Random Bytes of Reality

It’s been only a few days since I got the device but I already feel quite at home with it. It’s fast, it’s slick and the display is beautiful.

Watching videos on it is nice for a device with a 4″ display and the sound is ok too although I much prefer using ear buds over the speakers.

Speaking of sound quality, calls are usually crystal clear too which is a good thing seeing as the little Droid 3 is a cell phone too.

As I get more time with the Droid 3 I’ll add more to this post about it. And yes, I know it’s an older phone. I still like it.

Since writing about my next Android phone, I’ve learned from a Verizon manager that neither of the phones I mentioned will be available to me due to them both being 4G phones. Since I’m already a Verizon customer (for over 2 years now), what is happening is what’s called a ‘Manager’s Choice Upgrade‘. These are applied in rare circumstances only. I’ll try to explain as best as I can:

When I gave my wife my iPhone4 I had asked a Verizon CSR (customer service rep) if there was anything they could do to get me in another phone seeing as my only other resource was my old Blackberry Curve. Blackberry has very few apps I can use for my side work so it was going to be real tough to have to work with it for the rest of the year.

I was told by the first CSR I spoke with that he would check to see if he could work out an ‘Early Upgrade‘ for me after talking to his manager. After a brief period, I was told that they could arrange an early upgrade on my wife’s line as hers was due sooner than mine. He then went on to ‘sell’ me on the HTC Thunderbolt which is a 4G phone for $149.95. He told me all about the phone and then advised me that when it arrived, we were to take both the iPhone and the Thunderbolt to the nearest Verizon store to have them activated and the lines (numbers) switched seeing as we had no land-line. I agreed and the phone was shipped.

After getting the phones switched and activated at the local Verizon store, the rep there told me about the Thunderbolt’s penchant for ‘eating up batteries’ and advised me that an extended battery would be a good investment. I reluctantly agreed and we were soon on our way back home.

Nearly one week later, the Thunderbolt was eating the extended battery for lunch (go figure) and I was having some problems hearing conversations on the phone (due to some hearing loss on my part). I also discovered that a lot of apps running in the background were giving some issues which might have been related to the phone eating the battery. Either way, the phone had to go back. The 4G was ok as well as the display on the screen. However, if the darn thing needs tethered to a power line to keep running for very long, it falls out of the category of being mobile to me.

I won’t go into the details here of all the different answers I got from the various Verizon CSRs I talked to about returning the phone as they were so varied and extremely frustrating. It was unbelievable. Suffice it to say that if you have a question or issue that you feel isn’t getting you anywhere with the CSR you’re talking to, ask to speak to their supervisor immediately. Accept no excuse for not doing so either because once I spoke to one, a whole new light began to show on the problem at hand.

After the supervisor patiently listened to me explain the events that led up to me to speaking with him, he then explained to me what was actually going on concerning the early upgrade and it’s limitations. I was told that I could order any phone except a 4G or iPhone and that it would be shipped to me via 2-day delivery. He then went on to ask me what I was looking for in a phone and we worked out what hopefully, will fit my needs.

The guy was patient, professional, seemed eager to work with me and in the end, I’m still a satisfied Verizon customer. This is what customer service should be! All I wanted was a straight answer from someone who knew what was going on and I got it.

Also, there is a noticeable difference in pricing between phones advertised ‘on-line’ and what they call ‘tele-sales’. Verizon’s ‘on-line’ pricing seems to be cheaper so check their website as well as call their customer service (*611 for present Verizon customers) to compare prices. The CSR you speak to won’t be able to honor the on-line pricing from what I’ve been told either.

The take away on this is that if you’re not getting anywhere with a CSR or you suspect they’re a bit confused (no matter who they work for) your next request should be to speak with their supervisor. Not to get them in any trouble (unless it’s deserved) but to clarify the issue at hand with someone who would seem to be better equipped to handle it.

So now I’m waiting on my new Droid 3 to arrive and I’m hoping it will do what I need. Of course, being able to hear a conversation will be a definite plus too. After all, that used to be the main purpose of having a cell phone. Wasn’t it?

