Droid X Review

Got the Droid X on the launch day July 15! Compared it with the Droid.

-Pros-

Huge screen: Although the same resolution as Droid, the big 4.3" really stops my eyes from hurting.

The vibration: Awesome. The whole phone feels like a drum. I never liked the vibration mode. But this is kind of cool.

The weight: Or the lack of. Just weighs about the same as iPhone 4, feels much lighter than Droid.

The string hole: Really need this safety net in case the phone slips from the hand.

Better hardware: More RAM, more ROM, more storage, more speed, etc.

-Cons-

The physical menu buttons: Big bummer! Feels cheap compared to Droid's touch sensitive ones.

MotoBlur apps: HORRIBLE! Half-baked software that slow down the UI and buggy like hell. Email notification not working for Exchange account; cannot toggle among Exchange account and IMAP accounts. Why can't we just have the Google native one like Droid or Nexus One has?! This is like forced to downgrade to XP from Windows 7 just for the 10+ years old crappy software to live another decade!

Overall the whole UI and speed is ruined by this stupid MotoBlur layer. Motorola is giving Android OS a bad name!

-Other-

No front facing camera.

Locked bootloader: Now that it is rooted, will we ever get a custom Gingerbread ROM? Again, blame Moto.

I give Droid X 70 out of 100. Rumor has it that Droid 2 is coming out on Aug 12 with Android 2.2 Froyo on board. I hope there is no Moto on that. But I bet there will be!

On a related note, Samsung Galaxy S seems to have unlocked bootloader. It might be a better phone for custom ROM. However, Verizon probably won't have the Fascinate(the only Galaxy S with LED flashlight) out before September. And at 4", the screen resolution (800x480) is still a bit lower than Droid X.

DELL Streak is also coming out by the end of July with AT&T. At 5" 800x480 it does not provide better resolution than Droid X and is awkward to use as a phone. If it has an 720p 1280x720 screen I'd probably jump on it.

Thus so far, if you want a high resolution large screen smartphone, you are like me, stuck with Droid X.

Android vs. iPhone

I have jumped ship from a 3GS to Motor Droid in November 2009. The main reason was that ATT has no 3G at my work place; while Verizon has! Ten times faster!

The major advantage of Android is the multitasking ability. Another plus id that I can download some podcast over the phone without having to sync with itunes. It did lack some apps that I used on iPhone, but overall it gets things done. The one major hurdle is having to update each apps individually. Also the minimal sync function with Mac (double twist) makes photo and video sync a little more complicated.

For email and calendar, Android really nailed it. It supports multiple exchange accounts and gmail accounts. Now I quit using me.com for calendar and totally transfer to Google. And it is free!

Just recently I started feeling the Droid is a bit lagging and was looking for some android phone with faster snapdragon processer and extra features. HTC EVO 4G surfaced out but the slightly lower screen resolution held me back.

What I ended up doing was rooting my Droid! And it's all for the speed. Overclocking!! Through help on droidforums.net I put on Bugless Beast v 1.1, along with P3droid overclock module. And I couldn't be happier! 1.25 GHz compared to stock 550 MHz! And the battery management software still keep it running cool and long. Many other benefits also come with rooting, such as system backup and wifi tethering.

Now every time I open photo gallery app. Everything just renders in a snap! And this souped upmotor Droid should keep me happy for a while until 4G coverage spreads wide.

Sony LCD projection TV failed after 3 and half years

After 3 and half years of usage, my Sony 55" LCD projection TV started to show some yellow smudges and blue hues/stars on the screen in late 2008. Busy with life and not knowing Sony offered extended warranty until the end of 2008, I finally researched the issue this April. Turned out it's too late for warranty repair. To repair the light engine cost about $300 therefore I decided not to pursue further with Sony to save my time and energy on more important matters.

During my research process I set my eyes on the Mitsubishi 73" DLP projection TV, model # WD-73737, which just rolled out this month. Amazing price for under $1900!

