MacBook Glitches Fixed; Thank You Senco Link

First Glitch
Second Glitch

Well, I guess something was wrong with my MacBook. So after exhausting all possible solutions on my end, I decided to send my beloved laptop to Senco Link, one of Apple's authorized service centers here in the Philippines. Why them over other service centers? I guess good reviews from PhilMUG and being in Makati made the decision easy.

And true, their service is great. Brought it to them last Wednesday afternoon, and got it back by Saturday morning. I know fast service is subjective, but for me Senco Link provided a speedy resolution.

No parts were replaced, just a hardware reset on my MacBook's AirPort card. Although I was advised to observe it for a while, I guess I'm happy that my MacBook is back in shape. It sleeps and wakes up like any MacBook should. And so far, no AirPort problems (fingers crossed).

So thank you Grace and Carlos of Senco Link for a job well done.

Farewell Jacko

Image taken from this website.

I guess everyone knows this by now. It's never too late to pay my respect for this fine artist of our generation. As a kid of the eighties, I recall singing "Heal The World" during our grade school graduation and seeing his Pepsi commercials on TV. I guess whatever genre we love, we can't deny that Michael Jackson has influenced us in some way.

May you rest in peace and "moonwalk" with the angels Jacko. Thank you for your music.

What Is This For?

Front of the box.

Back of the box.

There are so many weird things from Japan, this one included. I was with Gelsen and Raphy this afternoon at Saizen, a new Japanese thrift store in Robinsons Galleria, when we saw this thing along with other toys. Toys for kids, that is.

If you look at the pictures carefully, it's a duck that supposed to be worn like a condom. Why? I have no clue. I'll leave that to your imagination. Oh, there were also man-boobs on sale there.

Thanks to Raphy and his mobile phone for the pictures. And even with these weird stuff on sale, Saizen is still worth a visit, with lots of bargain items available.

USA Tour: Fisherman's Wharf

When in San Francisco, one cannot miss Fisherman's Wharf. This is where I got my infamous polarizer, but asides from photo stalls there are so many things to see and do here.

Alcatraz.

For starters, have some clam chowder (or any chowder variant) while here. We had our share of this creamy delicacy at Blue Mermaid. So good.

Railway to nowhere.

And there are tons of souvenir shops, along side photography stores. I got myself some magnets and table displays, and if you look around you might find something suited for you.

No poop, thank goodness!

Oh, and there's so much to see and photograph at the wharf. I have never seen so many birds mingling with people, as if they're used to having us around. I even saw one poop while flying, which is gross but awesome at the same time. Street performers are also a common scene here, each with his or her own unique gimmick. Too bad I never got to experience everything the wharf has to offer. No Alcatraz tours, not much museum visits, and too bad I missed those sea lions along Pier 39. Well, I guess I have to add them to my itinerary next time (hopefully).

You got to love self cleaning toilets. Cheers.

So that's about it for now. Please visit my gallery here for more photos. By the way, the last photo was taken on a different day.

Second MacBook Glitch: MacBook Won't Wake Up From Sleep Plus First Glitch

I'm now afraid to put my MacBook to sleep.

Okay, troubleshooting your MacBook while eating at Burger King is not cool. Thanks God nobody noticed (I think).

I decided to put my MacBook to sleep while finishing my burger, and when I opened it up again, it just froze. I sort of anticipated this because when I closed my MacBook's lid, the Apple logo's light didn't go away.

So I decided to let it go and just force a reboot. It did boot up, but the first glitch appeared again. And now it seems harder to get my AirPort card working, it required me to repair permissions and reboot several times before I got it up and running.

I noticed that closing the lid while surfing the net causes these problems. This actually forced tme o update my OS to 10.5.7 without backing up, and it's still the same.

I'm still looking for ways to solve this on my own before I bring it to the service center. Now I'm afraid to close the lid (and sleep mode is supposed to be Apple's selling point).

Read more about my MacBook's first glitch here.

Thank You Canon Service Center

Test photo from my newly repaired camera.

Although my 400D may require more testing, I guess so far Canon Service Center in Makati deserves a kudos for bringing my camera back to life. I brought it there last Tuesday after that Error 99 scare, and I was told that it may take them fourteen days to diagnose and repair my camera. I called this morning to inquire about its status, and to my surprise, it's ready for pickup. No parts were replaced, only some general cleaning and a firmware update. It didn't cost me much either.

This is one of the reasons why I love Canon: top notch after sales support here in the Philippines. I even learned (or should I say confirmed) some things from the service center, like lenses bought from outside the Philippines (select countries only, I think) are covered by warranty here. And that sensor cleaning service is free for under warranty units. Cool. In addition, the staff are very accommodating.

So now I wish I could give my 400D some real world tests to safely say everything is okay. And in the near future, my G5 would be next in line for repairs. I already got a quote so I'm budgeting that already. Thanks again Canon Service Center.

For more information, visit the CMPI website.

USA Tour: Stanford University

I love a campus where you can go around on a bicycle.

I love visiting Stanford University. There was a point in my life where I dreamed of matriculating in this institution.

The entrance to the Main Quad.

Stanford University is located in Palo Alto, California, also known as Silicon Valley. Not surprisingly, a number of companies in Silicon Valley were founded by Stanford alumni. The campus is huge, with lots of landmarks and artwork. A lot of students and faculty go around the campus by bike, and parking is also abundant for those with motor vehicles. If you think the University of the Philippines is huge, the land occupied by Stanford will make you think again. Asides from the campus itself, Stanford's property also includes several housing facilities, a high end medical facility, museums, a mall (wow), and acres of land used for scientific and agricultural research.

