The 2013 Honda Civic

If you read my blog you already know that I have had plenty of gripes with Honda lately.  I just saw this article today and thought it was interesting.  I'm curious to see the changes they make for 2013.  If this article is accurate, looks like we will be seeing those changes very shortly.

2013 Honda Civic Update

Hyundai Genesis and the new 2013 Honda Accord

Remember my  post about the Kia Optima and the VW Passat?  Here is one of the Hyundai Genesis, initially released in 2008 and the newly released Honda Accord.

What do you think?  Did Honda pull a VW and head to the Korean automakers for some design cues?

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!

Instagram 3.0 and Photomap

Instagram is cool.  It has grown like a weed on some sort of magical fertilizer.  It boasts a user base of over 40 million.  That is no small number, especially for an app started by two guys less than 2 years ago.  Instagram has been so successful it was purchased by Facebook for 1 billion dollars.  The full acquisition is not complete, so anything still happening with the app is strictly Instagram influenced.  A few days ago Instagram launched a significant update to the app.  The biggest change is the inclusion of a new feature photomap.  The feature shows you on a map where all of your photos were taken.  This is a cool feature, one that has existed in iPhoto on the Mac for a few years now.  The difference here is that it isn't just about seeing where YOUR photos were taken, you can see where EVERYONE'S photos were taken.  Now, let's talk for a brief moment about privacy paranoia.  I wouldn't consider myself very paranoid online, I share a lot of information about myself through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and my blog.  I like to assume positive intent from those around me(a philosophy encouraged at Apple).  Most people are not creeps and most people aren't malicious.  Tragically, that is most and not all.  So does that mean that we go dark, putting our accounts on lockdown with full privacy settings, maybe even deleting them all together?  No, I do not think so.  I think caution online is essential but extremism isn't necessary.  

So what should you do about this new photomap?  

The easiest option is to deselect all of your photos from photomap.  When a user goes to view your photomap, they will not see any photos.  This is a very simple solution, still allows you to share your photos with your friends just like before, and not worry about your photo geotag being visible to everyone.  

Another option, the extreme end of the spectrum, is to show the location of all of your photos.  You trust those who follow you and anyone who may happen to stumble upon your Instagram account.  You feel it isn't a concern that they know where your vacation home is or where you work.  You can probably choose this option and never have a problem, but I do not think it is the best option.

The third option I would suggest is deselecting photos from your photomap that show things like 1)Location of your home 2)Location of your child's school 3)Location of vacation homes 4)Potentially work.  Is it cool to have photos from your Hawaii trip on the photomap?  Yeah.  Is it dangerous?  Probably not.  Don't fool yourself, you aren't Jason Bourne.  People don't care that much about you and your movements in this world.  But if you are a 16 year old girl, a 22 year girl, or a 30 year old, do you want anyone who cares to look knowing you live on blank street at roughly blank house number?  No.  So go ahead, share the pics of you at those cool waterfalls but there is no need to have the photos you took at home on the map.  Keep in mind, once you've removed a photo from the photomap, it is never going back.  It isn't deleting the photo from Instagram, just from the map.  

Technology is amazing.  I love it.  I think Instagram is one of the best social services out there right now.  Photos are amazing and it connects us in truly amazing ways.  Having recently moved away from family, it is great to have technology to keep us close.  So snap away and enjoy the sharing of your life with those you care about.  There is no need to become paranoid.  Just stay smart.  

This is a pretty decent article from Wired on the upgrade. 

Yogurtland Bountiful

Yogurtland Bountiful is the new definition of awesome.  Ice cream spots had their day in the sun but those days have melted away.  Americans have a new favorite sweet-tooth-satisfier: yogurt.  Up until a couple of years ago, Bountiful didn't have a yogurt joint.  Now there are three.  Both Yogurt Stop and Orange Leaf serve delicious yogurt but the new darling in town may have what it takes to earn your loyalty.  

Yogurtland is located next to Cafe Rio and will most definitely benefit from the heavy traffic Cafe Rio brings to the area.  Yogurtland maintains a quaint feel while still providing sufficient space to find a table on crowded nights.  

The styling, like other yogurt places, is fresh, modern, and hip.  The vibe easily beats all of the other joints in Bountiful and is most closely rivaled by the hip Orange Leaf.  

What makes Yogurtland unique are its exquisite flavor choices.  Of course you have your traditional chocolates, vanillas, cheesecake, etc.  However, you also have some flavors you won't see at the other local yogurt places. 

Taro:  A sweet potato flavor.  Maybe not something you would want a whole cup of but a nice supplemental flavor.  

Almond Midnight Mocha: A very rich dark chocolate flavor with a light mocha taste.  I personally don't like the flavor of mocha and still enjoyed this one.  

Toasted Coconut:  If you love coconut, you will love this flavor.  It is very true to it's name and Nikki and I both liked it.

Pistachio: You can't go wrong here.  Not as good as a gelato Pistachio but still delicious. 

Pecans and Pralines:  It was the only sugar free option on the menu but was very sweet.  

Blue Lychee Bliss:  This is another flavor I haven't seen at the other yogurt places.  Lychee is a tropical and subtropical fruit found in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.  This flavor may be an acquired taste for some. 

Cheesecake: This flavor is usually one of my favorites but was actually my least favorite flavor here at Yogurtland.  It didn't have a rich cheese taste and was a little bland.

