I heart my new speakers January 19, 2008

When I moved out of my last apartment (and the nice stereo system there), I didn’t realize that my laptop would become the center of my musical life, almost more than my instruments. I’m a power digital music user. To give you an idea, here are many of the musical things I use my computer for:

• Listening to music (recreationally)
• Learnig lyrics, melodies, and chord changes to songs
• Slow songs down to learn and/or transcribe the mandolin or guitar parts
• Transpose songs to different keys to learn the parts in a girl singer-friendly key (most bluegrass is sung by guys)
• Transfer audio recordings of lessons, back-up tracks for practicing, recordings of new solos I make up to iTunes

You get the point. I should really have good speakers.

But it wasn’t until I realized I couldn’t finish working with our engineer on finishing mixing the Nellies‘ CD unless I could actually HEAR the mixes, that I finally bit the bullet. I read the CNET reviews, I read the feedback on Amazon, and I went for the cool-looking ones with the good sound but weird controls (otherwise known as the Harman Kardon SoundSticks II).

It sounds hyperbolic to describe new speakers as life-changing, but it’s really not. Music was starting to, um, bore me, which didn’t exactly put me in a panic — more like an identity crisis (who am I if I don’t devote a big chunk of my life to music). Now, I feel like I’ve found that joy of discovering new music again, only I’m listening to things that I’ve had on my computer for years. And when I heard how clearly Doyle Lawson’s mandolin comes through on the left speaker on the Bluegrass Album Band stuff, I couldn’t believe how I learned as much as I did on the Bluegrass Album Band Plan* with my teeny speakers.

Now playing: Buck Owens, 21 #1 Hits: Ultimate Collection.

*Bluegrass Album Band Plan (BGABP): A total bluegrass geek endeavor in which a few friends and I learned an entire album by the Bluegrass Album Band (a bluegrass supergroup) note-for-note Yeah, I’m a dork.

Cell phones and SIM cards March 17, 2007

To get ready for my trip, I subscribed to Frommer’s podcasts. I was particularly interested in one on tech tools, because I want to be able to blog, upload photos, send email, etc. from my trip. I was disappointed when the podcast was actually about using your cell phone abroad, until, that is, I realized that my cheapo Motorola V551 is a quad-band phone, meaning I can use it anywhere in the world (except maybe Japan–I think they’re on a different frequency). AND, when I switch to another carrier (which I’m going to do when my contract is up), I can keep this phone and just buy SIM cards to use it in different countries. Perfecto.

So if you’re looking to use your cell phone in Europe (or another country), here’s how to do it:
1. What’s the frequency? First off, check to make sure your phone is compatible with the cell system of the country you’re going to. You can use GSM phones in 205 countries (all Cingular phones are GSM). Most foreign countries use 900/1900 frequencies, but the US uses 850/1800. Quad-band phones work on all four frequencies. So how do you know if your phone will work? Log into your cell phone account online and check the specs for your phone. Alternately, go to the manufacturer’s site.

So you have a quad-band phone. Awesome. That’ll save you from buying an unlocked phone on eBay or through Telestial or some other service. BUT, make sure your charger is multi-voltage. Mine says 110-240 v, 50-60 Hz on it, which means I shouldn’t have any problems in Paris or London. Knock wood.

2. Unlock your phone. Call your cell-phone provider to unlock your phone. For Cingular, you want a subsidy unlock code. It’ll take 5-7 days for them to get you the code, which they’ll send either by text or email.
3. Get a SIM card. Telestial.com is a great source of information and foreign SIM cards. As explained on the podcast, their cards all come with English language instructions, and they offer English-language support. You can also buy SIM cards from eBay or at a tobacco shop (are they still called that?) in the country you’re going to. I want to use one card in both France and England, so I needed international roaming, which Telestial’s UK card doesn’t offer. So I went with the French card, through Orange, for $59. C’est un peu cher. Fortunately, I found a promo code for 10% off (SLOWTRAV, if you want to use it) AND they gave me a discount on an international power adapter, so I’m saving $10 off the Brookstone price. Not so bad.
4. Set it up. Since I haven’t actually done this part yet, I can’t really offer much advice. But the instructions on Telestial’s site seem pretty straightforward. I’ll update this post later once I get the information.

Gmap Pedometer July 10, 2005

Action Hero Melissa had a link on her website to the Gmap Pedometer, a hack that uses the Google API to figure out mileage of any route. You double-click for each point (the program draws straight lines between each point), and it calculates the total mileage.

Here’s my usual long (6 mile) running route.

I’m going to use it to map out some training runs for the Nike Women’s Marathon in October (I’m doing a half).

Distances include distance from my house (about .75 miles OAB):
4 mile loop
5 mile OAB
5.75 mile OAB
6.75 mile OAB
7.75 miles OAB
8 mile loop

Cassette vs. iPod January 6, 2005

This startlingly insightful photo essay reveals the true winner:
http://homepage.mac.com/danielturek/PhotoAlbum50.html

Prentice and I were talking last night about the merits of MiniDisc (esp. HiMD) vs. iPod. She basically said, “With HiMD, why would anyone want an iPod.” And you know what? I couldn’t really argue with that. HiMD player/recorders are even cheaper (but they can’t store your calendar and contacts).