Stanford Memorial Chapel. Sadly I haven't been inside.

It's not my first time to visit Stanford, but the latest visit is more memorable. Maybe it's because I got to take more pictures, or maybe it's because of the stories of Tita Tess (her husband now works here). It's so nice to stroll around Stanford, there's so much to see. Heck, we even saw squirrels playing in a tree near the parking lot. And the people, you can feel an aura that there's something special about Stanford.

Burghers of Calais, one of several artwork by Auguste Rodin scattered around campus. Thanks to Wikipedia for this information (as well as others written here).

Hoover Tower reminds me of the UP Carillon.

Playful squirrel.

Mom and Tita Tess relaxing at Stanford Mall.

For more pictures, please visit my Stanford gallery here. Hopefully I can post another set from my US trip soon.

Stanford University's official website
Stanford University's Wikipedia entry

Apple! Apple! Apple!

The new iPhone 3G S. Photo from Apple's website.

It seems like Apple released some new products lately. And with that, my MacBook just became obsolete, err, I mean classic. Talk about fast paced technology.

I am aware of a new iPhone coming to the market since photos and news have leaked as early as May. But new MacBook Pros? Apparently, the unibody MacBook (the one I have) is now classified as a MacBook Pro. For the same price I paid for mine, I could have gotten these: slightly faster processor, double the RAM, FireWire 800, and an SD card slot. Everything else remains the same.

I could actually care less for the processor and card slot. The FireWire would have been nice (something I look for back then when purchasing a laptop), but since I don't have anything that connects via FireWire, it could give it a pass. But double the RAM? Now that makes me sad, since last time I checked, DDR3 modules are still expensive. I also forgot to mention that the battery life is almost double on the new 13 inch model.

There's also a new 15 inch MacBook Pro, with the addition of an entry level one that shares most of the specs of the 13 inch model (which means no dedicated graphics card). The rest of the lineup also received updates.

Even with the updates, I'm still happy with my MacBook. It still functions the way it should, and we should just accept that technology is just so darn progressive these days. At least when I upgrade in the future I know I have a choice of getting a smaller (and more affordable) MacBook Pro. And I'm also happy that I delayed my iPhone purchase.

iPhone 3G S Tech Specs
MacBook Pro (13") Tech Specs
MacBook Pro (15") Tech Specs

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Speaking of iPhones, I want to share with you guys something I bought in the US: an iPod Touch.

So the story goes like this. Roxanne wanted an iPhone as a present, so I decided to check them out, since they appear to be cheaper in the US. But what I forgot to check is the fine print, which states a lock-up for two years with AT&T, no warranty coverage here in the Philippines, and of course the infamous jailbreak to make it work here. Not a good bargain in my opinion.

So I got her the next best thing: a 16GB iPod Touch. I got it cheaper too thanks to Tita Nery's Costco membership. I really loved it when I started to test it, so I also got the same model for me. Yey! Oh, I also purchased an iHome speaker with FM radio for my iPod.

I love the iPod Touch because it's more than just an iPod. I use it to watch videos* (keeps me up to date with CSI), take notes, and to surf the web*. It's so much fun to surf the web using the iPod Touch, the browser (Safari) is just so easy to use. No Flash animation though.

There are also tons of apps for the iPod Touch. Just check out the App Store on your iTunes to find out.

I'm not sure if I would get the new iPhone next year when my subscription with Globe expires, but for now I will enjoy my iPod Touch. When I find the time I might write more about this amazing gadget.

iPod Touch Tech Specs
What Ken Rockwell says about the iPod Touch (scroll down)

*Disclaimer: Watching videos and/or surfing the web for prolonged periods using the iPod Touch may hurt your eyes. I should know, I get headaches and near sighted vision when I do so.

My Cameras Are Broken

I didn't catch the swine flu while I was in the US. I can't say the same for my cameras.

Well, it's not exactly a flu, but both my cameras (G5 and 400D) are acting loopy lately. While in the US, my 400D saw a lot of action, while my G5 stayed in my check-in luggage the whole time. And I never got to check any of them upon our return, maybe it's because of all the excitement I had with my MacBook.

Fast forward to last night. I attempted to clean my 400D's sensor, having noticed a big dust spot in most of my Bay Area photos. To my surprise, my camera wouldn't turn on. I assumed it's my batteries, having been exposed to cold weather in the US (which would drain them faster). I charged one partially and I was able to boot up my camera, and do some initial cleaning. I left the batteries charging before going to bed.

This morning, the same problem occurred. Well, almost. I was able to turn on my 400D on some occasions, but when I try to shoot something, Error 99 is displayed on the screen. It's really hard to decode what Error 99 is, since this is more of Canon's generic way of saying that something is wrong with my camera. I tried reinstalling the batteries, turning the camera on and off, and swapping lenses. At one time it worked, but tonight it's still problematic. Hopefully it's just a dirty connection (what else can go wrong?), and I'll have it checked by Canon soon.

Now, my G5. Poor G5. I tried to charge it this morning, so that I can shoot the Error 99 on my 400D. When I turned it on, the LCD acted funky. Either it was blank, all white, or garbled (big time). But tonight I realized that this one might be my fault. I noticed dents at the back of the swivel LCD, might be from all the tumbling inside my luggage. I'm hoping that it's nothing major, but I'm also bracing for the worst.

So what have I learned from all this?

- Never check-in your photography gear, unless you're really sure it's well protected.

- Always test your gear after a long trip.

- No matter how old your gear is, always show them some extra love.

I really hope Canon can do something about my cameras. All I can do right now is cross my fingers.