For my bithday I decided to get a shiny new iPhone 6. I could not decide between the big 6 and the bigger 6 plus. The 6 plus looks like a clown shoe. On the other hand, the 6 plus had a better battery, a better camera, and the screen is glorious.
I stode in the store for an hour touching them both; I compared how they felt in my hand; I tried reading things on both; I played Clumsy Ninja on both. I had already polled the people I knew, and some I didn’t, about their new phones. Everyone I asked liked the phone they purchased regardless of size. The 6ers thought the 6 plus was too big; the plusers thought the extra size was the best. I obsessively read all the reviews I could find. The 6 is perfect; the 6 plus is perfect; the 6 plus is too big….
After all the hemming and hawing, I pulled the plug on a 6 plus. I could manage it one handed. It fit in my pocket. As in all things screened, bigger is better. The landscape mode tricks were impressive too. If the phone made use of the extra real estate would be killer.
It didn’t take long for me to adjust to the size of the phone. I immediately adjusted my grip so that I could use it one handed. The weight was a bit of an issue and my hands did tire faster.
The landscape keyboard was a blessing and a curse. The extra keys were nice. Bunching the most useful keys in the middle not so nice. Instead of having a little more romm for my fat fingers, I still had to tap on tiny keys. Now I had to stretch to tap on them. My typing actually got slower. Because of the increased size, the portrait keyboard, which I found easier for typing, was not great either. I found the 6 plus too top heavy for extended use.
For reading the big screen was better. There was more text on the screen and I could adjust the text size up if I was tired. Pictures were better too. This is where the 6 plus really shined.
Like many others, I did have bluetooth issues. I had to manually reconnect the phone to my everytime I wanted to use it. While not a deal breaker, this was annoying.
Touch ID was great. I wasn’t flawless, but most of the times it didn’t work properly were user error. I didn’t get my thimb on the sensor properly.
Apple Pay was brilliant in it boringness. Every time I used it I marveled at how easy and utterly unremarkable it was. Paying for things should always be as fast and easy.
The camera was nice. I took some good pictures. The big screen made reviewing the pictures much easier.
Carrying the iPhone 6 Plus around was not much of an issue. It fit in my pants pocket without much trouble. It was a little awkward in some of my pants. Fitting it into other spots was more troublesome. It was too long for the any of the spots in my car. It didn’t fit in the waterproof pouch I use for kayaking and biking. It didn’t fit in the large touring saddle bag I have on my bike.
The biggest problem with the 6 plus was that it made my hand tired. While I could manage it one handed and carry it around withut trouble, my hands always hurt. I never felt like I had a solid grip on the phone. I never dropped it or really felt like I was bobbling it.
In the end, there was nothing wrong with the 6 plus. There was just a bunch of little things all related to its size. If the size was worth the accumilation of troubles, I would have kept the phone. However, it wasn’t. The extra size was nice, but not game changing. The landscape tricks on some of the apps hinted at how the size could be useful. At this point, there are not enough of them to make it worth the issue.
I found that if I really wanted the extra size, the iPad was better.
Showing posts with label gadgets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gadgets. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2014
Friday, March 2, 2012
Keeping Track of Everything
It is no secret that I suffer from gadgetophilia. What is a little surprising to me is my love of data. I always thought that tracking a paddle on GPS was useful while on the water, and it was fun to see your speed at the end of the trip. I never really thought I'd be interested in that data later.
A few years ago I got a Garmin Forerunner as a cycling computer. It track cadence, speed, heart rate, and your course. It also let's you down load the data to a computer for tracking your workouts. I figured what the heck, it would be cool to see where I've been riding. Now, I have three years of ride data and I constantly compare new rides with past rides to track my progress. It is a little bit of an obsession.
I've also been keeping track of my weight because my doctor told me it was the best way to diet. Seeing the trend line would keep me motivated. It never really worked, but I did it anyway. The graph was sort of neat. When our scale died a few weeks ago, I wanted one that would automatically track my weight. I ended up with the Withings scale. It records weight, BMI, and body composition data and automatically uploads it to the Web. I find this super cool and love looking at the graph.
This obsession with data extends to photos as well. I love the way iPhoto can show where a picture was taken and I love the fact that my iPhone automatically ads that information. It save me from compulsively adding the data manually. If I have to I do while I'm adding face data, because that is super cool too.
