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Author: Patrick Rhone

The iPhone Ultimatum

I have had a terrible cold/flu type bug that has had me pretty much incapacitated for the last several days. While this sucked for sure, it gave me much time to ruminate on a tough decision I have had on my mind a lot lately weather or not to get an iPhone.
I really want one. There would be several advantages to my getting one. It would replace several devices I currently carry with just one. It has seamless integration with my Mac. The interface is intuitive and elegant. My work provides a reimbursement for getting a smart phone, thus reducing the cost. Oh, did I mention that it would make me look cool too?
The main problem is that I have an active Verizon contract. Getting out of it would either be a) expensive (i.e. Early Termination Fee) or b) a hassle (i.e. arguing my way out of Early Termination Fee). Not to mention that Princess Bethany and I have a shared plan and it would entail getting us both switched, porting numbers, etc. A lot of work…
The thing is, I currently have a device that can do everything that the iPhone can and more, is equally portable, is open source and has a wealth of 3rd party applications that can extend the capabilities of the device even further – The Nokia N800. The Nokia has WiFi, can play most video types, music files, has an excellent web browser that supports flash, has bluetooth that, with the addition of a data plan, will allow me to access the web through my phone, over 3G no less. Not to mention I can make calls via Skype or Gizmo Project via VOIP.
Although the integration with the desktop is not nearly as seamless as the iPhone, and it means having to also carry (and use) my (crappy, defective, and getting worse) RAZR, it means I can wait until my contract is up next May to think about making the switch. By that time, hopefully the iPhone will be greatly improved (more storage, support for flash in the browser, 3G, etc.) and the wait will be worth it.

I would smile all day long, every day, if it guaranteed a unicorn getting punched in the face. I find them really annoying

Rachael Ray

The Perfect Dude’s Diaper Bag

Since finding out I was going to be a father yet again, I have been on the lookout for the perfect diaper bag. What I needed was something that looked hip and masculine. It did not need to be very large, just enough to carry the essentials. Lately, I have been trying to carry less and I did not need to lug a whole bag of diapers and every accessory known to man, I just need enough to get me through a trip to the store or the coffee shop.

Well, today I found it. It’s called the MicroPod. It is made by a company called Fleurville and is made out of recycled plastics. It has a main storage area large enough for the included wipe case, a light folding changing pad (also included), and a few diapers. A second fleece lined exterior pocket can hold extra items and has a pass-through holes for earbuds if you want to stick an iPod in there. It also has a nifty hidden bottle/sippycup that deploys from a pocket on the side. Easy to carry messenger style or on the back of a stroller. They have a larger DJ style bag as well that will immediately go on my wish list for when I need to carry more.

The nice thing about either of these bags is that they are non-baby looking enough to use them for other things before the baby comes or after such items are no longer needed. Very cool find.

Boston

Lately, in an effort to listen to more of the music I own, I have been just setting my iPod on “Shuffle Songs” and letting it play. It has been a great experience, largely because the iPod seems to somehow always intuitively know what music I love but have not heard in a while.

For instance, I forgot how much I love Boston’s self titled first album. In my opinion, it is truly one of the greatest sounding albums of all time. Perfect albums are very rare and this is one of the finest examples ever made. Every single song on this album is a hit. Expertly produced and mastered, it sounds as good if not better than most albums produced today. When you add to that the pure arena rock-pop goodness and the brilliant sound science of Tom Scholz, you have magic – pure and simple. 

This is just one of the many albums I have “re-discovered” while listening to my iPod on shuffle. If you have never really taken the time to let “your life be random” you should, I can’t begin to tell you how much fun you might have.