Yesterday was a productive day, I made a dent in my dishes, ran some important errands, and learned the limits of my 3G Mobile Hotspot through Verizon. While I have an unlimited data plan, my Hotspot is capped at 5GB, and I went over by a GB. This has resulted in a overage charge of $22.88 that I will have to pay on my next bill.
While video chatting with Frank and Victoria over Ichat, My brother asked me what my usage was on my mobile hotspot was and that the video chatting uses a ton of bandwidth. But in the course of the discussion, we talked about me switching to the iPhone 4 and since I am in the city of Chicago: AT&T, The evil empire of the Mobile Universe, has strong single strength in Chicago.
But there is another time and another place for a discussion or debate on who you are going to pay to access the growing world of mobile communication. All of the major carriers are developing 4G data networks with promises of better speeds, faster phones with better performance, and apps that make our lives easier or help pass the time. I found myself in the market for a new phone two weeks ago when the location services on my Palm Pre Plus decided to stop working in the middle of Downtown Chicago. I was able to seek out a Verizon Wireless store and they told me that I would have to send the phone in and have it replaced by a refurbished model. I didn’t send it in that day, because at that time I was staying in Schiller Park at the extended Stay hotel: Candlewood Suits; and I did not have a mailbox.
Update on the Palm Pre Plus:
I did eventually send in the phone and received a refurbished model, although the location services still seem to be buggy. I have been really disappointed with the Palm Pre Plus, WebOS had a lot of potential but limited hardware severely limited the usefulness of the phone and its incredibly limited app catalogue when compared to IOS and Android operating systems. I'll post a link to the Engadget review from January of 2010. I got the phone for free under a new 2 year upgrade and a data plan through Verizon, however, for what you pay the device disappoints. Its saving feature was the Mobile Hotspot that allowed for limited tethering. Hopefully this continues to be a feature included in next generation devices that launch on 4G/LTE networks from all the major carriers.
And an update on WebOS from August; HP has discontinued operations on all of its WebOS products followed by a "fire sale" on the company's last hope; the HP Touchpad which many thought would be a solid entry into the Tablet Market. Phew, that was a lot of technology update for what many would say is incredibly old news, especially in the world of social media. I am now waiting on the release of the Iphone 5 and my new phone upgrade date through Verizon.
Some of you may notice that I link a lot to Engadget.com; the reason for this IMHO, is that they have some of the best technology reviewers on the market, great coverage on emerging trends, and a loyal community. Plus, another one of their weblogs, Joystiq.com is also on the list of one of my most visited sites. End/Tangent
Back to updates from Rogers Park:
Saturday, April 16, 2011 7:55 PM
Today was a Red Letter Day, I am once again connected to the Global World Wide Web, I got Comcast installed at my apartment in Rogers Park this morning. It couldn’t have happened on a better day too, the weather was terrible; cold and raining for most of the day. The technician from Comcast arrived after I made a batch of waffles and a fresh pot of coffee. It is amazing how this building is wired, Comcast, RCN, and one or two Dishes are strong all across the building. Originally my line had been cut and it took the technician and I climbing up to the roof of my building to identify the various runs and reconnect it to the cable box.
There’s a great view of the skyline from my apartment’s roof, hopefully this summer I will have a chance to take some pictures.
Now back to watching Streaming Netflix on my Xbox 360.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
This could be a problem, its sunny outside, I have errands to run and yet where am I? I am in my living room glued to my TV watching Netflix: this is as bad as the first years of Facebook or Youtube. There’s a wealth of programming available for streaming and for 8 bucks a month; Amazing!! I don’t know why I chose Jared Diamond’s Collapse: I tried reading this book of doom and gloom a number of years ago and just couldn’t take it seriously. In discussions with family, colleagues, and how the world will end...we all often come to the same conclusion; it will be far more terrible than any movie or book we have seen or read. Probably on the scale of massive starvation, not war or destruction at the hands of an invader or a Frankenstien’s Monster. Mother Nature will simply decide that there are too many humans on this planet, and make conditions unsustainable for large populations of humans.
I am writing stream of consciousness here, enjoying some coffee and pastries from a local Panaderia down on Clark St. and Morse Ave. I bought like 7 things and the total bill came to be under 4 dollars, holy smokes!! So far I have consumed a donut, a flacky/crunchy kind of cinnamon pastry, and a coconut donut..
This post got a little lengthy, I'll try to trim the next one down a bit.
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