Can't Give up Android

I decided that I really love the Android OS on the G1, but the G1 was kind of clunky. So I called T-Mobile and told them I really wanted the new My Touch 3G which of course is the second Android phone available in the USA. At first they said you have only been with us 9 months so you have to pay $400.00 for the My Touch. That got me sort of angry, so I waited until last week and called them and told them I was going to pay the ETF and cancel my service. Well, they connected me to retention and the guy said he would of course get the My Touch sent out to me immediately and just put the upgrade cost of $200.00 on my next invoice.
So it came by UPS yesterday. This phone is a sleeper. An excellent shape and size and really a nice jump from the G1. More memory and better design. Now I can put apps on my SD card without any trouble and the darn thing came with a 4GB Micro SD Card! Also the packaging is incredible. A Fabric Zipper Case held the phone and all the usual stuff. It also came with a Micro Fiber Pouch which is cool, and a decent screen protector (pretty decent). Really a nice phone. I have my G1 on Ebay to help pay for this new cool phone. Should work, and only cost me a little or nothing.
Anyway, I love this phone. The app store is huge and has got a great selection of apps very much like Apple's App Store. I got the Merlot color so it really looks nice. The app Layar is pretty spectacular. You launch it and aim the phone at wherever you are, or buildings or whatever and it tells you what's going on in the buildings, stores or restaurants, and you see them on your screen in live action as you point. This is really quite amazing. Only tried it quickly, but I will be using it this weekend. Sherpa is great on the phone too. Tells you what is around any where you are. This may be a candidate for me to do some interesting stuff: Rooting the phone. I am afraid of bricking it, but the Roms out there for this phone are amazing. A Gajetman's dream. We'll see if I have the time and the patience to do it. All in all I recommend this phone to anyone who likes Android.

Kindle is Great No Matter What

Ok. I gave in and bought a Kindle. The price went down to $299.00 free shipping and no tax. Had to buy it. It's sort of funny because I was reading Steve Martin's book in hardback when my Kindle arrived, and so I finished that before I even looked at the kindle. Born Standing Up is the Steve Martin Book I read. Really good.
Anyway I am very happy with the Kindle. It is a slick little gadget that will read to you or play music while you're reading. It also has a wireless connection through Sprint and it works great. I love the darn thing. I have been reading the New Yorker and the New York Times on it. I have yet to read a book on it, but I know it will be a good experience. The newspaper and magazine comes to me while I sleep and is there whenever I want it. No piles of paper to recycle.
People do not realize that the Kindle is still sort of an experiment. It even has a Browser on it that is an experiment. I wouldn't use it unless I didn't have my iPhone close, but it does work if you need it. There are some things that don't have the digital rights that are needed to be on an electronic reader, so when people complain about an article or a cartoon or whatever that is not on the Kindle version, it's because that person or company wont authorize it for digital media. Simple as that. There are many Publishers and people who are still living in the dark ages. This is the future. Amazon is a pioneer. I believe it will work and both the consumer and the suppliers of content will benefit.
Everyone had a hernia over Amazon taking back 1984 and Animal Farm. Amazon noticed that someone put those titles up for sale and yet they did not have the rights for electronic publishing, so they refunded everyone and pulled them off their Kindles. This was bad, however, if you were a smart person, you would have downloaded the books to your computer and you would still have them. Things can be saved and uploaded to and from your Kindle by your laptop or desktop, so this makes Kindle even better. You can upload stuff to it and also e-mail stuff to it (for $.15 a file if you e-mail it). So this was a mountain made out of a mole hill as usual, by all the whiners in our lives. Kindle is great, and I highly recommend it. It will add more fun to your life.

Anyone Reading Any books?

Books. Books. I seem to have a huge quantity of them and yet I haven't had too much time to read them. Or have I? Spending a lot of time on the Web reading things and listening to Podcasts. Also watching Podcasts. And reading and sending e-mail. Ok. I think I have some time to read. Lately I have been reading a book called The Elegance of a Hedgehog. My wife read it and loved it and it sounded kinda interesting so I started it. I like it!! I have to finish it so I can start one of the many Frank Zappa Books I own. Also want to read the new book by the guy who wrote The Tipping Point. Is anyone reading any cool books? Are you using the new Kindle or another eBook Reader? Please comment!!!!

Love My New Toys and gdgt dotcom is Hot!

I have been going crazy playing with my new iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre. Just having a huge blast with these gadgets!!!! The iPhone is just so cool. I have been looking at places all over the world with Maps and using the compass. Also exploring some new apps and I just loaded all my songs from iTunes on it since I now have tons of room on the 32GB model. Also shot some video at the Pride Parade (The Protester) last Sunday and posted it on my youtube account (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh5es9CSMa8).
I also sent out some e-mails inviting friends to view it; all from my iPhone. No laptop or computer. Just so cool!!!!!!!!!

The Palm Pre has been my Twitter machine lately. I love the way the Pre works. It is so easy and fast to make a call and then check Tweeter or text some friends. This is really a nice phone because of the multiple programs that can be opened and running at the same time. Just swipe to a different card and you are where yo want to be instantly. So easy.

Today gdgt.com launched. It is the cool new site by Ryan Block and Peter Rojas of Engadget and Gizmodo fame. These guys have spent a lot of time, hard work and dough on this site. It is going to be the most fun gadget site out there. You pick gadgets you have, had, or want and there is total interaction with others who are gadget freaks as they discuss, alert and add specifics to the site. It sounds a little weird, but go up there and register and tool around. This will really grow and be a great way to learn about your toys and help others enjoy and find stuff too. Nothing but fun and information from other nuts like us!!!

Got the 3GS Last Friday (Launch Day)!

I had to get it, so I just ordered it on the Apple Web Site and it was shipped overnight on he 18th and I received it on June 19th around 1:30PM. I'm talking about the iPhone 3GS of course. I bit the bullet and spent a lot of money on it ($500.00) like the perfect Apple Fanboy Sucker that I am! Well, here's my plan: sell the 3G for some big dough and help pay for the 3GS. I think I can do it. I have to say that the 3GS is worth every penny. When using Google Maps, the Compass makes it even cooler. The battery life for me is far better than the 3G and the added features are very satisfying. I love the video app and have already shot a short video and sent it up to my Mobile Me Gallery. I was also easily able to send the link to some friends so they could view it quick. All from the 3GS. I think that is very slick. Basically you don't need a computer as much or at all. The camera and the speed are much improved. Surfing and loading apps is very quick and a better experience. All in all it is probably the best device out there (the Palm Pre comes in second). Also an app that I thought I would hate: The Sirius XM app. It doesn't include my buddy Howard Stern, but it is a fine app. As long as you have the upgraded Internet Streaming on your account, you are good to go. Again, even though many hate this app, I love it. Works well and has great potential (hopefully Howard can work out a something to allow his channels to be up on this app, but it is an infringement on his TV On Demand deal).
I am a gadget freak and the 3GS in my opinion is the ultimate one. It only gets better and better.

Ok, Now What?

OK. Everything is OK. The Palm Pre is a really great device. It works as presented and is a really great Smart Phone. I actually love it and have not had any problems with it so far. It has only been 5 days, but I have it going pretty much the way I want. Got my sync stuff worked out and almost everything I need is in the phone. It is slick. So, now that I finally got it and love it, I have to decide what to do about my iPhone. I love that one too. After all, the Smart Cell Phone is where it's at. These are the greatest devices for high tech and development at the moment. Why get a Kindle, when you can read books on your Smart Phone. I have read books on an old Plam device and it was great, so now it's even better. Especially on the iPhone with the Kindle App. I need to get the new iPhone 3GS, but they want too much (for me, anyway). I will just have to see if the Apple Store can work out something for me because I am not paying $500.00 to $600.00 for the thing and I am not waiting another year to get it either. I will keep you posted on what happens.
So, the thrust of this Post is that the Pre is great and yet, the iPhone is really great too. Perhaps the greatest two devices out (as of June 19th for the iPhone). For the ultimate in fun, these two are the ones to have. The Pre will really explode as the "code guys" work on it because it has become so easy to play with the firmware. I'm having a ball!

Palm Pre Released, but I'm Worried!

Well, the Palm Pre came out yesterday and now I'm worried. I will be getting mine from Sprint probably on Wednesday, but now I see reports of problems. This launch has been so poorly executed. Now many people are saying there are some problems with the phone right out of the box: Light leaks, Blotches at the bottom with certain backgrounds, dead pixels or stuck pixels, and the phone heats up too much, especially when on the Touchstone. This is not so good. There are always problems or short comings with the first release of a brand new gadget, but this just reeks of poor quality control and disregard for testing. I am so disappointed in these reports that I may not keep the phone when it comes in. What a bummer!