The ScooterBlog http://blog.sav2880.net Scott's Personal Blog & Thoughts Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:52:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Yes, They Made IE for Mac http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/AFyONgcj53k/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/03/21/yes-they-made-ie-for-mac/#comments Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:51:49 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=870 Here's your one paragraph random thought of the day: yes, they made Internet Explorer for the Mac!

The scary thing about this is that there's actually the occasional ActiveX opportunity where this might work, at least that was the case when I last used it a couple of years ago, Functionally, it's right up there with IE6 on the Windows side, and I also haven't used this since OSX 10.4, so if you're the one … or two … people who need this to work in Lion, I'm all for how you can make it work! 

With all that said, if you need it, I'm housing a link to allow it to be downloaded. It's HERE. Enjoy!

]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/03/21/yes-they-made-ie-for-mac/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/03/21/yes-they-made-ie-for-mac/ SOPA / PIPA Didn’t End Wednesday, The War Shall Rage http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/MfXZVBlP928/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/22/sopa-pipa-didnt-end-wednesday-the-war-shall-rage/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:20:16 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=868 For those of you, like myself, who believe in a free uncensored Internet that can responsibly understand what the words "fair use" really mean, and that don't want a bunch of suits in Hollywood as your totalitarian Internet bullies, what we saw Wednesday online was a beautiful thing. It took the war against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) to the people. They got the message, and politicians, at least for today, got it too. Some of the sponsors of these bills ran away from it like it was toxic. Public support against these initiatives reached its first tipping point. The online world spoke and gave the world our version of a Million Man March.

You probably feel vindicated, satisfied, maybe a little happy to see what you view as the comeuppance of Hollywood. But beware, this was the opening salvo, the war has merely begun.

I mean, you didn't forget that you're fighting with politicians and Hollywood lawyers, did you?

Here's the thing. There are still plenty of politicians who were very quiet today who would still be more than happy to vote yes to these bills. Their pockets are lined, and after today, I'm sure a few more bucks will head their way to ensure they're willing to stay the course. These men and women might even let the bills by these names die, spin them another way, drop provisions into other bills, you name it. Washington thinks it's smarter than you. Prove them otherwise.

Those lawyer types? The RIAA and MPAA dudes? They will do anything and everything to get these rules passed, and they really don't care what you think. RIAA lawyers were clowning the blackout of Wikipedia today, for crying out loud! Their reasoning on your media almost sounds like Chicago politics … If you don't pay once, pay twice (and we may still sue you). They may never give a crap what you say, but public opinion, and your pocket book to not support artists via their old traditional methods, that might get their attention. New models like Netflix and Spotify good, old models like iTunes and 99 cents per song, bad.

And, let's not forget, you have one atomic bomb left in your arsenal: a vote. It's an election year, even President Obama gets this by coming out and saying he would not approve SOPA as it stands now. Everyone knows that if they convince you at a surface level that they see your pain, you won't sway that vote. All I'll say is, use that bullet wisely.

So with the opening salvo, our Battle of Normandy if you will, in the books, do these three things. One, keep pounding the phones and emails of your lawmakers to remind them that these bills need to die. Second, stay in tune with sites like the EFF which will make sure to inform you when shady tactics are in play, and trust me, they will be. Third, use that vote in your primary and in November. Be willing to make this a top issue, and do your research to see how a lawmaker's stance has evolved, and vote accordingly. That's of course never a promise that the next guy will do better, but it beats the alternative.

So lace up your boots, and get out of your corner. This Ironman Match just started!
 

Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/22/sopa-pipa-didnt-end-wednesday-the-war-shall-rage/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/22/sopa-pipa-didnt-end-wednesday-the-war-shall-rage/ Scott’s Early 2012 Tablet Thoughts http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/ZuLv5xmLbuQ/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/19/scotts-early-2012-tablet-thoughts/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:40:46 +0000 sav2880 http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=865 The year is early, but it's never too early to have some tech thoughts to take with you into 2012. I am now personally an owner of three tablets of three different OS flavors (maybe soon two, we'll see), and each has distinct advantages over the other. But, with all that said, here's some thoughts on them:

* The iPad 2 Is That Much Better Than The iPad 1 – On the surface, you wouldn't initially think that this was true. The screen resolution is the same, the apps (of course) look the same, and as of now, you're still getting the same updates. But, the speed difference is really astounding, and with the original iPad selling for a good amount (I sold mine to my dad for $300 and that's a gift price), and with the iPad 2 now constantly $450 at Micro Center, it's not an expensive upgrade, and even with an iPad 3 looming, worth it.

