RandomMuch

August 10, 2010

Net Neutrality on the defense again…

Filed under: News, Tech — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 1:21 pm

I know it’s been a while since I checked in, but I consider this too important to just sit by.  For those that don’t know Net Neutrality means keeping the internet neutral.  What big business wants to do is cut the internet into smaller pieces.  Exactly like they do with cable and satellite.  If you pay a certain amount of money, you get basic internet.  Just as an example, let’s say you’re favorite little websites, privately owned URLs that you go to to have a laugh.  Then for a few more dollars, you get access to news networks and sports.  And for more money, you get the premium package that’ll give you access to most, but still not all of the internet.

A lot of people will argue that the only people that really care are pirates and hackers.  Since this will make things a little more difficult for them.  But this is not true.  It affects a lot of other people.  People like me that own our own little websites will be pushed out by businesses and networks with money that can afford to pay money and have their content viewed instead of ours.  There is an article and a petition to sign HERE.

I wrote a heartfelt letter to Google and was hoping to post my manifesto here.  But like the big dork I am, I copied something else onto my clipboard which overwrites the previous “copy”.  TARD!  Either way, please take a moment to read and sign.

–

AC

July 8, 2010

Taking a bite out of Apple

Filed under: iPhone/Cell Phones, News, Tech — Tags: , , , , — Arturo @ 12:20 am

If you follow cell phone news at all, and maybe even if you don’t, you surely know by now about the problem with the new iPhone, the iPhone 4.  For those that might have NO idea… The new iPhone 4 is being reported to have an issue in some sets that cause you to lose reception and drop calls if you hold it a certain way(which is actually quite common).  Steve Jobs supposedly answered an email about this issue stating, “Just avoid holding it in that way.”  WOW, really?!  That’s your answer.  So, after Apple did some investigating, they released a statement saying that the problem was some lines of code that were causing the phone to display more bars than you actually had and it was going to be fixed with a software update.

I just had a realization about this lost reception/you’re-holding-it-wrong crap. So, Apple claims that it’s due to programming that is displaying the wrong number of bars right? Well that didn’t sit right with me. How can “displaying” the wrong number of bars actually cause you to drop calls? If anything, you would show NO bars but still be on a call.  And now I figured out why it seemed odd. They programmed the phones to show more bars than it actually had so that people would think they were getting better reception. Since they ran a risk of people finding out, they used the crappy antenna design to disclose this programming and fix it without being accused of doing it on purpose. I very seriously doubt this update is gonna fix the actual reception problem. It’ll just remove the farce they were trying to pass off as better reception.

Debunk that conspiracy theory Apple fanboys.  LoL, I’m only semi-quasi-half way serious… kind of.

–

AC

P.S.

Please give this site a looksy… maybe you’ll likey.   www.lipsyncallstars.com

March 24, 2010

Nexus One: iPhone Killer?

Filed under: iPhone/Cell Phones, Tech — Tags: , , , — Arturo @ 7:30 pm

OK, so it’s been a while.  I hope you haven’t missed me too much.  Just FYI, things have taken a weird turn in my life and I was busy taking care of real life problems.  But I am back, although I haven’t thought of much that I wanted to write about.  I do have this one thing that I am now excited about… the Nexus One.

So, being the good tech geek I am, I broke down and purchased myself a Nexus One to tinker with since I plan to get one when they are released for Verizon.  So, a good friend of mine told me why not get it to test it out before I jump ship from AT&T, and that way if the Nexus One is a total brick, I won’t be locked in to Verizon.  That was all the convincing I needed.  So I bought it.  Set it up.  And went to town.  Here’s my final thoughts.

The Nexus One is by far, the coolest phone I have had… bar NONE.  It is SOOOO customizable.  It does everything well.  It gives you so many options.  The user interface is not as polished as the iPhone’s OS.  BUT, Apple has had more time to polish.  Let Google make some adjustments and Android will be just as smooth.  The NExus One is faster than the iPhone in almost all aspects.  The apps load quicker.  The web responds quicker.  I absolutely LOVED that I could setup all my emails and they ALL push.  I wasn’t limited to just ONE Gmail push.  Almost all the apps that I used on the iPhone were available on the Nexus One.  And I honestly cannot think of anything that I needed and missed.  The maps app is WAY better on the Nexus One as well.  It coms with turn by turn navigation out the gate.  It was so cool to be able to use ANY song I had on the Nexus One as a ringtone.  I could change the wallpaper to anything, even have a moving wallpaper.  Plain and simply, the Nexus One seems to be everything I thought the iPhone should be.  Apple loves to dictate what you do, and how you do it, and I don’t like that at all.

There are a few things that the iPhone does better though.  the keyboard is much more responsive and easier to use.  The coverage seems to be a lot better on the iPhone, but that’s mostly because the Nexus One that I got did not support 3G on AT&T.  And although the Nexus One is easy to manage due to drag and dropability, I did miss using iTunes to manage everything.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is no and will be no iPhone “killer”.  All phones are different.  Some do things better than others.  Period.  The Nexus One had the advantage of coming out after the iPhone and was able to take advantage of learning from the iPhone’s mistakes.  But that being said, the rumored iPhone 4G will have the same advantage.  In all reality, they will just go back and forth.  And in the end it is really a matter of preference.  My wife won’t even try using the Nexus One, she loves her iPhone too much.  Another friend of mine in Lubbock won’t give up his iPhone any time soon.  My best friend and I LOVE the Nexus One.  So in closing, this is how it goes down:  Some people will prefer the iPhone, some will prefer the Nexus One.  There is not iPhone Killer.  The iPhone does a lot of things VERy well.  But if I, personally, HAD to choose one phone, it would be the Nexus One.

–

AC

P.S.

Oh and as petty as it may seem, there is one thing that killed any iPhone love I had left.  I locked myself out of the Nexus One a couple days after I got it.  All I did was verify my email on the phone and I was allowed back in.  I switched back to the iPhone for personal reasons, and I happened to lock myself out of the iPhone.  I had to restore the entire phone in order to get in.  Losing recently downloaded apps and contact changes.  That was VERY annoying.  Go Nexus One!

February 4, 2010

Google: with them or against them? Choose soon.

Filed under: Tech — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 9:04 pm

I’ve read the comments for a few years now, how Google may be the NWO(New World Order) in its infancy, but this is the first time that even I got a cold chill.  This is big.  This may sound like a whole lot of blah blah blah to most, but quantum computing is a major deal.  Beware the Google.

http://www.physorg.com/news184533633.html

Could Google be the codename for Skynet?  (Sorry for the tacky Terminator reference, LoL)

–

AC

January 31, 2010

Open Challenge to Google: Please take Apple and it’s iPad down.

Filed under: Tech — Tags: , , , — Arturo @ 11:19 pm

So now that the hoopla is simmering down a little, let’s take a look at the iPad.  Plain and simple, it is an iPod Touch for sasquatches.  Rant all you want that the iPhone OS is OSX Light, but the iPad is NOT a tablet PC competitor.  No way, no how.  I read an article about how tablet PC makers are concerned that they cannot compete with Apple’s price point for the iPad.  They can’t put out a tablet PC cheap enough to compete with the iPad?  I say, “WRONG”.  If I see the iPad sitting next to a Sony Vaio tablet PC and the difference is $200 more for the Sony, I’m going with the Sony.  Come on!  A tablet PC or a huge iPod Touch?  Hmmmmm?  Easy choice for me.  IF they can make it only $100 more, even better.

Then it hit me.  If Google can put a decent alternative to the iPhone(I did NOT say iPhone killer), then why can’t they compete with the iPad.  Think about it.  They went to HTC for the hardware to run their Android software and we got the Nexus One.  It is in no way an iPhone killer, but spec for spec, it hangs with the iPhone really well.  Honestly the ONLY advantage that wins it for Apple is the App Store.  And maybe the GUI is smoother, but that’s more of a matter of preference.  Other than that, they match up well.  Now, what if Google goes to some smaller PC hardware company like Asus or MSI and works something out to put the Chrome OS on a tablet?  How awesome would that be?  Forget the high price for putting Windows on it.  I think they could manage to make it for $100 more than the iPad or even match the price.  I believe that tablet will KILL the iPad.  I will GLADLY pay up to $200 extra, just to have a Google Chrome tablet.  I’m sure they’ll have a camera.  I’m sure it will have an SD card slot or USB slot.  Can you say movies a la carte?  No more being tied down to iTunes.  And the coup de grace, at least for me, this hypothetical tablet will support Flash.  So rather than Internet Light, we get the FULL web.  Apple can paint as pretty picture as it would like, but tons of people noticed the blue lego icon when Steve-O pulled up the New York Times website.   For those of you who don;t know what that means, that’s what you’ll get on you iPad every time you go to a website that has a video which requires Flash to play.  Which is A LOT of them.  Not a problem for the Google tablet running Chrome OS.

PLEASE Google, hear my cries.  If anyone can bring Apple to its knees, It’s you.  I will gladly drop my Macbook and iPhone if you put out a tablet.  I’ll get the Nexus One.  I’ll get the Google tablet.  I’ll buy a desktop PC running Chrome OS.  I swear it.

