iPhone experiences

I got iPhone4 two weeks ago and witnessed apple's nice strategy, when I cut my sim to micro sized. No returning from there, my sim card swapping syndrome stopped in one step. No more experimenting with Nokia's, Android's or other phones. I am locked in iPhone4 now.

But it's actually very nice phone. No wonder Nokia is in trouble. Even Linux user is satisfied.

iPad magazines and newspapers in Finland

After spending few weeks with iPad on my holidays, I came across these new digital magazines and newspapers, like 'Tietokone', 'Suomenkuvalehti' and most interesting 'Helsingin Sanomat'. I thought that returning to quality stories in digital form could be the thing, but it was not.

iPad is wonderful device to enjoy digital content, but firmly I have found out that those separate apps to every magazine is painful experience. Instead I found myself reading digital edition of Linux Journal, which is delivered in fair format, PDF. I can download that with my desktop and get it over to iPad via various ways. Dropbox, email or iTunes sync. It's clear to read Linux Journal, it's immediate copy of paper version and therefore very familiar.

I just cannot stand any of three mentioned Finnish versions offered to iPad. They are painful and very complex to read. For example Tietokone, I just cannot understand logic of pages and subscrolling sections down to find more content for the story. Same in Helsingin Sanomat, outfit and layout for app format is totally difficult to adopt and I just keep on reading web sites of those magazines, rather than paying for confusing app content.

To correct this, I would like to see following things;

• Learn from Linux Journal. Their approach is best at the moment. You get what you pay for and it feels like that (even it's pdf file you are holding). Even those colorful advertisements are valuable content for me, to keep up with the world.
• Do not get over excited for DRM stuff. I just cannot see value for publisher to keep issues in proprietary form to protect something not worth it. Fair distribution in PDF format would skyrocket paying readers.
• When you deliver you magazine or newspaper in PDF format, you increase readers capable to participate, every desktop, tablets and phones do have PDF reading software.

Tietokone, Helsingin Sanomat and Suomenkuvalehti - I'd like to subscribe you. But I just cannot accept delivery format you are offering, even I am solid user of iPad your application approach sucks a lot.

Linux Journal - thanks for good magazine, I've been reading your paper subscription for years and just ordered digital edition, knowing that I am able to keep up with you even I might throw iPad overboard in some point.

Year 2011

Happy new year! I fell a sleep last night before 10pm and now it seems that we are running already in 2011 with our busy minds. I personally feel good about this, lots of good thing happened last year, we got some great moments in our family and business turned out to be amazingly good for year 2010.

What I've been doing lately, I've been utilizing some of my spare time to get in order in our computing environment. It has not been easy and there is still tons of work to do, but somehow I see light in end of tunnel. I've learned to use dropbox, youtube and google calendar. I managed to obtain Mac Air 11" and iPad for moving situations, producing some media and doing some fast mind ordering things. I don't say that Mac is best, I just say that carrying around any normal laptop is killer for me after this Air 11". And living in cross platform world, reminds me sometimes life outside of Linux scene. It's there.

So, let's move on to 2011 with happy minds - lets find out what Nokia Meego is going to be, lets see how Microsoft moves to stay alive etc. Meanwhile I enjoy my latest ubuntu computers, ipad and mac air, lets try to be productive.

Mac Air - up and running

While spent wonderful Christmas with family, I managed to setup my Air for basic functionality. Encrypted emailing, graphics and presentation capabilities. What I like most is this form factor of this computer. It's incredible light and easy to live with, why there is no Linux capable hardware like this?

Macbook Air

After used couple of weeks iPad, I got inspiration to get Macbook Air, 11" model with 64 GB SSD drive. Christmas was partly reason for this, but also the fact that Air is finally something which is correctly sized for various mobile situations. It was also a nice experience to see how well Apple offers mobile me service and ipad and mac got synced together.

Plan is to use this computer to produce various small media things, with iWork 09 and iMovie. Currently we've done those with office showroom mac, which is not so suitable for that. Time tells.

Android and iPad

I met interesting peoples last Friday, really. But before that, I just realized how far Nokia is slipping at the moment. I ordered two Android phones for kids as a Christmas presents and acquired iPad for personal use for me.

Androids are really pushing and my current phone (Desire Z) is offering qwerty for me at last and I just decided to bring family along to Android world. I will offer kids Google Talk and some beaconbase.com service for locating them. These kind of new things are unreachable with Nokia.

And iPad, after I sold my first one back in August - I was forced to get one for project usage and I actually found out that it outplays Samsung Tab. I do not like Apple's ecosystem, I hate itunes and miss Linux functionality - but still, it's marvelous web browsing and emailing tool. Beat that.

Week in middle east

Just returned from Middle East, business trip. Was first thing done without my massive Thinkpad Edge. Survived with Samsung Tab, Nokia booklet and Desire Z phone.

Samsung Tab was indeed very nice, even I couldn't spare to use 3G connection and relayed just over Hotel lobby wlan. Only thing for Booklet (running ubuntu 10.10 of course) was need for encrypted email - all other functions were covered with Samsung Tab. And when not in wlan, Desire Z (yes that android with keyboard) was good. So good that I still wonder why there is no real choices to keyboard models in Android. Strange.

And yes, phone pictured here was found in Mall. Original Intex 6633 dual sim phone for ~70 euros. Not bad Nokia?