Gadget Goddess
May 7th 2008
Karen RoseOn Writing!
Okay, I admit it. I love gadgets. Mr. R just shakes his head at me sometimes when a new gadget comes on TV and I say, “Ooooh, I want it!”
I have new gadgets and some oldies that are still goodies. My newest acquisition is a GPS that came pre-loaded with maps of the UK. I used it last month when I made my trek from London to Wales. It would instruct me in the proper road to take, the lane to be in and on the one occasion I missed my turn, it politely said, “Please turn around at the first possible opportunity.”
I like a polite gadget.
My life is ruled by my palm pilot, which pops up with a warning on upcoming appointments. It failed me today. I forgot I was supposed to blog. I could blame my trusty palm pilot, but the truth is, I forgot to input it, so the fault is totally mine. I absolve my gadget of all responsibility.
So do you love your gadgets? What’s your favorite? Do you leave the house without your cell, EVER? How did we survive before GPS? (I just got lost a lot.)
67 Comments »
Sabrina Jeffries on 07 May 2008 at 8:42 am #
Can’t live without my Ipod. I really want a palm pilot, though, and an Iphone. But here’s the thing about Iphones: I have a tendency to either misplace my phone or drown it. That would be disaster with a phone so expensive.
True story–a couple of weeks ago I washed my cheap Nokia cell phone. Twice. Having heard that if you dry out a cell (without trying to turn it on or anything) you can sometimes use it again, I decided to try it. I took it apart and laid it out to dry for THREE days.
Now it works. I kid you not. I did lose the #2 in the process, but since I rarely actually key in a number (they’re all in my contacts list), I can get around that. I make calls, receive calls … except for the 2, it’s just like it was. Can you believe that?
I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t work with an Iphone.
doglady on 07 May 2008 at 8:42 am #
I am NOT an electronic gadget girl. I fight with my computer all the time. I argue with electronic devices of all kinds. I am waiting for the guys in the white coats to show up because I have argued with calculators, scales, you name it and often in public. In fact, we have a device called a telxon that is necessary for every aspect of work at Wal-Mart. When I finally leave Wally World I am going to take one of them into the parking lot and run over it. Repeatedly!
That said I would love your little GPS thing with the roads of the UK in it. I am not good at reading a map so it would be a real must have for me.
I do like my digital camera, but I still can’t get the pictures from it onto my computer without help!
Karen Hawkins on 07 May 2008 at 8:45 am #
Ohh! Good topic, Karen! I was just talking about this to my dh yesterday when we lost the remote control and almost had An Incident. We’re a bit addicted.
GADGETS I MUST HAVE:
Cell phone. (I would shrivel up and die without it)
Computer. (How DID people used to write before computers?)
Remote Control. (Don’t get me started on who gets to operate it. Let’s just say *I* am not called The RC QUEEN for nothing!)
TIVO. (For my favorite shows.)
Microwave. (I’m more of a warmer than a cook.)
PDA. (I need help just remembering my address, much less dates.)
And there are more, more, more!!! If I was a super heroine, I’d be GADGET GAL and wield a universal remote that could control the world.
Karen Hawkins on 07 May 2008 at 8:46 am #
Oops! Forgot two!
GPS (I keep it on even when I know where I’m going, just for fun!)
IPOD (Which I just got fixed — and oh, how I missed it!)
Michelle B. on 07 May 2008 at 8:47 am #
Hi Karen, I have to admit I’m gadget challenged. My DH loves them all and I rely on him and our three teenagers to either take care of my cell phone and computer or to teach me what I need to know and only what I need to know. I don’t have a GPS, but love Mapquest. Before a trip, whether across town or out of town, I mapquest the address. Then follow it on a map before I leave the house. Take all with me. I feel like I’m a military breifer and on a mission. BTW, I love the new picture of you on your website!
