Well, I’ve finally jumped into this century with both feet.
Remember when I talked about texting?
Remember when I talked about switching to a paper calendar when my Palm died?
Well, I was getting tired of pressing the number keys on my phone a bajillion times to send a text, and I was feeling the urge to go back to an electronic calendar. That’s when I decided to check out my options, and I asked people for some suggestions.
Palm and Sprint have a new device coming out on the 6th called the Palm Pre, and all the videos about it make it look awesome. I used to be a diehard Palm user, so I have no doubt it will be great.
I have been with Sprint for over 10 years (can you believe it!?) and I get a new phone every 3 years or so…so I’m almost always in a contract with them, but it’s worth it for the perks. I’ve never had to pay much for a new phone, so the sticker price of the Palm Pre was a bit too steep for me. Even with my discounts (and I get a LOT of discounts), it was pricey.
There is always the iPhone, but the plans are really expensive! And, the cost of getting out of my current contract made that venture astronomically expensive.
Then, I noticed that a lot of my friends were raving about their BlackBerry devices.
I’ve always ruthlessly made fun of “CrackBerry” users, so it should be no shock that I became one.
Remember my foray into Facebook?
Remember my reluctance to join Twitter?
Heh.
It was only a matter of time.
Well, I got my new BlackBerry yesterday, and I’m completely smitten. The plan I’m on is barely more than I was paying for my podunk phone and service, so I think I made the right choice. And, with my discount, the cost of the actual device was minimal.
There is a learning curve (Literally! I got the BlackBerry Curve! Ha.), so today, my brain feels swollen. But, I’m slowly figuring it all out.
I’ve already started to see the benefits of this little machine.
Last night, as we were watching TV, I got an email…from the couch. I checked my calendar…from the couch. I emailed back suggesting a meeting time…from the couch, and I got a meeting confirmed…from the couch.
And, speaking of TV, Claire and I were watching TV from my BlackBerry yesterday afternoon. What!?
The service was a little wonky in parts, BUT WE WERE WATCHING TV FROM MY PHONE.
Can you imagine what would have happened if we told our childhood selves that this was possible…and affordable!? We’d have been burned at the stake for suggesting such witchcraft.
I totally know why it’s called a CrackBerry.
Psssssh…like that’s a bad thing! 
Today, we decided to use the built-in GPS to get us to the Zoo. I know how to get to the Zoo, but I wanted to see what she told us to do. (Yes, she’s a she. And, yes, I’m going to name her.) She calculated our route and accounted for traffic (!!) and directed us to go a way I’d never gone. I’ve lived in this city for 10+ years, and I had no idea that the way she told us to go would even work.
We got to the Zoo in record time, avoided all of the typical traffic clusters and got rock-star parking. I’m amazed.
While I’m shocked that this kind of technology exists, I’m finding it hard to resist. Did we not learn anything from Terminator or Battlestar Gallactica? Well, until some half-human/half-machine guy from the future comes back to tell us that we’re doing it all wrong, I’m not going to worry. 
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