I love technology and I love stories of how technology improves our lives. This time, the story is my own.

Saturday night, I sat with my family in the parking lot in our car trying to decide where to eat dinner. It’s extra difficult these days because I’m on a calorie counting diet. I took out my iPhone and pulled up the DailyBurn iPhone App to check and see how many calories and fat/protein/carbs I had left for the day. I knew that Chilis was on the way to our next stop so I used Safari mobile to pull up their nutritional menu. They had enough healthy options on the menu that I quickly agreed with my kid’s request that we eat there.

When we arrived, I used the same online nutritional pdf from their web site to decide on my order. Then as the food came, I used the FoodScanner iPhone App to enter in all the foods I would be eating that night. I saw that if I only ate half of what I ordered, saving the rest for left-overs the next day, I’d still have room for a little dessert after. By the time the food had arrived, my calorie count was already updated simply by typing in the names of the foods and doing a search on them in the FoodScanner iPhone App (also by Daily Burn).

As we finished eating, it was suggested we go to Smoothie King for dessert. I looked up their nutrional guide online, found a healthy protein smoothie, and within minutes had also added iy to my calorie count. That would complete my calories for the day, keeping me well under my target. The shake, by the way, turned out to be beyond my expectations. I’ll be returning again regularly.

When the Chilis bill arrived, I used the Check Please iPhone app to calculate the tip (automatically adding 18% and rounding off to the nearest dollar). I filled out the credit card receipt, and then, using the Shoeboxed app, took a photo of the receipt which was auto submitted to their web site, and will be scanned and added to my budget tracking without any work on my part. I can leave the paper receipt right on the table…no need to take it home and fool with it later.

Tomorrow when I wake up, I’ll step on my Withings wifi enabled scale, which will take my weight, measure my body fat, calculate my BMI and submit the data to the Daily burn web site to help me track exactly how many calories I should continue to eat to reach my goal. Again, no work on my part, no time wasted in trying to reach my dual goals of getting leaner and staying on budget.

It is with this process that I’m able to keep on track with my financial budget for the year, and, it is with this process, only accomplished thanks to today’s technology, that I have also managed to lose 12 lbs in 30 days…without any exercise at all and very little stress.

Yes, I do love technology, and it is making life better…and this is all with just using the iPhone. I can’t wait to see how much better it will be when my 3G iPad arrives.

Update: One month later, I’ve now lost 19 lbs, continuing to use this strategy.

For the FoodScanner iPhone App, DailyBurn iPhone App, Withings Body Scale visit the Daily Burn web site.

Visit the Shoeboxed web site to read about their services and the iPhone app.

The HP A10 Printing Mailbox for Presto Service is really a great idea. I had a similar one about 10 years ago. The concept is for those, like the WW2 generation, who might never have gotten into computers, or at least not very deeply, and yet you might want to be able to email your grandparents.

This device plugins into the phone line and dials into the Presto service a few times a day, and prints out any received email. It uses a whitelist for screening email so you won’t get printouts from any spam or junk mail. Though it is a great idea, I have to wonder how long the Presto service has been around. The target audience for this device must be shrinking every day. Still, I applaud the concept.

Since the Segway first came out, I’ve been one who has believed the Segway will eventually make much more of an impact than most believe today. Tonight, I was reading to my son about the Wright brothers, and just had to share with you some interesting history, that I think is relevant to the Segway and other inventions that many underestimate upon first glance.

Did you know that the first “bicycle” was invented in 1818? It was a two wheeler, moved by pushing with the feet while sitting. Then in 1839, the first pedals were added, but the wheels were still made out of wood or iron, which made for a very uncomfortable ride. In the 1870s, spokes, steering, brakes and chains were added. Finally in 1888 rubber tires were added, and 40,000 bikes were sold in 1890. Five years later, over a million bicycles were being produced.

I’m sure in 1818, not many ever thought that bicycles would become such a common household item. It took over 70 years before the bicycle became what we now know it as.

Coincidentally, we also watched a show tonight about old cars, and they were showing the steam cars and early gas cars. Very interesting to see a steam car as it moved so silently and much faster than I ever would have guessed. And yet, from what I saw on the show, they look to be quite a lot of work to use. Obviously, cars have changed a lot since then, as did bicycles and airplanes.

If you look at the history of most inventions, they follow a similar pattern, usually beginning with the first step looked upon quite skeptically by the masses. But, perhaps now, that you’ve been reminded of the history behind bicycles, maybe you’ll look at the Segway and other inventions with a slightly different point of view.

Now…go invent something!