iMac or MacBook Pro?

I had a request come from my friend Kelly over at Sportscavelive.com  to write a post on an iMac vs a MacBook Pro.  I've been so busy with wedding plans that I am just now getting around to it.  I won't be long winded on this one.  I just want to share a few thoughts.

iMac 21.5" and 27"

• Quad Core Processor available in every model.  In other words, great performance, even in the $1199 21.5" iMac.  
• Fantastic screen.  Some people don't love the glossy screen but I love the iMac screen, ESPECIALLY the 27". This can double for great netflix, hulu, or iTunes movie parties when 1)Someone else is using the TV 2)You forgot to DVR a show and it is only available online 3)You want to watch it in your bedroom where the iMac is rather than the family room. 
• Reliable.  I don't have any stats or evidence in the slightest to prove which Mac is the most reliable but I'd vote the iMac.  My parents has been running almost every single day for 4 years and hasn't flinched.  Oh, actually, it froze once.  That my friends is awesome reliability.  Proof of the "It just works" philosophy.
• Can get a 2 TB hard drive in this bad boy.  Load up all the movies and music you want, gonna take a while to fill it up.  Well, unless you are torrenting Blu-Ray quality movies on a regular basis, then you may need a few extra external hard drives.
• Moving this thing for One to One lessons or pretty much any other reason is a pain. Not as big of a pain as a Mac Pro, but don't think you are going to be portable with an iMac. 

MacBook Pro 13"

• It is the most "bang for your buck" laptop in the store.  Now rocks a speedy dual core i5 and has a 500GB hard drive come standard.  This is the choice of the vast majority of students.  It will do pretty much everything you want your Mac to do except gaming.  It will not do well in this area.  Nor will the MacBook Air.  For gaming, look to the 15" MacBook Pro or the iMac.  Or get an Xbox. 

MacBook Pro 15"

• This thing screams.  It is very so fast that the performance gap between the iMac and the MacBook Pro(the real pro models that is. I personally don't think the 13" should be labeled pro but for some reason Apple tried pro-less name idea for 6 months before slapping that "pro" label on there.)
• Great for gaming due to a much improved graphics card. 
• Heavy and tends to run pricey for people on a tighter budget.
• This thing runs hot!  If you don't want to have any more kids, this may be a great option.  Could also double as a space heater.  It also can run loud.
• The battery life is going to drain faster than the 13" MBP or the MacBook Airs. 

MacBook Air 11" and 13"

• If you've been around me enough, you know I love the MacBook Air line.  
• I love SSD.  Solid state is a fantastic technology that will replace hard drives.  Unfortunately, this is taking a long time and is still very expensive.  It feels so much snappier than a hard drive.
• The screen resolution on the 13" is equal to the resolution on the 15" MBP.  In other words, it makes the 13" MBP screen look terrible.  
• Thing is light as feather and the battery is going to last a long time(as long as you aren't running flash). 
• If you are a media junky(you love music, movies, photos, etc) then you are going to run out of space on this thing.  Living off an internal that is too small and an external is possible, but it is not very comfortable.  This is the main reason I switched from my MacBook Air to my iMac.  If I was ever in school again, I would go MacBook Air.   
• If all you do is email, facebook, listen to music, etc, the MacBook Air is the way to go.  Or an iPad....but that will have to wait for another post.

Hope you enjoy my brief take on the current line up.  If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section. 

Applecare+: Reason enough to buy an iPhone

Let me recount a sad tale.

Nikki dropped her Samsung Droid Charge in the toilet about 2 weeks ago.  This phone cost her $200 when she purchased it new.  This $200 was a subsidized price.  Verizon gave her a discount, according to their site HERE, of $300.  This is how the cell phone market works here in the U.S.  Cell phone carriers love to give you a subsidy in order to get you locked into that nice 2 year contract.  However, they don't love to give it to you any sooner than they have to, which for most carriers, is between 18-24 months.  Ok, so back to the story.  Nikki's $499(retail price) phone is now dead.  What are her options?  Well, when she goes in to Verizon, they will kindly tell her that she is eligible for an upgrade in roughly 15 months and can get a discounted phone then. In the meantime, she can pay full retail price to buy a new Droid Charge.  They will happily sell her this phone for $499.  She will leave the store with a new phone and will now have invested $700 into her phone when we factor in the price of the phone she purchased 5 months ago.  This is the Samsung, LG, HTC, Blackberry, Motorola way.  If I am mistaken, please correct me in the comments.  Now let me explain the Apple way.

If you buy a 16GB iPhone 4S on a 2 year contract, the price of the phone is $199.  The full retail price of this phone is $649.  You receive a discount of $450.  You also have the option to add Applecare+, a $99 coverage plan of a two year duration.  Let's now investigate two scenarios had Nikki's situation occurred with an iPhone with and without Applecare+.

Without Applecare+

Nikki drops her 5 month old iPhone 4S in the toilet.  The phone is completely dead.  She schedules a genius bar appointment at the Apple store.  The store will give her two options.  She can pay $199 and receive a new iPhone 4S.  Now APPLE is giving her the $450 discount.  This will replace her phone and her warranty will continue until the end of the 1 year mark from the original purchase of her iPhone 4S. She has now invested $400 total.  Or she can purchase Applecare+ for $99 and she must pay iPhone replacement cost of $199.  However, as a kind gesture, Apple will discount the replacement phone cost by $50.  So she would pay $149 + $99 and now you have a new phone and coverage for 2 years from the original purchase date. She has now invested $450.

With Applecare+

Nikki would have paid $299 for her phone at time of purchase, this being the $199 cost of the phone and the $99 Applecare+.  Nikki drops her 5 month old iPhone 4S in the toilet.  The phone is completely dead and so she schedules an appoint at the Apple store.  She walks in, pays $49, and leaves with a new iPhone 4S.  She has now paid $350 total and is still covered for the 2 years from her original purchase date.

Luckily Nikki's sweet mother let her use her upgrade and we purchased Nikki a new iPhone 4S at the subsidized price and added Applecare+.  So, were the same fate to strike twice, we would fall into the third scenario listed here.

Lesson to be learned?  Buy an iPhone. 

Note:  I really hate the Verizon employees.  I don't hate them on a personal level but I hate them for talking Nikki out of the iPhone when she went to purchase one back in June.  She isn't the only one either.  I have heard from other people that AT&T employees have done the same thing.  Why would this happen?  Why would Apple's partner carriers talk people out of the iPhone, which, as we learned today, has a 96% satisfaction rate?  I have no idea.

Is your Android Outdated....Forever?

I've discussed problems with Android before.  This post is used, not to advocate the iPhone or any other device, but to simply point out a problem that currently exists with the existing Android model. There is a good chance that the Android phone you are buying is not running the current operating system the day you buy it and it may either take months or years to get updated or it may never get updated at all.  This may not matter to the average consumer, but it sure makes a difference to the more technically disposed group.  So, without any further ado, click The Understatement, Marco Arment, and Ben Brooks Review.