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 8:52 am #
Michelle - thanks! I credit both gadgets and the artiste for the photo. The photographer is a goddess, with a true eye for bringing out the best in her subjects. Plus she had this cool digital camera that went right to her computer so we could see the pictures right away.
And photoshop? The inventor deserves a Nobel Prize!
KariE on 07 May 2008 at 8:54 am #
I love my gadgets but I love my cell phone and camera the most. My cell phone is a RIZR and does everything I could want it to do. It works like an MP3 player so I can take it with me to work out, and saves me from having to by a seperate player. It takes pictures and video that I can send. Oh, I could go on and on. I am lost without my phone. I cannont claim to have “washed” it. Yet. :-p
As far as GPS, I’ve never used it. If I am going someplace new I normally pull it up on my computer and print out a map, I use an old fashioned paper map in the glovebox or I hop on the web on the cell phone and pull up a map that way. There is also the tried and true method of driving around untill something looks familier. That way is the best.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 8:55 am #
KarenH - I had to laugh at the RC “Incident.” We have four or five remotes and I can never figure out which one is appropriate to the task at hand. Of course you can’t watch any TV with cable anymore without the remote and last week I missed the first ten minutes of Charmed whilst I searched for the right one. And it was a Cole episode, too…
I wish they made remotes that were as polite as my GPS. “You have pushed the wrong button, sweetiepie. What you really want is the other button, third from the right, second row. Enjoy your show.”
KariE on 07 May 2008 at 8:57 am #
That is a great picture!!! WOW!!!
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 8:58 am #
Kari - I’ve done the cellphone map thing when I was lost Pre-GPS. But I like that the GPS talks to you, in a soothing voice. Mine doubles as an MP3 and bluetooth, so I can use it to channel my cellphone, should I so desire. Haven’t figured out how to do that one yet.
And my cell phone is an HTC Slider - they don’t call it a Slider, but the bottom slides out with a full QWERTY keyboard. I hate having to text with the old 123 pads. Took for freaking ever.
I text a lot now - my younger daughter is deaf and we text like other moms call. She texted me when I was in London about a problem with a friend at school. Makes me feel like I’m still connected
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 9:00 am #
Oh, KarenH - my microwave is now my best friend. I started Jenny Craig last week and I am tethered to the microwave, LOL.
I do not have TIVO (yet). My obsession is L&O and I can always find an episode of it running somewhere, ha!
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 9:01 am #
Sabrina, who needs the number 2 anyway? Neither of my phone numbers have a 2, so you can still call me
I am amazed it still worked after 2 washings. My question is how did you manage to keep your fingers off it for 3 days while it dried?
Julia London on 07 May 2008 at 9:18 am #
I love all things apple. i don’t have an iphone because of the expensive plan (WAH), but I’ve got everything else.
My favorite toys are photoshop, as yall know, and now, I am playing with imovie. What fun! You may see one here one day soon
Claudia Dain on 07 May 2008 at 9:52 am #
Gadget Dweep. Just ask Sabrina. True story: Saturday night: Restaurant.
Sabrina and Deb Marlowe sitting in Neo China, waiting for me to show up. I could be lost. It happens often to me in that part of town. I have no GPS. Sabrina starts to dial me on her cell phone. Puts it down in disgust after a second because she remembers that I never have my cell phone turned on.
I walk into the restaurant as they are writing me off as a Lost in Space episode. I was late because I’d stopped into GNC to get some vitamins with my 20% discount. My cell phone was not on. I was not lost. This time.
I am not Gadget Girl. I am Nutrition Girl.
But I can work the TV remote in the dark with my eyes closed.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 9:55 am #
But if your eyes are closed, Claudia, why bother watching the TV?
Just asking.
I am not Nutrition Girl. Vitamins make me gag. Big horsepills. I like the Flinstones Chewables
Dino and Wilma are my faves. Gummy vitamins are good, too.
RachelG on 07 May 2008 at 10:33 am #
I’m a techno-dweeb. If a gadget takes me longer than two minutes to figure out, I don’t want to play.