As an early adapter for LCD projection technology, there is risk that glitches may happen along the way of my ownership. Sony failed not only the component but the incompetency to issue a recall, instead bet with the customers with the so-called extended warranty. From now on I have to write Sony off my list.

Do not buy from BestBuy if you are a DIY person

I brought my desktop to BestBuy and their young geek squad was telling me: "You are not a qualified technician to add components on your desktop, so we cannot serve your computer. This has been industry practice for more than 30 years."

LAUGH OUT LOUD! 30 years! The geek squad hardly even started his twenties, and acted as a veteran in industry?! I've been DIYed PC for probably more than this guy's age and never once did I hear such a bragging comment regarding warranty service.

So why are DELL, HP, and the others selling components for customer upgrade? Why isn't there any warranty sticker preventing me from opening the case, but the power supply and hard drive?

It turned out to be a faulty factory-installed hard drive, and I decided not to send it in to manufacturer for data security reason.

BestBuy should really fire this kind of employees to save their customer relation.

And for sure, BestBuy will never get my business again. Big or small.

My iPhone 3G Story

I was one of the 50 or-so fans in the line in front of an Apple store the 2nd day it was debuted. I had to dig up my family from the bed and drove 2 hours to arrive at 10 AM. My family went shopping and I was left in line for 3 and half hours chatting with people. They only had several in stock and no definite answer was given for the next shipment. Therefore we left after my wife finished her shopping and kids started to get hungry...

I wasn't too disappointed that day because later we were able to strike a deal for our new car, so at least I wasn't home empty handed...

The next morning I went directly to AT&T to order my iPhone. 5 days later they informed me that my phone is awaiting me. I stopped by twice after work but the store was packed. I was lucky enough to return to store before my name was called. And some customers were not happy that I was called before them (I signed up the sheet and went back later while they arrived later than I did but sit and waited). The rep went with the sheet and 10 minutes later I left happily. Do not waste your time waiting in line in front of Apple store. Go to AT&T and order one. They reserve it for you to pick up within 10 days after arrival.

The white color does stand out from the crowd. I still like the aluminum look and feel better. 3G is fast and GPS locates in no time. However when I am indoor with 3G and try to locate my position, it took forever and never went through. When I am indoor with EDGE it was normal again. My last visit to Apple store I bought the Belkin leather hard case for the phone. It is handsome, sturdy, and functional. The whole front side is exposed so it's easy to tap. The leather do not rub the phone with debris because it is not soft like silicon.

The camera is pityful as I mentioned earlier. I just pre-ordered Panasonic LX3K from Amazon so my kids' pictures won't be blurred by iPhone.

iPhone 3G - What Disappoints Me

iPhone 3G is set for July 11. I am probably buying one, for the reason that the Nokia N95 I have right now just cannot do the internet and email right. However, there are still things about iPhone that I think Apple trys to play dumb on us.

First, camera. No upgrade on camera pixel. No flash. No video recording. What a bummer! This is an obvious update that no one wouldn't neglect. Still, Apple knows we are going to buy it even without these camera upgrade. So they underplay the camera and instead taunt their 2.0 software platform as the focus. And for sure they will update the camera this time next year and somebody will need to pay for this easy upgrade that should have been done by now.

Second, plastic back cover?! What's wrong with Apple's aesthetic taste?! Do they not know the poor polycarbonate plastic cover is prone to scratch? My MacBook has already suffered from these terrible scratches and yet I have to let my next iPhone go through the same kind of pain? This is just way too much for the "cost down" process. Carriers are paying subsidy so how much less Apple would make with a decent iondized aluminum back cover for the customers?

Third, memory size. It's just a matter of time before the 16 GB gets filled with songs, videos, and the apps they sell.

And I know Apple knows all these shortcomings. They just sacrifice these features for future upgrades and we customers will again have to fund these overdued upgrades next year.

Mac Pro 8 Cores 2.8 GHz

I could not overcome the temptation of an entry level octa-core Mac Pro. Therefore I forked in almost $3K for one with 6 GB RAM and an additional 500 GB drive for time machine backup.

All in all it is impressive as a workstation. I haven't had a chance to compile a program for parallel computing on it though. Anyways this one should last much longer than the fragile MacBook. Desktop units are really built for expansion and durability purposes, suitable for a performance oriented user like me. However for in-bed use MacBook is still in service.

My MacBook is getting crappy

It's been 2 years since my first generation of MacBook debuted. And it revealed several problems already due to its age.

First, the white polycarbonate exterior is prone to scratch and crack. Mine has its base under LCD joint cracked and ready to chip off.

The more annoying part is the sleep function. It'll wake up spontaneously even with lid closed. This causes overheated motherboard and drains the battery all the time, which has cost me a new battery. No firmware update so far seems to help.

Now the MacBook only serves as bedtime internet surfing tool. Luckily I am not a frequent traveler and will just cope with it until it gives up on itself.

How I became an Apple fan - Part 2

Finally in May 2006, MacBook arrived.

I was impressed by the brilliant design of magnet power cord and latch, as well as the simplicity to upgrade RAM and hard drive, and the touch of the keyboard. I wasn't so sure about the black color but the matte finish was definitely my taste.

Well, I still went for a white super-drive model instead of black. Yap money, money, money.

This Yonah based core duo processor does it job adequately and I "only" had three issues need to use warranty. Considering a first generation model it is quite impressive.

The first problem I had is the random shutdown due to the short circuit caused by expanding heatsink. It was quite an issue for the early model after running CPU intensive applications continuously for a while. It was fixed right pretty quick and I also asked them to swap in a new handrest plate. However, they bent the CD drive insert and had to do another turn-around. Another problem I encountered is a dead battery after only 190 times of recharge. They sent me a replacement for that.

Now I've owned it for 20 months and it's working fine despite all the scratches and crazy battery reading. For medium graphic demand it handles perfectly. I did need to max out the 2 GB RAM and swap a 160 GB Momentus 7200.2 to keep it flying.

I've tried BootCamp but figured it's too much hassle to switch in between. I used Parallels for a while and now use Fusion to keep my work and my life on the same desktop. My next step of upgrade will mostly likely be getting an 8-core MacPro so that both OS's can get multi-core juice at the same time.

Some Thoughts on iPhone

It's been 3 months since I owned the device, I have several thoughts on iPhone and its accessories.

As a phone, I like the vicinity sensor which prevents accidental touch during a call, a problem that I had with Treo 650. I also love th tight integration of address book on Mac.

As a calendar, it syncs with iCal which is ideal for me. I like the list view in which I can glance through upcoming events quickly. However, I cannot snooze the calendar event as in iCal, instead I need to create a second alarm in iCal to simulate the snooze function. I hope this issue can be addressed in future update.

The Safari web browser is awesome in spite of lacking flash support. The tap-zoom function is great for reading text. Again it syncs with Safari on Mac so bookmarks are always up-to-date.

I do not use iPod function that much. When I do, I spend time on Podcast. The interface is just great improvement from iPod Classic.

Now let's talk about some apps. The first complaint that I have here is the lack of zoom and flash for the camera. It's a shame that they skip these important feature and at the same time slash the price for $200 2 months after debut. The other missing link I think Apple is working on is to get Notes synced with a Mac. The timer/alarm app is the best I've seen so far. I love the snooze function for the alarm and the flexibility to customize it. The rest apps are handy and entertaining. I haven't tried iTune Store app as I am not that into music.

For the 3rd party accessories, I have mixed experiences. I bought the rubber skin by inCase when they just came out, and the idea of stuck your beautiful iPhone into a rubber clothing is just awful, and what's worse, it hurts! My iPhone has its chrome scratched by small debris hide in between rubber and chrome molding. Luckily the strong glass touch screen is intact. The other accessory that I bought and have great experience with is the iPhone vehicle mount solution by ProClip. They custom-make mounts for nearly every vehicle model and every electronic device that you want to hook up in your car. I now have three mounts for my iPhone, GPS, and iPod. Their products are just ingenious, and I think you can always google to find their discount coupon code.

