do androids dream of electric sheep?

As much as I adore my pen and paper I do also have a weakness for technology.  Within my friends and family we call it the 'shiny thing' competition, as we are all a bit techie.  At this time of the year I keep seeing ads for all the new 'toys' which may have inspired me to have a look, dangerous but hey a gal can look.  

Some of my new toys I'd love are ........

First up, which is no real surprise, is a 21.5" imac.  Having been a dedicated lover of mac since the early 1980's I do easily fall in love with their products.  My main reasons for lusting after this is because it has a 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor and 1TB hard drive.  Yes, it would be a change from my laptops which I've been on for the last 7 or so years but  I think maybe its time to add a desktop to my family of mac's.

 

Ok so number two isn't exactly a shock either.  Now there is still a part of me that is still unsure about needing an ipad but this is a wish list so here it is.

Thirdly I've been seduced by the newest camera by Nikon, the D5100.  Now I've always adored Nikon, there is just something about their camera's that I like.  Partly its the ease of use but mostly its the results the lens can produce.  With 16.2 mega pixels and the ability to use it out of the box with minimal training its great for first timers, or with so much control as you could want even the more experience users will be happy.

Forth and by no means last I still crave a robo dog of my very own.  This little craving was re-born after watching Stephen Fry's 100 greatest gadgets, and I remember how much they made me smiled when I saw them in stores.  Although I'm not quiet sure where to get them from, if only they had a pound for robo dogs like they do real ones.

So while I dream of cool tech I hope you are all happy reading this blog on what ever piece of technology you like; maybe its your laptop, phone, tablet or who knows what.  This little gal is off to dream of electronic sheep.

 

AppTastic!

I have been a mac gal since '81 so its but no stretch of the imagination I have an iPhone.  It may sound cliche but my iPhone is more than a phone its....everything to me.  It lets me keep in touch, entertains me when I get bored on train rides, knows my fav songs and even guides me when I'm lost.

With all this in mind I thought I'd share a few of my current favorite apps in no particular order

Make Up For Ever Professional

Looking for hints, tips or inspiration?  Then this might be the app for you.  Not only can u find new styles you would like to try it also includes little videos so you can see exactly what to do.  It may not be the bible for beauty but it does offer a bit more fun and holds your hand when you want to experiment with new looks.

Public Transport Victoria

If you live in melbourne this is a must; especially as it covers trams, trains and buses.  This has come in very handy while out on adventures as you can plan your journey including any walking that may need to be done.  You also have access to maps so you can see what bus or train line your on.  Another great feature is the next 5 function for trams, a perfect to see which trams are coming and if they are useful to you.  Overall for a free app its really great.

Draw Something

Most likely you have already heard or even played this app.  I picked it up for 99c on a bargain weekend and it has been a good time killer.  Only downside is waiting for your friends to respond with their drawings.  It will make you laugh and at times wonder what goes on in your friends mind when their drawing.  

Guitar Hero

If you ever played the game on your gaming console you will already understand why you can loose hours of your life playing this.  Sadly there are only a few songs that come with the base package however its enough to get you playing.  For me its also a great chance to hear songs I may not have heard before.    

Guidebook

Yet another free app which I actually needed to download a few weekends ago, as opposed to my "this looks cool" app downloading.  Why I needed this you may be asking; simply it was my guide to the recent Supanova event I attended.  This was the best thing I have ever had when going to an event as it included a full day by day schedule which I could then specify what items I was attending.  As well as maps, information about the sessions, transport and pretty much everything you could need to attend.  I really hope more conventions use the application here in Aus as it really helped me navigate all seminars, photos and shopping.

You never know

Some days you find little gems in the places you least expect it.

Not so long ago Mr and I made our way to the other side of the city to visit Spotswood. I adore this little part of the world. Spotswood, Seddon, Yarra Ville they all have the vibe that time sort of stopped in about 1954 and the rest of Melbourne forget to say anything. However you do get a sense that the beatniks are about to make their way out of the workmans cottages at any moment and the next big thing will begin. However I digress. Mr and I were heading to indulge our inner geek at the Scienceworks Star Wars exhibition. Must say its worth the drive to see these great pieces plus there is science for all you parents who think the kiddies should learn something.
Anyhoo, the other bonus is you get entry into scieneworks museum and one section is all about the home. That was when I happen to stumble across the greatest collection of 1950's kitchen wear and beauty items.

So the plan is to distract the guards while I break in and get all the kitchen goodness I can. It makes you wonder what your grandmother and mother did with all these items.



I am such a sucker for cute packaging



I'd love to have this aftershave bottle collection.

Forever Barbie

At the moment those of us in Melbourne are lucky enough to have some great Pop Icon exhibitions. There is Star Wars at Science Works and Forever Barbie at Fed Square.

Forever Barbie: A Pop Culture Icon Exhibition

No matter where you go, the mere mention of Barbie™ elicits a reaction. People are passionate, persuasive, and just plain personal about their Barbie story. How could one doll create such a response? Barbie is more than a doll she is a major part of pop culture! To coincide with Barbie’s 50th Anniversary, Fed Square will host a fabulous exhibition celebrating Barbie’s past, present and future. Located within a purpose-built exhibition hall, the Forever Barbie exhibition will immerse visitors in every aspect of Barbie’s illustrious life over the past 50 years as well as give an insight into the future of the world’s most loved fashion doll!

This will be the largest collection of Barbies ever assembled in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition, Barbie’s very own Fashion Designer, Robert Best will fly in from the U.S. for a series of workshops that provide an insight into the design process behind the making of the world’s most famous doll.

Over 300 Barbie Dolls - including some of the rarest and quirkiest sourced from the Mattel® archives as well as Australian Barbie Collectors will sit alongside a collection of accessories that have enhanced Barbie's glamorous existence over the years. Included will be Barbie's fabulous fashions, dream houses, cars, pets and of course the men in her life!

The very first #1 Ponytail Barbie, one of only three in the Mattel U.S. archive, will also be on loan for the exhibition. In an auction on May 17th 2003, at Sandi Holder's Doll Attic in San Francisco a world record was set for the sale of a mint-in-box #1 Barbie doll from 1959 which reached an unbelievable U.S. $25,427.

Tickets: $12.50 - $15.00 / Purchase online at www.barbie.com.au or at any Target store

Times: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Steampunk technology

I found this while reading a wonderful tech blog

The key is made out of purple heart & has approximately 26 Ruby's which look great when the key catches the light, & when the Keys plugged into a USB, it glows green from underneath the gears giving the key a good sense of movement.

This gem was on sale via etsy but is sadly sold out. Oh well back to the drawing board.