I'm still enjoying my mobiBLU MP3 player, which is billed as the smallest in the world. To hammer home how small, here it is on my tongue!

The MP3 playback, USB keychain storage, FM radio, and audio recorder functions work fine. The only thing that's weak is FM station reception, but that's understandable because there's not much of an antenna. The battery life also doesn't seem like 10 hours, but that's not a biggie.

And good news for those of you who were looking for this player in Walmart Stores: both the 1gb and 512mb players are now back in stock on the web store!

- mike lee - wheaton, md

Thanks for passing along that New Yorker cartoon about the lady getting her dreaded AARP letter. It's a funny one. Though I am seven years away from getting my membership letter, I have already been made a member by default as an employee. But by the time I turn 50 and officially become a member, I hope not to need a hug when I get my letter as efforts underway, including some of the work-related antics you see moblogged here, should shift people's perceptions. If not, I'll still have tons of fun trying.

- mike lee - wheaton, md

Scenes from today: Buying more books for Cianna at the library's used book store (1, 2), having Pho at Pho Hiep Hoa (3), my Sidekick II reflected in an HP 60gb iPod Photo (4), shopping at the local asian supermarket for a rice cooker and settling on a Neuro Fuzzy (5, 6). It was still pretty hot today, so we didn't hang outside much or drive far.

- mike lee - wheaton, md

A stop into the Sanrio store, and the child's timed implosion in the car...

...of the 275-foot tall Eiffel Tower at King's Dominion, Virginia.

We had three choices for this summer's company outing: golf, a boat cruise, or amusement park. So we're here at Paramount's King's Dominion in Virginia for a good part of the day. The crowd is light, perhaps due to the 95 degree heat. With 20-month-old Cianna with us in the stroller, the day is about hanging out with her more than daredevil rides. Cianna is enjoying sights such as the water fountains on what is her first trip to an amusement park. After lunch, we're taking a ride to the top of the 1/3 scale Eiffel Tower.

- mike lee

Since we've misplaced or lost our iPod Shuffle in our recent move, I jumped at the chance to buy a mobiBLU DAH-1500i

1 gig flash MP3 player when Engadget.com said they were available at Walmart (currently sold out). The mobiBLU is touted as the world's smallest MP3 player, and it IS tiny--much smaller than the Shuffle, but priced the same at $129. It's so small that it's seriously a choking hazzard for small children!

Here are some of the features and specs packed into this tiny package:

• [probably] the world’s smallest MP3 player, 24mm square cube, 18 grams
• Plays MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM formats
• FM radio listening and recording; scan spectrum and save 20 station presets
• SRS WOW sound effects
• OLED graphics display shows function menus, folder navigation for files, and device status
• Voice recording with built-in microphone; records about 24 hours at voice quality
• Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery with 15-hour life
• USB 2.0 data transfer and power charge via cable; mounts as a drive volume like USB keychain
• Firmware is upgradable over the internet
• Comes with headphones (neckstrap integrated), USB cable, mini-CD of software, slip-on shock bumper case

I4U has a review with photos.

I've loaded a bunch of Podcasts to put the device through its paces over the next few days. Now I have be careful not to lose the thing down a drain or vent!

- mike lee - washington, dc

Now that we've moved from an urban environment to the edge of a forest, we are encountering these things called plants and birds. Fortunately there are good reference books available.

- mike lee - wheaton, md