My Digital Life

Great Google Maps Site for Tracking HTC Cycling Team

Here is a great site for the real time tracking of Columbia HTC Cycling team members on the Tour De France. It provides the GPS location, Speed, Heart Rate, Power and Cadence. I wish I had the heart rate of these guys when I ride...

http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/mytrackstour/

If Verizon was getting the iPhone; why are They Bashing It?

Via Macworld;

Verizon placed a full page ad in the New York Times this week with the following copy:

"And most importantly, it comes with a double antenna design. The kind that allows you to hold the phone any way you like and use it just about anywhere to make calls."

I agree with Macworld assertion that even though "all's fair in love and advertising", why would Apple provide their device to a company making disparaging public comments about the device they would sell if they could.

TaskTask App iOS 4 Problem Resolved

One app that I use daily is TaskTask. This app allows you to synchronize and manage your Exchange based task. I had gone back to Toodledo and Toodledo Outlook sync which is nice but lacks reminder times (iPhone) and requires an active PC to sync.

The updated version of TaskTask also includes local notifications which makes brings task reminders in line with the rest of the smartphone industry.

http://www.tasktaskonline.com/TaskTask/TaskTask.html

-- Post From My iPhone

AT&T Upload Speed Issue

Users are reporting 100KB upload max on MacRumors in major metropolitan areas. MacRumors link I can attest to that. Here is my Speedtest.net history.


You can see a 1586Kbps on 6/30 and starting 7/2 100Kbps is the max I can get. Is this a cap or a technical problem? I think it has to be the latter given that before iPhone 4, I was getting 150Kbps. If it is a cap that would not be too cool. -- Post From My iPhone

Happy 4th of July

It will be a 90+ degree day in Washington, DC, but the clear skies should make the viewing of the fireworks excellent.

A little history from the Library of Congress "On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence."

The Declaration was the document which set forth the creation of a new independent country; the United Stated of America.

-- Post From My iPhone

Daring Fireball's Translation of Apple's Antenna Press Release

As usual well written and funny post on Daring Fireball.

Translation From Apple’s Unique Dialect of PR-Speak to English of the ‘Letter From Apple Regarding iPhone 4’

The Basics of FIOS

I truly love my FIOS internet and I thought this was an interesting overview. A video from cnnfn.com which shows you a behind the scenes look at the FIOS network and what it takes to install it.

http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/03/15/tech_tt_fiber_fios.cnnmoney/

I wish Verizon Business had their act as together as the FIOS division, I am struggling with getting business fiber installed.  The orders are taking forever and it seems to be more of a process and corporate culture issue, than with the technology. Maybe the FIOS division needs to take over Verizon Business' fiber network...

Mobile Apps from the Federal Goverment

This a collection of smartphone apps (mostly iPhone) and mobile websites developed by the Federal Goverment.

APPS

Thoughts on My iPhone 4 a Week Later

Antenna issue: With all of the hubbub this week regarding the antenna issue, I am glad it has not impacted my use. I think you may have to really go out of your way to make it happen. That said, it is clear that this is a black eye for Apple and they need to address it. As I was writing this entry Apple released a statement defining the problem as software related and (http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/07/02appleletter.html) they will be issuing an update in the next couple of weeks.

I have used an INCIPIO silicon case with my 3G and 3GS, and plan to do the same with my iPhone 4. I used my 3GS case initially which was loose on the iPhone 4 and was looking at a silicon case from Zagg, the makers of the Invisible Shield. I was in Montgomery Mall on Thursday and saw an Invisible Shield booth right in front of the Apple store, what great marketing. I wanted to stop by but there was a line and I did not have time to wait. Bottom line, with or without a software fix the antenna issue won't be an issue for me. Yesterday, I happened to be at a Radio Shack looking for a weird battery, anyway I saw they had an iPhone 4 INCIPIO silicon case for $14.99 and I purchased it. I think this is a great case, although the included screen protector is so so. I find it very bizarre that Radio Shack is not promoting their cycling team with Lance Armstrong in their stores by selling team stuff. It would help promote cycling as well as their brand.

Battery: In the first couple of days of use, I got concerned about battery life, but that seems to have worked itself out after several full charges. I can now attest that battery life is much better than my 3GS and by 5 PM I am still above 50%. Unless I am using the iPhone 4 heavily during the day it looks like I can forgo my midday charge. Yesterday, I used it pretty heavily with over an hour of Slinging and by 9 PM I still had 25% left.

All in one inbox: I love having access to multiple Exchange mailboxes in one view. I can't even do that with Outlook 2010, or at least have not figured out how to create a view with my two Exchange accounts. Unfortunately, Apple still does not support flags, how do they prioritize email in Cupertino, maybe they don't or they use folders which I think only addresses part of the email organization problem.

And of course no tasks support which fits right into my flag bitch. I use the TaskTask application which works very well, but iOS 4 broke it http://www.tasktaskonline.com/TaskTask/Blog/Entries/2010/6/21_iOS_4.0_Compatibility_Problems.html and there seems to be no fix in sight. For now I am back to Toodledo using the Toodledo Sync Tool for Outlook (it works with Outlook 2010) but you can't set reminder times in the iPhone app which is a very bizarre omission...

iGo ThinkOutside Bluetooth Keyboard on iPhone 4

I knew there was a reason I was keeping my old Think Outside Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard from my Windows Mobile days. Windows Mobile and for that matter Blackberry and Palm had Bluetooth keyboard profiles in 2005. Apple has finally implemented the keyboard profile for both the iPad and now the iPhone. The Apple keyboard profile is compatible with the Think Outside (acquired by iGo) StoweAway keyboard. Here is a picture of my 5 row Bluetooth keyboard paired to my iPhone 4. The fn + key don't seem to work which makes sense but otherwise it is fully functional. There is also a smaller 4 row keyboard which is available on eBay northwards of $170. It has crossed my mind to sell it but I like the portability.


-- Post From My iPhone