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First iPhone setup

I helped setup an iPhone for the first time today. Here is a quick summary of my findings:

Pros

  • Amazingly easy setup on the Windows XP machine we installed it on. No disks or CD’s ship with the iPhone at all. The only requirement is that you have the latest version of iTunes installed. The activation and installation were SIMPLE…the way all installations should be.
  • Nice form factor. Felt like a large candy bar and had more heft (a good thing) that I anticipated. Curved edges allow for easy pocketability and feels good in your hand.
  • Amazing screen clarity and color.
  • Web looks good and the ability to switch from portrait to landscape and zoom in and out of a page all work to make it a good experience overall.
  • Synchronizes bookmarks and editing bookmarks is easy on the device.
  • Out of the box, the phone is very responsive. Very little waiting when switching between applications.
  • Large screen makes it easy for folks who use reading glasses to see and use a smart device.
  • Sound clarity seemed good on both ends of the call. Did not try a headset with it yet. 

Cons

  • Cut, copy, and paste not available. This is a huge omission, in my opinion.
  • Typing isn’t nearly as fast as on a keyboard smartphone like a Treo or Blackberry, but I have to admit that it was easier and more accurate than I anticipated.
  • No one should ever use a cell phone when the drive, and the iPhone will make for some awfully distracted drivers if their owners attempt to use this device while driving except for maybe answering calls.
  • Navigating contacts is really slow. With practice, perhaps an iPhone user can access their contacts at maybe 2-3 times that of a

Ubuntu – Day 6

I didn’t use the computer much today, but I need to write a quick blog while I’m working on my Compaq as I sit here and watch my DVR’d “Daily Show” and “Colbert Report” episodes from last week. So, that brings me to tonights word: battery life.

Ubuntu – Day 5

I haven’t ported much of my data to this computer from my Windows’ computer, but haven’t missed any of it yet either. I do have this system hooked into my home network so I can access shared folders on the Windows’ machine if I need those files. I mentioned on the show today that one of the huge reasons I like Mozilla Firefox is the availability of “extensions”. Extensions are little add-ons that allow anyone to customize and enhance their browser to do things that are important to them. One of my favorites is Google Sync.

Ubuntu – Day 4

I’m going to do a short written update to my Ubuntu trek, but record my first official “Shotgun Podcast” here shortly.

After only three days, I gave up on Evolution email as my email program. I like the program a lot, but unfortunately, I get way too much spam not to have a better anti-spam solution. So, I downloaded and installed Thunderbird today which while not perfect and far from my Cloudmark Desktop solution on my Windows machine, it is much better than the Evolution method.

Ubuntu – Day 1

I haven’t touched my Windows’ machine all day and won’t for the next 14. However, one program I already miss from my Windows’ computer is my wonderful anti-spam software called Cloudmark Desktop. Adam and I talk almost weekly about Cloudmark Desktop. We have both used it since we discovered it at the old Comdex computer show five or six years ago. Currently, they don’t have a Linux version of the software and don’t plan on it anytime soon. The Evolution program that comes with Ubuntu works very well, and I will test its anti-spam solution that is built-in and learn to tweak it over the next two weeks.

If anyone reading this knows of a fast, accurate anti-spam software for Evolution in Ubuntu, please let me know.

Computer guys are like mechanics, but not really

For the past few days I have had my car in the shop. My Honda Civic is mostly repaired, but they are still waiting for a small part to come in.

Each day I give them a call to find out whether it is ready.

Yesterday, as I was waiting for them to check on the status of my car, I could hear the keyboard ticking away in the background. I was also working on a computer, and I guess my keyboard was just as audible.

“Sounds like you are using a computer too,” the mechanic said.

“Ya. That’s what I do all day, I’m a roving computer guy.”

He then gave me the information about my car. I said thanks and was going to hangup when he said, “Do you mind if I ask you a professional question?”

“Not at all.”

My last post….

Today will be my last post from a Windows machine for at least two weeks. I decided that in order to really test out Ubuntu Linux (which I have been glowing about for the past few months), I will use the machine as my sole computer for the next two weeks. I’m going to leave my Windows machine cold turkey and rely soley on my laptop running Ubuntu. I will access files, as needed, on my Windows’ machine, but only via my network through Ubuntu.

New computer does not equal faster Internet

I believe that I’ve written about this before, but since I ran into this phenomenom at least three times over the past week, it bares mentioning again. Many dial-up Internet users using Windows 98 or Me buy a new computer and after taking it home setting it up and jumping online with their dial-up systems find that the Internet and email are just as slow as their hold systems. I then get the question, "Why?"