lifestyle The Pink Mac

Digital vs. Analog.

Although I am someone who wholeheartedly embraces tech in almost every aspect of life, there are still some areas where I have not fully replaced my analog methods for digital ones. For instance, although I love my ipod touch, I still manage to use a Moleskine notebook to record my to do’s, my ideas, and my contacts. I absolutely love this form of analog data storage because wherever I am, I know I can record information quickly and without worrying about whether my battery will run out mid sentence. Now, don’t get me wrong, my ipod touch is AMAZING! I love playing games, surfing the web, and checking my email when I am away from my laptop, but call me old fashioned- I enjoy the action of writing more so than the tapping of my fingertip upon a screen. The tactile sensation is like none other!

In actuality the use of a Moleskine notebook has been a practice I have only recently acquired. My freshman year of high school I used a Handspring pda and once I graduated had gone through 2 more Palm pdas. In college, however, I began to rely less on my digital devices for recording homework and test days and began taking these notes directly into a notebook. Gradually, I decided to simplify my note-taking by buying a small notebook to store everything in. Since then, my Moleskine has been my major organizational method as I regard it more as a tool for productivity then my ipod touch, whose many distractions actually keep me from getting work done!

Together though, my Moleskine and my ipod touch make for a great pair, a balance of analog and digital, productivity and amusement that I simply could not live without!
The Pink Mac

LaCie Little Disk, a review.

Last week my LaCie Little Disk, aka current tech obsession arrived and I have been gleefully playing with it ever since. I actually just finished making a video review I am posting to YouTube, but I realized there were some things I wanted to talk about in a written review that I didn’t cover in the video, so here are my thoughts on my new hard drive.

First of all, I absolutely love the design. I think it is nothing short of sexy! It is very sleek and light, and I love the glossy finish. I also love the fact that the USB cord is housed inside the case. This makes for an all-in-one type deal that I just really like because it means I don’t have to carry around a cord for it.

Second, I am pleased with the performance. In my research of the LaCie Little Disk, I found mixed reviews from people who loved or hated LaCie drives. One major complaint I found was that people didn’t like not knowing the actual brand of the drive inside the case. If you didn’t know, LaCie is not a drive manufacturer, they just design the casings and use third party drives for their products. Now, apparently LaCie uses many brands of drives and there is no way of knowing which drive is in your product, therefor making use of the drive risky since you don’t know if the drive is reliable- this was a complaint I found in my research of LaCie drives.

Well, I figured out which brand drive was in my Little Disk rather easily. I used Disk Utility and once my drive was mounted, was able to see the brand and model of the hard drive. In my case, it was a Samsung HM500JI. The reviews for the Samsung drive were fairly decent, most people had no problems with their drives and it is actually considered a good deal because they are fairly priced and reliable. In tests, the Samsung drive did fairly well, with no major complaints, but no outstanding performance either. So, as far as I can tell, the drive seems reliable, but not exceptionally powerful, which is okay by me.

The final thing I would like to mention about this drive, however, is the fact that it is extremely quiet! This was actually cited as one of the positive aspects of this drive- it is designed to be silent and it is. When I use it, it makes only the occasional dull noise and has absolutely no hum at all, unlike my Western Digital hard drive that makes a pretty obvious humming noise while it is in use.

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. I found the drive online for under $100 and it is 500GB of storage, so I can’t complain! Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions about this product and I would be happy to chat about it. If anyone out there has a LaCie hard drive experience they would like to share, please let me know because this will be my first time with a LaCie- I have been a WD girl until now, so I would love to hear about your experiences with their drives!
tech The Pink Mac

Macworld’s 13" Macbook Pro Review.

I am very excited today because Macworld published their review of the 13″ Macbook Pro! Obviously, I am interested in seeing the results of the benchmarks and the overall feeling around the new model. Much to my pleasure, it seems as though I made an excellent choice going with the 2.53 gHz processor and 4 GB of Ram. As you can see from the chart, this model did the best in speed tests. I am also pleased at my Macbook’s preformance in comparison to the 15″ Macbook Pro model, where it exceeded the preformance of the 15″ with the *same processor.

*Those results can be found with the complete results of the benchmarks, also on Macworld.com.

The Pink Mac

Erase and Restore.

This past weekend I finally took the plunge and restored my white macbook back to its original factory settings. In order to commemorate this event, I decided to take a video. It was really nerve wracking because I wasn’t sure if I was going to mess up and I was worried about deleting all the data on my hard drive, although the day before I had backed up the entire hard drive onto one of my externals. It was weird making the switch completely over to my new macbook pro, but it was necessary. I can’t work on two computers at once and as much as I love my white macbook, it was time to move on and enjoy my new pro. I am not getting rid of my white macbook, I restored it to new and then downloaded some programs onto it so that I can use it as a backup if need be, but it is “put away” for now.

Erase and Restore from Miss Trenchcoat on Vimeo.

The Pink Mac

LaCie Little Disk, a tech obsession.

