Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, or Safari: What’s your flavor?

It’s been a battle of the web browser titans, and I think Goliath has fallen hard! With today’s high speed internet, and customers wanting to download full length movies, web browsers want the bragging rights of offering blazing fast build up times. Of course, there are other benefits for them being the fastest, but the consumer’s main concern is: how quick can I upload a video YouTube, can I stream a Netflix movie without excessive buffering, or how fast can I download an album from iTunes? Another issue is compatibility. This comes down to the pairing of your OS with a browser. Can you use IE with Linux Fedora Core 6? Does flash work with Mac OSX 10.4 using Mozilla Firefox? Does anything crash if you have Windows Vista and use Google Chrome? IE was the Big Kahuna at one time, but Firefox has stolen it’s position as the fave. With Chrome out, and with the recent release for Macs, will it steal Firefox’s thunder? Am I the only one left using Apple’s Safari? I was about to convert to Firefox, when I heard the announcement of Chrome. I had to be patient for the Mac release. I’m about to make my move, but first, I want to know what your flavor of the year was. I’ll even give you an option on how to vote. Leave your choice in the comment box, or sent me @ShutterBugGeek a tweet, and I’ll tally it up and add to the box. What is your favorite web browser?

Google Wave Preview: Yay or Nay?

I love being an alpha tester, so I jumped at the chance to get an invite to try out Google Wave Preview. I like what I see so far. I have friends who love it, some who don’t think it’s a big deal, and others who won’t use it after trying it twice.

My question to you is do you like Google Wave? What is your favorite feature? What do you think needs the most improvement? Dare to share! Leave a comment below.

Winter: A Wonderland or a Nightmare?

Winter is quickly approaching in the northern hemisphere, and there have been forecasts of colder temps, and more precipitation this season in the U.S. The sound of more snow is great for skiers, and those looking for snow days, but for others it means traffic accidents, higher energy bills or less business to their brick and mortar stores. Bah-humbug, indeed.

Do you go to ski resorts, get in a good day on the slopes, and after the last run hit the après-ski scene for cocktails by a fireplace? Or perhaps you wait for a heavy snow, look forward to a day off, make snowmen and snow angels, bake cookies, and drink hot chocolate? Do you love waiting for the local lake to freeze enough to go ice skating outdoors? Or perhaps the snow capped mountains simply take your breath away. Yay Jack Frost!

Or are you more like Scrooge? Winter is cold, and you spend too much money on heating. The roads are treacherous since they are plagued with black ice. You’re always sick, and now fearful of catching the swine flu. The days are shorter, which means you have to drive home from work in the dark. You have to shovel snow, which hurts your back. Don’t forget about buying snow tires and getting chapped lips. When does the madness end? Old man winter is cruel!

For those living in warmer zones in the winter, are  you happy or disappointed not getting snow? If you love the fluffy, white flakes, do you make it a point to travel to areas like Vail, Stowe, Whistler/Blackcomb, Zermatt, or Kitzbuhel  for skiing, snowmobiling, sleigh riding, and strolling though Alpine villages?

Which camp are you in, Team Frost or Team Scrooge? Dare to share! Leave your opinion below in the comment box. I’ll even chime in at some point, and give you my thoughts.

Tech Gifts 2009

I almost  titled this post Geek Gifts 2009, but now that technology has infiltrated the masses, does it mean that most of us are geeks, and we’ll eventually eliminate the label all together, or will geeks mutate into a higher form? Yes, I did say higher. Geeks will always be ahead of the pack, but for now just by one step. These days, 10 year olds have iPhones, and 5 year olds own laptops. Even my parents who tend to resist technology have a cell phone, PC, and DVD player. I know you’re thinking these are the bare necessities, but believe me when I say it’s a BIG thing for them to own these items. Now if I can only get my dad to buy an HDTV. He’s well overdue! Um. Was I adopted?

So now that you realize you’re a closet geek, let me tell you what I think are cool techie gifts to give (or receive) this holiday season.

It is said, once you go Mac, you’ll never go back. Either convert your PC frustrated loved one, or upgrade that special Mac mini owner in your life to a beautiful 27″ iMac. This large size is not just for photographers, filmmakers and graphic designers, the average Joe can appreciate streaming Netflix movies or podcasts on this. Even better, pop in a DVD, and watch your favorite flick on this beautiful screen. The pixel density is amazing at 1440p, yes well BEYOND the high definition of 1080p! That gives you awesome clarity in HD, tack sharp text, and brilliant details of photos. The LED backlit display gives you the uniform brightness. It also comes with a wireless keyboard and multi-touch wireless mouse. The design alone should give you heart palpitations, but what’s inside will blow you away. You didn’t just see me drooling, did you?

