Bus error: Jake Billo’s weblog

UW’s CampusTechShop outlet has become an authorized Rogers Wireless dealer, and lately they’ve been trumpeting the $25 and $45 student packages. Every carrier in Canada has similar student deals to try and bump new subscribers and ARPU in the fourth quarter.

What I don’t understand is how such an outlet expects to attract new signups through this ridiculous device pricing. (Yes, these prices are on three year contracts.) I’m assuming this is what they’re charging without a data plan… that’s really the only way I think Rogers could justify selling a Pearl for $300.

• Blackberry Pearl 8120 - $299.99
• Blackberry Curve Red - $399.99
• Blackberry Bold - $599.99

Yeah… no thanks. If this is their idea of a special promotional price worthy of an email blast, forget it.

And here’s the wrapup.

• Spring 2008 term has officially ended. For the past few days I’ve been trying to relax; as opposed to creating content for the Web, there’s been a lot of Halo 3 and other video games going on.
• I start again at RIM on September 2nd. Things haven’t changed much from when I was there last, which should make for a smooth transition.
• Hardware upgraded to a BlackBerry Bold as I’m a consumer whore with company loyalty. The screen is really sharp and the new processor gives a really responsive UI. The iPhone 3G was admittedly an attractive option but had two major buzzkills: no physical keyboard, and gimped push email. I had to trade my weaselled retentions plan in for something a bit more conventional, but I’ve now got a monthly plan encompassing some text messaging capabilities.
• Warren also purchased me an Invisible Shield for the device. I highly recommend this product. Resale value will be much higher and any new iPods will definitely get one of these.
• It’s move-in time for our neighbours, which means the landlord feels the need to test out his new bowling ball by dropping it down next door’s flight of stairs repeatedly. (In all reality, he’s probably using a hammer on something, but it sounds suspiciously like my initial description.) I’m hoping that this term, there’ll be some attractive girls in the same complex - but that’s probably a long shot.

As I’m exiting my economics lecture this evening, I had the misfortune to overhear a conversation between two students leaving ahead of me. I didn’t make any special attempt to listen until the conversation took an unmistakably horrible trainwreck. Keep in mind that this is an economics lecture, and not a computer science or math class - so don’t expect arts courses to be any better.

If you’re debating going to Waterloo and aren’t a total social misfit, beware that you may be forcibly subjected to the following style of ridiculous conversation, which I transcribed shortly after hearing it.

Student 1: “So, what are you going to do when you get home?”
Student 2: “Lock myself in my room for two hours and watch anime.”

I honestly have no words at this point. This seems too stereotypical of a situation to be accurate. After all, Waterloo definitely has a number of Japanophile students who enjoy the medium - but seriously, about the only more goonish thing you could say at this point was that you were into cartoon pornography. Oh, wait.

Student 2: “Yeah. HARDCORE anime.”

The above statement was made without any sarcastic tone, and deliberately emphasized the ‘hardcore’ nature of the material. Just in case you aren’t too sure,

Student 1: “Hardcore?”
Student 2: “Yeah, the hardcore stuff… you know.”
Student 1: “Ah.”

Far be it from me to judge a person’s kinks or fetishes - wait, who am I kidding? Japanese, cartoon porn is pretty low on the scale of Internet nerd stereotypes. How much lower can this guy get?

Student 2: “But I have to lock my door in case my roommates find out.”

Shame? And yet you’re announcing your disgusting taste in self-relief material to another friend? What gives?

Student 1: “Oh?”
Student 2: “They want me to watch it with them, because they already have the MKVs.”

Oh, christ.

Student 2: “But their MKVs are all in Japanese, and I don’t know Japanese at all. They were like, ‘Oh, that’s OK, we’ll translate it for you!’”

There’s absolutely no more possible disgusting mental image than that. And the Internet is pretty disturbing as is.

Student 2: “So I have to download the subbed versions sneakily, and lock myself in my room to watch them alone.”

Ladies, have I got a real winner for you!