Kupitero, Author at Baclaran Parañaque Rizal

June 27, 2005

The Web on the Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable)

My nephew, Gio, flew in from Virginia with a PSP on hand. He was watching a movie on the gadget’s small yet crisp TFT screen (4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen at 480 x 272 pixel and 16.77 million colors) via a UMD (Universal Media Disc) video inserted on the drive.

English: A Sony memory stick pro duo. 2GB. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The $250 handheld gaming console also has USB 2.0, an infra-red (IrDA) port, a slot for a Memory Stick PRO Duo (another Sony-proprietary format that looks like a copy of the SD (Secure Digital) card) and, interestingly, IEEE 802.11b or Wi-Fi at 11 Mbps. Note that Bluetooth was not built-in.

Curiously, the device also sports an interface that looks like a copy of Apple’s Mac OS X, sans the dock. Indeed, “Sony loves to copy Apple products to death,” as Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) is wont to say.

Although WiFi was built-in, the PSP’s OS lacked a browser. Connectivity was included to, basically, enable the device to have firmware updates. Configuring the unit to hook-up to the wireless network was relatively easy except for the entry of all the information required. You must be a savvy ‘text’-er (aka, SMS) to breeze through any data-entry process on the PSP.

But, the lack of a browser on the PSP is not a deterrent for veteran netheads. Using the game called “Wipeout Pure” (also in UMD format) and the old web server trick of ‘DNS-spoofing,’…yes, you can use the PSP for ‘simple’ web surfing.

Don’t expect web pages to appear in all its glory on the device’s small yet impressive TFT screen. Most of the standards in the ever-changing world of the Web are not yet supported in the browser inside “Wipeout Pure”. These, plus the use of the controls in the PSP to act as your keyboard make web-browsing on the PSP very cumbersome.

It will not take long for Sony (as well as, hackers) to integrate a built-in browser in the OS via their updates. A small keyboard can truly help as well for easier web access.
But, hey, the PSP was primarily created to be a nifty portable gaming device and not as a notebook or some sort of a ‘web-pad’. Having the capability to sniff-out free WiFi hotspots built-in on the unit makes the PSP an attractive alternative to carrying that bulky laptop!

UPDATE: Yesterday, Aug. 24, 2005, almost two months after this original posting – Sony officially announced the inclusion of a web browser in the OS via a software update.
PSP owners no longer have to purchase ‘Wipeout Pure’ just to surf the Web!

June 4, 2005December 10, 2020

Starvation In the Midst of Plenty (Life, as my iPod, Sees It)

Any doctor will tell you that, diabetes, as a disease, is characterized by having an unusually high blood glucose level. While many factors cause the high glucose levels in the blood, it is the result of something that prevents the glucose from getting into the various cells of the body, where it’s needed to provide the nutrients that the cells require.

This is why it’s called “starvation in the midst of plenty.” Your body has all the glucose you could ever use, but it can’t get into the cells to go to work.

The same analogy can be used to describe how I view life -as an expatriate in the U.S.- using the iPod as my ‘aid’. Here are some of them:

I’m constantly listening to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s, “Triste” (Sad –Is To Live in Solitude) on my iPod and immediately turns nostalgic. I long for the hand-to-mouth, not-so-loaded-with-material-things yet carefree and happier existence I had back home. Nothing beats the natural design of things.

I’m constantly listening to Astrud Gilberto’s rendition of the Burt Bacharach classic, “Wanting Things” (from the Broadway musical, “Promises, Promises”) on my iPod and immediately turns sad. In spite of the material things I had accumulated in my adopted homeland, they all simply provide temporary enjoyment and do nothing to uplift me spiritually. I guess, the adage “less is more” fits the bill perfectly here.

I’m constantly listening to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s, “Look To The Sky” on my iPod and immediately turns dazed and confused. Dazed because of my utter amazement at its vastness and infiniteness. And confused, because it offers a way of ‘searching’ for any hidden clues that it may offer in my quest for some of the answers to the nagging whats and whys of living.

I’m constantly listening to Gino Vanelli’s, “Where Am I Going” on my iPod, and I’m immediately reminded of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. It narrates the desperation of all our actions while we are living…the ‘nothingness’ of everything we do or had accomplished. Yet, we must consider life as a ‘gift‘ in reverence to a good and all-knowing God.

I’m constantly listening to Bebo (Valdes) and El Cigala’s (aka, Diego Jimenez Salazar) take of the classic song from Argentina, “Vete de Mi” -from the album, “Lagrimas Negras”- on my iPod and immediately turns teary-eyed. I pine for the days when the world was much younger before my eyes and when a casual walk (alone or with friends) along the beach near the town where I grew up, was enough to make me happy.

I’m constantly listening to Jean-Luc Ponty’s, “The Gift of Time” on my iPod and immediately wonder where had all my younger days gone by. Only the memories linger on.

Maybe, life -fascinating and mystifying as it is -like diabetes, is a ‘disease’ brought upon us so that we may find the cure for the ‘starvation‘ we constantly feel in our hearts, deep within ourselves, as we plod along through its very arduous course.

