked through and embraced it fully.

One trail we do is called the OK’s those in the know will know what I’m talking about. It’s one of those trails in which you don’t look forward to because the climb is absolutely ‘PUNISHING’. There is a gradual climb which gets steeper and steeper and steeper, until the only thing that would assist you is a pair of ladders. The pic below does not do it any justice as it does not capture the gradient.

We have attempted to climb this hill a number of times and each time it has beaten us. As a result I decided to speak with someone in the know. He advised the following:

1) Keep your backside in the saddle
2) Tuck your elbows in
3) Put your weight on the front forks and the saddle.

With that in mind, we will give it a bash next time. Anyway back to the main story….

After finally ascending the hill we started the down hill section. Immediately after going about 500yrds I noticed I didn’t set the travel on my forks which would mean heavy duty bumps would go straight through me. I pulled over while Ian went past me like a rocket. I eventually caught up with him and we took the next section. Cycling on a sheer cliff face with a 50-75ft drop into a loch takes a bit of getting used to so we erred on the side of cautioned and took it easy. The great thing about being in the bike is you can access areas that are normally out of bounds to others. As we cycled on we came to a small loch and it was beautiful. There was a reflection like something out of the Forrest Gump movie, absoltutely stunning.

It would appear the forestry commission are chopping down trees and in the process of doing so they have made us a little track. That was groovy, we started picking up speed as we took the meandering corners with ease. I decided to track the trail on RunKeeper Pro and true to form it kept us in it’s sights all the way down. It also tracked our speed and we both clocked 31.9mph, ha ha ha.

We took the next track and unbeknown to us there was a slight mud film on the trail. Mud film = Splash back. That’s where out eye shields came in handy. All they are, are clear sunglasses that stop mud and debris going into your eyes. The splash back began to obscure our vision to the point where we had to angle our heads, keep our eyes straight and find a clear spot to see where we were going. Coming to a hault Ian bursted out laughing saying ‘Look at the nick of you’ and I did so like wise.

Coming down after the last trial was an absolute riot. I forgot to mention I got a pair of Clipless Pedals and shoes. I was concerned that if I came off the bike would come with me. ‘Don’t worry about that’ I was told. So I didn’t. However, this one is priceless. We came home and hosed the bikes down. I clipped in and took my bike round the back to put it to bed. I forgot to clip out and fell like a tree! MasterCard!!!!!

Great day out, challenging, and fun. That is the reason why we ride!

Next up our friend Pedro is hopefully coming with us. The more the merrier.

Blogged From My iPhone

It’s Time To Ride

Now that we have had a decent run of good weather the time had come for my friend Ian and I to mount our steeds and hit the trail. It was a long time coming, and it couldn’t come quick enough.

Given it was my birthday at the start of the week, I was eager to try out my new Fox Flux Helmet, and Fox Flow Jersey. Coupled with that I also downloaded an app for my iPhone called ‘Runkeeper Pro’ which alleges it can track you Running, Rowing, Mountian Biking, Ski-ing. I was apprehensive that it could do it but it did and I was well chuffed.

With the date and time arranged I picked up Ian and we headed to the trail ( I won’t disclose the location, sorry!) upon arrival we got kitted up and the bikes were in great shape. It was time to hit the trail. The first 15mins or so were quite easy as we followed the cycle path to the point where we turn off and the hard work starts.

What lay before us was a gradual climb to 1361ft and let me tell you it knocks lumps out your legs. Even though both Ian and I attend the gym on a regular basis you can still feel the bite on your quads as you start the ascent.

Although it had been almost 2yrs since we had last been up I wasn’t expecting many changes. Perhaps maybe deeper ravines or streambeds but nothing major. Our climb took us approximately 1hr and 15mins which meant we would be down in 45mins is it worth it? Of course it is. At the half way point we took a breather and regained our composure, before hitting the runs. One thing I must point out, there is many puddles along this track and most of the surrounding hillside is peat. So when it rains black peaty puddles are formed and you don’t know how deep they are until you go through them. For example. What may look like 2″ of water can be 2ft and vice versa. But that didn’t stop us. There is only one way!

