Safari 4

Apple have introduced a beta version of Safari 4.

It has more than 100 new features and the coolest are:-

• Cover Flow: iTunes-like Coverflow but for history/bookmarks.
  
• Top Pages: Thumbnails of your most visited sites in one page.
  
• Developer Tools: Easy and innovative way for developers.

It still needs some more work (being a beta version). Browsing is a little bit slower than Safari 3 and the new tabs are awkward but you'll get used to them eventually. Also, Windows Live mailbox doesn't respond to any clicks. I don't know if it's happening just with me or if there are others experiencing the same problem.

All in all it looks really promising and I'd love to see the full version coming out soon. Google needs to hurry up and launch Chrome for Mac otherwise it won't stand a chance against this version of Safari.

Router issue | Resolved

After a bunch of emails from Buffalo Tech Support without any progress I took it back to Buffalo dealer and they figured out the problem. It was an MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) issue.

United Networks require a particular MTU (size 1492) for full access, and for some reason the Buffalo router wasn't able to automatically configure that setting even though it was set to "1492" but in order for it to be functional it had to be changed from "Auto" to "Manual".

RayBoy was so close to resolving this matter.

Explain this...

Yes yes yes... a new template. Not a big revamp nor improvement, same crap different layout, but that's not the case.

Beside my latest irritating issue with the stupid Buffalo router that still doesn't want to get along with Windows Live, I checked my blog today to find something weird... so weird that I had to change my template just to make sure everything goes back to normal...

They're still there and my archives prove it but my home page entries went invisible all of a sudden! I haven't even done any editing to my layout/template in a long long time.

For no particular reason my blog entries stopped from showing up. Safari, Firefox, Opera, Flock, OmniWeb, and even Internet Explorer on my friend's Vista PC, not a single browser was able to show up my home page entries! Zajil, W-Net, and United Networks at home, and also cleared out my cache and reset my browsers but nothing appeared until I changed my blog layout.

I'm worried because as the saying goes "Bad things come in threes". This is my second IT-related problem in a short span. God be merciful what's going to happen next. :\

Calling out ALL Techies

Long story short...

I bought a new router, Buffalo Wireless-N Nfiniti ADSL2+ (WBMR-G300N), and it's working flawlessly. The only problem is I cannot use it to sign in Windows Live! Neither my hotmail nor MSN Messenger work and it's only acting like this with Mac.

I tried my rusty Acer laptop and it can access just fine but when I use my MacBook Pro or my sister's MacBook it keeps loading forever and sometimes stops with the message "Sign in to Microsoft Messenger failed because the service is not available or you may not be connected to the internet".

I replaced it with my old router, Linksys Wireless-G (WAG200G) and there was no problem signing in Windows Live accounts.

No Firewalls enabled, no third-party security applications, nothing at all. I even tried forcing the router to keep Windows Live ports open yet there was no connection.

The odd thing is, Firefox can access my email through hotmail.com but it takes around 10 actual minutes to reach my inbox.

Any idea of what might be causing this or how to solve it?

Review | The Butcher Shop & Grill

Forget about Chili's, Friday's, and even Gaucho Grill...

When was the last time you had a decent piece of steak that made you drool with every chunk you eat? If you're eager to have that feeling again then look nowhere else, The Butcher Shop & Grill is the place to go.

They opened up recently in The Avenues mall (phase II) at restaurants corner. Their service is nice and their waiters are very polite and extremely joyful.

Their menu is steak-oriented but it's not limited to steaks, they have seafood and some other dishes though I doubt being there for anything other than their steaks. As mentioned, they are new in Kuwait and they still don't have all the kinds of beef listed on their menu but still their current set is good nonetheless.

Personally I hate fat and their only none-fat steak (fillet) was not available so I went with a piece of well pepper-cooked rump and asked them to trim out the fat, and my friend got a fine plate of ribs. About 15 minutes later the steaks arrived. From the first piece I ate I knew for good that this is something else, I was smothered with delight! I never wanted to end chewing that piece. It was by far the best steak I have ever had in my whole life and gladly I enjoyed every piece of it.

The food is well priced compared to Gaucho Grill (or relatively overpriced compared to Chili's & Friday's) but for that quality beef, it is all worth it. And with all that perfection I almost failed to notice the only downside of the restaurant which is its not-so-calm environment (being in the open between all other restaurants) but I guess it's not a big deal if you're there for the food.

Sorry Gaucho Grill but your SunBursts will have to be reserved for later.

Aramex Responds

I don't know whether my last blog entry has anything to do with this or not but I got a call from Aramex regarding my last issue.

"We are aware that you had two packages together in your US mailbox and they were shipped separately. Your current package is sent out for delivery. All you have to do is pay this shipment fees only, and the other package is free of charge once it arrives. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Well well... Who would have thought this could happen? I'm glad they initiated, it means they do care about their customers after all.

A Screw Up Called "Aramex"

Aramex never fails to amaze me with its stupid management and ailing customer care. The problem is, I still cannot find an alternative service.

Long story short... I have placed two orders in the past few weeks, both arrived in my mailbox (one earlier by a day), a whole week passes by without shipping any of the packages. Today I checked my inbox to see only one of the packages has been shipped!

I called AraScheiße customer service inquiring why my packages haven't shipped together since both were in my mailbox for a week. He replied...

"We cannot box two separate packages together and when it gets busy they grab whatever small and fits for freight, however, I will look into this issue and see if I can hasten the process of your other package ".

First of all, do NOT try to outsmart your customers. That's just rude and stupid. Secondly, what the hell is that supposed to mean, "... grab what's small and fits freight"? That's not even a freakin' excuse. Don't you have schedules and listing of the packages? Don't you ship older packages first? Screw it, just admit that your service is inconvenient!

I did my calculations and if those packages got shipped together my shipping costs 10.5 KD. Thanks to their barbaric shipping method it will cost 3 KD more (not to mention if it falls into customs hands).

Shout Out

I would like to send out the biggest and loudest curse in the whole universe to the BMW 730Li driver (License plate ²⁴6999) at Mishref Co-op for delaying me on one of my busiest days ever by parking with almost zero clearance and about 30cm from my door making me unable to squeeze myself in, and also for making me look stupid jumping from passenger seat to driver seat after waiting for +15 minutes without her showing up.

We have said this a million times before and I concur once again; women cannot drive and probably never will be able to drive properly, except some odds. They should be locked up in the trunk and a male driver takes them from point A to B.

DISCLAIMER:

Some people were questioning my credibility and I how I knew it was a woman without seeing her in person. Well I have stated in my first comment to my fellow friend iNoor that there was a scarf on the seat and women gloves on the center console. How is that for a fact?