The Mets are All Wright

Finally, the Mets signed their home grown super star to a long term/life ending contract.  At 8 years and $138 million, this is the largest contract ever given to anyone by the New York Mets. It even trumps the mega-deal for Johan Santana in 2008, by $0.5 million, although that was only a 6 year deal.  Many baseball writers are claiming this is exactly what the Mets needed to move forward after years of fallout from Bernie Madoff and his personal vendetta against the world.  But now, we have our savior!

This is one good looking dude...

I only hope he decides to 1) stay healthy from now on and 2) go 30-100 when he's healthy for a full year (ahem....2012).  That's the part that really bothers me.  No one seems to be expressing concern of his stats from last season, namely 21 home runs and 93 RBIs in 156 games....that's not good enough for a franchise player making more than $16 million a year.  And don't argue that his stats were down because he had bad players around him. Remember 2010? Just as bad a team, but with 29 home runs and 103 RBIs from Wright. When you add the fact that David was hitting .350 for much of the first half and those final numbers become that much more worrisome.

AND he has only hit more than 30 home runs ONCE in his career. I know home runs as a statistic is completely outdated and apparently useless if you talk to WAR followers (much too confusing for my taste), but still... It almost feels like the Mets were saying "David Wright had some really good years when we just gave up (2006-2008).  Now that he's turning thirty with two prior major injuries, should we give him big money?  We kinda have to, we have no one else to give big money to and we can't have a franchise player without paying more than he's worth when his bones begin to disintegrate at age 38 and if we don't have a franchise player....we look silly." 

Who in this picture deserves the big money???

But in the end, I am glad they were able to keep David long term. He was always a better overall value than Reyes because of his offense power.  But this doesn't mean we're ready to start Spring Training. Not by a long shot.  When the Winter Meetings start this coming Monday, much could happen to shake things up, particularly if Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton sign as a result of some GM wheeling and dealing.

But the Mets could also be a big player in the Winter Meetings if they decide to part ways with their Cy Young Award Champion R.A. Dickey.  I just don't know what to think about this guy.  Hoe much value will other teams put on a 38 year old knuckleballer, with a knuckle ball no one has ever thrown, who didn't get good until he was 36 and then became the best pitcher in the National League two years later?

Dickey ANGRY!!!!

In my opinion, sign him for 2 years (after next season) for under $10 million each year.  If he is leading a pitching staff of Jon Neise, Mat Harvey, Dillon Gee and Zack Wheeler by 2014, then by God, we have a shot at this.  Winning a World Series requires pitching, pitching, pitching (and a little bit of offense, just to spice things up).  If Dickey won the Cy Young at 38, there's no reason he can't be a stellar pitcher, or at least really good, in a year or two.  Don't trade him for prospects and uncertainty. Let him  be a part of a winning ball club in the near future.

I just hope the Mets don't screw this up because of a little thing like 'money.'

Expanding Storage on Your Ultrabook

The way I see it, Solid State Drives (SSD) are the future, but we're paying a lot in the present.  Most ultra-thin laptops today are equipped with 128 GB of SSD at the starting price, which is not enough for even causal laptop users over the course of a few years. But upgrading to 256 GB costs $300 on average. That's too much.

However, there are several cheaper alternatives to expanding your storage without expanding your debt. The  'fashionable' option is #3.

1) External Hard Drive: Seagate, Toshiba, Western Digital

• Look on amazon.com and you will find 1 TB external hard drives for $89. That's pretty ridiculous but great for photo/video collector.  There are some drawbacks to consider however.  Firstly, external hard drives are an extra piece of tech to carry around. While their only slightly larger than a cell phone these days, it can still be a pain to download and upload on the go or in a hurry. Luckily, with many externals equipped with USB 3.0 connections, you will spend less time dragging and dropping and more time enjoying your media.  Still, there is something to be said for having everything in one place.  
• Also be weary of durability.  External hard drives suffer from the same problem as any basic hard drive, spinning disks.  Be careful where you place your external when it's plugged in an working. Eventually, the device will break down, but it can break down much quicker because of the moving parts.

