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Thursday, August 06, 2009

Apple Best; Dell Worst in customer support

Since I've been trashing Apple the last week over the App Store its time to return some love that I've personally experienced. Cyn at the Lehigh Valley Apple Store provided excellent support to me for my iPhone and Andrew for mine and Michelle's Macbook.

Read all about laptop customer support from LaptopMag

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Another insightful perspective on the Google Voice app fiasco: number portability

Apple, Google Voice, and number portability

Engadget Editor In Cheif on Apple/ATT and Google Voice

On the same Page re: Apple and AT&T

It looks like someone else is now strategising how the Apple/AT&T Google Voice App(s) saga will conclude now that the FCC has stepped in. PC World steps in with a suggestion that I bantered about last night:

It's time for Apple and AT&T to fully consider what is at stake and do the right thing. Give the FCC a win if that's what it takes, but let your customers have Google Voice if they want it--as they obviously do.


Read the full article at PC World

Monday, August 03, 2009

Some more for good measure...

Why not. Fast Company does a very nice article laying out its time to recognize more of the iPhone's shortcomings and other offerings benefits.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

AT&T publicly lays blame at Apple over Google Voice apps

AT&T has further inflamed the Google Voice apps vs. Apple battle. AT&T as publicly told the Washington Post that it has nothing to do with App approval and Apps in the Apple iTunes app store.

Check out the "update" at the end of this Washington Post article as see for yourself.

What happens next? Apple blames AT&T, some mid-level manager for making a bad decision and reverses decisions, approves Google Voice app and restores all others?

Should Google release their Google Voice app for the jailbreaking app manager Cydia?

This is fun.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

I see your outrage and I raise you the Feds!

For the past several days I have let it be perfectly clear on my frustration with Apple rejecting the Google Voice app from the iTunes App Store. You can relive assumption, outrage, resignation and analysis at the respective links.

I'm not even a developer. I haven't written code since undergrad and as a joe schmoe user I'm pissed.

Apparently the fine folks at the FCC love their iPhones too. The Washington Post, TUAW, TechCrunch, Chron, and News.com all have continued their coverage of this major issue.

The FCC is a giant typical bureaucratic government agency. Within one week of the Google Voice apps (Google's and 3rd party) being removed from the iTune app store the FCC head of wireless communications has a letter out to all 3 major parties. The FCC folks!! This isn't Mike Arrington rating for more web page hits or Google fanboy's. This the The Federal Communications Commission!

Like to be one of the many to welcome the FCC to this party. Kegs to the left and jello shots in the fridge...

Friday, July 31, 2009

The hits keep coming...

If enraged iPhone users are a one-two punch combo, AT&T and Apple are getting clobbered, on the internets anyway. We're seeing double-digit daily articles on how screwed up Apple is with the App store and how utterly incompetent and borderline criminal AT&T has been running their 3G network.

Today's Roundup:
MG Siegler from Techcrunch: FedUp
Mike Arrington Quits...I Quit The...
Gizmodo on MA
MacWorld

Thursday, July 30, 2009

When you assume you only make an ass out of u and me!

Unbelievable! I not only take the time to author an original thought on the whole AT&T, Apple iPhone app store and Google Voice apps fiasco to get it, at least now, entirely wrong!!

Let's examine the latest today from Techcrunch.

Last time we reached out to AT&T to comment on the story, the company gave TechCrunch writer MG Siegler a very blunt and brief statement:

“Nope – Apple is the one who can talk about their App Store.”

But today, the company has begun sending out more detailed messages to some of the frustrated customers who have been voicing their complaints. The message below was written by Glenn Lurie, AT&T’s President of Emerging Devices and Resale.

Your letter concerning Apple’s decision on the Google Voice iPhone app was forwarded to me since I work closely with Apple.

While we’re very proud to offer the iPhone 3GS along with the thousands of apps available through the App Store, AT&T does not manage the App Store – and we are not involved in the approval process for apps in the App Store. I recommend in this particular case that you express your concerns to Apple.

I’m glad you’re enjoying your iPhone and hope that you continue to be an AT&T customer. We appreciate and value your business.

Sincerely,
Glenn Lurie

AT&T’s stance is no longer that it can’t talk about the App Store — it’s that it doesn’t manage the App Store, and that any concerns about this case should be directed at Apple.
WOW! Zing Apple. You've just been called out and bitch slapped from the company that cannot possibly f___ up its network and support to the iPhone any more! It's the constant roar since you hear since the release of the iPhone 3GS. Not any more do we hear how you have the #1 smartphone or how you've engineered and delivered an improving evolutionary device adding value with every HW revision and software update. The daily discussion is how you are completely screwing up the App store, completely screwing your app developers and how AT&T is so f______ incompetent it can't run a 3G cellular network THAT THE ENTIRE GSM USING WORLD runs flawlessly!

You use to be a master at managing your name, products and brands. Every message, move and decision has been 100% the wrong answer. As a solutions oriented iPhone owner I'd like to help you, basically, un-f___ yourself.

1. Put every Google Voice app back in the store.
2. In fact put every bandwidth using, hogging app in immediately. Full slingplayer, uncompressed Youtube over 3G, Qik, Ustream video streaming, MLB..you get the idea.
3. Extend middle finger to AT&T and show them the uncompromising determined and awesome company that you were when you started this iPhone (the awesome company that gave $100 credits for minor hiccups).

