Sunday, December 26, 2010

Gingerbread... Yummy!

Hey guys, I decided to try a VERY early prototype of Gingerbread released for my Alltel HTC Hero by the developer community. It is available here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=864403 - several things don't work (Camera and GPS) and it force closes a LOT. It is not a "daily driver" build and should not be installed if you require your phone to be functional, much less stable. With that said, it does work, and I love the new notification bar and keyboard. Okay, so I mainly installed it for giggles. I'll keep y'all updated on it though!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Alltel AT&T Replacement Info

Things are getting very close - it's a matter of weeks until us Alltel people not already converted start getting our new phones!

One, I'm hearing increasing discontent among Alltel customers. Many who are ticked off, who DO NOT want AT&T, who are ready to switch to Verizon. I want to make this very clear - AT&T could not be giving you a better offer. For almost everyone (except LG touchscreen owners - but with no offense, you bought one of those pieces of junk Alltel billed as a smartphone despite having no smartphone features...) you can get a phone much better than your existing phone. For free, with no new contract. You can keep your Alltel plan. And, by all accounts I've heard, the coverage and speed will both be substantially better than the existing Alltel network - AT&T is pouring a LOT of money into their new network in our markets. I really do not understand why anyone feels slighted in any way by this transition. I did for Tour/Bold/Desire owners - until AT&T added some very nice new replacement choices for those phones. LG touch owners - yeah, okay, you have reason to be annoyed. But you're really the only ones from what I can tell. Oh, and anyone still using a bag phone or Telular-style system.

I do want to make one thing clear to anyone who has any doubts - current performance of your friend's iPhone here has NO RELATION to the performance of the new AT&T network. Many people seem to think they're going to get the same (terrible) level of service that AT&T customers here get today. That is not the case. AT&T bought our Alltel markets as part of a major effort to change their reputation for poor rural coverage and network performance issues. They're pouring millions of dollars into massive network upgrades here, and they're hiring contractors with a reputation for doing things right. In addition to that, they're also working on their much-publicized network problems in New York and San Francisco. AT&T wants to be the best, and we're part of the first phase of that. One guy I know in rural Nevada (already converted) is seeing better coverage than he had with Alltel AND his data speeds (due to lower network load) are substantially faster than when he is in Los Angeles.

Two, I'm asked a lot "which free phone has the best camera" - so I decided to get on Flickr (and other sites when necessary) and find some images taken. I chose Flickr because they're "real-world" use by people who tend to be photo enthusiasts. I tried to get seven pictures from each phone, but this wasn't always possible. Only the Samsung Rugby II could I not find any images from. This is probably due to the target market for this phone. My favorite choices are the Samsung Captivate for the high-end phones, a tie between the HTC Aria and the Palm Pre Plus for the mid-range phones, and the Nokia 6350 for the basic phones. This is based purely on camera, nothing else, and based only on the images I found online. Anyway, here's what I found:


Samsung Captivate:


RIM BlackBerry Torch:


Samsung Focus:


HTC Surround:


LG Quantum:

NO SEARCH RESULTS ON FLICKR! Therefore, here's a couple links to reviews with samples:

RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G:


HTC Aria:


Palm Pre Plus:


Samsung Eternity II:

NO SEARCH RESULTS ON FLICKR! Therefore, here's a link to a review with samples:

Samsung Strive:


Nokia 6350:


Pantech Link:

NO SEARCH RESULTS ON FLICKR! Therefore, here's a couple links to reviews with samples:

Samsung A777:

NO SEARCH RESULTS ON FLICKR! Therefore, here's a link to a review with samples:

Samsung Rugby II:

I could not find any photos I felt reasonably sure were taken with the Rugby II!

Monday, December 20, 2010

I think Verizon just killed the iPhone rumors...

At least for January 6th. We all knew that Verizon is going to make a big mobile announcement on the opening day of CES. Verizon just dropped a hint on Twitter at what it is. And guess what? It's not the iPhone.

"@VerizonWireless: Jan. 6 at #CES: #Android and #LTE - could it be like peanut butter and chocolate? YUM!"

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Cablevision Owns Bresnan... What Now?

Hey guys, as of yesterday, it's official. Cablevision owns Bresnan. What does that mean for us as Bresnan customers? Unfortunately, it doesn't mean an immediate full-on rebranding to Cablevision and Cablevision services. Bresnan is being operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary and there's no mention yet of rebranding. They have promised faster Internet, and more HD channels. Both of these are good things, though one can only assume some of the HD channels will likely be "adult themed" - Bresnan has been one of the very few cable operators (the only one maybe?) choosing to stay out of the lucrative "adult programming" business on moral grounds.

