Jacko

Just a thought. If anything good comes out of Michael Jackson's death, it might be that a number of those eBay ticket scalpers will be seriously screwed now.

iPhone

I've had my iPhone for about a month now, which I think is long enough to give a measured, considered opinion.

I fucking love it.

It can tell me where in the world I am, show me that location on a map, tell me where to find the nearest bar, pharmacy, cinema or restaurant. It can tell me if my train is going to be on time (although, to be fair, they could leave that permanently set to 'NO'). I can watch TV shows and movies on it, or listen to the radio or any number of podcasts or audiobooks. I can check the weather forecast for my local area (although, to be fair, they could leave that permanently set to 'RAIN'). I can post blog entries from it, and show my location at the time of doing so*. I can listen to music or ambient noise, check the news headlines, play games, chat with people on Yahoo, MSN and ICQ**. I can even connect to my computer at work to do... uh... more work... if I wanted to. Brace yourself now. I can even use it to make phone calls.

In fact, the only gripe I've had with it was the lack of a facility to forward text messages*** - something which even the most bog-standard phone can do. Fortunately with the new version 3.0 software release, they've fixed. Hurrah.

The only fly in the ointment here is the arrival of the new iPhone3Gs. Just for once I'd like to buy a gadget with a written**** guarantee that there won't be a better one for at least six months.

* Although I'm still questioning the wisdom of this.
** Anyone still use ICQ?
*** OK, that and the piss-poor battery life.
**** In blood, preferably

Three Years

Three years to the day since I got out of the you-know-where. And yes, it does seem like a different lifetime.