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The answer: XtremeMac iPhone Sportwrap.

I’ve had this sportwrap for several months where I have gone jogging, bumped into walls, etc. and am happy to say that this sportwrap shows no signs of tearing or breaking down. Although it is speckled with paint now, the iPhone remains unscathed.

If you want a dependable sportwrap and protective cover for your shiny iPhone, then I recommend checking this out.

• E-mail Evaporation - I am a heavy OmniFocus user and one of the things I find myself doing often is capturing new tasks that I need to work on when away from the office (as set via the OmniFocus mail preferences). Now, when writing a new task using the Mail app on my iPhone, the app and message will evaporate after hitting the send button. Great, now instead of making better use of time, I’m wasting it. I’ve not seen other apps do this…yet.
• Podcast/Song Resume - I easily consume over 10+ hours of news and information on a weekly basis (especially now that I have been painting on the weekends). When I’m working out on the elliptical machine in the morning, I’m watching video. When I’m doing other house tasks or tooling in the garage, I’m listing to the my podcasts. Prior to version 2.0, I could pause a song or podcast midstream and resume it later. Not any longer. I can only do that with video now. Bah!

The other issues, you can read about on Merlin Mann’s site, especially about all apps being much slower to use. I’m still using the orignal iPhone and not the 3G phone but it sounds like it doesn’t matter which phone you are using, 2.0 is much slower.

© Apple

If you have been following the MacWorld hype this week, you will have noticed that the Apple TV has been improved and reduced in price. Some improvements include wireless connectivity, updated user interface, ability to rent and watch movies, etc. It is a great device with plenty of bells and whistles in both hardware and software.

However, it still misses the mark. By taking a close look at the Apple TV Tech Specs you will see that maximum resolution is 1280×720 pixels at 24 fps but the specs for HD video is 1920×1080 pixels at 24 fps (although it can go as high as 60 fps). If you care about getting the maximum benefit out of your TV and movie watching experience, then this is not the device for you. Nor is the storage space (160 GB maximum) as you’ll need over a terabyte in storage if you have a decent movie collection, let alone storing TV content, downloadable media, or your own home videos.

Food for thought.

(click to view)

Additionally, if you once enjoyed The Perfect Vision, check out the chart in Issue 79, Page 31. It doesn’t provide a breakdown of resolutions like the one above but is a handy reference for screen size and viewing distance.

© Playback.

Playback, if you haven’t heard, is a new magazine that used to be known as The Perfect Vision. While The Perfect Vision was a paid subscription, Playback is free. Unfortunately, you have to subscribe via e-mail to be notified of new issues despite the fact that there is a syndicated feed for the site that would be just as applicable for notification.

You can view past issues via the online reader (which is a bit laggy) or you can download an .exe file for Windows or .dmg file for Mac OS users. Cumbersome, yes, but I suppose one can’t complain when it is free to use.

(click to view)

Installation was a breeze and took very little instruction. Of course, if you need steps, you can easily consult the manual that ships with the MacBook Pro. I would warn that you should have a precision screwdriver set around before attempting to install as you’ll have trouble trying to unscrew the super tiny screws to the memory casing. I ended up using a #0 Philips head screwdriver:

After the install and powering up the MacBook Pro, I was greeted with increased memory stats via the about dialog:

Here is a view via the Activity Monitor:

(click to view)

For the curious, the full stats on the Crucial Memory I ended up using is:

• Module Size: 4GB kit (2GBx2)
• Package: 200-pin SODIMM
• Feature: DDR2 PC2-5300
• Specs: DDR2 PC2-5300, CL=5, Unbuffered, NON-ECC, DDR2-667, 1.8V, 256Meg x 64

I’ve always used Crucial Memory in the past for the custom machines that I have built with great success. It looks like the quality continues with the Mac but time will tell.

The following showcases some of the best features, in my opinion, of the Airport Extreme in case you are in the market for upgrading your network.

Feature Highlights

• Supports 802.11n WiFi technology.
• Has one WAN port and three LAN ports.
• Has one USB port that can be used to connect a USB Hub, printer, or external hard drive.
• Plays nicely with the iPhone by easily switching from the EDGE network to your WiFi network upon detection.
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.