Why T-Mobile Doesn't Sell the iPhone

T-Mobile customers have been clamoring for the iPhone for over 4 years now.  We understand why T-Mobile didn't have the iPhone for the first 3 1/2 years.  That was due to an exclusive contract made between AT&T and Apple prior to the launch of the first generation iPhone in 2007.  However, that exclusivity ran out sometime around the end of last year/first of this year.  Almost immediately following the end of the exclusivity, Verizon held an event announcing a February launch of the iPhone 4 for Verizon.  6 days ago the iPhone 4S launched and became available on Sprint.  Now that 3 of the 4 big US Mobile carriers offer the iPhone, T-Mobile users are left asking the question, "Why not us?"

A few weeks ago, T-Mobile's Cole Broadman, sent a letter out to customers.  He said, "We’ve heard from many customers who love their T-Mobile service, but are disappointed that we don’t carry the iPhone. To these customers, first, thank you for your business.  Please know that we think the iPhone is a great device and Apple knows that we’d like to add it to our line-up. Today, there are over a million T-Mobile customers using unlocked iPhones on our network. We are interested in offering all of our customers a no-compromise iPhone experience on our network." So if T-Mobile wants to sell the iPhone, why would Apple not want to have a partnership with T-Mobile?  I truly don't think that Apple doesn't want T-Mobile to have the iPhone, it must have simply come down to contract negotiations.  Prior to the iPhone 4S launch, rumors asserted that Sprint paid a lot of money to get the iPhone 4S.  This may or may not be true but it's possible that T-Mobile may not have been willing to meet Apple's pricing terms or it may be holding out with hopes that the merger with AT&T will still occur.  With the Justice Department doing all they can to stop the merger, the likelihood is looking more bleak, but time will tell.  

Whether the issue is technical or contractual, we don't know with certainty.  However, if you are on T-Mobile, out of contract, and still not getting an iPhone, it shows that you really don't care to have an iPhone (or at least one that isn't jailbroken and unlocked, running on Edge speeds).  T-Mobile's network, pricing, and customer service may all be positives but none of those outweigh the benefit of owning an iPhone on a supported network.  I switched from T-Mobile to AT&T in 2008 in order to get the iPhone 3G and haven't regretted the decision once.  In my opinion, the device is more important than the carrier.  What's better, with the 3 largest US carriers offering the iPhone, you can now have the best of both worlds: a terrific phone and a terrific carrier. 

Buy an iPhone 4S?: It May Save Your Life!

Are your chances of living higher if you purchase an iPhone 4S?  Are your chances of inflicting injury or death upon another lower? How about survival chances if everyone were to start using an iPhone 4S?  I believe the answer is YES.  Here's why.

We are law breakers.  We bend rules.  We believe that we are invincible and we have a "it won't happen to me" mentality.  Utah law prohibits texting while driving.  I'm going to guess this also includes tweeting, searching for a restaurant, or setting a reminder to do something.  The problem is, we do it anyway.  If you do not, I am proud of you and applaud your dedication to the safety of yourself and others on the road.  However, the problem may not lie with you.  You may not text and drive but your neighbor may and she may end up causing a wreck because she wasn't paying attention to the road.  This could result in serious injury, loss of property, or premature death.  Now, what if you had convinced your neighbor to get an iPhone 4S?  Everything could have been different.  Very different....with Siri.

Siri is the new personal assistant built into every iPhone 4S.  Siri is voice recognition software that goes above and beyond almost all voice technology we have ever used before, especially in a cell phone.  Let me lay out a few scenrios for you.  Scenario A will be without an iPhone 4S and Scenario B will be with an iPhone 4S and the personal assistant Siri.

Scenario A

You are driving and you receive the text, "I love you" from your wife.  You pick up your phone to read the text.  You feel so good inside that she loves you that you have to respond right then to tell her that you love her too. The car in front of you stops suddenly and since you had taken your eyes off the road to text back, you rear end the car. 

Scenario B

You are driving and you receive the text, "I love you" from your wife.  You ask Siri to read the text message to you. You feel so good inside that she loves you.  You then speak to Siri telling her to send a text to your wife telling her that you love her too.  The car in front of you stops suddenly but you are prepared and hit your brakes to avoid a collision.

Scenario A

Your Boss calls and informs you of a meeting scheduled for Thursday at 2 PM.  You know that if you don't put the appointment in your phone right away that you will forget.  So you start putting the appointment in your calendar and run a red light, slamming into another car in the intersection.  

Scenario B

Your Boss calls and informs you of a meeting scheduled for Thursday at 2 PM.  You know that if you don't put the appointment in your phone right away that you will forget.  So rather than manually inputting the appointment, you tell Siri to book the appointment for you.  Siri happily does this and you are able to stop safely at the red light.

Scenario A
You are driving and need to call your brother-in law to let him know you snagged some free tickets to the Creed concert.  You realize that he is at work and will only be reachable at his office phone.  Naturally you don't have this number memorized and will need to flip through your address book to find his work number.  This causes you to take your eyes off the road and you end up side swiping the median on the freeway.

Scenario B
You are driving and need to call your brother-in law to let him know you snagged some free tickets to the Creed concert.  You realize that he is at work and will only be reachable at his office phone.  Of course you don't have this number memorized and so you ask Siri to call your brother-in law at his work number.  Siri dials and you continue on safely within the limits of your lane.

The temptation to take our eyes off the road has never been greater.  We have more distractions around us than ever before.  Siri makes a strong case for widespread adoption because Siri may not only save you time, she may save your life!

Twitter: What is this Twit Show?

There I sat in Business Management, on the verge of dozing off when the professor posed a question that made my ears perk up.  "Who in this class is on Twitter?"  The class was about 60 students in size and two hands went up in response to this question.  Those hands belonged to me and my friend Rachel.  That was it.  Later in the semester he asked the question "Who here shops at J.C. Penny?"  The result was nearly identical and that my friends is a sad gig.  So what is Twitter and why should you be on it? 

Definition

Twitter describes itself as, "a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"  This is true and my friends and I do use it for arranging plans, celebrating birthdays and other noteworthy successes, #realtalk, and sometimes for outright #horseplay.  Wait a second? What are those number signs doing there and why are there no spaces between real and talk, horse and play?  They are actually referred to as hash tags and well...alright, let's just jump right into this.  

On twitter you follow people.  My twitter name is @juicelake.  Check it out: 
www.twitter.com/juicelake .  If you want to mention me in a tweet, you would add the @ symbol to the front of my username, @juicelake.  You can also use #.  The # symbol is used to denote a subject, like #apple, #SLC, #superbowl.  These are used to basically apply a tag or subject to a tweet.  The use of hashtags makes it easier to search for specific topics.

Twitter as a news source

This is the main reason I love twitter.  I have a few things I'm passionate about: the Utes, technology, and cars.  Twitter allows me to "follow" these different topics.  I do this by following the individuals who tweet about these subjects the most.  You will surely be able to find people out there who are interested in the same things as you.  They may point out things you never knew, cite helpful sources, link to You Tube videos, or may even link a twit pic of their own doing on the subject. This is the news source on the personal level.  How about actual media outlets? 

