I had a bit of birthday money and God knew it.
At Wally, I saw a pair of headphones marked down from $19 to $10, and I bought them. I sleep and have my computer in the “family room” in the basement, which is really my father’s den. That means I have to be quiet here, and while my computer is hooked up to a reciever & speakers, I really can’t use it.
But the headphones, though, well, when I put on Latin ala Lee, and Peggy sings her showtunes with that 60’s mambo beat, well, I can almost imagine I am dancing at the Tropicana. Almost
Then woot.com had a deal on a SanDisk Digital Audio Player, 512 Mb for $25. I love the Memorex my sister got me, but with cheap software and a Sigmatel 3440 chipset it doesn’t pause and resume. I get interrupted a lot, you see, to service the parents, and without that, it’s frustrating.
The SanDisk is based on the upgraded Sigmatel chipset, but has nicely customized software — everything from file selection to FM radio is pretty easy to get to.
Soon, I was in the world of Harry Flashman as he moved through the Punjab rebellion, and that was more fun than being here.
Ben’s Bargains had a link to an MP4 player based on a Samsung chipset with 1Gb of memory, rechargable lithium battery, and a color screen that can be used to play video for only $40 plus shipping. I sent the link to my sister, and she thought it would be a find birthday present.
It came fast, and although it has a very Asian asthetic — bright color & cartoony screens — it does what it says. Not much good for movies because the screen is square, but TV shows are OK. It’s nice, fun and looks like a StarTrek communicator, perforated grilles and all. I am still looking for the button that will beam me outta here, but I suspect that’s on the firmware update I cannot find.
I am an auditory person. This last week I have been again amazed at how I can be sucked into a different world by voices and music, and it has been a bit of a respite, though coming back to here is challenging — mouth infections, my father feeling down and wanting to stop his blood pressure medicine and more.
But if I can hear another world, well, whatever gets you though the day, eh?
Callan 