–

AC

January 28, 2010

iThink the iPad makes iSad… kind of.

Filed under: Tech — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 12:54 am

So, the iSlate is in fact outted. Only… it isn’t an iSlate. It’s an iPad. I personally think “iSlate” was a better name, but that’s why Apple employees have a cool job and I write a blog that few people read. *frown* I have read that this was probably one of the most anticipated launches of all time. I personally think the iPhone was more anticipated. But maybe that was just me. But whatever the case may be, or the name for that matter, it is official now. So let’s look at it, on paper, and see what I think.

So for the price of $499-$829 you get:

1Ghz Apple A4 processor, 9.7 inch widescreen, 1024 x 768 resolution, 16GB-64GB flash storage, 10 hour battery life, built-in speakers, microphone, WiFi, Bluetooth, with video and audio playback and optional 3G($14.99 for 250MB or $29.99 for unlimited).

More detailed specs HERE.

So, what does this all really mean. Let’s do this like my movie reviews… the good and the bad.

The good: Very portable at 1.5lbs and measuring 9.56 x 7.47 x 0.5 inches. You get all your favorite apps and usability of your iPhone/iPod Touch with a much bigger screen. Movies will be much more fun to watch. Books will be much easier to read. Websites will be more interactive than before. It is an iPhone/iPod Touch with more screen to play with, and for a low starting price of $499.

The bad: That is all this thing is… an Ipod Touch on steroids or an iPhone on steroids without the phone functionality. That’s pretty much it. It runs the same OS(operating system) as the iPhone/iPod Touch. Just like those devices, it has no optical device(CD/DVD player), no USB port, no SD card reader, and NO FLASH support. Like those devices, it is NOT the real web. It is Web 0.9 at best. If it doesn’t support Flash, it is not the real web. I’m sorry, but it isn’t. Sure, HTML5 is upon us and should be iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad friendly. But it’ll be a long time, if ever, before HTML5 completely overtakes Flash. And until then, many websites will still require Flash to function and unless Apple loosens the strangle hold, we will never have the FULL web on these devices. If the sound is anything like my 13″ Macbook Pro, which I doubt if it’s that good, it’s not good enough. My speakers are awful. I have to raise the volume almost all the way just to get decent sound for music and movies. Sometimes even full volume isn’t good enough. This thing doesn’t even have a camera. The iPhone has a camera. And I’ll bet my bottom dollar, that we see a camera on the iPod Touch by Summer. But the iPad didn’t get one from jump? Come on!

In the end it is a cool device. The potential for this product, future Apple products, and future competitor products is huge. But it is not the product I had hoped for. Granted that if it did run a full OS, like OSX, it would require a better processor, stronger graphics card, and more storage which would jack up the price. Making it more difficult for most people to get. But, it feels almost silly to covet this product so much, when it’s little more than HUGE iPhone/iPod Touch. Maybe since I am considering getting rid of my iPhone, this will be nice to have along with a regular cell phone. But when I have my iPhone 3GS and my 13″ MBP sitting side by side, I fail to see what I would use this for. I can definitely see how many people could use this product. My wife could use this to help teach her students. Our good friend who doesn’t have an iPhone and loves reading books could use this as an eBook reader. My best friend could take this on his out of town trips, instead of his netbook. But people like me that have an iPhone and MBP, I just don’t see the need. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to get my paws on one. Simply because I love technology of ALL kinds. And maybe that;s why I am so disappointed. I was actually hoping for a product that would make me feel like I had to have it…. NOW. And all I can muster is, “I’ll get one later, if I have a few bucks to spend.” But for now, I’ll just have to hope that my family, friends, and readers take up a collection and get me the 16GB with 3G for my birthday.

–

AC

P.S.

Don’t be surprised if I end up getting one soon. I love tech too much. LoL.

P.P.S.

After a couple days of pondering some more and answering questions for my non-geek friends, I hve come tithe conclusion that until the iPad gets Flash support and a camera, I will not be getting one. I will gladly accept one as a gift, but since that won’t happen, I will wait patiently. I may consider just having my MBP modded. http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook

January 26, 2010

OOPS! iSlate is outted early…

Filed under: Tech — Tags: , — Arturo @ 11:27 pm

Sorry Apple, but the cat is apparently out of the bag.  It seems that a certain CEO has had a MAJOR faux pas.  Forward to about 2:50 and here the Appley goodness just spew out the poor guy’s mouth…

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1396376379

–

AC

January 5, 2010

Hold the phone, the iPhone that is…

Filed under: iPhone/Cell Phones, Tech — Tags: , , , , , — Arturo @ 3:01 pm

Ok, geeks and geekettes.  It seems that the rumors were true.  Google has unleashed the Nexus One.  And by the looks of it, it is better than the Droid offered by Motorola via Verizon.

