tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62954826843111246682024-03-13T23:17:10.278-07:00Time of the TechThe technology blog for everyone.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-11276677367836877992024-03-13T15:33:00.000-07:002024-03-13T15:33:27.410-07:00A Quick Reflection on My Change in View of Technology from 2008 to 2024When I started this blog in 2008, I wanted to help others fall in love with technology. I figured the goal would not be difficult to attain, considering that in our human condition we thirst for technology. It is technology that makes our lives easier, more entertaining and live longer. It was very silly to think people needed convincing and that I could make a contribution to that human desire for technology. <div><br /></div><div>That however was not my most important take away for this reflection. I made an assumption that technology was a net good thing. As of today, I am sure that technology is a net negative for our lives and society. This does not mean that I am against technology, only that we should not embrace all of it and we need training on how to use it. </div><div><br /></div><div>How a person uses technology is what determines if it is good or bad. Unfortunately, we have used our tech to enslave us. I constantly see people walking outside looking at their phones. Or people looking at their phones while they are sharing a meal with other people. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-89663159833571236032018-06-20T23:14:00.002-07:002021-06-03T16:32:37.150-07:00Reboot Coming SoonI can't believe so many years have gone by without a single post about technology.<br />
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What happened to me? Children, many of them.<br />
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So I have decided to put a spin on this website. I'll focus on articles about technology that help parents, children and all people in general. <br />
<br /><br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-44152003799636676212013-12-26T23:13:00.005-08:002013-12-26T23:42:08.861-08:00Facebook Part IV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio40h4FJdfijh-bLWMqjXw6qcUcINHPYPIxvRq14F0DfhfrPaWHZNuiKAhszH8-JzjImNz0jBcl1NgxL0NtoheOo-O7h0SIi9tmL-_bE6crTrJPlQ7QBqN6nfqcpSlInJMowfSnbQZ5k6w/s1600/facebookpage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio40h4FJdfijh-bLWMqjXw6qcUcINHPYPIxvRq14F0DfhfrPaWHZNuiKAhszH8-JzjImNz0jBcl1NgxL0NtoheOo-O7h0SIi9tmL-_bE6crTrJPlQ7QBqN6nfqcpSlInJMowfSnbQZ5k6w/s1600/facebookpage.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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Many days, weeks, and months have passed since my last post. The main reason I have been away so long is because of the birth of my beautiful daughter. And what a joy she is.<br />
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On many occasions I started drafting a post, only to never finish it. But finally I was driven to blog again. You see my friends, three and half years ago I left Facebook. I subsequently wrote three articles about how Facebook sucked and how it was going to collapse like Friendster and MySpace. And now I am back on Facebook...
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Did I miss Facebook? No, life was good without it. Every now and then a site would require a Facebook login, like Spotify. However, there were always ways around it, like using my wife's Facebook account. But then I came across Generation Y<sup>1</sup>. In our Church group, I needed to communicate with them. My preferred method of communication for a group like that is e-mail. To my surprise, not everyone in Generation Y checks their e-mail on a daily basis. So one of the members of our group decided a Facebook group would work better than e-mail. All the members of our group, except me were already on Facebook, so it just made sense. The Facebook group page was created and now we are all hopeful that the group page will be a success!<br />
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So do I still think Facebook sucks? Yes and no. Facebook has its advantages, like offering a more efficient means of communication in specific cases. Yet, there are the flaws, like the dubious privacy settings. To make matters worse, I am now playing Candy Crush.<br />
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Do I still think Facebook is going to collapse? No, I will admit that I was wrong, and not because I came back. Facebook has peaked in its market, but it will branch on to other markets. At least that is what investors think, the Facebook stock is almost double its opening day value, and four times its lowest value.
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<sup>1</sup> "Wikipedia" refers to Generation Y a.k.a Millennials as being born from 1982 to 2000, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials">link here</a>.
timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-2439325541332049982013-06-04T22:05:00.000-07:002013-06-05T07:26:29.858-07:003-D Printing is Here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbEXUjsN0TT8diUoixuWwNP-eug7QXfxu1cVOkbSKoZfbyjQEswzJlQMn6ot2Sq5jrQplO6edmzTViwmzVYCROsMhhB_LYcajC9LyPh-ZFnGvHC_4DBe_HlJ4hiCSCUx_M0XAxsAwni9C/s1600/3-D+container.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbEXUjsN0TT8diUoixuWwNP-eug7QXfxu1cVOkbSKoZfbyjQEswzJlQMn6ot2Sq5jrQplO6edmzTViwmzVYCROsMhhB_LYcajC9LyPh-ZFnGvHC_4DBe_HlJ4hiCSCUx_M0XAxsAwni9C/s320/3-D+container.jpg" /></a></div>
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Several months ago, my sole daily reader, co-worker, and friend- Matthew- showed me a small green plastic airplane. The green plastic airplane was no bigger than three inches from nose to rudder. He told me that the airplane was created from a 3-D printer. At first, I did not believe him. But then I used some logic, if humans have fission energy, made it to the moon, and created iPhones, then why not 3-D printers? Never doubt the ingenuity of humans. If we can imagine something, it will be a possibility one day.</div>
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After my internal monologue, which happened in less than three seconds, I must have responded to Matthew with a calm, "Cool". And indeed the 3-D airplane was cool. Some weeks passed by, then Matthew brings me a 3-D printed barrel, pictured above. I begin to ask more questions about this printer. Apparently, the printer is custom made. The limitations of this printer are a length and width of a few inches, the height being more flexible. This particular printer only prints in gray and green. However, the maximum dimensions of printed objects, color, and type of ink can all vary depending on the type of 3-D printer. </div>
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I wondered how in the future we could make toys and utensils for our households. Little did I know about what was to come...</div>
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In the last several months, we have had someone create a gun from a 3-D printer and successfully fire it! This person even shared the plans with the world, well that is until the US government decided that was not lawful.</div>
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Then there are the medical applications for 3-D printing, which seem endless. Click <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/23/2054281/promising-uses-3d-printing-medicine/?mobile=nc">here</a> for an article on five future medical uses.</div>
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I do not know why 3-D printing has stayed under the radar, but give it two years and soon all the grandmas will know what it is, then we will know that 3-D printing has made it in this world.</div>
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One last thought nugget, 3-D printing will be one of the single biggest inventions of the 21st century, just like the Internet was for the 20th century.</div>
timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-3704625064321370832013-05-24T21:13:00.001-07:002013-05-28T07:28:12.970-07:00The Best Android Keyboard: Swiftkey<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wNOv5ZFRQ2L4C1OqOmfBcaIqREDNwfo9RebXoj5lbJ8UbkhImL65P1UJqpysJJKy8QBm_R3lBFUAZ7nag3drpqdxttcCgkxG19YYkA7XPFLVbOe4mZaZ_qgYMf0ZxxZRzqR1OvuAdHiZ/s1600/Screenshot_2013-04-11-07-50-40.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wNOv5ZFRQ2L4C1OqOmfBcaIqREDNwfo9RebXoj5lbJ8UbkhImL65P1UJqpysJJKy8QBm_R3lBFUAZ7nag3drpqdxttcCgkxG19YYkA7XPFLVbOe4mZaZ_qgYMf0ZxxZRzqR1OvuAdHiZ/s320/Screenshot_2013-04-11-07-50-40.png" /></a></div>
There are many keyboards out there for Android. To name a few, they are:<br />
<ul>
<li>Android Stock</li>
<li>HTC Sense</li>
<li>Samsung TouchWiz</li>
<li>Swipe</li>
<li>Swiftkey</li>
</ul>
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None of these keyboards are the perfection that is the iPhone keyboard. Hence, if you have an Android phone like me, you are stuck with the second best keyboard experience. The second best experience is not automatically a bad thing. Insane example, would you not like to be world's second richest person?</div>
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Swiftkey is the best Android keyboard option for the simple reason that it will give you the fastest and most accurate experience. The auto-correction is the best in the business and it only gets better over time as it learns from your past inputs.</div>
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Here is a comparison of the the previous version of Swiftkey versus the Ice Cream Sandwich stock keyboard.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/RAJIDH5d4C4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The newest Swiftkey introduced "flow" which is essentially Swipe. But you are not obligated to "flow", since you will still have the best auto-correcting experience without it.</div>
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Swiftkey is a bit pricey at $4.00, but it is worth every penny because it greatly improves a function of your phone that you constantly use. If $4.00 is truly too steep for you, watch out for specials, Swiftkey goes on sale for $2.00 from time to time.</div>
timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-18192152139151666132013-03-04T21:36:00.002-08:002013-03-05T22:02:22.487-08:00The Revival of the Bluetooth Earpiece?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHVnFP2Qz97JWhSHRS_Ib8KRmIhyDySyQPu2j0kXHMk7gqZklKuLmUSUDt144rqJL8KbZ4EC-wWNb-YwlPdTYId6_dki5RchjOin3qMtjdITjJtZbXAnuh-HbFehmmNawwi1nYpjg35U2/s1600/bluetooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHVnFP2Qz97JWhSHRS_Ib8KRmIhyDySyQPu2j0kXHMk7gqZklKuLmUSUDt144rqJL8KbZ4EC-wWNb-YwlPdTYId6_dki5RchjOin3qMtjdITjJtZbXAnuh-HbFehmmNawwi1nYpjg35U2/s320/bluetooth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Let us get two things clear, I am not working on Wall Street and I am not a "douchebag", but I have a Bluetooth earpiece. Do Wall Street people even wear a Bluetooth earpiece? Anyways, while not as popular as in years past, I do believe there is value in these earpieces.<br />
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I recently got a Plantronics Bluetooth earpiece for $30 at Costco. And by "I got it" that means that I accompanied my dad to Costco and threw the Bluetooth earpiece in the cart. And since I do not have a Costco membership, pops had to pay to for it. Thanks dad.<br />
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After using the earpiece for 7 days, I firmly believe more people should be using Bluetooth earpieces. The main reason I got the earpiece was to drive and talk on the phone with a peace of mind. With a Bluetooth earpiece you are able to easily answer a call while driving. Making a call is a little tougher because it depends on how good your phone picks up your voice, but it is still better than using the speaker function on your phone or a wired headset. The only people who will not benefit from this are those that have Bluetooth built into their cars.<br />
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However, there are many more reasons to have a Bluetooth earpiece! For me, I also wear the earpiece at work. I can have my phone on silent and my Bluetooth earpiece will still make a noise if a call comes in, that way I will not miss incoming calls. It is true that my wife is the only one that calls me and it is usually once a day, but I do not want to miss that call. Without the Bluetooth earpiece, I am constantly turning on and off my phone depending my environment. Then I occasionally forget to un-mute my phone which forces me to miss "calls".<br />
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Another benefit of the Bluetooth earpiece is that you can listen to music. It is not the best quality, it is just a bonus.<br />
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Five years ago I tried my first Bluetooth earpiece, it cost me about $45 from Motorola. This was when I had a dumbphone, when most people had a dumbphone. The phone battery would die after only 20 minutes of talk time with the Bluetooth. And if I did not talk, but was connected to the Bluetooth with my phone also known as "pairing", my phone battery would die after one hour. The battery performance on newer phones has improved drastically when it comes to a Bluetooth signal, it is no longer an issue.<br />
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The best part of being a Bluetooth earpiece owner is that these Bluetooth devices are cheap. Definitely cheaper than a ticket from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for driving while talking on the phone without a hands-free device! I encourage you to all try a Bluetooth earpiece, but I would not spend more than $50 for one. You might get made fun of by co-workers/friends, but remember they are just "jelly" aka jealous.<br />
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timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-68173579842781954492012-12-15T14:59:00.001-08:002012-12-16T21:27:06.258-08:00Back to Android<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLe-1o8nW9eZ-goKF4lxqovjSyXvaZ7AQxirwGdahVFcDkeEox5mRsi_271I894DMAGTt40THqGjzGvJJPulX_piCRrG3M_Zez7Etqjn47qNNWYEQgW2ItXINctnDHOw87TbHXI_4_VLz/s1600/galaxy+note+II.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLe-1o8nW9eZ-goKF4lxqovjSyXvaZ7AQxirwGdahVFcDkeEox5mRsi_271I894DMAGTt40THqGjzGvJJPulX_piCRrG3M_Zez7Etqjn47qNNWYEQgW2ItXINctnDHOw87TbHXI_4_VLz/s320/galaxy+note+II.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The last weeks have been a whirlwind. After patiently waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Note II to come out on Verizon for three months, I snapped. On Friday, November 23, 2012, which is also known as "Black Friday", I bought the HTC Droid DNA.<br />
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Why would I buy the HTC Droid, if I wanted the Galaxy Note II? Two good reasons at the time. One, I wanted a large screen, the Droid DNA has a large 5 inch display with a stunning 441 pixels per inch. Two, I knew that the Galaxy Note II was coming out in less than a week, so if I had buyer's remorse, I could "easily" exchange the Droid DNA.<br />
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Since the horrible exchange experience I suffered through is not the topic of this story, I will quickly summarize it:<br />
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<li>Two phone calls to *611 which is Verizon's customer support</li>
<li>Three trips to three different Verizon corporate stores</li>
<li>Two long nights of searching for a non-existing paper receipt</li>
<li>Unnecessary stress on my sweet wife</li>
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I will never buy something again, if I have a suspicion that I will return it. It is not worth it. I will say that the Droid DNA was a beautiful phone, but I was set on a phone with a 5.55 inch screen, which happened to be the Galaxy Note II.</div>
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So, how does it feel to go back to Android after having the iPhone 4S for thirteen months? At first, I wondered if I made the wrong choice by leaving Apple's iOS. In order, here is what Apple does better:</div>
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<ol>
<li>The keyboard. I have swype on the Galaxy Note II and it is a fast method of typing. However, the accuracy of hitting the intended characters on the iPhone is still above any Android keyboard.</li>
<li>The e-mail client. I have Gmail, Exchange, Yahoo, and Hotmail. They all worked perfectly well together on iOS. Android needlessly separates your Gmail from the other e-mail clients. Android e-mail syncing is buggy. I will read e-mails on my Android phone, and they will show up as unread when I log into my e-mail account from my desktop. I have my e-mails accounts set to sync on my Android phone, but sometimes I will only see new e-mails, when I physically push for a refresh.</li>
<li>The camera. Both the Samsung Galaxy Note II and HTC Droid DNA capture decent pictures, but with the iPhone 4S I was able to take better pictures. I commend the Android phones for greatly improving their camera's, one example is the decreased time between snaps.</li>
<li>Voice commands. Yes, Google had voice actions first, but like with most things Apple does, they were not the first, just the best to do it. With Android, I have to unlock my phone and then locate my voice shortcut to do voice commands. With iPhones, all you have to do is long press the home button on a locked out screen and Siri comes on.</li>
<li>Pre-installed applications. iPhones come with less bloatware. On my Droid DNA and Galaxy Note II, pre-installed were: Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon MP3, Audible, IMDb, Kites air, NFL Mobile, ViewDini, Verizon Voice mail ($1.99/ month for visual voicemail), VZ Navigator, and Zappos. And that was not including the manufacturer apps.</li>
<li> Accessories. There are more accessories for iPhones. For instance, the Spygen glass, is not available for my Galaxy Note II, but is available for the iPhone 5.</li>
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Wow, after making that list, I wonder why I even switched out of the iPhone. But, the most important factor for me was size. To me, size is currently the most significant difference between an iPhone and an Android. If you enjoy working out with your phone, you will enjoy the size of the iPhones. But my biggest use for my smartphone was not a camera or a music player or even a phone, it was as an e-reader. I wanted the biggest phone possible that I could still put into my pocket. The Galaxy Note II is that perfect phone for me.</div>
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Here are the things I love from Android:</div>
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<ol>
<li>Widgets. My favorite widget is the calendar widget, which shows me my next four appointments/events.</li>
<li>Most phones like the Galaxy Note II, come with a removable battery and a micro SD slot for more memory.</li>
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Here are the things I love from my Galaxy Note II:</div>
<ol>
<li>The battery life. While previous Android phones were notorious for quarter day battery lives, the Galaxy Note II battery lasts me all day. The iPhone 4S battery would last me a little over half a day. For me battery life was the second most important factor in determining what phone I would get.</li>
<li>The stylus pen. At work, I no longer have to take a paper and pen to write down notes during a meeting. Now, I take notes on my phone with my stylus.</li>
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After two weeks of using the Galaxy Note II, I can say to all those people that wanted this big phone, go for it, you will not be disappointed. The only thing I would caution those people is to prepare themselves for the jealous stares of "haters" that out loud call your phone too big. These haters will mimic your phone calls by picking up a tablet and putting it to their ear. But in silence, they are crying out and longing for the Samsung Galaxy Note II.
timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-37973825918626041412012-09-27T22:01:00.003-07:002012-09-27T22:03:32.803-07:00Next Big Thing: Galaxy Note II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So while the suits in Motorola are chewing bubble gum, checking for updates on their Facebook page, and holding meetings, Samsung is preparing to host a big event on October 24, 2012. The Samsung event will be about their upcoming Galaxy Note II phone. Samsung is going to do what Motorola cannot do, they are going to give their formally announced product a release date.
