thegeekchannel.com » Apple

AT&T Talks iPad and Mentions Free Hotspot Access

geek — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:16:47 +0000

With Apple set to release their iPad 3G on Friday it’s about time that AT&T got in on some of the action and for those eagerly awaiting their iPad the news is actually pretty good.

AT&T is announcing firm(er) pricing for their data plans and adding in that all subscribers to any of their data plans will have included, at no additional charge, “access to more than 20,000 AT&T WiFi Hot Spots nationwide. Not a bad deal and another reason that the 3G unit may offer more than the $130 price difference would leave you to believe.

Additional information can be found on the AT&T site here and of course all the Apple related information can be found here.

~geek

More Late than April – iPad 3Gs are Prepared for Shipping

geek — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:52:03 +0000

When Apple says “late April” – as in their project delivery date for the new Apple iPad 3G + WiFi – they apparently mean much more of the late and much less of the April, with deliveries and availability expected on April 30, 2010. Appearing almost everywhere today are messages from people like me that the status on their order has been changed to Prepared for Shipment, leading me to believe that the promised Friday date will be met. What time Friday is yet to be seen, although I’m not holding my breath. At least people that haven’t pre-ordered already know that they may be able to buy one in the retail store after 5:00PM.

Not sure how I feel about that, either, as it would seem to me, as is so often not the case with Apple, that people that took the time to pre-order and offer up their first born and credit card should get some benefit of having ordered before the masses. If that’s simply that Federal Express shows up at some point early in the day on Friday… I’m not sure that’s enough for to truly consider pre-ordering in the future. Of course, I really feel sorry for people that are using the Apple store to order today with an anticipated delivery on the 7th of May at the earliest, then knowing that they can probably go buy one in the store after 5:00PM.

Did you pre-order your iPad? Do you have any more information? When are you expecting your new iPad to arrive on Friday?

~geek

Apple Cuts it Close with Late April Deliveries

geek — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:40:46 +0000

When I originally ordered my 64GB WiFi + 3G iPad from Apple’s online store, I wasn’t too worried about the “late April” ship date, assuming incorrectly that the release of the WiFi only models meant that those with 3G couldn’t be all that far behind. My mistake was assuming that late april meant sometime after the 15 – not the last day of the month as Apple has just announced.

Am I disappointed? Frankly, I am, even though I guess I don’t really have the right to be. I’m just left wondering, what in the world is going to happen to my order if they don’t make that delivery date? After all, part of the reason I even chose to wait was because the delivery date was as early as it is. If I had known that it would truly be months I might have considered other options.

I’m wondering, how do others feel about this hail-Mary delivery promise from Apple?

~geek

Is the Gizmodo iPhone 4G Real or Marketing?

geek — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:49:48 +0000

Honestly, I am not sure what to believe. On one hand it’s highly likely that an engineer got drunk on his birthday and left his next-generation iPhone at the bar for some ~~unscrupulous~~ lucky soul to find and release to the world. At the same time, it’s very likely that this is Apple’s PR/Marketing machine trying to learn how the world will feel about their possible changes to the phone that has nearly spawned a religion.

There, I said it, Gizmodo may have found the holy grail or created the best marketing stunt ever known, and it is likely that we, the consumers, will ever really know the truth. In the meantime, I recommend trotting over to Gizmodo.com and reviewing their review of what may well be the next iPhone available to the masses.

~geek

Apple Now Accepting iPad App Submissions

geek — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:45:31 +0000

I’ve been thinking for some time now that the biggest changes for the iPhone are going to come from iPad developers, simply because there are things that users will want/need to do on the iPad that I am hopeful will trickle-down to the iPhone – take printing, for example. With Apple’s announcement that they are now accepting iPad apps, I am hopeful that some of these hopes will come to fruition.

Based on what Apple is leaking, applications submitted now will have a shot at being reviewed and approved before the iPad launch next month, but I would expect, since almost all apps have been developed with only the simulator, that many apps will experience problems on day/week one. Only time will tell, but I am hopeful that some good will come out of this and not a new round of fart and beer guzzling parodies.

