Internet Addicted

Redirecting My Energy

2011-10-24T16:22:00.001-07:00

iPad 2 and FaceTime

2011-10-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

My sister just ordered her iPad 2. She fell in love with Mom’s iPad when she visited us this past summer.

Now Mom is talking about trading in her iPad for the iPad 2, which would give her the ability to FaceTime.

Actually, might be a good time for mom to switch. We recently got rid of the landline, and Mom still isn’t thrilled with using her cell phone, even with the nifty new Moshi handset I purchased.

I can just see her now….sitting in her room with her iPad 2, chatting face to face with her daughter, granddaughter, and if my son ever answers his iPhone…her grandson. All that face to face chatting, and no additional phone bill.

iPhone 4S

2011-10-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

According to our son’s recent Facebook post, he’s getting the new iPhone 4S this Friday. He also has the iPad 2, which he loves. This is the same kid (well he really isn’t a kid, he is in his early 30s) who harassed me with I got the first iPhone. He wasn’t the least impressed and kept complaining because my reception sucked. I don’t even think he took two minutes to check out my nifty new gadget.

Well fast forward a couple years, and he is now moving onto his second iPhone.

According to the Facebook posts of my daughter and daughter-in-law, the resent updating of their iPhones hasn’t gone well. Both my daughter-in-law and son-in-law lost tons of apps and music on their recent update. Apparently they haven’t been able to get them back at the iTune store.

Oops.

Moshi Moshi Handset for the Cell Phone and iPod Touch

2011-10-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we zapped our landline a couple of weeks ago. Since I like an old-fashioned handset, I ordered a Moshi Moshi handset for my iPod Touch, and it also fits into my Blackberry.

I have the Textfree app on the iPod Touch, which turns the iPod Touch into a phone. They even give you a phone number. The app is free, no monthly fee and all incoming calls are free. You purchase minutes for outgoing calls. It only cost a couple bucks for a 100 minutes.

There is a nifty little button on the inside handle of the handset, that you push to disconnect or connect to the call. So when you want to hang up, just push the button.

I tried it in both devices. I could hear very well. The only weird thing, unlike a traditional phone handset, you don’t hear your own voice in the earpiece, as you talk into the mouthpiece. I can hear the person on the other side of the line perfectly, clear and loud. But, I find myself talking loudly into the phone, because it seems as if the line is dead while I talk.

I’ve had mixed reviews as to how I sound when using the phone. I spoke to my aunt, using the iPod Touch. She is hard of hearing, and when I used the iPod Touch to talk to her without the handset, she said I sounded as if I was in a tunnel. She liked the handset better.

But, my daughter said I was cutting out, when using the iPod Touch and the handset. Yet that might have been more the iPod Touch and not the handset.

When I talked to hubby on the Blackberry with the handset, he like it better without, while my daughter said it sounded fine. Again, it could be the reception of the device.

The one thing I was not happy with, and not sure if I can fix it some way – if I leave it plugged into the iPod Touch, it won’t ring for an incoming call. So, unless I see it light up, I don’t know I have a call.

I can leave it plugged into the Blackberry, and I hear the phone ring. Yet, it is really the iPod Touch I bought it for. So, I need to see if there is some setting I need to change.

The handset has a solid feel. It is actually heavier than a traditional phone handset.

So far, I like it.

Roku 2 - A Different Way to Watch TV

2011-10-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

I’m ending the summer revamping my budget – looking for items to cut.

Two items hitting the chopping box – our landline and TV cable.

Initially this began not because I wanted to economize, but because our provider has been giving us horrendous service all summer. Actually, it is a new provider, in that they bought out the old company.

Not many choices where we live – so I decided to look in another direction.

Yesterday hubby and I purchased the Ruko 2 – which allows us to stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, and lots of free channels to our TV.

There are three models. We purchased the mid-priced one, at $78. Would have gotten the lower priced one for $20 less, yet that can only be purchased online, and with shipping, it would end up costing almost the same as the Ruko 2.

It was ridiculously easy to hook up. I put batteries in the Ruko remote (they came with it). Plugged the device into our TV, and plugged the power cord into the device.

The cord it comes with (to hook up the TV to the Ruko) is not for high definition. So, if you want hi def, you need to purchase separately a HDMI cable. We happen to have one already, so didn’t need to purchase one.

You also need high speed Internet.

The only time you need a computer is when signing up, and getting all your passwords in order. After that, you don’t need the computer to use the Roku, just high speed Internet.

To use, we turn on the TV, then click source until we see the word Roku appear on the screen, and then we push OK on the very simple remote they provide.

So far……a very addictive device.

Debt Ceiling Issue for a Non-Partisan Voter

2011-07-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Internet definitely changed how we deal with political issues.

I live in Arizona and just went to my representative’s website, to send him an email, in support of negotiating a bi-partisan resolution on the debt ceiling. My US Representative is Trent Franks.

On Frank’s website, he has a quote by Margret Thatcher, “Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides."

Hmmm…..interesting…..doesn’t give me much hope he will be routing for my side, which is compromise.

One thing Trent seems to forget when quoting Thatcher….when there is only one road, having the drivers coming from opposing direction always leads to a car wreck.

Rather like what we are seeing in our country at the moment. A car wreck.

Sometimes the drivers need to swerve a little to the right or left, in order to make it safely down the road.

iPhone - iPod Touch FaceTime

2011-07-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

I am really loving my iPod Touch these days. Our daughter and her family are now settled into their new Alaska home (her hubby is in the Coast Guard). And while I am in Arizona and she is in Alaska, the other day she gave me a guided tour of her home.

She walked me through the house, the patio and I saw the neighborhood. Our one-year-old granddaughter even blew me kisses…that was my favorite part!

Our grandbaby also disconnected the call at one point, when she reached out to me, and touched her mother’s iPhone.

I’m still loving the fact that with the iPod Touch there is no monthly fee, I simply tap into my home’s wireless.

Perhaps it is not as good as seeing my granddaughter in person, and giving her a hug, but I will happily take those kisses.

iPod Touch vs iPhone

2011-07-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I was trying to convince someone I know to purchase an iPod Touch instead of an iPhone. After all, the new iPod Touch does about everything as an iPhone, it even works as a telephone with the Text Free app.

Sure, you need Internet wifi, but this person (like me) spends most of her time at home, where she has wifi connection, and there is no monthly service fee, which is typically $70 bucks or more for the iPhone. Over one year, that is over $800 bucks in phone charges, probably closer to a thousand plus, when you consider overages and tax.

If she needs a cell phone for those times when away from home, I’d recommend an inexpensive disposable cell phone for emergencies, and confine her long chats when near wifi, using the Text Free app on the iPod Touch. Heck, even when I’m not home I can pick up wifi at friends’ houses, the local coffee shop, the library and even along Main Street.

It seems my idea was smarter than I imagined. I talked to our daughter today, she just moved to Alaska – with her iPhone. She wanted me to look up a phone number on my computer. I used my White and Yellow Pages App on the iPod Touch, and asked her why she didn’t have the phone book app.

She told me she couldn’t use it anyway. Seems she is only picking up Internet when near wifi. Not sure if this will be a regular thing for her, but if so, it is a shame she’s locked into her phone contract. A hefty monthly fee for just phone, and no Internet.

As for me, I really do love my iPod Touch and have no desire to go with the iPhone. I’ll keep my extra 70+ bucks a month and spend it elsewhere.

Shopping List iPod Touch App

2011-06-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I downloaded a free version of “Shopping List.” As the name suggests, it’s an app for making shopping lists. It wasn’t long before I wanted the full version. I wanted the ability to make default lists, work with multiple lists and add categories. You can even email the list to someone.

So, I sprung for the $2.99. I figure over time it will save me money …..in scrap paper.

Scrabble - Words with Friends

2011-06-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

My new favorite app for the iPod Touch has to be the Words With Friends. I've got games going with my son (in Oregon), my daughter (in Alaska) and my sister (in California).

There is something very cool about an on going Scrabble game, where you sorta play on the fly. In some crazy way, it makes me feel closer to those I love, who are so far away.

I am tempted to buy the app, instead of using the free version. I am getting a little tired of the commercials, and I think I can afford the three bucks for the app.

New iPad Fan

2011-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy summer – lots of family visiting. First, my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter visited for a week, before their trek to Alaska, where they will be living for the next three years. The next week our niece visited. While she didn’t stay with us, she did come over each day to use our pool. She stayed with my mother-in-law, who lives a little less than a mile from here.