I did just buy the coolest Sony HG camcorder. It has a memory stick and is super easy to use.
rg
Claudia Dain on 07 May 2008 at 10:49 am #
Julia, I close my eyes during the commericals. Doesn’t everyone?
Claudia Dain on 07 May 2008 at 10:52 am #
Oops, not Julia, Karen R! I’m getting you two confused because you’re both losing so much weight. In a matter of months, you’re both going to disappear. Except for the glow of your gadgets, that is.
Kay on 07 May 2008 at 11:05 am #
KarenR, I’m with you. My GPS is my new best friend.
It was what I really wanted this year, and I got it for my birthday. Better than jewelry, really. I even named her “Sam” from the driver in Foyle’s War. I put her on the “British English” mode. It sounds classy, and I feel less stupid when I make a wrong turn. DH just updated her maps, too.
I can’t live without my cell phone, iPod, GPS and laptop. I’m hopeless. I was SUCH a Luddite a few years ago, and look at me now.
I would love to have an iPhone, but the contract is NOT RIGHT FOR ME. LOL.
As for vitamins, I can’t take adult ones either. They make me sick. I just take the kids’. I found out the adult dosage, and take some after breakfast and some after dinner.
SuzyQ on 07 May 2008 at 11:11 am #
Another gadget girl here. My favorite is the GPS, and I got that for my DH. I don’t have to be “map girl” anymore and he doesn’t have to be “king of U-turns”. It makes driving so much easier.
Other things I can’t live without: DVR (best thing evah!), cell phone, and my digital camera - I always have this with me.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 11:11 am #
oh, don’t I wish, Claudia! I followed the plan for a week and gained a pound. I swear… really, I swore, LOL.
Rachel, I got a camcorder for my trip to UK, planning to record good stuff for my website (I was too excited by London and forgot to take pics, ack). It’s a JVC and weighs about a pound and fits in my purse. It records to a hard drive and I can upload direectly, when I remember to record, that is.
Kay on 07 May 2008 at 11:19 am #
KarenR, the picture is sooooooo fabulous. Goddess indeed.
Sheridan LA on 07 May 2008 at 11:20 am #
huh… my digital cameras.. not only for memories, but also my side business (and lets me write off my trips)
my ipod.. because it is not only how I entertain myself on my walk to work (audio books are genius) but I use it as a hard drive to store files, etc and take them back and forth.
I love my iphone traveling (moreso then in LA because the reception here is not the best) but it has saved me out of LA and the US.
and my computers… I get to keep in touch, research the answers to questions, shop, read, it is just awesome.
oh.. the one that I have trouble dealing without.. (I have left all others behind or turned off without going ballistic) is a watch. I gotta know what time it is.
and Karen R… they are right, I was on your website yesterday, the new photo is awesome. (was seeing what order to buy your books in. hehe)
SuzyQ on 07 May 2008 at 11:24 am #
KarenR - I have one of those hard drive camcorders too. I just kept recording and recording until I ran out of space and finally had to download it to the computer. I ended up getting an external hard drive to store the 30 gig of data. With the file sizes increasing on cameras and videos, soon I’ll have to have a library of hard drives on my desk!
Great picture too!!!
Emmiebee on 07 May 2008 at 11:35 am #
I just updated my cell phone, and what is my favorite new feature? Camera? Excellent reception? Video? Well those are all cool, but….. it is PINK! What a weenie I am.
Need a GPS. Soon. Too many tearful cries on my (now pink) cell phone to DH- “I’m LOST!!! I think there is a river nearby- should I follow it downstream?”
Love the laptop. We had a recent short period where DH’s was in the shop with the Nerd Herd guys, and it was like the old west standoffs as to who would get the one remaining laptop. You know the music- Doodoodoodoo- WahWahWah- Doodoodoodoo- Wahwahwah. I won.
