Christmas 2002 - How Was It? [Archive]

Jason Dunn

12-26-2002, 04:00 PM

daninnj

12-26-2002, 04:07 PM

Opening my new 27" TV for my room. Only geeky-type stuff I got was a 256mb RAM memory upgrade...I asked for a wifi network, but I didn't get it...Oh well.

DanInNJ

jngold_me

12-26-2002, 04:10 PM

Awesome! I'm just loving my shiny new Ipaq 1910! Wooo hooo! No more Palm-size envy! I think I will keep the 1910 step-cousin (Jornada 568) so I can still use my WiFi set-up.

Cheers!

Perry Reed

12-26-2002, 04:11 PM

I got a CD burner which will help immensely with the horribly overcrowding on my poor old PC's little hard drive.

I actually had a CD burner years ago, before they were even popular. I had one of the first-edition SCSI-only, horribly unreliable Philips models and was the first person I knew to burn his own mix-CD. But over the years of various PC "upgrades", I dumped SCSI and never got another CD writer until now.

Can't believe I've gone so long without one! Between years of pent-up mix-CDs, and archiving off multiple megs of MP3s and digital photos, that thing is gonna get a workout!

Danborg

12-26-2002, 04:17 PM

How was everyone's Christmas? Have fun? Get anything geeky worthy of sharing with the rest of us? Do tell...I don't usually get many geek toys at Christmas unless I buy them for myself - my tastes have gotten a little expensive over the years, and my loved ones never know whether it's PC2700 DDR CL2 RAM I want, or PC2100 DDR CL3. It's tough giving gifts to a geek. :lol: What was your best memory this Christmas?
I got an HP Photosmart 130 printer, it makes very nice 4x6 photo quality prints of my digital photos. I like it because I can plug my 256MB SD card (also got for XMas) directly into the printer, and print my photos with no computer required. It's also very small, practically portable. I like that because I already have a laser printer and a color inkjet on my desk and really didn't have room for a 3rd fullsized printer. I've standardized on SD for all my devices... I can plug my SD card into my digital camera and take photos.... plug the same card into my T-Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition to view the photos... and plug the same card into the printer to make a hard copy. Oh, another thing I like about the HP PhotoSmart 130 printer is that I can plug my SD card into it and access it from my computer as an "F:\" drive -- so it's like a card reader too. STANDARDS make for easier geek gift giving! :D

Ed Hansberry

12-26-2002, 04:20 PM

Well, geeky perhaps, but not electronic. :)

I used to paint miniatures that went with the Dungeons & Dragons game, long after I gave up the game. Then I quit doing it and have been looking for a hobby to pick up that ws peaceful and not frustrating at times - so anything electronic was out!

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20021226-gandalf.gifhttp://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20021226-legolas.gifhttp://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20021226-pippin.gif

I got the Lord of the Rings kit for Christmas with the 9 members of the fellowship (http://us.games-workshop.com/thelordoftherings/us/fellowship/catalog/free_peoples/fellowship.htm). Now I need to run to the hobby store and pick up some supplies before I can get started - a file, metal clippers, undercoating, etc.

fgarcia10

12-26-2002, 04:21 PM

My wife surprised me with a new 52" wide screen HDTV, progresive scan DVD player and a HD tuner/receiver. I love my new toys :D

Bob Anderson

12-26-2002, 04:23 PM

Matt Cassidy

12-26-2002, 04:29 PM

Well i'm with Jason, if i don't buy it for myself i don't get the geeky toys i want. So i bought (i mean Santa brought) me some nice screen protectors for my Genio e550 and PPC Scrabble, and a 256mb CF and 128mb SD. Wow Santa knows his stuff. Best of all was watching my wife open up the Maestro i bought her. She is not a junkie like me but wanted something to display digital pics of our new baby girl and just a little something for contacts and appointments. She'll probably never tap the full potential but at least it gives me more of a reason to be in the computer room......"dhere honey let me show you what else you can do....hehehe!" I also gave my daughter my old Palm M125. She had an old $30 organizer that she took good care of so i handed my Palm down. Wow what a thrill in her world, 9yrs old and connected. Oh what a blast Christmas is, if only Santa would foot the bill once in a while.

acollet

12-26-2002, 04:38 PM

Other than the 2 plus feet of (which was actually kind of nice) We couldn't go nowhere and no one could get to us :lol: Funny how thing work... I did realy good this year for gifts. Got my 5450, DVD Player w/ Progressive scan, and Gameboy Advance. Although now my daughter 4 and daddy 34 are fighting over who play metrioid first LOL..