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The Samsung Galaxy Note II will be another monstrous phone much like the original Galaxy Note. The original Galaxy Note has a 5.5 inch display, the Galaxy Note II has a 5.55 inch display. For reference, all iPhones (except the iPhone 5) have a 3.5 inch display and most Android phones have between 4 to 4.8 inch display. Bottom line, the Galaxy Note line of phones is gigantic. The tech blogs refer to these phones as "phablets". The offspring of a phone and a tablet.
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Yesterday, while at Costco on an errand to pick up some garlic french bread, my wife wandered over to the jewelry section. At the speed of lightning, I took that as an opportunity to visit the phones section. While at the phones section, the original Galaxy Note grabbed my attention. I picked up the gigantic phone and wondered, "Could I walk around with this thing in my pocket? Will I look goofy talking into this enormous phone?" The answers were both yes. I did not care that I would look goofy, the size seemed manageable to me. In fact, for my personal use, I want a large screen, since my phone's main purpose is to read articles from the web. I love the size of the Galaxy Note so much, that now instead of waiting for the Mototorla Razr HD Maxx, I will wait for the Samsung Galaxy Note II.
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I have not been this excited about the release of a phone since the Nexus One!
<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-51982202778843569932012-09-25T13:00:00.004-07:002012-09-27T12:43:48.548-07:00The Unkonwn Release Date for the Razr HD Maxx <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I mentioned in my previous post that there are a lot of great phones coming soon. Of all the upcoming phones, the one that catches my eye the most is the Motorola Razr HD Maxx (pictured above). The problem is... there is no release date for the Razr HD Maxx. And I will not twiddle my thumbs and patiently wait for Motorola to release the phone. The wait could be months! Motorola announced the phone and we deserve to know when it will be released. Motorola forgets that we have options.<br />
<br />
So last Saturday on September 22, 2012, I sent Motorola an e-mail regarding the unknown release date of the Razr HD Maxx. Here was my e-mail:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Hello Motorola,</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I ask that you please give us the consumers a release date for the Razr HD/ Maxx. There are too many good phones out on the market (e.g., SGIII, iPhone 5) for those like me that would like the new Razr HD Maxx, but don't want to wait for an unspecified amount of time. Soon our patience will fade.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Thank you,</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Enrique Esparza</i></blockquote>
<br />
And here is how Motorola replied yesterday on Monday, September 24, 2012:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Dear Enrique,</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Thanks for reaching out to Motorola. I’ve reviewed your e-mail and I’m ready to help. I sincerely apologize, Enrique. We don't have information about the exact launch date for the Droid RAZR HD and the Droid RAZR MAXX HD.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I recommend that you register on our website to receive an update. Here is the link:
<a href="https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/ci/documents/detail/2/motorola-razr-family-registration_en-US" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">https://motorola-global-<wbr></wbr>portal.custhelp.com/ci/<wbr></wbr>documents/detail/2/motorola-<wbr></wbr>razr-family-registration_en-US</a> </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We hope that you find this information useful and we look forward to assisting you in the future.</i><i>For information about Motorola products and services, please visit us at <a href="http://www.motorola.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://www.motorola.com/</a> </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Thank you for contacting Motorola e-mail support.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Best Regards,</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>
Juc</i></blockquote>
The response was pretty much what I expected from Motorola. They did not give us a release date, instead they replied with corporate "mumbo jumbo". Motorola is deceiving consumers by trying to make them wait for the Razr HD/ Maxx without giving us a release date. Motorola's announcement of the Razr HD line seems like a desperate attempt to stall iPhone 5 sales, especially given that Motorola announced the Razr HD line a week before Apple's announcement. If a company has no release date, they should not announce a device. Though I criticize Apple a lot, this is one area where I like their method of operation. Apple announces a device and gives us a release date.<br />
<br />
Motorola is lucky that I am succumbing to their desperate plea to have people hold off on purchasing any new phones (i.e., iPhone 5) and instead to buy a Razr HD Maxx... at an unspecified later time. Because I do not want to be a chump much longer, I am imposing a hard deadline on Motorola. I will give them until Friday, October 26, 2012 to announce a release date and the release date can be no later than Tuesday November 6, 2012.<br />
<br />
What happens if the my demands are not met? Hello Samsung Galaxy SIII or iPhone 5.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-69214504414550272022012-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:002012-09-22T09:53:29.991-07:00Three Thoughts: iOS 6 Maps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIr2iguuyO-A7HCIgJdZOKHWtnl0oO2FAkQ-flhNbEUgzarki7QMimGzXBWwc55xrhfF86p9jDmLqERj_Vs0F0571CqwxlTD9Gl4TZJkBxLL8zxD8O0SYyEwXO01nnhPOijlYSRi-jHiT/s1600/ios6+maps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIr2iguuyO-A7HCIgJdZOKHWtnl0oO2FAkQ-flhNbEUgzarki7QMimGzXBWwc55xrhfF86p9jDmLqERj_Vs0F0571CqwxlTD9Gl4TZJkBxLL8zxD8O0SYyEwXO01nnhPOijlYSRi-jHiT/s320/ios6+maps.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What an exciting month September 2012 has been for smartphones! We truly are spoiled. We got three major announcements in the span of a week, they were:</div><br />
<ul><li>Nokia announced the Lumia 920, their first Windows Mobile 8 phone, it will be a thing of beauty.</li><li>Motorola announed the Razr HD, also a thing of beauty.</li><li>Then Apple announced the iPhone 5.</li></ul><div>As part of the announcement for the iPhone 5, iOS 6 was introduced. iOS 6 is now the operating system for Apple gadgets (i.e., iPad, iPod, and iPhone) including some older generations. The biggest change in iOS 6 was the addition of Apple's own Maps app. Since there is only room for one native Maps app that meant, goodbye to Google Maps. After using Apple Maps for two days here are three quick thoughts.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Thought 1: Overall this is a better mapping experience simply because of the addition of turn-by-turn navigation and its integration with Siri.</b> The first thing I did to test out the new Maps app was to ask Siri, "Directions to the nearest Target". I knew the directions, which made it a great test. And it worked! After I asked Siri my query, I was being fed correct turn-by-turn information.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Thought 2: There are still many flaws with the new Apple Maps, even when compared to the gimped Google Maps app we had on our Apple devices.