The Pitfalls of a Cheap Laptop

In middle school I used a device called an AlphaSmart. The AlphaSmart was a handheld word processing device with a tiny black and white screen, a keyboard and room for AA batteries. All being said, the AlphaSmart was a one use device: only designed for word processing. The HP Sttream 11 can do more than just word processing, but I primarily bought it for that purpose. And while die hard gamers would call it a toy, I consider it a computer I would feel comfortable giving a child. In the long term I plan to buy a better ultralight laptop, but for the time being, the HP Stream is a fine device. I have my audio and video on a portable hard drive, so the lack of space doesn't entirely bother me. For the first time in ages, I'm writing again. I love it.

The machine's specs are a 11 inch 1366x768 screen, an Intel Celeron N2840 processor, a non-removable 32GB SSD drive and 2GB or DDR3L RAM. For ports you get a headphone jack, 2 USB ports including 1 USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port (full size to boot) and a full size SD card reader (the 13'' Stream and most of these Chromebook-killers have microSD ports. You also get 802.11 b/g/n networking and Bluetooth. I'm not sure how much everything weighs including the adapter, but it's light enough that my back isn't in excruciating pain when I get back from work.

In my real world usage, I've found that this laptop surprisingly starts up quicker than stated by the major tech websites and magazines. For me, a start takes about fifteen seconds from pressing the power button to the desktop coming up. That's about how long it takes my desktop at home to start and my aging Dell Latitude to start, which is acceptable.

However, the Stream does have its drawbacks, all of them annoying. If you have a huge inbox like I do with Gmail, forget about having an email client on your machine. This is a machine truly designed for streaming, not as an independent unit; however the machine is a bit less dependent on the Internet than the Chromebooks. However, when you include the recovery software and a full Windows 10 install, you're down to less than 10GB of hard disk storage. A nice touch to the notebook is that the keyboard feels really nice, and feedback on the keys is what you would find on a machine twice the price. While the battery life is impressive, it isn't as great as I was hoping, as I don't get much more than six hours out on a charge. That being said, the professional reviewers have said the laptop's battery performs as advertised.

For years, the major tech magazines and news outlets have been predicting the demise of the computer. With a new generation of computers and hybrid tablets on the market, the PC market I think is poised to make somewhat of a comeback. And while all of us (myself included) use the cloud, there are limits to the cloud and I see the home desktop at the hub of the home.

Here begs this question: when can I get another, and one with better specs? There is definitely a market for low-end Ultrabooks. For quick and dirty jobs, the Stream definitely fits the bill. And 

UPDATE: Since I first wrote this article, I bought a slightly faster and better Dell. Slower processor in regards to clock speed, but faster than the older HP. And the black color is WAY more professional. Another USB port couldn't hurt, too! The Dell has it's pros and cons. With the Dell the RAM and battery are removable, but the hard disk is still not upgradeable and its a pound heavier. That pound and very slightly newer hardware does allow for another hour of battery life.

Who would have thought twenty years ago we would have $200 notebooks?

Updates from the Sashmeister

Guys,

Sorry it's been so long since I did an update but I'll have some updates for you guys in the next few weeks.

Sasha

Sasha's commentary for June 1, 2015: Lots of Little Catch-Ups

Since I've read a lot of articles in the last few weeks and I've gotten a kick out of them, I thought I would share my feelings on them.

• Ghosting in dating I believe is a huge problem. Ghosting is when one partner or both disappear after starting to date: the ceasing of communications altogether, etc. It bothers me that my generation has commitment issues. As it turns out, I'm not the only person to feel this way. A blogger and US News & World Report have discussed the phenomena in detail. I value true and honest communication, and I don't think that should be a big deal.
• Apparently, hot girls can't get boyfriends. Elite Daily has really good articles, and I have to agree with them on these points. What I walked away with from reading this article: talk to a hot girl and don't be intimidated?
• Caitlyn Cannon might have the most clever quote on a high school yearbook. "I need feminism because I intend on marrying rich and I can't do that if my wife and I are making .75 cent for every dollar a man makes." Well, let the controversy live long as she proves a good point. I take other issues, but oh well, forget me. She's a narcissist only because she wants to marry rich. 
• Marty Jennings isn't the only person in the tri-state area that fixes TV's. In a few weeks I'll discuss how I (without photos, pissed I never took them) of how I repaired the power supply in an LCD TV. I saved $200 by not having to buy a new one. I believe that we live in an era where we throw stuff out and don't bother fixing them. And one company is at the forefront of this.
• Economic equality is something we should pursue because it's the right thing and benefits everyone, and this cartoon illustrates that fact.
• Bottled water in itself is an issue. VOSS is the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended.
• Let mermaids be mermaids: they're beautiful creatures, and in some cases, a cute 20-something mom from Edmonton.
• Where did Amtrak go wrong? In a (near)-perfect world, private operators would be operating passenger trains in the United States. But it was designed to fail, and that's not fair for the wonderful men and women who keep Amtrak carrying Americans coast-to-coast, from small towns to big cities. Amtrak needs the tools to thrive, and I hope that the derailment back in May in Philadelphia is the start of a national debate on passenger rail. Trains are not from a bygone era. For me, it's more convenient to take the train than fly. And if my plans change, Amtrak's reservation and refund policies are generous.
• While I support breastfeeding, I don't think six year olds need to be breastfed. Last I checked, six year olds have sharp teeth. And this girl's mom is 52? What happened to having kids in your 20s? Am I the only person who believes its healthy to start a family in your 20s?
• So how do I end up in one of these mature, adult relationships? Some of these seem simply right and rational. Why couples don't practices these behaviors, like discussing the future and disregarding feelings of jealousy because you can trust the other person.
• I first heard about David MacDonald's FlamingoAir operation in Cinncinati, OH in an Airways Magazine article back in 2002 (by the way Airways, you guys have failed me and I'm not resubscribing come next year). Looks like VICE Media has discovered him, and did a nice write-up too.

In an Era of Declining Relationships

Today, the New York Times posted an essay by Columbia University sophomore Jordana Narin, entitled "No Labels, No Drama. Right?". This whole "no labels" thing runs into problems because relationships are best when they are defined. As someone with an autism spectrum disorder, a label on a relationship lets me know where the boundaries are along with my responsibilities in the relationship. I can relate quite well to the author. The problem I've noticed these days is that couples (even those not in a defined relationship) are afraid to take risks to improve the relationship. For instance:

Naïvely, I had expected to gain clarity, to finally admit my feelings and ask if he felt the same. But I couldn’t confess, couldn’t probe. Periodically I opened my mouth to ask: “What are we doing? Who am I to you?” He stopped me with a smile, a wink or a handhold, gestures that persuaded me to shut my mouth or risk jeopardizing what we already had.

Why would bringing it up jeopardize what you already have? Have we become that afraid of offending people? If I was Narin, I would have made a stink. I'd like to know where my relationship is headed, and to hope that the other half has his/her (in my case, her) good faith in everything.

In general, relationships in this country have turned into disposable commodities. And for someone who likes to repair things and not throw them out, this whole notion is upsetting. Or am I reading too much into things? Relationships are worth having, and why we've become phobic to them is beyond me.

I'll use this as a bad example: late last year, Shelby Swink, a young lady from Tennessee, found herself left at the altar five days before her wedding date when her fiancee told her that he'd had a change of heart. While Shelby turned trauma into triumph, it's not that easy. Apparently I like Offbeat Bride. We don't know whether or not the relationship turned sour or if it was at the spur of the moment (I'm assuming it was the spur of the moment).

Reading through my own Facebook chats with an ex-girlfriend, I did an absolutely horrid job on both defining and rehabilitating a relationship. I didn't even try. Worse, I added salt in a wound. The reason the relationship collapsed was because I had some issues with my own family and was making them public, and I made the stupid decision to add as "friends" on Facebook my ex's entire family. I turned a hiatus of a relationship permanent, without discussing the other half. Looking back, I handled the whole thing terribly. So I shouldn't be one to say much. According to one author, lasting relationships rely on two traits: and from that hard to get at article, it's nothing more than kindness and generosity. And I'll add another one: honesty.

