Next Time You Go To Outer Space, Leave Behind The Scotch Tape

FOXNews.com has an interesting article about our favorite adhesive: Scotch® Tape. Evidently, Scotch® tape emits X-rays when you peel it off the roll. But, here's the catch: it only happens in a vacuum.

I'd love to see the conversation before the scientists figured this out:

Scientist #1: Scotch® tape... I bet I could find a way this could be hazardous to people!

Scientist #2: Oh really? Bet you $5 you can't!

Scientist #1: You're ON! Uh... let's start with unraveling the tape in a vacuum...

Actually, the article goes on to say that this discovery could lead to inexpensive X-ray machines for paramedics or in places where electricity is at a premium.

Hawaii Makes The Highlight Reel... Again!

The University of Hawaii football team shows how tough it is by grinding out a 38-31 victory against a very good Nevada team with a spectacular TD catch by Malcolm Lane with less than 25 seconds left in the game.
Thanks to UHBows for getting the clip of the catch from ESPN.
The previous week, even in a loss to Boise State, the Warriors managed to make the Top 10 plays on ESPN. Check out both of these videos and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin article with a great picture of the winning catch and the post-game press conference.

Could iPhone Be A Terrorist Tool?

Yahoo! News is reporting that Twitter, GPS maps and voice-changing software are being identifed as "terrorist tools," according to a draft U.S. Army intelligence report.
When I read that I thought, "Wow! That's sounds like an iPhone!"
There's a myriad of free Twitter apps on the iPhone; Google Maps already comes with the iPhone; and you can buy an app like Voice Changer [iTunes link] to record and change your voice.
There's even a whole chapter called "Potential for Terrorist Use of Twitter."
At first, rolled my eyes at this article. But then again, terrorists are probably not too different than us. And THAT is a scary thought.

Online "Wife" Goes Warcraft!

Think you're online too much? Think again.
A 43-year-old woman from Japan has been arrested for illegally accessing a computer and manipulating data, according to the Associated Press.
The woman was "married" in the online game "Maple Story" and was divorced without notice. That made her so angry that she logged into the game using her "husband's" character and killed him off.
Now, it's been a while since I've played "World Of Warcraft" but even THAT game didn't give you only ONE life!
After reading this ridiculous story, I actually want to TRY "Maple Story."
I think my virtual credentials are fairly extensive:

• I'm a veteran of the first iteration of "The Sims."
• I maxed out levels in both "City of Heroes/Villains" and "World Of Warcraft."
• I've tried out "Second Life" and just found the newer "Kaneva."

So, I'll update my progress in the game here on my blog.

How Photoshop™ Can Be Evil

Those who are Photoshop™ experts have a great power. But, this same power in the wrong hands can prove to be catastrophic!

Alas!... the sign of the Armageddon...

"LOST: Season 5" Fan Videos

If the iPhone is my 24/7 obsession, then the television show "Lost" is my seasonal obsession.
And, for some reason, "Lost" fans tend to be video makers, myself included.
Knowing how hard it is to cut a "Lost" fan video, I found a couple of great fan videos promoting the upcoming Season 5. Now, if you have NOT seen the finale of Season 4, consider these videos as SPOILERS. You have been warned. Now, enjoy!

To Qik Or Not To Qik

One of the big knocks about the iPhone is that you cannot use it as a video camera, like many other mobile phones. Although it wasn't a dealbreaker for me, I would LOVE to use my iPhone as a simple video camera.
Up to now, the only way to do that is to jailbreak, or hack, your iPhone. One of the programs you can download is Qik. One of my friends used it and I like it for what it does. It's good enough until Apple decides to implement it.
Recently the founder of Digg, Kevin Rose, posted on his blog a non-jailbroken version of the Qik program and he claims that it will be on the App Store soon. However, Qik posted a response on the company blog which says:

• Qikkers and Qik fans out there - I want to clarify the questions that are being raised about Qik coming to iPhone App Store. We are looking into this, but at present are not sure when and how this will happen.

Personally, I hope Qik will end up in the App Store. It would be advantageous to Apple to buy some time while they work on other more pressing software matters like push notifications and cut and paste. Meanwhile, you can watch the Kevin Rose video and dream...

When Tiger Woods Just Doesn't Cut It

Tired of waiting for EA Mobile to release Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 on the iPhone? Well, now you can get a game with the name of the 19th best PGA player in the world - Ernie Els!

Ernie Els Golf 2008 is in the App Store for $6.99. Although there are generally good reviews of it on the App Store, there are also some very negative ones.

Electronic Arts did a great job with Spore Origins, even if it is only 1/5th of the actual desktop game. So, I will save my money for the Tiger Woods game, which I expect to cost $9.99. Hopefully, we'll see this game in November or earlier.

Check out this picture of the Ernie Els website (see, below). He must love the iPhone because he uses Cover Flow right on his home page!

Video Review: Tunic Guitar Free

I knew a written review of "Tunic Guitar Free" wouldn't cut it. A proper review of this guitar tuner would have audio of the guitar before and after. I could have done audio only, but what fun is that? Anyway, enjoy the review!

Can't Wait For The BrightKite iPhone App!

Social networking is HUGE for iPhone users. The Facebook and MySpace apps are some of the most popular apps. There's a long list of Twitter apps available. BeeJiveIM is the most expensive social networking app for the iPhone, but people are willing to pay $15.99 for a great program. And, Fring took it another step forward by including Skype and other VOIP capabilities on the iPhone.

I believe the next social internet network to benefit from a native iPhone app is BrightKite. I have found that it is superior to Loopt, which is a similar app. BrightKite has many features similar to Facebook, but it is more location-based. When I tried out the BrightKite webapp, I knew it was a perfect candidate for the iPhone's GPS hardware. Hopefully, it will turn up in the App Store soon.

Here's a video of the BrightKite iPhone app in action:

Brightkite for the iPhone from Brightkite on Vimeo.

The Blackberry Storm!

This video appears to be the best representation of the upcoming Blackberry Storm. It is Research In Motion's first touchscreen mobile smartphone. As an iPhone user, this is the first smartphone I've seen that I actually like. It's stylish and large enough to be practical without being too bulky. However, it seems the Blackberry won't be intruding into the iPhone multimedia market anytime soon (and vice versa, the iPhone still can't compete with RIM's enterprise features).

The one thing I appreciate about RIM is that this promotional seems to be up-front about the performance of its device. Apple has been accused of deceptive advertising for the iPhone 3G. Because the video is so honest, it is also a bit heartbreaking. That's because the touchscreen performance is not even close to the iPhone. Blackberry users upgrading to this touchscreen phone may find it acceptable but iPhone users will find it harsh. After every selection, I notice a nearly one second pause. RIM shouldn't feel too bad because the Samsung Instinct, LG Dare and the T-Mobile G1 Android all seem to have this drawback.

