To iPhone or not to iPhone, that is the question...

Hey All,

I was hoping you could help me out with a quandary I find myself in. As you all know, the next iteration of the god phone is upon us once again and once again I have managed to beat a piece of kit to death right before hand (my g1 ipod touch). Now I love the iPhone, loved having one back in the day but now I am left with this problem, should I get another one? Is 70 dollars a month, $840 per year worth it? The iPod already does many of the things the iPhone does, but lacks a few critical things (I am betting it will finally get some of them here in sep when gen 3 comes out). Alright, there is Elite Force I would like to be playing so lets cut to the quick. Here is my situation now.

1. I have a corporate Blackberry 8820.... it sucks BIG time but does make calls (if you sift through enough pointless, slow menus to get to that stage)
2. I have an AT&T wireless card which I think is still unlimited 3G (unlike the poor saps that now have a 5 gig cap)
3. I have the already mentioned beaten up ipod which miraculously still works

When I first got the BB and let my wife have my iphone I hoped that the ipod would be all I needed to work with the Rim device. It has been... irritating. I WANT SPEAKERS! I WANT VOLUME CONTROL! I WANT SKYPE TO WORK! All of these things now work on the new ipod (will still be waiting for the third gen though so it has the new chipset). The one thing really lacking though on top of these already fixed problems is, even if I have skype and speakers and stuffs when i am not at home (where I would just use one of my computers anyways) its somewhat difficult to stay connected (yes i am an internet junky and yes this does mean shakes when i am away from my twitters for too long).

Now there are two solutions to this problem as I see it. Get a 3GS iPhone and rock out with its eternal life. Plan 2?

See HERE and HERE and HERE

Pogues post on the mifi got me thinking about the idea of mobile hotspots and low and behold, someone makes one that uses someones existant USB stick. If you read the articles above I think you could have a really good idea what this gadget does. This would allow me to not only have my skype on my ipod, but allow anyone of my friends to have wifi around me as well. There would be no extra $840 dollars to spend (can anyone say new jeep tires right there?) and combined with even the already existent updates to the iPod touch I will probably be a happy man. I am thinking that when i have everything set in its little case I shouldn't ever need to remove any of it. With the car charger just toss it in and go. From the time I am off work to home I am connected, any where i go with a car i am connected. When i do want to go to a restaurant i use the cases caribeaner and take internet (fast internet) with me anywhere (my wife can use the faster connection with you iphone gen 1 if she wants to as well).

The downside, something else to carry and charge (though it can charge off a usb as well as wall wart which is nice) and I still might not have features like gps on the next ipod (sounds like camera is almost a done thing by now though).

So what are your opinions? Are there things I have not thought of here? Do you think that carrying the hotspot around will drive me nutters? Post your comments and let me know what you think. I would appreciate it.

2 Hours in the life of a Mac Fanboy(s)

What?!? You say this is just a reused picture of the last iPhone instead of the 3GS?

Prove me wrong. ;)

As I am sure all of you are aware, Apple spotlighted new Macbooks, new OS and new iPhones all at its opening keynote for the WWDC conference. While I might feel compelled later to expound in length upon some of the designs there in I thought it might be better to view an IM convo I had with a fellow nerd boy DURING the show. If you download the show and skip to 1:35 into it you will have a side by side commentary of amazingness. It will ALMOST be like you were one of the few, the proud, the elite, the people who shelled out 800 bucks a ticket to sit in a small, stuffy room. To see the video go HERE and read on Dear Readers =).

One more thing, no dissing our spelling =P. It was intense out there. You had to be there (or watching a live blog as we were) to truly understand the magnitude of the affairs at the event. Just take our comments as the rarified godlike gifts of wisdom they are and move on =).

NOTE: I lied, I did speal some at the bottom. Have fun.

12:35 PM

me: wwdc? =)

are you watching Aybara.

Perrin: I am

12:36 PM

me: lol, me too

doesnt sound like os 3 will be out today let allone a new iphone

Perrin: yeah

me: poop

teh stuff on the macbooks and snow leopard r cool tho

Perrin: yeah

12:37 PM

snow leopard looks very cool

and the price is most definitely right

me: yeppers

windows 7, meet snow leopard... .its still half as much as u ;)

Perrin: lol

did you notice that family packs of licenses are only $49?

me: and its actually been optomized

Perrin: I don't know how many that will be

12:38 PM

like 4?

me: how many times do you see an OS lose 6 gigs in ugly fat?

Perrin: oh man

I can't wait

me: 5 are in family packs

Perrin: yeah?

me: yes

least thats how iworks family pack is that ive got

Perrin: cool

12:39 PM

I'd be down for going in on one

I think between all of us, that's what, $10/comp?

me: lol

somethig like that

12:40 PM

gosh dangit... get on with it people...

no more demos

Perrin: I know

me: we get teh idea.... you can plug things into it now

Perrin: lol

me: you can buy new crap for games

these are not hard concepts

12:41 PM

stop keeping me waiting so i can get back to work =P

Perrin: lol

have they mentioned when the new iphone is shipping?

me: isgh.... theres only 15 minutes left

nope

i dont know if they even will at this point

Perrin: sigh

12:42 PM

me: seconded

thank the light

Perrin: lol

me: they are done with demos

Perrin: indeed

june 17

me: ah... here it comes

12:43 PM

19th will be iphone 3gs

wait for it...

