Good News in a Cloudy Lining

So I signed up at work to receive my W2 forms electronically. They said you would receive them earlier if you did this. Cool. So, I get my W2, and load up Turbo Tax to do my taxes. I am getting a $2,200 refund (which should just about cover my expenses for my father passing; cremation, trip to NY, car rental, etc).

Unfortunately, a form that I need to fill out as part of my taxes will not be available until Feb 7th. So much for doing anything early.

So… 4 more days until I can file to get some of my own money back.

Why Doesn’t My Bank Trust Me?

So… I took out a loan from my 401k (to act as a debt consolidation loan, hey I might as well be paying myself back instead of someone else). So I went to deposit this rather large check in my checking account. When I did this my credit union told me that only $200 of it would be available today, in a couple of business days another $4,800 would be available, and after 7 business day the rest would be available.

Granted, this check was for a large sum, and I am sure this is just a standard policy. But why doesn’t my history come into play. And with a check from Merill Lynch no less. I can understand putting limitations on a personal check, or if I was a recent member of the Credit Union. But I have been a member of this credit union for over 20 years. For 20 years I have had my paycheck auto deposited. Through three jobs (Air Force, Large Insurance Firm, Current Job).

Doesn’t 20 years of history count for anything? Are they worried that I set up this account to fraud them on this one check. Did I spend over 20 years building a cover story just so I could con them this this one time. That really would be a long con.

It just seems to me there should be a point where trust should come before policy. No, not immediately. Trust is earned. 20 years should be enough time to establish trust with a financial institution… don’t you think?

iPhone to Stereo – The Easy Way

This morning I had my occasional Special Sunday Morning. My Special Sunday Morning consists of a great cup of coffee made with my French Press while sitting at the table reading articles from Flipboard on my iPad.

Something was missing. It got too quite. I needed some pleasant background music. But how? I have a Microsoft Zune that I have not used or charged since I started using my iPhone 5 for music and podcasts. I mention this because I have the A/V kit for the Zune. Drop the Zune into the little dock, which connects to my stereo through an HDMI cable and I have music coming through my stereo.

Of course, this does not work with my iPhone. So… I did a little digging around in a box of wires I save. Lo and behold… I have a cable that has an earphone plug on one end, and red & white RCA plugs on the other. I simply plugged this into the earphone jack of my iPhone and into the CD input on my stereo. Set the stereo to CD and puff… Bob’s your uncle, and I am listening to a nice pleasant playlist from my iPhone on my stereo.

Life is wonderful. It is the simple things in life that provide the most reward.

I think it is time for a second cup of great coffee!!!

Google Nexus 10 – Higher Resolution than iPad w/ Retina Display

You read that right. Google’s Nexus 10 has a higher resolution screen than the vaunted iPad with its Retina Display. The Nexus 10 is 2560 x 1600. The iPad is only 2048 x 1536.

What I really find amazing is that this little 10.1 inch wonder is the same resolution as my 30 inch Dell monitor.

I have to get one of these in my hands to try out.

This reminds me what I was thinking when I watched the iPad mini event. While watching introduction to the new iMacs I half expected them to announce Retina Displays for the iMacs. The 27 inch iMac is 2560 x 1440. When that goes retina… I will be impressed.

iPad mini – $329… WTF?

Wow, I just watched a stream of the iPad mini announcement during my lunch break and I was blown away… $329! OUCH!!!

I found it incredibly arrogant that they compared the iPad mini to the Nexus 7 and then priced it $70 more (for the same 16 GB). Yet the Nexus 7 has a higher resolution screen. Talk about Balls. Apple has a big pair.

Also, consider this… the iPod Touch with 1136×640 retina display and 32GB is $299. An iPad mini with just a 1024×768 screen with 32GB is $429. Talk about product/price overlap. This is exactly why I didn’t think they would come out with the iPad mini so soon after the iPhone 5/iPod Touch launch. These products are competing with each other on price. Heck you can get a full size iPad 2 for just $70 more than the iPad mini. Why get the smaller one?

I will have a hard time justifying this much money for a gift to my sons. I don’t think it will happen.

What about the MacBook Pro. Ultrabooks are getting better and better,  so I find the price of the 13″ MacBook Pro with its retina display too expensive at $1,699. They said it themselves… the retina display on the MacBook Pro 13 is better than the eye can discern. So why go that high. Just for bragging rights? My 48 year old eyes cannot benefit from that screen, and it is way more than I want to spend on a laptop.

