Getting a cold is not always a bad thing. First day, ok, mostly in bed with a terrible fever and pain in every single joint. But the next day I could mange with the help of some ibuprofen.Anyway, I finally got the time to fix my computer. Started up one of the PE systems, that can be found round the net. This happened to be BartPE, loaded it with Partition Magic and Symantec Ghost. When it was done I backed up my data and booted of the CD. Started Partition Magic and resized my original partition into two partitions. One for my normal work OS and one to use as a test bed. All was done in just a couple of hours including a ghost of my original partition. So finally the system is in shape to try out some cool stuff. Never again a computer without an extra partition to try new and beta OSes (is that a word?) in.Set it up with WinXP and used the instructions for getting WPF and CPF setup with VS2005, works wonderfully. Now all I have to do is to make this copy a ghost image and I can switch it in and out without using virtual machines. As soon as beta 2 of Vista arrives I know what to do...So, maybe I should catch a cold more often, I almost never have time for this sort of things. Just one problem I found though, I intentionally planned on ghosting to and USB drive but the PE system wasn't able to find my USB drive (a 250GB Maxtor one touch). And I wasn't able to find any solution for this.

Some time ago I tried out a Vodafone 3G card. I had some criticism regarding how Vodafone was handling their customers. Now I have been trying out what 3has to offer. I had the opportunity to try out the 3G surfing experience using two of ther phones. The Nokia 6630 and the SonyEricsson Z800i. It may be that there are problems that could be solved with the help from customer support but quite frankly, there shouldn't even be issues with customer support.Using the SonyEricsson Z800iInstalling went quite well, using the 3 software to set the dialup. After that I was able to use it as a normal dial up connection. It should be possible to install without extra software though.In all the Z800i performed well, maxed out at about 350kbps when pushing it hard with ftp and other downloads. However, while pushing I discovered it was not able to charge at the same rate draining it. Then again, the power need will follow the load. Using it in "idle" state with only mail updates, normal surfing, RSS, etc will keep the charge. Without external power in "idle" state it will last for about 3h.While travelling from Helsingborg to Lund (on an Öresundståg) it disconnected about 2-3 times, as expected on those train. The good thing is it reconnected automatically without problems.Using the Nokia 6630The installation was more cumbersome, forcing me to install PC Suite to get the connection. I have not tried though; now that I know how it’s done it should be possible to set it up with a normal dialup connection.The 6630 did not perform as well as the Z800i. I had more bad connections (after some time a connection would fail. Seemingly OK but not data is received). Furthermore, I was not able to get the same throughput for the Nokia but after a few resets it maxed at around 250kbps. The 6630 seemed to keep up with the drain a bit better. It may be due to the lower throughput and that's not acceptable. Both phones should be tested with cable connections as well, ruling out Bluetooth flaws.The Nokia was also a bit worse in keeping the connection between Helsingborg and Lund and the annoying bad connection that tricked me into thinking the connection was OK makes this a worse alternative.In total the power of just connecting the computer and if possible getting rid of third party software makes the phone connection alternatives better than using a 3G card. This setup eliminates the need for extra subscriptions for the laptop. However the best solution might be an extra subscription card coupled with the phone subscription.

Don't get me wrong, I know that the iPod with video is not the videoiPod. Jobs know it as well. And Ken that commented my last blog. Butthe fact is that the crowd has received the iPod with video as the video iPod. I feel that with this release, Apple is on the path to customer response - not innovation.When the response is what user say they want and not what theytruly need then the usability will fail. You just add features for thesake of it, making it harder for each feature to operate the device.Apple should stick to their path, both the original iPod, the shuffleand the nano were innovative in size, functionality and marketing.Especially the shuffle where innovitive, removing features to theabsolute bare minimum was ingenious. The iPod with video is not, itfeels like they try to keep the customers samewhat satisfied.

So, (as Microsofties would start the sentence). What’s with the iPod video? Apple is said to be innovative. But there's nothing innovative in the iPod video. They just tweaked an old iPod to show video. Small screen in what, 4:3 format?, hat happens to display a little video.That's not a video device. It's a desperate response to what all iPod zealots are shouting about. The least they could have done is place a bigger true wide-screen on the damn thing. Place it sideways and replaced navigation with the smaller iPod nano wheel.True innovation would be a new space saving navigator, adding the biggest possible 16:9 display (preferable an OLED) and use it sideways instead. And ditching the white colour, white plastic are over-used. Even the i should be ditched for marking the new innovation. The nano was in marketing sense innovative, lose the microdrives and use only solid state memory and discontinuing the iPod micro line.Apple start your copiers, look at Cowon A2, iRiver U10 or Creative Zen vision. (These companies has been said to copy apple far to long now).At least the "knockoff" companies understand that a personal media player is not a media vehicle. The display is the focus not the wheel.