Will an Apple watch find its way onto your wrist? I share a few thoughts on the matter.

Here are my current thoughts on a rumored "iWatch" device. 

1. NAME. They may use the iPod name and brand. Apple currently sells the iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod shuffle. Maybe this new device will be called the iPod wrist, iPod watch, etc. The iPod is iconic, familiar, and relatable. With so many customers having owned an iPod, buying another "iPod" would feel like an obvious and exciting next step. By using the iPod name, Apple may be able to avoid a lot of the negative sentiments surrounding wearables, with many describing devices like Google Glass and Samsung Gear as ridiculous, unnecessary, bulky, and creepy.
2.  SHAPE. I think a square or rectangle shaped watch makes more sense from a functional standpoint. However, I think a round faced device makes more sense from a fashion standpoint. The biggest issue I see is size. If you go too small, it becomes hard to see and use. You also face a battery issue. Obviously the bigger the device, the larger the battery can be. A large battery is crucial for a device like this, because you need it to last *AT LEAST* a day, ideally longer. However, if you go too big, you face a potentially bigger problem: alienating small wrists. Men and women alike can have small wrists but as a general rule, this is more of a female characteristic. I can assure you, Apple is not OK creating a device that is so big, bulky, and manly that they lose the female customer. 
3. MODELS. So this poses, what I believe, is the biggest question: Can Apple (or anyone) make a wearable device that appeals to both genders? They've done this with the iPhone but a smart watch that you slip into your pocket or purse is a completely different animal from something you wear. I'm not going to claim that it can't be done, this is, after all, Apple. But let's just say that it can't be done, at least not with technology (screen and battery limitations) that is currently available, does Apple make two models? Even though it makes sense to make a male/female version, it may not make sense in the first version. This could be something that makes more sense with time, just like Apple has done in the past with the iPad, MacBook Air, and iPod. 
4. APPEAL. Women + iPhone in Purse = Perfect target customer for a watch. Being able to receive and respond to texts, get quick information like weather, calendar events, etc. without having to dig through a purse for a phone would be really convenient. It may even allow people to reach their parents and grandparents, who still find a way to "leave their phone in the other room." 
5. COST. It is going to cost more than you think. It is very rare that Apple releases a new product and your thought is "wow, that's really cheap." So don't expect a $200 Apple wearable device. My bet is $299-$349. 
6. HEALTH. There has been a lot of speculation that a device of this kind would be a fitness tracker. And I have to agree. I think it is the reason they introduced the new Health app. We'll see. 
7. BEATS. I don't see Beats playing too big of a role in the first generation model, since the acquisition hasn't even happened yet. Obviously Apple has been big on colors for a long time, dating back to the old colorful iMacs, so they don't NEED Beats in order to introduce a wide array of color options. I think Apple will play it a little safe when it comes to colors (black, white, gold), but I could be wrong. I do think they will rely heavily on Beats tactics for making the device cool. If they can get big names to wear it, it will go a long way in more general public acceptance of such a device.
8. TIDBITS. I see this as a device that will be cool in its first iteration, but one that will be a much better product in a year or two. This sounds kind of like a stupid statement, since tech tends to get better with time. But with a product like this, you can learn a lot from designing and testing it in a lab. But you learn a whole lot more watching the world use it and provide feedback.

*I do not think it will be called the iWatch. 

iMessage: Broken and Filling up your iCloud Backups

When texting on the iPhone, your text bubbles are either blue or green. Green denotes SMS and is used when texting any phone but an iPhone. Blue means the message is an iMessage and is sent over the internet to another iPhone, iPod, iPad, or Mac. iMessage debuted in 2011 and was great. It featured visual typing cues, read notifications, and overall, a more reliable method of messaging compared to SMS.

Fast forward to 2014 where Messaging services are now all the rage. Recently Whatsapp was sold to Facebook for 19 Billion. In addition to the new acquisition, Facebook has made a push with Messenger, Google has been reworking Hangouts, and Snapchat is raging in popularity.

Meanwhile, back on iMessage, we've got some problems that are in need of immediate attention. With WWDC less than a month away, we can only hope Apple is ready to show improvements to the iMessage platform—one that is starting to show its age.