Finally, they made my new iPad obsolete with the iPad 4. This is a slap in the face to the Apple Fanboys that upgrade each year. Two upgrades to one product in less than a year… wow, that’s arrogant.

Personally, I don’t care. It does not bother me. There is nothing the iPad 4 can do that my iPad 3 can’t do. And I don’t have any accessories that have the Lightening connector.

More importantly… the iPad itself is a commodity. It is a toaster. Think about it. How much better can it actually get? Really?! It got a little faster, big deal. The big change was the jump to the retina display.

With the iPad getting a retina display it became so good that you only replace it when it is broken. A commodity. A toaster. My toaster is not doing so well, but it does make perfectly good toast. It looks like crap and the plastic is melting. But it works… as it should. When it stops making toast I will get a new toaster.

As for the iPad… until software comes out that can’t run on any of the old iPads it does not matter. Get a new iPad when the one you have stops working. Simple.

Keep in mind… I still would buy and recommend the iPad. It is the best tablet on the market. But the iPad mini is not cheap enough to justify its smaller size and low resolution screen.

In the end… at $329 for a tablet that is only 1.8″ smaller than a iPad 2 for $399… I would get the iPad 2.

Apple, you screwed up this time. But don’t take my word for it. Sell tens of millions of those iPad minis, because you will. Just not to me.

I Was Wrong – The iPad Mini is Coming

I hate being wrong. I mean I really hate it. And not only was I wrong about the iPad Mini which is clearly going to be here next week, but I owe a friend a soda for it. Yuck!

OK. So everyone and their Grandmother knows that Apple is going to announce the iPad Mini next week. What we don’t know are the specifics. I can tell you this… it will be nothing revolutionary. We are talking a smaller version of the existing iPad.

Here is my one and only prediction: the screen of the iPad Mini will be the same resolution as the older iPad 2 at 1024 x 768. Keep in mind this is a smaller device than the iPad 2, so those same pixels will be packed closer together. Not quite a retina display, but text should look crisper than on an iPad 1 or 2. By using the same resolution as the old iPad 2 they eliminate any need for changes in software. All existing apps that run on the iPad 1, 2 & 3 will run on the iPad Mini.

More important than the specs will be the price. I am having a hard time with this. It is price that makes me wonder why Apple didn’t just wait until the early Spring to announce an iPad Mini with an updated iPad. You know they have to update the new iPad (3) to at least put that new smaller dock connector on it. I have not heard any rumors that this will happen next week.

Apple has never been one to get into a price war. They believe their products are superior and they set their price accordingly. Here are my guesses (not actual predictions) of the prices for the iPad Mini:

iPad Mini    1024×768    16GB        $249
iPad Mini    1024×768    32GB        $299 -or- $349
iPad Mini    1024×768    64GB        $399 -or- $449

I am having a hard time guessing exactly how much the higher memory devices will be priced. Let’s take a look at the rest of the iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone product lines:

new iPad         2048×1536      16GB        $499
new iPad         2048×1536      32GB        $599
new iPad         2048×1536      64GB        $699
iPad 2              1024×768        16GB        $399
iPod Touch      1136×640         32GB        $299
iPod Touch      1136×640         64GB        $399
iPhone 5         1136×640         16GB        $199
iPhone 5         1136×640         32GB        $299
iPhone 5         1136×640         64GB        $399

If we keep in mind that Google, Amazon and Barnes & Noble each have very good 7″ tablets for $199, it is reasonable to assume Apple will price their 7″ (or 7.85″) tablet at $249. After all, they will sell millions of them, so why give up those extra dollars by matching the competition. Apple does see them as competition.

The question becomes what about larger memory versions. Typically Apple prices a bump in memory from 16GB to 32GB at $100, that would put the iPad Mini with 32GB at $349. But I wonder if they might actually go for $299. At $349 for a 32GB iPad Mini with the same screen resolution as the iPad 2 that sells for $399 with only 16GB they are cannibalizing their own product lines. And an iPod Touch with 32GB is $299 with a higher resolution screen… in a smaller package. I think pricing the iPad Mini with 32GB at $299 is going to cut into sales of the iPod Touch and the iPad 2. These two cases alone were reason enough to wait until after the holiday season. But I gave up that fight.

OK. I am ready to make a second prediction. I think the iPad Mini will cause Apple to drop the iPad 2. With the prices I guessed above, there is no reason to have an iPad 2 for $399, when you could get more memory for less money with the same screen resolution in an iPad Mini. I can’t see a market for the iPad 2 in this new product lineup.

