TRENT GOES BALLISTIC! / VOLKSWAGEN HAS DONE IT AGAIN WITH THE ALL-NEW CC!!

Today was quite an irritating day at Casey Imports in Newport News when I was given the runaround by Volkswagen Leasing department over the phone just to have my license plates transferred from my VW Jetta I had traded in. I was first misinformed the day before by a representative at VW that I would have to acquire a Plate Return Receipt from the Casey dealership. Once I arrived to Casey this morning I found that this Receipt document was indeed nonexistent, but I at least got the old plates back from my Jetta. From that point I was told over the phone by VW that I would only need to receive a Plate Release Form from them via fax in order to have permission to use the plates on my Honda CR-V. At this point I was under the impression that the fax would be instant and that all would be well...I was wrong.

After 10 minutes I called back VW and spoke to a different female representative who informed me that faxes for the Plate Release Form usually take 24 to 48 HOURS!!!! The reasoning for this was that VW Leasing goes through a third party service to whom they forward a request to process the necessary form. I was thoroughly disappointed that the previous VW staffer had not told me this and had me waiting for a fax that was not coming any time soon! After hearing my concern she expressed that there was nothing she could do to make the process any faster. I felt defeated as I hung up the phone, but a part of me said "F*** THIS S***!". In my opinion, there was NO reason as to why a fax should have to take TWO days and I was not about to stand for it! If the FIRST rep had informed me of that rule from the beginning then there would have not been an issue, but I was given the green light to expect otherwise. I redialed the 800 number to VW Leasing only to get a male phone rep.

This guy heard my story and displayed much empathy on his part with the expected "I understand how you feel" script, but he at least offered to expedite the process for me and give me a call back on my cell within FIVE minutes to let me know of the status. Per his word the expedited fax would take only 15 to 30 minutes to receive After giving him my call back number I felt confident that he would call back promptly...I was wrong. FIVE MINUTES. TEN MINUTES! FIFTEEN MINUTES!! I was LIVID!!! Back to redialing I went on that 800 number and I was connected to a woman named Rolanda, and she had absolutely no idea what was in store for her on the other end.

After repeating my story yet again but in a much more urgent tone, she remained calm and offered to actually put me on hold and talk to her supervisor. I waited for 2 minutes and she came back on the line with good news that I could expect a fax in a few moments and asked me to hold again. I was elated at this point and rushed to the financial office at Casey Imports to await the fax. Rolanda returned on the line with a monkey wrench of a situation: the payoff check from Casey Imports received for my traded VW Jetta on the 29th of October was not guaranteed funds...and I would have to wait TEN DAYS for the funds to be verified!!!! I took my Nokia E90 and went outside of the dealership showroom to excuse myself. Lord forgive me for I have sinned, but I went THERMONUCLEAR on Rolanda and put her on blast over the phone! At this point I was seeing red and my rage took my mouth into autopilot. She tried to interject twice but was sadly unsuccessful. When she did get a word in edgewise she attempted the usual "I understand how you feel" routine and I proceeded onto round two of my ABM explosion! My reasoning for being so infuriated was having to find out about such inconvenient news at the LAST minute after being led on through such a terrible runaround from VW Leasing. After the dust had settled and I regained my calm, Rolanda, who had been so professional and composed the entire time, assured me that she would work to do something and give me a call back.

After about ten minutes I had given up and started to drive away from the dealership when I suddenly got a callback from Rolanda. THE FAX HAD BEEN SENT THROUGH TO THE DEALERSHIP!!! I picked up the document and expressed my sincerest apologies and thanks to Rolanda when I dialed her extension. I am deeply grateful to her tenacity and compassion and patience. I can now proceed with getting my plates transferred to my Honda CR-V!

However, before all of this mess had happened I was actually smitten by a new sports car model that has been recently released from Volkswagen: the CC!! I would be lying if I said that I wasn't pissed at the thought of driving my 1999 Honda in comparison to this all-new CC, but what more can I do? Here are some pictures I took of a dark blue and white model inside of the showroom with my Nokia E90. When I uploaded the pictures to my Mac, I was instantly reminded of how much better the E90 camera quality is in comparison to the E71.

I know some people get tired of me talking about my E90, but I can't help it! It is by far a most impressive device for me to this day amongst all of the new arrivals in the smartphone world, so if anyone is frustrated by my going on and on about the E90...I don't know what to say to them! It is what it is. If I ever come across something surpassing the E90 in terms of usability, then I will talk constantly about that model instead!!

TRENT
Sent from my MacBook Pro

Nokia E90 Resurrected in Midst of Buyer's Temptation

On the eve of Halloween I am right now typing this message on my E90 Communicator for a number of reasons. All of these can basically be summed up to the fact that I have grown somewhat bored of my E71 device and needed a change of pace for right now in regards to my smartphone usage. Yes, the E71 has been and continues to serve me well in every aspect of my day from my fitness management to my personal network connections, but I began reading online accounts of the new Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 and Samsung Epix devices that have just been released. Caught in that same cycle of wanting to yearn for one of these phones that I cannot afford, I quickly needed a diversion that could be just as great as my E71 if not better. This is when my E90 Communicator arrived to the rescue and instantly kept me from feeling sorry for my ownership of the E71. I almost forgot how good it feels to type on the wide qwerty with wild abandon all of these thoughts that are flowing from my mind, and I am glad that I have regained this experience once again. Being reunited with the high resolution widescreen is simply amazing and I can hardly wait to play music from these full-sound stereo speakers!

What's interesting about this turn of events is that instead of reaching for a way to spend money and obtain some new tech toy, I looked within and became satisfied with what I already had. Unlike the average American who is usually stuck with a device for the remainder of a contract period, I fortunately have a number of models to choose from: Nokia E71, E90, N93, Palm Treo 750, Samsung i780 and HP 510 Voice Messenger (not even worth the plastic that holds it together). There was a BlackBerry Curve given to me by a friend, but that's basically an instance where I could most assuredly determine that my standards were too demanding for such an average model and so it sits in silence in its own box. How spoiled I must be to have at least 3 great phones that I wouldn't mind using on a daily basis if necessary and still cast negative judgement on them after seeing a couple of new units!