Sticking with Apple for a moment, it’s hard to deny the market share they have in the mp3 arena, and their phones aren’t  too shabby either. If you know someone who doesn’t want AT&T service, but loves the iPhone, the solution is to give them an iPod Touch. It was revamped in September, bumping up the gigs from 16 to 32 and 32 to 64, and the price remained the same. What? That’s sheer madness! Actually, it’s a brilliant move on Apple’s part, especially in this economy. This is a PDA on steroids! It has wi-fi & bluetooth, allowing you to retrieve e-mail from several pop & imap accounts, you can surf the web, watch videos, listen to music, and the list goes on. With the inclusion of bluetooth, you can challenge a friend  to a car race or a game of tic-tac-toe on a plane or in a car. With the proper apps, you can watch streaming video from your Mac in bed, and then remotely put it in sleep mode or it shut down for the night. Need I say more?

Chances are high that you know someone who owns an iPod/iPhone, Zune or portable DVD player. The Cinemin Swivel is a pocket size multimedia pico projector, which once connected to your device will allow you to watch a movie, YouTube, podcasts, etc. projected on a screen or wall. You can project it as close as the back of an airplane seat, or if you have a room where you have at least 8 feet distance, you can get up to a 60-inch image.  It has a rechargeable battery which lasts over 2 hours, enabling you to watch most movies in full. I have got to stop drooling.

This is a BIG ticket item, and most guys would love to receive this one. The 82″ Mitushishi 3-D ready 1080p DLP. I had a demo of this with the required shutter glasses to view a movie in 3-D and WOW, it’s just like in the theaters. You must connect a PC (Macs not compatible) with the installed software to playback the DVD. An emitter is connected to the HDTV, and the glasses pick up the infra red signal to give you accurate 3 dimensional images. Of course, DLPs are not as bright as an LCD or a plasma display, but it is a lot more energy efficient. Guys, do you have your 12-pack and nachos ready for the game? When you get this EVERY friend you know will be over to watch the game. And who said size doesn’t matter?

I’m on my second model of this next item. I love these products! Universal remotes from Logitech-Harmony. Using the software provided, you select your A/V equipment, connect the remote to your computer via a USB cable, and all the info is transferred onto the device. Sweet! The beauty of these remotes is not only do they operate one piece of equipment, like turning on your TV, if you select “choose an activity”, i.e. Watch DVD, it will turn on all devices necessary to watch a DVD, including switching the TV and amp/receiver to the appropriate settings. I do have to manually turn on my old powered subwoofer, but besides that, click 2 buttons and everything is ready. Well, you do have to put in the DVD. The new Logitech Harmony 1100 is amazing. It has a big touch screen, and a big price to match, somewhere in the $350 range. You probably need two hands to operate it, since it’s in tablet form. I bought the 880 that’s Mac compatible a couple of years ago, and is operational with one hand. This is down to $125 in the meanwhile, which makes it a great deal if you don’t mind not having a touch screen. The One and 900 models also offer touch screens, and are priced in between the 880 and 1100.

There are tons of cool tech items to add to your wish list this year. Do you like the Sonos music system, a Shiatsu full body massage chair, or the Droid cell phone. Dare to share! What’s your favorite tech toy of 2009?

Food Network’s Chef Duff is in the House!

I’m a foodie, and I know of Chef Duff from The Food Network’s Ace of Cakes.  Duff Goldman is a master cake baker and decorator who owns a business called Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, MD, which is more like part art studio, part pâtisserie. He is the only one of the team who attended culinary school. The others went to art schools, or worked in the field of design. Because he thinks outside the box and can make the most fascinating cakes, his bake shop receives a number of unusual requests, often resulting in him using power tools or a blow torch. He even made a life-sized , working Ducati motorcycle with smoke, lights, sound effects,  a key in the ignition, and a motor. How’s that for unconventional? They usually produce about 15 cakes a week, which typically cost $1,200 – $1,500. Of course, that number goes way up for extraordinary works of art like that motorcycle!

When I heard he was coming to town, you better believe that I made sure my schedule was clear! My town was one of the many stops of the promotional tour of his book ACE OF CAKES: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes.  The local Kitchen Kapers hosted this one. This is not a recipe book, but actually a scrapbook of sorts documenting the journey leading to the Food Network reality show, and is co-written with his brother Willie.

Besides being a brilliant cake decorator, he is also the bassist in the indie rock band …soihadto…  Their album will be release in February 2010. I saw an interview where is said he thinks of the bake shop and the television show as a front to support his rock & roll lifestyle. His business pays for his passion of making music. But wait, based on the cakes I’ve seen him produce, it looks like he has two passions in life!

The book signing ran smoothly. The photographer in me was thinking this event is going to be a great photo op. The baker in me was dreaming of fondant and royal icing. I purchased my book, waited in line to have it signed, had my picture taken with him, was offered a mini cup cake (which I declined, since it wasn’t made by him), and left with a big smile on my face. Hmm. I wonder if any of his skills were transferred over to me. We all know the answer to that, but I can tell you that he has certainly inspired me to decorate a cake for the next birthday party!

This is a cool coffee table book. Just flipping through the pages makes me smile, and sometimes laugh. I am in awe of their creativity from concept to execution. Many times you can’t even tell there’s a cake inside the brilliantly designed form. Chef Duff and his team are not the only ones who decorate unique cakes, but they certainly have educated the masses on how these works of art come to life, and have also inspired many! I’m sure my daughter can’t wait to see what I have planned for her next birthday party!

Holiday Wish List 2009

The holiday season is upon us, and you might have already started compiling your wish list. I have one ready to go. Actually, it’s quite extensive, but in order not to look too materialistic, I have shortened it to 10 items. It’s just a list, which means I won’t get everything from it, and I might not get anything. Someone told me it reminds her of Oprah’s Favorite Things list, so let’s pretend I’m on Oprah’s show, and she’s giving away gifts. Knowing what type of goodies she gives away, this is what I would hope would be on the list:

1. 3-D DLP liquid crystal shutter glasses (4) with IR emitter & software. We are about to order a 3-D ready HDTV for my husband for his birthday. In order to watch movies in 3-D, you need wear these shutter glasses, and play back the DVD on a PC running the software included with them. The glasses are synced up to the monitor via the emitter, so when a left eye view is presented, the left eye can see the image, while the right eye can’t. The result is an amazing 3-D experience, as seen in the theaters.

2. LG BD390 Blu-Ray disc player has an integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi, and streams Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow. It also plays music, videos, and pictures off a connected USB drive or streaming video from your networked connected PC. The player has audio outputs for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio for playback on almost any HDMI-capable AV receiver. It also has decoding for  legacy DTS formats, i.e. DTS 96/24, ES, ES Matrix, and Neo:6. This is LG’s flagship Blu-Ray disc player, jam packed with features, blazing fast load times, and outstanding video quality. A must!

3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra Lady Duetto in 18K pink gold with a total of 73 diamonds (front and back bezels, plus stem). The front dial shows the date and a day/night dial. The reverse shows a stunning face contrasting in black with white numerals. The Reverso is an Art-Deco classic that was created for British officers stationed in India to use in polo matches. The swivel system allowed the face to be reversed to a solid metal finish. The Duetto adds another face to the reverse side, giving you two faces per watch. Jaeger-LeCoultre are one of the few manufacturers that continue to make movements for themselves, as well as for others, including Patek Phillipe, Cartier, and Audemars Piguet.

4. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for Women. I know it’s been around for years, but I still love it.

5. Canon EOS 7D. Their latest camera sets a new standard! It has 18MP, dual DIGIC 4 image processors, up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. It also captures full HD video at 30p, 24p and 25p with an array of manual controls that would make filmmakers drool. This is an awesome camera, just waiting for me to use it. Come to mama!

6. EF 24-70/2.8L lens would compliment my current glass, in between my 11-16/2.8 mm & 17-40/4L mm wide angle lenses and my 70-200/2.8L mm telephoto, and will work well with my new 7D (hint, hint). This would make a perfect walk around lens, which is great in low lighting.

7. Dooney & Burke Commemorative All-Weather Leather Satchel – It’s nothing fancy, but I just love a classic look for an everyday bag. Plain and simple works well for me.

8. Frescobaldi Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A good bottle of olive oil is like a bottle of fine wine for me! I prefer Tuscan oils, and I’m not tied down to one brand, but it has to be excellent!

9. All Clad 4-Square Waffle Maker – The manufacturer says it all. This is a high quality machine built to make crisp Belgian waffles. This would make my ultimate batter, which I MIGHT share with you one day, transform into the best waffles ever! It has great features like an overflow trough to avoid countertop spillage, and a steam release system to insure crispiness on the outside while the inside remains soft.