My wish is for a 32GB iPad Mini that sells for $299. This has been my wish before I said there would be no iPad Mini this year. I just could not see it with the amount of overlap you see above. But, if they are going to do it… and they are… I want to get each of my sons an iPad Mini for Christmas. I don’t think I can go any higher than $300 each. And I would like to get them more than 16GB of memory. They already complain about not having enough memory on their iPhones.

Until next week….

Why Doesn’t Car and Driver Offer iPad Version Free

I have subscribed to automotive magazines for 32 years. I subscribe to performance mags like Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, Corvette Magazine, Mustang Monthly, Super Chevy, etc. Not all of them at once, but each of them at one time or another. Currently just the first 4 of those.

As for new car magazines, the big four are Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track and Automobile. In the 80s I subscribed to the first three. Automobile came later, and I never saw much reason to subscribe. In fact, I dropped Road & Track because their coverage was too much Track, not enough Car (street cars). Later I dropped Motor Trend because I preferred Car and Driver’s style and occasional project cars. Over the years I was tempted by offers from the “other” three, but Car and Driver is my main stay.

A year or so ago I dropped Motor Trend. Three months ago they sent me a subscription offer in the mail. I remember hearing that Motor Trend provided their iPad version free to print subscribers. When I confirmed that to be true I sent in the subscription with a three year payment. The print versions sit unread… as do the iPad versions on my iPad. I am saving this for my trip to New York at the end of the month, so I don’t have to carry the paper copies.

This weekend a similar offer came in the mail from Automobile. For a mere $6 per year I get the print magazine and the iPad version included free. I sent them a three year payment as well.

Now I have 3 new car magazine subscriptions. But only 2 of them include the iPad version for free.

Car and Driver has been my favorite new car publication since the fall of 1980. I have maintained my subscription to this magazine above all the other new car magazines for 32 years. Where is my free iPad version?

Car and Driver better step up with an iPad version for print subscribers soon… or I might have to break the longest subscription I have maintained.

Well, I have also held active subscriptions for Hot Rod and Car Craft for the same 32 years. Come to think of it… they don’t include iPad versions for print subscribers either. Hmmm! Oh well, it is rare that the performance magazines, with their significantly smaller niche markets, provide the digital versions for free. I’ll give them a pass.

Car and Driver, are you going to offer your iPad version for print subscribers?

iPad Mini – I Still Don’t Think So

I have been saying for some time I don’t think Apple will come out with an iPad Mini.

The giant Apple Rumor Mill tried to say that Septemebr would be a dual iPhone/iPad Mini launch event. Those rumors we adjusted to say there will be an iPad Mini announcement in October.

I don’t see it.

First of all, my main argument is this… they are selling so many iPads now there is little to no reason to lower the price point and sell a cheaper product. They are making money hand over fist as it is. Why de-value the brand?

Let’s look at this logically.

Apple announced a retina display iPod Touch with a 4 inch screen and 32 GB for $299. You can get an iPad 2 with 16 GB of memory for $399. You can also get a 4th Gen iPod Touch with the old 3.5 inch sctreen for $199 with 16 GB and $249 with 32 GB.

We know an iPad Mini would have to be priced in here somewhere. But where?

If, and I can’t stress how big an if this is, Apple does create a 7 inch (7.85?) tablet it would probably be the same resolution as the iPad 2 (1024 x 768). With the same resolution in a smaller tablet package you end up with better pixel density. Not quite a Retina Display, but nice. It is probably safe to assume Apple would not create an iPad Mini with less than 16 GB of storage.

Let’s look at the competition… since there is actually competition in the 7 inch category. There are two very capable 7 inch tablets on the market right now. The Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7. Both are $199. Both have a screen resolution of 1280 x 800, higher that a possible iPad Mini at 1024 x 768. The Kindle Fire HD has 16 GB of memory while the Nexus 7′s has only 8 GB.

Does this mean Apple would have to price an iPad Mini for $199. Apple rarely competes at the same exact price point as its competition, and it never enters a category at the same price as existing items.

A 7 inch screen with 1024 x 768 resolution and 16 GB of memory would have to cost more to build than the old iPod Touch with 16 GB, which is already $199. I would think the price for an iPad Mini with 16 GB of storage and a modest resolution screen would be at least $249. But could they get away with a $249 device that is lower in resolution than the competition?

At $249 how many people would say it was not as good as a Retina iPod Touch at $299? If they went with a Retina display for an iPad Mini they would have to go higher in price. Now that would go toe-to-toe with the 32 GB iPod Touch and Retina display?

