Since the release of Android, there has been people that have tried to install it onto non-Android devices.  You can do some searches around the xda-developer forums and find projects for different Windows Mobile devices that are able to run Android in some form or another.  I tried it out on my old AT&T Fuze/HTC Touch Pro and it was very fun to mess around with.  Of course, at that time wireless was not working, so it was just something to play around with.

What better device to install Android, a Linux based mobile OS, than the Nokia N900.  The N900 runs Maemo 5, which is ultimately a mobile version of Linux that Nokia has been working on for a few years with the help of a great open source community.  So, running one mobile Linux OS on a device that was made to run a mobile Linux OS should be possible, right?

It appears that it is possible…sort of.  During my daily Twitter check this morning, I came across a tweet from bdogg64 mentioning that he was uploading a video of running Android on the N900.  Keep in mind that this is basically a proof of concept at this point, but once more of the Maemo community digs in, I am sure that they will help bdogg64 push the limits of running Android on the N900.

If you want to join in on the fun, head over to the Maemo.org forums.  I can’t wait to see how this progresses. I may even give it a shot on my own N900 once the project is a bit more refined.

The title says it all… and thank God its been released!

When Microsoft released Windows 7 to the public in late October of 2009, one of the things missing for many Apple Windows users was Boot Camp support for Windows 7.  While Microsoft wasn’t responsible for releasing driver updates for Apple’s Windows 7 capable computers, seasoned Windows users, like myself, struggled to find a way of getting the OS to run natively (that is, without running Windows 7 in a virtual machine like VMWare or Parallels Desktop).

Apple released Boot Camp 3.1 to address Win7 compatibility issues…

Some of us got it to work, but not without a great deal of research and a bit of pain.  Boot Camp 3.0, included with MacOS X 10.6.0 – 10.6.2, simply was not (fully) Windows 7 compatible. Apple promised an update to the driver set and to the Boot Camp Control Panel by the end of 2009.  However, 31-Dec-09 came and went without nary an update or any kind of notice from Apple saying they were still working on it (though, honestly, most of us assumed they still were.)

A couple of days ago (as of this writing), Apple officially released both 32bit and 64bit updates for Boot Camp 3.  Dubbed Boot Camp 3.1, the 64bit update executable weighs in at 274MB while the 32bit update executable weighs in at a whopping 381MB.  Previously installed versions of Boot Camp 3.0 are required to use the update files.  Simply run the update over your existing installation, restart the PC, and you’re good to go.

I installed the 64bit update on my Early 2009 13" unibody MacBook, and I have to admit, I’m impressed.  When I initially installed the 64bit version of Windows 7 on my MacBook, I ran into a lot of problems. I couldn’t get Boot Camp to install. None of the individual drivers would install.  I ripped the 64bit version out and installed the 32bit version. I ran into the same problems with the same error messages. Boot Camp 3.0 and Windows 7 simply did not work and play well together.

It wasn’t until I discovered Josh Anderson’s Blog that I was able to get Boot Camp to install. I’ve been running the 64bit version of Windows 7 on my MacBook ever since.  The biggest problems I had were with Power Management after that.  The device wouldn’t hibernate at all. The device would not sleep to save its life. Clearly, a driver related issue.

Since the install of the 64bit version of Boot Camp 3.1, my MacBook functions like you would expect it to. The devices sleeps and wakes like it should. The new graphics drivers have made a definite and noticeable improvement with both memory usage and computer performance. (I still need to update my Windows Experience Index).

If you have a Mac running Windows 7, or want to run Windows 7 natively on your Mac, now is the time to make the switch. Apple’s release of Boot Camp 3.1 not only makes this possible, but makes it the experience (you expected) it was intended to be.

I wrote an article, before the announcement of the Apple media even on 27-Jan-10, for a local Chicago newspaper, the Aurora Beacon, on the rumors surrounding the existence of the Apple Tablet. I’ve got an updated version of that article over at iTechGear.org that everyone might find interesting. 

