Two pictures from today:
First, I like how Televisa's soccer coverage includes the dancing skeleton for Dia de los Muertos. If only Fox's football robot was a skeleton instead:
And this sign was taped to a traffic sign on my running route:
Whatever happened, this is kind of a sweet thing. I wonder if Theresa saw it.
Convention. Great dinner. Cards won. That is all.
Today was a travel day. The flight was turbulent -- they told us it would be smooth, and it was anything but; the drive from the airport to Dallas was interminable, with a jam-up (accident and construction) for several miles on I-635. By the time I checked into the hotel, the headache was pretty intense.
It hasn't let up. I spent time at the opening convention cocktail party, but otherwise I've been trying to get work done. Nerdist has a new design, and it took time to figure out the new system and what we need to do to make posts look right; the column, which was due this evening, is much like performing root canal on myself. So that'll have to wait.
The convention? More talk radio. But you could have guessed that. While you ponder what a convention on the heels of more mass firings in the business must be like, I'm going to go watch the end of the World Series game and hope that the headache subsides enough to let me sleep.
VERY busy. And late.
Here, this is great:
I have nothing particularly against January Jones, but this is pretty funny and wish-fulfillment for a lot of "Mad Men" fans, what the show would be like if you could delete Betty Draper from the show:
Okay, it made ME laugh.
The No No Cat wasn't the first of its kind. Take this dog, interviewed on WLBW-TV/Miami (now WPLG-TV) in 1964:
He's trying to tell us something.
Same dog on rival WTVJ:
Also on WTVJ, here's an unusual way to change the channel on your TV, a channel-changing poodle:
Awesome.
I'll be honest with you. I only posted this thing to see what video shot with the iPhone would look like after being compressed to death by YouTube:
See? There's practically no content there. There's definitely no reason to watch it. Yet a few people already have, which indicates that either there are bots checking out every video on YouTube, or people have a very low bar for entertainment. In any case, there's nothing to see there. All it is, is video of cars emerging from the fog that the marine layer draped across the peninsula this morning. If you ranked all of the videos on YouTube by entertainment value, it could very well be the last. Maybe that's something to be proud of, but you don't have to participate in that.
Should I be alarmed that a grocery found it necessary to post this in the men's bathroom?:
If you don't know how to do it by the time you work in a supermarket, you're never gonna know.
Hey, it was our anniversary today. Number 21.
Like I'm gonna sit here and write about running into Larry King today. That can wait.
Here, as always:
Sorry, running late. Seminar on talk radio tomorrow. That should produce plenty of unpleasantness. Perhaps I'll write about it...
I really shouldn't read the tech blogs anymore. Oh, that's not really quite the right way to put it. What I shouldn't be reading is the comments attached to the blog posts at places like Engadget and Gizmodo.
Here's what I mean: I wanted to see what people thought of the new version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. It was unveiled tonight (actually, early tomorrow Hong Kong time) along with the new Galaxy Nexus phone, and before the announcement, it was being touted as revolutionary, just like Apple tried to sell Siri as revolutionary a couple of short weeks ago. Of course, neither one is exactly revolutionary, at least not yet, but they're interesting, and I wanted to see what the new features would be. Now, I just bought an iPhone 4S, so I'm not in the market for new phone at the moment. But I'm also not an Apple fanboy, I've used Android before, and I don't have any long-term stake in either operating system. I just wanted to see the presentation and find out what people thought of it. I kinda hoped it would be, to borrow a phrase from a recently departed legend, insanely great.
And all I got were the fanboys. I would guess that most of them are teenagers and very young adults, and all of them are so invested in rooting for one operating system over the other or one phone over anothr that they can't see how they're just rooting for multinational corporations and pieces of technology. There is no point to it. Any innovation that either side, assuming that there are sides to take, comes up with is a win for the public. If Apple comes up with something new, Android will adopt it at some point. If Android comes up with something new, you can be sure that Apple will try to incorporate it into iOS at some point. Either way, everybody wins. And as far as the hardware is concerned, there's a new phone practically every week. Whatever you buy is going to be eclipsed in short order. (One of the good things about buying an iPhone is that if you measure it by just looking at the iPhone universe, you're going to get about a year of being state-of-the-art before a new phone comes out and you want that one)
But, again, there's no reason to choose sides as if this was a schoolyard brawl. If, when I'm ready to buy the next phone, Android phones show a significant technological or usability lead, I'll buy one. Right now, what I saw of Ice Cream Sandwich tonight didn't make me feel jealous at all; It was just another evolutionary step in operating systems. I didn't like the way the screens looked, and I thought that the usability element was a little lacking. If I was in the market for a phone and happens to end up with one of those, I'd be happy, but the iPhone is, for me, right now, just easier to use, even if the latest version isn't that much different from the previous one. Your mileage, of course, may vary, and that's great -- competition is the best thing for consumers, and having a strong Android and a strong iOS (and a strong Windows Phone 7, if that happens) is good for everyone. Choice is good.