Now I’m also constantly listening to Sting’s, “Be Still My Beating Heart” on my iPod, and immediately, adrenaline rushes through my blood–to tackle what life has to offer…each and every day…as long as I’m still breathing.

May 13, 2005

The Temples of Thailand

I already felt the humidity of Bangkok the moment we stepped out of the plane to wait for the service bus that will take us to the main airport terminal. The bus’ air-conditioning hid this fact for a few minutes, and so, the muggy air blasted onto my face anew as soon as we stepped out of the airport to wait for another bus that will us take to our hotel after we had cleared immigration and retrieved our baggages.
Bangkok, despite of what I’ve read and heard from friends about the place, immediately impressed me after the almost 40-minute drive to our hotel, which was located in the heart of downtown…along Petchaburi Road. The roadways were clean and nicely engineered. Towering concrete posts for the still-undergoing-expansion Skytrain, dotted the right portion of the freeway, but they were left neatly in place –no dangling wood forms nor rusting steel supports.

The country -temples or without- simply showed us that the people is where we sense more the ‘breath of nature’ that moves our innermost heart.

But one thing that awed me were the magnificent temples that literally lined up the entire streets of Bangkok–Budhhism being the main religion of the country. Not only they tempered the modern look of the country, but they also added ‘mystique’ to the already-exotic place.
After a brief, albeit, refreshing sleep, quick showers followed by the hearty breakfast buffet in our hotel, Bangkok and its magnificent temples, would, once again, dazzle us during the 6-hour morning city tour.
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The city tour showcased most of the popular -and bigger- temples in downtown Bangkok that included, the Wat Phra Chetuphon Temple (more popularly known as the ‘Wat Po’ where the massive ‘reclining Buddha’ is housed) and the Traimitwitthayaram Temple inside the Chinatown district, where the ‘biggest Golden Buddha made of pure gold’ in the world is located.
Finally, on a trip to the countryside the following day, Thailand not only showed us its gentler side but also visually reminded us that, “all that glitters is not, necessarily, gold.” Why? Inside those temples, while the beauty and craftsmanship of all the icons and statues may mesmerize visitors, they all paled in comparison with the natural warmth and friendliness of the Thai people.

April 22, 2005December 26, 2023

In The Streets of Manila – 2005 Reprise

I knew it would be hot and humid, but I went with my wife to visit Manila by the end of March. After all, it had been almost three years since I last sauntered upon its streets — to see again the places that had been mute witnesses to my frivolities in the early years of my adult life.

A few days after we arrived, we were already ambling along the districts of Santa Ana, Paco, Ermita, and Malate and portions of Intramuros and San Andres (formerly a part of Santa Ana district). The main stretch of Pedro Gil St (formerly Herran) – from Roxas Blvd to its dead-end at the historic Santa Ana Church, where it continues as New Panaderos St going towards Mandaluyong City – by itself, offered me a snapshot of what the entire city had gone through over the years.

As always, the area offered the amalgam of deja vu, fascination, sadness, and desperation — I had known almost the entire vicinity since I was still an elementary student at nearby Malate Catholic School in the late ’60s.

Not much had changed in the heart of Paco and Santa Ana. Jeepneys, cars, and tricycles, compounded by the narrow streets, continue to choke the area, while numerous patches of urban blight seem to haunt these places perpetually. The current mayor of Manila had tried his best to give the entire city a fresh look by opening up most of the city parks -the “Paraiso ng Batang Maynila” (Paradise of the Child of Manila)- and put up those old, Spanish-style lampposts (ala-Intramuros) throughout the main streets. But, they, too, had become victims of what afflicts the entire archipelago- very poor (if there’s any) maintenance of these improvements and the short-sightedness in planning and design of its overall infrastructure.

Malate and Ermita had seen the most changes due to new high-rise buildings along Roxas Blvd, A. Mabini, M.H. del Pilar, and Taft Avenue, as well as the redevelopment of the bayfront from Vito Cruz to Rizal Park (Luneta) which Manilans fondly refer to as, “Baywalk.”

At the back of the Manila City Hall, in Arroceros St, saw the rise of a big mall. But, its overall design -like a big piece of hollow block- made the entire vicinity more bland than it used to be. Who knows what happened to the small business establishments that abound in the place before the mall? Gone were the genteel shops and the post-war YMCA that used to thrive when the GSIS and the DECS were still in the same area. Even the improvement of the park (part of Mehan Garden) along Concepcion St did little to counter the blase look the mall did to the area.

The sad state of the entire place says a lot about how city managers (present and former) interacted with businessmen and prospective investors on how to make the place not only commercially vibrant but also how to make these establishments blend beautifully -without neglecting its history- with the entire area.

A few days later, I was sweating it out in the districts of Quiapo, Santa Cruz, and Binondo, as well as passing through San Miguel, Sampaloc, and Santa Mesa districts via jeepneys and the newly-built LRT 2 (MegaTren). I had already seen the changes made by the incumbent Manila mayor in the Quiapo-Plaza Miranda areas back in 2002, which, at least, sanitized the Lacson Underpass of crooks, thieves, and petty criminals.

