Star Trek Into Darkness: A Review & Comparison

Sorry for the lack of posts this past month. Things have started to heat up (pardon the pun) in the midst of Summer, and I've also been focusing my blogging efforts on building a second blog for a musical ensemble I work with. Stay tuned for several more backlog posts over the next few days.

Star Trek Into Darkness has been a bit of a controversy among hard-core Trekkies and new fans alike. Having seen the movie in 3-D about a month ago, I decided it was time to throw in my two cents. The film is the first sequel to JJ Abrams' Star Trek, the 2009 movie that rebooted the franchise. Much more action-oriented and fast-paced then past Trek films, we follow a still-inexperienced Kirk going after a new and powerful threat to the Federation.

Like many Trekkies suspected from the beginning, the film is essentially a retelling of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), considered by many of us to be the best of the films based on the Original Series. If you're new to Star Trek and haven't seen Wrath of Khan (or the Original Series episode it was a sequel to, "Space Seed") check them out for some perspective. Of course, there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot of STiD to not make it a total rip-off.

The producers definitely went out of their way to replicate some of the most iconic scenes from TWoK, but didn't copy the film line-for-line or plot point-for-plot point. Some may still consider that a cheat, but on the same token, there aren't too many truly original sci-fi films out there these days. I have to give the producers credit for taking some classic scenes and remaking them (mostly successfully) for a modern audience.

The writers also try to show some evolution of Kirk's character in the process, depicting him as a cocky, brash young starship commander who's probably not ready to sit in the Chair. For example, at the beginning of the film, we see Kirk's rather...unique and reckless handling of a Prime Directive situation that nearly looses him his command.

Additionally, the movie introduces us to the new-universe counterpart of Carol Marcus, who, strangely enough, resembles Dr. Elizabeth Dehner (from TOS 'Where No Man Has Gone Before') far more closely than the TWoK Marcus. Why two unrelated characters were essentially merged is a mystery to me. Other than the familiarity of Dehner to TOS fans, there was really no reason to do this.

There are also hints of other previous Trek movie plots in the film, such as the destruction of the Enterprise (the poster above), the death and resurrection of a main character, conflict with the Klingons, etc. It makes one wonder where the producers plan to take the film series from here -- they've already managed to use many of the best elements from past films, already had an origin story and a movie focusing on a villain. Modern film-making won't allow another light-hearted movie like Star Trek IV, or a Cold War story like Star Trek VI. Despite all this and Abrams' commitments to Disney's new Star Wars trilogy, Star Trek 3 has recently been green-lighted for release in 2015.

Overall, STiD is a good action/adventure sci-fi film as long as you're not expecting some of the deeper messages (life, death, sacrifice, friendship, etc.) found in TWoK or a menacing villain like the original Khan. It's definitely worth seeing in 3-D if you don't mind the expense.

Star Trek continues.

Continuum: Season 1 - A Review

Continuum is a Canadian time-travel sci-fi series recently ported to the Syfy Channel here in the US. I recently finished watching the first season on Netflix, and plan to jump into the second season when it becomes available online.

In 2077, North America has become a high-tech, high-surveillance, dystopian police state controlled by mega-corporations. The series follows law-enforcement officer Kira, who finds herself transported 65 years into the past (present-day Vancouver) along with the members of Liber8, a terrorist group bent on altering past events for their own purposes. Posing as an operative from a non-existent government agency, Kira joins up with the Vancouver Police Department to bring down the criminals. She gets help from her new partner Carlos and computer genius Alex, whose ties to Kira's own time could change everything.

The series is an interesting mix of sci-fi, police drama, and mystery, as Kira attempts to foil the plans of terrorists while hiding her true identity, all while slowly discovering her being sent into the past was no accident. Episodes often open with a flashback (or flash-forward?) to 2077, where we learn more about Kira's past and that of the terrorists.

From a technology standpoint, the show definitely offers us plenty of eye-candy. Besides all the cool-looking 2077 tech (flying cars, holographic displays, etc.), our lead character runs around wearing a 'super-suit' with built-in computers, a cloaking device, and bullet-reflecting force-field. Kira also has a sidearm that somehow folds out of her suit and brain implants that allow her to analyze everything (any everyone) for potential threats via a floating HUD display.

From a character standpoint, the series makes us wonder which side we should be rooting for, the so-called terrorists, or the so-called law-enforcement officer. Much like the Rebels from Star Wars (or our own forefathers here in the States), the members of Liber8 could be considered revolutionaries, fighting to bring down an Orwellian government where personal freedom and privacy is only an allusion. Kira, a cop whose first duty is to protect the Corporations (and not its citizens), could be considered the bad guy, even though she's clearly a good person at heart and truly believes she's doing the right thing. The lines between good and evil are very much blurred, which adds to the appeal an intrigue of the series.

Overall, I'd definitely say Continuum is worth watching. It's somewhat unique in it's approach to the classic time-travel story, and in an era where good sci-fi is hard to find, it's refreshing to see a somewhat original program. Granted, there's no spaceships or aliens, but to some degree, this is a thinking man's show. It makes one wonder about the very real dangers of incorporating technology into our lives to such a degree that we sacrifice personal freedoms in the process. It makes one wonder about the dangers of mega-corporations, and the very real possibility of them one day ruling the world. There are others, but I'll let you discover them for yourself.

If the producers can keep up the momentum they've already gained and continue writing interesting stories, this show could have the potential to go far. We all know this often isn't the case with most modern sci-fi dramas, but I'll give them the benefit-of-the-doubt and see what happens. Check out Continuum and see the battle for the future begin!

The Return of the Galileo Seven

While I finish up a few other articles, all you fans of Classic Trek will be pleased to know that the full-sized Galileo shuttlecraft exterior mock-up, lost for over 20 years and long thought destroyed, is is now nearly fully restored! Originally built by AMT in 1966 for the first season episode The Galileo Seven (and used throughout the series' run), the restored craft will be put on public display at Space Center Huston later this year.



For those of you who don't know, since Star Trek's cancellation in 1969, the mock-up has changed hands and underwent several attempted restorations, but was ultimately left to decay outdoors in an Ohio industrial yard. There, it was believed to have been bulldozed when the site went bankrupt and was razed.

Eventually, it came into the possession of its current owners, who, with the help of a team of boat-builders, are working to restore the set to its original condition. Restoration is expected to be completed by the end of May.

Complete History:
http://galileorestoration.com/?cat=7

An Update is Ready for Your Blog...

I'm sorry for the lack of updates lately, folks. I just realized it's been well over a month since my last post. Between breaking in a new job in my field of study, working on a musical, and a busy schedule on the home-front, I haven't gotten around to writing. Here's where I am with this blog:

• I'm currently working on one article about digitizing vinyl records using the free program Audacity. 
• I'm also looking into picking up a Raspberry Pi, a single-board linux-based computer developed in the UK that only costs $35 USD. Once I get a chance to play with it and see what it can do, I'll put up a review for all you techies who are looking for a new 'project computer'.
• Finally, I'm hoping to review Michael Miller's Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory, Second Edition, a book that's given me a stronger understanding of the basics of theory and composition. As soon as I've had the chance to check out the accompanying Ear Training Course CD, I'm make sure to put something up here.

Anyway, keep checking back for updates and keep those page views coming. Sometime since my last log-on, I've broken the 1,000-viewer mark (Yay!), so thanks to all of you who've dropped by to check out what I've written!

Babylon 5: How One Show Changed the Face of Sci-Fi

"It was the dawn of the third age of mankind – ten years after the Earth-Minbari War. The Babylon Project was a dream given form. Its goal: to prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully. It's a port of call – home away from home – for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers. Humans and aliens wrapped in two million five hundred thousand tons of spinning metal… all alone in the night. It can be a dangerous place, but it's our last best hope for peace. This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations. The year is 2258. The name of the place is Babylon 5." 

-- Season 1 opening (Commander Jeffrey Sinclair)

I know I'm a bit late, but February 22nd marked the 20th anniversary of the revolutionary sci-fi series Babylon 5. Originally launched as a television movie (The Gathering) in 1993, the series premiered the following year, setting a higher stand for all future sci-fi programs.

For those of you unfamiliar, Babylon 5 was unique for many reasons. First off, it was the first mainstream TV show to feature series-long story arcs. Those arcs were designed to run for no more than five years (plus a few movies in between) and tell the complete story of the main characters and the station. Because of this, the show is often described as a 'novel written for television', especially in an era were TV was still very episodic in nature (ever wonder why practically every show on TV these days has story arcs?).

Babylon 5 was famous for its visual effects, which were created exclusively using CGI. In a time where CG was only used selectively and often in concert with traditional model effects, this was a huge leap forward. In fact, the first major film to use CG extensively was released the same year as The Gathering, proving computer-generated effects were both practical and could be realistic-looking on any budget. What was the film -- the special effects-heavy Jarassic Park (1993).


Even 20 years later, the visuals on Babylon 5 look quite good, if not a bit too 'CGI-ish' by modern standards.

It's also interesting to note that Babylon 5's creator J. Michael Straczynski was the first to use the Internet (then in its infancy) and what we would now call a blog to promote the show during its run. Now a very common practice, it was unheard of in the mid-'90's when the show went on the air. The 1996 moderated spinoff of Straczynski's original newsgroup (rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated) is still online today.

There have also been reports that the network execs for Paramount actually stole ideas from B5 and introduced them to the production team for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Straczynski actually pitched Babylon 5 to Paramount initially; the network rejected the proposal, later picking up DS9 instead. When Babylon 5 later hit the airwaves on a different network, similarities apparently cropped up in both storyline and characters, making some wonder 'who stole from who'. Of course, for any true B5 or Star Trek fan, both programs eventually developed their own identities, so to speak, making the similarities irrelevant. And besides, I have no desire to start a debate on the legitimacy of this bit of information.

Babylon 5 is just one of those shows one must watch in its entirety to fully appreciate it. The show may be set in mid-23rd century, but many of the political and social problems could very well be happening today. Because of this, it holds up amazingly well 20 years after its inception. If you have some time (and I mean, some time), sit down and watch it from beginning to end (and in order). It's a lot of TV to work through, but like a good book, you don't want to stop once you start.

Also check out this well-written article from i09 revealing some little-known facts about the show's production.

The Strange, Secret Evolution of Babylon 5

Tech Tutorial: Replacing a Case Fan

If you've ever built your own PC before, than you know the importance of proper airflow and fan placement. Fans keep your system's critical components from overheating during normal operation, and especially during high-end gaming and other resource-intensive applications.

But what do you do if your case fan begins showing signs of failure? Where do you go to pick up a replacement? How is it installed? This brief tutorial will answers these questions and more.

Late last week, I discovered that my front case intake fan was on the verge of failing, so I knew it was time to replace it. I built my current rig about a year-and-a-half ago, and this is the first time I've had to replace any components. In the big scheme of things, though, fans are considered disposable parts that wear out after some period of time. Mine wasn't a high-end unit to start with, so I really can't complain too much.

Replacing a case fan really isn't too difficult; you just have to be willing to crack the case, deal with some screws, and hook up a few cables. 

What You'll Need

1. A PC with a failing case fan
2. A replacement case fan of the correct size and type
3. An appropriate-sized screwdriver
4. A small container for loose screws
5. A clean workspace

Step 1 - Pick a Replacement Fan
Okay, so you're doing some work on your PC and all of a sudden notice your case fan is making a heck of a racket, rattling, grinding, or running loud (especially when you first power it on). Don't panic; you have plenty of time to remedy the situation. Just don't hold off too long. These sounds are all classic signs of a failing case fan. Since there's no fixing them, it's time to go shopping.

If you don't know already, determine the size of your fan (for example, mine was 120mm) and what type of connector it uses (ex. 3 or 4-pin Molex ). These bits of information are important when it comes to buying a replacement (fans aren't a 'one size fits all' product). If you're unsure, you may need to check the fan's label or look up the model number online.

Drop by an online computer hardware store like Newegg or Tiger Direct and begin researching fans that are of the correct type for your PC. A decent fan can run you anywhere between $5 and $30. For the average user, something in the $10 range is more than sufficient. If you're concerned about noise, check user ratings and/or the fan's specs to see how loud it runs (in decibels).

If you want to add a little 'bling' or 'style' to your PC, consider picking up a fan with built-in LED lighting. Depending on the model, fans like this can deliver either a very soft or very bright glow (enough to illuminate the insides of your case), assuming your case is set up for it. This really doesn't serve any practical purpose, but it does take things up a notch.

Some fans also come with a fan controller, a device for regulating the speed of your fan. This is especially helpful for people doing high-end gaming or other heavy graphics applications that use lots of processing power. I normally wouldn't bother with one myself, but the replacement I ordered came with one and the fan itself ran pretty load without it.

Step 2 - Open Up the Case
Once your replacement fan has arrived, it's time to crack the case and get to work. Make sure to disconnect main power before popping anything open! Even shut down, most computers have a small amount of current running through them.

After unplugging everything, find a flat workspace (a table, the floor, etc.) to spread out our equipment. Depending on your case, there may be two or more screws that need to be removed in order to slide off the side panel (if you have a really old machine, figuring this out may be a bit tricky...). Find a secure place to put your screws so they don't get lost (a small bowl works nicely).

Once the case is open, make sure to ground yourself against a metal surface (such as the case itself) to prevent static discharge from frying components. If you happen to have an anti-static wrist strap, you may want to don that as well.

You may also want to take the opportunity to blow a few dust bunnies out of your case using compressed air. I don't know about yours, but mine was pretty dusty, and I should know better!

 Mine was held on by two screws on the top and bottom edges of the panel. 

The panel should slide off to the left.

Step 3 - Locate and Remove the Old Fan

If you have multiple fans in your case, make sure you've confirmed which one is actually failing (you'd hate to pull out the wrong one...). Once you know for sure, locate the screws holding it in place and carefully remove them with a screwdriver.

If the fan is at the front of your case, removing the front panel may be in order. Generally, they're held in place by plastic clips, so be careful not to break them off.


Fans (especially lower-end ones) are notorious for having cheap screws and non-threaded holes on the fan itself, so it may take a little muscle to remove. In most cases, the screws go in from the outside of the case.

With the screws gone, disconnect the 3 or 4-pin connector, which is connected to a fan port on the motherboard (if you're lucky, it'll be labeled 'fan'), or tied directly into the power supply. For the former, gently remove the connection, being careful not to bend any pins.

For the ladder, locate the short cable that allows the fan connector to be joined with a 4-pin power supply connector and disconnect the fan end only. These types of setups are used when no free fan connections are available on the motherboard itself. Some fans may even come with this cable if you don't already have one. With all these connections free, remove the old fan from the case and set it aside.

Center: two molex power connectors (male/female). 

Lower Right: two four-pin fan connectors (male/female).

Step 4 - Mount the New Fan
With your old fan out of the way, it's time to hook up the new one. You may find it useful to pre-thread the fan's screw holes before attempting to mount it. This can be done using one of the provided screws, but only if necessary.

Line up the fan with the mounting screw holes on the case (this may be a bit tricky depending on where your fan is located). Try to align the power cable so it'll be easy to hook up later. Screw in the first screw (there's a good chance it'll be pretty stiff), but don't put it in all the way. Instead, start the other three just like the first one. Once they're all in part-way, finish tightening them. This'll make it a lot easier to make sure the holes are lined up and allow you to adjust for shifting along the way. Don't be afraid to turn the screws in tight; just don't over-tighten them. You want the fan to have no wiggle room, otherwise, it'll shake and rattle while its running, eventually coming loose altogether.

Step 5 - Hook Up Main Power
With the fan mounted securely to your case, it's time to hook up power. If you do have an open fan connector on your motherboard, plug it in. Otherwise, reconnect it to the power supply cable I mentioned above.

Note that if your fan happened to come with a controller, and you'd like to take advantage of it, your wiring scheme will be a bit different. In my case, I connected a 4-pin male power connector coming off the controller with a matching female connection coming off the power supply. Then, I connected the fan power cable to a female fan connection also coming off the controller. In this setup, the power supply is providing power to the controller, which in turn is providing power to the fan. Since the controller is an intermediary, one can control the power going to the fan, and therefore, the speed.

Step 6 - Put Everything Back Together
Before putting it all back together, tie up any extra-long cables with twisties so they don't interfere with anything. Especially watch out for any cables that may get caught in the fan blades. Reattach the side panel to your case and hook up all your external connections (with the power cable last). Hit the power button. If all went according to plan, your new fan should power right up (also don't be surprised if it sounds a bit different than your used to). If not, check all your connections and make sure everything's been wired correctly. The two most likely causes of your fan not working are 1) defective unit, or 2) fan isn't getting any power.

The old fan, a CoolerMaster SickleFlow 120mm 2000 RPM w/ Blue LED

...and the new one, a Rosewill RFX-120BL 120mm 2 Ball Bearing w/ Blue LED

Look at that glow! Much brighter than the original.

You won't be able to sleep with this one on!

That's it for this tech tutorial. Hopefully, you've found it helpful (feel free to comment) and make sure to drop by The Enterprise Bridge for similar articles in the future!

Google Nexus 7: A Review

The Google Nexus 7 is the latest entry into the growing tablet market and a very worthy competitor to Apple's proprietary iPad. My dad picked up the Nexus several months ago, and after playing with it for about a week, I decided to pick one up for myself. It was definitely a good investment, and I'm very impressed with the features this small but relatively inexpensive package possesses. For those of you thinking about buying, hopefully my little review will provide some insight.

Software:
The Nexus 7 hardware is manufactured by ASUS, while the operating system is pure Google Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Like any Android device, there are five customizable home screens as well as several pages of apps and widgets. By default, several of the Google Play apps (such as Google Magazines) fill up your desktops, but they're easily removable.

