iPhone

British Siri in America, American Siri in England?

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When Siri first launched you basically got the voice they gave you. In the US it was a lady voice. In the UK it was a man. In later revisions they gave the option to choose between a male and female voice. Either at that same time or in any even further revision Apple gave you the option of choosing the accent. Originally you had one American voice for your iPhone. Now you can select an American, British, or Australian accent in either male or female voices for your English-speaking iPhone.

I’m not sure why however I light the British female voice better. I’ve been using it on my phone ever since. On my iPad to differentiate I use the British male voice. I even now use ways with the British accent voice. I have been doing this long before there was any plan to move overseas.

Now I’m asking myself the question when living in England do I set the voice to be an American female? The dilemmas I ponder while sitting on the subway during my commute. Other people might think about world peace, however I wonder what voice to use on my iPhone.

I Am Planning to Get an iPhone X Despite Face Recognition

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It used to be that when a new iPhone would come out it would have enough features that I would go one by one. There really wasn’t a question about it. When the iPhone 5S came out it was the first time I decided not to upgrade. It just wasn’t compelling for me.

I had the same dilemma when the iPhone 7+ came out and I had an iPhone 6S+. Someone convinced me to get it and go on the Apple purchase plan so I can get upgrades every year. Not saving any money however it’s a consistent payment for the same level of technology. With our plan to go overseas in January I do not think I can continue to use the Apple purchase plan since I believe it is only offered in the US. When the iPhone X was announced I originally thought I wanted it. Then as I do sometimes, I waffled a bit. I was not sure if the price difference was worth it verse the iPhone 8. The difference in cost is $200.

I was reading a review comparing both the 8 & the X and as I was reading it I was leaning more and more towards going with a simple iPhone 8+. One of the things that sounded cool in the beginning but as I read about it and thought about it I really did not like was the face recognition. The security minded part of me screams this might not be a good idea. At least Maybe I should wait till I get it. That along with the fact that the iPhone 8 and 8+ have virtually identical internals then the X got me wondering if I really needed to be spending the extra $200 for the X.

I was basically convinced to go with the iPhone 8+ until I got the end of the article and they showed a scale diagram of all three phones side-by-side. The iPhone 8, 8+, & X. I was surprised to see how dramatically smaller the iPhone X was to the 8+ while at the same time having a larger screen. The iPhone X was only marginally wider than the iPhone 8. That’s pretty small.

Despite the fact that I have reservations on the facial recognition unlocking of the phone the size difference between the plus and the X is too compelling. That means in a few weeks I will be getting up early to preorder my iPhone X. Later that morning I’ll be aggravated by the fact that I probably couldn’t place the order quick enough because Apple systems are overloaded. I do not have a crystal ball I just remember the last two or three times I tried to do this. I’m just stubborn enough to ignore past history and try again anyway.

 

iOS 11

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It is that time of year. The time after the Apple announcement listing release dates for iOS and when it actually is available for the general public. The thing is if you are in the beta program you can get the General Master version now. I dabble in the beta versions but so not put them on my iPhone. With the GM out it is always a question of do I install it on all my devices. It is always a question yet I usually do install it.

So far in the past 24 hours I have installed it on my iPad Pro and thought it was great. That got me to install it on my work iPhone. Once I knew that was stable in installed on my personal iPhone. Now either everything will stop working together or I am set!

Next up do I play with a late beta of macOS on my laptop?

The iPhone 6S Plus

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When the iPhone 6+ came out I was intrigued with the bigger size however I opted for the plane old iPhone 6. After about two months I decided to try the 6+ on my work line. I had it for all but a day and returned it. At the time and used to a lot of things one-handed. I tried the galaxy note in the past as well and it was too big. I stuck with my 6. Flash forward to this year and when the 6S came out I opted for it over the plus for the same reasons. I ended up selling my Nexus 6 that I was using for my work line. That was also a big phone but significantly cheaper then the plus. I was using it more as a media device than anything else. As much as I like the device having one device is android among all the others that were iOS didn’t make any sense. For a time I returned to my old iPhone 5 as my work line however the size of that screen was becoming very annoying compared to larger 6. Since I was getting by with the next six as a media device and hearing several people work enjoying the larger phones I decided to take the risk and get another plus for my work line/media device.