My main beef with iMessage has to do with its interaction with iCloud. iCloud is the free service (5GB is free, after that it is quite expensive) most iOS users take advantage of to sync content and create backups of their devices. The problem is how iOS, and more specifically iMessage, stores messages. Every photo, video, and text received is stored locally on the device. The iPhone then automatically backs up iMessage to iCloud. There is no option to exclude iMessage from backing up or to just back up certain messages. This isn't a problem if you delete message threads on a regular basis, but if you like to keep messages for reference, blackmail, or nostalgia, you are going to run into a problem.

My iPhone no longer backs up to iCloud because there isn't enough free space and I have not upgraded to a priced storage plan. I looked at usage stats and my messages was taking up 2.7GB of storage on my device and thus 2.7GB of my 5GB iCloud allotment. Granted this is because I wasn't deleting message threads, but should I really have to? I don't delete Google Hangout threads nor do I have to worry about them.

So how can it be fixed?

• Ideally, Apple would give users an option to auto save media received in iMessage. 
• Another great feature would be the ability to view just the media in a thread without having to scroll through the entire text conversation to find old photos. 
• And finally, add an auto-archive option that would archive (or delete) message conversations after a specific amount of time has passed, i.e. a month. 

There are other things that need to change in iMessage, like the ability to leave a group conversation and the ability to create groups in Contacts. Additionally, Apple needs to lower the price on iCloud storage to be more in line with other services like Google and Dropbox.

Here's to hoping Apple takes what was great in 2011 and makes it terrific in 2014.

Note: I think Photo management is an even bigger problem than messages but that is for another post, another day. 

How to be in a relationship, own Apple products, and share an Apple ID.

Below is a Couple's Guide to Sharing an Apple ID.

I've had to explain this same process at least 4 times over the holidays to family so I decided to write a tutorial on how to share an Apple ID within a household. I will do my best to explain it as succinctly and clearly as possible. I will use a made up couple to demonstrate the situation.

Jack and Jane, happily married for 5 years.

In the household they have an iPhone 5s, an iPhone 5, an iPad Mini, and two MacBook Airs.

Jack needs his OWN personal iCloud account. Jane ALSO needs her OWN personal iCloud account.

To confirm that this is the case, we will take Jack's iPhone 5 and go to Settings>iCloud. At the top it will say Account and then show his ID.  His happens to be jackrocks4ever@icloud.com.

You will repeat the process on Jane's phone to confirm she also has her own iCloud account. Her iCloud address happens to be janerules4life@gmail.com.

NOTE: An iCloud account can end in @icloud.com, @me.com, @gmail.com, @hotmail.com, etc. It doesn't matter. It is simply whatever account you created when iCloud came out or it is the Apple ID you already were using when iCloud came out. (Also know that @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com are all aliases.)

Jane will log in to iCloud on her Mac and Jack will log in to his iCloud on his Mac. But what about the iPad?

Sharing an iPad doesn't work very well. In my household, my wife is logged into iCloud on the iPad. As a result, the calendars, contacts, and messages are all hers. Sadly there is no way yet to have multiple iCloud accounts on one iOS device.

OK, now lets talk about the part that confuses many people. If you are a couple that doesn't love paying for things twice, I highly recommend that you share an Apple ID for the App Store, iBooks, and iTunes. Doing so will save you a lot of money in the long run.

It doesn't matter which Apple ID you use but pick one and then NEVER change. I'm serious about never. Everything you buy is associated with that Apple ID, so if you buy music, TV shows, movies, and apps, those will forever be associated with that Apple ID.

In the case of Jack and Jane, Jack bought his first iPod in 2007 and created the following Apple ID at that time: Jack1984@gmail.com. He has been buying movies and music ever since. Jane got her first iPhone this fall. So, the family is going to use jack1984@gmail.com for purchases.

Let me repeat: jack1984@gmail.com  IS THE APPLE ID THE FAMILY AKA BOTH JANE AND JACK WILL NOW BOTH USE.

So, on Jack's iPhone, we will go to Settings>iTunes and App Store and then confirm that it says Jack1984@gmail.com.

Note: Jack has two separate Apple ID's on his phone. For iCloud he is using jackrocks4ever@icloud.com and for the stores he is using jack1984@gmail.com.  Let me just quickly point out that if Jack had purchased his first apple product last year and created his apple ID as jackrocks4ever@icloud.com, he could use that for his apple store purchases as well. It is not a problem that he has a different ID for iCloud than he does for the ID he uses in the stores.