If an avid fan isn't tweeting about something that you have interest in then you can go straight to the source.   But why go to websites of ESPN, CNN, Fox News, SL Trib, and the Des News in Safari when I can follow all these news sources on Twitter and get the same news in a more concise fashion, all in a central location?  Use twitter to get your news.  

Common Misconception

"I have nothing to say to the world so why would I join twitter?"  I have heard this line from many.  Let me put an analogy for you.  When you turn on the TV to watch the news at 10(I know only old people and the Alllsops actually do this anymore but act like you do), do you talk to the TV?  Do you have conversations with the anchors?  No, you surely don't.  You listen.  Same with twitter.  You listen.  You listen(read) your twitter "timeline."  But the great thing is, unlike talking to the TV, which is never rational, you can talk to twitter at any time you like. 

Twitter isn't a life long commitment.  Feel free to try it out.  Try and pair with someone who actually utilizes twitter in helping you find people to follow and then give it a chance.  Refresh that twitter timeline on a regular basis.  Also, take a chance and share something with the world!  Maybe we DO want to hear what you have to say.


Note: iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch launched yesterday.  Twitter integration is now part of the operating system so tweeting pics, videos, and text is easier than ever!

Facebook iPad App

Facebook iPad App!

Finally!  The iPad has been out for just over 18 months now and Facebook has finally released it's iPad app.  I've spent about 5 minutes with it and so far it is a great improvement over the options that were previously available, myPad or the standard facebook.com through Safari.  The new app feels like the iPad and that is what makes it so great.  The iPad is made for touch and we've come to love the way developers utilize the extra screen real estate for menus.  Looking at your Friends list is a lot more fun now, it looks more like a yearbook now.  And with Facebook close to releasing the new Timeline to the public, this makes sense.  If you use Facebook, run, don't walk, to the update!  Additionally, I must say, like many other tasks now, I will probably prefer the iPad Facebook experience to the computer Facebook experience.

Update: Here's the LINK to Facebook's iPad page and subsequent link to download the app from the App Store.

iPhone: Which Model Should You Choose?

Trying to decide which iPhone to buy?  Hope my breakdown below will help.

iPhone 3GS  Cost: Free on Contract

    8GB  Who: I believe the only people who should still be buying an iPhone 3GS are 1)Children under the age of 10 on family plans or 2)People who really don't care about cell phones but need a new phone and don't want to pay for it.  Other than that, everyone else, I believe, should be buying either the iPhone 4 or one of the iPhone 4S models.  Simply put, the iPhone 3GS is over 2 years old and in cell phone years, that's ancient.  It is underwhelming in almost every technical specification.  Is it better than some other cell phone alternatives on the market?  Yes, absolutely.  But don't shortchange yourself unless you truly have no money or simply don't care to do anything more than text and call and have a decent music player in your pocket.

iPhone 4  Cost: $99 on Contract

    8GB  Who: The difference is $100.  So if you don't plan on using the camera very often, storing lots of music on your iPhone, playing games, or saving time by using Siri, then I would recommend the iPhone 4 to you.  If you are basically getting an iPhone in order to Facetime with your kids and grand kids, text, and make phone calls, this is the best choice.  You will never really miss the new features(since, if you are like my parents, you wouldn't have utilized them anyway) and you will have saved $100.

iPhone 4S  Cost: $199, $299, $399 on Contract

    16GB  Who: Most people.  Those who have moderation in all things: They don't have hundreds of apps, don't shoot thousands of photos and video on a vacation, don't put their whole iTunes library on their iPhone, and don't want to spend over $200 on their phone.  I can't fault anyone for choosing this model.  It is the same size I chose for my iPad and so far I have been very happy.  As a Specialist, I will recommend this model more than any other iPhone option in the store.  However, would I choose the 16GB iPhone 4S?  No I would not.  Why?  Read on.

    32GB  Who:  People like me.  I love having enough space to breathe.  I hate having to worry about space on a regular basis.  I can manage that with my iPad because whatever doesn't fit on there, I put on my iPhone.  This works well since I'm never without my iPhone.  32GB is going to come in handy for the camera and video camera on the new iPhone 4S.  If you like shooting lots of video, you need to realize that 1080p video is huge and can eat through GB's of storage in a hurry.  So if you are going on vacation for a week or two and don't plan on syncing your iPhone, you are going to want this model.  It will also give you room for plenty of apps, music, and a few movies.  This is a great choice for those who can afford it and want to do more with their phones.

    64GB  Who:  The over-the-top people.  This is for the people who don't use a service like Rdio, Napster(now Rhapsody), or Spotify to "stream" rather than "store" their music.  These same people have thousands and thousands of songs in their iTunes library that they can't bear to be without.  They are the same people who are blowing up Instagram and shooting pictures of everything.  They are also shooting loads of video.  They are also the type to play the games that are big in storage size, like those from EA.  These are the same people who travel a lot and want to store lots of movies on their device for watching on the go.  Or they tend to buy their TV shows from iTunes rather than streaming them from Netflix.  If you have the coin, don't hesitate, snag a 64GB iPhone 4S.  You'll be at the top and let's be honest, it never hurts to have free space.

White or Black?  All personal preference.  I personally love black but I may snag a white one just to mix it up a bit.  White is bolder than black and will call more attention to your phone.  I also believe that color is the least important decision in choosing your new iPhone(after carrier, plan, and iPhone model) so don't get too hung up on it.

iPhone Carrier Comparison

iPhone 4S pre-orders started today(sometime around 12:20 AM here in Utah).  If you are nerdy, you probably stayed up late to order your new iPhone 4S as soon as the page went live.  If you value sleep and aren't uptight about your phone, you most likely haven't ordered yet.  PCMag.com posted a very helpful  comparison chart of the three carriers and what you can expect to pay with each.

So as you can see, the prices are not wildly different between carriers. Each one, however, will leave a gnarly hole in your bank account after two years.  Welcome to the Age of Convenience, the Age of Cell Phone Carriers Have Way Too Much Control, the Age of Get Used to High Prices For Technology. 

Let me break down for you what I know:

AT&T

AT&T, as a common consensus, tends to have the fastest 3G internet speeds.  This may not be true in every instance or comparison but overall it tends to be true. AT&T, may also be the cheapest option if minutes are still important to you.  This is why.  When you sign up for the 450 minute $39.99 plan and then add unlimited text messaging, you also receive unlimited cell phone to cell phone calling.  This gives you 450 land line minutes.  Who calls land lines anymore anyway?  450 should be plenty. AT&T also has a $15 data option that the other carriers don't have, which is sufficient for users who use very little data consumption, like my parents.  If, for example, my parents were on Verizon, they would both be paying double what they currently are paying for data and not reaping any significant benefits since it isn't something they need or use.  AT&T tends to have pretty solid coverage along the Wasatch Front and is a good option for a lot of people. Simultaneous Talk and Surf exists.

Sprint

Sprint is the newest carrier to obtain access to the iPhone.  This is a big deal for Sprint.  In fact, had they stayed out of the iPhone game, it could have been devastating for the company.  Sprint is currently offering unlimited data on the iPhone, something both AT&T and Verizon once offered but have since gone away from.  As a user who is still grandfathered in to unlimited data on AT&T, I can say two things about it.  1)You probably don't need it.  Almost ALL users will be fine with 2GB of data.  I myself, am a heavy user, and have only gone over 2GB a few times. 2)With that being said, it is also really nice not having to every worry about data usage.  If I want to stream TV to my phone while away from a WiFi network, I can.  If I want to stream music from Rdio or Podcasts from Instacast while driving to work and back everyday, I can without worrying about my data consumption.  So with Sprint you get all the data you want, however, reports are saying that Sprint's 3G speeds are the slowest of the three carriers.  I personally cannot confirm or deny that claim.  As for coverage, Sprint appears to have even greater coverage than AT&T, at least here in Utah.  Sprint may not be a bad way to go. Simultaneous Talk and Surf does not work. 

Verizon

In regards to customer satisfaction and quality of network coverage, the usual consensus tends to give Verizon the advantage.  On a road trip from SLC to Las Vegas, I was in and out of 3G coverage whereas those in the vehicle with Verizon had more consistent data coverage.  Verizon tends to have a very solid voice network and great coverage here in Utah.  Rural area coverage is usually the best of the three as well.  Verizon tends to be the most expensive, getting less minutes and data for your dollar.  However, you may save money compared to AT&T if you only text occasionally, since Verizon offers tiered texting plans.  Verizon has the same Talk and Surf limitation that Sprint does.  If you are on a call and want to look up something online, you will have to be connected to WiFi or end the voice call.  AT&T is the only one of the group that allows you to do both.  This may or may not be an important feature to you.  Verizon is a great choice for many people. 

Is there a perfect carrier?  Most definitely not.  I really tend to dislike the cell phone companies.  They, unlike Apple, really aren't focused on customer experience.  They do however really want your money.  They also want to lock you in for life.  2 Year contracts bite but result in a savings of $450 on the cost of your iPhone.  That $450 is incentive enough for most people to make the commitment.  

Feel free to post any insight you may have in the comments section. 

Note: Family plans are not mentioned in the comparison chart nor discussed here in the post however they will almost always save you money over personal plans.  If you are on a family plan, it makes it more of a challenge to switch carriers since each phone may have a different contract termination date.  If you are starting new, configure away on AT&T, Sprint, Verizon to determine the best price for your family plan.

2nd Note: Sprint and Verizon both use CDMA technology whereas AT&T uses GSM.  GSM has come to be the international standard.   However, the new iPhone 4S is a "World Phone" so a Verizon iPhone 4S will be able to roam internationally now.  GSM phones use SIM cards, CDMA phones do not.

3rd Note: I will be posting later on which iPhone model to choose.

UPDATE: Engadget just launched a great article on this same topic.  Even better price breakdowns.  Check it here on Engadget! 

Choose To Be Remembered

I just spent the last few minutes reading quotes about the passing of Steve Jobs from prominent individuals in society such as Tim Cook, President Obama, Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, etc.  It caused a little emotion to well up inside me.  As I read the remarks about Steve, I thought about the incredible impact one person can have in this world.  We are so small and yet so capable of amazing things.  It is pretty crazy to ask yourself questions like, "What if Steve Jobs hadn't been born?" or "What if Steve Jobs hadn't returned to Apple in the 90's?"  What would we be using to talk to each other?  What would we use for a computer?  Where would I be sitting right now rather than the Apple Store?  Steve took the talents he was given and he made something happen.  He was a brilliant businessman and inventor.  The incredible thing is that we all have something to give to the world.  We can all contribute.  We may not be as known as Steve Jobs but we can bless the lives of other individuals in a way only we could.  So ask yourself, "What would the world be like without me?"  Realize your worth and potential and strive for the top.  By so doing, you too may be remembered by millions.  And if it isn't millions, it will surely be hundreds.  The number is insignificant.  What is significant are the lives you will change and legacy you will leave.  

Steve, we thank you.

The man truly changed the world.  Thank you Steve. 

Apple: Offend No One! Part 2

Yesterday I wrote a piece regarding the iPhone 4 and why Apple did what they did.  It touched briefly on the disappointment many are feeling from the fact that Apple didn't release an iPhone 5.  I have since found a number of good articles that I would like to point to.  

Marco Arment states, "Would as many people be disappointed if Apple had released the same device but called it the iPhone 5?"  Interesting point.  You should read his whole post HERE. 

Daniel Indiviglio also stated, "As far as I can tell, most of the dismay at the release of the iPhone 4s stems from pure semantics. People are mad that an iPhone 5 wasn't released -- but they can provide few examples of what they expected from an iPhone 5, that the iPhone 4s is lacking, other than its having a different name."  He expounds a little more than Marco does and his post can be found HERE. 

I agree with Daniel in the fact that of course we would love 4G and many of us would also really like a 3.7" or 4" screen.  Those would be great features but we can't "throw the baby out with the bath water." Should this iPhone have been released in June? I think so. Nevertheless, No phone is perfect but this is going to be a fantastic phone that translates to real day to day benefits.  Besides, if Apple had released a 4G 4" iPhone 5 yesterday, what would they release next year that would woo the masses?  People's "disappointment" would have simply been postponed a year.

Apple: Offend No One!

I am in the middle of an interesting conversation with my great friend and tech buddy Zach Holmquist.  What else would we be discussing today other than the iPhone 4S.  So I'm getting the vibe that most people were "expecting more."  What would I define that more as meaning?  Different external design.  First we should understand why so many people had such an expectation?  The answer is that Apple, rather than releasing the iPhone 4S in June, released it in October and thus a delay of roughly 3 months lead many to believe "big things" were in store.  So the big question is why did Apple not change the design and was it the right decision?

Customer happiness is all based on perception.  To try and best explain this, I'm going to do a list of bullet point scenarios.

• I bought the iPhone 4 on launch day in June of 2010.  How do I feel about the launch of the new iPhone 4S?  Great!  Why?  If I choose to upgrade, it will give me some great new features.  If I choose to stay with my iPhone 4, I also feel great because it isn't "that different."
• I bought the iPhone 4 on Verizon when it launched earlier this year.  Would I have been upset if a completely redesigned iPhone had launched today, a mere 3, 5, or 7 from my date of purchase? You bet! I would have an OLD, USELESS, OUTDATED iPhone 4.  How do I feel now that i know the iPhone 4S looks the same and "isn't that different"?  Great!
• I don't want to spend $200 on a phone because, ya know, technology really isn't that important to me.  But my RAZR flip phone just broke and I need a new phone.  Oh, I can get an iPhone 4 for only $99? How do I feel?  Great!  "I feel even better since I know it looks JUST LIKE that brand new expensive iPhone 4S that my son in law just bought."(Zach Holmquist)
• I want an iPhone but why would I spend so much on an iPhone when there are Droids for less money?  Wait, there is an iPhone 4 for only $99 that looks JUST LIKE the iPhone 4S?  Oh, I want that! It's probably pretty much the same for only half the price!

Hopefully this 4 bullet points have helped point out the amazing genius that Apple is.  You are always going to make some people upset.  Yes, there were those in the camp pining for a thinner, bigger screened iPhone 5.  But they have managed to release a fantastic updated product that will sell millions and all the while keeping everyone happy.  They have also managed, as Zach put it, leveled the playing field for a BIG release next year. Well done Apple, you un-offending company you. 