So to sum up my 3-month iPhone experience, I give this product (excluding AT&T contract term) 75/100. Obviously it has something that other smartphones don't have, but at the same time lacks some basic features like camera zoom and flash. If you have heavy network usage, I would suggest waiting until it comes with 3G. The EDGE network just isn't fast enough and you don't always find free WiFi when you need one. Nevertheless, if you are moderate internet user like me, the $399 MSRP looks quite appealing and you won't regret take one home today.

Nokia E61i "Very Brief" Review

I received E61i on 6/27, two days before the iDay.

The package is neat, comes with USB cable, charger, mono earphone, and CD. I use the USB to connect to my MacBook. iSync did not recognize E61i, so I went to Nokia's site and download their iSync plug-in. The screen is very sharp, even at only 320x240 I can see a lot of info in one page. Syncing was no problem and successfuly get my Address Book and iCal onto the phone, even with contact photos and to-do items. Nicely done!

One thing I noticed immediately was that the default alarm clock can not repeat itself. I have to set it again and again everyday if I want to use it as a morning call. I ended up spending $20 for Handy Clock, which includes nice clock, alarm, stopwatch, and timer features.

Calendar is another disaster as I can only snooze the upcoming event for 5 minutes, but cannot customize the snooze interval for individual event. This is really a bummer for me as I highly rely on the customized snooze feature in OSX and previously on my Treo 650. I searched hard for 3rd-party software but could not find any with this important feature.

I really like the matted feel and the response of the keyboard. It's far better than the polished plastic on Treo 650. The unit is a little bit too wide for my hand. The settings are hard to navigate probably because I am new to Symbian OS. The web is good as you can preset the networks you want to connect. And the browser gives you an overview icon of the web page as you scroll through.

To install 3rd party software, you either need to download it in E61i browser, or through USB from a Windows PC. I have no problem using my MacBook as my primary calendar and contacts manager (sync with E61i) and set E61i to copy all its new changes to Windows contacts every time it syncs E61i to Windows Vista. Doing so make my PC contacts synced with my Mac without any disturbance. I did not find any way to sync the calendar on Windows, though.

Overall I like the E61i. It's a good leap compared to Treo 650. There are quite a few software that you can play with, and the screen is a great compliment. However the ultimate deal breaker for now is its lack of customized snooze feature for calendar. I really hoped I can live with that but no I can't. I am a die-hard Apple fan.

On the morning of iDay+1, ie. Saturday, June 30, I walked into an Apple Store, pushed through amazed crowd, and got myself an 8GB iPhone. As for the E61i? I just sold it on ebay. Everyone has his own cup of tea, and Nokia almost got me this time with just a little bit lack of feature.

I really hope Nokia continue to improve so that I may consider getting their product after my 2-year agreement with AT&T expires.

iPhone or E61i?

When I saw Steve Jobs introducing iPhone back in January, I knew there will be an upcoming revolution in mobile phone industry. I was also pissed because it's tied to AT&T but I am a Zeta-Jones fan. I just cannot wait to have my T-Mobile contract end next summer. $200 per line for early cancellation?! Screw it!

I have heard almost everything about iPhone. The intro on Apple.com, David Pogue's review, etc. Regarding to hardware and software, I was disappointed to see no flash support, no java, no GPS, no swappable sim card, no comsumer replaceable battery. I really like the 480x320 screen and all the novelty behind this: one handheld fits all. This is what I need! I have carried PDA and cell phone together like a crazy tech freak, until Treo 650 saved my day. And now I only need to carry PDA phone and iPod until iPhone appears.

I am not a ear bud music listener. I hate headphones, they give me headache. I have my iPod mini installed on car all the time. So I don't really need to have a mobile phone that plays music. However, calendar and contact sync are very important to me, and I really need to have a event notification that allow me to snooze to whenever I want.

