Google Android Nexus 5 Review
I have now lived with the Google Android Nexus 5 for over a week now and I have to say I'm very happy with it.
Let me give you a brief history of my Smartphone use so you know where I'm coming from: I started with an Apple iPhone 3G, next was a Windows Phone 7 Samsung S, followed by a Windows Phone 8 HTC 8X and now the Nexus 5. Meanwhile my wife inherited my iPhone 3G, moved on to a Google Android Nexus S (Samsung), and now an Android Motorola Moto X. On top of all of this many of my clients have Blackberry's, including BBOS 10, and various iPhones and Android phones. I'd like to think I have a pretty wide knowledge of different Smartphone hardware and their respective operating systems.
HARDWARE
From a hardware perspective the Nexus 5 is a great phone. It may not have the sexy (and probably more durable) aluminum case ....
.... coincidentally, as I'm writing this the Spigen Slim Armor case I ordered was just delivered ...
but as I've learned from my previous phone having it's screen smashed by an accidental drop (not by me), you always should get a case to protect from phone from these accidents.
The 1080p 4.95" screen, while bigger than I would have preferred, is extremely bright and clear. Even though it may feel bigger than the Moto X (which is 720p 4.7") it's barely any bigger and it's actually thinner and weighs the exact same (130g).
The processor (Snapdragon 800) and RAM (2GB) are more than enough for this phone - it can handle anything you throw at it in the way of apps or how fast it scrolls though folders. Scrolling through pictures is so fast it's pretty much a blur.
The ceramic buttons are very well built - there is absolutely no wobble or looseness in the power button or the volume up/down toggle button. For me this is a first. In any device (phone or tablet) I've used there is always a little looseness in the buttons. As for the buttons being ceramic I have no idea what that is supposed to do, but maybe it helps in how well they work. The one negative thing I did notice about the buttons was that the edges were a little sharp (ie. not rounded at the ends) which made it a little uncomfortable. Once I put on my new case the buttons felt perfect since the case has an excellent rubber surround that softens the button feel, but doesn't make you have to press harder than without the case (as I've experienced with gel cases).
The camera on the Nexus 5 is only an 8 megapixel. I say only because today's competition has anywhere from 10-13 megapixel cameras while Nokia Lumia 1020 has an incredible 41 megapixels. One thing people should not get caught up in is the hardware numbers of all these devices, especially when it comes to the cameras. There is so much going on with software tweaks that it's common to see a lower megapixel camera take a better picture than one with a higher megapixel count (excluding the 41-mp Lumia 1020 where you are looking at professional grade photos). As a perfect example the camera in the Moto X is 10-mp, but the Nexus 5 takes a better picture. In the non-flash photos below you can see the colours are more accurate, but were you can really see the difference is if you zoom in on the phone's keypad. The lower mp Nexus 5 can see the numbers on the keypad more clearly.
Nexus 5 Moto X
Google's newest Android operating system is now at verstion 4.4, or nickname KitKat. I've always preferred the Windows Phone operating system, but the Android OS is a close second with Apple's iOS third and BlackBerry dead last (although BB 10 has finally caught up, it's come far too late to the Smartphone wars).
Microsoft and Apple tightly control their operating systems and they alone make the decisions regarding updates to that operating system - this creates a nice stable (usually) operating system that all apps work on (again usualy). With the Android operating system any handset maker can make their own tweaks to it to take advantage of their own hardware or even custom apps. The problem is that when Google makes changes to the core parts of the Android OS the handset manufactures do not have to update their phone's customized version on their handsets. To this day you still see many phones, which are only a couple years old, on version 2.3. This leaves a lot of people with outdated software that may not run all the apps properly or at all.
The main benefit of a Nexus device (phone or tablet) is that it comes with the pure version of the Android OS and, if the hardware can handle it, Google will push out updates to it so it is always up to date.
Android OS 4.4 (or KitKat) works extremely well and is very stable.
CONCLUSION
I certainly have no regrets with in purchasing the Nexus 5 and I highly recommend it. For me the biggest positive is that I have a premier phone for $350 without a contract. If this phone is damaged or even if I just want a new phone I don't have to worry about paying off what I have left on my contract.
Nexus 5 Has Arrived!
Overall it's a great phone. It's so light it almost feels fake although it weighs the exact same as my HTC 8X (130 grams). One that that really stands out is how incredibly fast it is. When scrolling through my online Google Gallery of photos it scrolls so fast and smoothly that you can't even see all the folders (of which there are over 100).
Right now my only complaint is the size - it just feels a little too big. My HTC 8X was slim and even the larger Moto X felt good, but add on those extra .25" of screen and suddenly it just feels too big.
I will continue to update how things go, but I wanted to quickly give my first impressions.
