July 29, 2004
World Beard and Moustache Championships
I didn't even know something like this existed, but it has to be the coolest thing ever. Be sure to check out the categories and the gallery!
July 28, 2004
HDLoader reborn!
After my previous post about the demise of HDLoader, it looks like it has come back as HDAdvance! The interface in the screenshots looks identical, except the HDLoader text has been replaced by HDAdvance. Compatibility list is the same, their FAQ is nearly identical, etc. HDAdvance seems to have the extra feature of being able to play imports, provided you have a flip-top case (or want to kill your dvd drive by using the slide trick).
Doh! HDLoader no longer available
After mentioning HDLoader several times, it's sad to see that they've stopped selling it. I think a lot of people kinda saw this coming, and that's part of the reason I ordered it when I did. Some of the stores selling it might still have some copies, but I wouldn't expect them to get any more once they run out. I bought mine from ConsoleSource.com, and they're still showing it in stock. Here's a review of the product that showed up on Ars Technica today.
July 27, 2004
HDLoader
HDLoader came in the mail the other day, and so far I'm enjoying it. Games are copied to it in 10 minutes or so, and after that, I should never need the original discs again (unless I want to play online). Loading time is definitely reduced. In Tiger Woods 2004, for example, the load time between holes went from maybe 8-10 seconds to 1-2 seconds. The game just feels a little quicker all around. One of the other nice benefits is never having to switch discs, once the games are loaded. The HDLoader disc just stays in the PS2 all the time and I boot the games from the menu it provides.
All in all, not a bad deal. The hard drive was pretty cheap (though at 120GB, it's bigger than what I needed), and I already had the required network adapter. I also won't need to buy a hard drive later for GT4. :-)
July 21, 2004
Mmmmm....garlicy
Another lunch at YC's today, and wow, am I smelling like garlic. I'm sure one day my co-workers will buy a bubble where I can reside after lunch to contain the smell. :-P
July 19, 2004
Things and stuff
Finally a reason to make a new post...a blank front page. >:-O
Autocrossed the Neon on Sunday again, and I'm still amazed at the amount of grip it seems to have. I find myself going into a turn thinking "there's no way I can take the turn this fast", and coming out thinking "I should have entered the turn faster". I don't know if it's the light weight (couple hundred pounds lighter than the Integra), the wider tires, or the fact that the tires themselves are newer than my old Victos. PAX'd a 951 with my best clean run; could have had a 966 were it not for a cone that jumped out in front of me (or behind me, as the case may be). One more summer event, then some new tires and back to the Integra for the fall.
Though I think I've told just about everyone that reads this already, I'm hoping to have HDLoader installed by the end of the week. The idea is that you can copy your PS2 games to a hard drive, thus reducing the load times by quite a bit. The software itself is $35, you can use any Maxtor hard drive (40GB+ suggested), and you need to have a network adapter, as that provides the hard drive connection. I picked up a 120GB drive at Fry's yesterday for $70 out the door, now I just have to wait for the software. This should be reason enough to start playing Tiger Woods 2004 again, as all the loading time on that was quite a pain. Only downsides are that (a) not all games work, but most do, and (b) you can't play games online when they're installed on the hard drive. Despite having a network adapter and a few online games, I've never played any of my games online, so that doesn't really bother me. ;-) None of the games I currently own are on the "don't work" list yet, either. Now if only the Xbox could do this, I might be motivated to play Top Spin again...
July 01, 2004
Costco sample jackpot
One of the best sample days in recent memory:
1. chocolate cake
2. corn dogs
3. hot dogs
4. chicken egg rolls
5. beef taquitos
It was like having an extra meal!