Setup

Setup is a breeze as you only need to install the AirPort Utility software (discussed further below) and follow the wizard prompts. Afterwards you can enter manual mode to access the advanced features of your AirPort.

AirPort Utility

The AirPort Extreme comes with an easy to use software application called: AirPort Utility. Below is a screenshot of the application running on my Windows machine:

(click to view)

This application has all the advanced features necessary for setting up your wired and wireless network. For example: WEP, WPA, and WPA2 (personal and enterprise) security, port mapping, MAC address filtering, IP pass through, remote WAN access, etc. The thing I like the most is the ability to attach multiple USB devices to the AirPort. For example:

(click to view)

Notice, in the diagram above, that there is a USB hub which then has a USB printer and external hard drive attached to it. By keeping these devices connected to the AirPort it then becomes much easier for all computers on the network to access these devices 24/7 without requiring a dedicated computer to be always running and sharing the devices.

Tips & Notes

• A good USB hub to use with the AirPort is the D-Link 4-port USB 2.0 Hub. No software drivers required (if drivers are required then you are buying the wrong hardware).
• In order access a printer connected to the AirPort you will need software drivers that support Bonjour networking and are compatible with the various operating systems on your network.
• Bonjour networking not only allows you to easily connect to USB hard drives and printers but you can apply password projection on your hard drives and even allow remote access via the internet to your USB devices. Install the AirPort Disk Utility software on each machine to make this happen.
• It is a shame that the AirPort Extreme does not support the eSATA interface because USB 2.0 starts to suck when dealing with large amounts of data on the network.

(click to view)

I am just glad that the phone didn’t slip out and break on a rock. Needless to say, you probably should mark this product off your shopping list. Luckily for me, Belkin customer service was kind enough to refund my money.

Below is a shot of how the iPhone behaved before the software update (first picture) and a shot of how the iPhone behaves now that the 1.1.1 software update is applied:

(click to view)

As you can see, there is no need to unlock the phone to resume playback. Sweet!

For more details about the 1.1.1 software update, go here.

© Apple

Introduction

After about five months of using nothing but Skype as my sole source of voice communication I broke down and bought an Apple iPhone. There are a couple of reasons for my change of mind:

1. The most obvious reason is that it was difficult to be traveling and not be able to stay in touch with family, friends, business contacts, etc. easily and effectively. WiFi is still hard to find and so is trying to make long distance phone calls from those ever elusive pay phones.
2. The Skype Wi-Fi Phones are still not good enough to be practical.
3. I could not resist buying a device that allows me to combine my iPod, PDA, and cell phone into one simple, elegant, and easy to use device.

The following is a breakdown of what I like and dislike about the phone.

Construction

The construction is elegant and simple. I really like the hard glass cover and well as the smooth rounded edges. I do, however, wish there was a way in which I could record voice notes like other cell phones I have used in the past.

Setup

Setup was a breeze! I connected the phone to my computer, launched iTunes, and then followed the setup instructions provided by iTunes.

I would have liked to have been able to pick from a pool of phone numbers, though. Instead, AT&T assigns a new number to you automatically with no option to choose otherwise.

