Wireless Data

More Wireless in the Subway is Good

by

This week I started noticing I was getting wireless signal on my phone in the stations in Queens on the way home from work. I was surprised since I hadn’t had that happen before. For several months if i wanted to check mail or sync something i knew i had to wait till 5th ave on the way in or 5th ave was the last chance i got till i got home on my return trip.

After a few days of curiosity I searched the internet and found that the MTA did announce new stations coming online this month. It was just challenging to find what stations. Once i found the list i confirmed that all the stations on my route home in Queens will get signal. That will be helpful to me when i am checking mail on my way into work each day. I have found that my commute is a good time to sort through all the mail from overnight and get quick responses back to people.

Of course the downside of signal in stations are people making calls. Data is great but having some clown talking loudly on the subway into their phone is not fun. Especially when they leave the station and there is the inevitable “hello, hello, can you hear me” when they drop the call. I guess progress has a price.

Android vs iOS

by

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

by

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…

Virgin Mobile Mifi

by

You may remember that back in December I had purchased a Verizon MiFi. Other than the cost I was actually very pleased with it. I never really used it that much. It was a really nice to have and did come in handy, but I didn’t NEED it. I was pleased and surprised to see virgin mobile announce mobile hotspot of their own with the pay-as-you-go price plan. The $20 a month for 200 meg plan was perfect for my occasional need for hotspot. Before my trip to Syracuse for the Fourth of July I ran out to Best Buy and got one. I wanted to try it out head-to-head with my Verizon one and see how the performance was. The reality was the Verizon hotspot was faster. It is very noticeably faster when I ran a benchmark. Of course for the price that speed difference wasn’t really that much when you take into account the vast difference in cost. Well at least that was my opinion.

While I was away I bought 3G iPad. That made my needs for mobile hot spot decrease even more. The fate of my Verizon MiFi was field. Even though I bought the Virgin one in early July I didn’t get rid of Verizon one until late August. Most of the month of July was playing around with both of them to be really sure that I wanted to get rid of the rising one. Once I was sure I wanted to get rid of it, I needed to wait until the billing cycle ended.

What I like best about the virgin hotspot is its flexibility. I don’t actually need to keep paying for service every month. I can purchase service for month, and when that expires I can purchase service again when I need it. That means I can go up to a year between actually paying for month of service. That suits me since I don’t always need a mobile Wi-Fi since I have my iPad 3G, but I have the option when I need it.

, , , , ,

iPad 3G

by

When the iPad was announced I decided to stick with a MiFi and go with the Wi-Fi version. I already had a 3G hotspot (my MiFi with Verizon) and the Wi-Fi version was coming out much sooner than the 3G version. In practice using the MiFi wasn’t that seamless. It was okay, and I was getting decent speed, but there were times when it didn’t work or was just slow to work.

Because of the limitations I decided that maybe I could use the 3G version after all. I have a Wi-Fi version so I was in no rush however I started checking out the Apple stores in New York City to see if they have them in stock. For most of June they didn’t. While I was in Syracuse I stumbled upon an Apple Store in the mall. I figured it didn’t hurt to ask if they had a 3G version in stock, so I did. As it turned out they had exactly what I was looking for, the 64 gig 3G iPad. Since they have them in stock I figured what the heck. I went and bought one. I assumed, accurately that I could sell the Wi-Fi version for nearly as much as I paid for it. When I got back from Syracuse I posted it on eBay. I don’t know the exact amount but I don’t think I lost $50 on the transaction.

Besides being 3G there really isn’t any major difference between Wi-Fi version. The problem I was trying to solve, a.k.a. easy turning on 3G when there is no Wi-Fi was fixed. Now all I have to do is wait for the new version of the OS with multitasking and all will be right with the world.

, , , ,

Bad RCN

by

As predicted RCN was unable to come out to repair my cable modem after the blizzard. I don’t fault them for that. It was nasty out. What I do fault them for is the 3 phone calls to them checking on the service call and being told first that yes they would show up in the window the originally told me. Then the second person told me things are running slow due to weather and they would check with dispatch and get back to me. They never did. The 3rd person was good and was checked and said no one was working on repairs today and they would schedule a call for tomorrow. They were baffled by the other peoples comments. They claim that someone would look into the incident. I hold no hopes that the will actually do that. I am just happy they claim that someone will be out around lunch time tomorrow to fix my modem.

The Mifi isn’t the fastest thing int he world but I can browse the web and check main just fine on it. It gets a bit slow when using the VPN for work.

Technical Difficulties

by

My luck wasn’t going very well this weekend. I got home and started settling in and suddenly my cable modem died on me. That was the final straw on my decision to get a MiFi. Before being stranded in the Bahamas I was pondering the wireless broadband device the Novatel MiFi. After the day in the Bahamas airport I really wanted one even though I knew that it wouldn’t have worked in the Bahamas. When the cable went out I decided to head out to Manhattan before it started snowing to pick up one of the nifty devices. I didn’t want to spend an unknown amount of days in a blizzard without internet. I am brave, but not that brave.

Thankfully the store was empty and I was in and out in 20 minutes. Let me tell you the Mifi is really easy to setup and it works exactly as advertised. RCN claims they will be out tomorrow morning to look at my Modem but I tend to doubt it since it is still snowing.

