for the first time in a long while. I think the last time I felt this way was when I got my first computer, a Dell laptop, during my sophomore year of college. I have a distinct memory of opening the box at the kitchen table with my mom watching; she was just as eager as I was. When I finally got it out and pulled off all the shipping material and set it on the table, the two of us gasped. “It’s so sleek, I’m afraid to touch it,” I said. She agreed that I probably shouldn’t touch it. So we just stared at it for a while.
Of course these days it looks like a big clunker, but it definitely served me well.
So, you may be asking, what is this new technology that has so impressed me? Well those of you who know me know I’ve been getting into making little movies lately, so naturally the technology of which I speak is a video camera: The GoPro Hero 7 black. (It’s actually an older GoPro, and not terribly expensive either, especially if you get it used or refurbished. BTW, I should mention that I’m not getting paid to endorse GoPro cameras, but if GoPro wants to pay me, I’ll be happy to oblige.)
Most of my handheld phone footage is unusable or requires a lot of editing. That’s probably my fault, but I whatever the case, I chose this camera for its size and its “HyperSmooth” stabilization, which really is amazing. To capture the first few clips of the mountain and palo verde tree, I mounted the GoPro to a cheap telescoping monopod that came with the camera—basically a camera on a stick setup—and just brought the monopod up as high as I could reach and lowered it by hand. Try doing that with a phone camera. It also has the capability to shoot in 4K, but I think you sacrifice the stabilization feature, which makes shooting in 4K seem pretty pointless. Anyway, I’m pretty happy with my new toy.
The camera’s also waterproof. It took me some time to believe that. I watched a lot of YouTube videos of other people putting their GoPros in the water before I was able to do it myself. But I finally I did it and here are the results…
Starring G-Bear…of course!
How about you? When was the last time you were impressed by technology?
Diotima's Ladder 
I’m in IT, so I spend most of my time being frustrated with technology. But that camera seems pretty cool! It has technology I remember reading about decades ago that only high powered movie productions had access to. It reminds me of that William Gibson quote: “The future is here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.” A couple decades later it’s in refurbished products!
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I bet it is frustrating in IT, especially if you’re having to constantly figure out what’s going wrong. That would drive me nuts!
It does feel like a high powered movie production in my pocket, at least to me. It feels revolutionary, like I could get into some serious movie making if I had the time and knowledge and kept myself within a certain scope. Of course, I’m sure I’m way behind on this revelation—I’m usually the last one to figure out what’s going on. People make fun of me for hanging on to old cell phones for as long as possible.
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On cell phones, I’m somewhat like that. My current phone is five years old. But I suspect you’re holding onto something older. I’m more like it with cars. I owned a 1999 4Runner, which I drove until it was totaled in 2013. I now drive a 2012 4Runner, which is getting a bit long in the tooth. In both cases, we often don’t realize what we’re missing with the newer models. I discovered that in 2018 when I had to drive a rental for a few weeks. I was surprised at all the Bluetooth options available, as well as how nice it was to have a rear view camera.
On the other hand, there’s a lot to be said for saving money by using these things as long as they’re usable.
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I’m the same with cars. I’m still driving (and loving) my 2010 Ford Fusion…
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I think my phone is an iphone 6 or 6s. The only reason it’s even that new is because my aunt gave it to me when she upgraded. Before that I had a 4S; I believe Steve Jobs was alive then. I tried my best to keep that one alive, but ultimately it was a relief when I got the one I currently have.
The funny thing is, I now have a 2020 MacBook Air and, more recently, a MacBook Pro which I got as an extremely generous birthday gift from my brother. The thing is, I want it—it’s got all the extras and upgraded storage—but I don’t need it. But I want it, I’ve always wanted a MacBook Pro but could never justify buying one. Now here it is, still in the packaging, and I don’t dare open it. How stupid is that.
I think we’re the same way with cars. My Lexus is a 2012, but it has a backup camera. And yeah, those things are awesome. Especially good for those times when there’s something behind you that’s low to the ground and impossible to see by turning your head.
It’s funny. I keep thinking about upgrading, but I think the newer Lexi (?) are ugly. I really like my car and I’ll probably drive it until it dies. Unfortunately, I’m not the best at maintaining cars. I’d rather deal with those teeny tiny screws inside an iPhone than anything having to do with cars.
