The War of Attention

Getting software to work for you, the way you want it to.

That's really the goal of anyone who uses software or computers. And to be quite honest, when it comes down to it it's a question of what works for you. I still seem to be at this crossroads with my software solutions, not because of not having enough good choices, but having far too many.

Microsoft, Apple, and now Google all have great applications that beg for your use and attention. Microsoft, bringing functionality to the table, comes feature packed and allows you to do what you will, as long as it's all Microsoft. Same for Apple but the emphasis is not only features but user experience, at the cost of flexibility. And finally Google, where it has no real presence anywhere finds presence everywhere with it's incredibly amazing Email and Calendar services along with anything on the web one would need.

Microsoft's options are the least familiar to me, only because they don't matter much anymore to me. I hated Outlook for Email and Calendar and I have no idea what web services they offer to allow over the air syncing with calendars and contacts.

Apple, having inherited a niche following with high expectations and a panache for excellence in marrying user experience to computing do almost everything you'd want it's services to do. And swear up and down everything it can't are trivialities until they incorporate it into design. For me, I want my Email, Contacts, Calendars, and Documents to sync. When I make a change to one, I want a change to all on any device, connected or not. Apple's solution is an outstanding one called MobileMe. It does the sync of the first three, leaving my documents to the iDisk function where it acts like an open FTP server. (And not to forget web galleries for pictures)

Where it comes short is where Google steps in. Nothing tops Google Docs. Sure both iWork and even Office have amazing templates to do what you need and much more beautifully, but Google Docs, being online, is backed up - to the second - every 3 seconds. And not only to your computer but on their server. Same goes for email, photos, calendar. The downside is you have to be online (with Google Gears picking up the slack in offline mode). Also Google's RSS reader runs circles around Mail.app or Safari and works anywhere I log in. I also really hate Mail applications probably. I've always used webmail, and with Gmail being the best, there isn't really a contest there.

I can't decide. I guess that's the price I pay for wanting my cake and eat it too.

From the Mothership

For the first time, I watched from start to finish the WWDC '08 Keynote presentation. It feels like back to the Transformer watching days of my youth. Watching it just makes me want an iPhone. The truly sad things I don't want to afford it because there's a lot of better things to take care of first...like food and rent. I just realized that Kenyans can get the iPhone now. The gods must me crazy!? And here is the kicker, China isn't listed in the 70 countries Apple is supporting.

Anyway, the most exciting thing I found that I already own is the MobileMe. Granted, it won't work with my Blackberry but I'm excited that Apple is stepping up the bar against the free services that are a little less integrated.

Here's to the next step.

The Macbook Pro Coverup

Other then the di-tech, progressive, and GEICO commercials, a random commercial always caught my eye whilst I watch Nat Geo. Then, more commercials with the similar thing started to become more apparent to me. To be honest, I've always noticed this, but maybe now that I've brought it your attention you'll notice too, and that's the cover of a Macbook. They'll have a Macbook Pro displayed predominantly in the commercial or show, then cover it up with a sticker. Its almost jarring what they do, but it begs to ask if they are afraid of making it seem like an Apple commercial? And also, how many browsers are displayed now simulated on television as Safari? I can't even think of a commercial showing their product or site using IE or Firefox for that matter. Just something to chew on.

Dear Apple

Fuck you. Seriously.

I want my Macbook Pro to run Leopard. I don't want to spend 70 dollars for the silly upgrade for "features" that may or may not be even worth it. I have someone in my household who owns a copy. I want to install it. It is not, in my opinion, illegal to use that persons copy to install the upgrade to mine. I understand that the license says one computer. Still.

You wanna know how Microsoft is better? You can install XP and Office on multiple (3) household computers.

Game, set, and match. I don't care if you think your operative system can turn water into wine, stop being stupid and at least let people in the same house share copies. Be happy you have enough customers to have this problem.

Without Love,
Captive Apple User

Gearing Up for the Mac Adventure

So I've been wanting to know what its like to roll wit da Apple Macintosh crew with their fancy shmancy computers and to be honest I'm not enitrely impressed with Microsoft's Vista offerings. Also to really get me to leave was the failing commitment on Microsoft's part for security and their over-the-top lockdowns on blue ray/hd-dvd, so I made the switch. Purchased through my school a 17" Macbook Pro with no enhancements and a glossy screen. Why else switch? Well, the one app other then Firefox I use on a daily basis, World of Warcraft, runs natively on Mac, I'm pretty much set. All you Office fans should be happy to know I haven't forgotten that I may need to update a word document or spreadsheet so I actively use Google's Docs and Spreadsheets. I'll also probably download NeoOffice and hopefully can't think of many other apps I use with any frequency.

Long story short, stay tuned on my road to switching when the stupid thing finally makes it in. §