My Love Story

[Andy Sjostrom]

It all happened an evening in Paris five years ago. It had been a long day in the office and I really needed some fresh air. Autumn winds, street lights, and people laughing. Paris in one its many forms. My friend and I wandered around, enjoying conversation and atmosphere. This is a story about passion and love. Paris, home of romance and hope and where my passion came to be. I had not known my friend very long so I listened, sensed and observed as you do when getting to know another. We stopped by the window of one of Paris thousands of petite cafés. People inside seemed to be enjoying each other and the surroundings. We went in. <!><br />The friendly waiter helped us get seated and quickly scribbled down our order. We stopped conversation a brief moment while we both looked around to catch glimpses of the other guests. We had a nice view of the Paris skyline from where we sat. It does not seem to matter how many times you have seen the Eiffel Tower. This magnificent work of art almost demands your attention and the longer you look at it the more personal it gets. The waiter returned to us with coffee, sandwiches and a "Bon appétit!". As the evening unfolded I slowly realized that this friendship was to last. We had connected and when I think about it today, I remind myself to be careful with this remarkable thing togetherness. Then it happened.<br /><br />I would never have guessed that it would change the way I would look at the world. My friend reached for his pocket and pulled out what looked like a fairly large mobile phone. As we talked, he sometimes looked down wrote down thoughts and notes on this thing. After a while, I asked if I could look at it. I held it, looked at it and I fell in love. My first mobile device I held was a Casio Cassiopeia E-11. Windows CE pure and simple. Familiar Start-menu and familiar Windows interface, and I got the urge I am confident thousands of fellow developers and artists have felt. The urge to start imaginging, molding, creating, building. Anger and frustration, I must admit. How could I have missed this wonderful thing? Such a tiny, pretty, Windows based computer and citizen within the family of programmable environments.<br /><br />At this café in Paris I made up my mind. This would become my own apple tree. I would nurse it, take care of it and make it grow. Apples or no apples, this would become my tree. We left and entered the streets again. On the way back to the hotel, I felt like a new person. It seemed so obvious and I remember looking at the people out in the streets thinking: "I know that in a few years, many of these people will also fall in love and Windows will find its way into more pockets than my friend's!".<br /><br />My apple tree has grown since that magic evening in Paris. I have had so much fun watching it grow and I have helped more people sow apple trees. And yes, my apple tree has given me more apples than I can count. My aquaintance in Paris became my best friend, only second to my wife, and his Casio Cassiopeia E-11 became my Casio Cassiopeia E-105, HP Jornada 430, iPAQ Pocket PC 3630, HP Jornada 565, xda, iPAQ Pocket PC 3970, iPAQ Pocket PC 5550...<br /><br />It all happened an evening in Paris five years ago. What is your love story?

[Dom]

Well I guess I am a slut. I met the Psion 3 but soon binned her off for a fancy young filly who for reasons of anonymity I shall call "Windows CE". She had great potential. All the right bits but somehow there was something missing between the ears. Then .... I met her ... a sexy, classy svelte lady by the name of iPaq. We spend endless days and nights together. She never tires and makes some wonderful noises. She accepts that my previous loves were just all part of growing up. I hope I am with her always ;)
Dom

[mscdex]

I think we all have a little sleep we need to catch up on...... :lol: :wink:

[Andy Sjostrom]

I think we all have a little sleep we need to catch up on...... :lol: :wink:

Hey! You are not laughing at my apple tree now are you!? :evil:

:lol:

[Dom]

Don't get me wrong,
I am sometimes tempted. There's a brassy little number, let's call her "Palm", and you can have a quick fumble for $5. But, and bear in mind this is only hearsay, I've heard it is all over in seconds. Nothing lasting :)

[Anthony Caruana]

LMAO - when I saw the start of the post in my email blast I thought people were going to reminisce on meeeting their partner (for me it was over the decaptiation of small rodents in an experiment - we were both biology majors at university)

Back to the PPC's - I got my first Win CE device (an HP 320 LX running CE 1) as soon as they were avaialble in Australia. With a PCMCIA modem it cost me about $1500 AUD. Quite simply, I was browsing some IT mag and saw it and had to have it.

[shawnc]

I don't anything nearly as interesting to share. All I know is this was very interesting reading. It brought a welcome smile to my face. Nice job Andy.

[DaleReeck]

Dear Penthouse, er, PocketPC Thoughts Forum,

I never thought this would happen to me, but...

Sorry, couldn't resist :D

[Andy Sjostrom]

LOL! I am getting a few e-mails 'cause of this post!

When you read my post don't forget that it's written in with one big :wink:

:roll:

[Andy Sjostrom]

I don't anything nearly as interesting to share. All I know is this was very interesting reading. It brought a welcome smile to my face. Nice job Andy.


Thanks! Glad I got you smiling! :)

[rlobrecht]

My handheld love started about 1990. My uncle worked as a Sales rep for HP (workstations) and he had a cute little number (HP 95LX) but was looking to upgrade. Being an engineering student at the time, and practically living in Lotus 123 (anyone remember that) the 95 was perfect for doing homework on the couch.

