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Working has gotten in the way of my podcasting (I hate it when that happens!), but I’m back around with a new episode. And I have a new toy to play with, too!

But first, I cover the usual mish-mash of Tablet PC-related topics…

This is old news, but I kinda like those Dell ads in which they trash other tablets.

Could UMPCs benefit from a certain watch technology?

There is Yet Another OneNote PowerToy available; this one merges note pages.

Microsoft has released a couple of patches for Windows Vista that promise to fix various issues and performance problems:

Compatibility and reliability fix (x86) (x64)

Performance and reliability fix (x86) (x64)

They’ve also released a fix for Windows Media Center for Vista.

Windows Live Folders is now in beta as Windows Live SkyDrive. I like the new name!

Princeton has announced a very nice-sized USB Bluetooth dongle.

Solpi is showing off a UMPC that is not the most attractive, but appears to have an interesting feature.

Kohjinsha is going SSD with their UMPC.

Wibrain’s B1 UMPC is just odd-looking.

And we get details on Dell’s upcoming Tablet PC. Will it live up to their ads?

The HP 2710p tablet is gorgeous and has some terrific add-ons available.

The HTC Shift. It’s what everyone is talking about since that video, and I give my $.02.

Finally, I get to play with the TabletKiosk i440D this week, courtesy of Allegiance Technology Partners. I fgive my overall impressions (both good and bad). I’ll put up some photos and a video shortly.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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In this episode I get to play with a new tablet PC! But, I don’t get to keep it, unfortunately…

But first, a very brief News and Updates:

• HP has announced prices for the Compaq 2710p Tablet PC. It ranges from $1649 on up to $2,478 USD.
• PLX Technology has the USB Duet technology, which promises to let you connect your UMPC and desktop PC over USB.
• Microsoft has release the public beta of Windows Live OneCare 2.0. It adds some nice features over the 1.0 version.

Steve “chippy” Paine of UMPCPortal.com has written a couple of fun pieces that I discuss on the show. First off, some reasons to love UMPCs and some reasons to avoid them. Secondly, how do you define “UMPC”? Is it only Origami devices, or is there more to it?

I update on the whole Gateway C-140 ruckus I caused in the last couple of episodes. Does it have a touchscreen or not?

Finally, and best of all, I give a hands-on review of the Motion Computing LE1700 slate Tablet PC that I’ve been trying out courtesy of Allegiance Technology Partners. Stay tuned to this site for an upcoming video look as well…

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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In this episode, you may first notice the improved audio quality. I’ve increased various sample rates and bit rates and changed up some of the tools I use to record the show and I can hear a big difference in the audio; hopefully you can, too.

I start this short episode with a shout-out to listener Lyle in Japan and to those listening to the show there and in Hawaii, Lyle’s home state (and my former home as well).

Then it’s on to the news and updates:

• I corrected something I had said in the last episode. Looks like the new Gateway Tablets will indeed have both a touch screen and an active digitizer.
• Toshiba announced, and then quickly changed, the prices on the new R400 tablet and wireless docking station. The verdict: $$$$ Not only that, but I can think of one wire even a wireless docking station is going to require…
• Do you use a docking station? If not, why not?
• Microsoft has released Microsoft Reader Optimized for Origami (say that three times fast), but it will work only on machines with the TouchPack installed. Regular Tablet PC users are out of luck.
• One of the coolest OneNote PowerToys released yet is the OneNote Web Exporter, which lets you pack up an entire OneNote notebook and turn it into a web site.
• OutlookLinker for MindManager replaces and enhances the built-in Outlook integration in MindManager. But like most software related to MindManager, it ain’t cheap.
• Loren Heiny looks at the iPhone and gets some ideas for the next UMPCs and I like where he’s going.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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In this episode, we have my experiences using my Tablet PC at the HP Software Universe conference in Las Vegas, my thoughts on the new iPhone (and how it relates to Tablet PCs), and the lowdown on the gadget I just bought instead of an iPhone…

Next, I finish my talk about mind mapping software, including:

• Gyronix GyroQ for MindManager
• Gyronix ResultsManager for MindManager
• JCV Gantt for MindManager
• MindApp
• Personal Brain 4.0

Then, I revisit how well Windows Vista is running on my M200 and note the problems I’m seeing (and that you might see as well).