Note: If you still really want a thinner iPhone, come into the store sometime and hold the iPod touch up to your ear for at least 5 minutes.  I'm guessing it will start to feel uncomfortable after about 1 minute.  Too thin, the edges feel sharp.  Also, you thought a lot of people dropped the iPhone 4?  Give them something thinner and then we'll see a serious increase in dropped and damaged iPhones.  

short skates

i can feel a cough
a deep stunted struggling
inside my chest, filling up my throat
like an animal, caged and dangerous
ready to ignite this fuse, explode

like a sail boat with no sails
no wind to push me
no ruder left to steer me
no stars to guide me
no one to hear me
no life vest to save me

a face on a light post
enabling the entertainers
startling the suspects
angering the innocent
propagating paranoia
rioting the rebellious
all to solve a problem

let me hold your hand
grasp just tight enough
to ensure i'm here
to run away forever
through sunflower fields
and shady groves
to reach that new beginning
where the grass has no fear

Chapter 5

The van sped down highway 4. Annie tried to open her eyes but they felt heavy, as if her eyelids had become small weights. She could hear rapid talking from the front of the van and a somewhat inconsistent breathing from someone near her in the back. Her head was spinning and she felt sick; mostly from the throbbing she felt at the base of her skull. The van continued bouncing along and each bump seemed to jolt her in the most uncomfortable way. She tried to make out what the men were saying but she couldn't maintain consciousness and passed out again. Annie woke with a thud that sent a pain through her back. She had been pulled by her feet out of the van and landed squarely on her back on a hard floor. She opened her eyes and was nearly blinded by the intense light from above her.

"Don't hurt her you imbecile."

"Sorry Sir."

"Annie? Annie can you hear me? Wake up dear."

She opened her eyes just enough to see a face about 3 inches from her own.

She struggled for words. "Who are you?"

It became apparent to the man standing above her that she was struggling to open her eyes.

"Turn off those bloody lights already, he barked."

The lights were dimmed almost immediately and Annie was able to blink a few times and finally fully open her eyes. Her eyes took a moment to focus and once they did she saw a man standing above her, apparently the one in charge and barking the commands. She recognized him. He had a somewhat round face with dark eyebrows and hair. She knew she had seem him somewhere but couldn't remember where. She started going through every dark corner of her brain in hopes that the memory would put a name with the face she was now seeing. However, her mental exercise was interrupted.

"Annie, you know why you are here right? Your husband, Jack, has something very important to us. The technology he invented belongs to us but he doesn't seem to believe that. You see, he is trying to maintain involvement for the next 18 months and that simply can't be allowed. He is also holding back a key portion of the code that we need. We really didn't want to have to do it this way but this is a sticky situation and my hands are tied. Things are turning desperate. And you know what they say about desperate times right?

He laughed to himself. A very obnoxious loud laugh.

"So thanks for coming with us Annie. Don't worry one bit....we feel confident that Jack will do the right thing. Smile!"

The man pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of her. When he moved the phone away she got another look at him and she nearly lost her breath. She recognized him as one who had sat at the same table as her and David at a special dinner they had attended in DC. She didn't want to believe it but she was pretty confident that there, standing over her, was the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense.

The Contract - Chapter 4

If you haven't read chapters 1-3 yet, please start HERE.

Chapter 4

As David approached the house, he noticed that the garage door was open. So was the front door. This became even more alarming when David realized that he couldn't see a single light on inside the house. He quickly jogged up the steps to the front door. His eyes had pretty well adjusted to the darkness from the walk. He saw that the coffee table was overturned and the lamp was broken to pieces all over the carpet. David's heart began beating quickly as he stepped toward the light switch. Nothing. He swore again. This time it was barely audible due to the fear that was gripping around his mind like a vice grip. He ran into the kitchen and noticed the stove was still on high and a pot of stew was boiling over onto the range top and down the front of the oven. He quickly turned the burner off, somehow managing to not burn his hand in the process. Then he saw something that made his stomach churn. He couldn't contain it and barely turned in time to throw up all over the kitchen sink. There on the counter, barely visible through the moonlight coming through the sliding back doors, were strewn the internal remains of some sort of animal. David was able to regain composure, retrieve a flashlight from the pantry, and return to the disturbing site. He saw a piece of paper sticking out from the mess. He gingerly reached for it and turned the paper over. Then he read the words that for 17 years he had feared would one day resurface. "Hi Jack, we found you."

Okay readers, I need your help. I want you to suggest in the comments what you think should come next. Who is Jack and what is going on here?

Month of Concerts

This month has been the month of concerts.

And boy has it been great.

The month started out with Mr. Mat Kearney himself.

I have blogged about Mat Kearney before. Click HERE to enjoy that post.

This was the second time I have seen Mat in concert at In the Venue.

Tragically, he didn't headline this show. Those honors went to Owl City.

Mat killed it. I cried when he played his last song of the night.

He will be back(hopefully) on his Young Love tour later this year or early next year.

I will be there.

Note: Associates in crime: Mr. Ben Barlow, Sarah Fennemore, Sam and Chelsea Lake.

Concert number 2 of the month was The Decemberists who performed at Pioneer Park

as one of the Twilight Series Concerts.

There were 36,000 people there. So not many.

Lots of pot being smoked.

But the music was awesome. And the price was great. FREE!

Partner in Crime: The beautiful Ms. Hattie Nicole Gardner.

Concert Number 3.

KATY PERRY!

I knew that this concert was going to be great. I hoped for amazing.

It was epic.

Blew past every expectation I had and more.

Became the definition of entertainment.

The lights, the music, the dancing, the dresses, the decor.

Unreal.

Katy is sexy and she killed it.

Partner in Crime: Mr. Benjamin Barlow. Or @argentino15

Month of Conerts: A Raging Success!

Benjamin

This is Benjamin Spencer Lake.

He is the closet thing to Spiderman a 5 year old can come.

Watch out.

Need to be Needed

My eyes were still stinging. I cupped my hands over my face and breathed in deeply. When exhaling, I tried to push the air between the slits in my fingers. I could probably fall asleep like this, my elbows on the table. I could fall asleep in most any position actually. Noise? Light? Not a problem. I slouched down again in my chair, letting my head hang uncomfortably over the back of the chair. This put a strain on my neck that let me know I was still feeling something. I had sunk into a boredom so deep that even the things I wanted to do were now sleep inducing. This whole sleep thing, it wasn't because of insomnia or even going to bed at extremely late hours. I think it was a result of not being pushed. I had started to feel worthless, not needed, unmotivated. This wasn't my fault. Not entirely. Sure, I could rummage through some tutorial somewhere on some computer related topic but once again, this would be just another sleep inducing activity. Maybe we should just refer to these as SIA's in the future. I like that. But what do you think, should we leave the apostrophe?

