Google+

For those who read my blog, much of my online interaction is now done via Google+.  You can sign up here (plus.google.com), and add me to one of your circles (https://plus.google.com/100454010796032763314) to follow my public thoughts.  I will still try to occasionally update posts here, but by and large I am loving Google+.

Musings on Amazon's new Android App Store Part 2

Today I revisit my musings on Amazon's new Android App Store.  I was notified this morning that there was an update for the store.  The notification came to me directly through the AppStore App, and not through my usual software update channels.  I did not install it because of the reasons listed in my previous musings.  Later today, I was doing a little research on Amazon's App Store, and what I learned shocked me.

When you install applications from the Amazon App Store, you do not really own the application.  What you instead are installing, is Amazon's permission to run an app, as long as you are connected to their site.  The difference?  You cannot uninstall Amazon's App Store and still run apps downloaded from it.  You cannot log out of Amazon's App Store and still run apps downloaded from it.  At some future point, Amazon could require you to pay again, or remove your ability to run the apps you thought you had purchased.  If your phone is not connected to the internet, your apps may or may not work (I never actually tried this out).

So it turns out, that Amazon wants to take over your phone.  They want to control what you buy, how you buy it, when you can use it, and if you don't like it, they can turn it off, or keep you from using it.  I'm sorry Amazon, I usually like your services, but this one really missed the mark.  I have uninstalled your App Store, and will not be using it again.  I would recommend the same for anyone else who wants control over their phones.

What do you think?

Musings on Being Connected

Connectivity is highly overrated, yet once experienced, it is something many people cannot live without.  Carry around a smartphone with wireless internet constantly at your fingertips for a few days, and you will find it difficult to put down.

I did not have a smartphone until recently.  I got a Samsung Nexus S shortly after they came out, and I use it exclusively as a handheld computer for amusement, enlightenment, and connectivity.  It keeps me occupied while I am waiting for the bus, commuting to and from work, and whenever I have something I am waiting on.  It keeps me up to date on my e-mail, my news, and my instant messages.  Yet despite all this, I likely don't get any more value out of this little toy than I would out of my desktop or laptop computers.  Yes, it is certainly convenient. Yes, it can be addicting, but at the end of the day, it is not an absolute necessity.  This being the case, why is it so hard to put down?

I think that we, as a people, have become so attached to our technology; to those perceived connections that it brings us, that we are afraid that by putting it down we will miss something important.  We have become a nation of "always on" "always available" people.  We solicit advice from our 'friends' about what to make for dinner, where to go shopping, or what to do this weekend, not by calling them up, but by leaving them a message on their walls.

In the midst of all this, even though we may be communicating more than ever, some of us are forgetting how to carry on meaningful conversations.  There is more to conversation than a witty status, a cute wall post, or a hasty e-mail.  Let us take some time this week to truly talk to the people we care about.  Let us put down the smartphones, turn off the computers, and take some time to find out how are friends are really doing.

What do you think?

Musings on a self-describing flier

Not really much to say about this.  I saw this flier sitting at the bottom of a pool of water, and I found it incredibly accurate.  It's funny when life describes itself.
What do you think?

Musings on Amazon's new Android App Store

Today I tried out Amazon's new Android App Store.  Their App Store is a new offering aiming to monetize off of the Android phone OS system's increasing popularity.  By arranging some limited exclusive offerings, Amazon offers some compelling reasons to adopt their new service.  Unfortunately for them, their service does not deliver where it counts, and I will only be using their new App Store when no other alternative exists.

User interaction is the first area requiring attention.  I received an e-mail from Amazon asking me to try out the store, so I clicked on the link from within my Android phone.  Instead of taking me right to the store, or right to a download, I was taken to a login page where I had to sign into my Amazon account.  Then I clicked a link for the store download, and was again prompted for an e-mail address where I was e-mailed instructions on how to go about downloading and installing the store.  Finally, after 2 e-mails, and entering my e-mail address twice, I was able to install the App Store and begin actually using it.

Now that I had the store installed, I thought it would be trivial to download the free App offering of the day.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  I clicked on the app I wanted, and because it was free I thought, ok, I can download it now.  Instead, I was prompted to sign into Amazon (again).  Now that I was once again signed in, I was prompted to set up 1-click purchasing.  I would not be allowed to download my app otherwise, I was told.

At this point I began questioning whether it was even worth all this effort for a free app.  In the spirit of persistence, however, I continued.  I confirmed my address and contact information, despite nagging thoughts that they really don't need any of this for a download (free or paid).  Finally, after inputting all this information, Amazon asked me for my cell phone number so they could tie the one click setup to my phone.  Since I don't use the phone for phone service, but just in WiFi mode, I have no number.  I consider it a huge oversight on Amazon's part to require this for the 1-click purchasing.

Frustrated that I could not set up the 1-click as I was told I had to, I backed out of the entire thing.  Out of exasperation, I tried downloading the app one more time.  Much to my surprise, it actually worked.  Apparently, if you don't use the 1-click for purchasing, you just have to sign completely in to Amazon every time you want to buy (or download free) anything at all.  They don't tell you this, however, until you get to the end of the 1-click setup.

Side by side, Google's Android Marketplace is far superior to Amazon's Android App Store in almost every way.  Not only can you browse, select, download, and install applications on your phone from your computer's web browser, but you are not required to give Google any information about address, credit cards, etc. in order to download free apps.  Additionally, you only have to sign in to the App Store once (so they know what device to send the app to) in order to complete any purchase.  The Marketplace is also tied into Android, so you don't have to download anything special or tweak any system settings to make it work either.

All in all, if I were to download, install, and run identical apps onto my phone from both Amazon's App Store and Android Marketplace, the Marketplace would be far faster, easier, and simpler to user, and wouldn't leave me wondering if unusual charges will be showing up on my credit card.  Until Amazon can address these usability concerns, I wouldn't recommend using their App Store at all.

What do you think? Have you had occasion to try out Amazon's Android App Store yet?

Musings on Smokers

Disclaimer: This is a rant posting.  So I was on my way home from work today, and as the elevator door opens (yes, I know, I take the elevator a whole 3 floors down), the smell of fresh tobacco smoke comes wafting out of the elevator.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind if people want to poison themselves into a slow and painful death, but please please please, do it where I don't have to smell it.  If you want to smoke 3 packs during a break from work, walk around the building once or twice to let the smell dissipate before you come back into the building.

If I can still smell it hanging poignantly around your personal space when you get off the elevator; if I can still smell it the entire ride down the elevator after you have already gotten off the elevator; that is a sign that you came back inside too quickly.  Anyway, I hope nobody takes offense at this, but that is how I feel.

What do you think?

Musings on Filing Taxes Electronically

Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of TurboTax.  When I buy software for $70-$80, however, I don't usually expect to pay that much again for all the functionality that I want to use in that software.  Lets assume we had a word processor, how would you like to type up a full document, but then be asked to pay extra so you could print it?  Absurd, right?  Yet, when you purchase tax software, there seems to be this unwritten rule that the software company can gorge you for more money, because after all, they just got you $X back on your return.  You buy their software, and then after they taunt you with your expected return amount, they tell you that if you want it 2-3 weeks faster, you have to pay them an extra $20-$40 to file it electronically.  Additionally, if you are one of those rare people who happens to have earned money in more than one state (and thus, have to file in more than one state), (translated, about 80% of the known population), than they want to charge you another $40 or so for the additional 10% functionality that is required to add on the additional state you need. Anyway, I don't think that is a very nice way to run a software company.  What do you think?