While the traffic situation in the vicinities of Manila may have improved because of the LRT 2 -which runs all the way from Recto Avenue to Santolan Road in Quezon City-, the entire city still need a lot of changes in its overall infrastructure (majority of its sidewalks are dilapidated), for it to become at par with its already-modern Southeast Asian counterparts.

Starting from Quinta Market underneath the Quezon (aka, Quiapo) Bridge, we meandered our way to Escolta via Carlos Palanca St (Echague), passing by the statue of the late Manila mayor, Arsenio Lacson – as well as nearby Sta. Cruz Church – within the renovated portion of the plaza. We ambled towards Binondo via Tambacan, stopping a bit at Ongpin St to buy some “machang” (steamed sticky rice with cooked pork or chicken at the center, wrapped in bamboo leaves) and “siopao” (steamed bun with braised pork/chicken inside) as pasalubong (take-home).

Then, it was time to get some very cheap hardware/home furnishings along Tomas Mapua St (Misericordia), for which the street is noted. We ended our ‘mini-Chinatown tour’ on one of the tables at the ‘Pinsec Noodle House‘ (wow, it’s still there!!) along Claro M. Recto Ave (formerly, Azcarraga), where we enjoyed my old favorites: “beef asado” noodles (braised beef w/ noodles) and siopao asado. After washing these down with our favorite soda, Rizal Avenue (Avenida Rizal) a few steps away- surprised us with one of the most notable changes in the vicinity.

The stretch of Rizal Avenue from Plaza Lacson (near Carriedo) to C.M Recto Ave was ‘pedestrianized.’ The old cement road and the sidewalk were replaced with bricks, and assorted, colorful plant boxes were placed on the sides. Benches made of wood and stainless steel were placed in the center for promenaders to sit on. Lampposts were added to complement the dim lights underneath the LRT 1 tracks.

The pedestrianization project, indeed, brightened up the area, and with the ongoing construction of a mall (hopefully, with a design that could recreate the grandeur or ambiance of the place after WW II) where the former Odeon Theater was located -as well as the timely opening of the modern, 4-story, LRT 2-Recto Station nearby-, ‘Avenida‘ as it was more popularly called, may well have found the recipe for its rebirth.

We almost walked the entire length of the ‘new’ Avenida from where we veered left towards Gil Puyat St (Raon St)…the “electronics capital” of the country. Here, scores of vendors offered us an assortment of goodies from the cheapest electronic parts & equipment, fake audio CDs, VCDs, DVDs, and almost anything related to the fake (very few were legit) mobile phone parts industry.

I also got a new pair of eyeglasses for only US$ 25 in this area. Time was well spent since we also ambled to nearby Quiapo Church (we’ve come full circle), where we prayed to the patron saint and God to give us more time on our next visit.

We also got some freshly-made “hopia” (small, round, very crusty bread with different fillings inside – very popular of which is the ‘mongo’ beans made into a paste), “chorizo Macau” (Macau pork sausages), as well as a cheap CD case (less than a dollar) as we headed back to pick up the eyeglasses at the optical shop located along P. Paterno St.

Very tired now, we ambled back to the LRT 2-Recto Station via Evangelista St and took one of the nice, roomy, and air-conditioned trains for V. Mapa St – in the Santa Mesa district -, that glided through Sampaloc district as well.

In Santa Mesa, we took a quick -and very cheap at about $2 for the two of us- lunch of pork BBQ-on-a-stick, “menudo“ (diced pork and potatoes in tomato sauce), a dry version of the “papaitan“ (sauteed goat innards with lots of onions and chili), free “sabaw” (soup), lots of rice and a bottle of cold Coke to cool-off the noonday heat that had built-up on our bodies. Around this area, we took one of the two jeepney rides that brought us back to Hulo, Mandaluyong City, where I stayed most of the time during my month-long odyssey.

I might miss Manila occasionally as I continue to toil in another country for my livelihood. But, the place -much less the entire country- had slowly progressed to miss it longingly. Corruption, apathy, as well as the perverted sense of nationalism of the majority of the people had been the bane of the country, and getting to that next important step to becoming a truly progressive nation is still very elusive for Filipinos.

It’s still very hard to enjoy living in luxury in a country where most people can barely make a living. Part of it may be their fault, but the bigger blame lies squarely on a government that perennially fails to deliver on its fundamental purpose…to uplift the socio-economic status of its constituents to the next level.

March 15, 2005

Waiting For Enfora (WiFi for the Treo 600 and 650)

Ever since I got a $5.40 bill from Cingular for using their GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network for ONLY about two (2) minutes-to access the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s website (www.inq7.net)- using my old but trusty Treo 600, I had long been aching to have WiFi access on this gadget.