UPDATE: I've taken a closer look at theoto X width and there is barely a difference. Why the Nexus feels larger seems to be the Moto X's curved back - it makes it feel more comfortable to hold.
From Windows Phone 8 to Google Nexus Android
Let me start this by saying I LOVE Windows Phone 8! I find it to be the most superior smartphone operating system. Unfortunately my Windows Phone HTC 8X was accidentally dropped (not by me) onto our concrete garage floor which resulted in a shattered screen. It was time to, reluctantly, look for a new smartphone.
The problem with getting a new smartphone is the cost when you have to get a new phone off contract. Sure it might seem like a deal that the latest and greatest smartphone is $199 or even less but when you have to get it off contract suddenly the price goes up to $700+. I balk at paying that much for a laptop! I had to find another option. There was nothing decent out there for less than $400 off contract whether it be Windows or Android except for the Google Nexus 4 ($249) which was out of stock. Fortunately rumors of the new Nexus 5 phone from Google were running rampant and it's release was imminent (it was released October 31st).
The beauty of a Google Nexus phone is that it's sold directly by Google with the most up to date and pure version of it's operating system (ie. it's not customized by the phone manufacturer) and it's constantly updated. The main problem with many other Android phones is the lack of updating. Android is a free operating system created by Google which any phone manufacturer can customize. Unfortunately when Google updates their core software the manufacturers don't necessarily want to take the time to also update their customized version of Android. With a Nexus phone you don't have to worry about this.
I've already had a lot of experience with Android since my wife has had a Nexus S and currently a Motorola Moto X (which is the next best thing to a Nexus since Google bought Motorola). I also have a Nexus 7 tablet which I use on a daily basis.
I don't know how I'll like moving full time to Android, but at $349 outright it's a steal. Already other bloggers are comparing favorably to the two premier smartphones: iPhone 5S (which is $719!) and Samsung Galaxy S4 ($699). A comparable phone for half the price - I'm willing to give it a serious try, but small part of me is afraid I might like it better than my Windows 8 Phone. Once I receive it I will post a full review of both the phone and the new Android operating system, 4.4 KitKat.
The problem with getting a new smartphone is the cost when you have to get a new phone off contract. Sure it might seem like a deal that the latest and greatest smartphone is $199 or even less but when you have to get it off contract suddenly the price goes up to $700+. I balk at paying that much for a laptop! I had to find another option. There was nothing decent out there for less than $400 off contract whether it be Windows or Android except for the Google Nexus 4 ($249) which was out of stock. Fortunately rumors of the new Nexus 5 phone from Google were running rampant and it's release was imminent (it was released October 31st).
The beauty of a Google Nexus phone is that it's sold directly by Google with the most up to date and pure version of it's operating system (ie. it's not customized by the phone manufacturer) and it's constantly updated. The main problem with many other Android phones is the lack of updating. Android is a free operating system created by Google which any phone manufacturer can customize. Unfortunately when Google updates their core software the manufacturers don't necessarily want to take the time to also update their customized version of Android. With a Nexus phone you don't have to worry about this.
I've already had a lot of experience with Android since my wife has had a Nexus S and currently a Motorola Moto X (which is the next best thing to a Nexus since Google bought Motorola). I also have a Nexus 7 tablet which I use on a daily basis.
I don't know how I'll like moving full time to Android, but at $349 outright it's a steal. Already other bloggers are comparing favorably to the two premier smartphones: iPhone 5S (which is $719!) and Samsung Galaxy S4 ($699). A comparable phone for half the price - I'm willing to give it a serious try, but small part of me is afraid I might like it better than my Windows 8 Phone. Once I receive it I will post a full review of both the phone and the new Android operating system, 4.4 KitKat.
New Office 2013 and Office 365
The new MS Office 2013 is being released today. Nothing too exciting (it's just Office after all), but there is a cool new purchase option. It's called Office 365 Home Premium. You don't buy Office, you subscribe to it monthly or yearly. The regular disk based Office 2013 is $139, Office 365 is $10/month or $99/year.
Benefits:
- you get the Pro suite of Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, One Note, Outlook, Publisher and Access) - the disc based version of this is actually over $500
- it's always being updated. It's not called Office 2013 because this subscription version is going to be updated with new features constantly. Unlike getting the disc based version every 3 years.
- you get an extra 20GB of online storage space added to your SkyDrive account
- you get 60 minutes of Skype calls per month to make calls to land lines or cell phones
Now the biggest benefit of them all
You can install Office 365 on 5 computers (PC or Mac)!!
Be warned now - this is how things are going to be in the future. I think Office 2013 will probably be the last disc based version of Office you see.
If you don't use Office very much or only plan on using it one computer then you'll probably be happy with the version you are using now. If you are constant user of Office and have a few computers in you home you install Office on then Office 365 is a great deal.
