Read About Featured Gadgeteer - Torsten Kathke

Gadgeteer Article

June 26, 2006

Name: Torsten Kathke
Location: Munich, Germany

My name is Torsten, and I have a problem. Too many have suffered around me, and it is time I come forward and admit it. I am a gadgeteer. I have been called one publicly, and I must repent. The gadgets I use are many. In listing them I will be frank and complete, neither omit nor embellish. And I hope some of you will feel a little better for not being as bad as me. While others might be worse, and to those I say: Come forward yourself. You will feel better. Plus, there's cake at Gadgeteers Anonymous meetings.

Over the course of these past years, I have found it necessary to acquire, in no particular order, the following:

* A PowerBook 12", which I told myself would assisst me in the day to day as a student.

* An iPod Shuffle, because I am just a student but still appreciate the whiteness of its headphones. Those things break, like, all the time tho. So I got a Nano, I needed new headphones. I told myself. (Yes group, I realize the error of my ways.)

* An AirportExpress because I have a passionate dislike of cables. My therapist advises against more gadgets on the grounds of this condition, but I cannot bring myself to stop.

* A Nokia 6230 cellphone, which was picked mostly for its gadgetarian value, not for capability to sync with the above PowerBook, which at first did not work. It has, however, worked beautifully ever since a surprise software update made it possible. I also still have my first cellphone, a Motorola cd930. Also a 7089. And two backup Nokias, both purchased after the predecessors had either been stolen or dropped by me into the shallow end of a port-a- potty. The 3200 that suffered said fate has continued to work after the misadventure, but I think I still smell some minty disinfectant on it. The fact alone that I would reach into a port-a-potty to rescue a gadget speaks volumes of my digital depravity. Oh, the stolen phone was a Nokia 3650. Bought for much money back when it was cool. That one day in spring when I though it was cool, anyway.

* The famed HTC Universal (in its guise as T-Mobile's MDA Pro), which still does not sync with the PowerBook. It makes pretending to be productive while on the road sooo much easier though. Apart from that, a great device in theory, but in practice a glorified Moleskine (I have one of those too. Do I need to mention this?) that I hardly ever use. Like reading on it though. And listening to Audible books. And sometimes writing things. Okay, I do use it. Nevermind.

* Two SanDisk Cruzers. Those old ones that accept SD cards. Because I have many SD cards. Well, three anyway.

* One SanDisk Cruzer Titanium 512. The original, accept no substitutes. No cap to lose, weird sliding mechanism that does not always slide so well. What's with that?

* A Fuji S5600/S5200. For the taking of the pictures. (Hence, alas, duh, not pictured.)

* A Logitech USB Headset. Which I thought would be used a lot. Turns out I don't have that many friends. It is a vicious circle, for I seek consolation in gadgetry.

* That thing in the basement that I don't know what it is and why I have it, but I refuse to give it up. Plus, it came with cables. Lots of cables.

* Bags. Bags first brought me to this site. Bags in all shapes and sizes to hold all kinds of present, future and erstwhile gadgets. I've been wanting to write erstwhile for a while. An erstwhile. I am still on the prowl for my one perfect bag that holds all the gadgetry the day requires. No such luck, so keep a-reviewing gadgeteers!

* Old stuff. A Zip Drive. Remember when we all thought those were somehow the thing of the future? A PenCam, the oldest, crappiest one they made. Still works as a webcam tho. Gotta give it up for crappy plastic things that still work after six years. More stuff. Old stuff.

Thank you group. On second thought... I'm going home. Need to charge up some batteries.

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