b l o g o r e l l i

I Believe the Hype: iPhone 4

Wow, I feel so looped out that I didn't even realize the WWDC keynote took place today: Steve Jobs introduces iPhone 4: "The Biggest Thing to Happen to iPhone Since iPhone." (huh?)

The new phone runs on iOS 4 (no "phone" in the name, just like the company is now called simply "Apple" sans "Computer.") Over 100 new features, including:

- thinnest iPhone yet, more square-shaped, 24% thinner and with a steel frame that acts as an antenna, glass face

- Retina display shows 326 pixels per inch (so much clearer for reading)

- 5 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, LED flash, front-facing camera, and the ability to record HD video

- longer battery life (7 hours talk, 6 hours 3G browsing, 10 hours wi-fi browsing, 40 hours of music

Turthfully, the new iPhone looks amazing...I might have to get one once I'm eligible for an upgrade. However, the big question remains: will the iPhone remain an AT&T exclusive device? Because, despite all the great newness of iPhone 4, I don't know if I can commit to two more years of craptastic reception.

iPhone 4: $199 16GB / $299 32GB / $99 for iPhone 3GS

Project 365: Day 9

Chilly Willy...

I will now take the space to gush about a wedding present that we got from Mark's sis Tara +family, the Sodastream Penguin. This cute and portable machine makes seltzer (or as I like to call it, "fizzy water") soooo quickly. We use our Penguin literally every day, and one thing I love is that I can control the amount of fizziness...because sometimes I need *extreme* bubbles.

SOL Brooklyn

Ok, now what is this specimen below?

BROOKLYN -- you stole my personal catchphrase!!!!!!!! Is it any coincidence that Cho+Bobby had my Neighborhoodies made in Brooklyn with that very slogan?

Borough over the bridge, we need to have a little heart=to=heart.

I Believe the Hype: Miss Chiquit-orelli

There are a few (ok, MANY) kitchen skills I have yet to master. This week, I realized two such tasks involved cutting and tropical fruits -- how the heckie does one pare a mango and/or a pineapple to achieve maximum fruitage?

For the mango, I turned to the trusty Inter-net and watched a tutorial. When the time came to dissect the pineapple, I turned to the new tool  that I thrifted last week: "Pineapple Cutter." Now, I've bought many useless tools on a whim while at the SalArm (just one yesterday actually, the LightRack holiday organizer,) but The Cutter seemed like something that would actually work (unlike, say, the Wine Rack, which I also own .)

A step-by-step...

First, a product placement shot; does anyone else notice the sticker with the word "pineapple" on the package to cover some kind of printing defect? I couldn't stand the suspense, so I scraped off the sticker to reveal a misspelling, "pnneapple". Aha!

A quick overview of the instructions:

Step 1 (finally): Cut the top off the pineapple

Step 2: Open and lock the Pnneapple Cutter (tee hee) into place, push down vertically into pineapple. The sensation of the wires slicing through the tender pulp is oddly very appealing.

Step 3: Once near the bottom of pineapple (don't pierce through the skin,) turn cutter clockwise to separate the fruit from outer shell. (Ok, I had to ask The Prof to help me with the turning, The Cutter's handle's edges are a bit blunt.) Pull up The Cutter to remove pineapple wedges.

Step 4: Remove wedges from cutter and slice into pieces, or serve whole.

Step 5: Use now-hollow decorative shell for some kind of ornamentation or containment (this idea is just so retro appetizers a la 1950s that I almost can't bear it,) or give to boyfriend to drink the remaining juice. I chose option two, but just wait until our next cookout -- I'm already brainstorming what to stick in that pineapple shell!

CONCLUSION: I Believe the Hype about The Cutter -- both its use and result were very satisfactory. Of course, now I can't get the damn thing to collapse for flat storage, but...

Minimalist Workouts

Now, I know that I'm supposed to be undertaking some sort of intense bridal boot camp routine or whatnot, but would I seem like a slacker if I just did minimal workouts instead? They seem so...simple.

And yes, I do belong to a gym. Harumph.

I Believe The Hype: Pancake Puffs

Even though I'm back on South Beach (the diet not the location, unfortunately) I can't/shouldn't order the most awesome thing Made for TV right now: The Pancake Puff!