Finally, the news:

• Raon Digital has released pricing for the new Everun UMPC. Pretty inexpensive, but the performance numbers leave something to be desired.
• Gateway has formally announced their new E-295C/C-140 Tablet PC.
• Motion Computing will be adding HSDPA to the LE1700 slates.
• Will the HTC Shift really run both Windows Vista and Windows Mobile 6? Is this the second coming of the DualCor CPc?
• Toshiba has an interesting feature planned for their Portege G900 Windows Mobile Phone. The Teleport Remote Keypad may make the phone the perfect companion for your UMPC.
• Would you skip on a touch screen if you could get a mobile device that cost only $199? Asus thinks you might.
• Palm isn’t going it alone with the Foleo. Astraware and MotionApps are on board with applications for the “sidekick” device.
• Don’t care for the TIP? How about trying the SpeedScript text input program? It’s free for a year.
• The Microsoft Outlook Connector for Windows Live Mail lets you access your Windows Live Mail or Hotmail account from Outlook, and you no longer need a paid account to do it.
• There are a couple of new OneNote PowerToys available: Search and Replace and Send to Mobile Device.
• Did you know that you can insert tables in Microsoft Word 2007 using only the keyboard?
• If you’re having troubles with Windows Live Writer, Microsoft may have your solution.
• So what podcasts are you listening to?

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Next week: A closer look at PersonalBrain 4.0 beta, GyroQ and ResultsManager from Gyronix, and the usual news, updates, and opinion.

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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In this episode, we have the usual hardware and software news, my opinions on it all, and a first look at MindManager 7 from MindJet.

First, the news:

• Microsoft has released updated beta code for Windows Live Writer, Windows Live Messenger, and Windows Live Mail.
• Google has released a beta of Google Gears, which has the potential to completely change how you use your Tablet PC.
• A new company called LiveScribe is working on a “pentop computer“, sort of the opposite of a Tablet PC, but very compelling.
• Palm has announced the Foleo, a “Smartphone companion” device. It is easily one of the most talked about technology announcements in recent history and I give my take on it.
• VIA showed off a new mini PC (It’s not really a UMPC) called the NanoBook which looks pretty slick.
• Speaking of slick, Microsoft’s new “table PC”, called Surface, is definitely that, and interesting, too.
• Raon Digital is showing off the Everun UMPC, which is a unique take on the mobile devices.
• Josh Einstein, creator of TEO, is at it again, this time proposing to add a ribbon interface to Outlook. If he keeps embarrassing Microsoft like this, they’re going to need to hire him or buy his product line or something.
• Microsoft is doing some other cool things, however, like Deepfish, which is currently beta and only for Windows Mobile devices, but could be coming to Tablet PCs soon.
• TheBrain Technologies has released PersonalBrain 4.0 beta. It’s got some nice new features, and I’ll be reviewing it soon.
• WikiMindMap gives you the ability to search Wikipedia and other wikis and see the results in a mind map. Cool!

After the news, I give a first look at MindJet’s newest version of their flagship product, MindJet 7. It is still the best mind mapping tool out there and keeps up with Office apps by adding a ribbon interface. Listen to the show for the rest of the details.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Next week: A closer look at PersonalBrain 4.0 beta, GyroQ and ResultsManager from Gyronix, and the usual news, updates, and opinion.

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE
Lots of hardware and software news, and some news of my own.

