Is this thing on?  Hi! My name is Steven Grady. I’m a brand new contributor to MyPre.com and PhoneMag.com.  I’m really excited for the opportunity to write about technology, phones, and especially the Palm Pre!  I’m currently, and soon-to-be-former English Major at Arizona State University, where I will graduate cum laude in May of 2009.  In addition to writing too many lit papers and not enough short stories, I happen to also love technology in most of its forms.

I built my first computer, running Windows 3.1, with my father when I was 10 years old, and it’s been a steady decline into dumping entire paychecks into video cards and eventually  Apple iPods and computers.  I spent so much money on my shiny white and chrome bricks that I decided to get a job working the Apple retail store.  I became an Apple retail Specialist, then a Mentor (responsible for training new-hires) and eventually I was on track to become a Genius when I left.  I generally don’t play favorites when it comes to operating systems (I use OS X, XP and Windows 7, and I’ve also forayed into Ubuntu a bit), and I don’t use an iPhone. I will admit to consuming copious amounts of the Kool-Aid while I was employed by Apple, but my passion is and will always be about the technology, introducing people to new things, and teaching them how to use it, regardless of the logo on the case.

When I’m not reinstalling my operating systems for fun, I also serve with the Arizona Army National Guard in the 108th Army Band (yes, the Army has a band).  In my 4.5 years of serving, I’ve been fortunate enough to avoid deployment.  Other than that, I lead a pretty normal student life, and look forward to writing and discovering new things about the exciting technology the world is seeing these days.  I look forward to spending time with the guys at R3 Media, SlashGear and the like, and am especially excited to write for the readers of this online publication.