What I liked about Android

Integration with Google Voice is absolutely amazing.  I’m looking forward to the day where I can free myself from the wireless carrier and only rely on Google Voice.

Google Maps and Turn by Turn direction are absolutely on spot.  A rock star feature.

Google Latitude integration with Google Maps ,  real time updates…   I know this feature is not really useful.  However,  when I’m the road I enjoy taking a look at where my friends are.  Especially, given a lot of my friends are mobile like me.

Voice to text input is a nice start,  still has a bit of polishing to become useful

What I did not like

These  3 showstoppers ultimately ended up making be box up my Nexus One and send it back to HTC taking the $45 restocking fee hit:

Showstopper # 1

No ability to use User Certificates to provision Exchange Email ActiveSync in the native email client  (had to purchase a $20 app that did not integrate with native address book , calendar)

This functionality is one of the top issues to be addressed by the Android community.

Showstopper #2

Capability to integrate multiple Google Calendar accounts into the native calendar.  I use multiple Google Calendars accounts, well only two accounts.  I have a personal account and an account for work.   My work policy does not allow you to share detailed event levels with anyone outside of the domain.   This means I must have the ability to configure 2 Google Calendar accounts to view both my personal and work events.  I was shocked that Google wouldn’t get this right,  given it’s Google technology.  Not to try to make this an iPhone can, the Android can’t ,  but using CalDAV with the iPhone I’m able to view and use both my Google Calendar accounts.

Showstopper # 3

Capability to integrate and sync my digital media via iTunes.   I manage my digital life via iTunes.  I do not want to carry around multiple devices.   I must have the ability to sync my device with my music, videos, and podcasts via iTunes.   I experimented with DoubleTwist an app that was advertised to allow iTunes syncing.   I was able to sync my music but not able to sync video or iTunes.  It lacked the robustness I’ve come to expect with using any generation of iPod , or iPhone.

I found the touch screen sensitivity to be a major annoyance.  Several times in the text messaging application I would have to pound on the text input field to get the keyboard to display.

I’m not sure if this was a specific issue with the Nexus One.  I’ve read there are several issues with the 3G radio in the Google Support forums.  I found myself to drop to EDGE coverage on T-Mobile pretty much anytime I was indoors.  I only experienced 3G coverage outdoors.   I’ve never been a big fan boy of AT&T but this is the first time in writing I’d say that I feel more confident that AT&T has been indoor 3G coverage than T-Mobile.   This may be in large part to how much effort AT&T has spent over the last year migrating 3G spectrum to the 850 MHz frequency.

Enjoy… 

I’m having trouble deciding where we should go…

I’m thinking of at least taking it for a spin … too bad AT&T is the only choice for these things.  T-Mobile’s service is far superior but unfortunately T-Mobile has put their 3G UMTS on the 1700/2100 MHz freq … AT&T’s is on the 850/1900 MHz.  The iPhone does not support T-Mo’s 1700 MHz band

Still … It’s something for me to get geeked out about and look forward to, even if it ultimately it is not compatible in supporting my work mobile life. I’ll be sticking to my antiquated and ugly Blackberry 8900.

When Mike James & I purchased our team’s 1987 Ford School bus we affectoniately named the POS the Perineum Falcon.  The bus is a big pile of dog shit and always breaks down like the Millenium Falcon on Star wars.  And the Perineum is your taint (the area of your body that kills you after a long bike ride) …  So we just decided that Perineum Falcon would be a good fit for the bus and our RAGBRAI riding crew.

Check out our new site,  and if you’re interested in partying by bike across Iowa with us this year … we’d love to have you join us!

• I’m still in consulting, currently working for a major home improvement retailer based in BFE North Carolina
• I’ve now been in my condo for a year … REALLY a Year!?! Where does time go
• I just bought a new bimmer (this week) … it’s my nearly 30 life crisis and I love it.  I’m refusing to participate in this recession
• Pete & I are planning a trip to Thailand (imagine that , Thailand) … but I can’t wait WAIT!
• I’ve been forced back to a Blackberry because my firm will no longer allow us to expense mobile bills, I’ve been in iPhone withdrawal for about a month now
• We adopted an amazing 5 year old English Bulldog named Blanche

Loving the job,  the travel is wieghing on me,  but I’m learning something new everyday…  currently working on Payment Systems and learning the world of plastic transaction systems.  Can’t wait to be home every weeekend to hang out with Blanche & Pete …  both of them are amazing and make this life worth living!

Blanche the Bully

Da New Bimmer - 2006 BMW 330xi

It’s officially fall in Chicago … you know this time of year, every year when the marathon comes around , it’s the official sign of fall in Chicago! I love this shot I took this morning while waiting to cheer on good friends looking east down Adams street by the United Center. Nice view of the foliage changes with Sears Tower sticking its head out.

Looking forward to celebrating fall (with no Cubs) it’s time for football and Halloween parties!

It’s a wait and see now on battery life improvement.  My hope are up.  I want this thing to work like I’d expect of an Apple product.

It’s good to see lot’s of other Chicagoians are seeing the same improvements based on the comments from Scott’s iPTIB blog at the RedEye.

Update: According to Engadget Poll it looks like I’m not alone in seeing remarkable better reception / fewer dropped calls.  One of two of my biggest peeves with the new iPhone 3G.   According to the poll over 13,000 are claiming better reception and fewer dropped calls.

It’s too early tell on battery life,  it appears to be better , but won’t really be able to tell until I have a full week of normal use under my belt.