I also question the screen size. You cannot view a full widescreen movie or television show at this screen ratio. Disappointing for a smartphone that was supposed to make strides in multimedia. The 3.2 MP camera, however, is superior to the iPhone. It has flash, autofocus and video recording, none of which the iPhone has. I have found, though, that the iPhone is able to take decent pictures. Check out my Flickr set full of iPhone photos: Street Hiking On Oahu.

One MAJOR feature that the Blackberry Storm is missing is Wi-Fi connectivity. Although 3G speeds are nice, a Wi-Fi connection is much faster and saves your battery life. The reason why I went with the iPhone in the first place is internet browsing. And so far, it appears I made the right decision.

Blackberry rules the business world and the Storm will have business users having more fun with its new touchscreen and upgraded multimedia capabilities. However, it doesn't appear it will make a dent into the iPhone multimedia market just yet.

AM/FM Tuner iPhone App - WunderRadio!

One of the criticisms of the iPhone is the lack of an AM/FM tuner. The WunderRadio app fulfills this needs very well. It is $5.99 on the App Store. While that may seem steep as prices on the App Store keep falling to foster competition, it is well worth every penny.

WunderRadio takes the live internet stream of a radio station and broadcasts it on your iPhone. So, if your favorite radio station does not have an internet stream, you're out of luck with this app. Thankfully for me, just about every radio station I listen to (and I don't listen to much) is available.

I also have AOL Radio, which is an adequate app to listen to genres of music. But, it has ZERO radio stations in Hawaii. I was also told that Tuner is a great radio app, but unfortunately it doesn't accept Windows Media Audio 9 streams and that covers just about every ClearChannel radio station. In Honolulu, there's mostly ClearChannel stations.

With WunderRadio, I've had success with about 10 radio stations on Oahu and six radio stations on the neighbor islands.

The list includes the #1 radio station KSSK, KKEA ESPN 1420, Hot 93.9, Star 101.9, 98.5 Island Reggae and KTUH.

It also supports NWS Weather radio and scanners from ScanAmerica.us (although none of these are available in Hawaii).

Apple Rating: 5 out of 5. Strongly recommended.

New iPhone 3G USB Power Adapter

Apple is in the midst of a recall of the iPhone 3G Power Adapter. Here's what Apple says about the problem:

Apple has determined that under certain conditions the new ultracompact Apple
USB power adapter's metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet,
creating a risk of electric shock. We have received reports of detached
blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries
have been reported.

Today is the first day of the recall, so tonight I went to the Apple Store at Kahala Mall to make the exchange. A couple of people were there to do the same thing and the wait was minimal. You need to return the old adapter and the Apple Store needs your serial number to process the exchange. You can find your serial number right in your iPhone at Settings --> General --> About.

You know you have the new one because there's a green dot sticker on the face of the adapter. I know it's hard to see in the picture I took. The lighting in my bedroom is horrid.

If an Apple Store is not at a convenient distance to your home, you can order it via this webpage: https://supportform.apple.com/200809/

If you do the exchange through the web, make sure you mail Apple back the old adapter otherwise you will be charged $29.

And for those who care, here's a map of my latest cross-town walk using the iPhone app Distance Meter:

Preview Of iPhone OS 2.2

So, it's October. No push notifications, cut & paste functions, stereo Bluetooth capability and voiced turn-by-turn navigation. That's what I want in that order.

But, I'm calm. I'm not raising my voice. I don't see the purpose in getting mad about things like this.

Still, the Google Android OS, the Blackberry Storm and the Nokia 5800 are about to put a LOT of pressure on Apple to get more functionality on the iPhone. Push notifications alone would make the iPhone 1000% more usable. In fact, all instant messaging apps, save for Fring and BeeJiveIM, are practically useless because none of them work in the background and push notifications alone would take care of that.

So what ARE we getting in the iPhone OS 2.2? By the way, none of these have been officially confirmed:

• Redesigned Google search in the Safari browser and different look for the App Store on the iPhone. It's cool but, really, who cares?
• Preference to turn off auto-correction. I really like auto-correction. It's the one thing that makes typing on the iPhone so much easier and faster. But, it's not good if you want to text in Ebonics.
• Emoji support. That's basically "emoticons" in Japanese. By the way, I'm of Japanese ancestry and I think emoji is quite silly. I NEVER heard a lack of emoticons as a reason in the U.S. why someone would not buy the iPhone. But, I'm sure anyone who texts or e-mails frequently will find many uses for it. I wonder if my Twitter app will support emoji? A lack of emoji was cited as the main reason why the iPhone isn't catching on in Japan.
• Google Street View. Probably the most interesting feature in 2.2. It allows you to see the map at street level as if you were really there. Check out this YouTube video:
  

Somehow, I have a feeling Google Street View won't be supported in Honolulu. I can hope, though. UPDATE 10/10/2008: Google Maps does not support Street View in Hawaii.
In the end, I do feel that 2.2 is a relatively weak upgrade considering the other functions that the iPhone really needs. I guess the faster we get to 2.2, the faster we will get to the other functions.

iPhone App Review: i.TV

I try to search the App Store everyday to find the latest and greatest iPhone apps out there.
This morning, I found a gem of an app. It's called i.TV. That's "eye-dot-tee-vee." It's a free app with your local television and movie listings. It's an all-in-one entertainment app.
It's great as a movie listings app. It does just about everything Now Playing does, except for Rotten Tomato ratings and a link to imdb.com. But, it also has features I haven't seen elsewhere. You can save your favorite actors and it directs you to where you can see them on television.
As a television app, it also does quite well. But, since it is very graphic intensive, the program does move slower compared with a paid app like What's On. In fact, the app suffers from intermittent crashes. The i.TV website says it knows about this problem and will be addressed in an future update.
Because browsing through hundreds of channels can be slow, the ability to sort through television programs is indispensible. My favorite "sort" is by genre. You can even save your favorite programs to quickly see when it airs next. However, I wish I could save my favorite channel.
It's a very good app considering it is free (with advertisements). And it looks like the company who made the app put a lot of money into its software, its website and this commercial:

Apple Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Docked a point for crashing problems and a half point for relatively slow browsing performance in television listings.

Update: As of 10/10/2008, i.TV is the #1 free app on the App Store.