Tart and Raspberry Tart:  These are the tangy yogurt flavors and two of my favorites.  

The price of the yogurt is comparable to other establishments.  The toppings are also very similar, with Lychee berries being a unique item other topping bars are lacking.  

The other awesome thing about Yogurtland are the hours.  It is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday!

On our return trip, Nikki and I took our mothers with us.  They both loved the yogurt as well.  If you haven't had a chance to try Yogurtland yet, get over there.  In my opinion, it is now serving Bountiful's best yogurt!

Acura Beak

The high ups at Honda and Acura keep admitting their mistakes.  I like that.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/19/new-acura-design-chief-admits-company-went-a-little-overboard/

The New Nissan Altima Ads

I think these are good.  Watch all four.  Oh, and make sure to watch them in 720p.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/20/nissan-debuts-first-barrage-of-altima-ads/#continued

VW Passat looks just like the old Kia Optima

I noticed this while driving the other day and felt like it should be blogged.  It seems weird that VW designers would copy a Kia Optima that never sold well.  Of course, it is true that VW may not have copied Kia.  I mean, it sure doesn't seem typical of the German automaker to copy the design of a lackluster Korean sedan.  So how did this happen? Coincidence?   

Advertising: The real and the fake.

I like advertising.  Good advertising.  I think most people do.  Take a look at the view counts for Super Bowl Commercials and you will see the interest.  We are naturally inclined to want good products and advertising is the medium used to connect us to those products.  There are advertisements that are comical, touching, fascinating, and memorable.  Then you have the "junk ads" and this stuff drives me crazy.  Junk ads are the reason that so many people install Adblock Plus in their browser.  It is also a reason many people on iOS are willing to pay for an app in order to avoid ads that are distracting and annoying.  I pay $10 a month for an Rdio subscription and the annoying ads in Pandora is just one of the reasons I quit using Pandora long ago.  I decided to open up Pandora the other day and after choosing my station, this is the next thing I saw.  

Let's discuss all the problems with this ad:

1.  It looks shady.

2.  It is completely obtrusive, totally covering what I really want to see on the screen.

3.  It looks like an ad for a site that was designed in 2000.

4.  It is not relevant seeing that I am married.  This same ad would also not be relevant to women or     children.

I'm not exactly sure how advertising should be done on mobile.  It is brand new territory that is going to explode into a huge business.  Apple introduced iAd in 2010 with hopes of capitalizing on profits to be had from mobile advertising.  I don't love iAds myself but they are much better than the ad model used on Pandora.

I'm excited to be entering the world of advertising at such a unique time.  A time when radio, television, internet, and mobile advertising as we know it is changing drastically.  I hope to find a way to produce great stuff and never be associated with the garbage that plagues the sidebar in Facebook or the annoying pop up ads for games like Words with Friends or apps like Pandora.  

Here are a few examples of quality ads.  

The City Creek Project by Struck

Note: I personally believe that the kind of advertising used on the Pandora ad and the examples of good advertising that I listed here are not in the same category at all.  The problem is that many people just see it all as "advertising" and so it is worth pointing out that one type of advertising is going after quality and another is simply just a cheap, "in your face" quantity type ad.  I hope to produce the former and reinvent the later. 

  

Dos Erres: I cried today.

I had the cruise control set to 71 as I listened intently to podcast number 465 of This American Life.  Podcasts are a way to make my commute go by faster and also keep my mind alert.  This is a routine I have formed, however, today was different than most morning drives.  Today I cried.  Episode 465 is titled "What Happened at Dos Erres" and is dedicated to the story of the Dos Erres massacre and an amazing ending to an atrocious event.  Dos Erres was a small village taken over by Guatemalan soldiers called Kaibiles.  An evacuation of the entire village was performed and the soldiers then proceeded to rape the women and murder every inhabitant: men, women, and children.  The bodies were then heaved into a deep pit, some still alive when their helpless bodies were thrown over the edge.  

Listening to this story is disturbing and again makes one's soul scream the question, "How could this happen?"  "How could anyone perform such atrocities?"  Then the part of the podcast came that brought the tears to my eyes.  Tranquilino Castañeda had a wife and 9 children.  He was out of town on that dark night.  When he returned, all was gone: His home was burned, his wife had been raped and killed, and his children had each been slaughtered.  My eyes welled up as I thought of this poor man in the jungles of Guatemala who in a night was robbed of everything.  The kind of tragedy he suffered is incomprehensible to me, to most everyone.  

Nevertheless, out of such a bitter cup comes an amazing story of reunion.  Oscar, Tranquilino's youngest son, was one of two boys whose lives were spared that night by an army commander.  He was raised by the commander's family and later moved to the United States.  After some amazing investigation, and surely the hand of God, it was determined that Oscar was Tranqilino's son and the two were reunited for the first time in 30 years.  Listening to this podcast flooded me with a multitude of emotions but the bottom line is this: We may not understand why such devastation and violence happens but I do know that everything that is unjust in this world will one day be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  

I encourage you to listen to the podcast, despite the mature topic at hand and some disturbing details.  

Below are the following links:

The podcast.

Oscar reuniting with his father.

Wikipedia article. 

P.S. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section after you have a chance to listen to the podcast.