It's that whole buyer's temptation that creeps into one's mind and immediately renders every past model obsolete, and as a result there is one disenchanted user feeling that they are forsaken with an inadequate device. This is indeed a cycle and can be attributed to ANY marketable product, and I have had personal experiences in this aspect with both my vehicle and my PC computer. In an effort to garner a sensible cost savings and greater efficiency into my life, it was necessary for me to trade down both of these things...which was definitely not easy. Parting with a 2007 VW Wolfsburg Jetta with such a heightened personal image of sporty appeal and going to a dowdy yet utilitarian 1999 Honda CR-V really requires one to swallow a huge amount of pride in the face of logical reasoning. As much as I wanted to cruise the highways in the most recent design of German engineering, I knew that this was unwise since the car was only a lease. In addition to that there was also the prospect of having to pay more expensive prices for fees such as VA property tax, car payment and auto insurance coverage. I solved ALL of these problems when I obtained the older and cheaper Honda, and in some ways got over the fact that I was no longer impressing myself in that sleek and sexy Volkswagen sports car. With my PC computer it was a matter of common sense for regular usage in school. The eye-catching Toshiba 17inch P305 with harmon/kardon stereo speakers and Windows Vista was indeed a model to be reckoned with whenever I would pull it out of my laptop backpack, but the thing was GARGANTUAN! Having a private writing session for a term paper at a local coffee shop proved to be cumbersome, not to mention carrying it around in such a large backpack. The tons of features available on this desktop replacement didn't sway me to use it on a regular basis outside of schoolwork since I already use my MacBook Pro, so they were basically a waste for the money I had spent. After realizing that my schooling only required Office 2007, Internet access and email, it was time to trade down to a cheaper and smaller model stacked with the most basic of necessities. This is where the Asus EeePC 1000HD came in with its 900MHz Intel Celeron M, 1GB RAM, wifi and Windows XP OS...all without a webcam, stereo speakers, huge screen or glossy touch sensitive controls. After installing and reactivating Office 2007 flawlessly and getting bluetooth via my Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000, I now have the perfect 10inch model for school that can be toted easily anywhere with calling too much attention to myself. Using this for taking notes in class has been such an amazing experience that I actually caught the attention of a few students looking to purchase an Asus EeePC for themselves! Making this transition was not really difficult since I hardly used the 17inch Toshiba and was more than willing to decrease the bulk and weight for a portable school computer.

As a result of these two moves with the car and laptop changes, I do feel more fulfilled and responsible as a consumer seeking any kind of expense savings that are worthwhile. On the road to paying down debt for a life of financial freedom while working to earn a degree for a better paying job, such a great investment of my time and effort! Now that music has been playing from the stereo speakers of this impressive E90 for quite some time, I had better get started on my day now that sunlight has been filling my bedroom.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E90 Communicator.

Asus Eee PC 1000HD impressions

It has been a few days that I have spent with this new netbook for school and I am pleased to say that I have made the best decision for my personal usage of a Windows PC. The $379.99 that I had spent at Best Buy was indeed a wise investment to make in my financial situation of cutting back expenses and saving money, and I have even inpsired some classmates to look into the Asus Eee PC for themselves! Since recently downloading Intellipoint 6.1 software for my own Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000, I now have a mouse AND Bluetooth included with this machine and my perfect netbook is complete!!!

The portability of this machine in itself is an amazing feature that I simply adore after having to tolerate the bulkiness of the Toshiba 17inch P305! Toting this thing to Panera Bread and night classes has never been an issue since this Eee can remain out of sight and not be too much of a distraction, and I have even used this in the comfort of my own Honda CR-V! The overall form factor is somewhat light in weight and the plastics appear to be high-grade in texture. While the outside cover of the Eee is very sleek with its polished finish, it is susceptible to fingerprints and smudges. The layout of the keyboard and screen is essentially a godsend in the field of small computing, for anything smaller than the ten inches on this 1000HD model would have been troublesome for me in regards to efficient typing. There are four menu buttons at the upper left part of the keyboard and the first two are for enabling standby and changing screen resolution while the remainder are user configurable. I have chosen to program one button to open a new blank Word document while leaving the other to select different performance settings for the battery. Speaking of the battery, the life of it has been good for at least a little over 4 hours for me which is basically an enitre session of class.

I must admit that I did underestimate the productivity of the 900MHz Intel Celeron M processor paired with 1GB RAM for daily multitasking, but I have been fortunately proven wrong in a most impressive fashion. For all that I have called this Asus to do in regards to my computing neeeds it has been fully reliable without fail. As a matter of fact, I am right now typing this blog entry on my Asus via the Blogger site on my wifi network with a Bluetooth USB dongle and an installed 4GB SD card of music tracks that are being played back from Windows Media Player! While I honestly miss the extra bass punch provided by the stereo harmon/kardon speakers on the 17inch Toshiba I parted with, I can still appreciate the adequate performance of the Eee. This unit is primarily for schoolwork after all, so the importance of multimedia features will have to play second fiddle to the presence of bare essentials. Downloading, reactivating and using Office 2007 has been painless and simple for all of my document and spreadsheet management for classes. No lagging of any manner has been noticed in navigating between windows, but there was a bit of slow pacing when downloading big software applications from Online. Either way I do think it was to be expected from the Intel chip since it is in a netbook and not a laptop, a few minutes of uploading large files is surely not the end of the world.

