iPhone 3GS First Thoughts

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I got my iPhone 3GS on Friday. I was eager to get it when they announced it, but when it arrived I didn’t even want to rush home to take a look. I usually can’t wait to play with new electronic gizmo’s. Either I now have luke warm feeligns about it or I am getting older. I hope I just have low expectations of the new device. In any event I have had the device for a few days and I have early impressions since I can be opinionated about my gadgets.

One major reason to upgrade for me was the doubled capacity that I get with the 32gig unit. I would have gotten a 64gig one if they offered it. I wanted 32gigs last year when I bought my 3G. Ironically since I purged many videos from my 3G before upgrading I don’t even need the entire 16gigs I had. I know that in a few weeks I will use up the new space I have but right now it is weird seeing all that free space in the bar graph when I sync the phone.

I haven’t done that much to notice the speed improvements. Every once in a while I think it might be a bit zippier, but nothing major just yet. The camera is a great improvement, but still didn’t do so hot for me in low light when I was out on Friday. Video was nice, and I used it a few times with Zachary on Sunday but to be honest I am not going to praise that since a phone of iPhone’s class should have had that function already.

I have to say I am not a fan of the cut and paste function. I know I want it when I need it, and it is another one of those things that should have been around for some time, but I have problems with Apple’s actual implementation of cut and past. I have selected text to cut and paste while scrolling through items i was reading. It is actually very annoying. The amount of times that has happened vs actually using the cut and paste function is making that feature more of a detriment to me than a bonus.

The compass function was neat, but i haven’t really had a chance to use it. One downside I did notice was when I brought up google maps when I got out of the Lincoln tunnel on Sunday the Google Map app started spinning around and I had a semi-transparent warning box telling me that the compass couldn’t work and i needed to get away from interference. This wasn’t good since i couldn’t see where i was (approximately) on the map, where the old version on the 3G would at least just give me a blue circle that showed my margin of error. With the map spinning around and the warning box I couldn’t really estimate my location. Hopefully this was a fluke but I am not so sure I saw the last of that message especially in Manhattan.

So far you might conclude I don’t like the new phone. That is not true. It is a great piece of equipment. In my opinion it has unfortunately it has yet to live up to the cost I paid for it. What will improve my opinion is seeing all the new software that utilizes the push technology in the 3.0 software. I know I could have gotten that with my old 3G, but this new functionality on top of the new hardware was the reason for me to upgrade. For now I have to wait since it seems the hardware is a bit ahead of the software written to utilize it. Once a true push IM client comes out, and other nifty new apps such as the Zip Car app and the Tom Tom GPS app then the new phone will start paying for itself. I am also waiting for a push version of Facebook, and a twitter client (Tweetie I hope since I like it and paid for a copy). It is still a great media device that I take with me everywhere. That hasn’t changed, but for an incremental upgrade it has a bit to go before it becomes worth the upgrade.

For now the new iPhone 3GS is just like my iPhone 3G. I love it, it is probably the best phone I ever had, but I would love to get rid of it if I could. What I mean by that is it is a fantastic device but Apple is still too restrictive on the OS, and I would love for someone to come out with something that truly rivals it (Android, and S60 are nice but not there yet by far and I have tried both). Till then I await updated software for my 3GS!

Monday June 21, 2009

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Today was a work from home day for me. It was packed with meetings and going through my backlog of tasks. I ended up working late and am still stopping my relaxing this evening to kick out an email or two to clear up my backlog. At least today felt productive. I had a huge email backlog from traveling and being in meetings all day Friday.

I ran out after I wrapped up most of my work to grab a fillet to cook for dinner at the grocery store. It was good. Now I just need to wait for the George Forman to cool to clean it.

I need to order groceries, but I won’t be home tomorrow so I will wait till I am home on Wednesday. I am spending the night at my parents since I have a doctors appointment out on Long Island early in the morning. It is easier to go from their house than from mine. Also my mom giving me a ride really helps. My parents are at my sisters tonight and tomorrow to take care of the kids while she and Michael are off having another one, but will be back tomorrow night. Since I am going into the office, I need to pack a bag. That reminds me. I need to go and do that before I forget.

