Skype vs iChat

Note: The RichText blog has moved to www.ricroberts.com

Until recently, I'd been using Skype quite a lot for my VOIP phone calls.

However, unless both people in the conversation used headphones or some kind of headset, then I could hear a slightly delayed echo of my own voice. Although this didn't actually stop anything working it was very disconcerting. Also, if either party had the volume turned up beyond a whisper, then I got quite an annoying feedback whistle.

So, I decided to try the iChat application that came with my mac, with another of my mac-owner buddies. To use iChat, you need a .mac or aim name. (I found out by reading the .mac faq that if you sign up for the free .mac trial, then you can still use your .mac name for iChat after the trial expires.)

iChat suffers from neither of the problems that plague Skype. Even when using quite a high volume we experienced no feedback or echo, and both members of the conversation were just using the MacBook's built in iSight webcam, integrated mic and laptop speakers (i.e. with no headsets)

MacBook - Dead Pixel ...Day17

Note: The RichText blog has moved to www.ricroberts.com

In my last post I described how my new Apple MacBook arrived just before Christmas with a dead pixel in the screen. My replacement MacBook finally arrived last night, the screen is perfect and everything else seems to be fine with it too.

I've managed to get all my data/applications off the old one and onto the new one without much fuss. All I've got to do now is arrange for the defective one to be picked up by the courier.

Apple took their time with the replacement, but overall I'm pretty pleased with the way that this has been sorted out, considering some manufacturers would have just told me to live with the dead pixel.

MacBook - Dead Pixel ...Day1

Note: The RichText blog has moved to www.ricroberts.com

My MacBook arrived last night amid much excitement, only for me to have my glee quashed by a 'dead' pixel on the screen.

I called apple customer support with trepidation, thinking that I would just have to send it back and wait for a new one to come. But I spoke to someone very understanding who has arranged for a replacement to be sent out to an address of my choice. The best bit is that I get to keep the original MacBook for upto 5 days after the replacement comes (so that I can transfer my data), after which time a courier will come and pick up the defective one from another location of my choice.

This all sounds great in theory, but I'll reserve judgement until I've seen how smoothly it all goes - I'm not going to be in one place for very long over the Christmas period!

See this post for how it got resolved.

Apple MacBook

Note: The RichText blog has moved to www.ricroberts.com

So I finally gave in and ordered an Apple MacBook...

I have been in the market for a highly-portable notebook for a while, and I figured by getting a new Intel-based MacBook I would get the best of both worlds by being able to run both OSX and Windows on the same computer using either Bootcamp or Parallels.

Also, they're actually quite good value for a compact notebook of this spec. (I went for the 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo White MacBook with 1GB RAM, 1280x800 screen, DVD Super-drive).

I'll blog about any interesting things I find out about it, once it gets delivered.