After about a day I wanted to give it a try as my main phone. Swapping between phones my Sim card was harder than I thought it would be. It was not as simple as swapping SIM cards. I had to re-associate my iTunes account and phone number to each phone.

Once I started using the plus as my main line I was surprised to find that I liked it. There were still limitations with regards to what I can do one handed. What I realized however was that now that my kids were slightly older I was not as concerned about pushing strollers or carrying a baby in one arm needing to answer the phone. It still uncomfortable to use in some situations because of its size however the advantage of the larger screen in other aspects of day-to-day use have so far been outweighing the downsides. It’s interesting how much a year or two makes your requirements change just enough.

 

My week using the iPhone 6S plus has my main phone is evolved into indefinitely using it as my primary. I’m curious to see how long I keep it up or if I decide to switch back. I’m hoping to like it and I just sell the 6S. Of course I do that I have to figure out what to use for my work line. The challenge I have is the work upgrade options are pretty paltry so I would have to either get something that’s not so great or pay out-of-pocket for something else.

My Choice of an iPhone 6

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When the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus came out I originally wanted the Plus.  With my eyes I wanted as big of a screen as I could get.  However I did have a Galaxy Note whoever version was out right after Teagan was born.  I tried it for a few days and quickly returned it because it was unusable with one hand.  Someone needing to hold a baby a lot having two hands free isn’t always possible.  Those thoughts in my head and the fact that the Plus wasn’t really available right away led me to the 6.  Even with the 6 i was concerned about its size.  I need that one handed use.  I was pleasantly surprised when I got the 6 that it is generally usable with one hand.  The screen size was much better than my old 5.

This upgrade cycle I opted for the 128gig version.  I had the 64gig for the 5 and the 4S before that.  I may have had a 64 4 if they made them but I can’t remember.  When I got the 5 I really needed the space.  As I used it and day to day used my iPad more I found the storage not to be as limiting as it used to be.  That being said I did come close enough to filling up all 64gig’s that I didn’t want to chance another year or more with that much space. I spend the extra money on the larger storage.  I also opted for the white version this year.  For a few years I kept wanting white but either canceled the order and changed to black or couldn’t get the white.  This go round I didn’t want to make any excuses and I got the white.

So far I have been very happy with my choice.  I even toyed with a 6 Plus for a few days last month.  I confirmed my original thoughts that it was too big and I returned the phone.  I made the right choice for me until next September.  Then we shall see what else comes out.

Android vs iOS

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I am not a professional reviewer. I want to get that out there first thing. I have wrote about my opinions and comparisons of technology products in the past I am well aware that any number of people have written about this subject. I am writing about it because I continually try to be open minded and it has been very difficult to do so when comparing IOS to Android.

I can safely say that I’ve used regularly all of the major mobile operating systems in the past 10 years. I have owned many generation Treo’s with the Palm OS. I can’t even count the number of blackberries I’ve had. I have used three or four Symbian devices and loved my Nokia E60 for the 6 or 8 months I had it before I got my iPhone 3G.  I have tried numerous Android devices, and even had a few windows mobile phones.  I mention all that because I am not someone who just gets Apple stuff by default.  I look like that but that is a credit to Apple for making great devices and software.  I actually have only been buying Android devices because I didn’t want to be so reliant on Apple. My observations started between Android & iOS only because I wanted to see what was out there.

As a technology person on paper iOS has problems and Android looks promising.  What I mean by that is if I read anywhere else that an operating system and an ecosystem was so restrictive as Apple’s was I probably wouldn’t try it.  When you dig a little deeper that restrictiveness some of my Android friends like to complain about actually makes some sense.  it provides for a more stable phone.  It really does.  I have seen it between my iPhone and several Android devices.  I do not want to go back to the days were I reboot my phone every few hours like i did with my Treo 600.  Lack of true multi-tasking on iOS is another item that when it was announced iOS would be that restrictive i was turned off by it.  Now Apple has come up with interesting ways to let you think you have multitasking but still limiting it and thus reducing power usage.  Restrictive yes, but in the end it probably helps the overall experience.

On the other hand that restrictiveness has a drawback.  On my Galaxy Nexus I love the Locale app that changes settings based on my location and time of day.  My ringer goes off at night except for some work numbers.  My Google Voice # would change to point to my desk phone when I was at work and Skype when I was at home.  Come on that is cool.  Using that same example though, one of the best plugin’s for that app has a big note saying it is buggy and the developer does not suggest using it.  Really? If it crashes the phone then block it.  Apple would.  I know its heavy handed but the idea here is to be transparent as possible but have the customers interests at heart.

There are plenty more examples.  The last big one i would highlight is the fact that iOS is again restrictive on how the UI of apps look.  Sounds bad on paper, its apple being restrictive again.  Only problem is have you looked at Android apps?  How about comparing them to iOS apps.  Not just any iOS apps.  Compare something to the same app on iOS.  Apples restrictiveness gives the customer a consistent user experience.  Androids openness give you an inconsistent experience.  As a user i have been frustrated by this.  Heck I still don’t know what some of the dam icons mean on my Nexus 7.  Apple uses icons also but they just come across as more intuitive.  Getting back to that app comparison.  I have used many apps on both platforms.  When I bought my first Android phone that is what i did.  I went through making sure i could get the same experience on Android I had with iOS.  For the most part i found the same apps for Android that i had on iOS or ones that did the same thing.  Problem was they weren’t comparable.  Sometimes in features, but mostly in general look and feel and polish.  Some have improved over time but Apple still has better looking apps.  Foursquare, Facebook, Lastpass, Yelp, to name a few of the ones that I have had issues with.  The last aspect of user experience I would question is Exchange mail support.  Its built in to both platforms now but have you used the email app on Android.  Not the Gmail app because that is actually a great app.  I do give them credit for that.  I am talking about the regular email app.  Or the calendar app.  Using them on Android for my exchange mail was horrible.  It is just plain ugly and clunky to use.  iOS mail app may have its problems but it is intuitive and nice to look at.  Even the 3rd party apps such as Touchdown were horrible looking and I stopped using them after their trial ended.  That exchange limitation alone is a show stopper for me.

The theme I have seen with Android is that the apps work but they leave me wanting to go back to my iPhone or iPad.  Thats the problem.  I have gotten these devices wanting to be swept away and to sell my iOS stuff on eBay, but every time I get one I end up back with Apple.  Android keeps getting better but its been 4 years and they still aren’t that close in my opinion.

By now its clear I am in the Apple camp, but I really don’t want to be.  Given the opportunity I would switch.  The 5 or more Android phones I have had since using iPhones are an indication I do want to try.  Of course in the end I have a new iPhone 5 and an iPad Mini on order.  With those purchases Apple has locked me in for another year or two.  I will see how the landscape looks then, and maybe my own personal opinion may change.

 

Ordering an iPhone 5 Drama

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I think I’ve said this before, I’m a fan of Apple but I don’t just blindly buy their stuff. I’ve actually tried android phones for over two years or so and keep coming back to my iPhones. I mentioned that now because I’ve gone out immediately ordered every iPhone that’s been out. I’m not sure if the original counts in that statement since I returned it the next day. I’ve written about that in the past, that just goes to show me the product inferior even know it’s Apple product I’ll send it back. With the iPhone 5 it was the first device that I was not 100% sure I wanted it since the original.  I ordered one as a knee jerk reaction to the fact that there was one.  I did want the bigger screen and LTE but I really wasn’t sure it was enough to upgrade.