Off topic but cool: any Fairy Tale and Disney art and collectables fans- and I know that there are many here- should go to ebay and check out the Duirweigh Gallery’s moving sale! Beautiful stuff- some for a steal!
Oh, and for vitamins, I just eat a Vitalicious Chocolate muffin. I know I must be selling my soul for right to eat these, but it is worth it.
Emmiebee on 07 May 2008 at 11:38 am #
Sorry, the cool ebay sale is under Duirwaigh Gallery. Darn fancy schmancy spelling of names.
-EB
Lisa H on 07 May 2008 at 12:21 pm #
I actually wrote a paper about cell phones for one of my college courses…remember 911? Without cell phones, who knows how many more lives would have been lost. Thankfully the passengers on Todd Beamer’s flight knew what was going on and were able to avert another disaster.
I’m a huge cell phone proponent…great for women who can be vulnerable when alone…great for keeping track of kids and teen-agers….great for calling home when at the grocery store, “Do we need ketchup?”
I love my cell phone, I have the verizon Juke, with mp3 and cammera…I love it, its’ small its cute and its red!
Yasmin (Yaya) on 07 May 2008 at 12:23 pm #
Sometimes I am gadget challenged. i always have my phone with me.
Doglady—I just learned how to load the pic from my digital camera on to PC. I still havent learned how to load only the one i want not the entire 200+ pics on there.
Lismore on 07 May 2008 at 12:24 pm #
ooooh, I love gadgets! A girl can never have too many. I’m such a geek because I love playing with the software that comes with them.
Yasmin (Yaya) on 07 May 2008 at 12:25 pm #
Lisa how awesome is that!! I love mine too but mine is teal. At first i could get use to the swivel opening but now piece of cake.
Yasmin (Yaya) on 07 May 2008 at 12:29 pm #
ohhhh i hate installing software and whatnot. When I go my new PC I couldnt install the windows vista on there and then i got a printer/fax/copier/scanner combo and the scanner wouldnt work. I had to ask my 14 yr old brother to help me. I kept thinking why couldnt best buy just give it to me ready to use?
Suzanne Enoch on 07 May 2008 at 12:43 pm #
Until a couple of months ago I would have said that all I need are my remotes and my plasma tv. Now I’ve discovered the iPod, and I wonder how I ever lived without it.
I’m still hopeless with cell phones — ask K-Hawk, who had to show me how to text after it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to send her our hotel room #.
I do like keeping my gadgets separate. Phone, camera, music in 3 different devices. Then if one breaks, I can still do the other two. *g*
Sabrina Jeffries on 07 May 2008 at 12:45 pm #
KarenR, it WAS hard to lay off the cell. I felt naked without it. But I didn’t have time to go get a new one, so it would have been even longer if the drying out thing hadn’t worked. Still can’t believe it worked.
My other fave gadgets:
Computers, four of them (how sad is that?)
The remote is definitely wonderful–I would like to get Tivo, however.
Cordless phones–ah, how I love them
Microwave, definitely, but technically isn’t that an appliance rather than a gadget?
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 1:17 pm #
Sabrina, I suppose a MW is an appliance, but I’m still tethered to it! We have 3 laptops and a desktop in our house, so we’re sad too. Soon to be sadder when Child #1 takes her laptop and departs for college in the fall. (sob!)
Thanks all! The photo turned out so well - I was amazed at the photographer. She flew down from NYC to Sarasota to do the shoot in January. Her portfolio is even more amazing - film stars, politicians, singers, novelists, and now me
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 1:22 pm #
My cell phone can be an MP3 as can my new polite GPS, but I keep all my tunes and my audio books on my real MP3. Not an IPOD, although I’m considering making the switch.
I drive a 13 year old car and it’s on its last tire. The new car I’m considering has a port to plug in your IPOD to listen out of the car stereo, so I’m considering the IPOD. I have a few more months to consider, I hope. I’m hoping the old Honda will last another few books, altho the A/C has been teasing me lately, going off and on. No A/C in the FL sun will not be fun.
