Apple of Android?

 I often get this question and it is not about choosing between a piece fruit or robot.  Rather, it deals with selecting a smartphone or tablet.  The issue is not unlike the need to select between a Mac or a PC when looking for a new computer.  With all the hype from the likes of our friends in Cupertino and South Korea, it can be a very confusing purchase decision. 

Last week in New York City, Samsung, a South Korea based electronics manufacturing giant, launched their Galaxy GS4.  This new entry into the smartphone market has several very cool features like eye tracking.  Among other things, this keeps the screen from dimming or going to sleep if you are looking at it.  Like all Samsung phones this one uses the Android operating system.  An operating system is what allows all the apps and functions of the phone to work together.  Apple uses their proprietary operating system.  Again this is like the old Mac vs. Window competition of the last century.

So which should you choose?  In my opinion, if you step back from all the hype and PR, you will find that both Apple and Android based devices are very similar and both have more apps available than any normal human being will need or want in a lifetime.  They both have very intuitive controls.  For me the most important thing is to try to stay in the family.

If you have a Mac and or an iPad or plan to get one, then for sure go with the iPhone.  If you already have or are planning to get a tablet that uses the Android operating system, then for sure go with an Android phone.  Doing so will make you life much easier and allow you to take full advantage of the features of your devices.

The real benefit of using smartphones and tablets comes with their ability to connect all your information.  A picture taken on your phone is available for viewing on your computer or tablet.  The document you wrote on your computer at work is accessible on your iPhone.  Your calendar and contact list are synchronized on all your devices.  All of this is being done automatically.  For all of this to work well and seamlessly your devices should use the same operating system.  Pick one: Apple or Android and stay with it.  You really can’t go wrong with either.

Apple of Android?

 I often get this question and it is not about choosing between a piece fruit or robot.  Rather, it deals with selecting a smartphone or tablet.  The issue is not unlike the need to select between a Mac or a PC when looking for a new computer.  With all the hype from the likes of our friends in Cupertino and South Korea, it can be a very confusing purchase decision. 

Last week in New York City, Samsung, a South Korea based electronics manufacturing giant, launched their Galaxy GS4.  This new entry into the smartphone market has several very cool features like eye tracking.  Among other things, this keeps the screen from dimming or going to sleep if you are looking at it.  Like all Samsung phones this one uses the Android operating system.  An operating system is what allows all the apps and functions of the phone to work together.  Apple uses their proprietary operating system.  Again this is like the old Mac vs. Window competition of the last century.

So which should you choose?  In my opinion, if you step back from all the hype and PR, you will find that both Apple and Android based devices are very similar and both have more apps available than any normal human being will need or want in a lifetime.  They both have very intuitive controls.  For me the most important thing is to try to stay in the family.

If you have a Mac and or an iPad or plan to get one, then for sure go with the iPhone.  If you already have or are planning to get a tablet that uses the Android operating system, then for sure go with an Android phone.  Doing so will make you life much easier and allow you to take full advantage of the features of your devices.

The real benefit of using smartphones and tablets comes with their ability to connect all your information.  A picture taken on your phone is available for viewing on your computer or tablet.  The document you wrote on your computer at work is accessible on your iPhone.  Your calendar and contact list are synchronized on all your devices.  All of this is being done automatically.  For all of this to work well and seamlessly your devices should use the same operating system.  Pick one: Apple or Android and stay with it.  You really can’t go wrong with either.

Tablet or Lap Top?

The announcement two weeks ago from Microsoft of new Surface tablet devices coming soon to a store near you has renewed the already heavy interest in a tablet as a   replacement for the traditional lap top computer.  One of my sisters-in-law, who is changing jobs and re-entering academia, asked if she should purchase a tablet instead of replacing her well aged PC. 

Like so many of these “either /or” questions, the answer is not the same for everyone and depends heavily on what you do with a computer on a day-to-day basis.  One thing is for sure, they are two different devices and each does well things the other does not do well.

