Gran Turismo 5 PS3 Available for Pre-Order!!!

Yay!! FINALLY READY!! 12-29 release!!

Get your copy NOW at Amazon here:

Gran Turismo 5

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 now for preorder!!

Hey I am so excited to get COD: MW2, I am pre-ordering Friday when I get paid LOL.

Here's the link: please save one for me..

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2


AC130 STANDING BY!!!!!!!!!!!

YouTube:

Stolen Canon EF 50MM F/1.8, serial number 47431119

Stolen from Bimmerfest in Santa Barbara May 23, 2009 let me know if you come across my stolen lens. synenergy52@gmail.com

Operation Repo Episode at Used Car Dealer!

After some research I googled the # of an adjacent auto repair shop and went on Google Maps and found the used car dealer where Matt and the gang repo 6 cars. I'm going to call the used car dealer and see if this was real or staged.

Vallarta Motors
maps.google.com

7209 Vineland Avenue
Sun Valley, CA 91352
(818) 764-2004

EOS 1000D (Rebel XS) + f/4L 17-40mm

Took this pic today, a little editing in PS for more saturation, etc.



More to come

photo.jpg

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by vernon.g

photo.jpg

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by vernon.g

Goodbye SYN3RGY. 3/22/08

Returned my lease today. My friend Artunian gave me a ride home after I dropped off my car. Lots of great memories in this car. She will be missed. I've learned a lot during my ownership of this car. I've learned that in the end, what matters most is the world within--the world in which the one you love exists. This car helped me to realize that world. For that I will be forever grateful.

Additional mania. New photos!

First blog in a month...

So I'm heading to Vegas for the first time on Friday. Going with my gf and my buddy Mr. Dingaling and his gf. Here's a hint on what we'll be:















On a side note I want to tell Fei thanks for putting up with me sometimes. Hart y00.

Rain

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by vernon.g

Rain, baby!

--Sent from my iPhone--

photo.jpg

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by vernon.g

--Sent from my iPhone--

The real iPhone review.

Three and a half months into the debut of the iPhone (and three weeks of owning one) I can say I am ready to write the review nobody cared or dared to write.

I am picky to say the least when it comes to gadgets, particularly, "cell phones."

I am the owner of an unlocked 8gb Apple iPhone. I purchased the phone brand new and utilized the DevTeam's software unlock.

But before all that, right out of the box, I was impressed with the solidity and fine craftsmanship of the iPhone. Never before have I seen such quality, fit and finish in a cell phone. Kudos, Apple.

So after numerous days of waiting for the unlock (see previous blog entry) I managed to unlock my phone and insert my T-Mobile simcard. One of my happiest moments of this year.

I will rate the following aspects of the iPhone on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being Osama bin Laden's reputation in America and 10 being OJ's happiness in the courtroom after finding out he just got away with killing two white people.

Quality, Fit & Finish: 9.5

As mentioned above, I believe this is probably the best phone in terms of quality. Not a squeak or odd movement comes from this phone. Perhaps due to the fact that it contains almost no moving parts with the exception of the home button. I would give it a perfect 10 except the glass overlay on the front of the phone fits perfectly flush on the left side, while leaving a slight (barely noticeable) gap on the right side--barely enough to slide a business card in. Not bad given this is a mass-produced electronic device.

Feel/Aesthetics: 7

Given its impeccable fit, finish, and build quality--this tends to make the phone feel slippery and non-intuitive. Every surface on this phone is slippery (with the exception of the camera lens glass)--I don't think anybody will be gripping their iPhones by the camera lens glass. I have almost dropped this phone several times and its a nerve-racking experience. Perhaps Apple could of manufactured the backplate out of a shinier, more grippier material such as chrome-plated alloy or polished aluminum. I'm just glad they took it easy with the plastic.

