Palm Solo has posted some brief thoughts around Gadget Lust!  And this got me to thinking . . .  I have had Gadget lust in the past!  Most of the time, it has had to do with a PDA phone of some sort . . . . . But for the most part, once I buy something, I tend to stick with it!  For example, the Palm OS.  I have owned many Palm devices and resisted to upgrade to the latest and greatest as soon as a new one appeared!  I have been comfortable with the OS and both its pluses and its limitations! These devices have been beneficial in many ways!  They have saved me time and effort by being more than a phone!  Google Maps, Email, messaging, calendar, Weather, the web, movies, radio and music, all in the Palm of my hand! 

 But lately, I have been exeriencing this "Gadget Lust" in a big way!  A co-worker recently picked up an HTC Touch and looking at the beautiful screen, the killer WM06 graphics and the very cool touch flow interface has made me very aware of how archaic my Palm is!  I have been shopping, and have been pondering hard taking the plunge in a big way to grab the HTC TyTN II.  In fact, I have been spending a little bit of time on Ebay, just trying to get a feel for what is out there and what I might expect.  This is a very large decision.  Because this type of lust is going to lead to other accessories that moving to another Palm device wouldn't bring!  For example, all the applications I am currently using for my Palm Treo, will no longer work on a WM device.  All the chargers and cases, will be next to worthless to me.  I will need these things for this device so that is an added cost. And because its an HTC device that isn't sold at the local AT&T store, this means I buy unlocked, and though I get to skip the two year, its a lot of $$$$$ up front!

So here is how I am shaking out!  I am trying to justify this plunge by looking at what this device will give me that I currently don't have in my current device.  

 So you would think that this might mean "what are you waiting for?"  Well, there is this other side of me.  The side that says, be frugal, be sensible!  And even though my eyes have really been wondering these last few months, and that TyTN is certainly a device I lust for,  the Treo is paid for, is comfortable, I know what to expect . . .  Did I mention, its paid for? I mean, right now, it gets me up in the morning, its how I manage my email, its my entertainment device when I am killing time with movies and music, and its how I get weather, podcasts and newsfeeds.

So what I am trying to say here is that I am about ready to leave the Palm Platform totally!  When that will be is not yet determined, but I am very close. And if I were leaving today, it would certainly be for the HTC TyTN.  So I haven't taken the plunge yet, but I am certainly about to!

 This cat never stops.  Its like the Energizer Bunny!  This is typical of this cat for every waking moment.

Amazing what you find just killing time on YouTube!  If you are wondering what the gPhone might look like, this will give you a pretty good hint!  Looks like some powerful stuff for sure!  That web history graphical stuff is just awesome!  This OS could change the mobile world in many ways!

I just got through watching Jobs Keynote address!  Man, he is so good at it!  Anyway, a couple of days ago, I left my expectations and helped to spread those rumors that were buzzing from every corner of the net!  Most were right on.  One thing I noticed however that was blatantly missing was no 3G for the iPhone!  Such a shame!  I mean, its even offered in CDMA Palm Treos!  But other than that, a great show!  Even though investors didn't think so.  Apple dropped over 10 points today!  I will never understand Wall Street! Real Quick, here is a very brief re-cap!

•  Apple Time Capsule!  A wireless back up system that works with Time Machine!  1 Terabyte worth of back up for $399!  Very nice!  Ships in Feb
• iPhone gets a major upgrade that gives you added features, SMS to multiple users, and maps that determines your locations via Cell Towers and Wifi Networks and gives you turn by turn directions, and better home screen customization
• Movie Rentals!  Jobs has gotten every major movies players to sign on.  Rent a movie for about $5.00, and you have 30 days to watch it!  Once you start watching, you have 24 hours before it locks down!
• Apple TV, take two.  Just like you can purchase a movie through iTunes, now with Apple TV, you can grab a movie from iTunes and watch it right from your wide screen TV!  A FREE upgrade for existing Apple TV users!  $229 for a new one!  Very nice price for such a unit if you ask me!  Watch TV shows, movies, rent TV and movies, podcasts, Flicker and YouTube.
• Macbook Air! 3 pounds and beautiful!  But probably high maintenance!  Starting at $1800, no access to change the battery, no Opitical drive, but man is she thin and sexy!
  