NSDMA - New Smartphone Decision Making Angst
It's easy to avoid NSDMA if you are a hard-core iPhone user - just get the new iPhone. Apple only has one current phone (although the older model is available for a few months after the release of the current model) so it's easy to go in and plunk your money down on a new iPhone. But what if you want a change from iPhone (yes, there is a whole other world of great smartphones out there)? You then have a choice of Android and Windows Phone, each of which have several models. I'm not going to discuss BlackBerry since their phones are barely smartphones and their future is doubtful.
There are sooooo many choices - Apple, Android, Windows? Which model? Which features? My advice - don't overthink it. At this time it's almost impossible to get a really bad smartphone. Ultimately, just get the best phone you can afford - Apple iPhone 5, Android Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Galaxy SIII, Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8. But what if you can't afford the top of the line? Don't worry.
Recently, my beloved Samsung Focus Windows Phone 7 suffered a hardware malfunction (the power button no longer works) and my contract isn't due for another couple months. Luckily that's when the Lumia 920 comes out and I'll be getting that phone, but what to do in the meantime. My job requires a smartphone and it's also my business line so it isn't like I can go without a phone for a couple of months. There is no way I'm going to drop a few hundred dollars (and extend my contract, and pay an addition early activation fee) on a Lumia 900 when the new one is just around the corner just to get a temporary phone. Android phones are known to be inexpensive so my hunt began for the cheapest one I could get without a contract that I could use my existing SIM card/phone number and carrier with.
My first stop was my local smartphone repair guy, Greg. Even he only had Androids that were hundreds of dollars. He did point out to me that Wal-Mart had a cheap Android phone for $98 - off I went to Wal-Mart. I, without even looking at the model or specs, bought a Samsung Galaxy Ace. I then went back to Greg where he did his magic and "unlocked" the phone so this Telus phone would work on the Rogers network.
My first impressions: what a piece of crap! It was smaller (3.5") and yet thicker and heavier than my 4" Samsung Focus. It felt like a toy. How was going to survive two months with this P.O.S.?
My first task was to configure this sad piece of hardware with my information. Fortunately I have always used Google for my calendar and contacts. Whether you use Apple, Android, or Windows you can easily sync your all your contacts and calendar dates using your Google account. Within minutes all my most important information was on the new device. Next, set up my most important email accounts. Done! The basics for my needs were done. Now I could relax and just play around with this thing and patiently wait for the Lumia 920.
It was at this point I had an epiphany - this "crappy" phone does everything I need it to do. There are no truly bad smartphones out there. You could get the worst iPhone, Android or Windows Phone out there and you will still have a phone that does everything you need an more. People tend get hung up on NFC, tons of RAM, high res cameras, high res screens, front facing cameras, number of processors, etc. These things may be vital to their smartphone use, but usually it's just a perceived need that they have. Sure it's nice to have all the bells and whistles (and deep down that's what I really want), but it's really not necessary.
Basically, don't self-induce NSDMA. Once you make your decision of Apple, Android or Windows just get what you can afford. We are fortunate that technology has advanced so far that it's almost impossible to make a bad decision when buying a smartphone.
New Kindle's Disappointing for Canada
Unfortunately, as a Canadian I have a love/hate relationship with Amazon and their Kindle devices. Yesterday (August 6th) they announced their new line-up of Kindle devices: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite 3G, and a 4 Kindle Fire's (their tablet). And, as usual, NONE of these are available to Canadians or even anyone outside of the USA. Please note that the standard Kindle is available to Canadians for an even lower price of $89.
Now I'm sure that the Paperwhite Kindles (brighter, front-lit, longer battery life) will be here soon after the initial buying frenzy in the USA has slowed, but the Fire's will probably never be available here. The problem is that the Fire's are made to consume Amazon content other than books. In the USA Amazon has a massive library of movies, TV shows and music. They are the only company that can compete with Apple in terms of the amount of content they can provide. What Amazon has neglected to do is bother to get any other international rights for any of their content which makes it impossible to have that media library available to Canadians (or any other country). I've read other people saying that the Fire's should be available in Canada even if we can't get the media content. I agree that a Fire would be nice to have, but people also have to realize that Amazon is making either very little (literally a few dollars) or losing money on each device. Amazon is not in business to make money on hardware - they make it all on content. With this in mind you can understand why Amazon would never sell a Fire in Canada when they don't have the content available to make the money.
The only thing we can hope for is that Amazon spreads it's coverage and chooses their closest neighbour first. I'm sure Canada would welcome them with open arms since we are pretty much starved for any substantial media content up here. Please Amazon, come North!
Apple Hacked? Change Your Password!
