Researching: Tablets

After owning an iPad 2.0 and a Kindle Fire 1.0 I'm now researching the latest tablets to determine whether I want to get a new one or stay with my Kindle Fire. Then there's always the burn: my mom got a Kindle Fire HD and it has a camera. A. CAMERA. Yes. It's on! ;oP

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET) from Cnet Buying Guide
I just liked the club sandwich, it's one of my faves ^_^

I owned an iPad 2.0 from 2011 to 2012. I gave up on it because it didn't have the functional heft I expected, and I hated burning my hands/lap when it overheated (which was all the time). Sure, it's got the amazing, Apple user intuitive (pictograph) UI that we all have grown to love and admire, but no multiple tabs, no gesture typing/Swype keyboard, and lots of Apple bloatware.

Rather than keep getting irritated, and going back to my MacBook Pro to get anything done, I gave my iPad to the significant other unit. I began holding a raging slight grudge w folks who show off Apple products for looks or to look hip. I like function and form, and mostly, making my life easy, not using devices to make a social statement or for fitting in. /rantover

I discovered Gazelle and sold one of my two 3Gs iPhones (the one that still worked, sort of) and relished the little bit of cash I got--and told the significant other unit his iPad could be sold there if he wanted some moolah. Instead, he traded in his iPad 2.0 to Apple for an iPad 3.0. He's been very happy with it since...

In late summer 2012 one of the two SCRUM certification classes I attended offered a Kindle Fire (KF) 1.0 as an incentive. I had been using the Kindle app on my iPhone 3GS and then my Droid Charge phone when I switched, and also on my iPad and MacBook Pro.

I immediately loved the KF. You turn it on, personalize it with your Kindle login, and you're done! No instruction booklet, nothing to confuse the user. Its small size and portability,  as well as the black, slightly rubberized surface were huge bonuses. You can surf the net using the Wi-Fi connection, and download apps to keep in the carousel for easy access. Best of all, long battery life and no overheated surface.

So now, almost a year into owning my KF, I'm very happy. Why read up on new tablets then? To see what else has come along.

It's important to read up and narrow down your search for information based on particular features that you're looking for. There is A LOT to read on tablets out there.

My reading is already focused on a few specs:

• devices with the Samsung Swype keyboard or the Android Gesture Typing
• not sure what size I want, but I know I like lighter weight tablets
• easy UI
• good video (I watch a lot of YouTube lately)
• battery life is also important
• do I want a camera? Not really, I have two cameras (Sony and Nikon) and my smartphone.
• I'm an Amazon Prime member so Amazon will have a slight advantage in my reviews.

I have several resources I am tracking to learn more about tablets in general, and for those narrowed down specs I mentioned above. I hope these help.

Additional reading and resources to research tablets:

• Consumer Reports tablet buying guide 
• CNet tablet buying guide/Tablet Reviews/best tablets
• PCMag find a tablet
• ZDnet Best Android Tablets (July 2013) [thanks +Mike Kruzel]
• eWeek 10 Hot Tablets
• Wiki Swype page and Swype Competitors section
• TechTree.com: Google Keyboard Hits The Play Store, Features Gesture Typing
• Google Nexus tablet device comparison page
• Samsung Galaxy tablet page

A Note on Earbuds

When I purchased my first iPhone back in the summer of 2007, I immediately rejected the hard, white plastic ear buds that came with the device. Instead, I went and purchased my first ever set of cool ear buds. It turned out to be a semisweet experience: economically painful, midly comfortable, and largely aesthetically pleasing.

$128 dollars (plus tax and S&H) later, I was the proud owner of black/white V-Moda ear buds. I kept seeing these ear buds mentioned all over blogs and Twitter at the time. Little did I know, it was a social media product placement technique. They were the most expensive ear buds I had ever, or would ever purchase. I loved the different sizes of silicone buds for comfort, the grippable textured metal ear bud and the quality of the product. The controls were awesome as well. Regrettably, they disappeared in the void that is my house after about six months, never to be seen again.

Back then I was the hasty victim of social media hype and little to no pre-purchase research. I learned my lesson: research must precede a purchase, form must follow function, and all must follow economy of cost.

Flash forward to 2011, when I was looking for ear buds to use with my Droid Charge. I went to my Verizon store to scope out any potential ear buds and walked away with Pure Gear's PureBoom flat rubberized cord ear buds. These made a horrible sound whenever I accidentally rubbed the cord while listening. Like nails on a chalkboard to be honest. That, and the fact I lost the travel case (if they even came with one?) and I started losing my patience a little with these. But otherwise were comfortable, relatively easy to clean, and didn't break the bank. At some point in time, over the last year or so, they stopped playing sound consistently on the right side, so I decided to look for a replacement.

