For years, I have been using the phrase "just-in-time" to define what makes a Palm device truly valuable. Today, I once again invoked the magic of that Zen to help me survive an increasingly mad world.
I turn 50 next month, and wonder why my 10 year-old son can't have the fun that I used to. Oh, sure...he has GameCube and Nintendo DS and even my old Treo 600...but he also has the most intolerant, terrified bunch of ninnies running the world he's growing up in.
Childhood was once defined by an absolute belief in one's immortality; now, 'It Takes A Village Full Of Idiots' to raise children with a fear of their own mortality and of each other.
Examples:
1) When I was 10 years-old, we rode our bikes without helmets, armor or insurance. No one died, and we all learned to ride better after the occasional fall. NOTHING can compare with the speed of coasting down a hill, with the wind in your hair (memories of a full head of hair happen a lot at my age). Now, the PC Police will report you to the local authorities, who will confiscate your kid's bike, and fine the daylights out of you. After all (they tell you) "...its dangerous!"
2) Playing 'war', 'cops-n-robbers', 'cowboys & indians' was de rigeur for any self-respecting boy...and (of course) you used your fingers as a make believe gun. It was fun, and harmless...in fact it still is. The only difference now, is that the PC Police are having 10 year-old boys arrested for doing it ("...the child made a terrorist threat!")
So, what's this have to do with Palm and 'just-in-time' alchemy? Quite a lot today!
My son's school is requiring all students to have transparent bookbags/backpacks this year. After all, its well known that kids in the suburbs regularly smuggle lethal contraband into their 5th Grade classes (I always knew that Archie and Jughead were a bad influence).
Sadly, none of the stores I use for school supplies had any transparent bags in-stock. After going to 3 of them, I found myself sitting in my Mustang in a parking lot, with no idea of where to look next.
PALM TO THE RESCUE!
I fired up my Philosopher's Stone...uh, I mean Treo (sorry about that, Ms. Rowling), and performed the following incantations by invoking the spirit of Sprint EvDO:
1) Google Local revealed office and school-supply stores in my general vicinity
2) Directory Assistant divined the telephone #'s/addresses for the businesses I wanted to check with
3) The Treo Phone reached across the ether, to check if any of these prospective sources had my prize in stock (one actually did...yea!)
4) The Treo Phone (again) to check with the Mrs., and see if she needed anything while I was flying about
6) xWeather predicted that I could keep the Mustang's top down (it was getting quite cloudy)
7) Tom Tom and my BT GPS receiver were spirit guides to my various destinations, and finally, home
Just the information I need, just the way I need it, just when I need it...that's some magic!
Now, if I could only use it to zap the PC Police into the nearest convenient parallel dimension or universe