Alan Lewis

My New Phone: Samsung e315

This weekend my family all got new Samsung e315 phones from T-Mobile. We've been with Cingular for 4 years, but the reception with Cingular at our house is pretty bad, so we decided to switch. So far, so good. The phone is incredibly light, and the keys have a good feel. All the bells and whistles (camera, games, etc...) seem cool, but its the basics like reception and feel that are most important ot me. I'm happy everyone in the family now has a flip-phone, because it means that I will no longer get accidental phone calls from my wife, who refused to use the key-lock feature on her old phone.

My Wireless Network Now Sucks Much Less

Ever since I set up my first home network when I was back in college, I have had terrible luck with networking hardware. I've gone through three or four non-wireless routers, and on Memorial Day I had to purchase my third wireless router after my Linksys WRT54G crapped out on me. I purchased a D-Link Wireless 108G Router (pictured), and so far I'm pleased with it. The setup was the most pain-free experience I have ever had setting up a router, and I got the network up and running in about 15 minutes. Now the range is better, and I've been getting fewer dropped wireless connections. I'll probably jinx myself by saying this, but it seems that I finally have a wireless network that works.

My iPod shuffle is Here

Unlike Jeffrey, who bought his iPod shuffle the day it came out, I waited a few weeks and then ordered it through the Apple website. It took two weeks to get here, and now, here it is, my first iPod (my wife is right that it looks like an eraser).

I've used iTunes since it came out for Windows, and the iPod shuffle integrates with it seamlessly. The autofill feature works great, and I don't care at all that it doesn't come with a display. I think it is especially cool that it charges through the USB port, although when it is plugged in it looks as though my laptop has sprouted a growth.

With the original iPod and the iPod mini, I simply couldn't justify spending that much money on something that I probably wouldn't get much use out of. I'm usually never far from my laptop, which has all my music files, so I expect to use the iPod shuffle most often when I'm at the gym or doing yard work.

As cool as it is, it has one drawback: it is just too light. I'm afraid that when I'm carrying it somewhere in my pocket it might fall out, and I'd never realize that it was gone. The lanyard it comes with is way too dorky, so I might have to invest in an armband.

I think this iPod thing might catch on.