Hey loyal fans,
It's been a while since I've updated, but I really haven't had much to write about. We're doing some great training at Camp Shelby, and while SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) will change, the training is getting us into the proper mindset and we're interacting with arabic-speaking people a LOT.
The government was kind enough to hire a whole bunch of actors, many of whom speak arabic and are Iraqi citizens. These people are paid to go into our mock villiages and act as Iraqi nationals will. We're working with interpreters, learning the customs, and I for one think it's gonna help us a lot over there.
For example (and someone correct me if I'm being too detailed here...)
We conducted a series of patrols in these villiages, during which we tried to get information about insurgent activities from the locals, bartered with the Sheik (the oldest guy in the villiage... kinda like the mayor), and searched for weapons caches, insurgents, and IED factories. We're slowly learning the difficult task of earning their trust, and learning ways to show respect and trust. A little bit of courtesy goes a long way in this culture.
Anyways, I'm on leave for Christmas right now. I got a Sony PSP from mom, and a 30 gig iPod from myself :-D
the PSP:
If you're a deploying soldier, and you like video games, this is THE SYSTEM to get. The screen and graphics are amazing, it has wireless internet built right in, and the games are great for down time. Do yourself a favor and get Logitech's hard case, though. In addition to protecting the system, it gives your hands something more comfortable to grab onto, avoiding the thumb pain associated with long video game sessions. In addition, it has the ability to store movies, music, and pictures on the memory card (memory stick duo). The MP3 capabilities are a bit primitive, but it works. There are also UMD movies available for it, but I use my laptop for watching movies. I have The Sims, Socom, and Grand Theft Auto, all of which are great. Highly recommended.
iPod:
I finally bought one, and this is probably gonna be my most used piece of electronic gear, along with that Garmin eTrex GPS (Still AWESOME, by the way). I had planned on getting the 6GB Nano, but the 30GB video ipod was only 50 bucks more, so I got that. I have about 3 gigs of music on it now, along with a bunch of music videos, and all my pictures that you can see on this blog. The headphones aren't very comfy, but I got a nice set of sony earbuds at Best Buy. The video playback is pretty damn neat, and although the screen is small, the videos look amazing on it. In the new version of iTunes, you also have the ability to download TV shows, so I'll get to watch my favorites anytime I want while in iraq. They come out on iTunes the day after they air.
You can also put your own videos on it, but that proved to be a bit complicated, as the iPod is picky about the video files it can play. I got software from Xilisoft for about 40 bucks, and it includes 2 programs: one is a converter that will change any video file under the sun to the iPod's format (mpg 4), and the other program will rip an entire DVD into the proper format, so theoretically i could put some movies on it for when I go to another FOB for a few days. In reality, I imagine many soldiers will just load em up fulla porn, but that's kinda a waste of so much money when Playboy magazines are only 6 bucks.
I also got the JBL On Stage dock. This nifty little thing is a dock for your ipod and a nice speaker system all in one small package. At 149 dollars, it was a steal. The sound quality is excellent, and I don't have to keep a dock around, because this thing does that. It has a line input as well, that doesn't mute the iPod's playback. For example, i had my computer connected to it today, so that I could play guitar through my guitarport and have it come out of the nice speakers. It took a bit of work to get the levels right, but once i got it dialed in, it worked like a charm.
Speaking of which, for you guitar players out there, there's a neat little gadget from Line 6 called the GuitarPort. i got the version with Rifftracker, a recording software, and now I have access to a buttload of amp models through my computer. That, coupled with a guitar from Traveler Guitars, allows me to continue writing music while deployed without taking up a bunch of space.
I got a case as well, I'll post pictures of it later. It's a black rubberized case with a screen protector built in. It includes a belt clip, and the screen protector is hard, so I imagine it'll protect my iPod pretty well.
Last but not least: AppleCare. GET IT!!! I used to work at a computer retailer, and I couldn't tell ya how many times someone dropped an iPod or PDA and they were outta luck. For us deploying soldiers, it's a great deal because it covers the ipod anywhere you are in the world. I talked at length with one of apple's service reps on the phone, and he explained that accidental damage is covered as long as it hasn't been neglected or abused. He said that, for example, if the thing got shot, it would be covered, since it was accidental and due to no neglect on my part. In addition, the plan covers the battery if it quits holding a charge, which i hear is a common problem for these things. The plan costs 60 bucks for 2 years.
Also, the apple retail stores AND the online store have a military discount that varies with the product. To get it in the online apple store, be a member of military.com and use their link. For the retail locations, bring a military ID.
Whew... so anyways, those are some cool toys that some of you may find useful. If ya have any questions, feel free to email me. Night folks!
James