A Weekend With iOS 5

So, I updated my iPhone 3Gs to iOS 5 a few days ago. There are a couple of features I'm ECSTATIC about, there are a couple I'm a little miffed aren't as advertised (i.e. not included), and there are those I just don't care about. I am going to go down the list as Apple has them listed on their site.

Notification Center: This is a nice feature. I can take it or leave it, honestly, but it's nice that it's there. I think I would be more excited if I had more communications like I did with my previous job (the only thing I miss about my previous job is the chair - it was a NICE chair).

iMessage: Confusing and limited. Not sure how this one is going to play out. It's all jammed together in one app and the app decides when to use it instead of SMS. I'll need to look into it more when some of my friends update.

NewsStand: VERY limited selection from what I saw and, frankly, I don't want the icon if I'm not going to use it. Let me take it off the home screen.

Reminders: I like this feature. I can see it coming in handy like a ToDo list. But you can have multiple lists so I could potentially keep a list of DVDs I want to look out for at garage sales. There are supposed to have location-based capabilities. Apple says, "Say you need to remember to pick up milk during your next grocery trip. Since Reminders can be location based, you’ll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot." I haven't seen it.

I have done some bit of research and it appears the location capabilities are only available on the iPhone 4 and 4S (and, presumably, future iPhone models). With previous updates it has been quite clear where the feature implementation line is drawn but not so here. In the past they may have said something like, 'If you have an iPhone 4 or 4S, reminders can be location based.' but apparently they think it's funny to make everyone who doesn't have an iPhone 4 or 4S go looking for phantom features.

Twitter integration: Yeah? So? I guess this is important if you use Twitter a lot.

Camera updates: Yay! They made a hardware button click the shutter! Do you know how awkward it is to push that button on the screen sometimes? Thanks for this one, Apple. There are also editing capabilities. For me the screen on the phone is too small for editing but it's nice to have the ability to do a quick crop.

The Apple iOS page says you can access it from the lock screen - not that I've seen on the 3Gs.

Safari: Reader view and reader list look interesting but I haven't had an opportunity to try them. There's supposed to be tabbed browsing but, again, apparently not for the 3Gs (why not?). I don't like using Safari and I generally don't like browsing on my phone so not a reason to upgrade.

Wireless Sync: I applaud Apple for bringing this to their devices. This is a feature the Microsoft Zune has had since the second generation devices. Apple's implementation still needs a few tweaks. I'm not sure why iTunes keeps launching itself (yet another reason to hate it). Implement a little watcher program if you want to have it auto-launch so it only launches when I try to sync. Either that or make it my own damn fault for not leaving/having iTunes running. I don't know if you've noticed but iTunes is a bit of a resource hog.

iCloud: I don't find this revolutionary but I do find it comforting. I get 5 gigs for my apps, contacts, calendar and photos and any of my purchase from iTunes are stored up there as well without charging against my space. (they get away with this because they're only storing a pointer/shortcut/alias in your iCloud, not the actual item). For the most part, it's all automatic.

Is iCloud just a backup/sync service? What if I would like to browse what is stored up there (i.e. view a slideshow of my photos)? There's no app or anything. If it's just a backup service, why all the hype?

Mail: Limited text formatting. I can go for that. Message flagging. A very handy feature.

Calendar: Haven't taken an opportunity to explore the calendar enhancements. I've been using Extreme Calendar by Birdsoft because it has templates. It meshes with the built-in calendar so I'm not inclined to switch back.

Multitasking Gestures for iPad 2: Thanks for specifying but is there some reason original iPad owners didn't get this?

Game Center: Never used it.

That's all they highlight on their features page but there are more new features, like expanded and custom alert tones. As I stated in my original post, I love that I can create my own alert tones. I have been having a grand time creating new ones to import to my phone.

Here are some more hidden features.

User-Defined Keyboard Shortcuts: In general I like text expanders. I'm not very prolific in messaging via email, twitter, facebook, SMS, etc. on my phone so I haven't configured this but I did find it. It's under general->keyboard in the settings.

Custom Vibrations: Really? I'll have to look into that one.

