iPod Touch Appications Needed!

• note taker
• sketch program?
  
• scientific calculator
• wifi signal locator
• email

Some apps can be written completely in Javascript and run from Safari.

iPod Touch Movies

great free software - handbrake - to convert DVDs to iPod format
requires DVD ripper software - free one that works (so far) is DVD43

Takes a while - about 1.5 hrs to get a DVD copied and converted. Results are very nice.

Switching from Sprint to Verizon

Our family plan 2 yr contract with Sprint expired (or so I thought) the first of December. We spent one evening at the mall and visited Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon. From that I concluded that the mall stores were worthless (AT&T was OK) Went the next day to a stand-alone Verizon store. They had a large selection of phones and we decided to switch. Here are tidbits on this ordeal. Hopefully I can add more detail as time permits.

• Zeni and Amy got the LG chocolate ($50 each). Zeni M. and I got the LG 8350 (free).
• Family plan (700 minutes) for $69, two extra lines for $10, 19% discount on the first line - one activation ($25) with other three waived.
• First bill for $260 - $30 of ZMs downloads, $50 of extra activation fees (including two on one line)
• Sprint contracts weren't really up - two expired Dec 19, two expired Dec 23. Was finally able to get them to wave the unexpected early termination fee of $150/line.
• Took three Sprint #'s with us - those were switched immediately, decided to cancel land-line and move that number to Zeni's phone. That process took 15 days:(.
• Disconnecting land line saves $26/month - it takes a little getting used to not having a phone in every room, and developing a routine of keeping the cell phones more accessible. We ended up with a box full of old phones.
  
• Ordered accessories (data cable, wall charger, car charger for $20) from eforcity.com - much less expensive than Verizion.
• Ordered micro-SD cards from supermediastore.com
• I was disappointed with my phone - switched to LG enV ($100 cost)
• Salesman said there wasn't any rebates on these phones, but according to web site each phone has a $50 rebate - hope it comes through!
• Verizon if $10/month more for 150 extra minutes (that was their lowest family plan) Sprint nights also start at 7pm vs Verizon's 9pm. If I had it do do over, I probably wouldn't switch.
• Sprint saleswoman at the mall said there weren't any "deals" on new phones, and that was the main reason we switched -Verizon phones were virtually free and they had more selection. In hindsight I think we could have gotten a similar deal at the main Sprint store and been about $10/month better off.
• Verizon's phones are more "locked" than Sprint, and they seem to nickel and dime for everything. Haven't yet figured out how to get any games or apps.
  
• I finally got the bitpim software (bitpim.org) working and we are able to get ringtones, etc without paying $2 per shot.
  

A blog entry from my phone

should have an attached picture and sound file

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
---

I removed the rest of Verizon's garbage. Sound file doesn't get posted. I probably won't use this
unless I decide to keep the Vcast (unlimited internet) service for $15/month.

A Test Email Post

Here is a post sent in via email
Here is a picture

iPod Touch

Got one for Christmas - it was definitely a want, not a need. I don't listen to music much, but the thought of having a full-featured web browser was intriguing. Here are some random thoughts and comments so far.

• Ordered the thing on a Friday December 21, 2007 - web site said it would be delivered (no charge) on Monday (the day before Christmas) IF engraving wasn't chosen. I wanted it engraved, so ordered it anyway. It was still delivered via FedEx on Monday at 10am! Merry Christmas!
• Initial impressions are discouraging.
• It has to be hooked to a computer before it will go to the main screen.
• Came with a fully charged battery.
• I've never liked iTunes, but now I have to learn and use it.
• I didn't realize it was so crippled! No email, no installable apps. Evidently this is a common complaint, and people are working on it. I should have done more research.
• Seems to drop the wifi connection frequently.
• Can't delete photos from the device - you've gotta be kidding - you have to re-sync with iTunes and have all the desired photos in one location.
• Need a scientific calculator!
• If you use the stopwatch, and collect lap times, there is no way to see the overall time?
• Not an iTouch :)
  

Time-lapse Puzzle Video

Amy and I made a time-lapse video of us putting a 500 piece puzzle together. Took us 71 minutes to finish it. Recorded at 1 frame/second, that makes 4250 frames and a 2:21 minute 30 fps video. Here is the YouTube version: