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Thu Jul 29 11:36:16 2004:
Think This Means They Could Fix My "B" Key?

- by special guest hipshaker, Jeneane Sessum

This is great for Danger, Inc., makers of my T-Mobile Sidekick (or Hiptop in Danger Lingo). As one of the early adopters of the Sidekick, I'm hoping this means that Danger has an free and easy way of badgering T-Mobile into fixing my "B" key. It stopped working a few weeks after I bought my new Sidekick. Of course, I didn't buy any extended warranty. As it stands now, instead of looking in to what could be done to fix my "B" key, I re-jigger my writing to exclude "B" words. Instead of baby, I type infant. Instead of break, I type smashed. Stuff like that. I've gotten good at it.

The color sidekick is nice and fancy and faster than the old model. But I've found the durability isn't as good. If they upped the quality of the software and innards, perhaps they saved on the case and keyboard? It doesn't feel as hardy in your hand.

My old sidekick rode 14 miles at 40 MPH on the top of my van one time before falling off into the middle of a four-lane road when I made a right-hand turn. When I found it, face down and open, just missed by oncoming traffic, it was on and working just fine. Scratched, dented, but absolutely nothing wrong with its brain or parts.

I've had the new Sidekick a month or so, and already the B key doesn't work and I've had to call T-Mobile once when it went dead for a day to find out I needed to take out and re-insert the SIM card.

Anyway, I hope they use the money wisely, is what I'm sayin'.

And I hope they write and say, Hey Girl, we'll send you a new one that works just groovy and you send us yours.

That's be good.

Thu Jul 29 11:38:42 2004:
Movie Review: Hiptop 2

by special guest hipshaker, Roger Ebert

When word of a sequel to a wonderful film first begins to circulate, just about everyone has the same thought: "Why can't Hollywood just leave good enough alone?" City Slickers 2, Analayze That, Police Academy 2-8 — these are movies just about everyone agrees are not worth the light shone through the film to project them.

So when rumors of Hiptop 2 began circulating at the usual Beverly Hills parties and hiptop-fan message boards, there was a certain sense of trepidation - why mess with a classic? Could the original possibly be improved upon? "Let's not destroy our pleasant memories of the hiptop with a watered-down sequel designed only to bring in the bucks from rentals and overseas releases," one person wrote.

And yet, there was also a sense of excitement. Could they beat the odds and retain the popular features of the first hiptop, while still mixing in enough new stuff to keep it fresh and original? Based on a early screening at Danger Studios in Palo Alto, I think they have pulled it off - successfully extending the spirit of the original franchise into this new work, and quite possibly setting the stage for a sweeping trilogy.

You'd be forgiven if at first you expected the worst as the film opens - the role of hiptop is definitely a skinnier, some would say sexier, model of her former self. Yet quickly the worry of a typical Hollywood makeover are dispelled - this model immediately shows herself to carry herself a bit more gracefully and move even more effortlessly than the original hiptop. She radiates with brightness and clarity, and sounds off with increased clarity (and when necessary, amplitude). Before the plot even develops, you get the feeling that the sequel is already worth it.

But then, you do find this sequel is more than just a physical makeover. As the story unfolds (no spoilers here), hiptop connects with other characters more easily, and has polished some rough edges to become a truly deep character. She has a surprising new range of abilities, suggesting extensive off-screen experience between this movie and the original. This does create some tension early on - familiar characters have to learn to interact with her in slightly different ways - but in the it's obvious that these small challenges are easily offset by improved relations.

Depending on your expectations entering the film, you might be let down a bit - hiptop shares no scenes with the in-demand Bluetooth character (as had been rumored/demanded by rabid cross-over fans and slash writers), and the popular Camera character has been eliminated (his characteristics and abilities incorporated directly into hiptop herself). But if you're looking for a solid piece of work that delivers good looks plus excitement on the inside, you'll find your ticket to hiptop 2 money well-spent.

Thu Jul 29 13:40:50 2004:
Pork Fat On The Road RULES!

by special guest hipshaker, chef Emeril Lagasse

You know how it is when you're riding around in your limo and you want to check how many carbs are in pork fat, because, well you know this is a tough time for chefs like me, with the healthy eating and all, and FoodTV is putting on the pressure to find a way to start spinning your pork fat comments for today's audience and you realize you're not in the limo with satellite Internet access, because that one is in the shop being outfitted with a second deep-fryer, and while this limo does have a lovely wok station, that's not going to help you Google for pork fat.

So yeah, the hiptop helps with that. No matter what limo I'm in I can just get to Google like BAM and do my pork fat research while on the road. Then I can spend more time later with what's really important, my seventeen restaurants. And my TV shows. And my family.

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