In researching my last post about mobile tech accessories for ladies, I came across the LaCie Little Disk, an external hard drive like none other I have seen. The smooth glossy finish of the monolithic drive, the innovative design incorporating the USB cable into the box itself, the nice protective cap, and 500 GB of storage for just $129.99 is just too much to pass up! Of course, this enticed a bit of a tech obsession within me, and now I find myself at the brink of another tech related breakdown. I really like external hard drives. I don’t know why, but I think on some level they are a comforting thing. For one, they are a backup for all the important files and information on your computer’s hard drive, so there is an obvious source of comfort- knowing that if your computer fails you have a duplicate of the hard drive on a backup. Second, I think it is also comforting to know that if you happen to fill up the hard drive on your computer, you can use an external hard drive to store even more! More. Isn’t that the theme of tech culture, to have the newest, the fastest, the best tech possible in order to keep your life running as smoothly as possible? I am not sure which reason precisely is to blame for my current tech obsession, most likely it is a combination of both, but alas, it seems as though I have found my next tech purchase. So, why don’t we take a nice long look at the LaCie Little Disk together, shall we?

{Images via LaCie.com}

Solutions The Pink Mac

Ladies on the Go.

It’s not just the men who get to have all the fun when it comes to tech! The working woman too requires the right gadgets and gear to keep her going, even when her work takes her on the move. So what exactly does a stylish woman use when she is out and about with her tech? Let this simple guide show you the right tools to keep productive on the go!
Getting the IT Bag, as in, information technology.

The Executive Treatment
Violet May’s Kydd Laptop Tote is the perfect bag for the 1st class look. With an embossed snakeskin finish and a colorful yet studry interior perfect for your laptop and accessories, this chic power tote can go from the boardroom, to business dinners and seals the deal every time! Price: $841.50 US.

The Minimalist
If all you are looking for out of a great laptop brief is a slim and minimalist design, look no further than Toffee’s Brief bag. The perfect size for your laptop inside and a few exterior pockets is all you need to get the job done, anywhere! Price: $139.95 US.

The Carry-All
Need to carry your laptop, documents, gadgets and accessories with you at all times? Then Knomo’s Toyah bag is just for you. This slim, yet expandable, brief has room for your laptop, cables, documents, gadgets and much more without sacrificing on style or quality! Price: $235 US.
Backing up is easy to do.
Stylish
Who knew an external hard drive could be considered stylish until now? With the LaCie Little Disk, you get the power and portability of a high quality external hard drive mixed with the elegance of a glossy enclosure and an all-in-one body design. To think, people avoid backing up! Price: $89.99 US for 250GB model.
Light as Air
So, you bought that ultra-portable laptop and now you’re worried your external hard drive is weighing you down? Not so with Iomega’s eGo Helium. Designed to compliment the slim design of a Macbook Air, this portable drive is sleek and powerful, just like your Mac! Price: $109.99 US for 320GB model.
Faithful Companion
If all you are looking for is a good design and a dependable drive, Western Digital’s My Passport Essential is all you need. This small but sturdy drive comes in a myriad of colors and drive capacities, and since it is made by Western Digital you know you are getting the best money can buy; peace of mind! Price: $99 US for 250 GB model.

The Must-Have Accessories.
Digital Camera
Although their are many digital cameras on the market right now, the best reviews and one of the best designs is Canon’s PowerShot SD780 IS. With 12.1 mega pixels, HD video quality and all the best features available today, this camera has it all! Price: $279.99 US.
Portable Power
Everyone could use a little extra power now and again, especially while they are on the road with little access to outlet power. While you could choose to buy a backup power source for each of your gadgets, that could get costly, not to mention cumbersome to carry, very quickly. So, if you have multiple gadgets to power up, go with the HyperMac external battery. This small battery can power your laptop and gadgets all at once, no need for separate batteries! Price: $199.95 for 10 extra hours of power.
Power Protection
Although you may be lucky enough to be working on the road at a location with outlet power, more often than not you will find yourself in the position of having too few accessible outlets. If you need to plug in your laptop, phone, ipod, and anything else, it might be good to have the outlet space for it, as well as surge protection. That’s where Belkin’s Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger comes in handy. It gives you extra outlet space, surge protection and 2 USB charging ports for your cell phone or ipods! Price: $24.99 US.
Wifi Anywhere
It is always great to be working with a high speed internet connection, but sometimes you just want the option to go wireless. So, with Apple’s Airport Express Base Station, all you need is a high speed internet connection and a power outlet, and viola, instant wifi! Price: $99 US.
tech The Pink Mac

Speck Case Giveaway!

I am finally giving away those Speck SeeThru Cases I reviewed earlier this year! I have one dark purple case for the iPod Nano 3rd generation,* and a 2 pack with a blue and a pink case for the iPod Touch 1st generation.* There will be 2 giveaways, one for the iPod Nano and one for the iPod Touch. If you are interested in either of these cases, leave a comment (either here or in the comments section of the youtube link for this video) telling me about your favorite Apple product and why, and also which of the two cases you are interested in. I will be picking 2 entries at the end of the month! You have to live in the U.S., however, because I am just going to mail these and since they aren’t expensive cases, there is no reason for me to pay more in mailing them then they are actually worth. Okay, so enjoy the video announcement, and I hope many of you participate in my first giveaway!
*Follow these links for video reviews of the products.