Halloween Nightmare for an iPhone.

It was the worst nightmare the iPhone had ever had. Even worse than Apple Maps!!!

The Battle Continues!

The future of the war between Apple & Samsung!

Technology PWNED!

Ah, I remember these days! Thank Heaven they are over!!!

Why I Dropped My iPod Like a Hot Rock

I remember all my iPods. I loved them. I've had a 2nd, 4th and 5th gen iPod classic as well as several iPod nano/minis. In all cases I loved them more than I hated them. The actual hardware was well designed and beautiful. The UI was annoying at times, but functional. I listened to music, podcasts, and audiobooks. But when I realized that greener pastures were availible I dropped that iPod like a lava hot rock. The reason for this warp speed drop is simply summed up into one word... iTunes!
What initially started as an awesome program that acted as a jukebox, music store, and sync interface has ballooned into the biggest joke of the retail/tech world. It is bloatware in the cyber-flesh. The fact that so many Apple products require iTunes in order to sync, reset, and so forth is a testiment to how one company can be so full of itself that it fails to see when it's star innovation is now crapware. And iTunes was innovation in its time. It was a unifying idea that caught on, but that time as past. Now is the time of the cloud, the app, the web browser. I think of my current setup for music, audiobooks, and podcasts, and I shudder at the thought of having to re-install iTunes if I were to move back to an Apple product. The mere removal of that program alleviated such a large load off of my laptop & desktop's system. Compairing syncing, uploading files to my smart devices, backing up info, and much more anything more than basic "click & drag" like function is just way too much. So dear iPod, I didn't abandon you because of anything you yourself did. No, I abandoned you because you medlesome parent iTunes just kept getting between us. Know I have found another in Android. As I once listened to you, I know listen to her more because I do not have interuptions like that of you parent iTunes. Can't you see this is for the best? I hope we can still be friends!

Why Steve Woznik is My Tech Hero & Why He Should Be Your Too

Steve Wozniak is like Santa Clause, except Santa wishes he was that cool. No seriously, Wozniak, or The Woz, is such an awesome guy I would invite him to my birthday party even though I've never met him. Here's why. Despite the fact that he hitched his proverbial horse to the Apple cart (pun intended), the Woz is so very chill about different techs and OS's co-existing. Over the years since I've gotten into tech I have heard one major voice that has talked about how great each tech is and how they build off of each other. That was the Woz. While other major "inventors/innovators" such as Steve Jobs mutter threats about going nuclear on the competition, the Woz has consistently said what he likes and dislike about each OS and the celebrates the fact that both exist.

The Woz is essentially like George Takei when George step in between two major stars of the Star Trek and Star Wars genres when they were having you pissing match over which was better. George essentially said its all good. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. He then pointed out the true enemy which is Twilight and its fans. The Woz is essentially try to do the same thing. While Wozniak prefers iOS devices over Android, he still enjoys both because each offers a different take on what personal electronics make.
What I think the Woz has failed to do is point out the true enemy to Android and iOS fans. The true enemy is Patent Trolls. Sadly this enemy has taken root in companies such as Apple and Samsung. The real losers when Patent Trolling happens is us, the end users. If this behavior is allowed to continue the end result will be stagnation in electronics and technology. Apple paved the way with user interface. Google paved the way with availability of smartphones and improved notifications and user control. Both companies have borrowed ideas from each other. The most notable borrowing which has happened is with Apple's release of iOS 6, which borrowed ideas from Android's notification and integration features. Is this bad? NO! Its good! The over all user experience for Apple users has improved. Does this mean I'd go iPhone over Android? No. I've bought into the ecosystem of Android AND I feel like I have more freedom. But that doesn't mean I can't be friends with Apple users. That doesn't mean I have to be a hater. When I trash on any company it is because of patent trolls. If you were to ask me which is better, Android or iOS, I would say Android. I freely admit I am biased. But that does not mean I cannot point how what iOS does better than Android. Heck, there were things WebOS did better than either and that OS is essentially dead because HP screwed up royally. The message of this entire rant is this, the reason I think Steve Wozniak is cooler than Steve Jobs and Bill Gates or any other heavy hitter in tech is because he has talked the talk and walked the walk of a true blue techy. He loves innovation. He loves creativity. He isn't a snob who doesn't want the "little people" to have what he has. He promotes ideas, knowingly or not, that will make the world better. That is why when it comes to tech, despite the fact that I don't agree with him in all things or even because of it, Steve Wozniak is my Tech hero.

For more information on Steve Wozniak's stand on the OS battles, check out this article by the Android Authority.

George Takei (Sulu) in his now famous request for peace between Star Wars and Star Trek fans:

Down with Twilight!!!

Reflections on Apple v. Samsung Trial

What with the verdict of the trial being very much in the favor of Apple, it seems that Samsung (and by connection Android) has lost a major battle last week. But the issue isn't so easily defined. As a Android fanboy, I am rather surprised with myself on how I can step back and have a looksy at what is happening and what this means.