In the midst of using the Windows XP operating system I have realized that Vista is simply overkill for what I need in a PC. The smooth performance of this Eee XP device is WORLDS away from the 2.10GHz AMD Turion in that HP TX2110 tablet with 3GB RAM, and I am not sure if the HP suffered from the demanding Vista OS or from a lackluster AMD chip. It just goes to show me that it's never wise to bite off more than I can chew, especially when it comes to PC being my secondary after the Mac. There is no need for video editing, movie viewing, video gaming, photo altering, music creating or any other kind of complicated task on this Eee, so having less than what I'm accustomed to with features is quite alright and hasn't bothered me. Office 2007 functions, web access, email and occasional playback of music (from an SD card and not an uploaded music library) are all perfectly suited for this model, and I am proud to be an Eee owner!

The included photo of my Eee setup was taken with my Nokia E71, transferred to my Eee via Bluetooth and then posted to this blogpost via the Blogger utility.

TRENT
Sent from my Asus EeePC 1000HD

New Run Record

Lately I have been doing my best to remain consistent with my 5 mile runs through the neighborhood. Every now and then I do get the urge to take a break while still being sensible with my eating habits, but I try to make up for it on the next run I take on. Today I am proud to announce that I have achieved a goal of surpassing my personal best and setting a new standard for myself. Anyone who uses the Nike Sport Kit knows about the typical announcement of one's personal run data at the end of a workout session. What makes this even sweeter is when the voice of some famous athlete (usually Lance Armstrong) proclaims a personal fitness victory through the headphones. To hear his voice today after the summary of my workout was indeed exhilarating as I return to my condo! Apparently my run today is the absolute best that I have achieved so far in regards to distance and time. I may not be up to par in comparison to an Olympic athlete, but I am happy to say that the picture of my iPod nano screen speaks for itself!!

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

Nokia E71: Long Term Impressions

Wow! I think it is safe to say that this Nokia E71 device of mine has definitely been an instrumental part of my daily life and will remain as such for a LONG time to come. One primary reason for being with this particular model for an extended period of time may be my inability to afford new phones, but nonetheless I actually LIKE and PREFER this model even to my E90 Communicator!

The slim profile, solid build quality, acceptable weight, tactile qwerty, word completion, exceptional reception and sound, useful apps, GPS, wifi, bluetooth, and North American 3G support have made this device one of my most prized possessions. I had dropped this phone twice in past months onto concrete and one time even had it slip out of its leather case, but the metallic exterior held up quite nicely and only shows a slight scratch on the upper right corner. At an overall glance my E71 is still in pristine condition as I use it every day of the week for home, school and even fitness. I cannot say enough how much of a benefit it has been to have a capable ESeries device that is light, portable and pocketable, and I haven't used a belt clip holster in MONTHS since I have owned it and don't plan to get one anytime soon!

What can I say about the qwerty other than it's a perfect compromise for being narrow yet retaining perfect tactile feedback for my messaging needs? Not much. Over the weeks of usage I have become proficient in quickly typing on the keys to churn out texts, emails, documents and notes in the most efficient way possible (with copy/paste ability included), and a big thanks can also go to the word completion software that Nokia has included in the E71. Why Nokia hasn't added this feature to the E90 in the latest firmware upgrade is beyond me, but I am happy to have it on my E71 and have no complaints. Being so familiar with the qwerty is indeed a good thing, and I recently learned from Howardforums.com users how to dial phone numbers with letters such as 1800-TOSHIBA or 1800-MYAPPLE. The qwerty bar form factor is extremely great in regards to performing on the go in the midst of my ongoing activities, since I don't have to worry about opening or sliding anything to type a simple response message.

Sound quality on calls has never been an issue with my Nokia devices in past and present, and this E71 continues that legacy. Infact, if I didn't know any better I would say that the implementing of 3G has actually enhanced the reception quality of my E71 in comparison to my EDGE-only E90. Inside my condominium there are two dead spots for my network signal and I have no idea why, but EVERY single past phone that I have owned would fall victim to those dead spots with dropped calls and weakened reception...yes, even the E90. However, that had all changed once I started using the E71 with AT&T 3G and I am pleased to claim that the dead spots inside my own home are NO MORE!! I can finally email attachments, send texts and make calls without having to find a window or go outside onto my terrace!! If this isn't reason enough to stay devoted to this device through thick and thin, then I don't know what is.

Out of all of these apparent pros for the E71, what stands out the most in my usage is the useful functionality of the available applications that add more to a great user experience! Google Maps has saved me plenty of times in either finding my way through unfamiliar areas or connecting me with local businesses via thorough searching capability. Nokia Podcasting has provided an alternate way to stay current on some of my favorite podcasts such as This Week in Tech and The MobileTech Roundup. Internet Radio is simply amazing for when I need a departure from the 920 audio tracks on my 6GB microSD card. The S60 web browser is a terrific alternative in efficiently navigating the Internet with a non-touchscreen phone, and the inclusion of flash video support has been such a worthwhile feature for Nokia to implement! The calendar being updated to reflect the double-pane interface I first saw on the E90 Communicator has lent to quick managing of appointment scheduling. My most favorite application by far has got to be the impressive Nokia Sports Tracker that I use on my 5 mile runs to track my course via GPS along with other data. After completing the workout I can then upload the information DIRECTLY to my account on the beta online service for all to see, essentially doing the same thing my iPod nano does with the Nike Sport Kit without a computer!!! A third party application named Missing Sync for Symbian is a GODSEND and is worth EVERY penny from a Mac owner looking for a reliable sync utility for their Nokia device!! Since day one of installing it on my laptop and phone I have relied completely on the automatic bluetooth proximity syncing between my E71 (even my E90) and MacBook Pro with no problems whatsoever!

Another pro that cannot be ignored is the new interface of the home screen. Being able to initiate communication with ANY of my contacts by typing their name from the home screen is such a time saver. So much so that I have completely forgotten about the voice dialing capability! Having new notifications for missed calls, incoming texts and voicemails posted at the bottom of the home screen for easy access is another convenient addition.

