Nice Security Google

Yesterday I went to log onto my Google account, only to find out there was a security measure stopping me. Google had "detected" an unusual account access from another state. I was pretty impressed at first, until I realized the unusual account access was me. I had been in another state two weeks ago and had accessed my emails from there. Because I almost always access from my home state, Google thought it was unusual because it did not match up. Too explain it a little better, if you access your account 100 times from Texas, and then go to Florida and access it once, Google wil think there is a person attempting to access your account illegally. What was nice was the fact that it asked me to verify myself. All I had to do was put in a phone number, wait for them to call, and then enter a verification code. After that, Google will request that you change your password. The system is really well done in my opinion, however I believe it took too long to figure out there may have been an issue. It was two weeks ago I accessed my account from another state, and only now am I getting a notification. If this were a real situation where someone did get into my account, I would be doomed by now. Security is good, but only when it works. I thank Google for attempting to solve the issue, even though there never was one.

~Dave

iPhone Game Review: Phoenix

iPhone Game Review: Phoenix

Price: $0.99

Version: 1.1.2

  

  Phoenix is a game where you aim to kill as many enemies as possible without dying. As you progress you will gain weapon power ups, super power ups, rings, and sometimes health. The game itself reminds me of the flash game Raiden X. However, it is a stripped down version of Raiden X which runs on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
 The game is fast and requires precision movement to keep your ship from dying. Though sometimes I have found it almost impossible not to get hit by projectiles. You play as a ship, seen in the picture to the top left, and you are trying to keep yourself alive from the oncoming attack. There a multiple types of enemies, each of which require a specific way to kill them. While playing, you control your ship with your finger. You can hold down anywhere on the screen to move your ship around. My only gripe with that is many times my finger ends up covering the ship; thus, I take damage because I can't judge where the enemy projectiles are in relation to my ship. This could easily be remedied by giving more options to control the ship with. For example, placing buttons along each side of the screen which you can then press to move your ship left, righ, up, or down. Another remedy would be accelerometer movement. By that I mean the ship moves when you tilt the game.

This is a quick edit to show what I meant by adding buttons. Note: Those buttons are not actually in game

  Overall the game looks fantastic and is a blast to play. There are five levels of difficulty to choose from, each one posing a greater challenge for the player. Plus, there are leaderboards so you can share your score with the world. One thing I would add is a sixth level of difficulty, where the ship does not constantly fire. As of now, while you are playing, the ship is constantly firing. This sixth level would make the player fire when needed and cause the game to become more challenging. It is not a big gripe, but definitely something which would enhance the game in my opinion.

  Though it may come as a turn off to some people, this game does not have multiplayer at all. I find the game fun without multiplayer, and don't see it as a necessity. However, if the company were to add multiplayer I would hope it be something well thought out. If it were me adding the multiplayer, here is what I would do. First, I would allow it to be over wifi so you can play with someone on your GameCenter friends list. Next, the game mode would be a score battle. However, each player would take turns. Here is the fun part, I would make it so one player would send the enemy ships to destroy the other player, while the other player tries to get the highest score. Then, when the other player dies, they switch places and the second player tries to aim for a high score. Again, this is just my thoughts. As I said before the game is great without multiplayer.

Boss battles and explosions! What could be better?

  For $0.99, this is a great game. I highly recommend it to people who like top down shooters. Minus the gripes, this game is still great to play. This game has great graphics, good gameplay, and is a challenge. It will definitely keep you busy for quite a while.

~Dave 

iPad 2 Event Next Week

 Earlier this week a note was sent out to many media site from Apple. Unfortunately, I didn't get one, but thanks to the internet I can see what it looks like. In fact, I have a picture right here.

Tada! Nice note isn't it?

It would seem that Apple has invited people to come see the next iPad launch. It has become known around the web as iPad 2. So far, there is speculation of quite a few new things. First, there is rumored to be a new and improved speaker slot for when the user is not wearing headphones. Next, it is almost confirmed that there will be a front and back facing camera. This would allow Facetime chats between the iPad and the Macbooks, iPad and the iPhone, or both. Seeing as Apple just released Facetime 1.0 for their new Macbooks, I am going to guess that is what it will be used for. There is also an unknown port on one of the sides. How is this known? Well there was a next gen case floating around, and it showed an open slot. The slot has been rumored for an SD card, thus expanding the memory of the iPad 2. It is also rumored to be a sideways docking connector, but that is unlikely. I personally am hoping this port would be used with the new Thunderbolt technology Apple Released in their new line of Macbooks. This would make syncing the iPad 2 a lot faster.

Leaked specs of the new speakers.