After nearly a year of using an iPhone (4) I have to admit that Apple did a good job with the little device. It’s polished, detailed, functions quite well and for me, has only one real flaw: iTunes! I have come to dislike iTunes for the bloated program that it is. On my system (Win7 Pro, 8gb of RAM, Intel i5 processor, etc.) it seems to take forever to load up, connect with ‘Mother Apple’ and let me do what I need to do such as backing the phone up, install any updates for the apps, etc. I don’t like slow.

About a week ago I gave my wife the iPhone as her HTC Incredible was giving her some problems. I wanted her to have a phone that she was comfortable with, easy to use and reliable. So, we swapped. She’s liking her new phone and after a few days of tinkering with her old one, I began to figure out what was giving her grief and corrected it. Since then I’ve grown to really like the little Android. It’s admittedly not the best out there and HTC’s Sense and some other things are kind of ‘dated’ but, the more I use the phone, the better I like Android. So much so that now I’m on the hunt for a replacement.

I found that the Android Market is a wonderful place to find apps and syncing them to my phone is an easy two-click affair. No bloated program to wait for, no proprietary software…just plain simplicity. All from your browser.

So I now find myself in a dilemma of sorts. I’m torn between two Android devices sold at Verizon. On the one hand, the Galaxy Nexus has the latest operating system from Google: Ice Cream Sandwich. However, battery life is an issue for some. It does have a detachable battery so replacing it with an extended one is a simple thing. However, this increases the cost factor beyond the initial $299 price from Verizon with a two year contract. This is pretty steep for either cellphone no matter how smart it may be.

The other phone I’m looking at is the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx which has the Gingerbread 2.3 OS in it but has an extended battery already installed. You can’t get at it as the battery is non-serviceable by an end-user much like the iPhone but, this doesn’t bother me. It’s all about the best bang for the buck.

Both phones have large dazzling displays, impressive features and come with the same storage (32gb) although the Razr’s is split between 16gb internal and a 16gb micro SD card. The Razr’s can also be swapped out for a card up to 32gb so the storage issue seems easily remedied if need be.

I found a site that compares the two phones side by side and both are very impressive. Have a look for yourself.

So seeing as both phones sell for $299 with a 2 year contract on Verizon, what do you think? Battery life or ICS? It’s rumored that the Razr will see an upgrade to ICS soon so it may be a moot point for some. Seems everything else is too close to call but seeing as I’m a power-user of sorts, the longer lasting battery may be the selling point in my case. I’m interested in hearing from others though so chime in and let me know what you think.

Tonight closes the final chapter in a long year for us here in this house. It’s been marked by yet another back surgery that resulted in hardware being attached (or fused) to my spine, more health issues for the both of us (getting old just plain sucks sometimes), work getting insane due to not enough folks to do what’s needed to be done (the old ‘do more with less’ campaign), and many more less remarkable things that all add up to me being glad that 2011 is coming to a close.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some good things to come out of 2011. But this post is about ending a chapter that didn’t sit all that well with me so let’s talk change. Change for the good. Change for the better.

Beginning in 2012, I will no longer spend holidays away from my family. I will make it a priority that work will no longer dictate my life. I will not be it’s slave. Sounds dark but if you know me well enough then you know how my work schedule has been over the past 6 years. No more. I have no problem working to earn my living. Just not every day/night/weekend and/or holiday! I’m tired.

I’ll be looking for a new job this coming year in a field that I hope will provide us with a brighter future than what I’ve been facing recently. I’m cracking the books again, going to study and fill my brain with the knowledge needed to become the best I can be at my newly chosen vocation. I will become certified in that field.

I’d like to spend the remaining years of my life with family and friends, enjoying them to the fullest. I want to plant a garden similar to the one I had at our old place so we can enjoy fresh home-grown vegetables again. I plan to focus more on getting Birmingham’s RSS off the ground and adding yet more RSS feeds and stories to it. I plan to spend a lot more time with my family.

I plan on taking my life back and making a better difference to those around me in 2012. I plan on making a change. For the better.

What are you planning for 2012?

Happy New Year Everybody! Bring on 2012!