2) Flash (Thumb) Drives: Kingston, SanDisk

• Flash drives offer less storage, but are much more portable, can be plugged in on the go, and work on flash memory, so there are no moving parts to worry about.  They are also more expensive in terms of storage capacity.  A 32 GB flash drive goes for $40-50 and a 64 GB flash drive goes for $70-80. Those prices can be cheaper if you don't need a USB 3.0 flash drive, which only work with computers that have USB 3.0 ports.

3) Micro SD card with Nifty Mini Drive

• http://theniftyminidrive.com/
• This is by far the most portable and fashionable option to expanding your laptop's storage, specifically Macbook storage.  Many companies offer adapters for plugging in a Micro SD card into a full SD card slot.  But the Nifty Mini Drive, a Kickstarter program, is an adapter that fits perfectly snug into the SD slot, at least for Macbook Pros and Airs. Any other adapter would stick out from the side about 1 cm. That's not much, but it is SO much sexier to have smooth edges and it allows your Micro SD card to truly be a storage expansion device that never has to be removed from the laptop.  

• The Nifty Mini Drive costs $35 and the actually Micro SD card is sold separately,  but you can get that from anywhere.  Amazon once again comes to the rescue with SanDisk 64 GB Micro SD cards for about $60-70.  That means you can double to storage on your Macbook Air by purchasing 2 64 GB Micro SD cars and the Adapter for almost half the price of upgrading the internal SSD from 128 GB to 256 GB (~$170 versus $300).  
• You can even set the micro SD card to automatically back up files regularly so you know important information is safe, even if the laptop is dropped in the ocean (only for 24 hours)!

One Task the iPad Mini (and any touchscreen) is Not Optimized For...Gaming

Yes, I just had a post highlighting my favorite iPhone games. This is a different argument.

More and more, arguments for purchasing a smartphone or tablet have included some form of the phrase "and this device is ideal for gaming."  This is true, but only to a certain extent.

I have purchased and played some graphic intensive games on my iPad.  The animation is beautiful and the depth of gaming is impressive, but no game from the App Store can compare to a true gaming platforms like Playstation Vita or Nintendo DS.

And it's not just about the details or the number of levels, its about the physical form factor.  Hard core gamers need a joystick and buttons. A touchscreen is only good for simple games or games that are built from the ground up for touchscreens.  There is no denying the success of 'Angry Birds' and 'Temple Run, ' but life long PS3 and XBox gamers sometimes need more.

I own 'Mass Effect Infiltrator,' described as one of the best iPad action/first person shooter games.  It is a lot of fun, but I will never be fully comfortable with the touchscreen joystick and tapping to fire my rifle.  It does not feel natural.  I still really enjoy the game and I believe the Apple App Store has many such high-end games available, but they can only temporarily stave off the urge to sit on the couch and play Halo for 12 hours straight.

Is there an XBox 360 in there?

It is unclear if the Playstation Vita can survive in a climate of simple, inexpensive and addicting touchscreen games...but in my opinion, it should survive. I still really appreciate my Playstation Portable and my Nintendo DS, although both are several generations old now.  They are better for gaming because they are only for gaming.  And no matter what anyone says, touchscreen gaming will not, and should not, overpower the Playstation or XBox. Those 2 platforms are untouchable.

iPhone 5 Must Have Games!

The iPhone 5 is one of the top smartphones available, on the same tier as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the Driod Razr Max HD.  There is no denying its sexy design, incredible power, beautiful screen and plethora of applications (I should really work for Apple).  Here are some of the best and most popular games for your fabulous 'jewel' of a device (quoting Apple's explanation from the keynote).

Games
There are more and more games available for the iPhone seemingly everyday. Some are lousy, but many are extremely fun or educational and they all look gorgeous on the iPhone 5's Retina Display.  My favorites include:

Angry Birds Start Wars - This was JUST released and I can honestly say it was worth $0.99.  The game play is fun, of course, but what I really appreciate (and why I bought the game) is the Star Wars connection.  This game does a superb job of bringing in elements from the fan-fiction favorite into the Angry Birds universe. The music is great, there are birds for Obi Wan, Luke, Han, Chewbacca, etc. and they all have cool powers, like light-saber slashes, Force push or blaster shots.  The cut away scene are hilarious because the creators perfectly transformed iconic characters from the movies into Angry Birds equivalents.  A 'must buy.'

