I know people that are totally and completely against camping. They won't touch it with a ten foot pole and would rather be involved in tax paying or public speaking if given the choice...

And in some small part I lean in that direction. I grew up camping and I think I remember it being fun. But as I matured and became more worried about cleanliness and order I just grew out of the camping stage. I mean camping involves a lot of negative things like:

• manual labor
  
• bugs
• humidity and no air conditioning
  
• smoke
• extremes in cold or heat
• no electricity
• no television
• no wireless Internet
• bathrooms off site
  
• etc.

In processing some of these dislikes I came to a stunning conclusion. A bit of a stereotype, I'll give you that, but there is a strong correlation:

Wealthy people don't like camping.

Like I said - stereotyping - but think about it. The more 'things' you have and the more comfortable your lifestyle, the harder it is to give this up and camp. It just makes sense that the wealthier you get, the LESS likely it will be that you would enjoy camping.

Someone living in a trailer has much more in common with camping in a tent than someone living in a quarter-million dollar estate.

Let's Get Spiritual
The Bible describes a similar stereotype by explaining that wealth will make it difficult for people to see their need for God and Heaven.

Just as camping becomes less and less appealing to the wealthy, so too Heaven becomes less and less appealing when you can have everything your heart desires here on earth.

Bringing it Full Circle
But there is Someone who went on the ultimate camping trip. One who made the largest and most awkward lifestyle change just for us.

Jesus chose to go from being the God of the Universe, to being a camper on this dirty, dusty earth. From the having everything to having nothing. For you and me.

This is what I thought about as I camped in Ohio this past weekend. What if camping is a real life way to experience the truly amazing thing our God did for us?

In the humidity and sweat of tearing down our campsite I felt for a brief moment the great discrepancy He endured for me. Because of this camping has taken on a whole new meaning...

The other day I was thinking about how difficult it is for some people to handle situations in life. And how there seems to be other people who do a good job at handling whatever comes their way.

I typically fall into the calm and collected group. And while a HUGE part of it is with God's help as a Christ follower, I was also a therapist for quite some time. I read books, helped other people control their moods and ran groups on how to maintain a life of emotional moderation.

The graph shows what extreme mood swings look like (graphical representation of mood swings for the person that is Bipolar).

You can see there are HUGE shifts between depressed moods and manic moods. But what the graph fails to show is the differences in frustration tolerance, or the ability to handle things that are not pleasant.

Frustration Tolerance Example

• You wake up happy and ready for the day. Then at work you see you have 250 new emails. You understand it's gonna be a long day but you muddle through because you are in a good place. [High Frustration Tolerance]
  
• You wake up angry and you aren't feeling well. Then at work you see you have 250 new emails. You flip out and throw something across the room, accidentally hit your boss and get fired. [Low Frustration Tolerance]

Now people can exhibit low and high frustration tolerance even on a normal day (not depressed or manic) but when your mood goes to the extreme, so does your tolerance level.

Depressed people tend to have very low frustration tolerance. Every little thing is a problem and the entire world looks dark and grim. Having to go out of their way at all can be the end of the world. Since their energy level is so low they typically just whine and complain - sinking farther into their depression.

Likewise, manic people are so keyed up and have such little control over their impulses that they too have a hard time controlling their behavior when things don't go their way. Low frustration tolerance often comes out as anger outbursts. These rages are often violent and unprovoked. They go far beyond what would be considered a normal response to the situation.

So how do you fluctuate? Do you live in the extremes or do you try to maintain a healthy balance in the middle of the graph?

If you frequently find yourself fighting to have a more positive attitude or keep from getting worked up over such trivial things, keep this in mind:

One of the best ways to control your frustration tolerance is to control your mood.

"Break a leg!"

At least that's what they say when you go on stage. But what do they say when you go on your first open water dive?

This weekend (as in tomorrow) we'll be at Gilboa Quarry in Ohio for our open water dives. After 4 dives we're done - certified SCUBA divers.

Until recently I was still in fantasy land when it came to what it really means to SCUBA dive. I mean we've been in a clean pool at a depth you could easily snorkel at if you wanted to. Controlled environment with easy access to the surface.

But this weekend I woke up. I was at a small lake in Indiana and for the fun of it threw on my snorkel gear. I swam around for a few minutes realizing just how poor visibility can be in a lake full of micro-organisms, plant life and boats to stir things up. And then it happened.

I saw a fish.

I know. I know. You're saying, "Wow, he is in a lake and saw a fish. Who knew!"

