I Heart Tech

Slingbox: What, When and WHERE I want my TV

I love TV. But sadly, most of what's on TV is garbage. I hate the BS we are forced to endure (bad commercials and pathetic local news teasers urging us to tune in for tonights Super Sleuthers Special). So, as quickly as technology has allowed, I've become a TV Snob *ahem* Specialist . Thanks to TiVo I've been watching what I want, when I want and best, best of all, bypassing commercials. The only thing I lacked was watching it WHERE I wanted.

Until now...

For Valentine's Day (yes, I've been meaning to post about this since February!) I was given the most romantech gift of all: The Slingbox. I am, naturally, totally in love with it. Not heard of it? Not surprised, its so cutting edge that really only us supreme geeks know about it. But don't be put off - it's a toy for all ages. If you're on the road a lot and you are also a TV snob, this tech is a MUST HAVE.

Here's the skinny, the Slingbox is a small device that connects to your TV and allows you to forward, err, "sling" your TV or DVR broadcast to any computer prepped with their software and with an internet connection.

Out of the box it worked like a charm - at home. That is, I could sling Daily Show episodes to any of my laptops in any room in my home but I couldn't get it to connect to the outside world. A call into Sling support had my issue resolved within a few minutes. Before I knew it, I was at Starbucks enjoying that scene while enjoying the scenes of South Park. Below is a screen-shot - you'll notice that it has a digitized version of my remote control (it asks you during set-up about your service provider).

Just a few days ago, Sling Media announced the release of Sling Mobile which supposedly allows you to Sling to your mobile phone. (It's on my Tinkering To-Do List.) Read more about the technology and their company at Sling Media's Website.

If you go for it, be sure to adjust your expectations realistically - the quality IS good but it's not Hi-Def. You can read consumer reviews and of course, order it from Amazon.

The Tech Layer

I'm in San Francisco for the next four weeks on a training gig!  I'm working at a 50-attorney firm that is upgrading from Office97 to 2003, from DocsOpen to DM5 and introducing InterAction. There will be lots to report. And just curious - has anyone clued this city in about Spring? It's here. Well, apparently not HERE as there was snow on the ground in the hills of Sausalito yesterday.

Preparing to be away from home this long can really wear on a  persons nerve. I had to arrange a house-sitter and a team of dog sitters, predict and prepare for disasters and of course pack. How do you pack for a four week trip? What do you take and what do you leave behind? Packing light is not an option. Seriously - could I live with one laptop? Do I ready the iPod or the Rio? Do I lug the DVD player? ack! I was going nuts trying to decide.

Enter the Tech Layer. The tech layer is that middle layer of your suitcase that you hope will survive the abuse of the underground airline gangs.  My tech layer consisted of: my date phone (a small and spare phone that I switch the SIM card into from my Treo for an evening), a Logitech camera, a mic, headphones, various cords, a  few Cd's and a portable wireless router for my hotel room.
I carried-on two laptops, an 80-gig pocket-size drive with all my files,  the RIO and the iPod, the Dell Axim and an assemblage of power adapters that attach to an iGo power adapter.

I'm ready for anything. The question is - is San Francisco ready for me?

1-800-Hot-Tech

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