LED flashes for visual alerts: Read about that one but it's a moot point on a 3Gs.

Instant definitions: I'm sure that'll come in handy. I'll have to read up on that one.

There are others and I'm sure I'll discover more.

A glitch I seem to have is when taking my phone out of standby. Every once in a while the backlight will come on when I hit the power button then turn right off again. I sometimes get a blip of the lock screen. Hitting power again brings it right up. Not sure if it's iOS 5 or my phone yet.

For me, iOS 5 was worth the update for the custom alert tones alone. The rest is just frosting. I will get use from most of these features. I'll consider updating when my 3Gs slows down enough to be annoying or the updates stop applying to it or the battery gives out - whichever comes first.

UPDATE 10/29/2011: I have noticed that the battery life on my 3Gs has been affected to a slight degree but I am also having difficulty with memory usage. Self-contained programs seem to have no difficulty but those that rely on a wireless or 3G connection to operate will sometimes sit there and spin trying to download. It's not crippling but I find myself using an app to clear the inactive memory a lot.

Updating an iPhone 3Gs with iOS5 - Caveats And Cool Stuff

I generally read up on any major iOS updates and maybe even wait a few days to see if any problems arise (i.e. phones being 'bricked') but decided to just jump into the deep end on iOS5. I updated both my iPhone 3Gs and original iPad last night. For the most part the updates went smoothly but there are a few caveats you might want to know about.

When you update to iOS5, iTunes will completely back up your device, clear it, install the new base code, then restore your media files (music, movies, photos, etc.) but it does not restore your apps. Before you go into panic mode it is very easy to overcome this. Go to the device summary in iTunes and select Apps at the top. Make a minor change (move an app to a different page, uninstall an app, etc.) and click Apply. iTunes will faithfully replace all of your apps and folders just like they were before the update with the exception of whatever change you made to get it to allow the sync.

Unless...

At some point, possibly at the 4.3.whatever update, iTunes decided I no longer needed to sync my apps. I only noticed this change recently and had been intending to correct it but didn't want to lose some of my saved data that iTunes sternly warned me I would lose if I should enable this function. In my ignorance I did not enable App Sync prior to updating my iPhone and, therefore, it later showed only the default apps and folders that happened to contain default apps from my previous customizations in the greyed-out graphic. I was able to enable and apply the app sync and get all of my apps pushed back to the phone... in random order... without the benefit of folders. I've been spending my time between calls today getting things back in order.

Now, about the update itself.

My absolute, hands down, no discussion favorite new feature is the ability to select alert tones. I suppose you could call this more of an unlocked feature that has been present on every other smart phone before or since the iPhone was introduced four years ago but I'm still thrilled they enabled it. You can also see your ringtones as an option but they likely won't work (read on). Through a little research I learned how to make custom tones. It's the same process as creating a ringtone but it has to be less than 15 seconds long.

There are several other updates that you can read about in detail on other sites but I'm going to highlight some of the ones I like. The notifications screen is cool (swipe down on a home screen to see it) and it's nice that you can now flag mail but these aren't barn burners.

I have had a couple of Microsoft Zune devices and they've had WiFi sync since day one. Given that the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch have had WiFi since their respective introductions it's nice to see this come to iOS. It's a very handy feature.

iMessage is a nice way to stick it to the evil empire of your service provider. It allows you to send an SMS directly to another iOS5 device. If you have unlimited texting I suppose this doesn't really matter.

iCloud is a nice comfort. It can store your music, photos, documents, contacts and, if you want, device backups. It will be nice to sync contacts and documents between devices. With iCloud you get 5GB on a free account. The cool thing about that is your purchased music, apps, books, and TV shows, as well as your Photo Stream, don’t count against your free storage.

Photo Stream is an iCloud feature that I have decided to turn off. Every new picture you take is automatically uploaded to your iCloud for 30 days up to a maximum of 1,000 pictures. It allows you to sync photos seemlesly between iOS devices.