~geek

Is there a market for Apple’s iPad?

geek — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:36:49 +0000

Apple’s recent announcement of the long-awaited and soon to be released Apple tablet – which they have dubbed the iPad – brings with it more questions that answers. They’ve done a decent enough job of telling us what the iPad brings in the form of new technology (I see it as a great big iPhone… er, without a real phone), but it would seem, like the Newton before it, that this is more of a product in search of a market than a solution to a problem that we all share. Even as an evangelist for technology I question how useful this is compared to my traditional or ultra-light notebook computer.

So while all of these are opinions, my reasons for giving this a great big fail are as follows:

No keyboard: I’m not sure that I believe there is a better (currently available and feasible) input device than the traditional keyboard. That is absolutely personal opinion, but one that I’d be happy to reconsider the next time my flight encounters turbulence. And, yes, I know that an external keyboard will be possible, it just doesn’t seem practical to carry along.

No camera: it’s a digital world, Apple, and your products are supposed to be opening doors and windows – not closing them. This should be as powerful as something like the MacBook Air and that said users are going to expect to be able instant message with tools like iChat and Yahoo Messenger with cam. Not to mention photograph things. Just looking at this from a purely business perspective it sure would be nice to be able to take a picture of someone’s business card and have it dropped into contacts like I can do on the iPhone.

Weight. So depending on what you have to carry with you this could be good or bad, but generally speaking I don’t think that people are going to want to lug around a notebook sized tablet and power and the other crap that they need to make it through their day – they may as well be carrying a notebook computer.

Size and durability. So I get that it’s relatively small and thin and easy to hold and pretty on the eyes, but there are two immediately obvious flaws to me. First is the bezel – does it really have to be that thick? Okay, so assuming it does, isn’t this also something that looks like it will break on the first drop or the first time something like my keys are dropped on it?

CleanlinessMaybe I’m just a pudgy geek with sweaty palms, but keeping my iPhone as clean as I like it has been difficult enough. I can’t imagine how difficult this is going to be to keep clean. Looks to me like it could be more work than it’s worth.

So those are my rants – at least for now – and I am planning a follow-up to this with why I think that this is a game-changer, if only for what it might do for mobile computing and the iPhone platform. As always, your comments are welcome.

MacWorld 2010

geek — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:52:45 +0000

Its first year “without Apple” and Macworld seems to be doing okay – frankly I think that the break-away could be the best thing to happen to some of the smaller developers. This gives people the opportunity to make their wares shine without being overshadowed by the large Gorilla in the middle of the room. That said, it’s difficult to say what the end result will be and I wonder if MacWorld can or should continue.

What do you think?? Are you attending this year?

geek

My iPhone Praises and Rants

geek — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:01:13 +0000

With so many people jumping on the Apple iPhone bandwagon, it was only a matter of time before I felt compelled to at least try one out. The decision was made much easier with the introduction of the 3GS model, because it allowed for video-recording right on my phone. As someone that was carrying a phone and a Flip video camera, the seamless integration of the two was a no-brainer. So… I bought an Apple iPhone 3GS 32GB and have been in a love/hate relationship ever since.

First – the love – the iPhone really is an easy to use and functional device. The real game-changer is the App Store, which seems significantly better than Blackberry’s recently released App World (I am still carrying my Verizon Storm, too) and more complete then what Android has to offer. On the iPhone, when you say “there’s an App for that” you’re generally not kidding. If only the Mac had such great development community. The iPhone is also a nice phone from a design perspective. For me it fits pretty well – not quite thick enough to put between my shoulder and ear, but generally comfortable to use. It also goes well in a pocket without looking like you’re carrying around a small paperback novel.