Using GPRS for web browsing isn’t just the way to go these days. It maybe convenient for e-mail and SMS (where our friendly phone companies charge very minimal fees), but GPRS for web access is not only slow compared to WiFi but it is also painfully expensive (Well, at least, here in the U.S. Someone informed me that Telefonica Movistar, for sometime, offered data service via GPRS in Mexico for free). The only advantage of GPRS over WiFi is that the former goes together wherever your phone signal is available. The latter…well, you’re constantly in the lookout for ‘open’ WiFi networks or, the nearest Starbucks or Borders.

The Treo 600 as well as the newer 650 model didn’t come with built-in WiFi. Maybe, PalmOne wants you to also get their Tungsten C or any of their new PDAs that can use an SDIO WiFi card like the Zire 72. Since free WiFi hotspots had been sprouting like mushrooms all over the world in the past two years, why not take advantage of them?

Treo 650 users had been buzzing for the last 3 months now with the release of a hack for the SDIO WiFi card that PalmOne specially designed for the Tungsten T2, T5 and the Zire 72. The SD WiFi card sells for US$129 at the PalmOne Store while the hack is available at www.uneasysilence.com

In this picture comes in Enfora, Inc. – a Texas-based company that had been involved in mobile computing solutions since 1999. Last March 10, 2005 they issued a press release on their website stating that they will offer a ‘WiFi-sled’ for both the Treo 600 and 650. This is very good news for Treo users that had long been dreaming to have WiFi access on their beloved devices.

The last company that tried to address this shortcoming by PalmOne was SanDisk. They were able to come out with an SD (Secure Digital) WiFi card for the Pocket

PC platform but failed to deliver one for the Palm OS platform –specifically, for the very popular Treo 600 due to power constraints.

WiFi cards are, indeed, power hogs. Even most notebooks with WiFi cards built-in or connected via the PC Card slots and are in use, can have their power juice run down quickly compared to ones not actively using their WiFi cards.

What’s promising about Enfora’s approach is that, the ‘WiFi sled’ is a device in itself where the Treo 600/650 slips in. Hence, it has its own power source and will also charge the Treo as well. But how the device will behave in wireless data mode using WiFi is a big question. Can a call comes in while web surfing? Will other built-in apps on Palm OS 5.x work well with the bundled software?

But, just like ‘vaporware’, a press release is a great way to whet the appetite of people eagerly waiting to lay their hands on the actual device. Whether Enfora (www.enfora.com) can actually deliver these products in the market before PalmOne finally comes up with yet another new version of the Treo with built-in WiFi, remains to be seen.

12/11/2005 addendum:

In the first week of September 2005, the WiFi sled for both the Treo 600 and 650 became available to the general public by showing up in retail store shelves like CompUSA as well as online stores.

February 17, 2005July 20, 2022

Tata Fidel

He used to come often to our store/house in Baclaran (a ‘barangay‘ in the, then, town -now, city- of Paranaque, which is a mere 2.5 miles south of Manila) to visit his younger brother (my father) as well as to acquaint us with his latest interest — which was quite diverse.

Those years were in the 70s and 80s when I was old enough to comprehend the things he discussed with my parents. It was also in those days that I was able to glean that, he, not only was my uncle but also was my grandfather by co-sanguinity — his wife (whom we fondly called, “Lola Paring”) being the aunt of my mother.

Most of the time that he was with us in Baclaran (and if I also happen to be at home), there was always a discussion -over cups of instant coffee- that centered on his wide array of interests: honey bees, silk culture, alfalfa, grapes, pigeon-breeding, vitamins, mushrooms, asparagus sprouts, oranges, and many other agri-related topics.

His interests and how he explained them to all of us, were with so much enthusiasm and persuasiveness, such that he was also able to convince my mother to sell those pure honey contained in ‘patis‘ (fish sauce) bottles in our store.

Every New Year’s Day, when he was still residing in Grace Park, Manila (part of what was then known as ‘Manuguit‘ or presently, Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Manila’s district of Tondo), our family made this annual trek to their house, as it was his birthday.

I used to recall those visits with so much anticipation because it was one of those very rare occasions that our store will be closed. Not only will we be free from store work for the entire day but we also always looked forward with delight as to what Tata Fidel and his family will serve for us that day.

I especially loved the fried chicken – the house special – and the very delicious cakes and pastries that they made.

I knew he was not a good cook but it happened that one of their tenants in the mixed-apartment building that they own, was a restaurant and that, for a time, they also operated a small bakery in the same building. Hence, while there were plenty of good foods, good talks were also awash every New Year’s Day.

Growing up, he would badger me -as well as the rest of my siblings and cousins – to take up courses like orthodontics, X-ray tech, and baking, and always reminded me of the benefits of taking-up short courses at PCAT (the Philippine College of Arts and Trades, presently known as TUP, Technological University of the Philippines).

But what I remembered best about my Tata Fidel was his passion for looking for natural methods to keep fit, trim, and healthy. It was only a natural diversion for him after being a successful businessman that operated a battery shop and then, an auto-parts shop in Pasay City, right after World War II ended.