FSU Kicker: Acting - A+, Kicking Field Goals - F

I promise this will be my final blog about the Hawaii vs. Fresno State football game.
Here's a clip from the game you won't see on any ESPN highlight:

The kicker for Fresno is redshirt freshman Kevin Goessling. Apparently, he's a great actor. I'm not sure if his act was despicable or brilliant. Either way, missing those field goals cost his team the game. Call it karma or "what goes around, comes around" or "athletic justice." The people in Hawaii call it "bachi."

McMackin: Right Coach For The Warriors

What a difference a week makes. I know a lot of Hawaii football fans are riding high after the amazing overtime win against No. 22 Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium, 32-29. But, you should watch this video from KITV.com of head coach Greg McMackin after the heartbreaking loss to San Jose State a week earlier:
Uncut: UH Coach Mac 'Devastated' After 'Must Win'
After hearing from McMackin and seeing just about everything he talked about translate to a win on the field, I know that he is the right coach for the Warriors.
I couldn't believe my ears when I was listening to local sports talk radio this past week about how many chances UH should give McMackin to prove himself as a head coach. A week ago, the Warriors were 1-3 with the only win of the season coming against a team that's not even in the same NCAA subdivision. But isn't it a little early to call for the coach's head?
Hawaii's losses came against now No. 12 Florida [there was no way we were going to win this one], Oregon State [whom USC couldn't even beat in Corvallis], and a well-[Dick Tomey]coached San Jose State team.
But, after seeing the win against Fresno State and going back to the San Jose press conference I know that Coach Mac is the right person to succeed June Jones.
McMackin talked a lot about turnovers. And, granted, some of the Bulldog turnovers were just sloppy football. But three of the turnovers were interceptions, which tells me that the coaches were making adjustments and the players executed. It's amazing that Coach Mac had a vision for winning the turnover battle and actually made it happen on the field.
McMackin also talked about the heart of Ryan Mouton, who actually played while hurt in the San Jose State game. Mouton ran a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the Warriors scoring effort against Fresno State, and was undoubtedly the spark the team needed.
And, the injured quarterback carousel finally came to a stop at Inoke Funaki. Hopefully, his two-touchdown, 170 yard performance is a sign that he is coming into his own on the field.
Hawaii may not have as much talent as last year, but it has the right coach in place to be competitive on any given Saturday.
Don't be a fair-weather fan who dwells in the past.

The Crown Jewel Of Walks

I found a quicker and shorter way to walk from my home in Kalihi to Pearlridge Center. But, it was a LOT of uphill walking. If you click on the full screen version of the map, you can choose to see the elevation. It was nasty.

Still, I was lucky. It was an overcast day with breezy winds. If it was very sunny with no winds it would have been brutal. And phsyically, I don't feel very sore or tired. I'm going to need a new challenge.

As usual, I used the Distance Meter iPhone app to track my walk.

iPhone App Marketing Takes A "Quantum" Leap

I think iPhone app marketing will become a useful tool in the worlds outside of computing, namely politics and entertainment, as evidenced by a couple of interesting applications in the App Store.
Yesterday, the presidential campaign for Barack Obama came out with an app called "Obama '08." It's basically a way for volunteers to get together. The app also lists where Obama stands on all the issues. Not bad for a free app. And, of course, you can donate money through the app and make calls to your friends for Obama (yeah, right).
Today, I found an interesting free movie promotional app called "James Bond - 007." The title and the logo immediately caught my eye.

It features trailers, video blogs, movie synopsis, list of cast & filmmakers, as well as a chance to preview and download the movie's main song.

Although this isn't more than what you would find at the movie's website, an iPhone app is the perfect venue for this kind of content. Next to no one would waste their precious free time at home sitting at the computer watching 007 videos. BUT... when you're bored and on-the-go, anything goes!

This is how a movie should be promoted on the iPhone. "The Dark Knight: HaHaHa" was a silly and poorly executed attempt at promoting a movie.

My Favorite iPhone Apps

It's been officially 12 weeks since the iPhone 3G came out and my new smartphone has taken over my life.
No doubt one of the best things (and sometimes worst) about the iPhone is the relatively new Apple App Store. It is Steve Jobs' attempt to make every iPhone customizable depending on the user. To some degree, it has deterred jailbreakers. Unless you want to do video recording, home screen customizations and running programs in the background.
Still, you can find a lot of gems in the App Store for free or very little cash. We've all gone through the tip calculators, the lightsabers and the beer drinking apps. But, how many apps do we USE on a daily basis?
Here's some of the apps that I have been using a lot in the last few months:


AirMe/Exposure - One of the features of the iPhone 3G that I was dying to try out was the ability to geotag photos. That means every picture you take is embedded with a GPS location that can be put on a map. That's exactly what I did with my Flickr photoset Street Hiking On Oahu. If you click on the "Map" feature you will see exactly where each photo was taken. Each photo is also tagged with the current weather conditions. I use AirMe to take the photo which is automatically uploaded to my Flickr account. Then, I use Exposure to check if it is there. Exposure is also great at looking at the photos that have been taken near your current location and featured pictures from all over the world. There is an Exposure Premium but the only difference is the ads, and they don't bother me too much. Otherwise, both apps are free.


Facebook - Version 2.0 of this app just came out and it has really put it over the top as the best social networking app on the iPhone. You can do just about everything on this native app as you would on the web. The only things you don't have access to are third-party applications. I have been reconnecting with high school buddies on Facebook and this great iPhone app helps me to do that on the go. Free.

Twittelator Pro - Since getting the iPhone, I have also become a Twitter addict. I used to use Twitterfon but I didn't like the light blue motif (although that is very Twitter-ish) and it was pretty straightforward without added features. So, I decided to invest $4.99 into Twittelator Pro, a native Twitter app with features that aren't even on the Twitter website. My favorite feature is the thumbnails of uploaded pictures. Also, Twittelator just came out with a set of emoticons.

Asphalt 4 Elite Racing - To me, this is the BEST game hands down. The use of the accelerometer is phenomenal. The game is fast-paced and rarely misses a beat. Even though I'm done with the whole game, I keep playing it for the rush. It's also fun derailing your opponents. It's like a PS2 racing game on your iPhone. It is well worth the $9.99.



Distance Meter/iPump Total Body - A couple of iPhone apps have been encouraging me to exercise more and to lose weight. I have been walking long distances lately and I found a great app to track it. Distance Meter shows my total time, distance, speed and calories burned after each workout. I can then upload the stats to MapMyFitness.com and have my route put on a map. Here's an example of one of my very long walks: Kalihi to Pearlridge. Distance Meter is $2.99 but you can also get Trailguru. It has very similar features and is free.

iPump Total Body is like having a personal trailer right there in the gym with you. A workout regiment is outlined with each exercise. There are great pictures and a written explanation, and if that's not enough there's a video with a narrator! The video is probably the best feature. When you're done with the exercise you can log it in the app. This also costs $2.99, which is cheaper than other similar apps which are not as good.

