iPad Mania

So yesterday Apple introduced the iPad, their no-so-secret tablet computer. Kind of like an iPod touch with a 10" touchscreen. Nice! Want... Great screen and battery life, really nice interface and apps (plus it runs almost all existing iPhone apps), interesting digital bookstore. Fascinating speedy new Apple chip, the A4. But not gonna jump in. Money's tight. Wouldn't be prudent. Sorry, channeling G. H. W. Bush for a minute there.

A few surprises though; Not "widescreen" format so HD video will have some significant black bars around it, no "regular" phone functionality, no camera(s). Like the iPhone, it doesn't support Flash, which is still regarded as controversial. I'm totally OK with that though, I have Flash disabled in my browser by ClickToFlash unless I specifically want something to load.

Other news: my newest Running Room Marathon Clinic started this week, we have 33 members. Join us! I guess my long runs will have an official distance and then something extra... 10K is not a long run!

Culture: Watched the first episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand on HBO hoping for more Rome, but it's really more 300. That's not a good thing. Comical special effects, lousy writing... I'll give it another chance though. I have Caprica on the PVR, I'll watch it this weekend. High hopes for this series. I saw the new Sherlock Holmes film last week. Fun to watch and entertaining performances, but again lousy writing.

When I heard the news of the terrible earthquake in Haiti a few weeks ago, I knew it was going to be like the earthquake in Bam, Iran or the tsunami in Sumatra. The Haitian death toll is approaching 200,000. It couldn't have struck a more unprepared or fragile population... I encourage people to donate to non-religious disaster relief organisations such as the Red Cross, Care, or UNICEF.

Listening to: My City of Ruins (Benefiting Artists for Peace and Justice Haiti Relief) [Live from the Kennedy Center Honors] by Eddie Vedder from My City of Ruins (Benefiting Artists for Peace and Justice Haiti Relief).