1 July 2010
So despite my missing the bungled preorder and getting in line early on the morning of June 24th without knowing the date had suddenly been moved to the 29th, I finally managed to get a 32GB iPhone 4. I got to my local AT&T store at about 6:10 AM, which was early enough to get me in about the fifteenth spot in line. Much to my surprise, I managed to get the last 32GB model. Overall I am very pleased with the phone and will now give a brief review.
My ugly mug holding a new iPhone 4... at last!
The build of the iPhone 4 is superb, featuring a solid, rectangular design using a hardened glass on the front and back. Everything else incased by a heavy, stainless steel inner and outer frame. That said, it is much heavier than iPhone 3G/S, though I certainly prefer the stronger build. The screen is indeed as amazing as they say, with a high enough resolution that I virtually cannot make out a single pixel unlike the previous models.
iOS4 is very speedy on it, thanks to 512MB of RAM and a 1GHz CPU. The video camera is awesome for such a portable device. A test video I shot showed nice and clear on my PC in large 720p resolution. Still photos also benefit from the nicer camera, which can be flipped from back to front at will. Multi-tasking is a little difficult to get used to, at least for me, but read some good instructions and it won’t take long to figure it out.
Aside from all this, it is very similar to what people are used to with the previous iterations. One disappointment is the lack of an official access point feature to provide a mobile internet connection for other devices, but if there were such a feature on the phone I am sure that AT&T would charge through the roof for it.
These days there are many amazing smart phones to choose from, especially models running Android OS, but one would be hard pressed to say that the iPhone 4 is not an elegant, capable device. I highly recommend it!
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Primary Weblog, Tech | Tagged: Apple, AT&T, cellular phones, iPhone 4 | 
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Posted by N. Palmer
21 June 2010
(Updated 24 June 2010) Apple and AT&T have done it again – an iPhone release so screwed up that no one knows what is going on nor what will happen. On June 15th, online preorders began but quickly overwhelmed the system and brought both company’s servers to a halt. As if that weren’t enough, thousands of preorders were cancelled without any previous warning or even charged multiple times, leaving even more people confused and frustrated.
After that initial screw-up, the only hope about this launch was that Best Buy, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart would (allegedly) be carrying a little extra iPhone 4 stock on launch day in addition to preorders of their own. Nope… to help fix the preorder mess, Apple seems to have reallocated stock to original preorders so that everyone else will have to wait until June 29 (after a last minute internet warning, though I didn’t learn of the change until I pulled up at my local AT&T store early on the morning of the 24th).
Now if that wasn’t enough, those who did manage to get a device are reporting hardware issues with the phone, including yellow tint on large portions the screen and an antenna issue that causes the phone to lose reception depending on how it is held in your hand! Looks like it might be best to hold out until these issues are addressed.
Yes, it is just a phone and the stock will surely replenish, but honestly I would like to know why can these companies, after three years of iPhone release experience, not get things right? Did they honesty have no clue that demand would be high? Or did they prefer to receive worldwide media blitz at the expense of their often-too-loyal customers who blindly think that Apple can do no wrong? Additionally, the back-and-forth cycle of the blame game has begun, with Apple blaming AT&T for the faux pas and vice-versa.
Grow a pair, Apple, and take the blame for your obvious mistakes. Oh, and congratulations on another poorly-handled product release.
Leave a Comment » | Primary Weblog, Tech | Tagged: Apple, iPhone 4, release | Permalink
Posted by N. Palmer
5 June 2010
Here are some Facebook status updates about my recent adventure in Europe:
(May 21) Conquered London today (yet again, continuing from a previous visit years ago), plus the English countryside is always so beautiful!
I never tire of the ancient little towns and villages, churches and cathedrals, not to mention the landmarks and monuments – absolutely stunning, as always!
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(May 24-26) Did Paris and the surrounding countryside, loved all the great sights and monuments. Smokers everywhere in the huge crowds. Hot and dusty, some places dirty and unkept, not to mention repeated bad luck with French UI (experts at making the simplest things hard), but overall a successful visit!
I also met my goals of hearing a Frenchman say “oo la la” and seeing a person walk a poodle by leash in Paris.
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(May 27-29) Germany is amazing! So clean and beautiful. Visited with family friends and stayed at a quaint bed & breakfast for a couple days. Toured the countryside, viewed the Alps from way up high at Hitler’s “Eagle’s Nest” as well as the Nazi/Holocaust museum there, and finally witnessed the harrowing Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial site. Germans eat a lot, but who can blame’em with the food they have?
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(May 29 – June 4) Italy! Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome, the Vatican and lastly Pompeii. An amazing trip. Absolutely love Venice. Siena is cool, Rome is quite an experience and Pompeii has a strong presence. Saw the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. Got to use some Spanish with the few Italians who are familiar with it.
My European adventure is over for now and I’m off to home and then the Caribbean!
1 Comment | Life, Primary Weblog | Tagged: EU, Europe, France, Germany, Italy, travel, UK | Permalink
Posted by N. Palmer
