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Ural Motorcycles
Posted on July 19, 2009 by Brian under Toys, Wishlist.
Today Ching and I watched this movie “Eastern Promises”. It was a really good movie and I thought Vigo Mortensen did a good job in his role.
However, I was completely taken by this Motorcycle that one of the lead characters was riding. It was called a Ural and is made in Russia. I know that everyone is rolling there eyes right now and thinking “Russia, it must be crap”. Quite the opposite actually. I found out that these Motorcycles are actually quite good and reliable. I have been looking into them and they are used quite a bit on Safari expeditions and forest outings because they have side cars and 2 wheel drive.
This bike is my favorite is the Sahara (pictured below).
Ural Sahara
This bike just looks tough. It has the 2wd option and a lot of cool extras that make it look like its ready to just jump off the road and into the outback.
If I were to come into some money I think this would definitely be one of the first things that I bought.
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Phones of Memory [I am a Nokia Fanboy]
Posted on June 7, 2009 by Brian under Toys.
I had a moment of nostalgia the other day and started recalling all of the phones that I used to own. My wife said “You can’t possibly remember all of the phones you owned!”
I told her that I could and I could even tell you what I liked about them and why I bought them. For those of you who don’t know me, I research almost every electronic device I buy. So I know full well what kind of device I am buying before I buy it. I know everything about it: the pros, the cons, everything. Below is a list of every phone I have owned since my first cell phone.
Nokia 5110: I just started my new job at T-Mobile. It was Voicestream back then. They had three phones to offer at the time: the Nokia, a Motorola, and an Ericsson flip phone.
I had remembered seeing people on the Ericsson phones and it always drove me nuts. I didn’t know much about Motorola, but the model that they had available to use did not look that good. The Nokia was built very sturdy, it was a brick but it had great functionality and it also came with a game (snake), which was something that the others didn’t offer. I decided that this was going to be the phone to purchase.
I was one of the only people to buy it in the group of new hires. Everyone else went for the thinner Motorolas and Ericssons. After six months my Nokia still worked like a champ, despite all of the damage I inflicted upon it. Almost everyone else had been forced to buy a new phone because they either had problems or they had broke them in some way. The thing was built like a tank and I was instantly in love.
Nokia 8210: We were told at our orientation that we received discounts when we purchased phones through the company. We were encouraged to do so as a way of learning about the devices. I decided on this one because it was the same platform that they had on the 5110 but on a much smaller package.
At this point, I was tired of carrying around the brick that I had purchased and decided that it would be a back up phone. This phone was again a power house in the phone world at that time. It was compact and still performed above the rest. I remember people complaining about coverage on their Motorolas. However, I never had a complaint.
Nokia 3310: I purchased this one a little earlier than I really should have. There was no real reason other than it was a new model with upgraded functions on it. It still had the same basic features but the software had been upgraded to allow for some more options for it like T9, smart messaging, calculator and many more. It also had replaceable front and back covers instead of just the front covers.
Nokia 3650: This was my first color screen phone. The number pad was a challenge to get used to, but after a while it was pretty easy. This was a pretty good phone. It could definitely take a beating. To give you an example of how good they were, I dropped mine in a half a glass of Pepsi and after I dried it out it worked like a charm. I was very impressed with the phone overall and even got the upgraded version that had the inline number pad instead of the round one.
Nokia 3650: To this day, this was my all time favorite phone. I loved the ease and functionality of this phone. I bought this phone because I was tired of using a keypad to text message and I wanted to have a keyboard like a computer. This was the first phone that Nokia produced that offered just that. I still have this phone as my back up phone.
Nokia 6130: I got this one because I wanted a flip phone. I would forget to lock my keypad and then whoever I called last would get to listen to my pocket for however long it took them to hang up the phone. With a flip phone I did not have to worry about that. I still have this phone as well. It’s in the same drawer as my 6800. It’s not a bad phone but its currently got a problem with receiving calls.
Nokia 5300: I bought this phone because I was tired of carrying around an MP3 player and a phone. I play poker and I was always carrying my phone, an MP3 player and at times, my wife’s phone. I got this for my birthday one year and was very pleased with its performance. I was very dissappointed when the screen crapped out on me. I ended up throwing this one in the trash. I was very sad.
Nokia E71: This is my current phone. I got it as a birthday present and absolutely love it. It’s got a QWERTY keypad and a bundle of features. Out of all of the phones, this is one of my favorites. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to put it in a form like the 6800. I did recently find out that they do make a similar version called the E70 that is just that. But its got a smaller screen and a smaller camera. I think will stick to my E71.
So there you have it. All of the phones that I have owned. I have tried several others, but never purchased them. I was a tester at T-Mobile for a while so I got to use a variety of phones. None of them really matched the ease and function of Nokias.
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How I met my Wife
Posted on May 24, 2009 by Brian under Life, Memes.
Where did you meet?
Ching and I first met at Walt’s, a sports bar here in town. I was threatened by a co-worker to come. I didn’t get out much and he swore physical violence if I did not come to the bar. I’m now glad I did.
Who introduced you?
The guy she was dating, we worked together. I still don’t know what she saw in him.
What was the first thought that went through your head when you met?
OMG, she is hot! WTF is she doing with him. LOL. no really, that’s what I thought.
Do you remember what she was wearing?
These really cute, tight, plaid pants. I don’t remember the shirt, I think it was just a tight t-shirt or something. I remember when she walked into the bar, the world went into slow-mo for a moment, like in the movies.
Where was the first place you kissed this person?
I honestly don’t remember. Neither does she.
How long did you know this person before you became a couple?
About six months or so. We met in May and by the end of that year, we had moved in. We had been communicating by e-mail. The guy she was seeing thought we were already seeing each other, that’s why he broke up with her. Luckily, I was there to comfort her.
Do you have kids with this person?
No…No!
Have you ever broken the law with this person?
I’m sure in some state’s, some of the things we have done could be considered illegal. Except Arkansas, everything is legal there.
When was the first time you realized that you liked this person?
I was attracted to her instantly, but it was this function at Timberline that I realized that I wanted to truly be with her. I could not stop staring at her. She was still with my co-worker and I got caught staring at her by him and several others in our group. I didn’t care. I couldn’t take my eyes off her and in my mind, me and her were the only two people in the room.
Do you get along with her family?
Yes, her parents are cool. We have two nephews that I adore. I even get along with her sister.
Do you trust this person?
Yes, more than anyone.
Do you see her as your partner in the future?
I wouldn’t know what to do without her.
Her birthday month?
October, the day before Halloween.
Does she make you happy?
Yes, more than anyone ever has. As I said before, I would not know what to do without her. If I had not met her I would not have experienced many of the wonderful things that I have come to enjoy…like sex!
Does she have any piercings?
She’s a girl, duh!
Does she have any scars that you know of?
Don’t get me started on that. I can go on forever about the scars.
Is she outgoing or shy?
She is only shy when someone compliments her. Other than that she is pretty outgoing.
Does she sing?
Unfortunately, not very good either.
Have you ever dated anyone in her family?
Eww!
Do you like her friends?
Sure I do, we have the same friends.
Does she have any tattoos?
One, she doesn’t like it though. She had another that she covered up and now she doesn’t like that one either. I may spring for laser removal sometime as an anniversary gift or something.
Do you like her siblings?
Well enough, I don’t like her lifestyle but it’s not my place to say anything. I do though on occasion, can’t help myself sometimes.
Do you have any nicknames for each other?
We call each other “Baby.” That’s about it. We have nicknames for other stuff.
Do you have any pets together?
We used to, but not currently.
When will you guys do something exciting next?
If it wasn’t for her, I would never leave the house. She makes sure that I interact with the real world. I am kind of anti-social. I find people to be bothersome. We are planning to go to the Philippines in October, I am really looking forward to this. I have never been and she tells me about it a lot. My family is worried that I will like it so much that I will not want to return. I like the warm climate, she is trying to tell me that it’s warmer than I realize. I don’t care, I am still looking forward to the adventure.
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My Wishlist
Posted on May 4, 2009 by Brian under Wishlist.
I have been looking at specific things that I think I would want for my B-day. I already received my Nokia E-71 and I absolutely love it. I have been looking at accessories for it and have decided that I only really need two things for my phone. The first is an ZAGG Invisible Shield. This is a laser cut precision cover that is clear. It covers every part of your phone that can be scratched. I figured since I spent so much on my phone I want to make sure that its protected. Full body coverage is only $25.00 so its a small price to pay for protection and longevity of my phone. If you had seen all of my other phones you would understand. 
The second is a soft grip case for my phone. This is to add to its protection and give the phone some grip. The Nokia E-71 has an all aluminum body that is highly polished. Its remarkably slippery and I am incredibly clumsy. By adding this case to my phone it will provide a little added grip and some shock protection if I do manage to loose my grip some day. 
The last thing that I really want is something just for me and my artistic side. Its called a Munny. A Munny is a vinyl sculpture (or as my wife likes to tease, an action figure) that comes blank. Whats that you say, Blank!? Yes…Blank. This means that i get to make it look like anything that I want. I looked at the web site and there are so many that have been created by some top artist. I am hoping that I will find this to be a great new hobby that I can maybe turn into a small side business and get recognized by other artist and finally get my name out there.
As for other things that I might want, I will go with the standards. Nice button-up shirts for work, some fun t-shirts, a PS3…you know the usual.
As always, I am not sure what I will get and I am always greatfull for the time I get to spend with family.
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Nokia and Backorder Hell
Posted on April 17, 2009 by Brian under Blog, Life, Reviews, Wishlist.
If you have not been following my Tweets then let me fill you in.
