the last remaining cell-less U.S. resident finally gets her own :D

[floatingleaf]

So. Looks like I am finally catching up to the 21st century... lol. I spent a large portion of paid company time yesterday and today shopping for a cell phone AND and iPod.:D Yep, that's right. I didn't actually have a cell phone up until now - to the neverending frustration of some friends (including akashaelfwitch) and endless puzzlement of casual acquaintances.:P It simply wasn't too high on my priority list. *shrug* But now I realized it might be a good idea to get one before I move to a new address. First, there might be no landline in the new apartment (or, it might be cheaper not to use it); and second, a cell phone gives me infinitely more privacy while calling potential new landlords, without my roommate necessarily knowing about it.:D As luck would have it, the company I work for is offering employee discounts on various products and plans with Verizon & Cingular. And, while I was checking that out on their website, I also accidentally discovered they have a discount agreement with Apple as well. Heh. Couldn't have picked a more convenient place to work, it seems. So since I paid next to nothing for the phone (a pretty modest-looking nondescript brand - I don't really like flashy stuff - but it does have a camera... lol), I decided to make up for it and splurge on the iPod.:D And by "splurge" I mean that I didn't exactly pick the cheapest model, but the one next to it... LOL. Oh well... it has room for 1000 songs, and I figured that should be enough.:)

I also called one of the rental properties I had found online, and yes, they have available studio apartments priced $480-$550 per month. The location is perfect: northern side of Chicago, not too far from the suburb where I work. And there are no additional parking fees in that area, since it's not too crowded and it's supposedly very easy to find parking in the streets. But of course there must be a catch somewhere... so the apartments have no high-speed internet availability.:( But I'm thinking that since they do have cable, there might be the option of cable internet... right? How does it actually work? Sadly, I am beyond clueless in the technical department - even though high-speed internet is like air and water to me.:D I don't care for cable TV at all, but if I were to get either cable TV+internet or none of the above, I'd rather pay for both. Pathetic, isn't it? Anyway, could someone enlighten me in those weighty matters, so that I don't waste my time visiting the property just to find out it's not compatible with my basic survival needs? :P

Thanks in advance, and good night.:)

Comments

[oceansecrets2.livejournal.com]

Find out from the leasing company who their cable provider is (Timw Warner or Comcast or WOW or whoever), then browse their website for their internet plans. You should be able to get a bare-bones package that offers basic cable and probably a choice of several connection speeds (with correspondingly higher rates the faster they go - you gets what you pays for, after all). If the apartments already come with a basic cable package as part of their rent, you should be able to just add on an internet-only piggyback off of that).

And yay for the cell phone - it will make it easier for us to hook up the next time I'm in town. You're not the last person on earth to get an IPod though - my husband gave me one for Christmas (though I think it's not actually an IPod but a similar product) so we'll have to learn to use them together!

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. You are indispensible (I hope that's a word in the English language... if not, well, then I have created one :P).

Yes, the phone definitely will make my (and my friends') life easier.:D

As for the iPod, it has arrived already and is charging as we speak.:) *bounces*

[oceansecrets2.livejournal.com]

Mine is a Zen but it sounds very similar to yours - it's supposed to hold up to 1000 songs plus photos. It's also very tiny (about 1 1/2" by 3") and very bright pink - apparently it's a limited edition that benefits breast cancer research. I also learned I can buy a "sock" to cover it if I don't like the color! I just hope I don't lose it. though the color may make it easy to spot if I do!

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

:D

Mine is an iPod nano and seems to be the same size as yours, but fortunately it's silver, not pink (I have a slight aversion towards bright pink :P).

I am currently trying to create some playlists on iTunes and organize the music I have on my computer before it goes into the iPod. Then I will start importing my favorite CDs.:D

[agrotora.livejournal.com]

*pats FL's hand*

Now, now, hon. Well, you're not alone. I might be the last 'technology holdout', though, still no iPod, LOL.


You know Akasha is on Comcast, so she might be able to answer a question or two. My sister is too, and I've taken my laptop to my sisters and plugged right into her system with no added software, just plugged in and was online.

Right now I have DSL via my phone company and Satellite TV, why? The combo is $5 cheaper a month than going cable TV plus internet. Also believe it or not, my phone company has really great customer service, the cable company is not so good. I think the reason is that the cable people have a monopoly as far as cable providers, their only competition is satelllite TV. But the phone company knows I can go straight cellular with lots of companies and drop my landline, so they put forth the extra effort to keep me happy.

As I understand it, cable is actually the fastest connection, so you might really like it.

Yay for finding some (hopefully) acceptable housing! Go check them out and find out what the other tennants are doing about the internet connection. (And yes, that does qualify as a 'basic survival need'!)

Have a great day!

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was Akasha who told me that cable internet is faster, and that it's cheaper to have the full package through one cable company. If you want BOTH cable TV and internet, that is. But I don't actually watch TV at all, haven't for years, so there doesn't seem to be much point in me paying for it - unless I can't get high-speed internet any other way. I have to work out all the pros and cons, check out some other rentals, compare prices etc. *weary sigh*

Anyway... thanks for popping in, and enjoy your weekend! *hugs*