Baby Watch 2009

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As odd luck would have it my sister and one of my best friends are both expecting new babies this week. My sister is off tomorrow morning to have the baby (its planned), and my friends wife is going to be induced by the end of the week if theirs doesn’t show up. Hopefully if all goes well I will be an uncle again tomorrow by lunch time. All I had to do was not drive my sister crazy!

The big dilemma for me is what to get as a baby gift. The stuffed animal collection I liked to get from FAO apparently discontinued the middle sized option that I got for my Niece & Nephew. I don’t want to risk going with the really huge one, but the small one is kinda small. What is an uncle to be to do? I will buy the customary bottle of liquor. Yes a baby needs a nice bottle of scotch. Well, the plan for that is to get one the day they are born and give it to them when they turn 21. I got the idea from my dad when the toast at my Bar Mitzvah was using the same bottle that my great uncle gave to my parents and they toasted at my Bris. Since that gift is not really functional for a two decades I need something more current. I am going to have to scour the internet tomorrow for something suitable. I am not sure when I can get out to see the new little one. Apparently most if not all family is banned for the first week so they can all settle in, but after that I am not sure.

As for my friend, I also await word when the time comes. As of this morning it the little guy can’t come fast enough but he is taking his time.

Fathers Day With The Family

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Yesterday evening my parents picked me up and we all drove to my sisters. We stayed over Saturday night and then spent Fathers day with her, my brother in law, his sisters, family and his brother in laws family and all the kids. It was the usual suspects together. As usual it was fun with all the kids.

Saturday night my folks and I stopped for some quick dinner on the road. And then I treated myself to some nice roadside ice cream. We got to the house just in time to see everyone get back from dinner of their own. As odd luck would have it if we stopped at the first place we thought of to eat we would have ran into my sister and brother in law having dinner. Small world. The kids went to bed and we got to relax a little bit.

Today I got up early. Partly due to the noise my nephew makes in the morning. Partly due to the cold in the basement I was sleeping in. I didn’t really mind it since i would rather be cold than really hot. Their basement is freezing compared to the rest of the house. It was the first time I slept down there since they just renovated it.

We went to brunch at my brother in law’s, brother in law’s sisters house. Yes I am not making this stuff up. Everyone is really close so when asked how I know people it is these long descriptions, but anyway… The food was great. My sister made a french toast casserole. Only my sister would make two of them at 10PM last night while 9 months pregnant. There was lots of other great stuff. I can’t even describe this cheese thing someone made. So simple and so tasty.

With 6 kids ranging from 2 1/2 to 6 it is always noisy and interesting. Oh since it was fathers day I also got to spend some time with my dad. I gave up trying to figure out what to get him for a present last year. I am still waiting for him to say what he wants. I know he wants a printer but he has specific requirements. Any time I show him options i never get a confirmation on any of them so I haven’t gotten anything yet. But I digress.

Overall it was a good day. I got home early enough that i was able to throw a load of laundry in. I just finished folding and I am wrapping up this writing and I am off to bed.

My favorite photo from the day is below. Zachary in a spider man outfit and top hat dancing. Thankfully I have some video of it too!

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Friday Travel Day

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Friday was a bit hectic for me. I went to the NJ office where most of my team is. I was going with a new Project Manager, and two other people from the mid town office who work on the same project. One guy was new, one never met the rest of the team and the other hadn’t seen everyone in almost a year so it was nice getting everyone together to talk. We spent over 3 hours going over stuff. It went really well. We all then went out for lunch after the visitors got a tour of the facility. Those tours never get old for me.

The downside of the travel day was I was only in front of my computer for about an hour and that was in a conference room for a meeting going over a spread sheet. I was only able to read and respond to a few of the many emails I received this week. Since I am going to my sisters tonight I won’t be able to try to catch up from my backlog until Monday!