Rirath

12-26-2002, 04:48 PM

My family long long ago gave up on the idea of getting me specific items and switched to cash, so I've been searching for some nice software for the Axim. :) So far, Nyditot Virtual Display, Pocket Controller, Password Juggler and Rocket Elite. Thinking of ordering a 128MB SD today, or maybe Gangsta Race and Total Remote instead.

I was just happy to buy the Axim. :) Axim + goodies from family = :D
Best memory was Christmas eve though, snapping a holiday picture and emailing it off to a good friend.

krisbrown

12-26-2002, 04:55 PM

This is what I wanted, need to play DAOC everywhere.

http://www.alienware.co.uk/system_pages/area-51m.aspx

What I got was a blanket and a tracksuit :D

ipaq-PHD

12-26-2002, 05:05 PM

Kodak 4900 4MP Digital camera w/ 256MB CF card and a Playstation 2 !!! :rock on dude!:

dbrahms

12-26-2002, 05:07 PM

I got a nice Samsung Digital Camcorder...thanks to my wonderful girlfriend. But it was a late Chankuah present...there was no Chanukah post last month...This site is anti-Chanukah! (kidding)

dartman

12-26-2002, 05:15 PM

I took some Christmas money and ordered another usb cradle, A/C adaptor, leather case and pack of styli (?) for my Axim. No one else would have had a clue about these things.

dart

welmoed

12-26-2002, 05:18 PM

I got the Scott eVest, plus two 128meg Smart Media cards for the camera. 13yo video game freak son got some software to teach him how to create his own video games. He also got Age of Mythology, but unfortunately his video card is too ancient to allow him to play it. You never saw a sorrier kid! So right now DH is off to CompUSA for a new video card.

Also, DH got son one of the much-hyped mini RC racer cars. Much to our surprise, it's a nifty little toy and a very, very good cat teaser. I am thinking of making a little fake-fur cover for it and turning it into a RC mouse.

--Welmoed

Jonathan1

12-26-2002, 05:22 PM

I got a Linksys Dual-Band Wireless A+B Broadband Router. Finally I can connect more then one computer to my internet connection! ATT the (#@$&$ ties my MAC address on my desktop to my cable modem so I can't even plug it into my laptop. :evil:

But with this sucker this has changed. I have my 2 desktops and my laptop on the net now. :)

Wireless on this thing will be sweet once I get a WIFI card. :) That's about a month away maybe less depending on after x-mas bills. I love the fact that this thing has 802.11B AND A on it. I can get a A/B PCMCIA card for my laptop and go with either speed A or distance B.

And yes WEP is setup (152-bit) Along with MAC filtering. Woo Hoo the government can't classify me as treasonous. 8O :wink:

RKosin

12-26-2002, 05:22 PM

X-box live...but not enough of on-line users so it would appear that no one is listening. :robot:

pdantic

12-26-2002, 05:25 PM

Well, my wife and I don't exchange gifts (probably why we've remained married for 23+ years!) and my other relatives are clueless about what tech toys I like, so the gifts under the tree this year were all practical boring things. :cry:

However, just after the start of 2003 I will be ordering an "uber Pocket PC" (aka Tablet PC) for myself so I guess I can't complain! :D

Steve

rgremill

12-26-2002, 05:30 PM

This thread has made me look at my presents in a different light.

I got the Star Wars and Back to the Future DVDs.
I got a book called "Online Business Resources".

But the best and nerdiest present I got was from my brother. He got me an Atari joystick with TEN Atari 2600 games built in. It has Asteroids, Missile Command, Adventure, Yars Revenge and more.

I also got a Best Buy gift certificate, so I still have some more nerd stuff to buy.

