Yes I am thankful for my family, the people in my life, the blessings from above, we all should be. Tomorrow we can all slow down for a moment and reflect and be thankful.
But something tells me the Blackberries will still be working, the videos will be rolling, the high definition will be in focus and the laptops will be in full swing. It is amazing, this time we live in. Think about now versus 10 years ago. Cell phones, smartphones, IP phones, VOIP, high def TVs, memory cards, servers, e-mail, IT, GPS, flat panel PC screens to name a few. How will the elves keep up with this type of demand? It is everywhere, just look around and it looks so different than it did just a few years ago. Are we smarter, maybe, more efficient, probably, but there is still something better for all of us out there. What will it look like in 2020?
Yeah now that I think of it, I am appreciative for those simple things like family and health. They really do matter more than our space aged gadgets, at least for one or 2 days a year.
Welcome to the future.
Mike
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Here comes Android
Well, Motorola is officially back in the game. Their stock is up over 10% today on strong 4th quarter earnings and the launch of Android.
This new smartphone is ready to tackle Apple, Rimm, and Palm once it releases. Motorola has some major hitters behind them in Verizon and Google. Droid 2.0 has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full QWERTY keyboards slider phones now available. It has voice recognition, and could be summed up as a no fuss, high tech, over the air updating, multitasking machine. The screen is brilliant and has high resolution qualities as well and of course Google maps will be a staple feature. The camera is 5 mega pixels with a 16 GB memory card which is very impressive.
There are also many preloaded apps like gmail, youtube, calendar, Amazons MP3 store and another 12,000 apps that can be downloaded. Compared to Apple and its 90,000 apps, this may not be significant, but this phone will deliver competition to the smartphone market. The partners that are vested in this project are all serious players.
The unit will be exclusive from Verizon and run $199 with a 2 year agreement. For more information go to www.droiddoes.com. I love the press release I got earlier which starts off by saying "Hello Humans"
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
This new smartphone is ready to tackle Apple, Rimm, and Palm once it releases. Motorola has some major hitters behind them in Verizon and Google. Droid 2.0 has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full QWERTY keyboards slider phones now available. It has voice recognition, and could be summed up as a no fuss, high tech, over the air updating, multitasking machine. The screen is brilliant and has high resolution qualities as well and of course Google maps will be a staple feature. The camera is 5 mega pixels with a 16 GB memory card which is very impressive.
There are also many preloaded apps like gmail, youtube, calendar, Amazons MP3 store and another 12,000 apps that can be downloaded. Compared to Apple and its 90,000 apps, this may not be significant, but this phone will deliver competition to the smartphone market. The partners that are vested in this project are all serious players.
The unit will be exclusive from Verizon and run $199 with a 2 year agreement. For more information go to www.droiddoes.com. I love the press release I got earlier which starts off by saying "Hello Humans"
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
Monday, September 28, 2009
Those misleading cellular prices
You see the commercials. $49 for the new Blackberry Tour, or $29.99 for the Motorola Rival. Verizon, Sprint, ATT all of them do it. They advertise these prices left and right with the small print almost off the picture. These prices are for renewals for 2 year contracts. These prices are only available IF you are eligible for an upgrade.
Most cellular contracts are the same. You have to have made it roughly 20 out of 24 months through the contract to be eligible for the advertised prices I mentioned. I get calls every other day from people confused about this. They are 6 months into a contract, break or lose their phone, do not carry insurance and then I quote them "$289, are you kidding me I saw it on TV for $29.99" Well that is for an "eligible" customer.
The retail price of most all of these phones is not cheap. A Blackberry for example will run well over $400 to replace at retail if you do not carry insurance or have eligibility to get an upgrade with a discount off the new phone. In the carriers defense, when they discount or subsidize the phone they are losing money and have to keep you under contract for several months to reclaim the discount and actually be profitable.
Be careful of the E-bay purchases for replacements. Carry insurance on Smart phones and create a relationship with a broker that has access to wholesaler's if and when that dreaded day comes.
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
Most cellular contracts are the same. You have to have made it roughly 20 out of 24 months through the contract to be eligible for the advertised prices I mentioned. I get calls every other day from people confused about this. They are 6 months into a contract, break or lose their phone, do not carry insurance and then I quote them "$289, are you kidding me I saw it on TV for $29.99" Well that is for an "eligible" customer.
The retail price of most all of these phones is not cheap. A Blackberry for example will run well over $400 to replace at retail if you do not carry insurance or have eligibility to get an upgrade with a discount off the new phone. In the carriers defense, when they discount or subsidize the phone they are losing money and have to keep you under contract for several months to reclaim the discount and actually be profitable.
Be careful of the E-bay purchases for replacements. Carry insurance on Smart phones and create a relationship with a broker that has access to wholesaler's if and when that dreaded day comes.
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Observing New York technology
My wife brought me to the Big Apple this last weekend as a pre birthday party. I turn 40 in January and she knows I love that city so we went there now before winter kicks in.
We met some friends there and had the time of our lives, what a city with so much to do.
As we toured midtown from day to day I watched and listened to the people and how business is happening. Ironically we flew in on the the morning of the 11th. As we got into the city, there was obviously a somber mood, that day will never leave any of our memories, let alone New Yorker's. The cab we were in had a touch screen GPS. So even though our driver did not speak English well, I knew where we were going. The girl that sat next to us on the plane was on Facebook on her IPhone the minute we landed. We used my Blackberries GPS to find our way around the city as well. I traded e-mails with people from Arizona to North Carolina with them having no idea I was not in the office. Almost every other person that you walk by is on their cell phone. The digital age is abundant in Times Square, it is quite a spectacle for your eyes to see. There are high definition TVs in all the bars and restaurants. The studios where they film NBC's nightly news look like something from 2112. Technology is everywhere. We have come so far since even 1980. Now we just need the people in New York to be as helpful as the gadgets we all own!
