my sometimes-skeptical social commentary

Archive for the ‘iphone’ Category

I have a few favorite applications I use on my Mac for doing stuff, but there are times when what I’m using just doesn’t work right or doesn’t do all that I want it to do.

Examples:

• FTP client for connection to web server – I mainly use CyberDuck, but sometimes it fails to delete or rename directories
• a good text editor – I mainly use TextEdit.app, the basic text editor that comes with OS X. What I want is something that will “pretty paint” when I’m writing code. If you don’t know what pretty paint is, don’t ask because you’ll probably never need to know if you don’t code (you can see a sample of pretty painted code in the comment below).
• video chat – I don’t chat much, but when I do I use iChat or Adium. iChat allows for video chatting with other iChat users, but Adium doesn’t. What I’m looking for is a program that allows me to video chat with anyone, no matter what chat program they use. I did find a program called iVisit, but I haven’t tested it much because most of the video chatters I might connect with already have iChat, which works well. What’s nice about Adium is that you can use multiple chat user accounts so that you can reach people outside the .Mac and AIM systems.
• analog video conversion – I’ve got an ElGato EyeTV hybrid, which I can hook up to my VCR to convert old VHS tapes to digital format. I haven’t used it much. What I’m looking for is something that is an all-in-one app that converts to the iTunes movie format.
• webcam software – the iSight camera built in to the newer Macs is cool, but so far I’ve only found one webcam application that uses the iSight camera to automatically capture and upload photos to a server, and it costs $40–the cost isn’t that high, but so far I’ve had a few problems with the trial version (the web site for the application says that trial version is a FULL version, so I don’t think I’ll pay $40 for something that crashes frequently). Ideally I’m looking for something that will use FTP to upload pictures to a server, where I would host a script that automatically (a) displays the latest photo and/or (b) automatically creates photo albums out of the photos in the upload folder.
• calendar sync program – I have a smart phone that syncs to a calendar on any number of computers, but the calendar doesn’t sync with other calendars or web-based calendars. Ideally, what I want is a web-based calendar app that will sync with my smart phone, but which has account management on it so that I can restrict access by user. I’ve experimented with iCal‘s shared calendar feature, as well as google’s online calendar, but they don’t seem to be able to sync–when you import a calendar from another source, it imports every entry, even if there the same entry already exists–so you get two copies, and the same thing happens when you take an iCal or google calendar and import it into my smart phone’s calendar. (I wonder if getting an iPhone would solve this problem… but I don’t want to switch to AT&T. (UPDATE: I found what appears to be the perfect program for $40: The Missing Sync. I’m still looking for a free program, though.)

I’m looking at open source applications first, then shareware, and if I still don’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll consider spending small amounts of money to accomplish what I want (while I hum the U2 song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For“).

What are you using? Do you have any suggestions for me?

I’m a Sprint user, and even though my contract is up and I am free to take my wireless needs to any carrier, I’m sticking with Sprint. But this news from Verizon today is huge:

Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.

What this means is that Verizon, unlike the other companies that offer wireless services, is going to meet the needs and wants of its customers. Sure, they don’t have the iPhone (yet), but they let you use any other handset, any other program, whatever you might find in Asia (where all the great phones you won’t see in the USA until next year are already available).

This breaks from the usual mode of wireless services. Usually you’ll see a new handset model come out and be exclusively available from one carrier. The iPhone, for example, is only available through AT&T. The reason for this is that handset makers (in this example, Apple), want to introduce new features that require improvements to the carrier’s infrastructure, so they make a deal. AT&T (at the time they were called Cingular) made a deal with Apple to allow Apple to fundamentally alter the way voice mail works. You can’t just introduce a new feature like that without major, and probably costly, changes in the carrier’s system. So AT&T invests in the iPhone, and Apple agrees to let AT&T make money off the iPhone in an exclusive deal.

All that changes when Verizon starts its anything goes policy. Handset makers can look at the technical specs and do anything under the sun. What this does is raise the bar for services. If you can get a new handset from company A that controls your microwave oven, but that feature isn’t available from T-Mobile, you’ll go with Verizon. And then T-Mobile says hey, not so fast, we’ll let you control your microwave oven too. And then a different handset maker comes out with another new feature, like opening your garage door. Verizon says sure, that’ll work on our system.

So how long will it take for Sprint to catch up to these advances in policy and technology? They’ve always had the coolest phones, as far as I’m concerned, and I think their service is excellent. But eventually, I’ll want an iPhone.

Mike, who is in one of the doctoral programs at the school where I work, brought in his iPhone today to ask for help setting up his school emai account on it, and he LET ME TOUCH IT!!!!

It is such a nice phone. Half the thickness (or twice the thinness!) of my current smartphone. Very nice feel to it.

I thanked Mike for being one of the first users of the iPhone, because his use of it will help AT&T and Apple figure out how to make it better for users of the 2nd generation iPhone, which I’m hoping to be, someday.

No, I’m not getting one. So if you do get one, please let me play with it.

If you are, will you show it to me? I want to play with one.

According to an article I read:

Apple is set to release the much-hyped iPhone Friday, June 29. Here are some of its most highly anticipated features:
Nanotechnology enables it to reassemble itself when thrown against wall

Exclusive link to Google Street View so you can watch yourself using your iPhone at all times

Takes Polaroids

When moved from hand to ear, makes Lightsaber sound effects

Prominent Apple logo

Reproduces through asexual budding

Has way, way more PRAM than the last thingy

Comes with an iPhone hat, so people know you own an iPhone during the brief periods you’re not using it