Not to be left out, my wife got a laser level and the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

JohnnyFlash

12-26-2002, 05:32 PM

I drove myself to the local ski resort for Christmas! Man, I can hardly move today.

Kirkaiya

12-26-2002, 05:58 PM

I got a sort of geeky gift from my wife, but it's something I always wanted as a kid and never had: a good telescope. She got a pretty nice 700 mm refractive telescope (a Meade), so when the temperature is back above freezing, I can use it to check out the heavans :-) (it also came with some astro software on CD rom, but I was thinking... I bet somebody must've ported some decent software for locating constellations, etc, to the Pocket PC...)

I've never had one, so it's a total novelty to me. Anyway. I've now got an HP 1910, after breaking my Viewsonic V35, and using my CompUSA "guarantee" (lucky i bought that!) to exchange it for the 1910 (they were out of stock of the V35, still not sure if I'll keep it, or go back to the Viewsonic).

I got my wife Agent Provacateur :twisted:

Paragon

12-26-2002, 05:59 PM

My wife gave me, and our two oldest sons certificates for hotair balloon rides....I'm unsure as to who provides the hot air. :D

Without ever discussing the idea....EVER..... I bought her one as well. What are the odds on that. :)

crispeto

12-26-2002, 06:00 PM

My Christmas was as DELLicious as the ham dinner. Love my new Axim!

Kati Compton

12-26-2002, 06:03 PM

But the best and nerdiest present I got was from my brother. He got me an Atari joystick with TEN Atari 2600 games built in. It has Asteroids, Missile Command, Adventure, Yars Revenge and more.

My husband got one of those from a friend of ours, and I want to get it for another friend for a late Christmas present. Do you know where your brother got it? Those are apparently really hard to find. Discontinued through Amazon, etc.

Perry Reed

12-26-2002, 06:07 PM

My husband got one of those from a friend of ours, and I want to get it for another friend for a late Christmas present. Do you know where your brother got it? Those are apparently really hard to find. Discontinued through Amazon, etc.

I got mine at Wal-Mart, but the last time I was there, I didn't see any. They're pretty cool, having all Activision games, which were some of the best for the Atari. I'm BIG into the old Atari, my collection currently stands at over 200 cartridges. I have a similar device to this one, only it has over 100 games from Activision, Atari, and others. It's semi-legal, imported from Hong Kong.

Kati Compton

12-26-2002, 06:08 PM

I got mine at Wal-Mart, but the last time I was there, I didn't see any. They're pretty cool, having all Activision games, which were some of the best for the Atari. I'm BIG into the old Atari, my collection currently stands at over 200 cartridges. I have a similar device to this one, only it has over 100 games from Activision, Atari, and others. It's semi-legal, imported from Hong Kong.

There's another one that looks more like a modern controller and has games built-in, and my husband got that one as well, but it just doesn't have the coolness factor of looking like the old Atari joystick and getting the old Atari hand-cramps while playing.

Perry Reed

12-26-2002, 06:15 PM

There's another one that looks more like a modern controller and has games built-in, and my husband got that one as well, but it just doesn't have the coolness factor of looking like the old Atari joystick and getting the old Atari hand-cramps while playing.

Oh! That's the one I thought you were referring to! I had no idea there was one that looked like an Atari joystick. I'm gonna have to search for it...

Monty Gibson

12-26-2002, 06:27 PM

1.) Have you seen the commercial on television with the husband and wife with the Jaguar in the background. That's me:

http://www.jaguar.com/NR/rdonlyres/eilwskfchhpp5kzmkbzvokm75rltwt3mrqmexrolsa3cc7tvoca2qj2zr66q67mf74u3sf73qeodgx5kpi44xcxcuka/03styperov02.jpg

2.) Clothes
3.) Cologne
4.) Too many calories.

Merry Christmas.

Brad Adrian

12-26-2002, 06:33 PM

I didn't get anything geeky, but I had some great Christmas moments. The best was at a Christmas play, put on by all the kids in my church. It was a typical retelling of the Christmas story, complete with forgotten lines, bathrobe costumes and giggling actors. At one point, the Star of Bethleham, hanging by a monofilamint line, nearly crashed INTO Bethleham.

