Powerpedia

Virgin Mobile Mifi

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.

3G, iPad, MiFi, Verizon ireless, Virgin Mobile, WiFi

iPad 3G

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.

Mac, iPad, WiFi, 3G, Tablet

My Barely A Week With The Nexus One

Back in December I tried T-Mobile and the G1 out as a possible alternative for my iPhone.  The idea was that T-Mobile's no contract plans might work out for me and if I liked the Android OS enough I would get a newer Android phone to replace my iPhone 3GS.  That experiment ended badly due to the G1 being no where near the iPhone and T-Mobile service sucking as bad or worse than AT&T did where I use it.

I have been eying the Nexus One for a little while since they offer an AT&T version of it.  It is the latest in Android phones and it has some advantages over the iPhone in hardware.  That and it used the same network my iPhone did I was curious to see if I could make the switch to the Nexus One and Android.  I keep saying the iPhone is the best phone I ever had but I would love to get rid of it so I figured I would give it a try.

I bought the Nexus One off of Google's site.  It arrived the next day.  I give them props for that.  Unlike the G1, the Nexus One hardware was very nice.  Call quality was great, the screen was amazing and sharp.

I will cover in another post my switch from Zimbra (hosted at 01.com) to Google Apps.  I had to make this switch for this test to really work well, but I had been pondering this switch independently of the phone test for a while also.  The point is with a Gmail/Google Apps account setup the process of setting up my contacts, mail, and calendar on the new phone was totally painless.  The fact that Google Voice only works with an associated Gmail account and not Google Apps is a down side, but I survived.

I was all set to jump into the Android OS.  My original plan was to force myself to switch and use the Nexus One for a month.  By that point I will have either wanted to stick with it, or the new rumored iPhone would be out and or announced.  In reality I got only a few days (and not even using the phone for full days) before I threw in the towel.

On the plus side most of the apps I used on my iPhone had equivalent apps on Android.  I would say the vast majority of the apps I used had some sort of replacement on the Android.  The caveat to that is most of them were the Android versions were no where near as good as the iPhone versions.  They either were functionally inferior or just visually looked bad.  The option of more types of apps still had me interested.  Like the ability to have a caller ID app run all the time, or a location based profile app run all the time both were great ideas and reasons why I wanted an Android for multi tasking.  But those advantages were short lived when most of the apps I was used to using weren't as good.  I have read others talk about this on Android and I can't understand how reviewers can say Android will beat iPhone until this is fixed.

One major downside that may have pushed me over the edge in not wanting to use this phone was its music player.  I bought a cheap app to sync my itunes playlists to the phone so i was happy about that, but there was no easy way to use the music player when the phone was locked.  With the iPhone when the phone is locked you only have to double tap the round button and you get music controls.  That is huge! If i wanted to get to the same controls on the Android phone when it was locked I had to hit the power button, swipe my finger to unlock and then either have a music widget on my home screen or swipe over to another home screen with the music widget on it.  That just bothered me to no end.  Then I realized the Android OS doesn't come with a video player.  Really?  And this is supposed to be a nice easily replacement for every day consumers?

The final straw for me was when I was editing an email and I couldn't use my finder to highlight or move the cursor.  I can with the iPhone (well you have to with the iphone since that is the only input), but with the Nexus One you need to use the trackball.  Why?  I don't want to use a trackball.  I don't for anything else, but you kinda have to with this function.  Little things like that bothered me with this phone.  I have read that people say Android is not as "polished" as the iPhone.  They are right.  It isn't.  I am a savy technical person (or I like to think so) and this stuff bothered me, so not sure what the average consumer would think.  I know several friends who are average consumers who love their Android phones.  My friend Dave just got a new Incredible.  I just don't get how they are happy, but then again they haven't used an iPhone.  I chalk it up to each person has their own tastes.

On the flip side Google Voice was fantastic on the Nexus One.  If anything that was one of the main reasons why I tried this experiment.  This plus couldn't make up for all the short comings.

Lastly the fact that shopping for apps is only possible on the phone was a problem for me.  It worked out ok, but I like to browse on the computer and then send stuff to my iPhone.  Minor issue but still why can't there be some sort of over the air sync?

In the end I got a few days out of the phone.  I am not worried.  It is in mind condition and will go up onto ebay in a few days.  Android may be popular and someone will be very happy with this phone, but I am happy drinking the cool aid and I am sticking with my iPhone 3GS.  Well until Apple announces something new this month!

Suprise, Yes I bought An iPad

Air that most of my friends will not be surprised to find out when I bought the iPad. I pre-ordered it the first chance I got. It arrived this Saturday. I actually should have just gone to the store and pre-ordered it for pickup. Instead I ordered it and had it shipped so I didn't have to deal with the store, but there was a lot of uncertainty on if the shipment would arrive on time.Next time I may just go to the store.