Here's some other worthy apps by genre:

• Reference: Bible - Easy to read, lots of translations and can be used offline. Free.
• Sports: MLB At Bat - Great live game features, lots of player/team stats and video highlights. But, it is subscription-based ($4.99 for half a season; $2.99 for postseason only) and will have to be bought again next year. It also never had team standings in the native app; it directed you to MLB.com. Still, sports iPhone apps have been disappointing to say the least and MLB At Bat has been the best effort by a professional league.
• News: Associated Press Mobile News Network - Quick loading and easy to read with a lot of pictures and videos. Free.
• Music: BeatMaker - A $200 drum machine becomes a $19.99 iPhone app.
• Productivity: Air Sharing/Datacase - Use your iPhone like a hard drive with the ability to read your files. $6.99 each.

New Look For iPhone 3G & Me

As much as I liked my old Blogger template, it was too restrictive. Especially when it comes to making some money with ads on my blog. I've been researching what it takes to make money on the web and I got some inspiration today to get going on that.

For those who come here regularly - thank you for listening! My blog shouldn't change all that much. I might want to blog more often just to keep the site fresh. But, my blog will be about ME and the things I like.

And who knows? Maybe I can quit my day job. Or maybe not. But, I'm curious to take a ride on the blogging circuit.

Waikiki Sunset

It's that magical time of the day - the sunset. Most of my life I've only seen the sunrise over the mountain. But, I've seen a lot of sunsets. I barely made it to Waikiki to catch it. I could have gone to Sand Island instead but the magic isn't quite the same.

My New Gym Workout

I just bought an AWESOME iPhone app called "iPump: Total Body."

I've been with 24-Hour Fitness for a while but I never studied all the different exercises. So, I kind of randomly did my weight training. The app was only $2.99.
Now, I have a plan. The app is really cool because for each exercises there is also a video with a narrator showing and telling you how each exercises is done. That's PERFECT for me!

The plan in the app is basically circuit training, which I have never done before. So, this is what I did this morning:

• 20lb Dumbell Squats - 10 reps, 3 sets
• 20lb Dumbell Bench Press - 10 reps, 3 sets
• 15lb Dumbell Prone Row - 10 reps, 3 sets
• 15 lb Dumbell Reverse Lunge - 10 reps, 3 sets
• (This is when I began to feel tired.)
• 15lb Lateral Raises - 7 reps, 2 sets
• Reverse Cruch - 7 reps, 2 sets

I was four exercises away from finishing the circuit. But, I was POOPED! It says to do this 10-exercise circuit once a week. I might have to split it up to twice a week and do 5 exercises each. And I have to stick with this first 10 exercises for 4-6 weeks. Something tells me that I'll probably need all 6 weeks.

So, this is what I'm doing in addition to my urban hiking! Hopefully, it will help me to lose weight, make my liver less fatty and make me slimmer!

Mixing Up Alaska & Canada

Being that part of my job is to add content to the web, I found this gaffe at KGMB9.com very funny:

About halfway down, Sarah Palin is all of a sudden Governor of Canada!

T-Mobile G1: Epic Fail

There was a lot of buildup for the first Google Android phone and we get this?!

The T-Mobile G1 was unveiled today. And I'm not impressed.


Check out that picture. The keyboard is even bigger than the screen! It just looks clumsy.


It has a 3.1MP camera, GPS mapping and up to 8GB of storage with a memory card (which means there's either little to no onboard memory and you'll have to get an 8GB memory card).


Now, what surprised me the MOST is that T-Mobile has really bad 3G coverage. In fact, there's NO 3G coverage in Hawaii right now.


Look at the map on the left. There's no dark blue which is 3G. And there's really scattered EDGE coverage, which is horribly slow anyway.

In fact, T-Mobile concedes that when the phone will start selling on October 22nd, only 21 cities (more than likely all on the mainland) will have 3G coverage! And people complained about the 3G coverage for AT&T!

So, if you live in Hawaii and you dreamed of owning a Google Android phone, you have a SEVERELY gimped mobile phone which was supposed to be geared toward using the internet.
Now, I know what you're saying. The iPhone guy is just being negative. Actually, I was hoping for a phone either as good or superior to the iPhone. Better mobile phones on the market will force the iPhone to become better. I really believe that. At least until the Blackberry Thunder comes out, it seems that Steve Jobs can rest on his laurels - unfortunately. The Samsung Instinct, the LG Dare and now the T-Mobile G1 have failed to put forth a serious competitor to the iPhone.

Guess Who's In The Wall Street Journal?

A while back I blogged about doing an interview with a reporter from the Wall Street Journal about iPhone games. Well, some PR dude called me at work saying he saw my article!

Well, here it is:

Once Wimpy, Cellphones Got Game

Mahealani Richardson posted it at work so everyone can know how much of a geek-nerd I am.

Trials & Perseverance

It's either irony or coincidence or both that this morning's Bible verse at church was James 1:2-3,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

During this morning's worship time, I was having an electronic drum crisis. The one song that was supposed to call everyone to worship was horrendous. I couldn't hear the keyboards which the worship leader was playing. Everyone else couldn't hear me and we were all out of sync. And at one point the arm on my snare drum was getting loose and it was unplayable.

I realize that it doesn't matter to God that we play perfectly, but I want to offer up my BEST, which I couldn't because circumstances beyond my control.

So, James, trials produce perseverance, huh? It's hard to keep joy in mind while the trials are going on...

Happy Birthday Day!

It was one of the busiest Saturdays in a long time. Yet, I never felt out of control or overworked. It was all very pleasant.

First up, Shayna Fuller's birthday party in Ewa Beach. I've personally seen Shayna grow up at Kalihi Union Church. She married one of my best friends Tony. Because of a lack of parking space, I organized a carpool betwee myself, Julie, Reyton & Jennifer.

I had a great time with Roman, James, Rodney, their respective families & everyone else who came. Tony & Shayna's 5-month-old son Ezekiel was the star of the party. 3.5 hours there to begin the day. We left around 1:30 pm to get some rest before the next party.

At 5 pm, it was off to the next birthday party in Kalihi Valley for Jennifer Lo. It was at the beautiful Dredla home. I love that breezy porch! So much food! A great night of conversation & eating. Got to see KUC alumnus Tracie. It was also a send off for Julie who is moving to Seattle.