Hopefully Apple add most of these features to the new iPad. There was rumor of a better screen, but a recent source told Mac Rumors that won't be happening. The source, according to Mac Rumors, is a very reliable source and has been right about most Apple launches. 

This event comes right after the announcement of the new Macbooks this past week. Usually Apple will wave the new Macbooks in everyones face at the press announcement, saying how great they are and how they "fit right into the Mac family". Guess it is time to wait it out and see what the announcement brings.

~Dave

New MacBook Pros

As rumored, the Apple Store website was down yesterday morning. Within just a few hours, it was back up with the new Macbook Pros. Although it does not boast all the features which were rumored to be implemented, namely a dedicated boot SSD and much better resolution screens, it does come with some notable changes.

Kicking it off is the new chipset inside the Macbooks. If you buy the 15" or 17" Macbook Pro you have the choice of either a Quad Core i5 or i7. However you purchase the 13" you will be given the choice of either a Dual Core i5 or i7. Both a huge speed boost over the last generation, some boasting speeds of 3.4 GHz with turbo boost in use. This means turbo boost will shift the speed of your processor when needed so that you don't see any speed reduction when using your computer. In addition, Apple has made hyper threading standard on every Macbook Pro. Hyper Threading means you have two threads per core instead of one, so you would have eight virtual cores even though you have a quad core processor.

Next up in line is the biggest news of the announcement: Thunderbolt. This is Intel's Light Peak technology renamed to sound cooler. Thunderbolt boasts transfer speeds of up to 10 GB/s. However, you will never reach this speed because the Macbooks are still using copper instead of fiber optic wire. The goal of this technology is to speed up transfer rates. If this goal is reached, you could theoretical sync your iPod in less then a second. You could also transfer huge HD videos in seconds too. When this product reaches its peak, the consumer will be very pleased. Right now, it can be used for Apple's Cinema Dispaly, and also with an external raid drive known as Promis Pegasus RAID. The raid drive allows up to 12 TB of drives, and will allow you to transfer information extremely fast.

Finally, Apple has decided to go full fledge AMD Raedon in this release. For what ever reason, they did not choose Nvidia. The new Raedon in the Macbook's are the up to 3x faster then the last generation, allowing better graphics on games like Half Life 2 and Portal. Yet again, this card is only in the Macbook Pros 15"-17" models. Looks like the 13" was left out on this one.


Overall it is a good release, but not exactly what people wanted to see. Hopefully Apple will add a dedicated boot SSD in the future for the Macbooks. You may want to consider waiting long if you want a Macbook, mostly because the only "new" technology released is Thunderbolt. Plus, Thunderbolt is so new that no one has any products for it yet, so it is useless at the moment. Then again, it is up to you.

~Dave

Mophie Doesn't Lie

Image from Mophie's Website

When I went to check my email yesterday, I was very surprised to find an email from Mophie. At the same time, I was overjoyed upon seeing the email. I actually didn't think that Mophie would follow through with my case issue. I was wrong, and I have to apologize to Mophie for every doubting them. The email stated they had shipped my replacement top for my iPhone case. This replacement will allow easier access to the sound off button. For those of you who don't know what happened, you can read the story here.
 This shows what great customer service this company has, and I would be willing to do business with them again. This is also a great example of not giving up. If you try hard enough, you can solve your problems and achieve success. Whether it comes in the form of a piece of a case, or in some other form, you still have achieved your goal.
 According to UPS, the package should arrive at my house in a day. This will be just in time for the weekend. Thanks Mophie!

~Dave

Other Ways to Read .Pages files

A while back I talked about how to read .pages files on a Windows computer. Well, it has come to my attention there is a way you can successfully convert the file with any issues. You can simply use a site called Zamzar. Zamzar allows you to upload files to be converted, and it will then email it to you. This way only works if you have an internet connection, so keep that in mind. Simply go to the site, select your file, choose a file type, type your email in, and then proceed to converting it. It is that easy. If you decide to become an avid user, you can always sign up for Zamzar so you can have an account. However, I just use Zamzar when I need it. Hence I don't have a reason for an account. All that would do is give me another password to memorize, and I don't feel like doing that. So remember, if you ever need to convert a .pages file on the go, you have two option. The great thing about this option is you will be able to actually edit the file, where the other option just lets you view the file.