* The Nook Color is a Solid Android Tablet – Once you do the right [hacker] thing and remove the installed Nook software and give this tablet stock Android 2.3 via CyanogenMod, it really becomes a very nice, albeit slightly underpowered tablet. I bought mine off of eBay as a direct from B&N refurb for $150, and that price still looks pretty solid. The screen is really nice quality (1024×600), the battery still has good life on stock Android, and it ups the CPU speed to 1.1 GHz (and sometimes 1.2 GHz), as well as adds Bluetooth support. Plus, the reformat gives you over 4GB of space for apps, more than on any other Android device I have ever seen.

* Why Didn't HP Ship The Touchpad At 1.7 GHz? - I finally got around to overclocking my HP TouchPad the other day, and the difference going from 1.2 to 1.7 (and now 1.8) is pretty incredible, and it didn't kill battery life all that much. If they could have marketed this as a super-powerful 1.7 GHz (or even slightly less) tablet back in June or July when this launched, it would have absolutely been the fastest tablet in the world, and maybe that selling point could have helped it differentlate itself from the pack. As it stands, this likely is going to be a niche item in my house, but as it has a pretty darn good web browser (and maybe the fastest rendition of Flash that exists), I'll keep it around. And hey, it could have Ice Cream Sandwich soon!

I'd love your thoughts on tablets in the comments, have at it!

Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/19/scotts-early-2012-tablet-thoughts/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2012/01/19/scotts-early-2012-tablet-thoughts/ The 2011 College Football Playoff Post – Eight Team Edition http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/H0MAAhhtL2Y/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/12/08/the-2011-college-football-playoff-post-eight-team-edition/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:13:59 +0000 sav2880 http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=858 It’s time for a tradition that really is unlike any other, older than Verne Lundquist’s drinking habit. It’s our yearly look at what college football would be like right now, if you really had a playoff! In past years of this post, it’s been done as an eight-team playoff with home games in the first round, as I believe that’s the perfect number of teams if you want to truly determine a national champion. However, with all of the conference realignment and craziness, I’ve begun to wonder if a 16-team playoff would actually be better, but we’ll get into that in a later post. As for now, we’ll do eight teams, with these rules:

1) The “Big Six” conferences get an automatic qualifier for their conference champ.
2) Undefeated teams from non-AQ conferences get in if you have a good enough BCS ranking.
3) Highest BCS rankings fill out the rest.
4) Seeding is strictly based on where you finish in the BCS.

(In my perfect world, this is all done by the computers, no voting, at least by coaches, would be allowed in the formula. But, that’s also for another day.)

By this formula, the eight teams would look something like this:

#1 LSU (SEC Champion)
#2 Alabama (At-Large)
#3 Oklahoma State (Big 12 Champion)
#4 Stanford (At-Large)
#5 Oregon (PAC 12 Champion)
#6 Wisconsin (Big Ten Champion)
#7 Clemson (ACC Champion)
#8 West Virginia (Big East Champion)

Initially, without thinking, I was pondering how Boise State got screwed in this formula, and even considered adding a rule saying that only two teams could go from any conference, should it end up applying to the SEC, and it almost did (Arkansas at #6 in the BCS would’ve been the next At-Large). But, due to the lowest eligible at-large being #4 in the BCS, it’s hard to be sympathetic even when the loss came to a ranked team on a last second field goal miss. In this format, they make the field goal, they’re in on an automatic, they’d knock out Stanford, and probably would’ve gotten a home game too. Just going through those hypotheticals in your head, you can see how such a format would not take anything away from the regular season, it would be just as dramatic as ever before.