First, it is clear to me that BOTH Apple and Samsung have actively and repeatedly infringed on patents that each holds. The validity of those patents are, in some cases, questionable. But that is really a question of whether the system is broken or not. It is VERY clear to me that the system is broken. Having participated in the application process for several patents I can tell you that it is long, drawn out, and is more about bring money into a governmental agency than protecting the rights of the inventor. In the case of Apple and Samsung I have seen ample evidence that both are more interested in "knocking out the competition" rather than protecting intellectual property rights. If anyone thinks that this conclusion in court is the end you have another thing coming. This is likely to drag out for a very long time. The fact that the jury was very much slanted towards Apple rather than doing as the South Korean Judge did and smack both upside the head just means that life for Android and iOS users is going to become rougher for US residents at least.

And that leads to my second point, this ruling can be taken one of two ways. Either this will make life worse for consumers or better. It could really go either way and since I don't have a crystal ball I really can't tell you which. Either this case will set a precedent of enforcing a monopoly through the courts, or it could result in an expansion of innovation that is greater than we have already seen. My big issue with Apple fanboys is that they claim that Samsung did no innovation and "stole" everything from Apple. That is crap. Just like its crap to say Apple hasn't "stolen" anything from Samsung or Android. The competition that Android, and by connection Samsung, brought to the table has made both operating systems better in both the long and short run. To claim that Apple (or Google) has an exclusive on the ideas and innovations that have come about is as ridiculous as claiming that Ford should have had exclusivity on making cars back in the day. Competition improves the market place. The fact of the matter is that Steve Jobs, and by connection Apple, has it in for Android simply because the creators dared to challenge the Apple ecosystem. And ecosystem that was intentionally limiting until recent years. The main reason Android has so much power is because Apple refused to deal with anyone other than one wireless carrier per country. While I am not sure of the other carriers in other nations, I can tell you that having worked for AT&T in the past, it did more harm than good for AT&T and its users to have the iPhone as an exclusive. Let's be clear here, I am not an AT&T spokes person, I just was the poor smuck who handled the customer service calls on poor coverage and crappy service etc. By Apple refusing to deal, the other carriers realized that Android was the next big thing. And Apple is still doing the same when it comes to T-mobile. If Apple really wanted to be supreme in Smart Devices, they should have been available on all carriers and services as soon as they could. In either case, my point still stands. Apple may have started down a road of innovation, but Google made it better and by doing so made Apple's product better as well.

Finally, the ruling was in many ways very fishy. The fact that evidence such as previously existing ideas and images that far proceeded the iPhone and iPad were disallowed as evidence. The fact that Steve Job's statements of wanting to go nuclear on Android. The fact that there is very much a bias in the public's eyes all make me question the validity of the ruling and the use of a jury. As an example, the other day I was having a conversation with a friend. He told me to get out my iPhone and search something. He knows I don't have an iPhone so I corrected him. His response, "Same difference..." The problem we see here is that there isn't. iPhone is a brand. If he had said, "Get out your smartphone," or to use an older term since he was older, "Get out your PDA," then there would be no need for correction. Smart devices have been around much longer that the iPhone. Apple just made them hip and trendy. Personally, I think that the case should be retried. I think if there is a jury, it should be a jury of unbiased experts. I think that in reality that both parties have intentionally wronged the other. I think this entire thing was really one big farce. In the end all I see coming out of these trials is increased cost for the consumers. I see a failure in our patent system. I see that in the end no one wins and everyone, include innovation, loses.

Samsung, Barnes & Noble Drop Tablet Price. Worth It?

Last week Samsung announced the Galexy Tab 2 student edition for $250. While it is the same price as the regular Galexy Tab 2, the dual core tablet also comes with a bluetooth keyboard and adaptor to allow use of usb drives with the tablet.
Further more, Barnes & Noble announced a price drop in their Nook color and Nook Tablets. Nook Color is $149, Nook Tablet (8GB) $179, and Nook Tablet (16GB) $199. Essentially a $50 drop in price. This was done to compete with the Nexus 7 by ASUS.
This begs the question of whether it is worth it to get either one of the tablet options over the Nexus 7? With respects to the deal I can honestly recommend the Nexus 7. While the peripherals for the Galexy Tab 2 is great and while the Nook devices have expandable memory, both are running processors that are dual core (or in the case of Nook Color a 800mhz single core processor. Also both are running old software and lower screen resolution. Over all the fact that the pricing is fairly comperable to the Nexus 7 pricing there is just nomajor reason except the expandable memory not to go with the Nexus 7. Even with that the use of services such as Google Drive, Box and Dropbox (among others) solves any major storage concerns. I have a 16gb Nexus 7 and memory isn't such a big deal. If your iching to get a 7 inch tablet, the Nexus 7 is a far better deal with more flexability as well.