• Samsung has released the new Q1 Ultra UMPC with prices starting at $799 USD. Of course, for a high-powered version you’ll need to spend more than that.
• Lenovo will soon release the X61 tablet, which is a bump from the current X60.
• Gateway has the E155C convertable.
• HP announced the Compaq 2710P convertible. Shades of the TC1100?
• Fujitsu has two new models: The FMV-U8240 UMPC and the Lifebook T4220 convertible.
• Data Evolution has the Cathena CX UMPC for $799.
• Dell may finally be releasing a tablet, too!
• You can now get a new Toshiba M200 for only $499.
• The SmudgeGuard can help lefties avoid smudging their tablet screen or paper. But are the makers missing a LARGE market opportunity?  UPDATE:  NO, they are NOT missing the opportunity!
• Vikram Madan has a tool for UMPC users who get caught by dialog boxes that are too large for the UMPC’s native low screen resolutions.
• Microsoft has released a version of Movie Maker for Vista that will run on non-Aero Glass installations. (Finally!)
• Frank Garcia (aka CTitanic) has found HID support in Vista for his Q1 touchscreen.
• Intel has announced the split between UMPCs and the new “MID” (Mobile Internet Device) class of gadgets. Will it fly?
• Plaxo has a new version of their Outlook toolbar with some nifty new features.
• Anagram has a new version of their tool as well, with some nice tablet-centric features.
• A new OneNote PowerToy lets you easily import text files into OneNote.
• Are you a Toshiba R400 user? You may be very unhappy with their support for the new wireless docking station.
• The dual touch feature on the new Motion Computing LE1700 works in an interesting way.
• Microsoft is pushing the Fone+ initiative. Would you plug your cell phone into your TV if you could? Do you plug your tablet into your TV?
• Continuing our talk about alternative input methods, there’s more research on controlling computers with your eyes, but this is with a new twist.
• InPEN has some ideas about improving the aspect of tablet computing we tend to talk about the least: the pen.
• James Kendrick has managed to install Windows Vista on his wife’s HP TC1000 tablet. Who knew it’d work on such an old machine?
• Speaking of upgrading, I upgraded my Toshiba M200 to Vista Business. It was easy and all works very well, except for the Aero user interface, which works… up to a point.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE
In this episode I cover a ton of new hardware announcements, some software news, some pros and cons of using tablets (according to other people) and some real-world examples of tablets being used by folks.

• Samsung continues to release details on the new Q1 Ultra UMPC, although some of them would seem to be contradictory.
• Samsung also may be releasing a new lower-end UMPC and one with a hybrid hard drive.
• Toshiba has announced some new data connectivity options for their R400 tablet.
• The Digital Cube i-Station G43 is billed as the “world’s smallest UMPC“. But is it any good?
• ASUS has announced a new UMPC. But what’s the deal with the screen?
• The Flybook V UMPC looks promising.
• TabletKiosk has the answer for those who tend to get rough with their UMPCs: The TuffTab v7112XT.
• HTC Shifts into the UMPC world.
• Fujitsu will offer flash-memory based drives on its tablets.
• Motion has announced the best slate tablet PC ever (in my not-so-humble opinion), the LE1700. But can I afford it?
• ClearContext has released version 3.1.0 of their IMS inbox management tool. Total Workday Control fans are going to love it.
• IBM has put Notes 8 into public beta. Long time Outlook users will recognize most of the new features.
• Josh Eisntein (of TEO fame) has release the OneNote Calendar.
• Has Toshiba really released Windows Vista drivers for the M200 tablets? Looks that way…
• Is motion-sensing the next great input method for tablets?
• Five benefits of Tablet PCs, according to Toshiba. (Email me for a copy of the PDF.)
• Six reasons not to buy tablets, according to TechWorld (and I get more than a little animated discussing this crap article).
• And finally, some real-word folks using tablets, including a math teacher and a physical therapist.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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Welcome to episode 56 of the Tablet PC Show! Like the last episode, I don’t waste any time jumping into…

News & Updates:

• Tim Heuer’s Foxit PDF Previewer lets you preview PDF files from within Outlook 2007 or Windows Vista Explorer. But it works only on Vista.
• The Canovo Dual-touch “Superslate” puts two screens on a clamshell device. No real keyboard, but a very cool idea.
• There’s yet another OneNote PowerToy, and this one lets you sort your notebook sections alphabetically.
• Amtek’s new UMPC is being called the “Vistagami” with good reason.
• Vulcan has finally released the FlipStart. But is it really a UMPC?
• Samsung’s is showing off the very slick Q1 Ultra (aka Q2). I want one!
• Samsung is also shipping ReadyDrive hybrid hard drives to OEMs. Just what every tablet needs.
• Bluetooth 2.1 will include an optional “near-field communications” feature.
• Another OneNote PowerToy: This one lets you set sections of your notebook as read-only.
• GottaBeMobile is giving away a DocuPen Scanner Executive Kit. I tell you how to win it.
• Engadget writes about EyePoint eye-tracking software which supposedly greatly improves on previous attempts at vision input, that is, controlling a computer with your eyes. Would this be a good input method for tablets?

