January 29, 2008

Well, today was fun. We got a little freezing rain today. We decided to run up for another half ton of pellets for the stove today. We decided to get them today so we don't need to go tomorrow. We ended up getting McDonalds for supper today. I always get 2 double cheese burgers and fries. I love the fries at McDonalds!
I have been thinking, there are some technologies that I think should make a come back. They could use some changes though for the market today. One of these is the Handheld PC. What is a Handheld PC? Most people would be thinking something along the lines of an OQO or Samsung Q1 Ultra. The Handheld PC is actually a PDA that runs a version of Windows CE.
Some of the things that made the Handheld PC good was the inclusion of Windows CE. CE doesn't mean anything according to Microsoft but it could mean Compact Edition. It is similar to a Windows 9x interface. They had large screens and a keyboard. They had a PC card slot and a CF slot for expansion and most had a touch screen.
Of course, this needs to be changed to be successful in the market now. These changes would need to make it closer to a real Windows OS. My idea is to make a stripped down version of XP. Make it be able to run on a low power processor to make battery life longer and generate less heat. They would have to be cheap also.
Another option is to make these a "classic PDA" that has a thumb operated keyboard and a 5" screen. A classic PDA is one that doesn't have a integrated Phone. These could be a success if you include a hard drive and market it for a multimedia handheld. Windows based handhelds have a lot of nice media players, some of which are even free.
I also want to see classic PDA handhelds regain market share. I do not want a PDA phone. I do not want to be tied to a contract. Would I like a contract free one with unlimited net and text messages? Yes I would love that. They are good devices but not for me. I am happy with a phone free PDA. Plus the classic models tend to have better hardware really.
One thing I would love to see come back to popularity is not a technology thing at all. I miss fountain pens being common. I can not write with a ball point pen for long without getting sore hands. I also think that a fountain pen is really nice to write with since you can choose different inks. I don't really like the cartridge fillers as much as I like bottle fillers. Maybe I am weird but I think a nice fountain pen is key to good handwriting skills. You can choose a nib that fits your writing style. Like I prefer a finer nib since I write kind of small. Everyone is different and that is why they have so many types of nibs, inks, and pens. Sure, a quality fountain pen may cost a lot but they last a lot longer then a ball point will! Bottled ink is also better for the environment since you aren't throwing away plastic.
There is one reason that a fountain pen is amazing. There is a brand of ink called Noodlers. They make a series of "Bullet Proof" inks. They are impossible to remove from paper without ruining the paper first. They have a black one that is prefect for everyday use too. Its also cheap at about 10 dollars for 3 ounces of ink that will last you quite awhile.
I forgot to mention that I played UT3 yesterday. I have been playing ONLINE too! I am starting to get good too. I played team death match yesterday, and today I played some capture the flag. I play with my cousin a lot too. Practice makes perfect!!!