It’s that time again – I’m in search of a new cell phone. And I narrowed it down to three candidates before doing my research – the Blackjack, the Blackberry Curve and the new iPhone 3G.

Next came the research. I interviewed people I knew already had each of the three phones. I read reviews in tech magazines, checked my favorite tech blogs and made a list of what I wanted in my new phone.

While the Blackberry and Blackjack are the industry leaders in many ways, as an avid Apple user, the iPhone won my vote in the end – and not just because it’s a fashion statement. The Blackberry wins for heavy e-mail users and the Blackjack is slick and is pretty versatile with Internet use, photos and music. But in the end the iPhone would fit my multimedia lifestyle and would be more compatible with my iBook at home – at least that was my rationale.

Having made my final decision, I was excited to get my hands on the must-have item. Easier said than done.

Finding an iPhone turned into a treasure hunt. Authorized AT&T dealers like Best Buy and Radioshack don’t sell the iPhone.  Only Apple stores and AT&T stores sell the phone. But, because of the overwhelming demand, all of the stores are out of stock and you can’t order the phone online or over the phone. After some quick online reading and a few phone calls, I figured out that I would have to go to an AT&T or Apple store and order the phone, and then go back to pick it up when it arrived. That proved a problem because I live in Waterloo and the closest AT&T store is in Cedar Rapids and the closest Apple store is in Des Moines. Ugh.

So, I drove to Cedar Rapids and ordered my phone – only to find out it would take 3 weeks for it to arrive, and then I would have to drive back and pick it up. Grrr.

I was so frustrated I almost backed out on my iPhone purchase, but decided that a few hours of inconvenience would be worth it for years of iPhone fun.

Frustration definitely seems to be a word associated with the latest Apple launch. On the first day some customers had trouble activating their new phones. And now there are severe supply and demand issues. I have to wonder why Apple is still spending money on advertising when they can’t keep up with the demand. But, since the first snag, the operating system seems to be doing fine from everything I’ve been reading.

One of my closest friends who owns a first generation iPhone says it will revolutionize the way I communicate. While I think that might be a bit of a stretch, I do hope it’s worth all the trouble in the end. Once it finally arrives, I’ll be sure to share my thoughts.

What are your thoughts on the smart phone war? Are you addicted to your “Crackberry” or have you become an iPhone lover? Have you had a frustrating iPhone experience? Leave a comment and share…

-jj

Posted under Apple

I was looking over my photos from North Liberty and decided to post some behind-the-scenes pics.

While reporters and photographers are out in the field everyday, live events like RAGBRAI give our anchors and production staff a chance to get out of the studio. It’s a lot of work to set up all the equipment to get us on the air, but it’s fun for us too. So, here’s your sneak peak at our work and play.

You’ve probably seen our live trucks driving around town, but here’s what it looks like on the inside. Every knob has to turned perfectly and every switch flipped the right way. I can change the channel and adjust the volume. Luckily there are plenty of other people who understand what this all means.

Photographer Jimmy Vowell is editing some video. After we shoot the video and interview people we have to write our stories and then edit them.

No anchor desk for Ron and Jeff tonight! Instead they are perched on a hill overlooking the RAGBRAI festivities. We set up a tent, lights and multiple cameras for their mini set. We also have to run cable for each microphone and another cable for each of their earpieces so they can hear our producer back at the station.

Reporter Jon Keimig waits for his liveshot at our roaming camera down the street where riders continue to pour into town. He also has an earpiece so he can hear our producer. And that’s Jimmy working the camera.

Director Nick Kuker would normally be calling the shots from the control room in the studio. Instead, he’s cuing us and switching between the different cameras we have on site.

Ron and Jeff have a little fun during a commercial break. When I told them I was taking pictures for the blog – they wanted to say a special hello.

Any questions about what it takes to get us on the air? Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail.

All for now – time to enjoy the beautiful weekend.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

After finishing up our live reports and packing up the equipment, it was nice to be able to wander around and relax.  A group of us carefully selected some food and sat down to enjoy the festivities. And it’s clear the riders and even the locals appreciated the chance to mingle after a hard day at work or on the road.

While each day’s ride is different, I think it’s especially interesting to compare each of the evening festivities I’ve been to over the last few days. Ames was the star-studded party with Lance Armstrong, Styx and The Nadas on a huge concert stage. Tama-Toledo was a small town block party on the square. And tonight is a coastal pirate party.

I never thought I’d see a band playing Jimmy Buffet songs in pirate costumes. The Cedar Island Band is rocking the main stage and when they launched into "Shake  Sonora" it didn’t take long for the conga line to form. Check out the video…

While the party is growing, many of the riders are hitting the sack. Tomorrow is another long day – but my RAGBRAI ride ends tonight. Even though it was only three days, my first RAGBRAI experience was a hectic, exciting and exhausting trip. And while my road has come to an end, you can always follow the official RAGBRAI site for updates throughout the weekend.