</b> Google has a seemingly infinite amount of street data. Their street view library is uncanny, now that option is gone. Street view is an essensial part of my mapping experience since I like to know what my final destination is going to look like. The traffic layer on the Apple Maps is horrendous. There is just a dotted red line to signify traffic. So for me in Los Angeles, this tells me nothing during rush hour, just a sea of dotted red lines. Google Maps gives out green, yellow, and red highlights for traffic. Apple needs to add the equivalent of the yellow highlight. Moreover, Apple hardly has data on street traffic, this is another essential part of a Maps since freeways are jammed during rush hour. Lastly, even the search results are questionable on the new Apple Maps, look at the picture above. I searched for downtown LA and Apple Maps pinned an area in West LA near Culver City, which is clearly not downtown Los Angeles. These are just gripes in the United States. The gaps in the amount of street data Google has outside of the US versus what Apple has is even wider. People outside the United States switching to Apple Maps will have more complaints.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Thought 3: The full version of Google Maps is transparently better than this first attempt from Apple.</b> Too bad you can only get the full Google Maps experience on an Android phone. To summarize, I barely prefer the new Apple Maps to the gimped version of Google Maps, but I wish that I could use the full version of Google Maps on my iPhone.</div>timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-12936081632087898442012-09-01T19:55:00.001-07:002012-09-01T19:55:12.092-07:00The Hidden Apple v. Samsung Outcome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCYM2EQ4Zp2tMkEguGB2RZqV6uWrMo7BJC8bYU1QAl1YiOxPWyIS5kejiR1MUtqUeSL8CmlWCOckqEDbHeCvjm5k_HHzCCBk0ieaBx5cRoawS5TKZqRGvoVLb-86dm72zNSDEvo4abf6k/s1600/apple+shadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCYM2EQ4Zp2tMkEguGB2RZqV6uWrMo7BJC8bYU1QAl1YiOxPWyIS5kejiR1MUtqUeSL8CmlWCOckqEDbHeCvjm5k_HHzCCBk0ieaBx5cRoawS5TKZqRGvoVLb-86dm72zNSDEvo4abf6k/s320/apple+shadow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I buy a product I do not just look at its price and function, I take into account the culture of the company that made the product. How does the company treat its employees and customers? Are they like AT&T where they only care about quarterly profits? What is their CEO like? Does he jump the line for liver transplants just because he has a personal jet, like Steve Jobs? These are all important factors when I purchase a product.<br />
<br />
The Apple v. Samsung lawsuits should be illuminating to all of us regarding Apple's character. Recently, Samsung was found guilty of infringing on several of Apple's utility and design patents. Samsung was ordered to pay Apple US $1 billion. Now Apple wants to ban the Samsung Galaxy SIII. Will Apple ever be satisfied, they are already the most valuable company to exist? Apple is acting like an entitled monopoly. Moreover, the US patent system is failing us, and helping to create Apple's monopoly. There is no doubt that for innovation to continue the Sherman Antitrust Law, which prohibits monopolies, must trump the broken patent law system.<br />
<br />
Everybody understands that there are patent laws and that Samsung was found guilty of infringing on Apple's patents. However, the patent laws are flawed, especially for design patents. How can you patent curved corners on a rectangle? If the clothing industry, which would need design patents the most, thrives without them, then so can gadgets. Clothes are much easier to copy, yet people consistently pay more for the original because they value a certain brand. Has anybody seen a decrease in innovation in the clothing industry? To the contrary, the health of the word "fashion" is proof of success of the clothing industry's brand system. The word fashion is inherently about clothing and innovation. Apple already has strong brand recognition and loyalty. Nobody can take away their beloved once-bitten apple logo. Design patents should not exist. The data proves that a brand system is sufficient.<br />
<br />
The second type of patent is a utility patent. These are given for a certain function (e.g., pinch to to zoom). Utility patents should expire in a timely fashion relative to the time it takes to research the technology. In a fast-changing technology sector like mobile phones and tablets, no utility patent should last longer than one year.<br />
<br />
While there was a lot of hard work done in Cupertino, CA, Apple built the iPhone off the backs of other ideas. Apple did not have the first cell phone. Apple was not the first to use 2G and 3G bands. Apple was not the first to have an all-touch phone. Apple was not the first to have a rectangular phone. Apple was not the first to have icons. Apple was not the first to have multitouch, etc... Apple was hardly the first to anything. What Apple did was put everything together into the prettiest and most functional package on the market. Apple played by the rules, it copied what it was allowed to, like the notification bar from Android. Apple also bought out technology and got licenses for other pieces. But if history can teach us anything, goodness goes beyond playing by the rules, for the rules can be flawed. If the ultimate goal is consumer satisfaction, the rules are horribly flawed. If you think the laws should exist to protect shareholders profits, you are wrong, but even then the current patent laws only help to protect a monopoly's profit. <br />
<br />
Apple has gone too far in limiting consumer choices for the sake of protecting their hundreds of billions of US dollars. <b>The hidden outcome of the Apple v. Samsung ruling is that people that were already dubious about Apple as a company, but bought Apple products anyways, will now look elsewhere.</b>timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-63990705768950573432012-08-17T19:21:00.001-07:002012-08-18T19:09:33.022-07:00Facebook Prediction Part III<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHa1pn-1louhvOBp2htgWW3E__bl-FfwWimdPosw-RIzpK2ENE6om0uvBwbQ7GS5kdDEoY3arpuYR6fZB5Ap-yDBkaHcqmp5gnTwGA8eBA2ri7WSb59wlAvgytASmC3y7NZLmhixmIfNd/s1600/facebookpage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHa1pn-1louhvOBp2htgWW3E__bl-FfwWimdPosw-RIzpK2ENE6om0uvBwbQ7GS5kdDEoY3arpuYR6fZB5Ap-yDBkaHcqmp5gnTwGA8eBA2ri7WSb59wlAvgytASmC3y7NZLmhixmIfNd/s320/facebookpage.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
On January 2011, I predicted that Facebook would become irrelevant much like of fate of Friendster and MySpace. I gave Facebook two more years of relevancy (i.e., January 2013). <a href="http://www.timeofthetech.com/2011/01/has-facebook-peaked.html">First prediction link.</a> Clearly, that first prediction is not going to come true.<br />
<br />
I realized my error three months later and wrote about a special variable "K" which extended the life of Facebook, but I did not predict a time period for the end of Facebook's relevancy. <a href="http://www.timeofthetech.com/2011/04/facebook-prediction-part-ii.html">Second prediction link.</a><br />
<br />
Thanks to CEO Mark Zuckerberg making Facebook a public company, their demise has been accelerated. The main motivation behind making a company public is the desire to make more money, a.k.a. greed. Now, Zuckerberg must answer to his investors every three months. Investors, who will never be as patient as the owner of a private company. An early lesson one learns in life is that evil defeats itself. Greed is an evil. While greed can give "good" results, the results do not last. Eventually the bubble bursts.<br />
<br />
The Facebook stock debutted at $38.00 a share three months ago and the stock is now at $19.05 a share. That is half the value! Imagine investing in Facebook? I cannot believe how grateful I feel for my paltry 0.08% return from my Bank of America Savings account.<br />
<br />
As soon as the Facebook stock goes under $10.00 a share, heads will roll. Zuckerberg's head? And with Facebook employees being able to cash out of their stocks in a couple months, the Facebook stock will be even lower than the current value of $19.05 a share. The only way to save Facebook is to make it a private company once more, much like BestBuy is going to do. If Facebook remains a public company, look for them to resemble Yahoo. Yahoo is still valued over a billion dollars, but it is no longer one of the the top tech companies (e.g., Apple, Google, Microsoft). How soon will the Yahoo-fication of Facebook happen? It is coming to you soon, in Christmas of 2013!