But there is something totally different about looking INTO the water to see a fish and actually being IN the water with the fish. One minute there was nothing, and then there it was right in front of me. I expected it to immediately move away when it saw me there, but it just sat there and looked at me.

And that's when it hit me. We're going into an environment humans typically don't enter. We're both intruders and yet accepted as normal marine life.

I can't wait!

A group of us recently began to pursue our PADI Open Water Diver Certification through JR Aquatic Center in Niles, MI.

It's something I have wanted to do since high school. In fact I even signed up to do it in college - only to back out due to the cost. So it was a no-brainer when the group of guys agreed to do it together at a discounted rate.

Then throw in the fact that for some odd reason watching Shark Week actually makes me want to go diving in the ocean! And I'm sold on SCUBA.

But this post isn't about the cool stuff you get to do as a SCUBA Diver. It's about the crazy real life applications I've learned from taking the class.

Here are the Top 5 things I've learned from SCUBA so far:

1. Fun Stuff is Expensive: From Golf to Ice Hockey, Snowboarding to Rock Climbing, Skydiving to Paintball, you just keep putting out the money. All of these things require "gear" and if it's called "gear" it will cost you. But then again no one claimed that fun would be free. Sure you can have fun during free activities, but I'm betting you won't be 60ft under water...
2. You Need Your Own Gear: I'm not saying you should never rent SCUBA gear, but it has become very evident that if something fits well, you'll feel more comfortable and be able to get more out of the thing you're doing. Example: If your mask doesn't fit right you'll have more water in it than air...
   
3. Learn Slow to Stay Safe: I don't think PADI says it this way, but this is the way I understand these requirements. In SCUBA there are depth maximums that need to be observed based on your level of experience. Open Water & Recreational Divers should stay above 60ft. Advanced Open Water Divers should remain above 100ft. And no one should go below 130ft. without some crazy training in deep sea diving.
   
4. Rules Are Important: You don't realize how technical SCUBA is until you take the class. Most people have heard about things like decompression, but once in the class you realize that by entering the underwater world you subject yourself to a set of constants (like gravity) that require rigorous attention to detail. Dive charts, proper equipment checks, compass navigation, neutral buoyancy, nitrogen narcosis equalization and the list goes on. Because of this you practice numerous skills like clearing your mask, sharing oxygen, taking equipment off underwater, etc.
   
5. Seriously Fun Stuff Can Be Life Threatening: SCUBA Diving has it's risks. And while hundreds of thousands of people SCUBA each year without a problem, the potential is there. Potential for problems that can lead to death. All the more reason to learn the rules and follow them.

Then realize that these 5 things also apply to our spiritual lives:

1. Fun Stuff is Expensive: What are we willing to give sacrificially for? It's one thing to say we are Christians, or that we want to help the poor. But are we tithing? Do we give above and beyond to help those in need? Truth is, if we want real purpose in life we'll pay for it.
2. You Need Your Own Gear: In life you can't count on the work of others (spiritually speaking). You need your own "gear." The Bible refers to it as "full armor of God." And we get this armor through prayer, Bible study, being part of a local church, etc. But you HAVE to do it for yourself. It's ok to help others along the way - but at some point they will have to get their own "gear."
   
3. Learn Slow to Stay Safe: People can only handle so much information at a time. A new believer needs the small packet of info called "Giving your life to Christ" first and then maybe later will come to appreciate the small packet called "Eschatology." Dumping the entirety of the Christian life on a new believer is like a green diver going down to 130ft. on his or her first dive. Both are doable, but the potential for something bad to happen is huge...
   
4. Rules Are Important: You typically think of rules as things to be broken. But 99% of the time rules are meant to keep us safe. Man-made rules are sometimes questionable, but God's rules are without a doubt for our own good - even when we can't see them that way. In SCUBA, the rule "Never stop breathing" doesn't seem important since we hold our breath out of water without problem. But try it under water and your lungs can explode...
   
5. Seriously Fun Stuff Can Be Life Threatening: Living a life with purpose can be dangerous. It means having faith in the unseen, putting time and energy into things the world views as a waste of time and at some point may even cost us our lives. But we know that it's all worth it. Given the fact that this life is but a scratch on the surface of eternity, we can lead this dangerous life with a real sense of security.

In a couple weeks we take a road trip to Ohio for our open water dives. Hopefully I'll learn at least another 5 things from that. We'll see...

This is actually the product that pushed me to make the What Were They Thinking blog post series a reality.

Product: Tide 2X Ultra with new and improved dispensing system.