Late April update

For the last several weeks, some issues in my personal life have conspired against me and have caused me to say some really inappropriate things and come to some really inappropriate conclusions. I've been realizing my own shortcomings and needless to say I've been frustrated by them. So for the time being I'm focusing on taking care of me and dealing with my demons

To those people I've angered, I apologize. The person I'm really angry at is myself.

My response to Newsweek's "Abercrombie & Fitch Tries to Turn Down the Terrible"

From the article posted on Newsweek's website:

On Friday, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister announced they are “overhauling some of their store policies,” including ridding outlets of blaring music, dungeon lighting and nose-shriveling perfume overdoses. In other words, for the first time in decades, their stores will become fit for adult human beings with eyes, ears and noses to enter and actually shop without experiencing sensory overload.

I should have dared anyone with an autism spectrum disorder to go in there prior to the changes. Like myself. But then again, I've never had any loyalty to the A&F brand.

My Response to "Orchestra Drops Pianist Valentina Lisitsa Over 'Deeply Offensive' Tweets"

From New York City's classical music station WQXR-FM (also jokingly the official radio station of the New York Times):

Valentina Lisitsa, a well-known classical pianist whose Twitter feed regularly features barbed political commentary about the conflict in Ukraine, was dropped from two performances this week with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, after the ensemble cited concerns over her "deeply offensive" and "provocative" online remarks.

Lisitsa, a Ukrainian-American who was scheduled to perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the TSO this Wednesday and Thursday, took to Facebook on Monday to accuse the Toronto Symphony (TSO) of censorship. 

"Yes, Toronto Symphony is going TO PAY ME NOT TO PLAY because I exercised the right to free speech," she wrote in a rambling, 1000-word post. "Yes, they will pay my fee but they are going to announce that I will be unable to play and they already found a substitute. And they even threatened me against saying anything about the cause of the cancellation. Seriously." 

The pianist accused the orchestra of bowing to a "small but aggressive lobby claiming to represent Ukrainian community," which she said had taken issue with "caricatures" she posted to Twitter related to the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in Paris.

The Toronto Symphony declined to comment Monday on Lisitsa's charges and issued a statement defending its decision to cancel her contract. "Due to ongoing accusations of deeply offensive language by Ukrainian media outlets, we have decided to replace Valentina Lisitsa," said the orchestra's president and CEO Jeff Melanson.

"Valentina Lisitsa’s provocative comments have overshadowed past performances. As one of Canada’s most important cultural institutions, our priority must remain on being a stage for the world’s great works of music, and not for opinions that some believe to be deeply offensive."

Since 2010, Lisitsa has maintained a Twitter feed – now under the alias NedoUkrainka – through which she frequently expresses her strong support of Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine. In over 13,000 tweets aimed at more than 9,000 followers, she has posted sharp denunciations of Western media and Ukrainian "neo-Nazis" mixed with graphic battlefront videos and images. 

Lisitsa, 41, was born in Kiev but moved to the U.S. after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. She launched her career through a YouTube channel, which unlike her Twitter feed, is devoted to performance videos, and which now has received some 43 million visitors. In 2012 she signed a recording contract with Decca.

While frequently described as "the web's favorite pianist," until now, her political commentary has prompted little response by North American concert presenters or audiences. One exception came in October, when a small group of protesters picketed in front of her recital at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh. She is scheduled to perform later this month in Spokane, WA and Dayton, OH.

Requests for comment through her manager and label were not immediately returned on Monday. The Toronto Symphony has not announced a replacement pianist for this week's concerts.

Actually, she's right on Ukraine being (partially) run by neo-Nazis. It's a mess over there, and my heart always goes out to my family members over there. Just thought I'd share the article since it hits close to home.