Initially I worried that maybe keeping track of all this stuff was unhealthy; it was just another time killing obsession. As I thought about it more I realized that it was just another form of journalling in a sense and that some of the data was actually helpful. In fact, human beings have been obsessed with keeping track of things forever. Technology just makes it easier.
I have always been a journal keeper. Writing things down started out as a crazy teenage dream about having source material for an autobiography for when I was famous. Then it became a creative outlet and a way to work out the stresses of life. The journal is also a good way to keep things in perspective. It provides a window to the past, both good and bad, that can help refocus what is happening in the present. It can also provide clues as to what is happening in the present-sort of like medical records.
The face and places data with the photos serves a similar role. It provides context for the pictures. It adds to the memory. It also makes the photos easier to find.
The workout data and the weight data doesn't serve a real memory purpose, but they do help in keeping track of your health. I can easily see that last summer I was in better shape than I am now. That is no surprise since the stationary bike is easier than a real bike. I can also easily see that I am in better shape at this year than I was at the same time last year. So, when I drag the real bike out of the garage, I will be able to gage what is a good starting point for training. When my health anxiety gets going good I can see proof that I'm in good physical shape.
I think that the data craze is here to stay and not just for me. Anyone can keep and track reams of data about themselves cheaply and easily. For a hundred dollars you can buy a wrist band that monitors your activity throughout the day and monitor the quality of your sleep. With a smartphone you do even more.
Applications like Facebook, Pintrest, and Intagram are more ways we keep records of our lives. They are taking the place of journals, folders, and photo albums. Just easier to update, store, and share.
Of course the downside of all this is that companies now have access to all of this information too. When it was written on paper in your drawer or in your bookcase, you controlled access to the information. Now Facebook, Google, Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and other companies can use the data for their own ends. You just have to trust them to be good shepherds and not sell your data to the wolves.
That is probably easier with companies that view you as their customer instead of their product.... So it pays to know the business model of the companies who have your data.
A few years ago I got a Garmin Forerunner as a cycling computer. It track cadence, speed, heart rate, and your course. It also let's you down load the data to a computer for tracking your workouts. I figured what the heck, it would be cool to see where I've been riding. Now, I have three years of ride data and I constantly compare new rides with past rides to track my progress. It is a little bit of an obsession.
I've also been keeping track of my weight because my doctor told me it was the best way to diet. Seeing the trend line would keep me motivated. It never really worked, but I did it anyway. The graph was sort of neat. When our scale died a few weeks ago, I wanted one that would automatically track my weight. I ended up with the Withings scale. It records weight, BMI, and body composition data and automatically uploads it to the Web. I find this super cool and love looking at the graph.
This obsession with data extends to photos as well. I love the way iPhoto can show where a picture was taken and I love the fact that my iPhone automatically ads that information. It save me from compulsively adding the data manually. If I have to I do while I'm adding face data, because that is super cool too.
Initially I worried that maybe keeping track of all this stuff was unhealthy; it was just another time killing obsession. As I thought about it more I realized that it was just another form of journalling in a sense and that some of the data was actually helpful. In fact, human beings have been obsessed with keeping track of things forever. Technology just makes it easier.
I have always been a journal keeper. Writing things down started out as a crazy teenage dream about having source material for an autobiography for when I was famous. Then it became a creative outlet and a way to work out the stresses of life. The journal is also a good way to keep things in perspective. It provides a window to the past, both good and bad, that can help refocus what is happening in the present. It can also provide clues as to what is happening in the present-sort of like medical records.
The face and places data with the photos serves a similar role. It provides context for the pictures. It adds to the memory. It also makes the photos easier to find.
The workout data and the weight data doesn't serve a real memory purpose, but they do help in keeping track of your health. I can easily see that last summer I was in better shape than I am now. That is no surprise since the stationary bike is easier than a real bike. I can also easily see that I am in better shape at this year than I was at the same time last year. So, when I drag the real bike out of the garage, I will be able to gage what is a good starting point for training. When my health anxiety gets going good I can see proof that I'm in good physical shape.
I think that the data craze is here to stay and not just for me. Anyone can keep and track reams of data about themselves cheaply and easily. For a hundred dollars you can buy a wrist band that monitors your activity throughout the day and monitor the quality of your sleep. With a smartphone you do even more.
Applications like Facebook, Pintrest, and Intagram are more ways we keep records of our lives. They are taking the place of journals, folders, and photo albums. Just easier to update, store, and share.
