In a prior post I lamented that among many other things, I'm addicted to Tivo, thanks to younger daughter Nasreen.
I'm pleased to say that I've conquered the Tivo addiction.
Because . . . now I'm tethered to my newest toy, my iTouch, also thanks to Nasreen. She's had hers for years, loves it and has shared it with me on occasion. I've craved one for years but was able to resist the impulse until she told me about its "Kindle app," which I'll tell you about in a minute.
What is an iTouch, you ask? It's just like an iPhone, except without the phone service. You can play music, watch videos, play games (which I don't but could) and access the web through it.
You can even read books on it, with an application that allows you to download books in Kindle format. All in a device that's the same size as an iPhone. You'd think that an apparatus that small would not be comfortable to watch, but it is. In fact, since it's purse- or pocket-size, you can take it with you anywhere and have a good book at your fingertips. In additional fact, if you have Wi-fi access and you finish a book, you can download another instantaneously. But as Nas quickly found out, if you're an avid reader, as we are in our family, you can also rack up a big bill very quickly. I have yet to break down and actually purchase a book to read on my iTouch, but the important thing is, I could. I downloaded the sample of Vince Flynn's Pursuit of Honor and found myself almost ready to buy.
What I have really come to love is the Pandora music service. It's Internet based, so you have to have Wi-fi, but it allows you to create your own "radio station" with artists and music you love. For example, if you like Vince Gill's music, you can tell Pandora that. It will supply you with Vince's music--as well as other artists that Pandora deems similar. I have found myself turning the TV off because I enjoy the music so much. I have a Vince Gill "station," a Bonnie Raitt "station," a U2 "station," and a Celtic Woman "station." Because of Pandora, I discovered Susan Tedeschi, a previously unknown-to-me blues singer who sounds amazingly like Bonnie Raitt. Unfortunately Pandora is not free. After 40 hours of listening, they charge you .99 for the balance of the month. I think I can spring for that.
Oh, and to give credit where it's due, it's Farida who originally introduced me to Pandora.
Lest you fear that I've abandoned Tivo for my new love, not to worry. I now take my Tivo recordings with me, because I can transfer recordings I want to watch from my Tivo to my iTouch and have them available anywhere, anytime. (No worries about Wi-fi once they've been transferred.)
And with 32 gb of space, I should be able to have plenty of space for books, music and video. I hope.
Even Hunter loves the iTouch and knows how to use it.
What electronic devices or services are you addicted to and why?
Showing posts with label TIVO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TIVO. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
TIVO is a Tool of the Devil
For more than two years I lived without TV.
Way back in 2005, we had someone come to do some brushing on our property, he accidentally cut the cable line. I'd already been thinking about discontinuing the cable service, and I took this event as a sign from Creator. Besides, I was just a week away from my annual journey to the Navajo Reservation, so I figured it would be easy enough to see how I fared without television over the course of the weeks until my return.
To tell the truth, I never really missed it. I did rent movies from Netflix on occasion, so it wasn't like I had nothing to watch. Besides, my neighbors, Frank and Deb, had quite a collection of videos that I could access.
In 2007 I moved in with a friend who had both cable and satellite, but for the most part we watched whatever he wanted, so I still didn't feel any real pull to change my viewing habits. Even so, my daughters began to talk to me about TIVO.
"Mom, you can find programs you want to watch no matter what time they're on. If there's a show on about Mt. Everest, you can always see it at your own convenience."
I should have known I was doomed when Nasreen offered to record on DVD all the episodes of "Everest: Beyond the Limit" for me. I watched those DVD's over and over because anything having to do with mountain climbing--especially in thae Himalayas--fascinates me.
Every once in a while the girls would make snide remarks about how THEY could watch anything they wanted anytime they wanted. I'd make equally snide remarks back about how "I don't watch TV."
When I moved in with Carol in February 2009, I started watching more TV, simply because I could. Carol wasn't home that often, and Foxy and Grey Eagle generally are not too demanding about the shows I put on. It was totally my choice. But that's also when I began to notice that a lot of the programs I'd really like to see were on at times not conducive to my viewing pleasure.
Farida and Nas, and even Jason, from time to time, would insinuate how much better my life would be with TIVO. In fact, Nas reminded me, she even had a TIVO she wasn't using that she could give me. To sweeten the deal, she'd throw in a year's subscription.
"It's Mother's Day next week. It'll be your present." I tried to protest that I didn't need a present, but secretly she'd convinced me. I'd at least give it a try. After all, what did I have to lose?
That was a big mistake, 'cause now I'm hooked. I love my TIVO. Oops, there I said it.
I set up my Wish List Searches every two weeks or so, so I can be sure to record everything I crave. I look for anything on Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Alaska, Everest, mountain climbing. I also record A LOT of true crime and forensics. Anything on India and Pakistan and Iran. All of that is wonderful. The world at my fingertips.
What's NOT so wonderful is that now that I've recorded all of this, I have to actually WATCH it. I spend way more hours than are healthy making sure I don't miss anything. The idea, as everyone told me, is that you can watch shows at your convenience--but when you have so much recorded, you don't have as much convenience.
Of course, when I complained to my children about not having enough time to watch TV, my favorite son-in-law, sweetly replied, "but, Ma, you don't watch TV, remember?" He loves to make fun of me and my former scoffing at TIVO.
I blame TIVO for my current state of sloth and the backache I suffered during my walk today. (Don't even BEGIN to tell me that I have a choice in the matter.)
TIVO and the Rainbow vacuum. They're the roots of all evil.
But I'll leave the scourge of the Rainbow for another post.
Way back in 2005, we had someone come to do some brushing on our property, he accidentally cut the cable line. I'd already been thinking about discontinuing the cable service, and I took this event as a sign from Creator. Besides, I was just a week away from my annual journey to the Navajo Reservation, so I figured it would be easy enough to see how I fared without television over the course of the weeks until my return.
To tell the truth, I never really missed it. I did rent movies from Netflix on occasion, so it wasn't like I had nothing to watch. Besides, my neighbors, Frank and Deb, had quite a collection of videos that I could access.
In 2007 I moved in with a friend who had both cable and satellite, but for the most part we watched whatever he wanted, so I still didn't feel any real pull to change my viewing habits. Even so, my daughters began to talk to me about TIVO.
"Mom, you can find programs you want to watch no matter what time they're on. If there's a show on about Mt. Everest, you can always see it at your own convenience."
I should have known I was doomed when Nasreen offered to record on DVD all the episodes of "Everest: Beyond the Limit" for me. I watched those DVD's over and over because anything having to do with mountain climbing--especially in thae Himalayas--fascinates me.
Every once in a while the girls would make snide remarks about how THEY could watch anything they wanted anytime they wanted. I'd make equally snide remarks back about how "I don't watch TV."
When I moved in with Carol in February 2009, I started watching more TV, simply because I could. Carol wasn't home that often, and Foxy and Grey Eagle generally are not too demanding about the shows I put on. It was totally my choice. But that's also when I began to notice that a lot of the programs I'd really like to see were on at times not conducive to my viewing pleasure.
Farida and Nas, and even Jason, from time to time, would insinuate how much better my life would be with TIVO. In fact, Nas reminded me, she even had a TIVO she wasn't using that she could give me. To sweeten the deal, she'd throw in a year's subscription.
"It's Mother's Day next week. It'll be your present." I tried to protest that I didn't need a present, but secretly she'd convinced me. I'd at least give it a try. After all, what did I have to lose?
That was a big mistake, 'cause now I'm hooked. I love my TIVO. Oops, there I said it.
I set up my Wish List Searches every two weeks or so, so I can be sure to record everything I crave. I look for anything on Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Alaska, Everest, mountain climbing. I also record A LOT of true crime and forensics. Anything on India and Pakistan and Iran. All of that is wonderful. The world at my fingertips.
What's NOT so wonderful is that now that I've recorded all of this, I have to actually WATCH it. I spend way more hours than are healthy making sure I don't miss anything. The idea, as everyone told me, is that you can watch shows at your convenience--but when you have so much recorded, you don't have as much convenience.
Of course, when I complained to my children about not having enough time to watch TV, my favorite son-in-law, sweetly replied, "but, Ma, you don't watch TV, remember?" He loves to make fun of me and my former scoffing at TIVO.
I blame TIVO for my current state of sloth and the backache I suffered during my walk today. (Don't even BEGIN to tell me that I have a choice in the matter.)
TIVO and the Rainbow vacuum. They're the roots of all evil.
But I'll leave the scourge of the Rainbow for another post.
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