From what I’ve read, it is currently available through Google for $529 unlocked(GSM only).  Meaning you can buy it and use with T-Mobile.  Or you can buy it and use it with AT&T, but without 3G capability due to the frequencies it supports.  Your other option is to sign a new two-year contract with T-Mobile and pay only $179.  Now if you’re like me then you hate AT&T’s service, and you don’t consider T-Mobile very reliable.  Never fear, you will be able to get it through Verizon Spring 2010.  That’s right kiddies, just a couple months away.

I put together this little chart, please forgive the crudeness, I REALLY tried to get it to look better…

.                                                    iPhone                            Droid                                  Nexus One

phone size(millimeters)         115 x 62 x 12                   115 x 60 x 13                     119 x 59 x 11

phone weight(grams)              135                                    169                                     130

screen size(inches)                   3.5                                    3.7                                      3.7

processor speed                        600MHz                         550MHz                            1GHz

removable battery                    NO                                   YES                                     YES

talk time                                     5 hours                            6.4 hours                           7 hours

standby                                       300 hours                       270 hours                         250 hours

3G internet time                       5 hours                            N/A                                    5 hours

wifi internet time                     9 hours                            N/A                                    6.5 hours

video playback                          10 hours                          N/A                                    7 hours

audio playback                          30 hours                         N/A                                    20 hours

camera resolution                    3MP                                5MP                                   5MP

camera flash                              NO                                  YES                                    YES

camera zoom                             NO                                  4x                                       2x

video recording                         480 res @ 30fps          480 res @ 24fps              480 res @ 20fps

There it is folks.  In my opinion, the Nexus One takes it by a nose.  The only question now is how do the OS’s compare.  I know for a fact that the iPhone OS runs really smooth, but that’s because they limit you as to what you can and can’t do with it.  Android is almost as stable, but WILL allow you to customize and tweak it.

It is my humble opinion that just like Microsoft is losing customers to Apple, so shall Apple lose to open source like Linux and Android.  Only time will tell.

–

AC

Droid: It is but it isn’t an iPhone killer

Filed under: iPhone/Cell Phones, Tech — Tags: , , , , — Arturo @ 1:13 am

OK, so if you remember a while back a wrote not so much a review as a prediction of the Droid.  At that point I hadn’t gotten my paws on one, but I compared the proposed specs to the current specs of the iPhone.  The reason I did that is only because the Droid is the latest “iPhone killer” to hit the market.  Here’s the problem, there is no such thing and will never be such a thing as an iPhone killer.  And I’ll tell you why.  It is NOT because the iPhone is the be all and end all of cell phones.  Not in the least.  The problem is that the iPhone is so ahead of the curve that every one else is playing catch up.  Will the day come when iPhone is dethroned, of course.  Nothing lasts forever.  iPhone set the bar and while others are trying to reach that goal, Apple continues to improve on their winner.  So until someone has been in the game long enough, iPhone will not be “killed” any time soon.

That being said, the Droid is REAAAAALLY close.  I finally got to play with one for a few minutes.  I have grown tired of AT&T’s crappy service in my area and I want out.  This is not a reflection of coverage everywhere, because from what I’ve read and researched on my own, AT&T has good coverage in a lot of places.  But I get crappy coverage and I am tired of it.  Plus I am developing this anger towards Apple for their Communist hold they have on their products.  I totally get that limiting what you can or cannot do with your Apple product is one of the main reasons that they are stable.  BUT… when an iPod is only accessible via iTunes, and both the Macbooks and iPhones can only be customized with what Apple approves, I feel like I’m living in under a Techtator(that’s Tech Dictator for normal people).  The Droid is a great gadget for me.  I get away from the unreliability of Microsoft AND the techtatorship of Apple.  Google is the wave of the future.  I want a Droid so bad.  And I even want to sell my Macbook and get any laptop and run ChromeOS.  The only reason I haven’t is because the wifey has a strangle hold on her iPhone and paying for two separate cell providers makes no sense to me.  And please, darling, do NOT take this as an attack, I love you.

