Today I finally took the plunge and bought some backcountry safety gear.  With all the off-piste riding, tree runs, hiking and general avalanche risks I thought it was time.  This is what I bought:

Ortovox D3 Avalanche Transceiver

Weight: 247g

The triple antenna system on this digital beacon allows precise, pin-point location of signals. Display uses three direction arrows, numerical distance LEDs and multiple burials indicator.

• Carrying system includes cover and elastic straps.
• Single button twists to change from transmit to receive.
• Earphone jack (earphones not included).
• Dimensions are 130 x 80 x 25mm.
• Nominal range is 40m.
• Normal battery life transmits for 300 hours, receives for 40 hours.
• Uses 2 AA batteries (included). Battery strength indicator.
• Meets European Standard EN 300 718.

G3 AviTech Shovel

Weight: 760g (Std)

This is a strongly-built shovel; the connector tube and blade have been heat-treated after welding to relieve residual stresses and produce a rugged shaft-to-blade interface.

• Blade is made from 6061 T6 aluminum.
• Silver anodized aluminum shaft.
• D-grip handle for easy grip; it features a unique ice axe loop attachment point.
• Handle and blade are red for easy location in the snow.
• Dry-stash compartment in handle.
• Multiple slots in the blade allow easy attachment to pack, rigging an emergency rescue sled with skis, or rigging as a deadman snow anchor.
• Available in two versions: ultralight short or longer telescoping handle.

Black Diamond Quick Draw 230cm Carbon Fiber Probe

Weight: 212g

Lightweight and easily packable, this ultra-rigid, large diameter carbon probe has speed bullets for rapid assembly. The velcro closure on the stuff sack pulls open quickly so you can deploy it in just seconds.

• Made of light, tough carbon fibre.
• Marked every 5cm under clearcoat.
• Ideal for professional use.
• Diameter is 1.3cm.
• Packed length is 44cm.
• Assembled length is 230cm.
• Includes stuff sack.

Despite getting up rather early today, I still didn't get out of the hotel until about 09:00.  It took me a while to get ready, and to write yesterdays blog entry.  It was quite a long one

My first goal today was to scope out the route from my hotel to the Tokyo main station, from where I will get the train to Nagano on Friday.  So I headed straight along side the train line, then headed straight up into Marunouchi district and headed into Tokyo station from the west.  After spending a little time figuring out the map, and wandering on over, I can tell that it's from platform 23 I need to depart and it is easier if I enter from the south east entrance.

That done, I headed on up the east side onto the 'Eitai-dori' and over into the Imperial Palace East Garden.  I have to say that it really is a nice place to wander around, and it would be much more appealing in the spring or summer.  I'd recommend it.  I've got some great photos and will be adding these soon.

I exited up by Takebashi, and headed for my second goal of the day.  Gadgets!

I passed through the 'Bookshop Neighborhood' and found some of the stores fascinating. I then discovered that there was a 'Sporting Good Neighborhood' and had a quick look in at a Solomon shop.  But really wanted to push on to the Electronics Neighborhood.

The stores here are amazing.  So many of them, and every single one of them is huge and packed.  What a place.  Makes everywhere else I've been look absolutely pathetic (thinking Totenham Court Road in London).

It was getting later into the afternoon, and I decided to have lunch.  Yum!  My favorite, Japanese noodle soup!  It is a little strange wandering along and seeing plastic models of all the meals that you can get!  I wonder how some 'slop' in the UK would look in a plastic model

After lunch, I wandered around the electric stores a little more.  But I was getting tired now, after all I had walked everywhere.  So I decided to head back, but via the sporting goods neighborhood to see what I could see.  Some of the stores I went in to were packed floor to ceiling with snowboarding/skiing equipment and gear.  It's no wonder the Japanese are mad for the sport when they can get all this in one small area.  Again, it knocks the socks of every other place I have ever been to!

I headed back down towards the Imperial gardens and headed down the Uchidor-dori and back towards Shimbashi where the hotel is.  I visited a couple convenience stores to buy some drinks and snacks for tomorrow.  Then back to the hotel.

Getting on the Hotel Internet

Man, the Internet connection here might be free but it's a right pain in the arse to get on!  You have to submit to a full anti-virus scan, which is done via a Web page and a few Active-X controls.  The firs trouble is that it's all in Japanese, so I didn't have a clue what to click on.  I then noticed that in the URL it does state that the "Language=jp", so I changed it to "en", and that did the trick.  However, it has to do a deep scan, and analyses all of the files on your HD.  Since I have a hell of a lot on my machine this took about an hour!  Yes, an hour!  So that was a right pain in the butt. Eventually I managed to get on though.

Plans for later

When I got back to the hotel it was only about 17:00.  The plan is to get the blogs and GPS tracking entries updated, and then head out for some beers.  My plan is to get some well earned rest and then about 21:00 head on over to Roppongi for some drinks and possibly a quick look at a club!  Looking forward to blogging about that.

  To view the GPS track interactively, go to http://wai.internetwideworld.com/GPSWebService/

I have finally relented.  I have had my old 60Gb iPod for over 4 years now and whilst in the whole it is perfectly adequate, it is starting to show it's age.  The reasons I have justified the purchase to my self are:

• I managed to scratch the screen in practically the first week of having it (oops).
• The battery isn't lasting as long as it used to, and I use the thing virtually all day every day.
• My vast collection of music and audio books is now topping out the 60Gb.
• All of which unlike most people, I own the original CD's.
• Import quality is set at 56Kb and in the very small AAC+ format (therefore 3^3 smaller than a normal MP3).
• My current iPOD is the iPOD colour, and does not have the video capabilities.
• I'm going on vacation shortly to Las Vegas so need the entertainment for the long flights. (I could buy it in the USA but need to fill it up before going!)
• I can afford it!