He also ventured into other businesses including the small bakery as well as small garment-making, after he semi-retired in the early 70s. These were not long after he made sure that his family was secure financially by making some brilliant real-estate investments during the years they still operated the auto-parts shop.

Tata Fidel Carpio: The Carpio of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija — Tata Fidel (extreme right, with glasses) with siblings and mother. The author’s father is on the far left. From left to right: Kiko, Amado, Terya, Ambo, mother (Lola Belay), Oliva, and Tata Fidel. Not in the picture is Tata Mundo.

He was so much into health and organic foods that he bought a parcel of land in Plaridel, Bulacan (adjacent to the Tabang Toll Booth of the North Expressway) so that he could put into practice his interests for them.

There, he planted (or, tried his best) grapes, mushrooms, and asparagus (these were not known to grow very well in the country’s tropical climate — much more, in very humid Metro-Manila at that) as well as a variety of crops common in the region.

The place was a proverbial gardener’s garden with a modest house -made of wood, bamboo, and concrete- in the midst of all the greenery. He even had a ‘mini-lab’ in the basement of that house where he kept his collection of seeds and various plants whose names I didn’t even know existed in the Philippines!

Those were the days I remembered my Tata Fidel best. Except for a mild hearing loss that he remedied with the use of a hearing aid, he was energetic, so full of life, and still very strong even when he was already in his early 80s. So strong that he can still crush those bottle crowns with the force of his fingers using only one hand – while I watched with awe- at that advanced age. A feat I wasn’t able to accomplish at my relatively young age of 30 something or so, way back then.

The last time I had the chance to see him was in the late 90s – times that I spent preparing to migrate here to the U.S. – and I had the opportunity to accompany him to a drugstore to get some of his medicines before he went back to Bulacan. I did not bother to ask him what those medicines were for. And, didn’t I notice any changes that he may have had on his health. He was, for me, the same strong and health-conscious man, continually lecturing me on the benefits of natural foods and organic medicine.

This year, about the middle of February, he was gone. Which led me to wonder, once more, about life’s real meaning – the whys and hows of creation and death and, why we, mere mortals, have to endure all these events that seem to have happened before — in a never-ending circle.

What are we living for?

I may not be able to come up with an intelligible answer over the course of my own personal odyssey…in my very own lifetime. But, I’m very sure of one thing: life’s memories – for as long as one lives- linger on. And, I’m also very sure that my Tata Fidel had truly accomplished what he was here on Earth for.

Notes: The picture above is their family portrait with Tata Fidel on the extreme right (with dark glasses). From left to right: Tata Kiko (+ -this author’s father), Tata Amado, Nanang Terya (+), Tata Ambo (+), Lola Belang, the family matriarch (+), Nana Oliva (+), and Tata Fidel (+). Not in the picture is Tata Mundo (+).

2016 Update: In late August 2012, the author’s father, Tata Kiko, also passed away at the age of almost 94. He was born Oct. 12, 1918 in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

2020 Update: Tata Amado passed away in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, Philippines in 2017 while Nana Oliva died peacefully in her sleep — late July 2020 in Cerritos, California.

February 13, 2005

The NVIDIA 6800 Ultra PCI-Express Video Card

At US$519 (discounted price at that), the NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra PCI-X video card costs more than the new Mac mini from Apple. What??? A $519 video card??? Yup, and that’s just the start of the upgrade path to take full advantage of the features of this hot, new graphics board.

Massive fan is required to cool-off the hot NVIDIA 6800 Ultra chipset — A good graphics card always complements a top-notch PC

The PCI-X interface up close --- interestingly similar to VLB (Vesa Local Bus) — Video cards are getting as big as a whole system itself

Why buy it? Once upon a time, when games and video displays were running side by side with 8-bit or 16-bit microprocessors, simple ISA video cards with 128K of memory were more than enough. But during those days, the newer flavors (or, ‘up-comers’) back then – the VLB (VESA Local Bus) video cards with either 256KB, 512 KB or even a hefty 1 MB of VRAM-, will cost as much as these new PCI-Express video cards that I’m referring to.

People bought VLB video cards then like they will buy these new PCI-Express video cards now: so that they can play the latest and greatest video games or manipulate digital images at speeds unheard of before.

In the realm of personal computing, where time seems to be measured in gigaflops, the distant past will most likely be only 3 or 4 years ago and where the past 10 or 20 yrs will be already be akin to living in the last century or so.

At the heart of this new video card ‘revolution’ is the game called “Doom 3”. Doom 3 requires massive computational speed such that sheer CPU power is not enough. You have to have a video card that will take off as much load from the CPU and hardware memory and process those video images and spew them off your video monitor in blazing frames per second to give our eyes better “candies”. The faster the frame rate at higher resolutions, the better the video card.

In this aspect, come in these new PCI-Express video cards that are beginning to trickle in the mainstream graphics market. ATI and Nvidia are the major players in the graphics industry today and their products are what avid gamers and graphic designers are snapping-up these days. One MUST have the proper motherboard that support PCI-Express to use any brand of these new PCI-X graphics cards.