On April 3rd I ordered a new phone through Nokia. I had some difficulties through their web site previously but through the assistance of the Nokia customer service center I was able to resolve the issue and get the phone ordered properly. However, Nokia failed to mention that I would be in backorder hell and would possibly never receive my phone. Below is a letter that I just send to there web site.
Let me start by saying that I have been a faithful user of Nokia for over 10 years. I have had just about every Nokia phone ever released. I know this probably does not amount to much since there are several people in this world that are just like me, but I thought I would say it anyway.
I recently attempted to purchase a Nokia E71. Due to some confusion on your web site my order was messed up and rejected. Despite this Nokia held almost $800 on my credit card for a week before releasing the held funds. The rep that I called (Rob) helped sort out the situation and assisted me in placing another order for the phone I wanted. He also offered me a free headset due to my phone being on back order (it was originally in stock when this whole mess started). Overall, I was pleased with the resolution and was advised that the phone would be in within 2 weeks and should ship shortly after that. This was the end of the good customer service. Things all down hill from here.
I had been following the web site waiting for the backorder flag to fall. Sure enough it fell off about 2 weeks later just as I was advised. However, I did not receive a shipping confirmation. In an attempt to find out why my phone did not ship I called customer service and spoke to another rep. This rep did not speak English very well and I had difficulty understanding everything that he was saying. I did not even get his name. I asked what was holding up my order and he advised that the phone was in but they could not ship my order because the headset was now on backorder. I was frustrated by this and asked what could be done. The only thing that he could do was apologize, nothing was offered to make amends for the error. Nothing was done to appease me for the inconvenience. Nothing was done at all. To make matters worse, the rep tried to tell me that I was offered a special deal by the previous rep. I had to immediately stop him and advise that the phone price is the same that is offered to every person that orders through the web site. I went on to advise that the headset offer was the one that is currently being promoted on the web site as well and that the free shipping is something that is offered through your company if you order anything over $200.00. I stated that nothing that I received was any more special and it was something that any other customer would have received if they had placed the same order. He then apologized, he did not say what for, I can only assume it was for trying to mislead me and getting caught.
I called again the following day and requested a supervisor. I received Jessica, a floor supervisor. I have worked in Call Centers before, I know that a floor supervisor is not a TRUE supervisor; their authority is limited (which I found throughout the conversation with her to be true). However, I gave her a chance. The only thing that she could offer was to remove the headset and then the phone would ship. I don’t see how this benefits me as a customer. I have to sacrifice something in order to get something. So now I am stuck in backorder hell. I am supposed to receive a phone with a headset but I cannot receive the phone because the headset is back ordered, then there is no guarantee that I will even receive the phone when the headset comes in because the phone may be on backorder again. The only option I seem to have is that I will have to sacrifice a portion of my order in order to get my phone, thus making my devise only partially useful in my opinion.
I have purchased many devices over the years from numerous companies and I have never had this much difficulty getting a device as I have through your company. I advised the supervisor that I would give it another week. I am sorry to say that if I do not see any progress from your company in this week I am going to cancel my order. I am also going to make sure that everyone that I speak to (Twitter, Facebook, blog, forums, text or e-mail including everyone I know in Wichita), is made aware of the trouble that I have had with your company and advise against ordering any Nokia products in the future. As it stands, my wife now refuses to purchase the 5800 Express. I had her convinced that this would be a viable replacement for her T-Mobile Wing and she was going to purchase it as soon as I had received my phone (she wanted to look at mine first before deciding) she now does not wish to purchase anything and suggested a week ago that I should cancel my order. I am trying to give your company the opportunity to correct its mistakes, but at the moment I do not see that you care to fix your error or even care about the customer at all. You seem to feel that a simple apology will suffice regardless of the situation or circumstances.
With the upcoming expiration of the contract between Apple and AT&T, the iPhone will soon be the most sought after phone on the market (more than it is currently) leaving companies like yours clamoring for business in the handset market. Exceptional Customer Service and customer loyalty are going to be the only things that will save a company in near future. At the moment my loyalty is fading by the day and if things do not improve I have no choice but to seek a new cell phone manufacturer.
I hope that this does not fall on deaf ears and I hope that someone takes and interest in the actions that took place.
After sending the letter I was shown the following message.
Your e-mail has been submitted. A Nokia Customer Care representative will respond promptly. Your questions and comments are important to us.
Since I am not satisfied with the service to begin with, I found it comical that the letter would go to the very people that I am complaining about. I guess my last little statement at the bottom is true after all. Some little CSR at Nokia will look at this and decide that its not a good thing for the rest of the CS group and can it. Which means I will most certainly cancel my order by Friday if nothing happens.
Lack of customer service and a decline in customer loyalty must be why Nokia’s earnings have declined by 90% in the last year according to Gizmodo. Looks like I will become one of the many iPhone Sheeple soon.
All hail the iPhone.
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