So, I finally bought one from Amazon.  Got the black 80Gb version for £185 with a coupon discount and express delivery.  Should receive it in the mail tomorrow!

Can't wait. http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html

I have long been interested in getting a big, wide screen TV.  After all, I do watch a lot of it, and a lot of movies.  So, today when I came across this article on the Pioneer Web site that says "The World's best flat screen TV", I was obviously going to be interested.

These "world's best" are Pioneers 8th generation plasma displays, and from the pictures on the site I cant really disagree.  However the proof will be actually seeing these in the showroom next to other TVs.  The apparent secret for the screens being the best is that the black levels are 80% deeper than what was previously possible to produce, and they have an amazing contrast ration of 20,000:1.  They also support full HD resolution (1080p), and not the cheap 720i that most current screens have (article on the difference between i and p here).

If I was to buy such a TV, I would really have to move apartment, otherwise it would be completely wasted in the hole that I currently live in!

I read an article today on the BBC Web site, about how BT are developing a motion-sensitive laptop, or more accuratley a device to attatch to the laptop.  The device, which is very much like the Nintendo Wii controler, I think is an idea but not a very good one.

The reason for the controller is apparently to help people with dissabilities  or the elderly.  I don't see that as it's primary use.  Why?  Because it wopuld be like using etch-a-sketch for these people.  How often have the able dodied 'just missed' that menu option, when using the mouse and clicked on something else?  What about those users who do not have full motor control?  Why not give them the same controls as an etch-a-sketch, the knob to move up and down, and the other knob to move left and right?  Would be much easier and simpler!

I see the primary is in the games industry just like the Wii controller.  But why bother?  When you can already buy such devices that are already much better?

Call me a cynic, but I personally think that it's the usual self promotion.  It appeases the share holders as BT are in the news, and it justifies them spending money on this department.  It also makes them look like they are trying to help the disabled and elderly.  If you have a look at the photos.  The laptop that the device is being used on is tiny.  Surely the laptop is too small for these disabled people to be able to see the screen clearly.  There is no way you would be tilting a normal laptop, they are simply too big.  Besides, who can afford such a small laptop, have you checked the prices of those things?  It's almost certinally to expensive for the disabled and elderly to justify.

To me, it's a good try, but too late and completley impractical at this level and target audience.

I posted a few days ago about Solid State Drives (SSD) and how I believe that they are going to change things in the world of Hard Disks (HD).  I was therefore very interested to read this article from Information Week.  It basically states that Samsung have begun the production of a 16 Gb flash memory chip.  These chips are expected to be used in digital music players, music phones and digital cameras.  I really want one of those!

The article goes on to say that in March the company introduced a 64 Gb solid state flash drive for ultra-portable notebooks.  Now, I really want one of those!

I am a big music fan (and am really into audio books), and always have been.  So much so, that I have had three iPods since they first came out (various stories attached, but not here), and I currently have a 60Gb with color display (not the video version).  My current iPod is suffering a fair bit now from a number of ailments.  Such as it's near full, there are loads of scratches on the screen, the battery is not as good as it was, and it occasionally just stops in the middle of playing (I think the phone jack is buggered as it's extremely loose with all earphones!).

As such I have been watching news about the iPod for a while now, and there has been very little news about the iPod for a while.  Especially in the news about a new bigger/better version.  The current version is the Fifth generation iPod (also known as iPod with video)  That was until today.  I came across an article that 'hints' that there may be a new version in the works.  The article (viewed here) is a little sparse on actual concrete news, but does follow the patter that Apple seem to follow when a new product/version is due.

Obviously I'll wait for the next version to be out in the wild before making any decision.  Especially as the current iPod is still in operation and should be for a while (fingers crossed).  I wouldn't mind getting some video content on there either!

A friend of mine recently got one of those digital photo frames, and I must admit it looks really cool.  Well, in a similar style, I found this:

Men's Digital Photo Wallet

Leather wallet features a removable digital photo viewer. Don't carry a wrinkled paper photo of your kids in your wallet. Our new handsome leather wallet includes a removable digital photo viewer that stores 55 color images. Easy USB photo transfer from your PC. 1.4" screen. Better still, the viewer is rechargeable—no batteries to buy! Classic men's bi-fold wallet is soft black Nappa leather.

At $50 is must be worth a punt.

For a long time now, the humble computer hard disk has been left behind in the development stakes.  Processors, RAM, graphics cards, screens, Front-side bus, etc have all been getting faster and better.  However, the hard disk hasn't really kept pace.  Yes, OK it has increased in size and decreased in cost, but it has not really gotten any faster.

How often have you nowadays been waiting for your application to start up, only to watch the HD light just constantly flash, and you can hear the drive churning.

Well, it looks like there is a bright light on the way.  Solid State Disk (SDD).  From Wikipedia, SSD is defined as:

"A solid state drive is primarily a data storage device, for use in computing applications that traditionally use a hard disk drive. A solid state drive is based on either non-volatile memory or volatile memory instead of the spinning platter and mechanical-magnetic head found in a conventional hard disk drive. With no moving parts, a solid state drive eliminates seek time, latency and other electro-mechanical delays and failures associated with a conventional hard disk drive."

To me, I describe it as a solid state drive is basically a lot of RAM put together that doesn't loose the data when not powered.

I have then found an article on http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/ that gives some details on the size and pricing of some of the early manufactured drives.  The article goes on to say "No word on pricing yet for the 32GB, but the 16GB weighs in at a hefty $250.00. With a range of SSD cards from 8GB – 32GB".  I can't wait until we get as common place these drives in every day electronics, such as laptops, iPODs, Mobile Phones, etc.