MYLO and Zune

Hello everyone!

So I have had about a week to play with the Sony MYLO, in between my crazy little life, I was able to use the MYLO in my home, at the Dr's office, and at a cafe. Yeah! Now the features, which I am sure you all know, are this:
Communication - IM your friends using Yahoo!, Google and Skype; make VoIP calls using Skype
Web - browse the web
Music - listen to your tunes, and share with other MYLOs
Photo - look at photos - no camera
Video - watch videos you download to the MYLO from your computer
Text - take notes my brothers!
What's Up - a screen that lets you instantly see which of your buddies are online

So what do I like about the device? Here is a top line. If you are looking for a device that lets you make Skype calls (save those cell minutes!), IM and listen to music, this may be the right investment for that $350 burning a hole in your pocket. More details below.

Being the sole owner and bill payer of my cell phone bill, I really like that I can make free calls on the MYLO thanks to Skype. Skype is currently running a promotion where you can use Skype to call any cell or landline number in the US for free. And I have made a number of calls, and most have reported that the audio sounds like you're on a cell phone, not perfect, but pretty good. On the MYLO end, the person on the phone sounds crystal clear, so that is pretty impressive.

As for the QWERTY keyboard, the fingerpad is a little tiny, and takes getting used to, but once you do, it'll make your thumbs some strong contenders in the thumbwrestling competition 2007. The keyboard makes IMing extremely easy.

As for signing into Yahoo!, Skype and Google, I have noticed that logging into these guys is pretty quick and more dependent on your connection speed than the device, although, my laptop does beat the device by maybe 1-2 seconds. Really. That close. And that is IMing. For web browsing, well be ready to sit down, cause it's gonna take a minute.

As for setting up the trusted Wifi networks, MYLO makes it really easy, but once you tell it that this network is a registered network, well, it remembers the network whether or not it is available in your current location. That means that if you are in your home and wander out to a cafe, MYLO will try and connect to the web via your network before it tries the other ones it finds at the cafe. But that is easily by-passable by just clicking down to the open networks on the available lists.

It's got 1 GB memory and a slot for expansion. It's got the most useful command buttons on the face, similar to the Danger Sidekick, but there are things that are not so super with this crazy little Wifi Device.

And it comes in two color choices: Black with gray accents, and White with Orange accents.

For one thing, I really don't like that it isn't compatible with flash, so you can't surf sites like You Tube nor IM your AIM people on AOL Express (AIM's backdoor IM answer to not being able to download software onto your computer). Also, you cannot download songs directly from the web onto your MYLO, you have to download it onto your computer then transfer to your MYLO. And that goes for the pictures and videos too. Trust me, I tried. Even though they said it couldn't be done, you gotta give it the old tech toys go! The speaker on the device can pump out the audio just well enough to hear it outdoors, but I wouldn't say you can leave your headphones at home...And did I mention that it comes with a headset and mic for your calls?

But using their 'Ad Hoc' program, you may listen to and view the music, videos and photos of other MYLO users in the area. Plus you can see their profile (if they have made it public) and you can chat directly to those in your area. Talk about a new way to stalk! Yeah.

the battery life is decent; I have been using it to browse the web, chat and make calls for about 7.5 hours and am on my last battery bar. The only thing that I do not like is the ability to power down the screen sooner to preserve the battery. It's on auto, and a very long auto setting it is. And there are two settings, long and forever, so your choices are limited.

And as of yet, you cannot text to cell phones, but as Skype is rolling that out, the Sony Rep I spoke with told me they will be providing software updates so that may be coming to a MYLO near you soon.

All in all, the MYLO is an incredibly simple device to use. The interface is incredibly user friendly and has all the little things you may want. It is again targeted for areas that have wifi, like college campuses, certain cities like Philly, Sunnyvale, etc. and as more cities become hot spots, this device will find more and more homes.

