Vista SP2

So when is Vista SP2 going to be available? Some are speculating that it may be within the next month or so. My gut tells me that SP2 will be the final service pack for Vista. All the focus will go towards Windows 7. In my opinion, Windows 7 should be called "Vista SP3." After all, if Windows 7 is going to be a minor upgrade that fixes many Vista problems and streamlines the operating system to be more efficient, then shouldn't that be considered a service pack?

I'm getting closer to a Mac each day. I'm sure all my friends who are devoted Mac users are just waiting for the day when I make that switch. Give me a tablet Mac!

Virtual Box gets updated

If you're using a Mac and you need to run Windows, then you may want to try Virtual Box by Sun Microsystems. Speaking of Sun, when I was a student at MIT, almost all of our Athena workstations had the "Sun Microsystems" logo on the hardware. Those were the days...

Going back to the Mac - instead of getting VMware or Parallels Desktop (which will cost around $79), Virtual Box is free. That's right, it's free. And it's recently been updated to version 2.1.4. You may have also heard of Open Office. That's a free alternative to the Microsoft Office suite. All these free options are legitimate and you won't have to go to a P2P, torrent, or warez site to find any of these.

Speaking of free, have you tried Ubuntu? This is a simple Linux operating system that runs really well on laptops, desktops, and UMPC tablets. The last time I installed Ubuntu on my Samsung Q1 Ultra, it recognized the touch screen and automatically installed all the drivers for my device. It's great to see dedicated workers supporting open source projects like Virtual Box, Open Office, and Ubuntu.

Buy a MacBook Air Just for the SSD?

There are some incredible deals out there for the older MacBook Air with a 64 GB SSD (solid state drive). I'm very tempted to get one of these so that I can perform a hard drive (HD) transplant. I'd use the SSD in another device (either my Samsung Q1 Ultra or my OQO model 02).

To purchase a 1.8" SSD, I'd have to spend over $1000 (unless I get a RunCore or PhotoFast, in which case I may still spend nearly $500 just for the drive). It really doesn't make sense to go out there and purchase an SSD as an upgrade right now.

However, if I can get a cheap MacBook Air for $1200 (and this includes a 64 GB SSD), then I could do some HD swapping and maybe even sell the MBA. Tempting...

Dell Latitude XT2 tablet

It looks like Dell incorporated some major changes and fixes to this new tablet PC. Unfortunately, the price is still way too high. However, for those who are able to afford such luxuries, the Latitude XT2 is a really nice convertible tablet. I'll stick with my Thinkpad X200 tablet for now. I really like the Thinkpad keyboard and the form factor.

I'm still waiting for the day when someone makes a really thin convertible tablet (by thin I mean Apple MacBook Air thin). Maybe a really thin MacTablet or iTablet will emerge this year. If that happens, then I may need to get ready to use OS X (unless I run BootCamp, Parallels Desktop for Mac, or VMware Fusion).

the end of Windows XP

It appears that Microsoft is finally nailing the last coffin on Windows XP. I'm still running XP over Vista on several of my devices, mainly because I need something that's quick and efficient. I wonder if my old devices will last long enough for me to worry about Microsoft's lack of support for XP.

XP is a great operating system and I'm sad to see it go. Windows 7 hasn't impressed me very much so far, but maybe I haven't given it a fair shot since I installed the beta version on outdated hardware.

Lately, I've been thinking about switching to OS X. After all, you can still use Boot Camp and run Windows. If only I could use a Targus or Kensington universal power supply with the Mac Book Air...

Running OS X on the Sony Vaio Lifestyle P

Have the VGN-P530 and the VGN-P833 been hot sellers? How many people have tried installing Apple OS X Leopard on these tiny little devices? Since they aren't being grouped as "netbooks," these tiny little "Lifestyle" PCs are in a separate class. OS X is a very clean, simple OS that is gaining tremendous popularity. Who knew that Apple would be so successful with the Mac? I still remember my old PowerBook from the mid-90s. That was one robust little computer.

I love Sony products. I'm still waiting to get a Vaio P since I want the price to come down first. Once I get one, I plan to install OS X and make this a dual or even a triple boot machine running XP, Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu, and OS X (I suppose it would be more than a triple boot machine).

Would a really large iPod touch be the perfect medical tablet?

There are floating rumors about a really large iPod touch. I mean a screen that might be 7 or even 9 inches! Would such a device be the Newton Messagepad that everyone dreamed of several years ago when all the physician technologists carried one in our pocket? (Yes, I was one of them with my Apple Newton MP2100 in my white coat pocket and my MIT brass rat on my finger).

I think it will really depend on the screen technology and the processing power. Add a touch screen or an active digitizer to the capacitive touch display, and you may have a great platform for most medical EHR/EMR software solutions. Plus, add the ability to run XP/Vista/Windows 7 and it will be a welcome addition to any doctor's office. However, I doubt that such a device would be called an iPod. Now you've built the Apple Tablet that would be a dual-boot Mac OS X /Windows with BootCamp.

I think 2009 will bring some exciting new gadgets that will take healthcare to the next level. More clinicians will be comfortable using touch-screen devices and EHR/EMR vendors will be creating CCHIT certified solutions that will be leveraging all the advances in hardware such as SSD, faster processors, and unique screen input technologies.

I'm very eager to see the Apple Tablet once it finally rolls out. Will we see it in 2009? I still miss using my Apple Newton Messagepad.

Running OS X on Netbooks

I do not endorse running any type of hacked version of an operating system. However, I find it fascinating that people are posting charts like this to indicate which netbooks are compatible with OS X. I have to admit that I've played around with OS X on an old notebook.

Multiple posts and videos, including this one from Wired.com, show people installing a hacked version of OS X on a netbook. Do you have an Asus Eee? An HP mini? A Dell 9? An MSI Wind? A Samsung NC10? A Lenovo IdeaPad S10?

Interested? Care to try? Then see if your netbook is on this list and hunt for the files you need. You'll need to get familiar with the OS X terminal and a few other Mac utilities.

The big question is when will Apple release an affordable netbook?

Apple Tablet? Return of the Newton?

Is Apple getting ready to come out with a Mac Tablet? That may be the case based on this patent application. Of course, I doubt their tablet will resemble the old Newton Messagepad.

I had a Newton while going through medical school. It was an amazing piece of technology and I wrote my notes on the touch screen. The digitizer and the handwriting recognition was unbelievable for its time. Then, Apple killed the Newtown. Those were some sad days.

So what type of tablet computer will Apple create? The bigger question is: when will we see this thing?

Samsung X360 notebook

It's great to see some really thin and light notebooks popping up these days. These are great for doctors and medical students who are often going from one hospital to the next.

Samsung has a great new laptop coming out. The X360 is very light and thin. If priced right, it may do really well. Will it beat the MacBook Air or the Thinkpad X300?