Is your Android Outdated....Forever?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.