Toys and technology. Its amazing how some things, when you finally break down and get them, how much easier stupid things can get, and it leaves you wondering “how did I get along without it?”. As you roll back in time in your head, think about mobile phones – you used to have to be somewhere when you said you were going to be there. Directions or “I’m lost” used to mean you were calling from the gas station around the corner (or driving in circles). Mobile phones have progressed to the PDA and iPhone. No longer are you out of touch – people live with these things on their hip and feel disconnected without them. GPS, wireless, the internet, digital cameras…I could go on.
But oh man… the writer’s strike continues. I’ve got the weapon to combat that – TiVO or DVR. How simple does this make your television viewing life? I mean seriously…and you can get it with an upgraded box from your cable company for a couple bucks a month. Simple. Set up that season pass to record “Two and a Half Men” and wallah!, you won’t miss an episode. You don’t need to make sure you are in front of the tube on Monday’s at 9 pm or else you missed out. Especially with all the season long dramas – 24, Lost, Life, Heroes…you miss one, and you are out of the loop. This way, you can jump on some marathon session if you want. I especially like it for the obscure shows, like Three Sheets (a show about a globetrotting booze-a-rama comedian – its on Mojo). I literally can knock out a couple episodes on a crappy Saturday afternoon or a dull Wednesday night.
Also, miss something? Janet’s boob flash on Super Bowl? Funny Commercial? Mumbling actor? Gotta run to the bathroom? Burning dinner? Amazing play? Pause, rewind, or flashback. If you could only do this with real life. PS, the movie “Click” sucked. It was based on this premise but I would officially state that this is 90 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.
It does have some kinks that need to be worked out. I’m waiting for the removable hard drive so you can take your collection over to your friend’s house. Your DVD library on a flash drive (patented by Geoff). My buddy Brad was telling me about his TiVO this one night while out for drinks, looking a little glum. “My TiVO thinks I’m gay”. He proceeds to tell us how it has a brain of its own (note to TiVO users, turn off the “suggestions”). He watched or recorded some travel show or American Idol for his wife (so he says) and it ended up recording “Queer Eye”, “Oprah” “The View” and Mens Figure Skating. Nice.
Think about all the goodness you can have. Your life shouldn’t revolve around TV, and now it really, really doesn’t have too. I’ll hear people around the office - “hey, we’re going out for drinks, wanna come”, and someone will say - “Nah, Grey’s Anatomy is on”. WHAT?!! Think about all those shows you ‘might” want to check out but not sure you want to invest? Not to mention all the bonus points you can rack up with the significant other – “Sex in the City” or “Penguins vs. Rangers”. Well, that’s a no-brainer, but lets say the Pens were playing the Panthers or the Islanders. “Baby, by all means, watch your show”. At the end of it all, she’s happy; I’ll catch the game without commercials and skip all the crappy parts. Win-win if you ask me.
My vote for useful product in the new milenium - TiVO!