A Few Of My Favorite Things.....

This is just a random post about some of the cool products out there that I really like. No reason. Just because.

1) Toyota's
We own a 2004 Toyota Sienna Minivan and a 2005 Toyota Tundra Pickup Truck....and I love them! After driving just about every make & model of car out there, I can definitely say that I absolutely LOVE my Toyota's. They're incredibly reliable, well built, and drive really really well!

I can drive the Tundra clear across the United States (and I did it too...from Virginia to Utah) and not feel worn out at the end of the day. The thing drives like a dream!

The minivan also rocks. It just drives so confidently & smoothly that it's been great to own. Like their old slogan, "Oh what a feeling, Toyota!" I'm sold...

2) Apple Computers
After being a long time PC guy and pretty much an Apple hater, I broke down & bought my first Apple. A MacBook Pro. I absolutely LOVE the thing! It powers up fast, it powers down fast, it recognizes my video camera quickly, I can edit video on it without any problem, I can travel with it without worrying that it's not going to work, and it just has a robust feel to it. I can't really put it well into words, but when you use it, it just has a really tactile feel that, well, feels like something made of high quality.

If I'm "vegging" around the house & just want to browse the web away from my office, this is the one I take. It's the one that goes to my folks house with me, and the one I travel with. I love the thing! Go Apple!

3) Canon Printers
I've used HP, Lexmark, Oki-Data, and other Ink Jet printers but I have to say I love the Canon printers best. I own an MP380 Fax/Copy/Scan/Print right now & for doing all the aforementioned tasks, the thing rocks. I owned an MP390 prior to that and the only reason I upgraded was because I needed a faster printer. They also don't break down.

Even the BJC-210 that I bought over 15 years ago and finally gave to the DI still worked. Good stuff!

4) Canon Digital Cameras
I own a Canon Rebel XSi DSLR and a Canon PowerShot SD880IS.
Both of them rock! Previous to the Canon Rebel I had a Nikon D40. The thing couldn't focus to save it's own life. It was a little nicer to hold in the hands, but at the end of the day if it can't take a good picture, then looks & feel don't matter.

The Rebel does an amazing job! You can micro focus it with it tethered to a computer and the images come out incredible! I love the thing & use it often.

The PowerShot takes amazing pictures for a small camera. In fact, when we did our own little photo shoot of the kids, some of the pictures on the PowerShot turned out better than the Rebel! It always seems to get the color right and the pictures turn out great...even if they turn out to be a 100 shots of Josh's curious looking face (he loves taking picutres)

5) HP Commercial Class Laser Printers
I have an HP 4200 DTN (Duplex, Tray, Network). The thing can spit out invoices & packing slips really, really fast...and at over 12,000 pages per cartridge, the thing can run forever before needing a toner refill. Being able to Duplex (print on both sides) also is a lot of fun. I can print out book-like results really fast and because it attaches directly to my router I can access it from any computer in the house.

6) Logitech Wireless Laser Mouse
These are cool! Pretty cheap too. If you travel at all, having a wireless mouse is awesome! Especially a laser wireless mouse! They're extremely accurate, can be used nearly 100 feet away (mine works on the 2.4 gHz frequency) and the batteries last a long, long time! Cool stuff.

7) Dymo LabelWriter
When I worked for IHC, I used to install these little puppies in all our clinics. Usually the next day I'd get a call from the manager or from someone at the clinic calling to tell me how much they constantly use it and how much they love it.

The uses are endless and the labels are really cool (they're thermo labels meaning it doesn't use ink). I use it all the time for all sorts of things and love not having to feed it ink! Great stuff!

8) Panasonic Cordless Phones
One of my first cordless phones was a Panasonic. I loved that thing! I've since tried several other brands (V-Tech, Sony, AT&T, etc...) and none of them seem to quite get how a cordless phone should work as well as Panasonic does.

I also like how durable they are. I've kicked mine, dropped it a million times, sent it flying across the room, and pretty much abused the poor thing (it sits on my hip during the day with a wired headset plugged into it. If I walk by something that grabs the cord, yep, it goes sailing) and still works great!

I recently upgraded to a DECT 6.0 set and am flat out amazed at how well it works! I can walk all over the house, all over outside (out to the mail-box, the shed, half-way down the block) and the thing still has crystal clear voice reception

9) Verizon Wireless
I think they just "get it". I've now had Verizon for over 7 years and don't have any plans to change. When you call them with a problem, you can get right through, they fix it, don't give you the run-around, and they deal with things fast.

They also have the most reliable network in Utah that I'm aware of. I was introduced to them when I started at IHC because the hospitals needed cell phones that could work everywhere. I've taken mine on trips with folks with other cell carriers and mine always works...while theirs may cut out in the middle of conversations.

Gotta love Verizon!
10) Canon Service
I recently damaged my Canon Camcorder (Canon HV30 HD Camcorder) and had to send it in for service. I have NEVER had better service on a product. The process to get it started could be done on line (it was painless. Filled out a few fields, hit send, they sent me back a form w/ instructions on where to send it) and was quick!

I mailed it off & when it got there I got an email and details on how quick I'd be getting it back.

It made it back to me within a week and was in tip top shape (I broke the LCD on it).

Man, if only all companies ran their service departments like Canon! The world would be a much nicer place!

So, that's just a few of my thoughts on cool products I like. Oh yeah, add Toro Lawn Mowers! I love mine! I swear that thing cuts the grass so evenly it looks like carpet!

Anyway, just a random post on random stuff...

Enjoy!
-Graydon