Sunday, June 29, 2008

Deep into the iPhone decision 2008:

When the first iPhone was released a year ago, it was before my conversion (My mac conversion). I was content with my windows pc's. I overlooked their quirks and issues. As a loyal Windows Mobile pda/phone carrying nerd, I have owned an Audiovox PPC-6700 , and currently a HTC Titan.

A little background:

My computer skills started on an Tandy 1000HD. It had an 8086 processor, a 10 MB hard drive, and was running dos 2.11. This was in the mid 80s. My grandmother had purchased this machine brand new costing over $3000, for the family business. It sat neglected and unused for many years.

Packard Bell 386sx-33. 486dx4-100. Pentium 90. These are the computers that I had access to in the 1990's.

Then came 1999. The first computer that I personally owned, was a dual processor pentium 466 mhz that I built using the Abit bp6 motherboard. Later, I purchased Windows 2000 so I could utilize both processors.

I had not seen an apple computer at any point during this time. When my grandmother bought that Tandy 1000, she had looked at the apple and the Tandy, and if I was told correctly, she chose the Tandy instead of the Apple based on the fact that the Tandy had a hard disk and the Apple didn't. She didn't know ANYTHING about computers. Maybe the psycho Radioshack salesmen were better than the Computerland salesmen. I do know that computerland closed it doors before I was old enough to remember drooling over computers. With that, as far as I know, the only apple outlet near my hometown dissapeared.

Fast forward to 2007.

The first iPhone release. Whoopty-Doo. Look at all the crazy people. They were paying hundreds of dollars for a phone that was VERY limited. Sure, you could resize a photo by pinching. But could you download and install a super cool satellite tracking program, so you could determine when an amateur radio satellite was coming overhead? Could you edit a Word, Excel, or Powerpoint file?
Yet people flocked to the iPhone, even with these deficiencies. Why?
After my vista fiasco, and then the introduction of my Mac Mini, the curtain was lifted.

Sure, you might loose a tiny bit of the functionality you were used to, but you gain so much more.

1. I don't have to "reboot" all the time to "fix" things.
2. Strange cryptic error messages do not popup. (i.e. A Fatal Exception, or Illegal Operation . . .)
3. I don't have and Antivirus/Malware/Spyware program hogging my processor / emptyng my wallet.
4. I don't have to jump through hoops when I "attempt" and new hardware install.

Basically it comes down to this:

Everything a Mac does, it does well. Things are intuitive, not cluttered.

I have been responsible for 4 macs being purchased in the last 6 months by loyal pc users. (maybe I had a little help from Microsoft's Vista, who knows? ;) )
So now we get down to the subject at hand:
I am getting an iPhone based on my experiences with my mac. I don't expect the iPhone to have every feature, capability, or freedom that my current Windows Mobile pda phone has. BUT!! I look forward to having a phone that is more stable, and just plain works.

Would you give up a little to gain stability? What is more important, features or Getting Things Done?

And after you dive in, the water is great. It is nice over here!! Come on over!! I promise you won't miss a thing!! REALLY!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

My Father-in-law on TV!

Here is link to the blog post on my Brother-in-law's blog.

Check it out!

http://www.ear-fung.us/2008/06/dad-on-tv/

coming soon . . . iPhone 3G

I've been busy and haven't posted the news:

I am going to get an iPhone 3G!

AT&T doesn't have the greatest network in the Lynchburg Virginia area, but I think that the iPhone features will tip the scales. I have been looking to combine cellular service with my wife to save a buck or two, and also since the whole "Mac" conversion, I have been wanting an iPod.

We looked at the cost of the pda/phone devices on sprint, and we were going to have to put out nearly $800 one time and ~$175 a month for 2 pda phones. (one for me and one for my darling wife)

Looks like for less money we will be getting more with the iPhone.

Now only if AT&T had 3G service here . . .

New Tractor Pulling videos on Youtube

Just dropping a note to say that the latest tractor pulling video from June, 13th at Franklin County Recreation Park have been uploaded to Youtube. I have several videos on youtube. One way of finding them is by going to youtube and searching for CVATPA

Otherwise: