harbar.net component based software & platform hygiene

Stuff I wouldn't wanna live without

Print | posted on Wednesday, August 08, 2007 8:10 PM

Bloomin' 'eck! AC done gone tagged me. This one's a bit wacky. Here are a few things which would upset my fragile equilibrium if they were denied me. Erm, I think the idea is these should be techy things generally so I'll skip out the obvious things like friends and family. Whilst it might be hard, I'm pretty sure I could live just fine without any tech - some days I feel like life would be much better without it :) 

 

1. Miles Ahead by Miles Davis and Gil Evans.
The finest musical recording ever? You bet your ass. There's no tech here and certainly none of that Protools rubbish. Any time I'm fed up this gets some heavy rotation, and it *always* sounds brand new. The stereo is a bit dodgy, but the remaster is uber awesome, especially on SACD. I also own a copy of the original '57 LP with the dodgy cover. If you haven't heard this, where the hell have you been? (and go buy it right now).

2. Sony PRS500
Only had this a few months but this puppy is mustard and has become indispensable. I've mentioned here a few times I read a lot - as in well, basically everything. It's been a long time since I've truly been impressed by a gadget - but the reader impresses absolutely. Sometimes I even put technical books on it - although only if absolutely necessary :) Don't even think of buying it from Sony Style. You have been warned!

3. Yamaha Clavinova
Can't imagine life without a piano. Wouldn't necessarily have to be this one (could even be a proper one, although they are pretty expensive!) but as this is the one I got please don't take it away. One day when I'm loaded I'll get me a Modus or a baby digi grand.

3. Sony TX3 ultra portable.
Stick your VM technology where the sun don't shine - no really - I've been using VM gear for ten years, not just since it became the vogue but it can't come close to this ultra small, ultra lite lappy. I use invirtus to move from VM to physical and from physical to VM along with Acronis to snap-image restore various boxes. Oh and it's a dang cool looking. This is how to do mobile consulting without the heavy bag (and be somewhat of a poseur). Don't get me wrong i still use VMs alot - but this is well, a real computer with erm a real hard disk and real memory - you get the picture. At the moment it's my longhorn/wss dev box. 

4. Sony digital camera.
Now I'm a grumpy old git - memories are more important to me - I love this little baby which has a great screen and battery and takes wicked pics even though I'm a pretty crappy snapper.

5. My mobile phone.
Not cos of all the cool new things they can do but so I don't have to remember any numbers - how did we ever organize drinking sessions before these things came along?!!

6. Zune.
Yup, thought it would suck. But it doesn't. It's very nice - needs a bigger disk but sonically one of the best digiplayers on the market. and that's actually quite important to me. I use Shure E5 pro stage monitor earphones.

 

So well, that's me done - please note I don't have any commercial affiliation with Sony Corporation - well OK so I do, but not their electronics division. Who to upset by tagging now... hmmm....