Hale the IPOD nano 2nd generation

What a device!
I've owned a number of MP3 players, but none can compare to the Ipod nano 2nd generation. I should mention, at one time I was about to toss it out the window. No, not because I couldn't make it work. But, because at one time my computer stopped recognizing it. This was after I had been using it for months. I bought another MP3 player to replace it, when that MP3 player stopped working (a month after I bought it) I returned to my Ipod nano. Miraculously, when I plugged it in to my PC, the device started working again. I was ecstatic. So far so good.

My nano has been through the ringer. At first I was hesitant to take it with me on my jogging routes. I was afraid it was too frail to take out there. After a while I didn't think about it any more. I used to hold all the players I had before in my hand while I ran. Never felt comfortable clipping it anywhere. I did the same with the Ipod. After about a week my sweat seeped into the inside of my Ipod and it started doing very weird things. Like, changing tunes on it's own and the volume level would go up and down on it's own. (this is the reason my PC wouldn't recognize it) Eventually, it stopped working all together. I felt so bad. I knew I should not have held it like that. I knew I screwed it up.

I put my Ipod away for about 6 months. I did with out a music player for that duration. One day I pulled out my Ipod and decided to plug it in just for kicks. The device worked flawlessly. Again, I was elated. Since then this player has been dropped, kicked and unintentionally abused. One time, near the end of one of my runs, I was sprinting across the road and my Ipod popped out of my pocket and landed in the middle of the road. My instinct, of course, was to go back and grab my player. However, there were cars speeding my way so I had to stay out of the way. I stood there in horror as my Ipod got run over by a car. When the coast was clear, I ran and picked up my device. I knew the Ipod was dead. I knew that was truly the end of my Ipod. I picked it up, pressed the play button, and the music started playing. Couldn't believe it. I did have a crack on the screen but other than that the Ipod nano 2nd generation has worked flawlessly. I wouldn't give up my Ipod for any other MP3 player. And, I truly recommend it. It's beautiful, sounds great, very customizable AND VERY DURABLE.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=2nd+gen+ipod+nano&cid=9474494470824072957&ei=EfRMTLe_JY7EzAX5yfSSBw&sa=image&ved=0CA0Q8gIwATgA#p

HTC EVO case w/clip

Finally, I got a case with a clip for my new HTC EVO4G. I'd been looking for one of these contraptions since the time I bought the phone. I did get a cover for it, but I had no way to clip it to my pant pocket. It was a pain, to say the least. I didn't feel safe sticking it in to my pocket because I felt I would lean into something and my EVO would suffer the same fate as my Instinct. Not going to happen with my EVO. So, I had to carry it around in my hand or in my shit pocket. Not good.

Eureka! I went to Best Buy today and there they were. Tons of coves with clips. Like most of you, I really feel the cell phone covers and clips are so over priced. This new cover/clip I bought for the EVO was no different. I paid $34.95+tax for it. However, I have to say that this clip is a very good one. Probably the best phone clip I've ever had. It's sleek, the material feels smooth, durable and light weight. It comes in 2 pieces, a shell that breaks apart and comes together vertically in 2 parts and has a felt cushion on the inside. The other part is a holster in which you clip the phone to. The phone is clipped on the holster with the back facing out. This is a good thing considering the EVO is a touch screen and you want to protect that beautiful screen. The Holster also is lined with felt on the inside to protect the screen, and on the back of the holster is the belt clip. You can clip it on to your pocket, belt or where ever. The clips are firm and the phone is held nice and tightly in place. I must say, I love the fact that clip atop the holster (the one that keeps the phone in place) as well as the belt clip on the back of the holster, are a spring-rocker configuration. This is great! You don't have to worry about waring down the plastic due to constant clipping and un-clipping your phone.

This case is a very good one. Over priced? Yes. The negatives? Well, if you plan on using the EVO as a GPS system in your car while it's clipped? No can do. As I said, the phone is facing in-ward, so you can't see the screen as it's clipped to your visor. Additionally, you can't use to touch screen while driving either. You would have to un-clip the phone, make your selections and clip it back to the holster. But hay, who wants to play with their phone while they drive? Right?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Platinum+Series+-+Case+for+HTC+EVO+4G+Mobile+Phones+-+Black/9943582.p?id=1218198440708&skuId=9943582&st=evo%20belt%20clip&contract_desc=null

My EVO 4G

So now that I've finally got my new HTC EVO and I've been enjoying it for the past 5 days, I'm getting comfortable with it. I have one thing to say about this phone. I love it! I've been reading through the manual and trying out the features. It's so cool how you can customize the phone and add apps etc etc.

This is by far the best phone I have ever owned. That may change in the coming days or months, but for now it's "the bomb." I'm really big on Internet radio, police scanners, podcasts and streaming videos and the EVO is a monster for such applications. The call quality on the phone is soooo much better than the Blackberry I had before. Multi-tasking is great too. The big 4.3 inch screen is great and the Sense system works great and is very responsive. The Android OS is very smooth and is fast. When navigating the screens and applications, the OS is very responsive and quick. This, for me, is a very very big breath of fresh air. I say that because the Blackberry Curve 8330 that I had before, was terrible. I'm not a hard core hacker/tech tinker person. However, I've been trying to push the EVO to see what it can handle. So far, A+ No matter what I do now or in the next few day, it's what happens down the road. How will the phone work 3, 6, 9 months from now? We shall see.

Personally, I recommend the HTC EVO with all my heart.

Check out this review of the EVO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucJ6ULMFo9E

Iphone cool-aide

The I-phone, with out a doubt, is a wonderful platform and a marvelous smartphone. However, the latest incarnation of the I-phone (the I-phone 4) has a little antenna problem. As most of you have learn first hand or through news reports, the I-phone's new antenna is placed on the exterior of the phone along the outside edge of the phone. The antenna strip encircles the phone with a very small gap. When a user holds the I-phone in the left hand, in a particular way, the the hand makes a bridge between the gap, thus denigrating the the signal strength of the phone which leads to dropped calls.

This is ridiculous! It is clumsy! It's down right stupid!

But listening to the I-phone "cool-aide" drinkers, this is but a miss step. Apple is given a pass. Apple CEO's reaction to the problem was "just don't hold it that way." Stupid!

If this were Microsoft, Motorola or some other company, these same "cool-aide" drinkers would be so up in arms and condescending. They would be so outraged. Wow, what journalistic open mindedness. Face it I-Phone"cool-aide" drinkers, the antenna dilemma is a big big gaff. The I-phone 4 is not a 4g phone and it only has a 5 megapixle cam. Personally, I have held all of my cell phones in all kinds of positions and I have never dropped a call due to the way I was holding the phone. I know this because when I dropped a call, I continued holding it the same way and the call didn't drop again. This goes back the my old Nokia analog phone.

Cool-aide drinkers, don't try to hide it. This antenna gaff is F_ing embarrassing. My choice, HTC EVO here we come.