At first blush this seems really good but consider this: It's all or nothing. Every. Single. Picture. you take ends up in the photo stream. It doesn't matter if you're grabbing a Kodak moment or sexting, it gets pushed to the cloud. I have found no way to delete photos. If you turn photo stream off it will delete all of the photo stream photos from your device but they're still in the cloud (for 30 days, at least). I have also found no way to send photos to the stream from the camera roll nor have I found a way to view (AKA share) photos via the web or other means. Nope, not mature enough and has too many holes in it. It stays off.

There are a couple of features missing from the 3Gs but not much. Safari is supposed to have tabbed browsing now but they aren't present on the 3Gs. There is also simple photo editing in the camera app that is supposedly missing but I saw it in the PhotoStream and Camera roll.

Here are a few things I noticed about some of the new features that are not necessarily clear.

WiFi sync has to be turned on in iTunes. I was wondering why it wouldn't work last night and found the setting this morning. Plug in your device then highlight it on the left side of the iTunes window. Near the bottom of the summary tab you will see a selection that reads ‘Sync over Wi-Fi connection.' Check it and you should be good to go (haven't had a chance to test it, though).

I noticed another setting this morning that I haven't had a chance to investigate. It looks like you can sync (maybe it was backup?) to iCloud *OR* to the local computer but not both. I'll update once I get more info.

The new reminders function/app is supposed to have location-based capabilities. That ability does not seem to be present on my 3Gs. I'll have to look deeper into that as well.

It appears that the NewsStand cannot be placed in a folder. I have tried and the folder keeps running away no matter how hard I try.

NOTE: I was going to try out iMessage and my contacts were GONE!! Luckily I located a fix at http://www.seangw.com/wordpress/index.php/2011/10/ios-5-upgrade-lost-my-contacts/

That's my experience so far. I'll let you know if I run into anything else worthy of note.

Oh, one more thing (yeah, kinda on purpose). Before you update, be sure you backup your device and transfer purchases... just in case.

Why I Still Hate iTunes

I admit it. I drank the Kool-Aid™. I didn't just sip it, either. I took huge gulps. I have more products in my house that start with an i than I ever thought I would. The only one I really don't like, though, is the piece that, in the darkness, binds them: iTunes™.

iTunes is up to version 10 point something and it still, in many ways, sucks. I realize they give it away but Microsoft gives away the Zune software, too, and it puts iTunes to shame. It's put iTunes to shame from day one. So, what is it about iTunes that's so horrible? Let me count the ways...

1. It's a resource hog. At least it is on the PC. For as much as Steve Jobs complains about the resource usage of Flash™, iTunes is pretty bad in this department. The only difference is that it sucks resources only while its running. It doesn't slow down the PC just because.
   
2. It doesn't track folders. If I add music to my collection I have to manually add the track(s) or rescan the folder(s) to get them to show up in my collection. What's up with that? How hard would it be for me to tell iTunes which folders to keep an eye on and have it automatically add new content? It can't be too hard. Microsoft figured it out. (I should note that I do not let iTunes manage my collection. I'm picky about my naming scheme and "01 title.mp3" isn't it.)
   
3. It changes the title in the catalog from "title" to "artist - title" and creates a duplicate entry. Why? Why doesn't it just read the ID3 tag and leave it at that? Where is it getting that information to combine it, anyway?
   
4. It's extremely easy to duplicate tracks on your device and unnecessarily take up space. If you've ever browsed your iDevice you'll notice that the audio tracks are not named in any way you can recognize. iTunes and iOS, apparently, work some sort of file name voodoo and your tracks end up in an indecipherable code. The way around this, from what I've read, is to manage your device through playlists. I got news, it's still easy to duplicate tracks.

For all its iterations and all its bells and whistles, iTunes can still be very cumbersome to use. Hey, Apple. Why don't you study the Zune software and alternative music management software like MediaMonkey and put some of the conveniences of those products into iTunes. This may be a gilded cage I voluntarily climbed into but it could still use a little polish here and there.

UPDATE: I've just added #5 - "iTunes has stopped updating this podcast because you haven't listened to any episodes recently..." What the hell? Why don't you let ME decide when you should stop updating the podcast, you dictatorial bastard.

Review Of A Cheap iPad Case

After much searching and obsessing and agonizing I finally broke down and just ordered an iPad case/cover. I found one on eBay (from seller Gadgettown) that seemed to fit all my criteria. I was looking for something leather (preferably padded) that held the iPad securely, had a closure of some sort, and would function as a stand. I paid $12 for it.

I had read several reviews of various styles and makes of these inexpensive cases and they all pretty much came up the same. Even some of the not-so-inexpensive cases garnered similar ratings. Some loved them, some hated them, some thought they would wear easily and many many reviews talked about the smell of the case.

When mine arrived today I was eager to open the package. At first blush I liked it. The case is lightly padded so as to provide a modicum of protection but not so heavily padded that it is imposing. The "leather" (I have no idea how to tell if it's real) has a nice texture and the interior is lined with a sued-like fabric. The lining isn't luxurious but it's soft enough that I wouldn't worry about scratching up the device. The construction is good enough that it should last me a while and even if it only lasts six months it's cheap enough that I'll just buy another one. As for the smell, go to your local office supply store and sniff a leather portfolio - that's what it smells like (I would advise making sure nobody's looking before smelling the merchandise).

Here's what the case looks like: (click any photo for a larger view)

The strap uses a magnetic snap closure and the back has a tab for the stand feature. The tab is also held by a magnet so it won't flap loose over time (nice touch!).

You'll notice the Apple-case-like crease on the front. This allows this heavier case to operate as a viewing or typing stand.

If you look at the way the cover folds you'll see that it would tend to lean backward when set as a viewing stand which would make it unstable. When I first tried it, the iPad would not stand up. I had to manipulate the main hinge some and place it very carefully to get it to work. My hope is that the fold-y bits will loosen up and self-correct this problem.

Unlike many cases, the iPad slides in from the top

A small strap with a regular snap closure keeps the device from sliding out. You can see it in the picture above as well as in the picture of the back of the case.

The surround allows ample room for all ports and switches

Pros: Versatile case, solid-feeling construction, good balance between ruggedness and lightness, inexpensive.

Cons: May wear quicker than more expensive cases, won't stand on its own out of the box.

The Bottom Line: This case is a good choice for those looking for a case with versatility, is constructed of leather (or close enough), and provides good balance between protection and lightness. Though the construction and materials may not be top of the line, the price makes it worth the risk it won't last.

Here's To A "Spiffy" New Year

2010 has not been a fantastic year for me. It has also not been a terrible year for me. A FaceBook friend said 2011 was going to be "spiffy" so I plan to make sure that it is. (is there a resolution in there somewhere?)

My blogging in 2010 was considerably less than previous years but, surprisingly, I find myself with several ideas and updates running through my head as the new year dawns. I will present them in no particular order since each one finds its way to the front of the line in random and recurring order. Some will be, I hope, eloquent and profound. Others will be random and scattered. Most will probably be the latter.

I will start with my wrist.

Now, see, the job just jumped to the front of the line. It will have to wait since I already mentioned my wrist. I only mention it now to ensure that I come back and give it its turn.

I have had minor problems with my wrists for the last 3-4 years. I'm pretty sure it is the beginnings of Carpal Tunnel or some other repetitive motion injury. It has never been bad enough to go to the doctor and usually only lasts a couple of days.

Shortly after starting the new job I ran down the battery in my car. Someone came along and helped me out with a jump start but I had to push the car out of the parking space so we could access both batteries. After that, my right wrist started hurting bad enough and long enough that I went and bought a wrist brace. I wore it, iced my wrist and took Aleve for about a week and everything settled down.

This week my wrist started hurting again. A lot. I'm wearing the brace again but I really need to get an ergonomic keyboard at work (more on that later - maybe). I think typing on the iPad aggravated it. I will also mention it to my doctor when I see him on Tuesday.

Now for the job. I have read the company social media policy and can, in fact, tell you I am working as an Enterprise Technical Support Analyst for Dell in Oklahoma City. I do phone support for tape backup units of all shapes and sizes. I must, however, tell you that the statements I make and opinions I express do not necessarily reflect those of my employer and the statements and opinions expressed by my employer do not necessarily reflect my own. As a friend of mine puts it: I do not speak for Dell and Dell does not speak for me.