10. An 18K rose gold chain link bracelet. It doesn’t matter if it’s from Cartier, Pomellato, Tiffany, Wempe…surprise me!

So Oprah, or anyone else who is extremely generous, if you’re reading this and feel compelled to send me an item from this list, leave a comment and I will contact you! Everyone else, list the top 5 items from your list in the comment box. I’d love to see what you’re interested in this year.

This is Not Your Grandmother’s Appliance Store!

Recently, I had the honor of being invited to my first blogger event. Debbie Schaeffer, president of Mrs. G TV & Appliances located on Route 1 in Lawrencelle, NJ, along with Hilary Morris, president of H. Morris Solutions, LLC as her assistant, kicked off the Mrs. G’s VIB (very important blogger) Series, which was sponsored by Mrs. G’s and Electrolux . This gathering enabled the invited bloggers to network, tour the showroom, and watch presentations and demos of selected Electroux products.

I met both @DebbieSchaeffer and @MrsMoNJ (Hilary Morris) on Twitter a while back. They are both local business owners, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet them in person, as well as the other bloggers from the tri-state area.

Some of Mrs. G's VIBs

I haven’t been in the store for two years, and had forgotten they had the interior renovated, so when I walked in, my breath was taken away by the changes. The typical 2,000 sq. ft. appliance row showroom had been transformed into a gorgeous, updated space of several kitchen vignettes on the entrance side. Seeing things in a home-like setting certainly helps you envision how a piece would look in your own home, as opposed to looking at them lined up like soldiers. This is certainly not the setting my grandmother had to shop for an oven.

G.E. Vignette

Viking Vignette

Electrolux Icon Vignette

The mix of colors, textures and 21st century design, was most impressive! Beautiful wood cabinetry mixed with stainless steel, granite and tumbled marble is just an example of what was displayed. She has re-invented the family business, founded by her grandmother, “Mrs G” along with her grandfather almost 75 years ago. There is a section in the back called “The Living Kitchen”, which is like a store within the store due to the space allotted for it, and it is filled with Wolf and Sub-Zero products in a sleek, modern environment intended for the design-oriented luxury market no doubt. I was salivating as I walked through it to the conference room. This is a place where serious home cooks just want to roll up their sleeves, and get creative. All of my friends who have come over for a five-course meal, ask me if all the kitchen gadgets I have make a difference in the outcome of the meal. I usually tell them while winking, it’s the talent of the cook that matters most. In reality, appliances do greatly effect the outcome, e.g. the taste of freezer burn can be avoided, dairy and produce stay fresher, and cook times can be shortened. Not that my kitchen is shabby, but honey, have you seen my photos?

The Living Kitchen

The Living Kitchen

The Living Kitchen

After a chance to meet and greet all attending, and a nice welcome, we walked over to the video room, and I was dazzled by the variety of flat panel TVs. Debbie informed us how home entertainment is changing with TVs & Blu-Ray DVD players having the capability to display web content. Right up my alley: Pandora Radio, Netflix, YouTube and more, all on the BIG screen. This technology is becoming more mainstream, not just for geeks like me connecting a laptop to my HDTV! Then there was a brief showing of a television show in which Mrs. G’s was one of the businesses highlighted, explaining the history of the establishment owned by three generations. After viewing it, of course, I was lured to the new 82″ Mitsubishi 3-D DLP that was on display showing the family film Coraline in 3-D. I hope no one noticed me drooling. I put on the special battery operated 3-D glasses, and it was just as good as watching it in the theater! I’ve been wanting to buy an LED back-lit screen, but this was bigger than my 65″ Mitsubishi rear projection model, and I DO have space for it! Besides, the price was just a bit higher than what I paid for my HDTV eight years ago! Hmmm?

Two representitives were present from Electrolux. First, Joe Visicaro, explained the features and advantages of their washers and dryers, including the benefits of steam, how they have the largest capacity, and quickest wash and dry times in their class, and how you can program their washing machines to clean a specific type of stain.

Electrolux Washer & Dryer Presentation. Joe Visicaro on left Debbie Schaeffer on right

Electrolux Convection Oven Demo

Then we walked over to Leigh Donadieu for a demonstartion of a convection oven and induction cooktop. She is also a chef, and served us a delicious lunch cooked on the premises using the working appliances. I love kitchen gadgets, and in recent years, large appliances have stepped up to the level of home computers. They are very intelligent. Ovens can do everything except knead your dough to bake the perfect baguette, and refrigerators can flash freeze your food to avoid freezer burn.