<br />
<br />
Like most good things in life, my predictions about Facebook come as a set of three. This is it, enjoy and do NOT put any money in Facebook stock.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-67722987024857900982012-07-30T10:41:00.000-07:002012-07-30T13:09:53.048-07:00The Death of the Paper Receipt<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0QIxghurJtR8e0_-ZudIor5DhjhprzjsIQweeSodywDMAtm4zfhaW1Tx57RmEBhUmoDGwDgBDtrlcXVan5LxVgJvU9ccY5frGRAl8xjIcGP6N_pyyiC7-f4RUCYejR9Wx8Dc2CJdKQVY/s320/macy's+e-receipt.JPG" width="225" /></div>
Yesterday, I was surprised by the use of an "old" technology, the e-mail, used in a new way. This started when I accompanied my wife to Macy's so that she could get some Origins lotion. Why women have to shop is beyond me, why women have to buy expensive lotion is also beyond me. Men, just know that is how they are, you can only hope to contain their appetite to shop, good luck! It is funny how they always "need" something. Makes you wonder if women understand the meaning of the word "need"... Either way, I love my wife.<br />
<br />
Anyways, back to the expensive lotion. After doing some asking at the Origins section of Macy's, my wife has the lotion she wants, Ginger Souffle. We take the lotion to the counter to pay. After I hand the young lady helping us at the counter my credit card, she asks me if I want a paper receipt or an electronic receipt. I am confused. I have never been given this option before.<br />
<br />
I ponder, "Well a paper receipt is nice, but you never really know what to do with them. You are always reluctant to throw them out and they end up collecting, which contributes to your clutter at home."<br />
<br />
Then I ponder about an electronic receipt, "Macy's is going to ask for my e-mail, which means that they might send me junk e-mails later, but I do not have to worry about bringing a paper receipt home. Plus, I can always unsubscribe to e-mails. And I cannot lose the receipt."<br />
<br />
The choice was too easy! The fact that I would not accumulate paper junk and always have a copy of the receipt (provided I did not delete the e-mail), was too appealing. So I went for the electronic receipt. The choice was so easy that I already see a future with no paper receipts. I feel bad for the people without e-mails. But really, how many of those people are left?timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-85612746378841567972012-07-12T13:22:00.000-07:002012-07-13T08:46:21.132-07:00Three Thoughts: Chrome for iOS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aOcr5CW-GbLLl7HRaXQYWVUWof5ZfuTRY9C_bSfFaP9xGagS2CzgrK0f7vTNa3nMSJLDhVZWn-DqgNv7I1kkZeX-WRI7oaUfuDNe6YQBJOQsHsrm601CWGjVPIw2SJpJSpfhDYIGSt06/s1600/mobile-ios-hero.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aOcr5CW-GbLLl7HRaXQYWVUWof5ZfuTRY9C_bSfFaP9xGagS2CzgrK0f7vTNa3nMSJLDhVZWn-DqgNv7I1kkZeX-WRI7oaUfuDNe6YQBJOQsHsrm601CWGjVPIw2SJpJSpfhDYIGSt06/s320/mobile-ios-hero.png" width="320" /></a></div>
About two weeks ago Google released Chrome for iOS (i.e., the operating system for the iPad, iPhone,and iPod Touch). For those that are not tech savy, know that Chrome is a web browser much like: Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. While Apple's Safari is a decent option to use as a web browser on my iPhone and iPad, I have always longed for Chrome. For almost three years Chrome has been my main web browser on my desktop.<br />
<br />
<b>Thought 1: Chrome for iOS is a much better option than Safari for iOS.</b> You should definitely download it if you have an iOS device. Tabbing and opening up a new window is smoother and more efficient with Chrome. For example when you open a new window in Chrome, all your favorite sites show up as large icons, which allows you to get to the sites you like in the shortest possible time. Chrome also has incognito browsing, which allows you to browse the web without leaving any tracks. Do not abuse it! Lastly, Chrome for iOS has the <i>unibar</i>, which allows for the use of a single bar that functions as both a search bar and an address bar. Most other browsers, including Safari, have two bars, yuck. Who amongst us has not been frustrated trying to use address bar to perform a search, but are unable because we cannot use spaces? <br />
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<b>Thought 2: Chrome for iOS is great, but... there is still the issue that all apps link to Safari.</b> So, you will inevitably use Safari more times that you care. Google has recently given iOS app developers the "know how" on how to circumvent this issue. Will Apple ever give us the option to make Chrome the default web browser on our iOS devices? I doubt that will happen anytime soon.<br />
<br />
<b>Thought 3: How shameful is Google? The overwhelming majority of Android users (their own operating system) cannot use Chrome (their own web browser).</b> When I tried to tell my Android using friend, Matt, about Chrome and to download it on his LG Nitro, he could not download it. The LG Nitro runs Android 2.3 (i.e., Gingerbread). Only Android devices running 4.0 (i.e., Ice Cream Sandwich) or greater can download Chrome. Here is the worst part, the LG Nitro was released a full month after the iPhone 4S. There is no reason for this travesty.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-5869081183046861202012-07-10T13:09:00.001-07:002012-07-20T07:45:46.091-07:00What is Radiation?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG_TOtINHNR16N1XYJpaEbZsFrJWDJ_g41v5XCMY_K5NGrMHA8V-3Eg0-ZQLPFAbtPD0rYpSuwpndmSKsO5ukJDhvFU_-DDJt04QRiw7bFyoQD8HHROwcVJRVJ7aiYgeZlBwjDjZtQXqj/s1600/rad+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG_TOtINHNR16N1XYJpaEbZsFrJWDJ_g41v5XCMY_K5NGrMHA8V-3Eg0-ZQLPFAbtPD0rYpSuwpndmSKsO5ukJDhvFU_-DDJt04QRiw7bFyoQD8HHROwcVJRVJ7aiYgeZlBwjDjZtQXqj/s320/rad+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Radiation has a big problem. The problem being that the public has a negative perception of it. The negative public perception of radiation is fueled by misinformation which leads to fear. Fear not, but instead respect radiation. Radiation is just a type of energy, much like heat and electricity are a type of energy. As with any energy form, too much going through our bodies can harm us.<br />
<br />
To <i>feel </i>safe and <i>be</i> safe around radiation, you must understand it. Radiation is either elementary particles (i.e., photons, electrons) or a composite of elementary particles (i.e., neutrons, protons) or a composite of atomic particles (i.e., alpha particles) traversing through space.<br />
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Here are some key points about radiation:<br />
<ol>
<li>Some radiation (i.e., photons) is mass-less. Photons (i.e., light) are electro-magnetic waves that range from large wavelengths (radio wave, micro wave) to small wavelengths (x-ray and gamma ray). In the middle of the spectrum are infrared, visible light, and UV photons. For radiation protection purposes only short wavelength photons such as x-ray and gamma ray are considered to be ionizing radiation, although some UV photons can have enough energy to ionize matter. So remember, visible light is radiation too, only that it is of the non-ionizing variety.</li>
<li>In radiation protection, the assumption is that when one is talking about "radiation", the person is talking about ionizing radiation, since it is the more naturally harmful type. Non-ionizing radiation can still be harmful (e.g., UV, lasers), but not for the same reasons as ionizing radiation.</li>
<li>Some radiation has mass. This type of radiation is called particulate radiation. Particulate radiation is always considered ionizing. Particulate radiation is:</li>
<br />
<ul><ul>
<li>Alpha particles (made up of four atomic particles, two protons and two neutrons)</li>
<li>Protons (made up of three elementary particles, two up quarks and one down quark)</li>
<li>Neutrons (made up of three elementary particles, one up quark and two down quarks)</li>
<li>Electrons (an elementary particle itself, traditionally called a beta particle or beta "ray")</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ol>
Now that you know a little more about radiation, please also know that there are many benefits of radiation, especially in the clinical field with diagnostic and therapeutic uses of radiation. The important thing is not to exaggerate the risks to the point where we disallow ourselves any work with radiation. Yet, we must also not be careless when working with radiation. In radiation safety, there is a governing philosophy of harnessing the benefits of working with radiation while keeping doses as low as reasonably achievable.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-16339343180242746022012-06-29T07:59:00.001-07:002012-07-12T12:15:55.532-07:00Three Thoughts: Nexus 7 Tablet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlB2HxDMD5jGP_MBYzyXQ9S9k_YEW6E79i8eB40gvjO2Jb1sSYSgLQ8ZQm_tBEMIhBniJJmGmQup8eacQ0VCipr8zLhBwJDtGAp8d5K0ac9O6wsITZ04YvafV-44EvqD-QonbFNugndOQ/s1600/nexus+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlB2HxDMD5jGP_MBYzyXQ9S9k_YEW6E79i8eB40gvjO2Jb1sSYSgLQ8ZQm_tBEMIhBniJJmGmQup8eacQ0VCipr8zLhBwJDtGAp8d5K0ac9O6wsITZ04YvafV-44EvqD-QonbFNugndOQ/s320/nexus+7.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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First off, let me give credit to whom it is due. I have gloriously modeled (or blatantly copied) the design of this blog entry, "three thoughts on ...", from <i>Sports Illustrated</i> writer Grant Wahl.<br />
<br />
Now back to my three thoughts. Google unveiled their first official tablet earlier this week, which is the Nexus 7 tablet. The device will debut for $200 and the hardware is manufactured by Asus.<br />
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Thought 1: <b>At 7 inches and $200 this is meant to compete with the Amazon Kindle Fire which is also 7 inches and $200.</b> Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are all staking claims into different segments of the tablet market. Amazon and Google are competing for the smaller screen, E-reader, more affordable sector. Apple is dominating the higher end tablet sector. And the upcoming Microsoft Surface is vying for the tablet/netbook sector.<br />
<br />
Thought 2: <b>The Nexus 7 will be a perfect device for anyone looking for an E-reader that can also function as a web browser. </b> The Nexus 7 is clearly a better tablet than the Kindle Fire. I am interested to see what Amazon is going to announce in the coming months, because they will be announcing a new Kindle Fire. But if you cannot wait until this Fall for a new Kindle Fire, then you should be happy spending $200 on the Nexus 7 tablet.<br />
<br />
Thought 3: T<b>he Nexus 7 will debut with Android 4.1, "Jelly Bean".</b> The best part of the Jelly Bean operating system is the Google Now application which incorporates your location and suggestions very well. Siri who?<br />
<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-35146844133421440312012-06-27T19:45:00.002-07:002012-06-28T07:22:41.122-07:00Video Game Economy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyejLC92hyphenhyphenw6uAFf5KVJLW1qncABUwojSTiwaJHZc9xvpjGsxyYae3D5rvv1C58vIrDN5N0uwMpOQ8AMow3sBDLUuBzJ9H3cQjtnuW_8CZmOgUXoKXKoAMnETnNHZuAwstuSKW1k8QGIC/s1600/diabloIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyejLC92hyphenhyphenw6uAFf5KVJLW1qncABUwojSTiwaJHZc9xvpjGsxyYae3D5rvv1C58vIrDN5N0uwMpOQ8AMow3sBDLUuBzJ9H3cQjtnuW_8CZmOgUXoKXKoAMnETnNHZuAwstuSKW1k8QGIC/s320/diabloIII.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The much anticipated Blizzard game, Diablo III, was released in May 2012. I did not have a chance to pick up a copy until this month. Let me begin by acknowledging that the game is very good. But there is an aspect of the game which worries me. Diablo III has an auction house where you can sell the items you get from the game. These auction houses have been around for some time in video games. The difference with Diablo III is that not only can you bid with the in-game "gold" money, but you can bid using real money. So if your character manages to "loot" a unique item, maybe you can sell it for US dollars. I have already heard stories around my gamer friends of an item selling for $50.<br />
<br />
The real money auction house in Diablo III, brings me back to a discussion I had with a friend, Claude. We talked about how the only thing stopping hardcore gamers from immersing themselves in games and losing track of reality was if they found a way to make money from playing their video game. To make enough money to pay for their rent and food. For now, the real money auction house in Diablo III has not advanced to the point that gamers can make a sustainable living from playing even 100 hours a week. But this real money auction house is just the opening of the flood gates. As the in-game economies become more sophisticated and are able to co-exist with real economies, these games will sadly become the only reality for some people. <br />
<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-73382904691499768452012-06-20T16:26:00.000-07:002012-06-20T16:29:12.042-07:00Please Get the Name Right: iPhone 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a open letter to all those that keep on using the term "iPhone 5" to refer to the upcoming iPhone. I am surprised by how many of you are out there, people like the writers from the tech blog BGR. </div>
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The upcoming iPhone will be the "iPhone 6"! See and count:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Original iPhone</li>
<li>iPhone 3G</li>
<li>iPhone 3GS</li>
<li>iPhone 4</li>
<li>iPhone 4S</li>
<li>Upcoming iPhone</li>
</ul>
<div>
The iPhone 4S was the "iPhone 5". Furthermore, in terms of product names, Apple will mimic the iPod, which is what we saw with the iPad too. That means the upcoming iPhone will just be called the "iPhone". The differentiation will be through the use of the word "generation". Once the newest iPhone comes out, it will be the current generation iPhone. </div>
<div>
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<div>
So please no more iPhone 5 talk. I get what you are saying, but it sounds so wrong...</div>
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<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-84107520255747154772012-06-09T12:06:00.001-07:002012-06-09T12:06:38.517-07:00Google Fanboy to iSheep?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
It has been six months since my last post. As expected, a lot has happened. The main thing is that I have been married for six months. As foretold, I do not have time for some of my previous hobbies. For me, that translates into less time for blogging and reading. But I paid for another year of this domain name, so I am going to put it to use.<br />
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Back to the last six months....The most surprising phenomenon is the deterioration of my relationship with Google. I never thought my relationship with Google would be this way while Larry Page and Sergey Brin were in charge. I never thought I would warm up to Apple, after disliking most tactics used by Steve Jobs (e.g., partnering with only AT&T, App Store rejection policy). Please do not infer that I no longer value Google because I do. However, the halo that I perceived to be on top of them is now gone.<br />
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I have always had great respect for Gmail, Google Search, and Google Maps, so I fully supported Google with their Android project even when I knew their product was not as good as the iPhone (e.g., G1, MyTouch). There was an ethereal value in the goals of Google that made up the difference between the G1 and the first two iPhones. As Google has repeatedly let me down, that ethereal value is not there anymore. An example of a let down was when Google shoved applications down our throats for us to beta test, (i.e., Google Goggles) which were worthless and we could not delete from even their Nexus line. They are just another company whose main goal is to put black ink (i.e., profits) onto their quarterly reports. And no longer can I turn a blind eye towards Google's aggressive data mining of our lives.<br />
<br />
Google advertised Android as open for all including customers, not just open-sourced. In the end it was open for carriers to load more bloatware. In the end the market was open for more malware. In the end we got manufacturer "skins" on the operating system (e.g., HTC Sense, Samsung TouchWiz) that did not enhance the Android experience, but only served to hinder Android devices from getting operating system updates. Google failed to support even their own Nexus One for a full two years which should be the standard since that is how long cell phone contracts last.<br />
<br />
Because of all this, my addiction to buying into anything Google has been cured. No longer will I buy a piece of turd only because it has the Google branding (e.g., HTC MyTouch). As evidence of me being cured, please take into account my last few purchases. When picking out two new phones for my parents in January 2012, I chose two new iPhones. When I bought a tablet in March 2012, I chose an iPad. But now, I have been accused by my friends of being an iSheep (mostly Bryan). The accusation is nothing more and less than false. I do not have a blind devotion Apple. Plus, I still recommend Android devices, just not with the same fervor.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-65171949366002085872011-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:002011-12-23T12:39:12.288-08:00A New Era in Music: Spotify<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjpT3p6swaPWuTa2efdmOGqzKNbZANyJwGL5rreD_huhB5JPcWZmNIjBgsA-UoKEvmM0XwmJI7yz7nk8f_nPKfPHlQeT_yhUg7VF2TdoaR8lqJla1nH6TM-zN8tISGSQ9EwV9FJKVNkSS/s1600/spotify.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjpT3p6swaPWuTa2efdmOGqzKNbZANyJwGL5rreD_huhB5JPcWZmNIjBgsA-UoKEvmM0XwmJI7yz7nk8f_nPKfPHlQeT_yhUg7VF2TdoaR8lqJla1nH6TM-zN8tISGSQ9EwV9FJKVNkSS/s200/spotify.png" width="200" /></a></div>
I am proud to say that I grew up during the twilight years of the Physical Music Age. I remember my first album, it was the <i>Dangerous</i> cassette by Michael Jackson. The first CD I ever owned was also from Michael Jackson, the <i>History </i>album.<br />