Why PCI-Express and not AGP? PCI-X – as it is commonly termed today and was known as “3GIO” a while back – is the latest and greatest video interface today. AGP and its 8X incarnation had been around for awhile since taking the crown away from PCI when the initial Pentium II processors appeared in the late 90s. It promises almost 4 times the bandwidth as AGP 8X using the same graphics chipset. Some people are saying that there is hardly any difference, performance-wise, of video cards with the AGP 8X or the PCI-X interface, using the same graphics chipset.

But, history will tell us that, newer but industry-accepted and adapted technologies will always perform better because of the new features that will come up for them in the years to come…until a new and better standard will arise and replace it — and the cycle continues.

For now, with support for as high as 2048 x 1536 (double that of today’s very common 1024 x 768 flat-panel resolution) at 16.7 million colors, SLI-ready and featuring the new TwinView architecture, this new video card will enable you to play the next generation of video games and more than enough to handle your daily Adobe, Macromedia or AutoCad routines.

DVI-I, DB-15 and S-Video ports to power almost all display types -simultaneously! — Video ports galore on the Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra

What’s more, its hefty 256MB of GDDR3 memory, DVI-I (digital), DB-15 SVGA (analog) and single S-Video outputs are sufficient enough to drive all those extra monitor and TV at home or office –all at the same time!

For game fanatics and video card nuts..happy days are yet to come!!!

January 11, 2005

The $499 Mac mini

Without much fanfare, Apple quietly released its ‘Mac for the Rest of Us’ today, January 11, 2005, via the new Mac mini. January had been a favorite month of Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, to launch new products. Very memorable was the Jan. 24, 1984 unveiling of the very first Macintosh which was made even more astounding by the famous “1984-Big Brother” ad, which aired two days earlier -Jan. 22, 1984 -, during the halftime of Super Bowl XVIII between the L.A. Raiders and the Washington Redskins.
And so, off I went to the nearest Apple Store in our area (the Palo Alto Apple mini store inside the Stanford Shopping Center, was one of the very first Apple Stores to have the Mac mini on display) to check out this yet new release by Steve and his bright band of engineers.
The Mac mini is Apple’s latest -and, bold -attempt to lure Windows/PC users to the glamorous world of Mac OS X. Bold, in a sense that, this is the first time they released a “bare-bones” Mac. Normally, Apple bundles a keyboard and mouse for any system they sell without a monitor. Now, with the Mac mini, all one gets is the basic system or “CPU unit.” Users, will have to make do with his/her own monitor, keyboard and mouse to come up with a fully-functioning Mac. It’s “BYODKM” -Bring-Your-Own-Display-Keyboard & Mouse-, as Jobs aptly coined it at the recent 2005 MacWorld Expo held at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco.
The squat, 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″ aluminum-clad unit with a white-colored top comes with two (2) USB ports -obviously for keyboard and another USB-enabled device that is oh, so, very common in the world of Windows/PC-, one (1) FireWire port -for that much faster iPod/iTunes music and DV transfers -, a 10/100 Ethernet -for that essential, fast Internet-sharing/networking connection -, and the eternally-present, 56K modem port.
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One drag, unlike in the iMac G5, is that the power supply was not built-in on the unit. Hence, another power brick is included in the package. The white-colored power cube (the size of which was similar to the one that came with the PowerBook 2400 series) provides a continuous 85W of power that the unit requires. The reason for not including the PS inside the tightly-packed unit must be due to the bitter lessons learnt by the company, in much of the power supply failures in their also miniscule, G4 Cube. Apple, in describing the Mac mini in their website, had tried their very best to hide this fact from web visitors, to deter at any ‘hint of clutter’ to the unquestionably elegant unit.
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Windows ‘switchers’ won’t have to purchase any other adapters (most PS/2 keyboards or mice come with USB adapters anyway) to use the Mac mini right off the box. An analog (15-pin) VGA adapter is included so that you can hook it up to your VGA monitor. You may have to buy the Apple DVI to Video Adapter if you want to hook up your TV instead.
The built-in speakers may remind you of the sounds coming from your iBook but a headphone/audio-out connector seems to quell any mutterings of the audiophile…that is almost inherent in even the most casual of Mac user.
Aside from its size, it is the almost total quietness of the unit that seem to marvel the true Mac enthusiast. Normally, compact units,- even in the PC realm – generate a slight whine that emanates from either the power supply’s or CPU’s fan. Since Apple had almost perfected the art of convection-cooling,- and that the power supply is separate – when they released the G4 Cube, the unit merely sits in its utter stillness alongside any other widgets you may have on your desk.
Powered by either a 1.25 or 1.42 GHz G4 processor (but with a meager 167 MHz front side bus), a reasonable 256 MB of DDR (PC2700/333 MHz), 32 MB of video RAM (ATI 9200 Radeon…which I don’t believe won’t be supported under “Core Image” – one the most exciting features of OS X Tiger – unless Apple engineers rewrite the code once again), a slot-loading Combo drive and with the gorgeously-stable Mac OS X loaded up in either a 40 or 80 GB of ultra ATA hard drive, the package will definitely be hard to resist for anyone who would like to give the elegant Mac OS X a spin, the first time around.
Is the price of $499 (about $540 net, inclusive of the 8.25% sales tax in this part of CA) for the base unit, right? It depends. With prices of used, all-in-one iMac G4s (complete with monitor) plummeting due to the release of the iMac G5, one who can get a deal for the former within the $500-$700 range, can forget the new Mac mini altogether.
But, if you’re the PC user who already has an LCD monitor and would like to try the world of OS X -and with the much talked-about Mac OS X Tiger looming in the horizon-, it’s a price that will be too hard for you to resist.

January 6, 2005July 20, 2022

Coffee for Five in Santa Ynez Valley and Beyond

My sister called the night before that it was better to start the journey from her house in Santa Cruz, which is about a 40-minute drive from Fremont. And so, very early that morning, just several minutes after we had gingerly packed the Tupperwares with our favorite breakfast and had filled the thermos bottle with coffee, we were already traversing the Santa Cruz mountains along Highway 17, en route to her house, which is situated close to the USC-Santa Cruz main entrance.

On that sunny Tuesday of January 4, 2005, we had on our map, the mountains of Santa Ynez, as well as some nearby cities situated in the county of Santa Barbara, CA.

We had planned to visit the opulent Hearst Castle in closer San Simeon but backed out at the last minute after we learned from their website, that the shorter route via Highway 1, was closed due to rock slides.

We reached Highway 101 – more scenic than Interstate-5 -after we deftly maneuvered the backdoor of the Santa Cruz mountains using Salinas Road. From thereon, Highway 101 regaled us with its splendid views of mostly vineyards, ranches, a bit of the coastline of the Pacific Ocean in Pismo and Arroyo Grande, and the gentle, rolling countryside of the area tuck neatly between the Bay Area and Southern California.

After we stopped briefly for gas in Arroyo Grande, we were just merely an hour’s drive away from the hotel which we called home for the remainder of our trip. We stayed at the Best Western-Andersen’s Pea Soup in Buellton, CA. Like most of the hotels in the surrounding area, the design was Danish-inspired. This was due to the fact that Buellton was a mere 5-minutes drive away from the smaller but more popular Danish village/city of Solvang.

There, cobblestone courtyards, windmills, brick sidewalks, thatched rooftops, and cozy coffee shops, offered us already-bored denizens from the dreary, concrete jungle of the Bay Area, the unique flavor of Europe right here in California.

At the parking area of Andersen’s Pea Soup Restaurant in Buellton, CA

After we unloaded all our gear in our hotel room, we wasted no time and hied off to the main city of Santa Barbara, which was another hour spent leisurely cruising 101, with the snow-capped mountains of San Rafael watching us from the distance.

We arrived at the archaic Mission Santa Barbara Church at 2:30 pm – exactly 7 hours after we left Santa Cruz that Tuesday morning. The weather was, fortunately, still crisp and sunny that particular afternoon in spite of rains clouds that loomed from the southern front. An hour later, we found ourselves at the Santa Barbara wharf, where we marveled at the fantastic, time-tested combination of mountains and sea scenery. A place sure to evoke fond memories of one’s glorious past, wherever one may have originated from.

At the steps of the Mission Santa Barbara Church

Near the entrance to the small historic museum in Mission Santa Barbara

A majestic view of Santa Barbara from the wharf.

The tight but busy streets of downtown Santa Barbara guided us in our search for Highway 154 as we preferred to venture the twisting but spectacular San Marcos Pass rather than to return to Buellton using the now, for us, redundant Highway 101.

The Santa Ynez mountains run like a wall along the south coast of California that stretch from east to west. There are only three routes out of Santa Barbara to the north that cross these mountains: Gaviota Pass, Refugio Pass, and San Marcos Pass. San Marcos Pass is the shortest route of these three. The San Marcos Pass summit is about 8 miles northwest of Santa Barbara.

San Marcos Pass, punctuated by spectacular views of Lake Cachuma and highlighted in part by the grandeur of the Los Padres National Forest and the San Rafael Mountains, is probably one of the most scenic roadways in the entire state of California.

The first people to live on San Marcos Pass were the Chumash. They originally called it “Malames”. The Chumash are now gone, but their memories linger on (courtesy of a classy resort/casino) and their rock paintings can still be found in many places on the Pass, among them, the Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park.

We bade farewell to the San Marcos Pass as soon as we descended 154 and cut through the towns of Santa Ynez and Solvang to finally reach our hotel in Buellton via Highway 246…instead of continuing on to the historic town of Los Olivos – known for its numerous wineries as well as its expansive views of the Santa Barbara Valley. Both Highways 154 and 246 will eventually merge with Highway 101 somewhere along with their respective ways.

We could not resist the charm of ‘Europeanesque’, Solvang so we decided to refresh our flagging spirits by settling down into one of the cozier tables that also offered a nice view of the streets from inside the Mortensen’s Danish Bakery/Shop, where we had their ‘house special’ bread and coffee.