Of course the downside of all this is that companies now have access to all of this information too. When it was written on paper in your drawer or in your bookcase, you controlled access to the information. Now Facebook, Google, Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and other companies can use the data for their own ends. You just have to trust them to be good shepherds and not sell your data to the wolves.
That is probably easier with companies that view you as their customer instead of their product.... So it pays to know the business model of the companies who have your data.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Overdrive for iOS
Overdrive finally came out with a solution for getting library books onto iOS devices. It took them long enough, but apparently not long enough.
At first the app was iPhone only (crazy for an e-book app) and it took a month for them to update it to a universal app. I didn't even bother with it until it was universal. The iPhone screen is great, but it is not my first choice for leisurely reading.
On the iPad it is a passable experience. The text is clear, pages turn using the standard tap on the side motion, and the interface is nice and sparse. Along the bottom you can see how far you are into the current chapter, but this display auto-hides and I found it tricky to bring back up consistently. There along the top there are buttons for getting to the TOC, adjusting text size, adjusting brightness, bookmarking, and getting to the main menu.
I found the text layout flat, but that could have been the e-book. I also found the lack of a dictionary troubling. I guess I've become spoiled by being able to look up words without leaving the book.
Getting books into the app is where it really falls down. To check books out of the library, you must leave the app and go to the library's web site. The app sort of helps you locate the right library, but the mechanics of it are poor. Basically you need to scroll through long lists. The Boston Public Library's site was OK on the iPad, but not great. Searching was terrible.
All in all the app is OK. It is not the one of the more polished e-book apps out there, but it will get library books onto your iPad.
At first the app was iPhone only (crazy for an e-book app) and it took a month for them to update it to a universal app. I didn't even bother with it until it was universal. The iPhone screen is great, but it is not my first choice for leisurely reading.
On the iPad it is a passable experience. The text is clear, pages turn using the standard tap on the side motion, and the interface is nice and sparse. Along the bottom you can see how far you are into the current chapter, but this display auto-hides and I found it tricky to bring back up consistently. There along the top there are buttons for getting to the TOC, adjusting text size, adjusting brightness, bookmarking, and getting to the main menu.
I found the text layout flat, but that could have been the e-book. I also found the lack of a dictionary troubling. I guess I've become spoiled by being able to look up words without leaving the book.
Getting books into the app is where it really falls down. To check books out of the library, you must leave the app and go to the library's web site. The app sort of helps you locate the right library, but the mechanics of it are poor. Basically you need to scroll through long lists. The Boston Public Library's site was OK on the iPad, but not great. Searching was terrible.
All in all the app is OK. It is not the one of the more polished e-book apps out there, but it will get library books onto your iPad.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Apple TV
H got me a new AppleTV v2 for my birthday. I was shocked at it diminutive stature even after having seen them in the store. Its tiny size, however, is only one of its charms.
Set up was a piece of cake. I hooked up the HDMI cables, turned on the TV, and pointed it at our wireless network. From opening the box to streaming You Tube videos took about five minutes.
The interface is what you would expect from Apple. A two year old could use it without trouble. Everything is shiny and smooth. It makes my cable box interface feel like traveling back to the days of arcane magic and chanting. The only downside is having to navigate the on steen keyboard with a remote, but that can be easily fixed....
We rented Time Bandits from iTunes and it was almost too easy. The first time I had to enter my iTunes ID and password and it appeared on the TV. we waited a few seconds and starting watching. After the first rental the box remembers your ID and only asks for your password.
Finding content is easy as well. There are search fields just about everywhere. The remote isn't the best typing tool, but it isn't the worst either. I was able to find Chandler Vader on You Tube without much trouble. Finding radio stations was oddly difficult because there you cannot search in the radio interface. Hopefully they will fix that omission.
Streaming content over our finicky G wireless connection provides astonishingly good results. Time Bandits didn't stutter at all. The radio stations we've listened to didn't skip either. Netflix does occasionally hiccup. During an episode of Firefly I had to pause three times to allow the buffer to fill and resume normal playback.
When you pair the Apple TV with an iOS device it really shines. The Remote app smooths out the trouble of typing with the remote because you an use the iOS keyboard. Air Play is also a great feature. While traveling I rented Donny Darko to watch on the plane ride home, but didn't get around to it. Instead of sitting in my living room staring at my iPad's tiny screen, I sent it to my big TV screen. Playback was smooth and trouble free. I did experience one network hiccup, but our network is a little dodgy at times.
Can the Apple TV replace cable? No. Is it a nice addition to our media system? Yes. Is it worth the price? At $99 it isn't too hard to swallow.
