Thanks Dad!
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
With some elbow grease and rubbing compound, most of the damage is gone. The remaining scratches are deep and will require some paint work down the toad. But for now, I can drive happily.
]]>Likes:
The look and feel and ease of use
Ability to customize ringtones with Garage Band
Easy to check my emails on multiple accounts
Great web-surfing ability
Visual Voicemail
It's so easy to put people on hold and answer another call or merge calls together
iPhone App Store
iPod!
Dislikes:
AT&T service is terrible compared to Verizon. Hopefully if they come up with a software fix for the 3G service it will improve, but I drop calls all the time and the sound quality is all over the place - sometimes crystal clear and other times like I sound like a Dalek.
No customized text message sounds - WTF???? You can create ringtones but not text message sounds? Also you cannot change the sound for new emails and other events.
No Flash on Mobile Safari
Buggy sound event software. It's bad enough that I can't change the sound, but there are times when it won't even play the sound.
No video
No MMS - I have to go to a website to check them??
Don't get me wrong, I still love my iPhone. It is frustrating that just a few minor tweaks can make it so much better. I still need to get with it and create an application for the iPhone that people would be willing to pay 99 cents for so I can supplement my income.
]]>Next up: I am trying to figure out how to make a iPhone and m.clubjosh.com site. I have the old Lite site lying around here somewhere, and I will dust it off and see if I can get something worthwhile!
]]>One thing I discovered - the new entry interface is vastly superior to the old version. I even discovered a long-lost Daily Update Entry from 4-23-2001 that never was published. Until now: Read Thinning out the Closet. Ahh memories!
I still need to tweak the pages a bit in order to add some navigation links in the header and footer, so pardon the dust.
]]>Until then, the content in the archives is all there, it just looks all messed up. The big problem is the individual pages are not formatting correctly, and the main index page is not auto-building to the new templates.
At least the front page is still fine.
Oh and a shout out to Scott who identified the mystery Doctor Who episode as "The Invasion of Time" with Tom Baker. The good news is that it gets released on DVD on September 2, so I have already put it into my Netflix queue.
]]>I also am itching to find that one episode I watched in college where there is a chase through the many rooms of the Tardis, but I can never find what that episode was called. It is also amazing how many of the First and Second Doctor stories are just plain gone. Bad BBC! There are some great episodes in that era that I would love to see, but just don't exist except for the audio.
I also was amazed to discover that Netflix has two ridiculously bad films in there archive: Beyond the Poseidon Adventure and Raise the Titanic. Two late 70's/early80's films I fondly remember from the Saturday afternoon movie. Of course I immediately added them to my post Doctor Who queue. I might move one up just to break up the Who, but so far Daniel and I can't get enough.
]]>Of course the news has live team coverage all over the area - looks like a broken water main in East LA as well as a bunch of store shelves getting stuff thrown off onto the floor. A couple of shots of some bricks on the ground at a building, but other than that nothing major.
]]>Attempt 1: July 13 South Coast Plaza, I went around 7pm. Plenty of phones, but line was cut off.
Attempt 2: Brea Mall - Sorry, we are all out of iPhones
Attempt 3: July 15 - Pasadena - According to the Apple iPhone tracker, this was one of the last stores to actually have the black 16GB in stock, but upon arriving there was already a three hour line and there were only white 16GB available. Frustrated, we left empty handed.
Attempt 4: July 16 - Newport Fashion Island - Again, Apple iPhone tracker has 16GB in stock. We show up an hour before the store opened. The line concierge says sorry, we opened hours earlier and sold them all, all we have is black 8GB. Again, we leave empty handed.
At this point, I was like someone really doesn't want me to have the phone. Undeterred, I listened to all my friends go on about how wonderful it is, and eventually I was swayed back to get one. But by the weekend of the 19th, they were sold out in the whole state of California. I resigned to the fact that I was going to have to wait three weeks until Steve Jobs plusses up the inventory.
On Monday night the 21st, the iPhone tracker said South Coast Plaza was back in stock of all flavors. I was tempted to go, but having not had much sleep in the past week due to iPhone nightmares as well as getting up early with Daniel and working to 2am, I decided to pass and sleep late. Tuesday night's iPhone tracker said that South Coast was again plussed up with all flavors, and I figured it's now or never.
Attempt 5: So Wednesday July 23rd, 12 days after launch and waiting 4.5 hours with Daniel for his iPhone, I was back at the Apple Store South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa waiting in line. I was smarter this time and brought my Nintendo DS Lite loaded with Tetris. Having hindsight, I think BrainAge would have been a better companion. As I settled in, I noticed we were at the 1.5 hour mark from the previous wait. The people around me amazed about how long the line was taking, and I told them they have no idea what they are in for, and admitted to them how dumb I was for not getting one on the first day.
