I went to iTunes tonight to find some new music. Since I now site at a desk again for most of the day I took my iPod to work and rock out while I work. But the songs are old and stale to me. Sure they still sound good but some of it is so old it reminds me of my job back in 2000-01 time frame. 

I decided to check out some new tunes. I found some good stuff. When it came time to make the purchase I was presented with an updated iTunes agreement. I decided to read. It all looks the same. I would like a special section that points out the changes. Man would that make my life easier. So then my thoughts drifted to the authorizing a computer to play DRM’d music. The limit is still 5. I have some older computer, that probably don’t exist, still authorized. Doing some research I found this document from Apple.

About iTunes Store authorization and deauthorization.

It explains how to get those old computers off the list but not until I reach the limit. So I guess I know what to do when that happens. Argh, then the hassle of re-authorizing them again.

 So after 5 years we (me) decided to purchase a new computer. Of course it had to be another Mac. I can not really imagine buying a Window$ based computer. I use one at work and that is enough for me. The beauty, simplicity and “it just plain work” factors won me over years ago and I still am smitten.
I hooked up the older 20″ monitor to it also so we have a very large workspace.
I opted to buy in the store because I couldn’t see paying the extra $50 for an upgraded video card that I probably wouldn’t take advantage of in the first place. Then the employee discount kicked in and made it all worth it.

Ah... the power of cheese

I feel like an Arby’s commercial.

Almost all the blogs I follow have stopped posting. What the…? Is it the summer time? Is it the start of school? Did everyone have their fun with blogging the just kick it to the curb like last night pizza boxes? Post people, post. Write about anything. Write about other people not posting… oh, wait that topic has been covered. Write about the last month of TV watching with the Olympics, then 2 political conventions. Write about how hard it is to type with these long finger nails… I have to cut them before church tomorrow.

So I am writing this a new browser called Fluid. It is a Mac only application but it is very cool. It makes SSBs (Site Specific Browsers). Now I have a separate application for my blog. It is called Lost in TX and I created a cool icon for it and everything. This can be done with any site. The application can be restricted to certain domains. This my work wonders for the boys. Although the built in Parental Controls are very good. Grant is restricted to PBSkids and Nick Jr.

Speaking of Grant he just completed his second week of Kindergarten. He is big time now.

Finally. A wordpress iPhone app. This should make things easier, but don’t I say that with all my brilliant ideas.
It is native to the blog software so it works flawlessly… so far. And adding photos seems to be fairly easy too.

That is the question…

Last June I waited in line with the other nerds to get my iPhone on the first day. This year the hype isn’t as bad but I sense it starting to build. Yes I am using my online “spidey” sense to feel the pulse of the blogosphere.
MacWorld writer Peter Cohen wrote in “Macworld iPhone News”:

The biggest difference of the new iPhone 3G is reflected in the name — the phone offers 3G network compatibility, which Apple says will mean dramatically better performance for transferring data. What’s more, the 3G features will improve performance when you transfer data and talk at the same time. Which is great — if you live in an area where you can get 3G access. I don’t. I seem to live at the perimeter of AT&T’s coverage area.

Now, the iPhone 2.0 software update and the App Store that comes with it are certainly draws. But owners of the current iPhone model will be able to upgrade to the 2.0 software for free. So I’ll be able to run those new iPhone applications anyhow.

One cool feature in the iPhone 3G takes advantage of the new handset’s built-in GPS capability — it’s called photo geotagging, which makes it possible for you to pinpoint, with reasonable accuracy, just where you’ve taken any pictures on your iPhone. I have to admit that I rarely use my iPhone’s camera — it seems that I’ve permanently smudged the lens no matter how hard I try to clean it, so every picture I take looks smeared and foggy. But geotagging is cool — not cool enough to make me want to buy a new phone, however.

Apple and AT&T are certainly making it enticing to upgrade — the 8GB iPhone 3G will cost $199, compared to the $399 I spent last November on the 8GB model. But AT&T’s subsidization comes at a price: the data plan costs more under this new deal, so over the life of my contract, I would end up spending more on the new phone than I would if I just stuck with what I had.

It’s also nice that Apple has incorporated a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, instead of the silly recessed jack on my iPhone, so you can use any set of headphones instead of having to rely either on Apple’s uncomfortable (for me) earbuds or an adapter. But I’ve already bought that adapter, and besides, I use the iPhone’s media player capabilities infrequently, as I already have an iPod.

So I won’t be standing in line with the faithful on July 11 to buy a new iPhone. How about you? If you’re a current iPhone owner, are you planning on moving over to the 3G model when it ships next month?

My response is well I won’t be standing in line on July 11 either. I probably will wait until Saturday morning to get mine.
There are only one or two things in my life that I have to have. And some don’t even occur on a constant basis. ‘LOST’ just finished season 4 (a shortened season) and the next one won’t be on until next January time frame. So what am I supposed to do until then? Ahhhh… Fill my time with the new iPhone, right.