Since we use Skype as our phone service (instead of having a landline), we (by which I mean “I”) decided we (“I”) should invest in a headset/microphone combination. I figured that the coolest PC accessories are made by Logitech, so their Premium USB Headset 350 was a clear winner. Added bonus – they make me look like a commander from Star Trek!

After some shopping around, I found the best price was a Buy.com – coming in at only $32.98, they were about $17 cheaper than RRP. And, since I’ve already bought a heap of stuff from them, they send me vouchers all the time – so there’s another 10% off. And then today when I got them, I found a voucher for about $5 worth of credit on Skype! So the overall cost was only about $24.

Of course I had to try them as soon as possible, so Sista Suz was lucky enough to receive the first call. Reports from Australia are that the microphone is “very clear”. The cushy earpads are also very comfy on the ears, and they have a handy volume/mute switch on the cord. At $24 I reckon these are a top buy – gerrod.com rating: 9.5/10. Logitech gear rocks – I think I’m going to buy some shares in that company (if they’re listed)!

Kristy has wanted a pedometer for ages, so I surprised her by ordering one from Amazon. It arrived today – only 3 days to ship, that’s awesome! So far she’s walked 1167 steps. She needs to take it to the gym so she can configure it properly (walk a set distance, check how many steps it took, then calculate stride length) – but it certainly shows promise of being a very nifty little toy.

And of course, I couldn’t buy a toy for her without getting a new toy for myself, too! Actually this one is for both of us – a remote for the iPod. It’s pretty wicked – has a range of 60 feet (20 metres?), and it transmits via RF (instead of IR like normal remotes) so it works around walls! It even comes with a little cradle for the remote, so you can strap it onto (for example) the handlebars of your bike. Very, very cool.

Shopping online is one of the big trends in the USA. Of course, shopping centres will never be abolished because they satisfy the basic human need of “hunter/gatherer”… but the range of products available from online stores is far, far greater.

Kristy and I love shopping online, and we have quite a number of things on order. Currently in transit we have a book from Amazon coming via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and our espresso machine coming from FedEx. The coffee machine was shipped a little earlier, but Amazon are known for their faster-than-average deliveries in the US.

So which delivery will win? I’m hoping the espresso machine will win to satisfy our need for decent coffee. Place your bets!

The 4th Generation iPod has been released, and it has been reduced in price! The 40GB model is going for only $649 now – a drop of $150 since I bought my 3rd Generation iPod! The improvements with the 4th Generation model include:

• Longer battery life (12 hours instead of
• New “Apple Click Wheel” control
• Better menus
• Slightly smaller

At first, they all seem like huge advantages. But I think it won’t be too hard to resist the upgrade. Also, the cheaper price turns out to be a sham – you no longer get the remote control, or the carry case – which if you buy seperately, costs $150. Coincidence? I think not. Still – for any of you folk out there who were considering buying one – your time has come!

Stacey came over tonight, and told us that she was going to show us “The Beast”. We had no idea what “The Beast” was, but as it turns out, it’s a brand new Mini Cooper! How cool is she? Mini’s name is “Av”, and is blue with a white lid. We even discovered that Av has an outside temperature gauge, an average speed thing, and heaps of other funky stuff. I so need to get one! It’s going on the wedding list!