But that's not the kind of analysis you see in the comments at the tech blogs. Instead, all you get are people making fun of others for having bought a different phone. Apple fanboys call Android users names, and Android fanboys -- it always seems to be boys -- assert moral superiority over everybody else on earth. For people deeply into tech, they all -- both sides -- come across as immature.
So I came away with less of a clear picture about the new Android OS than I wanted to get. The new features didn't grab me, but I wanted to hear what people thought were the key improvements, because I'm looking to be educated. Instead, all that I got were "iPhone, you got pwned!" and "it's all copying iOS" and "nice clone of Metro." It makes me appreciate the comments we get at Nerdist, where people are, with only a rare exception here and there, civil, enthusiastic, and reasoned, even when they're trying to tell me I'm an idiot. It would be nice to find a tech blog that wasn't overwhelmed by the fanboys, but for now, I'm swearing off the comments.
From my friends Brad Krantz and Britt Whitmire at WZTK (FM Talk 101.1) in Greensboro, here's the best moment from yesterday's football action:
I could watch that on a loop for hours.
How about this hair?:
Bamberger's was Macy's in the mid-Atlantic states, based in New Jersey and covering the Philadelphia and Baltimore markets as well. It was pretty much my family's go-to department store. And like Bullock's and Burdine's and Marshall Field, it's not the same now that they're all Macy's.
The hair reminds me how old I am. To know that I lived at a time when that was unremarkable is... remarkable.
If you see something here now, it means what I installed is working. I put a plug-in into the blogging software to let me post to the site. Will it work? You know the answer now, assuming, of course, that the answer is yes.
And if it IS yes, expect all sorts of auto-correct hilarity to ensue.
Got the iPhone 4S today. No spending hours on line at the Apple store or Best Buy. Just a long wait for the UPS guy. Spent some time setting it up, but it's now doing everything as advertised. It's a major improvement over The Brick, which was acting up even in its final hours, changing its home screen and launching programs without prompting ot even being touched. Thanks for everything, HTC Touch Pro. Time to move on.
So far, I'm liking the iPhone. As per Apple's reputation, it just works, except when it doesn't, in which case it's probably your fault. I had a little trouble setting up my work email, but I did get it to work after deleting the account and starting over. Everything else works, even Siri, which handled my bland test questions without problem. I have to test out GPS apps, but so far, so good.
And it's late. The iPhone says so, and it's always right. G'night.
I guess one of the worst things you can do on the Internet is to complain about the weather. Everybody does it, but it's gauche. Yet that's what dominated the day today: it was hot in Southern California, unseasonably, oppressively hot. It would have been unseasonably hot for August. It was stick-to-the-chair, sweat-through-your-clothing hot, even here a short walk from the ocean. There was no breeze, no relief, and, of course, no air conditioning in this house.
That made work even more of a chore than normal. There were times when I just sat here staring at the computer screen unable to function. I couldn't get going at all. Yet, now, at 8:30 pm, I realize that I managed to do most -- not all, but most -- of what I needed to do today. I can wrap things up tomorrow, but I actually was as productive, or more productive, than usual today, even though it felt like slow motion. Not bad.
But now it's time to end the day, and I'm still stuck to the chair. This weather better break soon.
The long national nightmare is over.
Late yesterday, after I posted here, I got a call from the Apple Store. My computer was ready. It was late, my bedtime (early, as always) was approaching, and the store would close in about an hour and a half. I was already planning on relaxing for a few minutes before going to sleep, but then Fran said, "You should go get it. You're not going to be comfortable until you have it." And that's why, instead of going to sleep, I jumped into the car, drove to Manhattan Beach, and picked up my computer.
Words can't describe how much easier it is to work on the computer with which you're comfortable. All your stuff is where it's supposed to be. All your files are in place. Keyboard is just the right size. You spend all that time customizing the experience, so when you don't have it, it drives you crazy. I admit, I was crazy without this thing. It's disturbing to realize how beholden we are to our technology.
And the iPhone hasn't even arrived yet. Just wait until I get used to Siri.
Computer still not ready. PC is driving me to distraction. Clicks don't do what clicks are supposed to do. Windows everywhere. Resorting to writing columns on pen and paper and throwing them out actual physical window for public to find. Screaming, yet nobody hears.
(My luck that the part was defective on a Saturday and they couldn't get delivery for a couple of days. It happens, but I don't think I can take much more Windows 7)
Still on alien computer. Real computer held hostage in "repair" facility. No communication with captive. Ability to function limited. Am feeling faint again. Must remain conscious until rescue plan can be activated.
Must... stay... awake...
zzzzzzzzzzzz
Still without computer. Conditions bleak. Fading fast. Beginning to hallucinate. Babbling to myself.
(The part that the Apple folks got was defective. They ordered another one. I hope Columbus Day won't get in the way. GET ME THAT COMPUTER RIGHT NOW)
I have to keep this ultra-short, because I'm on someone else's computer. Mine's in the shop. I do have some things to discuss, but not enough time. Sorry- maybe I'll get the Mac back tomorrow.