Easy to reach home keys for home, calendar, contacts and messaging that can also be programmed for long press commands offer great ease in quickly accessing information when needed. The iconic d-pad with the built-in notification light is GENIUS!! Having a screen saver that shows the time of the day in HUGE font has come in handy for me more than I thought, especially on those mornings when I've had to get up early!

I can admit that the Symbian operating system is a challenge for any first time user, but with time and patience anyone can master confident and speedy navigation of its menus. Due to my E71's processor, speed has always been at a high standard whenever I would have to go through the interface or multitask with numerous open apps. For instance, in the midst of writing this blog email and playing music from the speaker this E71 continues to alert me of incoming messages and emails! Even two phone calls were accepted, and once I hung up the E71 took me back to my email draft and resumed the playback of my music without missing a beat!!

While there is so much to be thankful for in owning this E71, I would be lying if I said there was no compromising to be made with certain features. Firstly, the 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, though tolerable, is not up to the same level as the E90 in regards to low light settings and video capturing. Still pictures taken in low light reveal a grainy appearance that is an inconvenience when being viewed in full resolution on a computer screen, and video footage is not at the same TV quality 30 frames per second as the E90. However, over time I have learned that having an outstanding phone, reliable PDA, and suitable multimedia features come first before a perfect phone camera since I have a Canon SD750 anyway. Secondly, the external speaker in mono took a while to get used to after the amazing stereo performance of the E90, but its LOUD volume and clarity of sound had won me over. I had also found that since the speaker is at the top of the E71, it isn't muffled by my hands while I am typing on the qwerty like on the E90. If I was picky I could even mention the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack, but I have an iPod for music and am not a fan of talking on headsets anyway. With this in mind I conclude that even though some things could use a bit of improvement, they are still tremendously worlds ahead of offerings from certain competitors such as Windows Mobile.

Wait a minute!! As much as I am a fan of Nokia I've got to be honest in regards to the messaging app and its handling of email. This has got to be the one feature that is definitely surpassed by the Windows Mobile alternative of the Outlook Mobile, and the sad part is that the beta for Nokia Push Email has not been impressive at all. HTML support is still granted by the E71 via a link on the message itself, so that's better than nothing. No device is perfect...not even my treasured E71, but that's where the meaning for compromise comes into play.

In all honesty there are so many benefits that instantly do away with the few negatives in using this E71 for all of my smartphone needs, and I can really see myself with this model permanently. Now that I am off the market as a buyer of new phones, I notice that there really isn't anything out there that is currently a worthy upgrade to what my E71 can do for me. Seeing the same old mediocre offerings from Windows Mobile devices as well as the apparent iPhone copycats has caused me to grow bored of the smartphone industry to a point. I recently read a review on the new Google G1 that didn't really cast a favorable impression and the Palm Treo Pro didn't come out on top for me either. At the end of the day I got what I wanted from Nokia in the E71, a suitable alternative to my E90 that is more adaptable for my everyday use. Until a competing conglomerate can manufacture something that fits or surpasses this standard, I am sticking to my E71 all the way in the midst of the mediocre predictability of today's smartphone industry.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

Town Point Park is GONE!!

On a normal day I get up from bed, brush my teeth, run 5 miles and then shower for the day, but today was different. The morning cold instantly turned me off from wanting to run, so I stayed inside and did my usual preparation for the day. However, when I walked out of my condo to check the mail I noticed that the weather had become perfectly sunny. Despite having already showered I was immediately inspired to jump into my shorts and tank top and take to running!!

In the midst of making my way through Downtown Norfolk I was taken aback by a most horrifying sight behind a wire fence. Town Point Park is totally leveled!! All of the trees are gone!! The red brick and paved pathways are all destroyed!! Bulldozers were hauling earth back and forth and jackhammers were hard at work!! This is a real shame since I recently got used to running through that park during the day. I assume that renovations are under way to improve the look of the park, which isn't a bad thing. Hopefully this city project will soon be done so I can resume running through that waterside area.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

Asus Eee PC 1000HD purchase

It appears that the convincing I attempted to do in talking down the Asus Eee PC didn't work the other day, for I now have one in my possession from Best Buy after selling my Toshiba 17inch P305. After being with the bigger laptop for a while, there was no doubt in my mind that the netbook was the way to go. My one mistake from day one was not taking into consideration my full reliance on my MacBook Pro for all of my daily computing needs. Upon my search for a suitable school computer, I spent money on something that was supposed to be a comparable match to my Mac and found a good portion of it wasted in my usage. I found that my PC laptop was only preferred for when I had to write a term paper with MS Office 2007, and there was nothing else I would consider doing on it that wasn't surpassed by my MacBook Pro. Another factor was the bulkiness of a 17inch model whenever I had to travel with it to school for study groups or to a local coffee shop for further schoolwork completion. When I tried to bring my laptop to school for note taking I found it's size to be distracting to other classmates...and I hated having to tote that thing around campus. Honestly, I bit off a lot more than I could chew with my first PC purchase. Instead of looking for a simple, cost-effective model with the basic necessities I was mistakenly in search of a Mac replacement. I remember that it was the DESIRED specs that drew me to both the HP TX2110 tablet and the Toshiba P305, not the NEEDED specs. Instead of getting my money's worth in both PCs via tasks that surpassed email, Internet and word processing, I had short changed myself by going overboard in what I actually needed for schoolwork. All of the casual web surfing, video editing and multimedia managing is done flawlessly by my MacBook Pro and I need no replacement from Internet Explorer, Windows Movie Maker or the Zune Marketplace. What that in mind I sold the 17inch for close to $400 and used the money to get the Asus Eee PC 1000HD from Best Buy for $379.99.

Running Windows XP Home Edition with a 900MHz Intel Celeron M processor, a 120GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM, this is just enough for writing notes, term papers and occasional web access. It's 10inch screen is of course a far cry from the glory of the P305, but it's absolutely more portable and efficient for traveling. It didn't take long to get everything setup with my personal wifi and a free download of avast for virus protection (paying $80 to Norton is sickening to me), and I had no trouble in downloading and activating Office 2007!!! Of course this is a trade down quite similar to my move from a 2007 Wolfsburg Jetta to a 1999 Honda CR-V, but it is more sensible for what I need in a PC right now. With it's small form factor and inferior specs Eee is not for leisure like my wonderful Mac, but I am confident that it will get the job done with my schooling.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

New MacBooks/Buyer's Temptation

A part of last evening was spent inside of an Apple Store to take a look at the new MacBook line, and I didn't really have any sudden urge to get excited over its recent facelift. Whether this resistance to buying a new Mac is due to my financial situation or my contentment with my current MacBook Pro is not as important as the consumer reactions I witnessed at the store. Of course I heard regret from a few who had recently purchased a new Apple laptop and felt cheated that they weren't warned of this new release, but what surprised me was the disappointment of one particular Mac user. He showed a very sour face as his wife stood next to him before the new incarnation of the MacBook Pro because he would have preferred the aesthetics of the newer model. This wasn't a situation where he had bought his laptop within 2 weeks past, but instead he had been using his unit for at least a year. What shocked me was the anger he felt toward the Apple Store for not giving him fair warning that such a upgrade would arrive to the MacBook line. He somehow felt that the store was to blame for cheating him out of an opportunity to get the latest and greatest computer, and I simply felt sorry for his skewed sense of reality. It is a fact of life that things do evolve and people can definitely be left in the dark with what they think is an inferior product once a new version arrives...especially one that looks considerably different. I guess I had my fair share of that man's feelings when I was angry about my previous iPod Touch not being compatible with the new Nike Sport Kit software.

The new look of the revived laptop line is truly a sight to see and continues to boldly preach Apple, Inc.'s philosophy of minimalist design and clean lines, but I wonder if the upgrade worthiness only runs skin deep. I completely understand that there are some improvements underneath, but overall I don't really feel that those changes are much of a far cry from the previous generation MacBook line. When I studied the outer form of those new laptops I was mostly impressed with the new multitouch trackpad, but after only a few minutes of usage I concluded there was no huge benefit gained from this new innovation. Sure, I could spin and control zooming on a picture in the Preview application which had its short-lived novelty, but there really was no other feature from it that I had discovered. While it may be appropriate for me to reserve judgement on this part of the machine since I haven't spent more than a few minutes with it, I still can't help but feel a preference for the old trackpad model on my own MacBook Pro model. The new thinner profile and unibody construction had made a terrific impression on me in regards to product appeal, but the operating system was nothing new and looked like any other modern Mac I had worked with. At that point I was done with my introduction to the new computers, and after a brief moment of browsing the accessory shelves for anything eye-catching I walked out of the store without a second thought. I realized then that my MacBook Pro is really enough for my daily computing and multimedia library management, and it felt great to resist that urge to want a brand new toy that would have grown old too fast anyway.

While it felt great to briskly walk the mall with such confidence in having defeated the enticing advertising of the Apple, Inc. conglomerate, I was not totally free from danger as of yet. Later that night I drove to Best Buy and came across an Asus EEE PC 1000HD model for $379. My mind began to race with thoughts of how I could benefit from owning a smaller Asus by selling my 17inch Toshiba P305 model, and I was back at square one of succumbing to buyer's temptation. As much as I did like the smaller footprint of the Asus, I would have to be comfortable with giving up some features from the bigger computer. While the loss of some RAM, hard drive space, an optical drive and those amazing harmon/kardon speakers didn't seem too unbearable, I had to consider the workable real estate of the screen for my schoolwork. I remember how much I detested working with even the slightly larger HP tablet I used to own, but I am wondering if that was mostly due to the AMD chip which wasn't exactly the fastest choice for extensive multi-tasking. Overall I didn't like the cramped spacing of the screen and plenty of times preferred the 17inch screen for multiple windows in the midst of online research and writing term papers. Speaking of writing I also noticed that the EEE PC only had Microsoft Works and not Office 2007. Since taking that introductory course for Office 2007, I have learned how to comfortably navigate its many features and use them quite often in my papers. I would hate to let go of all that to go to Works for all of my word processing. Even if I could install Office onto the Asus, whose to say that the 1GB of RAM wouldn't be taxed to the point where OS freezing would occur? The more I consider the comparison between my Toshiba and the Asus, I lean more toward keeping my 17inch model. I think it wiser to do this in case my Mac dies off and I need a comparable replacement...knock on wood!!

If I am really in need of a portable writing machine, I've got my Nokias equipped with Quickoffice apps!! My E90 is a goldmine in this regard with its widescreen and my comparable E71 is even more impressive with its portability. If there's ever a chance to gain the Asus as an extra unit to my two laptops, there might be a possibility. But saving money and being resourceful is the name of the game for now, not tech toy extravagance.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

scarlet takes a tumble

I KNOW IT'S NOT POLITE TO LAUGH AT STUFF LIKE THIS, BUT I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!!

The Financial Crisis Explained

Camcorder Sold/Looking Ahead

I am still in the middle of a personal quest to maximize the eradication of my debt, and I have made yet another sale on one of my cherished gadgets: my Panasonic PV-GS300. I had purchased this camcorder in 2006 after some extensive online research, and I really enjoyed using it to make video projects. Truth of the matter is that after a while this Panasonic ended up stored inside my camcorder bag in my closet and was RARELY pulled out again into this year of 2008. The thought of selling this unit never crossed my mind until I came into the mode of letting go of my materialistic tendencies. Releasing my grip on a number of my tech toys has been quite liberating so far and I am eager to become more fulfilled as a human being.

There was a part of me that hesitated in selling this camera, but I had to consider the big picture of my life and make the best decision for my debt management...especially if I wasn't using it! What made selling this device much easier was knowing that a friend of a friend would be able to make full use of it once she moves to Cairo, Egypt later on this week. So this situation really isn't about letting go as much as it is about blessing someone else with a worthwhile gift. I am happy that this young woman will be able to document her adventures in the Middle East on videotape and I wish her all the best in doing so!