I wanted a tablet for some time, and I believe I written blog post about it. I was skeptical at first that the iPad would not suit my needs, however after reading more about it I think it will.

My first impressions are very positive. It seems nice and well built. The screen is fantastic. The dedicated iPad apps also pretty neat. I really do need a case that will allow me to stand up on angle but those won't be available for later in the month. Other than that the lack of other accessories available now I can't wait to give this a test drive. I opted for the 64 gig WiFi version. Since I have a Verizon MyFi I don't need to wait for the 3G version.

Mac

Freeagent Go By Seagate

For the past 6-8 months I have been setting aside money every month to purchase one portable hard drive. I am doing it for back reasons mainly, but I also had other storage needs so I figured I would budget some money each month. In the beginning I was able to get a 320gb drive for the money I put aside. After a few months I was able to get 500gb drives for the same price.

I had been getting mainly Western Digital My Passport Portable drives. They are fine overall. I did try one Iomega, and a Toshiba in December since I got a deal on a 640gb drive I used for my annual backup. This month I tried out the Seagate Freeagent Go drive. I also bought two docks they sell. Let me tell you so far I am very happy. The dock idea is brilliant. I have seen these drives for a while but when I originally wanted a dock I couldn't get one. Now they are readily available so I bought a 500gb Seagate. Shuttling it around is a snap. I think I am going to switch to Seagate's for a while as long as they keep selling portable drives that fit the dock systems.

Hard Drive, Portable

Monitor Upgrades & Monitor Arm Number 2

While I am happy with my new LCD Monitor arm purchase, I wasn't done with just that. The mounting of my Dell 23" LCD was the first part of a larger project I have had. For almost 2 years I have wanted to upgrade my main system setup with a bigger monitor. I first went the all in one computer route and got a 24" iMac in March. Even after I put all my problems with the iMac behind me (in the end it was working perfectly) I decided the all in one route wasn't what I wanted. So here I am at the same place I was almost 2 years ago. I want a bigger display. First my Mac laptop (Black 13" Macbook at the time) didn't support the 30" monitor.

Then the 13" aluminum Macbook came out and it did support the 30" display. Problem was the cable to make it work wasn't out. Then I waited since everyone said the 30" Apple display was getting refreshed (it didn't).

Then I went with the iMac. Well I just sold the iMac and am back to a laptop being my main machine. I am now running a 13" Macbook Pro. It can power a 30" LCD. At first I looked at 25" and 27" options. The 27" panels I saw didn't do very high resolution for 27". They only had 1920x1200 resolution. Not much better than the 23 & 24" panels I have used. I didn't want to go with the 30" since they were really pricey and every one of them had trade off's. I finally saw the HP 3065 had good reviews with two minor issues. One was that it was DVI only. That was almost a show stopper for me but I ended up not caring since HDMI and Display port might be getting big, but I figure there will still be adapters to DVI for the next few years (heck VGA is still around so I have good odds). The other was lack of adjustment of the display other than color but I don't typically do much adjusting beyond that. The price was expensive but much cheaper than the Dell or Apple alternatives so I went ahead and ordered one.

The reason for the quick action was because I had always said if the first monitor arm I got worked out I would get a second one. My desk is setup in an L configuration and I have two display setups, basically a work and personal setup. With my work setup finished I told myself I would finally decide on what to do with my personal setup. My major reservation has been the questionable reviews of the Mini Display Port to Dual Link DVI adapter Apple sells. Most but thankfully not all reviews say that the adapter is crap and makes thinks look like crap. The 1.02 firmware release of the adapter is supposed to be better but it is still a crap shoot. I didn't want to roll the dice but I finally broke down and am having faith the setup will work.

In order to hold such a large monitor I had to get a different monitor arm. This time I went with the Ergotron MX Desk Mount LCD Arm. Their sales people emailed me back pretty quick to answer my questions about weight and size panels so I went with the MX for the larger display. I am hoping that setup works out as well as the LX model I setup yesterday.

My new kit (monitor, arm, cables, etc) arrive later this week. I am hopeful it sets up without issues. When that is done I think my desk upgrades will be done. In the end I will have spent a ton of money, but as my dad says you can't take it with you and I do use everything for work. Working from home 2-3 days a week got me to think about having the best organized setup I could think of. Well that is how I rationalize it anyway. Photo's and a full breakdown of all the upgrades when everything is in place.

Anthro, LCD, Mac, macbook pro, Monitor Arm, Desk, Macbook

Monitor Arm

After pondering about buying one for months I finally broke down and bought an LCD monitor arm. Instead of buying one from the company that makes my desk I opted for a different model that seemed a lot better and much cheaper. Sorry Anthro, your desks may rock but I went with an Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm. I read a good review and picked one up on Amazon for $150 cheaper than I was going to pay with the solution from Anthro.

