tech talk
Android will be on my next phone
Jan 8th
I’ve had two interactions with Android, Google’s mobile phone operating system. The first time I had a taste of the glory was on my sister’s Motorola Droid. Then, today, I installed a really rough build of Android on my HTC Fuze. It was a little slow and some of the features aren’t complete, yet, but it felt so much better than Windows, already.
I’ve been talking about this with a few people recently. Android really seems to be that perfect middle ground between the iPhone’s beauty and usability and Windows Mobile’s customization and power. Everything about it is well done and, being that it’s a rather new operating system, it’s designed around a high speed, touch screen world. That’s the problem with Windows Mobile. It’s so old and Microsoft rested on their laurels for so long, that it just doesn’t meet the needs of a user today. The interface still isn’t finger friendly and there’s a certain beauty that’s still missing from it all. The problems aren’t only skin deep, though. Hell, the fact that text messaging is still such a struggle for the OS is ridiculous beyond belief.
I don’t like how the iPhone locks you down to the old mantra of “Apple’s way or the high way” and I hate how Windows Mobile struggles to get anything done. Android is that fine balance of power and beauty and it’s won me over. The iPhone never wow’ed me like this and neither did any other mobile OS. It’s all about the world of Google, now and, even though they may hate my privacy, I’m going with Android when I can afford to do so.
Games really aren’t a kid’s toy anymore
Jan 6th
It’s amazing how video games have really changed since the days of the NES, huh? Back then, they were sort of cool, not nearly as popular, and often seen as a toy for a child instead of a mainstream form of entertainment. Fast forward 25 years and suddenly you have video games acting as the main source of entertainment for many many people.
I think Sony had a lot to do with this growth of the industry. While Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis did a decent job of growing the number of people owning consoles, the perception of these consoles being nothing more than toys really didn’t dissipate until late in the life of the PS1. It took another generation, though, for things to full swing in the opposite direction. With the introduction of the PS2 and some of it’s more mature titles, namely Grand Theft Auto, views of games being nothing more than colorful plumbers jumping on mushrooms changed and people began to realize that these devices could entertain adults, too.
Sony left that pitch still hanging, though, when Microsoft came around and, once and for all, solidified the position of video games as a legitimate form of entertainment for people of all ages. The combination of the Xbox 360 (the first console released this generation) and it’s online service, Xbox Live, people from all walks of life started coming together to play video games. Multi-player games, such as Halo and Call of Duty, brought large groups of people together, virtually, and gave them all something to talk about the next day. Some of those people were in a classroom and some were around a water cooler. For the first time, kids and adults were sharing the exact same experiences. Who made a great headshot on their friend? Who crushed their co-worker in a game of Madden? These questions are now just as common as reactions to the latest movies or songs.
It’s been a fun journey, when I stop to think about it. For those people who don’t get it or think that people like me are immature because we play these games, you need to realize things are a lot different now. Exit out of Farmville, log off of Pogo, and close that DS, and take time to recognize the fact that we’re all gamers, whether we think it’s dumb or not cause these games really aren’t a kid’s toy anymore.
My Netflix Blu-ray queue is looking red
Jan 2nd
I’ve been using Netflix since Microsoft added Netflix instant streaming support to the Xbox 360. The streaming is nice, though the selection of movies is limited, so I’ve always swayed more towards renting DVD’s. That changed, a bit, when my birthday rolled around.
This past birthday, Melanie bought me a Blu-ray player and I, instantly, ran to the Netflix website and upgraded my account to include Blu-ray rentals. It was a match made in heaven as I added a ton of new releases to my queue and enjoyed the beauty of the amazing format. Things haven’t been as good, though, lately.
Here is a screen shot of my current queue:
Notice all of that red telling me that the various movies are temporarily unavailable. It’s not a great feeling to sit here and see that. Netflix is a great service, but are they maintaining inventory to keep up with demand or just sitting back and expecting us to deal with it? It’s still way too early to say I’m going to cancel my account, but it does make me consider the other options out there, such as Blockbuster’s service. They don’t charge extra for Blu-ray,which is nice, but I’m not sure how quick or reliable their shipping is, either.
Does Microsoft get it?
Dec 15th
I’m a Windows Mobile user and I don’t think that Microsoft gets it.
When you use an iPhone or see one in use, you can’t help but be amazed by the beautiful fading and sliding transitions. You’re bound to have a similar reaction to some of the nicer Android phones out there. Then, in comes Windows Mobile with its bland interface that lacks customization abilities or any animation, whatsoever. It drives me nuts. Presentation may not be everything, but it does count for something.
The problem with WM is that there’s a lot of power locked behind an out dated interface that fails to inspire or hold one’s attention. Sure, there are masks put on it by companies like HTC, but even those replacement interfaces feel tacked on and never really seem to truly blend in with the rest of the operating system. This isn’t a problem that can be fixed by a mask, either. It runs throughout the system and always manages to rear its head at one point or another, despite how thorough of a masking job has been done.
My eyes were really opened to the importance of presentation, and specifically, animation in this article that I read a few days ago. It’s an interesting read and explains how exaggerated animations are important in creating the illusion of speed and an overall better “feel” to the device. It’s worth a read. What I find interesting is that, while using various test builds of the next version of Windows Mobile (6.5.1), I’ve witnessed Microsoft implement some of these exaggerated animations, particularly with scrolling, and then proceed to remove them in a later build. Don’t they get it?
