BE Jack Bauer….(well, not really, but…)

My girlfriend is a huge 24 fan (like most of the world — or at least it seems that way.) I watched a few seasons and I know it’s suspenseful and I know it’s shocking and I know that Jack is as cool as hell to most, but I just can’t get into it. I watched the first season on DVD and kinda watched bits of the fifth until I couldn’t take it any more. I don’t know — to me, this guy’s getting into trouble every year. Perhaps the best way to stay safe is to stay the hell away from Keifer. And my other gripe is that, for any good dramam there have to be peaks and valleys. Something can’t be happening ALL the damn time. It seems like if Jack’s not running around tracking down plutonium or a nuke somewhere he’s having a touching moment with someone from his circle of supporters. But then again, what do I know. Anyway…

I came across this article when I was checking out Uncrate (www.uncrate.com — a very, very cool site for the style and gadget inclined). Basically they’ve broken down all of the major toys that Jack Bauer uses as he fights for freedom and to keep the peace. If you’re a fan of the show, chances are you’ve already noticed this stuff (and the true geekoids are walking around with it). But I just thought it was kinda cool to take a look at the actual gear that the character uses. The Jack Pack. The mobile phone (now different from the Treo — even Jack knows when the party’s over). Spec-Ops watch. Even his gun and his bullet proof vest. Go over and check it out here on Uncrate.com.

(Initially I was gonna say something snarky about not running around like an idiot with this stuff pretending to be Jack. But one second thought — what the hell! Go ahead. Some of my best moments as a kid were spent running around the neighborhood with a towel around my back or with homemade web shooters under my sleeves. Of course I don’t do that anymore — well, not all the time, anyway. But there are far too many uptight folks in this day and age. Do what makes you happy. Just remember to keep it under control. Walking around town with a Glock running from wall to wall using each one as cover and shouting “CTU!” everywhere you go might get you arrested. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

Why Upgrade to Vista? (‘Cause it’s the "new Windows" — that’s why.)

Lately, I’ve been listening to my fair share of technology podcasts. (Most of them on the TWiT network (twit.tv)). As I’ve said before, it’s a great time to be a tech enthusiast. Last year this time, we were consumed with viral videos, rumors and speculation about what it would be like to use the Zune, what Sony would be charging for the PS3 and whether the Wii would actually work as advertised. Turning the page to 2007, all of those products are out and available for consumption and evaluation. Moreover, there’s a ton of other stuff coming down the road that we’ll get to experience later this year.

However, I do want to turn my attention now to a monumental release — Microsoft’s first operating system release in five years — Microsoft Windows Vista. Lately there’s been a ton of unflattering press thrown Microsoft’s way. And while it’s odd to feel the need to defend a 300-pound gorilla, I think people may be looking at the release of Vista from the wrong perspective.

Most of the conversations I’ve had with folks are around the question of whether there was value in upgrading to Vista. The answer I give always seems to be different — and it was probably because I hadn’t been convinced myself why I should plunk down $149 – $259 for a new OS. After all, it’s a big headache porting applications and taking the time to learn where old settings have been moved to. However, because I work in technology, I almost don’t have a choice. You always have to stay current.

I’m a sucker when it comes to technology buzz. The bigger the buzz, the more I want in. It’s no different with Vista. Even though I participated in the public beta and had a few problems, I’m still itching to install the new OS. (And when I do, I’ll give my impressions here.) But I had an interesting epiphany while pondering over the decision to buy Vista. The real reason why we can’t point to a single huge reason to upgrade to Vista is because most of the major advances have already been achieved. Let me explain…