[theone3]

written in with one big :wink:
like this?
http://www.pocketloft.com/uploads/misc/theone3/wink.gif

[Andy Sjostrom]

"like this?"

Sure! Or pick anything from here (http://images.google.com/images?q=wink).

[Foo Fighter]

I want the last 10 minutes of my life back, thank you very much. :lol:

[adamz]

My Windows CE virginity was lost when I noticed a Uniden UniPRO PC100 pricing mistake on TigerDirect.com. At $99, who could resist! It came with a folding cradle, Compact Flash slot, and built in landline modem! Heck it even used removable batteries!
Buttons were located on the side where your fingers go... The start menu was on the bottom, and it had cascading menus... Pocket Streets could open maps from Streets & Trips that DID preserve the location of pushpins... The Pocket Inbox application could transfer draft emails and any other kind of email to and from Outlook with complete control and ease... I could select a contact, choose Dial and the speaker would dial the number through a telephone handset...

Ah yes, those where the days.

[weezie]

Is this a slow day for PPC news? :lol:

[Foo Fighter]

We're just kidding you, Andy. Actually I loved your article. Very clever, creative, and well conceived. Good job. :sunny:

[lord_darkside]

I was involved in a steady relationship with a lovely blue Handspring Visor about four years ago, which I had smuggled in from the United States since they weren't available in Canada.

I was seriously considering upgrading to one of those new fangled "colour" screens, when I found a hot little number online. Her name was "Compaq iPAQ", she had a similar income bracket as the new Colour Handspring's and Visor's, and while until that moment I had nothing but disdain for the entire race of Compaq creatures, I decided I needed to put aside my bias and give her a shot. It was July of 2001 when I finally decided to take the plunge.

Like my Handspring, I met her on the internet, and arranged to have her smuggled into my country (since again, Compaq iPAQ's weren't available in Canada). I got her in on a Wednesday and I strolled around the office with her. People marvelled at the gorgeous creature in my hand and begged me for a few moments alone with her. A couple people in the office fell so in love with her that they started searching online to smuggle in some of her sisters. Soon we were all well equipped, our iPAQ's talking to one another in their strange "beaming" language, passing notes in boring meetings, and firing off each other's contact info.

My poor Handspring found herself all alone, back in her manufacturer's box. However one day, a friend of mine who had found a cool diabetic app online asked about my little Handspring, and their love affair commenced.

I still love my iPAQ dearly, I sent her out to get some cosmetic surgery, but she's still by my side every day.

[Pat Logsdon]

Great story, Andy! My story is similar, although it's not in as nice a setting as Paris. Unless you consider Office Depot to be romantic. Which I don't.

It all started when my friend (a successful musician) started carrying around a Sharp Wizard in the mid 90's. I was intrigued by the concept, but not by the execution. Surely someone could do better?

A few years passed, and then it happened. I was at Office Depot one day, after one of my regular "pawing through the bin of remaindered software for cheap gems" trips (I think I picked up the reworked "full color VGA" version of Space Quest I that day).

I was walking out the door, and I saw the table of mostly useless crud they put by the door that's been returned, broken, or simply sat on the shelf too long. I saw the corner of a box poking out, and it said "Casio". Intrigued, I wandered over and picked it up. As I read the box, I seemed to hear choirs of angels singing. 4 mb of RAM? In this little thing? 4?!? And a touch screen? AND a backlight? AND IT HAD WINDOWS?!?!?

I quivered like a 9 year old girl tossed in the middle of a boy band. I may have squealed. It was a Cassiopeia E-10, and I fell for it like a mobster thrown into a river - deeply and fast. I was sunk, you might say. :mrgreen:

It was marked down from $300 to $75. I bought it on the spot, and I've never looked back.

[denivan]

It amazes me that almost none of you even seem to care about monogamy with your love...

I fell in love just a couple of years ago, her first name was Compaq and she lived at iPaq 3660 street. Anyway, as every man once in a while I checked out the seducive smooth forms of other models, and even though my first love weighs a little too much and is a little to bulky, I honestly can't see myself trading her in for something else.

Ivan

[xendula]

Aaaaaaaah, what a romantic little love story, Andy!! :boohoo:

I first fell in love with a Cassiopeia when I saw it on a shelf (it being the only PPC next to all the Palms) when I was still a poor student. Some years later I went back to look for it but a powerful Compaq in a shiny armor took my breath away... it was love at first sight.

I agree with a former post, I would feel like betraying him would I just send him away in a dark cold box to somebody I don't even know just because they offered me some money on ebay.
I even dream of him at night .. sometimes :oops:

[Dom]

I would feel like betraying
Well sometimes you have to just "love them and leave them" - you know - trade them in for a younger model. Sure, it hurts. But life is like that. Anyhow cruel to be kind and they always find a new owner ...
Love this thread LOL
Dom

[Jonathon Watkins]

I want the last 10 minutes of my life back, thank you very much. :lol:

It took you 10 minutes to read that? 8O Wow - at the rate you get around (here, your own site etc.) I figured you would be the world speed reading champion. :lol: