Mac Power Users Episode 33: Workflows with Andy Inatko is posted. David and I had a great time discussing how one of our favorite technology pundits and writers gets work done with his Mac and iPad. You can view the shownotes here or better yet, subscribe in iTunes.
|
|||||
 |
Allison’s podcast is one of my favorites, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should. In this episode I discuss the Hulu Plus service and the many uses for an Airport Express. We also have reviews of the Noterize notetaking app for the iPad, the the Square mobile credit card payment system, an alternative podcatcher app for the iPhone called Podfisher and the PLop boot manager for virtual machines. Here’s the direct link to the episode. Today is June 23rd, the last day to return my iPhone 4 within the 30 day window to Apple for a full refund. After much internal debate, hours on the phone with AppleCare, research, and my own (totally unscientific) testing I’ve decided to keep the iPhone 4. I’m not happy about the way that things turned out, but ultimately keeping the iPhone 4 turned out to be the “lesser evil” for me under the circumstances. Had I known 31 days ago what I know now, I would have done things very differently. I mentioned in my earlier review of the iPhone 4 that I was one of the unfortunate people who were having significant problems with reception. In the past few weeks the internet has been abuzz about the topic. Reactions have been across the board. Some are calling for a full-blown recall and investigation. Others are saying this is no big deal and people should buy a case and get over it. Apple has called a last-minute press event on Friday, June 16th to discuss the iPhone 4 and this seemed like a good time to share my experiences.
About a year ago, I made a job change and moved back to my hometown. While I love my new job and being closer to family, I’ve been plagued by poor AT&T coverage. My current city has multiple dead zones in highly populated areas and in general suffers from poor connectivity. It’s quite common to be in an area with 5 bars of coverage yet calls go directly to voicemail or text messages are delayed, sometimes hours. Making matters worse, I live in one of those dead zones and literally have no service inside my home. Outside isn’t much better, I can usually only maintain a call for a couple of minutes before it drops. My AT&T contract is up on July 11th and I knew that a new iPhone would be released about that time. With AT&T unable to provide me any kind of answers, I was really struggling to decide what I was going to do. Short of the iPhone changing to another carrier, something that I think will happen but will be later rather than sooner, my only hope was the promise of the AT&T 3G MicroCell. I watched the WWDC keynote with mixed emotions. Lured by the appeal of the iPhone 4, but at the same time dreading signing a new contract and committing myself to two more years of cell phone purgatory. But something else happened on June 7th that was perhaps more appealing to me than anything Steve Jobs had to say in his Keynote address, the mythical 3G MicroCell came to my city.
Well, I’m once upgrade eligible for a fully subsidized iPhone, (plus $18 upgrade fee) yet I’m not sure I’ll be pulling out my credit card on June 7th. Here’s why the purchase of this iPhone is a tough decision for me: Continue reading Musings on the iPhone
Out of the Box: When I pulled my shinny new iPad out of the box my first thought was that it felt like one giant piece of glass. The iPad was heavier than expected, which I know makes me sound like a weakling considering it’s only 1.5 pounds. The iPad felt very solid and a sturdy build quality. The giant glass screen worries me in the event of a drop, although the iPhone has taken a fair share of drops and survived. The back plate of the iPad is beautiful, like the top of my MacBook Pro lid, but I worry that it could be prone to scratches when you set it on a surface, especially considering the curved back. But the iPad was very comfortable to hold with two hands. The packaging is well done in typical Apple fashion and includes the obligatory Apple stickers, USB cable AC adapter. It’s important to know the iPad has higher than usual charging needs so you’ll need to use the included adapter, or expect the iPad to charge slowly, or only when asleep when plugged into lower powered adapters or USB hubs. Apple says the fastest and best way to charge the iPad is with the included adapter. The iPad comes out of the box setup for only about 1/2 brightness and I’ve never found the need to turn it up any brighter. The screen is absolutely gorgeous although it is very pone to fingerprints and smudges. It’s easy to wipe off with a cloth and not noticeable while the device is in use, but turn the iPad off and you’ll be shocked at the number of smudges. Continue reading Katie’s iPad Review |
||||
|
Copyright © 2010 KatieFloyd.me - All Rights Reserved |
|||||
Eddie Smith of 
I had the great pleasure of hosting the Nosillacast podcast hosted over at 
I was fortunate enough to actually be able to pre-order my iPhone 4 and even more fortunate to have it delivered a day early on Wednesday, June 23rd. I’ve had a couple of days to play with my new iPhone and wanted to provide you with some first impressions. This is by no means a comprehensive review of the iPhone. If you’re reading this I assume that you’re already familiar with the technical specifications and features. This is simply some of my thoughts and opinions as an end user of the device.
Introduction:
A question that comes up from time to time is the issue of mobile device insurance. This can include AppleCare, extended warranties and third party insurance of mobile devices. Because this question so frequently comes up, I figured it was time to do a blog post with a few opinions and options for mobile device insurance. If you’re considering any of these options, I encourage you to investigate all the policies, terms, conditions and coverage and then weigh the risks and benefits to see if one of these policies fits your needs.
In just a couple of days Steve Jobs will get up on stage and share with the world the newest addition to the iPhone family. I was an early adopter of the iPhone and upgraded to the iPhone 3G on day one. However I skipped the 3G S last year because I wasn’t eligible for subsidized pricing and wasn’t sure there was enough to justify paying a premium for the new device. With the exception of iPhone 3G S launch day and the surrounding hoopla, I really haven’t regretted that decision.
So it has been a couple of days since I picked up my new iPad and I wanted to give you some initial thoughts and impressions. This may not be comprehensive review, but I can tell you what I think so far.