A mocked up version of Apple’s rumored tablet PC…

The recent TechVi web show that I did representing JAMM is there.  I love representing JAMM in these, and it really was an interesting show. The discussions before and after were, I thought, more compelling than the actual show.  However, I’m glad they didn’t air.  There was much more “what if” and rumor discussions in those conversations than in the actual show.  If those had aired, we would have done nothing more than fan the fire of the rumor mill, just creating more noise. Even today, there is much more rumor and what if being tossed around than solid, confirmable fact (though I would suppose that what we have coming out on sites like Apple Insider and MacRumors is going to be more and more accurate the closer we get to the actual event).

Check it out and then come back here and let me know what your thoughts are!

Holey cow!  My screen has not looked this good since I bought it…and maybe not even then.  It is so vibrant and crystal clear, I feel like I can just reach through the screen and shake your hand.  Though, maybe we should not try.  To what do I owe this newfound clarity?  The Monster ScreenClean.  Yes, this is the same Monster which is so well known for making high end audio and video cables.  This time, Monster reaches out to the other end of your device.  Rather than plugging into the back, the Monster ScreenClean will take care of the front end of your device.  So, let’s see how well it carries the Monster name.

First of all, Monster pack this thing deep within a securely fastened blister pack.  I am sure I am not the only one who hates these blister pack, and I have no idea why a bottle of cleaner and a cloth needs to be so securely packaged.  After managing to open the package without killing myself, I found a spray bottle of cleaner and a microfiber cloth. 

One thing I liked right off the bat was the size of the microfiber cloth.  This thing is more like a microfiber washcloth.  Additionally, although you cannot see it, the cloth is coated with an antibacterial protection, meaning that not only will it wipe up dirt and dust, but it will also keep your screen full of microscopic nasties…like germs and other bugs that cause illness.  So, go ahead and sneeze on that screen, Monster will take care of it.

As for the actual cleaning fluid, I cannot really tell you what is in that spray bottle except that it is blue, alcohol-free, ammonia-free, and contains proprietary polymers…whatever that might mean.  They do, however, make two different formulas, depending upon which kinds of devices you plan to use it with.

So, let’s start testing.  I started off with my Cowon S9 media player.  I had specially prepared this screen to test with the Monster ScreenClean by leaving it sitting out on my desk for several months.  That is quite a layer of dust and filth forming on the screen.

I was pretty impressed when that layer of dust and filth just wiped right off, with virtually no effort.  Just spray on the cleaning fluid and wipe it off with the included cloth.

Now that we have found the ScreenClean works (and works well), the real question becomes how would it compare to other screen cleaners.  So, I grabbed my usual standby, the Fellows Screen Cleaning Wipes, and tested the two side by side.

I started with the 10 inch screen on my MSI Wind.  I cleaned the left side with the Monster ScreenClean, and the right side with the Fellows wipes.  It is hard to see in the picture, but I really noticed that the wipes left a streaky residue which was hard to wipe off.  There was no such residue from the Monster Screen Clean.

Finally, I tested the ScreenClean on my iPod Touch.  What you see here is all of the dirt and dust which has been trapped under the case.  Nothing I have tried has been able to fully clean that off (to be fair, there is an Invisible Shield on there from Zagg).  I wiped it and then scrubbed harder with the Fellows wipes, but the dirt was still visible.

A few sprays with the Monster ScreenClean and it wiped right up with that microfiber cloth (the marks you see in the photo are actually air bubbles under the Invisible Shield, not dirt).  No elbow grease required. impressive!

I was not really sure what to expect from the Monster ScreenClean.  I mean, really, it is basically just another spray bottle of cleaner.  Like any good screen cleaner, it is ammonia-free and alcohol-free, but how would that really translate?  Apparently, pretty well.  The Monster ScreenClean handled everything I was able to throw at it, including some pretty ground in muck under the case of my iPod Touch.  I was really impressed, especially when compared with other screen cleaning systems. 

More information is available at the Monster Cable website.  You can purchase Monster ScreenClean kits ranging from $10 to $25 at Amazon.com.

I was asked to be on TechVi’s Bottom Line yesterday with Laptop Magazine’s Dana Wollman.  The topic at hand: Apple’s announcement of its media event on 27-Jan-10, and the speculation around its rumored tablet.  The video is short and to the point.  Why not give it a quick look (its only about 5 minutes long) and then give us your thoughts in the discussion below.

A mockup of the rumored Apple tablet PC…