Choosing a Screen Protecter

  I find it very important to protect the surface of my iPhone screen. Like my iPod touch, I wish to keep the screen free of scratches, finger prints, and dust. So how do you choose a screen protector? Well, the first thing I look at is price. Is it worth shelling out a large sum of money for a screen protector? In my opinion, you should pay what you see fit. For example, anything more then $15 is not worth it for me. If I am paying more then $15, then I should just go buy a case that encompasses the entire phone. Next thing you want to look at is the quality. Is it a reputable brand? Does it have a good track record? When I bought my iPhone screen protector, I bought the same set which I bought for my iPod Touch. This say, I was buying from a company I knew would do a good job.
  After looking through the previous items, you want to make sure to read the packaging. You do not want to buy a screen protector which will leave a stick residue on your screen. The protector I choose, for example, sticks to my screen with a static cling. This makes it easy to remove if there were any issues. Finally, you want to go online, and in stores, and ask about the product your considering. Make sure it is really what you think it is. Get the input from others who may have owned the item at one point. Did they have any issues? If so what were they? Was it really as good as it says it is? If you get an overwhelming response of positive feedback, then you can rest assure you are buying a good product.
  I personally chose the Power Support HD Anti-Glare Film which I find to be the best product to suite my needs. Other options for me were the screen protectors made by Zagg. I would have chosen Zagg, but since I had never use them before I wasn't sure I wanted to make the switch. Some people complain that the screen protector I choose ruins picture quality. I don't see this as a big deal. You either deal with the slight reduction, or don't buy the protector and put your investment at risk. I can tell you that there is no loss in sensitivity of the screen, nor is there any issue with price, or wireless coverage. One of these screen protectors lasted 3 years on my iPod Touch, and the packaging comes with two! This is another great reason why I made the purchase, because I knew it would last.


~Dave

The Search Yielded Nothing

After searching through every electronics store, my friend and I could not find him a good case. Radioshack, Apple, even Verizon didn't have an inexpensive case for his price range. This is just plain stupid in my opinion. If someone shells out $200 for a phone, the company should at least provide them with cases for any price range. My friend decided, after all this searching, that he will just go with the Ballistics case he wanted originally. The only issue is he may have to wait a few weeks for that to release. Plus, he doesn't want to carry his phone with him now because he has no case. I can't let him not use his phone for weeks on end. As I type this, I am currently looking for a DIY solution (do it yourself). Maybe, if we can make a simple case that will protect his phone temporarily, then he can use it.

Well, no matter what we find, we are sure to have something to use. Worst comes to worst we will actually have to wait the two weeks for the Ballistics case. Still, makes me angry beyond belief there is no cheap solution. Once again, if you know of a cheap case we can pick up in stores, please post a comment about it!

~Dave

A Friend Needs a Case

  At the moment I am stumped. I know someone who also just received the Verizon iPhone, but he needs a case. He insist he won't use the phone until he gets one out of fear of dropping the phone. I don't blame him, I probably would do the same. However, here is the issue. The cost of just a cheap plastic case is $30, and he refuses to pay that much for plastic. He has been eyeing the cases made by Ballistic, but they are not yet for sale. So now he has now run into an issue. What is a cheap case he can pick up in stores which will protect his phone until Ballistics starts to ship? The important thing is that it encompasses the entire phone. His price point, if he were to get a case at the moment, is $10. He doesn't want to spend a lot because what ever case he picks up will be a temporary one. So I ask you, my readers, if you can suggest any good, durable, and cheap, cases. If you have a suggestion, please leave a comment below.

~Dave

Don't Be a Charge-a-Holic

"I can't charge!"

  One thing I cannot stress enough is letting your battery drain. This may just sound like the silliest thing you ever heard, but it is true. You must let your battery drain until it is in red. This applies to all gadets. Computers, cell phones, gaming devices. Why is this important though? Why can't you just charge when it is at 50% battery? Well, I shall explain. Every time you let your battery drain into the red, it is considered empty. When your battery is empty, and you charge it back up to full, this is known as a cycle. Most batteries have an estimated number of cycles which they can go through. For example, my laptop battery, I believe, has an estimate 1000 cycles. After which, I would need to change the battery. By letting your gadgets cycle, you are ensuring you get the most out of your battery. When you don't cycle your gadgets, you are actually shortening the battery's life span. Instead of be able to do 1000 cycles, it may only be able to do 900.
  Once you pass the estimated number of cycles, the battery will start to hold a weaker charge. This means that you will have more time charging, and less time draining your battery. Your battery will start to drain quicker, and it may come to the point where your battery is useless. If your battery were to ever become useless, you would have to charge constantly for the gadget to work. With most gadgets, you can buy replacement batteries. However, they are on the more expensive side. A new macbook battery could run me $100. Not the type of money I want to be spending.
  The one prominent charging method people with cellphones use is the car charger. However, they don't just charge when the phone needs charging. They charge all the time. Constantly, they are just plugging in and charging. I know the mentality behind this. The people charging think their phone could die during the day, so they must keep it charged. I always try and explain to these people that there is no need to be charging in the car if your battery bar is in green. Most, however, don't listen to me and do it anyway. There is not much I can do then. Usually I get a call a few months later from some of the people who don't listen. They then explain to me that their battery is not holding a charge and they don't know why. At that point, I am usually frustrated, yet somewhat humored, by how people took my advice. I then proceed to explain to them that they have killed their battery and they will have to buy a replacement. The price usually does not fly so well.
  So this is a slight warning, and at the same time a bit of advice. Let your battery drain fully and then charge it. Cycling is better for your battery then just charging it when ever you feel is necessary.