San Jose Sharks assistant coach Tim Hunter uses a Tablet PC during each Sharks hockey game. I talk about how he uses it.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE
Welcome to episode 55 of the Tablet PC Show! I’ve got a lot to cover this time around, so I jump right in…

News & Updates:

• We finally have the MSRPs on the new Sahara tablets from TabletKiosk. They aren’t cheap, but they sure are nice.
• Speaking of TabletKiosk, they recently had a theft, and YOU can help them get their stuff back.
• OQO announces that the Model 02 will work with Verizon as well as Sprint.
• The Uren A1 UMPC has some unique features.
• qipit, like ScanR, let’s you take photographs of documents and have them emailed to you as PDFs.
• sTabLauncher is a cool, and very nice looking, program launcher, that’s great on tablets.
• Autonomic Controls announces a UMPC application for controlling a Windows Media Center.
• PhatWare has released PenCommander 2.0 with support for Windows Vista.
• Dexpot is a fun little program switcher; a bit like Expose on the Mac.
• Windows Home Server — perfect for households with multiple PCs — is now in a “semi-open” beta.
• The folks at Microsoft who make OneNote have made four new PowerToys for OneNote 2007: Word Count, Export Outlook Notes to OneNote, Send to OneNote (from Windows Explorer), and Sort Pages.
• Windows Easy Transfer lets you transfer all of your data and settings from a Windows 2000, XP, or Vista PC to a Windows Vista machine.

DRM may prevent echo cancelling from working properly on Vista. Is Steve Jobs right? Is it time for DRM to go?

Check out the new TPN Widget for Yahoo! Widgets to keep up with all of the best podcasts on the web.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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Welcome to episode 54 of the Tablet PC Show! We start this show with yet another apology for the lateness in getting it released. I was on vacation and then work and life just got in the way as they have a habit of doing. There has been a lot of news at and since CES and we jump right in…

News & Updates:

• The OQO Model 020 looks to be a very nice UMPC and a great update from the original, but the price is awfully high.
• The Toshiba R400’s “Edge View” is a good implementation of Microsoft’s SideView technology in Vista.
• TabletKiosk announced three new Sahara tablets at CES, including the fantastic i440D (which is hopefully my next tablet).
• Arima has a new UMPC as well, the UM650.
• How about Apple’s iPhone? Turns out it was originally going to be a Tablet PC.
• Microsoft released the Origami Experience, an upgrade to the Touch Pack for UMPCs.
• Imagine LAN has released version 2.0 of they synchronization utility UltraSync.
• Jello.Dashboard is a small, free implementation of the GTD methodology in Outlook.
• MindJet has released some tools for getting MindManager to work more closely with OneNote.
• Craig Pringle did an experiment with the Vista tablet functionality and a Wacom graphics pad.
• What would you say to an OQO embedded in a laptop, but removable? Too good to be true?
• Some UMPCs and tablets will run Vista, but not all Vista applications, like Movie Maker and DVD Maker. Is this an issue for you?

I recently upgraded the RAM in my tablet and saw a major performance boost. I also freed up many gigabytes of disk space and got a boost from that. If you’ve got an older device and are seeing performance issues, these would be my top two recommendations for speeding things up!

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

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Welcome to episode 53 of the Tablet PC Show! I intended this to be a special episode with some guests, but technical problems prevented that from working out. We’ll do that episode in a couple of weeks or so.

News & Updates:

• EverNote has a beta 2.0 version out that boasts some pretty cool new features. I know I’m going to be trying it out.
• Want to experience the new Vista start menu on Windows XP? Try this out.
• HP has announced their new tx1000 covertible Tablet PC which looks to be a very nice media machine.
• Toshiba has likewise announced their new R100 convertible which has built-in EV-DO data access.
• And Gateway updates their convertible line with the new CX210 which is priced at — are you sitting down? — $899!
• Spectec has a new SD-based GPS unit which includes its own micro-SD card slot. Nice!
• What exactly is “Vistagami”? We figure it out with the help of the Origami Project folks.
• And what is coming up in Windows after Vista? It looks like some really BIG things!

(Hat tip to the folks at Engadget from whom I pulled most of the above bits of news.)

