Lions Fullscreen Apps = Fail
I've been using Lion for a few months now (developer release) and have whole heartedly given full screen apps a chance. The way it works is pretty cool but there is one major problem... Full screen = Only 1 app per desktop which == Zero multi-tasking / productivity.
Situation 1: I was writing an email, wanted to lookup another email. In order todo this I had to save and close the new message I was writing then go find it in my drafts folder. Sucks!
Situation 2: Writing an email and wanted to open the calculator to add a few numbers together. Well had to switch desktops to open the calculator and then couldn't see my email to tally all the numbers listed in the message. Double sucks!
to each their own but I don't like full screen apps - most of the time it doesn't make sense
The day I decided to buy an Android tablet
I own an iPad and I'm happy with it. I have a lot of nerdy friends who claim any android powered tablet is better than my iPad. They say things like "Does it do this, does it have that, can it do this while that, is it open source, can you view this, can you root/hack it, can you blah blah blah... (inserty any techno / fanboy talk here) Me being lame (apparently) my answer is nope is sure doesn't, but it does what I need and I'm totally happy with that but thats not what my story is about... It's about the day curiosity and fanboys got the best of me, the day I decided to see if the grass is greener and if I was actually blinded by Apple's so call monopoly it's the day I decided to buy an Android tablet.
I went over to my local bestbuy determined to buy a tablet. Walked straight up to the tablet section and was presented with all of my android options, knowing that selection and choice was one of the key selling points. I was trying to remember all the comments on blogs. All the reasons why my ipad sucked compared to my friends android tablet. Which manufacture and model was the latest and greatest. Due to information overload I simple couldn't put it all together so I tracked down a bestbuy employee and long behold I was lucky enough to find resident Android expert. I told him I was looking for a tablet and he began to repeat everything I've already read, heard or knew about android and somethings I didn't. He was clearly passionate about android. After about 30 minutes of tech talk (I can hold my own) and showing me each model I didn't feel comfortable about which one to buy. I didn't know if it truly was the latest and greatest, if my 600+ dollars would be better spent by waiting a month for the competing manufactures release of their tablet, if what I was being told was an effort to move old product, if I would be able to use it because I had a mac. Simply put I was overloaded with options, features and choice so I decided not to purchase a tablet because I felt like it was impossible to choose the right tablet for my money.
I walked over to the iPads with the mindset that I didn't already own one or know about them and instantly felt different, without a doubt I knew I was buying the latest Apple offered. There was no other option at another store, I wasn't being pushed to buy old inventory to make room for a new manufactures line of tablets. The choice was simple: Wifi or 3G, small, medium or large (how much crap am I putting on the device). It didn't matter what processor speed, graphics chip or memory type. It would run every app Apple sales and view every webpage (that didn't have flash) on the internet and read every email received. It could post on facebook, take pictures and share my digital life. Yep my options where limited but that brought a sense of security and that sense of security is what 98% (based on no research and pure opinion) of potential tablet consumers want. Choice causes chaos and confusion and Apple knows this. They simplified your options for that reason. I'm a firm believer if Steve Jobs was always at the helm of Apple, Apple computer would have the same dominate marketshare in the PC world as they do in tablet world. They "get" the average consumer and thats why the "other superior" tablets will never have what the iPad has. Simplicity in the OS, user experience and buying experience.
minor annoyance: iphone contact list
This "feature" annoys me daily. After scrolling through my list of contacts, calling someone and hanging up. I return to my list of contacts and my iphone forgets where I was and puts me back up to the top of the cotnacts. Why can't you just leave me where I was on the list. Come on Apple do better!
Wouldn’t it be cool if…
Wouldn't it be cool if UPS, FEDEX & USPS allowed me to create an account and anything that is scheduled to be sent to my address could be tracked (heck offer an iCal subscription so I didn't have to login). It would be even more cool if you allowed me to re-route packages to another location (say office or a neighbors house). It would be even more cool if you alerted me when my package is on its way via text message and or email so I made sure that I was home to sign for it (the driver was on his way to my house next kinda thing). So many opportunities in this ever connected world for better real-time communication that just isn't happening
Antennagate and the iPhone 4 conspiracy
Before I got my iPhone 4 I was skeptical of the reported "death grip" / antenna problems reported. "How could Apple release a phone with such an obvious problem." After watching the press conference I was satisfied with the reply "Thats fair other phones have some type of reception problems." Now that I have my iPhone 4 it's clear to me there is a serious problem with the design and I think Apple knew about it the whole time and here is why....
Look back at all the other iPhone releases. Have you ever seen Apple design a case so quick or in parallel with launch? Uh NO... So Apple said "shit we have a problem here, what's a quick fix?"
Bumper's! Colorful, fun and happy looking bumpers. We'll sell them at launch and hopefully everyone will buy them and our antenna problem will slip under the radar. If that doesn't work we'll hold a press conference and expose everyone else in the industry and start a fight with the struggling competition. Plus we'll give away free bumper's to anyone that wants them making us look like we're the only one that cares when in actuality we screwed up with our design. At least the design is cool right?!?!
Time… Where are you?
I setup this blog thinking I'd have time to write down my thoughts... Well guess what? I don't but I'll continue to try.
In the meantime these are some of the news items i'm following and things i'm tinkering with:
- Facebook privacy
- Gulf coast oil spill
- Jailbreak iPhone and iPad
- NES emulator on the mac (playing super mario 3)
- Steam for MAC!
Sun Chips – Environmentally friendly, havoc on your ears
In all your tasty goodness your bag sure is loud and sucky. I'm not the only one who thinks so - look for yourself google search