I am now officially a geek: I just installed Ubuntu 10.04

That's right. I just installed Ubuntu 10.04 on my netbook. And so far, I'm liking it. A lot!
I tried Ubuntu on a live CD a couple of years ago, and it was alright, but I didn't feel it was ready for prime time. But now, it's better. A LOT better.
The interface is much cleaner, crisper, and high tech looking. It's a bit Mac like, but different. Different in a good way.
My favourite change is the Ubuntu Software Center. It's almost like the Apple App Store on the iPhone, but for software. The last time I tried Ubuntu, it was using the Synaptic Package Manager, which worked well, but it was still difficult and cumbersome to get the right software. Now, one click, and everything is downloaded and installed. It's that easy.
I'm a Mac user through and through. I'm going to give Ubuntu a chance for casual use on this netbook for the next few weeks to see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

I bought an iPhone

Well, I took the plunge and bought myself an iPhone 3GS on March 25.

So far, I am loving it!

I knew what to expect since I've had an iPod Touch since they first came out, but it's even more handy than I had imagined. I came to the iPhone from a Blackberry Curve 8330, and I almost upgraded my Blackberry to the new Blackberry Bold 2. I'm glad I didn't. The screen on the iPhone is just amazing, and the interface is far superior to the dated Blackberry OS. I can type faster on the virtual keyboard than I could on the Blackberry's physical keyboard.

There are a few things that I do miss about my Blackberry that I wish the iPhone had though.

1. The message indicator light. This one tiny LED was the most useful thing on my Blackberry. The light blinks when you get an e-mail, so you know someone it's there without having to turn on the screen like with the iPhone. This is a big plus.
   
2. Integration with the holster. Ok, I know most iPhone users aren't big on holsters, but the Blackberry holster and the way it integrates with the device is awesome. In case you didn't know, the Blackberry holster has a magnet in it, and the Blackberry itself has a sensor which detects this magnet, thus, knowing if it is in the holster or not. Why is this useful you ask? You can set the profile based on whether it's in the holster or not. For example, if my Blackberry was holstered on my waist, I don't want it to chirp with every e-mail, it can just vibrate. If I have the Blackberry on my desk, I'm not going to feel it vibrate, so I want to hear it chirp. It's a little feature that leads to a lot of customization, as you can select any combination of alerts that you feel like based on your preferences.
3. Battery life. The battery life on my Blackberry was amazing. I could go for around 5 days without having to charge it.
   

Ok, that's all I can think of for the Blackberry right now. What do I like about the iPhone? Just about everything.

1. Interface. Awesome. Just awesome.
   
2. Media integration. Again, the Blackberry just sucks when it comes to media. The iPhone is easy to sync with iTunes. The media playback is amazing.
3. App store. I didn't think this one would be as important to me as it has become. The App Store is full of useful (and some useless) apps that greatly enhance your original purchase. Yes, the Blackberry has it's own app store now, but the apps tend to be clunky as they are shoehorned into the Blackberry interface. Not nice.

To sum it all up, I'm very happy with my decision to switch to the iPhone from the Blackberry. The only complaint that I have about the iPhone is that it's just too damn pretty. What does that mean? Well, it's glossy black on the back, which shows every single finger print. The back of the device is definitely a finger print magnet, but I think I've found a way around that.

But that is for another post.

iPhone: Buy now, or wait?

Right now, I am a Bell Mobility customer with a Blackberry Curve 8330. I have an upgrade credit coming up in March. Now it's decision time: Do I upgrade to an iPhone on Bell's new HSPA+ network, or do I wait until June / July to see what the new iPhone brings.

It's a tricky spot to be in. Sure, I could get the iPhone in March and be perfectly satisfied with it for the next four months. But come June, something better will be released by Apple. It might not be that much of a game changer, but at the same time, it might. Steve Jobs reportedly said the next iPhone will be an "A+ update... that Android / Google won't be able to keep up with"

That could be Jobs just trying to build hype, which we all know he does well. But at the same, what if it is something truly amazing?

I could sell the 3GS in June and purchase the new iPhone for full price, but I don't know if I want to do that or not.

