The iPhone Fever

I’ve always had a healthy respect for Apple products, especially after buying my daughter an iPod.  The ease of use of iTunes and the iPod was awesome, and frankly, I think Apple should use this as part of the advertisement.  Not just say it, but show it.

However, when the iPhone came out, I was naturally curious, but pretty steadfast in my decision to stay away from it.  The first one was way deficient in their ability to use it as a work phone.  I didn’t consider a smart phone, I considered it a toy.

Since I am in Sales, and I need a good phone that has more abilities than just texting and taking a few pics and a yahoo mail account, I never figured I would want to have one.  Even when they upgraded the device so it could do corporate e-mail, I was still pretty ambivalent towards it.  I just didn’t get the hype.  Or the fascination.

Then a few people I knew got one and showed it to me and I have to admit, I was a little impressed.  When the new 3GS version came out, I was even more impressed.

I no longer needed to spend 10 bucks a month for a navigation feature on my smartphone.

I could store music on it and sync it up with my Microsoft Sync system in my car and have hands free operation

I would no longer have to carry a pouch filled with CD’s around with me in a my car, which is already filled to the brim with work stuff.

In short, I caught the fever.  The iPhone Fever.

So when I got the change to complete some company training, and get a bonus, and when my old phone decided to get into playing the buggy game, I bought a new 3GS iPhone.

So what do I think about it?

There is a lot to say about the functionality of the phone. There is not so much to say about the battery life.  There isn’t a lot to say about Slow Responding Microsoft in upgrading the Sync system to give full function sync capabilities with the new version of the phone.

But over all, I would have to say, I really like the phone.  I just have to be careful in keeping it charged.

With a 3 megapixel camera, I can use it for pretty decent work pictures.  I don’t care much about the movie function, as I only used it for fun, but now with the high quality of the movies it takes, I could actually use it for work.  The corporate e-mail works great.  I was surprised at how easy the virtual keyboard is to use.  I love the cut and paste ability.  I love the maps feature, the compass feature (which comes in handy when directions tell you to start out North on such and such street), and of course, I love having my music handy all the time.  The safari browser and the way it shows the internet is beyond comparison.  The way you can zoom in and scroll it fantastic.

So, in short, I would recommend the phone.

Now, I only have to wait for Microsoft to get off their butts and provide an update to the Sync system so I can have full sync functionality.  I can still use the Sync system for the phone, which is awesome.  But I can not plug the phone into the USB port and change the phone and play music.  Why?  Because while it seems to play music, you can’t hear anything while it’s plugged up.  You can only stream music by bluetooth.  Which works great by the way, but it kills your battery and you can’t plug it in and stream music.

Now, for the last part.  The apps.  This is one feature of the iPhone that I had high hopes for and I must admit I couldn’t have been more disappointed.  There are 1000’s of apps the commercials say, but most of them are pure junk.  There are a few useful ones out there and some of them are even free, but as of this day, I have not been impressed.  Most of the apps seem to be silly little things, like poking a cow to make it go moo, or a fake taser, or apps that allow you to record your voice and it plays it back in a different kind of voice.  There also seem to be a lot of fart apps.

I hope in the future, more useful apps will come out, but until then…..

~Kev

Twitter and other updates

Yeah, I know, you might be wondering where I have been lately.  Understandable, because I know I am so well loved that many have missed me.  Who could blame you?  I sure don’t.

Regardless, I have been absent for several reasons, some of which are personal.  So let me share them.  No, No, I won’t do that you nosy people.  Some things are better left unsaid.  Let us just say that I have not been feeling well, and have been concentrating on other things.

I just wanted everyone to know I’m alive and well.  At least for the moment.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

So let’s get to a few updates, shall we?

1. Twitter.  I’ve deleted my twitter account.  I mean what was the point?  I don’t really get it.  I can understand twitter if you are very famous and want to give fans a chance to check out what you are up to.  For the average Joe, like me, however it just seems like a giant waste of time.  I have a lot to say, about a lot of things, but no one cares what I’m doing on an hour to hour basis.  I tried to follow some people I have interacted with, and found it.. boring.  I tried following some friends, and they rarely update.  I tried following some famous people and that was ok, but all in all, I found that I rarely logged in and almost never updated.  So, bye-bye twitter.

2. Michael Jackson.  Sorry, but I am so sick of hearing about his death.  Sorry he is dead I guess, but I have opinions on the type of person he was, so I wasn’t all that upset and the fact that the media has been blasting it at me 24/7 since his death is obnoxious.  At best.

3. I’m happy to report that my wife is making websites and as it turns out she is very good at it.  She already has an order to design a site for a local company and having seen what she has done so far?  It ROCKS.  So if you’re looking for a layout, get in touch.  Also, my wife does graphic design and she is very very talented.  Give her a try why don’t you?

4. I got a new car finally.  I hated to do it, but my Ford Taurus has over 200,000 miles on it and since I’m in sales and drive all the time, it was getting time to do the deal.  I’m not all that happy with the deal I got, which I guess is my own fault, but the car is nice.  It’s another Taurus of course.  it’s missing some of the finer things my old one has, but it does have the Microsoft Sync system and I have to tell you that almost makes up for everything else.  That things is awesome.  It links to my phone so I am completely hands free, making me safer (and the Evil Wife Creature Says I need all the help I can get because I can’t drive), and it even plays digital music from a USB drive.  All of course is voice activated after touching a button on the steering wheel, which you don’t have to look for.  If you have been wondering about it, let me tell you, it’s worth the investment.

5. I went and did it after I swore I wouldn’t.  I ordered and iPhone, which I am still waiting on.  My other phone is 2 years old and it has seen it’s better days and I have been having trouble with e-mail on it.  I let a few people I know talk me into getting it.  Once I get it and test drive it for a week or so, I will let you all know what I think.  I am looking forward to being able to store my music on it so that I don’t have to carry any CD’s with me in the car, since it will also sync up to the system in my car.  Cool stuff that.

6. I find myself at a crossroads at the moment.  As you may know, I have credentials with the Church of God.  I’ve had several instances where some things happened that were difficult for me to deal with.  I have a church I am a member of and a Pastor that I love, along with his family, but some of the people there make it hard for me to go.  I hate that.  I really do.  I don’t think they are bad people, not at all.  The circumstances are just very unfortunate.  At the present, I can’t seem to get my wife or my daughter to attend ANY church, and a majority of it has to do with the circumstances that happened.  I’ve been invited to meet a Youth Pastor with a Baptist Church who’s youth group has grown so big so quickly he needs help.  This Pastor knows my wife and has expressed an interest in talking to me about helping.  My wife, however, isn’t interested, and for some reason, that bothers me.  It’s not that I can’t do this without her, it’s just that when I started out on this journey, it was a team thing, and now, it’s not.  It would not mean I would leave my church, as this would only be a one night a week thing, but I’m just not sure what to do.  I’m praying about it, but as yet, nothing has become clear.

7.  I’m also dealing with some family issues.  My aunt has a brain tumor and has been fighting it for several years.  Surgery can not remove it all and each time they operated, she has lost functionality and she doesn’t have much longer.  My Grandmother is also nearing the end of her life.  She suffers from Alzheimer’s, and lately she has gotten much worse.  She keeps losing blood and they can not find the reason for it.  Facing the loss has frankly, gotten me down.

8. My daughter continues to be fantastic.  Although she still hasn’t gotten her driver’s license yet, she should be ready soon.  I hate that she has grown up so fast.  She finished out her sophomore year with honors.  She is in a specialty center for Art through the County and next year some of her classes will give her college credit.  I’m so very proud of her.  She has been invited to attend this special youth thing in Washington, DC this coming fall.  It’s a leadership deal and only a select few get the invite.  It’s going to be expensive and I have no idea where the money will come from, but we are trying to make sure she will be able to go.   As long as Obama doesn’t check out her butt lol.  She also places second place in the county for a nationwide art contest this year.  Over all, I couldn’t be more proud.

I suppose that is enough of an update in the Life of Riley.  Hopefully soon I will have something to actually write and things will get more back to normal.

Until then, God Bless,

~Kev