I love audio books too! BTW, SFM will be available on audio, too. I’ve had a few books on audio and I always blush when I listen to the love scenes, LOL.
Does anybody else blush at the love scenes?
Kim on 07 May 2008 at 1:36 pm #
hmm, I love the thought of gadgets but not the reality of them. My MP3 player is my worst enemy. Its totally rebeled against me and refuses to work with ANY computer in my house. And my new cell phone is possessed by something very evil and I hate it.
I would love to have a GPS and an Ipod though but only if I can figure out how they work. LOL
K-Rawk! I love audio books and yes, I blush too! Have you listened to the Harry Potters? They’re awesome.
Gadget-wise, I’m much more about the kitchen gadgets. I’d do unspeakable things for one of those high powered Kitchen Aid stand mixers. *drool* and now I really want an Dyson vacuum. (not kitchen but household) And the thought of a set of HE washer/dryer makes me tremble in my socks. Oh, how I love thee, let me count the ways. And I swear, the person who gets me hooked up with satellite and a dvr will be in cookies and brownies for life plus have my never ending adoration.
Yasmin (Yaya) on 07 May 2008 at 1:37 pm #
Karen—-I love SFM and I havent even finished it yet. Kim mailed it and it arrived on friday. I am on Chapter 15 and it just seems that every person wants and needs to interrupt me when i am reading. On top of that I had to cover at work and pulled a double shift. i havent had much down time but hopefully i will finish it today. I need to get DFM to see what i missed before.
Kim on 07 May 2008 at 1:38 pm #
K-Rawk–I hear you on the old cars. My DH just bought a 19 year old car. Which I actually don’t mind. An older car has great positive points; pay cash so no payments, easy to work on so no mechanic bills. Its just when the said old car is a POS to begin with. *sigh* BTW, I LOVE Hondas!
Kim on 07 May 2008 at 1:38 pm #
Yaya–you definitely need to read DFM! Have to!
Claudia Dain on 07 May 2008 at 1:41 pm #
Last person on the planet without an Ipod, raising my hand. Do I really need that much music? I love music, it’s the technology that scares me.
True Story: my kids are comparing their cell phones and talking about text messaging. I say that I should probably get a phone sometime in the (distant) future that can text message. They all look at me in profound pity, the oldest telling me somberly that *all* phones can text message. I assure him that I’m pretty sure my phone can’t. He assures me it can.
It can. It’s me who can’t text message.
Margaret Garland on 07 May 2008 at 2:05 pm #
I don’t have an iPod, Claudia. LOL on the text messaging. I knew my phone could, but I couldn’t. My 17 yr old granddaughter was giving me a lesson the other day while we waited for our meal at Bob Evans. Uh huh. If I want to text, I have to do it from the computer. Well, I can do short messages but I can’t figure out how to do various punctuation marks. It kills me not to have them.
Other than that, I am a gadget-aholic. Love them all. Just can’t afford them all. I want an IPod. I have a computer but lust for a laptop. I am on my 5th cell phone. I keep upgrading when I can. Love Samsung. I have Comcast with DVR. Whee! I can record 60 hours. When I’d watch it? Who cares. The point is, I can record that much. I have a Garmin gps which I keep on for company around town. I use the British voice. She’s so polite and soothing. My new radio in my old car has the IPod connection. I did that for my granddaughter. The radio has 3 FM & 2 AM channels.
ctnd
Margaret Garland on 07 May 2008 at 2:09 pm #
ctnd…….. I was the first one in my family to have a personal computer and to get on the Internet. This include the grandkids. I taught nearly all of the older ones how to use their computers and to surf the Net.
I had a car phone 15 or so years back that came in a leather case. It sort of looked like those you see in WW2 movies except it pliugged into the lighter socket and didn’t have to be cranked. My DH was disabled and it sure was freeing to have that thing with us. Just in case.
