Adam has found the Apple store in Chatswood.

Australia will soon have two places of worship for the Apple faithful (the other is on George St, Sydney).

And did I mention it has bones?

Fuck yeah.

Nevermind that you can upload video, it’s the sheer ease and ability to record video from your webcam and save it directly to Facebook that is so good.

Imagine the fun you can have, especially for those who have a webcam embedded into their monitor and/or laptop.

ZOMG, it’s awethome.

Love the new Apple keyboard. It’s just like the keyboard on my Mac Book, which feels so good everytime I press a key.

I was about to place an order for the non-wireless version of these bad boys when I realised the non-wireless one is butt-ugly on it’s side. Not only that but the USB ports are on the side instead of at the top like the previous generation Apple keyboards. To me, this new USB port layout feels clumsy and cluttered.

Oh well.

The new iMacs are hot too. Fits my design sensibilities perfectly.

Image from Apple.com

– EDIT –

I’m gonna get it anyway, it’s too hot.

TED (Technology Entertainment Design), is a conference like no other. I’ve been downloading their free video podcasts for a while now. It’s an intimate space where the “thought-leaders, movers and shakers” get to share their ideas for about 18 minutes. They’re enjoyable, interesting and thought provoking. Some of the speakers are there to save the world, some are there to present talks on the human condition and some are there to show off their latest techno gizmos. Al “Save the world” Gore’s and David Pogue’s talks I would say are the most enjoyable.

Here’s the spoiler, tickets are limited, and they cost about $6 000 a pop. Ungh!

* Image from ted.com

For the past few years I’ve dreamed of being able to bring out an accoustic guitar and rock it like John Mayer. But through countless attempts I suck balls and can only play the tune for N.E.R.D’s “She wants to move” and something that I call “autumn morning coffee music” which is really just two variations of the D-chord.

But alas! Ubisoft are bringing out a title called Jam Sessions that lets you strum your DS screen as if it were a real guitar! Add the ability to play different chords and I’m one step closer to becoming a rock star! – with a DS in hand. If I can get a gig through this I’ll let you know. ;)
* image from Joystiq.com

Anyway…

With today’s current “next” generation consoles, one requirement is to have some sort of online functionality where players can substitute real life interaction through virtual chat, sharing shit, downloading extra gaming content and most importantly, playing together virtually (as if playing games by yourself in a dark room isn’t sad enough). Microsoft’s Xbox Live is the current leader with such a polished *cough* system that is so advanced compared to the other consoles that fuck, it’s advanced. Everything is seamless. Using it is far easier than a drunk and intoxicated girl.

Nintendo’s offering to the online realm at the moment is still somewhat lacking, almost pitiful if you’re mean. They have uh, the weather channel, a voting channel, a news channel, and a virtual console channel where you can download ancient games for the cost of an arm. They still have one key element missing though, and that’s the ability to play games with your friends online. “What?! My Wii can surf the net for porn, but I can’t play online games with my friends??!?!”

Well, not yet at least.

What Nintendo temporarily lacks in online play, they try to make up with their own advancement in the Avatar system. Microsoft has “identities”, Nintendo has customisable characters that represent players. They don’t communicate with each other though, all you can basically do is spend hours deciding if your Mii looks better in red and blue…. and that’s about it. Oh, you can join in on the Mii parade too if you’re a pansy.

This is where Sony comes in. With the PS2, they had a really shitty internet network thing. It was like driving a car with no wheels, compared to Microsoft’s Aston Martin DB9 with a Bond chick with a wonder bra in the passenger seat, which would represent it’s Xbox Live network.

With PlayStation 3’s new “home” network thing, which I’m unsure if it’s the main network hub, it may be the most fucking incredible “home” portal ever. Think of Nintendo’s Mii system, but more realistic like Second Life, add Xbox Live’s functionalities, add the super awesome ability to ignore your friends in real life and chat to them in a virtual space, and you have one awesomely awesome virtual social community. It’d be like a free MMORPG, but not.

“nuff said.

Basically, “it’s a 3D community for PlayStation 3. It’s an interactive virtual space where users meet up, hang out and explore a connected world,” according to the hot British female voice over found in this PlayStation “Home” video. Shnazzy.

Typical of Sony, they’ve added their spin of cool on the overall look. Everything looks realistic, even how tosser-like some of the male avatars are.

Yes, your bad dancing will translate into the virtual realm too.

According to the video, to do anything like playing arcade games and chatting, you control your super customisable avatar to do it. For example, to play an arcade game you have to go to the game machine and play it, rather than selecting it from a magical box that appears from no where. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’d be fucked walking up to my game machine, then walking up again to my virtual game machine in my virtual home to play an arcade game. Sounds tedious and a waste of time, that could’ve been noodles time.

Something really cool is the ability to use a Blue-tooth headset to talk to your buddies who happen to be in the same virtual room with you. Now here’s the thing, what if your brother who lives with you in real life, walks into your virtual house and ponders when dinner will be made? WILL PS3 OWNERS BE THE MOST ANTI-SOCIAL? Will they sit in their dark, damp and lonesome caves living out their lives virtually?

Still, it’s all very cool. But I think they should bring it up a notch by giving it more sand box-like functionalities. Screaming of a GTA rip off, what about having the ability to break into virtual homes? And stealing their shit to put in your house? Like furniture, arcade games… mate, the possibilities are endless. You could even have security and surveillance systems, which would bring in the virtual businesses and expand the virtual economy. Woot.

What if you could carry around a Sword of a Thousand Truths and chop anyone in your way, because you can? Sure the virtual society would become chaotic, but hey, why not? It’d be fun.

The next advancement in cinema – watching your virtual self watching a movie in a virtual cinema… with other virtual people! There may even be a virtual guy with a camera bootlegging!

And just in case you haven’t seen it, the PlayStation “home” video can be found here.