Day 3 of Windows Phone 8

So far, it's been a mixed bag with Windows Phone.  It synced my Google contacts with aplomb.  It even drew the photos taken on my Android into the new contacts. Granted, that has more to do with Google than Windows, but it's nice.

Another nice touch is that the mapping system allows you to download map packs for every state and numerous non-US regions/nations.

I have to admit that not having voice instructions, turn by turn, is lame.  I don't know why, when Nokia Drive (only on Nokia phones, but I've heard you can hack it onto other phones if you're a hacker) can do it and Bing Maps can track you live and give on-screen turn by turn (as opposed to spoken) directions.

One huge plus is that you can delete the bloatware that your carrier installs.  This is a huge boon to people that hate having to look at apps that are really advertisements to buy other crap from your carrier.  I was able to delete T-Mobile TV and 411 & More...stuff that I couldn't remove from Android until I rooted my device.

I miss Spotify and being able to sync my playlists.  I've been trying to use the free Xbox Music Pass to replace it, but that's been a nightmare.  It took me over a day to get their server to send me an acknowledgement code.  When I finally did, the service simply would not recognize that I had a Windows phone.  I called tech support and they told me that they had no idea about my problem and told me to search the Windows Phone forums.  Nice...not.  I did do so and found this is a common problem.  The solution? Factory reset your phone.  This results in a complete wipe.  Apparently, the service will not rescan to find your device.  One user said his phone had this problem and it was found by the service an hour later.  I let mine sit overnight with no luck.  This sounds like a serious bug. 

After resetting my phone to get Xbox Music to work, it looks like it might be a nice service.  Not sure others would give it thus much work.  On top of that, their app store was very confusing.  There is no on-phone "my apps" like on Google (there is online) so, when I tried to reinstall my purchased apps, it told me to buy the apps again.  This had me very upset until the phone told me (after I clicked to buy again) that I had already purchased the app and it asked me if I wanted to install again.  Not intuitive at all.

See you at the next update.

The Switch From Android to Windows Phone 8

Today I receive an HTC 8X, courtesy of the kind folks at HTC in Bellevue, WA (They are a Taiwanese company that has their US HQ in Bellevue, WA).  This is a really slick phone (you can see a review here).  The interface is undeniably slick and so is the overall look and feel of the phone.  One really neat feature that they are advertising is Kid's Corner which allows you to let your kids play with the phone without accessing any non-approved content or features.  The Metro interface (the old working name for the blocks all over the screen) is very pretty and customizable.  This isn't a review, per se, but an opportunity to see if I can switch over from Android to Windows Phone 8 without looking back.

I am committed to staying with this phone for at least a month.  I love my HTC One S which is easily my favorite phone.  I also use an Asus Transformer Pad so I have an Android backup that I can turn to.  Having been an Android fan for quite a while, I have grown quite accustomed to several of the convenient apps and, perhaps more importantly, the hacker community.  They have allowed me to root my phone and set up apps that backup the entire phone, work secretly, and provide wifi hotspot capability behind my carrier's back.  I'm not sure how much support there will be in the Windows Phone community for stuff like this, but I am convinced that forcing myself to use it exclusively will make my find the true potential of the phone.  I will provide updates as I go.

The big question is:  Can someone deeply entrenched in the Google universe escape and function on a Windows Phone?  Stay tuned.

Problems With My HTC One S - How To Fix Them

I love this phone.  It is super slim, super sexy, and super fast.  I live by it.  Recently, about the last two weeks, all kinds of data problems have crept up.  It was slow, it was unbearable...all of my apps hung as the internet connection timed out.  After calling T-Mobile (no help), I checked with HTC.  It appears there is a built in "reset" that resets the radio without having to reflash your phone (as T-Mobile had me do, requiring a full day to get my apps back the way I wanted).

Here's how to do the reset:
Press and hold the power button (don't stop until I tell you!).  First, the reboot prompt comes up.  Don't flinch, keep holding it! Next, the hardware buttons begin to flash...don't let go!  Then, a new pop-up comes up and says "to restart, continue to hold the power button" and a countdown timer starts counting down.  Keep holding the button down!  Then, the HTC screen comes back up.  You can let go and let it boot up.  This seems to reset data issues that many people online have been complaining about with this phone. 

I love this phone...my first pick on the market, even if it's 6 months old.  The processor is still top of the line, the build and feel are unmatched (okay, the iPhone 5 feels just as nice in the hand).  The LED screen is beautiful.  Most importantly, the screen is big without being too big in the hand.

How To Use Amazon Locker

For those of you fortunate enough to live in one of 4 cities where Amazon has introduced this service (Seattle, London, NYC, and Washington DC), there is no an easy, secure way to get items at work. With locations sprinkled throughout these cities, Amazon has set up a locker service where your packages are delivered indoors, within a locked locker. This is great if you get something like a tablet or some other sensitive or expensive item. The banks are inside buildings and look something like this:

Once delivered (and I've found that, here in Seattle, some packages arrive early (I imagine this is because it's only a mile or so from their warehouse to these lockers!), you'll receive an e-mail that looks like this with your code:

You simply walk up, touch the screen, and enter your code. Your locker will pop open electronically and your package will be inside. It's as simple as that. Here's a little video of it in action:

Get the Most From Google!