With one parting glance I took a final picture of the camera packaging with the bag and the tripod. I also took a snapshot of the video projects that had been created back in 2006 with the help of my MacBook Pro's iMovie application. No longer being behind the camera and on the video editing suite has not been an unpleasant experience for me, for I would like to spend more time in writing. I have tried my hand at being like Spielberg in the filming world and Denzel in the acting world, so it may be time for me to go back to basics. I first learned of my affinity for writing in fourth grade and have since then seen first hand just how people are affected when the right words are orchestrated in the most beautiful ways. Night school may have me taken away from enough free time to film and act, but there is always a free moment to write...thank goodness for qwerty keypads and mobile office suites on my smartphone!

TRENT
Sent from my MacBook Pro

Not So Sure

I am currently sitting in the middle of night class with a worksheet before me...and I seriously have no idea what the hell I am supposed to do to answer these questions. How in the world did I ever fly under the radar to end up in this compromising position?! It is the fourth week of this term and I seriously feel like I haven't learned much of anything since the first class just a while ago!! I have officially come to a moment of forsaken effort in maintaining my bearings in this particular class, and I am just holding out for the final exam at this point. It appears that the instructor's delivery of the material is so dry and uninteresting with the monotone sound of his voice, and my own attempts at reading ahead in the course book have been futile. Pushing harder in my study times haven't helped my test averages, but classwork and homework grades are great. I don't know why my brain seems to have such a difficult time grasping this material when I wholeheartedly would like to learn it all.

What makes this all so conflicting is that I recently got an invitation to the Phi Theta Kappa honor society due to my high GPA. Of course there is some excitement from such an accomplishment, but there's also much self-doubt and fear of failure. If I am to join this honor society I would have to maintain my high GPA which is exactly what I intend to do. What scares me is the uncharted territory of all the new material to which I have yet to be introduced and whether or not I can comprehend it in its entirety. I don't just want to do enough to just pass, I want to actually UNDERSTAND what I am being taught throughout each term. I feel envious of classmates who seem to know these electronic subjects so well from personal experience and job training. They have absolutely no problem in spewing forth random formulas and concise explanations for circuitry phenomena and executing endless equations on their scientific calculators. The more I sit in the middle of these classes, the more I seem to be learning that this field is not my passion in the same manner as writing and performing onstage. Playing with gadgets and making video reviews on YouTube is different than studying circuitry and its components, and I may have gone in way over my head with ECPI. I am now scared stiff into doing nothing, and I know that is not the right answer. I also feel like gathering my things and walking out of the classroom, but I know that's not the answer either.

At the end of the day I will just have to try harder with some extra tutoring to start with. It's no one's grade but mine. One more year left of all this schooling and it seems so far away.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

It's official: 1999 Honda CR-V is mine

After only an hour and a half of paperwork at the dealership, I am pleased to announce that the deal for my new used Honda had been finalized as of yesterday morning. Though I am definitely excited to be free of that lease with the VW Wolfsburg Jetta and its high monthly payments, this situation is still bittersweet at best. I would be lying if I claimed to not miss anything about the German engineering of such a sporty car and the cool image it bestowed on me as its driver, but this change is for the better. After numerous calculations I found that I would be saving $171 a month in car payments and insurance combined, allowing me more freedom to pay off my outstanding debt. Not to mention that the CR-V is indeed mine since I paid $5600 in cash along with the help of my VW trade in, which in itself is such an accomplishment after years of paying lienholders!

Signs of wear are normal for this '99 vehicle and the interior is has been maintained quite nicely after all this time! While some friends of mine express concern over the 177K miles on the odometer, I simply have no doubt that the good reputation of the Honda brand and its long term reliability will benefit my ownership for many more miles to come. Minus a sunroof and remote for keyless entry like the Jetta, the same power amenities are offered in this mini SUV model along with all wheel drive. One HUGE luxury I didn't want to give up from trading in the Jetta was listening to my iPod via an auxiliary input on my car stereo(I HATE the radio transmitters), and the CR-V's cassette deck grants me this via a $10 adapter!! I welcome the return of fabric upholstery after realizing that leather isn't necessarily a favorite of mine from my previous Chevy Tracker LT and Jetta models, and the high viewing stance on the road is amazing as well. There is even a spoiler added to the Honda to give it a sportier look (only a little bit) that I find very eye-catching.

This only proves that I didn't have to settle for just any broken down wreck to stay within my $5000 price range. As a matter of fact I figured that ANY vehicle at that price would most likely be racked with high mileage, so I thought it best to stay with only Honda and Toyota as my brands of choice. I had always heard and read that these two Asian manufacturing giants produce the absolute best in regards to road longevity, so I was willing to bet on that.

My online search for a used car on AutoTrader.com first led me to a Driver's World and a Carmax dealership. While these two didn't offer any options under $8000, I was willing to give them a chance nonetheless with a visit. My experience at Driver's World was basically a waste of my time since I spent an hour and a half with a salesman who didn't seem to know the inventory of his own place of work! I sat inside of a Suzuki Aerio SX and a Chevy Camaro, but none of these provided any desirable prices for me nor did they impress me. I did notice a black VW Golf model, but that had been sold to another buyer that same day. Though a bit discouraged at the time, I think that it was best to not go for any older model VW since their reliability wasn't as great according to Consumer Reports ratings I had recalled seeing. The cheapest prospect available was a Suzuki Forenza at $8500 with a sunroof and power luxuries, but I wasn't taken with its weak stance and wanted to keep looking elsewhere. Upon searching the online inventory for Carmax of Va Beach I came across a 2000 Dodge Status coupe SE model that struck me as a sporty alternative to my Wolfsburg Jetta. Excited about its power features, cassette deck and sunroof I test drove this V6 model and was almost certain that it was the one for me. However, upon reading many negative reviews on Edmunds.com from previous owners and realizing that $8995 was too expensive, I was turned off.