Set up was a piece of cake. I hooked up the HDMI cables, turned on the TV, and pointed it at our wireless network. From opening the box to streaming You Tube videos took about five minutes.
The interface is what you would expect from Apple. A two year old could use it without trouble. Everything is shiny and smooth. It makes my cable box interface feel like traveling back to the days of arcane magic and chanting. The only downside is having to navigate the on steen keyboard with a remote, but that can be easily fixed....
We rented Time Bandits from iTunes and it was almost too easy. The first time I had to enter my iTunes ID and password and it appeared on the TV. we waited a few seconds and starting watching. After the first rental the box remembers your ID and only asks for your password.
Finding content is easy as well. There are search fields just about everywhere. The remote isn't the best typing tool, but it isn't the worst either. I was able to find Chandler Vader on You Tube without much trouble. Finding radio stations was oddly difficult because there you cannot search in the radio interface. Hopefully they will fix that omission.
Streaming content over our finicky G wireless connection provides astonishingly good results. Time Bandits didn't stutter at all. The radio stations we've listened to didn't skip either. Netflix does occasionally hiccup. During an episode of Firefly I had to pause three times to allow the buffer to fill and resume normal playback.
When you pair the Apple TV with an iOS device it really shines. The Remote app smooths out the trouble of typing with the remote because you an use the iOS keyboard. Air Play is also a great feature. While traveling I rented Donny Darko to watch on the plane ride home, but didn't get around to it. Instead of sitting in my living room staring at my iPad's tiny screen, I sent it to my big TV screen. Playback was smooth and trouble free. I did experience one network hiccup, but our network is a little dodgy at times.
Can the Apple TV replace cable? No. Is it a nice addition to our media system? Yes. Is it worth the price? At $99 it isn't too hard to swallow.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
TV Box Interfaces
I just got done reading a description of the new Logitec Revue. It sounds impressive. It definitely out does the competition in terms of features and for triple the price it should.
The thing I'm intrigued by is the remote which includes a full on keyboard. The keyboard will make typing in searches easier than the onscreen keyboards used on most TV boxes now. But do I want to use a keyboard to interact with my TV? My gut says no.
What I really think would be interesting is a TV box that let me use my phone or tablet control things. I'm picturing a scenario where the search for content entirely on my remote while the big screen continues to show the real content. When I find the show I want to watch I can then switch the big screen. Browse on the tablet and watch on the TV.
The thing I'm intrigued by is the remote which includes a full on keyboard. The keyboard will make typing in searches easier than the onscreen keyboards used on most TV boxes now. But do I want to use a keyboard to interact with my TV? My gut says no.
What I really think would be interesting is a TV box that let me use my phone or tablet control things. I'm picturing a scenario where the search for content entirely on my remote while the big screen continues to show the real content. When I find the show I want to watch I can then switch the big screen. Browse on the tablet and watch on the TV.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Invisible Shield Failure
Since my iPhone 4 is so pretty, I didn't want to hide it in a cover. I did, however, want some protection for it. The best rated product I could find was Zagg Invisible Shields. They are supposedly clear plastic covers that prevents scratches.
I found them to be a total waste of money. Installing them is a process that is hard to get right. It also involves water.... Needless to say I was totally paranoid for awhile after doing the install.
It made my phone look cheap. It is shiny and the ends didn't lie flat. The edges kept pealing up and I couldn't use a bumper.
The worst part was that it made the awesome screen of the iPhone look crappy.
I cannot recommend these.
I found them to be a total waste of money. Installing them is a process that is hard to get right. It also involves water.... Needless to say I was totally paranoid for awhile after doing the install.
It made my phone look cheap. It is shiny and the ends didn't lie flat. The edges kept pealing up and I couldn't use a bumper.
The worst part was that it made the awesome screen of the iPhone look crappy.
I cannot recommend these.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sodastream Love
For Christmas H and I invested (OK we used X-mas money from my Mom) in a new Sodastream machine. It is a counter top soda water maker. I drink a ton of flavored seltzer water; enough to keep a tribe of desert nomads hydrated for years. I also love new toys!!
Initially the marketing hype had me hooked: save money, save the environment, limitless flavors, convenient, healthier, etc. The other thing that had me hooked was the absence of negative reviews on the Web. It seemed like everyone who has ever used one of these things liked it, or at least didn't dislike it enough to type in a Web based hate screed.
