Random thoughts.... [Tech Edition]

Why does airmail from HK take 25 days? Must be birdfreight. Or a pair of bats tied together. Mail by balloon? Come on HK Post.
 
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I used a bit of software that assigned keystrokes to the buttons/axes when I used my Xbox controller for GTA:SA. You could load in presets too. Don't remember what it was called unfortunately.
 
What is the best way to use my PS3 controller with GTA SA on a PC? Currently using motionjoy, but can't get all the controls right or to work.

Ps3 PC support is shit. You're better off getting a 360 controller.
 
Problem is, 360 controller is shit for old games (great for modern ones).

For PS3, I used some specific drivers that I found on Google, libusb or something. You had to run the program before the controller worked but after that it was fine. I don't think they ever got this working properly on 64 bit windows but its fine for 32.

Matt2000, you probably used Xpadder or something similar. This is also a possibility but you still need controller drivers.
 
After I posted that, I thought "Fuck it, will just buy a xbox controller" just home, installed drivers, it doesn't work.

That this should pretty much be plug and play, well, on Win7 anyway. If you're on XP, the drivers supplied by MS should work fine. Just run Windows Update, and restart for good measure.
 
My PS3 controller worked right away without needing any utilities to configure it or anything like that. Then again, I run Linux. :tease:
 
Right, that problem is sorted. The controls are ok, but not great, is there anyway to get them like the xbox game? Also L2 and R2 don't work, don't know what they;re called on xbox :p

Because the 360 controller's triggers (they're just called LT and RT) are analog, they are mapped on the PC as two directions of an analog stick. GTA SA doesn't support mapping of functions to an analog besides movement and aiming. Which is where Xpadder comes in - you can simulate a keyboard button on the triggers then assign that keyboard button in-game. Unfortunately game controllers for PC weren't standardized very well at the time, nowadays many games will just pick up the 360 controller with zero configuration.
 
I am toying with an idea of getting my first serious laptop. Thinkpad X220. The thing just has a certain appeal, like all thinkpads. I haven't even looked at the competitors, I want the brick :p Very much liking the advertised battery life too.

Haven't quite decided on the config yet, what do you reckon? i3->i5->i7 differences are worth it? These are the options (uni prices): https://www.lapstars.de/index.php?cPath=228_911

I guess I'm fine with spending up to 1300, but I wont pay for stuff I don't need out of principle. I don't need an usb3, a 3g (umts) module, or the pre-installed OS. What I feel that I do need is IPS screen (HD Premium in lenovo-speak). And I would love to stick an SSD there right away.
 
Been reading some more. i3 is out of consideration as it doesn't come with IPS display. But difference between i5-2520M and i7-2620M is 100eur, hmm.. I guess that means i5 is the way to go.

One thing yet to decide is the storage. 320gb hdd + mSATA 80gb SSD, or just one 160gb Intel SSD. 160gb is enough for me, but it's more expensive and maybe if HDD stays parked down it wont make noise and consume battery anyway? I need to research the speed difference between mSATA and regular SSD, that's more critical.
 
Been reading some more. i3 is out of consideration as it doesn't come with IPS display. But difference between i5-2520M and i7-2620M is 100eur, hmm.. I guess that means i5 is the way to go.

One thing yet to decide is the storage. 320gb hdd + mSATA 80gb SSD, or just one 160gb Intel SSD. 160gb is enough for me, but it's more expensive and maybe if HDD stays parked down it wont make noise and consume battery anyway? I need to research the speed difference between mSATA and regular SSD, that's more critical.

I agree that the i7 is probably not worth the uptick in price for what it seems you actually need out of this laptop, but what's the price difference between the SSD vs hybrid setup? Also, any way of finding out what the two SSDs are exactly?
 
I agree that the i7 is probably not worth the uptick in price for what it seems you actually need out of this laptop, but what's the price difference between the SSD vs hybrid setup? Also, any way of finding out what the two SSDs are exactly?

I forgot to mention that 100e difference for i7 comes with a bonus of 7200rpm drive instead of 5400 and one usb3 port. But still, not important..

The mSATA 80gb SSD drive is an Intel 310 and comes at 150? extra, but allows me to keep the 320gb hdd for less used data. The 160gb SSD is Intel 320, costs 230? and comes as an upgrade for the HDD. So 80? difference. If the speed is comparable, first option sounds better, as it leaves me with an option of swapping the hdd for some other SSD later, when they become cheap and huge :p
 
I think I'm going to go back to my BlackBerry Tour 9630. My Motorola Droid 2 is a piece of crap. It has given me problems since the week I got it. I'm tired of it freezing, opening things I clearly did not select, and slowing down when no applications have been running. Also, I really just don't like the way Android works.. or maybe its I just don't like how touchscreens work.

I hate to be one of those people who refused to use anything but Windows 98, but the BlackBerry just works. It never gave me a problem. It never froze when simply trying to answer a phone call. I'm tired of using something that mostly only causes frustration.
 
I think I'm going to go back to my BlackBerry Tour 9630. My Motorola Droid 2 is a piece of crap. It has given me problems since the week I got it. I'm tired of it freezing, opening things I clearly did not select, and slowing down when no applications have been running. Also, I really just don't like the way Android works.. or maybe its I just don't like how touchscreens work.

I hate to be one of those people who refused to use anything but Windows 98, but the BlackBerry just works. It never gave me a problem. It never froze when simply trying to answer a phone call. I'm tired of using something that mostly only causes frustration.

That sucks to hear, you gotta use what works though right? :) It's garbage like the MAP (android skin + enhancements) Motorola insists upon using that gives Android (and other, better, skins + enhancements like HTC Sense and TouchWiz) a bad name. There's no reason for it to be laggy and stuttery. Before you switch, a few questions?

Have you tried a custom ROM: You're admittedly a bit more limited due to the encrypted bootloader on the Droid 2, but many dev's have done amazing work making the device better to use: http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-2-forum/

H
ave you replaced the default "launcher" with something like Go Launcher, ADW, or LauncherPro? That could make a huge difference right there.

Are you using a task manager like ATK? If so, try letting android do it's thing without it, it'll close apps for you automatically.

About the touchscreen...they're not for everyone. I find the capacative ones on current phones to be somewhat annoying because your finger can't be as precise as a stylus or your fingernail on a resistive screen like on legacy Windows Phone Classic devices (HD2 excluded obviously)

That said, you shouldn't have to try hacking your phone just to get it to work better. It's why I recommend iOS or WP7 to people who don't really seem to be the "modding" type, as most of the time they want a phone that just works...no questions asked. The limitations that Microsoft and Apple put in place on their respective platforms allows them to ensure a consistent experience like that. For most people, take that experience and add apps and tada...they're pleased as punch and have a phone with little to no problems.
 
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