Temple Run - In the realm of free games, this has to be near the top of any list.  It's fast-paced, looks beautiful, provides a challenge and kills A LOT of time. What more can you ask? The game is so simple, just swipe left or right to follow the path or swipe up or down to jump over or slide under obstacles and go as far as you possibly can before dying.  

Mega Run - Another free game that looks great on the iPhone 5 and is extremely simple to play.  Just tap the screen to make the little red monster thingy jump and get him to the end of the obstacle course, collecting coins, power-ups and special gems on the way.  Addicting.

Words with Friends - If you want a social game that lets you brag to your friends about your intelligence, here's your game.  It's addicting and free, if you don't mind ads after playing every word.  And you can play your turn whenever you want, so there's no pressure and if you can't find a word to place on the rip-off Scrabble board, you can come back to it later. 

Extinction Squad - A free game designed by Adult Swim, the late night Cartoon Network programming.  I was skeptical at first, but after playing for a few hours, I fell in love.  You drag you finger back and forth across the screen to catch animals in your trampoline as they fall to their death. The story goes that the Dodo was released back into the wild after it's rediscovery, but it's scent was unfamiliar to the other animals, causing them to go crazy and jump off cliffs.  Oh, and you have to avoid bombs that fall from the sky.  (This is clearly a very logical game.)  Some animals require several bounces to land in the Jeep, others fall straight down or at odd angles.  And if you miss too many animals, the ground gets slippery with their blood and you loose. Slightly graphic, but very enjoyable. I also like the feature that let's you spin a wheel for more coins/upgrades where a Dodo is the arrow that stops the wheel.

Plague Inc. - If you want a strategy game that feels real, I mean frighteningly real, then get Plague Inc.  The basic idea is to kill every human being on the planet. You play a micro-organism such as bacteria, a virus, a parasite, nanobots, fungus, etc.  Each method of mass extermination has different strengths and weaknesses for infecting humans and as your disease spreads, you can add power-ups to make it spread quick, kill easier or survive better.  The key to victory is to infect everyone before the disease starts killing off large numbers of people, otherwise the world will unite around cure research and stop you micro-killer in its tracks.  You also have to be careful of geography. Some places are harder to infect than others because of extreme temperatures or lack of transportation (the disease spreads by airplanes, boats, and land).  A somewhat creepy, but extremely entertaining and thought-provoking game.

A note about Reading (random, I know, just go with it)
I'm not saying reading books is optimal on the iPhone 5. I am saying it's good enough to pass some time while traveling or at work.  I prefer iBooks to Kindle, but they are essential the same in every way EXCEPT that you cannot search or download books directly from you Kindle app. You have to buy them through your computer. iBooks allows you to search and buy books instantly to your phone from your phone.  It's an overall pleasant experience. I found myself reading several chapters of 'Songs of Ice and Fire' Book 4 on my iPhone and finishing the book accidentally. On to Book 5!!!!!!!!!!

The Best 7 inch Tablet Screen is.....

WHAT?!?!?!?!

Well, if you consider pixel resolution and pixels-per-inch, then yes, the Nook HD has the best screen.  Here are the facts:

Nook HD: 1440 x 900, 243 ppi

                  $199 for 8gb, $229 for 16gb

                  315g, 7.65" x 5" x 0.43"

                  HDMI compatible and MicroSD slot

                  No cameras

iPad Mini: 1024 x 768, 163 ppi

                 $329 for 16gb, $429 for 32gb, $529 for 64gb

                 308g, 7.87" x 5.3" x 0.28"

                 Adaptor needed for HDMI, No MicroSD slot

                 Back 5MP, 1080p HD video camera; 

                 Front Facing 1.2MP, 720p HD video camera

Kindle Fire HD: 1280 x 800, 216 ppi

                          $199 for 16gb, $249 for 32gb

                          394g, 7.6" x 5.4" x 0.4"

                          MicroUSB and Micor HDMI, No MicroSD

                          Front Facing HD camera

                          

Google Nexus 7: 1280 x 800, 216 ppi

                           $199 for 16gb, $249 for 32gb

                           340g, 7.81" x 4.72" x 0.41" 

                           MicroUSB, No MicroSd, No HDMI

                           Front Facing 1.2 MP camera
                           

What does all this information boil down to?