This is sort of on topic. How do you goddesses feel/think about Amazon.com’s Kindle? I wanted one till I found out I wouldn’t own the book but just rent it. Sort of. I don’t think so. I have d/l ebooks but it’s uncomfortable to sit here for reading them. I like to get cozy with a book.
Paula on 07 May 2008 at 2:29 pm #
Hey K-Ro love the new picture way to go!!
Being a dunce what is TIVO?
I have a few gadgets my mobile and my computer and my digital camera(a new one) I need to load the software for it onto the computer so I can download all my photos.
My DH has GPS and I get cross with the ‘prim and proper’ woman (why is it always women on these things?) telling you where to turn when there is no turning!!
The problem i have with remotes in my house is the 3 male who all try to dominate it - bearing in mind that 2 of them are only 4 & 7years old!!
Paula on 07 May 2008 at 2:34 pm #
Claudia I will join you in the no IPOD queue I don’t have one and am not sure if i want one or not.
I was curious about the kindle from amazon but thought there had to be a catch with it and now I know!! So no I won’t be getting a Kindle I’ll stick to good old paper books !!
Sheridan LA on 07 May 2008 at 2:56 pm #
I am with you all on the Kindle. I want pages. i want to hear them turn, I want to dogear my pages. I want to NOT worry about batteries dying while in the middle of a good scene. I want to stick that bad boy on my shelf when I am done and pull it out 5 years from now and read it again. I want to take it on planes and read it while the people are boarding and not get griped at for electronic devices being on. If I drop it, I don’t want to worry about breaking it.
Call me old fashioned, I am a book worm, not an electronic reader worm.
Paula, a TiVo is a digital video recorder for television. You can record your shows and watch them later.. kind of like the new version of a VCR.. and can be almost as confusing to set
I loved listening to the GPS units when I was in Italy and Greece.. made me giggle hearing them give directions in the other languages. I was still not sure where I was going - but it sounded awesome!
evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 3:28 pm #
I’m a gadget person too but i have had to make the hard choices, bills or gadgets. So far the bills have won but any day now I am going to kick over the traces and go crazy in Best Buy. I now have everyone in the house on cell phones, granted my sister and the grandsons are just using tracfones but it beats being out of touch. Of course my sister is more likely than not to leave the cell phone in the car console. She deliberately let the battery go dead on hers so she didn’t have to deal.
I love my Kodak 10mp camera that I can do videos on. I am going to get a hd camcorder before the start of Pop Warner this year.
Would love to have a gps but for now I just google my directions.
I solved the remote id issue with labels, I put the name of the tv on it’s remote and then put clear tape on it. Now when the boys steal my remote because thiers is in a safe place I can take it back without a fight on my hands. We “try” to keep the remotes for each room in metal vases next to the tv’s.
Margaret Garland on 07 May 2008 at 4:34 pm #
That’s brilliant, evlqn! I never thought of labeling remotes. I don’t need to here as there’s only me. Bella, the wonder dog, hardly ever watches tv and, then, it’s Animal Cops. Several of my kids have the big tvs, dvds, stereo systems, etc all hooked into one. Each item has it’s own remote. I never know which one does what when I visit. Neither does anybody else. I’m going to tell them your solution.
Judy F on 07 May 2008 at 4:48 pm #
Raising hand here. I do have an IPOD shuffle that I won but the darn thing won’t work. OH well.
I would die w/o my cell phone. When my car died on the way home a couple of weeks ago it earned its place in my heart. I called the car place, towing co, mom and sister all w/i minutes. I would have had a good walk to the next house since I was coming through Winton Woods.
I love Audio books. I will have to hunt for yours Karen. Right now I am listening to a Tami Hoag book. They really relax me to and from work.
I don’t have that many gadgets. I must fix that. I need to get a new computer and digital camera. Some day
Kathy/Cookiedough on 07 May 2008 at 5:04 pm #
I never use my cell phone, so it sits in a drawer.
