Monday, January 30, 2006

It turns out, size does matter.

Those that know me are aware of just how much I like gadgets and gizmos. Yes, I prefer gizmos to gadgets, but it’s so close you can almost call it a draw. But in the all too likely event that someone will have a gun to my head and my preference of one over the other will determine the continuance or ceasing of my life, AKA the stake, I will chose gizmos. But it’s kind of like choosing a favorite child, but not like when you have one kid that’s a giant pain in the ass and it’s easy to say you prefer one over the other. No, it’s like when they’re both good kids and they always do their chores. But this analogy has gotten out of hand, so lets awkwardly move on to what we’re really here to talk about.

When it comes to technology, I like it. But when you can make the same equipment do the same thing, only then you make it smaller, well, I love it. I was already an admirer of the ipod. It does so many wonderful things and it does them all with an extremely easy user interface. (Except for this one lady’s daughter. I work with this woman, and her daughter is continually baffled by it. She has to have it, but she doesn’t know what to do with it. She has all of 6 albums loaded onto the thing. It makes me sad. She called me one day because it wasn’t working and apparently I’m in ipod IT. She said one of her “friends” spilled coke all over it and she wanted to know if that had something to do with it not working. I told her it was a possibility and then threw up in my mouth. Unable to continue the conversation due to the vomit in my mouth, I hung up and spent the rest of the day typing a letter to Apple letting them know that they should really have people take a test before they’re allowed to buy an ipod. Wow, this is a rather lengthy, and might I add unnecessary, parenthetical statement.) Then within the past year, Apple decided to up the anti so to speak. They introduced the ipod video and the ipod nano. This made my life 10 times more difficult than it needed to be.

A picture of Steve holding up the ipod nano, showing us a picture of Steve holding up the ipod nano.

My problem is this: I love video. I love the ipod. I love tiny things. I think it’s pretty obvious where this is going. Having to choose between the nano and the video nearly cost me my sanity. In the end, I went with the nano because it was too damn cute to pass up. It’s so tiny and it does so much! I’m not stupid enough to bother with the 2 gig model, so don’t even ask. I have a beautiful black, 4 gig ipod nano and I couldn’t be happier. Well, I guess I could be happier if the nano came with video capabilities, but I guess that’s just asking too much. Or perhaps Apple is just saving themselves a little something so people have a reason to buy one next Christmas.

Eventually, when I become laughably rich, I will own an ipod video and continue to do ridiculously unnecessary things with it. I look forward to that day. For now though, I can live with my 783 tracks +photos with about 600 MB of free space for growth purposes. I’m just now getting into the world of podcasting and am quite impressed with what there is to offer out there. Allow me to plug a friend of mine for a minute and give a listen to the Glitchcast if you feel so inclined.

And now, because I can… some tenacious D… or illegal D. I’m not really sure. I’m not an official in the NBA, I have too much integrity for that… You have to ask yourself, didn’t Dave see Steve when he tried to dunk?

10 comments:

omar said...

The video of this post is already on my iPod (30GB, white).

A said...

You know what? I'm jealous :(

cadiz12 said...

i'm intrigued by gadgets, but gizmos baffle me. and tiny things are definitely cute.

Jon said...

Omar: I look forward to a day when we can all enjoy video footage of this post on our ipods… (A single tear is currently rolling down my left cheek.)

A: I don’t mean to make you jealous. I wish everyone could enjoy the happiness and wonder that is an ipod.

Cadiz: I’m glad you like tiny things too. Gadgets and gizmos can have baffling qualities sometimes, but I’ll bet with the right instruction, you could figure out all of them and live a much happier, ipod filled life. In a somewhat odd coincidence, I offer classes in gadget and gizmo operation. The class is open to anyone that still feels they have the ability to learn new tricks. The Shuck N Jive Institute has a very polished and fast growing G & G department and would welcome any and all knew students.

Bill C said...

Okay so I've been on Tech Desert Island for a couple weeks; what exactly is an ipod nanu?

A said...

Can I enroll if I don't have the gadgets? Are the extreme desire to own one and recurrent dreams where I am surrounded by black iPods credentials enough to qualify me for the classes?

A said...

Oh but wait, I don't need instructions, I just need to wait for NEXT months salary! The joys of having lived beyond my means for the last year...

Jon said...

A: There are scholarships available for those that qualify. Please submit an application including a 100 page essay on what gadgets mean to you. Our staff will review the application and inform you of their decision within 10 business days.

A said...

Yay! A 100 page essay - font size 48, double spaced, margins 4 inches on both sides - will reach you by the weekend :)

Jon said...

Oops… Jam: I think you’ve been on that Isle of Techlessness for a little longer than a couple of weeks if you don’t know what an ipod nano is. As to an ipod nanu… well, you’ll have to ask Mork about that one. As far as I know, we don’t currently import anything from the planet Ork.