By now it is no secret that Apple's earbuds are atrocious. And this is puzzling considering how the tech giant has excelled in just about every other market that they have entered (personal computer, smart phone, digital media player, etc.). When it comes down to it, every single aspect about Apple's earbuds is absolutely awful. The fact that they come packaged with each iPod and iPhone means that they have to be cheap to a certain extent, but Apple goes way too far is ensuring how cheap they are. First of all, they are just plain uncomfortable to use for an extended period of time. The way the hard plastic earbuds sit in my ear starts to generate pain in about half and hour of use. Second of all is the sound quality. It's tinny and lacks any sort of overall warmth and any real bass.
Past how awful they are, the real crime with these earbuds are how expensive they are when purchased by themselves. Apple's earbuds clock in at an unbelievable thirty dollars. My current pair of JVC Marshmallow's cost me half that, and their quality is easily double or even triple that of Apple's earbuds. Certainly you pay a premium over the competition on Apple's products for the superior quality, but when it comes to earbuds you pay a premium only for the brand image. I love Apple to death, but that is just wrong.
What are your thoughts?
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Another Attacking Player Lost
Yet another key attacking player in Major League Soccer has been lost due to a reckless and late challenge. First it was Steve Zakuani with his leg broken in two places, then it was David Ferreira with a broken ankle, and after that it was Javier Morales with another broken ankle. Chris Pontius now joins the club, having had his right tibia fractured as a result of a challenge by Chivas USA defender David Junior Lopez. This certainly put a damper on an otherwise fantastic night for DC United, Charlie Davies exploding back into action with a hat trick, the now injured Pontius assisting on each goal. The loss of Pontius seriously hurts United's play off hopes, but the good news is that it was late in the season rather than early like the three other injuries.
This was seen a major problem that needed to be dealt with earlier in the season, and after having quieted down, it's now back in the spotlight. I don't think any other season has seen as many possible season-ending injuries on such key attacking players, and it's pretty baffling as to the sudden surge in these injuries. One thing is certain, though. Players really need consider the challenge that they are about to make, how late or possibly reckless it could be, and as a result the possibility that they could injure the other player.
This was seen a major problem that needed to be dealt with earlier in the season, and after having quieted down, it's now back in the spotlight. I don't think any other season has seen as many possible season-ending injuries on such key attacking players, and it's pretty baffling as to the sudden surge in these injuries. One thing is certain, though. Players really need consider the challenge that they are about to make, how late or possibly reckless it could be, and as a result the possibility that they could injure the other player.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Around the Rest of the League - Week 26
Sporting Kansas City [3 - 0] Houston Dynamo
After faltering against the Sounders and FC Dallas, Sporting Kansas are continuing their push for the play-offs and advancement up the eastern conference. Teal Bunbury netted a brace and CJ Sapong contributed a goal of his own in the routing of the Dynamo.
Prediction: Correct
Columbus Crew [2-4] Toronto FC:
The 6-2 loss at Seattle was clearly a warning sign to Columbus. Now they've conceded ten goals in the last two games thanks to poor communication and structure in the back line. Nick Soolsma started off the scoring for Toronto, followed by Ryan Johnson towards the end of the first half. Columbus cut the lead in half through Tommy Heinemann in the 67th, Julian De Guzman nullified that goal in the 83rd, Andres Mendoza made the game close again in the 87th, but Danny Koevremans finally put the game to rest with TFC's fourth goal in the 92nd.
Prediction: N/A
New York Red Bulls [1-1] Vancouver Whitecaps:
Vancouver looked the stronger team in the first half, getting a goal through the brilliant play of Camilo and Chumiento. Jan Gunnar Solli was given a straight red in stoppage time at the end of the first half, leaving New York down a man for the entire second half. Despite that disadvantage, substitute Juan Agudelo managed to find an equalizing goal.
Prediction: Wrong
New England Revolution [2-0] FC Dallas:
FC Dallas were by far the favorites in this match, but the Revolution clearly weren't to be counted out. An early goal by Shalrie Joseph and a late insurance goal by Raiko Lekic gave them the victory over one of the league's top teams.
