Although Sony's Blu-ray format was released last year, I've only recently tried it out.

As DVD's are my preferred backup medium (I like the fact that they are permanent, and not impacted by magnets) its just taking too many DVD's to backup my all my day-to-day data (about 24 gigs or 5 DVD's) and I'm just plumb tired of swapping discs and keeping track of when the desk 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc. is done.

Thus the move to Blu-ray - the standard Blu-ray disc holds 25 gigs with the possibility of 50 gigs on one disc (if you buy the right disc).

So I purchased Sony's first generation recorder and I have found the move much more seemless than when I moved from CD-R's to DVD-R.

Just like that move though, I have found that software has a big impact - I've had much better success using Nero to burn, but even at that, the failure rate for a disc recording session is about 1 out of 4 when running at 2x speed, vs. 0 out of 10 for 1 x speed.

(this using a dual core processor fast machine pretty much dedicated to just doing this task and moving data around)

BUT...

it takes almost 8 hours to record at 1x speed.

So its a record and go to bed kind of deal, but if you do that, give yourself 30 mins to brush your teeth and come back and make sure the back up software doesn't have a question for you (file names too long, etc.)

I've now moved massive amounts of movies, music, family photos, backups and data to a series of 50 gig discs and I love it.

Only downside? One of the primary reasons I love DVD-R's backup is that I can pop them into any laptop or desktop and access my data.

Not here.

SONY!!! listen up - make sure your soon to be released SONY TZ laptop has a blu-ray option!

Although it hasn't been released stateside yet, the forthcoming release of Sony's ultraportable TZ line is anxiously anticipated by current TX users.

Imported Dynamism.com has been offering the Asian model for about 45 days now. Long known for their exceptional customer service, a fully tricked out Sony TZ on Dynamism's website will set you back close to $4k (my dream machine replaced the CD/DVD with a 32 Solid State drive and a 160 gig regular harddrive)

Besides the price differential - why wait?

The USA model should be released with a SPRINT Highspeed internet connection - and since I can tell you from personal experience is much better to have one built in than sticking out awkwardly from your expresscard slot.

Eventhough the new Sony TZ has some great specs (incredible battery life being one), the lack of Intel’s Santa Rosa chipset has many of the other tech blogs concerned.

BUT I think they are missing a really big point.
Sony’s biggest release in the last 12 months has been with the blu-ray infrastructure. BluRay is a High Definition Disc format that allows for 25 gigs of data on each side of the disc – and a double sided $25 BluRay disc holds 50 gigs.

One disc can hold my entire 400+ cd music collection and still have room for the last 10,000 pictures I’ve taken of my family.

Two discs can hold my entire movie collection (moved from DVD to PSP, IPOD, MPG or other format for media viewing on the road or in the house).

And yet, for a company that wants to push BluRay past the opposing HD format, Sony is dropping the ball.

Just like they subsidized the cost of BluRay in the PS3, they should do the same in the upper end laptop lines – the ability to in 4 or 5 discs carry my entire digital collection and data files around is priceless.

But Sony has missed this train as well, releasing BluRay on their “luggable” media laptop lines.

Wake up SONY!

While your at it, what happened to being the cutting edge of tech? Why not add a sideshow screen?

Sony, your losing your lead, and my next favorite Toshiba may again gain ground...
that is unless Apple beats them both to the punch with their new ultralight laptops that are rumored on the horizon.


UPDATE: My Lappy has got their hands on a new Sony TZ- click here for a review

What a cool website - Do It Yourselfers share info step by step on projects they've built or hints on how to complete difficult tasks.

My favorites:
How to shoot great nighttime/low light pictures without a tripod tripod

How to build your own hidden Plasma TV screen in a box

Or how about this - the invisible bookshelf

Confessions of a former Circuit city employee
was just posted - as its posted anonymously,its hard to verify the accuracy of its claims, but as a frequent shopper of big box computer/audio/visual retailers, it sure seems spot on.

The gadgeteer has a great review of the OQO2.

I've been sitting on the fence on this one - I loved the OQO+01, but found that its low resolution, underpower processer, lack of WWAN and limited USB port held it back from being used as my primary day to day machine.

The OQO2 seems to have addressed many of these issues, and yet, it now seems underpowered graphically to be an effective Windows Vista tool.
OQO 2 Review here