What I want for Christmas...

Today is October 7, still quite early to make a Christmas wish list but not a bad idea to get started now. Anyway, I can always use the edit button to change or add what's on my list which will have the following:

1. A simple smartphone if ever there is one. I don't care for smartphones that are overloaded with stuff I don't need or promise to do a lot of things except feed my cats.

2. An online security camera that is small and easy to maintain. I still wish I could have the BrickHouse Security 017-CAM4-USB.


3. An electronic scooter that will do the balancing and driving for me :)

4. A calf massager. This is a necessity.

5. A DSLR that doesn't intimidate.

6. New good DS and Wii game titles like Just Dance 2 because the old ones are less fun to play now.

7. A mechanical ball thrower for my dog. The one in photo is the GoDogGo automatic tennis ball launcher and fetch machine that costs $119.99. My dog could use this on days when I'm not available to play with her.



8. A toy aquarium for my cats because they need entertainment, too.

9. A huge 3D LED TV, why not?!!!

10. A really fast and no downtime broadband service.

11. An intelligent car that can help me park, can detect the status of my tires, etc. without me having to look because I usually don't know what I should be looking for.

Okay, I think I can't go on any further because it gets unrealistic as I add more items. If only money grows on Christmas trees, then I can have all these even before the holidays roll around.

Rewind No. 2: Palm and Globe Handyphone for mobile e-mail

This print ad came out in February 2000 in a local IDG publication announcing the marriage between a mobile phone service and the hottest gadget back then: the Palm personal digital assistant.

In a bid to make e-mail mobile, Globe partnered with Palm and ran this ad that said:

"E-mail solutions in the palm of your hands! Now you can retrieve e-mail anytime, anywhere using the best value in personal organization: the Palm Handheld Electronic Organizer. Now, you can carry and access all the information you need -- calendar, addresses, to-do lists, memos, expenses, and other applications all at the touch of a button.By simply subscribing to the Globe Handyphone Mobile Office (HMO) and G-Net, and installing the Global Pulse in your Palm Connected Organizer, you can send and receive e-mail anytime, anywhere! Now you've got the Internet right in your pocket!"

Ten years later and we could only smile at this vintage ad that pimped the idea of mobile e-mail using two devices. The two men shown in the ad were made to look very pleased with this tech wizardry from Globe and Palm as one of them accessed his e-mail, calendar and contacts in this format inside the movie house! What a decade could do. Now we only need one mobile device -- a smartphone that not only could access anything on the Web, it could also play movies!

The ad also quoted a promo price for the Palm IIIx and Global Pulse bundle for P17,580; cost of cellular phone not included. Not only has technology improved by leaps and bounds since this ad came out, the price for this kind of connectivity has also gone down. But that's only true as long as we don't fall for the most-hyped smartphone brands around. ;)