I just upgraded to the iPhone 4S, and like millions of people, I want to add some protection to my precious new gadget without sacrificing the aesthetic qualities of the device. This is not a new dilemma, since my last phone was the iPhone 4, which is nearly identical in design to the iPhone 4S — yet there is something about this iPhone that screams “try something different this time!” Read more
A few weeks ago, I posted that I had no plans to upgrade from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S. There were several good reasons for this. Here is an excerpt from that post:
…As excited as I am about the quantum leap Apple has made in its AI interface with Siri (the new personal digital assistant that is only available on the iPhone 4S,) I have decided to wait for the iPhone 5. Read more
I’ve always been a Mac devotee and have never owned an Android device of any iteration — but all of that is about to change, thanks to the Amazon Kindle Fire, an incredible new tablet poised to set mobile computing ablaze on November 15, 2011. Perhaps owing more to its price point than its comparatively basic specs and features, the Kindle Fire has a powerful advantage over any of iPad’s previous Android challengers: since Amazon can afford to undercut itself on margins, the company is ready and willing to sacrifice profits in Q4 for sales volume, which is expected to be astronomical. Read more
It was a satisfying conclusion to a generally great weekend, seeing the Panthers score a victory over the Redskins in a game that proves Charlotte is making some strategic shifts in how it plays defense. There were flags thrown against the Panthers every few seconds it seemed, but the team was savage with a new, aggressive defense that kept the Redskins from gaining much yardage. It was thrilling to see. Cam Newton also seemed to be playing his backfield more — an improvement we’ve all been waiting to see. The final score: Redskins 20, Panthers 33. Read more
Apple has introduced several new apps along with yesterday’s uncorking of iOS 5, but one of them looks more fun to me than any of the rest. It’s the Find My Friends app, available as a free download from App Store. Find My Friends takes social networking to a whole new level by allowing you to request permission from friends and family members to view their locations. The app only works on devices with iOS 5, so if you want to take it for a spin you’ll need to upgrade first. You will also need to sign up for a free iCloud account, as you’ll need that to log in. Read more
I haven’t written on my own blog since last week. Which is odd, since my job is content writing and I’ve written perhaps thirty articles since then about Steve Jobs’ passing, the future of Apple, the anticipation over today’s release of iOS 5 and iCloud, and the disappointment at the October 4th unveiling not of the mythical iPhone 5 — but instead of the iPhone 4S. I think it was just too fresh, the death of Jobs, for me to post about it here. I had to grieve in my own slow, quiet way (personally, if not professionally.)
I’ve had some time to mull it all over. The disbelief is gone, replaced with a kind of wistful longing for the physical presence in the world we once shared of a man of such great genius that his very spirit permeated the devices he inspired his company to bring to life. They are all household names: iPod, iTunes, iPhone, the Mac. Hardly anyone has made it to this point in the universal timeline without owning at least one iPod. Podcasting was an offshoot of that innovative device, and has now become an essential facet of media. I never knew Steve Jobs, but like millions of people around the world, it feels like I did. A light has gone out. I will miss him, I’m sure, until mine does as well. Read more