I wasn't desiring something to do on a scale between good and better. I was aspiring to do something that would make me feel needed. You know, that necessary human emotion we all long for. Just like love or success or happiness, it feels good to be needed. Like the time when you see a group of men carrying something heavy from a moving truck into a home, like an upright piano, and you are able to lend a hand to prevent the piano from falling. Even if they don't utter the phrase, "good thing you were there" you will still feel a sense of accomplishment. You feel glad that you were needed.

I had at times been needed but I wanted to play a bigger role; Get my hands involved in more assignments. More participation surely will lead to more knowledge and more knowledge will prompt promotion. No one wants to stay the bottom rung on a ladder. It should be noted however that pushing to be needed can be a risky thing. Realistically you shouldn't have to try and be needed. You just are. The egg whites aren't begging to be added to that birthday cake, they just are. They provide that yummy light texture we all desire and so naturally an experienced baker would be crazy to omit them from the ingredient list.

This brings me to a point of questioning: What areas do I shine in that would make it easy to be needed? This is not something I'm great at. You know, the whole idea of pinning down my strengths. That's one reason I don't love interviews. That ever so common question, "So tell me your strengths." Of course I can't blame an employer for asking it but it makes me flirt with the line between bragging and digging. Digging to find something I can highlight. This small piece written here was an exercise. An exercise to both keep me awake and to test my brain to see if it was still functioning, cable or writing a sort of oratory. Almost a dialogue with oneself. I don't know, you tell me, was it successful?

Pessimistic Unbelieving

At some point you gotta realize that the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist

That there is no white unicorn

Never going to be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

Stop searching for the Easter Bunny in the trees

Don't worry about cleaning the chimney, no Santa

Dido for those leprechauns in nasty green suspenders

Will never stumble upon a Sasquatch or Loch-Ness Monster

Those flying saucers called UFOs are bogus hokey-pokey

And nearly naked arrow shooting Cupids are a figment of fantasy

Dreams are dreams and only live for so long in this realm of reality

So elusive that they too must be put down; an often painful death

On the other side

On the other side

Sometimes I think you are crazy

Sometimes I am crazy

I want to get out

Break free, unleash

Let the rules slip away, melt like hoarfrost

So that I can begin this journey

Into the horizon

With the windows down

So the wind will blow my hair, make me squint

Put my sunglasses on and drive

Forever

To you

This is how I express myself

A double backflip

Having the Newest, Fastest, Greatest: A Problem with Android and Consumer Satisfaction

"If Android tablet releases are as fast as Android phone releases, I'm going to shoot myself." - from This is my next podcast, 6/18/11.

So what is he talking about? He is talking about the constant onslaught of new Android based phones being produced and released by cell phone manufacturers. This list includes: Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Acer, Dell, etc. Unlike Apple, who only sells two iPhones at a time (the previous generation at a discounted price and the current generation), these manufacturers are releasing new Android based phones at a blistering rate. So why does this matter and isn't this a good thing?

There is something that has always been inherent in the nerds and geeks of the world: A desire to have the newest, latest, and greatest. This desire has also existed in the wealthy. And upper class. OK, and probably middle class. Now....it exists within pretty much everyone.

Satisfaction is based on perception. If you think you got the best cell phone, even if it isn't, you will probably be satisfied and content. So when someone walks into a T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon store, they are going to listen to what the 21 year old kid working there and what has to say. And he, most likely, will try and sell them on the newest, latest, greatest, best phone. That way when the customer leaves, they leave feeling content. This is good.

But what happens when the user sees a billboard, an ad on Google, or a commercial on TV advertising a bigger, faster, brighter, slimmer, smarter phone? How do they feel if this happens 1 week, 1 month, or 5 months later? The problem is, that person has signed a 2 year agreement to use that phone. Of course, the customer can buy a different phone at any time but without the subsidized pricing, that phone will most likely cost around $500-$700. Not a chunk of coin most people are willing to part with when, if they wait, they can get a new phone in 2 years for somewhere between $100-$300.

So if pushing out new phones on such a fast track can be a bad thing for consumers and their satisfaction level, can it also be a good thing for consumers? Of course. The intense competition that currently exists in the mobile arena is forcing better innovation and better products. I'm all about having newer technologies, faster processors, thinner phones, higher resolution screens, etc. My question is simply this?: If you know you are going to release a phone in 4 months with y, y, y, y specs, then why release an inferior phone tomorrow with x, x, x, x, and x specs? HTC does this constantly. Pushing out phones for the sake of pushing out phones. HTC is turning great profits and so maybe this isn't a bad business model. I just happen to prefer Apple's business model. So what does Apple do differently?

For the past four years, starting in the summer of 2007, Apple has released a new iPhone. We are 2 days away from the one year anniversary of the iPhone 4 release and we have yet to hear a peep from Apple about a new iPhone. This year may or may not follow the same trend as previous years. Regardless, at this point it looks like Apple isn't dipping below the 11-12 month release cycle on the iPhone. I like this. This is comforting to me. When I purchased my iPhone 4 a year ago, I knew that I was buying the very best Apple phone available....for an entire year. You don't get that kind of security with Motorola. You buy the Droid X today and soon the Droid 2 is out. Or the Droid Pro. Or the Bionic. Now how do you feel about that phone you bought just a mere period previous?

Apple is consistent. And this is reassuring. It is also nice knowing that Apple puts ALL of their effort into ONE phone and tries to release a phone as close to perfection as possible. If Apple believes there is a feature that belongs in a phone, it will be in the iPhone you buy. So even if you buy your iPhone later, say 8 months after the initial release date, you are still getting a phone loaded with amazing features and incredible software. They don't have model A with certain features and model B lacking those features but having others. Such a situation is confusing and stressful for consumers.

As consumers, sometimes we think we loves lots of choices. Sometimes lots of choices are good. Sometimes they are not. An example, and I don't have the book in front of me so I'm paraphrasing rather than quoting, comes from Malcom Gladwell's best seller Blink. It it, he gives a real example of a Jam seller at a fair. When the jam seller had just two choices, Raspberry and Strawberry, the seller sold more jams than when they had 15 different jams and jellys. Why? It was easier for the consumer to make a decision quickly, feel confident in their decision, and move on.

So do you need to buy an iPhone in order to get a good phone? No. Just do your research. If you are going to buy an Android phone, talk to others who have one and ask them what they like and dislike about their phone. Make sure there isn't a new amazing Android phone coming out a week after you buy yours. If you are going to buy an iPhone, just understand Apple's product cycle. There are obviously a lot of factors that go into when you can buy a phone so here is a pretty good article that Benjamin Brooks just wrote on the subject. LINK.

This article may lead one to believe I hate Android and love iOS (Apple's Operating System that is used on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). This is not true. This article doesn't even touch upon the pros and cons of the operating system itself, it is simply an article about hardware, something that Google(Android) has little control over. This article is intended to focus simply on the fast moving mobile market and the way it affect's a consumer's buying experience and later, use perception. I will write an article later on how I feel about the current OS options available for mobile devices.

Notes:

1)This article doesn't touch upon a lot of different aspects. Those including cost factors, carrier limitations, OS preference, Android fragmentation, and other issues. These may be touched upon in future articles.