If they go any higher than $299 there will be no reason to sell the iPad 2 for $399. At $399, Retina Display or not… how many would not go for the larger iPad for just $100 more.

So… where do you price such a device that doesn’t fit in with all the products already covering the $199/%249/$299/$399 price points.

I just does believe an iPad Mini fits into the current price/feature/size structure that Apple has now.

Call me fickle, but I don’t see an iPad Mini coming out in 2012.

I also have a soda riding on this in a bet.

I Pre-Ordered the iPhone 5

Last night I visited my local Sprint store to check out the Samsung Galaxy S III, the HTC EVO 4G LTE and the iPhone 4S. I was thoroughly impressed by all three.

The Samsung has wind mills (modern windmills like from a windmill farm) and rain drops on its screen. This was a weather based wallpaper. The wallpaper knows the current weather and shows a an appropriate scene. I love it. HTC also had an “active” wallpaper. Of course the iPhone does not.

I was mainly interested in text reading on these phones with my 48 year old eyes. The two Android based phones we large and easier to read. However… in typing a few lines for a text message I noticed that the iPhone did not have a period key on the onscreen period. You press the space bar twice and it gives yo a period and a space. Normally I would think this gimmicky. But it really worked. I cannot tell you how often I hit the period key on my current Android phone.

Granted, the two android phones had roomier space bars than my current phone, due to their significantly larger phones/screen.

I was soooooo tempted to walk out with the S3.

But I reminded myself why I enjoyed that typing experience on the iPhone 4S, a phone with the same size screen as my current phone. Apple does get some of these little details right. It is the tight integration between the hardware and the software that lets Apple provide a first class user experience.

So this morning I pre-ordered an iPhone 5.

I initially did the pre-order on Apple’s web site. But it kept saying two-weeks until shipment, and then said 4-5 business days after shipping. Did I log into Apple’s site to late. Did they already sell all the phones they have for the initial release on the 21st?

I went through Sprint’s web site and was able to get a notice saying something to the effect… bar extreme circumstances they will ship my phone to me to arrive on Sept 21st. Awesome.

7 days to iPhone 5!!!

Apple is EVIL!!!

Apple Sucks!!! I hate Apple!!!

That’s right… I hate Apple. Their products are among the best in the business. To a point. That point is only as far as Apple wants to go, regardless of what non-Apple Zealots want.

Apple decides for you what you will get. They have the most Draconian approach to products of any manufacturer.

Apple could make a slightly LARGER iPhone… with a 1280 x 720 screen instead of the 1136 x 640 screen. But they choose to ram their idea of a screen/phone size down our throats. They create a taller screen with the same pixel density — a retina display they know is better than our eyes can resolve. Why? So we can have another row of icons on our home screens. Why not a little larger in all directions? Why not a true HD display?

This is a personal issue for me and my 48 year old eyes on the verge of needed reading glasses. The 3.5 inch screen on my current phone it getting harder and harder to ready. The iPhone 4 and now the iPhone 5 do nothing to help me with with this. I am going to need reading glasses to read an iPhone.

I want an iPhone 5, so I Hate You, Apple, for bringing out a phone only a tiny bit larger… and not really any larger as far as what I am able to see.

Apple continues to bring their products into the latest and greatest at a snail’s pace. They are always behind the competition. Granted… the main reason they do this is a valid one… they introduce new technology when they can do it with a best in class user experience.

They were late to bring 3G to the iPhone because they wanted the technology to be mature before exposing their users to it. The same thing was true for 4G LTE. And it continues for NFC (near field commincation). Apple won’t adopt this technology in a device that is going to sells tens of millions of units a month unless they can be sure of a great user experience. And practically no one is really using NFC. It is a niche technology at this point.

Here is another reason to hate Apple… the iPod Nano. Last year Apple ignored the iPod Nano with its square screen. Many pundits thought Apple was giving up on the Nano. They are! The only reason they came out with a new iPod Nano now is because of the new 8 pin connector on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Apple knows it has intensely loyal customers (we call them Fanboys). It is likely that over 75% of all iPhone 5 sales will come from people upgrading from an older iPhone. Many of these people also have iPods… Touch, Nano, whatever. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, whatever generation. They have them. I know. I know people that have multple iPods they actively use. They keep one docked in a small speaker in their bathroom, another in thier bedroom, and another in thier car. They bought these over time when new models came out and kept the old ones.

So… these Apple Zealots are going to buy an iPhone 5. And they are going to eventually upgrade their speaker docks & other accessories to work with the new connector. And Apple is going to sell them replacement iPod Nanos so they can have their music wherever they want it.