The Android Experiment

by

A few weeks ago I purchased a used T-Mobile G1 on eBay. It was party to see check out the Android OS, as well as check out T-Mobile service near where I live and work.

Firstly the G1 I got was a bit more beat up than I would have liked, but for the price I paid I kinda knew what I was getting into. I found it harder than I originally expected to separate my experience with the Android OS with my feelings about the G1 hardware. I was not a fan of the G1 at all. It was big, heavy, and I could not stand the curved bottom of the phone, nor could I really use the keyboard because of that uncomfortable bulge at the bottom of the phone.

The Android OS on the other hand was OK. I looked for equivalent applications to what I typically use on my iPhone. I didn’t do a complete search but looked for the top 5-10 apps that I use every day. I was able to find apps that performed the same functions. That was the good news. The bad news was that several of them were just not as polished as the iPhone equivalent. Maybe I am biased, but the iPhone apps just seem more polished than the Andriod counterparts. There were a few exceptions, but in general I wasn’t too impressed with the Andriod apps. On the up side I was happy with some of the types of applications that I couldn’t get on my iPhone. I loved the call blocking app especially since the T-Mobile number I got seemed to have a lot of people calling it. I also loved the Google Voice integration. For me as a Google Voice user it was perfect. I didn’t even tell anyone I got a new #. I just routed calls to the G1 and then used Google Voice to make outbound calls. For me that was the best part of the Android OS. I really miss that functionality on the iPhone.

The second part of my experiment was how is the T-Mobile service. The short answer is it is just as poor as AT&T is where I use it most. I don’t get any reliable signal inside my apartment with T-Mobile. By my window I get 3-4 bars but inside I only get 1-2 if any. Without a signal booster the service is useless in my apartment. If the Android phones supported T-Mobile’s Wifi calling like some of the Blackberry’s do that wouldn’t be an issue, but right now it is a major show stopper. At work in mid town I got slightly better results. I sometimes got decent signal at my desk, but other times it was spotty. Not consistent enough for me.

The bottom line is as tempting as T-Mobile’s no contract plans are, the service where I spend 75% of my work week (home and work) I had spotty service. That means if I want to stick with a GSM carrier I am stuck with AT&T. As much as I refuse to use Verizion I might need to consider. I may end up getting a Verizon Mifi anyway so that might be the trade off that keeps me with my iPhone an AT&T but more on that later.

I will keep my T-Mobile SIM until after my vacation but I don’t see myself keeping it long term. As for the G1, I am going away at the end of the week so I wont have time to sell it before I go, but it will go up on eBay before Christmas. If a AT&T compatible 3G (85mhz & 1800mhz) Android phone comes out I may give it a try again but until then I am sticking with the iPhone. Like I tell anyone when they ask if i like it, the iPhone is the best phone I ever had, but I would love to be able to get rid of it!

, , , , ,

T-Mobile Again

by

My frustration with AT&T has finally come to a head. I had another week of not really being able to use my iPhone at the office, so I finally broke down and went to the T-Mobile store. I signed up for an Even More Plus plan. I figured with no contract I had nothing to lose from trying it out. I am testing the service at home and work with an old Motorola Razr I have had since 2005. So far I am having signal issues in my apt, but I already knew that non-3g service would be spotty in my apt. Friends with T-Mobile have had problems there before.

To really test the system out I just bought a used G1 Android phone from Ebay. I will see if T-Mobile 3G is as good as their map says it is in my neighborhood. I also need to be happy with the G1’s Android OS. I am skeptical about that, but hopeful I will like it enough to give up my iphone. There is a lot of “if’s” but I am willing to give it a try since the iPhone may be nice and slick and a great all around device, but if it doesn’t work half the time I try to use it I don’t care how nice it is.

I really hope this works out. I really like the no contract concept even if the phones are more money (thanks ebay). I also like the fact that I can get unlimited voice for $50. I currently pay $59 for 900 minutes that I can’t use since the phone doesn’t work most of the places I need it to. I always liked T-Mobile. I only got rid of them when I gave up my own mobile to use the Partsearch issued one. After that I got AT&T because of phone selection and the iPhone.

, , , , , ,

Why I Won’t Buy a Driod

by

Motorola, I have to hand it to you. The Droid looks like a great phone. If there was a GSM version I might just pick one up to try it. Unfortunately you only offer a CDMA version on Verizon. I will say that I honestly thought about switching to Verizon for a second. Thankfully Verizon got me to reconsider. Thanks Verizon. What do I mean? Well, I am amazed that Verizon has one of the best wireless networks out there but does everything possible to aggravate customers. I was interested in the Droid. Android 2.0 was intriguing. The generally fast and well covered Verizon network got me further interested in the Droid. Then I read that Verizon is charging a $350 cancelation fee on new contracts that have “advanced devices” aka something like the Droid (sorry I wont spell it DROID). I am frustrated as it is by being locked into the iPhone and it is GSM, so I am sure not going to switch to Verizon and be stuck into a phone and contract for two years that costs $175 to get out of.

I have never been a fan of Verizon’s customer service or the way they treat their customers, but this was the final straw for me. I am fine with having my parents use them since they don’t change phones very often but for me, no way. I am considering T-Mobile since they are going the opposite direction, cheaper rate plans and no contracts!

, , ,