~Dave

Apple Tried to Crack Down

Many people with an idevice use it normally. However, there are some who jailbreak it. Although I have decided not to this to my iPhone, I did do it to my iPod Touch. Jailbreaking has been deemed a way to void your warranty if done to your device. Yet, restoring your device will restore your warrant if you are still within your warranty period.
Anyway, many who jailbreak their idevice found a slight problem earlier this. Upon opening up the iBooks application, they found they could not read their purchased books. It turns out that Apple had left a verification script in there that was actually false. When I say false, it is designed to be rejected by iOS. However, the jailbreak went so far that it passed. Having passed, the script triggered a safety measure within the application. This made the application not allow users to read their books.
Although this temporarily stunned most users, it was quickly fixed by the jailbreaking community. Everything has returned to normal, and people can return to using their device without a problem. As a note, I would like to say that this article in no ways is telling you to jailbreak your device. It is simply a news tid bit.

~Dave

And Just Like That Rumors Arise

It hasn't been even a week that I have had my iPhone, and already rumors are surfacing about the next generation of iPhones. The most prominent rumor is there will be an iPhone "Nano". This rumored device is supposedly two thirds the size of the current iPhone, and will retail off contract for $200. This means that on contract, this phone could cost only $100. Other rumors claim that Apple is working on the iPhone 5, but this time there are two different versions. One version could include a slide out keyboard, while the other would be the standard iPhone 5 with slight changes under the hood.
When I was deciding to purchase my iPhone, I took into consideration the fact that I would be behind the curve in just a couple months. What people don't understand is when you deal with Apple, you never own the most current things. Doesn't matter when you buy, you will be phased out in either 6 months or a year. So what do all these rumors mean? Well nothing yet. The rumors don't tend to mean anything until pictures get leaked. An example of this would be the iPad 2. There have been leaked photos of possible cases, along with redesigned speakers and a screen. When those leaks came out, they incorporated everything I knew would be there. It is no surprise to me that the iPad 2 would have a front and back facing camera. The speakers being better, along with a better screen, was also foreseeable.
All this is coming out just months before Apple's next announcement. It will be interesting to see what actually comes out. Keep an eye out for any more rumors!

~Dave

My iPhone Has Arrived

 After almost a week long wait, my iPhone has finally come. There was so much that went into getting this phone, is hard to explain the exuberance I felt when it finally arrived. Out of the box, the phone was very simple to setup. All I was required to do was plug it into iTunes. The phone then activated and connected to the network. My only gripe with that was my family had ordered two phones, and neither of them were labeled. I ended up activating the other phone by accident instead of activating my own. After your phone connects to the network, you fill out a registration form, accept the terms and condition, and then proceed syncing your device. Syncing my device took quite a while because of the amount of apps I had. After the first sync I went through and organized my Apps into folders. This first organization was preliminary, as I plan on going through again and make the categories even more specific. This will help me in the long run when it comes to finding games.
This phone is one that is easy to use, but hard to master. One of my favorite discoveries while going through the settings was the "Simple Passcode" option. I guess my old iPod Touch did not support this option.

Above: The option "Simple Passcode" has been turned off.

  Most people don't know this option exist. I brought this up because many people keep the simple passcode on, and this makes it easier for people to guess your lock code. If you keep it off, you can make a nice long password. 

  Another thing I did while I was setting up my phone is I connected to the wireless I have at my house. This allows me to use my faster internet, instead of using Verizon's 3G service. This helps save you bandwidth on your phone plan. There have been incident with other users, in which they went over 2 GB of downloads and Verizon cut their bandwidth. Essentially, to keep the network fast, Verizon will slow you down the next month if you go over 2 GB in one month. It is smart, but still annoying for the end user.

  One of the interesting things about iOS which I noticed is every application you open automatically goes into multitasking. Although many would say this is a good thing, I would disagree. The multitasking kills battery life if you have too many applications open. There are people out there who tend to not track their multitasking, and have their batteries get drained fairly fast. Because of this I am constantly closing applications which are multitasking. It is not a huge deal, but it is just an extra step that must be taken to ensure maximum usage comes from this phone. 

iOS Multitasking

  There are so many things left for me to explore on, and with, this phone. I have been behind the curve with the iOS system every since they dropped support for the 1st generation iPod Touch. Now I have the most recent system, and I am slightly overwhelmed. Things like Game Center are a big addition, it is like Xbox Live for iPhone, only you don't have to pay for playing online. There are also many newer games which I can now play because they are supported by this device. All of this is very exciting and I plan on playing around with it a lot in the years to come.

