<p>I want an iPad that has USB ports and is compatible with windows–maybe I’ll end up with a clone instead or some mini or other.</p>
<p>sunnyflorida - the next place you need to go is…
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1084815-ipad-apps-suggestions.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1084815-ipad-apps-suggestions.html</a></p>
<p>I think I read that the new iPad is in now in production.</p>
<p>I’d love something small, like an ipad. Whatever I get will have to support MS Exchange.</p>
<p>I haven’t looked to see what is out there, but I suspect that I should wait a bit.</p>
<p>Mafool, use my MSFT Excange email on my iPhone. So my boss can get a hold of me when I’m sunning on a beach in HI. I suspect you can do the same on an iPad. I’m in need of one, but I’m holding off until iPad 2.0 which should be here in a few months. CNN had an article on it today with a link to another article predicting what new features this 2.0 version will have. The chance of it getting a USB port was believed to be small, although it is widey rumored that forward-facing camera will be included (to be used with that app, Faceplant, or whatever it is called :p).</p>
<p>I scratched my husbands gadget/e-reader itch and got a Kindle. I wasnt expecting to like it as much as I do. My H loves to buy gadgets, and wanted me to have it. I thought if I didnt love it we could give it to his mom. Anyway, its been life changing. Its kind of hard to explain why. But there are many free books, and we have it under the same amazon account as my H who buys ebooks for his phone, so there is already a big library. The best thing is you can adjust the font so that it is easy on my middle aged not quite ready for progressive lens eyes. The books are cheaper than hard copies. I am totally surprised at how much I love it.</p>
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<p>I probably use mine 1-2 times/week for smoothie making. I was worried that I wouldn’t use one and so never bought one until I visited my CA friend, who makes a morning smoothie with hers. I haven’t gotten into the habit of using it for anything else, but I bought it for smoothie making. We had a ‘smoothie machine’ but that thing left the berry seeds whole and was a real pain to clean up. The VitaMix smashes the berry seeds so that my picky husband will drink the smoothies. You just dump your kefir and yogurt and milk or water in, add the bagged frozen fruit, whir, then I add a few Emergen-C packets for added flavor. I’ve gotten away with adding a bit of spinach to these too. Sometimes I add stevia powder. (Normal people make smoothies with apples and bananas, but I don’t). Then I pour out the smoothies, cover 1-2 of them and store in the fridge for later, and add a shot of dish soap to the machine, whir and rinse. That is what makes it so nice - cleanup is a snap. It chops ice very well too, but I just use frozen fruit instead. I imagine it would make a great margarita. Someday I’ll try that…</p>
<p>A quick update on my itch. My new patio furniture finally came in! Once it was all set up on the patio, we decided we needed a new rug. Then the ceiling fans looked awful, so we spent all day Saturday refurbing those. We took them down, washed them well and then painted them. They were excellent quality outdoor fans and would have cost about $300 each to replace. I must say, they look so much better! We painted them bronze to match the furniture frames and it made a huge difference. My husband then decided that we had to have the lounge chairs that I had planned to get in May now, so those are ordered. The last area of the patio to be addressed is the eating area. I have picked out the style I want, just waiting for a windfall, haha!</p>
<p>I’m just jealous that your weather is apparently good enough to be THINKING and ENJOYING patio furniture!! We eat outside every chance we get in warmer weather.</p>
<p>Also jealous! It’s sleeting here now; I’m beginning to get an itch for a treadmill.</p>
<p>I hate to brag, but I live in South Florida and the weather has been gorgeous. We actually use our patio much more in the winter than in the summer. We have been enjoying some cool evenings with the chiminea lit. In the summer, we argue over whose turn it is to grill, nobody wants to be out there if we don’t have to!</p>
<p>Me too. I’m not jealous over your new stuff; I want your weather!! We have <em>another</em> winter storm warning for tonight. I can’t take it anymore :(</p>
<p>Congrats on your makeover–it sounds great!</p>
<p>Tickets to warm places sell out like hotcakes this spring. I’m watching the snow flurries and dying to go to Hawaii.</p>
<p>I scratched again. DH is going to a conference in March, and it took me a couple of nanoseconds to answer “yes” to his e-mail, “Do you think it would be possible for you to come here so we can stay for the weekend after the meeting?” Love Alaska’s “fly 4 imes to HI, get a free ticket to CA” 
Because of that, we can actually afford to stay in a nice hotel.</p>
<p>Nicksmtmom … did you win? They haven’t called me yet and the show airs at 8pm tonight. I’m already planning what kind of wine to stock in the wine cooler.</p>
<p>iPad II. H is in NY now, I am sending him all over the City to get 2 for me. If he is not successful, I am going to look for them myself.</p>
<p>I was itching to buy a Wii and Wii fit but was afraid I would stop playing with it after 2 weeks. Decided to buy a used one off Craigs list and got a great deal. It’s been great. If I get tired of it I can probably re sell it for more then I paid!</p>
<p>Analysts predict shortages of iPad2 and Priuses (and other hybrids) in the coming months due to the disruption of the supply chain (apparently, some of their components are manufactured in earthquake-affected areas of Japan).</p>
<p>My CA weekend scratch felt really good. Mmmm, Napa has great food and wine. Right now, I’m itching to get my Garmin Forerunner watch. :)</p>
<p>I have been “itching” to buy some Juliska serving pieces. I have been doing it gradually, whenever I have some extra cash. I justify it by giving away some of my older serving pieces. So now I have to replace them, don’t I? For those interested, here is the website. Warning, it can become contagious.</p>
<p>Sorry, I forgot to post the site. [Juliska</a> - Home](<a href=“http://www.juliska.com/]Juliska”>http://www.juliska.com/)</p>
<p>Definitely an IPAD 2 and a bread machine. However, I’m too busy with my job so I’ll wait when I have sometime to shop.</p>
<p>The Capital Culinarian, a U.S. made range with 23K btu open burners for DH to cook on – the muscle car of ranges! Stir fry w/o steaming. Our current range is fully functioning, unfortunately.</p>
<p>Would also like a flat screen TV, esp. since sides of pics are getting cut off more and more. As a matter of principle, I don’t want to contribute any more to landfill than necessary, but I think the TV will be replaced before the stove. Definitely more financially fea$ible!</p>