Finally, I found success in ear bud shopping in spring of this year, when I upgraded my two year old Android Charge to a Samsung Galaxy S-III. Again, crappy ear buds came with my device. I decided I would do due diligence so I wouldn't be ashamed of my ear bud purchase, this time. I was looking for an economical purchase with comfortable buds, some aesthetics, and a control feature to use along with my smartphone's many purposes. Quite the shopping list.

After a Google News, Lifehacker, and C-Net search I ended up looking into Klipsch ear buds on Google Shopping and Amazon. I purchased the Klipsch S4 pair. These don't come with audio control, but they were economical, come with three different size silicone buds for comfort, and a cool, oval, silver metal case to store them in.  Love them and use them now for over 8-9 hours a day.

I liked my pair so much, I bought the upgraded version, the Klipsch S4-A Inline with Microphone for Android. After some investigation, I found out I'd need to download their  app (Klipsch Control, free) to add additional functionality. Google Play store reviews were negative, with many saying there was no real volume control. I was a little peeved. However, these are comfortable and are a nice upgrade/Plan B in case my original S4s disappear or are damaged.

It pays to research well. This is an accessory category that is absolutely exploding with potentially good products, making a choice can be difficult. Don't get swayed by what other people use, but read the technical info in the reviews to make up your mind. Don't try to ask for too many features, remember the KISS principle. And remember, everyone has return policies and you never really know what will work for you unless you try things out.

Useful resources:

• C Net Inside vs Outside Headphones, What's the Difference?
• Lifehacker Five Best Headphones and Five Best Earbuds

Vine vs. Instagram Video

Instagram just implemented video, I haven't tried it yet, but am reading up on the differences between it and Vine.

Check out this great article from CNet titled Instagram vs. Vine: Battle of the Short-Form Video-Sharing Apps (try saying that three times fast!). CNet feels that Vine is buggy, and Instagram walks away the champion, in this comparison.

Another great article is at Forbes, Illustrated Guide to Using Instagram Video.

Verizon iPhone: Now For The Bad News...

According to a compiled reviews post on CNN Fortune today, the Verizon iPhone is leaving folks unsatisfied.

Although calls are not dropped as often as on the AT&T network, and the reach of the signal is stronger for many, the user can't multitask on the 3G network (phone call and surf the web at the same time).

Second, is data speed. AT&T is almost 50% faster at download speeds. This is a cause for concern for most folks interested in a smartphone for data transfer (documents, photographs, email, etc.).

But there is a neat little hook with Verizon: the hotspot feature. You can use the iPhone to get your iPad or other gadget free reign over the Internet, without having to pay for a data plan that's only available to that particular gadget *cough*iPad*cough*

I'm seeing two pluses and two minuses here. What about you?

From what I read thus far, the Verizon pluses are not enough to get me to switch...particularly with the carrot dangling in the horizon of AT&T possibly releasing the iPhone's hotspot feature in a near future.

What To Know When Buying an eReader

Wired, who are on a roll this week, has an excellent post about what to look for when shopping for an eReader.


"If you want to enjoy a good digital book, newspaper or magazine (yes even a magazine) an e-book reader is a smart choice. Prices have plunged this year, and the E Ink screens on many of these devices have improved somewhat, which means the options are better than ever for digital bookworms.

E-book readers don’t snatch as many headlines as other gadgets, but the market is flooded with options. Some of these models are superb, while many could be classified as atrocious. We’ll focus first on the industry’s four front-runners, then have a look at the options that will color your buying decision."

iPad Price Comparison

Seeing how the iPad may very well be a hot item this holiday gift-giving season, and spurred by a conversation with a friend, I decided I should check out any price differences for the iPad (hardware and data plans). Here's the merry result of my search:

Hardware @ Walmart | Apple.com | Verizon | AT&T

• $829
• $729
• $699
• $629
• $599
• $499

Data Plans @ AT&T

• Domestic 250MB @ $14.99/mth; 2GB @ $25/mth
• International 20MB @ $24.99/mth; 50MB @ $59.99/mth; 100MB @ $119.99/mth; 200MB @ $199.99/mth

Data Plans @ Verizon

• 1GB @ $20/mth ($20/1GB overage)
• 3GB @ $35/mth ($10/1GB overage)
• 5GB @ $50/mth ($10/1GB overage)
• 10GB @ $80/mth ($10/1GB overage)

For the record, Verizon made it near impossible to find this data plan info via navigation alone. I eventually found it via their search box! Watchu hidin guys? ^_^

Android Handsets

CNet did a great job of outlining the history of Android headsets. There's 34 headsets on the list (!).

Squidoo

There are too many "social media" channels out there...many of which aren't really social at all, but more WYSIWYG tools to quick-publish info out there in a "pretty" template.

