I just got a new Dell XPS 420 with Vista and I'm putting together a post that outlines the software and config things I do to a new Windows machine.  This post will be updated as I refine it.

Install

OS:

• Windows Search 4.0
• Take a trip to Windows Update

Hardware Support:

• HP Printer
• Logitech Harmony Remote
• Keyboard & Mouse (maybe not)
• LifeCam
• Windows Mobile Device Center
• HD Homerun

Disk Apps:

• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Money
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Premiere

Download Apps:

• uTorrent
• Zune
• DBPoweramp (audio converter)
• Windows Media Player PLS utility
• Firefox 3
• ieSpell
• QuickTime
• Flash
• Acrobat
• Orb
• Salling clicker
• WebGuide
• 7-Zip

Gadgets:

• Callwave Visual Voicemail
• Callwave SMS Sender
• Weather Underground
• Systran language converter

Outlook accessories:

• Windows Live Maps for Outlook
• Hotmail Outlook Connector
• Plaxo

Windows Live:

• Windows Live Package
  • Toolbar
  • Live Favorites
  • Messenger
  • Writer
  • Photo Gallery
• MSN Remote Record
• SharedView

Configure

Internet Explorer:

• Turn on Inline Autocomplete
• Turn on the option for pop-ups to always display in a new tab
• Change the registry to allow more simultaneous connections
• Turn off click sound

Windows Live Messenger

• Turn off contact encryption so it will sync with Windows contacts.

Media Center

• Migrate scheduled recordings and setup MSN Remote Record

Over the past few days I've held off on emptying my deleted items folder in Outlook to get a better sense of the number of messages I "process" per day.  The average over the past three days with very little varyance per day was 800 per day.  Granted this does include RSS feed posts I go through but it is still several hundred without them.

This doesn't include IM, voice mail, meeting requests, personal email or text messages.

The bad news is that I am not getting to zero in my inbox each day either so there is some "carry" from one day to the next.

I've got to come up with a better way to handle this.  I've read various GTD-esque things but at some point, the incoming flow and accumulation of tasks and meetings just doesn't average out to zero per day.

Stay tuned...

It really annoys me when a software vendor tries to bundle other applications with the one you downloaded and installed.  It's even worse when they try to do it through their crapware auto update mechanism.  Adobe is guilty of this and so now is Apple.

The problem here is that I only want QuickTime on my Windows PC.  I have never installed iTunes on it nor have I installed Safari.  Given recent security news about Safari, I'm glad I haven't installed it.  The nice Apple Software Update app not only checks off all three applications by default but it also doesn't give you a way to only update QuickTime.  For those wondering, you can do it but you have to ignore the Apple updater and go to the QuickTime site to download the patched installer again.

I wonder how many of the non-technical iPod users on Windows have been duped into installing Safari.

No software is bug free or perfectly secure but trustworthiness is a combination of security by design, being up front with your users when installing and updating and responding to exploits proactively, not just after a bunch of them have made the news.  On this measure, Microsoft clearly beats Apple, despite the lack of cool advertising we do.

In mid-May I bought an Argus Bean 5 MP camera from Best Buy.  I was captivated by the industrial design and ruggedness of the camera.  It can clip like a carabiner to a bag or belt loop, is weather resistant and has pretty simple controls.  Though it is designed for kids, I thought it would make for a great knock-around camera for those times when I didn't want to lug my DSLR with me.  At $60, the price was definitely right as well. 

It got a lot of looks for its design but I found out after taking numerous pictures that it must have a strange image sensor that scans somewhat slowly to acquire the image.  I found this out because many of the pictures I took had wavy images likely caused by movement of my body when taking them.  The images also had the "video" look to them rather than the nice still images you would get from a higher end camera.

If you don't care about pictures that look a little like the fun house mirror, this camera is great.  However, I like my pictures a bit more than that.

It is disappointing when the feature list and industrial design of product is so promising yet the core functionality and reliability betrays that design.  Perhaps I just had a lemon (or maybe a lime given the color) but I hope somebody can make an inexpensive SD card capable knock-around camera like this that takes decent pictures.  I may just have to accept my cell phone as that device though I would certainly hesitate to use it in dusty, sandy or wet conditions.

Moral of the story:  When you design a product to stand out in price, features and industrial design, make sure it doesn't disappoint when people use it. 

Verdict: Returned.

I can't remember my time for the last two years, but this year I managed to finish at 1:20 which meant I finished probably in the middle of the runners, before the walkers, most naked people and all drunks.