Basically, the convex pan makes batter puff up like delicious, doughy balls (or baby puffer fish, for those less willing to take it there.) As if the previous suggestive sentence wasn't enough, the cook then injects the puffs with the filling of his/her fancy. Ew -- and ooooh!

On in the site's commercial, they show making PPs with jelly inside, gravy, and there are recipes online for chocolate eclair versions and even pizza variations. Anyone who grew up during from 1980-90 has heard all the infomercial (hell, I even got Mom-orelli to buy the early incarnation of a panini press and a food dehydrator) Hype before, but that doesn't mean I don't want one. How did Ron Popeil miss the boat on this one?

I Believe The Hype: iPhone Skins + MyTouch Keys

Not even a four months have passed since I got my iPhone and I've already found products to both add bling  AND aid in my slow, inaccurate typing. As such:

iPhone Skins

"This Apple iPhone iStyles Skin features an ultra-high resolution full-color design that is printed on premium grade adhesive-backed cast vinyl with UV resistant inks and then covered with a clear protective layer for ultimate durability...This Skin set features a three piece kit that includes coverage for the front and back of the Apple iPhone for maximum effect. Each Skin also includes a special download code for a free matching background  wallpaper."

MyTouch Keys

"My Touch Keys is a plastic shield that attaches to the front of your iPhone. The iPhone's touch screen QWERTY keyboard keys are then outlined with precision cuts - allowing you to feel exactly where your fingers should be."

Both of the above are "I Believe The Hype"s-in-progress, since I haven't reached a point where the novelty of my phone has worn off enough to require ornamentation, and the MyTouch shield just came last week.

Stay tuned...

Meerkats -- They're Just Like Us

Has anyone watched Meerkat Manor, the Animal Planet show which details the lives of a family (or mob) of meerkats who are part of the Kalahari Meerkat Project in southern Africa? I haven't tuned in...yet, but this thing is Hype-heavy, especially now, in its second season. The episodes are presented like juicy soap operas. Here's a character description as an example:

Youssarian, Zaphod's brother and sentry in the Whiskers. He is eight years old, and used to be the dominant male, until Zaphod took his place. Because of a scar across his left eye, it is thought that as a pup, he was picked up by a bird of prey, then dropped on his head. Later it was proven that he got his scar from Zaphod. He mated with some females from the rival group, the Lazuli. He is infamous for forcing burrow moves while babysitting the pups, and is described as having "social problems". He is responsible for the death of one of Mozart's pups during a burrow move.

Whoa!

I'm definitely going to Netflix season one of the show, but luckily in the meantime, I can see these "12-inch high balls of dynamite" in person...right up I-93 at the Stone Zoo's "Windows to the Wild" exhibit space!

Hype Update: Cold Brewed Coffee

I've been going in to work early this week, and decided that the warmer temps and muggy humidity merited a little treat, perhaps one that involved some current Hype, hmm? As such, The Prof and I each made a batch of cold brewed coffee, using the NYT article's recipe. Why did we make *2* batches, and on consecutive mornings, one may ask? Why, because the first batch came out horribly and we didn't even drink it. Batch #2 was better, but I thought the consistency seemed weak and The Prof thought it tasted ok, but he didn't do the one part coffee concentrate/one part cold water mixture as per the directions.

Needless to say, I'm not converting to cold brewing yet.

Like a bloodhound whose scent trail is The Hype, I did a little research and found out that there are many ways to get a cold brewed coffee (CBC) fix. Naturally, one is a machine, the Toddy, which promises me an "exclusive brewing process" which, dont'cha know, has been "a favorite of regular folk, connoisseurs and food critics since 1964"?

Luckily, the exclusive process sounds low-tech enough to replicate at home:

"It's not an immediately comfortable transition. The technology is profoundly low-tech: a plastic pitcher with a fabric filter, sitting atop a carafe that catches the finished product. No electricity needed, just gravity, a pound of ground beans and nine cups of cold water. That and 10 to 12 hours steeping time.

During a two-week test in the MSNBC.com newsroom, the 3-to-1 ratio was rarely used, given our preference for maximum coffee in minimum time. My own fave was 1-to-1 with cold nonfat milk."