Regardless if this is true or a hoax it's always a good idea to regularly change your passwords. I know I always go on and on about this topic, but it's so important. Here are a few guidelines when creating a password.
- Use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
- Use something 8 characters or longer
- Use a unique password for each of your online accounts. Do not use the same password for all you email accounts and website accounts. At least this way if one company is hacked or someone gets a hold of your password at least they can't get into all your other accounts.
If you want to check to see how secure a password is you can try Microsoft's Password Checker or HowSecureIsMyPassword.net I like the last one just because it does a calculation as to how long a desktop PC would take to crack your password. Here are the results of a password I tested.
It would take a desktop PC about
23 trillion years
to crack your password
DETAILS
Length: 13 characters
Character Combinations: 59
Calculations Per Second: 4 billion
Possible Combinations: 2 nonillion
This was a long password, but it was something that would have been easy for me to remember - it wasn't a crazy thing like "hfDD4h?U9$cd46". This just shows you that with a little creativity it doesn't take much to create a secure password.
And again, I would like to suggest my favorite password program LastPass.com. I have the need to use hundreds of different passwords so I need a program to keep track of them all, but even if you just have a dozen passwords it's very easy to forget which is for what. LastPass will solve your problems and even create those wacky, yet very secure, passwords for you if you so choose.
Whatever else you do today take a few minutes to update your passwords or at least your iTunes/Apple password.
Tech Books
Fiction
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - 6 out of 5 ;)
Daemon by Daniel Suarez - 5 out of 5
Freedom TM by Daniel Suarez - 5 out of 5
Amped: A Novel by Douglas Richards - 4 out of 5
Avogardro Corp: The Singularity Is Closer Than It Appears by William Hertling - 5 out of 5
A.I. Apocalypse by William Hertling - 5 out of 5
Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson - 4.2 out of 5
Zero Day: A Novel by Mark Russinovich - 3.5 out of 5
Counting from Zero by Alan B. Johnston - currently reading
Non-Fiction
Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum - 4.5 out of 5
All Your Base Are Belong To Us: How Fifty Years of Videogames Conquered Pop Culture by Harold Goldbert - 3.8 out of 5
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker by Kevin Mitnick - 4 out of 5
Kingpin: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground by Kevin Poulsen - 4.5 out of 5
Fatal System Error: The Hunt for the New Crime Lords Who Are Bringing Down the Internet by Joseph Menn - 3.4 out of 5
What to Read Next
Fiction
M.O.D. by J. C. Allen
WIRED by Douglas Richards (I should have read this before Amped)
Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez
Trojan Horse: A Novel by Mark Russinovich
Non-Fiction
In The Plex - Steven Levy
Unmasked - Peter Bright
Apple vs. Samsung = Windows Phone??
The Apple/Samsung case had Apple as the clear winner. The jury decided that Samsung did infringe on Apple's patents. Although the argument that consumers were confused between an iPhone and a Samsung phone and that Apple lost sales due to that is beyond me. As another author wrote, that's like Dodge suing Honda because the Caravan and Odyssey are both mini-vans and people can't tell them apart.
The surprising thing that was revealed in this case was that Apple and Microsoft had signed an agreement where they would license patents from each other and that they wouldn't steal each other ideas and designs. With many Android phone makers,like Samsung, left worrying about the future cost of making Android devices (now that extra money would have to be paid to Apple for patents) creating Windows Phones based upon the soon-to-be released Windows Phone 8 is looking a lot more appealing.
Windows Phone 7 was pretty late to the smartphone market and have yet to catch on. The interface on the Windows Phone is nothing like Apple or Android (maybe that's because of the deal they signed with Apple?), is very smooth and integrates well with the popular social networks (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook). The problem is there wasn't really much interest from the phone manufacturers (why pay a licence to Microsoft for their software when the Android software is free?), the cell phone companies or the public. The main problem with the public is there there is no awareness of the Windows Phone devices. There are too few of them and not enough marketing. Ask any Windows Phone user and they love their device. If more people just knew about it we know it would catch on. With this Apple/Samsung case going the way it you never know, it could be an Apple & Microsoft smartphone market in the near future.
Living with the Nexus 7
It's always fun to get a new gadget and, unless it totally sucks, people are usually gushing over how great it is. Unfortunately over time the initial shine disappears and the new toy is relegated to the unused gadget junk pile. Fortunately the Nexus 7 is not one of these. I've had my Nexus 7 for 5 weeks and it's one of the few devices I use every day. I have a Windows 7 desktop with two monitors as my daily work machine, a Windows Phone for my mobile needs, and a MacBook Pro for those times I don't want to be tied to my desk (yes, I am a true multi-platform user). With the addition of the Nexus 7 it's the MacBook that has seen it's usage drop. In the evening when I want to do some casual browsing or check email I used to haul out the MacBook. Now I flip open the Nexus 7. The Google Currents App is perfect for me to catch up on the news that interests me (AllThingsD, Arstechnica, Engadget, and a few others). The browser is fast and the convenience of it syncing with my desktop Google Chrome is invaluable. Checking the weather is better than using a desktop.
