Mad Rantings on the iPad...

In short: The iPad Rocks! First of all I know the cons that play against the iPad. Mainly that it is too expensive and the OS is kinda crippled. Both are still true. I do, however, like the direction that Apple is headed with this device. With the latest versions of iOS Apple seems to be trying to rectify the crippled OS situation. To their credit: a mobile operating system is different than a desktop operating system. We have different expectations from mobile devices and use them differently than computers. The iPad is unusual in that it fits somewhere in between. Most mobile devices seem to be geared towards content aggregation and consumption. The iPad is allowing us to look at mobile devices as content creation devices, and if Apple is smart, and don't kid yourself - they are, they will build the iPad platform around content creation as well as consumption.
So what does the iPad lack right now? A few more OS tweaks. A bit more options on the software front and a whole lot more hardware options. Just adding a USB port and/or SD card slot would be a great start. Then: Bring on the accessories! I would love to see more wireless accessories as well. And when I refer to accessories, I mean hardware expansion like audio interfaces or printers, etc. I am not referring to more cases or showiness. On the software side, I demand a better browser! I still find a lot of incompatibilities with the Safari browser. I need a full on, fully compatible browser - with flash. I'm not picky, but Firefox would be nice! :-)

Google Voice

Google Voice really is amazing. For those of you who are not familiar with it here is the skinny on what it is: and isn't.

Google Voice is basically like fancy call forwarding. You set up an account and receive a telephone number. This number becomes the number you give out in any given situation.

When you receive a call to your Google Voice number it routs it based upon options you have selected. For instance: You receive a call. It starts ringing first on your computer within Gmail. If it isn't answered, or Gmail isn't open, your home phone will begin to ring, then your cell, etc. So it insures that you are reachable no matter where you are or what phone/device you can currently be reached at.

There are all kinds of crazy ways that Google Voice can be used, but at it's very core it simply gives you a permanent number that you can be reached at no matter how many times you switch phones or numbers.

Google Voice also includes voicemail. It will even transcribe and text/email your voicemail messages to you.

The current problem I have with Google Voice is that all of the Google Voice services seem centered around inbound/landline calls. Currently the only way to make a call with Google Voice is through Gmail, or you can have Google Voice call one of your landlines and then connect the call. I would love to see more VoIP integration with Google Voice. A Google Voice client would be awesome! Better yet, why hasn't Google integrated Voice into their Google Talk instant messaging application? I think this would be a HUGE step in the right direction.

One of the best things about Google Voice is that it is absolutely free for calls in the continental US. So it is a great way to make free long-distance calls from a landline.

I can't wait for the day when Google Voice actually makes free VoIP calls possible. They are so close! They already allow VoIP calls to be made from Gmail within the browser. Can you imagine? A real landline telephone number. Make and receive calls over a handset attached to your computer. Completely free telephone service at last!

iPad vs ExoPC

Before the battle begins, I must say that both of these devices are modern wonders of technology. While I have no actual hands on experience with the ExoPC, I have studied it extensively. I have had quite a bit of hands-on time with the iPad, however.


iPad Pros:
-The iPad doesn't work like a computer. Instead, through the use of Apps, we are able to access information quickly and directly. There is no waiting around for an operating system or tweaking. It just works. The scope of the Apps available in the App Store really is incredible.

-The iPad is capable of playing HD content at 720p.

iPad Cons:
-Because the iPad does not support a full operating system like Mac osX, some things are hard or even impossible to accomplish on the iPad. It's simplicity can become it's own downfall.

-The iPad has no camera. (Seems kind of odd for a multimedia device.)

-There is no support for Adobe's Flash Player in the Safari Browser or any iPad apps.

ExoPC Pros:
-The exopc has a full operating system onboard: Windows 7. This allows the ExoPC to support any software that you might normally run on your PC.

-The ExoPC is capable of playing full HD 1080p video in pristine quality.

-The ExoPC has a skinned UI layer that allows quick access to apps and shortcuts.

ExoPC Cons:
-Because the ExoPC includes a full operating system, it risks becoming "complicated" for everyday use.

-Because the ExoPC has Windows 7 it risks overselling itself. At best it is still a high-end netbook, and because it is geared for multimedia it is bound to disappoint at some point in performance.

-Right now the ExoPC is still a little pricey, but then again: so is the iPad.


So what is my conclusion? For me the operating system is everything. I get super-frustrated if I need to do something the operating system will not allow.

I say ditch both of them and get a new MacBook Air! :-D

Why I Am Going Mac

I have recently made the decision to go Mac. Why? In a word: minimalism. I'm not sure if it is simply because I'm getting older, but my love-affair with "super-duper awesome" technology has ended. I no longer desire to stay up all night testing out the latest software or gadget. I just want to get up in the morning, get a cup of coffee and check my email. It's not that I no longer like technology. I just want it to work.I'm tired of tweaking, fixing, and waiting.

I know that a Mac will not magically solve all my problems: but after testing out Mac osX I believe it will be a step in the right direction. For all the bad Apple has acheived over the last few years, there is one thing they have NAILED: technology is about how you feel. I don't really care that osX and Windows 7 can basically accomplish the same task. If I'm going to be checking my email every morning for the rest of my life: I might as well feel good while doing it.

The Mobile Device Scene

The mobile world is changing. Way back in the day Windows Mobile was awesome. I remember spending hours downloading and installing apps. Somehow though, Windows Mobile always found a way to disappoint me in the end. The biggest problem with WinMo for me was simply the Operating System itself. Because Microsoft tried to make WinMo so much like a desktop operating system, I actually bought into the myth that it should work like one.

Then along came the iPod Touch. I have owned a few iPods over the years and I really though the iPod Touch was it. It allowed me to do so many awesome things in such a small form factor! Then I was brutally hit with the truth: no multi-tasking. That really killed it for me. I couldn't even instant message while surfing the web! Useless.

Then there was Android. Believe it or not I am still using my very first Android device: a Motorola Droid. I love it! I am a self-professed gadget fiend and usually change my cellphone every few months. This has been the only phone I have ever kept for over a few months. Why? Because it's awesome! that's why! I really was pleasantly surprised by the Android operating system. Multi-tasking, along with complete Google integration and an excellent app store were just some of the reasons for my love affair.

Then along came the Apple again. While I don't currently own an Apple mobile device I would be a fool not to realize that iOS4.1 has totally changed the game. Apple devices can now multi-task: and quite well, i might add. While I'm still loving the openness of the Android OS, Apple is definitely trying to fix their most annoying flaws. ie: cut-and-paste for mobile devices.

The last thing I must make mention of is the forthcoming Tablet PC scene. Actually, it's already here. My big prediction: Netbooks will give way to the tablet market very quickly. Why? Netbooks, like tablets, are small and underpowered. Have you ever tried typing on a netbook keyboard? Completely unusable. Tablets are roughly the same size as netbooks, and multi-touch interfaces are become more prevalent. The one thing preventing tablets from really taking off right now is price. As soon as the prices of netbooks and tablets equalize, I believe tablets will triumph.

Who will win? Hardware is becoming more and more similar. The ExoPC looks a lot like the iPad. The Droid X isn't all that different from the iPhone. In the future specs and prices will become more and more comparable. The ultimate battle will become the Operating System, not the hardware. Who will triumph with the best Mobile OS? Microsoft, Apple, or Google? The bigger question is: at what point does the mobile OS go away completely? in 5 or 10 years we might have mobile devices that run on the same OS as our desktops.

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