Blackberry Pearl

I got a Blackberry Pearl 8130 today.  It’s no iPhone, but for about $150 after rebate and sticking with Verizon’s faster data network I can’t complain.  I just downloaded google maps and it uses the phone’s built-in GPS!  Then I downloaded the Facebook mobile application and wrote on somebody’s wall.  I’ve been messing around so much on the web I forgot that this sleek baby can make phone calls too.

Don’t touch just yet

I wanted an iPod Touch, then I didn’t want one, now I want one again.  Due to problems with blacks going negative on early shipments revealed from early reviews, the iPod Touch seemed like a step backwards.  Then there was light at the end of the tunnel: models after “week 37″ (check the 4th and 5th numbers of the serial code on the back) seem to be ok.  The Macy Gray box art is supposedly a give-away for week 38 models.

If I hadn’t checked ilounge.com the past few weeks I might be one of the people who pre-ordered and got a crappy iPod Touch.

It’s still unclear to me if the hissing audio problem is fixed in week 38 models and newer.  Why would both the video AND audio be messed up in early builds and why does Apple continue to deny any problems?  Anyone?

AGP what

What is up with AGP video cards?  Back when I bought my computer, which is now hella old, I kept hearing that AGP was the next big thing for video cards.  Now AGP is like Betamax, fallen to the wayside as PCI-Express takes over.  CH gave me an old nVidia 6600GT graphics card and he assured me that it had a PCI interface, but when I opened it up I realized that it was in fact AGP.

I went to Best Buy to check out some standard computers and found out that none of them have AGP slots.  They all had PCI-Express.  So this free video card is basically worthless.  It’s about time for a new computer anyway.  I’m eyeing a Dell XPS.

Back to normal?

The holiday season is officially over – and MONDAY is upon us. The first Monday of 2004. During my vacation, my mind was so far away from the work-world that I was in another galaxy. Yeah, that far. I had a lot of mixed feelings over the break, but one thing remains clear: I must find new, more interesting work soon. I don’t have any more excuses; since recruiters and HR people will be back from vacation as well, there’s a good chance of getting interviews. But enough about work. I feel that I write about it far too often. Time for some updates:

1) New LCD monitor! I got a Samsung 170MP. Yes, it’s over 2 years old and no, it doesn’t have DVI inputs. But it rocks as a monitor/TV and I can finally play all my console games hassle-free in my room instead of taking over the living room.

2) Over the break I saw Finding Nemo (again), 28 Days Later, and Lost in Translation. What a mix of movies, huh? 28 Days Later was so bad, I actually laughed everytime I saw a zombie. The back of the cover claims it’s as scary as the Exorcist. What!? Lost in Translation was supposed to be funny as hell, but it wasn’t. It just made me want to go to Tokyo to meet other jet-lagged Americans in a 24-hour bar.

3) I’ve been playing way too much Final Fantasy X-2.

4) I went to the gym today and I felt great the whole way through. Kickin off the year with a good start!

5) I watched the Packers beat the Seahawks in overtime today – nailbiting suspense.