I couldn’t live without my computor though!
my mp3 player , I forget to use sometimes.
Remotes- I have five in my bedroom and six in my living room and THEY ARE ALL MINE!!! the cat gets annoyed when I’m watching tv and will swat any given romote to the floor. She’s the only one I will share with!
my favourite kind of gadget is a kitchen gadget. give me a fancy slicer dicer and I’m in heaven!
I just got a tomato knife that produces 8 thin slices at once
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 6:47 pm #
Margaret - my first cell phone was the same size - enormous. I got it 14 years ago when I was pregnant with my younger daughter. I’d had a flat tire on the highway that day on my way into the city for a meeting. There was an exit just ahead and I coasted down the exit ramp, wondering what I was going to do. I wasn’t supposed to do a lot of activity on that pregnancy and it was cold. I coasted to a stop right in front of a service station who kindly fixed my tire. I was feeling so lucky, but knew next time I might not be. I got the cell phone in the humongo case that very night.
It was supposed to be “just until the baby’s born.” Of course, I’ve had a cell phone ever since!
Kathy/Cookiedough on 07 May 2008 at 7:16 pm #
so….kitchen gadets… my friend and neighbour just came upstairs with the most needed kitchen gadget I’ve ever seen!!
It is a mechanical jar opener.
You press a button, and the thing’s rubber grips slowly wind in to grab the jar. Then the opening jars wind in to grip the jar lid. it spins in the opposite direction and voila! jar opened! We did it many times with my mayo jar then I wanted to use my digital camera (hmm another gadget) to video it doing it’s miraculous job!
She laughed and wouldn’t let me.
she’s gone back downstairs but the memory of the jar opener will live me me forever. I get to play with it until she brings it home to her elderly mom and highly arthritic sister. I’m sneaking in to open more jars tomorrow.
muh hahahaha
ok, i’m insane
Sabrina Jeffries on 07 May 2008 at 7:26 pm #
BTW, I forgot about my digital camera. I LOVE my digital camera. There would be no Will and Jane without it!
KariE on 07 May 2008 at 7:58 pm #
Margret-I’ve heard good and bad things about the Kindle. I’ve really wanted one for a while, mostly to take to the gym. I heard that the battery life on it was pretty good and didn’t take that long to charge. The biggest downfall for me is the cost. Arggg I just can’t justify that much money for a gadget. Hopefully in a few years the price will get a bit more reasonable.
evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 8:16 pm #
Does anyone remember when Casio came out with a tv remote watch?? i wanted one so badly but no one listened to my BROAD hints! I felt so unloved and alone *sigh*, but I’m better now.
doglady on 07 May 2008 at 8:23 pm #
Slinking in to tell Claudia I not only don’t own an Ipod. I don’t own a cell phone either. Slinking out now!
evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 8:30 pm #
doglady I don’t own an ipod either or any mp3 type thing, I figure my 60 cd Sony is good enough. I rarely listen to music in the car and I have the Sony going all the time.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 9:36 pm #
Oy, I was going to answer away and fell asleep with my computer in my lap! Geeze.
Thank you everyone for the compliments on the new photo - I really like it and I normally hate pics of myself. I like my old photo, too - except the shots of me smiling broadly. I hate to smile in pictures. But in the old photo, DH arrived at the shoot at the end and stood behind the photographer doing all the dirty words in sign language. What can I say? The man still makes me laugh with his junior high humor, LOL. Of course I hated the pics of me laughing, but that’s the one everyone wanted to use!
Thriller writers never smile in their pics. We’re Serious. Oh, yeah.
This photographer didn’t want me to smile broadly, so I smirked instead, ha.
Kay on 07 May 2008 at 9:37 pm #
Cookie, How could I forget about kitchen gadgets? I love my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, and I could not live without the coffee maker, and grinder, and espresso machine, and …….
