Periodic Ramblings

I do support for family members and other groups that usually is over the phone.  Sometimes I need to know the name and the version of the software they are using.

I found the site www.whatbrowser.org, run by Google which will take a look at the request headers from your browser and display the current vendor and version information.  No longer will you need to have Grandma or Mom try to find the About button, you can just have them go to this page and it will give the current version of their browser.

Now if we could just get people to stop using Internet Explorer 6.0.

Tonight my brother and his girlfriend stopped by the house for a visit.  While he was there, he asked if there was a site where he and his graduate school colleagues could edit and share documents.  Now my brother is computer literate and knows how to surf the web, download stuff and work his computer, but not necessarily up on everything going on in the cyberspace.

Where does the average person go to find out about services on the web?  It started me thinking.  I am not sure.  For those of us in the “know” we usually have read about it on a tech blog or have seen a Tweet on Twitter.  But for people like my brother, these two things do not happen.  Usually what happens is a conversation like tonight where they ask someone with the knowledge and I go, well that is easy you can either use Zoho Docs or Google Docs, and proceed to give a quick 15 minute demo.  So, I thought, maybe I will put a website together that shows people these things, but again, how do you advertise that is out there?

So, I am trying to find a way to publicize to the average computer user about services like Google Docs.  Something where they can go to a website, take a look and go, yep that will work for me.

Today Apple announced the iPad, and while all the speculation and hype expected it, I sensed that I was not alone in my disappointment in the iPad and other non-announcements.  I guess I was hoping for a new iPhone OS version and an iPad closer to the computer line of products, not the iPhone line of products.

The iPad from what can be seen from Apple’s website and others, is a larger version of the iPhone.  The interface is almost a direct duplication of the iPhone interface, with the only difference being its larger.

So what are the Pros:

• Runs existing iPhone Applications.
• Larger screen makes web browsing more usable.
• Possibility for real-world business applications is a reality.  (The keynote showed a version of iWork for the iPad which looks awesome.)
• iBooks application allows for ebook reading on the iPad.
• 3G capability.

Here are what I think are the Cons:

• Uses the iPhone OS.  I would have rather seen it use OS X so that existing applications could be utilized.  I think the real killer usage of the iPad in my mind is not an expanded version of the iPhone but a replacement for the notebook.  I would have easily plunked down $500-$800 for the ability to replace a notebook with this.
• Does not correct any of the limitations that I have mentioned early on this blog, so no multitasking, no data sharing, limited usefulness in my mind.
• Lack of camera.  While I would not have used it for taking pictures, this could have made a killer Skype solution.
• Closed technology.  Apple needs to stop trying to force people into a closed solution.

So, what is my verdict?  I think the iPad will appeal to a smaller group of people than an OS X version would have.  These people will mostly be those who want a ebook reader that can play games and is larger than the iPhone or iPod Touch.  Myself?  I will wait and see what comes next from Apple.  Like the original iPhone, which I waited until the 3G version to get, I think I will wait until the next version of the iPad comes out.

I signed up recently with Foursquare more out of curiosity than anything. Since it is web applications for updating with your current location, it only made sense to download the iPhone application also.

The application for Foursquare is pretty simple and straight forward. The main screen lists your friends and where they last checked in along with a button to check in yourself. When you go to Check-In, you can either select a location that Foursquare knows about in your general location or search for a new location.

The application itself works well, updates and searches were quick. My only complaint is that around lunch time, I tend to get a connection failure message frequently. I know it is not a 3G or WiFi problem, because I am able to surf the web and check email at the same time. I realize that the lack of pizazz around the app will turn some people off, but for me the simplicity was what made me keep coming back to it.

Google released an updated online version of its Google Voice application today.  It is HTML5 compliant and in my mind a wonderful update, especially on the iPhone.  Ever since getting my Google Voice number, I have been waiting for a native application on my iPhone like I have on my Blackberry Curve.  And while this is not a native application, it comes close in the way it works through the browser.

A couple of items to note.  First, it does not ring your iPhone to make a call, it calls you from a Google number which then connects to the number you have requested to call.  Second, there is no integration with the iPhone Contacts application, not unexpected, but forces you to make sure that your Google contacts and iPhone contacts are synced if you expect to call from the application to all of your contacts.   Third, in order to get notified that you have a voicemail within Google Voice, you need to setup SMS messaging, not a big deal, but if you are worried about text messaging costs you may want to watch that.

This is a great step in the right direction, but the real problem here is the fact that the iPhone remains a closed environment.  Apple needs to stop pretending to know what users want, or more savvy users like myself may choose a Google branded phone next time.

The Present
by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

I had the opportunity to read “The Present” by Spencer Johnson for a discussion group at work.  While I had read his best selling “Who Moved My Cheese” a number of years ago, I looked at the book as being simplistic with not a lot of meat around the message.  So when “The Present” was the book being presented, I looked on it with some apprehension and continued to procrastinate on reading the book until two days before the discussion.  I have to say, I am pleased that I took the time to read the book and recommend it to others who are looking for some balance in their work and personal life between the Past, Present and Future.