Call & Sound Quality: 7

Many of the reviews of the iPhone which have surfaced, complained about the "tinny" sound quality of the iPhone. I admit that the sound coming from the speaker while on a call is a bit dry and flat sounding but not enough to subtract major points from the score of this aspect. What does subtract major points is the ringtone system. There are two defaults: On or Off. This is absolutely rediculous in a $600 device. Even when the ringtones are "full on" they are quiet and muffled and are easily blocked if your finger or any other object is covering the tiny speaker hole on the bottom of the phone. This is a rather poor design and can use some refinement. I had to modify the iPhone file system internally for it to accept personalized ringtones. They still weren't loud enough so I used Audacity audio software to turn up the gain on the actual ringtones. Lots of work for what otherwise should be standard.

iPod: 9

The phone works great as an iPod. It works great docked, supplying audio to externally powered speakers via the line-out on the dock's rear. However, if a call should interrupt your music session and the phone be re-docked, you'll be in for a loud, nasty surprise. This wouldn't be an issue unless you're in a quiet environment like an office. The sound will come blasting through the speaker port on the bottom of the phone for a split second, resuming normal playback afterwards. I don't know if my dock is defective and is shorting the music through the speakerphone momentarily or just a poor design on Apple's part. Otherwise, sound quality through a car's audio system or the Apple-supplied earbuds is excellent. Coverflow works flawlessly and the phone responds brilliantly to user-inputs (i.e., selecting the next track, reversing the cover to see a tracklist, etc.)

Graphical User Interface/Systems: 7.5

Now onto the meat and bread of this review; so how does the phone actually work? Well it does take some getting used to--namely the touchscreen keyboard. It took me one night to get used to it. A normal pushbutton full QWERTY keyboard still does the job better--there's no two ways about it. But this phone is all about image, style, and evolution. The OS does not lag at all, however it will occasionally hiccup when bringing it out of sleep mode. An annoyance Apple hopefully fixes in their anticipated v1.1.1 update. Instant Messaging and e-mail on the iPhone are "meh" at best. Instant Messaging can be accomplished by loading third-party instant messaging applications onto the iPhone utilizing third-party software called: Installer. The IM programs are great, but only for short chat sessions. Anything beyond that will pain you. The software tends to kick itself offline, interrupting any conversations which you were in the middle of. E-mail is unreliable and iffy at best. I use GMail with my iPhone's built-in e-mail client and it suffers in the worst ways. The iPhone's browser, Safari, is indeed the gem of this phone. It's not perfect, but it is the best mobile browser money can buy, especially teamed with a Wi-Fi connection. If the iPhone has a main weapon to destroy other phones: it's their Safari browser.

Cool Factor: 10

Sure it's just an iPhone but many people are still in awe about it. I get a lot of excited people wanting to touch one for the first time. Given it's the most anticipated cellphone in history, I can see why.

Final Score: 8.3

Will I keep it?

That's debatable. I am thinking of switching back to a Blackberry 8800. I do love the iPhone, but as a communication device: it stinks. I hope Apple's reiteration of the iPhone improves this aspect of the phone.

Waiting around for my 30-minute bet... You can see the Apple logo!
Sorry for the bad focusing... Its still a cell phone camera.

After a wash--I hope the photo does not turn sideways...

My iPhone is here.

I can't stand people who use aprostrophe's wrong...

Yeah--for my gramatically advanced readers--I know I have my title fucked up. Quick rant: I can't stand people who use apostrophes incorrectly when attempting to denote pluralization. I see it all the time and it bugs the living shit out of me.

Let me demonstrate my primitive skills:

Incorrect: Today, we went to Circuit City to purchase CD's, DVD's, 80's movie's.

Correct: Today, we went to Circuit City to purchase CDs, DVDs, and '80s movies.

Assholes.

Water spots...

I spent today trying to eradicate the seemingly-permanent waterspots my car has been acquainted with by parking it curbside. After a few hours of work I still could not get it perfect. I plan to hit it up again tommorow with a industrial-grade orbital buffer and some foam pads... Meh.

Sony DSC-F717 CCD repair gone bad (Laredo, TX Sony Service Center)

I bought a used Sony DSC-F717 digital camera off of craigslist.com which had a problem--its screen was showing a distorted image. I have owned this camera before and figured I'd bite the bullet and incur a repair expense and get a good deal on this camera. A simple google search on the matter (Search: F717 CCD problem) reveals that Sony was sued under a class-action lawsuit and the court ordered Sony to issue free-of-charge repairs to customers experiencing a distorted or even no image at all on their F717 or VARIOUS other models of Sony or Canon cameras containing the defective CCD sensor. They will repair this free of charge and pay for any shipping expenses.

