Amazon.com Inc. finally unleashed its video-on-demand service. The service has buzzed around the blogosphere for a while. The service will allow ad-free movies and television shows to be watched on Macs or PCs.

The Amazon Video On Demand boosts Unbox application. Because of this update, users can now access more than 40,000 movies and TV shows and download them using the Unbox app.

Video on Demand also allows users to rent or buy movies and TV shows straight from their TVs. This is made possible thru the use of Sonys Bravia Internet Video Link Device on compatible Bravia TVs. On the other hand, users are entitled to a two minute preview of movies or TV shows before they can buy or rent a title.

Roy Price, director of Amazon Video on Demand said that the Video on Demand’s features were actually based on customers’ request.

Mixed reactions about the service are circulating the net.

A blogger from ArsTechnica, David Chartier considered Amazon’s second pass at a digital video distribution effort (after Unbox) an overall success. Chartier is impressed with the uniqueness of Amazon’s approach with Video on Demand.  He also pointed that the service “has struck a good balance between ‘owning’ content and not having to manage it.”

Source: ComputerWorld

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There are many things that you should consider when buying a computer. For many, these things range from peripherals to processors. If you have wads of cash to spare, then you would definitely not settle for anything less than a Creative GigaWorks S750 or a Harman Kardon SoundSticks II for speakers, and the latest Intel Core 2 Duo chip for your PC’s processor.

There’s a very important consideration, though, that lies beneath the glam of the unit, and I’m not talking about the processor. The PC-Mac rivalry isn’t just about which unit has the coolest shell design. Rather, it’s about which architecture can best serve the needs of the user.

Of Frameworks and Platforms

In order for you to be able to distinguish between a PC and a Mac, let me give a brief background as to their origin. While the term “PC” generally refers to any computer, it also has a technical meaning. IBM gave birth to the PC, and as such, the term refers to computers that are based on the IBM design. On the other hand, the Macintosh (Mac) is a computer built by Apple.

The two were made from different blueprints. The PC is based on the Intel model, while the Mac follows the Power PC architecture designed by Apple, Motorola, and also partly by IBM. Since they were made from different frameworks, the two computers cannot run applications designed for a particular architecture. In other words, you cannot run PC-based software on a Mac and vice versa.

An Attempt to Unify

There really isn’t a competition between the two. For one thing, the PC has long captured the market and is the preferred class or architecture. There’s a growing fondness for the Mac, though. However, the Apple fad isn’t strong enough to unseat the PC as the unit of choice.

While the PC and the Mac could definitely coexist, a good number of users of both platforms are clamoring for the unification of the two. Thus, in 2006, Apple boss Steve Jobs announced that the Mac would depart from the Power PC architecture and would already follow the Intel blueprint. The development now makes it possible for Windows to be able to run on the Mac.

The shift was not well received by die hard Mac fans, though. They consider the Macintosh as a novelty that shouldn’t be modified by the PC. This is one of the reasons why the compatibility issue still exists and that Windows still hasn’t invaded the Apple desktops.

Both Vulnerable

Some Mac fans claim that their unit is less vulnerable to malware attack. This may be true, but not due to the reason that their architecture or OS is more barb-wired than the PC. It could just very well be that hackers favor Windows as the object of their affection since it is the most popular operating system in the world. Macs do need protective software like the PC, such as registry cleaners and antivirus programs.

You should definitely consider the compatibility issue when choosing between a Mac and a PC. If you want to play it safe, choose a PC-based unit. It’s the architecture that is widely accepted and used around the world.

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Many predict that 2008 will be the year when laptops would finally succeed in their bid to dethrone desktops as the PC of choice. I agree.

For two decades, the desktop has lorded over almost all conceivable machines which could read and process electronic data. It was supposed to be the “future” of data processing. Everybody thought that the size and shape of the PC would not change significantly for generations to come.

Small Enough?

It’s not difficult to see why many didn’t dismiss the desktop as something that’s only transitional. Back when hard disks were still as big as cupboards, many wished for a computer that could easily fit one’s bedroom without having to throw out everything in it, including the bed. It took several decades before that prayer was answered. When IBM came out with a design that perfectly fitted study and office tables, many fostered the conviction that this was what a computer should look like and that any alteration of its structure would considerably diminish its appeal and even functionality.