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Then came Napster. Napster brought us into the Open Digital Age. The original Napster allowed us to freely "share" music with anyone on the web. The more people that were on Napster, the more music we had access too. In essence, we had access to all music for free. However, as fast as Napster rose, so was its decline. The music industry/ Metallica struck hard at Napster with lawsuits. Out of the ashes came Morpheus, but that was struck down by the music industry/ Metallica. Then Kazaa rose, but that was also struck down. Kazaa was the last great massively used program to download music for free. There are other programs like BearShare and Limewire, but they never had a music library with the scope of the aforementioned programs.<br />
<br />
So in a beaten state, when we were crawling and hungry for music, we transitioned into the Paid Digital Age. Many flocked to iTunes because it was the only gateway to the their beloved iPods. Some decided to stream random songs related to their favorite artist/song/genre via Pandora. But whatever we tried we were left separated from the God of Music. Our music souls were restless. But our yearnings have been answered, Spotify was sent to us by the Swedes.<br />
<br />
If you have not heard of Spotify here is the gist, for the $10 a month premium account you get:<br />
<ol>
<li>Unlimited access to more than 15 million songs. I have found every song I was looking for.</li>
<li>Twice as much quality as iTunes songs, 320 kbps vs 128 kbps.</li>
<li>You can cache songs in your mobile device, meaning you do not have to stream them, they will always be there (a.k.a. as long as you have a Spotify account).</li>
</ol>
<div>
My only gripe about Spotify is that you have to log in with a Facebook account. So I had to use my fiance's account to log in. But that is a minor tarnish. For those of you that love music, Spotify is the way to go.</div>
<div>
<br />
I would like to give thanks to Bryan and Zhi for introducing me to this new service.</div>
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<br /></div>timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-15416603946339154702011-12-08T14:34:00.001-08:002011-12-16T15:25:21.891-08:00The Issue of Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFOa98WyZNQchYnPezug3HR0k1su0gQ238cke_EuBnYC2AaR8XCQtMYNSEecExwCCLRbXJjkPf4g8RrNRfsQIq6chKDJGy3ro9iz8jbmbTq9RDFIWJIv5xaEyG6UJNJKYvVDIBlaIhIh/s1600/woollymammoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFOa98WyZNQchYnPezug3HR0k1su0gQ238cke_EuBnYC2AaR8XCQtMYNSEecExwCCLRbXJjkPf4g8RrNRfsQIq6chKDJGy3ro9iz8jbmbTq9RDFIWJIv5xaEyG6UJNJKYvVDIBlaIhIh/s320/woollymammoth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you have not heard, the woolly mammoth is coming back! Well, that is at least the attempt of scientists from Japan and Russia.<br />
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The short version of the technology is that the scientists will replicate the DNA from old woolly mammoth bones...you know... very similar to the idea behind the <i>Jurassic Park </i>movies.<br />
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I do not doubt that we will be able to bring back extinct animals as long as we have viable DNA. Furthermore, we will have the technology to clone humans, even ourselves. Life has taught me that if we can imagine a technology, then it can be done. We might be decades and centuries away from making that technology in to a reality, but it will be done.<br />
<br />
We are in an age of rapid technological advances. <b>However, we cannot make things just because we can</b>. So often we are "forced" to make new and more deadly weapons, because if we do not, our enemies will. That dilemma will never go away. People with money are often motivated for a new technology, not because it will save us time or make us healthier, but because there is money to be made from the technology. Being motivated by profits or fear conflicts with ethics and morals. Profits and fear will always trump ethnics and morals. Is it right to clone humans? Is it right to have a weapon that can kill millions of people with one blast? We know the answers to these questions and we know the outcome.<br />
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<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-33704339969188031412011-11-10T11:01:00.001-08:002011-11-14T10:54:43.916-08:00The Android Betrayal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been with Android since it's beginning on October 2008 with the introduction of the T-Mobile G1. After three years of prophesying Android... after converting many of my friends to the Android platform... right before the launch of the of Galaxy Nexus.. I betrayed Android. I bought an iPhone 4S on Verizon. <br />
<br />
Of course, I did NOT betray Android, it only feels that way because because a few of the Android converts constantly accuse me of being a "backstabber". And the multitude of iSheep*, above on their pedestals, give me a smug look like if they knew one day I would see the truth and that time is now.<br />
<br />
To be fair, I have always said, that the iPhone is the best phone for most people. I just did not happen to be that person, mostly because of my lack of respect for AT&T. The latest iPhone has debuted concurrently on AT&T,Sprint, and Verizon thus everything changes.<br />
<br />
Originally, I wanted to wait and see what the Galaxy Nexus had to offer. I wanted to experience the improved user interface of Ice Cream Sandwich. The OS that Google marketed as one that will get casual Android phone users to love their phones, just like the iSheep love their iPhones.<br />
<br />
I have been waiting to buy a new smart phone since my Nexus One died earlier this May. Then the delays came, the Galaxy Nexus which was rumored to be released in early November has not even received an official release date from Verizon in the US. While Verizon, Samsung, and Google were fumbling around with the release date, I was observing the iPhone 4S. Like most of us, I have iSheep friends, so I know how good the iPhone 4S is. I know how good the previous four iPhones were. <br />
<br />
On Thursday, October 28, 2011, I was driving back home from my parents house and everything clicked in my head. My seemingly eternal struggle between the iPhone 4S or Galaxy Nexus had ended, so I quickly went to the nearest Best Buy and picked up the iPhone 4S. <br />
<br />
Now, that I have had two weeks with my iPhone 4S, let us get down to the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone 4S in contrast to my Android experience.<br />
<br />
What I love about the iPhone 4S:<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>The battery life!</strong> Even with the iPhone 4S battery issue, the phone still lasts a full day without recharging. Yesterday, a fix was issued by Apple, I am eager to see the improved results. All my Android phones (e.g., G1, MyTouch, Nexus One, Hauwei Ascend) would have been dead by 2:00 pm. For my Android friends that have a 4.3" screen phone or bigger, the problem is worse.</li>
<li><strong>The size</strong>. I used to be a believer of<i> bigger is better</i>. But 3.5" is enough. One reason I did not like the Galaxy Nexus was it's size of 4.65". I handled a Galaxy SII phone which was 4.5" and it felt inconveniently large. The perfect phone dimensions were embodied by the Nexus One. It had similar shell dimensions of an iPhone but with a 3.7" screen.</li>
<li><strong>The keyboard.</strong> The iPhone keyboard is noticeably more responsive than the Android counterparts. Even with Swipe on my Nexus One, I prefer the iPhone keyboard. Typing on a 4.3" phone or bigger is not as smooth as it is difficult to just use one hand. And there are times when we can just use one hand (i.e., driving).</li>
<li><b>Siri.</b> Yes, Android has voice commands, but they are not as encompassing as Siri. The speed at which Siri can call people is amazing. With Android you would have to unlock the phone first and go into the application (via shortcut). </li>
<li><b>The camera. </b>The camera is the best of any phone I have tested. The speed at which it takes a picture is astounding.</li>
<li><b>Wi-fi sync.</b> As soon as I walk into a Wi-fi area that my phone remembers, Wi-fi automatically turns on. If I walk out of range, the Wi-fi automatically turns off. That saves me time and more importantly data! I have to stay below 2 GB. I hate you even more AT&T, trendsetter...
</li>
</ul>
<div>
What I do not like about the iPhone 4S:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Google Maps.</b> You do not get the turn by turn navigation offered in Google Maps for Android. How I miss it...</li>
<li><b>Downloading applications.</b> Every time you want to download an application or are updating one, you have to enter your Apple ID password, how lame...</li>
<li><b>The durability.</b> The phone breaks easily. I feel like I have to walk on egg shells at all times.</li>
<li><b>G-Chat.</b> Lack of an official Google Chat application that runs in the background.</li>
<li><b>Customization.</b> Lack of a desktop screen. All you see is the applications, which is simple, but I miss the customization of having a home screen where you can put a calendar widget and contact shortcuts. Without jailbreaking my iPhone, I can not easily turn on/off the GPS or Wi-Fi, which was a simple widget away on Android.