I knew the concentrate from our previous CBC attempts didn't seem, well, concentrated enough! This weekend, and our new vintage-inspired  front porch gliders, might just invite CBC Batch #3...

I Believe The Hype: QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

Dad-orelli asks me each year what I'd like for my Christmas gift. I've learned that no response = L.L. Bean product (I am not dissing the "other" Bean, it's just that a girl can only order so many rugged and lifetime-guaranteed items over thirty years of birthdays and Christmases.)

This year, I decided to go luxury and ask for something that I would could never buy myself: the Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones. After all, I hate listening to the roar of the train or anonying chatter of those riding public transit with me, so the gift seemed appropriate.

The Hype: Bose QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones use proprietary technology to electronically identifiy and reduce unwanted sound while faithfully preserving the audio or tranquility you desire. Basically, the headphones figure out the average frequency of the noises around the wearer and produce a tone that is exactly its opposite (think green/red on the color wheel.) As such, the noises cancel out each other, leaving the wearer with a nearly silent background.

The first day that I wore the QCANC headphones on the T, I kept switching them on and off to see if the 'technology" actually did anything. I can report that the noise cancelling seems to work -- the train sounded about 70% louder when I turned the earphones off. That being said, these earphones don't cancel out all background noise for complete silence; apparently only God has that power, if he'd ever answer my prayers any time I have to listen to a duo of chattering harpies talk about their past Saturday nights.

I chose the QuietComfort 2, which sport larger, around-the-ear cups. You know, like Natalie Portman in Garden State. Yeah, I'll probably listen to the new Shins album with them and uh-huh, the experience will change my life. (That joke just never gets old for me.) Anyway, Bose just released the QuietComfort3, whose cups fit on-ear for those headphone enthusiasts who prefer a slimmer profile. I've seen a few people wearing these, and, admittedly, they look sleeker. Both pairs have the same technology and work with computer/television/mp3 player or cell phone inputs.

After testing the headphones out in various situations (on the T, walking around downtown, in my car,) I'd say they are a sure bet. In fact, a few times they worked a little too well, lulling my senses into an oblivious dreamworld wherein I almost got hit by a car while crossing the street. PLUS they have a sort of cult following among travelers, particularly airline passengers -- and cult = increased hype.

Hyped: Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones
Believe it? Yes, yep, and yeaaaaa

I Believe The Hype: Insolia

Everyone knows that if something has hype, I'm right there to believe it. Now, a whole new category just to fuel my search of The Hype and act as an enabler for me to buy and test hyped items!

The Hype: Insolia insoles, invented by a doctor from New Hampshire (Dr. Howard Dananberg) and perfected with the help of two MIT alums, "fundamentally change the inside of high heel shoes, shifting weight off the ball of the foot back to the heel. It actually feels like you are wearing much lower heels which is a true comfort factor for many women. This weight shift improves body alignment and balance, dramatically reducing leg and lower back fatigue while reducing pressure on the ball of the foot."

I saw a news piece about the inserts while on the treadmill at the gym and, basically, Insolia(s) make a heel feel about half its height. The website recommends using the inserts in shoes at least 1.5" high, which is already more heel than I usually dare to wear.

Since Mom-orelli bought me a beautiful pair of brown boots last year for Christmas that feel as though someone is taking a hammer to my 3" elevated heels after ten minutes of wear, I ordered Insolia inserts. They come in packs of three pairs/$18. I positioned them in the "heeled boots of death" immediately after their arrival.

The website and booklet accompanyng the insoles stress the importance of proper positioning (the insert cupping the heel) and they are definitely correct; you can tell when these things are not stuck in place. I got the right one in comfortably immediately, but had to re-position the left insole a few more times before the boots felt ok for walking.

Even with The Hype, since these boots have nearly crippled me several times before, I doubted that Insolia could really work. Eight hours later, I'm a believer! Not only could I walk all day, I even went and did some shopping at lunch because my feet were so non-inflamed (unlike past experiences with said boots.) The only thing I noticed was that my calves felt a bit fatigued in a workout way at the end of the day, and I'm attributing this sensation to the shifting of my feet's weight back onto the heels.

HYPED: Insolia
BELIVE IT? Definitely!