After using it steadily for three months, I know why there is a dearth of negative reviews for Sodastream machines. The thing is one of the few gadgets that lives up to the hype.
We purchased the starter kit that came with the machine, a carbonator, 2 one liter bottles, and an assortment of flavors. We also ponied up for 2 extra bottles, a diet cola mix, a diet grapefruit mix, and a spare carbonator. In total, the cost was around $180.
The machine is a snap to set up. You simply pop the back off of the unit, screw the carbonator in, and reattach the back cover.
Making seltzer water is even easier. You fill up one of the bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and push the button a few times. After a few pumps the machine makes a loud farting noise. That means the water is fizzed. The directions say 3 farts make the water averagely fizzy and I would concur. You can tailor the fizzy to your own tastes.
To add flavors you simply pour the flavoring into the fizzed water. Adding the flavor before the fizzy is a messy proposition.
All of the flavors we tried (diet cola, diet grapefruit, berry essence, and lime essence) were good. The diet cola is more like RC cola than Coke or Pepsi. The grapefruit is like pink Fresca. The essences are just like any generic flavored seltzer you'd buy in the store. I can be pretty finicky and I haven't missed the brand name flavors (OK I do miss the Polar Vanilla occasionally).
In the three months that we've had the machine, H had purchased one liter of seltzer (it was on sale and a flavor I'm fond of). She doesn't miss lugging the bottles from the store or trudging the empties back to recycle. We always have seltzer in the house and often have soda as well.
We've used one of the carbonators (refills are $15), the diet grapefruit, and one of the essences. In total, I'm guessing we've gotten more than 100 liters of seltzer and soda out of the Sodastream. So the total cost per-liter is about $1.80 or less. Sure it is more than what seltzer costs at the store, but I'm guessing that before we burn through all of the starter kit supplies we'll have made 200 liters of seltzer which brings it under $1.00 a liter. Overtime the price per liter will keep going down. Add the convenience of not having to lug seltzer water home from the store, and knowing that the water used is filtered, and the cost is even better.
Our Sodastream is one of the few kitchen gadgets I've seen that are really useful!
Initially the marketing hype had me hooked: save money, save the environment, limitless flavors, convenient, healthier, etc. The other thing that had me hooked was the absence of negative reviews on the Web. It seemed like everyone who has ever used one of these things liked it, or at least didn't dislike it enough to type in a Web based hate screed.
After using it steadily for three months, I know why there is a dearth of negative reviews for Sodastream machines. The thing is one of the few gadgets that lives up to the hype.
We purchased the starter kit that came with the machine, a carbonator, 2 one liter bottles, and an assortment of flavors. We also ponied up for 2 extra bottles, a diet cola mix, a diet grapefruit mix, and a spare carbonator. In total, the cost was around $180.
The machine is a snap to set up. You simply pop the back off of the unit, screw the carbonator in, and reattach the back cover.
Making seltzer water is even easier. You fill up one of the bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and push the button a few times. After a few pumps the machine makes a loud farting noise. That means the water is fizzed. The directions say 3 farts make the water averagely fizzy and I would concur. You can tailor the fizzy to your own tastes.
To add flavors you simply pour the flavoring into the fizzed water. Adding the flavor before the fizzy is a messy proposition.
All of the flavors we tried (diet cola, diet grapefruit, berry essence, and lime essence) were good. The diet cola is more like RC cola than Coke or Pepsi. The grapefruit is like pink Fresca. The essences are just like any generic flavored seltzer you'd buy in the store. I can be pretty finicky and I haven't missed the brand name flavors (OK I do miss the Polar Vanilla occasionally).
In the three months that we've had the machine, H had purchased one liter of seltzer (it was on sale and a flavor I'm fond of). She doesn't miss lugging the bottles from the store or trudging the empties back to recycle. We always have seltzer in the house and often have soda as well.
We've used one of the carbonators (refills are $15), the diet grapefruit, and one of the essences. In total, I'm guessing we've gotten more than 100 liters of seltzer and soda out of the Sodastream. So the total cost per-liter is about $1.80 or less. Sure it is more than what seltzer costs at the store, but I'm guessing that before we burn through all of the starter kit supplies we'll have made 200 liters of seltzer which brings it under $1.00 a liter. Overtime the price per liter will keep going down. Add the convenience of not having to lug seltzer water home from the store, and knowing that the water used is filtered, and the cost is even better.
Our Sodastream is one of the few kitchen gadgets I've seen that are really useful!
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