I have been taking calls for about a month now. A lot of it is coming back to me. I sometimes get frustrated when something comes up that I have seen before or that I used to know and can't bring to mind the solution. As predicted, the most difficulty has been in (re-)learning procedures and using the new case management software. I am becoming more proficient every day.

The toughest part has to be the sales tool. technicians are now allowed to prepare quotes for and sell spare parts, warranty extensions, etc. Pretty much anything without a service tag. It's a good idea because I can now give out of warranty customers an answer to the question, "How much is that going to cost?" The problem is a) I am not a sales person and b) It doesn't come up very often. We are encouraged to do a bit of suggestive selling (i.e. I see your warranty is due to expire next month. Would you like me to help you with a warranty extension?) but we're not allowed to push. No means no. The good part is if we prepare a quote and the customer purchases off that quote we get the credit and the commission. The bad part is there is a reason I'm not in sales. Nobody has asked me to make a quota so I'm good with it. I like having the ability to help them all the way through the process.

I'm still loving the iPad. It is sort-of like a giant iPod touch but with more cowbell. I have paid for a couple of apps (one of them being a remote desktop app called SplashTop Remote) and have been hording free apps and paid apps that are temporarily free just like I did do with my iPhone.

The iPad has 3G capability so I can use the cellular network when WiFi isn't available. The problem is that since AT&T dropped their unlimited data plans across the board, I'm afraid to use that functionality for fear of getting raped on data usage charges going over my allotment. An iPad can eat up 250MB easily. I used 352MB on my iPhone last month (thank goodness they grandfathered my unlimited plan) and I don't really use it that much since leaving the last job.

With the iPad I also received a Camera Connection Kit. This is a set of two dongles. One of them has a USB connection on it, the other has an SD card slot. With the USB dongle you can direct-connect your digital camera or your iPhone and the SD slot is self-explanatory. Whichever way you go, the iPad automatically launches a built-in transfer app that allows you to transfer all the photos or to select specific photos to transfer. It is not without its limitations. When connecting the iPhone it will only pick up photos from the camera roll. It does not see any in the photo albums. (this also means that the dongle does not add a functional USB port to the iPad unless you know something I don't) When using the SD card the card apparently has to be formatted from a camera. The iPad does not react if you insert a card full of JPG files. Yet another Apple limitation that seems to have no rhyme or reason.

Speaking of the iPad (still), I have been on the hunt for an iPad case since I got it. When the wife bought hers she also bought one of the Apple cases. We then headed to Radio Shack where she bought a nice leather folio bundled with some other accessories. She used the leather folio for about a day then went back to the Apple case. I have been using the leather folio. This leather folio is actually quite nice. I can't tell you if it's genuine or synthetic leather but it is padded and well constructed. The inside has slots for papers, cards and other small, flat items. There is a leather tab/strap that slides into a slot to keep it closed.

There are a few reasons I have been looking for another case. First, this case does not function well as a stand. I use/wanted the iPad primarily to watch movies on my lunch break and propping it up, even with the strap inserted, I am constantly concerned about it tipping over forward or backward. There is also no "typing angle" available. Second is the way the iPad is held in. It is held in securely but not functionally. On the bottom are two formed, leather corner pieces. The right one partially covers the speaker but doesn't seem to affect the sound. The top is held in with two elastic straps.

From a manufacturing standpoint elastic straps are cheap, functional and easy to install/use. The problem is that they block key parts of the iPad. They always do, it's not just this case. The left strap all but covers the headphone jack and does cover the microphone. It can be pushed out of the way for headphone insertion but shouldn't need to be. The right strap covers the power button which is not a big deal since it can easily be actuated without moving the strap. The right strap also covers the mute switch (formerly the rotation lock switch). The strap has to be removed then replaced to actuate the switch. Sorry, this one's the deal breaker.