Then my sister came for a week – she left this morning. While she was here, she fell madly in love with Mom’s iPad. She kept saying “I have to get one of these!”

Mom left with my sister this morning, she will be staying with her until mid-August. Of course, Mom took her iPad, and I know Mom will return home with it. As much as my sis loves the iPad, I doubt she will wrestle it away from Mom. Mom also loves her iPad.

National GeographicWorld Atlas App

2011-06-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Today I downloaded the National Geographic World Atlas App on Mom’s iPad. While it only earned 4 stars, I felt it was worth the $1.99 – just for the virtual globe.

There is something very cool about having a virtual globe with you – even when not hooked up to the Internet. I love the fact I can spin it like a real globe, and bring it closer.

The globe we had when our kids were still at home has long since been sent to garage sale land. It was made before President Reagan made his now famous plea, “President Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Obviously, our old globe would be a tad outdated today.

But this one…way cool and current.

Facebook and Friends

2011-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was watching a television documentary; I believe it was called the Facebook Obsession.

During the show, someone said something interesting – that Facebook has changed our concept of “friends.” It’s true, suddenly casual acquaintances are elevated to friend status by a click of the mouse.

All of this got me to thinking about the people I’ve known over the years, who I may have considered friends, yet later realized they were more of the Facebook casual friend variety.

I once had two neighbors, whom I considered *friends*. The two women barely knew each other. One woman’s dog was about to have puppies, and the second woman wanted one of the puppies.

The woman whose dog was having puppies came to me, and told me the other neighbor wanted one of the pups, and she wanted my opinion ….would this other neighbor be a good owner for the puppy?

I am an animal lover, and I really didn’t think the question was a gossipy sort of thing. I certainly didn’t go to her and offer up advice. I gave her a serious and heartfelt opinion, trying to keep my reply from sounding gossipy.

I told her that the neighbor was always on the go, rarely home, which would make it difficult to housetrain a young puppy. The family already had cats, which really suited their lifestyle.

I didn’t tell her not to let the neighbor have one of the puppies, just gave my honest take on the situation. If I didn’t care about the puppy, I would have kept my mouth shut.

Well, this all came back to bite me. One day the neighbor requesting the puppy confronted me, accusing me of telling the other neighbor not to let her buy one of the puppies, because she would be a bad owner. She was really pissed at me. I imagine if FaceBook was around back then, she would have deleted me from her friend’s list.

As it turned out, she got one of the puppies.

What happened? Well, as I feared, there was no one around to properly train the young pup, who was apparently deemed un-trainable. Sadly, they euthanized the young dog.

Don’t Tweet your Weiner

2011-06-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

I sometimes watch the news while working. Today I kept turning down the volume or turning off the television all together, because I simply didn’t want to hear another word about (or from) Weiner about his apology.

Perhaps our boys in Congress need to be kept away from technology, since it seems to be preoccupying their time, when they should be focusing their attention on ways to jumpstart our economy.

Actually, I had my own Weiner minute. I took my new iPod Touch into the bathroom with me, to use as a magazine, something to read. I know I know, TMI, but as I was sitting there (I know, more TMI) the darn little FaceTime Camera thingy popped up and I was horrified to think that I could inadvertently snap a photo or video of me in a compromising position, and send it streaming over the Internet.

That would definitely be too much TMI.

Personally, I think Weiner should retire, not because he did something tacky and lied about it, but because he was not very quick on his feet, and failed to give a more creative and plausible lie.

Why didn’t he just say he was in the bathroom, multi-tasking, preparing to send a tweet, when he accidentally snapped a photo and sent it into tweetland….golly gee, I am such a tech goof!!

While that would still be a lie, it would be a better lie, IMO. And I believe (after my horrifying FaceTime thingy) it could happen, kinda sorta.

Since we have to live with lying politicians, don’t we deserve believable and creative lies?

Ten Things I love about My Ipod Touch

2011-06-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

1. There is no monthly fee, like with my old iPhone.

2. FaceTime, how cool is that? When our daughter moves to Alaska at the end of the month, we can enjoy FREE face to face chats.

