TDK MP-100 Headphones Review

So I got my hands on these new headphones the TDK MP-100 "Around-Ear Headphones". Unlike the PR person who was explaining the TDK brand, I am actually old enough to remember using TDK cassette tapes. These were the tapes you wanted if you had the money for them. They were the bomb! So I was a little curious to see if their old school high quality audio translated to quality headphones.

Here's my little mini review:

Panasonic Lumix (Like a) G6

I admit I'm a little confused with Panasonic's recently announced new Micro Four Thirds camera, the G6. It's supposed to fit right between the now made-for-enthusiasts GF series and the professional-videographer-wannabe GH series. With the GH series getting more SLR-like and bigger, the thinking is it's supposed to appeal more to pros, while the G series is for more serious still photographers who don't need pro-spec video. That said, I have no idea who would actually buy a G6 in the real world when all the action is in the GH series and its stellar video superpowers. While I'm complaining, let me gripe about why Panasonic had to dumb down the GF series. The GF1 was pretty sweet, then the GF3 (which I do own) and every GF camera since has been clumsy and cutesy. Panasonic never needed the G series. It's like the old GF series just made uglier/ergonomic-er. Oh well, at least the GF series is cheap. Anyhoo, this is about the G6...

Is this the Olympus E-P5?

The rumor sites are all abuzz with news of the Olympus E-P5, which is supposed to launch around May 9, give or take a few days. Can no one keep a secret anymore? I've been watching the news with keen interest because I'm exactly the person who would be interested in the E-P5: I'm an E-P3 owner and I skipped the OM-D E-M5.

Here's what we know so far. I take no credit for the rumors. I got them from 43rumors.com. Also, remember that these are rumors, so who knows if they're real?

Dual boot Windows on a Hackintosh

One of the reasons why I built a hackintosh was so I could have Mac OS for work then boot into Windows and play games. For me, Mac OS has always been about work; it's the OS of choice for the designers I worked with and the de facto OS in publishing. It was a big deal in the days before Macs had Intel processors, but not so much anymore. To be honest, Mac OS just feels more familiar, so I'm sticking with it. But when it comes to games, you really need Windows. There's no way around it. Windows is best for gaming. Most of my Steam games live there too.

Dear Microsoft, a rant

Dear Microsoft,

Unlike most of the world, I wanted Windows 8. I had just built a computer piece by piece and I wanted your latest OS instead of Windows 7. I bought the parts from different vendors, so I didn't get Windows 8 bundled with my PC. I needed to buy it separately. And I couldn't buy it. It turned out to be impossible to buy for weeks after the Windows 8 launch. All I wanted was for you to take my money and give me my OS.

At the time, you had just launched Windows 8  (yes, this post is a little late)  and you were offering only an "upgrade" version. I don't own a Windows PC, so I had no OS to upgrade. I needed the System Builder version, which you said you would be selling a month later, and only in retail, not online.

This was probably a sound business decision. I won't pretend to know your business better than you do. But here are my complaints as a customer:

My new gig part 2

Remember that column I'm writing for KRISTN.com, the Movie Nerd? Now I have another one! This time it's in the tech section, and the column is called Tech Support. It's all about finding answers to the tech questions that you've always had. Yeah, tech can be a headache. Gadgets can break or stop working. But it doesn't have to be that way. With a little help and a little know-how tech can be fun and easy. So if you have any tech questions, tweet me (@vincesales) or email me (vincesales@icloud.com),and I'll try to help you out.

Shell Journeys: A photographic journey to Tagaytay

We were approached by Shell the other week to take part in Shell Journeys, which is basically an excuse to go on a road trip and try out their new gasoline formula. We jumped at the chance of course. I brought the camera too so I could flex my photographic muscles. Tons of Olympus E-P3 photos after the jump, plus a mini-review of Shell V-Power Nitro+ Racing.

Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm! Prepare for the rush!

I've always been a Zerg player. Maybe that's why Wings of Liberty didn't do it for me. The Zerg often came out as the weakest among the three races, and they were difficult to play. Somehow that just felt wrong. Hopefully, they've addressed the balance; Blizzard is always tweaking that. Super excited about the new units. Now excuse me while I make room for Heart of the Swarm on my hard drive...

Nikon Coolpix A is here to fight mirrorless cameras!

You're looking at the Nikon Coolpix A, Nikon's latest camera designed to fight the small-size, large-sensor "mirrorless" cameras from the likes of Olympus, Fuji, Sony and Panasonic. Of course, Nikon already has their 1 system, which is also a small-size, large(-ish) sensor camera, and that was well-received. Now they're going against the mirrorless cameras with larger sensors, like those from Sony and Fuji. Notice those two letters on the bottom corner of the camera? DX means the Nikon Coolpix A has an APS-C sized sensor. Woot!

What I'm reading right now

Let's take a break from electronics and get into something nerdier: books. Here's what's on my reading list right now: