Technology Slave

Somewhere in the virtual world, an old friend of mine named Kevin A. Wells wrote about his online habits - what he does, what websites he visits, etc. I thought this was a great idea and stole it, except I added a few more dimensions of technology. What can I say?

As writing always helps me understand things better, I thought this would be a good way to learn about my online habits, my constant need to be connected and my addiction to electronics. I want to have written proof of how completely and hopelessly addicted I really am to my technology, especially my computer, the Internet, my iPod and my glorious BlackBerry. Don't get me wrong, these addictions aren't detrimental to my health, relationships and other stuff like bad addictions are. I like to call all these items productivity tools and such. Besides, acceptance is the first step to recovery.

So, on an average day:

1. I wake up to my BlackBerry alarm. I check the weather on it and then take a quick glance at my GMail. Next, I check out my to-do list. Then I get out of bed.
2. If I exercise, I listen to my iPod. Sometimes I'll do yoga classes found free on the Internet.
3. While I wash up and get ready for work, I listen to my iPod conveniently located on my little iPod dock.
4. After that, I turn on my computer and immediately open iTunes to update my completely absurd amount of podcasts. I'll never get to half of them. I totally don't care. I need them there. Just in case.
5. To get to work, I either get on my bike and listen to iPod or plug iPod into the car stereo. I hate my life if I forget iPod at home.
6. At work, I sit at a computer for a better part of my day. I open my work email and work with our Integrated Library System called Millennium for all kinds of library things.
7. When I get a second at work during downtime, I open up GMail to more thoroughly review anything important. Sometimes I'll chat with my mom through GChat.
8. When the email is officially done with, I get to the Google Reader. Again, I have an absurd amount of articles, recipes, poems, quotes, podcasts and blog posts to sift through throughout the day. If I don't check it by 6pm, it's well over a 1,000 items to check.
9. At every break I check the BlackBerry for missed calls, messages, etc. I also check off my To Do's as I complete them. The calendar, which syncs with my Google Calendar, is also checked obsessively.
10. I go home at night, sit at my computer and read the feeds that I clearly couldn't get through at work, generally like 900 items. (This step is optional, especially after I work a late shift.)
11. I check my Gmail again and my Google Calendar for the next few days. I plan out my days and anticipate when I can do what. At this time I also fill out my "Food Journal" which sometimes really makes me feel ashamed, but I think that's the point.
12. I also check Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, my blog stats and my Twitter account. Come Fantasy Hockey season, I'll be all over Yahoo! as well.
13. Finally, I turn the computer off and open up a book. This may seem like when I disconnect, but it's not. When I find a word I don't know, I pull out the BlackBerry and cruise to Dictionary.com to find the definition. Then, I Twitter it.

So, after reviewing my 13-step routine, I have decided that it's fine. I know, lots of people are looking at it and going, "Wow, she's sick." Yet, this is how I keep my life together. I keep on top of the news, read poetry, look through witty and helpful quotes, talk to my family and friends, stay organized and manage my life. I use a lot of stuff to do that, but that's how it's done.

Today's Knowledge: You know you're stinkin', friggin' rich when...

...you are a Research In Motion (RIM) investor. The BlackBerry has made them a mountain of money, grew their shares' worth and has dominated the business consumer market. The BlackBerry Bold is already getting some righteous reviews. And, frankly, nobody even flinched at RIM when the new iPhone came out. RIM barely missed the revenue expectations, but the investors were pissed when they heard their profits had to wait because RIM is thinking long term. The investors decided to rain on RIM's parade on Wall Street. Thing is, what I've been reading for the passed day has indicated that there is room for both iPhone and BlackBerry in the market. (My vote: clearly the BlackBerry.)

Extra Readin':

• RIM: Wall Street Can Wait
• RIM hammered on forecast for current quarter

Ode to BlackBerry

I don't need a simple life. I love technology. Even though my knowledge of technology barely scratches the surface, I am a slave to it. When I hear folks talk about the "old days" and "back before computers" a chill runs down my spine. I like life packed with about a million things, otherwise boredom inevitably sets in. What can I say? I'm a Millennial and I have the attention span of a miniature poodle. You might call it crazy, but it's an everyday thing for a lot of people.

I digress. Once, iPod was my most prized electronic gadget. That was before the BlackBerry came into my life. While the iPod helped settle my craving for news, yoga and music, its functionality came nowhere near that of the BlackBerry (BB). Here are my reasons:

Productivity
It should be no surprise that I downloaded the entire Google package to my BB. I can quickly access Google searches. Google maps helps me find my way around, because I generally can't find my way out of a cardboard box. My Google calendar syncs with the BB calendar (though it misbehaves sometimes). And, of course, I need 'round the clock access to my email.

Beyond the Google goods, there's a memo pad that I use obsessively for everything from book review notes, to work-related projects, to poetry. And the to-do list has effectively crushed my procrastination habit. I enjoy the fact I can filter my tasks by category, assign them priorities and due dates, and add notes.

On a slight side note, I found that the new iPhone STILL doesn't have a copy-and-paste function. What's up with that, Steve Jobs??? I use copy and paste constantly on the BB. It just seems like a really useful option that isn't difficult to implement.

Connectivity
In addition to have access to all my email, I also enjoy the ability to check the weather, read news and chat. Chatting on mobile GTalk actually saves me money. Though people love to text, I'm not a fan. Hence, instead of blowing a bunch of dough on individual texts, I can have a written conversation with anyone that's on their Gmail.

Accuracy
Is Kansas City the capital of Missouri? What does ennui mean? Do we have this book at the library? How did the last out of the 3rd inning happen? What quantity of sesame seeds are called for in this recipe?

These are all questions that I answered by using my BlackBerry. At first, it took getting used to the fact some websites have a mobile view and others don't. Then, my buddy's husband found Opera Mini, a magnificent browser that allows you too look at basically any web page and switch from mobile to regular web views. The web is wide open for the mobile user.

Entertainment
My iPod is still the reigning champ of entertainment, but the BB does provide a camera. Having one on hand at all times is great fun. True, the picture quality is not amazing, but it still gets the job done. There are games, but I'm not too into those. BB also allows for various audio media, but I save my memory by keeping that kind of stuff left on the iPod.

Oh, and I can make phone calls on it, too.