The first run we bit hard and the first puddle hit us, the back spray was emense, luckily we had on our eye shields on or else we would have been cycling blind. Round the next bend was the daddy of all puddles it was huge and we didn’t know how deep. Only one way to find out! I thought it was do-able and so drew the shortest straw whislt Ian looked on with intent. I got 5ft into it and was met with a boulder the size of Edinburgh Castle, over the handle bars and the only thing in my mind was ‘Protect the iPhone’ (you see Apple very cleverly have put in a water damage indicator. When your phone goes for a swim a little pink dot appears where you plug in your charger, which lets Apple know it been drowned), splash into the water I went, and came up like a Polaris Missile. It was freezing! This is where the Fox Flow Jersey came into it’s own. It is double layered. The first layer keeps you warm whislt wicking away moisture from the body and the water was no problem. The outer shell is made of a dri-fit material Which as it says, dries very quickly. Ian (God Bless, him) didn’t laugh, but assisted me and made sure I was ok, nothing but a bruised ego, and 2 seriously skint knees ( which bleed profusely).

Anyway, enough of that. So we started off again and set about picking up speed and hitting the trail. 4 rules apply:
1) Choose your line
2) Commit to it
3) Hit it hard
4) Don’t look back
That’s our ethos.
Before we knew it we had done 5 runs and were on the homeoward striat. This is probably the best part as we were coming down there is a nice little bump so to speak that if you hit it hard enough you can catch some ‘Air’. Unfortunately both of us missed it and found ourselves at the finish line. Next Time!

A great day out with good company, good cycle, and a great workout. 11miles in 2 hours. 1865 calories burned. Completely knacked after it. Until next time……

Blogged From My iPhone

An Unexpected Meeting

Today I poped into the local supplement store to get some provisions as I had run out. Why is it you always run out a couple of days before payday?

I am by no means a Body Builder, but enjoy physical exercise in many different forms. On 1st Feb 09 I weighed approx 18st.3lb. This was due to overeating and not exercising. My wife, said to me in the most diplomatic way possible, ‘Honey, your not getting any younger, and I am a little concerned’. That was enough, time to do something about it.

As I entered the shop I was greeted by the owner, but my vision was obscured by this mountain of a man Gregor Edmunds. Got my stuff and had time to have a quick chat with him. Really nice guy and a pleasure to meet him

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Happy Birthday

Well today is my birthday!! Whoo hoo!

My mum always says to me “x amount of years ago son, I was in labour with you” (As if I’m really gonna tell you my age). So here I have the privilege of seeing another year pass.

I must admit I do love my birthday, not because I am another year older, but because of the pressies (to be honest that’s why everyone likes their birthday) and people come to visit.

I got some great presents, first up was my mountain bike helmet, a Fox Flux Helmet I hasten to add and man it looks cool, this was followed closely by my Fox Flac Moumtian Bike Jersey to go with the helmet and my already purchased gloves. With this in mind me and mate ‘Macca’ (to protect his identity) are riding on Saturday Morning and I can’t wait. I downloaded and App called RunKeeper Pro. This uses the iPhone’s unbuilt GPS to give you your location, time, distance, and pace whilst out running or mountian biking. This ride we will do is out in the middle of nowhere. I mean if you come off and injure yourself, your looking at Helicopter (which might not be a bad thing, you get to ride for free) to get you off. If this App is able to track us, it goes to the first screen of my iPhone.

Continuing with my birthday. What is always appreciated is the cosmetics for men, Clinique, Clarins, and King of Shaves are great pressies because they cost a fortune and you very rarely buy them yourself.

Last but buy no means least I got some new t-shirts I love t-shirts and would wear them, than a shirt because they go with anything. I also love my cofffee and Starbucks was in the package.

To top it all off I took the day off work and was greeted by a very excited daughter this morning jumping up and down yelling at the top of her lungs ‘It’s your birthday’ and proceeded to open my pressies. As the day progressed further my beautiful wife and I found ourselves in Largs having lunch and basking in the sun with no kids. Just off to have a cigar and beer with my dad.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Holiday!

Well here we are back home after a couple of weeks in the sun. Menorca was our place of destination.

Weather was great, but ate way to much food as we were all inclusive. Sam Maguel on tap and not the local brew as one would come to expect.

This time round it was quite expensive. €1.09 to the pound. So for the likes of a twix which would cost 0.60p here was virually £1 over there. One thing I am going to do and that is learn to speak foreign langauages because I am a little fed up trying to explain myself in broken English!!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]