But, stay tuned to this blog. I’ll be shifting my focus from RAGBRAI to all things technology over the next few days.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

Who doesn’t love a good craft? Especially a pirate craft? I heard there was a craft area for kids and I had to go investigate.

You could make pirate hats and treasure chests complete with jewels and skulls. I was pretty excited, even though I got some wierd looks for doing crafts by myself without any kids in tow. Hey – grown ups can do crafts too!

The room was buzzing with pirate talk, all the kids were practicing their most menacing ARG! And while some were just adorable, there were others that actually scared me a little.

Here’s my masterpiece! I think it’ll look much better once the glue dries and I can actually wear it. And yes – I will post an embarassing picture of myself – just to brighten your day.

Until then…

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

I believe in recycling. And I recycle everything I can. And it’s become such a habit that I feel guilty throwing a plastic bottle away. And I remember last night, Eileen asked me if I had seen any recycling bins. And while I haven’t seen them for the past two days – it’s one of the first things I noticed today.

All over the entertainment area there are little recycling units like this set up. So far, the bag is empty, but hopefully everyone will put them to good use!

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

Riders were welcomed into town with pirate music and wristbands as they rode under a full blown pirate ship.

I met Dexter Hebert, a second time RAGBRAI-er, just past the entrance. He said this was his favorite part of the day – rolling into town, seeing the warm welcome, then hanging out with his buddies.

Dexter is on the left. He’s riding with the Windblown Dogs out of Bloomington, IL. His thoughts echo so many others I’ve heard this week – the ride is great, but it’s the people that bring you back.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

Walking around here you run into the occasional pirate. The locals are dressing the part. There’s even a costume contest tonight. And if anyone is going to win – I think it’s Lady Anastacia Barbosa. She stood at the entrance to town welcoming riders to North Liberty. And she even gave a shoutout just for my blog.

I know – I should have dressed up too.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

If yesterday’s word was cowabunga – today it’s ARG! Pirate flags line every street and there are skull and crossbones everywhere.

The pirates showed up in full force to welcome riders into North Liberty.

Things are cloudy and it’s drizzling off and on. And while it’s not stopping the riders – I think it is impacting the crowd here. But hopefully things will pick up as the entertainment starts this evening. The cool breeze is a nice change from the extreme heat of the last two days. But, I’m glad I brought a jacket.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

Well, I’m starting to misspell words and the computer screen looks a bit blurry – definitely time for bed.

Here’s one last picture. There was a group performing in the middle of the street during Jon Keimig’s liveshot at 10. They started with some simple juggling and as the crowd started to grow, so did the tricks. By the time they were done, they were sitting on top of each other and riding unicycles while juggling flames. I wish I could have taken a video but my memory card was full. I’ll be ready tomorrow in case I see them in North Liberty.

So, if you’re still up and looking for something to do – check out North Liberty’s RAGBRAI Web site and get excited for the "Pirates of the Corridor."

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI

Well, after my liveshot during the six newscast, we had to pack up the tent, cords, cables and wires that made it all possible. Once everything was in the truck and Ron and Eileen were on their way, I started to run around again, checking out the growing crowd.

I didn’t get a chance to blog again for a while (obviously since it’s after midnight). The Telecom trailer was packing up and hitting the road. But I figured I could keep gathering and post it all when I got home.

And for those of you hoping to see me stumble through Guitar Hero, they were also packing up for the night by this time. So, no luck. Maybe there will be some other way for me to embarass myself in North Liberty tomorrow.

I also missed meeting Norma "Duffy" Lyon, the famous butter cow sculptor. She’s a native of Toledo and was the first woman to sculpt a butter cow for the Iowa State Fair. I was disappointed I didn’t get to meet her, but also disappointed when I found out that there weren’t actually any butter cows on display today. I guess I’ll just have to wait until the state fair.

Jon Keimig, Jimmy (our photog), and I headed out to find some food. I was excited for another chance to sample the delicacies that lined every street. This time I opted for some barbecue and finally indulged in some homemade ice cream and pie. I think I’m still full.

By this time of the night, everyone was either standing in line to get food, or settled onto the grass near the courthouse, eating, drinking and listening to the line-up of acts on the main entertainment stage.

One of these acts was Elvis impersonator Ronnie Craig. He’s also a Toledo native and has played the role of "The King" all over the U.S. I had a chance to meet him before the show. Standing in his makeshift dressing room with his sparkling costume hanging over our heads, I have to admit that I didn’t think he looked much like Elvis. But, we chatted about RAGBRAI for a bit and I wished him luck.

Once he took the stage, it was a different story. The swing of his hips and the sound of his voice were spot on. I guess he just needed to get into character.

It was hard to get close, the crowd was eating it up. So, this picture doesn’t really do him justice.

And as hundreds of locals continued to poor into the downtown area, ready for the night ahead, I saw many riders’ heads bobbing as their fatigue began to get the best of them. It only served to remind me that it had been a long day and I have another long one ahead.

-jj

Posted under RAGBRAI