I Finally Got A New Phone…

For the last 5 years I have been relying on the iPhone to be my mobile office. There were only a handful of times when it didn’t hold up in this application so I can’t say that, overall, there is anything wrong with the iPhone as a whole. However, lately there have been a few issues that have become more prominent as the battery life has become shorter and shorter and the speed of the phone has been anything but fast at times. Having become eligible for an upgrade, I had an important decision to make as to whether I should stay with Apple or to cut the cord and move on to another company and operating system. That was the basis of my question last weekend.

So, what did I decide to do?

After considering what I really needed the phone to do during the day I made the decision to go a different direction and pick up the Nokia Lumia 635. That’s right, this past week I hopped off the iPhone bandwagon and joined my wife in using a Windows based smartphone. While I am not a fan of Windows 8 on a laptop, it makes a lot of sense on a mobile device.

Having been using it for a few days, I am pretty impressed with the functionality of this phone especially considering that the MSRP is about a quarter of that of the iPhone 5s which I was also considering ($140 vs $550). Especially convenient is the fact that the battery, with fairly regular use while I have been trying to figure out the functionality, lasts for about a day and a half. And while it may not have the same apps that are available from Apple, I can’t say that I am missing anything. In fact, some of the comparable on the Windows are actually better than the iPhone.

It has been interesting so far in that more people have asked me about this phone in just a few days than had asked me about my iPhone in the last 5 years. I guess people are just curious when someone doesn’t buy an Apple or Android based product. Of course, this is my initial experience with the phone.

There may be some things that I don’t like that will come up and there are certain operations that will exceed my expectations once I create a Microsoft account and gain full access to the entire suite of operations. With that said, having played a bit with my wife’s phone already, I am looking forward to the benefits and not expecting many shortcomings beyond simply learning a new operating system. Only time and use will really tell and I will be sure to write about the experience at a later date.

Dialing Decisions

It is that time again… my iPhone is beginning to slow and the battery life is not what it used to be. Normally I would simply go to AT&T and get whatever the $0.99 upgrade is at the time but due to some of the changes to their policies that doesn’t seem like the most viable option. So, with that said, I am expanding my search for a replacement.

The iPhone has served me well over the past few years. Both the 3 and the 4 have held up well and I have year to break one (I don’t know how people do it). The apps, when not a complete waste of time, are actually quite useful and some of them have even been beneficial at times. However, the compatibility issues with my laptop and the limited battery life are getting on my nerves. Additionally, I am getting tired of the idea of having a phone which require proprietary cords, apps, and doodads rather than a simple platform which communicates with my other non-Apple devices.

So, I have taken a few minutes of the day and looked at my phone trying to pinpoint what I really use it for, how I could use it, and how I should use it. By stepping back I realized that all of the things that do nothing but waste my time are things that I can really do without and I don’t care if they are not available on other phones. At the same time, some of the other apps that I use regularly are not just in app form and so a mobile website can easily take their place (i.e. Ancestry, Facebook, Blogger, etc.). Everything else can be found on other smart phones just in a different configuration and/or under a different name.

With that said, I am used to the platform. I know where everything is and I know exactly how it works. Changing things over isn’t really a challenge but it can simply be time consuming getting used to and figuring out a new way. Time is something that I have very little of at the moment. When I think about that though, given the frequency with which I have to stop using my phone just so it can charge, it might not be that much of a time difference if any.

What I would like to be able to accomplish is to have a phone that doesn’t cost $500+ just in case I need to replace it. Something that I can easily sync with my computer and other devices. Much more efficient use of power… I miss the days when I only had to plug in my phone every other day even with constant use. And, maybe something that I can work on just in case my computer craps out… it has happened before and an iPhone is not a pleasant working tool in that regard.

So, that is my dilemma. What phone should I switch to? Should I stay with Apple (a 6 is NOT an option people)? What is on your mobility wish list? Let me know what you think. I will be sure to write about the phone I chose (probably later this week or next).

From Simple Technology To Simplifying Technology

You know you miss it!

It’s amazing when you think about how much technology is woven in and throughout our lives. It’s one of those things, like gaining weight, that gradually takes hold of you a little at a time. Before you know it you are constantly checking your email at all times of day and night and you see people getting jittery when they don’t have access to their phones or, what’s worse, when they can see that their battery is getting dangerously low and they are crawling around the waiting room desperately searching for an outlet. You know you have seen those people. Heck, I am sure we have all done it at one time or another especially on long trips.

Personally, it’s interesting looking back to the typing classes in elementary school when we all did our best to get the work done as quickly as possible so we could play Oregon Trail on the green Apple screen. Or the time when I created my first email account, AOL of course, when I was in high school… “You’ve got mail” was something to look forward to in those days before the extreme inundation of spam that we sort through today. There are times when I miss that ear piecing screech before being able to retrieve my messages but those moments are usually very brief and only wash over me when my mental servers begin overheating.

Look back at how far we have come… do you think you could wait through the multiple dials before your modem would connect?

I think back sometimes when I spend the entire day, like today, writing press releases, blog posts, pitches, and emails all revolving around technology. That is what I do for a living and I am pretty good at my job. Of course, I am more about talking to people about the technology. Thankfully, my late blooming technology background, has served me well in that I am able to translate many of the complex topics and innovations that I am surrounded with every day.

Now, it has gotten to the point that I have people seeking me out to apply my abilities. In fact, this summer I will be delving into a new project that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is working on. Actually, it is more of an upgrade or overhaul rather than something completely new. Either way, I am going to be exploring the initial aspects of this program and looking for ways to easily navigate through and explain the details. This is what my brothers will be relying on me for when everything is rolled out.

So, it should be an interesting summer project but one that I am looking forward to as it is a great way to combine what I do for a living with my masonic life, much like utilizing my writing and PR background as Secretary. It makes it a lot easier and allows me to have a greater impact when I can apply my craft to the craft. Of course, there are also times when I want some separation like when you had to wait for the internet to load dividing the real and virtual world. In the end though I wouldn’t change a thing as I enjoy the constant connectivity. Besides, when we really need it, there is an off button for everything.