It was adorable, and I loved every minute of it.

yvilla

12-26-2002, 06:36 PM

Santa (me) has to bring me anything geeky too, usually, although this year my son had the wonderful idea of giving me a CompUSA gift certificate--with string attached that he go with me so he can "learn".

So cool, this is the adult son I've finally "turned on" to Pocket PCs and even the techier side of computing in general (after wishing for years that I could share some of my enthusiam/passion with him). How did I do it--by getting him the T-Mobile PPCPE as an early Christmas present a couple of months ago! It's really great, now we can talk/email back and forth excitedly about new PPC software/developments, etc.

What I'll be getting with that gift certificate: The PNY USB 2.0 Multi Slot Reader (reads CF 1 & 2, SD, SM, MMC and MS) and a USB 2.0 host adapter for my desktop. And, a USB 2.0 CardBus port for my laptop (& soon to be used in the Tablet PC replacement for my laptop that I'm eagerly awaiting--that's from Santa :) ). What great gifts!

12-26-2002, 06:49 PM

I buy all the high-tech toys in our family although my husband is taking over the wireless side of things. My BEST gift this year was only quasi-tech, but a real blast-from-the-past. My husband bought me a 6 CD recording of a radio-serial from the early 70's, "The Fourth Tower Of Inverness". The folks at zbs.org have been doing this for years, and there seems to be no end of Jack Flanders adventures to ease the pain of slow commutes. What Fun!

Evee Ev

12-26-2002, 07:43 PM

christmas was a litte "small" this year as i'm planning for a marriage in june. i didn't get anything for my ppc but i did get nba live 2003 for the ps2...whoopee!!!

snayar

12-26-2002, 08:06 PM

This is my best Christmas ever!

God sent us the best early present ever!!!! I got a beautiful baby girl (6 Months now)! :lilangel:

And on the geeky side, my wife got me a 5.1 Home Theater System so I can play my XBOX the way it was meant to play! 5.1 Dolby Surround Rocks! :rock on dude!:

Also I got me a nice HP Thumb Keyboard for my trusty Jornada 568 and an extended battery! (thanks Jerry!) :beer:

Cheers! :drinking:

fyiguy

12-26-2002, 08:23 PM

Macguy59

12-26-2002, 08:57 PM

My best memory from yesterday would be seeing my baby brother for the first time in 2 years. He's been doing missionary work in Uganda. My best present would be the 42" wallmounted plasma TV that I just put up in my den :P

sirtin

12-26-2002, 09:01 PM

Well, Santa ordered me an iPAQ 5455 for Christmas which was to be delivered on the 23rd...just in time!

So, I anxiously awaited the FedEx man on Monday and was overjoyed when he walked up to the door, handed me the package and started heading quickly back to his truck. (odd, he didn't ask for a signature). Turns out they aren't requiring signatures during the Christmas season (oh, REAL smart move).

Oh well, I didn't care, I had my new toy! Well...when I opened the box...it seemed a bit lighter. The 5455 box was there inside the Fedex padckage....and what to my wondering eyes should appear but...NOTHING! Someone in the FecEx chain had stolen the iPAQ! (NO, it did not just fall out...this was quite obviously stolen).

GRRRR!!!

And of course, hpshopping.com was closed until today so I had to sit and wait. Although, I JUST got off the phone with hpshopping.com and they say they will have a new one to me by early next week!

Final Score:
FedEx: Owes HP $700.00 and needs to fire somebody.
hpshopping.com: Great service for this, will keep my business (when the prices are right).
ME: Slightly downer for Christmas, but WILL have my new toy soon!!!!

Oh, I got some other stuff too....but mostly money to pay for the above mentioned toy. :)

Jonathan1

12-26-2002, 09:07 PM

Master O'Mayhem

12-26-2002, 09:20 PM

The coolest gift I got was a pair of new Dr. Martens from my wife!! Although I did buy myself a nice little nikon D100. I am on the way to giving up all 35mm film shooting. Now I need to get a printer for all this Digital printing. I have an HP photosmart 1218 but i am looking for a new one. Anyone recommend a kick ass printer? I am looking at EPSON Stylus Photo 2200 - C11C387011 Anyone have any pother suggestions?