The Nexus 7 is just so convenient mostly due to it's size and speed.
Where the Nexus 7 isn't as useful, and this is true of any tablet, is when it comes to doing real work. Yes I can fire off a quick blog post or email using the Nexus 7, but it's so much more efficient to use a desktop or laptop. When it comes to working on documents, editing photos and making website changes there is no comparison to using a desktop. I know I could force myself to download various apps and force myself to work on the small screen and virtual keyboard, but what's the point. It would just take longer and the risk of mistakes increase without the precision of a mouse and keyboard.
So even though I love my Nexus 7 and wouldn't trade it for any other tablet (until the Microsoft Surface comes out) it's still just a gadget. I'm sure some very casual users could get by with just a tablet there is still the need for a "real" computer. This may change in the near future, but that's the reality today.
The Nexus 7 is just so convenient mostly due to it's size and speed.
Where the Nexus 7 isn't as useful, and this is true of any tablet, is when it comes to doing real work. Yes I can fire off a quick blog post or email using the Nexus 7, but it's so much more efficient to use a desktop or laptop. When it comes to working on documents, editing photos and making website changes there is no comparison to using a desktop. I know I could force myself to download various apps and force myself to work on the small screen and virtual keyboard, but what's the point. It would just take longer and the risk of mistakes increase without the precision of a mouse and keyboard.
So even though I love my Nexus 7 and wouldn't trade it for any other tablet (until the Microsoft Surface comes out) it's still just a gadget. I'm sure some very casual users could get by with just a tablet there is still the need for a "real" computer. This may change in the near future, but that's the reality today.
Case for Nexus 7 - Great Shipping Rates to Canada!
I looked at a lot of cases from a lot of websites (many questionable) before ordering the SD TabletWear Stand and Type case from MobileFun.com. I mostly based my decision on features and price ($20.99 US). It's a great solid case with a decent faux leather look. It does add weight and thickness to the Nexus 7, but I do want protection after all. The cover also bends so it can be stood up on an easy viewing angle.
The only complaints I have is that the power and sound buttons are a little hard to get to and the "shade" notification is a little harder to activate because the cover holder is a little in the way.
I was wary of the low shipping cost of $6 (I actually ordered two and the shipping cost was the same) since it was coming from the UK to Canada, but it arrived in 6 days - right in the promised 4-8 day time frame. I could have chosen the $15 shipping option which includes tracking, but I cheaped out. In the end I was pleasantly surprised with the shipping experience. Its always nice to see a vendor that easily ships to Canada.
Overall, I would highly recommend this cover and the vendor. They shipped right away (and it arrived!) and the case is solid, functional and priced really well.
Get Windows 8 for $15 - Registration Now Open
If you bought a Windows 7 PC (laptop or desktop) since June 2, 2012 you are eligible to upgrade it to Windows 8 Pro for $15 (which is a pretty great price!). This time around there also won't be any complaining about the US vs. Canadian price since the price is the exact same for US and Canada. Canadians will also be paying in Canadian funds. It's nice to see a level playing field for US & Canadian orders.
Up until now you had to sign up at Microsoft to be notified when you take advantage of this offer. Well today is the day. You can now to go http://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com and register for your upgrade. You'll need the following information:
Contact Details
Email address
Phone Number
PC make / model
Purchase date
Retailer / PC Manufacturer
You will then go through the validation and confirmation process.
Don't get too excited yet. You won't be getting Windows 8 Pro right away. According to the Microsoft website:
Windows 8 can be ordered beginning on October 26, 2012. When Windows 8 is ready for ordering, you will receive an email with your promotion code that you must redeem to receive the promotional pricing during the upgrade ordering process. This email will also include ordering and download instructions and a link to the ordering website.
Up until now you had to sign up at Microsoft to be notified when you take advantage of this offer. Well today is the day. You can now to go http://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com and register for your upgrade. You'll need the following information:
Contact Details
Email address
Phone Number
PC make / model
Purchase date
Retailer / PC Manufacturer
You will then go through the validation and confirmation process.
Don't get too excited yet. You won't be getting Windows 8 Pro right away. According to the Microsoft website:
Windows 8 can be ordered beginning on October 26, 2012. When Windows 8 is ready for ordering, you will receive an email with your promotion code that you must redeem to receive the promotional pricing during the upgrade ordering process. This email will also include ordering and download instructions and a link to the ordering website.
