He’s All Thumbs
Orlando Jones has been in 13 films, but he’s much better known, so far, as the hip, sarcastic pitchman on 7UP commercials. That might change next week when the science fiction comedy “Evolution” opens with him as the second lead behind David Duchovny.
Jones, 33, began his Hollywood career as a writer on the sitcom “A Different World.” After other writing jobs, he eventually joined the cast of “Mad TV.” His movie credits include “The Replacements,” “Bedazzled,” “Double Take” and a small role in “Magnolia.”
DESKTOP: I actually have a computer that was built for me by a buddy. It’s a 1-gigahertz machine with a 40-gig hard drive. I wanted a personal computer that was really my personal computer. We went through all the things I wanted and then did it.
I wanted something that could be my regular computer, of course, but also manage the music system, work with my TV setup. It has a 50-inch flat screen and a wireless keyboard.
Q. It was easier to have a computer built than to buy one ready-made?
I just wanted to get what I needed, nothing much more or less. When people ask me about computers, I tell them, “Just buy what you need.” In many cases, there is no reason to throw out a perfectly good IBM or Mac just because it’s a few years old. If a computer does what you need it to do, there’s no reason to upgrade.
Q. Were you a techie as a kid?
It’s something my dad got me into. I started to program in BASIC in the seventh grade and I bought one of the first TRS-80 computers--those little computers from Radio Shack with a tiny screen you could hardly see. My first little program was one that allowed me to make music on the computer.
Eventually, technology started moving so fast it went past me, and then I couldn’t afford any of it. After college, when I began to make money, I started to catch up.
LAPTOP: I use a Macintosh G4 PowerBook.
Q. One of the new titanium models?
No, an older one. It does what I need, so why upgrade? I use it mostly for my writing and some e-mail.
Q. You take it with you when you travel?
Not so much because when I’m on the road I use a Motorola Timeport for wireless e-mail. It’s tiny, fits in my pocket and flips up when I want to use it. Very streamlined. It’s an updated version of Blackberry.
Q. Are you one of those people who can type out a message quickly with your thumbs?
I could be sending an e-mail while we were having this conversation on the phone and you wouldn’t know it. I wouldn’t want to send a three-page letter, but for a quick message and response, it’s very efficient.
BOOKMARKED SITES: I go on the Internet on occasion, just for information.
Q. You don’t surf the Net?
No. I work for a living.
CELL PHONE: I take it everywhere. I use a Motorola Timeport model for that too.
FAVORITE TECH TOY: I have to admit I love my PlayStation 2--the unit is plugged into my setup at home. I like to play “Oni” and “Ready 2 Rumble” boxing. The PS2 games are incredible.
HOME THEATER/STEREO SETUP: All tied into the home-built computer. The DVD is in there, and I keep a VCR because people send me tapes. I have Linn speakers everywhere.
I really care about audio quality. Any time you have something moving--like a spinning disc--there will be some level of distortion. This system is set up so that the disc player is used once as a loader to dump the information from the disc into the computer hard drive. Then the hard drive is used for playback.
When I’m in the car I can put the music in the order I want and burn a disc.
Q. You really keep up with all the latest audio advances.
Ten years ago I was really into tube amps because of the great sound. I might still have them, but you can’t use tube units near a digital screen--they will destroy it. And there have been advances in solid-state circuitry since then also.
One thing I did want when we were putting the whole setup together was something that was easy to use. I wanted it interfaced to the point where they would become one unit. I wanted there to be just one remote.
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--As told to DAVID COLKER