Google's Launch of Google Now Voice Search on iOS is One Awesome Move!

It was recently announce by Google that the amazing voice search that has been putting Siri to shame is becoming availible on iOS devices very soon. What makes this interesting is that this feature which was previously only availible on Android 4.1 and some 4.0 devices will be availible to the users of Google's top competing mobile OS. Android fanboys everywhere are scratching their heads and asking "Why dear god why? The horror!" Maybe I over exagerate. Hell, as a huge fan of Android, I asked that question for a nano second or two. But then I remember what Google is. Google is a search company. They are an ad company. The entire reason Google bought and developed Android and develops things like Chrome is not to make massive profits from them (although it helps) or to fuel fanboy wars between Android and iOS. No, the reason Google does all it does is to protect their profitable search and advertising castle. Android, Chrome, Project Glass, all of these are Google's defeances against competition. Taken in this light, Google's release of the Google Now like voice search function that makes Siri cry like the little girl she really is just reaffirms that Google has some leaders at the helm that know what they are doing. Android fanboys out there, just remember that Android would die without Google search. The one thing that pisses me off about the Google Now search function on iOS is that the majority of Android users are left out. That will change as OEMs stop using Gingerbread and start using Jelly Bean, but OEMs can be lazy at times. Case in point, I'm writing this post on a phone running Android 2.3.4. But that will be changing very, very, very soon. Just remember people, you heard it here first!

OUYA Game Console: What the Nexus Q & Google TV Should Be

You may have heard of the Kickstarter project for the open source gaming console OUYA (Pronounced Oo-yu). Its been talked about in the positive and the negative. The console will run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) at its core with a Tegra 3 quad core processor, 1 GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB built in memory, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, HDMI with 1080p support and USB 2.0, not to mention a console controller. Now, some people are shouting that the open source game console has been tried before and failed. Those same people claim that this console will fail just as hard. Yet others shout that this console will be a success because it is designed around Android and that operating system isn't going away anytime soon. With over 50% of the smart phone market share, not to mention a rising share in the tablet market, basing the gaming console around the Android OS is a better move than making an OS from the ground up. Add to this the fact that emulators for other game consoles such as the N64 & PS systems among others and its a huge win for gamers everywhere. But I'm not arguing for the Ouya Game Console based off of the gaming ability. I am arguing for the Ouya Console because of it's entertainment functionality.

Gaming is of course a part of the devices draw. It is awesome that you can do that on your TV. You can do the same with any Android tablet or phone. But as a dedicated entertainment system and living room computing device it is even more awesome! Stream video through Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Youtube and more. Stream music as well. Heck, you can play ANY music or video file via the USB 2.0 port or even by streaming from on device to another such as a PC or another mobile device. You can connect any Bluetooth peripheral to it as well. Stream music to Bluetooth headphones, connect other controllers like a Wii remote, PS3 controller or remote control. Since hacking of the Ouya Console is encouraged, really the limit is in imagination of the hacking and programing community. A community that is alive and well in the Android ecosystem! Currently with 24 days left on the Kickstarter project, you can grab a console and controller for $99.00. If you think of getting this device as an investment in a potential gaming console, that's a big risk because as a console it may not pan out. But, if you purchase the device as a multi-media solution then this is the device for you. Google has released Google TV and the Nexus Q. Both  of them are good but lacking.

Now we haven't seen Ouya as a finished product yet, so there is a chance it won't be as awesome as a multi-media device for your living room as I am hoping it will. Still, I'm betting on it as a win. Check out the project. If it looks to be a fit for you, consider investing in it. At $4.6 million and counting, 35,999 other investors think its a good gamble. Oh, and did I mention the project has 26 days to go? Well, now I did.

UPDATE: Whoohoo! I love it when I'm right. At 8.5+ million, this game console is looking very, very good. The Kickstarter project is over, but the games have just begun. Before finishing some major names officially jointed the club in supporting the OUYA. Check out the Kickstarter page above for details.

Run Android Apps on PC & Mac!

Blue Stacks is an app developed that allows users to run Android applications on a PC. That is old news. What is big news is that now Mac users can get in on the fun and games. This is a beauty of Android. Since it is open source by design Google has no problems with such things happening. In fact, by its very nature, Android is creating an ecosystem that is almost viral. If more and more users and utilize Android apps on more and more devices this makes the Android operating system more essential to more people. My hope is that Microsoft and Apple take a hint from this success by opening up such functionality in their mobile device applications. Sadly, while I can hope, I don't see such rational thinking happening on either software companies part. Still, the ability for an Android user to have their software they have spent good money on be transferable to the computer of their choice just adds further value. I can see someone using the Mircosoft Surface Tablet and running Blue Stacks and Android apps on it. Wonderful! To enjoy Blue Stacks for Mac, go here. To enjoy Blue Stacks for PC, go here.