3. My iPod doubles as a phone (when within wireless range) and incoming calls are free with the TextFree app.

4. I can play Scrabble with my daughter, even when she is over a 1,000 miles away, with the Words with Friends app.

5. Listening to music is so much easier with a speaker docking station and the Pandora app.

6. I was able to cancel HBO and spend less each month with Netflix, and with my Netflix app I can watch movies on my iPod Touch, or hook the iPod up to my TV and stream movies.

7. I can carry my family tree info with me (even when there is no wireless) with the free Ancestry.com app. A must for amateur genealogists.

8. I can do a quick Google search without dragging out my laptop, not to mention checking on my Facebook or Twitter accounts.

9. Shopping for free iPod apps is always an adventure.

10. I finally have my own Tetris. When our kids were younger, they were stingy with their Gameboys, and limited mom’s time playing Tetris.

In love with Pandora

2011-06-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

My non-techie husband discovered Pandora long before I did. I really didn’t understand Pandora, or how it worked. But now, I think it was designed especially for me.

I enjoy listening to music, yet I rarely, if ever buy music. One reason, I typically don’t know the names of the bands or musicians. I know what I like, yet 80% of the time, I have no clue who is playing the music.

Yesterday I was listening to our daughter teach my mom how to use the Pandora app on her iPad. When she explained how Mom can personalize her listening experience by setting up different “stations” based on Mom selecting one of her favorite groups I realized I could do that too, using my iPod Touch. It was pretty darn easy.

Today our daughter bought my husband and I a gift, a docking station that doubles as a clock radio and has speakers. Listening to Pandora on my iPod Touch became an entirely new experience.

Now I want to get more speaker docking stations…one for my office, living room, kitchen…and outside speakers for the patio!

Grandbabies and the Internet

2011-05-31T22:07:00.000-07:00

Our daughter and her husband arrived several days ago, bringing along their daughter, our only granddaughter, a one-year-old miracle who has completely captured my heart. They are staying for a week, and then heading to Alaska, where they are spending the next three years. (He is in the Coast Guard.)

For this reason, I have virtually broken my Internet addition. In fact, this is the first time since they arrived that I have used my laptop. The only reason I am on it now, our grandbaby is sleeping and her parents are watching television.

I will cry when they leave; especially knowing they are moving so far away, and only if I am lucky and can save the money, will we be able to visit them next year.

A miracle of a granddaughter is an excellent reason to turn off the computer, get offline, and sit in the middle of the living room floor and sing three little fishies…

iPhones and GPS Trackers

2011-05-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been some press on the GPS trackers installed in the iPhone and similar gadgets, regarding privacy concerns, yet today one of our friends was very happy with the feature.

Apparently they were having a garage sale and some woman swiped my friend's iPhone. My friend's tech savvy hubby put the iPhone tracker into use, and it led him to a restaurant and the thief.

He confronted the woman in the restaurant, and she had the iPhone it her purse.

I am still waiting to hear if he took the cops along when he confronted the thief.

Buyer's Remorse

2011-05-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid one of my favorite television shows was the Winchell-Mahoney Show, and I really…really wanted a Winchell-Mahoney dummy. Christmas and my birthday were months away, and my parents weren’t in the habit of buying me expensive toys without an occasion. Mom told me, if I wanted the dummy, I would need to save, and buy it myself.

I saved my money, did extra chores and eventually scrounged up enough cash to buy the coveted dummy. But, once I got it home….it just sat there....rather anti-climatic. And it didn’t take me long to really really regret my purchase.

After I bought my long coveted iPod-Touch, I had a brief Winchell-Mahoney moment. I asked myself, was this really worth the money? Should I have spent the money on something else?

It took me about a week or so to get over this feeling, and I definitely did NOT want my hubby to glimpse my momentary regret. After all, he is not a techie guy, and he never understood my fascination with the gadget in the first place.

And then something interesting happened….I began exploring the iPod Touch, and discovered all the cool thing it could do…like FaceTalk, a free cell phone, streaming movies from Netflix via the iPod Touch to my TV, cool apps I never considered and much more.

I can honestly say, the iPod Touch is way cooler than the Winchell-Mahoney dummy.

Turning the iPod Touch into an iPhone, kinda, sorta...

