Apple releases Mac OS X 10.5.2

Apple just released bundle update 10.5.2. It's about 341MB size. Currently downloading, will test it in 11 minutes. It's include all the update from 10.5.1 and bring some new features and updates to Stack, Time Machine, Menu. New bug fixes, for iCal, iChat, Mail, Finder, Printing PDF Preview, Safari and others also included. RAW support for DSLR Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, Nikon D3, Nikon D300, and Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. iSync, adds support for Samsung D600E and D900i phones.

You can read full review on new features update on 10.5.2 at below sites:

MacWorld

• Apple releases Mac OS X 10.5.2
• 10.5.2 update shows Apple listens to users

ArsTechica

• 10.5.2: What's new, pussycat (and what isn't)
  

Read full update details at Apple site below:

Apple

• About the Mac OS X 10.5.2 Update
• About the Mac OS X 10.5.1 Update
• Mac OS X 10.5: Digital camera RAW formats supported

You can get 10.5.2 from software update or download standalone installer here.

If you just finished 10.5.2 update, Apple also just release 'Leopard Graphics Update 1.0' which contains graphics drivers (specifically, an AltivecDVDDriver, IntelGMA drivers, ATI drivers, GeForce and NVDANV drivers, and a new OpenGL framework).

Now rebooting for new 10.5.2. Happy update!!!

p/s: Who's said Mac OS X no need to reboot?

OSX Cmd: Change Your Shell

Mac OS X Leopard root shell default is, /bin/sh. My favourite is /bin/bash. Tried to change from /bin/sh to /bin/bash by editing /etc/passwd but it's not working. When su to root either via terminal or SSH remotely it's still used /etc/sh. Search for usermod command to change shell, as I always doing with others *NIX , but so far I couldn't find either usermod, useradd and userdel command on Mac OS X Leopard at all. Dang!!! Almost a week like a mad cat tried to figure out, at last found chsh command.

The chsh utility allows editing of the user database information associated with user or, by default, the current user. Type in below command to change your shell.

$ sudo chsh root

It will prompt you for password. Just put in your password.

Changing shell for root.
Password for root:

Then it will open up vi with below information. Move to 'Shell:/bin/sh line', and then press I to enter insert mode. Delete sh and replace it with bash. Then press , enter :wq and press to save file and quit. 

# Changing user information for root.
# Use "passwd" to change the password.
##
# Open Directory: /Local/Default
##
Login: root
Uid [#]: 0
Gid [# or name]: 0
Generated uid: FFFFEEEE-DDDD-CCCC-BBBB-AAAA00000000
Home directory: /var/root
Shell: /bin/sh
Full Name: System Administrator
Office Location:
Office Phone:
Home Phone:

Issue below command to check root default shell, it should return you /bin/bash.

 

$ sudo echo $SHELL
Password:
/bin/bash

Dance Dance Revolution Universe: I Want Too!!!

I remember last time, saw teenager playing Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) arcade version at Sunway Pyramid, Sunway, Malaysia. It's really fun. I would like to try but... Not enough strength to embarrass myself. 

I got chance when me and my buddy Apai (did you remember this?) went to Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, US. I'm thinking that nobody know us, then we start playing and keep playing and keep playing without knowing that we got some audience at the back, embarrassing situation, just like two king kong dancing hulala. However it's worth and it's really.... really... FUN.

Today you can play DDR Universe from Konami at your living hall. DRR Universe is one of the top games in my long wishlist. And at last DDR Universe & DDR Universe 2 Asian Version for XBox 360 released. DDR Universe is designed to be a "universal" DDR—a game that everyone can play and enjoy, your ma, pa, grandma, grandpa, children, including the guy with two left feet. If you don't know what DDR Universe really is and how fun DDR Universe can be, just watch video below:

Trying DDR Universe For The First Time.

Enjoy some DDR Universe freak with some attitudes videos below:

DDR Universe Bumpy Wompy Edition

DDR Universe Too Much Kool-Aid Edition.

DDR Universe Mother Vs Daugther Edition

Time to have some FUN!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!

My 360 is back with a Blue Dragon attack!

I just get back my precious Xbox 360. They said some component on motherboard loosen. Fuuuh.... thanks to 3 years warranty. Please no more red ring of death. 

Almost a month play nothing, I just pickup game tittle Blue Dragon. Now I'm on 2nd DVD out of 3 and just wasted about 34 hours 17 minute 22 second of my precious time :-) 

Blue Dragon is an RPG just for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was developed by Mistwalker and Artoon, based on a design by Final Fantasy series originator Hironobu Sakaguchi. 

Game play almost similar to Final Fantasy but a little bit simple. Blue Dragon got magic, spell, accessories and shadows (similar to guardian force in Final Fantasy) and tons of items . What Blue Dragon don't have compared to Final Fantasy is a weapon.

Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z creator is responsible to Blue Dragon character design. Most of character on Blue Dragon cute like Dragon Ball Z, but with more characteristic. You can see their believe on their face an action. The background details for every scene also excellent in showing culture for every ethnics exist in this game. 

Nobuo Uematsu is a producer and composer for Blue Dragon soundtrack. Uematsu is the guy who also responsible for Final Fantasy music.  

So far I'm half way on finishing this game, I will say Blue Dragon is fun as Final Fantasy but in their own way. It's feel like you playing RPG and at the same time also watching anime. It's might slow story line at the beginning, but, excellent graphics and outstanding musics made this game shining.

Blue Dragon trailer. Just watch it and feel it.

You can get more on game story, characters and shadow details, game videos and pictures at Blue Dragon Official Site. Below listed rating given to Blue Dragon by most game reviewer:

• Gamepro.com: 4.4/5 
• Famitsu: 37/40
• GameSpy.com: 4/5 
• Game Informer: 9/10
• IGN.com: 7.9/10 
• Electronic Gaming Monthly: 6.83/10
• 1up: 6.5 /10
• Eurogamer: 5 /10 
• Gamespot: 6.0/10 
• GameTrailers: 7.5 /10
• X-Play: 3/5
• Hyper: 88/100
• Xbox World Australia: 81/100
• Xbox 360 Achievements: 90/100

My Rating: 

• Game Story: 3/5
• Game Music: 4/5
• Game Graphic: 4/5
• Game Play: 4/5
• Fun Level: 4/5 

OSX Cmd: Copy & Burn DVD/CD

I would like to copy DVD/CD image on Mac OS X. I don't want to install something like Toast since it's also install other craps that I don't need. Disk Utility comes with Mac OS X doesn't create ISO images. It's only can burn it. Tried to find out if there another way to do this on Mac OS X (Leopard in my case) without need installation others application. I found below useful command.

Copy DVD/CD

Typical way to duplicate DVD/CD is to make an ISO image. ISO9600 compliant bit-wise copy of content of an optical disc that allow it to be used on any operating system. You can burn this ISO image to any number of disk and use them anywhere, on any machine.

On Mac OS X, an ISO image can be create using hdiutil command. Below command will automaticaly create .iso file name Photo2008.iso on current directory.

hdiutil makehybrid -o {image_name} {image_source}

eg: hdiutil makehybrid -o Photo2008 /Volume/Photo2008

Note: /Volume/Photo2008 is a DVD


You can also use additional options below.

hdiutil makehybrid -o {image_name} {image_source} [filesystem] -verbose

[filesystem]
Option: -hfs, -iso, -joliet, -udf

-verbose
To see all the operation details.



Burn DVD/CD

Following command to burns the image created to available optical media and verifies the burn.

hdiutil burn {image_source}

eg: hdiutil burn Photo2008.iso


You can also use additional options below.

hdiutil burn {image_source} -speed [x_speed] -testburn -noeject -noverifyburn -verbose

-speed
[x_speed] option: 1, 2, 3 ...., 8, max. This depend how many CPU your DVD/CD drive have. If specified 4, means the drive will be instructed burn at "4x speed". If no -speed specified "max" is the default speed.

-testburn
Don't turn on laser (laser defaults to on).

-noeject
Do not eject disc after burning. The default is to eject the disc.

-noverifyburn
Do not verify disc contents after burn. The default is to verify.

-verbose
To see all the operation details.

Music Album: Dreaming Out Loud (OneRepublic)

Music time!!! I got couple of albums in my hand early this year; Allicia Keys: "As I Am", Britney Spears: "Blackout", Radiohead: "In Rainbows" and OneRepublic: "Dreaming Out Loud".

Just finished OneRepublic's Dreaming Out Loud, impressive album for new comers. OneRebuplic not new comers per say, they already famous on popular social networking site, MySpace, since 2006. I really surprise with impact that social networking site can give these day. I think, all this happen due to high exposure within the online community. And, this is one of the best way for new comers or small budget artist to advertise or show their talent.

Back to OneRepublic; This pop rock band formed in Colorado in 2003 with Ryan Tedder (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Zach Filkins (guitar, backing vocals), Drew Brown (guitar), Tim Myers, and Eddie Fisher (drums) as a original team members. Later in 2007 Tim Myers left and replaced by Brent Kutzle (bass, cello). You can get more info on them by visit their official site or preview their song at  OneRepublic MySpace page.

"Dreaming Out Loud" was their first full album. The album killer song is Apologize. Apologize lyrics is simple and straight forward. It is all about a lover who betrayed by the love one. When the love one realized and asking for sorry,  the lover replied "It's too late to apologize". For me it's never late to anybody for apologize if it's bring peaceful to this world. More than half songs on this album are good and nice with the same simple straight forward lyrics. This album suitable for relax, who like simple thinking, have not too fast and no to slow, nice beats.

Album: Dreaming Out Loud

Artist: OneRepublic

Genre: Pop Rock

01. Say (All I Need) - 3/5

02. Mercy - 4/5

03. Stop And Stare - 3/5

04. Apologize - 5/5

05. Goodbye, Apathy - 4/5

06. All Fall Down - 3/5

07. Tyrant - 2/5

08. Prodigal - 3/5

09. Won't Stop - 2/5

10. All We Are - 4/5

11. Someone To Save You - 3/5

12. Come Home - 5/5

13. Apologize (Remix feat. Timbaland) - 5/5

Overall: Nice, simple, clean, and fresh. 4/5