This upgrade is a download only (approx 2GB) - you will not be sent a CD with Windows 8 Pro.
It's All About The Cloud
More recently the trend is to start putting everything you have in the Cloud instead of, or in addition to, what you have on your hard drive. All the major players are encouraging this. Google with Google Drive, Microsoft with SkyDrive, and Apple with iCloud. I use SkyDrive to store documents, Google to store my pictures (through their Picasa service) and I back up all my data using an online service (CrashPlan and Carbonite) - all these services are in the Cloud.
I, like a lot of people, were wary of the Cloud. What happens to all my data if the company disappears or goes bankrupt? Is it secure? Why isn't better just to keep everything on my personal computer?
The first two questions are easy:
1) Google, Microsoft and Apple aren't going anywhere. The tech sector is pretty stable in these tough economic times and the main players are well established. Those who might not be able to survive on their own are quickly bought by a major player.
2) There is always some chance of security being breached, but the big three (Google, Microsoft, Apple) haven't had a major loss of personal data and companies like Carbonite concentrate wholly on security since that is their only job - keep your data safe. The best thing you can do to ensure all your online data is safe is to be proactive about it yourself. Don't rely entirely on even the best companies to make sure your account is secure. I know you've probably read it before, but it's up to you to make sure your password is a secure and safe one. Don't use your pets names or your address or other simple things and don't use the same password for every website account you have. At the very least use capitals, numbers and symbols in your password and also try to change your password on a regular basis. If you want to check the strength of your password go to the Microsoft Password Checker.
Still on the topic of security another Cloud service is use is LastPass.com. You can sign up for this free service to keep track of all your passwords. This service will encourage you to start using different passwords because you don't have to keep remembering them all. It will also generate passwords for you which are very hard to break (and very hard to remember). You just have to make sure you use a VERY strong password that you'll never forget as your master password for LastPass.com. I love this service and subscribe to the premium service just to show my supprt.
Now the big question: Why use the Cloud at all?
I understand that using the Cloud isn't necessary for a lot of people. If you just have one computer, don't use your computer for much more than surfing and email, don't own a tablet or smart phone, or don't have access to affordable high-speed Internet then you probably don't need to be using the Cloud. If you do have more than one computer, a tablet, smartphone, refer to person files (documents, pictures, music) a lot then you should really start using the Cloud to make your life easier and get the most out of your devices.
Here are a few examples from my own use (business and personal).
Calendar and Contacts: I use Google for both my contacts and calendar which both myself and my wife share. The beauty of this is that all our computers (desktop/laptop), smartphones (Windows Phone 7 and Android), and tablet (Android Nexus 7) are always in sync. At any time from any device (or any web browser) no matter where we are we can both look up a contact, add an appointment, check each others schedules, add a new phone number. Any changes one person makes is instantly reflected on every device. It's invaluable whether it's just you or a group of people. As I mentioned I share my account with my wife, but if you don't want your whole life shared it's easy enough to link two Google accounts and select what you want to share on your calendar. Unfortunately a third-party app is needed to sync contacts between Google accounts.
Music: I am adamantly against music piracy and I haven't bought a music CD in years. I get all my music streamed to me from the Cloud. For a pretty low price of $10 a month I have access to millions and millions of songs through Microsoft Zune Music (soon to be renamed Xbox Music). I can stream all these songs to any of my computers, through my Xbox to my outdoor speaker, or on my Windows Phone. There are other similar services out there like Rdio.com that work on Android devices and set top devices like the Roku. I'm still amazed Apple hasn't rolled out a service like this.
Books: I worked in the book industry for over 10 years and actually have a traditional library in my house full of books. Like music CD's I haven't bought a physical book in years. Both my wife and I have an Amazon Kindle. With these we have instant access to all the books we have bought through Amazon. We can also access them all through our PC's, smartphones and tablets. Again, all of these are stored on Amazon's server not our own devices. We can't lose them or accidently delete them.
Instant Access to Files: While I don't usually have a need to access files from my mobile devices, it is nice to know that by using Google Drive, Windows SkyDrive (the service I use), or even Carbonite I can access any file I have from any device or web browser from wherever I am. For my pictures I use Google's Picasa service - they have a desktop and web app which makes it very easy to view all the pictures you have.
Ease of Configuring New Devices: I already had all these Cloud services in place when I received my Google Tablet, the Nexus 7. There is nothing more amazing than getting a completely new device, logging in with your Gmail account and instantly seeing all your contacts, contacts, and pictures on your brand new device. Add in a couple other apps and you easily have access to all your files as well. This goes for almost any mobile device.
