Tag Archives: gadgets

Gadget Wants

It is back. With a vengeance. Almost.

What is back,exactly? Something that my wallet fears, very, very much — gadget wants.

Sometimes I want to deny that I am a techie, that I’m not one who falls and gets excited over every new gadget that comes out in the market. I don’t fall over and I don’t always want a gadget, but when I find something I like? Oh dear. I won’t stop thinking about it until (a) I buy it or (b) I find too many flaws to it that I end up not wanting it.

Guess what happens most often. :|

So I guess I am a techie. Not a hardcore techie, who wants and can afford to upgrade their gadgets ever so often, but I can’t deny myself of my gadgets, and I can’t deny that I love them and often find myself thanking them for the convenience they bring. I try not to be dependent on them, but I like having them because of that. Did that make sense?

In no particular order, here are the gadgets I’ve been looking at and wanting.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

It hit me a couple of months ago that my Canon IXUS 80, Ashley, is getting old. She’s turning two this year, and while it’s still working properly, I know it’s having a hard time already. And that’s coming from me who hardly takes pictures nowadays. I talked to my brother about it, and said that most of my pictures are blurry already, and maybe it’s time to get another camera. He suggested the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3.

It isn’t as pretty as Ashley, but this has a lot of good camera reviews. I know this isn’t the latest model (I stopped researching about digital cameras after some time), but I know this model is one of the good ones. My gadget lust for a new camera faded over the months, so I am in no hurry to buy this…but I know I’ll have to replace my camera sometime. Ahh.

Canon Powershot D10

Canon Powershot D10

I only wanted this because of its underwater capability. I was so envious with this other group of people at the airport on our way home from Coron, and they had videos of their snorkeling adventure. I still want this, because underwater camera cases are expensive (at least, the good ones are), but I’m not in a hurry because I’m not going snorkeling anytime soon.

And besides, it’s not like I take photos of everything. I’m probably the laziest camera-toting person whenever my friends and I go out. Most of the time my camera is just inside my bag. :P So enough with the cameras (for now).

Amazon Kindle 2

I blogged about this in my book blog, and I’ve been thinking about getting this since the price went down my friend told me about her experience using it. I started wanting this the same time the iPad went out, but since I thought the iPad is just a luxury item, I wanted the Kindle more because it fits a bookworm like me. Then I started getting books from the Kindle store ever since Mina’s Fairy Tale Fail came out, so the gadget lust continued.

I’m not lusting after this anymore because…I just ordered my Kindle a couple of days ago. With a pink case.

Of course a new Kindle version is released for pre-order a couple of days after I order. Hmph. Then again, even if there are new versions available, it won’t get here on time for my mom to go home, plus…well, this is still a good buy, regardless of the version. As long as it can still read books, I don’t think I’d mind.

It’s a good thing I like white gadgets. The smaller size looks nice, though, but I don’t think they have a case for it yet.

Nokia C3

Speaking of pink.

Nokia C3

I’m going to channel that little girl from Despicable Me right now just to say this: It’s so pink I’m gonna dieeeee!

I first saw this phone on Jayvee’s blog and immediately fell in love with the pink-ness. Thing is, I don’t need a new phone, I just got myself one last November after Captain Tal died. I’m not one who carries two phones (I don’t like having more than one number — I tend to forget about the other one). I really, really don’t need this.

But oh my gosh, the pink. I want it for the color! Is that justifiable? My phone has more features than this one, save for the QWERTY and Wifi…but it is not pink! The PINK!

You know what’s even more enticing now? Nokia is having a one day promo sale on July 31 for this model — Php 1000 off! The phone is only Php 6295!!! Ahhhhh.

I want. I don’t need, but I want. I think I can afford it, but is it justifiable? :-s

* * *

Ah the things we want and we need. It’s actually a good thing I’m single and I’m only spending for myself (with the semi-regular treats for my family). I don’t know if that reason justifies my gadget lust…but at least I can enjoy my hard-earned money.

Now the question is…do I give in to this gadget wants? Especially for the pink?

Meet Ashley, the Pink Canon Ixus 80IS

A little over a month after I posted this, and after spending so much time looking at the store’s window at work longingly and looking at the prices of this online for the best promo I can find, I did some computations and projection of expenses and I finally gave in and bought this pretty, pretty thing:

Ashley

Tadaaaa! Meet Ashley, the pink Canon Ixus 80IS that I will pay for with my blogging money. :D Note the future tense in that sentence, that is because I used Lizzie, the HSBC credit card, to pay for this first and I will pay for it in 0% interest plan for the next 12 months (or less, if I suddenly feel like paying for all of it all of a sudden). I know I could get it cheaper for cash, but for one thing I don’t feel like shelling out that much cash in one sitting, and I used my HSBC Mabuhay Miles card, so there’s miles in exchange for my use. Sayang ang miles! So, what I will use to pay for the bill for this one is my blogging money.

This is the first time I spent for myself like this. Sure, I paid for Aslan the MacBook, but this is the first time this bill is under my name, so it’s thrilling and stunning in a way. Thrilling that I actually “paid” for this with my own money and stunning because I’ve never swiped my card so much in one purchase (and don’t ask how much else I spent after that :P).

I’ve been using this camera a lot for the past week and suffice to say, I LOVE IT. I miss being able to take photos anytime I want, capturing moments and sharing the photos to my friends at the end of the day. I love playing with its effects and seeing how the photos would come out. I love how small and handy it is that I don’t have to worry about it as much as I would worry about Chimon, my brother’s 40D. Most of all, I love that it’s PINK. :D Pretty, pretty thing.