What the Hell Google?!?!

To start with, I want to say that the Google I/O event was awesome and I really wish I could have been there. Watching it on YouTube is just not the same. I am super excited about the Nexus 7, Jelly Bean and even Project Glass. The updates for Google+ and all the other stuff was awesome as well, BUT...

The Nexus Q

What the hell is this thing?!?! It looks cool. It sounds cool, but in reality it is either a little ahead of its time or a lot behind on understanding human psychology! If you haven't heard, this little device hooks up to you speakers and TV and lets you play things from your Google Play and Cloud accounts. In theory  this sounds nice. Not so sure about the practice. Let me break it down for you.

Android Only

You can use your Android device to control this thing. That's it! Hey, I love Android, but there are other devices out there. While I dislike Apple greatly for their big bully behavior towards Android OEMs, they still make a great product, and the lack of support of iOS devices means you are leaving people out in the cold. The reason I love Google is because they don't play the Apple game. Seems to me like this is an attempt to do that. 

Music Ques

Using your Android device you can control and create music ques with you Google Play music. It sounded like you could also port your existing music into the Google Cloud so you could use that music too (up to 20,000 at no cost). All of this is nice, but they added the ability for anyone who has and Android device to control the music. Now there is a nice side to this in that I could share my music with friends without them having to buy said music while protecting the copyright of the band, but they forgot about human nature. Maybe its because I was enjoying Malcom in the Middle reruns when I found out about the Nexus Q, or perhaps its because I great up with 6 siblings, but I' fairly certain that giving all users equal access to the device and allow them all the ability to interrupt the current song is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Limited Ecosystem

The Google Play store is awesome, but there are so many countries where it or psrts of it are not available. Now this may be because of the studios, or governments, or heaven knows what else, but it is limited. Also, the fact that you have to have a Google Play compatible device is a big limiter. Netflix has the right idea. Make it compatible with all devices and there won't be any issue of limits. But why would I cough up $9.99 for a digital copy of a movie when I can buy the DVD or Blue-ray and make a backup copy? Now, if Google Play were offering an All You Can Eat option like Amazon Prime or even Netflix, that is a different story. But this device is currently limited to Google Play. I can get more out of my Logitech Revue than out of this thing because at least the Revue works with Pandora, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The Final WTF: The PRICE

This device is $299! Sure its running a dual core processor. Sure it's cutting edge, never been done before, blah blah blah blah blah. BUT $299!!! Considering all the options we the people have in the electronics market I say save your money. Buy an amp and hook in a Nexus 7 tablet. You'll likely have just as good and experience and save $100. Either that or wait until the price drops or more functionality is added because at this point, its nice, but not I NEED IT nice.

There is Hope

The Nexus Q runs Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. It was designed on the open source mobile OS that is taking the world by storm. In the Keynote for Google I/O 2012 the presenter encouraged hacking it! That is awesome. Perhaps this little device could bloom into something we do NEED. But at this point I'm thinking you should invest in Pocket TV or a Google TV box if you want to enjoy the Google Ecosystem without the premium.

The Google Nexus 7!

Yesterday the Google Nexus 7 tablet was announced. This 7 inch tablet packs a massive one two punch. It starts at $200 for the base model ($250 for the next up) and packs the Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad Core +1 processor. The +1 is a fifth core that fans lovingly call Ninja core because it kicks in for low processing needs like web surfing or watching HD video to conserve on battery power. The tablet also boasts 1GB of ram, a super IPS display, a N wireless module and the latest iteration of Android called Jelly Bean. The manufacturer is ASUS and they have released 3 tablets prior to this. All three were great successes and were very well made. Additional all three are well supported as well. In fact, I'm writing this review on the ASUS Transformer Prime. But that's besides the point. This Nexus tablet is the first of its kind and will hopefully receive some tender love and care not only from ASUS but also from Google.


Why This is a Big Deal


This is the first time a high end tablet could be purchased at such a low price. Now some would suggest that the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet would both qualify for this prize, but this is not the case. Sure both had dual core processors on board which was top of the line at the time of release, but both run limited versions of a mobile operating system (Android) that are heavily customized so the user does not get a fully functional tablet without rooting the devices in questions. Not only is there some amount of specialized knowledge needed to do this, but by rooting the device you void the warranty. The Nexus 7 on the other hand not only delivers the high end quad core tablet with supporting hardware, but is also offers a fully functional mobile operating system.


My One Reservation


The one thing I do not see in the tablet that makes me frustrated is the lack of an expandable memory slot. There is no SD or microSD slot for which the user can add additional memory as needed. This is a must considering the base model comes with just 8GB of on board memory. The next model up offers 16GB of memory. The problem is that both versions the operating system takes up some of that memory. About 2.5GB is taken up by the OS. That is why I would recommend the 16GB model. Since the OS takes up the same amount of space on both the 16GB model actually delivers much more total memory available to you the user than the 8GB model does. Still, despite the lack of expandable memory slots, this tablet is still very much worth the money asked for it. Considering cloud storage will take up a lot of the slack, the memory issue isn't a huge deal.