Lack of excellence: Just looking at the new bottle one might think, "How intelligent - a spout! That should make it easier to use." And for those who don't care about using the proper amount for each load of clothes it just might be. Tip the bottle over, push the spout a few times and you're good.

But for those of us desiring to use the right amount for each load (and no more than necessary which would end up costing more) this system breaks down immediately. Look on the back of the container and it shows you how to remove the clear cap and pump the right amount into it for each load. So far so good. I Get the right amount, dump it into the washer and then realize that in order to replace the cap I have to wash it out completely. Replace it without washing and it will drip out from under the cap and run down the bottle - leaving everything in its path sticky and slimy.

Quick review: The old version of the bottle worked like this: remove cap, pour right amount into cap, dump into the washer and replace cap. Excess detergent drains back into the bottle. This saved time (and money since nothing is washed down the drain.)

Learning from our mistakes: I would suggest that making improvements to things is great - but every new thing also needs tested by people that use the product. Just because something can be done doesn't necessarily mean it should be done.

I was talking to someone on our team about this the other day and she said:

Sometimes creative people are so creative that they don't think about the functionality of their design...

Now one would assume that Tide (Procter & Gamble) has both the creative designers and those testing for functionality. But in this case it appears something slipped through the cracks. That's why I asked, "What were they thinking?"

I've decided to start a new blog post series called What were they thinking? I've been planning to for a while, just wanted to make sure I had a good direction in mind and had thought it through. Here's why: Posts like this can come across as very negative and derogatory. And I wanted to make sure that they added value rather than just appear like I'm complaining.

That said, here is my hope for this series:

1. Each post will describe something (it could be a product, website, brand, service or really anything for that matter)
2. Next, I'll try to explain where I think there was a breakdown that caused a lack of excellence.
   
3. Finally, I'll try (may be difficult in some situations) to use this lack of excellence to illustrate something of value - so we can learn from the mistakes of others.

This is just an introduction to WWTT so look for the first post later this week.

Another year. Another Summit.

But the minute you start thinking that way it sneaks up and slaps you in the face.

This year it started early. Bill Hybels began with a compelling message on how leaders make difficult decisions and then transitioned into 'axioms' that leaders create and eventually begin using to help shape culture in their environment.

Here are some of those he put to paper (many more in his new book called ax.i.om):

• "Vision leaks."
• "Get the right people around the table."
• "Facts are your friends."
• "When something feels funky...engage."
• "Leaders call fouls." (both on others are on yourself)
• "Take a flyer." (risk)
• "This is church."
• "Get your butt off the fence." (Okay...I added that one just because he said it about people who can't make up their minds for Christ and I loved it.)

But the speaker that really hit me with content straight from the heart of God was Gary Haugen, CEO and founder of IJM. There is just something about people that are fighting injustice in the world head on. His stories were both painful and inspiring. A few quotes:

Are Jesus and I really interested in the same things?

If you want your leadership to matter, lead in the things that matter to God.

Something is wrong when Jesus' yoke is light and mine is heavy.

Not too shabby is the work being done by Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for America.

And what a rockin' end to the day as Efrem Smith of Sanctuary Covenant Church finished things off. My favorite line:

In case you haven't been paying attention I'm black. For those of you watching on black and white televisions, I'm the darker one. (my wording since I couldn't type fast enough...)

I was listening to the Bob & Tom show on the way to work this morning (don't judge me - it's a family show since they got in trouble for being so vulgar).

Anyway...

They were talking about OCD for some reason today (that's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for those who don't know). But that isn't the funny part. Later in the show they read an email or letter from a listener who had this to say about OCD:

I refer to it as CDO. It makes more sense to me this way because at least all the letters are in order...

I worked in the mental health field for years as a therapist (LCSW) so if anyone gets to laugh at that joke it's me.

Application
We laugh because it's funny. But that does NOT mean we actually change it from OCD to CDO. First, that's not the way acronyms work. And second, if you started using CDO to refer to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder no one would understand you!

When it comes to our web strategy we need to recognize this. There's a fine line between doing something because it's funny or cool and doing something because it works and people will understand it.

Case In Point: The Hyperlink
There are a million ways to mess with the look and feel of a hyperlink. We can change the colors, make strange hover states, change the look if visited, use images instead of text, underline or not and even force the look of the cursor.

Depending on the variation we can do all sorts of things. We can make them the most prominent thing on the page, we can make them funny or hide them so people really have no idea what's a link and what isn't. But just because we can do this doesn't mean we should.

