First Generation Nerd

I just caught this video clip from Digg and had to pass it along: What Facebook would be like if it were in real life.

Well folks, the time has arrived, and I am officially a card-carrying member of the iPhone club. In fact,I am blogging right now from the WordPress application on the iPhone. Has it changed my life? Not really. Am I finding it extremely useful? You better believe it. More to come!

This morning marked the release of the new Apple iPhone 3G, which includes 3G wireless speed, an integrated GPS, and the new version 2.0 software release that allows users to add applications to their device.  Apple and AT&T stores opened at 8:00am local time across the country.  Just minutes ago, the last locations to open on the west coast began admitting customers into their stores.

However, those last people being admitted to the stores are being greeted with an unpleasant surprise: AT&T’s activation servers have been unable to stay operational to complete the process.  Gizmodo has reported that the official word is: 

“We have had reports that customers attempting to download new iTunes 7.7 software to their new iPhone may get an error message saying “page not found.” We have reported this issue to Apple. While Apple works to resolve this issue, we are asking customers to sync their newly activated phone later at home.” via Gizmodo

Some people have waited more than 30 minutes to have their phones activated, only to be sent home to try the activation process from iTunes on their home computers (TUAW), which was the way the process went for the first iPhone.  The first customers on the east coast were able to get their phones activated in the stores, but those who have been sent home are still having problems because of the server issues.  

Leo Laporte has been broadcasting the whole event with footage from around the country, which you can access at http://twitlive.tv.  I am so glad that I didn’t try to get in line only to have these issues!  It still is one exciting day

I’m not going to do the full run-down here of all the junk news we have been receiving about the July 11 release of the iPhone.  What I am going to do is simply say that owning an iPhone is not just a mobile device choice; it is a financial obligation.  I signed up for AT&T in March to prepare for this iPhone release.  I didn’t want to be stuck in an AT&T or Apple store on launch day waiting for a credit check or having some problem with my plan - I wanted to get in, get it, get out.  So, it was quite surprising when I discovered that existing AT&T customers (which is now me) have to pay $200 *more* than new customers for the phone because of upgrade ineligibility.  Tack on the extra $10 per month in 3G data and at least $5 to make up for the lack of included texts, and I am preparing to spend an extra $560 for the iPhone over a 2 year contract.  Is this amount calculated above my current plan?  NO…above the cost to run the current 2.5G iPhone.  I was excited about the first-generation iPhone, even with the price premium, but this is starting to get a bit pricey.  Let’s see what happens…

This is an incredible article about how some farmers in Vermont and Western Massachusetts (Amherst, to be exact) are experimenting with growing wheat and other crops not traditionally viewed as New England crops. Vermont’s cash crop is dairy, but it hasn’t always been strange to see grain there. With some innovation, both ecologically and financially, these farmers are trying new techniques to beat today’s high grain prices by growing their own. They are also toying with the idea that canola and soybeans can be used to create biofuels to run their equipment. An interesting read!

read more | digg story

So YouTube sent out a memo to its “content partners” (read: professional film/video guys/companies), telling them that they will now “be able to upload and monetize videos in [their] account that are longer than 10 minutes” (via Silicon Alley Insider).  Though seemingly unlimited in length, the limit to the file size is 1 GB.  This move has a couple of interesting implications:

1.     Longer video times means more networks could use YouTube as the distribution outlet for their online television shows.  Most major networks are up in arms about individuals posting television shows on the site (a la the Daily Show debacle), but if they embrace the popularity of YouTube, they could benefit from increased exposure.  Honestly, what is the difference between going to comedycentral.com to view the videos or watching them on YouTube?  Answer:

2.     Advertising.  These content partners are now able to monetize their content, via advertising.  YouTube will make a couple of bucks, as will the content providers, and we won’t have to watch hour broadcasts on five different pages. 

Indie film producers also can benefit from longer videos and larger files.  They can now post their films, in their entirety, onto one of the most popular web sites in the world. 

What I don’t understand is why Google/YouTube (GooTube) isn’t working on higher quality videos rather than longer ones.  Increasing the file size limit will allow people to eek out a bit more quality, but highly compressed 320×240 doesn’t really do some films and shows justice.  I realize most people aren’t that concerned about video quality, but even a step up to SD would be warmly welcomed.  There are a few people who are doing higher quality on YouTube now (the HD trick apparently no longer works, but higher quality is said to be available).  Interesting developments!

I’m not sure why I’ve never seen this reporter blooper before, but I saw it today and had to share it! 

 

Yesterday, at the World Wide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco, Apple announced the next generation of the iPhone: iPhone 3G.  CEO Steve Jobs began by talking about the phone’s new Enterprise support, then continued to talk about the development platform, and concluded with some new features of the 2.0 software release - and the new hardware, of course.  You can watch the keynote speech from the link above, but if you’re like me and don’t care about 45 minutes of product demos, skip right to the last 25% to hear the big news.

The big news (for me) is the new iPhone hardware.  I’ve wanted the iPhone for more than a year, but held off until this release to take advantage of the new features.  Now, I’ve been reading the rumor blogs and have posted some things here, and to be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the announcement.  The new iPhone is a big improvement over the current model, but it’s not a huge leap.  Here’s what I thought versus what actually is going to be available:

• The new iPhone will launch and be available on June 9 - False.  The iPhone was announced on June 9, but won’t be available until July 11.
• It will have a forward facing camera that will allow face-to-face video chat - False.  No dice on the camera.  The 2.0 software release will include video capture, but not F2F chat.
• Integrated GPS will be available - FACT.  The GPS chip combined with the OS’ new Core Location API will allow killer GPS software, turn-by-turn directions, and tools like a Friend Finder.
• Software version 2.0 will have support for Exchange email, among other advancements - FACT.  The advancements in the 2.0 release are plentiful.  From VPN support to secure networks, it’s killer for businesses. 
• The new iPhone will probably be a part of a new line of iPhones at differing price points - False.  Kinda.  More on this in the next bullet.
•   This new line may be opened to other networks, as AT&T will have its own model that it can subsidize; new 2-year contract holders will get the phone at a significant discount - False.  There may not have been a new AT&T only line, but the iPhone will have new price points: 8GB for $199 and 16GB for $299.

We are just over a week away from the (purported) launch of the second generation 3G iPhone, and the buzz generators are working overtime. From solar power to GPS antennae to commercial shoots in NYC, the stories surrounding a single gadget are amazing. As much as people get themselves worked up, then are disappointed when an incremental update is announced, I don’t think we are out to be disappointed. Even if the smallest of the rumors are true, better phone hardware and software are sure to be released. I think that speculation and rumors can make us disappointed because we expect dozens of new updates and features, when it is reasonable for the company to implement some of them.

In the days when MacWorld and PC Magazine were where we got our news, each issue brought wonders of the technological world-one month at a time. Now we get hourly (if not minutely) updates from “insiders” and “sources” who somehow have pertinent information leaked at just the right time to make stock prices rise a few dollars. I don’t want to be disappointed on June 9, but I can’t help searching for all the iPhone news I can, even if it is all speculation and rumor. I haven’t been this excited about a gadget since the launch of the iPhone almost a year ago…just now I KNOW I am getting one, and it makes me even more giddy.