2011-05-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Instead of working, I’m fidgeting with my iPod Touch. I find myself more fascinated with the electronic gadget, than when I purchased it. I think it has to do with the Textfree app from Pinger, which turned my iPod Touch into a phone. A free app.

While it is true there is no voice mail, 911 and it isn’t a true cell phone (it needs wireless Internet for service) – if you think about it, it is very similar to the old-fashioned telephone, before 911 and answer machines.

Instead of being connected to my home by a cord, this phone is connected via the wireless Internet. Yet, it isn’t tied to the house, as this phone can go with me, allowing me to use it when I am in a hot spot.

Another big advantage over the old-fashioned phone, it is FREE. Sure, I need to buy minutes to make outgoing calls, yet it is very cheap and you can earn free minutes by downloading free apps advertised on the device.

If you are a real cheapo you can avoid buying minutes and simply text someone, and ask them to call you!

Turning my iPod Touch into a Cell Phone

2011-05-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

While I’m not claiming I turned my iPod Touch into an iPhone, I did turn it into a cell phone by downloading Pinger’s free app, “Textfree with Voice.”

I even got my own phone number with the app, kinda cool. And it cost nothing. Incoming calls and text and picture messages are free, yet outgoing calls aren’t free, although you begin with a certain amount of free minutes. By downloading other free apps they recommend, you earn free minutes. Or, you can buy minutes for your outgoing calls.

We gave it a try last night, hubby called me, and I called him. He sounded really clear on my end (the iPod Touch), but he tells me there was a bit of a delay on his end. This morning I called our daughter in California, and the call was pretty clear. She tells me it was also clear on her end. Perhaps the delay hubby noticed was more obvious because we were in the same room.

We also exchanged text messages, and I sent him a photo of our granddaughter, which worked great, very fast.

Of course, if out of wireless range I won’t get service.

I’m still trying to figure out how to maneuver around the menu. But so far, it is one of the more interesting free apps I’ve downloaded.

Best Places to Retire

2011-05-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Best Places to Retire

Harold Camping’s End of Time….

2011-05-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

One cool thing about the Internet, us online junkies will know rather quickly if the end of time earthquake has started to rumble across the globe, in an earlier time zone. Someone is bound to send out a warning tweet.

While many bloggers are quick to point out the buckets of money Camping’s organization has raked in from gullible followers, my initial question, was he sincere? Did Camping believe the end of world story? If so, I can no more mock him than my own fundamentalist Christian friends who try to convert me to their rigid interpretation of the Bible. While they may be annoying, and I don’t agree with their views, I believe they are sincerely reaching out to me in an effort to save my soul. It is rather sweet.

But, then I consider how Camping’s message, regardless of his motivation, is not really sweet, not when you consider the number of people who misspent their life’s savings and allowed Camping’s predictions to takeover and disrupt their lives. Rather reminds me of the old saying – the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions. Camping’s actions, even if it was well-intended, brought hell into many people’s lives through his fear-mongering message.

If Camping did not believe his own message, then it makes him more culpable. But, how do we determine his sincerity? One way is to analyze his personal actions. Did he renew any subscriptions, file his income tax, or pay next month’s mortgage?

Internet Down

2011-05-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Don’t you hate it when the Internet goes down? Mine is down right now, so I won’t be posting this entry until I am back online.

We have our Internet, TV and landline through one company. While our television is still working, the Internet and phone is down. Something which has become a regular occurrence. I’m waiting for the repairperson to show up.

Fortunately, I have a cell phone. I need the cell phone, to call the repairperson to fix the landline.

Seems kinda crazy when you think about it.

Signed up for Netflix

2011-05-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

I remember how cool I thought it was when VHS rentals first came out. We were living in a small mountain town in Southern California, and rental fees were about $3 each. Or was it $5?

Whatever it was, that was over 20 years ago and today I saw our local bookstore advertising movie rentals for less than 50 cents each.

The Internet has definitely changed how we purchase our entertainment. Instead of going to brick and mortar stores, consumers are pretty comfortable ordering movies online, which explains why prices are so cheap at our local bookstore, and why our Blockbuster closed its doors.

I finally decided to give Netflix a try, taking advantage of their free month offer. I must say, I am really enjoying it. Just cancelled HBO.

What I can’t understand, how do they make any money? I don’t see how their monthly fee covers the postage and handling, much less the actual cost of the product.