This isn’t meant to be a full length article. I want to post more, but don’t wish to creatively drain myself. To keep a balance, I’m hoping to discuss aspects of my life or thoughts on the world around me in a way that stimulates discussion
Amazon gets me so well
Sep 29th
To say I haven’t illegally downloaded music would be an outright lie. Can you blame me? Like the rest of you, the ease of doing so was almost as tempting at the price. By our nature, we feel like we’re entitled to this stuff and,if we can get it for free, then we’ll do that without a second thought. Should we stop? Maybe, but I’m not going to completely stop and I’m sure you won’t either.
I must say, though, I have been legally purchasing music more and more often because of Amazon. These guys just get it. They offer great quality files in a format that is universally supported by every single media player out there. How can it get better? Well, when they sell brand new albums at $3.99, it definitely gets better.
That’s what happened, today. I actually illegally downloaded the new Paramore album, “brand new eyes”. Before getting a chance to give it a listen, a tweet from Amazon’s MP3 Store appeared in my Twitter feed. They were offering, for a limited time, the album for only $3.99. The CD and iTunes versions are selling for $9.99. How can anyone say no to an entire album for a measly four bucks? You can’t. I deleted the illegal download and bought the album from Amazon. Why? Because these guys just get me.
Palm Pre hardware concerns
Jun 5th
With the Palm Pre launching tomorrow, I had a whopping two minutes to play with one at work. Since I didn’t have time to analyze the software, I just took quick looks at the physical hardware to see what’s what.
Even in the two minutes worth of use, I was quickly able to realize how bad the keyboard is. Now I used to own a Samsung Blackjack (a phone with notoriously small keys), so I’m ok with a cramped keyboard. The problem here, though, isn’t down to the size of the keys or even how close they are. The real problem is two fold. First of all, the keys near the edges, especially the left side, were particularly hard to press. In the case of the ‘A’ key, I kept missing the key, outright, and hitting the raised edge immediately to the left of it. It was very frustrating. The second problem rests in the texture of the keys. They have a VERY rubbery feel to them and it was actually difficult to slide my fingers from one key to the next. A co-worker of mine, who came over as I was looking at the device, came to the same conclusion very quickly. He was amazed at how bad the keyboard was.
Best weather gadget for Vista/7
Jun 4th
Weather gadgets have been a pain in the ass for me because I could never find one that fit my needs. The default Microsoft weather gadget didn’t show enough information unless you took it off of the sidebar and I prefer to keep my gadgets in one place. Then, when I found one that fit in the sidebar and showed more information, it would randomly stop updating or showing a moon for the current conditions at 1pm. In comes Simply Weather.
Well, I finally found a gadget I like. Simply Weather , from Blue Onion Software, is a little simplistic in appearances, lacking any glossy graphics and what not, but works very well and shows all of the information I could expect to see in such a small space. If you’re like me and looking for a weather gadget, this is the one to use.
Bang On: Those Apple and Microsoft ads are annoying
May 14th
It’s a battle that’s been waged in the public arena for years now: Apple vs Microsoft. Now, it’s advertised as “Mac vs. PC”, but Macs are PCs so that nonsense should stop. Either way, though, Apple has been the top dog for a while, forcing Microsoft to back into a corner like a geek with a pocket full of money in the lunchroom of his elementary school. After taking a beating for years, Microsoft finally decided it had enough and launched its own campaign, first flaunting the uniqueness of PC owners and then moving on to how there’s a different PC for every individual out there as opposed to the more “one size fits all” approach that Apple takes. Apple claims that their competition will give you nothing but crashing, viruses, frustration and cancer while Microsoft claims that Macs are ridiculously overpriced, limited in variation, and slightly douchey (I can say that here).
Bang On: It’s easy to hate the Xbox 360
Mar 24th
This is all thanks to yesterday:
My first Xbox 360 unit was only three months old when it decided to take its own life. On a glorious day, when I was off from work, I decided to play some MLB 2k7. Maybe my Xbox knew how bad the game was and decided to give me a hand; I couldn’t tell you. Whatever it was, though, the console decided to stop reading any and all media. Neither games nor movies would work anymore. Back to the store I went and home came a replacement.
Xbox number two didn’t fare much better. In fact, it decided that not only should I not play Project Gotham Racing 3, but I also should not get my disc back. The DVD drive simply lost all power. I have no idea how this happened, but there I was, with a screw driver, prying open the tray to get my darn disc back. Another trip to the store was in order and I was already feeling the pain and anguish of knowing I was going to be stuck in this relationship, continually coming back for more abuse.
Read: Full Article
Bang On: I love Windows Mobile
Feb 24th
Hopefully this one won’t incite so much anger lol
…If the iPhone “just works”, then a standard Windows Mobile installation just makes you want to put your head through a wall. Maybe it’s not that horrible, but its close enough to make anyone realize, pretty quickly, that work is needed. If you put in that work to tweak the experience, though, what you’ll get is what I love: A mobile phone that works with me instead of forcing me to change my ways.
One of the most critiqued areas of Windows Mobile is the user interface. It usually requires too many clicks. Even worse, for touch screen devices, most of the OS isn’t very finger friendly, requiring either a stylus to reach those tiny touch points or a knife to stab yourself in the chest and end your misery. The great thing about Windows Mobile’s interface, though, is that it’s not like the iPhone’s or Android’s…
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