The book focuses around a “young man” who is told by an “old man” that there is a “Present” that when received will make you happier and more successful.  The “young man” continues to search for this “Present”, until one day when he realizes that the “Present” is not a thing but something inside of you, an idea.   We all have the “Present” and just need to discover it in our own lifestyle.  The book takes you through the trials and tribulations of the man’s life continuing to bring him back to the “old man” for wisdom, until he finally understands fully the “Present” and what it means for his own life ambitions.

The “Present” is a pretty simple concept in itself, you need to balance “The Past”, “The Present” and “The Future”.  As Johnson puts it, you need to “Learn from the Past”, “Live in the Present” and “Create the Future” with a clear “Purpose” driving the “Response” and putting them all in balance.  While that concept is relatively simple, putting it into practice is not.  We tend to focus on what could of or should have been, instead of on what is.  Johnson shows through the man’s life experiences that it is not always easy, but if you continue to focus on the “Purpose” and that you live in “The Present” you can be more successful and happier in your life.

The book itself is an easy and entertaining 105 pages with plenty of pages calling out the concepts that are being presented in the story.  I was able to finish the book in about two hours and that included taking notes and at times re-reading sections to make sure I was getting the full picture that Johnson was presenting.

Sometimes what seems like a simple concept, really is hard to live to and this book does not argue that living in “The Present” is not going to be difficult.  Instead it focuses on that it does take time and energy and there will be times that you will fail and have to refocus yourself.  I was enlightened by the examples and how it showed that the three phases of life do make a life whole.

So, I encourage anyone who struggles with dwelling in the past or focusing too much on the future to pick this book up and spend a little time reflecting on your own life and the ideas that are presented here.  I can tell already that I will be revisiting this a number of times, but I too need to focus more on “The Present” that I have been given already.

Supposedly at the January 27 Apple event, they will be announcing a new version of the iPhone OS.  I have seen a number of articles on the web about what should be part of the next version.  While I have been happy with my iPhone 3G and the latest version of the OS,  there are potential areas for improvement.

1.  Background Processes

I know what the thought was for not allowing this, but I have to say, it is irritating to be listening to XM Radio or Pandora, get a text message or email notification and have to stop listening in order to check.  These types of applications to me are obvious choices for allowing background processing.  Maybe Apple can have another option on the submission form where an application can apply for background processing exception and Apple can still have the final say.

2. Weather

Come on Apple, just sign an agreement with the Weather Channel or Accuweather and get rid of the horrendous weather application that no one  uses.

3. 10MB Download Limit

Let me decide if I want to wait an extended time to download a file greater than 10MB.  There are times I will be at work and want to listen to a podcast that gets posted in the morning, but guess what it is over 10MB, so either I find a Starbucks and use their WIFI or I wait.

4. Shared Data Space

There has to be a way to share data space for documents and other files on the iPhone.  I would like to be able to download a file in email and use Mariner Calc to view the spreadsheet, or allow me to download new music from Amazon and use it in the iPod application.

5. Flash

While not high on my list, it would be nice to use Flash applications on the iPhone.   Apple and Adobe need to kiss and make up.

I realize that a lot of limitations within the iPhone OS are to keep the user experience at a certain level, but there are a number of users like myself that will accept that things may not necessarily be the “Apple” preferred experience.  Let me decide how to use the phone, otherwise my next phone may just be an Android.

I was looking for a Twitter application for Linux today, and stumbled upon a Twitter plugin for VIM, called TwitVIM.  Now being a longtime Unix admin, VI has always been my editor of choice and VIM is just a more feature rich version of VI, so this plugin excited me.

I downloaded the plugin, sourced it in VIM then restarted VIM to use it.  The plugin is pretty simple in that it only lets you post entries and view your timeline.  There is no search or lists or  any of the other more advanced features of Twitter, but it does get the job done.

It constantly amazes me the interfaces to web apps that people come up with.

The New York Times posted an interesting article yesterday (January 22, 2010) showing the overlapping technologies from the four tech giants.

The list goes through and identifies which company is operating in a certain space, either with a product out today or a product in development.  The categories range from Mobile Phones to Operating Systems to traditional web services (IM, Email, Photo Storage).

The chart points out interesting changes in directions for the four companies:

• Google now competes in the Operating System and Mobile Phone space.
• Apple is in the Email and IM space.
• Microsoft is exploring the Social Networking space.
• Yahoo seems to be stagnant, not really offering any new products/services.

Over the past thirty years, the tech giants continue to change and evolve.  If this was done even ten years ago, who would be on this comparison chart (IBM and Sun maybe), twenty years ago, thirty years ago?  Technology will continue to evolve and so will the players at the top of the technology curve.

Looks like astronauts aboard the International Space Station finally have Internet access via this Slashdot story.

There is part of me that wonders why it has taken so long for this to happen.