Creative Xmod and Logitech Cooling Pad N100

I have two peripherals that I always connect to my MacBook Pro at home.  I make really good use out of them so decided to share them with you guys.

My typical set up.

The first is the Creative Xmod. This came out in 2006 so it was discontinued ages ago but you can easily pick one up at Amazon. Its old age is not all bad, the list price of $85 has come down to about $40 on the web.

So what does this thing do? Well, it's simply an external sound card with a twist. The Xmod restores and remasters sounds that are "squished" during the digitalization and compression of music/video files. Creative claims that it creates a "cleaner, richer sound that surpasses the original audio CD." It's easy to be skeptical but believe me, it sounds pretty spectacular.

There are 2 technologies in the Xmod. X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D. You can adjust the intensity of these filters for turn them off individually as you chose. 

You can connect it directly to you laptop via USB or the audio-in jack. For the latter, you connect it to AC (I use an extra Apple USB power adapter) and the audio source with an audio cable. 

The Xmod is pretty compact too, and with a USB power adapter, can be quite portable.

The second device is the Logitech Cooling Pad N100. The MacBook Pro's ultra minimal design has one drawback - it can get quite hot when you are running resource hungry applications. It has always been uncomfortable putting palms on this hot aluminum slate, so I decided to pick one of these up.

The N100 is pretty much made just for the 15" MacBook Pro.

The cooling pad has 1 fan, powered by USB. You may think a single fan isn't powerful enough, but it works remarkably well.

Note: If you are getting a cooling pad for a MacBook Pro, get one with a fan located at the top edge, like the N100. This is really where the Mac gets really hot. I had initially purchased the Microsoft Cooling Base, but returned it because of the central location of the fan.

Air intake. The fan is audible in a dead silent room but is virtually silent otherwise.

Air is channeled down, cooling the entire bottom surface.

The bottom.

The N100 also has a nice cable organizer. Notice that the cable can be fed in 4 directions, depending on the location of USB ports on your laptop.

My sketching tools.

I have been getting many many emails, tweets and comments asking what I use to sketch. Instead of repeating myself over and over again, I've decided to make a post on this subject.

First of all, paper. I use this brand of paper called "Michael Roger". The only place I have seen them offline is at my school store - and I don't go to that school anymore. You can get them online though. I highly recommend their sketchbooks, they are the best. I personally like 9x12".

People ask me about the colored paper a lot. It's called "kraft paper" and is quite spectacular.

EDIT: I have been informed by the wonderful folks at Michael Roger that the paper I use is actually "oatmeal speckled paper". Sadly, it's currently not on the website right now.

As for markers, I prefer Copic.

I feel that competing brands just don't feel nearly as good as the harder nibs of the Copics.

For some of my lines and shading (usually portraits and more organic drawings), I use Prismacolor color pencils.

For everything else, I use these four: a mechanical pencil (Zebra drift), ball point pen (monami 0.7mm), Staedtler Lumocolor, and a Copic Multiliner. I prefer a mechanical pencil with a bit of size, which is why I use the Zebra. As for the ball point pen, cheaper the better. The ones made by Bic are probably the best for sketching.

Here are the points.

I use Copic's opaque white to add highlights on my sketches on kraft paper. In essence, it's just an opaque white watercolor.

Sketches - 7

It's been a while, but I'm posting sketches again. (Don't have a scanner with me, so excuse the vignetting...) 

Lexon Around Clock

First of all, thanks to everyone for emailing, commenting and tweeting about the HTC 1, I really appreciate it.

I've also gotten many many people asking me about the clock behind the iPad. I kept giving out the same response but just decided to make a post on it. If these many people are interested on it, I'm sure others will be too.

Here it is. The way you tell the time is pretty self explanatory.

As you can see, it's called the Lexon Around Clock. You can find it easily on Bing/Google.

Takes a single AA battery. Also, notice that it's just a cheap quartz clock underneath.

The clock has a pretty serious design flaw though. I mean, its one and only job is to show the time... Video of it here.

Hope this helps everyone. ;)

Week - 14

Every time I see an older car, I realize that they are getting way too big. Hmm...

Yummy.

Yummy.

Got new glasses.

I really like the color - has a slightly blue coloring to it.

Interior of the Vancouver Art Gallery. I wouldn't take pictures in there. They didn't appreciate it when I snapped these two.

Downtown Vancouver.

Waterfront Station.

HTC 1

Another personal project.

Renders / Graphics: Adobe Photoshop

A Week 13 - Seattle

I went to Seattle last week, and wanted to share some photos.

Ah yes. Back in the USA.

Also went to Rainier Mountain on the way.

But the real charm of Seattle is in the city. By the way, how do you like my new kicks?

Pike Place Market. Was opened in 1907, making it one of the oldest American markets still in operation.

Pike Place feels like this.

Is filled with things you probably don't need...

...but feels a hell of a lot more sincere than your local supermarket.

Also, as most people know, the first Starbucks is located here. Capitalism at its best.

I don't know how I feel about this giant corporation taking so much attention from the low income residents of the market.

Seattle feels eerily similar to Vancouver. These photos could easily have been from Vancouver, and nobody would have noticed.

I love these UPS trucks.

But am not liking the color of the busses here.

But I really dig the city.

It has character.

And feels vibrant.

I also got to check out the iPhone 4, which isn't yet available up North.

Do you see the pixels? Didn't think so.

The phone feels great. I don't know if I'm crazy but I almost wish it was slightly heavier.

It's the iPhone, what more can I say?