Hoshnasi

Realign you’re thought process on devices.

I was following Gizmodo this morning on the kindle 2 launch.  They now have a “Hands on” up so check it out.
The kindle is an interesting device.  Its pretty polarizing actually.  For as many people you hear that are interested in it, there are twice as many or more that hate it -an opinion that may or  may not be founded on actually ever looking at eInk in person.

It does have a market though.  Back in August sales numbers were posted, TechCrunch ran an article on it.  So we have a device that to many seems pointless and over-priced yet is selling well and continuing to get people to fill it with books.  Whats going on here?  Do we have a bunch of dopes with cash to burn or are the nay-sayers missing something.  While I’m sure there were plenty with cash to burn, I’m going to say its that people don’t see the vision of these types of products.

People have likened the kindle to the original iPod.  A device that at its inception really just held and played a ton of audio.  Audiophiles scoffed at the iPod for its mp3 quality (remeber that?) and others chastized its very high price, I’m not possitive but it was upwards of $350.00-$400.00.  Is this a sound comparison to the kindle?  Sure, at its very essense the kindle is a device that simulates paper, carries a ton of books and is expensive.

Gadget debates form around the integration into everyday life.  There seems to be a trend though.  Get as many functions into as few devices as possible.  For many this could be an iPhone.  But for people nuts about photography,  The iPhone is not of quality of device they require and  they end of up carrying maybe a different phone (with better camera) or a sepperate camera.  For gamers and dependending on the games they play the iPhone could be fine.  However on the majority.  Most will want a defined platform well integrated for game play.  So a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP gets carried around.  For workers on the go, now we’re talking laptops and that in itself is a whole other arguement that brings in weight, size, heat and the all important money to power ratio as things get smaller.

Whats this have to do with the kindle?  Well for readers, the iPhone is not a good solution.  It is a solution, given that other factors are important, but the tiny screen and battery life is NOT helping an serious reader.  The kindle 2, while obviously a second device to lug around has a MASSIVE battery life, two weeks on a charge and what I think is as close to paper as we can get in terms of a screen.

The question is “Am I as a reader better served with the kindle and the experience it provides then that of a iPhone, laptop or PDA?”  The reasons are yours of course, but it is important to consider these things as a whole.

I personally think the kindle and kindle 2 are innovative products that for people who have a passion for reading is an easy buy.  For those readers who also get the newspaper, are avid blog readers and us email it moves closer to a no brainier.  I myself fall into the “wants to be passionate about reading wagon”.  I have so many things all pulling for my time I can’t decide if the kindle would make reading an easier thing to fit in throughout my day, or a really expensive novelty.  That is not selling the product short, its meerly pointing out how it would fit into my life.

1. I’m glad I’m only getting married once. I couldn’t do another bachelor party in my name… I’m so wiped out!!!!
2. I’m having a huge urge to play D&D online again. I won’t play it, but its weird none-the-less.
3. Claiming my blog on Technorati.

Technorati Profile

Testing out how easy it is to blog from my iPhone.

This weekend I find myself in Sacramento.  Which is great because I get to see my Grandmother and Granfather.  I also get to hang out with a cousin and uncle I rarely see.

 The problem is I am packing light, just my iPhone.  The other problem is the computer time I get is after many have gone to bed. 

 Naturally I started to think of mobloging for the iPhone (nevermind there is no wifi).  Still the thought has entered my mind about being able to access my Wordpress blog and add entries with pictures taken from the iPhone or from the library.  This is easy enough if I had a 3g iPhone or 2.0 software, Wordpress has an app.  More details on this app are available here.

However, I’m ghetto with my first gen iPhone and 1.1.4 running on T-Mobile.  So, I’m off to find some new means to accomplish mobile blogging.  Initial google searches have been fruit-less.  Next step I’m going to go off the beaten installer update path and find some of those fringe apps.  Scary things that many iPhone users avoid.  Mainly because they suck.

 With me luck, I’ll post my findings.

I know, I’m late to the party. However certain changes happened for me that allow me to use a good portion of the network functions here at work. First, I learned there was a new wifi access point that goes around the 802.1x authentication for VPN.  That means I can at least use wifi at work to get email, browse the net and twitter.  Good news!

Second, At&t dropped a bunch of cheap refurbs on sale.  For refurbs these are NIB quality.  It looks like someone bought it retail, used it for fine minutes and returned it.  It looks that clean.  Someone in the office also bought a refurb and its like butter.

Other pluses for me are the fact that the iPhone syncs flawlessly with my Mac, “duh” I know, but after paying for third party sync apps for windows mobile phones and having only 60% of my info sync is a big deal and one less annoyance.  Now that I can sync my Google calendar to iCal I’m pretty much set for keeping up on whatever my little lady wants me to do….  and then ignore it.

I’m happy with it, as expected the iPhone is a well integrated phone that makes me far less pissed off than most of the “smart” phones I have had in the past.  Adding an iPod into one device just means I can carry less now.

Finally the third party apps are GREAT,  iPhysics, Twinkle, Intelliscreen, Streetflow and Meebo are really handy things to have in my phone -that again, just work.

Anyone else lucky enough to get one of the refurbs?

This is a short lived opportunity for sure and I’m letting everyone know a little late, but there is still money to be had.

Currently AT&T are selling the 8 ($249.00) and 16 ($349.00) GB iPhone on the refurb site.  Right now you are limited to one, but that doesn’t stop you from pick more up via craigslist.  Once you have acquired a bunch.  Unlock using the ZiPhone tool.

 PROFIT!!! (As long as you make it international shipping, for peeps in Transylvania)