Tomato Bisque, Salmon Filet and Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta

After lunch, I spoke with Debbie, who explained how she had her employees re-trained to be the most informative staff with the utmost customer service. They have a great mix of products for all budgets, including products that work well with a “green” lifestyle, the most competitive prices by being a part of a buying organization, which brings the combined purchasing power of thousands of retailers, AND they price match any competitor’s advertisement! This is a winning business plan! Actually, it’s a win-win situation for both retailer and consumer! If you live in New Jersey or Eastern Pennsylvania, I highly recommend contacting Mrs. G’s before making any appliance or television purchase. A trip to this fabulous showroom is well worth it!

Thanks to Debbie, Hilary, Joe and Leigh for a wonderful morning! I look forward to the upcoming events planned for within the next 12 months!

So, about that 82″ 3-D DLP…

The Colors of Autumn

If I were to ask people what their favorite time of year is, many say summer. They love going to the beach, not wearing constricting clothing, eating al fresco, water sports, etc. When I told someone a couple of years ago that my favorite season is autumn, she was shocked and told me fall is like the time of death and rot. I replied that I NEVER thought of it that way. For me, it’s about a time of family, and comfort.

Autumn to Go

Join the Crew

I celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Advent, so it’s joyous for me. I love driving under canopies of vibrant colors that make me blissful! My house backs a wooded area treating my eyes to beautiful tones of yellows, oranges and reds of the deciduous trees with splashes of contrast from the evergreens.

Splash of Color

Squirrel's Point of View

Don't Fence Me In

I love carving pumpkins with my kids, and baking apple pies for them since they perfume the house with the smell of cinnamon.

Pumpkins for Sale

Spooky

The smell of a Thanksgiving meal, which for me is the ultimate of comfort food, triggers the feeling of love, knowing my entire family will join me for the day! I think this person finally understood why I love autumn so much, and actually changed her thoughts about the season.

Leaving

The Tip of the Iceberg

Unlike most of my family and friends who love going to the beach in the summer, I like to escape the heat and go to the mountains. This often means time in the Austrian Alps with a backdrop similar to “The Sound of Music”. I love the crisp, clean air of the mountains, and their reflections in a beautiful lake.

Kaprun Stausee

This year we decided to do something different. Instead of going to Europe, we stayed in the US. The kids wanted to go on a cruise, and I love mountains, so what better place to go than Alaska! What a beautiful state it is. Known for it’s wildlife, fjords and glaciers, it was the perfect location for me to experience. We set sail from Seattle, but first we went to Vancouver for the kids to visit western Canada for a few days.

Vancouver Skyline

Then we headed to Seattle, roots of Starbucks Coffee, birthplace of Grunge music, and home to Microsoft and Amazon.com. This is where we embarked our cruise ship off to the 49th state.

Seattle Space Needle

Being on a cruise is certainly one way to get pampered. It’s all-inclusive with the exception of beverages and excursions, you can have room, turn down, concierge and butler service, depending on your cabin (usually a suite), and  you never have to pack or unpack to visit a different city. Kids and teens are entertained during the day, so adults can feel like they have a separate vacation for part of the day. I was never a big fan of cruising, but I really enjoyed it this time around.

Sawyer Glacier

After the cruise, we headed south to Portland, OR. We traveled east to witness a double waterfall that I have only seen in photos, and was eager to see up close. It was spectacular, and worth the trip. I have a soft spot for waterfalls, and want to see as many as possible in my lifetime. Multnomah Falls did not disappoint me.

Multnomah Falls

Independence Day

Fireworks July 2009

I took the Independence Day weekend off from social media to concentrate on my family.  My husband was very pleased about that.  We partook in the typical U.S. festivities including a BBQ, and of course viewing fireworks.  For the last two years, I have looked forward to the Fourth of July mostly to take photos of the fireworks.  It’s funny how differently you perceive the display watching it live, and reviewing images that have been captured.  Two years ago, I witnessed a wonderful display with a great variety of shapes, colors and sizes.  It was my first year shooting fireworks, so i didn’t take as many photos.  Last year, the economy was turning downward, and there were cutbacks on the events budget, so the fireworks weren’t quite as impressive as the year before.  This year, after viewing my photos, I can tell you the recession has really effected the quality.  Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see the spectacular exhibition of beauty. However, I was disappointed they didn’t have as many breathtaking explosions as in the past.  Keeping positive, I am looking forward to next year’s display, and improving my skills.

Photog notes: Tripod used with cable release. Manual focus, and manual exposure. 17 mm (cropped), Auto WB, ISO 100, f/5.6, Bulb 2.0 sec, no flash fired