July 7th 2007
Another year
Yesterday was my birthday, and now I’m 23 years old. This is my first birthday while being married, and it was definitely the best birthday in the past few years. The last few years I’ve spent driving and/or recovering from a long trip of some sort. Indeed last year I was preparing to drive up to New Jersey to get married.
iPhone
I did treat myself to what I consider the ultimate gadget. Remember a few days ago how I was saying I didn’t want an iPhone? Well, I changed my mind. I came to the realization that:
- I don’t use my phone as a modem except for when I’m en-route somewhere, or sitting in an airport. And when I do use it in this situation, it’s generally to email, read news, or chat. Thus, the iPhone would suit my needs. I generally make it a rule to only stay in hotels with free Wifi, so my laptop can connect at my destination anyways.
- The clipboard issue I thought about more, and while I could see what this guy was saying in his review, I realized that my Sony Ericsson doesn’t have a clipboard either (non-smartphone), and I get around just fine with it. Additionally, this is something that could come via software update.
- Programmability — well, I’m busy right now with other things anyways, but I feel reasonably confident that an SDK (even if only for more glorified widgets) will become available within the next few months.
- My iPod nano’s battery won’t hold a charge — I needed to replace either the Nano or the battery to keep my sanity. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to a Video iPod anyways because of the vast resources on Google Video that I’ve been downloading. The Google Tech Talks are a great source of information. If I was going to get a video iPod, there’s $250 out of pocket anyways.
- I hate carrying multiple devices. The appeal of having my iPod and phone as one is very high.
- Your comments of praise also influenced me even more
As of yesterday, I’m a happy iPhone user. I’ve got the 4 GB model. Activation was nearly instantaneous — maybe 3 minutes to go through the entire setup. It truly is a great device. The screen is truly brilliant — on full brightness it is really “too bright.” I find the 60% brightness to be about the right level.
The keyboard works really well. The auto-correct is impressive and works about 95% of the time for me. Two thumb typing isn’t that great for me, as I have huge thumbs, but with autocorrect it was OK. However, I find using my index and middle finger of my right hand while holding the phone in my left works the best for me, and I’m pretty efficient even after just one day.
I love carrying around pictures with me. I could do this on the Nano, but let’s face it — 1.5″ display versus 3.5″ display for viewing pictures… it’s a no brainer that I didn’t use my Nano for carrying pictures.
The recessed headset jack isn’t really that optimal — I need to get that silly adapter, as the in-ear headphones have always bugged me. They’ve always hurt my ears after more than 15-20 minutes of usage, and I prefer over-the-ear headphones.
Overall I’m very impressed, and I can’t wait to see what other improvements are made in the lifespan of this product with software updates.
Other fun
Erin bought me a game I’ve been wanting to play for a while — Tiger Woods 2007 for the Wii. I’ve always enjoyed this series. When Aaron and I were roommates, we would often come home from work to play Tiger Woods on the GameCube while we ate Chinese food.
My first game I was really upset with the controls. I just couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I gave up.
After Erin and I went out to eat, I got back and tried again, and I started getting the hang of it. As of this morning, I’m a pro again, and it’s a great game. Using the Wiimote as a golf glub adds a level of difficulty that wasn’t there before, because the analog swing system was very easy to stay consistent with once you got used to it. However, swinging a club requires a lot more effort to remain consistent, and mistakes are still made. It makes it feel more like a real golf game.
She also made me my favorite cake — a German chocolate cake, and it turned out fabulous. I hadn’t had a homemade German chocolate cake in quite a while, and it really hit the spot.
All in all it was a great birthday, and I’m looking forward to next weekend when Erin and I take a trip to Corpus Christi to celebrate our one year anniversary. We have an ocean view suite that’s right on the beach. It should be a lot of fun.
Well, Tiger Woods is calling me for another round of golf. Have a great weekend!