Consistency of Files, Services, Look & Feel: When you use the Cloud to do all this you are basically using one service to manage each task so when you use that service from another device it's all the same in terms of use and content. There is no learning curve on how to do things. Adding a contact on your tablet is almost the exact same as doing it on your PC or phone. If you use Google Chrome then your favorites and recent browser history is synced automatically. I'm still amazed how it all works so seamlessly.
No Need for Lots of Local Storage: One of the most common questions people have when buying a new device (PC, laptop, smartphone, tablet) is "How many Gigs does it have?" The thinking is to get as much as possible. When faced with a 8, 16, 32, or 64GB phone or tablet people gravitate towards the upper end. When I bought my last laptop 3 years ago I intentionally got the smallest hard drive possible to force me to start using the Cloud. When I bought my Nexus 7 tablet I had a choice of 8GB or for an extra $50 the 16GB. I bought the 8GB, the same as my phone. The only thing that should be on that 8GB are apps. If you plan on downloading hundreds of apps the 16GB might be worth it, but I found that I usually only use a handful of apps. So with my "measly" 8GB I have instant access to all my email, 18GB of pictures, 42GB of music, and how ever many GB of other files. Because all of this data is in the cloud there is no need to have a ton of storage on each device. Gone are the days of having to load up with a bunch of hard drives to store all your stuff. For a small price (or no price at all) you can have it all stored somewhere else with the added benefit of knowing that it's all secure and backed up. If all my computers were stolen or destroyed today, I could be up an running with new hardware in a few hours with all my data intact.
Windows 8 Computers and Tablets
You may have noticed that I use a lot of the Google services, but being a Microsoft guy I also use many of their services (email through Outlook.com, SkyDrive for storing files) and with Windows 8 coming out shortly I anticipate using even more. Windows 8 will be very tightly integrated with the Cloud. You log into Windows 8 with your Microsoft Account (Microsoft email hotmail.com, live.com, live.ca, or outlook.com) and password. Just like when I logged into my Nexus, Windows will automatically bring in all your information (files from Skydrive, email, etc.). One really exciting thing is that any changes you make to the order or look of your icons on one machine are instantly updated on any other Windows 8 device you log into. Imagine having your computer set up just how you like it. Your email icon is here, your Word shortcut is there, your weather app is over there. Now you go to your laptop and it's the exact same. You get a Windows Surface Tablet, log in for the first time and it looks the exact same as your desktop PC and laptop. Even Internet Explorer has all the same bookmarks.
Conclusion
When computing first started there were huge servers the size of refrigerators and small client computers with little processing power or storage that would hook up to them. Then came the age of personal computing when we all had computers that were self contained and have all the processing power and storage they needed. Now we've come full circle where we are again going to be using less powerful devices to access everything we need. This is the trend and nothing is stopping it. It just keeps progressing this way and who knows where we'll be 10 years from now.
All of these Cloud services are dependent on affordable high-speed Internet. I live in a rural area where many of my clients don't have access to affordable high-speed - Rogers and Bell just do not offer cable or DSL service. Some people use the expensive 3G/4G modems. Others can't even get a decent cell signal are forced to used a dial-up connection (beee-booo-eeeeee-sssssss-eeeeee-ahhhhhhh). For those of you who used dial-up in the past let me tell you it's even MORE painful than you remember. I can actually see property values being higher or lower depending on the availability of affordable high-speed Internet. I know we passed on many beautiful homes because high-speed wasn't available. Now with Cloud services really taking over I can see this becoming an important factor for even casual computer users.
If you haven't already started to embrace the Cloud now would be the time to start. I can guarantee that it's going to make your life that much easier going forward.
Apple vs. Android, now you have to choose carefully
"I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong," Jobs told his biographer. "I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product. I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this."
If you are looking at getting a phone or tablet you have to examine your usage - are you Google person or an Apple person? What are you using your device for?
- do you depend on Google services like Gmail, Google Maps, Picasa? Choose Android
- are you an iTunes addict and need your iTunes with you at all times? Choose Apple
Personally I never got into the iTunes thing and I find that Google has a lot more to offer in way of their own apps, but that's me. Just make sure you take a close look at what you plan on doing with your mobile device before you choose an OS.
Android Jelly Bean Canadian Update
Canadian Nexus 7 First Impressions and Review
Before I get into any details let me start with this: If you are reading this because you are toying with the idea of getting a tablet then stop reading right now and go to Google Play, Future Shop, Best Buy or Staples and place your order right now (if there are any in stock) - this $209 tabltet is a complete no-brainer!
As usual these days, the box contents of high tech items are pretty spartan. The Nexus 7 box contents consist of simply a power supply, a USB cable, some meager paperwork (quick start guide and warranty), and the actual unit.