2)Everything written in this or any post on The Juicebox is strictly my opinion and is not the opinion of anyone else. I do not have access to any information that isn't publicly available to others.

Lexus IS 350

I approached anxiously. Tragically the car hadn't been washed and sat covered in dirt from the week's previous rain storm. Yet it still, despite the water spots, shined its beauty. Wrapped in Smoky Granite, it wasn't hard to catch the tight lines that start at the headlights and lead you gracefully back to the trunk. I climbed in, immediately engulfed in black leather and Bird's Eye Maple. I pushed the start button and the car roared to life. I pulled the door closed with a thud and buckled up. This wasn't a lazy boy like my current car, where space abounds and you are lead to believe you are driving on pillows rather than tires. This car was tight. Snug. It was form fitting, like a custom tailored Armani suit. In fact, it was like a young, reckless boxer in an Armani suit.

I eased out of the parking lot so as to not call attention to myself or invoke concern in the salesman's heart. That was the last time I gently eased into the accelerator. I headed for the freeway. I dropped the hammer and the acceleration was immediate. Instant Gratification. Thankfully the 300 horsepower was being pushed to the rear wheels and the power felt harnessed and controlled, unlike that in a Mazdaspeed 3. Later, I took a corner hard and fast, one that would have had the Vehicle Skid Control beeping and screaming at me in the GS 300. Here it felt I was driving on rails. Overly impressed. If the gas light and my good conscience hadn't played their cards I could have spent hours paddling my way to speeds normally reserved for empty interstates. Lexus, known far more for luxury than sport, has a winner on their hands. As one who has lusted over the Infiniti G35/G37 for a decade now, I didn't believe my heart could be won over easily. However , the IS 350 accomplished that in just under 6 seconds.

Jailbreaking: Part 1 of the iPhone Series

iOS jailbreaking is a process that allows devices running Apple's iOS (also known as iPhone OS prior to iOS 4.0) operating system (such as the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and recently Apple TV) to gain full access (root access) to unlock all features of the said operating system, thereby removing limitations imposed by Apple. Once jailbroken, iOS users are able to download additional applications, extensions and themes that are unavailable through the official Apple App Store, via installers such asCydia, one of a number of current means for older iPhones.

That's the definition I found on Wikipedia. This process has been around since the original iPhone that launched in 2007. After some colleagues raved about how great their iPhones were with the jailbreak, I decided to give it a go.

Once my iPhone was jailbroken, I installed LockInfo and BiteSMS. Besides those changes, I didn't mess with too much more.

Result: After about a week, I wanted to go back to the original iPhone OS, sans jailbreak. The reasons are as follows:

1. Jailbreaking did add some nice features that are currently lacking in iOS 4.3.3. Notably, notifications. The notification system on the iPhone is terrible. It was OK for 2007/2008 but it has worn out its welcome. Lockinfo accomplished this by putting the notifications on the lock screen as well as a pull down menu from the top of the screen. However, I found it to be a bit unpolished. It truly felt like someone in their parents basement had created it rather than a group of engineers at Apple.

2. BiteSMS gave me the ability to respond to a text without going into the actual Messages app. This was handy on occasion but I found that if I received multiple messages in a short period of time, this functionality was limited and ended up being redundant to the official Messages app.

3. The phone became SO slow. I love the iPhone 4 for how fast it is. It is quick! The jailbreak slowed the phone down and it was noticeable. People say they love jailbreaking because "you can do so much more!" To me, it felt like buying a sports coupe and then putting a luggage rack and off-road tires on it so I could "do so much more." In the process, I lost the whole reason I loved the car in the first place: To drive fast!

Trying to restore my phone and "unjailbreak" it was also less than ideal. I ran into hiccups that eventually lead me to force my phone into restore mode and then upgrade to iOS 4.3.3.

Lesson: I like how Apple does things. They don't do everything perfect and they don't have every feature. There will always be features that are missing from iOS. But that is because they don't just push out features to push out features. What they do offer "just works." (See Benjamin Brooks article on it "Just Works" HERE. They refine and polish the features of the phone and OS and then do a release. That is why Apple just announced the new notification system for iOS 5. They recognized a need, resolved it, and will be releasing it this Fall. The main reason I jailbroke my phone in the first place just went away.

adj.

It all happened so quickly, like a cloud burst out of the sky

The connection, the intrigue, the rush, the love, the move

Through miles, connections, videos, texts, letters, and calls

Plans, progress, a visit, a failure, a success, a visit, a success, a failure

Lost hope, quitting, giving up, throwing in the towel, not caring

More progression, committed, connected, converted, completed

Reaching out to you, trying, texting, calling, connecting, waiting

Hurting, wondering, lacking, slacking, struggling, and quitting

Reached out only to be rejected, attacked, offended, disconnected

Shut off, deleted, removed, separated, distanced, shunned, done

Then an update, a tweet, dozens, confirmed, pained, saddened

Shaken, stirred, ruined, distraught, wishing, hoping, wanting, wondering

Let me Speak

I have so many thoughts going through my head.

I want my new iMac to arrive.
I think I need to go to the Dominican Republic but I may have to wait till September.
I'd also like to do humanitarian work there.
I'm amazed at how some people I've known for so long remain true, stalwart friends. Others, on the other hand, are terrible at friendship.
Sometimes I wish life could be as simple as it was before 2007.
I'm so tired of cold weather.
I feel sometimes like I'm trapped.
I wish I was living in Virginia again. Or maybe somewhere in the dirty south.
I wish Connecticut was located where Nevada is.
I think food poisoning is absolutely terrible.
My nieces and nephews all live too far away. June will probably be the best month of the year in terms of fixing that. Even if it is just temporarily for some.
I want to go to Europe this summer but flights to Sweden are expensive. And I'm not sure I want to go alone.
I like Real Soccer. I love Utah football.
Twitter is something I enjoy using everyday.
I have little patience.
The Spanish language is a great thing.
I don't really care if anyone reads this.
I want a dog. A mini goldendoodle to be exact. Problem is, I'd never be home to take care of it.

I wish twitterfeed worked properly when posting to facebook and twitter.

I'd like to take Front Runner to work but Front Runner doesn't go to Draper. Not yet.

I wish my phone wasn't ringing with a problem from a user right now.

The Contract - Chapter 3

David stood there, staring at the overpriced cheese puffs at the Sinclair convenience store. He had a weak spot for chips and in an attempt to "fix" this unhealthy habit, Annie always made him pay at the pump with a credit card when they were together. However, when he filled up on the way home, he never missed a chance to come inside to buy a few bags of the "Scorchin Hot Sauce Cheese Puffs". David glanced at his watch. 7:32. Wow, he was running later then he had realized. He grabbed a bag and went to the register. The total came $54.73. Months ago, the number would have made him slightly nauseous. Now, knowing the status of his bank account, he smiled at the Sinclair employee and headed to the car. He hung the gas pump back up, crinkled up the receipt that dangled from the printer, and climbed into his Volvo. Knowing the time, he knew he better call Annie and let her know that he was nearly home. He reached for his phone on the front seat and his hand came up empty. He turned on the overhead light and looked around. David was sure he had been tossed his phone onto the passenger seat when he climbed into the car leaving the office. He fumbled around, wedging his hand between the center console and the seat. Nothing. He leaned over the front seat and peered under. Still no sign of his phone. Leaning back in his seat, he let out a big sigh and turned the key. He felt confident that he would have better luck looking when he got back to the house. He pulled out onto Highway 41 and speed toward home.