Educational Potential


This little gem is perfect for schools. It has the right combination of price, size, and functionality. Admin, teachers, students and parents can all take advantage of a device that is portable, light and has a battery life that surpasses any laptop computer. The larger screen is bigger than a smart phone screen and offers the better functionality. For the same price of a high end smart phone under contract you get a tablet that does as much or more without the cost associated with a phone plan. Pare a bluetooth keyboard to Nexus 7 (or go without) and you have an extremely effective word processor. The research potential for students makes this an ideal device to have in or out of class. Then there is the things schools can eliminated with the introduction of the tablets. For example, rather than having very expensive and heavy textbooks the schools could use ebooks. Furthermore, the open source textbook option is an amazing and VERY low cost alternative to the traditional approach. What is more, this tablet is more than capable of providing such things as tutorial apps, interactive lessons, scientific and graphing calculators, charts and more for little to no cost. Every student could have a full set of references such as dictionaries and encyclopedias at hand too. Teachers could provide schedules and even update them so that all students and parents are aware of what is happening. Emergency notifications could be delivered to the tablets so students and teachers remain safe. Students can be called to the office or pulled out of calls without the need for the entire school to be disrupted by a general announcement that could also embrace the student in question. Essentially our schools could move out of the late 80's and into the 21st century. The best part is that the tablet or those that follow are the devices that can do this because of the low cost and high end combination.



                                                                                    Entertainment

The Nexus 7 has great potential as an entertainment devices in additional to its educational functions. The +1 on the Tegra 3 means you can browse the web and watch hours of HD footage while sipping away at battery life. Then is you want to kill some time while waiting with a game you can do that with access to hundreds of thousands of free and paid games. What is more, you aren't just limited to the Google Play store. There are other Android appstores such as Amazon and GetJar. You aren't limited in you music or video content either. If you are stuck in the Apple ecosystem you can simply port all your music and videos over at no cost since Android is compatible with many different media formats. If it isn't out of the box compatible for some of your content, there are apps that give the needed drivers to make them compatible at little to no cost. Then of course there are other options for music, audiobooks, ebooks and more. Why limit yourself to one ecosystem? I am the Kindle and Nook apps installed on my tablet and smartphone. I purchase the books I want at the best price. Same goes for music. It all centers in on my Android devices that are not limited in the least. Furthermore, if video content is your drive then you can access YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Hulu and more. You can also bring your own digital files to the table without the need to convert them like other products such as Apple's. Back to the games thing, there are a large variety of casual and advanced games available through all appstores. Whether you want to kill a few minutes with Angry Birds or Cut the Rope, or if you want to spend more time with games such as Dead Space, Max Payne, Shadow Gun or Dark Meadows, you have plenty of options  on hand with a tablet that is built to handle the demands of them all!


Review to Come


So I'm taking one for the team here guys. I've pre-ordered the Nexus 7 16GB model and will be posting a full review as soon as I get my hot little hands on it. It is important to note that the current pre-order offer includes a bonus $25 credit for the Google Play store, so if you are interested in taking the dive without reviews that may be a nice little bonus for you. In either case, the wonders of the latest iteration of Android  combined with high end hardware is a nice temptation. I can't wait to see what other manufacturers will be offering to counter the Nexus 7. Either way, in the end guys we are the winners! I love living science fiction!

To purchase the Google Nexus 7 go to this link.

Update:

I missed this the first time, but the Nexus 7 also has a 12 core GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that makes game play and over all beauty and usability of this tablet a pleasure. Essentially, this means that the tablet is running 16 cores when your playing games or other graphic intensive functions and still gives you 8 to 9 hours of battery life! If you are considering getting a Kindle Fire, think again. This tablet is the best bang for your buck. Especially the 16GB model.

Mighty Text: Text from Your PC

There are times when I'm in situations where I can't pick up my phone to look at an incoming text. Circumstances such as these are common for most people. Text messaging is a great means of communication, but they are limited because you would have to pull your phone from you pocket and look at the screen. Now that texting is less of a new fangled thing and more of a means of communication people know what randomly grabbing your phone and looking at it means. It can be considered rude.But when you're in class or a business meeting, often you have a laptop for notes.

I blacked out personal information to protect friend's privacy. The program shows contact names & pictures when synched
with your Google Contacts account.

Mighty Text:

With Mighty Text the problem being rude by reaching for your phone. Put simply, the application syncs your conversations with MightyText.net and communicates between your phone and the website almost seamlessly. The application is designed to work with Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Now, this program is old news, but the recent updates have drastically improved the application and  related browser software. The update put out June 19th made some amazing improvements. You do need to be running Android 2.2 and up in order to enjoy the fun and games. 

