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Going Digital

I have been buying Music CDs since they came into existence.  I remember when I had to finally give up my cassettes and get a CD Player and try to repurchase every album that I had on CD, it was expensive.  Well here I am again, standing at that same threshold.  But this time it is deciding if I am ready to go completely digital with my music collection.

In recent years, I have been buying MP3s via amazon.com, but understand I still have a gazillion of CDs.  Yep, I was a member of the BMG music club, and I was a really good customer.  So right now, I am sitting on my patio with a truckload of CDs ripping them to my PC in an honest attempt to go digital.  This is not as expensive as going from Albums to CDs, but it sure is time consuming.  I have been sitting out here for a few hours, and I have not even put a dent in these piles.

I really wish they had a machine that I could drop all of these CDs into, and digital music would come out.   You know, like those machines at the bank that you put all of your change in to.

So, I know what I will be doing this weekend.  Hope yours is great!

Tablet Blues

With all of the hoopla about the $99.00 HP Touchpad, I realized that overall; I am just not a tablet fan.  This could be considered another installment of my “woes of an early adopter” saga, but really I just don’t get it. 

I owned a first generation Kindle, and was soooooooooo excited about the possibilities but overall, I wasn’t thrilled with the digital reader experience.  I decided to sit back and wait on some other alternatives, and boy did they come running.  I have friends with different readers, but other than the thrill of instant access, I haven’t been swayed to buy another one.

Thus comes the tablet... 

I started looking into Tablet PCs, and when the Xoom was announce at CES 2011 back in January, it instantly moved to the top of my wish list.  As soon as they became available I purchased on (via Verizon) with a 5 GB data plan.  Overall, I like the performance of the Xoom, but most of the features/apps that I use were already available on my Droid. 

Now don’t get it twisted, it is sexy as hell, but I still much rather be on my desktop rocking my two humongous monitors.   Also, to me it is very heavy (aka not real girly).  But since I “had” to have one, I am please with my choice.  And… after searching high and low, I finally found the cutest Xoom cover by Tuff-Luv (it was the third case I purchased, but I love this one!)

So overall, I am waiting for the tablet phenomenal to grow on me.  I finally broke down and loaded a game, Angry Birds, and I must admit I do like it (but don’t tell anyone!)

Of course, had I been able to snatch up one of those $99.00 HPs I would have done so, in a New York minute!  It is much like a shoe sale, you just can’t walk away empty handed.

End of an Era.... Wheel Stop

Well, the fat lady has sung.  After more than 30 years, the Space Shuttle Program is over.  Although we have known for several years this day was coming, it is still very surreal.   I have dedicated 27 years of my career to the Space Shuttle Program, and it has allowed me to do some wonderful things.

I met my husband at NASA, as well as some great friends.  It is so sad to see so many of my friends and coworkers leave, but most have landed on their feet and are doing great things.

On Monday, when I go to work it will not be business as usual.  It will be the beginning of Transition and Retirement of the Shuttle, as we work to closeout the contract.  No more last minute frenzy trying to get things fixed, waived, or signed so we could make a launch schedule.  Boy am I going to miss that!

My NASA Career

Although the majority of my career has been in Multimedia Space Flight Training, I have worn many hats at NASA.  I started as a programmer in the Flight Software Department, then a Systems Analyst in the Payload Manifesting area, next I was a Payload Development Engineer, on to Lead Instructional Design Specialist for Space Flight Training, and now a Configuration Management Analyst.  So yes, I am a rocket scientist :-)

Here are a few pictures from the last two decades.  Now in the words of my mother, "it is time to move on."

Jerry Lawson, creator of cartridge-based video game consoles, dies at 70

By Christopher Trout (Engadget)

 

Gerald "Jerry" Lawson, the man who invented the video game cartridge, died Saturday morning of a heart attack at a Mountain View, California hospital at the age of 70. His brainchild, the Fairchild Channel F Video Game System, more commonly referred to as the Channel F, came out just one year before Atari's cartridge-based console, the VCS, opening the floodgates of modern gaming. His earliest foray into consumer electronics began early on, but it wasn't until he joined Fairchild in 1970 that he really made his mark on the tech industry. During that time, he became the only black member of the infamous Homebrew Computer Club that counted Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as members. He was honored at this year's GDC for his monumental contribution to modern gaming.

Enjoying My New Xoom!

I have had my Xoom for about a week now, and I am finally getting the hang of it.  The hardest part so far is this darn touch screen.  I guess I am a keyboard person.  Overall I think I like it a lot, however accessories have been hard to find.  To be continued...

Velocity Micro Cruz Reader and Cruz Tablet T301 Comparison

Android - Honeycomb

Hot Dog! I want one of these!!! CES 2011: Motorola Xoom

Happy New Year!

This high-tech girl has been off the blog for a little while!  But I am happy to share that it was for a great reason!!!  I graduated with a Masters in Digital Media Studies from the University of Houston - Clear Lake on December 18th!

So, I am back on the blog after a well-deserved break.

What did Santa bring me for Christmas?   While there were no new tech toys for me, but I did get a fabulous pair of shoes and a purse from Nine West.  

I did however purchase tech-toys for my family!   Got my hubby a new Phillips Blu-ray player and my first born a HP Pocket Drive.


I also got my fabulous mother a refurbished Dell Laptop from Overstock.com.  (Can't wait to see her use it :-)

I am getting my 2011 Wish List together by checking out the newest tech at this year's CES.  I somehow see a tablet PC in my not to distant future.


The holidays were quiet, and the New Year looks bright!  I wish each of you a very healthy and happy New Year.  Live Long and Prosper!

See you on the blog!