Like a lot of people, I purchased the Lion upgrade on the first day of availability from the Apple App store.

I upgraded two late-model Mac Minis along with an older 17” MacBook Pro. The Lion upgrade solved a freezing problem on the Mac Mini I use as an HD-DVR. However, it created a number of serious problems on the MacBook Pro – Lion would not work with my Verizon USB aircard, it would not back up to my HP Windows Home Server, and it would not work properly with the Ubercaster podcast recording application.

After living with these Lion-induced problems for more than a month on the MacBook Pro, I downgraded it back to a prior (and fully functional) Snow Leopard backup image. Everything is now back to normal, with everything once again functioning the way it should.

My MacBook Pro is no slouch, yet it seemed a bit sluggish running Lion compared to Snow Leopard.

If you have a Mac that’s more than a couple of years old, and/or you are running a variety of software and hardware that Lion likely won’t support and/or that may never be updated to run properly on Lion, I would strongly suggest skipping the Lion upgrade.

I found the Lion interface changes mostly annoying. On a computer (as opposed to an iPod), I prefer normal scroll bars. In Lion you can turn the scroll bars so that they remain on, but they are thin little gray lines that I have a hard time seeing and grabbing with the mouse. I don’t like the changes Apple made to the Finder in Lion, nor do I like the changes they made to the Spotlight Search functionality. I found the changes to the Mail program to be of dubious value, as well as the cosmetic changes to the Address Book adding no functionality.

Snow Leopard runs perfectly well and just might be the new XP.

Back with Microsoft for a more consumer oriented evening. This time it’s going to be Windows Media Centre, Home Server, Xbox, Kinect and more on the phones.

First up is Microsoft Home Server 2011 – every house should have one. As standard it’s a media server, dishing out photos, music and videos. Usual DLNA stuff.

Microsoft provides a remote site which in turn can connect to the home server across the Internet. Great if you travel and you need to get at your stuff.

But when you are at home, any PC can connect to the Home Server to configure. Normally the Windows Server works headlessly i.e. without a monitor, so this is how the Server is manager.

Great news – the Drive Extender feature is going to return in 2011 courtesy of a community plug-in which appears to be endorsed by Microsoft.

Not sure if this new news, but they’re saying here that a Nokia running Windows Phone 7 will be out before Christmas, perhaps in October.

A quick demo now using Sonos to play music.

Now it’s the turn of the Xbox and Kinect. He’s playing Kinect Sports. Everything’s been done waving his hand. Ok so it’s a game but the possibilities are there in say, sterile environments. No touch, no cross-infection.

They’re now showing off a Kinect controlling the cursor on a PC instead of a mouse. Flicking through a Powerpoint presentation with your hands rather than a controller.

A video of win&i is being shown – it’s a product from a German company which shows the Kinect interacting with various apps including Media Center and Google Earth.

Microsoft sees Kinect being built directly in TVs and monitors. Several OEMs already have plans (allegedly).

Windows Phone 7 integrates with Xbox Live, pulling in avatars, badges and messages.
The next generation of games will bring the phone together with the Xbox and Kinect. Imagine a game where one player is on the phone flicking footballs at a goal and the other player is on the Xbox and is the goalkeeper. He’s saving the footballs as seen by the Kinect. Tres cool.

That’s it for now! Goodnight.

Ok folks we have a Round Table coming up this weekend I hope you will stop by for the show. Details on the blog at TechPodcasts.com. Covered a lot of ground on this show ending with some amazing news about a Dutch music organization!

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Listener Links:
Phantom Torso back from Space
Levenger Lap Desk
Twitter Risk for Papers?
RedBull Diet don’t do it!
PowerPress Update!

Show Topic Notes:
Travel Honey to find your Car!
Palm Pre will Sync with iTunes!
Ultimate Chip Cooling
Party online likes its 1964!
ISS Image from Ground Telescope
Geek Gear!
Look mom no Finger Prints!
Zune HD Video and Overview
Hulu had a reason for putting Boxee in Penalty Box!
Wikipedia blocks Scientology IP’s
Woz amazed at Microsoft’s Bing.com
The Secret Newspaper Honcho Meeting to retake the world.
What Model of Camera is This?
New Mars Rover Named!
Soyuz off to ISS with 3 more Crew Members!
If you got this Ticket you would be mad.
Closest Supernova in 5 Years!
This is how F111 dumps Fuel
EFF comes up with some Instructional Material.
FCC to deal with Rural Broadband
Spam Levels reaching 90%
Acer Windows Home Server great Price!
Windows 7 SSD Performance.
Scan your Prints when leaving the US.
DNS should remain in US Control?
AT&T CEO says Data Consumption on Mobile Networks Killing Them!
Dutch Music Firm Gamble with Artist Earnings.
Honolulu Electronic Voting results in 6% turn out!

Best wishes go out to Derek and his family on his recovery from surgery to stop the spread of cancer. I play one of his songs at the end of the show be sure to check out his website!

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Listener Links:
How DRM becomes Law
Cell Phone Classifieds
Discount on Lapworks (forgot last shows)
Ballon Guy
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Show Notes:
Verizon Copper
FIOS Traps Customers
Broadcast.com IPO Slides
MIT Open Courseware
ZipTorrent Evil
Sleep is for the Week
RIAA Spend versus return Ration
Immediate Media Age
Cell Tower Attack
Net Radio and DRM
RIAA Pays Big Finally
ADM Thoughts
Windows Home Server RTM
Lego Carrier
33 Percent want iPhone
Pownce, Twitter, Jaiku, Tumblr One Post
SEO Secrets
Billeo
PalTalk
5min.com
Xinu
NASA Contracts on Engines Signed
Small Laptops
Engaging Brand
iPhone Bugs
Coolers Masters NotePal
AllTunes 1 Visa ?
Rolling Blackouts Coming?
CDN Space competition coming
FIOS Tricks
Astronauts Launch Trials
Hacker Unlocks Microsoft DRM
Google Knows All!
iPhone WiFi

This is the prelude show to the Consumer Electronics show and I am beyond excited to be heading to Las Vegas tonight. Show coverage starts Saturday evening. Juicy Tech Tidbits tonight as well.

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Show Topics (Non Exclusive)
Need your Opinions on a Company called VideoSmith listen to show
Goddard Vehicle
Apple Lawsuit
RIAA Pricing
IE Unsafe
Real Browser Story
Linked In
Movie Downloads
USB Drink Cooler
32gb SSD
Earthlink CEO RIP
New FeedDemon Features
Social and Money
Daylife
BellSouth Exodus
Idiots PayPerPost
Extra PPP Commentary
AdBrite Scores Home Run
Bad Torrent Applications
Cassini
Dual DVD Player
RogueRemover
Apple Launching?
Windows Home Server!
60 Minute Security Guide
Moon Hits
Rocket Re-entry
RIAA Watchdog
Music Lyrics
Bug in Screen