I named it Ashley, from the protagonist of Kristin Billerbeck’s Ashley Stockingdale novels. It’s the first girl gadget I have — all others are considered male. :D

Now you see why I seem to be blogging a lot lately, because I’ll be paying for this one. :P I hope my busy schedule next month could still give me time to blog, even if it’s just about book reviews, random stuff and a/c compressors. I must find time, yes?

Anyway, speaking of time, I’ve got to start working on the stuff I need to pass on Monday. Expect more photos to be uploaded in my Multiply and posted here, much thanks to Ashley. :D

Wishlist: Canon Ixus 80 IS

To compensate for me postponing my Australia trip, I’ve decided to treat myself to something that I’ve been thinking of getting for the past months: a new digital camera.

I’ve mentioned before that I wanted to buy a new digicam because our old digicam is already breaking down. It can still shoot good photos, I think, but the LCD’s really annoying me already, and the model is already obsolete. I was thinking of buying my own dSLR just so I won’t grab my brother’s anymore, but I realized that as much as I liked photography, I don’t love it. I don’t think I’ll be willing to invest on a complicated and bulky camera that I’d hardly really use (when I graduated, I stopped “covering” events), and I don’t think I’d be willing to invest in buying lenses and whatnot. But I still want to document whatever escapades I go into, and I miss having to upload photos on my Multiply especially after I go on a gimmick with people. So…a digicam is my answer.

I’m usually the choose one and stick to it person with regards to gadgets, so the moment I saw the pink Canon Ixus 80 IS, I knew it was the camera I’m going to buy:

Canon Ixus 80 IS

Okay, I may be biased because it’s Canon and it’s pink. But then again, I know photos from Canon cameras come out nice (did I say it right? Haha). Plus, this camera is small, and I like how handy it is. I could buy a pink Sony Cybershot, but I’ve gone through two Cybershot cameras, and I’d like to try something new. Features wise, I’m fine with this one because I only plan to use this to take photos of everyday events. I just want to have a camera that I can bring around easily, take relatively nice photos (and probably make even photos of bathroom faucets look pretty) and…well, girly looking. Haha.

The price isn’t so bad — Php17,950. It’s cheaper if I buy it in cash, which I am planning to do (with some of my blogging money! Yay!), but I’m kind of wary to buy it too soon, mostly because I’m concerned that the price would be lowered anytime soon. I don’t know; I’m not into the camera crowd, so I don’t know when Canon lowers the price of their cameras. I’m thinking of waiting it out until August or September (after I pay my insurance and earn a bit more through blogging and finish paying for Aslan) before buying it. But I do want to get this before October, since there are a lot of events coming up for us.

If you own this camera, do you like it? Do you think I should wait for a while, in case the prices would go down? Or is there no chance that the price would go down soon (cheapskate alert)? Or should I just forget this model and go for another one? Suggestions? :)

Globe gets the iPhone deal

Because everyone’s blogging about it (sort of), let me join the bandwagon. Here’s the official news from the Globe Corporate website:

Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus to bring iPhone to the region
Manila, 12 May 2008 – Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus today announced that they have signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to the Philippines, Singapore, India, and Australia later this year.

More information will be released at a later date.

And all the while I thought it was Smart who’s going to carry the much sought-after iPhone. I can’t remember where I heard it, but turns out it’s not true anyway.

Interestingly, a friend and I had a discussion about how the iPhone totally changed how telecommunications companies get the handsets they package with their plans. Being an ex-employee of a mobile telecommunications company made me agree with what my friend told me. Usually, the handset providers (Nokia, Ericsson, etc) give their handsets to the company, and the company chooses which handsets they’d be including in their plans. But when it comes to the iPhone, Apple was suddenly the one who’d be choosing among the mobile providers. Talk about 180-degree turn, yes?

And now they’ve chosen.

Not that it really matters…for me, anyway. Even if I really love being a MacBook user, and I love my iPod, I’m not much of a fan of the iPhone. I know I’m a techie and all, but for some reason, I really don’t like extravagant phones. Maybe I was psychologically brainwashed witha ll the cellphone thefts I’ve seen and heard all my life, which is why I prefer nice yet not so eye-candy phone so I can text outside in peace. I’d be more concerned with my fancy cellphone than my luggage if that’s the case. See why I love Captain Tal (my Nokia 6233) so much?

Plus I really don’t like anything touch screen. I’d be OC to the maximum level and I wouldn’t enjoy the gadget if I don’t use it the way it should. :D

As for Apple’s choice…I kind of wish they chose Smart, only because I’m a Smart subscriber, but I don’t really care that much at all. It’s not like I’m going to get the iPhone anyway.

But…who knows. Maybe I’d change my mind. Heh. Let’s see if Apple can make me fall in love with the iPhone just like most of the people I know too. :P

Who is Triskal?

Triskal I’ve mentioned Triskal a couple of times in my past posts, and I haven’t formally introduced him to you (although you may have a hint already). :) Friends, this is Triskal:

Yes, that’s Triskal over there, a 30GB Black iPod video. :) I got him last Monday in a really amusing way which I call, “Day of the Fast”. Or it could be called Cyber Monday, too, since it seemed to be a day full of gadgets.

First off, my brother sold his 40GB iPod the other Saturday to his officemate. That night, he called me and asked me if I was planning to sell Star, my pink 4GB iPod mini. Our iPods are both 2 1/2 years old — ran through a lot of unit and headphone replacement and used up Apple Care nicely. My brother and I were planning to get new ones but not really soon because of the budget constraints.

Continue reading Who is Triskal?