Since I live in LA, we are some of the least tech savvy in the state, and there hasn't been a big push for city-wide Wifi, but a girl can dream. So for now, since I have gone over my cell minutes for the last year of my life, I think spending $350 to be able to make calls through Skype (aka Free) and surf the web for free while I am at home or out and about is looking pretty good right about now.

And if the Sony rep is reading this, yes, I would like a MYLO, and I would like the White and orange one please.

tomorrow I meet with the Microsoft people where I will get the skinny on Zune. Will it knock the socks off me? That's the million dollar question....

I am taping an episode of The Ellen Degeneres tomorrow, where I will talk about all these devices and more and it will most likely air Wednesday.

back from vacation

Hello all who still are loyal friends who read this blog. I just returned from my lovely jaunt to Germany to see my hardworking boyfriend and it was wonderful. We spent about two weeks together trolling the streets of Stuttgart (home of Mercedes and Porsche) in search of warm weather and boy, it was like someone told the sun we wanted to warm up because that bitch up and left our vacation so fast, it changed the rotation of terra firma.

So let me impart some knowledge about Germany that many of you may or may not know. First off, almost everyone in Germany speaks English, so if you're there to learn some German, no problem. If you're a lazy American who decided to head to a western European country without learning a lick of that foreign tongue (like your's truly), no problem. Almost everyone speaks English. Woot.

And if you love snitzel and potatoes, you're in big luck buddy, because they have that in tons. Looking for a salad? Well, that's not super rare, but let's just say Germany ain't California. So I spent many a day walking the streets of downtown Stuttgart and people watching. I really enjoy doing it, except when you are an ex-coffee drinker, it's hard to say no to that sweet sweet brown liquid I think of as happy juice - especially since they know how to brew that special brew so brewey! The lessons I learned while in Germany are: 1. Germans are incredibly nice. 2. Female Germans are GORGEOUS. And German men are handsome, but even the so-sos get their groove on nicely, from what I can see. Rock on.

OK so 'I Want That Tech Toys' has been going really well, showing off cool products for any budget, and wowing me with the really expensive crap that I WANT SO BAD I COULD PUNCH MY PRODUCER FOR NOT GIVING IT TO ME, but hey, I already host the show, so I can't really take the products anyhow, but well, I would love it to just be out there on the table.

Sorry, I digress. Looks like Tuesday I will be taping an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show on NBC where I will be talking about the Sony MYLO...yes, I have it in my grubby little hands and am playing with it now. NOW! haha! I love it! Once I play with it, I will let you know what I think. First impressions? I am not really wowed by the screen and the exclusion of a cameraphone, but I love that it is a phone and device that works FREE out of the box. If there's wifi, well, you can make calls through Skype, IM, browse the web, all that jazz and for free! Skype has a promotion through the end of the year that allows free calls to any number in the US, therefore calls on the MYLO are free. Obviously this product is marketed for the younger market and urban areas.

I play, I report. I'll let you know. Hugs.

The View again!

Hey everyone, sorry for the late notice, but sooo much has happened in the last week. But please let me start of by saying that I will be on THE VIEW again tomorrow, Friday, August 18th talking about Dorm room gadgets. Well, let's just say they are not all gadgets with one item being a three-compartment hamper, but lemme just say I wouldn't send it away if showed up at my door. Plus I hear Joy, one of the hosts, claimed that bad boy before it made its nationwide appearance. Free stuff brings out the vulture in us all. Mama be proud!

Currently I am back in my second home, the bay area, working with MobiTV on their new project, MobiFest. It is a free to the public music monster that is showcasing some of the hottest bay area talents around. They have indie rockers, hip hop artists, and one of the hottest ballad bands around. I know what you're thinking, ballad like Skid Row and Guns N Roses ballad? No, I can only hope for the reintroduction to the days of hair. They are indie rockers who make really good make-out music. But no baby-making there. I don't hear any Luther influences. But I'll keep you posted.

Plus I saw a sneak preview of Idlewild, starring OutKast. Now you all know that I have interviewed some heavy-hitting A-listers in the past year, but I SWEAR I have never been as nervous teen trying to apply the right lip chap to ask the hunk to the Sadie's Hawkins Dance as I was in front of these two music makers. Soooo hot! Plus all the journalists and people around were saying that Big Boi and Andre 3000 were not really into the interviews or giving much, but once I rolled in, being one of their biggest fans, well those boys were so nice, funny, and generous. OMG, not only that, but one of the junket gifts (I know, my life is hard. not only do I meet these really great people after seeing their projects, I get little t-shirts and presents!) was a flask with 'Idlewild' on it. Well, Big Boi signed that for me. And he is a little dude. But just a big personality, hence the name. The big highlight of the day was meeting my future baby daddy, Andre 3000. He is soooo hot, in an understated cool. It kills me!

So do I recommend the movie? Well let's just say it is visually stunning. This isn't your average musical where people break into song at the bite of a hot dog, the songs are there to describe events, and since the songs are OutKast, it ain't a bad score. Plus the director, Bryan Barber, of many music videos' fame really brought a musical hard-hitting lyricism to the celluloid with amazing dance sequences and lots of excitement. Even he admits that directing the larger productions was easier than doing the movie's quieter moments, and he really went all out with the scenes in this one. Though the story is not something to write home about, the movie, with its graphics, dance and music are worth a theater visit if you're looking for a good time, music video after music video.

Peace out!

Last three weeks

All right. I should really be packing now, but instead I thought I should post something for you all to know what's been happening in my life for the past 3 weeks. And to answer some of the posters reponding to my last post, I left my Etymotics at home and ear plugs just didn't do it.

So the past three weeks have included 1 24-28 hour trip cross country per week. This is on top of working freelance in LA and considering moving back up to the bay area. I have shot two The View segments, the second one set to air Aug. 18th, and made it to the premiere shindig of Tech Toys in Washington, DC. The party, btw, was a lot of fun. And I met the people behind the show. Plus I have discovered that the people producing 'I Want That Tech Toys' and 'I Want That' work in the same office. Like right next to one another. And the prankster I am, I will make it my personal mission to start a little fun office war between the two shows. Hey, I don't work in the office, and with all these tech toys, I think my boys will have the upper hand!

On top of all this, my good buddy was just diagnosed with cancer behind his nose and began chemotherapy Thursday. And I couldn't be there for his first treatment because my plane was late from my last trip. And I won't be there for the 2nd because I will be shooting Tech Toys then. But I call a lot and he is doing all right, tired, but all right.

Now I must pack to go up to SF for a night and do some work.

Check out MobiTV when you get a chance. It is a REALLY cool service.

thanks to all who watched the show's premiere Wednesday and know that the shows get better and the tech toys get more crazy and fun. Keep watching every Wednesday night at 9!

my blog's been blank all day

and I am wondering what the?!

so I just flew back from Washington DC today and lemme tell you, the 6 hour cross country flight wasn't so bad and would have been received better by your's truly if, and only if, a family of 5 weren't sitting directly in front of me. And by directly in front of me, I mean the little 4 year old girl yammers on and on and on for hours on end with no parental calming, cooing, or shutting up of the little pie hole. Now please don't get me wrong, I love children and someday may have a child of my own, but know this and know this now, I pledge to society that I will instill the fear of God in my child that if he or she speaks out of turn and acts up in a small space like, say a plane, where upwards of 200 adults who are all trying to sleep and who are all in earshot of her jabbering, we will have more than just 'words' together. Damn hippie parents respecting the soul of this child, yada yada yada. What about respecting my need to sleep and drool on the borrowed plane pillow? How's about that ma and pa?! Your daughter is 4, her life hasn't been long and experienced enough to let her tell her life story over 6 hours! Kids are cute, but camman!

I think this is why I am not allowed in animal shelters. Just a guess.