Android 2.1 Update

I just did a manual install of the Android 2.1 update on my Moto Droid. You can find instructions on doing the manual update at Mobile Crunch. It took a couple tries to get it on the phone. I used Safari to download it first, and Google Chrome, which automatically unzip the file. I zipped it back up with Finder, but it added a component to the folder which fouled up the installation. So, after getting the correct file onto the Droid (I just synced it with the Mac and dropped it into the root) the install and restart is relatively quick.

I spent some time refreshing myself with the features that I should be seeing with the update, via an article from PCWorld.

Perhaps the best improvement is multi-touch support (I have only tested it in the native browser, but it works great). PCworld noted that it was absent from talks of 2.1, but indeed it is here, and is quite responsive.

Some of the features are a drastic improvement, such as the live wallpapers and the Photo Gallery. The photo gallery makes finding and viewing pictures easier and quicker. The live wallpapers add a nice touch, sprucing up the background, however I would assume it will drain my battery quicker (though I don't have the time or the resources to evaluate it specifically).

The news and weather widget is nice. It loads relatively quickly and provides you with a seven day forecast. Comparing it with the WeatherBug widget, it loads quicker for just checking the weather, but it doesn't have as much functionality (alerts, video, radar, etc). I do, however, enjoy the news tabs, which makes it easier to browse top stories in specific categories.

I have yet to see if there is indeed voice typing for all text fields, however there are a couple things I am not seeing in the update. I still only have 3 screens to load with apps, widgets, etc ,and there doesn't seem to be a thumbnail-based navigation system, as alluded to by PCWorld. There also appears to be no change to Application Launcher. I'm going to continue to test the new update and see if there is a setting or other odd tidbit that is preventing these features from working, and I will update accordingly.

Information Capital

Tonight I watched the first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. You can visit http://abc.com for information on the show or visit Oliver's website: http://www.jamieoliver.com. As I watched him compile mountains of food we typically consumer as American's (or civilized humans for that matter) I came to a realization that we often don't care about things that should be important to us for really stupid reasons. As I reflected upon this I thought about what we are conditioned to do in our society. I considered school, work, and life in general. It would appear to me that the majority of our time is spent seeking out information. I'll explain the train of thought that brought me to this conclusion.

In everything we do efficiency is usually sought. We want everything done faster, cheaper and with the least amount of effort possible. While this may at first glance appear good, I had to question what is given up through this mindset. I realize that several people will completely disagree with what I explain, and several others will not care, but perhaps some will find a thread of truth in it. Every thing we call efficient is actually another layer of separation from the natural world in which we reside. Now whether you are a Christian such as myself, practice another religion or atheism; I think we all can consider this is something quite amazing about a world that sustains our life. We really do miss out by saving time. The catch however is that we are not actually saving time. We practice 'time savings' by microwavable meals, genetically modified foods, machinery, computers, cell phones, technology of any kind really. I notice that as we save time in some places it actually robs out time in other places. For example, I can use my cell phone to save time by being able to talk to my wife, friends or family while I am driving or working, basically anywhere I can slap in a bluetooth. That same device, however, will keep me looking at emails, text messages, fiddling with games, and reading the latest news or weather. This is all time that is robbed. Without phones I may have less talk time with my friends or family, but I seriously question the affect of technology on my daily life and schedule.

Now you have to understand that I work in technological area, in fact I could be called a technical writer to some extent. I use technology and time savings constantly to ad me in whatever it is I do or plan to do, but it robs me of something important. I begin to fail in the recognition of nature, family, religion, and people in general for the sake of efficiency.

Food is of particular interest to me. A few years ago I took the time out of my day to exercise, eat right, and do the things I need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This however took a sharp and sudden turn when I decided that time was more important than exercise and more important than fixing healthy meals. So now I am paying the price, and trying to figure out how to reverse such things, but the indoctrination of our society plants these ideals deep and it is quite difficult to change.

The title of this post is Information Capital and you may be wondering why that is the title with what has been posted thus far. My train of though, as I considered what I do to save time, lead me to realize that we have been trained to just go look up what we need to do, and we don't really master anything. Now I am a communications professional, and though I dare not say I have mastered the subject, I do have some mastery of it. The odd fact is that my work is based around collecting large amounts of information and organizing them into something meaningful. I am constantly collecting information. If we need to make a meal do we whip it up from scratch (not talking to you chiefs out there) from our memory, or do we seek a cook book? For most things, I probably don't know exactly how to do them without seeking some form of information. It would appear that we are taught to seek information, because that makes us lifelong learners. The problem with lifelong learns is that there is never mastery, the student never becomes the teacher in a fine skill or trade. We can BS around it all day long, but in most contexts today we have mainly been taught how to move and compile information in the most efficient way. Think on this a little bit, and consider the worth of information to us. Information is worth money, a lot of money; just look at the price of education. Where will we be if we continue to distance ourselves from these basic elements of life and creation (yea I said creation, get off it).

Verizon Got it Right

Three weeks ago I stumbled into an AT&T store in N.Ky to figure out how I could avoid some overage charges. Realizing I had ate up all of my allotted minutes, and most of my rollover minutes, I needed to avoid a hefty bill. Walking into the store a few details immediately caught my attention. There was no indicator to which counter, of three, I should approach to resolve my issue. Secondly, as I glanced at the 4-5 associates behind counters to uncover a friendly face I only found two associates helping customers and at least two associates looking at their own devices. I eventually stood behind another customer at one of the counters. More individuals entered the store and it became apparent that no one knew exactly where to form a line or who could help them. One woman asked where the line was and the associate pointed in my direction (with 3 or 4 individuals waiting for assistance near me) and responded "Over there I think. They have been waiting." Wow, customer relations failure. (as an aside I couldn't upgrade my plan to save me any money and had to take the overage charge).

So I had to get through all of that in order to frame how Verizon is getting it right.

This morning I stopped by a Verizon store in the Greater Cincinnati area to purchase a new Droid and port my number from AT&T. Although I greatly adore my iPhone, the Verizon product has come a long way for me, far enough to step away from my iPhone. My greatest complaint before was the inability of a user to purchase or find relevant and useful applications for their device. I would have to say that RIM led the change in this area with their App World product, but the addition of Android Market into the Verizon picture provided enough selection and versatility to make the switch.

When I arrived at the Verizon store this morning I had already made my purchase decision. I knew what I wanted and there was really nothing more to it. As I sat in my car, waiting for the doors to open, an associate came outside and took down my information so I could be helped promptly upon the store's opening. The same associate performed this action with other customers waiting in their cars for the door to open. This made my day, especially as I reflected on my AT&T experience. Verizon got their customer service right this morning, and in a big way. The Droid is a good product, and I am enjoying it, but that service defined the reasoning why I will use Verizon as my service provider.

Can we ever fully understand one another?

Its a cold Thursday night in November and I am sitting in front of a small single log fire, mentally picking apart the days conversations.  In normative shuffle of converging I'm not sure we ever really understand one another.  As John Peters points out, perhaps the closest we can get to truly understanding one another in an embrace.  Any thought we try to share can always be misconstrued, misunderstood, or never heard at all.  We then, do we even attempt to communicate?  I suppose we would be sub-human if we did not.  Is communication, or the attempt to communicate, the very fabric of socialization and culture?  Do we not long for, and desire communication, if only with ourself?  It is quite interesting to think that I can sit and have a conversation in my head, with my self, and still through thought, uncover meaning clashing into other meaning. 

In a more applicable since, I don't think we can ever expect our communication to fully mature, and as Peters suggests in his perspective, Communication as Dissemination, communication can happen in one or many places at one or many times.  It is amazing that the person sitting right in front of me still hears what I am saying after I have said it.  There is no verbal communication that is immediate and in the moment.  Perhaps only supernatural communication, taken place between angles or God and ourselves will be only perfect in the since of time.

Oh how we long for communication to happen freely, and without interruption.  The desire to understand and be understood.  What can man ask for more than that?  After all what point does any life have without someone to share it with?  If no other was around, we would not even survive, for we are nurtured with communication as we are with the bottle.  There is no avoiding it if we are to live, as there is no avoiding communication which lacks perfection in all perceivable senses. 

In Transition

While trying to transfer and compile previous posts from an older blog I have found myself in a social media limbo. Hopefully I can compile all posts soon, yet I may have to start from scratch.
Thanks for the patience.