My Return to the Darkside

This Tuesday, Apple should be sharing information about the next generation of the iPhone and with all of the buzz going around, I have to admit that I'm thinking about going back to the darkside known as Apple.

Prior to the iPhone 4 launch, I was in the market for a new phone but I became disenfranchised due to antenna gate and Steve Jobs half-assed approach to the debacle. I ended up jumping ship to Android and bought the HTC Aria.

Now, I've been happy with my Aria, but it could not replace my original iPhone. Sure, being able to root my phone and have more control over what I could do with it was a nice change, but I missed the bells and whistles that came with the iPhone. In the end, the Aria just couldn't compare.

Sure, I could upgrade to another Android handset, and I've been tempted by the Droid Incredible and other similar devices, but the sirens song coming from Cupertino may be too strong. I'll have to see what the new iPhone is all about first, and more than likely I will probably end up going with the iPhone 4 if the price is right, but going back feels kinda dirty.

There is another option which is to be happy with what I have, but for some reason that's not my style. Regardless of which route I take, I'm definitely interested to see what Apple has to say this Tuesday.

My New Toy: Roku XDS vs. Apple TV

'Tis the season for frivolous spending, and right now I'm trying to decide on which unneeded hi-def media player to buy. So far the two contenders are the Roku XDS player or the new second-gen Apple TV. On paper, it looks like the Roku player should win hands down, but as always it's hard to say no to Steve Jobs.

Over the last couple of months I've tried to ween myself from Apple and it's flashy yet expensive products. I went with the Android based HTC Aria over the iPhone 4, and I keep choosing PCs over the sleek and stylish Macs. Unfortunately, I'm always drawn to the darkside that is Apple (while I like my Aria, I should have bought the iPhone 4), which is why I'm kicking around the idea of buying the Apple TV.

Today, the Roku XDS seems like a better buy. It can stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon VOD, and other specialty channels. For me, the biggest draws are Hulu Plus and Amazon VOD because I'm looking for a way to watch and archive TV shows/movies I watch in a legal way (i.e. no torrents). I don't know if I'd actually use Hulu Plus because in the long run paying $9/month to watch a current season of shows would probably cost more than buying the episodes via Amazon. It also has a USB port so I can play video files I have on my hard drive but only if they're MP4.

On the other hand, Apple TV could do what I'm looking for from Roku assuming I don't need Hulu Plus. From what I've read, you can still stream content you've purchased via iTunes on the Apple TV if you have network sharing activated. So, you can still buy shows and movies on iTunes (like you can do on Amazon), and stream them over the air instead of having a cloud of media like Roku.

Really, which one to go with depends on whether or not I'm planning on buying other Apple products. If I end up with an iPhone 4, iPod Touch, or iPad then it would be better to have an Apple TV because of the ability to integrate with said products. I've thought about buying an iPod Touch since it's a better media player than my Aria, but I don't need a ton of features for on-the-go playing, and my phone is adequate. The only upside of having an iOS 4 device if the ability to have a mobile version of Hulu Plus and the iTunes store.

The thing is, I don't NEED either device. I have a Blu-Ray player that already has Netflix Instant and allows me to play video files (more than just MP4), and if I'm not going to sign up for Hulu Plus then there really isn't a point in buying either. Too bad I have this need to buy unnecessary electronics.

My New Toy: PS3 vs. Wii vs. XBox 360

I've never been much of a gamer, and I even donated my Playstation 2 and XBox to Goodwill when I moved from Portland because I just never used them. When I bought my HDTV, I toyed with the idea of getting a gaming console just to add to my home entertainment set-up.

I kept going back and forth between the three for various reasons. XBox 360 seems to be the cheapest for a bare-bones model which should be fine for what I would use it for (a few games here and there, but nothing hardcore). The Wii is probably still the "it" console to have, but part of me is waiting for the shine to come off of the apple. The PS 3 is a monster, but so is the price, so it's hard for me to justify spending that kind of money.

For the longest time, the tie-breaker for me was Netflix, so I ended up skipping the consoles altogether and went with an LG Blu-Ray player mostly because it could stream my Netflix Instant Queue without having to get an extra disc like on the PS 3 and Wii. Now, Hulu is what can sway my allegiances, and it looks like Sony's Playstation 3 will be the console to incorporate the standard of online video.

A few months ago, I blogged about how I'd be OK with paying a monthly fee for a premium version of Hulu if a suitable device could stream the video onto my HDTV. It looks like my wish is close to being granted, but I might have to shell out a pretty penny to take advantage of the service. Luckily, devices like the PS 3 are great multi-taskers.

So, as of right now PS 3 has taken the lead, but I won't be really looking at buying one until I get my new iPhone 4, and I don't know when that's going to be thanks to all of the glitches. I'm fine with waiting because Hulu on my laptop is still cool in my book.

My New Toy

I finally have an HDTV thanks to my wonderful parents.  They decided to buy me a brand new TV as a congratulations present for getting my job at Texas State.  See, I told ya my parents were awesome.

It's a modest TV by HD standards. 32", 1080p with 120Hz.  Not a bad little set up if I do say so myself.  Unfortunately, I don't have HD cable because my apartment complex provides basic, but I don't have to pay extra so I really cannot complain.

Anyway, this puppy will be fully utilized once I buy a PS3 or a Wii, or a PS3 AND a Wii...and an XBox 360.