iPhone 2.1 on 3G

I am happy to say, my iPhone 3G is finally behaving after installing 2.1. It seems to have solved a ton of issues, plus I love some of the new logos on it. Battery does seem a little more plentiful but can't say for sure until I have used it for another few weeks. My phone did break a few weeks back and they gave me a new one, restoring these phones from backup is not as easy as they claim! But this update has put some hope back into the quality of this phone.

Apple Care Upsell Email

So I thought this was funny, I just got an email for my macbook air offering me apple care. When you click on it, it says...




Seems to me there is a better way to sell a gross margin heavy product. But I could be wrong.

iPhone 3g

So I stood in line to be one of the first to pick up the iPhone this morning. Well I bribed a friend with pizza and blankets to hold a place for me. The process was a nightmare, AT&T's billing system was all on the fritz. While I was waiting for the system, which took over 40 minutes to work. Chanel 5 news here in SF was filming and interviewing me.

After the long wait, I am now home. My Verizon phone is shut off and the iTunes store is overloaded. So I am without a phone due to poor capacity planning on Apple's part.

I must say, this is one of the worst cell phone activations I have ever gone through. The phone will not work without talking to iTunes.

I hope no one needs to get a hold of me today.

Backup to Airport Extreme external hard drive using Time Machine

So I was frustrated to find that the default upgrade of Leopard did not include the ability to backup to an Airport Extreme USB based hard drive. The new one that was spoken about in the Mac World keynote did just this with a built in hard drive. With way too much fooling around I found that if you simply use the following command in the terminal...

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1

It will set the drive to be mountable for the software. Of course after I found the command I realize someone had actually posted it here. But this would have been much simpler if they would have just given it to us.

Apple ipod touch update

Not to say I have completely switched from being a total Microsoft fan, but I have to say I love the new $20 update that Apple put out today regarding the ipod touch. It was not just a simple update, but an update where owners could receive software that would give them similar abilities to the i-phone and as well allow an simple ipod touch user the ability to get gps navigation through their new wifi hot spot intelligent software.

I am very impressed, the touch just went back in my every day life. Yes, serious thoughts went through my head about hacking the device months ago, but I do not have nearly as much time to chase problems down as I used to. Happy hunting.

Netflix response to Apple

I have been very interested in the response that would come from video rental companies especially Netflix with their downloadable rentals to Apple’s announcement to their new program. I was not expecting such a simple response…

“
Dear Aaron,

As part of your current Netflix subscription, you have the option to watch some movies and TV episodes from the Netflix library instantly on your PC at no additional charge. Now, we've made it unlimited!

So watch instantly on your PC when you want, and as often as you want. Select from our separate, smaller library of over 6,000 familiar movies and TV episodes available to watch instantly.

- Your friends at Netflix”

Personally I think the response should have been something link, we have a great selection of on demand current films at your normal subscription price. Rather than this bleak attempt to encourage members to use their service without talking to them about it.

I love Netflix, especially how they have not raked us under the coal for HD programming. But in my personal opinion there is a better way to respond to Apple. Sorry Netflix, but I may switch if this is how you wish to respond.

Apple iPod Touch

The new iPod Touch is a product that I have been waiting for, especially since the first release of the iPhone was without a 3g interface. I got my iPod and was very happy with its interface and extreme match to the iPhone. Living in San Francisco, I take my iPod around and have net access almost everywhere, thus the slow 2.5g interface is not a problem since I have a Verizon phone in my pocket at all times.

My only turn off is the lack of email software built in, which by the way comes on the iPhone as a standard.

Apple iphone

How is it that the new iphone is not a 3g device? All these cool features like video and high speed applications that need a minimum of the slow 3g standard. Who in the world would alllow such a thing to come out?

To give credit to Apple, I own a ton of Apple equipment and my laptop is the latest Mac Book Pro. But, why would you come out with such a slow device?