Future Updates I'd Like to See:

The one thing I would love to see on the next update is a means of communication between tablets and phones. Since my primary mobile computing device is the Transformer Prime, I would love to see this application play nice with fellow Android devices. Heck, why be so limited, I would love to see this application play nice with iPads too. It already plays nice with Macs since all three browsers are used on them. I may love Android, but I have no problem letting the Apple crowd enjoy the benefits of this service too. 

Additional Uses:

Let's say you leave your phone at home or some other location and you need to communicate with someone. Access to a computer, any computer, with a web browser will solve the problem. So long as the phone is on and send & receiving signal you can communicate with anyone and use your own phone number while doing it.

The program also tells you who is calling you, so if you want to determine who is calling you and if it is worth it for you to excuse yourself to take the call. 

How to Get It:

Just jump on over to the Google Play store on your phone or head to it with your web browser by clicking this link. So long as you are logged into your Google account getting the app will be automatic. The app is the low, low price of free!

On App Development & Stupid Reviewers: A Rant

The Back Story:

I recently reviewed an app called To-Fu: The Trial of Chi over at TriForce Radio. As games go, this one was really fun, cute and enjoyable to play. I will likely play it again as well as have my nieces play it next time I see them. It was the free app of the day for 5/18/12 on Amazon's Appstore so I got a paid app for free. That was nice. When I enjoy a good game I like to post a review to help the developers in selling the app. Since I couldn't sleep I jump on the Appstore to post a review to do the developers proud. I think the game is on par with Where's My Water, Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. Well, when I got there I read some of the other reviews. There was a very large number of low ratings including a massive amount of 1 star ratings. It turns out the reason for these poor ratings for the most part where due to two different reason. The first is simple enough. The game did not work on certain phones. I can sympathizes with those people, but poor ratings usually does nothing for correcting that problem. Emailing the developer does more. But despite that stupidity there was a greater level of stupidity shining forth in words that shall be forever immortally live on thanks to my screen shots (for some of them at least).

An Explanation:

You see, in the To-Fu game there are two OPTIONAL in app purchases. Both are $0.99. One unlocks all levels at once so you don't have to play through them to get to the next level. The other is called Golden To-Fu. It is much like the Mighty Eagle in Angry Birds. If the play gets stuck on a level and wants some help, by invoking the Golden To-Fu the level is completed perfectly. Again, to be perfectly clear, BOTH ARE OPTIONAL. The game itself is normally $0.99. So if you where to buy all in app purchase in addition to the game your total cost would be $2.97. I've spent more for a burger and gained less satisfaction from that then I did from this game.

The Stupidity: 

So the primary complaint about the app can basically be summed up like this. HOW DARE THE GREEDY DEVELOPERS CHARGE ME FOR SOMETHING I DON'T REALLY NEED TO PLAY THE GAME ESPECIALLY SINCE THE GAME WAS FREE TO BEGIN WITH!!! As you can see form the screen shots, that was a summary, but a somewhat fair one.

The Problem:

The problem is that these idiots have no clue. They think all developers are greedy so and so's who are out to rob them blind. Ranting about dishonest business models and how awful these people are. The fact of the matter is those people are worse then the supposed demonic developers they are cursing. I have seen people waste money on things of less value then this game and do it happily. The majority of these bad reviews are from people who got the damn app for free anyways. These people are so greedy, self centered and ignorant that they whine that the developer is offering an OPTIONAL in app purchase if someone just so happens to be lazy or just wants to play more casually. While they are doing this they think nothing of the TIME and the MONEY the developers themselves have sacrificed to make this game. The best part is that the developers didn't make these sacrifices for these whiners. They made them because they were investing. They were taking skills they had learned and translating them into a good that others would pay MONEY for. This is called economy. By working they hope to make money. Much like I write because I hope to gain money from my efforts. So to me, the problem is not the developers. They simply are trying to achieve the dream of financial independence. It is fun to note that the makers of this particular game are a small company, not the huge corporation that some would have you believe. 

Your Thoughts:

Now you have heard my opinion and rant. What are your thoughts on the subject? Do you agree with me? Disagree? Think I'm nuts? Do you think there is a solution to this problem? Is there a problem at all? 

I'll be honest, all comments are welcome so long as they are not abusive or foul. I will not delete an comments because you disagree with me so long as you follow the above guide lines. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Other Screen Shots:

Please note, all of these comments were posted on a public forum. I have not edited these comments in any way. 

Chameleon for Android Tablets

A couple years back the best option for an Android tablet was some crappy thing thrown together in China that was basically a large poorly designed phone. A year ago the Android tablet started to take form. The evolution was much like that of the initial Android phones. It was a rough start, but now the tablets offered are amazing. Android 3.0 to 4.0 are all well designed tablets. But here's the thing, Android is all about customization! My phone is customized to fit me personally and it is amazing! The same goes Android tablets, but because they are a bit newer the possibilities are still developing. Here is where Chameleon comes in. This project is a custom launcher (or skin) for Android tablets running 3.2 and up and is based off of your preferences.