I came home pretty tired at around 10:30 pm. But, tired in a GOOD way.

Knight Rider (2008) Review

iTunes is offering a free episode of the new "Knight Rider" television series. So, I took the bait just to see how it is. The episode I saw is called "A Knight In Shining Armor."

I came away sorely disappointed. Even with my low expectations.


Let's start with the good points. Two actors who stuck out to me: Bruce Davison and Sydney Poitier.

Unfortunately, neither of them had much screen time in this episode. And Poitier doesn't have a juicy character like Jungle Julia in "Deathproof." The acting doesn't get much better than those two.

The actor playing the lead can barely hold his own, much less the entire television series. At least David Hasselhoff was a TV show veteran from "The Young And The Restless" in the first go-around. And this Mike is a more troubled soul. What little personality he has is wasted in one-liner conversations with K.I.T.T.


Speaking of K.I.T.T. , Val Kilmer has nothing on William Daniels (the original voice of K.I.T.T.). Yes, Kilmer's career has descended to doing voice-overs of a car. Unfortunately, he's using that same robotic voice he employed in "Batman Forever." What made Daniels so good in the role of K.I.T.T. is that he didn't try to sound like a computer. He used his normal voice which made K.I.T.T. seem more human. Kilmer sounds like a turn-by-turn GPS device. Even the one in my car sounds better than him.


And, lastly the choice of a Ford Mustang Cobra as the K.I.T.T. car. At least the Pontiac Thunderbird was a hot and classy car in the early 80s. Just to put it plainly, the Mustang is UGLY. And it doesn't exude futurism or hotness. Any black car with a red strobe doesn't make it K.I.T.T. Ford must have paid a high price to get their Mustang to be the K.I.T.T. car.

In fact, a really hot car turned up in this episode that put the Mustang to shame. A blue Spyker C8 Spyder, similar to the one pictured here, made an appearance. The car door hinges upwards, which is reminiscent of a Lamborghini. It even outraced the Mustang in the episode. Spyker is a Dutch automaker.


In the end, I think the show is trying too hard to be an ensemble cast like "24," "Lost," "Heroes," and "Battlestar Galactica." And there are many weak links in the cast.


What made the original show so popular was its simplicity: Michael Knight & K.I.T.T. That's all that you really need.

My Toughest Urban Hike Yet

Today, I did the unthinkable. Walking from my home in Kalihi to Pearlridge. Here's a map of my route I logged with my iPhone 3G:



Yup. About 10 miles of walking. I started early so I wouldn't get too much sun. Anybody know a better route? I had to walk near some homeless near Nimitz Highway and I wouldn't want to take my sister on this walk if I had to go that way again.

iPhone 2.1: Best Update So Far

If you have an iPhone 3G or v1 or even an iPod Touch and are still on the old firmware (2.02 for iPhone, at least) you should download version 2.1 right now.

Even though I have not been one of the people with serious reception problems, internet speed problems, serious crashing problems, serious app problems, etc. the new update has noticable enhancements.

First of all, in my bedroom I could get no more than 3 bars. Now, it's 5 bars all the time.

Backing up is much faster with iTunes and it doesn't ALWAYS backup your iPhone when you sync. I hated that. It looks like I don't have to hack iTunes anymore.

Loading new apps is also much faster. Even on the iPhone with 3G.

A minor tweak is a new logo for 3G and EDGE.

Supposedly the battery life is better, but I haven't noticed anything. The only time I run into battery problems is when I use an app that tracks my exercise because the screen has to stay on for the GPS to work. I'm always someplace where I can charge up my phone.

Other enhancements, most of which are associated with the iPod functions, are nicely detailed in this MacWorld article: First Look: iPhone 2.1. I do like the new Genius playlist function. After you install 2.1, make you sure do a sync so that your Genius playlist will show up.

Also, don't forget to download the new iTunes 8.0 which is another great update.

Now that we may have covered the problems of the BASIC functions of the iPhone, maybe we can get to push notifications and cut & paste. Frankly, I don't care about turn-by-turn navigation. I have one in the car and I believe that will always function better than any GPS on a mobile phone.

My First Spore

I've been waiting for Spore Origins to come out on the iPhone since the desktop version, Spore, already came out today. I've been checking the App Store all day to no avail.

So in the meantime, I downloaded the free trial version of the Spore Creature Creator. And just creating a spore is fun! Here's my first spore. I called him "Cockroach." He looks nasty but he's a softie at heart.

I really don't want to buy the full desktop game for $50. The Creature Creator also costs another $10. I'm sure the iPhone version won't cost more than $20 (I'm hoping for $10).

Hawaii Football iPhone Wallpaper

I've been into making iPhone wallpapers lately. So, I made this Hawaii Warriors iPhone wallpaper. Feel free to download it and use it.

The Producer Gets Interviewed By WSJ

As many of my friends know, I am a local morning news producer. But today, the producer had the tables turned on him when he was the subject of an interview. Let me explain:

I am a frequent poster on the EverythingiCafe forums. It's a place where I can geek out and talk about the iPhone. Well, someone from the Wall Street Journal sent me a private message about interviewing me over the phone about my experience with the iPhone game Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D. The article is about how iPhone games are changing the landscape of mobile gaming.

So today, I did a phone interview with the WSJ. The reporter says it will come out this week sometime. I'll post the article when it is published.

Here's a video of Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D:

Food Review: W & M Bar-B-Q Burger

I was told that a great place to get burgers was a place I had never heard of on Waialae Avenue: W & M Bar-B-Q Burger.

I heard it's ALWAYS busy, so something must be up.

Today, I had to fend for myself when it came to lunch so I decided to take a little drive to Kaimuki.

The parking lot was full and there was even two cars parked illegally with someone inside the car and the engine on. Unfortunately, I was by myself so I had to find a side street to park on.

I was able to get a space nearby on 2nd Avenue. The hard part was trying to cross Waialae on a crosswalk with no traffic signals. Those drivers making left turns out of City Mill!

For $8.43 (tax included), I bought a Deluxe Steak Burger (no onions), french fries and a large drink.
For $1.95, there wasn't much fries. I think the next time I'll pass on it.

The Steak Burger consisted of thin slices of teriyaki beef. By the time I brought the burger home it was kind of cold. But, the teriyaki slices were mighty tasty and the sauce in the burger was very good.

This is a case of quality over quantity. W & M had a sign that said that they had to raise their prices because of the cost of fuel. The Deluxe Steak Burger was $4.15.