Prediction: Wrong
Chivas USA [0-3] DC United
Chivas USA [0-3] DC United
Lately Charlie Davies has been in a bit of a slump, plagued by injury and the inability to have any sort of major impact in a match. Davies redeemed himself tonight at the Home Depot Center, netting a hat trick. Chris Pontius more than doubled his assists for the season in the process, assisting each and every one of Davies' goals.
Prediction: N/A
San Jose Earthquakes [2-0] Chicago Fire
The Earthquakes finally managed to end their thirteen game winless run, getting their first win since June eleventh. Chris Wondolowski provided the match's first goal, and nearly provided a second from the penalty spot, but his attempt was saved by Sean Johnson. Ramiro Corales provided the match's second and last goal.
Prediction: N/A
Insanity And Bad Fortune At Century Link
A wild first half that saw an own goal by Kasey Keller, a missed penalty kick by the Sounders, and a red card to both teams (one justified and one not) was a sign of how the match would ultimately turn out for the Sounders.
Real Salt Lake got on the board early, through the aforementioned Keller own goal. Fabian Espindola sent in a cross to the far post where Alvaro Saborio was waiting. Keller attempted to deal with the ball and scoop into the side netting, but instead scooped it right into the goal. Then came the missed penalty kick in the sixteenth minute, Mike Fucito getting taken down by Robbie Russel as he was making his way onto the ball into the penalty area. Mauro Rosales stepped up to the spot, and made Nick Rimando go the wrong way, but had the extreme misfortune to slide the ball just wide of the post.
The pair of red cards came within just five minutes of each other, in the thirty ninth and thirty fifth minutes. First, RSL's Tony Beltran committed a hard and late challenge on Rosales which gave him a second yellow and the ejection. The second came at the other end of the field, as Alvaro Saborio was going one on one with Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Hurtado got the ball, but as he was advancing up the field Saborio kept at it causing Hurtado to hold up his arm to hold the striker off. Saborio capitalized on this motion, acting as if he had been stricken in the face. The ref took the bait hook line and sinker and sent Hurtado off.
Despite everything in the first half just not going their way, the Sounders were able to equalize in stoppage time heading into half time. Rosales played a brilliant one-two with Montero, got the end line and lobbed the ball into the center of the box where Montero gathered it up and fired it straight into the roof of the net over Rimando.
Into the second half the Sounders were able to keep pressuring RSL, ultimately getting sixty six percent of the possession and nineteen total shots to RSL's ten, but they just couldn't break through. To add to the frustration, RSL was able to tally another goal through Saborio completely against the run of play. The Sounders best opportunity to equalize the match once again came in the sixty nineth minute. Tyson Wahl received the ball off of one of the Sounders' many corner kicks and fired the ball towards the goal, but Rimando was there, miraculously keeping the ball out with his face.
Next up the Sounders head down to Costa Rica, to face Leo Gonzalez's former club Herediano in CONCACAF Champions League play.
Real Salt Lake got on the board early, through the aforementioned Keller own goal. Fabian Espindola sent in a cross to the far post where Alvaro Saborio was waiting. Keller attempted to deal with the ball and scoop into the side netting, but instead scooped it right into the goal. Then came the missed penalty kick in the sixteenth minute, Mike Fucito getting taken down by Robbie Russel as he was making his way onto the ball into the penalty area. Mauro Rosales stepped up to the spot, and made Nick Rimando go the wrong way, but had the extreme misfortune to slide the ball just wide of the post.
The pair of red cards came within just five minutes of each other, in the thirty ninth and thirty fifth minutes. First, RSL's Tony Beltran committed a hard and late challenge on Rosales which gave him a second yellow and the ejection. The second came at the other end of the field, as Alvaro Saborio was going one on one with Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Hurtado got the ball, but as he was advancing up the field Saborio kept at it causing Hurtado to hold up his arm to hold the striker off. Saborio capitalized on this motion, acting as if he had been stricken in the face. The ref took the bait hook line and sinker and sent Hurtado off.
