My brother in laws birthday was a few days ago, my newphews was yesterday, and my wife and mom’s birthday are tomorrow. We celebrated my wife’s today – she wanted a day for herself…

Got my wife an iPod Touch. It’s a pretty cool little device. When I was doing the Lexus, all the guys who came in from out-of-state had an iPhone (and they constantly wanted me to play with it to see what hacks I could make for it); Rusty (the TD at the MACC) got one (and spent a litle time showing it off to me) last week; I’ve been trying to find a personal use for this thing but can’t think of anything other than the “cool” factor; but when I went to the local Mac store they had an iPod touch…

I instantly saw a use for it for my wife. It totally does all the stuff she needs something like that to do – and she doesn’t have to carry a laptop sized device around with her. Specifically, it can have all her calendars on hand 24/7 (she’s always asking me my schedule, now she has it every morning when she syncs), and her pictures will be on hand as well (she’s always taking pics and telling her mom about them, now she can show her). Those were two big things for her that this thing takes care of. Another thing she always needs on-hand is her address book and music – she’s always trying to refer to them and has to tell people she’ll get back to them when she gets home. She’s only had it for a day and she’s already using it like a pro – she’s very stoked on it – I think I just remedied a few things with this little device…

I, myself, have little use for one – but she definately needed it. I’m still using my 5th Gen 80GB Video iPod everyday and loving it, so everyone has what they need at the moment…

I, also, found it easy to configure to my wireless network as well – she won’t do anything which will require a password online with it, so it’s just for surfing the net on the rare occassion that she doesn’t want to do it on her computer…

All around, it’s perfect for her, I just wish it had more of what I need…

They’re just not there yet for my taste…

I want it to record audio and video without adding a single peripheral – for family (video) shorts at the beach, or (audio) recording a lecture…

I want it to take pictures without adding a single peripheral…

There’s no “Mail” App on this thing – what good is that? Giving me Wi-Fi without a Mail App!

I want all of the above to sink to and from my computer with no issues – both ways, not one. As well as Address Book and Calendar syncing to go both ways – this may already be happening but I would want to have one in my hand to assure that I could edit the Calendar and Address book and it would sync to my computer (and vice versa)…

The Hard Drive is too small – give me the 80GB or 160 GB HD in the iPod Touch’s body…

It’s way too small – I want the width and height of a piece of regular paper (8.5X11). Actually, even half that size (8.5 by 5.5) would be great! Should have though of that before – 8.5 inches by 5.5 inches is the perfect size – take a piece of paper and fold it in half to see the size I’m talking about. It’s big enough to get some work done and small enough to fit in just about any bag…

I’m bummed – so close, yet so far away still…

A buddy of mine died last week. He was a good friend, a fellow smart ass, a terrible debater, a giving collaborator, and a knowledgable colleague. Mike was always grateful to others…

I can think of several times when Mike went totally out of his way to thank me for something that really wasn’t a big deal to me. From a “Thanks” for a discussion/debate which made him think, to a “Thanks” in correcting his version of certain aspects of American history, to a “Thanks” for rigging a projector properly which would have otherwise fallen, he always took the time to say “Thank You”. Somehow, his “Thanks” would turn something that I would have never remembered into a “moment to remember”…

Mike’s funeral will be at Ballard’s on Friday at 11:00 to be followed by a “Celebration of Life” at Akaku…

He was about the same age (just turned 40), and did the same exact thing I do for a living. Just brings it really close to home is all – he died of a massive heart attack…

I’m personally bummed cause he wasn’t “saved” by any stretch of the imagination (we use to have intense discussions/debates about the matter, so I know). Regardless, please pray for his family…

Mike, you will be missed…

…And now you know…

The link below lists the four hacks to activate the iPhone without signing on with AT&T. Believe it or not, most of the people I know who bought the iPhone bought it for everything other than the cell phone. Anyway, these are the ways they were able to activate the iPhone without signing up for AT&T’s phone service…

Alternate iPhone Activation Methods To Bypass AT&T

Me…? I’m gonna wait for a while to see if an iPhone type device comes out – hopefully it will have a screen about the size of an average piece of paper – if it doesn’t, I’ll buy a modbook (look under “Gadget Check” to the right)…

You know, I was gonna get two of these things. One for myself and one for my wife. We are with Nextel right now and ever since Sprint bought them the whole thing has went to crap…

I was stoked when Steve Jobs announced the iPhone. It appeared to have everything we needed, and it looked like it was gonna save us a little money too. but the most important reasons for getting an iPhone have dissappeared…

1) We pay $120/mo for our existing thing and we have direct connect (which you can’t beat when wanting to talk to each other quickly). Initially, it looked like the iPhone was going to save us money because the monthly was only going to be $80 for the both of us. Once the iPhone came out, suddenly an astericks appeared next to the “Monthly Price” and when you look down is says the following:
“*Price reflects one line. A minimum of two lines are required. Additional iPhone lines are $29.99 each. Family plans for two iPhones start at $109.99.”
So much for saving money on the monthly bill…

2) Another thing which suddenly appeared when they went for sale is the fact that they force you to buy a data plan. I have wireless access everywhere I go, why do I need to buy this? Why can’t I just get a regular family plan and use my existing wireless networks?

3) It doesn’t come with a case/cover. So, what? You have to carry it around in your pocket?

4) I think I like the idea of using a pen better than the idea of using your finger. If it was a tablet sized device, then yeah, it would work – cause it would only be used on breaks (after I have my hands washed) anyway. But a phone that I have to touch on the face to use, just won’t work for me. Mainly for two reasons…
The first is because, in my business, my hands are always getting dirty and I would be afraid to touch the damn thing for fear of mucking it up (it would be covered in dirt by midday). I wash my hands (if water is available to us) at least once an hour (yeah they get that dirty), but I simply would not be able to pick this thing up and talk on it (or make a phone call) in the middle of something (which we do quite a bit cause we need someone to deliver this or that) without first finding a place to wash my hands (which can be quite a hike if you’re out in the middle of a golf course setting up a concert). My phone usually rings when I’m 25-50ft in the air hanging a projector/speaker – I can’t stop, get down, wash my hands, and answer the phone…
Secondly, aside from not being able to see the screen after mid-morning, this thing has no protection – if dropped on it’s face, or if you use the wrong soap or hand lotion, the screen will be dead. If you get grease on your hands, then you’ll kill the thing – I know a few mechanics who are gonna be pissed when they kill their phones after a week. The thing is way too delicate…

5) If I get an Axiotron Modbook I would save myself money. Figure this:
$110/mo for 24 months = $2640
plus 2 iPhones at $600 = $1200
Add the two = $3840
Why in the hell would I want an iPhone when I can have almost two ModBooks for the same price?

6) It syncs contacts, calendars, and bookmarks from your computer to iPhone and from iPhone to your computer (so if you add, change, or delete them on iPhone, they are changed on your computer, and vice versa); but email account settings, music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and photos are synced one-way, from your computer to iPhone (though you can import photos taken with iPhone to your computer).
My main reason for getting this devide would be to not have to bring my laptop with me on the road. I can check my email, download my podcasts, and tv shows and do all the things I have to do, and when I get home I can sync it to my computer – and when working from home I can do what I do and before leaving I can sync it to my iPhone. I don’t need this to go one-way (from computer to iPhone), I need this to go both ways…

7) From the get-go, I was hoping that Apple would come out with something similiar; but, hold the phone part. I don’t need/want the phone part of this equation, and I really don’t know anyone who does. I want something in the form of a tablet with a larger screen, full OSX OS, full bays for peripherals, and the same type of multi-touch functionality. Basically, I want a modbook made by Apple, with multi-touch capability…

8) You know the one they announce in January is gonna have everyone who bought one this last week kicking themselves for spending $600 on a paper weight…

9) AT&T is the carrier – need I say more?

10) AT&T’s Edge Network – whatever…