The Line concierge guy tells us they only have white 16GB and I am sorta pissed and thinking of a strongly worded letter to Steve about his dumb iPhone tracker, but at this point I want the phone so I just resign myself to white and figure I can get a nice black case to put around it. The concierge dude also tells us that they usually get a shipment o' iPhones just after opening, and they have no idea what they get until they open the box - so there is a slim chance that some black 16GB goodness will be inside. About an hour and half go by, and I finally make it past the Carousel and am met by line concierge #2. He lets us know that indeed a shipment has come in, and lo and behold there are some 16GB blacks in there. So now it is a waiting game as we inch closer to the stainless steel facade of the Apple store. Will they get all of the blacks before I get there? I had to keep telling myself that I would get whatever they had left.
Three hours after getting in line, I am at the threshold of the store and I can hardly stand it. This guy in front of me has been stoic the entire time, while the people behind me are chomping at the bit to get in the store just like me. We take a vote and determine that guy doesn't deserve an iPhone - he is not enthusiastic enough, and he better not take the last black one!
Finally, I am greeted by Grant, Apple Tech extraordinaire. He asks what he can get for me, and resisting the temptation to say, "Oh, I just want a cable for my iMac", I ask him for a 16GB black iPhone. He says he has one and I am thrilled. The process was fairly fast for me. I knew what plan I wanted, had my Verizon account numbers and we were authorized in about 10 minutes. Grant then asked if I wanted a tour of the phone. I told him I have a basic idea of the stuff on the phone, and he proceeded to show me the apps he has on his phone and what he recommends. He also gave me tips on how to get my emails set up and a few other things. Now I know why the lines take so long. Apple employees want each customer to have excellent customer service before they leave the store and make sure they get all the information they need. It made the wait almost worthwhile (probably if I had only waited once, it would have been all worthwhile.)
On my way out, I picked out a car charger, and looked for a case, but did not see one I liked. I finally had my iPhone and couldn't be happier. I did end up getting a black rubber-esque case from the Brea Apple store. I initially wanted the clear one that Lauran and Daniel have, but decided to get one that would help keep the iPhone in my pocket.
After a couple of days, I still am impressed with the things this little phone can do. I am happy I can set custom ringtones and access all of my mail accouts. I am also excited I can view web pages the way they are meant to be seen. Now, I loved my Motorola Q, but the iPhone has much better sound quality speakerwise, as well as listening to people on the phone. The 3G coverage is still a bit spotty, but doing some research, discovered AT&T is expanding the 3G spectrum to help get better reception inside buildings.
The previous post had a photo of my car taken from the iPhone. I do notice that the text requires some cleanup on my end, but I will try and see if I can get a Flickr app for my phone to upload directly. Also a Movable Type one would be awesome as well. Compare the photo from my Moto Q of the damaged bumper!
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Thanks Dad!
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
With some elbow grease and rubbing compound, most of the damage is gone. The remaining scratches are deep and will require some paint work down the toad. But for now, I can drive happily.
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Why I can't have nice things
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
Yesterday someone misjudged the spot next to me and hit me and left a 7 in scratch. Of course there was no note which sucks Not that I'd get after them, but this happened at work where you think people would have better courtesy. Hopefully, it can be buffed out or its off to the Body Works.
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Finally!
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
Five hours later we are back at home and Daniel is very happy. It actually was quite the fun day out at South Coast. There were certainly a lot of characters in the line. I thought it was a good mix of previous iPhone customers as well as new converts. I really thought it was funny that Daniel got a message from Sprint 2 hours into waiting about new discounts for him. They must have gotten wind of the mass migrations to AT&T today. I can't really blame Apple for the technical problems that made our wait last as long as it did. I am just glad Daniel was able to get it activated in the store with no problem.
I had to go to work in the evening and Daniel got to play with the iPhone. I will have to see if he is all excited and if the service is actually any good before I decide for sure if I am going to convert as well.
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3G iPhone Mania Part 4
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
It took us 4 hours, but Daniel got to get the one he wanted - black 16 GB. This was also my point of weakness where I wanted to get one as well.
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3G iPhone Mania Part 3
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
Three hours later and we are almost to the store. The Apple Store is the second storefront past the carrousel. There are rumors other Apple and AT&T stores are already sold out. Hopefully Daniel will get the one he wants. I have been tempted to get one myself, but still undecided.
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3G iPhone Mania Part 2
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
The line wraps from the front of the Apple store around the bottom floor of South Coast Plaza. If only these people were waiting to buy something I invented!
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3G iPhone Mania
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
The crowd outside the South Coast Plaza Apple store at 8am on July 11.
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Alberta 2008 Photos
Originally uploaded by Club Josh.
The photos are now available for perusal at Flickr! Click on the photo above or the link to get there!
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