Our sites can look like works of art, but if people have to search for the links are we really designing good sites?

The fact is, people have a comfort level with web navigation. The eye searches for hyperlinks in a certain way and we expect certain things to happen when we hover over a link.

If we stray too far from this we'll alienate the very people we want coming to our sites...

Today I spent some time thinking about the way we brainstorm and develop ideas for future web projects. And it occurred to me that we're far from mainstream. But that's NOT a bad thing, in fact it's one of the reasons I love where I'm at.

First, I get to work with incredibly talented and creative people. But more important is the way all of these people function under the bigger influence of the 'culture' that exists at Granger. This is typically referred to as the 'culture of excellence' but I'm not totally convinced this is adequate. The word 'excellence' is only 50% of the story.

The other 50% I would suggest be called the 'culture of innovation.' Which is what I was pondering all day. I mean it's one thing to try and 'innovate' but quite another to be 'innovative' simply because it's part of the culture.

This isn't to say that everything we do at Granger is innovative. We still fall into the trap of thinking inside the box. But more often than not the box gets thrown out the window.

Here are the opposing mindsets in a nutshell (In the Box vs. Innovative):

In the Box Projects created to fix existing problems Do it all Have it all Do it all yourself Make everyone experience you the same way Assume people will figure out how to use your site Assume if it's on your site people will find it Do what everyone else is doing

Innovative Projects created to enhance user experience Do only what is helpful for your audience Strip it down to the bare essentials Partner with really smart people Allow each to experience your site in their own way Assume people will get confused. Make it simple and explain it well Make all information 2-3 clicks away if at all possible Do what everyone else will want to do

This isn't a complete list of course. Just a sampling of the differences I've seen in meetings and brainstorming sessions. Again, we don't have it down to a science, but I love trying to get there. Like I said:

5% Process - 95% Culture...

Big things coming this fall. Hopefully the majority of them will be innovative :)

I'd love to share right now, but it will have to wait a few more weeks...

Important clarification: This post will come across as materialistic. But think about it in terms of ministry impact and keeping up with technology. If we wait until something is tried and true we'll always be playing catch up. It's like saying, "Let's start using DVD's now that the market has fully accepted them." Only to realize that Blu-ray has already secured that market for the near future and we are one step behind.

Being an early adopter has both benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand you are ahead of the curve but you also experience the pain being on the 'bleeding edge.'

That said, let's talk toys and tools:

The Computer: I hear people saying, "Duh! Did he just say computer?" Yes, I did, but I really meant notebook. In today's economy portability is to be desired. Any more there isn't a huge difference between the price of a desktop and that of a notebook. So why not be able to take it with you?

I still love a good desktop with two large monitors for graphic and web design, but the majority of my life resides on the notebook.

I won't get into the Mac vs. PC thing here so I'll leave it at: I love my Dell Latitude D830 for the day-to-day and I'd love to own a MacBookPro for my HD video (iMovie)...

As for what to have on your computer. See below...

The Browser: I've been hopping between IE and Firefox for the past few years but recently switched completely to the Mozilla product: Firefox3 which is amazing. I think what finally persuaded me was the way Mozilla attempts to make your life easier. Sure IE7 has begun to offer add-ons but Firefox was built upon this concept and in my opinion leads the way in this area.

I can't live without the FF3 developer extensions for CSS and XML, the extension that syncs my bookmarks (favorites) between my desktop and laptop and the extension (PicLens) that allows any online photo gallery to become a picture wall that I can easily scroll through without waiting for page refreshes. This along with color picker and measureit tools make developing websites much easier.

The Software/Apps: If you do what I do you can't live without Adobe Products. Of course it hurts to say that given the fact that I was a hard core Macromedia fan. But it's all good now. Whether a graphic artist or a web designer these are almost a non-negotiable. My faves are Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks.

You obviously need MS Office 07 with the 'ribbon' menu layout, the cool new smart art feature in Word07, Outlook07's powerful upgrades (still the best all around email tool in my opinion) and OneNote07 which makes taking notes and organizing between notebook and desktop a breeze.

Throw in the following apps (both online and downloadable) and you're golden:

• Blogger: Makes blogging as easy as flossing - for free.
• Bloglines Beta: RSS aggregator that will revolutionize your life! (no, I don't work for them...)
  
• TweetDeck: For managing all your Twitter needs.
• TwitPic: For taking picture on your mobile phone and easily sending them to Twitter (tell people what you are doing in real time) - simplest way to let people immediately 'see' exactly what you are seeing at any given point in time.
• Facebook: Just to remain connected to all your peeps - and to create/send Pieces of Flair...
• Adobe Media Player (AMP): For those of you dabbling in flash video (largely becoming the online standard) you'll need something to watch your FLV files in. Built for the Adobe AIR platform which has some really cool apps. These run on your desktop, but interact as if they were running inside a browser.
  
• SmugMug: Need a place to upload all your favorite pictures for safe keeping and sharability?
• Music: iTunes or the Zune Marketplace. Take your pick. I chose Zune - love the subscription service. I can try anything and everything for one price.
• Digsby: If you need to keep IM, Twitter, Facebook and other accounts organized and in one place.
• SocialThing: Still in beta so you'll have to beg to try it out. But when it goes live it might just take over the world :)

The Camera: I've dabbled with photography over the years but I'm still a little on the 'green' side. I have the Nikon D40x because I like the smaller body style and figured it was a good middle of the road camera for learning on.

But none of that really matters. What does is that it's digital, takes large pictures (8-10 megapixels) and can shoot in RAW/NEF format which gives you crazy control over them in the future. IMPORTANT! If you do this, make sure you have the Adobe Bridge software (ships with some of the larger Adobe packages like Web Premium) which makes these images viewable and allows you to easily edit them.

Storage becomes an issue when you start taking a lot of digital pictures (especially when shooting in the RAW/NEF format). You NEED a backup plan! Mine is currently this:

• Transfer to desktop hard drive
• Copy these to external hard drive
• Upload to SmugMug (easy to share with friends and safe in case the first too solutions crash)
• Delete off camera (SD card)

The Video Camera: Go HD or the future will smack you in the face :)

I recently purchased the Sony HDR-SR11 HD camcorder with 60GB hard drive, 10MP camera and 5.1 surround in an attempt to keep up with the HDTV revolution.

Here's the problem. Not only is analog going away in February 2009, but in the very near future you'll only be able to buy HDTVs. This means all that footage you've shot on the non-HD camcorder (640x480) is going to look bad on the new TV (which wants at least 1280x720).

Better to start shooting now in HD and save those memories on something that will look great in the future. However cost is an issue (most HD camcorders are between $800-$1500).

Another thing to keep in mind is storage space. You thought digital pictures were hard to keep up with - wait until you start taking HD video! I'm still working out the details on that backup plan...

The HDTV: Currently watching Samsung 50" Plasma 720p.

This technology is fast approaching which means I'm trying to get in on the ground floor and ride the elevator. But that means fairly significant costs up front.

Not only are HDTV's expensive ($1000-$4000 for the type 'normal' people would own) but you also have the additional associated costs that come with cable, HDTV programming and a HD DVR (Tivo or equivalent).

However there is nothing like Discovery Channel in HD and playing back your home videos from your HD camcorder will blow you out of the water.

My HDTV doesn't have a network jack, but look for this in the near future. You'll want one as IPTV takes hold. You will be able to watch streaming content from the Internet right on your TV!

The Phones: Want to stay connected to all the other stuff in the palm of your hand? You'll need one of the more complex phones available to day like the Samsung Instinct (pictured), the Motorola Q9, the HTC Mogul or the iPhone to name a few.

These phones not only allow you to talk to people, they also bring all your other work or personal information to you. These sync with exchange servers so your email, calendar and contacts are available on your phone. You can surf the Internet, text, twitter and Facebook all from the phone.Some even have geolocation and navigation features via GPS.

I currently use the Motorola Q9c through Sprint. All the above can be yours for $69.99/mo. on the Simply Everything Plan.

However please use restraint. More people each day are getting into serious car accidents trying to take pictures, talk on the phone and Twitter all simultaneously...

In Summary
This post is a stinking book! Hopefully I broke it up well enough so you could easily find parts that interest you.

Don't be afraid of technology. The majority of the stuff I purchased for personal use, but there is a huge crossover in what I do for the church. From the digital pictures to the HD video we're daily working with the stuff trying to leverage it for His Kingdom.

If Satan is using technology to make things darker - We need to use it to turn up the light.

For the past month or so I've been slowly reading through Dan Roam's latest book The Back Of The Napkin.

It's a great read on simplifying the daunting - making rocket science available to the common man through simple doodles on the back of napkins (assuming that's all you can get your hands on...).

Seems simple enough - but he also describes the science behind the doodles. There are very specific things you draw to get very specific points across.

Who knew there could be a method behind the chicken scratch?

I love the core message:

What's the point in using big words and complicated spreadsheets if no one understands what you're talking about?

So I'm trying to learn from him and apply it in our setting. Here are some places I think it would be helpful:

1. Meetings: On whiteboards and in handouts. Make it simple - not because they can't handle it - but because the more simple and concise it is the more likely it will be that everyone leaves on the same page.
2. Process Documents: Make simple instructions with obvious drawings for maximum impact.
3. Taking Notes: No better way to take notes than to illustrate from time to time. Helps flesh out the concept.
4. For the Office Walls: People think you're smart if they see drawings posted all over your office or cubicle.

Grab the book and see for yourself.

Also - Dan just released downloadable/printable versions of the basic concepts here.

Good stuff!

I recently posted on the importance of filtering your audience feedback - ignoring the majority of it in order to focus on the stuff that is really helpful.

So I thought it might be a good idea to give an example of this: The Arts Information Page on gccwired.com.

The Arts Department was receiving numerous inquiries about songs used/performed on stage during services. Inquiries came via email, phone and personal conversations. So the need was there to centralize this information and cut back on the time spent looking for it for people.

To accomplish this we created the Arts Information Page. It does the following:

1. Becomes a one stop shop for people looking for the arts information from our services
2. In a small way gives back to the featured artists. We typically link directly to the artists or their songs in the iTunes Store - thereby providing free publicity and advertising for them

According to Google Analytics this page was viewed 518 times in the last month. Hopefully the tool is serving it's purpose and people are getting the information they want in a quick and easy way. And I think the Arts Department is happy too...

I killed it. That little widget in the sidebar that used to give updates on the abc show LOST.

Just isn't as fun having it around when there is nothing new about LOST till next season.

Still a great show - just need something new in my sidebar.

This is going to be a very deep and meaningful post.

Actually...no...it isn't.

I was just browsing the web the other day and came across the (PRODUCT)RED website again. I love the campaign and check out the (BLOG)RED blog once and a while to see how things are going.

So while I was there it occurred to me that the website I manage is also capable of having the (RED) campaign applied to it. Very fashionable. Just not true since we don't partner with the (RED) campaign. Not that we wouldn't. It just hasn't come up.

I can hear you already:

He has too much time on his hands...

In this technological day and age there is so much going on. So much to know, keep track of and learn in order to stay 'up-to-date.'

Self Induced Problem
The problem is we create the problem. We don't have to own the digital camera, the Tivo, the HD camcorder, the plasma TV, the car with NavLink or rear DVD system, the iPod/Zune, the portable DVD player, the iPhone/Windows Mobile equivalent, or even the fancy pop up toaster for that matter.

Truth is we love gadgets. We love the fact that there is something new out there that can take a little piece of our daily existence and either make it smaller, faster or more powerful than the previous solution. But in doing so we actually clutter up our lives. When we have 25 devices to do 25 things with 250 page user manuals for each one you can't tell me we are simplifying our lives!

Fact: We probably aren't giving up our gadgets.

So I love it when a company like Apple works their @!*# off to simplify it for us (even though I don't own Apple products at this time).

I knew they had a wide range of solutions in their arsenal but my friend Adam Callender recently introduced me to a new one. He and his wife both own MacBook Pro's and will probably end up with iPhones in the near future. But the cool tool I'm talking about is the Time Capsule.

In essence this one piece of equipment would replace my D-Link router, my external hard drive (that's 1TB worth of external hard drive) and any sort of backup software I purchased to make life easier.

Here are a few of the things it does for you:

• Server grade storage (500GB or 1TB)
  
• Wireless network (5x the performance and 2x the range due to 802.11n)
• Wireless drive sharing
• Wireless print services
• Built in security
  
• Works with iPhone, Apple TV and more...

Amazing! Especially in recent days for me. I now the following products that make backup a nightmare:

• Nikon D40x (10MP stills that produce close to 5MB files per picture in JPEG format)
  
• Sony HDR-SR11 (AVCHD camcorder with 10MP still capability)

At this point I have been dumping it all on the desktop, manually transferring it to an external hard drive and then uploading all images to SmugMug as added backup. If I had the Time Capsule, I would simply download the files to the computer and Time Capsule would pull them over to the external drive in the background. I seriously doubt it would upload them to SmugMug for you but you can't have everything.

In the PC world I'm sure you can put together a solution like this if you know what you are doing. But how cool is it that Apple puts it together for you - allowing you to keep working on that whole simplification thing...