The arm was super easy to setup. Gotta love C Clamps. It took a few minutes to get the 100 x 100 VESA mount adapter on and the monitor mounted by myself but I had a bunch of practice at work so it wasn't as bad as mounting the 19" ones I had at work last month. Overall I am very happy with my purchase and the way the setup came out. It was well worth the money.

LCD, Monitor Arm, Anthro

Task Management With Remember The Milk

I have been using Remember The Milk for several months now and I think I am hooked. Like many tools that I actually like I am never satisfied (well almsot never) so I have been on a trek for months to find a better solution than RTM. That is what is so funny to me. When I try to find something better than something I already have or use is usually when I realize it may not be perfect but it is the best thing out there. RTM is one of those things that is just the best out there but not perfect.

I have in the past year really liked applications or services that let me use them anywhere I am. For RTM that means I want to be able to use it at home and work, and while I am on my mobile phone. The RTM website is pretty easy to use and I have not really minded there is no native client for the Mac and Windows. I actually chose to use the web interface over syncing with Outlook. I used Google Gears for a while specifically for RTM, but have since unistalled it at work at least. It was taking forever to load lists sometimes with Gears on. Without Gears the site was much faster. Go figure since Gears was supposed to speed things up.

RTM's recent call it scripting task entry is fantastic. It was exactly what I was waiting for. Now I can batch add tasks via email and have them tagged and put in the proper locations and lists without me having to edit manually. The only thing I am missing from the site right now is the ability to batch add notes. I need to do that a lot daily when updating tasks.

Using RTM on my iPhone is a breeze. Honestly having RTM on my iPhone makes the phone useful. I love my iPhone (another device I am always trying to replace but for almost a year and a half I have been unsuccessful), but without RTM's app for task management I am not sure if I could keep it as my main phone. When I am anywhere (mainly commuting on the subway) I am updating my task lists or see what I need to be doing. RTM on my iPhone and updating my work email on my Blackberry are what I do while in transit that keeps me productive while on the move.

I hope the RTM people continue to update the service, but it has been hands down a fantastic task management system for me. I was big into task management before I used the service so it isn't for everyone, but for me it is as close to perfect as I have been able to find. I am still looking but as the months go by I am looking less and less!

Remember the Milk, RTM, Task Management, Outlok, iPhone 3GS

Noise Canceling Headphones

I have wanted to buy a pair of noise canceling headphones for a few years now. They are fantastic. I fell in love when I flew to Paris with Redcats and got a pair to use in Business Class. The reasons that have caused me to be hesitant are their cost, size, and I really don't want to miss an announcement on the train while commuting since the headphones really do work that well.

First the Bose headphones that are probably the gold standard for noise canceling headphones costs $350. I have done some research but haven't yet found a pair as good as the Bose but significantly cheaper. I heard they are out there but haven't found them yet.

Second issue is their size. The storage case for the Bose headphones is small but I am still not sure if it will fit into my relatively small Tumi bag I use to go back and forth to work. Other cheaper brands don't all offer cases and I know I will break my new headphones if they are just thrown into that bag.

My third issue is probably just me worrying but those headphones really do drown out most noise. I don't want to walk into traffic or miss a train warning so I have held off on a purchase.

What has changed recently is the fact that I got a seat in a new office. It is a desk in a wide open floor vs my old 2 person office. The odd thing about the new seat is it is quiet (I know I said the Q word) like a library half the time and the other half it has enough background chatter that I want to drown it out. My neighbors are actually pretty good (I am afraid I might be the noisy one nearby since I am on the phone a lot) but noise is noise.

If I get a new pair of headphones I can leave them in my desk at work now since I am regularly going to the same office and not roaming from office to office and desk to desk every day. I need to find some time to read a few more reviews. I just have a feeling I will end up with the Bose after all my work anyway, but I want to be an informed consumer!

Bose, Headphones

A New Netbook

When my parents signed up for Fios they were eligible for a new Netbook. I didn't realize this but my dad called and told me what he was getting. I told him thanks for my new toy. He wanted to know why he couldn't use it. I told him get it, open it up and see if he likes it. I said this knowing what my parents can and can't do electronically. I also think by now I know what they like and don't like getting. He got his netbook and called me like 20 minutes after asking when I would come and take it. He didn't know what he could do with it. I told him and his only comment was could he watch movies on it. I said sure and explained his options and he was like to heck with that. He wanted a nice easy DVD movie player like he has.

The netbook is a great idea, but it is defiantly not for everyone. I will probably sell this one or my existing HP Mini 1000 but I am not sure what one is better. i am going to see if my sister has any need for this thing either, but I am thinking she will have the same thoughts about it like my dad did.

netbook