Despite everything in the first half just not going their way, the Sounders were able to equalize in stoppage time heading into half time. Rosales played a brilliant one-two with Montero, got the end line and lobbed the ball into the center of the box where Montero gathered it up and fired it straight into the roof of the net over Rimando.
Into the second half the Sounders were able to keep pressuring RSL, ultimately getting sixty six percent of the possession and nineteen total shots to RSL's ten, but they just couldn't break through. To add to the frustration, RSL was able to tally another goal through Saborio completely against the run of play. The Sounders best opportunity to equalize the match once again came in the sixty nineth minute. Tyson Wahl received the ball off of one of the Sounders' many corner kicks and fired the ball towards the goal, but Rimando was there, miraculously keeping the ball out with his face.
Next up the Sounders head down to Costa Rica, to face Leo Gonzalez's former club Herediano in CONCACAF Champions League play.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
MLS Week 26 Predictions
Friday, September 9th
LA Galaxy - Colorado Rapids: This is one of the weekend's matches to watch. If the Galaxy fails to win and the Sounders manage to win their own match against RSL, their grip on the number one position on the western conference and the league overall will slip even further. And a win for the Galaxy will definitely be well deserved, as the Rapids have proven themselves as true contenders for the MLS Cup. I have a difficult time picking sides in this one, so I'll settle with a tie.
Saturday, September 10th
Seattle Sounders FC - Real Salt Lake: Along with the match-up between LA and Colorado, this is one of the weekend's most important games to watch. The Sounders are looking to continue to make up ground on LA in the race for the Supporter's Shield, and so is RSL. This is a match that the Sounders must win, and seeing their white hot August they're definitely the favorites to win this one. Especially with RSL's recent road woes, with the exception of the win at the Home Depot Center against a struggling and inconsistent Chivas. My vote is with the Sounders.
Sporting Kansas City - Houston Dynamo: Recently Sporting Kansas has had issues when it came to closing out matches, allowing both the Sounders and FC Dallas to make late stoppage time comebacks to win the match. While they have issues closing out matches late, they've also developed a habit of making their own late comebacks as well, the latest and perhaps greatest coming against the league-leading LA Galaxy last Monday. SKC has certainly proven that they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the league's best, and past those two losses against the Sounders and FC Dallas they are unbeaten at home. I honestly don't believe that Houston will be any real threat, especially with the return of Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury.
New York Red Bulls - Vancouver Whitecaps: While New York has fallen out of favor in the playoff race lately, they look primed to make or at least attempt one final push with the possible return of Luke Rodgers this weekend. Past that, the Whitecaps are honestly no real threat on the road. Up until this point, the Whitecaps have a 0-10-4 record on the road. That isn't about to change this weekend.
Philadelphia Union - Portland Timbers: The Union has become stuck in somewhat of a rut, having gone winless in the last seven matches. They have certainly shown signs of life, however, in their midweek match against the New England Revolution. Entering the second half the Union was shockingly down 4-1 to the Revolution, but they managed to claw their way back thanks to Freddy Adu's first MLS goal since 2007 and a two goal effort by Sebastian Le Toux. The Timbers have been the third worst this season on the road, and the Union remains at large at home. The Union should be able to get the victory.
New England Revolution - FC Dallas: New England's mediocrity was really put on display on their midweek match against the Union. They were up 4-1 heading into the second half, and due to a mentality of simply defending and holding on for dear life their unsurprisingly choked up the three goal lead. This is an easy prediction in all honesty, FC Dallas has the win without any shred of a doubt.
LA Galaxy - Colorado Rapids: This is one of the weekend's matches to watch. If the Galaxy fails to win and the Sounders manage to win their own match against RSL, their grip on the number one position on the western conference and the league overall will slip even further. And a win for the Galaxy will definitely be well deserved, as the Rapids have proven themselves as true contenders for the MLS Cup. I have a difficult time picking sides in this one, so I'll settle with a tie.
Saturday, September 10th
Seattle Sounders FC - Real Salt Lake: Along with the match-up between LA and Colorado, this is one of the weekend's most important games to watch. The Sounders are looking to continue to make up ground on LA in the race for the Supporter's Shield, and so is RSL. This is a match that the Sounders must win, and seeing their white hot August they're definitely the favorites to win this one. Especially with RSL's recent road woes, with the exception of the win at the Home Depot Center against a struggling and inconsistent Chivas. My vote is with the Sounders.
