Sharing internet to your Xbox 360, (For Mac’s!)
Written on May 16th, 2008
If your like me and to cheap to fork out for the price-tag-hefty wireless adapter for the xbox 360. Sharing your internet through your mac via the ethernet port is the easiest and cheapest way to go.
Overview
1)Start Internet Sharing
2)In Terminal, type cp /etc/bootpd.plist /tmp/bootpd.plist
3)Stop Internet Sharing.
4)Open /tmp/bootpd.plist for editing using TextEdit or whatever.
5)Locate this section of the file, near the end:
<key>reply_threshold_seconds</key>
<integer>4</integer>6)Change the value 4 to 0.
7)In Terminal, type sudo cp /tmp/bootpd.plist /etc
8)Start Internet Sharing.
9)Check that your change to /etc/bootpd.plist hasn’t been reverted.
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I hope this guide has helped you. I just want to say that i did this guide on a macbook pro, but I know that it works on a macbook to. I don’t know about iMac’s and Mac Pro’s. I’m not liable to any damage that you may cause in doing this (which should be none).
RSS Weapons
Written on May 16th, 2008
With every website today you will find an RSS or a way to keep up to date on the site’s newest content - you then easily subscribe and every time the site updates you’ll get a little notification alerting you that there is a new article for grabs. Subscribe to mine and see how it works!
There are lots of dedicated Applications on the marketplace that can do this, both being free and paid alternatives.
NewsNetWire - Free.
I found this Application when RSS was coming around. It was starting to become evermore popular. NNW syncs with an online server allowing you to visit your RSS on your iPhone and iPod Touch, how cool is that? It even allows you to add bookmarks to delicious. I don’t personally use this reader, but i recommend it anyday. The interface is clean, easy and good looking which lots organsation and customisation.
NewsFire - Free.
NewsFire has been a fairly big player in the RSS World, with people such as Kevin Rose using it. I love News Fire’s User Interface. Easy to use and works with Podcast RSS feeds and allows you to play them inside the application. The organisation of feeds is unfualtalbe and is customisable to your delight. There isn’t any support for the iPhone or iPod touch but i’m not to fussed. I personally use this app and i love it!
Times - $30
The most newest player on the market. The developer Dustin MacDonald is most famous for his app - Wallet, which I will review at a later date. When I first heard the title I thought it was from the News paper we have over here in the UK “The Times” - but I was incorrect. It has the layout of the Times newspaper with articles and tabs allowing you to select which category you want to read. It is fully customisable allowing you to change what news you read and from what site. Times comes with preset sites such a cnet, engadget and gizmodo. An extra cheeky feature that Times has is to remove ads, thats right - ads. Many sites have the “Full Content with ads”, times uses witchcraft and removes these pesky ads making me a happy bunny. One thing, this app is not iPod and iPhone happy.
Overall
Out features, price and quality. There will be no other application experience like Times, i do feel that $30 is a little over priced, but may justify over-time. NewsFire is still the RSS Reader for me I’m afraid. I like how it organises, displays feeds and how its simple and easy to use.
Glossy Vs. Matte? Tough Decision.
Written on May 14th, 2008
After my little incident that i encountered as many of you know, Apple kindly offered a replacement machine. (I guess its something to make you feel better after you laptop goes on fire or something). When i was on the phone to lovely technical supervisor ordering my new machine i got the choice of having a matte or glossy macbook pro. My MacBook Pro had a glossy screen - it was nice, i liked. The colours on it were great and really come out nice especially when viewing photo’s
I decided to go nuts and order a matte instead so i can compare the two machines. I’ve had this machine for over a month now and i can definitely say that its better for me and maybe also other people. Yeah, so in my opinion if your going to order a macbook pro is to grab a matte machine. The difference is quite comparable. The dust and fingerprint show through on the glossy like a rabbit has come and done its business on it or something similar. For matte this is not an issue - at the moment on mine there are loads as my father was insistent on putting his fingers on my screen when overlooking some photo’s i was editing.
Overall.
Matte ftw.
My D80.
Written on May 11th, 2008
My Nikon D80 is quite simply amazing. I’ve had it for nearly a month now (i think). I’m enjoying it immensely. Bracketing has to be my most favourite feature. Its not just an upgrade from the D40 it feels completely different. The display on the top is extremely handy for when you need to check a setting and is better than looking at the display which can i add is awesome on the D80.
The Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 is equally just as fantastic. I like how it can see more than you can see. This lens + my D80 makes an awesome combination.
I’m not making this a long post, just a quick summary on what i think about my new camera and lens.
To see some sample shots either to go my Flickr or my Gallery.
FaceBook Apps.
Written on April 17th, 2008
Yes - the most annoying feature of facebook which i will admit to using. it may well be the most non-creative idea since the square wheel, but that hasn’t stopped people from making stupid application to put on your profile. It’d be cool if they’re weren’t so many.
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Problems.
Emails - Everyday i open my email, i find about 5+ emails from FaceBook telling me that I’ve bought, or some has rated me a hero or something else shitty. If i didn’t send me SO many emails, i don’t think that i would mind. I have personally over this issue by creating a Gmail rule to set all my facebook emails into a folder. (that’s why Gmail is ace).
Invites - WHY! Do i need to be invited to something just so they can get 545234593295328523458 credits or what ever for a app? you know. this shit really is unnecessary. UNNECESSARY.
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Some apps are ace, but some are shit. just try and look at what your clicking before going wild.
I’m on facebook - I’m not giving out the link just yet.
Insufficient?
Written on April 12th, 2008
I’ve had a Nikon D40 for just under a year now. I’m going to express my opinion on it. To be honest - its a great starter, I like it. Its neat small and a easy to use especially for beginners into photography like my mother, thats a great example. It has an easy setup that any one can follow. Simply attach the lens and your good to go. The auto mode is fairly good in most scenes/tasks and others a range of modes for certain scenes like portraits and landscape.
Want More Advanced?
This is where this camera goes wrong. The lack of features is where this makes the camera a bitch and ruins it for me. Its shitty manual mode and cruddy customisation is a major flaw in how the camera works. Nikon failed on the lenses too! WTF! You made a camera where most of the lenses aren’t even ready for it? If you don’t know what i’m talking about, here’s a run down.
The Nikon AF-S Focusing System
The reason why the D40 is so cheap and small is because the motoring focus system has been removed. Meaning about 45% of the lenses that i want to use WILL NOT auto-focus? err. what?
50mm 1.8 & 1.4 - the lenses that we want. NOT AF-S yet.
WTF! This camera has been out OVER a year and you haven’t even been bothered to make some lenses that your customers have asked for and craved over.
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I’m sorry Nikon, you obviously only care about people who have dosh to spend. I for one will be selling my Nikon D40 and buying a Canon/Nikon thats bigger much more hardcore.
New Home..
Written on April 12th, 2008
I’ve been wanting do to this for such a long time. I’ve finally sorted out my index, tumblr, wordpress blog. So I’m now located at jamesbayliss.com for my wordpress. Tumbr.jamesbayliss.com for my tumblr and of-course i have a nice photography based intro on my front-page.