Tablets, especially the gold standard Apple iPads, are outstanding devices. The iPad screen is bright and has better picture resolution than most of us have on our flat screen digital TV. The iPad excels in surfing the web, reading magazines and watching videos from YouTube and other online video services.  The personal calendar is also great and can be synched with smart phones and desktop computers.  Sending and receiving email are also very easy.  Of course you will need either access to wifi hotspots or purchase a data plan from your wireless phone provider to accomplish most of these tasks.

One of the tasks that the iPad does not do well is word processing.  I don’t mean taking a few notes at a meeting or sending short emails.  I mean writing long documents that require formatting, pagination and perhaps even footnotes.  Here the iPad falls short.  Even with a “real” keyboard (sold separately) instead of the touch screen that is built in, writing even a standard business letter and sending it to a printer is much easier on a laptop.

Getting files into and out of the device is still easier with a lap top computer since it has not only wifi but a standard USBport.  Also the lap top can run most all standard business software not just the “App” versions found on iPads.

Since I have only read about the features on the new Microsoft Surface devices I don’t know if some of these shortcomings will be addressed.  From what I have read, it looks like they will run a version of Windows 8 and, as such, may be able to handle the traditional software used by businesses and academia.  They also have a keyboard but from reports it is still not a full featured keyboard.   I’ll have to get back to you on this when I get a chance to see one up close.

For now I still see tablets and lap tops as two distinct devices each with strong features the other does not have.  This most likely will change in the future.  I’ll keep you informed.

Tablet or Lap Top?

The announcement two weeks ago from Microsoft of new Surface tablet devices coming soon to a store near you has renewed the already heavy interest in a tablet as a   replacement for the traditional lap top computer.  One of my sisters-in-law, who is changing jobs and re-entering academia, asked if she should purchase a tablet instead of replacing her well aged PC. 

Like so many of these “either /or” questions, the answer is not the same for everyone and depends heavily on what you do with a computer on a day-to-day basis.  One thing is for sure, they are two different devices and each does well things the other does not do well.

Tablets, especially the gold standard Apple iPads, are outstanding devices. The iPad screen is bright and has better picture resolution than most of us have on our flat screen digital TV. The iPad excels in surfing the web, reading magazines and watching videos from YouTube and other online video services.  The personal calendar is also great and can be synched with smart phones and desktop computers.  Sending and receiving email are also very easy.  Of course you will need either access to wifi hotspots or purchase a data plan from your wireless phone provider to accomplish most of these tasks.

One of the tasks that the iPad does not do well is word processing.  I don’t mean taking a few notes at a meeting or sending short emails.  I mean writing long documents that require formatting, pagination and perhaps even footnotes.  Here the iPad falls short.  Even with a “real” keyboard (sold separately) instead of the touch screen that is built in, writing even a standard business letter and sending it to a printer is much easier on a laptop.

Getting files into and out of the device is still easier with a lap top computer since it has not only wifi but a standard USB port.  Also the lap top can run most all standard business software not just the “App” versions found on iPads.

Since I have only read about the features on the new Microsoft Surface devices I don’t know if some of these shortcomings will be addressed.  From what I have read, it looks like they will run a version of Windows 8 and, as such, may be able to handle the traditional software used by businesses and academia.  They also have a keyboard but from reports it is still not a full featured keyboard.   I’ll have to get back to you on this when I get a chance to see one up close.

For now I still see tablets and lap tops as two distinct devices each with strong features the other does not have.  This most likely will change in the future.  I’ll keep you informed.

Instant Wifi Hotspots

Mobile phones keep getting better and better. Those of us with smart phones (iPhone, Droid, Pre, etc.) have the choice of thousands of applications that can run on our phones. Some are pretty lame and a waste of the time it took for some computer engineer to develop. Do I really need my smart phone to sound like an air horn? There are however some really useful applications that are time and money savers.

Among the myriad of these worthwhile applications now being offered by some smart phone manufactures and carriers is the wifi hotspot feature. I am not referring to the fact that you can access the internet from your phone using wifi hotspots at coffee shops, libraries and other public places. That feature has been around for years. This new application allows your phone to actually create a wifi hot spot. Here is how it works.