~Dave

Loading Up on Apps

With my new iPhone arriving tomorrow, I have been browsing the App Store constantly looking for worth while apps. I have also been reading reviews and watching videos of each apps before buying. Below is what my search has yielded. Only time will tell if these apps were worth the price.

  Canabalt ($5, on sale for $2.99): 
  Canabalt is one of those games that just never gets old. The object of the game is to get your little running man as far as you can with out him falling to his death. You must jump over ledges, chairs, and boxes to keep going. However, sometimes you must use those boxes and chairs to slow you down, as you may be going to fast. The game is fun, and addictive. Plus I have played it before, so I know it was a good buy. If you have Google Chrome, you can try Canabalt for free from the Chome Web Store and see what it is like.

Archetype ($0.99):

  Archetype is an online shooter for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and even the iPad. The game is an online multiplayer game, which utilizes many game mods such as Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch.  I am yet to play this game, but from the pictures it looks amazing. There are leaderboards, DLC, ranks and more.  There is also a storyline mode for those who don't have access to wifi/3G, or if you just don't like playing online.  The game also boasts online matches up to 5 on 5. That is pretty amazing for an iPhone game, so I am really looking forward to playing this on.

Osmos ($2.99):

Osmos originated on the PC. The game is far from an intense shoot 'em up. If anything, the game is a methodical game which you play to calm yourself. You are a little bubble, and your goal is to join with the other little bubbles. However, there are big red bubbles which attempt to attack and pop you. It may not sound like much, but the game is pretty challenging from what I remember playing on the PC version. What adds to the challenge is as you move you lose some of your bubbles. This keeps you moving in order to collect bigger bubbles. The more you collect, the more you grow in size. When you are big enough, you can actually absorb those big nasty red bubbles. When you need to relax, this is probably one of the best games to pick up and play.

Street Fighter IV ($4.99):

I have never actually played the Street Fighter franchise, but this game happened to be on sale when I got it. It was $0.99, so I decided it was worth a shot.  The objective is to K.O your opponent before they K.O you. Each character has his/her perks, but each one also has weaknesses.  The game moves fast, and you have to have quick reaction times. There is in game DLC,  most of which consist of costume packs. The game does support multiplayer, but only over  bluetooth. That in itself is a slight disappointment, but you can't complain because at least there is multiplayer.

Trainyard ($2.99, currently on sale for $0.99):

 This game was actually recommended to me by a friend of mine. He claims that it will keep you busy for hours on end. He has logged 50+ hours into the game, so I am guessing it might just be addictive. The object of the game is to layout train tracks, allowing different color trains to reach the box of the same color. There are all sorts of different ways to layout the tracks, and you must time everything perfectly so that none of the trains crash. There is even a color blind challenge mode. That must be hard. With over 100 different challenges, and 50 bonus challenges, this game is sure to keep me busy for a while.

Find My iPhone (Free):

After reading about a man who actually lost his iPhone, and used this application to find it, I was inclined to pick it up. However, there is a catch which I found. To use this app successfully you must own another iOS device that was made in the last two years (ex an iPad, iPod Touch  2G, iPhone 3G). Sure, you could ask someone on the street to borrow theirs, but it is unlikely they will lend it to you. The way the application works is as followed. First, you setup the item you wish to keep track of,  let's say an iPhone. You must log into the application with your Apple ID, then set up the device so that it is linked to the application. In the event that you lose the device, you can use this app on another iOS device to located your lost one. Simply sign in with your Apple ID and you will be able to find it. You can even display a message on the phones screen to let the person know how to contact you. The best part, you can remotely lock your device, or even wipe it clean of  all data. The only way this app could be better is if there was a desktop application for it.

So that is it. I picked up quite a few games, and one useful application. All I can say is that I hope I enjoy using all of them. Do you have an application which you think is useful or worth getting? If so feel free to leave a comment stating the application.

~Dave

Help Refine a Product

Ever wanted to take a video with your kid, but couldn't because someone had to hold the camera? How about video chat with a friend using your iPod, but you can't do other things because you are holding the iPod? Well, there is a product I stumbled across which fixes this. The product, named Satarii Star, is still in production. The product is very simple. It consist of a base and a marker. Where ever the marker goes, within 180°, the base will turn with it. The base holds your phone, ipod, or any other camera. This great design, however, is not yet in production. The company who makes it are a couple of guys. What you see below is just a prototype of the final product. The company needs suggestions on how to improve the product. All those who aid in the process will be given the chance to pre-order the final product before it is released.

Base and Marker

  Satarii can be found on both Facebook and Twitter, along with their official Blog. I personally believe the idea is amazing and should really be developed. However, I would try and slim it down a bit, and probably add a way to move vertically too. For a prototype though, I must say, I didn't know it was a prototype until they said so in the video. In addition, as of eleven hours ago they announced their official spokesperson. It will be none other then Shay Carl, the YouTube video blogger.
  The product will register you as long as you are within 8 meters. You can help donate to the final product, and be one of the first to receive it, by going to IndieGoGo.com. Every dollar counts when trying to achieve a goal. To see more on the product, you can watch the video the company put together to show it off. Scroll down to watch.

~Dave

Amazing First Impression

Above: Universal Top from Mophie

  My on going battle with my Mophie case has come to an end. After purchasing it a week ago, the issue of the case not fitting my new iPhone has been resolved. You may be wondering, how did I resolve this problem? Did I put a blow torch to the case and melt the plastic into place? Did I take a drill and shave away the plastic for extra space? Well, luckily I did none of the things listed, which is good because I have no idea how to do either of those things. Plus, I don't own a blow torch. Anyway, after I wrote the article "I Should Have Seen This Coming", a comment was posted on the article a day later. The comment, as you can see, was from a technical support agent at Mophie. As you can see from the comment, he sent me an email. I promptly checked my email to see what he had said. When I read the email, I was surprised beyond belief at what it said. The email stated that if I filled out a product support form on Mophies website, they could send me a replacement top to the case so it would fit with my new iPhone. It turns out, as I had guessed, Mophie is making a universal top for the case. This top will be compatible with both the iPhone on Verizon, and the one on AT&T. Well! I could not wait for this opportunity to pass! I did exactly what the email stated. I filled out the form, described my problem, and politely asked if they would be willing to ship me a new top. As of yesterday morning, I have received an email stating that I am now on the mailing list for a new top!
This just goes to show that Mophie has amazing product support. They went out of their way to assist me with the problem I was having. This has made an amazing first impression on me. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be recommending this case to everyone I know. In addition, I will tell them about the amazing product support that was given to me when I had my issue. Thank Mohpie!

~Dave

iProgrammingclub.com

welcome= "Hello!"
print (welcome)
Hello!

Above is what I have learned in just a week and a half. I have mentioned iProgrammingclub before, but now I am going to get into it more. The site is aimed at beginners, but accepts anyone who is advanced.
Classes have now been setup, and happen live on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These classes, at the moment, are teaching people how to code in Python. Python is one of many languages to code in out there. The course on Python is aimed at creating video games. Now, obviously we won't have a grand scale production and put a game on every console out there, but we will be making side scrolling games. The site is great, and the atmosphere is a friendly one. No one is allowed to put you down because you don't understand something. Every person is asked to help everyone else out. And, since it is a small community, you can read what other people make and see how they create things. This way, you are not only learning from a book, but from each other. However, it is not all fun and games. There is work, and you have to do it if you wish to progress. Sitting around and reading books will not help unless you actually attempt it.
The course is graded, and you can fail. However, don't let this put you down. If you work hard, and try hard, you will pass with flying colors. There has been no better time to join. Since we are just starting, you won't be far behind. And, the best part. If you finish the first four assignments, you will be awarded server space. You can use this space for anything (legal of course) related to the club/. There is no cost to using the server. The only thing you must put into the club, is your effort. And when I say effort, I mean 110% of it. I have already started, and if you ever wanted to learn programming, you should start too.

~Dave

Ordering a Verizon iPhone

Nice order page Verizon.

  Last night was one heck of a night. As some of you may have heard by now, wait let me rephrase that. As EVERYONE knows by now, Verizon has been given the iPhone 4. Last night, at 3 AM, they went on sale online. Both Apple and Verizon were selling them through their website. However, I ordered through Verizon's website because they are the carrier. In addition, I was due for an upgrade. Apple, however, offered the ability to order online and then pick up in stores from their reserve quantity. That in itself is funny because Verizon and Apple both stated "There will be a limited quantity when the iPhone first launches". Anyway, I got up six hours ago to purchase my new phone. I was up a little before three, and to my surprise the phone was already on sale.
  Now, I was excited for the fact that Verizon was offering a week long deal for free overnight shipping. I even wrote down the code in hopes of being able to use it. Well, it seem neither Apple, nor Verizon, like the iPhone shipped overnight. There was no option given to me when the order was being placed. Not only that, but the discount which the account had was not allowed to be applied. I blame Apple for that. The best part? The ETA on shipping. Nine days from today the phone is going to ship. It won't BE HERE in nine days, it will SHIP in nine days. I guess that is the only down side to ordering online. Well, at least I got the phone. In other news about the phone, my super amazing case that doesn't fit is coming today.