I was thrilled at this and packed up my F717 along w/ a neckstrap, 1GB Pro Duo Sony memory stick, the orginal (OEM) battery, the camera case and bag, and about 15-20 screen protectors for the exterior portion of the LCD screen. Item shipped ground UPS and arrived at Sony about four days later. The repair took about five business days and shipping took about five days total. I unpacked my camera, excited as can be, when I noticed it felt a little light. Lo and behold, the camera was missing the battery, memory stick, and screen protectors. The camera bag was emptied out. I am now stuck with a battery-less and memory card-less camera. I figure no big deal, maybe the technicians at the repair center in Laredo, TX forgot to put them back and I figured I could rectify the situation with a simple phone call. They were immediately defensive and stated that their records show no indication of a memory card, battery, or screen protectors being received by their department. I call back later on that day and have them escolate the issue with management. They e-mail me the following morning and reiterate the same bullshit and that they would not be compensating me for my equipment. While I do not doubt the validity of their records, they do not seem to grasp the fact that it is an even REMOTE possibility that one of their goons could of pocketed the items when nobody was looking. Long story short, I will keep contacting Sony until this situation is resolved. For all you Sony camera owners out there who are experiencing problems with your camera screens, I would suggest you send your camera to Sony WITHOUT any accessories and demand they repair your camera. The law is on your side.

Motorola A1200 -- The honest review.

Review of the Motorola A1200

First off, I will say that I just switched from a Treo 650 with Sprint. This phone was given to me free as an incentive to sign up for a new T-Mobile account at a third-party mobile phone store.

I've had the phone a week and I already want to sell it.

Pros: Good looks, nice screen, good reception, solid feel, seemingly good build quality, great call quality, awesome camera (macro mode), different.

Cons: Lack of keyboard, low-low battery life, sometimes-sluggish interface, non-intuitive controls/functions, non-user friendly, easy to scratch.

This phone is not for people who engage in heavy texting/online messaging. In fact, it lacks AOL Instant Messenger software. This phone would be perfect with a qwerty keyboard and a less sluggish interface. It's not as slow as the Razrs, but it definitely does lag. Try picking up a call while driving, you'll see what I mean.

Save your money, and let a fob buy this one!

Well I swapped wheels/tires today with my friend's E30. Hate chrome. I also had a new catylatic convertor installed today, passed smog with flying colors. Need to give my papers to the DMV. I think the rear engine seal is leaking oil onto the clutch and/or pressure plate. The slipping went away as the day got warmer, and I drove harder. The car sat for a while, slipping reared its ugly head yet again. The strut hats are also toast. What else? Installing my shifter rejuvination kit next week -- consists of 25 parts. Fun fun. First and foremost, it will be a cruiser/daily driver... then as I gather more funds, it will be an all-out track car!! SCCA here I come!

My very first... blogger blog.

I bought a new (used) car -- it's a 1984 BMW 325e 5-speed manual. It's a piece of shit for now, and I can't get the damn thing to drive reliably as its pressure plate or clutch has gone bad. The car has in excess of 203,500 miles (as reported by its last CarFax reading). The car is just as old as I am! That's kind of cool. It's actually in good condition, especially considering the price...$500.00. It's a fun project, already consuming much of my time. I already see the tell-tale signs of a money-pit starting to form.

Things I need:

Coolant flush-$10
Transmission fluid change-$50
Differential fluid change-$50
Clutch/pressureplate checkup/change-$300
Door check change-$35
Stainless steel lines-$80
Left door latch trim-$15
Valve adjustment-$100
Ground rejuvination (custom-made)-$15
Cheap stereo/speakers-$200
Floormats-$30
Roundels-$45
Possible HID conversion - Free
Foglights replacement -$50
Trim paint -$10
Reclear-$300
Smoke 20% tints-$140
Wheels/tires-$600
Shocks/Springs-$500
Control arms/bushings -$350

:(