Perrin: a friday?

me: wait for it....

5 bucks on steve walking on stage

12:44 PM

Perrin: oh, I'll bet he will

for 'one more thing'

me: (Crosses fingers)

come on phil... spit it out

Perrin: lol

12:45 PM

me: which one are u watching? ars

?

Perrin: yeah

me: lol

yay for being mac fanboys

Perrin: indeed

me: we KNOW IT OWNS THE BLOODY MOBILE NET!!!!

12:46 PM

if i have to see one more chart of that...

Perrin: seriously

lol

me: dont care....

WOOT!!!!!

Perrin: lol

S is for speed!

12:47 PM

me: ur face is for speed...

12:48 PM

they love that nyt site dont they?

Perrin: yeah

they sure do

I was just thinking that

me: nice, 15 secs is good

Perrin: for sure

me: opengl!?!?!

glad i waited....

12:49 PM

what type of camera

this new writer sucks

Perrin: yeah

there it is

me: there... useful info

Perrin: the last was 2.0Mp

?

me: yes

with no autofocus

Perrin: oh wow

cool

12:50 PM

me: lol, tap to focus was real

?

i was kinda figuring that was photoshopped shot

Perrin: lol

me: supirsed steve didnt present this

Perrin: yeah

me: dang it, he is nt allowed to die

12:51 PM

Perrin: no. no he isn't

me: well, all the rumers have been tru so far

12:52 PM

glad they kept chrome bezzel

Perrin: yeah

me: ok... agian, its video... move on

12:53 PM

oooo... straight upload to youtuve

handy

Perrin: for sure

me: i like how you can remote wipe them now

Perrin: that's really cool

me: native voice =), excellent

12:54 PM

lol, if you werent in socorro i would have a special viewing of the actual event tonight

Perrin: aww

that would be awesome

me: its amazing what having a faster processor lets one do isnt it?

Perrin: lol, indeed

12:55 PM

me: lol, it talks back

this thing is more powerful than most netbooks at this point

Perrin: yeah

it's ridiculous

12:56 PM

me: lol, and its an 8th the size?

glad apple is staying out of that mess

Perrin: no kidding

me: with something like this they dont need to

12:57 PM

nike+ excellent

thoguht that was stupid having to have two ipods

Perrin: yeah

me: hardware encryptions =) this should shut the sandia idiot police up

Perrin: lol

12:58 PM

wow

me: 9 hours wifi will be nice

Perrin: yeah

me: wonder if thats n

Perrin: not sure

me: don't care

screw the planet

Perrin: lol

but they have to appease all the hippies

12:59 PM

no 'one more thing'?

me: huh... they are leaving tech specs out

Perrin: that is weird

they spent a long time on 3.0 demos

me: memory change?

Perrin: yeah

and when are they ditching at&t?

me: same price

now when

ah, now that is bigger

1:00 PM

lol, you can have verizon Perrin, im sticking with att

Perrin: lol

me: granted they wont give me tethering which makes me want to scream...

at least if i didnt already have a 3G data card =)

lol

Perrin: ooh, a 3g for $99

1:01 PM

me: looks like they arent matt black

now that one i kinda figured would happen

Perrin: lol

me: BOOYAH!

called it =)

19th baby

but wait....

NO!!!!!!!!!!

1:02 PM

im going to be at grand canyon!!!!

Perrin: oh noes!

me: how can i wait in line and sell iburger!?!?!?!

DANGIT!!!!

i sad =(

1:03 PM

:'(

1:04 PM

sigh....

1:05 PM

and it looks like it is over

Perrin: i guess so

sad steve didn't make an appearance

me: yeah...

Perrin: I'm guessing they didn't upgrade the itouch?

me: great, now they will prob sell out by the time i get back to abq

Perrin: except for the availability of 3.0

me: itouch will be a couple months i bet

Perrin: when do you get back?

1:06 PM

me: 21st

Perrin: ah

me: will be in teh boonies

1:07 PM

sigh...

Perrin: sorry, guy

1:08 PM

if I were picking one up, I'd pick one up for you

me: lol

no worries

1:11 PM

lol, people are getting fiesty

Perrin: ??

me: the comments are coming in

Perrin: ah, lol

me: what did you like most?

