posting from the palm of my hand…

So — my co-worker was having issues using his iPod Touch on his home Wi-Fi network, and he asked me to take a look at it. Thus — I decided I would try to blog an entire entry on this device!

… and that’s as far as I got before I gave up and realized that it simply wasn’t going to happen. It’s a very cool little thing, and the notion of web browsing and checking email from something slightly larger than a credit card was quite Star Trek. But my fingers are simply too large and stubby for the on-screen keyboard. Besides — I had a computer with a true keyboard right there! But at least I tried.

And I could cross off the “iPod Touch” off of my “to-do” list.

You see — there’s a whole bunch of technology out there I haven’t tried. Sometime I steer clear of it simply because I know that if I engage in it, I’ll feel like I can’t live without it and have to buy something expensive to fulfill the habit. It’s precisely what happened with my Bluetooth headset and the DVR. My Dad had the same experience when he impulse-bought a microwave oven when my Mom was on a business trip decades ago.

Hey — this would make a great List on the 3s, wouldn’t it?

Shiny’s Top 7 Technological Advances He Hasn’t Tried Yet Lest They Become Habit Forming

“List on the 3s” is Shiny’s semi-regular meme which allows him to explain the concept in the third person. On any date which has the number 3 in it, Shiny provides a list of some sort to his readers. Except, however, on dates which are also a multiple of 4. That’s when I do my half-naked photo blogs. (Ew.)


7. The iPhone

Okay — this may be cheating a bit since I was able to use the iPod Touch yesterday — a scaled down version which doesn’t have a phone. Or camera. Or the “Edge” network. But these things are kind of cool nonetheless. I could spend hours just doing the photo resize thing where you pinch the corners of an image and crush people’s heads into oblivion.


6. Blu-Ray

Apparently Blu-Ray is the future. There’s far more data on these discs than regular DVDs. In the movie above, for instance, you can zoom in and see the pores of the annoying kid who plays Robin Williams’ protege. I’ll bet there’s some fascinating commentary from that kid as well!

But apparently it really won’t make much of a difference unless I have it hooked up to a…


5. HDTV

I’ve seen a few of these around at my local electronics big-box stores, but I haven’t really watched one properly at home. Actually, my father-in-law decided to buy one — but I didn’t have the heart to tell him that, in order for it to really get the proper HD programming, he would need the propr HDTV Direct TV box. Until then, he just watched TV with the big gray rectangles on the side of the screen, thinking that it’s HDTV. Kind of sad. But also kind of funny.

If I see real, true HDTV, I’ll want to get one for home. Out of sight, out of mind…


4. Silk Boxer Shorts

These, apparently, are the most comfortable undergarments. they’re like a smooth, fine, creamy luxury for the balls. But I’ve never worn ’em. Rayon? Yes. Cotton? Sure. Linen? Absolutely. But my boys need a bit of breathing room that silk just doesn’t provide. Besides, I’m a large sweaty man. (Is anyone still reading this? Holy cow am I embarassed…)


3. The Nintendo Wii

Haven’t touched a Wii. Would love to. Although I have a feeling I’d look just as cool as this group if I were to play Wii bowling…


2. Guitar Hero / Rock Band

I still want to play this — especially the drums, which I think is probably the most realistic of the instruments they have. Still haven’t, though. I would seriously get addicted. But I’d learn to play guitar with push-buttons, which would be close to my dream of owning a true, 80s-style keytar…


1. Toyota Prius

I would love to have one of these. But I don’t want to buy it. I just like the notion that when it goes less than 10 MPH it’s close to silent. And that wacky on-board computer console! My guess is that it would be fun to drive around in heavy traffic…