I Should Have Seen This Coming

The top one is the Verizon iPhone

 

   Well, it is my unlucky day! I called... well actually I "live chatted" with tech support over at Mophie.com, and I bet you can guess what happen. It turns out that me, the guy who tends to research every single thing he buys, missed the smallest thing when purchasing my new iPhone case. The Verizon iPhone 4 has the volume and vibrate buttons moved down ever so slightly because of a new notch made in the antenna.  That small move apparently messes the fitting up for my new cases. Can you guess what that means? Well for those of you who can... you can stop reading now.

  If you can't let me explain. I was told by the customer service rep that their current cases to not fit with the Verizon iPhone, and that new models of the case would be coming out in the coming weeks. This leaves me only one choice: return the case and get a refund. I should have seen this coming when I went on the site to purchase my case. How? Well the site was having a weekend sale of their iPhone 4 cases. They say it is for Valentines day, in my opinion, though, it was for emptying out their supply of cases. New cases, which are to be release, will restock the old ones. Since the old ones won't be flying off the shelves, they had to get a way to get rid of them. In the end, I have a feeling I will see if it fits. Most likely it won't, but who knows.... maybe it will. Sending it back may just end up costing me more because I will most likely have to pay shipping. Who knows, depending on the return policy of Mophie, I may have some time to send it back. I payed for it, and if the charger itself works, then it may just be worth it do a little case modding to have it fit.

~Dave

Help! I Require Assistance!

A couple days ago I mentioned that I would be buying the Mophie Juic Pack Air. When buying it, I didn't think everything through. To me, the most important part of the case was how much battery life it would provide for my phone. However, the more I thought about the case, the more I came to small realization. The volume buttons on the side of the phone are different on the Verizon version of the phone. They are moved down slightly because of a notch made in the antenna. As far as I currently know, my package has not shipped, so I can still contact customer support about the issue. I plan on calling later today in hopes that they will do one of two things. First, I hope they tell me that the case will fit the phone, and that I have nothing to worry about. Or, second, they tell me the case won't be fitting the phone , in which case I would ask that they cancel my order. In addition to canceling the order, I would follow up asking if they would be making a case which would fit the Verizon iPhone. If they say yes, then I may return to them later on and purchase one. As of now though I can only hope that it will fit


~Dave

.

Tune Buddy Review

Recently, I picked up the application Tune Buddy. A simple little app which easily allows you to see what song you are listening to, as well as share the song with friends. The overall design is very nice because the entire application is hidden, for the most part, up in the menu bar. No windows, no fuss, just open it up and it runs in the background. The preferences, seen below, are few in number and easy to operate.

Easy, right?

The great thing about this app is what it supports. Besides showing you what song you are listening to, it also can incorporate Growl. Growl, for those of you who don't know, is a notification application which you can download. By utilizing Growl, Tune Buddy pops up a small notification when ever you start listening to a new song. The notification includes the band name and the name of the song. Tune Buddy also utilizes Twitter and Facebook, allowing you to easily share your favorite tunes with your buddies. After linking your account, you simple go up to the bar, click on the icon, and click "Send to Twitter, or "Send to Facebook". And just like that, it has been shared with your friends! You can customize what is part of the message in the preferences.

See? Send to Twitter.

Lastly, Tune Buddy has built in support for Last.fm. Tune Buddy acts as a "scrobbler" for Last.fm. By that, I mean it takes what you listen to and uploads it to your Last.fm records; thus, making it easier for Last.fm to recommend music to you. No need to hassle and try to figure out the Last.fm scrobbler application, all you need is Tune Buddy!

Simple, and easy to use!

This application also supports Adium chat, allowing you to post the song you are listening to on Adium  so all your buddies can see it. Adium, for those of you who don't know, is a IM Client Application. Lastly, there is the a wonderful option which allows you to copy the name of your song, and its artist, to your clip board. This allows you to paste what you are listening pretty much wherever you would like. I personally think it would be very useful when you are trying to make a list of songs for  party or get together. This is a great application, you can find this application on the Mac Store for $5. In my opinion, the price is the only thing which, I believe, is a set back for this great application. Personally, I would be willing to pay $3 for this application. However, everyone is different in what they would be willing to pay.

Overall: Great application, worth the money
Pros
-Supports multiple ways to socially share your music.
-Small and easy to use.
-Does not get in the way of other application, just hides in the background.
Cons:
-The price tag

Below are five redeemable codes for you, my viewers, courtesy of the developer. This is a first come first server thing, so if you don't get a code I apologize. Make sure to check out the application, I would highly recommend you do.

