Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Father Christmas, The Guardian And Samak Sundaravej

I have asked Father Christmas for an  Apple iPod Touch for Christmas. My good friend Martin raved about his when I last saw him (and I suspect he is getting chess hints from it somehow, how else does he keep beating me!). We bought a friend one for his 50th birthday and I looked on with envy as he fell in love with it. We bought The Lad one for his birthday and I got to briefly play with it before I handed it over (I was "setting it up for him", or at least that was my excuse). When my friend Harry saw Alexander's, he managed to acquire one for his birthday. Now I am determined that it is my turn.

In hopeful anticipation that the Good Lady Wife (GLW) will read this post (I will print it off and leave it on her side of the bed just in case) and act accordingly I have started browsing the App Store on iTunes and it was there that I discovered that one of my favourite on-line services - PressDisplay.com - has just released a version of its software for the iPhone and the iTouch. This may mean that when we go on holiday in January I will be able to solve one of the biggest problems associated with leaving these shores - how to acquire a copy of The Guardian. I have lost count of the amount of time I have wasted trawling the shopping streets of distant cities in the hope of being able to source a dated copy of the Guardian. Normally you look in vain. If you are lucky you might find a dog-eared copy of The Times. If you are unlucky you will find a copy of the Daily Mail with all its pages intact. But with Press Display for the iTouch I will be able to find a convenient WiFi hotspot press a couple of buttons and a full PDF version of the Guardian will be in front of my eyes. Harry, who when we are on cruising holidays normally accompanies me on my newspaper seeking activities looking for his fix of the Daily Telegraph, will be able to download that to his iTouch. Speaking to Harry's wife, Elaine, on the phone last night I suggested that whenever we landed in a foreign port, Harry and I could go in search of Wifi hotspots. "Is that something like a lap-dancing club" asked the GLW who was listening in to the conversation.


Press Display is a smashing service and gives you access to over 1,000 newspapers from over 80 countries on a daily basis (for a price, I must add). As I have signed up in anticipation of my seasonal iTouch I can browse the world's press and - it would appear - blog selected stories. I am still experimenting with this and if it works there should appear a link to today's Bangkok Post at the end of this post. It will be interesting to see if it works. But as long as it delivers my daily Guardian in Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama, I don't care too much.


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Samak’s death drains a little colour from Thai politics
AEKARACH SATTABURUTH MANOP THIP-OSOD
Bangkok Post
25 Nov 2009

Politicians from all parties have mourned the passing of former prime minister Samak Sundaravej who died of liver cancer yesterday. He was 74. "I have to express my sorrow to his family and supporters. This is a loss for (Thai) politics,’’ Prime...read more...

12 comments:

  1. Ha! It works!
    I have met so many people who have fallen in love with their iPhones or iTouches - have to hand it to Apple for their creativity. I'm sure that Father Christmas will see that it is indeed your turn.

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  2. Thanks Kab, here's hoping.

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  3. May your Christmas wish come true!

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  4. My stepdaughter raves too, she gave up the Blackberry for what she described as the best thing since sliced bread. It's no good, Alan, I shall have to leave a few hints lying around.

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  5. Good post Alan. Hope you get your wish. Apple do make some nice kit!

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  6. My wife bought me the wopping 64GB iTouch for my birthday, since then I've found all sorts of podcasts, radio programs, university lectures (iTunes U). A whole new world.

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  7. Success! It worked! I love the GLW. Lap dance club indeed!

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  8. John : 64GB - now that is big. Out of interest, would you recommend more than the base 8GB? I know you can get more music on there, but are there other advantages? (Could you please copy the reply to the GLW)

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  9. Hope Father Christmas brings your special gift, Allan. (I'm known as "Mrs. Santa Claus" at the manor.)

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  10. My oldest son has one and loves it. I think it's high time you got one for Christmas! Hope GLW takes the hint! :)

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  11. Anonymous12:25 AM

    A wot? You mean my cassette player is out of date? Just having you on mate, heh, heh...and "setting it up" always a good excuse to, ah, get to keep it longer, yes? I'd start into dropping some casual hints, y'know? My but you've been busy!

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  12. Alan, in response to your question.
    I have a number of videos on mine from iTunes U, American Civil War stuff from one of the American universities, With these, music and other podcasts, I am certainly over 8GB and climbing, but that is 10 hours of video (not HD stuff I would add). Unless you are likely to load up with stuff 'to listen to later', which is how I tend to use mine, then 8GB should be fine.
    As she doesn't know me, I suggest you make the iTouch case with GLW.

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