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!

iPhone 5 Fail!

The screen may be larger, but its still awkward and silly. It makes for an easy target though.

My questions is what sorts of fun things can we mock about the 5S? Android use to be the butt of the joke. Windows Phone is still the butt of the joke, but I thought Apple was all about innovation?!?! I really would love to see the old innovative Apple come back!

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!!!

Shut the *bleep* Up About the iPhone 5 Already!

This little rant was in my head for a while so I figured I may as well get it out. The iPhone 5 isn't even out yet and already people are working themselves up in yet another frenzy over it. The sad part to me is that as the device goes, the iPhone name has been behind on the game since the iPhone 4. Sure its a really nice UI. Sure it broke boundries and really revitialized the industry. But if we were basing the device on what it did we would all be using Palm Pilots right now. Or I would be driving a Chevy. My point is let's judge the next iPhone on what it delivers. As things go I was emensly underwhelmed with the announcement of iOS 6. It is a great improvement for sure, but when even Windows Phone 7 users have the fuction that iOS 6 brings you have to ask yourself if it really is as cutting edge as Apple Fanboys claim it is. I personally love how competition makes things better for me as a consumer, and yet it still annoys me to no end when people are foaming at the mouth over something that isn't even announced yet and also promises to be as underwhelming as the iPhone 4, 4S and iOS 6. I'm the wait and see sort.

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!

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.