During Bill Gate's address at CES last week, he spoke briefly about coming Windows Mobile OS and briefly showed a slide featuring the new OS.  The one on the left certainly says Palm across the top.  This is more than likely the Treo 800 that the net has been abuzz about. A nice looking unit for sure!  A slightly different design but true to the Treo Form factor!

Who can forget MacWorld 2007!  Jobs took the stage in San Francisco, and a few months later, lines formed so that people could be the first to grab the iPhone!  So what can we expect Jobs to hype on us at MacWorld 2008? Make no mistake, this one won't be as exciting as last years!  The rumors on the web is that Apple will introduce a sub-notebook that sits somewhere between iPhone and MacBook useability.  These rumors are largely based upon a report that Apple secured several 13.3 inch LCD displays from from a company out of Taiwan. A web site called Mac Rumors is reporting that this very light laptop will include a DVD/CD player and flash memory, but also include an external optical hard-drive.  This configuration would make such a laptop very lightweight for travel, and very versatile for business and personal use.

One would also expect iPhone update announcements.  Lets hope that high speed internet is one of those announcements!  The price of the iPhone is a premimum one for sure, and one should expect more than EDGE for a data stream when paying such a price for a cell phone!   And I am hoping  for maybe a hint of what iPhone 2 might look like.  Personally, I would love to see a version of the iPhone that includes a physical thumb-board and better support for business apps like Microsoft Office. 

Finally, expect partnership announcements with several players out of Hollywood.  Since iPods now include such a great ability to do video, it only makes sense that Apple take their iTunes model and expand it to include Movies.  This should boost Apple's "Apple TV".  A unit that allows you to send your media from your PC to your TV.  If there has been a weak spot in Apple sales in the last year, its probably with this device.  Reports are that Apple has sold just over one million of these units.  Not bad, unless compared with sales of other recent Apple products. 

I don't expect any real iPod news, as last year most got updates.  But I do expect a few MacBook announcements as well as some time spent to Apple's new OS "Leapord".  

So I am waiting for Tuesday to get here!  In the meantime, I guess I will have to play "Stevenote Expo, the game ". 

If you are reading this right now from your computer, then thank Bill Gates!  And I don't care if you love or hate Windows, it doesn't matter, because we all owe him a debt of Gratitude!  Bill Gates brought the computer into your home!  Sure it took hardware, and marketing, and all the things that go with making a computer, a computer, but until Mr. Gates, no one even had the vision or the wherewithall to make it a reality!  I read his book about 10 years ago, called the road ahead!  Bill spent a little bit of time talking about his upbringing and how he was exposed to computers at an early age.  I have always believed that it was his vision, and not necesarily his programming ability that made him what he is today! 

So two years ago, he announced that he would step down as the CEO of Microsoft.  That will happen officially this June!  He is at CES with Microsoft this week, and this might be his last public hurrah before pursuing other interests.  I don't know about you, but I will miss him!  I don't believe that Microsoft will fail because of his absence.  I don't believe that he is the evil emperor of that evil empire as some have referred.  No, I believe he was simply a guy who had a vision and while a freshman in college saw an opportunity to change the world and took it!  And change it, he did!  And make no mistake, he has made a lot of people in the computer industry rich along the way!  Intel, quickly comes to mind . . . .  Michael Dell was a visionary also!  But there would have never been a demand for a "Dell" computer, had it not been the closest thing to a computer standard we have ever had in an OS called Windows.  There were other operating systems, that were written when computers started to migrate from Hardward based systems, to software based systems. But it took Bill Gates to push and prod and sell and market and build a DOS system into a graphical system that was fairly user friendly and now is used by almost everyone who uses a computer.  Sure, there is Mac, and lets not forget the ipod and the iphone, but just like Michael Dell, the ipod would have never been an ipod if it weren't for the fact, that most of the world were already using computers for things like music and entertainment.  

 Bill Gates never had all the answers!  He said that he never saw the internet coming!  But once he did, he adjusted and used it to his advantage!  He should be respected as he has brought positive change to the world!  In the way we work and communicate!  Yes, I will miss him!  I respect him!  I wish him well!  There is no doubt in my mind, that Mr. Gates will continue to change the world for the better!  His foundation to bring technology to 3rd world nations should succeed with his hard work and name recognition!