#5 - Slingbox
I know Thanksgiving is over, but as they say, Thanksgiving should not just be a Thursday at the end of February, it should be a state of mind... so the list continues.
With the advent of smart phones and tablets some marketing genius thought it would be a good idea to invent a device which would make one's TV portable. The true value of this invention is for those of us who live overseas. Completely legal and with a fairly cheap one time price tag, the slingbox allows me to watch television on my computer in China (or your smart phone or tablet). I purchased my slingbox at bestbuy.com and had it shipped to my in-laws house. They then took the box, and using an internet connection also hooked it up to the TV in their guest bedroom. Magically, as long as my in-laws pay their cable and internet bill, I am able to watch TV on my computer as long as I also have an internet connection.
I was let in on this gem of a secret by a friend of mine who lived across town. We had a small group of guys that met weekly on Monday mornings, and occasionally our meeting would be at his house to watch Sunday Night Football (which is Monday morning China time). After suffering through 3 entire baseball seasons lost to the lack of Chinese interest in the divinely inspired sport, I decided enough was enough. I purchased the slingbox for this year's MLB playoffs. I was vicariously excited for my Father and my brother who are both lifelong Cardinal fans (side note - I was watching game 6 and had to leave for a lunchtime appointment in the 7th inning when the Rangers were winning by 3 runs. I assumed the series was over when I checked the score later that night. If you watched game 6 then you understand my agony).
You may think this is a shallow item to be #5 on the list of things I am most thankful for as a foreigner living in Beijing. While it is true that life in Beijing is possible without it (we did it for almost 3 years), it is these little treats that make a huge difference when the larger issues are driving us to insanity. We could do without it, but I am thankful that we no longer have to.
With the advent of smart phones and tablets some marketing genius thought it would be a good idea to invent a device which would make one's TV portable. The true value of this invention is for those of us who live overseas. Completely legal and with a fairly cheap one time price tag, the slingbox allows me to watch television on my computer in China (or your smart phone or tablet). I purchased my slingbox at bestbuy.com and had it shipped to my in-laws house. They then took the box, and using an internet connection also hooked it up to the TV in their guest bedroom. Magically, as long as my in-laws pay their cable and internet bill, I am able to watch TV on my computer as long as I also have an internet connection.
I was let in on this gem of a secret by a friend of mine who lived across town. We had a small group of guys that met weekly on Monday mornings, and occasionally our meeting would be at his house to watch Sunday Night Football (which is Monday morning China time). After suffering through 3 entire baseball seasons lost to the lack of Chinese interest in the divinely inspired sport, I decided enough was enough. I purchased the slingbox for this year's MLB playoffs. I was vicariously excited for my Father and my brother who are both lifelong Cardinal fans (side note - I was watching game 6 and had to leave for a lunchtime appointment in the 7th inning when the Rangers were winning by 3 runs. I assumed the series was over when I checked the score later that night. If you watched game 6 then you understand my agony).
You may think this is a shallow item to be #5 on the list of things I am most thankful for as a foreigner living in Beijing. While it is true that life in Beijing is possible without it (we did it for almost 3 years), it is these little treats that make a huge difference when the larger issues are driving us to insanity. We could do without it, but I am thankful that we no longer have to.
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