Update: Another terrible story about this Google Voice app removal
I keep finding them and I keep adding them. The world hates Apple right now. Lifehacker

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Updated: Confused by AT&T blocking of Google Voice App for iPhone

Update 1 29 July 09: Great article about this ongoing debate! http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/29/att-dont-blame-us-for-the-iphones-google-voice-ban/

Update 2 29 July 09: Wow the google voice and GV Mobile removal is blowing up: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_admits_att_requested_gv_apps_be_pulled

Update 3: Gizmodo

Update 4: TUAW

Update 5: TechCrunch

I am confused by AT&T's decision to block the Google Voice iPhone app. As a new user to Google Voice I am struggling to integrate it into my mobile life. My wife, mom, sister and brother in law all use iphones and of course are on AT&T. To call each other its free mobile to mobile. Only myself (soon to be canceled) and mom have "landlines" to also direct a google voice call too.

Part of the features of Google voice is SMS notifications of VM. While Google Voice has integrated, free SMS in its implementation its only usable for fellow geeks. For me to text my full compliment of friends from/via google voice would confuse them. My GV number is not in their phone and its hard to get folks to use a new GV number. This is why number portability was so big. I've had my cell number since ATT was Cellular One (IIRC it went Cellular One, AT&T Wireless, Cingular, New AT&T Wireless)

My mom pointed out to call my GV number uses cell plan minutes. They won't use it and will only call my mobile number. Receiving GV VM transcriptions come via SMS to mobile number (3 seperate texts).

To address these changes in my life, I am canceling home phone to use GV number as a primary number to give to "new people and businesses". I'm INCREASING our cell phone plan to the next higher plan to allow for canceling of landline and accepting calls via GV. I've also upgraded my SMS plan from the 200/month up to the 1500/month plan.

Google Voice has made me INCREASE my services to some extent to AT&T. I'm sure there are a minority set of users that may reduce costs but in my well established existence under AT&T's rule, I see GV adding value to mobile services not lessening.

Please hit the comments to continue this discussion...


Monday, June 15, 2009

Our Zeo is now myZEO

There are few things that can drive me to take a few minutes and write an original thought blog post. Without hitting up the achieve link the iPhone comes to mind. What the iPhone has done to transform the smartphone, the Zeo is on target to re-think our approach to sleep ( I think of it as SmartSleep ).

I always love a new tech gadget so when my sister-in-law offered to let me try the newest product from a new client I was more than excited. The true story is that she gave it to her sister (my wife) and not only did I try it but I commandeered it as "mine."

The Zeo is made up of a sleep sensor and aesthetically pleasing base unit (i purposefully avoid term alarm clock but it even does that function only more advanced).

Each night the Zeo records all aspects of my sleep and awake states. It captures light and deep sleep, REM (or rapid eye movement) sleep and times awake. More than just noting these makers it captures the duration of each state of sleep.

That alone is quite awesome. Zeo takes it a step farther with the a web based application appropriately titled myZeo Personal Sleep Coach. The excellently laid-out Web 2.0 application allows you to upload your sleep data from your Zeo to your online account.

Here is an example of a night-view of a typical nights sleep for me.


There are many views and graphs to explore and my favorite is the weekly ZQ chart that shows a summary of your ZQ score. The ZQ number allows you to "quickly gauge the quantity, quality, and depth of your sleep each night."

The most apprehensive part when I started using the Zeo came when looking at the headband. It turns out to be super comfortable with soft adjustable straps on both sides and a padded sensor front. It is so comfortable that I usually wake up in the morning needing a moment or two to recall I am wearing it. Now with 3 small kids at home there are invariably going to be sleepless nights through no fault of my own. It looks like 4/28 and 5/4 were one of those nights from the above chart.

There is not much too improve on either. You can select days to not upload however I haven't been able to remove a specific day like 4/28. I did get lots of sleep that night but probably lost (or threw in a middle-of-the-night tantrum) the headband when tending to one of the kids.

It seems so many aspects were so well thought out. The headband with super easy adjustment, the base station with variable dimming and great graphical display and the myZeo website with dozens of additional features. If I could suggest anything, it would be the addition of an iPhone app to completely tie in my affection for tech gadgets.

...Oh and that alarm clock thing I mentioned earlier, Zeo uses a smart wake (no, really thats the name: SmartWake™) "alarm feature will look for a "natural awakening point" based on your sleep patterns to decrease the grogginess associated with waking from Deep sleep. When SmartWake is selected, Zeo will find a time to wake you within a half-hour of your set time, never later."

Internets: Zeo, myZeo and Zeology

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Twitter and the Media elite....for the LOLs

Sunday, March 01, 2009

FDA Product Recall List


FDA Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak 2009. Flash Player 9 is required.FDA Peanut Product Recall Widget. Flash Player 9 is required. Visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm to search for peanut product recalls or call CDC-INFO at 1-800-232-4636 for more information.

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Windows 7 Beta Build 7000 Impressions

The first install I needed to do was to install Windows 7 on the exact hardware (laptops) that I tested Vista on for the absolute personal direct comparison. The PDC build and even more so with the 7000 build Windows 7 install is awesome. Fast, straight forward and an enjoyable experience. Install was a clean one on fully reformatted HD.

Windows 7 PDC and 7000 also run signifiantly faster out of the box than Vista SP1 out of the box on my new Aluminum 13" Macbook. Boot times are significantly shorter. Also, Time from logon screen to desktop is faster and a smoother experience. There is a lot less hard drive thrashing while at the logon screen waiting for password input and an appropriate amount of activity when logging into desktop.

The taskbar in 7000 is very nice. Great feature improvements. Icons with running applications need much better change in graphics to allow user a visual que that it is running already. Yes need the equivalent of the OS X Dock blue dot. I was thinking about this and it wouldn't be to hard to change the grey to some colors that make up the icon to complement the visual-ness of the icon/button.

Snaps are very nice. Looking to play with them on multi-monitors.

I'd like a IE8 icon on desktop/start menu even if I change default browsers.


Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Windows 7 Beta


Steve Balmer keynote at CES as seen in IE8 on Windows 7