Next – the hate – and this one is easy, too. AT&T and by association the iPhone has the worst phone service that I could ever have imagined. I’ve had cell phones for a long time, and as a Verizon customer in recent years I’ve become accustomed to treating my cell phone the same way that I would treat a land-line. I just expect it to work. With AT&T… not so much. I have come once more to the point that I am frequently apologizing for being on my cell phone. It’s embarrassing. And it’s not like I live in an unpopulated area – I live in Silicon Valley – a few miles from Apple – something tells me that it must be much, much worse in other areas.

Just my thoughts, but important to know as the next article I have in mind will include which apps are on my iPhone and why.

geek

Apple Advertises iPhone – Committing to AT&T?

geek — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:23:45 +0000

In the ongoing battle between AT&T and Verizon, it would seem apparent that Verizon is winning hands down. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, AT&T still has the iPhone, and Verizon simply can’t compete with that success or the draw power that Apple has created with their best-in-class smartphone.

Yesterday, though, Apple sent their message to the Apple faithful and AT&T haters by asking if their network and phone would allow them to be on a call and simultaneously use the best features of their smartphone. For most, the answer would have to be no. Unfortunately, the part that Apple left out is the simple fact that on the AT&T network that is only possible when you have 3G access and AT&T’s network just isn’t that great when it comes to 3G network coverage. Small omission, but problem. Oh well, that’s not really the point, is it. The truth is nearly irrelevant – people are going to buy the iPhone regardless of whether or not it’s on AT&T or Verizon – even though they might actually prefer Verizon.

You can see Apple’s newest advertisement below – and of course this comes from YouTube where you can also find the other advertisement that delivers basically the exact same message.

~geek

Apple Cinema LED Display Review

geek — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:13:36 +0000

It’s difficult to argue with the fact that Apple makes some of the best looking technology in the industry. And, while I love my MacBook Pro, I cringe every time I think about the price in comparison to some of the sub $1000 WinTel machines that are on the market. What I didn’t think about until recently is how much that cost differential extended to the entire product line or when “looking good” wouldn’t be nearly enough.

As my work-at-home life continues to expand, I figured it was time to get a keyboard/mouse/monitor that I could use in my home office without feeling cramped to the traditional notebook keyboard. The keyboard and mouse were easy – I already had a spare Apple keyboard and I’ve really liked my Magic Mouse, so I will get another of those. The monitor, though, because it was for home, was a more difficult decision. At work I use 25.5″ Samsung Monitor, and while big enough it’s not super aesthetically attractive. On the plus side, they’re pretty darn good and regularly priced at less than $400. But, before making a decision – I had to check out the Apple Store to see what they had to offer.

At first blush, the Apple 30″ monitor is perfect, but on further inspection the price rules it out for consideration. It would be difficult to accept paying almost as much for a monitor as I paid for my MacBook – and yes, I know, I look at the monitor all day long. So I kept walking until I got to Apple’s LED Cinema Display, which is actually beautiful to look at – regardless of whether it’s on or off. At retail $900, it’s still more than double the Samsung, although it looks better and seems to be a better display.

Whether the quality is 100% better is debatable, but beauty aside there are some fatal flaws with Apples newest display offering – things that just can’t be overlooked. First and foremost – if you’re using an Apple MacBook Pro – the flaws are irrelevant. They’re features. The integration is beautiful and exactly what you would expect from Apple. Plug the monitor into power and a single whip includes a MacBook Pro power adapter, a DisplayPort plug, and a USB 2.0 connection. It’s perfect and exudes the neatness that most expect from Apple. Unfortunately, the excitement fades quickly.

I like my MacBook Pro – no doubt, but I live in a Windows world and frequently boot into Windows directly. Imagine my surprise – the Apple Display doesn’t work in Windows. Oh, and if you want to plug it into some other computer, other than a MacBook Pro, you’re pretty much out of luck. It has a DisplayPort adapter and that’s it. No DVI, no VGA… nothing. Beautiful if you buy a MacBook Pro, not so grand for anything else. What’s wrong with this picture on a $900 monitor?

So in the end, the LED display doesn’t make sense for me and there was little I could do to justify the cost/value of moving forward with another Apple product. Too bad; for half the price, maybe.

~geek