• Barnes 'n Noble is trying to make the argument that the Nook HD is the lightest 7 inch tablet, and that appears to be true (the iPad Mini is NOT a 7 inch tablet), but it is certainly not the thinnest.  Both the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 are thinner, albeit by 0.1 or 0.2 grams, but those add up pretty fast.  Still, at 315g, I definitely want to play around with this device and see just how comfortable and light it feels in the hand. 
• Barnes 'n Noble was also sneaky.  They left out any camera, which is not a bad move for a company trying to keep their heads above water facing stiff competition.  Also, they pulled a "Google" and started the pricing at$199 for the 8gb model.  But with a microSD card slot, the 8gb model is still useful. Plus, the Nook Cloud stores all your purchases. 
• I am REALLY intrigued by the display quality.  The Nook HD is technically better than the Kindle Fire HD, but I need to see them both up close to make any final judgments.  The differences in color saturation or screen brightness or screen manufacturing could tip this battle in either tablet's favor. 

If you want a media consumption tablet, the Nook HD is just as good as the Kindle Fire (and a lot lighter 394g versus 315g).  But if you already have an Amazon Prime account, then there is no reason not the get the Kindle Fire HD. Free Instant video streaming and free digital library books is just too good to pass up (plus you get a front facing camera).  

However, if you want a small all-purpose tablet, your best choice is either the Nexus 7 or the iPad Mini.  Both are excellent devices and I will compare them face-to-face in a future blog.  Granted, you can browse the web and check email on the Nook and Kindle, but there are not nearly as many applications or capabilities when compared to Apple and Google devices.  For example the Nook or Kindle would not be ideal for document writing, document editing, photo editing, video recording, graphic intense games, or social networking (Facebook and Twitter). And although they both have web browsing abilities, the A5 processor of the iPad Mini and the NVIDIA Quad Core processor of the Nexus 7 both offer superior speed and fluidity when opening and using web pages.   

While the Nook HD is actually a really good device that can 'duke it out' with the big boys, there is only a small market for Barnes 'n Noble die-hards who do not shop on Amazon.  

                 

MLB Update: Astros, Angels, Off-season

I should be writing about my favorite team, the New York Mets, but as expected, they are having a quiet off-season after picking up the options on David Wright and R.A. Dickey (a 5 year old would have realized this was a 'must').  But a couple of other teams are putting the off-season hot stove on the front burner (not sure the metaphor makes sense).

Look at those handsome devils

First of all, the Houston Astros new uniforms. This is just the Miami Marlins all over again, and with the same orange uniform color. The only difference is the Astros are absolutely terrible and will be buried alive in the AL West with the juggernaut Rangers, holy Angels and spunky Athletics.  That's all the teams in the West, right?

But seriously, look at the facts.  The Astros had the 3rd lowest team salary in the big leagues last year at $60,652,000 and the worst record at 55-107.  What really freaks me out is that the Athletics had the lowest team salary at $49,137,500 AND THEY WENT ALL THE WAY TO GAME 5 IN THE ALDS.

Yeah, Bartolo Colon is back. Now there's no way the A's won't win the World Series

And let's look at the team itself from 2012....there's not much to see.  However, there are a few bright spots worth noting.  Justin Maxwell (18/59/.229), Lucas Harrell (11-11/3.76/140 Ks) and Jed Lowry (16/44/.244).  That's about it.   There is potential in Bret Wallace, J.D. Martinez and Brandon Lyles, among others, but they have yet to show there is any substantial hope for the club.

Enough about losers, how about......losers! The 'Anaheim Angels of Anaheim of Disney in California' just witnessed the Giants win the World Series on absolutely superb pitching for the second year in three.  So they allowed two, and possibly 3, starting pitchers to walk away. That makes sense, right?