Of course, being the only constant thing in this world aside from politics, change redefined the looks and functions of the PC. The world shrunk, and time became a very expensive commodity. Everything has to be done fast. While the term “multitasking” was already popular even during the days of Windows 3.1, the word took on a whole new different meaning a decade after the IT industry had started to blabber it as if it was a cuss word.

Run Run Run

As we all know, recent operating systems allow the juggling of different tasks, functions, or programs. Depending on the amount of memory and the type of processor that your computer have, large applications like CAD or multimedia programs could run side by side with other software. Nobody now asks if one could perform several things at the same time on a computer. The question has already been answered a long time ago.

Now that programs could already be ran simultaneously in a single computer, the question that was next asked is if one could still run all of them while he is actually running. As I have intimated a while back, everybody seems to be running after time and running out of it. Eight hours seem to be just eight minutes. It’s not surprising then when people started to wish that they could bring and do their tasks even when they’re out of the office.

Personal Accessory

To inaccurately borrow the words of the HP slogan, laptops made personal computers personal again. While mainframes exponentially shrunk to desktop size, it still isn’t exactly personal and portable as your watch or mobile phone. You simply can’t bring it anywhere, well at least not conveniently.

Everybody is maximizing the use of his or her time. It’s not surprising then if people treat travel time as an extension of their office hours. Laptops are not just becoming more affordable, but more importantly, they are also making time an affordable commodity. Don’t be surprised, then, if laptop sales exceed desktop purchases this year.

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How’s your cache? If you’re not a techie, then chances are that you might think that I’m asking for your current financial condition.

A cache is a space in your system’s memory that stores data that you frequently use or access. Your computer usually checks this storage first before it goes to other sources for the information that you’re requesting. This saves time since your PC won’t have to go far in order to find the data that you need.

However, your cache may actually slow down your PC if it’s clogged with unnecessary files or data. Hence, it is advisable that you clear it regularly. Clearing your browser’s cache is very simple. Just click on Tools then select Internet Options. There are also third-party software which allows you to sort out the files or data that you want to retain or delete.

Optimizing your PC is very simple. However, it’s not a one-time task that you could just forget about after performing it the first time. Clearing your cache, as well as your registry and hard drive, is a task that you should be doing as often as you clean your room (my analogy would be flawed if you only clean your room once a year )

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Are you familiar with the term “case mod?” In case you don’t know, it means “case modification. I thought that nobody’s really into it. As they say, “it’s what inside that counts.” 

“Case modders” admit that putting disco lights inside their computer won’t even add a single megahertz to the speed of their PC. In fact it may even compromise the performance of the unit if the power demanded by the accessories exceeds the limit or capacity of the power supply. It’s not a performance-enhancing undertaking, but it’s definitely an eye-pleaser.  It’s already a given that case modification is a matter of preference and not of necessity. If your system’s specs are already impressive, then I see no reason why you should refrain from training your wallet on dazzling cooling fans or fancy motherboard lights. 

However, I think that spending big on PC make up and lipstick is unreasonable if your processor is already begging for retirement or if your system lacks the necessary tools or applications for optimization. What good is an aesthetically-pleasing PC when it takes minutes for just a single application to run. 

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The world is getting smaller, and so are the things that virtually make it go around. No, I’m not talking about the value of our money. Money doesn’t make the world go round, but I’m certain that you won’t be able to go around the world without your mobile phone, laptop, or pocket PC.

It seems that every electronic gadget gets a centimeter smaller every year, and that goes double for the PC. A few decades ago, you would need a large room just to be able to set up a computer in your own home. Today, you won’t need the services of a carpenter to make room for your PC. Your tailor could do that now for you.

While notebooks have already made waves around the world, pocket PCs are also trying to establish themselves as viable alternatives to the desktop. Not everybody’s too crazy about them though. Well, at least not yet.

I haven’t tried using one to surf the net. However, I’ve heard that it can easily browse through Web sites like a typical notebook. I’m not that ready or excited to go that tiny yet. I’m already happy with my 14.1-inch laptop. Even though it needs occasional maintenance and optimization, it still meets my everyday demands.

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