Bill Ryan's Other Blog

Earlier today, I was lamenting the fact I’ve worked so hard to persuade my wife and daughter to share my love of gadgetry.  From early on I knew Sarah had the bug, but Kim seemed to be immune from it.  Gift after gift was received with a requisite “Thank You” only to never be opened.  Until earlier this year, Kim maintained the mantra of obnoxious luddites “I want a phone to call people with. I don’t want to take pictures with it. I don’t need it to be a video camera. I don’t need to surf the internet on it”. 

Part of my encouragement was less than noble. Sure, I like spoiling my family  and I honestly enjoying giving much more than receiving.  But part of it with Kim was embarrassment.  I’ve been a Microsoft MVP since 2002 and spent most of the time in Device Application Development. I’ve given countless talks on mobile device programming, help run a device focused web site and am affiliated with several other device sites.  Yet my wife was sporting around a phone that looked like I couldn’t land a job.  I bought her phone after phone and each time she’d just revert back to her old one as soon as she could.  I decided to up my game and started buying the really expensive stuff, figuring she’d be unable to resist.  Few things are more disappointing than dropping $900.00 on a gift phone for your wife and having her say “I don’t like it” followed by “It’s really sweet that you did that, but the phone sucks.”  An iMate sucks? Are you kidding me?

That started to change when I got my iPhone.  Even though she uses a Zune, she thought it’d be cool to not have to carry multiple gadgets.  (This was the first sign of a breakthrough).  She started asking more questions  and I could tell she was slightly interested in an iPhone.  Then one fateful morning, driving away from East Court Street on my way home after work, the iPhone met its fate.  Like many other cool phones, I left it on the roof of my car as I sped safely and slowly drove off.

My iPhone died a brutal death right outside of Deveraux’s.  By that time, iPhones had been around.  They’d been around long enough that I knew I didn’t want to have another douchegag hipster tell me how they liked my phone (and no, I’m not insulting all iPhone users or even most – just saying that they are the preferred phone of Hipsters and Hipsters suck).  The Android had just come out and I was very interested in it.  Besides, I’ve lived 37 years of always having the coolest/newest gadgetry out, why would I stop now.  I bought an Android and immediately Kim seemed interested. I asked her which she’d rather have “if” someone was going to get her one.  In classic Kim form, she said “I don’t know, I like them both.”  “Help me out here sweetie, do you think you might like one over the other”.  “Well, I like the iPhone b/c it looks really sleek” Ok, an iPhone it is.  “But no one really has an Andriod and the Google apps are really cool.”  Three weeks later we were no farther along than where we started.  I said screw it, went to T-Mobile, bought her a White Android and the rest is history.  And yes, I created a Technology Frankenstein monster out of her, and Sarah is not far behind.  I spent every day thereafter regretting it b/c Kim is a junkie.

After the Windows Mobile Race, I knew the Prize Phone would be something cool. I wasn’t sure how cool.  Today I found out.  I came home and several Fedex and UPS packages were waiting for me.  Many were Christmas gifts but a few were for me. Including one that contained this:

Andrea sent me an email yesterday asking for my shipping address.  I guess I didn’t pick up the fact she said “Get it to me as quickly as possible”.  Little did I know she was Fedexing the prize. And little did I know it was a Tilt2.

Just earlier today, I was talking about T-Mobile’ calling me up enticing me to take a Free Blackberry. And I mentioned that I’m weak, and not having the best phone around for over a month now was driving me nuts. And that I would own a Motorola Cliq if I went over to the T-Mobile Store.  And blah blah blah.

M.C. Cuckooette (aka Sarah) has also caught the bug as I mentioned. In fact, I have high hopes for her.  She got her first phone not too long ago and quickly started to outgrow it.  When she heard I had a new phone coming, I could see her immediately recognize and opportunity.  “What are you going to do with your Android?  B/c, umm, if you wanted, I know someone who would take it from you.”  Oh yah , I wonder who that could be.  “Yah, and that person would be ME.”  I’ve felt terribly guilty for getting her a starter phone from the onset.  She likes the phone she has but I knew it was mainly b/c she hasn’t seen much in that way so her expectations were low.  At first she was just glad to be able to talk to her friends whenever she wanted to.  And be able to text us and her friends.  But little by little, I’ve seen the desire burning. Each time I watch a YouTube video – I can see the desire in her eyes.

Well, she doesn’t have to use an Android just to watch YouTube and the like on a mobile device.  But the Android is pretty darned good at it.  And she’s my princess and well, i”m not inclined to give her handmedowns – it’s easier to just buy her what she wants in the first place.  But it looks like one way or the other, Sarah’s days of not being able to watch YouTube on demand are meeting the same fate as my shame for not using a Windows Mobile Device.

Andrea, if I didn’t say it already – you are the best and so is Ed.  I’d also like to thank  Bali Kelal, Mel Sampat and Loke Uei Tan for putting on the Windows Mobile Race

[tags]Windows Mobile 6.5, HTC Tilt, HTC Tilt 2, Smartphone, Google Andriod, Windows Mobile Race, AT & T, Motorola Cliq[/tags]