I'll just sit tight through shadows of the night - let it ring forevermore (Electric Light Orchestra)

Photo by NoWah Bartscher on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Recently I changed  to a new mobile phone and woah Nelly - is that process a pain and a half or what???

My new phone is provided as part of my job (I returned from the UK 3 years ago with a phone that, until now, I figured I'd hang onto because of the trauma involved in changing it).

Jacky now has my old phone as she dropped hers in the toilet (a common occurrence I believe - people doing that...Jacky's only done it once - smiley face).

Swapping the SIM was okay and the swapping of data also a reasonably straight forward process once I'd figured out how to use Samsung's Smart Switch.

But then the hassle happens as it's a case of remembering passwords for various apps and in some cases, like Whatsapp, starting again.

The big trial was reserved for transferring to WeChat. Unfortunately it's a crucial link for the family as it's the only social media app that Keegan can use in China and therefore it's the only way to unite our family as far as instant group communication goes.

Luckily Keegan is a patient person because it took 90 zoom minutes to figure things out. Having messages appear in Chinese was decidedly unhelpful but we got there (well Keegan got there - I was poised ready to throw the phone at the wall a number of times).

Love and peace - Wozza

You're the apple of my heart, but now, the time has come to part (Badfinger)

Photo by Julie Johnson on Unsplash

Wie geht's?
Comment allez-vous?
'Sup?

Apple smapple!

I'm over my Apple product bromance. It's sad but true.

Let me explain.

Tech issues consumed my weekend. First my ipod's battery died a while ago (still goes on an ipod dock but dead as Julius Caesar otherwise). Plus my iphone battery was a step away from critical failure.

Long-time readers will remember the search for a heater in the middle east and the search for a watch (also in the sandpit). The search for new tech was compressed in time but no less stressful.

Figuring it has an Apple store, Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse, Zara, Foyles and HMV, we decided to trek into Stratford City Mall.

Bad bad mistake.

Mistake 1 - no HMV!!! Goneburger. 

Mistake 2 - West Ham United were playing at home so there were 60,000 fans milling around the mall adding to the thousands who normally spend their Saturday milling around the mall.

Mistake 3 - the Apple store was mad mad mad. People everywhere. Noise of people and noise of some trendy techno junk booming out. The twenty somethings dressed in natty tight fitting black Apple monikered apparel were friendly to a point. I was told I'd need to queue to make an appointment to talk to some other twenty something techie dressed in natty tight fitting black Apple monikered apparel about my dead ipod (no thanks) and they didn't have the iphone I was interested in buying.

You know - the slightly less than current and cheaper than the latest bright shiny one.

All this came after we'd queued in Vodafone to buy one there (they didn't have it and sent me to the Apple store on the top floor).

The Apple people suggested I go to the Carphone Warehouse (on the lower ground floor).

I did mention there were 60,000 Hammers fans and the normal thousands of mallsters present didn't I?

Eventually I made it down the escalators to the Carphone Warehouse. They made it a hat trick of stocking only the latest iphone (which is now using Superbowl style roman numberings...pleeeze!!!!).

So, by default I saw a slightly older and cheaper Samsung S7 on their racks and bought that.

Boo hiss Apple!! Not cool!

The ipod? I'll save that story for next time chums.

Love and peace - Wozza