Today’s InsideR Secrets photo is the inside of my new iBook G4. It doesn’t work yet, but we will be replacing the hard drive soon, and then hopefuly it will. Enjoy!

Sky Burger is an iPhone/iPod Touch app.

My dad bought Sky Burger a while ago, and he let me play it on his iPhone. It seemed like fun, so I downloaded it. Now I can’t stop playing it! I thought it deserved a review.

We’ll start with a little background:

Quote from app description:

Sky burger puts you to work stacking burgers to order! Catch the right ingredients as they fall from the sky, and don’t forget that top bun when you’re done!

Good:
Fun and addicting!
Starts easy, gets harder.
Perfect for passing time when you’re bored.

Bad:
Makes me hungry!
Higher levels are hard!
Age group: 8+

Difficulty Rating: 1-10 depending on level

Fun Rating: 10

Price: $1.99

Where: (iTunes store link) http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=311972587&mt=8

Overall, this is a great app! In fact, it is our first review to get a five out of five!

You may be asking, “What? Twoey? What are you talking about?!?!” I can explain. When I was in fifth grade (last year), we did reports on famous Americans. I got Steve Wozniak. I barely knew who Steve Wozniak was, so I did some research. He was co-founder of Apple with his friend Steve Jobs. He designed the Apple I, II, and III, and built the Apple I.

Back to my report. For my report, I really wanted to have an Apple II. I managed to get a non-working one to show for my report, then I had to give it back. I still wanted one of my own. That was almost a year ago, and just a few days ago, an Apple IIe arrived. I had bought it on eBay a few days before.

It included the IIe, a Disk II floppy (really!) drive and its manual, some software, and the original manual for the IIe. The eBay listing said that it was from 1983, but the motherboard said 1982. We had an old monitor out in the garage that my dad said he used with his Apple II. Turns out I heard him wrong, and the monitor was for a Mac II, not an Apple II. Oops!

The hookup for a monitor on the computer is the same as a standard TV video cable, but we didn’t think it would work with our modern (sort of…) TV. It worked! I played a few games, then turned it off. I put it in my room with the monitor for display and another Disk II I had bought for $5 at Weirdstuff in Sunnyvale.

The picture below shows it on display. The monitor is the one that doesn’t work with it (the only one I have). The Disk II on top is the one I had. Enjoy!

Click here to view picture

I still have the first generation iPod Touch. I never bothered to upgrade to the second generation. The only new feature was a built-in speaker. Big deal! So when I heard about the September 9th Apple event, and the chance of a new iPod Touch with camera, I got really excited. I really wanted an iPod Touch with a camera! The day of the event came, and I couldn’t wait to see what had happened. My teacher let me use a computer in class (PC) to look it up. I was amazed at what I saw. Here are the facts:

iPod Touch:

• Larger sizes: The third generation only comes in 32gb and 64gb sizes. The 8gb model is still the second generation. There’s no 16gb model.

• Faster processor: Games play faster. What else is there to say?

• Voice memos: You can now use the iPhone earbuds with microphone. They are included with the iPod Touch.

• Bluetooth 2.1: Faster Bluetooth

• NO CAMERA!!!

iPod Nano:

• VIDEO CAMERA!!! Video, but no still photos. Cool video effects.

• Larger screen: 2.2 inches (diagonal).

• FM radio: FM radio tuner with pause.

Other stuff:

• iPhone OS 3.1: Rearrange icons from within iTunes.

• iTunes 9: Interface changes. Home sharing.

I hope you found this interesting. Sorry about the big gap between posts.

Here’s my new hobby: amateur radio (ham radio). To do amateur radio, you must get 26 or more questions correct on a 35 question test. Tests have to be given by three General class or higher amateur radio operators. Tests are given from time to time by local clubs. If you pass the test, a few days later you will get mail from the FCC (in the USA) with two copies of your license. Your license will tell you what your callsign is. For example, I’m KI6ZON. Now that you have your callsign, you can get a radio and get on the air.

For my information on amateur radio, visit the amateur radio relay league at ARRL, or Google amateur radio.

If you live in the Sonoma County, California area, try contacting me on the local repeaters.

If you are an amateur radio operator or want more information, post a comment, or email us at mackidsblog@donaldlaird.com

Have fun!

Next up in our computer poems series, I Hate Windows!

I hate Windows, yes I do,
I hate Windows, its Start menu too.
I hate Windows, Start to Shutdown?
I hate Windows, on laptops and phones,
All around town.
I hate Windows, yes I do,
I hate Windows, its Start menu too.
I hate Windows, it’s not user-friendly,
I hate Windows, if I were in charge,
I’d put an endly,
To all this nonsense!
I hate Windows, yes I do,
I hate Windows, its Start menu too.
I hate Windows, viruses and more,
I hate Windows, what is there to adore?
I hate Windows, what else is there to say,
I hate Windows, every single day.
I hate Windows, Microsoft too,
I hate Windows, why don’t you?

Woo hoo! iPod touch/iPhone 3.0 is here! As anyone that has read this blog for a while knows, I have a first-generation iPod Touch. I got back from a trip to Ventura, California on Friday and that night I installed 3.0. Having to pay $10 is annoying, but it was worth it to me. Just be warned: After you install and do your first sync, the backup will take FOREVER!

New features I’ve tried:

Spotlight: Spotlight is the new search page, which can be found before the first page on the home screen. Spotlight can search through all contacts, emails, calendar items, apps, notes, music, podcasts, videos, and audiobooks.

Copy and Paste: Copy and paste works a lot better than I imagined. I can’t explain how to use it, it is just too hard to describe.

I may update this post with other features after I test them.

This is the first in my Computer Poems series. I hope you enjoy it!

Note: I don’t have a PC

My PC has froze,

Oh noes!

It lost my great file,

That I worked on for a while.

My hard drive needs defragging,

While my friend is bragging,

This doesn’t happen on his Mac.

The operating system is terrible,

It is almost unbearable.

Of patches, there are so many,

What problems do they fix, not any,

Compared to the number of bugs.

Trojans and viruses oh my!

Wait, that programs a spy.

If this keeps up I’m gonna die!

My PC has froze,

Oh noes!

I know I should be sad,

But actually I’m glad,

Because now I’m buying a Mac!

I got this message from Skype today. This is the second message I’ve gotten about a virus on my PC (yes, I am on my Mac). The link for the “fix” has been removed for the safety of PC users everywhere. If you get one of these messages, DO NOT click the link. It is problably worse than whatever your “PC” has.

WINDOWS REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

=============================

 

ATTENTION ! Security Center has detected

malware on your computer !

 

Affected Software:

 

Microsoft Windows Vista

Microsoft Windows XP

Microsoft Windows 2000

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0

Microsoft Windows Win98

Microsoft Windows Server 2003

 

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution / Virus Infection /

Unexpected shutdowns

 

Recommendation: Users running vulnerable version should install a repair

utility immediately

 

Your system IS affected, download the patch from the address below !

Failure to do so may result in severe computer malfunction.

I sure am glad I’m not a PC user.

Have you ever wondered what the icon in Mac OS X’s TextEdit says? I did too. So, here it is.

Dear Kate,

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. But they have no respect for status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vivify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.

Take Care,

John Appleseed

Does it make any sense? No, none at all. Can you make any sense of it? Leave a comment!