A Diamond Among Gems

Because developers seem to want to release their programs in Apple's App Store first, if you have an iDevice, you are sure to have a plethora of apps to browse through at any given time. Among all the clutter, there are apps that stand out...the gems, if you will. However, there are also those apps that seem to be a game changer...the ones that change how you use your device altogether. These 'diamonds' can be different for each of us. I stumbled upon one of those apps for me yesterday...Napster.





I've had a Napster subscription for years. In the past, because of compatibility concerns, this service has dictated which mp3 players I can buy and, most importantly, which mobile phone I can carry. When the iPhone 3G came out, I went against the grain and purchased one, knowing full well that it wouldn't be compatible with my subscription...no more unlimited downloads on my mobile phone. It wasn't ideal, but it was a trade off I was willing to bare. Well, just recently I found that Napster had an app that fixed this problem for me. Albeit late, I do now have access to my streaming content on my now current iPhone 4!!! Needless to say, this has changed the way I listen/discover new music on my device. I can't express how excited I am about getting this back...it's almost like I got a brand new shinny toy, I just can't seem to put this phone down now!!!


Integrating so many different things into one device has turned what I thought to be a convenient device to have into a necessary device to have. Starting with the features that first attracted my attention:
-built-in GPS, mobile Internet, and email,
-then it was all the gaming and entertainment apps which seem to grow more abundant everyday,
-next has to be all of the social apps, which include IM clients, Facebook, etc,
-then Netflix and Hulu really changed things for me when they introduced their streaming content,
-and now I have Napster.

I just don't know how we all got along without our mobile devices in the past. They have become so integral in my life that I think I'd be handicapped without it. That would be an interesting experiment, one full day without my smartphone...nah, to painful to even think about!!! Lol

Does Anyone Remember the American Gladiators?

My neighbor and his son playing with the jousting set I built. I got the idea from the American Gladiators.





I fashioned the jousting poles from swimming pool noodles and the pedestals was easy enough...wooden octagons. I built it for the Fall Festival at my school. It was a huge hit. I had a constant stream of contestants. The best matches were between siblings...you wouldn't believe the amount of aggression that was displayed. I guess it gave them an opportunity to hit each other without the usual consequences. Nevertheless, they loved it...and before putting it away for next year my neighbor had to teach his son a valuable lesson, cheaters never win!!!

-- Posted From My iRod

Late To The Game...and Loving Every Minute!

One of the coolest things about being late to adopt a game system is the fact that you can play all the games that everyone else has raved about at a fraction of the cost.

I was late to the PS3 experience, buying it when it finally reached a relatively reasonable price point. I still had a few distractions (namely Halo) that kept me busy, but now I'm at a point where I can start taking full advantage of it.


It's great to go to Gamestop and see a wall full of games that I have yet to explore. Sure I'm late, and most everyone else has already gotten tired of most of them, but that benefits me cause now I can get in on their trade-ins! I started the party with the Ratchet and Clank series, a game that I sorely missed from my PS2 days. Next it'll be Uncharted 1 & 2, after that maybe Infamous. If you've noticed a trend of exclusives, that was purposely done. Most of the newer titles that are available for multiple platforms I got on the Xbox 360. I really don't have much of a reason why...just that most of the people in my gaming circle I met through Xbox Live, so I get more out of each title when I go 360 instead of PS3.

I do, however, have to take a timeout to say I am really impressed with what all came out of the box with the PS3. The Xbox was cheaper, and was released a full year earlier so when I had the choice, cost and game selection won me over (a choice that I haven't regretted). But now, being able to get everything you need built in without buying any add-ons is great. Even being able to pair my old bluetooth headsets with the system is a really nice, and unexpected touch (thanks Sony). I almost feel like I would have gotten my money's worth even if I had been an earlier adopter...almost.

All and all, I am loving the fact that I can enjoy most of these titles for around $30 each. And who knows, maybe after a bit of exploration into it's features and more game time, my preference may switch. But as for now, both my thumbs and my pockets are very happy!!!

-- Posted From My iRod

Khloe McKay

A beautiful baby girl!!!


From this moment, until the day I die, I will always be a daddy!!!


This is the biggest thing I've ever done!!!

-- Posted From My iRod

Charter Chumps...

Since I'm not under contract with my cable company anymore they keep calling trying to get me to sign up for their 2 year price guarantee scam (which is another story altogether). This time, however, I had a question for them...do they have any 3D channels? They don't, he knew that they didn't, but instead of telling me that, they decided to try telling me that the 3D TV's do it on their own. Really...they want me to believe that it's the tv, and not the signal when I know for a fact that there are only 3 TV's, at present, that can upscale a normal signal to 3D. The rest depend on some type of external 3D device or signal. When I called him on it, instead of the usual persistence, he was quick to get off the phone.