Because of the tour and lunch we didn’t head back to the city till almost 3. By the time we got to mid town it was well after 4. I ended up going home and finished up some work there before going out to meet up with friends for drinks. I was delayed in getting out because I waited to sync up my new iPhone 3GS before I left. It arrived in the mail while I was out during the day.

Drinks were cool. Meet up with Luke, Stanley, & Danny to name a few. I didn’t stay out too late so I was happy! All in all a busy and productive day.

Thursday 6/18/2009

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Today was another work from home day. I swapped my typical Thursday & Friday schedules so I can be in NJ tomorrow. Even though I am getting a rid and not taking the bus I have to get up the usual time in order to make it out there for 9AM.

I am glad I worked from home today. The weather was horrible. I ran out to the grocery store before I started work to grab a muffin. I figured the weather wouldn’t be so bad to run across the street. The 5 minutes I was out I was sopping wet. I am glad I didn’t walk to the subway in that rain.

Today was one of the hectic schedules for the week. I was busy with meetings of some sort or another almost the entire day. Unfortunately I got called at 6:30 with other issues. It was a long day. I am going to be glad to just lie down and relax in a few minutes, but I am trying to set aside some time each night to make a blog entry.

iPhone 3GS Conundrum Update

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I am pleasantly surprised to get an email today that my iPhone 3GS has shipped. ETA for me to get it is tomorrow, just like Apple originally said. I say pleasantly surprised because in the past (not apple per say but in general) when an automated system says something and you are told something else the automated system is generally correct.

I typically work from home on Friday’s but tomorrow I am off to NJ with some business folks who have never met most of my team. I hope to be home in the late afternoon to finish off the day.

Hopefully tomorrow nights photos will be from the new 3 megapixel camera!

iPhone 3GS Conundrum

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When the iPhone 3GS was announced I was very interested. It solved many but not all of the issues I have with my 3G. When I found out I could pre-order one and have it delivered to me on the day it comes out I went and ordered one from Apple. I was slightly aggravated after my order went in to read that they estimated my order would ship on the 19th (the day it comes out) and not arrive on that date as the original statement said. This was about an hour after they announced the phone so I wasn’t too worried about it being sold out, but I was a bit miffed by the delay.

About a day or two later I received an email from apple telling me they are sorry for the mix up but I would in fact receive the new phone on the 19th like they originally said. The odd thing is that my order status page still says ships on the 19th. What is also concerning is that on my status page it says “custom configuration”. That makes no sense since it is a phone. It comes in one option. When I click on details it says the custom configuration is “With AT&T Rate Plan-Upgrade”. Not sure what upgrade it means. The plan on the order is the exact plan I currently have. Now I could simply ignore all these facts and wait for the phone Friday since I have a nice reassuring email from Apple, but I wont because I have dealt with enough computer systems like this. When something smells fishy it tends to be fishy. Other anecdotal evidence that I wont be happy on Friday is reading that others who are supposed to receive their order on Friday already have received tracking information.

Now waiting the weekend isn’t the end of the world, and I don’t need the phone first thing Friday. On the other hand I want it Friday and I only ordered it online because I was told that is when I would get it. If I knew I would have to wait I wouldn’t have ordered it online. I would have gone to the 5th Ave Apple Store and wait like I did last year. If they are shipping units to people I assumed the purchase process this year would be allot easier. Unfortunately the conundrum is that I can’t cancel my existing order and goto the store to buy it on Friday. I now have to wait and see what apple system is right? Will the phone arrive on Friday or simply ship out on Friday?

On the plus side it is only a phone and either way life will go on. It would be cool to have a new toy (productivity tool) to play with this weekend. Let the waiting commence.

Lunch Out

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Today was a work in the office day.  I got lunch with a vendor.  We hadn't spoken in several months so it was good to catch up and get him up to speed with my current needs.  Some work lunches can be painful or painfully boring.  Thankfully this one wasn't.

I thought my meeting schedule was relatively light but enough stuff came up to make me think twice about that assessment by the time the day ended.  I don't know why I ever think that because when I do I always learn to regret it.

On the way home I grabbed a hair cut.  Then it was home for a quick dinner.  I was tired so nothing major went on this evening.