Several people around the blogosphere lately have been posting about what’s in their gadget bags. I decided ot the same thing, only podcast-style, of course. Here’s a list of what I carry:

PERSONAL:

• Toshiba M200
• Kensington charger
• Sprint PPC-6700 PDA/phone
• iGo (nee ThinkOutside) Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard
• CD-ROM/DVD reader (DVD burner stays home)
• Holux GPSlim 236
• NextLink Bluespoon AX2
• (2) USB to mini USB for phone, CD-ROM, and GPS
• USB to “very mini” USB for Bluetooth ear piece
• USB-to-car power adapter
• USB-to-home power adapter
• Extra battery for phone
• iPod
• Headphones (over the ear and in-ear)
• iPod USB/FireWire cable and power adapter
• Longer trips: phone and iPod docks

LIGHT:

• Sprint 6700
• Bluespoon AX2
• Extra battery for the phone
• Stowaway keyboard
• iPod with in-ear headphones
• GPSlim (sometimes)

WORK:

• HP laptop with power brick
• SecureID token
• Blackberry 8700g (coming soon)

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE
Welcome to episode 52 of the Tablet PC Show! I’m back from chilly Buffalo, New York to Tampa, Florida.

News & Updates:

• The Tablet PC team at Microsoft has a blog and they’ve released their “Windows Vista Secrets for Tablet PC” which are some handy tips and tricks for getting the most out of Vista on a tablet.
• Tim Sneath, another Microsoftie with a blog, has his own tips and tricks for Vista, including this good one.
• One nifty feature of OneNote 2007 is the ability to have multiple notebooks open, including shared notebooks, and this tip for using notebooks with sections stored on multiple systems is a great one.
• MindJet, the makers of MindManager mind mapping software, have announced a cool add-in for Word 2007 that lets Word users read and update mind maps.
• There’s yet another Apple tablet rumor floating around, but this one has a twist.
• There’s also a rumor that Palm might produce a UMPC…
• And confirmation that HP is introducing a desktop Tablet PC.
• Illium eWallet 5.0 has just been released and includes several new features for Tablet and UMPC users.
• Windows Live Search for Mobile isn’t for Tablet PCs, but is very very cool.
• Frank Garcia, aka CTitanic, of Ultranauts and various other sites, has released a beta of an ink-based search tool for Google and Wikipedia called Inkoogle.

As I mentioned, I recently went on a business trip up to Buffalo and following that I spent a day on jury duty. You’ll be surprised at the gear I brought with me for both…

In my new job, I’m stuck using Lotus Notes for email, calendaring, and note taking. Unlike Eric Mack, I really don’t care for it. Are any of you using it? Have you found ways to be productive with it?

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE
Welcome to episode 51 of the Tablet PC Show! I’m recovering from Thanksgiving and am adjusting to a new work/life schedule (hence the delay since the last episode).

News & Updates:

• A couple of bits of search news from Ed Holloway. First, a new search site called TabletGoo.com that searches Tablet PC and mobile websites, and second a new ink search tool for tablets.
• INFILL is a UMPC concept designed specifically for cars. It’s got some interesting features, but no word yet on price.
• Lenovo has released the x60 Tablet PC. It’s got some very interesting features, like a dual-touch screen option, active rotation, and mobile docking station. But it’s a tough choice between the high-resolution screen and the dual-touch one!
• Acer, on the otherhand, is discontinuing the C200 and C300 lines of Tablet PCs. It’s a shame to see a tablet vendor leaving the field.
• If you use a Windows Mobile device tethered to your tablet for Internet access, you’ll want to read this about the changes coming in AKU3.
• A quick note about upgrading to OneNote Mobile 2007.

If you’re looking for another way to listen to this podcast, there are now a couple of options for listening to it over the phone:

• 619 644 1954 - Podlinez
• 712 432 3031 - Fonpods (or 712 423 3030 ID 18728)

Ultranauts is looking for a new writer. If you’re a mobile computing buff and are looking to share your knowledge, send an email to john@ultranauts.com.

If you have comments or questions or feedback, or a problem or issue with your Tablet PC for which you’d like help, please feel free to leave a comment here, email me, or leave me a voicemail right here!

Music:Intro: “Wallawalla” by Drop Trio
Outro: “Second First” by Drop Trio

(Music available at magnatune.com.)