Anyways, other than that downside (and hey, no one has to subscribe to those channels if they do add them to Bresnan!), I really can only see upsides. Sure, I'd love to see the Cablevision service New York City has - huge channel selection, insane speeds, competitive pricing, free citywide Wi-Fi. But we are in a very different market. Just knowing that our market is owned by a company generally known for being the best-of-the-best in the cable industry gives me good cause for optimism.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Two Weeks With Kindle

Hey guys, it's been two weeks since I purchased a white Amazon Kindle 3G. It's also available in black and in a Wi-Fi only version (black only). The Kindle is possibly the most widely known e-reader, and one of it's main advantages is it's integration with Amazon services. Amazon is one of the world's largest retailers, and it has a lot to offer. I even have a book for teens, Bubblegum Frogs, in the Amazon Kindle store. Anyone can publish content for Kindle. I'm working on another book to be published in the Kindle store early next year, this will be a political commentary called Diverse Beliefs exploring how religion, politics, and our Constitutional freedoms can work together.

But that's enough self-promotion, onto the Kindle. I purchased the Kindle largely as a platform for testing my own content. One huge warning - BUY A CASE. I got a scratch on my Kindle screen the first day I owned it. I was carrying my keys in my hand and I think they just managed to scrape the plastic screen. It's a minor scratch, only visible under fairly precise lighting angles, and the screen is matte - further reducing it's visibility. But I'm OCD so it drives me up a wall. Though I'm learning to accept it, since it's almost never visible, and it certainly doesn't impair usability. I got the M-Edge Trip Jacket in Pink, which Amazon doesn't have anymore. It seems to have been replaced with a more professional bland "Fuchsia." I love the case, it's great. And I'm glad I got it when they had the bright bold pretty one, LOL. It makes sense, though, considering the Kindle is mainly targeted at older people due to it's superiority for reading. The screen has great contrast, and looks like real paper.

But, you know all that about the Kindle. Why would a young person want one? Well, it's great to read on - much more relaxing than a computer screen for anyone. It's also wonderful as a Bible study tool in church. I use the YouVersion website, and I bought the Kindle version of the New Living Translation. YouVersion works okay, but the Kindle NLT is great and worth the $10 which supports Bible translation efforts. The nicest thing is that unlike a phone or tablet, you can use these tools in church without a glowing screen drawing attention to you.

The Kindle is also great for college students, many of the books you are required to buy are long out of copyright, and thus are available for Kindle for free. The Kindle will close to pay for itself if you're a college student taking literature classes. And it's a lot lighter. I really wish I'd had one in college, it would have been amazing. Textbook publishers need to get on board next. Sure, the lack of color would make it hard for some books, but there's plenty of college reading material perfect for the Kindle. Combined with the free 3G, I'd recommend the Kindle to every college student.

What is the free 3G? In at least 61 countries, you can use the experimental WebKit browser to surf the web over local mobile phone networks. Now, this is not a computer - or a tablet. It's an e-reader - with a slow processor and an e-ink screen. But it's totally usable for email & news & a status update in a pinch. Mobile optimized sites work best, and complex sites bring the thing to a crawl quickly. Still, it's free, and well worth the extra $50 for the 3G version. In the US, coverage is provided primarily by AT&T. If you're in an area with poor or 2G AT&T coverage, keep that in mind. Here in Montana, there is currently only a very poor AT&T 2G GSM network inherited from Alltel. Early next year, there will be 3G AT&T coverage over the entire current Alltel CDMA network footprint and it'll be much MUCH better. In even more countries, the 3G can be used to buy books and surf Wikipedia. The 3G is paid for by charging "wireless delivery fees" to publishers of Kindle books. Overall, a great deal all around - the fees aren't bad, encourage optimization of images and markup, and give customers a great free service. Definitely shell out the $50 for the 3G version. If you're a world traveler, the free 3G internationally is a great alternative to international roaming charges to check email, news, etc.

Overall, the Kindle is a wonderful device. Make sure you protect the plastic screen, especially if you're as OCD about scratched screens as I am. A good case also makes it feel a lot more book-like. Reading on the Kindle really is a great experience I can highly recommend. It also makes the perfect Christmas present. And for $189, it's much cheaper than an iPad (and no monthly fee for Internet or international roaming charges either!).


Monday, December 13, 2010

That Consumer Reports Survey

A few days ago, Consumer Reports released the results of a survey indicating that AT&T is the worst cell phone carrier. To be honest, this is more sensationalist Consumer Reports nonsense aimed at selling magazines (at best). Consumer Reports has a history of manipulating results, as Suzuki learned. A perfectly good vehicle, the Samurai, was slandered by CR says it "rolls over easily" when the reality was that Consumer Reports had to modify the test track in order to get it to tip slightly when the editorial director demanded "If you can’t find someone to roll this car, I will." The sad thing is, CR won that media war and Suzuki's name is still rather tarnished in the US market.