It was at this time that I remembered the good standing of Asian vehicles from Honda and Toyota. Now that my brands were narrowed down it was a matter of choosing a body style. Since my intent was to keep this used car for a LONG period of time to continue paying off debt, it was imperative that I be comfortable with my decision. Despite their gains in gas mileage when compared to the Jetta, I refused to consider a small sedan or coupe for the sake of my own personal taste and overall practicality. I remembered how disappointed I became in the Jetta's small form factor when I realized how little I could carry within its cubic feet of storage, so the mini SUV was the best move for somewhat equal gas mileage and better storage.

Since there were HARDLY any Rav4 vehicles available from my search that intrigued me, I ended up coming full circle back to the Honda CR-V. I had owned one a few years ago and had planned on keeping it to refinance the loan for lower payments, but I allowed myself to be convinced by a dealer to roll my negative equity into a new 2004 Chevy Tracker LT (worst mistake of my auto ownership). Renewed by this new found certainty of knowing what I wanted, I took to AutoTrader.com once again and found three choices at my price range! There was a $4995 CR-V EX model in Taffeta white with a sunroof and I was hooked, but only shocked to find that it had already been sold that same day when I called the dealer!! The final two were conveniently located at the same business, one being a 1997 red LX model and the other a 1999 silver EX model. Both were priced at $5995 and I of course was interested in the high end silver EX, but it unfortunately had a manual transmission when it was posted as an automatic online! I still figured I could give the red one a fair shot with a test drive, so I visited the dealership. I will keep the dealer nameless since what I am about to write isn't in its favor at all. First off, I passed this business by mistake because I couldn't see it from the main road when I expected to see a huge car lot like any typical car dealer. Upon making a U-turn I was shocked to see that this business was just a hole in the wall establishment!! The office was nothing more than a small house which was extremely unkempt on the outside and equally so on the inside. I believe that my suspicions of this unprofessional display were verified when I saw a housecat resting on a chair in an office!!! Despite my initial judgement, I decided to at least wait and see the red CR-V anyway...WRONG IDEA! I was given the key to the vehicle and told to take my time, but when I took first sight of it I was disgusted beyond belief. While it was understandable to have the red paint job fading on this 1997 model, I couldn't justify the car having 4 DIFFERENT tires!! Opening the driver door introduced my nose to a musty basement scent of horribly stained upholstery and sunburned plastics. Sitting in the seat amidst the filthy interior immediately gave me the need to shower as I turned the key in the ignition. The engine ran fine, but that was this vehicle's only saving grace if it ever had one. Turning on the fans instantly brought a surge of settled vent dust and more of that old stench into my face...I nearly vomited in my mouth. Not convinced that I had enough torture I turned the fans all the way to the max only to hear a loud rattling and buzzing sound from behind the glove box!! In fear of some instant detination of a mystery bomb in this forsaken example of a car I quickly shut off the engine. After turning it in on again and testing the fan controls I realized it was a glitch, which didn't say much for the dealer's maintenance of this thing. Opening doors to old cobwebs, dead leaves, insect carcasses, busted plastic surfaces and excessive staining was too much...this was all topped off when I noticed the "V" had fallen off the back emblem only to leave "CR-". My impression of this car was undoubtedly ruined along with that of the dealer...I was done.

I was ready to give up and keep my Jetta, but late in the night I decided to conduct another online search via Google instead of AutoTrader.com. I was led to Yahoo! Autos and came across the listing for a black 1999 Honda CR-V EX for $5000 at Casey Imports in Newport News, VA! It had more mileage, but was at least cheaper and newer than the red 1997 travesty I had seen earlier! I jumped on it the next morning, took a test drive in this well-maintained SUV and the rest is history!

I cannot express how proud I am of myself for remaining determined to find the best vehicle at the perfect price!! I could have settled for mediocrity, but I refused and held out with sound reasoning and patience. Though there are withdrawal symptoms from missing the Jetta, I know in my heart that this is all for the betterment of the bigger picture of my life, my finances and my well-being. If my sacrifice of the Jetta for a much cheaper vehicle doesn't prove my maturity and my commitment to finding balance in this life, I don't what know what else would. With time I will continue to keep my spending under control and my debts at bay, and I am eager to become the best man that I can be in the process.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

New car has arrived

After realizing that the last Honda CR-V prospect was certainly a travesty in the worst way, I regrouped and went back to the drawing board. I had assumed that AutoTrader.com accounted for all of the pre-owned CR-V models, but this was a mistake. Upon entering a Google search for a used CR-V in my zip code area, I happened to discover an entry for a 1999 Honda CR-V EX in black! Even though the mileage is at 177K miles, the pricing of $5000 is well within my range of affordability at this point!! The high mileage really doesn't frighten me at all, for I am confident in the Honda name and its reputation for longevity even past 200K miles. Not only does this model offer the same power amenities as my Jetta, but it also adds all wheel drive and a spoiler on the back!

Once I sat inside this mini SUV I didn't feel the need to take a shower like the previous model offered from a different dealership. Signs of wear are minimum and the engine performance is very sufficient. Once the dealer solidifies the deal with a full tank of gas and detailing, I will officially be the owner of a Honda and the VW will be gone.

Gaining my second CR-V at $5000 is such an amazing feat that brings about savings in my car payment and my auto insurance, and I am relieved to be out of a lease and into my own vehicle. I am finally on the right path to financial freedom with this transaction and feel so excited about having such a practical and versatile Honda once again. Letting go of the VW luxury for the Honda sensibility is the face of a new turnaround at this point for me.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71-2

Nokia E90 blackout

One night I had an interesting occurrence with my E90 Communicator when I had attempted to use it for some writing and music listening. Upon turning on the power I proceeded to start the music player app and go into writing with the qwerty keypad. For no apparent reason, the speakers immediately began to emit a steady, high-pitched tone as the screen flashed green and then went completely black! This irritating sound continued as I pressed every button and closed and reopened the Communicator only to recieve no response. Taking out the battery was the only solution to this surprising incident and it has since been performing just fine as a daily smartphone unit. Even still, as I now type on this device with music effortlessly flowing from the stereo speakers I think that it is certainly best to keep the E90 after all. Such a scare with an expensive model is exactly what I would like to avoid for any potential buyer of my gadgets, for I would hate to go through any kind of major inconvenience with something that I had just purchased.

This situation has reminded me that material things are certainly finite no matter how high its retail price may be. Mechanical things...ALL things break down and eventually give up the ghost and this is a simple fact of life and death that cannot be avoided. In a way I think that this has also solidified my resistance against the urge to buy new gadgets. A phone is a phone is a phone is a phone, and they all basically do the same exact things in different methods. Being thankful for what I already have in my possession and making the most of it is definitely key. Even though I had struggled a little over a week ago with my desire to get the Treo Pro, I realize that it was nothing more than a passing fancy. After a few days of playing with the device I would only miss my Nokia user experience and return back to relying on my E90 and E71-2. With this rationale alone I have been able to center my priorities once again and place more attention to that which is really important: saving money and paying down debt.

Keeping in line with my own financial goals means that I may have to make additional changes to my lifestyle that are major. For starters, there is the prospect of trading in my 2007 Wolfsburg Jetta for a much cheaper vehicle to decrease monthly car and insurance payments. After doing some calculating for the most optimum savings situation, I found that I would have to search for a used car that is worth no more than $6000 AFTER processing fees are included. This means that I will most likely end up with a high mileage car with some considerable wear and tear, and I must be careful to scrutinize the reliability of certain auto brands. I almost looked into a 2002 Dodge Stratus SE coupe with over 70K miles, but thanks to a number of negative consumer reviews from Edmunds.com I "dodged" that potential lemon! With considerable thought to gas mileage, longevity and practicality I immediately thought of the Honda CR-V that I used to own a few years ago. I am currently looking at a 1997 model with 139K miles and really find it to have some potential after reading mostly positive consumer reviews on Edmunds.com. To avoid making rash decisions I am taking my time to plan a trip to a mechanic shop to get it checked out while still keeping an open eye out for any additional prospects. I have test driven it once already and it feels adequate, although I did experience some rattling and buzzing behind the glove box when I turned the fan on the highest level (which was IMMEDIATELY pointed out to the dealer). Honestly, if I really wanted to judge a book by its cover then I would have simply doubted this 1997 model at the sight of its signs of wear and tear. There is some fading on the dusty paint and a ding and a scrape, there was a cobweb inside the car when I entered, the ceiling is riddled with stains and there is an old basement scent to the interior (MUCH preferred over smoke). However this thing looked at first sight, I had to be reasonable and be open to the need for some cosmetic renovation on my part...especially for a price tag of $5995! Though I haven't made a choice yet, I am keeping my sights on it as a last resort while actively searching for alternate CR-V models.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E90 Communicator.

What is Happening to this Country?!!

This is the only time that I will express my opinion on what's going on in this country. I normally don't comment on this sort of thing, but I am so enraged that I have to say something!

Honestly, I think the $700 billion bailout plan is a hoax to possibly give more money to those crooks and thieves in Washington who had gotten us into this financial mess in the first place. Why should this money go to big businesses instead of the TAXPAYERS?! I am sure that a huge sum of money like that would help a lot of Americans out of debt and free them up to spend money to boost the economic structure, but that's not an option. I am sure that funding can be provided to health care and education with all of that money, but that's not an option either. If the government wants to fix the economy, it should do so from the bottom to the top and not the other way around. Who in the world thought that Henry Paulson was a role model of trustworthy nature and good standing to be able to rightfully have control over $700 billion dollars?!! Whose to say that he wouldn't just take some of that money to line the pockets of friends in high places in addition to this so-called mission to help the American people?
What REALLY pisses me off is this fear tactic being pushed to the citizens if this bill doesn't get passed! It looks to me like even if the bill gets passed, something is STILL going to end up getting the short end of the stick!! It seems like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't, so why bother with the bailout plan anyway?!

There are dire consequences to be expected as we go further without a solution to this financial problem, but that's EXACTLY what life is: tough shite!! Yes, more people may end up losing jobs and true, more businesses may fail. But people taking advantage of the system to satisfy their own greed should have been mindful of this a long time ago!! This only proves that we are all intertwined and affected by each other's actions, good and bad. Maybe this country needs to go through another Great Depression to teach those guilty ones in Wall Street and Washington a lesson in reaping what they sew!!  If the average American ran into similar kind of trouble with personal finances, I seriously doubt that the government would step in to bail them out!! This just goes to show that our leadership doesn't care about the American citizens as much as they care about the money they're providing in taxes! The only agenda on Wall Street and Washington is to help big business and screw over the American people by sticking them with paying this huge bill, and I am sick of it!!!

On top of that I have to sit back and listen to the same old politics as usual via speeches filled with empty promises and loaded rhetoric! Fingers being pointed back and forth when candidates said aloud they would avoid such childishness is a waste of time, but it generates TV ratings and money for big business. I am even tempted to boycott my own vote because I don't think that either McCain OR Obama are good enough candidates for the White House!

This country had gone to the wild dogs with its reliance on credit and foreign energy resources, and it has come back to bite us in the arse!! At this point as congressmembers bicker and candidates argue and the President looks like a darn fool, my confidence in our government to solve this mess has completely vanished.

I hope that with time I will calm down about this situation once I find out more information and become more open to possible solutions, but I really don't know. This reminds me of the Roman Empire and how that didn't last forever as a superpower...maybe our time has come to an end.

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TRENT
Sent from my MacBook Pro