Palm Trees in southern Florida

Friday, August 5, 2016

Gizmos & technology

I have a healthy respect for technology, I realize that technology is what allows our society to be what it is... but when I "see" it put to use in some gizmo I'm usually skeptical.

Table top ice makers are a really good example.

Ice machine plugged into the camper in Florida


A table top ice maker? Why?  Why bother?
It just sounded so .... "I want it now".  My first thought was 'what a waste of money".
I'm one of those people who made fun of them even though I'd never actually seen one.

Then I saw one up close & personal. It really works!
It makes ice, it does it quickly, it makes enough and other than adding water when it needs it it just works!
Right now I'm living in Georgia, in the summertime and I've always got ice!
ICE!
Went camping on the Gulf of Mexico last month, plug in camping at Florida state parks and we had ice.  All the ice we wanted!



For many years in my young adult days my standard joke was that when civilization falls I'd miss the stereo & ice.  I thought I grew out of that as the real world of work & family took most of my time. I'm older now, things have changed a lot.  I have time to think now, that time (and exposure to the ice machine) allowed me to 'remember' things from my past.

I now realize that If I can produce electricity "this' will take care of the ice problem!



The other small piece of technology & it's gizmo is the computer I carry in my pocket. This computer and it's wireless hook up (Samsung Galaxy s5 running on the Verizon network thru Straighttalk)  can not only connect me with all the knowledge in the world but it holds ALL MY MUSIC, can take great pictures and make phone calls! All that for $45 a month!!

The world in my hand! 75% of the world has access to a cell phone


With the technology & gizmos we have today I really think I'm living in the golden age!






7 comments:

  1. Hi Rob,
    Do you know how many watts the ice machine takes? Our PSW inverter is only 300 watts but we may get a bigger one some day.
    sailingondryland.com
    JIM & ANNIE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll be putting a Kill-A-Watt meter on it next week because I'm curious too.
      If another 100w solar panel & battery WERE enought to run it i'd call that a worthwhile expenditure!

      Delete
  2. That ice maker would certainly come in handy in Terlingua where they almost always run out of ice. It would avoid a trip to town where it is expensive and the police presence suffocating.

    I like your little computer/cell phone/camera/stereo and at $45 a month, it is a great price.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Any thing that aids in making Bloody Marys is a good thing.
      the Ol'Buzzard

      Delete
  4. Warm tomato juice? Ice is a wondrous thing when you need it!

    ReplyDelete