I went online at 6AM the day you could pre-order only to find that even though i was online 2 hours after you could start ordering my order wouldn’t show up for 2 weeks after the launch date.  I had second thoughts about my order after reading that even though the Verizon iPhone was LTE it would still not be able to do voice and data at the same time unless you are on wifi.  I was not pleased since that was one of the reasons i didn’t go with the CDMA Verizon iPhone. 4.  My initial reaction was that I wasn’t sure if i wanted this new phone with that limitation so I went and canceled my order.

I went back and forth on what I wanted for almost 2 weeks.  I know its just a phone but lets face it I use this thing all the time so making the right decision is important to me.  That and I like technology that works, and wont stand for using something every day that just doesn’t work right.  Note to self that means my microwave needs to go soon!  In the end I realized that I do want a bigger screen, and having a phone that be used with one hand is important especially with a new baby being held sometimes in the other hand.  The final straw was that yes voice and data wont work at the same time but at least i will get both voice and data to work period.  Lets face it AT&T just does not work at my office, and that is right in the middle of Times Square.  Everyone with Verizon doesn’t claim any issues.

So here I am ready to order my phone now.  Well Apple didn’t want my order.  For some reason by caneling my last order they didn’t like me anymore.  it had something to do with the credit authorization for a new verizon account.  Whatever the reason i wasn’t happy.  I ended up placing an order with Verizon directly.  I went with the black model, again.  I kept telling myself i wanted a white one but concerns over it getting dirty looking got me to go with black again.  The only issue was Verizon told me I wouldnt get my new phone until October 19th.  I was not pleased but at least i could use IOS 6 on my 4S in the interim   I was suprised to get a note in late Sept telling me that my order had shipped.  In the end I got my new phone from Verizon around the same time that Apple said I would have gotten my phone if I ordered it from them on the first day of pre-orders.  Go figure.  So after a bit of drama I now am sporting a new iPhone 5.  The best part is I can now make and receive calls at work.  Something I havent been able to do since 2009, but more on that in another post, maybe…

Back to Blogging

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I’m back to blogging full swing this week. A lot of what I have posted for May June and July have been things I’ve just written and never got around to posting, or things I had rough notes about and just never really elaborated on them. Not fully sure what got me to start posting again, but what’s made it really easy has been the ability to dictate what I want to say to my phone. Currently I’m running Mac OS X Mountain lion. Unfortunately it is not currently compatible with Dragon dictate that I have. After a long day working and writing on the computer typing a blog post sometimes is physically uncomfortable. So before I stopped blogging I was using dictation on my Mac. I was getting mixed results from it, but I was using it. With me being unable to use the dictation software on the computer I gave talking into my phone a try. I’m pleasantly surprised by the positive results. I first tried my android tablet because it has off-line dictation, but honestly the keyboard editing on android has not been very fun to deal with. So now I’m using my iPhone 4S and the WordPress app to edit after I dictate has been pretty simple.

Jaybird Bluetooth Headphones

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For at least 2 years or more I have owned a pair of Jaybird Sportsband 2 headphones.  When I first bought them I thought they were very cool but never really started wearing them as a replacement to wired headphones.  I had a few issues with skipping or other sound issues with the headphones and my iPhone 4.  I also had some freak issue were the iPhone crashed and needed to be restored from a backup.  It happened when I was using my Jaybird

It wasn’t until I wanted to control volume and skip, play & pause on my Android phone did I look to the Jaybird headphones again.  I don’t have a wired headphone that will do that with the Android phone so after I moved to Woodside and now spend much more time on the train I started trying them with my Android phone.  The setup worked really well.  I am not sure when it happened but instead of using them with my Android phone I started using them with my iPhone 4S.

Now after wearing them for a year I am finding wearing wireless headphones especially on the way to and from work and doing laundry to be great.  I don’t know why I didn’t really get into them for almost a year of owning them.

The headphones feel a bit uncomfortable after a long period of time so i may shop around for more comfortable ones.