The first thing you'll notice about the unit is its size of 7" (for a reference point the iPad is 9.56"). In North America bigger-is-better usually rules, but sometimes smaller-is-better. While the RIM PlayBook was pretty much a disappointment in sales (and weight) the one thing I instantly liked about it was it's size. It felt good in the hand. You'll notice I said "hand" and not the plural "hands". Unlike the iPad and other 9-10" tablets the Nexus 7 is very easy to hold in one hand both in relation to it's size, thin-ness and weight. It just feels good to hold. I can even put it in my back pocket (not highly recommended) and an inside jacket pocket. While the larger iPad format might appear to be more appealing for watching movies and surfing it's not until you try the Nexus 7 for awhile that you can see it's appeal.
I could post pictures of the display but you really have to see it and navigate it to really see how clear and smooth it is. The one word that keeps coming back to me is "smooth". Google has talked a lot about the "butter project" when developing OS 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and how smooth they made everything in the OS and it's really noticeable. The brightness and clarity are also exceptional.
When it comes to talking about phones or tablets the one topic that always comes up is number of apps. This is a topic that I don't really put much stock into since almost every device has every major app (Netflix, IMDB, Audible, etc) but for those who do care then they will be more than happy with the over 600,000 apps available.
The one really annoying thing I found using the Nexus 7 was that I couldn't rotate the display landscape when viewing websites. I soon realized that rotation was locked, but I couldn't easily find how to unlock it. Basically open an app, like the Chrome browser, and swipe down from the top. You'll see some notifications and a locked symbol. You just need to tap the lock icon to unlock.
Unlocked Locked
There are several questions I've received when people found out I had the Nexus 7.
Does it have a camera? It only has a front facing camera for video chat. There is no rear camera for taking pictures. Most people don't use their tablet to take pictures since they are pretty cumbersome compared to a smartphone or a real camera.
Is it just WiFi? No Cellular? Yes, it's just WiFi.
Is the memory expandable? No. You have a choice of 8 or 16MB. Google's plan here is that everything will be downloaded or streamed on demand. It's all about the Cloud!
Is it fast? Oh yeah! This is a very efficient OS combined with a processor even faster than the current iPad.
Can it replace my laptop? No, this is not replacing a real computer. Like any current table it's a great electronic toy. An easy way to quickly check your email, play a game, surf the Internet, etc. If you want a tablet that can replace your laptop or PC then wait until the fall for the Microsoft Surface PC/Tablet.
The biggest feature of the Nexus 7 (in addition to it being the most up-to-date OS and always will be since it's made by Google) is it's price. For $209 there is no reason not to buy it if you've even causally thought about getting a tablet. I hope you heeded my words at the beginning of this post and placed your order for a Nexus 7.
Update: I forgot to mention that Canadians don't get all the same features that our US cousins do. At this point we don't have access to Google Music or Magazines. We can rent movies, but we cannot buy them. Hopefully this will all change soon.
I don't know if there are specific Canadian hardware or software differences on the device itself, but my invoice shows the item as being "Nexus 7, 8GB, CA Version"
Canadian Nexus Deliveries Today
Those of you that pre-ordered your Nexus 7 from Google should be getting them today!
I just had mine delivered, so stay tuned for the unboxing :)
I just had mine delivered, so stay tuned for the unboxing :)
Windows 8 coming October 26th - a.k.a. the day my credit card melts
In just over three months we will see the release of Windows 8. With this release we're sure to see a slew of new hardware - desktops, laptops, and hopefully tablets, Windows 8 Phones, and the Surface tablet/PC all with some sort of touch capability. You'll still see the non-touch variety of desktops and laptops at a lower price, but with Windows 8 being so touch-centric I'll be going for a touch capable laptop. For desktops obviously it's the monitor that will have the touch capability, but I don't think we'll see too much in this market. It's just too hard to use a desktop with touch. No one wants to reach out and start mucking with their screen that's 12"-18" away from their keyboard.
What's on my Windows 8 shopping list:
- Touch Laptop or Ultrabook
- Surface Tablet/PC with Windows RT
- Windows Phone 8
- Upgrade at least two of my Windows 7 machines to Windows 8 Pro
What's on my Windows 8 shopping list:
- Touch Laptop or Ultrabook
- Surface Tablet/PC with Windows RT
- Windows Phone 8
- Upgrade at least two of my Windows 7 machines to Windows 8 Pro
Google Nexus 7 Now Shipping in Canada
Canadians are getting their Nexus 7 tablets this week!
I ordered my Google Nexus 7 directly from Google on June 27. This evening I just received shipping notice from UPS . Once I get the unit I'll be posting pictures and first impressions followed by a more in depth review.
I ordered my Google Nexus 7 directly from Google on June 27. This evening I just received shipping notice from UPS . Once I get the unit I'll be posting pictures and first impressions followed by a more in depth review.
Google Nexus 7 Canadian Availability
