We are Close to the 10 Hour Netbook Battery

With the introduction of new netbooks from MSI, Toshiba, and Samsung, manufacturers are claiming 9 hour battery life on these new models.  Testing these units resulted in more like 6.5-7 hour life, but we appear to be inching closer and closer to a netbook that will produce 10 hours of battery life.

Who will be the first to deliver on the 10 hours of battery life?  Toshiba and Samsung are getting real close with their new releases; the NB205/210 for Toshiba and the NC20 from Samsung.  Another strong possibility is ASUS, they are advertising 9.5 hours of battery life on their 1005HA.  Again, it is more around the 7 hour range on most tests I've seen.

The ways the netbook wars are heating up, and with competition fierce, odds are we are close to this 10 hour milestone.

Toshiba 205/210

Federer Makes His Point Loud and Clear

Roger Federer put all the other men players in The U.S. Open on notice with his beat down of Novak Djokovic Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati.  Playing almost flawless tennis Federer's 6-1, 7-5 victory over the Serb makes him the favorite heading into Flushing Meadows in a week.

Being a new Dad seems to have a positive impact on Federer.  He continues to joke about changing diapers and doing his household duties.  He is not joking while on the tennis court, and challengers Roddick, Nadal, and Murray aren't laughing.

Atlanta Tries to Copy Bristol

Watching a Bristol race on television is a treat. It must be amazing to be there in person especially at the night race.  I've been to the Bristol Dragway, and have seen outside of the Speedway, it is really a great setup.

Atlanta this year is experimenting with a night race on Labor Day Weekend.  They are going to try an make a tradition out of this much like Bristol does.  The difference is Bristol is a community and Atlanta is a major U.S. city. The races in Bristol are an event.  There is no competition.  Competing with the Atlanta race Labor Day Weekend is the start of college football season, the Braves trying to make the playoffs and it is last long weekend of Summer 2009.  Put that in with NFL action getting ready to kick off and High School sports getting underway.

The Atlanta race will draw ok, it is still a hard place to get to and it's going to be hot.  Having the lights on will help, and with the economy caming back slowly and a good NASCAR Chase I'm hoping for a fun weekend.

Happy 900 to The Giz Wiz!

In case you have lived under a rock for the past few years, and don't follow the happenings of Leo Laporte's TWIT Network, you didn't realize that today Leo and Dick DeBartolo better know for his writings and musings in MAD Magazine for decades are celebrating the recording of their 9ooth Daily Giz Wiz podcast.

I don't know many things that make it to number 900 so this is quite an accomplishment. DeBartolo, who previously was a writer for the Match Game and Family Fued gameshows introduces us daily to a wide variety of gadgets new and old. Some familiar and some long forgotten.

You can catch up on all the past episodes by going to www.twit.tv, and Dick has a great site at www.gizwiz.biz. They record all five shows for the week on Tuesday afternoons on www.twit.tv. Great fun each day.

 

America: After All These Years

 I guess it is true that 40 is the new 20, because Music Supergroup America had the energy of a band just out of their teens at the current stop on their 2009 World Tour.

It didn't take long for Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley to have the house a rockin' during a beautiful hot Atlanta evening with America at Chastain Park Amphitheater. From the opening song, Riversideand through the entire discography America offers, young and old came to appreciate the history and pure sound of this classic rock band.

They may be one year shy of their 40th anniversay, but America wowed the crowd with their many hits, Horse With No Name, Ventura Highway, Tin Man, and Sister Golden Hair. To say they haven't missed a beat is an understatement. Other favorites, Sandman, Hollywood, and I Need You flowed off their instruments like a river raft moving downstream. The duo stated, and it appeared true that they loved Atlanta, and Chastain Park. Maybe the highlight of their performance was when opening act Christopher Cross joined them onstage to sing Lonely People. They even joked that between America and Christopher Cross they have six Grammys total. One for America and five for Cross.

Couples danced to You Can Do Magic, and a spot on rendition of The Beatles, Eleanor Rigby. Bunnell and Beckley told stories of high school, The Mamas & The Papas, and working with The Beach Boys. They played for about 80 minutes and it went fast, too fast. The duo even took time after the show to meet and greet fans for an hour or so.

America plays a full concert slate every year. Here's hoping they come back to Chastain and Atlanta to celebrate their 40th. Their website is www.venturahighway.com.