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I’m on the iPhone 7, so not much ahead of you. I actually upgraded to it in 2016, after discovering some features I was missing out on during the floods here, like WiFi calls (handy when all the cellular networks are busted).
On the Macbook Pro, I can see it. Getting set up with a new computer is a hassle. I had to switch to a new laptop late last year, which I only bought because I was thinking about retiring and didn’t want to be out of a laptop when I turned the work one back in. Well, I haven’t retired, but the new machine is so much better that I haven’t used the work one in months. We have to go back to the office again in a few weeks, so I had to wake up the old laptop and get it updated. A complete hassle all around.
I have a feeling that having to drive around again might light a fire under me on the car. The lack of rear camera is going to be a hassle in the university parking lots. Although I lived with it before without much issue, so who knows. I have a similar problem with upgrading on the car. If I do buy something new, I’ll probably change to something else this time. The new 4Runners just don’t do it for me anymore. But nothing else particularly excites me either. As I mentioned when I had to change my blog theme, I really hate car and house shopping.
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I hope you weren’t too put out by the floods. Talk about a hassle.
You know, in my stubborn refusal to buy a proper cell phone, I used to use my iPod to make wifi calls. I think the company I used was called Freedom Pop…I don’t recall how I had my iPod set up, but whatever I did I’m sure it was entirely free. And I can say it worked, sort of. The sound quality was pretty dismal, but I was using it to make extended calls. Anyway, something to keep in mind in case of emergency (assuming such a thing as Freedom Pop—or Freedom something or other—still exists).
I hate shopping for most things too, but house shopping is something I can really get into. But it’s really that I just like looking at houses, I’m not so much into the negotiating.
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Nice! And yeah, that is a clunker, lol. I’m usually not impressed by technology being in the industry. I’m glad that others find it impressive and useful. I just find myself tearing my hair out with frustration every day. To answer your question, the last time I was impressed by technology was when I realized my stupid cell phone had a “do not disturb” feature that I could schedule.
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I hope your tearing-your-hair-out-frustration is in reference to your last job, not the new one? I’m getting the sense that working in IT would definitely not be my cup of tea.
A “do not disturb” feature!? Does it work with texts? For some reason people seem to want to text me early in the morning. I can ignore the phone ringing—its always telemarketers and scammers—but I always wake up and check a text. It almost always turns out to be something mildly amusing which I didn’t need to read right away. I might have to look into this. Can you still use your phone when the do not disturb feature is on? I read very late at night.
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Nope, the new job too. Working in IT is frustrating all the time for a multitude of reasons. I’m still liking the new job, though, as much as anyone who hates working could like a job.
Yeah, the do not disturb setting applies to all sounds, as far as I can tell. I was even able to flag certain contacts that bypass it. There’s also a “if they call/text you repeatedly in a certain amount of time it’s probably an emergency so you might wanna take it” setting that will bypass it if you like. TBH, I miss not having a mobile phone. Remember when we used to talk on the landline and teach each other guitar licks?! Good times. Sore ears. Those were the days.
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You could always save like monk for a while and retire early…but it would really suck if it didn’t work out.
How could I forget those guitar sessions over the phone? I remember hiding under the bed with my electric guitar and calling you up in the middle of the night and whispering, “Let me hear your E string….K thanks bye.”
Ah, hanging out at Circle K to look at Guitar World magazines. Those were the days. Nowadays we’d learn from someone on YouTube who gets it all wrong. You’d be the only one to notice.
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I got to say, I’m not impressed with Technology at all. I mean, I am impressed as most anyone would be, but I am depressed that I have to be involved with it. I am depressed that someone else is making me have to use it. 🧑🏾🚀
I am able to find it fascinating, and it does cool things like make trippy pictures or be able to make cool graphics and I’m impressed with all the wild things we can do with it.
But in my own personal life, I seriously, seriously, absolutely feel that my life is worse and that it’s only making more problems under the guise that it’s making things better and easier.
I do get along in life pretty well. I have adapted. I use technology in my day today and I live a pretty good life and I’m pretty happy.
But if I think about it for more than a second, I resent that there is a minority of people who are computer programmers who have decided for the rest of us what we must do if we want to be part of society.
If I had a nuclear bomb and I could drop it on the King of the Internet tomorrow so that’s get rid of the Internet entirely, I totally would. lol
But that’s a total fantasy. And so there is the reality of every day, in which I get along pretty well. So. 😝
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Haha…I hear you. I usually don’t find technology all that interesting, so I guess you could say I’m amazed that something has amazed me.
Have you read Sapiens? I wouldn’t recommend the book as a whole, necessarily, but the section on the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to farmers has stayed with me. The author claims that the agricultural revolution was not progress, but that farming and owning land meant having to defend one’s possessions, which led to more work and illness. Whereas life as a nomad was a life of leisure. I don’t what the truth is, but I often find myself drawing parallels to modern life, particularly when it comes to cell phones and social media and the like.
It used to be TV that everyone loved to hate, but I haven’t heard much about Killing Your TV lately.
Funny you should mention getting rid of the internet. I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a short story about that. Not: “What would life be like if we never had the internet?” but “What would life be like if the internet were suddenly taken away from us?”
If you have any thoughts on that, I’d love to hear them.
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I call it Technology Psychosis. Lol. When I start having real fantasies about hating and destroying “the one” who makes the internet go. 😜
Maybe your story could be a sort of ironic fantasy where there is actually a “one” person who upholds the internet. 😛. And as the protagonist goes to actually trying to take down the internet, she is lead to the “one person” Who is like a total stoner. And controls the whole internet with his Commadore 64.
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It’s funny because I gather it would be damn near impossible to take down the internet, but I really was thinking of it as “one” person who’s something like the Wizard of Oz—except no one ever get to see what’s behind the curtain. And no one ever gets to find out why the internet disappeared, it just does. By the time the story begins its a foregone conclusion that it’s an unsolvable mystery and people are sick of speculating about it.
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diotima. Have we met before? I feel like your “diotmasladder” I know, from another time maybe? But what’s this “rung2”
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Hm… I never noticed that! That’s the email I use for this blog, but I thought the user name (if that’s what it’s called) was just diotimasladder. I guess I don’t look at that stuff. You might’ve seen it previously on other people’s blogs in the comments section.
Now I’m wondering if I accidentally changed something. I have no idea what’s going on!
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By the way, thanks for pointing this out! I changed it back, I think, I hope…:)
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When the video started I thought maybe you had bought a drone! I know what you mean about waterproof. I have a wireless speaker that’s supposedly waterproof — the package has a picture of one floating in the water — but I’m afraid to put it to the test.
I have my old Sony Vaio with Windows Vista that I wonder whether it’ll still boot.
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I know what you mean about thinking it was a drone! That was exactly what I said when I saw the footage. The monopod extends to only about four feet, and I’m pretty short, but it felt like I must’ve been filming from my roof. I have no idea how that happened. I would say it’s the wide-angle lens, but I’m pretty sure I had the camera set to “linear” or a narrow field of view. But maybe not? I really don’t remember.
Update: I decided to strap the camera to Geordie. Amazing amazing amazing. He’s a limpy old dog and yet the footage was pretty stable, considering. I got some insights into his life from his POV that I really wasn’t expecting. Like how oblivious we humans are. He’s so attuned to the environment and to me and to every stupid mindless thing I say, it’s embarrassing. How unreliable I am! Yet he loves me anyway!
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That sounds like awesome footage; I hope you’ll post it! One of my main things about dogs is wondering what it’s like to be them, what they think about, how they see things.
Like, are they amazed by our ability to turn on lights? To open doors and drive cars? It seems like dogs actually live with their gods and experience them on a daily basis. No wonder they pay attention!
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I’ll definitely post some of that footage, I just haven’t figured out how I want to use it yet. I might just do some light editing and show the bits where Geordie is really trying to communicate with me.
As for lights, Geordie has a weird tick when it comes to the ceiling fan. Whenever he hears that switch, he looks up to see if the fan is moving. Plus, whenever he gets nervous, he looks up at the fan. I think he does wonder about that quite a lot and the whole idea of these blades wobbling around over his head makes him nervous. But cars? I think he takes them granted in the same way children do. He’s not in the least bit nervous about getting in a car and seems to have no awareness of how dangerous it is. Just total trust.
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It’s funny this technology impressed you. I mean, I marvel at it as well in a technical sense.
The reason it’s funny to me is that the latest piece of technology to impress me was the suspension system on a mobility scooter. Maybe I’m weird. 😉
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Well, I don’t think you’re weird…at least not when it comes to admiring useful technology. 😉
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