On the flip side of this, if I upgrade now, I could skip the 2010 iPhone and be eligible for an upgrade come time for the 2011 iPhone which could be even more of a game changer, perhaps even supporting 4G LTE.

So, what would you do? Buy an iPhone in March, or wait until June?

The state of TNA wrestling

Ok, so Hogan has been with TNA for a few months now. The first live episode with him was awesome, full of surprises and a through back to the glory days of WCW and the NWO.

Now, we're in some bizzarre transitional phase. There are glimpses of awesomeness everywhere, but then they toss out some crappiness. Example: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles for the title a few weeks ago. Earl Hebner rang the bell without Angle tapping out, rehashing the old "Montreal Screwjob" angle, again. TNA has done that same angle three times. Seriously guys, that's getting old.

Anyways, it seems TNA may be moving to Monday nights now. That could lead to some good competition, and I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully Hogan sets some clear goals and milestones for the company and they stop copying old WWF/WCW angles and come up with some of their own.

Hogan is back! And heading to TNA...

Wrestling fans have something to get excited about, as the world of wrestling is about to get a lot more interesting. Hulk Hogan, the man who revolutionized the sport and arguably brought both WWE (then WWF) and WCW to the top of their game is now back! But in TNA.

You have to wonder if this will have the same effect as when Hogan jumped ship from WWE to WCW. At that time, Vince thought that Hogan was washed up and not worth the money. Turns out, Vince was wrong. In 1996, Hogan helped WCW Nitro sky rocket in the ratings, overtaking Monday Night RAW in the ratings for 86 weeks straight.

TNA could be on the verge of something huge here. With Kurt Angle, Mic Foley, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Sting, Scott Steiner and now Hulk Hogan, TNA has some of the best of the best from days gone by, as well as some amazing young talent like AJ Styles, Eric Young and Jay Lethal.

With Hogan debuting this Thursday, October 29 on TNA, I'm definitely setting my PVR to see what happens.

Shane McMahon resigns from WWE

Shane McMahon announced that he will resign from WWE effective January 1, 2010.

Shane issued a statement that said, "It is with great sadness that I announce my resignation from the WWE, effective January 1, 2010."

"I have never even considered a future outside the walls of the WWE. However, sometimes life takes an unexpected turn and while it is the most difficult decision I have ever made, it is time for me to move on."

This comes as a complete shock to most in the wrestling world, and now people are beginning to come up with theories as to why.

On Bill Apter's 1wrestling.com, he has suggested that Shane may be considering starting up his own MMA promotion. It is well known that Shane has been an MMA fan, but I don't know about this one.

Fans on Apter's site have suggested that Shane is going to TNA wrestling, but I don't think anyone seriously believes that one.

No matter what Shane does, I see this as an admission of defeat for him in the battle for control of the future WWE.

Vince McMahon bought WWE from his father, who took control from Vince's grandfather. Shane was always the logical fourth generation figurehead of the company after Vince steps down. Until Triple H married Stephanie.

Triple H marrying Stephanie has put him in the middle of booking sessions, given him creative control and direction, and helped him to become champion practically forever (until John Cena came along and they needed to put the belt on a fresh face). Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those Triple H bashers, I think he is a good wrestler and deserved the title when he had it. He does work well with others as you can see by the way he has put Cena over in the past.

I know most people think that with Shane out of the picture, Stephanie is the next likely person to run the company, which is true. But would she run it in a Linda McMahon way, where she is the CEO and her husband, Triple H is the chairman of the board, pulling the strings and actually in control?

Only time will tell, but it is definitley odd when the supposed heir to the throne leaves his place in the kingdom.

The Watchmen

I finally booked some free time to watch the directors cut of The Watchmen. I've read many conflicting reviews for this movie. Many people hate it, and few seem to love it. I think I fall in the minority. I won't say that I loved it, but I certainly didn't hate it.

I thought the movie was well done. Granted, I haven't read the graphic novel, so I can't make the same comparison that everyone else has been making.

Since I'm new to the story, I was genuinely surprised by the plot twists and the way things unfolded.

The special effects were good, the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed the darker tone and social commentary presented.

If you haven't read the graphic novel, watch this movie with an open mind and don't expect it to be the X-Men. As for me, I'm going to track down a copy of the graphic novel.