Update on The Stuff In My Life

I have a cold… So things could be better.

I’ve been lazy recently losing motivation to do even simple tasks such a post at least once a month.

My ankle hurts from a twist I gained during a kick about. Though I still play as it’s one of the main upsides of my week.

I quit smoking.

And I feel very much better for it.

I decided recently now might be the time to learn to drive. First things first, money… How do I grow that?

I’m writing this on my Dell… I’ve come to the conclusion that Dell should stick to computers. I should have got an iPhone or HTC or Samsung or Motorola or any other real phone.

I shouldn’t be allowed within ten feet of alcohol

It would be nice to remember a friday night at some point in my life. So I have decided I am going to stop drinking… for a week or two.

Maybe I’ll actually keep my clothes on.

Ferien in der Schweiz – A Swiss Holiday

25.12.2010

Today I slept quite a bit, something about being in a car for 13 hours.

I’m staying in Strasberg over-night and then onwards to Grindelwald!

Ps. Merry Christmas

26.12.2010

6 more hours in the car, we got stuck in traffic too… so much for Swiss efficiency. By the time we got to Grindelwald all I could think about was food. A five course meal will do me nicely thanks.

I’ve decided if I come here again then I shall be flying to Zurich and then taking a short-four-hour coach ride to my destination. All in all I think 8 hours is a slightly smaller number than 19 hours of sick-sleep-crushed-car travel. I imagine flying also as being slightly more economical on ones wallet as petrol isn’t so cheap anymore and nor are hotels.

Oh and the football score sucked too.

27.12.2010

The travelling is almost worth it after seeing the view from my room. Surrounded by mountains it is awe-inspiring, maybe I’ll retire here and write a novel about cold weather (it’s currently minus twenty).

I rented a board and got myself up the mountain around noon. My first run actually went pretty well I stayed in the same area around Kleine Scheidegg all day just to get the feel of riding back. The great thing is you can ride all the way down the mountain to near enough the doorstep of the hotel.

Tonight I shall be having Avocado with Prawns, Spinach Soup, Salad Buffet, Veal with Spaghetti and Ice Cream to finish.

28.12.2010

Day two, I must have got in a fair few miles today, I didn’t stop.

I’m really looking forward to dinner, this hotel is only half-board so no lunch, saying that I did have a mars bar at about one o’clock.

29.12.2010

Did you know three-quarters of Swiss men have moustaches, the train ride to Kleine Scheidegg takes about half an hour so I’ve decided to entertain myself by working this out, it’s pretty easy all you have to do is spot someone speaking either German or French and sporting a moustache the majority of them do. I think to fit in next year I may have to grow one for the occasion. I think the Swiss girls might like that.

Today I found out there is a gym and a sauna in the hotel. I may well have to visit the sauna after a long day on the mountain tomorrow. I spent most of today actually taking some photos to bring home, I got a few of the ‘world famous’ Eiger north face. I will admit though the glacier I saw is breath-taking. I’d never seen one before. I just wish I could get a little closer without spending a billion francs on a helicopter ticket.

Tonight instead of sticking to the set five course menu we went downstairs to the fondue bar, it was nice but I think that amount of cheese and potato is enough to see me through until next year.

30.12.2010

I dislike ice. Today I nearly dislocated my shoulder.

I’ve found myself drinking a lot less than I do back home, so far in the last week I’ve a pint of beer and half a can of cider. Maybe this is a new start, I actually feel healthy! I’m also smoking far less, really hoping to quit in the new year.

31.12.2010

What to do tonight, go in to town or stay in the bar. My last day riding today, the conditions are getting poor.

01.01.2011

Happy New Year!

02.01.2011

Now for the bit of the holiday I hate. Car journeys! Only four hours today then staying in the same hotel in Strasburg as I did last week. I’m not looking forward to tomorrow. Thirteen hours in the car just isn’t healthy. I miss my bed.

03.01.2011

It feels good to be home, I’m going to the pub.

My Dell Streak finally has Android 2.2 (Froyo)

Much better… So far.

Flash, swype keyboard, smarter UI & landscape home screen.
I’ll admit I’m not a fan of the stage UI and recently I’ve had problems with the tablet rebooting and the screen freezing but I’m hoping that was a software issue isolated just to the 2.1 mistake.

More soon.

Review: Dell Streak

Okay I’ve been playing around with the Dell Streak since I got it a few months back. First things first, the contract O2 have me on is quite tight, I do not like their new data plans… which have gone from unlimited to a mere 500mb. It sucks more when you have a phone/tablet which constantly wants to refresh your Twitter and Facebook all tallying up towards my data limit. Of course there is “Unlimited WiFi” but in a town like Biggleswade there’s not much in the way of WiFi Hotspots and even when wandering around cities your never really in the same place long enough to make use of it!

When I brought the Streak it came with Android 1.6 which was okay I guess. It was functional and every feature of the phone worked so I wasn’t going to complain (being new to Android. I wasn’t actually to sure of what I was missing). Last month O2 and Dell rolled out a seemingly rushed version of Android 2.1 (update 1). I say rushed due to certain features I enjoyed disappeared with this update:

1. The front facing VGA Camera lost support when taking photos, leaving it basically useless… unless I video call over “Fring” which no one I know even uses.
2. The keyboard… I really liked it when it actually worked! I am now using a third-party keyboard… Smart Keyboard.

I’m waiting patiently for the end of year to roll by for the Android 2.2 (FroYo) to come out. I really hope it at  the very least sorts out these two major issues.

Apart from the two above I really enjoy the Android OS, albeit I wish that more major companies would take note that this is the future and you don’t just have to make apps for the iPhone. It would be nice to check train times from a free and official source without having to open my browser and it would be nice to have a variety of 3D games, these phones are fast! 1GHz core and 2GB ram! Very much comparable to an iPhone or even an early PSP. Think it through!

The phone itself (I call it a phone cause its easier than explaining its a cross between a tablet pc and a smart phone) is very nice, it is good-looking and fits nicely into my pocket. The major downside is getting a dead arm when on the phone for prolonged periods.

The camera works alright, it can give of a blurry image but I’d say that’s saved by having 720p video recording which actually is excellent.

Overall I really like the phone, but once my contract is up in 2 years I will be buying whatever iPhone is out, unless the app issue is sorted out and major companies realise that we Android users want functionality too!

I work in a pub

That does not mean talk to me like shit. I don’t come into your work place drunk and make your job more difficult.

Got the Dell Streak

So far and this is only an early pre-review… I am loving it. I’m writing this post on it. I’m still getting used to the keyboard but i’m sure that’ll come soon.

Change of Mind

Since how the Sony Ericsson Aspen has not come out yet, even though it was slated to come out in the Second Quarter of this year. I’ve decided on the Dell Streak instead 16GB memory, 1GHz CPU and running android… Where to go wrong.

It looks amazing, 5 inches of beauty. All to do now is wait until the Twenty-first of August when my phone contract is up for renewal.

UPDATE: Toby suggested I review it once I get it. So I will. But the wait is still on.

Barbecues

As far as Wednesdays go, I think I had the best one of my life last night. Callums 21st Birthday BBQ was brilliant. Not that I can remember much of it, I did take around 100 photos to refresh my mind though.

I find it funny how everyone but my parties seem civilized, whilst mine are messes. We were all in bed by 3am last night and up at 8:30. Got home by ten and went back to bed to sleep of the hangover.

Now cooking dinner.

P.S. Pass the Parcel… never too old

My Mid-Week Getaway

I’m off to Newcastle for a whole 24 hours, picking up my grandfather and accompanying him on the six-hour to the south on Wednesday morning. I’ll also be doing a little shopping, taking some photos and maybe going out for a small drink with my sister tonight.

Currently whilst writing this I’m sitting on the east coast train heading towards Peterborough. I am pretty sure I just passed my house as well.

I’m looking forward to having lunch with family, I’m set to arrive in Newcastle for around mid-day, which is perfect. I need to buy a t-shirts and a pair of sunglasses, maybe even treat myself to a pair of socks, I almost wish I could stay up there for longer. But it’ll be a rush as I have a BBQ to attend 3 hours before I should get back, fashionably late… hence the sunglasses.

The weather looks a bit dull today. I get the feeling summer might well be over. But I hope not. Still, I have snowboarding in Switzerland over New Years to look forward too.

More soon, if I remember.

P.S. There is a very attractive girl sat right in front of me. Shame it is too early to drink, for the ice-breaker. No matter. Oh and someone just passed wind. It fucking stinks