Squidoo is pretty much exactly it. I've heard PR/marketing oriented wording such as "lens," "expert," and "meaning." In reality, Squidoo allows anyone with access to the Internet to start up a static blog post page solely focused on a particular topic, to which you can add widgets and content (yours or from another source).

As I was getting acquainted with Squidoo, I developed a "lens" on multiculturalism, which I'm sure will perish, shriveled on the vine as it were.


To roughly summarize what a plaque our prior CEO created, and which an ex-coworker posted on the wall of our office mail room:  "We generally use small words to describe the biggest, most important things: death, love, hate, war, peace. Small people use big words to make themselves seem more important."

MacBook Pro vs. Sony Vaio, An Update

The Laptop Wars!! Hardly.

So I've now been using my MacBook Pro for about four months and I still really like it. The learning curve was short because I watched as many Apple videos and read as many Windows-to-Mac switch articles as possible.

I especially enjoy the portability. My Mac is 13 inches, so I can slide it into my work bag and that's it! The battery is far far better than the (2007) Sony Vaio, so I often don't even take my charger with me. On the other hand, for my Vaio, I had to purchase a replacement charging cord because the one I had, suddenly started sparking at a section where it somehow got cut, while I was on the sofa with Benny (my dog). Eek. Talking about waking up from hiberantion in January, that really got my motor running that day. Luckily, no injuries to sofa or otherwise were had.

But would I give up the Sony to switch to Mac? No. I prefer to have two laptops for different purposes.

My Sony has all my movies (and the huge letterbox screen to watch them with) and all my music collection. I also use it to synch my iPhone. My documents and photos are stored on Dropbox so I can access them anywhere. My Vaio also has my Dreamweaver CS4 and Photoshop 7. So I do most of my web programming homework or on-the-side experiments there.

My Mac is used as an Internet appliance (as is my iPhone mostly!) where I just learn the Mac way, download interesting software, then uninstall it after I get bored with it, and just keep on trucking on my merry Apple-tinted web 2.0 way.

I still don't understand why the industry standard in graphic design is using Macs. The quality of pixels and art/design/layout can be modified using the same standards either in a Windows machine or a Mac. The software is the same (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign etc.). I'm sure there has to be a reason besides the eye candy and encapsulation convenience of Mac products. I certainly don't feel like taking up a full-time job working on web programming or design (either on a Mac or Windows), because, well for one I have been there and done that and didn't like it, and secondly, I like the flexibility of playing with these projects when the muse strikes and then moving on to something else.

As it regards the new delectable iPad...I'm not so sure I need it. I like reading paper books, because screen reading causes me eye strain--and boy, after editing pages and pages at work during the day, the last thing I need is more eye strain. And I know everything looks delicious on the iPad, but I see it just fine on my two laptops and iPhone.

I'm not into photo album features because I do just fine with Flickr. I'm not into newspaper reading, because I use feeds and stream my info in multiple fashion online (and on apps on my iPhone). And I can listen to Pandora and mp3s on my iPhone or laptops just fine right now. I'm not really seeing the point just yet. And importantly, I have a beef with finger smudges on slippery products--that's why I am now on my second rubber/non-slip cover for my iPhone.

What do you think about the Windows vs. Mac fight? Are you getting an iPad?

iPhone Google Reader UI Change

I've been meaning to post this for about a week, but it's been hellish busy.

Apparently, some sort of UI change has taken place on the iPhone Google Reader -- which may very well affect all mobile access. There are now two buttons on the top, right-hand corner which allow the user to refresh and select more options.

Under the more options button, one can show all, show updated, or mark as read. Beware the show all and show updated -- it can affect how reader appears on the regular browser interface on your computer when you check it there later. It's played tricks on me, that feature!

Hope they keep the features coming! I am always weary when I notice little things that Google could be doing to improve its free apps, but they don't due to resource restrictions...or whatever excuse is hot at the moment. ^_^

New Tool: BlogPressLite

I installed and have begun using the iPhone app BlogPress Lite. You can download this free version, or shell out for the paid version (BlogPress) which allows you to post to many more platforms besides just Blogger.

My first test post was on my Jeda's Automotive and Car News Blog (http://jedascarz.blogspot.com), about the new Mini Cooper dealership that's coming up in Naperville, Illinois.

The setup of your Blogger accounts is easy, you just navigate to the settings "tab" of the app (there's three "tabs" at the bottom of the app), then enter your log in info for your Blogger account. Since I have four blogs on Blogger, I just had to do this four times.

It also allows you to link your choice of Picasa albums to which pictures will be saved to when posting from your iPhone. I wish there was support for Flickr too.

I like it thus far. Here's a couple of print screens from my iPhone to show you some of the navigation.