Oh, Mini, What Did I Say?

Does Mini not know how I blog about my car? I'm distressed that I wasn't invited into one of the coolest beta tests around. Mini USA has started registering their owners' key fobs so that certain digital billboards (including one in San Francisco) will know when you drive and put up a message just for you: "Motor On, Stewart," or something like that. But I didn't get invited into the test.... (Where is Auren Hoffman's Silicon Valley 100 when you need it?!)

Anyway, I've decided not to get another Mini Cooper, so I took myself off the list for the 2007 model. It's not that I don't love my Mini, but it is kind of noisy. I haven't been able to find a Bluetooth headset that really works with my Treo 700p over the noise of the car. And driving a stick shift with a phone in the crook of your shoulder is painful. So I've garaged my 2002 Liquid Yellow Mini Cooper S in favor a really boring 2006 Toyota Prius.

(Have you heard about the South Park episode about the Prius?  The way I heard it, South Park renames the car the Toyota Pious. There are so many in San Francisco that it is creating a new form of polution: Smug.)

Comments

[Jim Forbes]

I love my Pious, Stew. i fuel in the San gabriel Valley east of LA, hit the 210 and then the 5 and roll into SF or Sacramento with about 1.3 gallons remaining in my tanks. it makes me quite happy. I just got home from vegas with about 2 gallons remaining.

Yours in harmonic Synergy
Ommmmmmmmmmm,
Jim Forbes

[Pete Dailey]

So now your choice of vehicle is based on your preferences for how you accessorize your phone? I guess I'm down with that. You might consider getting a more advanced headset though. Check out Plantronics products. You just might need one that goes over both ears and has a more advanced noise cancellation codec.

Think about it. Chopper pilots use headsets. Motorcycle helmets have them built in too. You just need to go beyond what the normal consumer is offered at the Sprint or Verizon store. If you find one you like, let me know. I need something in my jeep.

[Rachel Glickman]

Smug, huh? Count me in! Last week I turned in my gas-guzzling SUV for a Pious.