Lil' Gadgets on the Go!

The Bare Necessities- Part 1

Leaving home and moving in to a cramped dorm room screams compromise from the very moment you walk through the halls toward your tiny room. For some it means you have to share a space, for other's it means you hit the jackpot and get your own room. But one thing remains the same- How on earth are you going to fit everything in your room that you had planned on bringing with you?

I did, and that's when it hit me. Where was I going to put all my stuff, I didn't think I brought a lot with me, but it sure didn't look like it was gonna fit in this glorified janitor's closet called a suite. Speaking from experience- "All I can tell you is, Condense, condense, condense!!!"

Reality began to hit me when I realized that obviously my 27" TV was "so" not going to fit in my room. "Ok," I thought, "I can handle this." But that left me with some decision making. Like what should I buy, and where to put it?

Rowan University graciously provides students with furniture for their rooms. But I didn't want a TV on my desk where I have my laptop, and I couldn't put it on the bureau that is just threatening to topple down upon me. Where oh where was I going to put my one electronic that connects me to the outside world at 3 a.m. when I'm up and trying to meet deadlines?

I spent one night in my room TV-less, I ran streaming CNN and MSNBC feeds throughout the night so that there was noise and the somewhat comforting glow of what I once knew to be TV. I promise you I'm not an addict, but there is something comforting to the glow and soft noise that comes from the news late at night when you awake suddenly and then wait to drift back off.

Then the little lightbulb began to flash above my head, Eureka!

Did I really just say Eureka?

In any event, I remembered when having a geek day with friends a few months back at Best Buy, that there were graphics cards that can be installed in PCs and laptops that allow you to view cable tv! So, I weighed the odds, "Should I spend some money on a tiny TV that I'll only use for a year and have no place to put it? Or... Should I invest some money, maybe even a little less than a TV costs and have a card installed on my PC?"

My answer was, "Yes." But I was left with a lingering nagging question, what kind and where to go? In Florida, I had childhood friends who worked at the local stores, who knew more crap about crap than I did. It always was useful, whenever I needed something I knew little about- I knew they wouldn't lie. But, I don't know sales people up in New Jersey. I was on my own.

I decided to research, call some friends, and then carry my heavy tower across campus to my truck and head to the nearest store. To be continued...

posted by Jaime @ 5:32 AM