At first I thought I just wanted a leather version of the Apple case. These are plentiful on eBay in a variety of colors. Then I discovered something. If I'm sitting in my car (stationary, of course), I can fold the cover back over the top of my steering wheel and secure it in place using the leather strap. Connect it to the AUX audio input on my radio and I have in-car theater! (the photo also demonstrates the full reflective nature of the iPad screen)

This development necessitated a modification of my criteria. My new case needed to be leather, preferably padded, it could not use elastic straps to secure the device, it needed to have the capability to operate as a vertical stand as well as a typing stand, and it needed a closure of some sort to allow me to wheel-mount the iPad. You would think that wouldn't be hard to find. You would be wrong.

Some are WAY overpriced. Some are fun but don't fit the criteria. Some downright suck. Most don't make the cut because of stability issues when using as a stand, cheap materials, or poor quality control. I looked on Amazon. I looked on eBay. I read reviews. I just couldn't make a decision on one that would be right for me without going to the iPad Case Store and touching each one and examining the quality. Unfortunately, there is no iPad Case Store.

In the end, I pulled the trigger on a unit on eBay for $12.00. I figure that way I can see how well the design works for me but I'm not out much if the quality is lacking.

Okay... what else... Ah, Christmas in general.

On Christmas Eve we met my wife's side of the family for our traditional Christmas Eve Dinner at the Olive Garden. This tradition grew out of a desire not to spend my father-in-law's birthday (December 24) alone after his passing. For the last 5 years it has been a fun time of feasting, conversation and remembrance. There has been a lot of controversy on that side of the family over the last year but it was all put aside for the gathering.

On Christmas Day we drove to Kansas City to be with my family. From there we all went to St. Joseph, MO to my niece's house for Christmas Dinner. There was lots of laughter and loudness - just like it should be. It's always good to see my nephews as well. Each one of them thinks very differently from most people and their thoughts and interactions are often amusing to behold.

I, of course, brought my camera and took several pictures - including some group portraits. Using the Camera Connection Kit I uploaded them to my iPad and started showing people pictures of themselves. In short order someone else was holding my iPad with several others gathered around looking at all of the pictures. It was really cool to see.

Well, I've been sitting here for a couple of hours working on this and I think I (and you) have had quite enough. Here's wishing 2011 is as "spiffy" for you as I plan on mine being.

Dangerously Close To Becoming A Fanboy

Back in June, I broke down and bought an iPhone. Despite having to play in a walled garden I still very much like the device.

For Christmas, I received an iPad and haven't put it down for very long since I was first able to sync it with iTunes. The experience is very much the same as the iPhone. Same/similar limits in the operating system. Same restricted app installation process. Same protection by Apple from the outside world of rogue apps. I love it.

I was thinking about these two devices, how much I enjoy using them (despite their dictated limitations), and how much they have revolutionized the mobile communication and computing industries. I will gladly discuss the advantages, usefulness and revolutionary features of either of these devices with anyone who cares to ask. And that's when I started to wonder if I was becoming a fanboy.

Let me first give you my definition of a fanboy. The IBM/Apple debate has raged since the time of the Apple ][ and the original 8088-based IBM PC. The introduction of the Macintosh only added fuel to that fire. For most people, the debates between these very different worlds of Microsoft-based and Apple-based operating systems are religious wars. The fanboy, on either side of the argument, is the one who extols the virtues of his favorite device, ignores or waves aside the shortcomings of the same device, vehemently discounts any advantage of the other device, and lays open the disadvantages of the other device with surgical precision. His device is The One and The Only True Device.

I started thinking about these characteristics and, while I have ridden on the [insert device here] bandwagon several times I have never been so narrow-visioned to only see my device as having the features that would be everything anyone would ever need to the exclusion of all other devices. No device is perfect. I grew to dislike my Windows Mobile phone. The Pantech Matrix Pro had its limitations. And there are even some negatives in the iPhone.

The iPad is a real joy. A much larger screen to read from, watch movies, browse the web and play games. Amazingly, none of my gripes with the iPhone apply to the iPad. Give me a couple of days and I'm sure I'll come up with some.

In the end you find what works for you and you go with that. My perfect device is not your perfect device and it never will be. And that's why I don't consider myself a fanboy.