A Blessing In Disguie?

If I hadn't recently renewed my AT&T contract, which disqualifies me from smartphone discounts until May 2011, I probably would have been one of the early adapters to the new iPhone 4.

I guess now I'm glad I did.

It appears that while the iOS 4 is a thing of beauty even if it still lags behind other smartphone OSes in some areas, the iPhone 4 hardware, while still a thing of beauty, is a major step backwards for Apple.

So I suppose that I will gladly wait until next year, when my contract is up for renewal, to see if Apple fixes the design flaws in the iPhone 4 ... or releases the new-and-improved iPhone 5.

Initial Thoughts On iOS 4

I downloaded and installed the latest, greatest iPhone operating system (iOS 4) late yesterday afternoon. I haven't played with it much, but what I have played with makes me smile. For instance:

• Folders means no more unlimited scrolling screens of apps! It was such a pain in the ass to have to scroll 8 screens over to play Zombie Farm. Creating folders is quick and painless. I can now dump those native apps that I never use (*coughcoughStockscoughcough*) into a folder and never see them again if I don't want to. And, I only have one screen now ... oh, yes!
• Multitasking ... that is all.
• More customization! Any time I am granted my gods-given right to be *mostly* unhindered me, I am a happy man. So it's a major positive step that Apple has loosened its grip a bit more on what I think my iPhone should look like.

But I have one major gripe (at least for now). I had recently bought an alarm clock/iPhone dock for my nightstand. And it works beautifully. Or at least it did until I upgraded to iOS 4. Now my music won't play through the system.

Not cool, peeps. Not cool at all.

The Time Is Almost Nigh

Here we are, two more days a few short hours until the Blessed One smiles upon us fortunate few who have been deemed worthy for laying several hundred dollars at the Altar of Jobs. Upon hearing rumors that the All-Powerful Jobs would bless his chosen people with his goodness, I was excited. That was until I learned that I was not truly one of the chosen for I had not evolved enough.

Well, I am now appropriately evolved. And I am beside myself in anticipation of the glorious day! My only fear is that the line to the temple could be quite long, and I am not the patient disciple I once was.

Still, it is only once a year that our Most Benevolent One smiles upon us mortals. And so I shall wait for however long it takes the blessings to flow from Mount Macintosh to my humble symbol of devotion.

Praise be to Jobs and peace unto you.

iPhone 3.0 Preview And My First Major Disappointment With Apple

I'm a Mac fanboy. It's no secret. I know it. You know it. To me, Steve Jobs farts rainbows and unicorns; and everything he touches turns to banana pudding. (Mmm ... banana pudding ...) My house is an Apple house; and if it weren't for work, I would not have one single Micro$oft machine in it.

Of all the the Apple toys I own, I love my iPhone best of all. It should come as no surprise that I was incredibly excited when I heard that the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade will be released this summer and that it will finally include some features that have been sorely lacking.

For iPhone owners, it just keeps getting better. When iPhone OS 3.0 arrives this summer, it will introduce over 100 new features, including the ability to:

Search your iPhone
Cut, copy, and paste
Send photos, contacts, audio files, and location via MMS*
Read and compose email and text messages in landscape

Additional features include text forwarding, voice memos, support for additional calendar programs, Notes synchronization, Wi-Fi auto login, stereo Bluetooth, anti-phishing, and auto-fill.

I giddily watched the presentation, as all good fanboys should, feeling like Santa himself was letting me know what Christmas will bring this year.

Of all the goodies, though, I was most excited about MMS and voice memos. Two things I had on my ol' Palm Treo 650 were finally coming to my iPhone. The only thing missing is video ... but I'm patient ... good things come to those who wait.

Wait. What's this? There's an asterisk. Asterisks aren't usually good things.

And, indeed, it's not.

* MMS messaging is available only on iPhone 3G; fees may apply. MMS may not be available in all areas.

And herein lies my first major Apple let down. See, I have the original iPhone 2.5G. MMS will not be available to me. Unless, that is, I upgrade to the iPhone 3G.

Steve ... after all we've been through together ... after all the Windows disciples I've converted ... how could you?! You know I love my iPhone 2.5G! You know I planned on growing old with it! How could you put me in a position to chose function over feeling?! You bastard!!!

Yet you know I will. You know that I will upgrade my phone in preparation of the OS update. You know I covet MMS and voice memos too much to keep hold on my iPhone 2.5G.

And though I may enjoy sending picture messages and recording song ideas, I will be sorely (and secretly) disappointed in you.

Dear Apple,

I love your products. Honestly. I boast of your goodness to anyone who will listen. You're almost a religion to me. Which is why it hurt me in my soul that you let me down today.

See, I have the original iPhone. (Which I love. Did I mention that I love your products?) Yesterday I upgraded iTunes to Version 7.7 in anticipation of the new iPhone software. Today you released iPhone 2.0 software. Color me tickled pink! (Okay ... don't. Pink isn't a good color on me.) Like a good lemming, I upgraded. (All good lemmings should upgrade.)

Oh, wait.

All good lemmings did upgrade! Which is why my iPhone was a brick for FOUR HOURS until it could connect to your iTunes Store!!!

Guys. Seriously. I understand that everyone wants your stuff. But maybe, perhaps, if you can find it in your collective heart ... next time you do something as massive as release new hardware and software ON THE SAME DAY ... maybe, perhaps, you can ensure that you have the capacity to handle the crush of cyber-people who will be trying to get the latest-and-greatest.

I don't like having my faith shaken.

Your Blind Follower,
The Diarist

It Shall Be Mine ...

... oh yes, it shall be mine.

The Past Week - Books And Strings And Things

So, last week the PowerBook crapped out. I had to have the hard drive and the SDRAM replaced. Fortunately, the total cost (parts, labor, and shipping) was under $350. Not bad. It's still a little flakey so I'll have to take it back in to have them check the OS. (I think it may not be installed properly.)

I've been job hunting for over a year. It has only been in the past month, knowing that I would become unemployed at the end of the month, that my contacts have been working hard to help me find something. I'm sure they were working hard before (*cough cough*). After many stressful days, I can proudly say that I will have continuing employment. I've accepted a position that will challenge me and continue my growth in the IT security field. Celebrating will start tonight and continue to the end of the month. (Woo-hoo!)

Monday and Tuesday, I was in New York City with my roommate and a friend of ours. We went up to see a singer/songwriter who is pretty much just starting out in a show up there. There is much to say about that trip, which will be done in a separate post.

I also have some personal shtuff to vent. That will also be done in yet another separate post.

For now, rejoice in the return of the newly improved PowerBook and the landing of a new job.

iRuh-Oh!

For a company that promotes its products as more secure than certain other products, this certainly doesn't bode well. It seems as though a crack has appeared in the dam. It will only be a matter of time before a flood ensues.

Get ahead of the curve here, Great And Powerful One, lest you become as He Who Shall Not Be Named.