More concerning than that incident, however, is their repeated incompetence. Talk to anyone who has knowledge in a subject field, and they'll tell you Consumer Reports' testing is very flawed. I remember laughing my head off when I read them claim that VGA was a "proprietary connector" on RCA TVs. It's true, most HDTV manufacturers (this was rear-projection CRT HDTV...) chose to use component. But that sure didn't make VGA proprietary. And it was clear they didn't know much at all if they didn't recognize VGA (which they never actually called VGA, they clearly didn't know what it was). If they don't know their stuff in a subject you have knowledge of, why do you think they would in any other subject?

Well, that's where this survey falls. Horrible testing methods making it less than meaningless. But it's a survey, you say. How could a survey not be meaningful? Simple, surveys are nonsense on such a media-covered topic. They suffer severe selection bias. "Everyone knows" AT&T sucks from the recent media coverage regarding their well-known network issues they've had in San Francisco and New York City. "Everyone knows" Verizon is the best from their very successful ad campaigns. Don't you think that might have a huge impact on how customers perceive a dropped all? AT&T customers might see it as typical, and it reinforces their bias. Verizon customers might see it as "eh, even the best has problems sometimes" and shrug it off.

Adding to this bias is the other question - what is the demographic of each type of customer? AT&T has a lot of iPhone customers. These are people who tend to be on the edge of wanting the latest, largest selection of mobile applications. They tend to be younger, I dare say, and have demands for always-on connectivity.

Finally, no results from somewhere else have any meaning on network quality in your area. All carriers have great areas and terrible areas. Try them out where YOU are.

Anyways, I guess my point is don't worry about this survey - especially if you're in an Alltel market being converted. We're getting a brand-new network build that's going to totally ROCK IT!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Wal-Mart's Degradingly Arrogant Managers

I really don't like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Enough so, that I usually shop on Amazon now. Seriously. Anyways, it's never terribly pleasant. Anyways, I just read this guy's story of being accused of being a drug dealer for wanting to buy multiple prepaid phones for review purposes. To make a long story short, Wal-Mart has a policy against selling more than two prepaid phones per customer per day. The phone companies want this to prevent resale. However, some arrogant Wal-Mart employees think it has something to do with drug deals. And they all but accused him of being a drug dealer, and insisted it was "the law" that they couldn't sell him the phones. Wal-Mart has a very hard time distinguishing between store policies and the law, but the situation reminded me of one of my own run-ins (sadly that is plural) with Wal-Mart years ago.

This occurred at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Missoula, MT sometime in 2004 or 2005. I was shopping with my 19 year old cousin and he tried to buy a bargain bin DVD of old TV shows (pre-ratings system thus unrated). Wal-Mart's inventory system classifies unrated content as R, though one look would show this was far from it. They carded him. He didn't have ID. He called me, I went to buy it for him. The cashier refused, saying I was going to give it to him. I asked for a manager.

I got a CSM. A CSM is not a real manager, they're pretend managers Wal-Mart has to placate people who ask for a manager. I expected the CSM to talk some sense into his cashier, instead he was far worse. He said that the law said they couldn't sell me the DVD since they had reason to believe I was going to give it to him (1. There is no law, MPAA ratings are voluntary; 2. It was unrated, not R; 3. The VOLUNTARY requirements are anyone under 17 needs an adult with them to see an R movie or to buy one. If it even was R). Then he said "it's just like if you were trying to buy cigarettes for a little kid"

I freaked out on the guy, and I should've freaked out a bit more. I told him he was being completely inappropriate, unacceptable, and illogical. Eventually, he made Kevin leave the store and let me buy the DVD with a huge frown.

I've had a few other run-ins too, but that was probably the most offensive. Wal-Mart sucks.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Verizon Ads

Recently, I've been getting a lot of confused Alltel customers asking if they should bail for Verizon instead of go with AT&T. In short, NO. I don't think that. One, you can always do that after the switch if it really doesn't work for you. Two, AT&T's in this to win it. Their network is gonna be totally off the heezy. Several times faster than CDMA2000 1xEVDO, great coverage, etc. AT&T's doing things right. Current performance of AT&T devices here has NO resemblance to what the new network will be like. And, given Verizon is the only other national choice here, I figured I'd take this chance to recap and show y'all a couple of their ads from this year. Watch them both and makeup your mind on if this is a company you want to switch to:



Saturday, December 4, 2010

First Kindle Book Published

Hey guys, I got my first Kindle book published. It's a book for teenagers about living for Christ in our world today. It's called Bubblegum Frogs, a reference to something from my life. BTW, I'm LOVING the Kindle 3G and I'll be posting a more detailed review soon! Anyways, for now, here's a little teaser on the project I'm currently working on: