Brand PS Vita: Goods and not so goods

I have been spending few hours along those last days with a brand new PS Vita.
I have already iPhones and iPads, and yes with an S meaning (5 iPads are roaming the house including two iPad 1, two iPad 2 and one iPad 4) as well as five iPhones (two for me, one for Leila, two deactivated as iPods for the kids).

So why the PS Vita?

1) It's a shiny gadget
I cannot buy fancy clothe because I prefer being in jeans so where do you think I will get my guilty pleasures?

2) It runs games that I really enjoy
Back in the days, we spent nights and days playing with our first PS One, then came the PS2, the came the PSP, then were games like Tekken, Ico, Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet, Folklore, Flower, Final Fantasy. All those incredible games that I spent hours on.

3) I like Sony products
Before I became this Apple sheep (not really but let say that's it), Soy was the pinnacle of the electronics. Their TV were the best, their laptops were the best, their walkman and other CD Players were the best. Sony was the numero uno.

So what do I don't like?

1) Browser
Terrible, terrible experience. It reloads the page multiple times before you can even use it. You can not post on some of Sony own forums with it. That's how bad it is.

2) Annoying Noises
I hate those bling, cling, wizz that you get when you start something or close something. I looked every where you cannot not get this thing to shut the f*#k up

3) Application X will be closed if you continue
WTF? It's a Linux system (as the PS3). Why should it stop anything? Don't you have a swap or a temp directory somewhere to dump the memcopy of the thing and be happy? I want to sue as many apps at the same time as possible. It's 2012 and soon 2013 remember?

So what I really like

1) The interface
Opening, swapping, gliding, is just done right

2) the touch surfaces
Not only the screen but also the back. Some application do use it (Facebook) some don't(Live tweet) but most games for the Vista do.

3) The quality
The AMOLED screen, the buttons, the pieces together, even if in plastic, just feel well done. Not too cheap, not too expensive.

4) The cloud
Sony services will improve (too many interruptions while downloading a game) but the PS Vita with only subscription to the storage, the games and the unlimited music IS REALLY a great mobile device.

Electronics at home

I'm used to deal with electronics: PCs, Mac Book, PSP, DS, iMAC, Laptops, PS3, Wii, Time Machine, Apple TV are some of the few things we do have (in addition some iPod, iPhones and one iPad).

So when my Apple TV was not showing on my iMAC iTunes (both were up-to-date), I started wondering "What the Heck?"

In those situations, I try to find the culprit step by step. I checked the firewall settings (since the firewall feels under attack when Apple TV and iTunes sync), Remove the blocked addresses (why someone did that?), restart the whole set (Apple TV, iMAC, iTunes). Nope.

I then decided to remove the Apple TV from the iMAC (was not showing up under device but still in Preferences), reboot the full set. Nope

I decide to disconnect the Apple TV from the iMAC (on the Apple TV side) and reconnect it. Nope.

Eventually I resolve to reste it to the factory settings. Once restored, I made sure I was on the same frequency for the Wifi (we have a two frequencies router), and, and, and, and.....Voila. It showed up again.

So got an iPad 3g. The iPad part is fine even though I struggle a bit to get documents showing up after syncing from the iMAC.

What really sucks big time is AT&T. I spend an hour trying to initiate the 3G account. I keep receiving Connection Failed. Now that the account seems to be created, I cannot view it, I keep receiving Connection Failed.

What in the world should bring a 3G network in that situation? We are Saturday morning, it's sunny outside, every one is probably barbequeuing.

iPad is a great device and allows plenty of things to be done personally and professionally. Kids enjoy the Comics on it with the dynamic view. The slideshow mode Origami is amazing especially when used will the device is locked.

AT&T is a big failure. I'm now browsing around to see what are my options. I'm pretty sure I'll found something similar to what I found for my iPhones.

Last One is in fast lane

Our little treasure is named Mahoro and has turned 3 years on May 12th.

We wanted him to be potty trained and my wife (and that timeI was traveling at customer's sites a lot) tried to train him. Total failure, cries, screaming and lots of wet pants followed.After trying very hard for 3 weeks, whe/we gave up.

Then summer came and with it, the grand father (my in-law). We decided to train him again. We let him choose his pot and surprinsingly, after few days and few incidents, he started picking up himself. During several days he asked to be guided to the pot (he had few poo incidents). Then he went alone. Then he decided to put himself his clothes on in the morning. In few weeks, he transformed himself from a baby (diaper, crying, etc.) into that sort of little man, so confident that he can tell you things you won't believe.

So now we are the very proud parent of a little pest named Mahoro being the cutest kid in town.

Pole dance

boys' fight

So we have three boys aged 7, 4 and 2.

Guess what they like the most? fighting one another.

I push you, you push me, I slap you, I laugh, you cry, you slap me, I cry....where will it stop?

Usually when I get into the room and shout with my big voice. Sometimes once I turned my back, they get on again.

I decided it shall be a phase. They have to fight to push out their anger (I'm younger than you and it's not fair), their hormones (I'm grown up I need to dissepate all this energy) and their boreness (what can I do now? well let's fight).

What do you suggest? What do you do? What are your tips against this?

What about the kids?

The kids were excited from end of November till now.

As anyone else, we thought this was due to the holidays, well kind of now.

Since now all the Christmas decorations are down, no one talks about the old man gettin in the chimney, the gifts have been separated, destroyed or dropped in a corner. So what do we do?

First we have some luck. Since two days our daughter has some rash and buttons. It's hurts so we give her some syrup for that kind of symptoms. The syrup makes her sleeping better at night. She has not really been better during the day (to not forget about what we just say, or do obey when we order for the third time to do something) but the little one wants some syrup too. I gave him tonight. I will let you know the outcome. Because until now and getting into his 33rd month, little one has been wakening up 3 to 4 times a night.

I have no chance with the two other boys. For a reason or another, they fight. Younger brother wants to beat older brother and older brother hits him hard when he can. If the second comes by surprise, he gets some chance. So we ahve to step in those fights and we know they soon start over.

I know it's a temporary situation, but it does not really help when you are at the grocery shop with two boys figthing the little one crying because he had not enough sleep and the elder not listening and going errand in the shop.

Well it was a day like the others, but the fact it was Sunday was not helping.