David thought back on his recent accomplishments. He was overly excited and appreciative in regards to his newfound fortune. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake a bad feeling about Grant Verneer. He and Grant had started the cellular encryption process together 3 years ago. Grant had been the one to pose the idea as well as fund the project. David had simply been the "brains" that made the project move. He was always amazed that whenever he asked Grant for additional funds, he was never denied. As more progress was made, Grant became more lavish with his money and had no intention of hiding it. The peculiar thing was that, although Grant seemed to be getting richer with the day, the project had yet to produce so much as a dime in profit. The funds were originally obtained through an Angel Investor out of Santa Monica California. A guy named Craig Lawrence, one of the few lucky beneficiaries from the dot com bubble. However, paying Grant or David had not been part of the original funding agreement. David had become suspicious that Grant was filtering funds from the project into his personal bank account. His obnoxious way of living, filled with women and alcohol, cars and vacations, was starting to wear on David. This coupled with the secrecy of how Grant was able to maintain such a lifestyle finally caused David to push Grant for answers. It had been on a Thursday morning over coffee. Grant responded with the same response he always gave, "David, you know my grandfather left me in great shape. If you need more money for the project, just let me know. Don't worry about the trivial matters of my personal life" David pried further which resulted in Grant cursing at him, causing a scene in the coffee shop, and taking off. Since that day, Grant had been around very little. Although he wasn't exactly missed, his absence was somewhat alarming to David.

David was approaching White Pine Drive when a large SUV came screeching around the corner. David jerked the steering wheel to the right and was able to avoid a head on collision but slammed into the curb as a result. There was a loud pop sound and it was quickly apparent that the impact caused an explosion in the front right tire. David threw the car in park and cursed repeatedly at the lunatic driver who David could see in his rear view mirror disappearing into the darkness. There were only 5 houses on White Pine Drive and he was determined to find out which of those neighbors was associated with this driver. David reached into his pocket for his phone to ring Annie and only then remembered it was missing. David reached back into the car and turned the engine off. He then locked the car and headed down the street to his house. He knew it was better to get home and let Annie know the situation rather then spending another 20 minutes trying to replace the popped tire. Little did David know that the SUV that nearly killed him moments before was also carrying his unconscious wife in the back seat.

The Contract - Chapter 2

Annie's hand stopped just as her fingers touched the phone. She froze. The cacophony that had just filled the room stopped just as abruptly as it had all started. Goosebumps surfaced all over her body. She gasped for air and realized she had forgot to breathe. She let her hand grasp the cell phone and then fumbled in an attempt to dial David. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Her throat went tight as she heard the call answered to the sound of a low breathing on the other end of the call. "David!", she screamed into the phone. The breathing stopped. "David where are you!?" Then she heard a snap, like the sound of a branch breaking from a tree after an ice storm. She not only heard the sound in the phone but she heard it emanate through the room. It came from the bottom of the stairs. She tried to think but she felt like a fog had just settled in over her mind. She stumbled backward against the counter and reached for some sort of weapon to wield in self defense. She grabbed the potato masher she had been using for the dinner. She flung it across the room toward the stair well. Somehow, despite her trembling arm, she managed to land the masher in the stairwell where it bounced down the wood stairs before reaching the bottom. Annie turned and found the closest knife, a 8 inch flat bladed knife she had used to dice the carrots.

She slouched to the floor, using the counter top and surrounding cabinets as a barrier between her and the stairwell. She sat there for what felt like days but in reality was probably no more then 10 minutes. During those 10 minutes the only sound she heard was her own heart beating in her chest. What if David was injured? Was he being held hostage? What if he was lying on the driveway bleeding to death? Panic surged through her body and she realized she had to move. She had to find David. She started crawling through the kitchen toward the living room at the front of the house, hoping to get a view of the driveway from the bay windows. Her heart told her to run to the windows but her brain forced her to a slow crawl. She neared the hallway where she finally stood up, back flat against the kitchen wall. She peered around the corner and nothing appeared out of place. She started down the hall and had just reached the living room when the lights behind her went off. She swirled around and before she could see what was happening felt a blow to the side of her head. She didn't know what had hit her but an excruciating pain shot through her ear and down her neck. The blow caused her to stumble and her one foot caught the edge of the step into the living room and she fell backward onto the antique coffee table. Two of the table legs snapped upon impact and the table toppled over, flinging her helpless body into the base of the sofa. Blood was now running down the side of her face from the blow to the head and she tried to regain her feet to retreat but was overcome from behind by a strong arm that wrapped around her shoulders, pressing tightly into her neck. Then the tip of a needle sank into her shoulder, just above the clavicle. It felt like warm syrup had been injected into her skin and she couldn't think. Annie's world went dark.

The Contract

Annie pulled her hand back quickly. She nearly let out an expletive but had made it a new years resolution to clean up her rough tongue, something she had learned from her coal mining father. The water heater in the house was the original when the house was built in the 1930's. It worked extremely well, too well in moments like this when warm water would be preferable over scalding hot water. Annie rinsed her hands for a minute in the cold water and then dried them on the front of her apron. She looked out the window above the sink and could see the lighthouse in the distance.

Being a girl from North Dakota, she often wondered how she had ended up in Maine. Sometimes she felt like a stranger here in New England, despite having left North Dakota over 18 years ago. It wasn't that she held a particular fondness for that flat and uninspiring state, it was simply "home". Her parents along with 2 of her 3 brother still lived on the family property near Mercer. She glanced at the clock. It was 7:18 and David should have been home by now. He usually called when he was passing the Sinclair but tonight he hadn't phoned. The Shepherd's Pie was just about done, the cheese turning a golden brown around the edges. It smelled comforting and she was proud of herself for not allowing their recent wealth to make her lazy and order out every night. David had begun work 3 years previous on a device that would allow voice encryption over cell towers at an impressive 512k. The government was informed and took interest in the chip. This led to a formal invitation to present in D.C. and after 2 weeks of negotiations, David sold the technology to the Department of Defense for 12 million dollars. The contract required David to stay involved in the transition and implementation of the technology for the ensuing 18 months. After which, David would be free and had promised to take her to Europe for the summer.

She had dreamed of floating down the canals of Venice and watching a firework show at the Eiffel Tower. It would be very unique to vacation together, just the two of them, and not have a single worry about money. She had always been so frugal, mostly a result of her low income upbringing, and now she didn't have to worry. She heard the old automatic garage door open and was relieved that David was home. She started toward the stairs to the garage when she heard her cell phone ringing from the counter. She headed back to answer it when the home phone rang. Almost instantaneously the door bell rang and a knock came at the back door. Then the sound from the garage door opening suddenly stopped. Annie froze and chills shot up her spine. Something very wrong was happening at 2564 White Pine Drive. She reached for her cell phone and as soon as she did everything went silent.