My Digital Life

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.

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

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’

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

iPhone Day is Here!

The month of June is such a great month for Apple iPhone users. We usually get access to the next hardware model and the latest major release of the iOS.

You have to give credit to Apple for plodding along on a regular basis delivering both hardware and software updates. Which other smartphone maker does that? I had been a long time Windows Phone user, tried Android and one of the most annoying aspects of owning a device using those OS' was the lack of regularity and delivery of updates to your specific device. Not that the iPhone is perfect (there is still room for much improvement, i.e. mail flags and Bluetooth AVCRP next/last track), but knowing that I will get regular updates and will not be forced to buy a new phone on a yearly basis (yes, the original iPhone is no longer supported) to receive those updates goes a long way to making me an Apple iPhone fan.

Will the iPad survive Without Flash?

The answer is more than likely yes, but what I find interesting is that Steve Jobs has been unusually vocal for such a secretive person. It seems that critics are pushing his buttons. Although his responses have been well thought through from the Apple corporate perspective, I think it just gives more ammunition to the critics to answer them. CNN's Money web site had an interesting piece today "What's the bug up Apple's @$$" which describes Apple's behavior towards critics. This fits right into the published email thread between Steve Jobs and Gawker writer Ryan Tate. Are we heading into a soap opera...

During the iPhone's ascendency, Apple's response to critics was very tame and yes Steve Jobs was sick for a big part of that time, however over the last three years I have been impressed how Apple has added key features in the iPhone OS demanded by critics and users. These include Apps, cut and paste, turn by turn GPS, voice control, Bluetooth A2DP stereo streaming (although no AVRCP remote control), MS Exchange ActiveSync, and probably some others that I am forgetting. The Apps and the cut and paste were biggies. I remember Apple's saying Apps were not necessary, since they provided such a rich web browser environment. Apple came to their senses and provided a good development platform, although at the time no multitasking; now we are on the cusp of having that feature implemented. We went through the same pattern with Cut and Paste, first it was we did not need it with the new touch paradigm, then that morphed into we need our time to design correctly (they did).

My hope and point is that the same will be true for Flash. I agree that HTML 5 and H.264 are probably the future. However for a device like the iPad which is supposed to be about consuming content and Steve Jobs touting it as an all-encompassing browsing device, how can you ignore a major part of the web? On the iPhone not having flash can be irritating, but since it is not my primary browsing device I can live without it. If I were to buy an iPad I would want to use as a primary browser and not having Flash is a show stopper. This does not make sense to me, and I think Steve Jobs ego is getting in the way. I am hoping that Apple will go through its no no phase, then will accede to users demands, and go through a thoughtful design and implementation (provide Adobe with the APIs they need to be efficient) as it did with Apps, cut and paste, and multitasking.

If you want to make your voice sort of heard, you can sign a petition at Flash4iPad.com. I say sort of, but the more users and potential customers complain it will start to weigh on Apple's future plans. 500 iPad users were asked by Laura DiDio, principal analyst at ITIC about Flash. According to the CNN article I mentioned previously, "she found that customers are clamoring for Flash support, but said they would continue to buy Apple products even without it". It is a mixed message but we are talking about the initial customer pool and not the average customer who is now buying the iPhone.

Until then my common sense is telling not to purchase an iPad, even though my techy side really wants one. I feel resigned to wait until next March to see what happens with iPad 2.0.

iPad – Migration Away From Flash Will Take A Long Time

The reality is that Steve Jobs cannot eradicate Flash overnight. I agree with his stance on HTML 5, although I think there is still room for debate on H.264 for video. That said how can you tout a device's browsing experience when you don't support a large part of the web. Even MacRumors had this to say yesterday:

"So while developing Flash-free versions of websites may be reasonable for certain publications with the structure and resources to accomplish the feat, it is by no means an easy solution for the many sites out there currently relying on Flash to display their standard Web content. During a visit to New York City to promote the iPad to publishers, Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly argued against the need for Flash, pushing publications toward adoption of other technologies such as H.264 video and JavaScript that are more iPad-friendly."

There is no doubt that the iPad will be an initial success, but how long will people stand not being able to browse the full internet. All the claims that Flash is on its way out are fine, but how long it will take to migrate those millions and possibly billions lines of code. People shouted the demise of the mainframe in the 90's and IBM is still selling them at a pretty good clip.

The Coming E-Reader Debate; E Ink vs Backlit LCD

Over the last year, I debated which E-Reader I should purchase. It was clear that the Kindle was way ahead in the ECO system war, however when Sony announced its Daily Reader with a 7" E Ink touch screen, 3G connectivity, and EPUB book format; this was the E-Reader I wanted. Although pricey at $399, I went ahead and ordered it as a Christmas present to myself. Sony did not disappoint by delivering it on December 22^nd.

I love the Daily Reader for its size, battery life, built in protective cover and touch screen (being able to turn the pages with my thumb enhances my reading experience), Apple threw a wrench in the E-Reader world by announcing the iPad. This is a major upheaval in the E-Reader world which was originally conceived as a single purpose device with a specially design E Ink screen which provides paper like contrast and allows reading in direct sunlight. Apple is now touting its In Plane Switching LCD screen as the answer to the E Ink technology with color, high contrast and the ability to read in direct sunlight (I want to see this for myself). In addition to the E-Reader functionality of the iPad you get a Touch iPod on steroids with a 10" screen. Who would not want this type of functionality?

My first impression of the iPad was that it may fail as an E-Reader because of the backlit LCD screen and my assumption that backlit screen might cause eye strain. After doing some research, this seems to be an inaccurate assumption on my part and well described in this February New Times articles entitled "Do E-Readers Cause Eye Strain?".

My big problem with the iPad, is that at 10", I want it to do more since it could replace carrying my Sony VAIO-P and Daily Reader while traveling. The biggest issues I have are:

• No Flash support
• No multitasking
• Weak email client functionality (no flagging support, no push of sent items, no category support, etc…)

Apparently that is not what most people think; last week, RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky released survey results showing pent up demand for the iPad (via MacRumors).

This was a WOW moment for me, shows the strength of the Apple brand and what people think about their products trusting them to provide the right mix of functionality.

In the end the HP Slate with Windows 7 might be the better choice for my use, but given the lack luster performance of Netbooks, will it perform? Adobe is not waiting for the June release of the HP Slate; it has launched a salvo with this video (via engadget):

This should be interesting year for the E-Reader world...

iPhone Backup Quick Fix; Not Really But It Works

iTunes is one of those application I love and hate at the same time.

I don't sync my iPhone with iTunes very often, but in the last month I have tried several times to sync and the process seemed to be stuck during the backup phase. In order to complete the sync, I had to terminate the backup by clicking on the little x on the right of the top middle status window in iTunes. Not having a full backup left me with an uneasy feeling, I would hate to lose most of the application data I have gathered on my iPhone. After some Binging/Googling, I found that this is a fairly common problem but the fixes seemed over complicated and risky.

Finally yesterday I put some time aside where I could work on the issue. My first approach was to let the sync process go for an hour and periodically monitor its progress. Over the course of the hour I could see the status progress albeit slowly (If you don't look closely, you might believe that iTunes is hung). I decided to let it go another 30 minutes. At the end of an hour and half the backup completed. I decided to sync again, and now the backup is back to normal time (less than 1 minute). Who knows what activity iTunes was performing to complete the backup but patience seems to have triumphed.