The pitch is really simple. You use different apps at different times of the day and/or depending on where you are at. Why should you have to swipe between home screens to get where you want to be? Well, Chameleon answer that. The launcher uses GPS for geofencing and/or by wifi networks to determine with home screen is front and center when you turn on your tablet. Examples. You wake up in the morning to a screen with email, news and traffic front and center. You arrive at work with a email, calender and office software. You go to lunch at your favorite cafe and your social network & personal stuff screen pops up when because it recognizes the wifi network. Just before quitting time the home screen with traffic and new pops back up. When you arrive home your entertainment home screen is front and center. The best part is that every home screen is customizable. Also you can switch between the different screens with a swipe of a finger just like normal Android. Also, it is much prettier than the basic Android home screen options. Don't get me wrong, the default options for Android are awesome, but Chameleon takes it to the next level. It doesn't hurt that Chameleon adds eye candy to the mix. 

So for the next 15 days Kickstarter will be hosting the fund raising that gets this software off the ground. Expect release of the product is September 2012 in the Google Play store (and hopefully others). But if you want to jump into customized home screens before everyone else AND without having to pay extra. A $5 donation gets you into the game early.

Here is the Kickstarter project. If you missed the donation window, here is the website.

OfficeSuite Pro 6 for Android on sale in Amazon Appstore

Update: This Sale is over, but the app is good quality in any case.

The Amazon Appstore has place Office Suite Pro 6 on sale for just $0.99! I thought I got a deal when I bought it for $5. Normal price is $14.99. It is a great productivity app and it works well on tablets and phones alike. The best part, if you buy it within the next couple days you also get $1.00 toward any mp3 purchase through Amazon. You can buy a single song for $0.99 or it can be applied towards a album purchase. Either way, the cost of the app by itself is worth it. After all, that double cheese burger from McSquikers isn't going to be all that useful to you later. This app will keep on working for you.

Click the link to jump in on the goodness.

Dear Apple, Regarding iOS 6

I have heard you were saying your operating system is the "most advanced" mobile operating system, but I think you are mistaken. Let's go over the things added by iOS 6 and how they are old news for your top competitor, Android.

1) Facebook Integration

Well, you see, this particular functionality is available for Android. While currently the latest version of Android is 4.0, the most popular version in use is Android 2.3. Guess what guys, this feature and many others have been available since 2.0. So that nice little explanation about how iOS is better because it's not "fragmented" is negated. So in your Facebook Apple!

2) A new share screen.

See above. Nothing new here. In fact, the integration for the app or network of your choice is phenomenal.

3) Spotlight tweak, find apps easier because they can get hard to find on those different home screens

Well, with Android you can set any app to any home screen that you want. Rather than being dictated to by the all mighty Apple as to where you're app icons are, you can organize them as you wish. Add to that the fact that you can add widgets to you home screens and this iOS update is a huge snore fest! By the way, for those who are not aware of what a widget is. It is something that delivers information without the user needing to open up an application. Examples of these are weather, calender and reminders.

4) Reminders improvement

All of the features added with this update are already available through Android or through free applications such as Tasker or on(X). These apps also add automation, geofencing and more to Android without any problems.

5) Call rejection options. Reject with text message

These are called quick responses in Android. This has been available since Android 2.2.

6) New Siri functionality

You know. Siri is probably the only thing that really impresses me from iOS 5 or 6. It has improved. But the thing is that Siri is one of those things that I look at and think, "I'd use it a few times and forget about it." It's all shiny, no function for me. Here is why. The voice recognition function in Android kicks some serious but. A friend and I had a quick draw on dictating a text. My 1 1/2 year old Samsung Epic 4G against is iPhone 4S. I won. Each. And. Every. Time. In noisy environments. In quiet environments. Why do I need the voice recognition to talk back to me. I'm not Raj from the Big Bang Theory. I don't need to be deluded into thinking my phone is a person.

7) Cloud Tabs

The ability to open bookmarks from your computer on your phone... Wow! I wish someone else has thought of that! (Sarcasm) Seriously. OLD NEWS! You can do this with Chrome for Android, Firefox for Android, Dolphin and the default browser on Android.

8) Game Center Update

The ability to share your score with Game Center. Meh. I don't want to share my scores. Even if I did, most Android games have that ability built in. SNORE!

9) Photo Stream

Share photos through iCloud... Yah, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box.net and more. These guys have had this feature for a long time. I can share photos publicly or send personal links easily. Also, my Google Plus account auto backs up my pictures to a private folder which I can then make public at will.

10) Facetime on 3G

 Yah, I can do that with Skype, Tango, Ustream and ooVoo all have had this option available for a while. Oh, and these options aren't limit to just Apple products. You can communicate with anyone. These apps named are free and cross platform. I've been able to do this with my old Epic 4G since I've had it. That phone game running Android 2.1 and has since been updated to Android 2.3.3.

I am sure I missed some stuff, but I suppose my point is made. Android is currently the most advanced mobile OS that is currently on the market. This may not always be the case, but...

Clarification

Now don't get me wrong Apple (and Apple fans). I'm happy to see that you've added these functionalities so your users have a better experience, but please don't go acting like these things weren't "borrowed" from Android. Me personally, I love Android, but I am happy there are other options in the market. Competition makes the market better for consumers. But that's the sad thing Apple. You are using the courts around the world to try and kill competition. This pisses me off. Stick to innovation. You use to be good at it. If you can't keep up with the competition then do what RIM is doing, go away. But if you can delude yourself into think that the end user is better off with just iPhones in the market, you need to put down that weed you've been smoking and get clean.

Sincerely,

Not Impressed


P.S.

This youtube review, Wicked4u2c does a great break down on Android for you to see how these feature are really old news for Android. This reviewer is amazing. I suggest you follow him.

The Pocket TV: Mobile Has Just Gotten Cooler

Android Ice Cream Sandwich on my TV? Yes please!!!

Some projects on Kickstarter are just cool. Others are freaking AWSOME! The Pocket TV just so happens to be one of the latter. Running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) this USB thumb drive sized computer turns your display of choice into a fully functional entertainment and presentation system without anything other than the device and remote. So long as the display in question has a HDMI-in, you are cooking with jet fuel baby! Plug and play. In my geeky little mind this is a massive plus because I have an Android 4.0 tablet. The customization of this micro computer is ideal. I also have a Logitech Revue Google TV box, and I'll be honest, I'm replacing it with the Pocket TV. Google's biggest mistake with the Google TV is, in my mind, that they didn't just make it Android for TV. This is that in a nut shell.

 First Impressions

The specs for the device seem a little on the low side when you first look at them. A 1 GHz processor is a little on the low side, but considering the 1080p dedicated GPU makes it all better. The majority of processing needs for games and movies comes from the graphics. It helps that Ice Cream Sandwich is the best and most effective version of Android yet.

Mobile Gaming but Better!

Speaking of games! The Pocket TV comes with a USB port on the back! A lot of Android games are coming with controller options now so you can have a mobile gaming platform on your hands. And I'm not talking about Angry Birds or Cut the Rope either. Games like ShadowGun, Asphalt and more. Then of course there are the countless emulators out there for older games going from the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64 and back. I'm sure PS2 and Xbox emulators aren't that far off either.

The Project

The Kickstater Project is fully funded, so if you jump on board it isn't because you have a dying desire to help this project float. No my friend, there is no altruistic excuse for your to drop so dough here, this is all about you. The projected availiabiltiy of the Pocket TV will be October, so you are investing in the future, but consider how jealous your family, friends and co-workers will be when you show them your new toy this Thanksgiving and Christmas season. If you are in the US or Canada, you're looking ad dropping $120 (includes shipping) for the pocket TV with basic remote. If you want the Air Remote, your total will be $145 including shipping. That's not bad considering that the retail price is $190 AND your get it before your snobby relative who always lords it over you that he or she has the latest and greatest first. If you are that snobby relative, well... you spent less for the latest and greatest then. To check out the project and more details, click this link.

P.S. You can also control the Pocket TV from your Android or iPhone. Just another reason to love this idea!

Elphi Smart Plug: Life at Your Fingertips

This smart plug allows you to control your appliances from a distance. Consider this the natural evolution of the clap-on clap-off device. Using your Android or iPhone you can monitor and control power going to electronics in your home. Set devices on timers or control them at will with ease. It also has power monitoring abilities. This is great for energy conservation minded folks. But the thing is, this project needs your help. For $89 or more pledge you get in on a device that will become common place in the near future. The higher amounts you pledge the more plugs you get. Check out the project. As of the writing of this post there is 15 days left to the project and they haven't made goal yet. Join the Kickstarter project to make this dream a reality!

SensorDrone: A Make Your Phone Do More

The advent of the smart phone has done a lot. Starting with IBM, the smart phone has evolved into micro computers that can do more, faster than devices of the past. 

 Enter the SensorDrone. This little jewel makes it so you can measure things your phone would not be able to on its own. For $175, you can jump on board for a device that allows you to measure 

Be it Android or iPhone, if the application is enabled to connect to the SensorDrone then you can use it.

The device has an air, temperature and light sensor built into it. Additionally, there is an expansion post built into it. 

If you are interested in getting a sensor like this, you can get this device for just $175. When this hits the retail stores, you'll pay $199 for it. Click here to join the Kickstarter project.