MikeUnwired

12-26-2002, 09:28 PM

My family knows better than to try to buy any computer or PDA accessories. But, I did get a really high tech looking fondue set from my wife. My love of tech and toys spills over into the kitchen -- where my wife does "get it".

It was funny having folks come into my store looking for "Palm" stuff. They had no clue what units most of their loved one's had -- or better yet, they walked out with Palm Zire's for people they said were real computer geeks. I just hope the Zire's come back un-opened so I can resell them.

We had lots of requests for Dell Axim accessories too -- can you spell Dell.COM?

The SD software card thing was a big disapointment to many buyers theis season -- they wanted PPC software, but found little or none out there. Most of the Palm stuff at the retail level is either very generic or very poor (Swiftware). I'd love to open a kiosk where people could get PDA software downloads burned to CD for their installation at home. They would get the software fiels and the registration / passcode right there and not have to deal with downloads and online payments.

I could have sold 100 copies of The Bible on SD/MMC card this year if Laridian just bundled it that way and made it available to retailers.

Maybe next year...

MikeUnwired

12-26-2002, 09:31 PM

This is my best Christmas ever!

God sent us the best early present ever!!!! I got a beautiful baby girl (6 Months now)! :lilangel:

Congrats SNayar. But from my perspective as a single, young adult I can't decide if that would be a gift or a curse. :wink:

Kidding kidding. :D

You also got a fine tax deduction retro for the whole year -- pretty cool, ehh? AND, a child credit for your stocking stuffer as well. Make sure you order the Social Security Number, so you don't miss out on all the wonderfulness of your little bundle of tax savings...

rgremill

12-26-2002, 09:55 PM

My brother bought the Atari joystick from Avon but I cannot find it on their site. Here's a link on Amazon about it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000645DD/102-7352260-3038569

Tim Jump

12-27-2002, 12:30 AM

Among other things, I got a GameCube with three games (including Metroid Prime).

I am such a big kid. :D

Fishie

12-27-2002, 01:02 AM

Fishie

12-27-2002, 01:06 AM

Oh and I got my Intermec6651/Sharp telios 7000.

Cool lil machine.

Bob Anderson

12-27-2002, 01:09 AM

OK.. how do you break the news to your awesome sister.. who thought she was doing the right thing and bought Monopoly and Scrabble for PDA, but bought the PALM version instead of the PocketPC!!!!

The whole family got a good laugh out of it actually, because I am such a geek and they aren't!!! Now we are in the process of figuring out how to return it. YIKES!!!

No Ipaq 5450 though... I guess I'll have to get that one myself :wink:

bob,
you may just contact the folks at handmark, i am sure they would be glad to help you out.

Thanks for the tip... I've sent off an e-mail to them to see what we can do. I don't really want to hassle my sister to return the stuff, etc., because all that will do is make her less likely to buy me more geeky stuff next Christmas :lol: Certainly don't want to do that!!!

merlin

12-27-2002, 03:39 AM

Ipaq 5455 !!! :D :D 8O

Janak Parekh

12-27-2002, 05:58 AM

Oh and I got my Intermec6651/Sharp telios 7000.

Cool lil machine.
Care to give us a review sometime? :)

--janak

ctmagnus

12-27-2002, 06:37 AM

We got snow :x-mas:, less than 24 hours before the big day. That's the closest we've ever come to a brown Christmas here in my lifetime.

I got some screen protectors, which greatly surprised me because all my relatives are the type of people that can't figure out why an old-style mouse doesn't work if you pick it up off the desk :). I also got cash towards a cell phone, a Chapters/Indigo gift certificate and a picture of a wired remote for the Nomad Jukebox 3. Turns out I'm supposed to order that one myself and use the cc of the person that gave it to me.