Applications

• SMS Text - I ended up choosing the default or basic AT&T plan. This allows me to send 200 text messages a month. Each conversation is listed by contact/number. It is easy to browse past conversations or delete them. Also each message you send and receive is shown in alternating colored bubbles which makes following the conversation easy on the eye.
• Calendar - A great application. I can easily add events to the calendar and give them a location, start and end date/time, have them repeat, set up to two alarms, and provide notes. I am bummed, however, that there are no birthday reminders despite the fact that you can enter birthday information. By the way, the calendar application icon number changes based on the current day. Neat.
• Photos - Using iTunes, you can sync photos within a particular directory on your computer to your iPhone and then turn them into a picture show or just scroll through them. You can also access photos taken from the iPhone camera as well. I like how sub-directories are preserved so you can easily categorize your photos. When connecting your iPhone to a computer that does not have iTunes installed, this is the only application that allows you to access the data (in this case pictures) from the computer. The iPhone will appear as an external hard drive with your pictures at the root level.
• Camera - Useful for taking quick photos or picture notes. The quality is surprisingly good. I have heard some complain that it should have zoom and flash capabilities but if you want that, then buy a real camera.
• YouTube - Entertaining. Time waster.
• Stocks - Provides simple data on your favorite stocks. Configure as many as you like.
• Maps - This is one of my favorite applications as I can easily find an address or plot a route using start and stop destinations. You can either type in an address yourself or click on an address from your contacts list. The route comes complete with pushpins, highlights, and even text directions. The only thing missing is the ability to track your progress in real time (i.e. GPS capabilities).
• Weather - You can add and track multiple cities for current weather. Switches from day and night modes depending on your timezone. Useful as a quick reference.
• Clock - Comes complete with a world clock for tracking multiple time zones, an alarm clock, stopwatch, and a timer. I am particularly fond of the alarm clock as it can be configured for different days of the week, uniquely labeled, assigned a particular sound, and have snooze disabled/enabled. Multiple alarms can be configured as well. The stopwatch is also handy, especially when exercising. I should mention that the alarm clock is a tad buggy. When snooze is enabled, it sometimes does not stop ringing. This is because the option to turn the alarm off completely is missing. Sometimes the option appears, sometimes it doesn’t.
• Calculator - Simple and and easy to use. Handy to have around.
• Notes - Allows you to take quick notes. The first line of each note becomes the label of the note and each note is saved by date and time. Each note can be easily e-mailed as well. This application is too simple, however, and I would like to see this enhanced in the future. My main reason is that one should be able to categorize the notes instead each note added as part of the same list. I like the way you can pull up artists, videos, podcasts, genres, etc using the iPod application so why not bring that capability to the notes application?
• Settings - Intuitive and easy to use. This is where you can customize the behavior of the applications. I really love the “Airplane Mode”. With a simple tap, you can have WiFi, phone, and Bluetooth services turned off. I would love to see the “Usage” option fleshed out a bit more. Why can’t I get current stats on how many regular talk minutes I have left as well as how many text messages I have used?
• Phone - This is the centerpiece of the phone, obviously, and very nicely done. It is so easy to use and takes very little effort to switch from speaker phone, mute, adding callers, putting a caller on hold, etc. In the past I’ve had to muddle around with funky buttons and would sometimes end up dropping calls because I couldn’t remember the right button sequence. I also love that when listening to iPod music and an incomming call (or I make a call), the music fades out and pauses while I take the call. Then, after the call is over, the music fades up and starts playing again. I really wish this worked for voice mail too. Instead, when listening to music and checking voice mail, the music stops and I’m forced to go back and start my whatever song I was listening to from the iPod application. Boo.
• Mail - Being able to have e-mail anytime, anywhere is really handy. I like the fact that you can configure multiple e-mail accounts as well. GMail connectivity, however, is a little buggy. The issue I am facing is that my sent mail ends up in my Inbox. Both Google and Apple are aware of this issue and are working to fix it.
• Safari - One of the best web browsing experiences on an small device. Even better if you have WiFi access as the AT&T EDGE (data) network can be rather cumbersome at times. Really handy for quick referencing of information especially when in a store or at some location where you need to do a quick Google search.
• iPod - I have been rather fond of my iPod Nano but this takes the cake! I can do everything the Nano did and then some. I especially love the fact that you can delete videos after you have watched them. My only complaint would be that this functionality should should be allowed for not only video but audio as well. For example, after listening to a podcast, I would like to delete it so the next one is at the top of my list (assuming you use play lists that is).

Earphones

© Apple

The iPhone ships with a pair of earphones that includes mic/button on the right earphone wire as shown above. The mic, obviously, comes in handy when you want to talk hands free but the best part is that the mic is also a clickable button. The significance of this is important because it allows you to answer/hang up phone calls as well as pause/skip songs from your music collection. I really enjoy having this capability. Brilliant idea Apple!

I encourage you to read page 20 of the iPhone User’s Guide for more information.

Conclusion

Back in 2000, I bought a Palm V which changed the way I managed and kept information close at hand. I have enjoyed using that device but now I am a iPhone fan and feel it just as revolutionary as the Palm V I bought years ago. It has a few flaws, yes, but the convience and ease-of-use is outstanding.