Did they lie, technically, no. But did they try to mislead me...HECK YEAH!!! They were betting on ignorance...on the fact that I was just some mind dead consumer that would believe anything he fed me. I guess I'm just venting here but, I REALLY dislike those types of business practices.

Had I been the person they thought I was, I would have blindly went out and bought a 3D TV thinking that with Charter, I would have this awesome experience out of the box, but that might not have been the case. Not unless, I lucked up on one of those, elite 3 upscaling models, I would have been very disappointed.

Ok, I guess I'm done now.


-- Posted From My iRod

$$$ 3DS $$$

I really can't believe that Nintendo's new handheld is actually going to jump up in price so much! $300 REALLY...Nintendo has never, in my opinion, thought of itself as one of those elitist companies, pricing their products in the luxury electronics category, so why did they start now?

That being said, I do believe that they have always set the bar for handheld gaming. I've had a nintendo in my backpack ever since grade school, and have loved every minute of gaming on-the-go! But I just can't help but think that I've been blindsided by their asking price. Honestly, I thought the entry level iPod Touch 4th generation was expensive, but it's cheaper now...and it's much more than a gaming machine. I don't know what they were thinking, but letting themselves be undercut by their (arguably) biggest new competitor doesn't make good business sense to me. In my opinion, regrettably, Nintendo has just positioned themselves out of that 'King of the Hill' position in handheld gaming. Ask yourself this, if you had $300 which handheld would you buy?


-- Posted From My iRod

Product Compatibility

I really don't understand what happens from one iteration of a product to the next that would cause it not to be compatible with it's accessories. My wife and I went out and bought a mini stereo with iPod dock only to find out that it's not compatible with any of our 'i-ware'. After a more thorough check I found that (along with a few of the nano devices) it is only compatible with the 1st and 2nd gen iPod Touch. What is it that makes these devices incompatible? The physical characteristics of these devices have hardly changed at all...is it something in the software? I don't know and can't really find a definitive answer, but one thing is clear, when you're deciding whether or not to upgrade your devices, be sure to factor in the cost of all new accessories as well!

Wait a minute...I think I just answered my own question!!!

$$$ MONEY $$$

Of course, duh, why would a company make an accessory to be compatible across the board...they're looking for repeat customers. It wouldn't be in their best interest to make a product that, say with a software update, would work with all iPods with a 30-pin dock! It would be great...just not very profitable.

Oh well, as it stands, I'm now in the market for a gently used iPod Touch 2nd Gen. Anybody looking to sell theirs?


-- Posted From My iRod

Netflix & IPhone w/ Unlimited Data

Unlimited data is going to be a great thing when pared with that new Netflix app. As you may know, it now has video streaming support for iPhone (& iPod Touch) and I'm really looking forward to racking up some unlimited data usage. It couldn't have come at a better time for me either. Looks like my wife and I are going to be at the hospital in a couple of weeks with the birth of our first child and I can think of nothing better to pass the time than to watch a few instant streaming movies.



But I can't help but wonder, how long is my grandfathered in--unlimited data--status going to last before they decide to do away with it in lieu of one of their tiered options. Let's face it, AT&T's network (not to mention their pockets) can't, and aren't going to foot that big of a data drain for too long. Streaming only 30 minutes of video, according to AT&T's data usage calculator, puts you at that 2 gigabyte data cap. That's not even a feature length movie, and you're done for the month! Oh well, I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can and fight to get it back when they take it away.


-- Posted From My iRod

Priceless Shot of my Wife on the Beach

First Visit to Lambert's

Great Time in the Gulf

How about my wonderful wife surprised me with a trip to Gulf Shores! Call me sheltered, but I've never been to the Gulf before. Usually when I decide to go on a vacation, I'm trying to get as far away from Alabama as I can get...but I must admit, Alabama has a beautiful beach. We even brought Izen with us; and if you don't know who that is, check out the picture below. Oh, and Lambert's is the BOMB!!!

Literally...We had a Cow!!!

So, when the announcement came over the intercom, I immediately thought there would be someone dressed as a cow...possibly one of those Chick-Fil-A cow with somesort of message about eating more chicken. It had not occured to me that there would be an actual cow...but there she was!!! It was all I could do to keep my mouth from dragging the ground as I walked up to it for a closer look. Wow, how many people can say they had a guest speaker with four stomaches and tits!!! I'll post the vid first so it should show up right below this post.





-- Posted From My iRod

Open Wide!!!

Fun at a Gas Station

Intro: Off to Work