Little Black Box...

I like this thing and have taken most of the writing from the manufacturer’s web site. I have been really interested in Bluetooth audio delivery because it’s fun. I know regular radio works and am not fascinated by it, but delivering from my phone and my tablet is weirdly cool.

I have been trying these wireless speakers out as I wander from store to store looking for the best sound, but when I find good sound it’s also very expensive and since I have no need for this kind of thing I basically forget it.

I love the speakers but the $150 to $400 price tags leave me cold. The only use I have is in the back yard for barbeques, and as few as we have, I can open the door wall and listen to my Bose Cinemate pushing mp3’s through from my Smart TV with a hard drive plugged in. It’s hardly big tech stuff but for an old guy, this is rocket science!

I do have a pair of very small, golf ball sized speakers which are driven by lithium batteries and are very neat. I plug a very small mp3 player I got for very little (an earlier post about cheap stereo) and it’s great! Not too loud but very fine stuff and only cost $29.99.

So I did a bit of looking when I received an email yesterday about this little Memorex speaker for my back yard. It is a refurb, and was only $19.95. There must have been a flaw, so I Googled it and watched an old QVC video, 12 minutes long, describing this little gem. They loved it (of course, they were selling it). It was $50. Everything looked good so I went to factorydirect.ca yesterday after printing my coupon and purchased this item.

It is wonderful! The flaw (there was one of course) is that this came out before battery power was so important, so it can’t go to the beach, the woods etc. with you, which was not my problem, because I have power in my back yard!

It synch’s in Bluetooth with my devices and works great. I highly recommend it. Is it as good as the others, who knows? I’d need several together to test them but I don’t care. It sounds great and it can be loud and it may get used for barbeques if we have any warm days left this year.

"The Memorex MW212 Universal Wireless Speaker packs expansive sound into an exceptionally compact frame. This speaker is wireless and can easily fit into a handbag or backpack. It features full Bluetooth support, allowing it to sync with your mobile device for easy wireless audio streaming. The speaker also supports wired connections to a broad range of audio devices with its 3.5-millimeter input.

The MW212 Universal Wireless Speaker is an ideal accessory for music lovers. The speaker measures just over 7 inches across and can easily slip into a bag or backpack. It takes up very little space but can fill a bedroom, office, or dorm room with great sound. It also features intuitive controls, with an easily accessible panel providing instant control over power and volume.

The MW212 speaker can sync with any Bluetooth device that uses the A2DP profile, enabling wireless connections to smartphones, MP3 players, tablets, and other devices. You'll be able to wirelessly stream your favorite playlists, listen to podcasts, or even take phone calls on the speaker. The speaker pairs with your Bluetooth device at the push of a button so you can wirelessly sync without any hassle.

Equipped with high-grade drivers and components, the MW212 speaker offers crisp sound performance. It plays back your music in full stereo audio, delivering clear highs and well-defined lows. In addition, Bluetooth data is streamed to the speaker with near-lossless fidelity so you can enjoy wireless audio content without dropouts or static.

The MW212 speaker is outfitted with a 3.5-millimeter line-in input, enabling wired connections to MP3 players, phones, tablets, and a variety of other devices."

The Memorex MW212 Universal Wireless Speaker measures 2.55 by 7.56 by 3.6 inches (H x W x D).

 

Paranormal Blank Wall #2

On August 20 I wrote:

“In a lot of horror movies and paranormal TV shows, children and dogs seem to sense spirits and demons when no one else can see them or know about their presence. I can speculate as to why these simple creatures are psychic, and my guess would be that they are presumed innocent and without baggage.

In any case, I have been noticing that Max, our dog, is sometimes, not too often, found sitting in the dining room staring at the wall.

He is looking at a space between the bar and the wall, just a blank wall. He seems interested and is staying in place. My wife has noticed this as well. I’m not saying he’s seeing things but, he is looking at things I do not see.

In looking to debunk this problem, I did notice the wall has an air intake for the furnace, so it is possible that voices of my children travel through the ductwork, even though I can’t hear them, but dogs hear very well. This is at least an explanation. I haven’t tested the theory as I haven’t been paying attention to his actions too often.

My hope is that it’s just a fluke, or a little bit of sound traveling through the house. In a few weeks when my daughters move back to Toronto, I will see if he stays in place. At that point I think I need a ghost hunter.”

Over this last weekend the family was out shopping and we eventually came home. Max was waiting for us and was satisfied when we returned. He gave us a look and went back to what he had been doing. I walked into the dining room and here he was, in the almost complete dark, staring at the blank wall again! He made no effort to hide it or to move away. He just stared.

I spoke about it to the family and miraculously he stopped staring, as if on cue, and walked into the living room to contemplate his discoveries.

 

 

Just “keeping an eye” on me as I deteriorate a bit each year...

Yesterday I had an appointment with the arthritis clinic where I have grown to be a somewhat regular customer. I am a “look at” kind of customer, just “keeping an eye” on me as I deteriorate a bit each year, but so far nothing too bad.

The clinic, part of McMaster University Medical stuff is located in St. Joseph’s hospital. It’s a short trip downtown and a look for a street parking space because at no time have I ever been able to get hospital parking. So I try and find street parking which has gone from meters to machines that distribute tickets.

The good news is that street parking is one dollar an hour and you can get up to three hours parking in a space. For short term visits (appointments) this is great, the only bad news part is if you are in there for an injured leg or knee (as I was), you have to hobble from where ever you parked, However, since I was cured (a miracle of course) it was not a bad four block walk.

All this is background, as the story was in the message. I did remember to write down the appointment in my book at work, fearing to put these things in my computer or my phone as I use three computers and if they speak to each other, I have no way to know it or even care. I just want to write it down. I wrote 2:00 p.m. but since I write somewhat sloppy, I had to call and confirm the timing.

My wife called to remind me to stop at the library and pick up something for her, and I responded that it may not be possible because I was “going to the hospital”. To me this meant I had a clinic appointment for a check of my knee. My wife had no idea I had an appointment made months before, and she heard what I said.

Panic was in her voice! “What’s wrong”, she shouted into the phone and I started to laugh! “Your dear husband is fine, I have an appointment”, I exclaimed. The breathing returned to normal at her end. I was feeling bad for doing that, and I never even thought of the consequences. She married this old man years ago who keeps telling her he’s going to die any moment and suddenly I’m off to the hospital in the middle of the week in the middle of the afternoon! My bad!

I have planned this “surprise” which is hilarious, but I have never had the guts to pull it off. I was going to wait for a time when my wife was out and I was able to predict a return time, and a few minutes before her return I would drape myself down the stairs head first, and wait “unconscious” for her return. She would find me “dead”. She would scream and I would laugh.

I don’t think I’ll ever do that as I could become the widower and never be able to explain what killed her.