After finishing, I walked back to the 5 mile mark and met up with some coworkers who were walking as the running of the bulls to finish the race for a second time.  Of course, I think the people in Pamplona probably had as much alcohol but a bit more running speed.

After finishing we walked back again to find food around 19th and Irving and then walked further to try and find a taxi or way back.  After a long and very entertaining Muni bus ride, we made it back home where we gorged on falafel we bought at Sunrise Deli (excellent!) and wine.

I'm the one in black without the horns and with the impromptu red sash.

I wanted to try out a scenario I have been desiring for a while now so I took my new xo to yerba buena gardens, got on the free wifi and did a little browsing, capped off by this post. One of the reasons I got the xo was that it has a screen with great outdoor readability.

Aside from the screen, it also is small, has great battery life, strong wifi reception and is designed to take some abuse. Of course, olpc is a great idea so I hope the recipient of my donor laptop is enjoying it somewhere in the world.

More on the xo once I get to use it a bit more.

I've had a few WM phones and while they have all done a decent job in the utility department, they have always lacked a few key features which kept them from mobile phone perfection.  The iPhone is probably the device that is closest to my perfect cellphone but it too lacks key features that I need and ultimately the Blackjack wins for the corporate scenarios.  My dream phone would have:

• A regular headphone jack with no adapter needed
• Charging and syncing via mini-usb
• Wifi
• Bluetooth - The usual Bluetooth profiles plus A2DP & AVRCP
• GPS
• A touch screen that doesn't require a stylus
• Physical keys - ideally QWERTY text entry or tactile touch screen
• Good high resolution screen that is visible in daylight
• Quad band GSM w/ HSDPA or HSUPA (UMTS extra credit)
• A 3MP camera
• microSD
• Exchange ActiveSync with all the corporate IT functionality
• A music playback experience that doesn't suck

This basically amounts to a work hard + play hard phone.

Today Microsoft and Sony-Ericsson announced a partnership resulting in the Xperia X1 which has all of the above.  Engadget Mobile did a quick review and I am pretty impressed.  We'll have to see what the build quality and form factor is like when held in my hand but I am officially holding off on my prospective purchase of a new WM device until I have a chance to play with one of these.

Previous WM phones I have owned are the Audiovox SMT 5600 and the Samsung Blackjack.  The SMT 5600 was a great device for its time but times have changed.  The Blackjack has a nice feature set but it has a really poorly-designed proprietary connector for headphones/sync/charging, bad audio quality, bad build quality (I'm on my 3rd and it is having problems), flaky Bluetooth and barely sufficient battery life.  Its saving graces are the compact QWERTY keyboard, HSDPA support, rubberized skin and scroll wheel.

Hillary Clinton: Bill Clinton, Madeline Albright, Wesley Clark - political heavy hitters of the 90s.

Barack Obama: Campaign workers, youth, diversity - New face of politics.

Rudy Giuliani: Typical 9/11 fare - Did I mention 9/11?

Mike Huckabee: Chuck Norris.  What?  Read the facts.

The Blue Angels returned to San Francisco for Fleet Week this weekend and as with anything military or fuel-burning, it was met with controversy and a move by the board of supervisors to ban it.

Nonetheless, I took a few photos of them and was lucky enough to catch them in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The traffic getting back was a nightmare however.  Too bad the board of supervisors didn't arrange for a ton of public transit to and from the prime viewing areas.

Kudos to the Giants and San Francisco Opera for putting on opera at the ballpark last week.  There's something to be said for enjoying garlic fries and a beer while watching Samson and Delilah. 

It was also neat to see the full moon rising above the outfield.  My camera phone photo doesn't do it justice.

Here's a little tip for your career thanks to Sen. Craig of the infamous restroom sex scandal.  Don't speak before you think.  Of course, Sen. Craig is a great example of what NOT to do in this case.

MSNBC has a story about Sen. Craig possibly changing his resignation.  First he pleaded guilty but claimed he was innocent.  Then he resigns effective later this month.  Now he's reconsidering the resignation.

I wonder what's next...

I think I've made this claim several times over so we'll see if it sticks this time around.  I'm not going to have the bandwidth to post daily but I'll try to get back on the rails with posting at least once per week.

Blogging takes time and since I mostly do this to record my thoughts and make no money on it, it's not a high priority for me.

To all those who serve our country and their families, thanks.