New iPhone offers significant upgrade for some

The day my last column printed, I had already downloaded and upgraded my original iPhone and was waiting in line to pick up the new iPhone 3G. Not surprisingly, I saw many friends while standing in line, many people with the first generation iPhone (myself included), and even several people I waited in line with a year ago to get the first iPhone on day one. Just as the year before, all of us waited patiently for a phone none of us had even seen.

I was not surprised. At the newly subsidized prices of $199 and $299, getting the new iPhone, for some (even here in Columbia), merited camping out at the AT&T all night. I was only so bold as to wake at 5 a.m., be in line at 6 a.m., and wait for three hours outside the AT&T store. But, alas, my early attendance failed me; the supply trickled dry just as I walked up. I placed a fulfillment order and two days later, I had a new iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3G is not very different from the old iPhone. The name corresponds to its ability to use the faster third generation (3G) data service from AT&T. 3G capability and GPS are really the only new features of the updated hardware, unless you consider the new color choices of black or white (white only in 16GB). The storage capacity remained the same at eight and 16GBs, and the few buttons are all unchanged. It is worth pointing out the headphone jack is no longer recessed, allowing for all standard headphones to be used.

Adding the two new features did make the iPhone 3G slightly thicker than the previous generation, but it doesn’t show. With the new beveled back, the iPhone 3G actually feels thinner than its predecessor.

Corresponding with the release of the new iPhone 3G, Apple pushed the new iPhone 2.0 operating system (OS) upgrade. The new OS is loaded on the iPhone 3G and can be installed on older iPhones via iTunes. Along with several general fixes, improvements and small updates, The 2.0 software changes the game for the iPhone by adding Exchange and Application.

Continue...

Via Columbia Business Times

Must have iPhone App for any one in CoMo

Though I haven’t mentioned it on this blog (because it has been mentioned everywhere else) the new iPhone is out.  But the old iPhone has been upgraded, making it almost as great as the new iPhone.  So all Columbia, Missouri iPhone users, new and old, download iCoMo News.  This is a really great little app, very basic, but very useful.  This App was the brainchild of Courtney Schroeder, Misty Anderson, and Alex Tribou as a capstone project for the Journalism School at Mizzou.  iCoMo converges three major news media outlets into one easy, straightforward, consolidated application. The Application loads with the current Doppler Radar images from KOMU (NBC), the latest headlines from the Columbia Missouri, and news podcast from KBIA.

While iCoMo News is great program, I wish it would pull more information into itself.  Right now all the links actually opens the iPhone web browser and loads the actual standard website.  It would be nice if the RSS feeds would load directly in the application.  By opening the news stories in the browser it prevents me from going back and reading other news stories or checking other media outlets. While a major inconvenience, iCoMo still makes it very easy to stay up to date with the latest CoMo news.

Via iTunes App Store

Competitors beat updated iPhone to stores, but lose in comparison

While waiting for the new iPhone to reach the market, I spent a week with Sprint’s new Instinct and briefly tested Verizon’s Dare, two iPhone wannabes.

Samsung’s Instinct

Made by Samsung, the Instinct is similar to the iPhone in shape, size and design. It has minimal physical buttons and a large touch-sensitive display. (www.instinctthephone.com)
When it came to hardware, faults are hard to find. The black phone has a sleek design, a 2.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS, EV-DO (Sprint’s 3G data connection), a standard stereo headphone jack and a USB connector. It does lack WiFi, necessitating an EV-DO connection to access the Internet at any reasonable speed.

I disliked the hold button’s location on the top of the phone. It is not in a place for easy one-hand access. Plus, it requires double click and hold to unlock the phone, a major hindrance when just trying to make a phone call. The phone also cannot be used in direct sunlight; the screen completely washes out.

Beyond hardware, software is what can make or break a phone of this nature. The Instinct makes a great effort but falls short.

Continue...

Via CBT

Backing up…

The image above is from a great blog called Indexed and reminded me of how often I complain about people not backing up, and that I was probably due for another rant.  Backing up is something people don’t do.  I get it.  It takes time.  It boils down to how replaceable is the data.  If your computer replaced with a brand new one, what data would have to be transfered? Any?  Could you just start fresh or are you going to need something from that old machine?

Backing up is simple.  Make a copy, put it on another disk.  Any kind of disk: usb flash drive, CD, DVD, external HD.  The key is MAKE A COPY!!!  Moving a file to a separate disk is not making a copy, it’s moving a file.  If that drive is lost, the file is lost.  I hear all too often, “I put the file on my external hard drive, so it’s ok.” No it’s not.  External hard drives are just as susceptible to failure as internal hard drives. 

I’m a huge fan of Apple’s new Time Machine system in Leopard (OS 10.5).  The system can be used with any external or internal hard drive (different than the boot drive), and can be used with network volumes, such as AirDisk in the new Extreme Basestations, Time Capsule (Apple’s new wireless router with built in network disk), networked volumes on other computers, and other network drive systems like Drobo.

Every hour the system backs itself up with no user involvement after setup. Time Machine saves the hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for everything older than a month.  The system is smart and easy to use.  We have implemented it for all of our server, desktop machines and laptops in the office.  When there is no need to think about it, backups actually happen.  When backups happen people have no need to worry or break down when their hard drives crash. 

In our office, a file does not exist unless it is in two places.

Via Indexed

Carolina Chocolate Drops - July 4th at Mojo’s Park - UPDATED

Everyone should come down for the Carolina Chocolate drops show this Fourth of July.  CCD played an amazing show at last years Roots ‘n’ Blues ‘n’ BBQ Festival and have come back to help Columbia, Missouri do Independence Day right.  There will be food, beer, fun, and SPRINKLERS!!! That’s right sprinklers.  He’s a clip from CCD’s performance at the festival last year.

UPDATE: Just found this clip of the Carolina Chocolate Drops from the Roots ‘n’ Blues ‘n’ BBQ Festival of them covering Hit ‘em Up Style.

Next Page >