Blogging from the Touch HD & Stowaway BT Keyboard

I usually work through lunch to allow me to insert breathing spaces throughout the day. Sometimes I will go and look out the window, or pop down to chat with the people who make come by making/selling sandwiches; I went out today and found, yet again, that the day was really too nice to be spending it indoors at a desk. Today I decided to put some of the time aside to jot down a few lines for the blog. Nothing momentus, just a capturing of what's going through my head. My friend Alan has blogged int he past about how ideas come and ideas go, not least the ones that make for blog posts; these come at awkward times, such as when he's on the tube and unable to post. For me the problem is seeing great photographic shots but unable to capture them as I am in a stream of fast moving traffic.

Blogging from the Touch HD

This is a test blog post using my Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard. The 2710p is versatile but what I need sometimes is an altogether more portable and less power hungry option. When out for a stroll I would like to be able to stop and write up mmy thoughts. With this setup I can easily charge the phone back up, from the Expasys portable power supply I have, to give me a greater amount of useage; the 2710p will last a long time with the extended battery and, theoretically, I could charge from the car power outlet, but not in my pocket as I walk. I carry the tablet whenever I am out and have it with me, I don't leave it in the car for instance, I am used to the 3 or so pounds in a backpack or bag; still, it's nice to go light sometimes and still have the option to type more than a Twitter post. I find the Full Querty keyboard very easy to use and am impressed with how it distinguishes taps from my less than boysh finger tips. I have also loaded the Cailligrapher programme to be abe to wrte anywhere on the screen, from constant tapping on my Dell Axim I saw how it wore away on my screen protector. I have found it to work well though I use it most in character recogniser mode at the moment till I can get into the swing of writing in a slightly tidier hand. Another programme, or programmes rather, I have been experimenting with are SPB Mobile Shell and Pocket Plus. I have found I can run both and have a set of 5 small tabs and 4 larger ones on which I can hold all the shortcuts I need. One thing to note, there is a bug at the moment that prevents me choosing additional programmes on the phone screen; this means I have to run a small free programme to display my phone on the computer and then run down the list of available items that I can add to the tabs. I enjoyed using TouchFlow 3D for a day or two but it didn't give me enough control over it's display. - I found out I could edit the Weather Database and cities more relevant to me but the tabs were, on the whole, fairly rigid. The SPB software coupled with Pocket Informant and Flexmail 4 has given me a huge advantage in how I can quickly access and interact with information. I am finding the phone a joy to use, though the neat onscreen slider to answer a call took a little getting used to. Other software I am using includes CeBit for Twitter, a quick and easy option with reasonable displays of posts and extras like TwitPic insertion. My RSS reader is the inbuilt one. I seem to have corrupted eReader on the phone but also have Mobipocket installed so am OK for reading material. Windows Media Player works wella nd allows me to catch up on BBC programmes I have downloaded. I would like to thank Pocket Watch Software for their GBlogger software. I am using the free public version at the moment and will be buying my own copy of their Pro version next week after payday; I am very grateful that they have taken the free route as an offering for users, it has given me the chance of a proper trial of everything except picture inclusion, only available in the paid for Pro version of GBlogger. That's it for the moment. We turned in early and while Cathy caught up with the BBC 1 spy show Spooks on the 2710p, I thought it a good time to give the phone and keyboard option a try. - Posted using Pocket Watch Software Mobile GBlogger.

Versatility of the human voice - Flying Pickets

I do love the versatility of the human voice and a cappella singing demonstrates that

 

Yes, another Desert Island disc.

This is how an angel's voice would sound in the icy regions of Norway

I first encountered Sissel on a Christmas album singing with the likes of Placido Domingo and was immediately captivated.  I hope you will be too.

The song Pie Jesu has been perhaps over performed  given the large number of people who have produced versions but I think that it does justice to her voice.

Another singer who is on my Desert Island disc list.

If I was to marry someone for a particular attribute it would be Eddi Reader for her voice

Eddi Reader is a woman who can make my hair stand on end (no easy feat if you've studied my Twitter profile picture), can reduce me to tears and have me laughing all within a few notes.  Her concerts are amazing, a study in how the human voice affect people on so many levels.

This song is from 1994, Eddi has much brilliant stuff that comes after this but it is a particular favourite of mine.  If you're not sure about the video production remember that it was 1994 and it is tweaked for YouTube and close your eyes and listen to the music.

 

A contender for my Desert Island disc to rescue if the all others were to be washed away.

Forever Autumn by Justin Hayward

Jeff Wayne's War of The Worlds has been a favourite album since I first heard it.

In particular is this song that summed up my teenage angst years.  I had them but most of it was in my head and I didn't go through any sort of rebellious period.  (Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I can see now how many times "Doing what I thought was expected of me" or "avoiding potential embarrassment" stayed my hand and caused me to miss out on what I know would have been wonderful times - even for a little while).

 

This is the third of my Desert Island discs.

Fur Elise has a hold over me and I am transported to when it was played for me once

It was just a front room and was played almost casually, but the image of the person playing and the time spent are some of the most vivid I have of anything.

This video is presented as a tribute to that memory. (I do not know the person playing, it's just that the piece is nicely played and the jeans remind me of that time).  Thank you for playing it on YouTube Tinaw19.

This is one of my Desert Island Tunes.

I cannot get over how much I am affected by Pachelbel's Canon in D

Here is a great version from YouTube

This is one of my Desert Island discs.

This is a test post from my HTC Touch HD

I am trying out Mobile GBlogger to post and see it does. Here's to it being excellent. This is the free version. The Pro version lets me insert Pictures. - Posted using Pocket Watch Software Mobile GBlogger.