Governor's  Instablog

After a first and second gen iPod Touch, I couldn't resist anymore and did the switch from Verizon to AT&T/Apple's iPhone.  Factors of resistance: leaving Verizon's trouble-free network and not using Skype on the iPhone (this was resolved).  Granted the most resistance I had was the fact that I did the opposite switch 5 years ago because AT&T was the absolute worst network ever.....but things have really changed!  First off, Verizon is like a communist nation making you do everything through their network, no open standards......no Wi-Fi and no synching with Outlook......who in the world uses VCAST?  Verizon is fencing themselves in by not adopting to Global Standards of Technology and normalcy....sync with Outlook for free, use a wi-fi connection when possible, I guess if you have less than 100 contacts and stay within a 10 mile radius of your house Verizon is for you.....but for the rest of us who get out there, the new AT&T is actually great.....I haven't had anybody complain about a bad connection and hoping into a Starbucks with automatic wi-fi authentication is awesome! Just off the press:  Verizon has just raised the get out of contract price from $175 to $350!  Good thing I switched off of them before they raised the anti-iPhone sentiment price.  The iPhone is a completely different phone/mini-computer experience in a great way.  Note this:  you aren't charged on AT&T's iPhone for checking your voicemail because it uses the unlimited data for this feature....with other carriers checking your voicemail minutes consumed up to 15% of my monthly allotment.  The iPhone is very carefully thought through and is unbelievably designed.....when a call comes through it gently silences your music for you to take the call.  And using Skype like a regular phone call through a wi-fi connection is like a making a normal phone call.  I can make calls in international destinations at no cost like having a normal phone!  It is truly incredible and worth the cost!

Disclosure: LONG AAPL

After a first and second gen iPod Touch, I couldn't resist anymore and did the switch from Verizon to AT&T/Apple's iPhone.  Factors of resistance: leaving Verizon's trouble-free network and not using Skype on the iPhone (this was resolved).  Granted the most resistance I had was the fact that I did the opposite switch 5 years ago because AT&T was the absolute worst network ever.....but things have really changed!  First off, Verizon is like a communist nation making you do everything through their network, no open standards......no Wi-Fi and no synching with Outlook......who in the world uses VCAST?  Verizon is fencing themselves in by not adopting to Global Standards of Technology and normalcy....sync with Outlook for free, use a wi-fi connection when possible, I guess if you have less than 100 contacts and stay within a 10 mile radius of your house Verizon is for you.....but for the rest of us who get out there, the new AT&T is actually great.....I haven't had anybody complain about a bad connection and hoping into a Starbucks with automatic wi-fi authentication is awesome! Just off the press:  Verizon has just raised the get out of contract price from $175 to $350!  Good thing I switched off of them before they raised the anti-iPhone sentiment price.  The iPhone is a completely different phone/mini-computer experience in a great way.  Note this:  you aren't charged on AT&T's iPhone for checking your voicemail because it uses the unlimited data for this feature....with other carriers checking your voicemail minutes consumed up to 15% of my monthly allotment.  The iPhone is very carefully thought through and is unbelievably designed.....when a call comes through it gently silences your music for you to take the call.  And using Skype like a regular phone call through a wi-fi connection is like a making a normal phone call.  I can make calls in international destinations at no cost like having a normal phone!  It is truly incredible and worth the cost!

Disclosure: LONG AAPL

One thing I've wondered about is what is up with the Apple TV?  Is it really an experiment?....Hardly.... those iPhone/iPod Touch owners out there, I hope you've downloaded Apple's Remote Control program and have learned you can control your AppleTV or iTunes library with the simplest solution in your hand.  The Remote Control application which is free is a complete breakthrough and a sleeping giant.

 

There are plenty of experiments going on at Apple, but Apple doesn't release fungus into the public.  Take a look at your living room.  Take a look at it again and tell me how the plethora of remote controls for your DVD player, Direct TV/Dish whatever, Tivo, stereo and TV fit together....can you figure this out?  The remote control thing is a mess, and even the amount of buttons on one remote are enough to make you choke.  Wasn't technology supposed to make things better?  You tell me how that sounds better.  One of Steve's next projects is cleaning up this mess, and it is an absolute mess; because nobody can figure out how to turn on the frickin' TV and just watch a movie and listen to it through the stereo!  OK, maybe you can because you've programmed it all and use it daily.  I was visiting a friend in Denver and had the evening to myself at their house and decided to turn on the TV and watch a movie.  After fussing with the 3 remote controls I still couldn't get it to work, and I'm a technology consultant, so good luck to the general public and your in-laws.  What a shame the electronics manufacturers haven't been able to make things simple.  Why aren't they all integrated into one device?  OK, so you bought a universal remote to make it all work, but you plunked down over $2500 and still have to buy another remote and then waste your time programming the tool which has more buttons than your keyboard?  This is a laughingstock and if you think about it the more you'll keep laughing!  Come on, consumers are sick of this and desperate for change.  It started with music in your palm and will end up with you being able to control your entire house through your iPhone or iPod.  Don't believe Apple's PR comment about the Apple TV and how it is a hobby.  Their labs are on the cutting edge of bringing all this technology together, it takes time and development, and the market isn't completely ready for it yet and neither is the technology.  Take a look at the Apple Remote, it has five options on the remote and can fit in your pocket.  After all, who needs the 50+ buttons that come on your remote control that comes with your TV but doesn't control or work with your Tivo or DVD or Stereo or Cable Box?  Frustrated yet?, you bet, and don't tell me you've never thought of all this before because we all have.  Its just that Steve Jobs has decided to do something about it.  As he is recuperating at home, he is also testing and playing with the next generation of technology.