Hello Picture Messenger

Where would I be without Hello? Well, I certainly would not be able to post so many pictures on this blog so easily, that is for sure. We first got Hello just for the sake of putting pictures of me up on Blogger! And it has been wonderful. As you can see from the screenshot, the design is quite pretty and the interface very friendly. I had to poke around a bit to get the hang of some of the features, but I was able to post my first picture to this blog almost immediately.


Unfortunately, there is no one else I know who uses Hello, so I cannot report on its features in that regard. The people I live with and I still use the plain old Send File function on Yahoo or MSN Messenger to share photos with each other and our friends, since that's where they all are and we hate to ask people to sign up to another messenger service. For this reason, I do not know if Hello will ever become the main messenger client for anyone. After all, the other ones integrate with your email and addressbook so easily. Plus, many people use all-in-one clients like Gaim or Trillian, which would defeat the whole point of the happy, bubbly interface and special features. But we will see, now that Google owns Picasa (makers of Hello) and people have noticed code for IM support in GDS, Hello might just take over the world! Ah ha ha! cough, cough. Don't worry, part of Google's corporate philosophy is "Don't Be Evil," so Hello will be a benign dictator.

Stanley Approves!


Hello Screenshot 

Cookie Dough

Mmmm mmm. I am a little bear with a sweet tooth. And I like to have just a little bit of something every now and then. If my owner were to get out her supersonic mixer and moosh together a batch of cookies, licking the bowl is acceptable. But I can't very well ask her to save the whole batter just in case I feel like snacking later on. That is where the fine folks at Nestle come in. They had the ingenious idea that some people don't want to bother with all that mixing to get their cookies baked and some people don't even want to bother with that silly baking part at all. I do not even want to consider the kinds of artificial substances they must use to keep that little tube fresh and salmonella-free for me, but eating cookie dough right out of the fridge is so indulgent and extravagant anyway, so Wheee! Mmmmm.

Stanley Approves!

The Nokia 6800 Phone

Stanley displays the Nokia 6800's fold-out keyboard 

The Nokia 6800 is quite a clever little gadget. It looks like a normal phone, but then you can fold it open to get to a tiny little keyboard. The keys are too small for my big paws, but just right for human thumbs. Why would you need a keyboard on your phone, you ask? Well, the people I live with like to send SMS messages to their friends. It is also handy when typing appointments or reminders in the built-in calendar or notepad. The people I live with also use it for a radio and to play games on. And, as you can see, the screen is big enough to set your own wallpaper, in this case, a picture of my friend Monkey! It is like a tiny entertainment center in your pocket. Oh yeah, and it works as a GSM digital phone, too.

Stanley Approves!


Stanley has a call, gotta go! 

Sleepytime Tea

I highly recommend Sleepytime tea. It is a delightful blend of chamomile and peppermint herbal tea that you can drink before bedtime without worrying about getting the jitters– - it's caffeine free! And chamomile is known to be soothing so it might even help you sleep. Another benefit of the tea is that both peppermint and chamomile are said to be very calming on your tummy. But don't take my word for it, other bears agree. Just look at the happy bear family on the package – the tea was so soothing that Papa Bear fell asleep in his easy chair.



Stanley Approves!


Snooze