Let’s get to those first round games however. This year’s playoff would produce an amazing scenario in two ways. Not only would it provide a rematch of a conference game (and think, we’re mad at that in real life too), it would provide two “return games” from regular season matchups. West Virginia would have to visit LSU, and Oregon would have to visit Stanford. We can argue the craziness of having a conference champion go on the road against an at-large team from the same conference all day, that’s just how it ends up shaking out. Along with that, you’d get a great regional game of Alabama-Clemson, and a fascinating offensive matchup between Oklahoma State and Wisconsin. All four of these bowl games would be compelling, the top seeds (and home teams) would be favorites by a fair amount, but the excitement would definitely be there.

You can play this out however you want to (and I invite you to do so in the comments, I will do so too), but you can certainly argue that this provides far more excitement than the current bowl setup ever could, and at least this year, has a very good chance of getting you to the matchup you’d see, but in the way it should be. On the field.

Now, about that 16-team playoff question. I am beginning to be convinced that a 16-team playoff would be a better solution for one reason, and one reason only: it would instantly end the rush for the superconference. If every conference currently in existence, be it a big or small conference, knew its winner would go to a BCS game, teams would be more willing to stay with their current allegiances, and less likely to jump to a superconference just for the desperate reach of one of the golden seats (read: Boise State). I think eventually, it would allow for an increase in the number of FBS teams to 132 (11 conferences x 12 teams per conference) without the risk of dilution, and would still not render the regular season as useless by any stretch. In this format, you’d be looking at five at-large teams, and with the rules I would put into place for this, just being a Top 10 team would not assure you of a trip.

Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/12/08/the-2011-college-football-playoff-post-eight-team-edition/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/12/08/the-2011-college-football-playoff-post-eight-team-edition/ Tebow’s Jury Verdict Is NOT In http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/b0xt0yOdm9U/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/24/tebows-jury-verdict-is-not-in/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:42:48 +0000 sav2880 http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=851 Yes, he had a horrible half of football, he looked like he wasn't ready for the stage, and you could tell it had been awhile since he's been on the field. After one half of football, it's easy to make that claim about …. Carson Palmer? Kyle Boller? Oh yeah, that Tebow guy too.

I get that he's popular, polarizing, and was madly successful in college. He's unconventional as a pro quarterback, and regardless of the praise put on him for this quirkiness by some, and the critical nature of many analysts, he's always going to be unconventional. I'm sure the delivery will get a little quicker over time, and the form will get a little better, but he will never be the robot we've come to know as Tom Brady. And so, I am attributing his Sunday game is this: 55 minutes of an offense that hasn't adjusted to his skill set, and five minutes of his improvisation and playmaking, both in rather extreme forms. '

The success of Tim Tebow for the remainder of the season, I believe, rests as much in the hands of John Fox and John Elway as it does in Tebow himself. No one doubts he will work on his form and his game and at least to some degree will mechanically improve, I'm sure to the chagrin of Merrill Hoge. But, if they don't form more of the offense around him because they don't believe he is the answer, then he is much much more likely to be a passer who has moments of running brilliance, complete with overthrown passes and constant drama.

So, next week before you make fun of Tebow's form next week, go back and ask some of those NFL Playbook guys about how good of a job John Fox did with building the offense around Tebow. You'll learn as much about his faith as you would in Tebow the next couple of Sundays.

Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/24/tebows-jury-verdict-is-not-in/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/24/tebows-jury-verdict-is-not-in/ Bengals: My Return To The Bandwagon http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/fIVP79IfsMQ/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/18/bengals-my-return-to-the-bandwagon/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:38:35 +0000 sav2880 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/18/bengals-my-return-to-the-bandwagon/ It almost scares me to say this, it really does. But, the Carson Palmer trade has squarely put me back on the Bengals bandwagon. Why? Because it’s showing that Mike Brown is willing to come off his stubbornness and take advantage of situations he should.

This situation basically fell into his hands. An injury to Jason Campbell (at the hands of the Browns, some strange bedfellows now), a team direly wanting to stay in a playoff picture in a division they absolutely can win, and a team with the stones to make these kinds of bold moves, even with Al Davis resting in peace. All the leverage in the world was in the Bengals’ favor.