Turning on the wifi hotspot program makes your phone a wifi router. If you or a friend has a laptop computer with wifi, the laptop can wirelessly connect with your phone and use the phone’s 3G or 4G Internet connection. In essence, you are almost always able to connect to the Internet even if there is no traditional wifi or hard wired connection available.

This feature does not take the place of a lap top with wireless modem. Many road warriors have a 3G or 4G card built into their laptop since they are often away from the office and beyond traditional wifi range. Since they use it a lot, it is better to have it built in. The smart phone wifi hotspot application is for people who occasionally find the need to connect the laptop to the Internet but don’t want to spend the money for the fairly high monthly fee for the laptop modem.

When I first got my current phone from Verizon, the wifi feature was an extra $40 over and above my data and phone plan. Only a few months later Verizon began to offer the feature for free. I have used it several times and it works great.

You have to check with your carrier to see if they offer the service and you must have a phone that is capable as well. The Palm Pre Plus and the Droid models can run the application. It is interesting to note that the much heralded iPhone does not.

There are a couple things to keep in mind if you do decide to add this application to your phone. Make sure that you know what your plan covers. Some carriers give you a certain amount of data free and then begin to charge if you go over your allotment. If you have a few friends all connected to the Internet through your phone, you will use a lot of bits and bytes very quickly.

Also, the circuitry in the phone that allows this feature is very power hungry. My phone can only operate in this mode for about 1.5 hours. You can, of course, keep it plugged into your car or charger and use it without running down the battery.

So the next time you are on vacation at the beach or in a cabin in the woods, you can still stay connected. But again, you can also choose to turn it off.

Instant Wifi Hotspots

Mobile phones keep getting better and better. Those of us with smart phones (iPhone, Droid, Pre, etc.) have the choice of thousands of applications that can run on our phones. Some are pretty lame and a waste of the time it took for some computer engineer to develop. Do I really need my smart phone to sound like an air horn? There are however some really useful applications that are time and money savers.

Among the myriad of these worthwhile applications now being offered by some smart phone manufactures and carriers is the wifi hotspot feature. I am not referring to the fact that you can access the internet from your phone using wifi hotspots at coffee shops, libraries and other public places. That feature has been around for years. This new application allows your phone to actually create a wifi hot spot. Here is how it works.

Turning on the wifi hotspot program makes your phone a wifi router. If you or a friend has a laptop computer with wifi, the laptop can wirelessly connect with your phone and use the phone’s 3G or 4G Internet connection. In essence, you are almost always able to connect to the Internet even if there is no traditional wifi or hard wired connection available.

This feature does not take the place of a lap top with wireless modem. Many road warriors have a 3G or 4G card built into their laptop since they are often away from the office and beyond traditional wifi range. Since they use it a lot, it is better to have it built in. The smart phone wifi hotspot application is for people who occasionally find the need to connect the laptop to the Internet but don’t want to spend the money for the fairly high monthly fee for the laptop modem.

When I first got my current phone from Verizon, the wifi feature was an extra $40 over and above my data and phone plan. Only a few months later Verizon began to offer the feature for free. I have used it several times and it works great.

You have to check with your carrier to see if they offer the service and you must have a phone that is capable as well. The Palm Pre Plus and the Droid models can run the application. It is interesting to note that the much heralded iPhone does not.

There are a couple things to keep in mind if you do decide to add this application to your phone. Make sure that you know what your plan covers. Some carriers give you a certain amount of data free and then begin to charge if you go over your allotment. If you have a few friends all connected to the Internet through your phone, you will use a lot of bits and bytes very quickly.

Also, the circuitry in the phone that allows this feature is very power hungry. My phone can only operate in this mode for about 1.5 hours. You can, of course, keep it plugged into your car or charger and use it without running down the battery.

So the next time you are on vacation at the beach or in a cabin in the woods, you can still stay connected. But again, you can also choose to turn it off.