Coffee and some Danish pastries in Solvang, CA

At the entrance of Mortensen’s Coffee Shop in downtown Solvang, CA

The bread’s unusually sweet fillings and the caffeine boost in the numerous cups of coffee we had, gave us back the energy we needed to continue on for the long night ahead. Pictures were taken along the brick-laden streets of Solvang as well as nostalgic sceneries among the horse ranches and the ostrich farm we passed-by, by on the way back to our hotel in Buellton.

It was already dark and the traffic discernably light -except for the brief but gaiety Christmas lights we saw at Solvang as our Jeep plodded back along Highway 246…perhaps wondering where all the magnificent vistas had gone – as we headed for the Chumash Casino and Resort – a convenient 15-minute drive from our hotel.

Once inside the casino, the creations of men and their mighty, money-making (or, shall I say, ‘money-taking’) slot machines plus the ritzy ambiance of the place, once again, tried to mesmerize us with the false sense of beauty of the materialistic-side of things on this part of the Earth.

We already knew better. The natural beauty of the places which we had all seen earlier, was already forever etched in our minds for as long as we will all live…and will be impossible, for any artificial places of recreation that will probably be created by man, to take them all away from us.

January 3, 2005March 5, 2021

The Grapes of Highway 29

The Vigan ‘longanizas‘ (sausages from Vigan, which is a town about 250 miles north of Manila and noted for its rich Spanish heritage) smelled even more garlicky that morning as I placed the remaining links on a clear bowl.

The sausages casings’ red-brown color together with the fat that dripped from the fillings, blended oh-so deliciously, with the generous oil that had accumulated under them. Eaten at breakfast and served over hot, white rice with a good cup of coffee, these ‘longanizas‘ will definitely see you through a long day of travel…which we had planned that Thursday of Dec 16.

By 9:30 in the morning we had already traversed the busy cities that had dotted Highway 880 -and a bit of I-80 – and had coasted cleanly into the towns of Vallejo as soon as we had exited the first off-ramp after we paid the $3 toll in the recently-remodeled Carquinez Bridge. It is one of the major spans that link the upper portion of Northern California with the Bay Area.

Highway 29 cradled us the rest of the way as we headed towards the majestic plains of Alexander Valley, in a place called Geyserville. The destination may not rub well with the altruists, but the journey was, nevertheless, close to being ethereal.

As soon as we left behind the old city of Vallejo, the scenery immediately turned rustic and was perfectly complemented by endless vineyards that caressed the entire length of Highway 29. We passed by quaint towns along the winding roads of Napa and Calistoga.

Both these places offered a study in contrast to over-consumptive materialism and utterly simple living. In addition to their huge manses, there were the usual gas-guzzling SUVs and expensive sports cars casually parked inside the huge lots of the vineyard owners. On the other side of the coin, there were the humble, one or two-room abodes of farmers or retired folks who love to till their own lands.

Passing through these rustic towns also gave me a sense of wonder as to why, we, mere mortals had to endure the banalities of modern living –even when these seemingly plain (but spectacular) sceneries could fill our inherent craving for inner peace and joy, much stronger.

The plains of Alexander Valley unfolded right before our already mesmerized eyes after Highway 29 turned into Highway 128 and almost immediately after we passed-by the last town in Calistoga. Highway 128 meandered along the rollings hills of the Valley until you hit the small town of Geyserville. A short, stone and steel bridge -one of the many that spans the 50-mile long Russian River – should serve as a good marker that you’re on the right track to Geyserville.

Our destination wasn’t the town but the Indian casino now called River Rock. It used to be called ‘Dry Creek Rancheria’ but casino operators -with their esurient skills for making money – probably realized their folly in naming a money-maker that had already dried-out and renamed it to something that constantly flows instead.

The place was situated up a steep hill that was accessible via a narrow road along Highway 128. There were multi-storeyed parking garages and most probably, a hotel, undergoing construction. But, the squat, main casino building was already in full action –ready to take your money away.

The panoramic view of the valley from the 4th-level garage parking offered a bit of spiritual relief from the voracious appetite of the slot machines and gaming tables below.

It’s probably the very first Indian casino that I had been to where I felt that I didn’t even have the chance to win, just a few minutes after inserting my money on the slot machine. The slot machines over there were really tight. Even Larry Ellison would probably shudder at the thought of how those slot machines were programmed to give the house an unbeatable edge.

River Rock, the place, is definitely on my “to visit” list. Eat and enjoy the scenery. But avoid the casino as much as possible, please. You might want to play at neighboring Hopland instead (a 30-minute drive further north from Geyserville).

There, the less-sophisticated slot machines of the ‘Shokawah Hopland’ will welcome you their kinder and gentler arms.

All told, the fantastic sceneries and the grapes planted all throughout Highway 29 that led us to River Rock, only served as mute witnesses, to our follies, perhaps, in our ways for the never-ending quest for something meaningful in life.