Treo 650 is a very good PDA phone. I like it a lot. Since I switched out of Sprint after my dropped-a-million-times Treo lost its antenna, I looked for a phone that can sync with OSX isync, not Windows Mobile, and small in size (yes Treo is huge). I ended up with Motorola PEBL, and it really sucks. Why? Because the stupid event reminder does not let me SNOOZE!!! Even worse, I have to set the alarm clock to "on" EVERYDAY!!! What were they thinking, Moto??!! Decided not to let the moto screw my schedule, I went on and found another PDA phone: Nokia E61i.

There are good reviews regarding E61i. They sell it for $400 unlocked and has video recording, flash and java support, 3G (though not working in USA), and some 3rd party software, which are lacked in the version 1.0 iPhone. And it can do isync! The 320x240 screen sounds really screwed but we'll see. I really hope to have it bridge the gap until next summer when I can kick goodbye to Catherine and embrace a refined version of iPhone.


I will receive my Nokia E61i today and post some comment later on.

Maybe the title should be "E61i, ......for one year, and iPhone"

Oh and my prediction for iPhone is:
It will sell very well. And watch how the AAPL stock will fly, how many percent more Apple will grab the computer market and internet browser market because of this revolutionary device. iPhone is really a dream come true that is backed by elaborate hard work. The mobile phone industry was just sleeping for too long.

Here comes the revolution!

How I became an Apple fan - Part 1

I am a Mac user since late 2003 when I purchased a 12" PowerBook G4 1GHz at Apple.com for my conference need. The reason I considered Apple was that a realtor showed me the expose when he tried to find one of the listings. It was really the "wow" factor that hooked me into Mac.

I was quite satisfied with the elegant hardware design of 12" PB and the brilliant interface of OSX 10.3. I started to browse through MacWorld, VersionTracker, etc. to find every useful free utility software. And also bought Office 2004I subscribed to MacWorld and MacAddict (after a while I found there is no need to subscribe as MacWorld put ALL their stuff online). I put 768MB RAM in it, and even swapped the hard drive to a 7200rpm 80GB one, and boy, that was really a lap burner!

I soon felt that 1024x768 is just not enough, even with virtual desktop. I was lucky enough to find a local buddy selling his 17" PowerBook G4 1.33GHz 1440x900 res. I bought it within a snap and maxed out 1.5GB RAM.

17" is really an eye candy. I loved the screen and the backlit keyboard. The
only downside was the weight. Though 6.9lb is a lightweight compared to DELLs and HPs, it's still too much for me to carry on a daily basis.

To be able to run Windows software for my job need, I bought Virtual PC for Mac. And you know what, it could not be any slower! Running Intel emulation on a PowerPC G4 is a torture to your patience. Needless to mention any possibility of 3D capability.

I was so desperate to run Windows on a Mac, so I found an used PowerMac G5 Dual 2GHz with 2GB RAM on ebay. G5 is way faster than pathetic G4. However, it's hot and noisy. I hooked it up with a DELL 2005FPW 20" widescreen monitor, and had it doing the encoding stuff and all other CPU intense jobs. Oh did I mention it's still slow in Windows?

I think it was around mid 2005 when Apple said they were going to increase the pixels for PowerBook. I sold my 17" PB within a week. Later on I bought an PC notebook (Turion 2.2GHz w/ XP x64) for my conference in late 2005. Oh god, please forgive me, I bought a PC laptop. Almost all my project collaborators have a Mac laptop. I can still remember the sniff look on one of my collaborators face.
I felt like I betrayed them. I told them I still miss my PB (and I meant it).

Ok here comes another bomb to force me sell my PowerMac. Yes! Intel transition!! I was so excited to know that I can probably run Windows natively. Yet I was afraid the G5 will depreciate soon. As a loyal MacRumors reader, I timed to sell my G5 a month before MacPro was announced.

I backed up all my iPhotos and iTunes, etc. Now I am Mac-free (oh did I mention that I gave the 12" PB to my wife but sold it later because she liked the 10.6" Sony VAIO T series better). I know it's the dark age, and I am still waiting for the Intel Sun to rise from the horizon and light up the upcoming Apple laptops......