YouTube-Not Much Choice with HD?

YouTube has adapted a new widescreen 6:9 format since November. They are continuing to add new features, such as the ability to watch HD 720p content, turning “out the lights” on some videos, and offering better video quality altogether.

However, there are issues.

First, let me explain to you the levels of “quality:”

Standard, or Normal, what 4:3/6:9 non-HD video starts with

High Quality, If supported by the video uploaded above

HD, which is, well, HD.

The issue is,  any video that’s uploaded in HD is played back as High Quality as default. You can go “HD”, but you can’t go Standard. For someone, like me, who’s running on a 1.5mbps download speed, while running other things, this can sometimes be a problem.This annoys me.

Comon, YouTube, Give all videos all three options, (if possible) by default! Let the user decide what quality he/she wants to watch to begin with! that way, they can actually watch the video smoothly instead of in 5 second intervals, or having to wait half an hour for the freakin’ thing to load.

Annoyances..Or Just One

The ustream Logo

Usernames. Usernames, Usernames.

I’m using this post to vent some frustration.

First of all, choosing a username seems almost impossible. I never know what to call myself. Another issue is when people go looking for me, such as on twitter or facebook or something, even google, and they don’t know my real name, there is little chance they’re going to find all my content that I post to the web due to the different usernames. “adamlive” happens to be the most recent, as much as I hate it.  “awarga” “adamwarga” “atarimac” “iAtari” “aqualive” “aviafx”, “101 producitons” more that I dislike that are registered for Youtube, Windows Live Mail,  Twitter, Ustream, Facebook, Myspace,  Flickr, Ubuntu Forums, Apple Discussions, ect ect ect.

Lets look at a pro.  Or even a beginner. David DiFranco, for example. He goes under “thecreativeone”. For everything. Everything. I can google “thecreativeone” and get a ton of content, for the most part all of it. Even “xelapond”. Same thing. Get at least 80% of their content. Bingo. Try to find me, and you’ll have a harder time, which can throw away viewers and stuff like that.

Plus, to me, none of those usernames sound right. “adamlive”, doesn’t work for me.  Just doesn’t work. Even “Purple String Cheese”. Don’t like it, but its the name of this blog, right? I formed it in desperation, I suppose.

Now to create a better username, get a fresh start? I dunno. I don’t even know what to call myself. Any suggestions..

Thanks for reading my rants. I’m sorry for ranting.

Introducing….

Abbreviated, a simple blog about… something.

Visit

You can also now find Abbreviated on our blogroll, posted at right. ->

iPod Holiday Prediction

Already, I find myself surprised that I, along with friends, have survived over two months of being freshmen at our High School. This also means that the holiday months are just around the corner. And with Apple recently refreshing their iPod lineup, the new models are sure to be an awesome stocking stuffer. But, however, which particular device? 

First, every ‘pod brought a change. No new names, such as last years “classic” branding on the ipod 5.5G, however. The iPod Touch added new features; a nike+ receiver, physical volume buttons, and a speaker. The nano ventured away from it’s previous “fatty” model, reverting to its original lengthy style, however with it came the 2-inch display. Added features that particularly stand out are an accelerometer, which allows for cooler gameplay (on what games are included, maze for example) a “shake to shuffle” feature, and the ability to switch between portrait and landscape modes (used for playing video, cover flow, ect). Plus, the new nano comes in 9 vibrant colors. No more pick-and choose, blimey pastels of last year. The Classic and Shuffle gained a smaller difference, the classic gaining 40GB to 120GB for it’s base model, (Apple did away with the 160GB), and the shuffle reverted back to it’s awesome colors. (Personally, the pastels were getting annoying)

So, what iPod stands a greater chance on kids’ wish lists? From what the majority of I’ve seen over the last month or so, the popular ticket is the new nano. With all the color options, and selling at $150 for 8GB of storage space, the ability to play music, video, photos, and games, the nano is sure to be a teenager or pre-teens favorite pick. 

Apple themselves picked a good time for a product refresh: a complete redesign, which helps sales; teens that originally bought the first or second-generation nanos are looking to upgrade their older models. Good news for younger siblings with older brothers or sisters.

Tutorial: Disable 3G (EV-DO) on LG Chocolate

Not everyone uses 3G these days. I know that i can’t afford 3G Data, Music and Internet services, and i don’t really have a need for them. However, your verizon phone still looks for this cellular signal, which takes a huge chunk out of your battery life. If you’re thinking “Verizon doesn’t have 3G, what is he talking about??!” then read this post here. EV-DO is Verizon’s solution to 3G, without the common branding name we all know (and some love). To disable it:

-Navigate to your home screen. Press Menu+0, or (for the 8550, punch in the following:##77647268550)

-It should ask for a passcode. Punch in: 000000

-Select “Network Select” then “Mode Preference”, then select “1x Only”

-Press End. Your phone many power cycle (reboot) or return to the home screen. Either way, your 3G should now be turned off and you’ll be using 1x. Yes, you can still send and receive text, picture and video messages, and you can browse the Verizon “app store”, however it’s not recommended due to the slow bandwidth.

Tutorial: Ringtones via Bluetooth on LG Chocolate VX8550

When I first got my 8850, I was irritated to find that I couldn’t get free ringtones without first purchasing the Verizon Music Essentials Kit. However, I found a way to bypass this, via Bluetooth:
-Configure and pair your phone and computer (must be bluetooth-capable, see guides here for mac, and here for windows).

-Download your ringtone file (find ringtones here) and navigate to the file. 

-Navigate to the “My Sounds” folder in your phone via computer, drag and drop the file there. 

It’s recommended that you have an IN text messaging plan that allows you to send and recive pic messages without a pay-per-message rate, that way this entire method is free. Otherwise, it’ll cost $0.50

-On your phone, write a new picture message to yourself, and attatch your ringtone file. Hit Send.

-On receiving the file, your ringtone should play. Go Options>Save as Ringtone. 

Enjoy your new ringtone! This method also works for sms alert sounds and the like. However, it doesn’t work for loading music into the phone.

Beginnings

Welcome to the starting/beginning/opening of Purple String Cheese! 

As any new user, i’m still figuring out how to navigate around wordpress, but if you can read this text, I must know something! Here on this “blog” I plan to post about pretty much anything, from tech, tutorials, stuff, events, releases, cool products, and anything else you would like to know about.

Go Purple!