Binary Bonsai

This is a service announcement: While in Santa Monica Apple Store, I picked up a Griffin Powermate. Not much more than a USB jog wheel for use with both Windows and OS X, it might seem a bit underwhelming at first, but it is in fact quite useful.

I bought it primarily for use with Photoshop (brush sizes and the like), but also use it for volume control, scrolling and hopefully also video editing soon.

I’ve tried it only under Tiger, and it seems to work perfectly with all the applications I’ve tried it on. It supports normal rotation, ‘clicked’ rotation, click and long click. All of which are customizable on application level. Oh, and it sports a blue light underneath, which can pulsate when your computer sleeps!… Ehm… Neat I guess.

There are however a few problems with it as far as I’m concerned. First of all it’s a bit more flimsy than it looks. I had quite honestly expected a hi-fi-like jog wheel, which feels sturdy when you operate it; which it almost is, but not quite. And secondly it doesn’t click. Since most of the things we do on computers are digital and not analog (ie: scroll 3 lines down), it would make sense if you could feel how much you were telling the computer to move.

That said, the preference panel does have a setting for sensitivity, but it’s not quite good enough.

I like it, the price is a bit heavy for something which isn’t quite as nice as it could have been.

End of soul-less hardware review. I apologize.

It would seem, during my travels to the US, I have called down the wrath of what must be the fastest sprading meme this year, namely the notorical Musical Baton. Both Sascha, Joen and Jeff thought I should be forced to give up what is otherwise cosidered confidential information. Alright then.

I have no idea where it originated, nor do I want to bother with finding out. Regardlessly I will just point out the antiquity of asking for the last ‘CD’ one bought, what with digital distribution and everything.

Ten years ago, Rikke and I kissed the first time. Ten years later, and here we are. I love you :)