Apple is EVIL! Plain and simple. They could have just as easily adopted a mini-USB connector. But that would mean all the accessories manufacturers would no longer be making Apple accessories, they would be making accessories… that could work with many products.

I am torn between the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S III.

I feel like I will regret either one.

I own an iPad, and my two sons each have iPhones. I have access to all those apps since we are all on one Apple account. The apps are paid for. It’s a no-brainer for me to get an iPhone 5.

But my eyes tell me to get the best screen possible. Is the iPhone screen better if I can’t tell. Sure the iPhone has a pixel density of 326 ppi. The Samsung S3 is 306 ppi. There is no way I can see the difference here. Yet because the Samsung is spread out a little more on a largter display, it will be easier on my eyes.

So… all this to answer one question:

Do I get an iPhone 5 and a pair of reading glasses, or do I get a Samsung S3?

HELP ME!

When Can We Jailbreak the iPhone 5?

I know… I just posted about the iPhone 5, and now I am talking about Jailbreaking it. Why?

Quite simply, Sprint charges $29.95 a month to “allow” you to use your phone as a mobile WiFi hotspot. That is ridiculous and very unfair. Granted, I get that Sprint is the only provider still offering unlimited data plans. But really $29.95. I would rarely use this feature. For instance, I would like to have it for the 4 days I will be in New York at the end of the month.

If, and right now that is a huge IF, I get an iPhone 5, I will probably consider Jailbreaking it to run software that allows me to use it as a hotspot… once in a while. It is not worth 30 bucks a month for this one feature.

iPhone 5 – Is It Good Enough?

The iPhone 5 was announced today. Of course it met all the (leaked) points:

• Bigger Screen
• 4G LTE
• Faster, Thinner, Stronger
• Blah, Blah, Blah

For me the two biggest items are the screen and the 4G LTE… on Sprint. I was wondering if Apple would put out a 4G LTE on Sprint since it is only in a handful of cities now. Sprint has said it expect to roll out its 4G LTE service in 100 cities.

So Sprint will get the 4G LTE iPhone 5. Perfect. That’s what I want. Or do I???

Is the iPhone 5 good enough to get me to buy it? I do not know. I am disappointed by the screen size. Making it longer only means that text and everything else on screen will be the same size, just a little more of it. I wanted a larger screen for my aging eyes. I do not see this helping that.

Now… I am taking a trip at the end of September (leave Sept 27). I would like to have a new phone before I leave. The iPhone 5 will be out on Sept 21. Seems perfect. Or is it????

How many will be available at launch? If you do not pre-order? I really want to see the iPhone 5 in person, and compare the screen to the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC EVO 4G LTE.

If I do not pre-order, what are the odds of getting one between 9/21 and 9/26?

Well… at least I get Siri on my iPad 3 next week. Something to play with.

The iPhone 5 is Almost Here

I read that some analysts are expecting Apple to sell over 10 million iPhone 5 phones in the first week. Yikes!

I may be one of them. I hate that.

I have an old (2 years, 8 months) HTC Hero. It is slow and just about worthless. Well, it works as a phone and works well enough for text messages. It does not run all the latest applications, and it only has 240 MB of memory that can be used for installing apps. And some of that is already taken by the apps that come with the phone.

I plan to get a new phone. I would like to get the iPhone 5. However, I cannot guaranty I will get it. I want to see the iPhone 5 in person first. I want to know that the screen will be pleasing to my old eyes. I am just starting to need reading glasses… and I hate the 3.5 inch screen on my current phone. So I have been patiently waiting for Apple to release a phone with a larger screen. If the iPhone 5′s screen does not impress me I will pass. None of the other features matter as much to me.

Granted, I am on Sprint. Sprint just released their 4G LTE network a couple of months ago. So I am concerned that if the iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE phone that Sprint will not get it. Or will get a 3G version of the iPhone 5. YUCK!

So… I have two requirements from the iPhone 5.

• Nice, Large Screen
• 4G LTE on Sprint

That’s pretty much it for me. If either of these are not up to what I expect I will get a Samsung Galaxy S III.

Oh, one last thought. I am going to New York the last weekend of September. If the iPhone is good enough, will it be out in time and in sufficient quantity for me to get it before my trip? I leave on 9/27.

That last piece is an interesting twist on when I get a phone.

Should a Coffee Snob Drink Bad… But Free… Coffee

I am a coffee snob. Let’s get that out of the way first. I have an Espresso Machine (Delonghi EC155), a French Press (Bodum 32 oz.) and a grinder (Breville BCG450XL). I make the best coffee at home that I have tasted. I also make the second (maybe third) best espresso that I have tasted. Espresso is much harder to get great… and I am sure that I am only good. It’s just that good is better than most of the places I have tried.