Now, back to Jane's phone. Go to Settings>iTunes and App Store and then NOW PAY ATTENTION, you will want to log in using jack1984@gmail.com. In fact, you are going to make sure that on both computers in the Mac App Store and iTunes, you are logged in to jack1984@gmail.com.

On the iPad, you will also login as jack1984@gmail.com.

So to reiterate, if you are jack and jane, you will forever use jack1984@gmail.com for all purchases regardless of whether or not you are Jack OR Jane.

Now for some FAQ.

Q:I'm Jack and I don't want to tell Jane the password to the Apple ID jack1984@gmail.com. What should I do?
A: If you don't trust Jane with your password, your marriage will probably not work out very well anyway.

Q: I'm Jane and I too have had an Apple ID since 2007. What if I don't want to give up my Apple ID? I've purchased lots of music and apps too.
A: This makes the situation tricky indeed. However, in my opinion, if you plan on being married for the rest of your mortal lives, I think it is best to cut your losses and move forward. Because, in this situation, you only have two options. Either keep your separate ID's and thus keep the barrier between sharing apps, music, movies, books, and TV shows you purchase. Or you give up your Apple ID and start sharing going forward, only having to buy content ONE time.

Q: We both have Apple IDs with purchases? Who should switch over to the other person's Apple ID?
A: Use whichever Apple ID has the most purchases of value associated with it. If Jane has more, use Jane's.

Q: We have a 13 year old. What should we do about their iPod?
A: I have no idea. No, but seriously, that is an age where this decision becomes tough. You may want to cut them off and have them get their own Apple ID. It does, however, make it so they can't share any purchases you buy but it prevents them from knowing your Apple ID password and potentially running up high charges. Granted you could keep your password a secret from the child but at age 13, they are going to want to download snapchat when they want and not wait for you to type in the password for them.

Q: Can't I just log in and out of different Apple IDs in the app store on my iPhone?
A: No, you cannot. You can only change once every 90 days. So make sure you DECIDE definitively before you do make the decision and log out and then log in. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4627

Q: How many devices can I have associated with one Apple ID?
A: 10. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4627  So if you happen to be an Apple junky and have LOTS of devices, you are going to run into a pickle eventually.

Q: Is it honest to share?
A: Apple says you can have 10 devices associated with an Apple ID. We would assume that they are saying 10 devices belonging to one person. So, in my family, I believe all the devices "belong to me." Or they could very well all belong "to my wife." So if you believe in this sort of living, where nothing is truly his or hers, then yes, it is honest.

If you have any further questions, swing by an Apple store or ask me for clarification in the comments. Best of luck to you!

Note: If you are wealthy, you may not want to share. If you don't ever plan on buying anything from Apple, you also may not want to share.

Anxious for a new iPhone? Here are my September iPhone predictions.

We are all anxious to see what Apple has in store for us this fall. Rumors have been rampant about a new iPhone that will be more affordable and use a plastic back rather than the current aluminum and glass found on the iPhone 5. With that being said, here is what I predict: 

I think there will be an event on the 17th of September that will announce two new iPhones. I think the iPhones will be available for preorder starting on the 20th, and in store the 27th(maybe the 4th).  

1. The iPhone 5C. Not sure if it will be called this or not but that is what current rumors are speculating. It will be a 16GB model and come in 5, maybe 6 colors. It will basically be the same internals as the current iPhone 5 but in a plastic body. That means, the A6 processor, 8 Megapixel camera, bluetooth 4.0, LTE, and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi(no ac). The phone will retail for $449(free on contract).

2. Apple will keep the current iPhone 5 but drop the price $100, ditch the 32 and 64GB models, and continue selling a 16GB(There is the possibility that Apple makes the iPhone only available in 32GB in order to give someone more reason than just the aluminum back to pay the $99 premium over the color iPhone). The iPhone 5 will be sold for $549 ($99 on contract).

3. Apple will introduce an iPhone 5S. It will look the same as the current iPhone 5 but will have a faster chip, probably an A7, will have an improved camera(not necessarily a megapixel increase, but definitely other improvements), NFC, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, and some sort of distinguishing feature. Rumors are that this feature will be a finger print sensor. I'm not 100% convinced that this will happen but I do think at this point that is the best bet. The 5S will continue to be sold in black and white, in 16, 32, and 64GB models, and prices will be $649, $749, and $849 ($199, $299, $399 on contract).

