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kate_nepveu


incidents and accidents, hints and allegations


wood cat
Kate kate_nepveu
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Week in Review

Well, Chad's new computer came and I was completely unable to network it to the old one with a crossover Ethernet cable, as various web sites had blithely assured me I could. After wasting two hours on the problem, I gave up and brought my external CD-RW drive over: yes, it's connecting with USB 1.0, so it burns at a crawl, but I can get it work and that's what counts right now.

Chad also now has an iPod and I am insanely jealous that I can't get mine yet. I suppose I should explain—

I got a big raise a few weeks ago, completely out of the blue, and a separate cost-of-living increase. I felt like I wanted to buy something frivolous to celebrate, but an iPod seemed like too much. I decided this week that if I got some birthday money at the end of the month, that would bring my cost down enough that I could buy it reasonably guilt-free (or I'd just wait a little longer until I'd saved up a bit). But if I was getting one, I couldn't really say that Chad shouldn't—he has an income too, after all. He has a plane trip coming up before the end of the month, so I suggested this weekend that maybe he should get his early. A few hours later, we were walking out of the Apple store with a 40GB iPod, me slightly bug-eyed—I'd stopped thinking of them at full price, you see. I think it's the most expensive thing I've ever bought and walked out of a retail store with.

But it's little and shiny and elegant and very cool indeed. Want.

However, inanimate objects hate me this week (besides Chad's computers, my work computer was constantly cranky), so it's probably best I didn't get my iPod yesterday. I've had fun looking for a case in the meantime—any iPod experts out there who can tell me if vent-holes are really necessary for ordinary use? I want a full-coverage case (that means controls and screen too), and I'd just about settled on this leather case from Marware, but now I'm wondering. The other option would be the Lajo eXo2, but I'm not crazy about silicone as a case material. Opinions, anyone?

In less geeky news, I had a nice phone conversation this afternoon with an old friend that I hadn't heard from in far too long. I foolishly gave myself a sunburn yesterday morning, forgetting that I don't usually wear tank tops for my weekend morning sunning-and-reading. And Fountains of Wayne are playing a free show this Wednesday at Empire State Plaza, which should be fun.




(Deleted comment)
Yeah, I'm mostly going to use this in my car, and I was initially thinking that I would just drop it in the arm-rest console thing that my CD player lives in and change songs with the remote--but I've determined that I can mount it on one of the air vents, so I can see it--and even if I couldn't I think you're right about the flipping being annoying.

And the iSkins look like they have flatter backs than the Lajo versions, which means it'll fit better in the dashboard mount.

Put together with the downthread suggestion of a separate carrying case and I'm strongly leaning towards an iSkin evo.

Thanks! I was hoping you'd see this because I knew you'd have good information, but I didn't want to be a pest. =>

I have an iSkin, but I mostly use a Timbuk2 iPod case, which is more convenient for shoving into laptop bags and such. I've found the reviews of iPod cases and accessories at The Gadgeteer very useful. (Be careful what you read there, however, or you could very quickly find yourself blowing your entire raise on new toys.)

Oooooh--I like that idea. (The case, that is, not blowing my entire raise. => ) That opens up a lot more options, like the iSkin, because the controls'll be covered when I've tossed it in my bag, which is the important time. I'd looked briefly at the Cocoon, but I didn't like the Velcro or the zip and this is more useful.

Thanks!

I like the PodPaq014 from booqbags.com. It's nice, because I can remove the flap completely if I'm in a situation where screen coverage isn't an issue, or leave it on and have total protection.

I usually use my remote to switch songs, so the only time the flap is up is to pick a playlist.

OooOOooo. Nice.

i do not need any more cases
i do not need any more cases
i do not need any more cases
i do not need any more cases


That looks like a nice one too, but I've just about decided that a flap would be too annoying with the car-mount. I don't *think* I'll be switching playlists very often, but I want to give myself the opportunity to if I use it differently than I'm expecting.

(Deleted comment)
Yes, and the next entry is mostly-written, but I had a shit day at work, feel like someone dragged me behind a bus, and have more work to do tonight.

So, it's going to have to wait for a bit longer. Sorry.

Congratulations on the raise! :-)

I can ask the folks 'round the lab. Lots of folks here wear iPods at the lab bench. Have never been able to afford one on my own, but made happy discovery that the PDAs we were issued by the medical school also double as small MP3 players. Whoot! :-)

Thanks!

I've pretty well settled on an iSkin evo with a secondary Timbuk2 iPod bag--I can even get the iSkin at a teeny-tiny government discount from Apple online. But thanks for the offer.