Overall, I was satified but not blown away. The next time, I'll try the normal Bar-B-Q Burger.

Can't go tomorrow or the next day because they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

"Iron Man" Two-Disc Special Collectors' Edition Cover

Man, this is a SWEET cover!

Even if I didn't see the movie, I'd want to buy this DVD!

You need to pay a little more to get this version. The single-disc version comes with the movie poster on the cover. Mark Sept. 30 on your calendar.

I bet there's a slipcover on this DVD.

When you take the slipcover off, you'll see this:

Not Hulking Out Anymore

This is my first post using an iPhone app called Lifecast. It's basically a way to blog from my iPhone.

One good piece of news. My blood pressure is now at a real good place. My blood pressure used to be high. And since I've been seeing my doctor about it I have lost 9 pounds.

Just waiting for the bus...

Posted with LifeCast

Searching For Free Wi-Fi Hotspots

It's been about 3 weeks since I got my iPhone 3G and I love it!

Now, I'm on a mission to find all the great FREE wi-fi hotspots in Honolulu. I found out a way to get 2 hours of free wi-fi at all the Starbucks basically for free. See details on that here.
I also have a webapp on my iPhone called the JiWire Wi-Fi Finder. I search for only the free ones. My mission is to look them up and actually go there and check out if the free service is still going. I found two great wi-fi hotspots so far:

The first one is at the food court at Pioneer Plaza at 900 Fort Street Mall in the heart of downtown (see picture, left). I went there on a Sunday and although all the shops were closed, but the wi-fi was still going. It had an average speed of 1.7 Mbps! That's fast! There was no special setup needed. Although I'm not in downtown a lot, this might be a great excuse to talk a walk to downtown and have lunch there.

Another one that's easy to set up is the free wi-fi at the Honolulu Academy Of Arts. You have to choose the ShakaNet wi-fi option first. Then, go to Safari and there will be a ShakaNet page. Agree to the terms and conditions and you have FREE wi-fi! This one also has an average speed of 1.7 Mbps. I could even get the wi-fi while waiting at the nearby bus stop. Awesome!

Street Hiking Post-iPhone 3G

I went on my first street hiking trek since getting the iPhone 3G on Friday. Since I spent most of Friday waiting in lines, I was not about to walk to Kahala Mall. I decided to do a more modest walk to Ala Moana.

I also took pictures with my new iPhone and wanted to see how the geotagging worked. Well, it's pretty much exactly what I thought it was. Each photo is embedded with the exact GPS location it was taken. I use this really cool program called "AirMe" which automatically uploads each picture taken straight to my Flickr account. I also found out that the current weather conditions are also tagged on the picture.

Check out my pictures and the map of where each picture was taken: Street Hiking To Ala Moana.

It Is Finished

My Sony Ericsson Z520a has officially logged 59:02:54 of talk time from April 2006 to July 2008.

Goodbye, my friend.

Apps I Want From The App Store

It's a day before the iPhone 3G comes out but people have found a way to take a look and even download new applications from the new Apple App Store on iTunes 7.7.

Here's some of the free apps I'm drooling over right now:

AIM - Yes, it's one of the ancient original instant messengers. America Online Instant Messenger now comes to the iPhone. Now, I gotta dig up my screen names. So, all these people complaining about getting charged for SMS messages and having no MMS support - forget that - use AIM! (But frankly, I can't wait for a Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger or Google Talk app.)

AOL Radio - Wow. Streaming radio on the iPhone. Forget FM tuners on cell phones. This is MUCH more sophisticated. Features more than 200 stations across the U.S. plus the 150+ CBS radio stations.

BoxOffice - I can locate the nearest theaters, check out showtimes and read reviews of the latest movies and even purchase tickets. This app is definitely up my alley.

eBay Mobile - Now we can snipe an auction from ANYWHERE our iPhone is! Great app to have while you're keeping track of that item you really, really, want. And when you win your auction you can pay for it by going to...

PayPal - Goes nicely hand in hand with eBay Mobile.

Exposure - A Flickr app. We'll see how this works. Supposedly you can take picture from within the app itself and then upload them to your Flickr account. I really want to see how the geotagging works with this program.

Facebook - I can go on Facebook from ANYWHERE!

Google Mobile App - Easy way to start Googling before even launching your iPhone browser.

Jott for iPhone - Get this... this app records your voice... then turns it into TEXT! It calls itself the ultimate mobile notepad.

midomi - You can hum or sing any tune and this app will identify it! You can even hold your iPhone up to a speaker and it will tell you what song it is and the artist! Amazing! Another similar app, Shazam.

MixMeister Scratch - You can scratch a virtual vinyl LP over any song in your iPhone.

Pandora Radio - Streaming music with a twist. Name one of your favorite artists, songs or composers and Pandora will create a "station" that plays similar music.

PhoneSaber - Who wouldn't want their iPhone to sound like a lightsaber?

Truphone - Make low cost international calls through Wi-Fi. Or use this for FREE if you're in a poor cell reception area.

YPMobile - Basically it's the Yellow Pages in your iPhone. Plus, it keeps track of community events!

These are just the FREE apps. Wait till I go through the ones you have to PAY for.

My Cell Phone History

The iPhone 3G will be the third mobile phone I ever bought.
My first cell phone was a Samsung x427m. I got it in January 2005 and it still works. Gonna give it to a friend who needs a "new" cell phone. I got it for FREE from Cingular. It's so old, you can't get onto the internet with it. It's a great BASIC phone. I logged 22:17:16 of talk time in 14 months.
My second phone is the one I'm currently using which is a Sony Ericsson Z520a. I got it in March 2006 because I wanted a Bluetooth phone which could take advantage of my then-new car which had a hands-free feature. Bought it for about $100. It has an internet feature but it's really slow and crappy. Using the other applications like the calendar and memo pad is a joke. As of today, I've logged 58:40:13 of talk time in about 27 months.

So, you see how BIG an upgrade I'm making. I'm also getting the 16GB iPhone 3G. As you can tell, I'm not a guy big on making calls anyway. I'm getting the iPhone more for its wireless internet browsing. That's why I waited for a 3G phone. Plus, a year ago $599 was just way too expensive.

My New Exercise Plan: Urban Hiking

Today, I started a new exercise regiment. Every Saturday, I'm pledging to do what I call Urban Hiking. Eventually, I want to be able to walk from my house (N. King St. & Kokea St.) to Kahala Mall. I've done it before. That's 6.7 miles. I'll probably start nice and early in the morning like around 8 or 9 a.m. After I get to Kahala Mall, I'll just catch the bus home.
Today, I walked from my house to S. King St. & Isenberg, which is about 4 miles and some change. I stopped because the basketball shoes I was wearing was not agreeing with my feet. I gotta remember to use my low cut shoes next week.

To make my walks a little more fun, I'm going to incorporate the cool features of my future iPhone. There is an application called FlickrExport that I will use for my walks. I will take pictures of landmarks I pass and upload it to Flickr. It will also upload the exact GPS bearing of each picture as well so you can track my walk. I'll make these photos available to anyone who reads my blogs.

Field Of Dreams

This is the kind of story movies are made of. I'm not sure if college sports has known a bigger underdog than the 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs, who beat the Georgia Bulldogs 6-1 in the final game of the College World Series.
Fresno State was battling history and the stigma of the Western Athletic Conference (of which Hawaii is a part of).

Unlike many other low-ranked teams in the past, the West Coast Bulldogs won EVERY elimination game they faced in the regionals, super regionals and then in the College World Series. What makes the story even more compelling is that the team lost their best player before the postseason.

Although I was rooting for our WAC Champion, I wouldn't be totally truthful if I wasn't also rooting AGAINST Georgia for their rude fans and coaches that ran up the score at the Sugar Bowl. If they didn't know what "bachi" meant then, I hope they know it now. They just got AMBUSHED by a WAC team!

The Downsides Of iPhone 3G

I realize I have been hyping the iPhone 3G on this blog ad nauseum. But, that doesn't mean I'm in the dark in my expectations of this new device.
I have done considerable research on this phone and many other comparable phones. I have talked with iPhone 1.0 users to see what they didn't like about their phones. I read as many articles as I could about the new 3G phone.
I found out that there is NO perfect mobile phone and every phone has its downsides. The question is: Can you live with its shortcomings?
I'll address each downside of the iPhone 3G and how it will affect (or not affect) me.

Substandard Camera/No Video Recording - The iPhone 3G sports the same 2.0 MP camera that 1.0 offered. This is about average for mobile phones. But, some higher end camera phones offer 5.0-8.0 MP with zoom, flash, autofocus and even video recording - none of which the iPhone 3G has. If I had kids, I probably would like to have those features. But, as it stands I hardly use the 0.3 MP camera on my current phone. And, when I do I'm satisfied with the results. If I need better quality, I'll go to my 4.0 MP Canon. I think dedicated cameras are a lot better than the best camera phones, anyway. Although videoconferencing with the iPhone would have been nice, I don't think it's a dealbreaker at this point. Plus, I'll have seen people hack their phones to allow for video recording. So, it's possible to fix this with software alone.

No Stereo Bluetooth Capability/Bluetooth File Transfer/Wi-Fi Syncing - The iPhone does not support Stereo Bluetooth devices. It's a nice convenience for those who want to go wireless with their headphones. For me, this is not a neccessity. And evidently, Apple didn't think so either. There's also no application on the iPhone that allows file transfer between the iPhone and other Bluetooth devices. To me, that's not a big deal either. That's what the dock is for. Being wireless is more or less another convenience. And Wi-Fi Syncing (wireless syncing) also falls into that "convenience" category. While these are nice to have, no one NEEDS it and Apple felt it wasn't a good idea to rush those features.

Physical QWERTY keyboards, as opposed to virtual keyboards, are easier to use - While that may be true, the iPhone wants a virtual keyboard so that it can be used in many different languages. Plus, a physcial keyboard only adds weight and dimensions to an already large device that doesn't need to be bigger, thicker or heavier. I have to admit, though, the virtual keyboard does take time to get used to. I periodically makes trips to AT&T/Apple Stores just to brush up on my skills. I find that using one finger so far is the best way to text.

Even though the iPhone is cheaper, when you consider the higher monthly rate over the course of the 2-year contract it will be more expensive to go with the iPhone 3G - Duh. Did you ACTUALLY think you could get something that's better for LESS money? The phone plans are now $10 more a month. Over the course of 2 years that's $240 more you will be paying. Now, when you figure in that the phones are now $200 cheaper, you're spending over the course of 2 years a grand total of... $40 extra when compared with the first iPhone. $40!!! I say that's not a bad price hike when you consider you get a faster internet connection (3G is available pretty much all over Oahu), GPS, the new iPhone 2.0 software, a better headphone jack, and everything else that was good about the first iPhone.

Well, I hope I covered everything. For me, I'm using the iPhone mainly as a wireless internet device and everyone across the board says the iPhone is the GOLD standard in that arena. And after using the new Samsung Instinct, I'd have to agree.

Protecting Your iPhone

After making the plunge to put down $299 for a state-of-the-art hi-tech device, I'm also going to need to PROTECT my investment on the iPhone 3G. From past experience, spending some dollars to protect your mobile phone goes a long way to making sure it has a long life - at least for the life of your current contract.

Here are two cases that have caught my eye:

Titan Clear iPhone Case

I've heard from iPhone users that I should get a hardshell cover. This one is particularly interesting. It has an attractive clear case which does not obscure the look of the iPhone. Plus it comes with a little stand that can used vertically or horizonatally to easily view videos and photos.

It's $24.99 for the case and if you want the rotating belt clip holster the whole package is $34.99. Although I clip my current mobile phone to my pants pocket, I'm not sure if I really want to do that with a larger device like the iPhone. But the holster comes with a thin film protector with it and that's something I need to buy to protect the screen anyway.

iSkin revo for Apple iPhone

The iSkin revo features a premium silicone material with an embedded anti-microbial agent that protects the product by inhibiting the growth of microbes. I think this case was developed for people who are anal-retentive. But, I still like the idea and the look of it. Plus, it's more skin-tight than the other cases.

It also comes with a screen protector that protects your privacy since it will appear black if people look at it from an angle. It looks fine when you look at it straight on. It also has a VISOR that clips onto the front of the screen to protect it during travel and clips on the back of the case when you need to use your iPhone.

The revo costs $39.99; the clip is an additional $19.99.

Strangest iPhone Accessory

Check this out:

This is an iPhone projector. It allows you to project whatever is on your iPhone onto a 15"-27" white screen or wall. So, I suppose you can make presentations straight from your iPhone. By the way, when the iPhone is docked on the projector it gets charged at the same time.

Kendal, I know you want this! Plus, the iPhone!

Upgrading My Cell Phone

This is my current mobile phone. It's the Sony Ericsson Z520a. I bought it 2 years and 3 months ago so I could take advantage of the Bluetooth handsfree capability of my then-new car. And I have to say that it has REALLY come in handy. Paid about $100 for this.
I have made up my mind about buying the iPhone 3G, so I just wanted you show you the comparison between my current phone and my future phone.