K39KH9L4YJYL
AXAE9TMLNYHK
N7PXJJH4KP4K
EMM9KY9P7MLF
FKWHA4YP93NH

~Dave

Mophie Juice Pack

With my plans to get an iPhone, I had to look into a getting case too. The one thing I knew I would need was a case that was protective, yet able to charge my battery. Ironically, when I was reading Mac World, I stumbled across a page wide add for a product named "Mophie". The case surrounds the iPhone, and has the ability to charge it at the push of a button. After reading the article, I went on line to their website to read more about it. It must have been my lucky day, because they are currently having a Valentines day sale on the cases. The specifications were perfect for what I was looking for:

Standby Time: Up to 270 hours

Talk Time: Up to 6 hours on 3G | Up to 12 hours on 2G

Internet Use: Up to 5 hours on 3G | Up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi

Audio Playback: Up to 36 hours

Video Playback: Up to 9 hours

So, after reading into it, I decided to pick one up. Although it adds a little weight and bulk to the phone, it is worth it in the end. Protection was also a key feature when I was shopping around. You can see the Mophie Sale here.

~Dave

Quest to Obtain an iPhone

I had it all planned yesterday. I was going to try and pre-order my iPhone. How hard could it be? All it required was going online and filling out a form. Plus, from the sound of it they would have plenty in stock. Well, boy was I wrong. I went on late in the afternoon and they were all sold out. I couldn't believe it. So then, when is my next chance to get one? Next Wednesday... at 3:01 AM. That is right, I have to get really early if I want to get a hold of one of these phones before they sell out completely. That, you know, is what will happen. Over all the hype they will sell like wild fire and no one will be able to acquire them. This may not be black friday, but it is one of those products you must really make an effort to get if you want one. If you don't you will miss your chance at one. Most likely they will be "in short quantity". Another one of those great sales statements. That statement makes people go nuts over a product. It is as if the world will end if they don't get one. I am going out of my way to get one because of the unlimited data plan. I want to make sure that I secure a phone with that plan before they take remove that option. Which, as some of you may know, they will be doing. Verizon will be moving to a tiered data plan, so I have to get this unlimited plan. This way, I will be "grandfathered" when they release the new plans. We shall continue this story next Wednesday. Have a good weekend everyone!

~Dave

Verizon iPhone Pre-Orders

Today the Verizon iPhone goes on sale for pre-order. This, however, is only for existing Verizon customers. If you are new to the Verizon Network, you will have to wait until February 9th. Many sites released reviews last night for the phone, saying it was a great improvement over AT&T when it came to dropped calls. Many said the issues were few and far apart. However, Verizon does have a slower network then AT&T, but that is not a big problem if you have been with the Verizon network for a while. If you are an existing customer, it won't bother you. Overall many said it would be worth buying, I am still trying to figure out pricing. I plan on getting one if the pricing works out. Speaking of pricing the phone will start with a $40 plan for voice, 450 minutes that is. With text that is an extra $20. If you want unlimited voice, you will have to shell out $70. Then there is unlimited data, which will cost $30. Finally, there is the mobile hotspot which will set you back another $20. Each of these prices are a per monthly cost. This means you can expect to pay around $100 a month. My issue is finding out whether I will be charged extra as my phone is an added line. You can pre-order your iPhone now on Verizon's website. Well, I am off to the Verizon store to try and figure out my pricing issue. If all goes well I may have an iPhone by next week!

~Dave

Installing iPortable Snow

As I mentioned a while back, I decided to put some time into creating an iPortable Snow USB drive. I started off by searching around online and obtaining a copy of iPortable Snow. Then I attempted to create the USB drive by following all the directions provided with the .dmg when mounted. At first I thought I had done everything correctly, but I must have made a mistake along the way because when I booted into the USB drive, it kept shutting down. I asked around on a few forums, and we tried a couple of things, but none of which seemed to work. So I googled "iPortable Snow". I found my way to this youtube video. As I watched it I noticed that I had made a mistake while I was creating the USB drive. With that, I wiped the drive and started new, following everything done in the video. I booted up my hackintosh with the USB drive now ready, and proceeded to try and boot. I got to a blue screen after the introduction screen, but could not get any further. So I went back to the instructions to read what to do. To my luck, there was a fix there. I read it, tried the fix (which was booting verbose and in single user mode), and then let the system boot. Boy was I surprised when it booted. I am still tinkering around with it, trying to get the video drivers to work and what not. For the most part it has worked, but I am trying to get it so I don't have to boot in verbose single user mode each time. I am not quite sure what is wrong, but with each failure comes a learning experience.

~Dave