Sporting Kansas City - Houston Dynamo: Recently Sporting Kansas has had issues when it came to closing out matches, allowing both the Sounders and FC Dallas to make late stoppage time comebacks to win the match. While they have issues closing out matches late, they've also developed a habit of making their own late comebacks as well, the latest and perhaps greatest coming against the league-leading LA Galaxy last Monday. SKC has certainly proven that they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the league's best, and past those two losses against the Sounders and FC Dallas they are unbeaten at home. I honestly don't believe that Houston will be any real threat, especially with the return of Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury.
New York Red Bulls - Vancouver Whitecaps: While New York has fallen out of favor in the playoff race lately, they look primed to make or at least attempt one final push with the possible return of Luke Rodgers this weekend. Past that, the Whitecaps are honestly no real threat on the road. Up until this point, the Whitecaps have a 0-10-4 record on the road. That isn't about to change this weekend.
Philadelphia Union - Portland Timbers: The Union has become stuck in somewhat of a rut, having gone winless in the last seven matches. They have certainly shown signs of life, however, in their midweek match against the New England Revolution. Entering the second half the Union was shockingly down 4-1 to the Revolution, but they managed to claw their way back thanks to Freddy Adu's first MLS goal since 2007 and a two goal effort by Sebastian Le Toux. The Timbers have been the third worst this season on the road, and the Union remains at large at home. The Union should be able to get the victory.
New England Revolution - FC Dallas: New England's mediocrity was really put on display on their midweek match against the Union. They were up 4-1 heading into the second half, and due to a mentality of simply defending and holding on for dear life their unsurprisingly choked up the three goal lead. This is an easy prediction in all honesty, FC Dallas has the win without any shred of a doubt.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
3DS Analogue Stick Peripheral Revealed
This morning through Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu it was revealed that Nintendo will indeed be releasing a peripheral to add a second circle pad onto the 3DS. This was later strengthened and verified as true by a Nintendo UK official in the following statement:
We can confirm that Nintendo does plan to release the attachment but that any further announcements on the attachment will be made at some later time by Nintendo.
Looks incredibly ugly doesn't it? Adding a couple centimeters in overall thickness to the system, this thing certainly seems like it's stripping the 3DS of being a portable. Apparently the device is supposed to tie in with a release of the popular Monster Hunter series on the 3DS. With that knowledge it certainly seems that Nintendo is desperately catering to third party developers, I certainly couldn't imagine any other games utilizing this abomination. What are your thoughts?
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Album Review in Brief - In The Mountain In The Cloud
[5/5]
Portugal The Man is one of those bands to consistently release excellent music, and In The Mountain In The Coud is yet another excellent album. Some were concerned that the jump to a major label (Atlantic) would have a negative effect on their music, that the label would push them to make more conventional and mainstream music, and it's abundantly clear that they provided plenty of freedom in the creative process to preserve their sound and musical identity. With that in mind, ITMITC is fundamentally a further evolution of Portugal The Man's sound. If you've listened to Portugal. The Man you'll know that they never like to maintain a certain sound from album to album, they always like to change it up. ITMITC is the same in that regard, this time around seeing a noticeable slight increase in the use of electronics. Highlights of the album include Got It All (This Can't Living Now) which feels quite reminiscent of Satanic Satanist, Share With Me The Sun with it's incredibly catchy chorus and sublim guitar work, and the album's closing track Sleep Forever which is perhaps one of the best tracks that Portugal. The Man has ever recorded, as such the song's only conceivable flaw is the fact that it has to come to an end. While there was little doubt before, with ITMITC Portugal. The Man have absolutely proven themselves to be one of the best indie bands that I have had the pleasure of listening to. As a testament to that fact, I swear every time I listen to In The Mountain In The Cloud I get hooked into listening to it over and over again, it's undeniably addictive.
Top Picks: So American, Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now), Share With Me The Sun, Sleep Forever
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