Recent updates to the OS have added some interesting features, such as the ability to create multiple user accounts, the ability to add widgets to the lock screen, and 'daydream' screensavers showing information when the device is sleeping/idle, just to name a few. Overall, Android 4.2 appears to be very stable; I really haven't had any issues with crashing, and I rarely shut it down completely.

It comes pre-loaded with some of the essential apps, but is strangely lacking others:

• Gmail
• Google Calander
• Calculator
• Google Chrome
• Clock
• Google Currents (a tech news service)
• Google Earth
• Email (an email client for all your non-Google accounts)
• Google +
• Google Maps
• Google Messenger
• Navigation
• People (your Gmail Contacts)
• Google Play Store
• Google Play Magazines
• Google Play Movies & TV
• Google Play Music
• Google Voice Search
• Talk
• Wallet
• YouTube

What's missing:

• A camera app (try 'Camera ICS' from Google Play)
• A file explorer (try 'ES File Explorer' from Google Play)
• An office suite (try 'Kingsoft Office' from the Kingsoft website or Google Play)
• Facebook app (try the official app from Google Play)
• ebook reader for non-Google books (try 'Moon+ Reader' from Google Play)

Hardware:
On the hardware side, the Nexus 7 is solidly constructed and definitely doesn't feel like a cheap tablet. The back of the device is textured and doesn't slide around in my hand. In fact, the 'long and narrow' form factor makes hanging on to the device hand pretty easy. That's, of course, no excuse for getting a decent case. I picked up this ultra-slim case from Amazon and it works really well as both a case and a stand. The Nexus even automatically comes out of sleep mode when I open it!

The Nexus has very little in the way of physical buttons and external ports. On the right side, there's the power button and volume toggle switch. On the bottom of the unit we have a USB port and a headphone jack. The (rather short) charging cable that comes with the Nexus doubles as an AC power adapter (with the 'brick' connected to the end) and a USB data transfer cable, which makes up for the missing card slot.

The 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display is bright and clear, and the is very responsive to even the lightest touch. Fingerprints are, of course, a problem, but that goes for pretty much all touchscreen devices. I have noticed a flickering of the back light on my unit, but from what I understand, it's a known problem that's yet to be fixed. It's either caused by a flaw in the wireless card (which causes flickering when there's low signal strength), or a glitch in the brightness controls.

The unit's Nvidia Tegra 3 1.3 Ghz quad-core processor and 1 GB of DDR3 memory definitely gets the job done. Web pages load quickly, games and streaming media play smoothly and overall, everything most runs 'lag-free'.

I also hooked up an inexpensive Blutooth keyboard when I actually want to type something, and that works pretty well, too. I have noticed lag in the Blutooth signal on larger documents (especially with the most recent update...), but it doesn't seem to be a big issue.

Battery life is about what I'd expect for a device like the Nexus. For normal, everyday lite use, it'll go for a few days without needing a recharge. If you're playing games and watching videos, though, the battery drains pretty fast. Lowering the screen brightness and turning the Blutooth and/or wireless off helps.

Problems & Drawbacks
The unit does have a few drawbacks, however. If you're fond of using microSD cards on your tablet, you're out of luck on the Nexus 7. It has no micrsoSD slot and there's no easy way to hook one up externally. It ended up not being a big problem for me, but it would have been a nice feature, especially considering most low-end tablets have card slots.

The other missing piece of hardware is a rear-facing camera. Now, personally, I don't use my Nexus for taking pictures all that often (I still prefer a stand-alone camera for that), but when I do, using the front-facing camera is pretty awkward. Like the missing card slot, this was just another cost-cutting measure. On the other hand, the front-facing camera works pretty well for video calls (a la Skype) and the quality isn't too bad (720p).

There's one other thing I feel I should mention: beware of ASUS technical support! My dad had a pretty poor experience with them when he had to send his Nexus back for repairs after it froze up at the splash screen. It took them two tries to repair the device; the first time, the unit came back in worse condition than it started in!

Cost:
The price of the unit is fixed at US$199 for the 16 GB model and US$249 for the 32 GB version. While the 16 and 32 GB models are Wi-Fi only, a 3G/4G version for AT&T and T-Mobile customers has recently been released for US$299.

Overall, if you're looking for a fairly inexpensive tablet that works really well as a mobile productivity device, media platform, and ereader, I'd highly recommend the Nexus 7. It's not without its flaws, but it's also one of the cheapest high-end tablets on the market.