The reason that Mike Brown deserves this praise is because he used it, when he would not have in the past. When he could have had two first round picks for Chad Ochocinco, he turned it down. He has typically been stubborn to the point of wasting great opportunities to improve his team, either through free agents, trades, you name it. This situation, for this longest time, has been a case just like that, where stubbornness had outweighed smarts, and that’s why these kudos are fair. Strike when the iron is hot, when you hold the cards.

In hold ‘em terms, the Bengals called the bluff today and won big. They weren’t bold like many would want, they were just smart and logical. As a Bengals fan, I will more than take that.

]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/18/bengals-my-return-to-the-bandwagon/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/10/18/bengals-my-return-to-the-bandwagon/ Reds’ Sunday Night Roundup: The Moves I Want To See http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/1IZV3E-R5dQ/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/30/reds-sunday-night-roundup-the-moves-i-want-to-see/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 18:10:09 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=839
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto during a ...
Image via Wikipedia

Just got back from a really nice dinner and movie with my beautiful wife (it was our 4 year anniversary on Thursday), and got back to, unfortunately, a Reds loss. Unlike the recent extra inning affairs though, there is more to feel good about than the opposite.

* Johnny Cueto, thank you for your complete game! Even though it was in a losing effort, this is the kind of effort this team needed, both from a longevity and from a performance sense. Two runs over eight innings will win much more often than not, and between his outing and Mike Leake's good Friday performance, that is the stuff that will return this team to winning series, and makes the bullpen wear much more workable.
 
* I've officially decided that any umpiring group that includes C.B. Bucknor must be damaged goods. Don't ask questions, just assume I'm right.
 
* That four hit performance on Saturday by Jonny Gomes was welcomed. No, over the course of the season, this doesn't mean he is gonna turn into a .300 hitter, but him being available for platoon starts and pinch hit appearances with confidence is important for this team.
 
So, on Twitter, I teased that I would talk about the moves I would do to get this pitching staff back on track before tonight's game. So far, we are one quarter of the way there, and the part I'm wrong on, I can deal.
 
* Drop Sam LeCure on the DL. This did happen today, and I'm glad it did. If he has had this much trouble getting tightness out of his forearm, there is no sense in trying to warm him up and trying to run him out there all the time. They can make it retroactive and he will only be out for about a week at this point.
 
* My call up for him would have been Jordan Smith so that you go reliever for reliever, they instead added Tom Cochran to the 40 man and brought him up. Jordan Smith may still be a candidate, but keep reading for who might be better.
 
* Put Bronson Arroyo on the DL. It is apparent his back isn't right and it is having major effects on his mechanics and performance. Two weeks off for him to truly get right might be a good idea.
 
* This one pains me — call back Edinson Volquez. I know he had one good outing on Friday in Louisville, and I really want him to have another outing it two there to make sure he is right in the head, but if you DL Arroyo, you need a starter on the same rest period, and he would provide it and would be available for a quick call up if you put a guy on the DL. Yes, you could call up Jordan Smith but you probably need to have him ready for a call up, he is close to the last line of defense unless you fell Chapman is ready.
 
Let's be honest, we can talk about this all forever, but what will make this all better? Let's go beat the heck out of Milwaukee!
Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/30/reds-sunday-night-roundup-the-moves-i-want-to-see/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/30/reds-sunday-night-roundup-the-moves-i-want-to-see/ The Hardships Of The Buckeyes?! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/cyOrlqgaCwo/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/the-hardships-of-the-buckeyes/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 22:05:42 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=832 If you believe what Ray Small told 10TV today, no one has it harder than athletes. They cannot do anything, their life is terribly difficult, and you should feel sorry for them. In honor of his comments, and the challenge by the Common Man and Torg (and today, Craig Krenzel), something should be done about this! 

Everything in this world has a foundation or fund to help support their cause, that you can donate to, and if you're lucky, the money might find it to the right source. So, if Ray Small is really onto something and not just ensuring he has a shot of being employed in the state of Ohio sometime in the next 20 years, maybe these athletes facing these amazing hardships, like having to play in front of a hundred thousand fans, or only receiving free school, room and board, and a nice stipend too, maybe we should do something for them! 
 