This is a weekend I will certainly remember forever for personal reasons. But once again technology strikes!
Welcome to the future.
Mike
We met some friends there and had the time of our lives, what a city with so much to do.
As we toured midtown from day to day I watched and listened to the people and how business is happening. Ironically we flew in on the the morning of the 11th. As we got into the city, there was obviously a somber mood, that day will never leave any of our memories, let alone New Yorker's. The cab we were in had a touch screen GPS. So even though our driver did not speak English well, I knew where we were going. The girl that sat next to us on the plane was on Facebook on her IPhone the minute we landed. We used my Blackberries GPS to find our way around the city as well. I traded e-mails with people from Arizona to North Carolina with them having no idea I was not in the office. Almost every other person that you walk by is on their cell phone. The digital age is abundant in Times Square, it is quite a spectacle for your eyes to see. There are high definition TVs in all the bars and restaurants. The studios where they film NBC's nightly news look like something from 2112. Technology is everywhere. We have come so far since even 1980. Now we just need the people in New York to be as helpful as the gadgets we all own!
This is a weekend I will certainly remember forever for personal reasons. But once again technology strikes!
Welcome to the future.
Mike
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Obama the Rock Star
I was lucky enough to sit right behind the President on stage in Raleigh yesterday. I had never seen a US President in person before, it was a great experience. Politics aside, it is truly amazing to look the President in the eye as he speaks. His followers are so excited to see him, he really is a rock star, very iconic.
Whether he can sustain good policy for our country or not, he will no doubt always be remembered for his charisma and charm as a speaker.
When I first arrived there was a gal in line that I stood next to with a Blackberry. She was talking to her friend and she said "this device has truly transformed my life" Her friend soon after took a phone call herself. I could not help but now ask her about the phone and why she said that. She said her family never believed she would actually use it. But she talked about Internet access, e-mail, the ease of texting, doing business on the run.
I love hearing those comments. Ordinary people using technology to make life easier. That is what Blackberries or technology in general are designed to do.
Welcome to the Future
Mike
Whether he can sustain good policy for our country or not, he will no doubt always be remembered for his charisma and charm as a speaker.
When I first arrived there was a gal in line that I stood next to with a Blackberry. She was talking to her friend and she said "this device has truly transformed my life" Her friend soon after took a phone call herself. I could not help but now ask her about the phone and why she said that. She said her family never believed she would actually use it. But she talked about Internet access, e-mail, the ease of texting, doing business on the run.
I love hearing those comments. Ordinary people using technology to make life easier. That is what Blackberries or technology in general are designed to do.
Welcome to the Future
Mike
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Verizon and Alltel
Verizon has purchased Alltel, we know that now. But there are several pieces of information coming to us day to day.
Sometimes I wonder if Verizon or Alltel truly know what is right or wrong. The end users lose the stockholders win. In North Carolina Alltel customers bills now read Verizon. But that may not be the case in another state. But coding/rate plan wise they are still Alltel. Their agreements and hardware are with Alltel until the contract ends. Verizon is offering deals/discounts to Alltel customers to move them completely over to Verizon. They are waiving early term fees and activation fees.
Alltel phones currently work on the Verizon network but data features may not work properly so at some point it will be wise to switchover. Business customers are being treated differently than consumer accounts. The Verizon friends and family feature was offered now to comply with Alltels my circle feature. But it is not offered with all rate plans. You must meet minimum rates to get that type of service added to the rate.
Ask questions, find agents that follow the carriers. They typically get detailed information faster through their resources than the direct teams do. The agents that deal with businesses are pushing to obtain that information because the customer is demanding it.
I hope this is the last merger for awhile, the confusion is too great for everyone involved.
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
Sometimes I wonder if Verizon or Alltel truly know what is right or wrong. The end users lose the stockholders win. In North Carolina Alltel customers bills now read Verizon. But that may not be the case in another state. But coding/rate plan wise they are still Alltel. Their agreements and hardware are with Alltel until the contract ends. Verizon is offering deals/discounts to Alltel customers to move them completely over to Verizon. They are waiving early term fees and activation fees.
Alltel phones currently work on the Verizon network but data features may not work properly so at some point it will be wise to switchover. Business customers are being treated differently than consumer accounts. The Verizon friends and family feature was offered now to comply with Alltels my circle feature. But it is not offered with all rate plans. You must meet minimum rates to get that type of service added to the rate.
Ask questions, find agents that follow the carriers. They typically get detailed information faster through their resources than the direct teams do. The agents that deal with businesses are pushing to obtain that information because the customer is demanding it.
I hope this is the last merger for awhile, the confusion is too great for everyone involved.
Welcome to the Future.
Mike
Power cycle
Have you ever been instrcucted to restart your PC? It gets locked up, it needs to be refreshed. Cell phones are the same way. Does your phone ever act up on you? Always power cycle (turn the phone off and back on) at least once a day. It is like giving the phone a nice shower without having to make an insurance claim! Phones need to reregister with their perspective networks.
Welcome to the Future
Mike
Welcome to the Future
Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