And I'm still seething about the Phillies. But, again, maybe tomorrow.
Nah, I don't think I want to talk about it.
I thought long and hard about it. I considered the Samsung Galaxy S II Sprint version, and it's very, very nice. I considered waiting to see what the Nexus Prime will bring. I even looked at Windows Phone 7 (but didn't like it). I thought about all the cons and the disappointment from the announcement this week, about how it's not 4G and looks just like the older model and is more of an incremental step from the already-aging 4.
I decided to order an iPhone 4S anyway.
Here's why, if you care: I'm stuck on Sprint, and Sprint's 4G status is up in the air anyway -- they'll be going LTE, ultimately, but the 4G handsets are all WiMax. 3G will do for what I need -- email, web, work documents, audio streaming. The screen is smaller but very good looking, and the size is more comfortable in the pocket. I've had problems with HTC phones -- battery life and overheating -- which appear to have repeated themselves with the EVO models, and I'm not crazy about Samsung's TouchWiz on top of Android; Android's fine, but a little clunkier and inconsistent compared to iOS. The iPhone has always been pretty snappy and smooth, and the camera quality is a bonus, as is the quality of apps.
But what really tipped the balance was my experience today. I have a problem with my MacBook Pro, and I made an appointment and took it in to the Genius Bar. From the moment I got to the Manhattan Beach store and checked in, I got tremendous service -- staff checking on me while I waited, constantly updating how long it would be, and arranging a resolution that will be relatively painless. Every staffer was friendly and helpful. And as I went through the process, I remembered what it's like to get repairs at Sprint -- make an appointment, stand around for an hour, and sometimes end up getting blank stares. I've only had to bring my Mac in for service a couple of times, and it went as smoothly as possible. That's the deciding factor for me.
So it's not what the analysts and fanboys hoped. It's not only about the hardware.
From late 1983, here's Steve Jobs showing a private audience a preview of the legendary "1984" Super Bowl ad:
Quite a guy.
I know that the iPhone 4S isn't a big deal. I know it's an incremental upgrade, and that it still has the annoying glass back and small screen. I know that there are Android phones with big screens and better specs. I know it's not 4G. I know that it's kind of lagging six months or more behind the state of the art.
I might get it anyway.
Here's my reasoning: First, it's on Sprint, so I can finally get it without switching carriers. And as a Sprint customer, I'm actually leaning against doing 4G right now, because the speed doesn't matter that much -- I don't use the phone for tethering or as a hotspot -- and because the current 4G Sprint phones are WiMax and the probability is that Sprint will switch to LTE and EVDO Rev. B before long. That aside, it's a vast improvement over the brick I have now, the old HTC Touch Pro. It will replace the phone and the iPod Touch I use now. The camera looks good. I have a lot of iPod Touch apps I'll be able to use. I like the battery life and the screen (although I wish it was larger).
Besides, I like Android, but it's not that spectacular. The apps are way more variable in quality, the shells put on top of the OS are annoying and inconsistent, and every Android phone I try becomes laggy. And don't get me started on HTC, which seems to specialize in phones that overheat and drain their batteries fast. I have a melted back cover to my current phone as proof, and I've read complaints about the same thing for the Evo.
But I can be talked out of this. The Galaxy S II phone looks great, and the Nexus Prime could be killer (if it's available in CDMA flavor). Either way, I gotta make the call very, very soon, because the current phone is on its last legs. I realize this is a First World Problem, but it's the problem I have. I'll let you know what I decide.
Henry Fonda selling the "Gee-Ay-Eff" Talking ViewMaster! A Play-Doh Flintstones kit! A Crumpet doll! SSP drag racers from Kenner! Welcome to the late '60s:
I had a ViewMaster. Loved it. Still do. 3-D scenes from around the world, 3-D cartoon stills... I remember going to the big Modell's store on Route 17 in Lodi and buying a bunch at a time. And now I want a ViewMaster right now.
Henry's back with a celebrity guest:
Yes, that's Jodie Foster at the end. A very young Jodie Foster. The Internet means you never outrun your past.
In a bad mood after Eagles and Phillies losses. I will take it out on you with a complete non sequitur, the sign-on, for the first time, of what was then WTIC-TV Hartford in 1957, complete with an uncomfortable opening statement by the owner and a prayer to kick things off:
Now WFSB-TV (the WTIC calls stayed put on radio and eventually got used for the Fox affiliate, channel 61, as well), channel 3 was known in the New York area for being listed in the TV Guide and the fact that it was the easiest way for Giants fans to get blacked-out home games; people in parts of the New York market would get "channel 3 special" antennas with elements pointing northeast towards Hartford to pull in the games. Again, it's amazing that someone saved this clip. And left the invocation in.
Too late. Plus, it's Saturday night. I shouldn't be working, but I am.
But the Phillies won, which is nice.