I'd like to announce the creation of the Ray Small Athletes' Doghouse Fund.
 
This fund will allow you, the fan (or non-fan like me) of Ohio State to help fund the things that these struggling athletes really need! They'll never have to stump to drug traffickers to get their tattoo again, they'll always have enough to buy that PS3 that they want, and not just the base model either. Should they even be of (almost) legal age, they'll have the money for those beers they just couldn't afford before! You can help these athletes live a life without hardship or struggle. 
 
The best part, though, is how you can donate to this cause. To properly honor the memory of Ray Small's troubled experience at OSU, and Jim Tressel's soon-to-be home in the eyes of the NCAA, we will erect a 4-foot by 4-foot doghouse bank in front of the Horseshoe. You can drop your hard earned pennies and nickels into this fund and show your support, and they'll show their support back to you every single week on the field as you track the artwork on your favorite player's arms. 
 
It's not just good enough though to start a fund. This needs to be ingrained into the minds and hearts of every child in Columbus, so that they understand the importance of discounted cars and entitlement to the lives of the very Buckeye players that they thought were okay, but are apparently not. This fund will create a campaign to replace all of those piggy banks with new doghouse banks, so your children will always be thinking about what to do with that hard earned allowance money. By the time one or two of them grow up to be Buckeye football players, they'll appreciate it coming full circle, as they take their girlfriend-of-the-week out on the town to the finest establishments on campus, like Buffalo Wild Wings. No, this could never happen with a boring little stipend, it's only your help that can make this happen. 
 
(Oh yeah, and if those darned sports blogs or student newspapers ask? Those doghouses are just another tribute to Tressel. Carry on now, nothing to see here …) 
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/the-hardships-of-the-buckeyes/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/the-hardships-of-the-buckeyes/ 50 Games In: The Reds’ Recent Off-Season Moves http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/SgjyTKNPLQg/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/50-games-in-the-reds-recent-off-season-moves/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 21:40:28 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=826 They say that the best time to look at how your team really did in the off-season is in hindsight. This, however, requires patience, and we simply don't have any of that! I think now, we can begin to entertain just how all of those off-season signings are looking to pan out.

JAY BRUCE – This right now looks like an absolute steal to have him locked up for five, possibly six years. The power numbers are improving, he is hitting left handers much better than last year, and the last two evenings, has clutch hits against the best team in the National League to bust a losing streak and knock a win off of Roy Halladay. The way he is progressing, he is going to soon look like one of the best bargains in baseball.
 
JOEY VOTTO – His power is down from last year, but the OPS is still strong, and he is still anchoring the lineup very nicely. The jury on his contract is more that it was about cost control since it doesn't buy out any free agent years, but there's no reason to think he won't outproduce this deal going forward.
 
JOHNNY CUETO – His early season injury also leaves the jury out on his deal from performance, but the very early returns suggest that he is still progressing. Having him locked in at $7 million or so per year for a good young pitcher with a good team option, this looks like it will be strong.
 
RYAN HANIGAN - Three years for $4 million for a very solid catcher running half your catching duties? I thought this was a steal when I first heard it and early returns would back that up. As their strong lineup of catchers in the system progress (Mesoraco and Grandal), Hanigan will be able to serve that second catcher role affordably.
 
RAMON HERNANDEZ – … and in that same sense, Hernandez's contract was just what this team needed for the other catcher's role. His power numbers are up from last year, he has good repoire with the pitchers, and likely will walk after the season. Fine, since Devin Mesoraco will hopefully be ready at that point, and will platoon with Hanigan. This was a transitional deal for a good player, and worth it.
 
BRONSON ARROYO – Out of all of the deals signed over the winter, this was the one I questioned the most because you were committing big bucks to an older pitcher when your team was perceived to have starting pitching depth. Suddenly, that starting crew that went seven deep now feels more like four and a half! Because of that, Arroyo basically being himself and pitching to s career stats, at least for now, is just fine. Time will tell if that continues, and because they already had him locked up for 2011 and just decided to toss that away in exchange for the three year extension, the real return on investment is next year and beyond.
 
JONNY GOMES – It looked so nice to start. A low batting average, but above average power, run production and far more walks than his past trends, but it has come crashing down. He may right himself in the end, and they may find the sweetspot for him as a platoon guy, but right now we are at the worst case. That is, a one year $1.75 million dud. Worse things have happened even for smaller market teams.
 
MIGUEL CAIRO – Much like the Bronson Arroyo deal, this might look good this year, but it's the second year that is worrisome. He's also been pretty much you can expect, a decent bench player who has stepped in formidably with the Scott Rolen injury and as a veteran bench presence to go well with a guy like Chris Heisey who provides power and youth (and maybe should be starting). This may not look as good in 2012 when he's a year closer to 40, but right now, it's playing out fine. 
 
It is rare that you can look at every extension a team signs for whatever reason, but especially in locking up young players, where they all seem to work, and while they didn't accomplish this, the rate of return is very high, and the only flub (Gomes) is almost zero risk since it was a one year deal. Mission accomplished.
 
EDINSON VOLQUEZ – You might be telling me right now "but Scott, he didn't sign a deal!" Yes, you're right, and thank goodness for it! It was said that he rejected an extension so he could prove he was worth more money, and all he's done is pitch poorly enough to get demoted. We could be looking at a contract draining the flexibility right out of the team, and one that would create undue pressure to keep him in the rotation, instead, they can do the right thing, send him down, and get him right.
 
So what about those one year free agent deals?
 
FRED LEWIS – Big old incomplete here, he's been hurt and is only now getting extended playing time with the struggles of Jonny Gomes. Worth revisiting later.
 
EDGAR RENTERIA – Similar to Gomes, he started red hot and has cooled off dramatically. Right now, he will get playing time due to the fact Paul Janish has had some offensive struggles, and he does provide good veteran leadership. Hard to think they got a "deal" here, but same as Gomes, ts isn't crippling and there are good benefits to be had.
 
Got some takes on this? Disagree, like one of the related articles does? Post the comments here!
 

 

Related articles
]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/50-games-in-the-reds-recent-off-season-moves/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/05/27/50-games-in-the-reds-recent-off-season-moves/ I Get My Cool Battery Technology From Big Lots?! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheScooterblog/~3/lpF0J6ii9AU/ http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/04/12/i-get-my-cool-battery-technology-from-big-lots/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:31:47 +0000 Scott http://blog.sav2880.net/?p=801 Not every day do you walk into Big Lots and expect to find something you've never seen anywhere else. But, that's exactly what happened this past week when I was there. I saw a type of rechargeable battery that I hadn't seen before. Different voltage, claimed to be better than alkaline. At $8 for a four pack with charger, it's too good to pass up and not try! Heck, they had eight packs of AA batteries for another $8! So, 12 supposedly better rechargeables for $16? Surely, there must be a catch.

So what is this mythical technology you can buy at the discount joint and nowhere else? It's a NiZn rechargeable battery. Nickel-Zinc, rated at 2500 MAh, and the kicker, 1.6 volts. So, it's actually slightly over voltage for those normal AA devices, and in theory should do better than the seemingly underpowered NiMH batteries at 1.25 volts. The batteries and charger are made by a company named PowerGenix, and one could surmise based on the fact these were at Big Lots and a few third party Amazon sellers, they maybe didn't pan out.
 
But, having just bought the batteries and charger, I can't wait to see why or why not this is awesome technology, and whether this is something that is gonna go the way of the dodo bird, or if they've stumbled upon something that ought to be replacing NiMH in some devices. I will make posting my experiences with these a part of the regular blog routine.
 
Oh yeah, and if you're in Columbus, go get one of these, the price point is surely worth the gamble.

 

]]> http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/04/12/i-get-my-cool-battery-technology-from-big-lots/feed/ 0 http://blog.sav2880.net/2011/04/12/i-get-my-cool-battery-technology-from-big-lots/