Bye bye Danny!  You pitched great but we don't believe in starting pitching anymore

I can understand the need to lower payroll after investing A LOT of money in Albert Pujols.  But to trade Ervin Santana for Bradon Sisk of the Royals (who?) and letting Dan Harn walk by declining his $15.5 million option AND letting Zack Greinke also test the free agent waters, the Angels are hoping for a miracle.  Yes, they have Jered Weaver, who showed the world that inept pitching is not hereditary, and C.J. Wilson.  But that's about it right now.  

The Angels will argue firstly, that Santana had become incredibly inconsistent and injury prone for his price tag and secondly, that Haren was getting old and beginning the downside of his career in 2012.  That would some valid points.  

Elsewhere, if they are unable to secure Greinke's services, it will be (partially, at least) because of Vernon Wells.  His salary was $24,642,857 in 2012. That is completely ridiculous.  Albert Pujols only made $12,000,000 this year.  I will never understand a) how the Blue Jays managed to create this obscene 'crime against humanity' contract and b)  how the Angels could take it!  Why would you trade Mike Napoli (when power hitting catchers are worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox) and Juan Rivera for this guy!  He has had some good years in the recent past, but he is not $24 million 'good.'  And this past year was a disaster.  

Anyway, the Angels are also letting Torii Hunter test free agency, which makes sense considering he was the second highest paid Angel last year at $18,500,000.  The Angels need that money to go to re-acquiring Greinke.  I know Hunter is a great presence in the clubhouse, a clutch hitter and a superb defender, but that didn't stop the Angels from utterly failing at life this year.  

Invest in pitching. That's how you win Championships. You already have Pujols, Trumbo and Trout.  Now it's time to shed your bad contracts and dominate AL teams, like you new neighbors, the Houston Astros!!!!

iPad Mini First Impressions

A LOT of people have been blogging about the iPad Mini. It was released in stores yesterday and as a true Apple fan, I went to check it out.  Before stepping into the store, I already knew a good deal about this device (I really want to work for Apple).

First, the screen is NOT Retina.  That means letters and words are somewhat hazy and undefined compared to the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 and 4.  But we're comparing razor sharp displays to a very good display, a display everyone was fine with for the first 2 years of the old iPad's existence.  If you have not had long term exposure to a new iPad/iPhone, the screen on the iPad Mini will look really good because it is a condensed version of the iPad 2.  It's only in comparison that you ask yourself, "why would I spend $330 on this display?"

Second, I knew the form factor was perfect.  It fits in one hand fairly comfortably (tough to tell with my massive paws) but where the iPad Mini shines is the weight.  It is truly lighter than almost any book and as thin as a pencil.   

Yeah, I took a picture of myself with the iPad Mini on my iPhone 5. What of it?

This truly is a remarkable device that you should consider if you want something smaller than a full size tablet that is simple to use with the amazing Apple ecosystem.

*However, there are some caveats.  

• Apple designed this product with the A5 processor, the chip used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4 (both now two generations old).  There are instances where you can definitely notice the slower loading times and downloads speeds when compared to the iPad 3 and 4 (I still can't believe my iPad is last gen after 6 months).  The most obvious times would be when playing high graphic intensive games, but I noticed some lag in using Apple Maps and opening the camera.  This 'lag' however, would be almost non-existent to the casual user, but I am anything but casual.  
• Now that Apple has broken the unspoken vow of updating products only once a year, and considering this is Apple's first foray into the 7 inch tablet market, I would not be surprised if the iPad Mini 2 is unveiled this summer, if not sooner.  If you can wait to invest $329, I suggest holding off or buying a Google Nexus 7 (as I am about to do).  
• Finally, if you already own an iPad 3, like myself, I do not recommend trading in for the iPad Mini or even purchasing one to compliment your iPad.  The differences in speed and display quality will become far too apparent if you are able to hold both devices in your hands.  I can not bring myself to downgrading spec-wise for a better form factor.  And the iPad Mini is a better form factor, maybe the best designed device Apple has ever created (and I am not the only one saying that).  

On the day the iPad Mini gains the A6 processor and a Retina Display, I will throw my iPad 3 out the window and run 5 miles to my nearest Apple Store to wait in line for 6 hours. But for now, I will be content with my older iPad and wait for the perfect iPad Mini.  

Temple Run ran great...in one hand!