Spring has finally start to show some good and clear signs of returning after a long, cold, and snow rich winter. Running, length and frequency, is starting to pick up. Last week I ran about 15K which is great and I expect to reach my 30K/week goal in a few weeks. I have a 10K race planned in the beginning of May, so I have a goal.
Computer and gadgetwise there hasn't been much happening. The iPhone 2Gs in my family is starting to show their age, the batteries are not holding charge that well anymore and one is having stability issues and is crashing about 3 times each day (to my youngest daughter's irritation). I will probably buy a second hand iPhone to replace hers and have the batteries exchanged on the other two.
Computerwise, I must increase the storage of my souped up PowerMac G4 since I'm almost out of storage on the media disk. I use this machine to synchronize my AppleTV and I would hate to start deleting old movies to add new ones. I have some plans to build a media solution with one AppleTV connected to each TV and perhaps have one by the main stereo and add a 17 inch TV there as well, replacing the Kodak Photoframe and use as a jukebox with the stereo. But this will be a substantial investment, three AppleTV's, one 17 inch TV, and adding 802.11N for increased bandwith for the more modern devices that supports it.
The PowerMac G4 is ancient and not very energy effecient so it should probably be replaced with an intel based Mac Mini. It's just a question of time before the PowerMac will die one way or the other since it is an ancient "sawtooth" model, about 10 years old by now.
About a year ago Apple decided to acknowledge the problem with cracks that could develop at the hand rests on the plastic MacBooks. Since my had those cracks I instantly called Applecare and they acknowledged the problem and I got a ticket number to use when I submitted the laptop to an Apple service center. I contacted my local Apple dealer and they needed about 10-14 days for the repair. I decided to hold off the repair for a while since I needed the machine. Suddenly a whole year had passed. I called Applecare. The MacBook was now over three years old and because of that it was out of the repair program. A manager at Applecare decided to let me have the repair only because I had reported it within the correct time frame. Very, very kind of her!
This monday I went to my local Apple Service center again. I told them that it was OK to repair the MacBook, gave them the ticket number and serial, and the contact information to the Applecare manager. This time the repair time was calculated to 36 hours!! I haven't yet picked up the machine today but I surely hope that they will be able to fulfill their promises. Even if it will take another day to have it fixed - it will be ok too.