If you have Verizon already and want to feel what iPhone owners feel as far as having a great gadget, get the Droid.  If you have an iPhone with AT&T and are as tired of Apple or AT&T as I am, get the Droid.  I still think the iPhone is the best phone out there, but coupled with bad service, I can’t really suggest it better than the Droid.  Like I said, is the Droid a better gadget than the iPhone?  NO.  But is headed in the right direction?  HELL YES.  Is it better than the Blackberry and Palm phones?  HELL YES.  Is it worth leaving the iPhone behind?  If you have no problem with Apple or AT&T then probably not.  But if you feel like I do about Apple and or AT&T, then HELL YES.  For those of you that still want to wait, and even more so if you’re with T-Mobile, then wait for the Nexus One from Google.  I’ve read, at least, that it will be coming out with T-Mobile as of today as a matter of fact.  And it, I believe, will actually be even better than the Droid.

–

AC

October 28, 2009

This IS the Droid we’re looking for…

Filed under: iPhone/Cell Phones, Tech — Tags: , , , , , — Arturo @ 2:02 pm

LMAO, I just HAD to throw in that Star Wars joke considering that I paused my first viewing of Fanboys.  And, by the way, it is VERY funny so far.  A must watch for Star Wars fans.  Or even if you know Star Wars pretty well.  But I digress.  So I’m sitting here watching Fanboys and I get a Gmail push notification on my iPhone.  Too much info?  Wait and see why it’s relevant.  It’s an email from someone asking me what I think of the new Droid from Verizon.  I must admit I had briefly heard of a Google phone coming out for Verizon, but never followed up on it.  So I looked in to it right now and I have to say, I am looking forward to this.  I saw and tinkered with a G1 from T-Mobile a while back and it was alright.  Not bad for Google’s introduction to the cell phone world, but nothing that would make me sell my iPhone.  And for those that don’t know, I LOOOOVE my iPhone.  I am NOT, however, such a fanboy(see tha tie in there), that I am blinded to the potential in other smart phones.  Let’s check it out.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the design.  It is not ugly, but it doesn’t have the sexiness of the iPhone.  That might not be fair, considering that Apple prides itself in making their products aesthetically pleasing.  And to be honest, it’s a phone.  It is not a fashion accessory.  Maybe to most women, but it’s not meant to be.  The other thing was the full keyboard.  I have gotten soooo used to my virtual keyboard, that an actual keyboard seems so old-fashioned… TO ME.  But I see how this could be good.  There are plenty of iPhone users that have stated that a real keyboard would be a good thing to have.  As I was watching THIS presentation, I was thinking, “This looks pretty cool, but the App Store is the major advantage that iPhone has.”  Then I got the part where they mention the “thousands” of apps available for it.  Hmmm?  Could this be a true contender to the iPhone Empire?

As for the advantages of the Droid, I saw a few.  For one the screen is bigger than the iPhone.  Yes, I know it’s only 3.7 compared to 3.5, but ask your girlfriend and trust me size does matter.  The camera is 5MP compared to iPhone’s 3MP.  I take a lot of pix with my phone.  I don’t even carry a digital camera anymore.  This would be awesome.  Granted, megapixels are not the only thing to consider when taking pictures, but a few sources have compared the two phones’ picture taking capabilities and the Droid holds up very well.  There are apps available for the Droid.  Will they be GOOD apps?  We’ll have to see.  It may not eliminate the Apple’s advantage all together, but it does put Android in a good position to level the playing field.  Something is better than nothing.  Also, multitasking.  I got my paws on a Palm Pre a few months back for a few minutes, and that’s one thing that did impress me about it.  The Droid does this as well.  I’ve wished for this capability on the iPhone.  It is a little annoying having to relaunch a previous app just because I checked my email or clicked on a link.  And last but certainly not least, the Droid will support Adobe Flash.   Yes, ladies and geeks, FLASH.  Not a big deal to some, but to geeks like me, this is a HUGE.  Now we can really enjoy surfing the MobileWeb.  And yes, fanboys(there it is again), the iPhone OS is MobileWeb 2.0, deal with it.  Hulu, here we come.  I will say this.  Do NOT be surprised if Apple announces soon that they too will be supporting Flash.  It only makes sense and I will thank Verizon, Google, Droid, whomever… for this wonderful break through.

Will I go get a Droid any time soon?  Probably not.  But if I get my grubby little paws on one(hit me up Verizon, Google), and the user interface is more fluid than other touch screens, you never know.  I tried a Voyager or Venus, I can’t remember which, but the touch screen was horrendous.  Considering that I had better coverage with Verizon than I do with AT&T, and I find it ridiculous that I’m pay extra JUST because it’s an iPhone… I might take a serious look at jumping ship.  Likely?  Probably not, but you never know.

–

AC

P.P.

I am totally serious about reviewing this phone for Verizon and Google.  I am a life long geek and I will be honest.  Pretty please?  *bats eyes*

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