Daaaaa Bulls

The Executive Suite at United Center

Benny the Bull floating around

Action on the court

I've never been a fan of any pro sport other than golf but it's always cool to experience new things. I was able to experience a NBA game today watching the Chicago Bulls play the Orlando Magic (Orlando won 97 - 93). What was even cooler was that I was able to enjoy the experience in an executive suite with plenty of food and an endless supply of beer. I must admit, the experience would have been so much cooler if it was back in the golden age of the Bulls when Jordan, Pippen, Kucoc, Rodman, and Kerr would be playing. Unfortunately, I had to deal with watching two ex-dookies play - Luol Deng and Chris Duhon for the Bulls (Grant Hill didn't play). Nevertheless, good times. I'm really looking forward to catching a Cubs' game at Wrigley Field...I think that would be something to look forward to.

Treo 700w

Cell phones are getting beefed up with a whole bunch of additional features these days and for the most part, it seems like most of these extra features are pretty much worthless. I mean seriously, who the hell wants to watch TV on a small ass screen? I remember the good old days when a phone was just a phone but now a days it's hard to even find a phone without a camera on it.

Luckily, for those of us who aren't into the pre-pubescent, middle-school cheerleader targeted features, there's the Treo Smartphone from Palm. Designed mostly for business purposes, it's truly a wonderful little gadget. Most significantly, it enables one to access email virtually anywhere and view Word, Excel, and Powerpoint attachments on the go. It also has a decent web browser and the potential for the installation of new applications that could come in handy.

My 2 year Sprint contract recently ran out so I got my hands on the new Treo 700w from Verizon. I wasn't too excited at the fact that the Treo 700w ran using a Windows OS rather than a Palm OS (phobia of the blue screen of death) but I soon found myself comfortable with the fond functionalities of a Windows OS (i.e. Ctrl-a highlights all). The email capability is definitely kick ass and will definitely come in handy at airports or on the road when pulling out my laptop is just a pain in the ass. Also, there's a simplified version of MapQuest that's available through IE that will most certainly be used when I'm in new cities driving around in my rental. Also, with the email capability, the camera becomes much more useful. On my previous phone, emailing a picture was a major pain in the ass. However, now with my Treo, I take a picture, and with a couple of clicks it's in my outbox ready to be sent out as an attachment. Golden! Furthermore, I was lucky enough to have an extra 256 MB memory card, which I initially bought for my digital camera, laying around that is compatible with my Treo so I'll be able to put some pictures and/or MP3s without compromising the limited built in memory.

I must admit that the Treo is a bit bigger than my last phone but that's something that is necessary. I can't imagine browsing the web or checking emails on a smaller screen but it's going to take some time for me to get used to having such a clunky device up to my head. Also, navigating without the stylus is a bit difficult but at the same time, I don't want to pull out the stylus pen every single time. But these are little details that can easily be forgotten when I reassure myself of all the positive aspects of the Treo.

The default sound files that came with the Treo were disappointing. Crappy MIDI files that sounds like shit. But no worries... I was able to import a couple of MP3s and WAV files that I appreciate and set up my phone just as I like it. Now, instead of a crappy ring, my Treo plays the theme song from The Office (UK version of course...on that note what's the theme song for the American version of The Office?) whenever there's an incoming call. Also, you'll hear a very familiar "You've Got Mail" notification whenever new mail arrives. The possibilities are endless!