InfoTart

A year ago or so, I got my mitts on a Motorola A1200 Ming phone (red!!) imported from China. These phones not only look wicked cool, but also feature a touch screen operating system running Linux. And like all of Motorola’s coolest phones, it’s not available in the U.S. Hello, Motorola! No wonder they’re having problems…

Anyway, I just had a brilliant thought. Wouldn’t it be cool if the Ming could run Google’s new smartphone OS called Android?

Android is a modern smartphone OS, also Linux based just like the Ming, and can also handle touch screen input. From what I understand, Android also isn’t too taxing on hardware. But perhaps most importantly, the Android platform — like the iPhone — has captured the imagination of gazillions of developers. When Android finally launches, this summer, there will be tons of fun, exciting, and innovative software that will run on it. More than the Ming currently has, that’s for sure! So I can’t help but thinking that Android would be a fantastic marriage with the Ming design!

I did some Google searching on this topic. Most unfortunately, though I found several developer posts also suggesting this idea, it doesn’t look like there’s been any progress yet. Then again, Google hasn’t finalized Android yet, so perhaps I should just be patient…

Meanwhile, Motorola is planning a new version of the Ming device called the A1600. I suspect it’s due out sometime this summer or fall. Some reports I said that they expected the A1600 out this spring, but Motorola device programs are always late.

I’m thrilled to hear that Motorola is releasing the A1600 (the “Ming 2″) because rumors have it that the device will feature a boatload of fabulous features: quad-band GSM and assisted GPS are the ones that I find the most intriguing. Actually, it would be ideal if the device also featured American 3G (AT&T flavor), as well!

Oh yeah, and if the A1600 could be hacked to run Android, too!!

Last November, 11 other friends and I went to Shrewsbury (near Worcester) to brew our own beer at Deja Brew. We made 6 batches in total. Three weeks later we went back to bottle it. I’m glad to say that the beer turned out really well! (I’m also still slowly working my way through those 3 cases I walked away with.)

I snapped a bunch of pictures on my Nokia E65 and promptly forgot about them until today. Silly me!

Check them out my online photo gallery!

After dinner at the Harvard landmark, Mr. Bartley’s (which was excellent), my boyfriend, Bruce, and I headed to Toad’s in Porter Sq. to see one of our favorite local bands, One Happy Island. (Go to the band’s MySpace page to download a handful of excellent tracks.)

One Happy Island were, of course, great! Unfortunately, the drummer was sick and couldn’t make the show last night. But the band still managed to show the crowd a fun time, as always.

It ws also gratifying that the band members remembered Bruce and me and said hello when we showed up at Toad’s. It was Bruce’s 4th OHI show (I think), and my 3rd. I missed the previous show at the Lizard Lounge in February because I’d gone to NYC for the weekend. NYC was fun, but Bruce said I did miss a good show!

After OHI, a fun indiepop band called The Smittens came on. The Smittens are 6 cool, upbeat folks from Burlington, VT. Their songs are fun, upbeat, and well done. They had a great positive vibe. Towards the end of their show, I found myself wishing I lived in Burlington so I could see them more often!

Check out The Smittens’ MySpace page to download a few tracks (and hopefully buy a few!). Bruce and I enjoyed them so much that we bought two CDs last night. Next up this morning: putting them on my iPod!

I took a few snapshots with my Nokia E65 in the bar last night. The pics aren’t great, but at least the sets were! Click on a picture to view it full size…

One Happy Isand’s “Mookelele.” They have another name for it (I forget what the instrument’s real name is.) But how often do you see such a cute little instrument decorated like a Holstein?

Brad (lead singer) and Clint from One Happy Island

Max and Dana from The Smittens

David, Holly, and Max from The Smittens

My new employer’s office is down on Boyston Street in the Back Bay — just steps away from the Finish Line for the Boston Marathon. It’s been fun watching workers dive into preparations for the marathon all week. The days are counting down — the marathon is next Monday, April 21!

Check out more pictures of the Boston Marathon preparation (and maybe marathon day) at my online photo gallery!

I recently started listening to Bass Drive through iTunes at work. I love drum ‘n bass in general, but this online radio station’s DJs are especially good!

The music is probably a little too fast for most people, but honestly, listening to this genre of music is the only way I can concentrate and get work done in office cubeland. Counter-intuitive, perhaps, but it totally works for me.

One of the DJs today was playing a slick track from a DJ named R0b0t Redf0rd. The DJ mentioned that RR has a page on MySpace and is making 3 of his tracks available for direct download. Thanks, RR!

• BassDrive.com
• R0b0t Redf0rd’s MySpace Page

Damn! Some of these games are fun and addictive! How am I going to get any work done now? At least they’re mostly free…

www.miniclip.com

Tonight I finally went to the Kowloon on Route 1 in Saugus for dinner. With its big tiki tacky, I’ve been wanting to go for years, but never actually got off my tush to go.

This afternoon I met up with my friends Tim & Joanna to hang out and get dinner. They live in Melrose a hop, skip, and a jump from Rte. 1, so instead of the same old place we love (Turner’s Seafood), I suggested something different. Something cornier. Something tiki-er — the Kowloon!

Well, I skipped the Scorpion Bowl because I wanted to be able to drive home tonight, but otherwise it was a fun visit. That place really is over the top, even on the inside!

At some point during dinner, Joanna grabbed Tim’s Nokia N95 and took this great picture of us. Isn’t she adorable?

My employer sent me to London for a week in early April 2008. Here are a few pictures I took while playing tourist on my first ever visit to the UK!

Check out my pictures in my online photo album!