1:12 PM

Perrin: honestly, I liked snow leopard. it's trim, it has a lot going, and the price is fantastic

even without the family pack

me: indeed

gotta say, long run that should help allot

the 3gs is going to still be king over other "smart" phones

Perrin: oh yeah

me: but just cause the 3g its built on still is

1:13 PM

this is what happens with competition

no*

theres no real drive for apple to be too speedy with stuff

Perrin: yeah

1:15 PM

me: still, i want a faster one so i will wait

1:16 PM

and it STILL is way ahead of teh competition

Perrin: indeed

1:20 PM

me: well, back to work

take it easy Guy

Perrin: you too

You know, in hind site, outside of the Apple induced euphoria, I have to say meh to the new iPhone. It could have been so much more. Nevertheless, I still stick by the statement I made above, it will still be king of the smart phones. Unlike MS or BB, it will have way more apps and actually work most of the time in an intuitive fashion. Even with the same casing it will still make my BB look like the ugly, clunky, useless brick it is. Its web crawling, email, and lack of background apps (yes i am a weirdo who has had the BB try to do this, and fail miserably, for years). So glad Apple stayed out of that quagmire. You see, its just hard to be hard on Apple (no sexual connotation their you sickos ;) for a lack of innovation in this model. They took what they had and made it subtly better. The thing is that the old one is still kicking butt and taking names against near sets today. How can I smack Apple for improving AT ALL if their old tech still shines against competition? I can't, nor can I blame Apple for using the comfy cushion of superiority that they have due to over 2 YEARS of failures by other companies to produce even a comparable product, let alone a better one (yes I know there is a storm, I know there is a pre, I know there are generic LG's; I have at least used the storm... it sucks, there is no where near the dev support for the others so even if they don't suck there aren't apps for them which means they STILL suck). Its hard to have a race when your team is the only one with two legs.

At the end of the day though, to use a slightly modified XKCDism.

"The Macbook is just a laptop, Snow Leopard is just an OS, the 3GS is just a phone... what the hell is wrong with us?!?"

"Fortunately these thoughts subside quickly..."

Though I would like a comfy superiority cushion of my own...

Gmail is Dead (take two, thanks Pages)

Alright, it might seem a little bit silly to start out a posting of this title for everyones favorite email service but I do actually believe this may be the case. See HERE for Googles official introduction to the new service Wave that it will be bringing out shortly. Additionally, if you have time on your hands (like me when I am avoiding other work ;) go HERE to get a nearly 1.5 hour long speal on how amazing this product is. The crazy thing is, I think they may be on to something.

Wave was created by the two Scandinavian lads (from australia) that brought us google maps (lars and hans or something like that). The idea behind the service is, what would our communications look like if we did not base them on 40 year old email and IM technology (scary to think that both have been around for so long).

Anyone who has had had to email multiple people at work or for school know how frustrating it can be to email 10 people at once, add another person to the list later, respond to different emails sent back to them. In one day at work I can have 40 some emails jostling about for one subject while I try to do something stellarly fun like set up a meeting or something (this is all made even more fun by using Microsoft Entourage or Outlook depending on the poison I feel like atm). Ad a couple of IM convos to the mix for the same meeting and everyone can get really really nice and confused after what is going on. Wave puts a well timed end to this.

Rather than send countless emails with the copies of old emails merged into them google keeps EVERY part of a convo on its serve as one WAVE. This can include email type, IM, Picture sharing, blog sharing, google doc sharing/editing. Its all there and it is all in a hierarchal list form that lets everything appear seamlessly in relationship to each other. One can even go back and respond to different parts of an email, its posted real time and other viewers of the wave can see a playback version of the conversation from start to present. Really this is hard to describe and I recommend watching the first 20 minutes of googles video to just begin to appreciate the real possibilities that exist here.

It might at first be slightly limited as I am assuming everyone will have to be on google to do it but the cool kids that I keep company with all have accounts. So I do not see this as a problem. Why will this KILL gmail though you ask? Simple, html5. For the last several months I have been primarily using mobile me to access my email, contacts etc from abroad. Now this service, as numerous writers have pointed out before has some serious limitations however, the way I seamlessly mimics a desktop environment is stunning. With the same drag and drop interactions from a new google architecture (certain to be at least more function than mobile me was when it started) and you begin to see why this will really change the playing field over gmail. These wave conversations are real time and i mean real time. You literally see each word as the other person writes it, you literally see the thumbnails for pictures as they are dropped into it etc. It is like working with a google doc under collaboration, but in the real time capacity that it should have had from teh start. And now, everything you do will be one fluid exchange of information between yourself and others. This really will change the game now that google has the user base to allow people to switch over almost immediately with their friends and coworkers. I am assuming some form of legacy email will be integrated into it for dealing with "other people" (not the cool kids).

I have just been surprised that, after talking to several of my friends it has become apparent to me that not very many of them know what is coming later this year when it is released and I wanted to get this out there for them to see and plan. You may have noticed that this is posted again to google Blogger. That is because I see where Wave will integrate into that in the next couple of months and I must say it is tempting. That combined with google backing this up every 30 seconds really has me beholding to them atm =). I really hate typing things out again and if this means i don't have to do that then al the better. Not sure what will happen to Matrims Secret Bunker but I will keep you informed. So yes, sorry for all the repeat articles that are going to pop into your RSS feed reader.