Knowing that… I recently pondered if I should get a thermos. The idea being I could make a great batch of coffee in the morning and bring it to work. I did not get the thermos because I did not want to go through the cleaning process every day.

Where I work they have free coffee. The best of it is in the cafeteria where they brew the coffee into large thermos-like carafes. You know the type… with the pump. Most of the coffee around the building gets brewed into pots that sit on their hot plates and continue cooking for who knows how long.

Even the coffee in the cafeteria is barely acceptable. I use the supplied liquid Coffee-mate to make the coffee tolerable.

As a coffee snob capable of making coffee so much better… I wonder if I should give up this free, flavored beverage.

At least it allows me to appreciate the coffee I make on the weekends that much more.

Sprint to Launch 4G LTE Next Month

Sprint is supposed to launch its 4G LTE Network in 5 cities… including San Antonio… on July 15 (PCMag Article). This bodes well for me. I am planning to get a new phone this fall. However, because Sprint is fairly late to the 4G LTE party, I have a hard time seeing Apple launching a 4G LTE iPhone 5 on SPrint’s brand new network.

Apple has a track record of not embracing new technology until it is proven that they can do it in an elegant fashion. You can get 4G iPads from AT&T and Verizon, but not Sprint. And with only 5 cities to start I don’t see Apple jumping on board with this.

On the flip side, the two best phones (as of right now) are on Sprint already. The HTC EVO 4G LTE and the Samsung Galaxy S III. By Fall the hype will have worn off and I won’t have to wait for one.

Google’s Nexus 7 – Too Little, Too Late

Well, everyone knows that Google announced its own tablet, the Nexus 7, manufactured by Asus. I kind of like the device. At 7 inches with a 1280 x 800 display, it’s a higher resolution screen than the iPad 1 & 2 (they were 1024 x 768) which was 2.7 inches larger. Nice!

Unfortunately… I already have a Retina Display equipped iPad (3). So for me… the Google Nexus 7 is just too little (literally) and too late (literally).

Time for a New Phone

It is that time. Time for a new cell phone. I currently have an HTC Hero through Sprint. I expected to trade in this phone in October (2011) when the iPhone came to Sprint. Alas, the iPhone 4S was not compelling enough to get me to make the switch. It is missing the one thing that I need. No, I do not need 4G… I need a larger screen.

The 3.5″ screen of the iPhone 4/4S is the same size as my HTC Hero. And that is just too small for my aging eyes. I want a larger display. How large? I could not say for sure, but I suspect 4.0″ is large enough. Too large is when it is too large for the pocket of my jeans.

Sprint just announced that the new HTC EVO 4G LTE will go on sale on May 18th. You can read about it at this PCMag article. It will be $199 with a 2 year contract.

But when will the iPhone 5 arrive? I have heard it will be announced during WWDC (June 11-15, 2012). I also heard it won’t be out until the fall. Wow… that is a long time to wait. I waited to get the iPhone from Sprint… and I will have waited an extra year if I have to wait until this fall. That is too much. Apple better put a larger screen on the iPhone 5… or the wait will have all been for nothing.

Time is running out. My phone runs too slow and runs too few apps (it only has 240 MB of memory for internal use… and apps). I need a faster phone with more memory. 4G would be icing on the cake. I would settle for 3G.

I am expecting my next phone to replace my HTC Hero, my Zune HD & my iPod Touch. I would prefer at least 32 GB of memory. I don’t care if that memory is split between internal memory and an SD (or microSD) card. But I need to store the music, podcasts & video that I currently store on my Zune, and the apps I currently store on my iPod Touch. Plus it has to be a phone.

Not really that tall an order for today’s devices. Will Apple and the iPhone 5 be able to compete with the HTC EVO 4G LTE?

We will see.

Thinking About Life

I woke from a nap this evening. I thought I would make myself an espresso, but then I remembered there is a good, local coffee shop not far from me that has live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. I brushed my teeth and changed my clothes and headed out.

I was sitting there listening to the music. For some reason I thought about my son that just started wearing glasses (at age 14). I thought about how good his glasses looked, and it reminded me of the nasty, dorky glasses my mother always got me every year while I was growing up. She was so against contacts, saying that my eyes were still growing. I don’t know if she meant growing… as in I was growing… so therefore my eyes must be growing is size (a bullshit excuse)… or if she meant my prescription was always changing… slight changes from year to year… for the worse of course (a semi-reasonable excuse). I don’t know what she meant, so I don’t know how much I should resent her for that.

I hated those glasses. Then I thought about how it has been almost two years since I had laser surgery on my eyes… and I now have about 20/20 vision (20/20 in the right, 20/25 in the left). I was really appreciating what I have. To an outsider it might seem like I have very little. I am separated from my wife for two years, I have a small apartment I can barely afford, and I have very little materialist things to show for being 48.

None of that matters.

I am very appreciative of where I am in life. I am happier now than I think I have ever been. I don’t even know where my oppressive/abusive mother lives, and I have left all the bad from my childhood behind. The only things from my youth that I keep hold of are the very close friends I have maintained over the last 26 years since moving away from New York. (This means you: Chip, Carol, Kevin & Tom.)

Yes… this is getting a little philosophical. I can’t help it. I sat in that coffee shop without a worry in the world. I really do have a level of contentment that wraps me in a blank… so to speak. This is happiness. I don’t need a woman in my life to be happy, so when a woman comes into my live… I can only be more happy. If or when that happens, I can appreciate a woman more than I could otherwise.

Right now… I can say that I can’t complain about anything. Yes, I make more money now than I ever have… and have never felt poorer… financially. It does not matter. You make do with what you have. If you can’t be happy with what you have then what is the point of having more money to buy more stuff. So… yes… I would like to have more money. Add to that I just lost one alternative income stream, and a second potential source of income went out the window as well. These would have helped me get out of debt, but it does not matter.

My life itself is nearly perfect. I very much enjoy the time I get with my sons. Although that time is not as much as I would prefer… almost every moment of it is of a higher quality then it was when we all lived together. Quality over quantity in time is an amazing feeling when it comes to the relationship I have with my sons.

So… I am poor, but eventually that will not be the case. Money it not everything.

I have 4 years left on a debt consolidation loan. That is when my youngest son will be leaving high school and starting college. That is also when the money I give my wife for child support will transitioning into making sure my sons get as good a college education as I can afford to give them. This means I… as poor as I am… have a plan to get my sons through college. Something I did not know would be possible while I was still married.

Who needs a big house? It just means more to clean.

Who needs a garage full of cars? Well, I do… but that will come later. I am a patient man. I will have a small car collection some day. And when that day comes I will appreciate it all the more.

In the end… appreciate what you have, and don’t take those things you appreciate for granted. I don’t… and I really believe that this is the source of my happiness.

Life is good, really!!!

The new iPad

Well, it’s here… The new iPad. High resolution screen, faster processor, faster graphics, 4G, better camera and voice dictation.. but no Siri. Incremental improvements. About how I saw it. But let’s see how I did from yesterday:

Lighter – Nope… I was right… get to the gym.

Lower Cost – Nope… I was right… save up. I also said you could get the old iPad for $100 less.

Upgrade/Trade-In Path – Nope… I was right… did anyone really believe this.

Flash – NO FLASH… I was right.

Near-Field Communications – Nope… I was right. Maybe (and that is a big maybe) in the iPhone 5.

Better Camera – Yes… I was right… I thought it would happen but hoped it would not. And this is the biggest issue I have with the new iPad. They came out with a great iPhoto app… but no SD Card slot to load pictures from another camera. And the iPad camera, though better, is only 5 megapixel, not 8 like the iPhone 4S.

Smaller Size – Nope… I was right with my lots of doubts.

4G LTE – YES! This is a toss up… I said this would only happen if they could keep the cost the same… without a contract. That seems to be the case. The real reason for this is the new 1080p content for movies. You will need 4G speeds to download a 1080p movie from the cloud (I mean from iCloud).

USB Port – Nope… I was right.

Retina Display – YES! I was wrong. I did not expect the resolution to get that high. I see other tablet manufacturers scrambling now. I still wonder how long before you will get apps that are really that resolution and not “doubled” automatically.

Overall… this was another yawner. Like the iPhone 4S. I want to see where the Apple TV and iPad go in the future. I expected some kind of really cool integration since they opened with the 1080p Apple TV. Sadly.. just a mild upgrade there as well. 1080p up from 720p… and integration with iCloud like the music… meaning you can re-download anything you have already bought.

I thought it was interesting that it comes with Voice Dictation, but no mention of Siri. Clearly all the hardware is there, so why not Siri. I am sure you will be able to Jailbreak it and do Siri soon enough. After all, if you want to do the Wireless Hotspot without paying extra for it… you will need to Jailbreak you iPad anyway.

I think I will save my bonus for now.

Let’s see if Lenovo can knock one out of the park with the IdeaPad Yoga.

What NOT to Expect from iPad 3

I just read PCMag’s article on what it’s staff hopes to see in the next iPad… due to be announced tomorrow. Here is PCMag’s list:

10. Lighter iPad
9. Lower Cost
8. Upgrade/Trade-In Path
7. Flash
6. Near-Field Communications (NFC)
5. Better Camera
4. Smaller Size
3. 4G LTE
2. USB Port
1. Retina Display

Get a grip.Let’s take them one at a time.

Lighter iPad – really… it is too heavy at 1.33 lbs.. but you want all the other stuff. Whatever. Go to the gym and workout.

Lower Cost – You’re kidding, right? You will be able to buy the old iPad 2 for a slightly lower price until they run out. Apple is selling iPads by the truck load. Why lower the price? Make money… that’s the ticket. Until people stop buying them because of the cost… $499 is the price of admission. Save up!

Upgrade/Trade-In Path – Since when does Apple want to sell used iPads. Forget it… no trade in.

Flash – Haven’t we beat this dead horse enough already. Let me put it this way… NO FLASH!!!

Near-Field Communications (NFC) – Finally… a maybe. I can see this one… but I can see it not happening as well. Remember, Apple is slow to jump on bleeding edge technology. They prefer to give the technology a chance to mature… then stomp on everyone by doing it in a simpler, more elegant fashion. And if it is not quite as good as someone else… it doesn’t matter. Simple and elegant will win. Also… I don’t see Apple doing this unless they can get a cut. You make a payment by taping your phone on something at a store… and you expect Apple to enable this without collecting a penny each time. The problem with NFC is that it will likely be billed through your phone bill. I already hate my phone bill with more cryptic charges than I can shake a stick at. That’s why I like an unlimited plan… at least the bill is the same every month. Not so with this, so I say this is less likely. Besides… I still haven’t see a place that has the receiving end of this in any of the stores I shop at. This can wait until it id more mature. Wait a minute… this is not the iPhone 5… forget what I said above. I was thinking the next iPhone. There is no reason to have this in an iPad. Who in there right mind is going to pull an iPad out of their pocket to pay for something.

Better Camera – I can see this one too, but I hope they don’t do it. People look pretty silly holding up an iPad to take a picture. Wait a minute… I have never seen someone take a picture with an iPad. Why waste your time on this. Please don’t do it, but they probably will. They will do this only because it must be easy to just drop in the camera from the iPhone 4S.

Smaller Size – I must confess, I think it is conceivable that Apple will launch an 8 inch-ish size iPad. And this is the only chance of getting a lower price. In reality… I have a hard time believing this one. Surfing the web on the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet is a bit of a let down compare to a larger screen. Web sites were designed for computers… and they still show the size of that. So going smaller might be an issue. Also, this would require developers of all those apps to target three sizes…. the iPhone, and 2 sized iPads. So although I can see this happening… I have a lot of doubts.

4G LTE, – How many people really use the 3G of the current iPads? Do we really need the extra speed? A lot of people use the WiFi most of all. I can only see this if they can swing the same price for the service. No more than $30 a month… without a contract.

USB Port – Never going to happen.

Retina Display – Strong maybe here. I do think that the iPad is due for a higher resolution screen. But… what about all the apps? They run at 1024 x 768… full screen. What would be the point of getting more resolution? So you can jam lots more stuff on screen. How well will your finger be able to touch smaller buttons? I do not see the resolution quadrupling (double in both directions… 2048 x 1536). I would like this one but it doesn’t matter that much. And remember… I think having a smaller iPad… with a different resolution… is going to cause chaos. Maybe if a smaller iPad comes out with the same resolution as the iPad 1 & 2, so all the apps fit on it just smaller… then a higher resolution full size iPad could be possible. But that is a big change to expect from Apple on its 3rd generation… especially when the iPad 2 sold over 15 million in the last three months of 2011 alone.

What do I expect. Not a lot. Apple tends to make incremental improvements on its products. The iPhone looked pretty much the same from 1 –> 2 –> 3 –> 3S. I expect the iPad to be an evolutionary step up. Meaning a faster processor, faster graphic processor, better touch gestures. Stuff like that.

That being said… I am getting a bonus this week… so maybe I will buy one. I already had a co-working ask me about it… because they too are thinking about spending their bonus on an iPad or a laptop.

Tomorrow I will review this list and see what happened. And tell you what I think of what is in the iPad 3.

See you then.