How to get the most from Google:

Are Upgraded, Fancy Cables Worth It?

Here's an interesting article about how some audio snobs were testing out different high end cables to hear which ones sounded best (seriously).  Turns out that coat hangers worked as well as the best cables:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

A cable is a cable is a cable...to a point.  Now, anything that gets a quality signal across it is good enough...especially with digital media.  If it's good enough to get the signal there, there is no difference.  Now, having said that, there is a difference.  Look at the connectors.  Are they sturdy enough for the abuse they'll get?  Consider, if it's behind your TV for years, probably doesn't need to be too sturdy...if it's going to be plugged in and out a billion times, invest in something that has a quality connector and protective boot at the connector.

There are a couple of other differences:  shielding from magnetic and radio field interference is nice, but not always necessary.  Braided cable can take repeated bending more than plain, straight wire cable.  Also, on long runs, thicker cable (the metal inside, not the thicker insulation) can prevent a signal from dropping.

Ultimately, it depends on the purpose, but when that idiot at Best Buy tries to tell you that a $100 Monster Cable will give you a better picture instead of the cheapy HDMI cable, he's flat out wrong or lying.

Going to the movies

Do you remember the days when the 13-plex (or whatever quantity of screens) was popping up in every neighborhood, replacing the older, larger screens? I remember having a very small selection of 70mm screens to choose from (where the print was twice the size of 35mm... Well, more like quadruple the resolution) to see a sharp picture.

Well, last night, the wife and I went to see Prometheus (disappointing, but I digress) at one of those 10 screen cram in plexes. I have to say that it was the sharpest picture I have ever seen in a theater. It turns out that the cineplex upgraded to Sony digital projectors. When did this happen?

I have a friend who is a Hollywood movie company big wig and he told me that it has been an uphill battle for the movie companies to get the cinemas to upgrade. It turns out that film prints cost them about $1,500 per print and they need one for every screen that shows the movie. For a big release like Prometheus, they need several thousand prints on opening day. With digital theaters, it only costs about. $100-200 per print (basically a hard drive with the movie on it). Given the scale, you can imagine the savings.

I thought that going digital would be great. Small movie companies with low budgets that concentrate on story (think Blair Witch or Outsourced) would suddenly be able to afford to ship their movies without getting signed by a large distributor.

Did you ever wonder why 3 movie companies have their splash screen in the opening credits? The first is usually the big one like Sony, Paramount, or Universal... Then you'll see a smaller company like Walden or Revolution. The big company really just fronted the money to put out the prints. The smaller one is the company that actually financed and produced the movie. Then, usually a third one comes up (like Bad Robot, owned by JJ Abrams) which is the company that came up with the script and such... Usually the only creative people involved. This system was necessary because of the huge sums of money required to get a movie to the audience.  All of that is gone now.  This means more choice and more creative minds getting their ideas out to audiences.  The only thing standing in the way is that most cinemas are parts of huge chains, which means you have to get the corporation to allow their places to play your film.  This will come eventually.

Anyway, the whole point of this post was to talk about how great digital is.  In the short term, the thing is that, if you've stopped, you should head out to the theater again.  The pictures are more vibrant and sharper than ever before and there are no more hairs and scratches in the picture.  I love technology!

Not really tech...but had to share it

This guy loved his cat so much that he couldn't let go after it was killed. Now I've heard stories of people stuffing their dead pets, but this guy put a tech spin on it.

A few servos, a radio controller, a battery.....and LANDING STRUTS and PROPELLERS!

 

iTunes in the Cloud

Just a quick link that iTunes users should be aware of.  Why rewrite what is already explained very well...if you've got an unlimited data plan on your phone (and you should), this is something you should definitely take advantage of:

Click this link for the full story

Screen Protectors...a Rip Off?

What's the first thing they try to sell you when you buy a phone these days?  If your experience is anything like mine, it's a set of plastic screen protectors.   Can't remember the last time I didn't hear, "You just spent a few hundred on a smartphone and it costs $600 to replace...what's $30 for a set of screen protectors?"

Well.  Are they a waste of money?  Phones are beautiful these days and their screens are the biggest part of their beauty.  Have you fiddled with screen protectors?  They leave bubbles.  They go on crooked.  The best looking ones require you to actually wet your phone and then squeegie them on (something that inevitably left me with that one, odd piece of lint or dog hair permanently embedded in my viewing area!).  This can actually destroy the phone itself if you don't remove the battery first and let it dry overnight before powering it on.

I submit for your approval:  treated glass.  The most common is good old, Corning Gorilla Glass.  First of all, this is an American company for those of you who care about that.  It's neat to see an American product required on all of the top phones.  The other thing is that this is treated glass.  It's flexible, it's light, it's tough.

Watch this video:



You can see on the "medium" pressure that he applies, that he is actually applying pressure.

Now, watch this video from China with an HTC One X using the latest Gorilla Glass 2:


Lastly, here's a practical application.  This phone does NOT use Gorilla Glass, but a Chinese substitute...he succeeds in scratching the glass (fast foward to 3:20...sorry, this is the best test I've found...because the guy already broke his phone):


So...the bottom line is, why uglify your new phone?  Why throw away money for a cheap piece of plastic that's a real pain to apply and generally ruins the appearance of the display?  Maybe if you know that you are going to grind your phone on gravel, but short of that, save your money.

last note:  I've been going without a screen protector for the last two years.  I HAVE received two very minor scratches, but one is almost impossible to find, and the other was on an older generation smartphone when the glass technology was a new thing and phone manufacturers didn't focus on this.


UPDATE: I scratched my Amaze 4G screen without a protector!  How'd I do it?  Well, it fell out of my pocket when I was sitting up in a tall SUV and fell out of the door.  It was about a 4 foot drop onto concrete...the problem was that the concrete had gravel sprinkled across it.  Three pieces of gravel caused three tiny scratches on the screen.  They're pretty minor, but my research has shown that sand or gravel, when rubbed across the screen, will still cause scratches as in the HTC Amaze video above.  I'm not sure what it is, but it must just grab onto the oleophobic (grease repelling, as in from your fingerprint) coating that the glass is treated with and then grind the hard minerals against your glass, causing the scratches.  So, while coins and keys in your pockets will not scratch your phone, the sand between your wallet and phone while sitting at the beach might.  Perhaps it's a matter of where you go and what you do with your phone.  Personally, a case that rides up above your screen (I had no case on my Amaze), just barely, will probably do the trick to prevent the grit from grinding against your screen.  As for my phone, the scratches are minor and only noticable when I look for them...the problem is:  I KNOW THEY ARE THERE!

Pirq (for smartphone users)

I've been using Pirq for a few months now and must say, this sure beats Groupon.  Most people are familiar with Groupon:  You pay half price up front for a coupon that you have to print out and for a place that you really don't care about. If you don't use it, you've thrown your money away.  Pirq gives you the same benefit, only a million times better.

With Pirq, you don't have to pay anything up front and you can cancel at the very last minute.  You can look at a map on your phone (or a list based on your current location) and find places offering "Pirqs."  These are typically 40-50% off if you commit to go to the restaurant the next day.  They give you a time window, usually about 2-4 hours, that you have to use the perk within, in order to get the discount.  You click on the deal (they are limited and the amount left is clearly displayed on the phone).  When you arrive, you click on the "redeem this deal" and scan the pirq QR (well, Microsoft Tag, really, but it's a lot like a color QR tag) that is usually posted at the front door or cash register.  This starts a countdown timer (usually 2-3 hours) with which the code stays active.  You then show the code to your server and, voila, instant discount.  You paid nothing up front and, if you decide not to use it, you simply click "cancel."

Unlike Groupon, you haven't paid up front and you aren't financially committed because you can back out.  This is a great app that is spreading to more and more businesses in more and more cities.  The greatest thing about it is that you don't have to plan in advance.  At the last second, you can usually still find deals that are offered right at that moment.  Granted, the last minute approach is usually limited to 20-25% off, but that's still free money!  I grabbed 25% off at Yogurtland the other day just because I remembered to check the app before I paid.  I was already there and was already going to pay, just a quick check and I saved $3.  No effort, no commitment.

In case you haven't noticed, I highly rate this app if you eat out a lot.  There are other perks, but they are mostly related to quick service restaurants.  Isn't that where most of us go for lunch anyway.  Install this app now!

To watch their promo video, click here.

The Nylon Scraper

Why did it take 20 years of non-stick pots and pans before I first started seeing nylon scrapers?  I can't imagine cleaning dishes without them now.   In addition, I've started using it elsewhere.  I've found that there is no better way to scrape up pancake batter drippings from my counter.
"Plastics, my dear boy.  Plastics."  Now, if only I had a 3D printer... but that's another article all together.

Introduction

Hello,

I'm a middle-aged man that loves tech, but doesn't have the time to follow and buy everything.  In that boat, I am joined by many middle-aged men I know that want to stay abreast of useful things.  They care about what tech can impact their lives, not the 28nm barrier to micro-circuits.  They might not know what Moore's Law is until they are coached (at which point, they will honestly remember hearing that before).

It is my intention to present, from time to time (as much as possible), tech that helps other non-professional techies incorporate tech in their lives.  I set no boundaries.  I will post about mobile phone apps, use of "the cloud" in a way that adults care about (Evernote vs. Instagram, for example), tech hardware, tv's, phones, odd gadgets.  My idea is basically anything at all tech related that someone 35-55 might be interested in using in their daily lives.

The main idea here is:  Usefulness!

I hope you will follow and find something useful.  Feel free to comment.

-Steve