I am definitely glad I bought the iPhone and would recommend it to anyone who is wanting to simplify their life into one single device. Feel free to ask any questions. I’m sure I’ll update this post over time as I discover new pros and cons.

Introduction

For the home theatre enthusiasts in the crowd, I wanted to share some experiences with the Logitech Harmony 890 universal remote. I have been using it for over six months now and absolutely love it! The following is an equipment review that focuses mostly on the software as that is where the real value of this remote shines.

Features

You can read more on Logitech web site but here are the features that stand out for me:

• Excellent Signal Range - In my setup, I have devices on the side walls and back of the room. It reaches them all.
• One Click Operation - With a single click of the button I can be in the following modes: movie, music, game, etc.
• Motion Detection - Detects when it is being picked up, reactivates, and illuminates. While this is handy, I have to admit that sometimes you need to shake the device or hit the “Glow” button to wake it up.
• Customizable - Once the device is connected to your computer, you can set up all kinds of activities, devices, instruction sequences, etc.

Setup

After you have unpacked the device, you need to plug in the cradle, and allow the remote to charge in the cradle to power the rechargeable battery. While that is happening you can install the Logitech Harmony software on your computer, set up a user profile, register your devices, and configure them. For example, here is the login screen which connects to the Logitech network via your internet connection:

Once logged in, you will spend most of your time setting up activities and devices. Activities are like macros that allow you to perform several operations at once. For example, if I want to watch a movie, I would call it “Play Movie”. This then would be available on the main menu of the remote as a clickable button which could perform a sequence of operations:

1. Turn on the display.
2. Turn on the receiver.
3. Turn on the DVD/Blu-Ray player.
4. Set receiver sound to Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
5. Set video to HDMI.
6. Open DVD/Blu-Ray player disk drive for disk insertion.

Main Menus

The following walks through the main menus of the Logitech Harmony software:

Activities Menu:

Devices Menu:

Z-Wave Devices Menu:

Scenes Menu:

Settings Menu:

The background settings, while configurable, are rather limiting in what you can do. The slideshow settings, however, are nice. I ended up putting trip photos on it. The slideshow can be configured to cycle automatically or you can manually force it via the remote.

Adding Activities/Devices

While I am not going to walk through the full activity and device setup, here is a taste:

Adding activities:

Adding devices:

Hardware

The remote comes with a cradle, power cable, IR extenders for setups that require the remote signal to be relayed to a hidden device, Logitech Harmony software, a USB cable for connectivity to your computer, and a few other items.

I find the main buttons such as stop, play, fast forward, volume, channel, number keys, etc. to be big and easy to use. The programmable menu buttons, however, are not as easy to find. They could be a bit larger but that is small nit and not really a big concern.

Issues

The only issue I have had is a couple rare occassions where the main menu locked up on the device. Not sure what the cause was as I was not able to recreate the issue. The workaround was to simply pop out the battery and put it back in again.

Parting Thoughts

This universal remote makes the whole multimedia experience much sweeter. My only regret is that I did not buy it sooner.

For those trying to make sense out of the current high definition video and audio wars, DenGuru has an excellent article on the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interface worth checking out. Being a home theatre enthusiast myself, all I can say is that you need to hold out for the new hardware components being released this year. The reason is that the HDMI 1.3 specification not only supports video beyond the 1080p high definition resolution but the best part is that it also supports the high definition Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio formats (both support lossless audio formats)! This is important because we finally get a superior upgrade in audio quality which hasn’t happened for some time (that includes the DVD format as it only offered us more channels but audio that was severely crippled by being compressed).

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is in full swing again this year with Apple’s new iPhone generating a lot of buzz. This is a device that not only is a phone, but an iPod, web browser, e-mail client, camera, etc. I recommend following the iPhone link provided above as Apple has done an excellent job of putting together product propaganda that will give you much more of an idea of how the device looks, acts, and performs. Do not get too excited though, you won’t be able to get your hands on this device until June of this year. For more info, go here:

• TechCrunch
• ArsTechnica