Showing posts with label Verizon Wireless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Verizon Wireless. Show all posts

Saturday, September 18, 2010

On the Techie side of life!

Most of my recent entries, of which there are more than usual, have been about food. I think it's time for a post about something technological. Samsung has just recently announced it's Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a 7-inch tablet with the android operating system. The first real competitor to the iPad. In the coming year there will undoubtedly be a flood of tablets hitting the market. Many of these will use the Android operating system although there will be other operating systems as well. Samsung is looking to grab a chunk of the market as it will be releasing the Galaxy Tab through all of the top wireless providers in the USA as well as providers in Asia, Europe and elsewhere. The sad thing is many people will be getting tablets who have no idea what it is they are really getting.

What amazes me is the shear number of people who are getting Android phones who don't 'get' them. I mean they have an android phone but don't understand why (other than it's the newest, shiniest bobble in the store). I hear them bragging about "Apps? I don't need any apps. I just use it to make calls and sometimes message my kids/grandkids/chums/whoever" In that case why get a smartphone? I remember a few years ago, I had a lady in her late 40s or early 50s (in other words my age). She listed all of the things she didn't want in a phone: the web, email, messaging. This is another thing I don't understand, instead of listing what they want most people list what they don't want, very negative. Anyway, after listing everything she didn't want she said, "Can you show me the Blackberry's?" When I pointed out that they were everything she'd just said she didn't want she replied, "but aren't they the best phone there is?" The only thing I could say was no, they may be the best wireless device for some people if they want the web, email and messaging, but they aren't the best phone if you just mean making calls. 


I hear this type of comment a lot and it always makes me think of the used car salesman's proverbial little old lady who only used her Bugatti Veyron to drive half a mile to church on Sundays.

I have the original Motorola Droid, finally with Froyo and Flash.  I could easily live without it. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have it and I use it and certain apps on it daily, but I'm not dependent on it. Okay, I might get the shakes if I have to go without my RSS feeds for a while, but I'd adjust. I might miss some shows without my TV Show Listings, but as my dad used to say they'll be on as reruns next summer. If I traveled more there are many more features I'd use and be glad to have. But even people who seem to understand what they're getting better still show little understanding of what to expect from the new smartphones. They set them to check for email, Twitter and Facebook updates every few minutes and wonder why their battery doesn't last several days like their old flip phone. They play games for hours and then explain that they hardly ever use the phone. They never close running apps and download the silliest most useless apps in the Market and ones which for some reason require constant access to their location, messaging, calls and other personal data when all they are is a wallpaper changer or some such trivial app.

This seems to be a rant which I really didn't intend so I think I'd better end it now and come back when I'm in a better mood or something. But since I've gone this far my biggest complaint about Android phone users is that they can't be bothered to understand that they have  to know their Google account info. The carriers cannot be responsible for their personal info. 

Well, maybe I'd better get something to eat, it's been about 7 hours, and then some sleep and maybe I'll be in a better frame of mind.

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Technology currently in my life

In the last year I've gotten a big screen TV (46-inch) home theater system with 5-disc DVD player and a Blu-ray player. I also have an eReader (PRS-505) from Sony that I got two years ago. I mentioned in the previous post that I have a Netbook with service through Verizon Wireless. I've checked the shipping info and I should get the Droid tomorrow before 3pm.

This blog will be about my experiences with any or all of these hi-tech devices and any others I may get.

If you have any questions about any of these items please post them and I will try to answer them.

Yours

The Mobile Critter

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Learning the Mobile Life

I've finally given in and ordered a smart phone, the Motorola Droid with Verizon Wireless service. I already have a netbook (the HP Mini 1151) with their mobile broadband svc.

I should get the Droid in a couple of more days (Monday?).

I've already setup a Google Gmail account just for the Droid. I also went to my MyVerizon account and downloaded my Contacts from Backup Assistant to a csv file and imported the csv file into my Gmail contact list. Now when I activate my Droid and enter my Gmail account all my contacts will automatically be loaded.

This blog will be for posting comments and observations about my Droid phone and to a lesser extent about my HP Mini Netbook.

Yours

The Mobile Critter