Update: My dad just walked into the room: "So, did you order the bike yet?" :) Gotta love parents.

masaki

12-27-2002, 08:27 AM

I must be really good this year :D

I got..cash, cash, Sony DVD Dream System DAV-C770, cash, Sony Cyber-shop DSC-P9. Gonna return it to get a P7 and get an extra 128MB MS instead. A bag of marshmellows from my friend's three-year-old daughter. Soooo cute :) Some PS2 games, some DVDs (Back To the Future Trilogy, T2 the Alumimum case one, Big Fat Liar, some Anime.), a stack of DV tapes, chocolate, Sony speaker stands, cash, a pig (not livestock, just a stuffed animal), 10 boxes of 8cm CD-Rs (5 per box), a mini Big Bird candy dispenser, Star Wars Lego characters, chocolate, 5 packs of Kodak Heavy Weight Photo InkJet Paper, a picture made by my goddaughter :angel: , some Japanese and Chinese CDs, some Hong Kong movies on VCDs, a laser pointer, a bucket of stucco thingy to fill the holes I made on the drywall when I was wiring CAT5 cables through the house (nicely labelled: from Dad, fix my wall now!) :D A Palm!!! Someone's gonna die...mmmmmhahahahah...... Returning it to the store tomorrow ;) Some Pocket PC apps and games. Some novels I asked for because I need them for Film & Literature class, T-shirts, Pants, Gift certificates, 5 giant Toblerones....that's it.

I'm sooooo high on sugar right now.....................

marlof

12-27-2002, 09:46 AM

Although I did buy myself a nice little nikon D100. I am on the way to giving up all 35mm film shooting. Now I need to get a printer for all this Digital printing. I have an HP photosmart 1218 but i am looking for a new one. Anyone recommend a kick ass printer? I am looking at EPSON Stylus Photo 2200 - C11C387011 Anyone have any pother suggestions?

Cool, you finaly went for the digital SLR you've been talking about. This must have been the slowest purchase in your career! And I think you could do a lot worse than the Epson 2200. That would be the printer I'd buy if I would buy one now as so far.

squeeze

12-27-2002, 11:16 AM

1) Samsung 191T 19" LCD Monitor
2) New Desktop Tower (2.53 MHz, 100 GB HD, 1 GB RAM)
3) PS2 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
4) Nikon Coolpix 5000 5MP DigiStillCam
5) A new $5M contract I just won to provide professional services for ERP systems

And that's what my wife and I got for me. :D

My family members gave me great presents. And great presents are those things you WOULD NEVER BUY for yourself (for whatever reason).

1) Underwear
2) New socks
3) New button up dress shirts
4) A great xmas Prime Rib Dinner at my brother's place
5) Rubbermaid food storage containers (I've been reusing those "disposalbe" ones for a while now - and they are all bent up)
6) One of those wall clocks that sync up time with the atomic clocks in Boulder, CO

PlanetPDA.de

12-27-2002, 12:43 PM

Santa brought me a new Pocket PC: a shiny new Asus MyPal aka Zayo A600. I love this little baby. It's so small...

The UPS guy delivered it just in time on Dec 24th @ 11:00, wow that was close :D

My mother asked me what I wanted to do with all of these "strange devices"...and I coulnd't give her a satisfying answer :wink:

That was kind of a running gag over x-mas...*sigh*

-Cheers
------
Current PDAs: iPAQ 3870, Toshiba e740BT, Sony Clie T675C, HP Jornada 720, Asus MyPAL

Fishie

12-27-2002, 04:39 PM

Oh and I got my Intermec6651/Sharp telios 7000.

Cool lil machine.
Care to give us a review sometime? :)

--janak

Gimme a lil more time with it, its coming up.

ppcsurfr

12-27-2002, 06:19 PM

You lucky guys...

Well, I still haven't received any geeky stuff... but I do know that I have a new PC on the way... I might have it by first or second week of January...

Hehehe... Hoping for a 2.5GHz P4 unit with lotsa RAM...

ppcsurfr

jojo

12-28-2002, 06:37 AM

Santa got himself a 512Mb CF... take that mp3s :wink: Now I'll be able to use my 128Mb in my S40 and no more 14shots limit from the 16Mb that was shipped with the camera :D just what I needed for my drive down the coast.

Now if only I get a new computer with dual 18" LCD monitor...... 8)