SIZE
Sony - 3.3 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches (when closed)

iPhone - 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.48 inches

I'm really surprised that the iPhone isn't all that much bigger than my current phone. It's only about an inch longer, about half an inch wider, and actually about a half inch THINNER.

WEIGHT

Sony - 3.3 oz

iPhone - 4.7 oz

The iPhone is only about an ounce heavier.

SCREEN

Sony - 128 x 160

iPhone - 480 x 320

Display resolution is nearly tripled.

MEMORY

Sony - 16 MB

iPhone - 16 GB

Here's the first major upgrade. From megabytes to gigabytes. :)

NETWORKS

Sony - GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Bluetooth

iPhone - UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

I wanted to use my iPhone a lot for its internet connectivity. I waited until the iPhone could utilize the 3G HSDPA speeds. Internet on my current phone really SUCKS.

TALK/STANDY TIME

Sony - 9 hours/400 hours

iPhone - 5 hours on 3G, 10 hours on 2G/300 hours

Even though the iPhone can do more, it still has a decent battery.

CAMERA

Sony - 0.3 megapixels, 4x digital zoom, video recording

iPhone - 2.0 megapixels, photo geotagging

This is where I actually lose some features. The iPhone has a resolution that's 7 times better. But, there's no zoom and no video recording. However, photo geotagging is a really interesting feature. It's something I could have used on my trip to Portland.

So, that's the comparison between my current phone and my future iPhone. And you can add a whole bunch of features that my current phone doesn't have like a music player, video playback, GPS/Google Maps, touch screen, accelerometer, etc. Can't wait until July 11.

My Next Mobile Phone... Probably

iPhone 3G

Twice as fast.

Half the price.

Apple's slogan for the second generation iPhone is quite appropriate since internet speed and price are most likely the two main reasons why people haven't yet bought an iPhone. Those are definitely my reasons.

Frankly, I hardly use the minutes on my cellphone. So, why am I getting an iPhone? Haven't you ever been out with friends and say, "Let's watch a movie!" But, no one knows the showtimes and, frankly, the internet browser on my cellphone is too unwieldy. So, basically, I want a fairly reliable wireless internet device. Having that combined with a cellphone makes perfect sense. I'm sure I'll be able to use all the other applications as well.

Now, I have to figure out - do I go with the ultra-cheap $199 8GB 3G iPhone? Or spend another $100 to get the 16GB 3G iPhone? I'm thinking I should get the 16GB version, since it's really cheap.

My 15 Minutes Of Internet Fame

If anybody didn't notice by now, I'm a fan of the television show "Lost."

Lately, I have been getting into making "Lost" fan videos. I had an idea today to merge a snippet from the Official Lost Podcast with the video from a scene the producers are talking about. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof are quite goofy and funny.

This is my finished video:

LOST: The Frozen Donkey Wheel

I uploaded it to YouTube, Facebook and posted it on the Lostpedia Forums. One of the mods at the LP Forums really liked it and submitted to the website Audibly Lost. And the folks at Audibly Lost posted it there as well! I'm just glad someone likes it! Thanks to KittyLili for my 15 minutes of fame!

Awesome New Cellphones Coming Out Soon

If you're in the market for a new cellphone, my suggestion is to WAIT.
Here's the rundown of the next generation of cellphones that will change the way we view wireless access:

• iPhone 2.0 - Steve Jobs will be unveiling this new product on Monday, June 9th at around 7 a.m. HST. The big upgrade is its ability to access faster 3G internet speeds, which was the downfall of the initial model. People have also speculated that there will be GPS, compatibility of MS Exchange and even an iTunes store application. There have also been rumors that the 8GB version could be sold for $200 out of pocket with a $200 instant rebate. If that is the case, I'm probably getting one. For now, it will probably be exclusive with AT&T in the U.S. After Monday's announcement, it could ship in the next several weeks or as late as July.


• Samsung Instinct - This is Sprint's iPhone competitor. There's already video of the Instinct on YouTube. Its main difference from other Samsung products is its full body touchscreen. It has broadband internet speeds using EV-DO, GPS navigation, Sprint Music Store, Sprint TV, Sprint Radio, Visual Voicemail, digital music player, 2.0MP camera with 2x zoon, video camera, bluetooth compatibility, web browser and it can be used as an internet modem with other wireless devices like a laptop. Sprint's monthly fee will be $100 for everything. It will ship on June 20. The price is expected to be about $300 or less.


• Blackberry Thunder - This is the name people have given for RIMM's entry into the touchscreen media-driven cellphone. Only rumors exist at this point. But, you can bet that it will probably have everything the iPhone and Instinct has and it will already be business-useful as the rest of the Blackberry line. I know the Bold is scheduled to come out but I don't think it will compete directly against these other touchscreen phones. Until an official announcement is made, we won't know anything about when this is coming out. We'll see how the Bold does first.


• Google Android - Now, this is not a particular cellphone but rather software for an iPhone-like interface. And Google will be leading the charge for any cellphone company willing to buy the rights. I suspect this will compete with Windows Mobile 6 and any other Microsoft creation thereafter. AndroidCommunity.com has some mind-blowing videos that shows off its capabilities. The most popular application was the street level, virtual world GPS. After watching the videos, I could almost say I like this interface more than Apple's. Like Windows Media 6, this could possibly be available with many cellphone manufacturers and wireless providers. Google says it plans to have the first Android cellphones ship out in the fourth quarter of this year.

I intentionally left out phones like the LG Vue, because I don't think it's up to par with the iPhone.

Microsoft Should Hush Until iPhone 2 Debuts

In my neverending quest to find the ultimate smartphone that has seamless wireless internet access, I stumbled upon this article from TheStreet.com: Microsoft Should Hush Until iPhone 2 Debuts.

MS is boasting that more Windows Mobile phones have sold in the last four quarters than RIMM's infamous Blackberry line and growth in the last quarter over the past year is more than sales of Apple's iPhone.

But, the writer is saying that MS should keep its mouth shut until the new iPhone debuts next Monday at Apple's Developers Conference. Everyone is expecting the iPhone 2.0 which should have 3G internet speeds, GPS navigation and better compatibility with PC products.

Although Microsoft wants a smartphone in every pocket, Apple may be able to do that first if the new iPhone indeeds sells for $200 a pop (with a $200 instant rebate).

So, all eyes and ears will on the new iPhone this Monday.

My cousin in Oregon just got a new Blackberry Curve from her company this week. Although it is better than her current phone, I'm not entirely impressed with it for myself.