The color iPhones will be very attractive to a lot of people, especially in order to save $200. However, Apple is definitely going to do things to the 5S that will make you pine for it, almost anxious for them to take the additional $200 out or your pocket. The 5S is going to be one snappy bugger and it will be great with iOS 7. Oh, and as for iOS 7, I think it will be released sometime between the 20th and 26th of September. 

So if you are at the end of your life with your current iPhone, hang tight for 2 months and you'll have the chance to get it replaced. 

iOS in the Car - "Very Important"

I wrote a piece called The Awful State of Infotainment Systems here on my site. Yesterday, at Apple's quarterly earnings, Tim Cook was asked about iOS in the Car and its importance in the Apple ecosystem. He responded that it is "Very Important." This is music to my ears! Knowing that Apple is concerned about the in car experience is the first important step in overhauling an absolutely terrible experience that currently exists. Next, we have to pray that the automakers get on board. Honda, Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Infiniti, Ferrari, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo, Opel and Jaguar are all listed as participating automakers but time will tell whether or not they actually put screens in their cars that can take advantage of iOS in the Car. My fingers are crossed. 

*Note: I really want the new Mazda 3 Hatchback but Mazda is sadly not on this list. Come on Mazda, get your act together. You, of all automakers, needs some serious help with your in car entertainment and navigation offerings. 

It's almost here: Apple Event

The invites are out.  The banners are up.  Travel arrangements have been made by media personnel, most of which will be arriving in San Fransisco today.  The rumors have been swirling for months: larger screen, LTE, aluminum unibody, new dock connector, headphone port relocation, thinner, and a few others.  The world, specifically the tech world, has been like anxious kids in December, the ones who can't help but inspect the gifts under the Christmas tree, lifting them in the air, shaking them, and trying to pry through a loosely wrapped corner.  If a new part could be obtained, it would, and the images would circulate the web at alarming speeds.  There have been blog posts written with full hardware design analysis, debate on whether NFC would make it, and a plethora of other speculations. The most interesting thing of all?  The only thing Apple has said was this:  It's almost here with the number 12 and a shadow of the number 5.

It is a marvel of our day that so much effort, so much thought, so much debate and wonder goes into a product that had, up until a week ago, never been confirmed by the actual maker.  Some expect the iPhone to turn the world on it's head.  That happened in 2007 and I think those days of sheer revolution have given way to a consistent pattern of evolution.  The nice thing about tomorrow is that the rumors will fade into the past and we will have concrete details on a real product. One thing you can be sure of; regardless of what Apple announces, many will say Apple nailed it and others will say Apple's new iPhone is a letdown.  This will always happen with Apple.  As the most successful tech company in the world they are under a strong microscope of scrutiny.

Things are getting exciting in the smartphone realm.  The market is indeed competitive with Android finally becoming a real competitor with Jelly Bean and Microsoft about to attempt a strong push with Windows Phone 8.  The iPhone is no longer the only good phone available but one thing I can put my money on for tomorrow: It will be the best iPhone Apple has ever made.




One more thing:  I really think that the first manufacturer to make a really good companion product to their smartphone will have a very unique selling point.  I am referring to an iPod Nano type product, one that you can wear on your wrist, one that uses bluetooth 4.0 and allows you to read your tweets, text messages, see who is calling, change the song playing on your iPhone, and more.  This would make tomorrow really exciting!  Here's to hoping!

Smartphone Apps

Marco Arment is right on with his last post titled Might upgrade to the paid version someday.  If you use a smartphone, I recommend that you read the post.  Here is my favorite part:

It’s a very common user mindset: they tolerate a lot of limitations, ads, and nags to avoid paying. It’s not that they’re cheap, per se: they just really don’t believe that apps are worth paying for, and they feel cheated or defeated if they end up needing to pay for one.²

I have definitely met a lot of people who fall into this category.  I don't think less of them.  It comes back to my philosophy that everyone has their favorite things in life and those tend to be the things that they spend their money on.  Buying a $200 smartphone and then paying somewhere between $70-$110 a month for service but being unwilling to pay for apps is like buying an expensive refrigerator, paying to run it all month long, but being unwilling to buy food to put in it.

I enjoy apps.  I think they add value to both my phone and my life.  Some people feel the same way about gardening, washing their car, buying new clothes, dying their hair, dining out, traveling, donating, etc.  To each their own.

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.

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!

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.