Evlqn, my youngest son saw someone with a watch that was also a calculator. Being an UBERGEEK, he had to have one. It was at the top of his Christmas list when he was 9. He loves that watch. I think it’s all of the tiny buttons.
cail on 07 May 2008 at 9:38 pm #
i’m totally a gadget girl but after a few bad GPS experiences i usually try to print out the google directions before a trip. once the evil b*tch from h3ll, as we fondly call the voice on the GPS, led me on a one hr tour of boston because i missed a turn towards the highway. turn around? NO. go an hr out of your way, YES! another time she sent me and the dh down a very dark unpaved unkept road in the berkshires that looked more like a scene out of a psychopathic movie or a very very long dirt driveway than anything else. no road signs or anything.
i live for my computers, cell phone and digi camera. i love my ipod but don’t use it that often. i have a lovely projector that is one of my prized acquisitions. my next purchase will be one of those tiny computers thats like 8 inches wide.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 9:54 pm #
Sabrina - we’re all glad you have a digital camera! What would Mt. Oly be without Will and Jane? Oy!
Julia, I hope we see some i-movies soon!
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 10:00 pm #
Cail, shades of HAL, shudder. (Allusion to 2001 if I was too obtuse.) GPS taking you to a psychotic killer…
I wanted to change my GPS voice to a man, but I lost a lot of the necessary functions - I am not making a pun, this is true.
I never considered a kindle for the gym. That’s a good idea. I hate to take paperbacks because they never stay open on the treadmill. Of course the last time I read on a treadmill I got motion sickness…
Kay is the one who got me hooked on GPS. She kindly loaned me hers which has a snarky way of saying, “Recalculating” when you make a wrong turn. Mine is polite. “Please turn around at the first opportunity.” She even says please.
Karen Rose on 07 May 2008 at 10:04 pm #
Kitchen gadgets make me break out in a cold sweat. Except the microwave, to which I am tethered. And maybe the can opener.
That jar opener sounds tres cool. I want one!
This reminds me of when my oldest was a preschooler - she was addicted to those infomercials. One Saturday morning I found she was watching one about the Wondermop - this was maybe ‘93. She said, “MOM, we gotta get one!!” and proceded to quote the entire pitch. I thought for sure she’d end up in sales or marketing. She’s going for the more nerdly pursuit of Egyptology.
Indiana Jones, watch your back. My kid is coming
evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 11:11 pm #
Karen, Egyptology is a great subject! Good on your daughter! Years ago my sister and I were reaching for term papers and came across the mummification process. We wanted to try it out but none of our friends would volunteer thier organs for the conoptic jars sheesh!!
Kay, we had the calculator watches too and the ones that you could put phone numbers into, for years I had Mel Gibson’s home number on my wrist and then the battery died and all was lost.
evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 11:21 pm #
That’s researching not reaching, my higher brain functions don’t.
Karen Rose on 08 May 2008 at 12:09 am #
Yasmin - thanks! Glad you’re enjoying SCREAM FOR ME!
Evqln - imagine that - your friends not being willing to donate organs for the jars…
Margaret Garland on 08 May 2008 at 7:16 am #
Karen, I had the same experience with my clunky old car phone. I had a flat tire around 11pm on a cold December night. I was so glad I had that phone and could call AAA. I wasn’t near any houses. Probably a 1/2 mile walk in bitter cold. I have fond memories of that old phone. If I have left my phone at home, I turn around to go back for it. I’ve only done it a couple of times but was very uncomfortable till I made a U turn.
I forgot my digital camera as a must-have. I just got a new one that has a Sports setting. It looks like a high end SLR but I couldn’t afford one of those.
The woman who takes pictures at the rugby matches has a Nikon with a killer zoom lens. Gets fab pictures.
SuzyQ on 08 May 2008 at 11:22 am #
evlqn - my dh had one of the TV remote watches. He went into Macy’s when they still had their electronic department and had a blast driving all the salesmen nuts!