Gadgets

[2scoops0406]

And...... is it me or am I the only person in the world not to have an iPod ??? Am I some sort of social pariah now?

 

[AdamW]

No Eddie, I don't have an iPod either. I have a Sony Vaio 40GB portable media player ATRAC3plus, much better sound quality than mp3 (and according to reports I have read, all the other codecs on the market too)

I have everything on the list apart from a laptop and a PS2. However, I don't need a PS2 as a) I have a really good computer for playing games and b) I have a really good DVD player for watching DVDs! Am I the only one who thinks it is odd that they decided to name a games console after a 1980s IBM PC?

I agree that PDAs are a bit rubbish. I have one but have stopped using it in favour of... a paper diary! Seriously, as Eddie says, much quicker. And you can't accidentally delete everything in it by accident (would take a day with an eraser!) Some people use PDAs for much more than just keeping dates (my brother used his to update his weblog with photos of Glastonbury as it actually happened last year, and also watches movies on it), but to be honest I don't know if I would have the time to do all that!

I am surprised that the list doesn't include such things as a DVD player, or is it that so many people own one now it doesn't qualify as a gadget?

 

[ninebob]

I am surprised that the list doesn't include such things as a DVD player, or is it that so many people own one now it doesn't qualify as a gadget?

Probably, the same thing with widescreen TVs. I remember a thread on here not so long ago in which you were moaning about the olympic coverage and I was sticking up for those of us in 4:3. Well that was then, I have a widescreen as of about a fortnight ago and I'm a convert - wouldn't dream of going back now! (having said that, I'm not in a thundering hurry to upgrade the kitchen and bathroom TVs.)

 

[kendor]

best gadget i've ever bought was a 2 stoke garden vacuum, the thing sucks up anything that dares to get in the way and shreds and compacts into a very small and convienient way. highly recommended, don't know whether the electric ones are as powerful or not but this one is the business!

 

[masona]

I didn't know they did petrol one, I've borrowed a electric one from my next door neighbour and it wasn't that powerful specially with wet leaves.

 

[2scoops0406]

ATRAC3plus, much better sound quality than mp3 (and according to reports I have read, all the other codecs on the market too)

I'm not entirely sure how they catagorised gadget, have to agree that the ATRAC3plus codec, as used by minidiscs isn't that bad, but of course wait for it that is because it isn't terribly aggressive. In other words it does shrink the tracks quite as much as rival technologies, but then when did technical superiority ever count for anything ?

How about tablet PC's anyone had the misfortune to use one of these hopelessly misguided pieces of junk.

 

[TexMex]

Am I the only one who thinks it is odd that they decided to name a games console after a 1980s IBM PC?

No. That one catches me out every time. PS2 still means that clunk click IBM with the MCA bus to me. But then, I don't find modern computer games in the slightest interesting. Unfortunately IMHO the creators have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. They have developed them, to the point where all of the charm has now gone. If Tom and Jerry were made using the latest CGI technology, would it still be as good as the original? I think not!

From the list I have
A mobile phone (or it has me )
A digital camera (no more developing costs, overall a good thing)
Laptop (Essential bit of kit).
a few PDAs (every one of them a waste of money, but not mine. They were pressies).

My favorite gadget is the tape measure. Now something I think would be really handy would be a mobile phone, built very robustly with a built in laser level and tape measure (not a sonic thing but a real bit of spring steel). If they made the casing really robust, you could even joint your brickwork with the corner of it. Oh and finally, it would have to have a tubular pencil holder as well, that automatically sharpens the pencil. Put a tripod base on it and they'd be on a winner.

 

[securespark]

Tex

They already do, mate. It's called the Nokia bilda-phone, 499.99 from CPW!

 

[TexMex]

It's called the Nokia bilda-phone, 499.99 from CPW

Thanks for the info Simon. I can't find it on CPWs web site, but I've eMailed them for info.

 

[AdamW]

If they made the casing really robust, you could even joint your brickwork with the corner of it.

Remember when Ericsson brought out those water-resistant/proof phones intended for mountain bikers and climbers? The only person I knew with one used it to stir his coffee.

I saw him about 6 months later and asked if the phone was still in active service as a coffee stirrer, apparently it went to the carphone warehouse in the sky a couple of weeks after he started doing that. Wally.

 

[AdamW]

You could use a mobile to measure the height of a tall building.

1) Stand on roof
2) Use phone A to ring phone B
3) As you press the "answer" button on phone B, drop it.
4) When phone B hits the ground, the call will disconnect and phone A will display the call duration
5) Do a bit of maths, and you will know how tall the building is!

Of course, this won't work if phone B hits terminal velocity before it reaches the ground. And in the long run it is probably cheaper and more accurate to hire a theodolite.

 

[DforDave]

You could use a mobile to measure the height of a tall building.

1) Stand on roof
2) Use phone A to ring phone B
3) As you press the "answer" button on phone B, drop it.
4) When phone B hits the ground, the call will disconnect and phone A will display the call duration
5) Do a bit of maths, and you will know how tall the building is!

Of course, this won't work if phone B hits terminal velocity before it reaches the ground. And in the long run it is probably cheaper and more accurate to hire a theodolite.

There is an easier way to use a mobile to get the height of a tall building. Take the mobile to the building caretaker and say "If you tell me the height of this building I will give you this mobile"

 

[GRC]

I
Digital Camera
Mobile phone
Laptop
Playstation 2
Portable CD player
MP3 player
Digital Camcorder.
PDA. (I think there were a couple more)

I found this a bit strange, 'cos although I work in the strategy and futures department in IT, I "own" none of the above mentioned items, and have no desire to. What do you lot think ?

I think if you're happy with the stuff you've got, then fine.

I would suggest however that the mp3 player would be a bit redundant if you already had the portable CD player, which will certainly out-perform the mp3.

I have no problem with anyone who doesn't wish to take pictures, play video games, or who doesn't want to be contactable in transit.


By the way, am I the only one who thinks it a bit incongruous that the TV show "Gadgets gadgets gadgets", currently showing on Bravo, has its stage set decorated principally with a Revox B77 open-reel tape machine, of the type introduced to the UK in 1978......?

Regards, Graham

 

[securespark]

Remember when Ericsson brought out those water-resistant/proof phones

Nokia did a similar model which I was quite interested in as I'm always dropping my 3410. Last night I dropped it down the pan! Yuk.......

Lucky I didn't loose it......

 

[kendor]

I didn't know they did petrol one, I've borrowed a electric one from my next door neighbour and it wasn't that powerful specially with wet leaves.

ah that answer it for me then , glad i got this one it copes with wet leaves stones, small branches it sucks them up and reduces them to dust in the collection bag, magic!