</li>
<li><b>Download speeds</b>. This is probably my biggest gripe. Instead of downloading at 4-10 Mbps on Verizon's LTE network. I am downloading at .4 Mbps to 1.1 Mbps of their 3G network. Luckily, the download speeds I get do not hinder my experience with my iPhone.</li>
</ul>
<div>
The iPhone 4S is a spectacular phone and the still best phone for most people. However if you value customization, download speeds, or big displays then Android has the better phones for you. That can all change with the release of the Galaxy Nexus and upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich phones. Hooray for competition which makes us, the consumers, into winners!</div>
</div>
<hr />
*iSheep and Mactards are interchangeable terms.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-31862682041420942212011-10-19T08:25:00.000-07:002011-10-19T09:16:54.121-07:00The Galaxy Nexus Announced<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Galaxy Nexus was announced earlier today in Hong Kong by Samsung and Google. </div>
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The first surprise is that it will not have "Prime" in its name. We should be used to this as most phones are given a code name during the development phase. Too bad, because I liked the name Nexus Prime. Also the first "Google Phone" was the Nexus One, followed by the Nexus S, so putting Nexus after Galaxy does not flow. Fortunately, this is the only strike against the phone. </div>
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The Galaxy Nexus specs (iPhone 4S specs in blue):</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>1.2 MHz, dual-core vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">1 MHz, dual-core</span></li>
<li>1 GB RAM vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">512 MB</span></li>
<li>5 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front camera vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">8 MP rear camera, VGA front camera</span></li>
<li>1280 x 720 resolution with a 4.65 inch screen vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">960 x 640 with 3.5 inch screen</span></li>
<li>0.89 cm thin, 135 mg vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">0.93 cm thin, 140 mg</span></li>
<li>Only two buttons: volume rocker and power vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">volume rocker, power and ring silent button</span></li>
<li>No SD card, internal storage 16/32 GB options vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">No SD card, internal storage</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">16/32/64 GB options</span></li>
<li>LTE band vs <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">No LTE band</span></li>
</ul>
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The Galaxy Nexus hardware looks amazing. With a 1.2 MHz dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM this phone will not lag. As for the camera, 5 MP is slightly off-putting, however... Remember that megapixels are a horrible way to establish the quality of a camera. For instance the 5 MP iPhone 4 camera is still the second best on a phone (behind the iPhone 4S'), beating out the armada of Android 8.0 MP cameras. The Galaxy Nexus camera should be closer the quality of the iPhone cameras and better than any 8 MP Android camera available on the market.<br />
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The best three physical features of the Galaxy Nexus are the design, screen, and LTE capability. The phone is super light! The phone is super thin! And to add to the elegance, the Galaxy Nexus only has two buttons. The screen has the best resolution of any phone at 1280 x 720, full HD, with a screen size of 4.65 inches. The phone is LTE capable meaning, you can download at ridiculous speeds, no buffering for movies or video chat, get songs in seconds, etc.. And since we use our phones mostly for the internet, significantly faster download speeds are important.<br />
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With the mind-blowing specs you would think that was enough to sell someone on the phone, but the best part of the Galaxy Nexus is the operating system. It is the first Android phone with Android 4.0 aka "Ice Cream Sandwich". What is Ice Cream Sandwich? Ice Cream Sandwich is a more user friendly operating system with the intention of making Android phone users not just need their phones, but love them. It focuses on beautiful design with simplicity. Some new features can be seen in the video above like easily swiping away programs to stop them from running. There is a new feature to unlock your phone using facial recognition. Cool! But user interface is hard to describe, it is something you have to try out for yourself. Just like trying to explain to someone why the iPhone operating system works so well and what it does.<br />
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Bottom-line early impression: the Galaxy Nexus is the must have phone if you are on an LTE carrier. For those of you deciding between the Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S on a non-LTE carrier, you have a tough choice. Good luck.<br />
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<br />timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-68244913321102890992011-10-04T20:45:00.000-07:002011-11-11T08:00:41.385-08:00iPhone 4S Announced and Not iPhone 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOdlatBnSOi1VoLrjznvWL6oeN8FdFx1xn-qaAwei7kz_l1-H1LveHxQzZr9yY-WzsRO1uT7W3zy5bN57-VqB0sbl3JZhHXhB1daYCule-miNKNUz000dUoEQ0M-Zn_0H_jUGuLg5ZBcV/s1600/iphone+4S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOdlatBnSOi1VoLrjznvWL6oeN8FdFx1xn-qaAwei7kz_l1-H1LveHxQzZr9yY-WzsRO1uT7W3zy5bN57-VqB0sbl3JZhHXhB1daYCule-miNKNUz000dUoEQ0M-Zn_0H_jUGuLg5ZBcV/s320/iphone+4S.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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Today Apple announced their fifth iPhone, we have had, in order:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>June 2007, iPhone</li>
<li>July 2008, iPhone 3G </li>
<li>June 2009, iPhone 3GS</li>
<li>June 2010, iPhone 4</li>
</ol>
<div>
For this iPhone, we were all hoping for an iPhone 5, which is to mean, a redesigned phone. Instead we got an updated iPhone 4, we got the iPhone 4S. </div>
<div>
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<div>
What we did NOT get:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>A bigger screen, the iPhone 4S will be the usual 3.5".</li>
<li>4G! This is huge, can people wisely enter into a two year contract without 4G. 3G might be good enough now, but what will happen in a year with carriers shifting their resources to 4G LTE? When websites continue to demand more bandwidth? When our lives inch closer to the cloud? This launch reminds me of the first iPhone, the 3G technology was there, but Apple chose the safe route and went with 2G. When Apple released the iPhone 3G a year later, it rendered the first iPhone obsolete. Many mactards were "forced" to upgrade. </li>
</ol>
<div>
What we DID get:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>A dual core processor <strike>and bump in RAM</strike>. This is great in theory, but the iPhone 4 never lagged, I guess if you want to play high end games this is good. </li>
<li>8MP camera, this is also great in theory, but iPhone 4 already had the best phone camera, regardless if it was 5MP. Superfluous upgrades.</li>
<li>Sprint as a third option for a carrier. </li>
</ol>
<div>
The iPhone 4S is still a top phone and is the best available phone for a lot of people. However, with Apple taking a long 15 months to release their fifth iPhone, they should have added 4G.<br />
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In a week Samsung will announce the Nexus Prime, the ball is in their court. We will see what the "Ice Cream Sandwich" OS is all about.</div>
</div>timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6295482684311124668.post-41626480111232849202011-09-29T13:02:00.000-07:002011-10-05T08:21:15.915-07:00iPhone 5 vs Nexus Prime Hype<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QWhxFJ1mCLNg_GGuHjumSoJC_U2ezzyYGyPq3yezAZ4J7uJR6J0QjrmmFUOTSMlqwaY7KgtrQEzjTR-01zV_4acXxDXdyMRA7Hr-2QO0JUM2mmN9_h4Qek6RhXCF2qYISMjIX2TWJ9pZ/s1600/gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QWhxFJ1mCLNg_GGuHjumSoJC_U2ezzyYGyPq3yezAZ4J7uJR6J0QjrmmFUOTSMlqwaY7KgtrQEzjTR-01zV_4acXxDXdyMRA7Hr-2QO0JUM2mmN9_h4Qek6RhXCF2qYISMjIX2TWJ9pZ/s1600/gloves.jpg" /></a></div>
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This Tuesday, October 4, 2011, Apple is going to announce the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 will most likely go on sale within a couple weeks of the announcement. Maybe even within a couple of days!<br />
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Verizon, Samsung, and/or Google will announce the Nexus Prime the following Tuesday, October 11, 2011. The Nexus Prime is expected to go on sale late October or early November. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the Nexus line of phones, think of it as the closest thing we have to a pure "Google Phone". The Nexus Prime would then be the "Google Phone III". *<br />
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<b>The next thirty days are the most anticipated days in the history of cell phones.</b> If you are thinking of buying a cell phone in the next month, do not! At least not until you see what the iPhone 5 and Nexus Prime are about. Consider yourself fortunate that you are looking for a phone during this time.<br />
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You have two phones that are finally worthy of each other. If we cannot get Pacquiao vs Mayweather, life has given us this epic battle.<br />
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<b>The iPhone will finally debut on multiple carriers</b>, which are AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. Yes, Verizon had the iPhone 4, but they got it late, with the assumed knowledge that in less than a year the iPhone 5 was coming out. And we now have Sprint! This is great news for people like me that considered the iPhone the best overall phone, but were put off by AT&T. Let us hope that Sprint keeps their monthly prices low. Furthermore, there is a feeling that as part of the iPhone deal, Sprint will kill the unlimited data plans for new customers.<br />
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The iPhone 5 is rumored be getting a bigger screen size compared to the previous 4 iPhones, from 3.5" to at least 4.0". The iPhone5 must be 4G. If it is not 4G, it is a deal breaker, stay away people.<br />
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The Nexus Prime will be the first phone with Android 4.0. The Nexus Prime will debut only on Verizon. However, there is hope that after a couple of months it will go to other carriers. Android 4.0 is rumored to have a revamped user interface. The Nexus Prime needs to have a significantly improved battery life, especially while using 4G. The standard should be charging your phone once per day, which is normally done during our slumber hours.<br />
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At the moment, I am leaning towards getting an iPhone 5, but since I do not know the details, much is sure to change. It is all hype now. Justified hype.<br />
<hr />
*The Nexus One was the first "Google Phone", it was released in January 2010. The Nexus S was the "Google Phone II", it was released in January 2011. You can be a super-nerd and argue that the G1 was the original Google Phone, it was released October 2008, but we all know that the G1 was the Google Phone beta.timeofthetechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14443850551287468002noreply@blogger.com0