Windows 7

I've pre-ordered a copy of Windows 7 from Amazon. Though it's not due for release until October, the £40 odd asking price was too tempting.

I've also taken the plunge and have downloaded the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) of the OS - basically this is the "just about final" version of the code.

Reports have been good on stability, speed and general features, so I thought I'd give it a try. It works until June or July next year, though from March 10 it re-boots every 2 hours. I'll have my official copy up and running my then anyway, so it won't matter.

I'm installing the RC on a partition on my XP machine, the lesser specced of my 2 PC', which is frankly getting a bit tired now.

One of the benefits of Win 7 apparently is that you actually need a less powerful machine to run it on that you did for Vista, so older machines like my XP box could quite possibly get a new lease of life.

We'll see, and I'll keep you posted.

Have Apple lost the plot?

Today an update for one of my iPhone apps (YouNote) became available via the App Store, and I duly downloaded it.

However, after entering my password for iTunes, I got a warning message saying that this application my contain objectionable content and isn't suitable unless you're 17+.

Now YouNote is a note taking application. It lets you take text notes, voice notes, photo notes, and I suspect this is where it hit the buffers clips of web pages.

I guess Apple's premise is, that since you can use this App to store web pages, you might be using this app to keep copies of naughty web sites for future reference.

Oh, please Apple. Get a life.

Mobile devices: A triangle?

Read an interesting post over at jkOnTheRun today where Kevin Tofel outlines his view of the dilemma facing those who use mobile devices, and particularly those who are always searching for the "ultimate" device. The post is in generally in relation to the AsusEee 1101HA netbook, but his key point is this:

He says:

"One of our mantras here bears repeating — mobile technology is all about compromise. I look at it as a triangle, in which each point is a mobile device attribute: performance, price and power efficiency. As you move closer to one point, you move further away from one or two other points. Put another way: You can’t buy a portable device today for a few hundred dollars that offers desktop-replacement performance and all-day computing."

I think this is a fascinating but simple insight to mobile technology, and what users want/need from it. We're always trying to square the circle (or as Kevin would have us believe traingle) for that ultimate device that does everything the way we want it to.

Clearly it doesn't exist at the moment, there's always compromise. With the triangle model in mind, I wonder if we ever will?

Cellar - your own wine cellar app

I read about this app a few weeks ago. One of the things I've often thought I'd want to use smartphones/PDA's for and never got round to it was track things like my wine cellar (LOL - my cellar consists of about 12 bottles in a rack under the stairs - but the turnover is fairly impressive!)

At the time it had been submitted to the App Store, but not yet approved, so I signed up to the Twitter feed (@cellarapp), and I've followed closely the run up to it's release today.

It costs 59p currently.

It doesn't have a database of wines, you've got to put your own stuff in here.

Graphically it's impressive. To keep track of your wines, you first choose the bottle shape and colour, foil colour and can take a picture of the label which is superimposed over the bottle. Then you add details of the wine. If you're a wine snob, this is a bit crude. The fields available are:

• Brand
• region
• Vintage
• Grape
• Price
• Notes
• Rating

There are some default options - in grape for example start typing "Cha..." and it'll prompt "Chardonnay".

But that's it. One you click "Done" the bottle is added to your "cellar". You can show if you have multiple bottles of one wine.

The other thing you have is the "Garage" where you can put empty bottles you want to keep for reference.

It's not a bad little app for a first version, but there are some things that in my opinion need to be changed or added. These are:

• It only works in landscape. I can see why, but certain aspects don't quite work well. For example:
  
• The cellar view only provides for an info bar line at the bottom of the screen when you click a bottle for nfo. One line isn't enough in most cases to see all the info, so you have to click "Edit" which rather defeats the purpose of a quick info view.
• It's got sound. When you open the app it prompts you to switch to landscape mode, and then the (presumably) "cellar" doors open with a noise reminiscent of the docking bay on the Death Star in Star Wars. There are also a few things and whistles as you add wine details. Ok in the comfort of your own home (though might annoy the wife), but if you want to add details of a wine whilst out dining in a fine restaurant (chance would be a good thing), you might get some odd looks from other diners or the sommelier!
• There's no "summary" option. The iPhone just cries out to give database apps a quick summary or report screen. Nothing doing here yet. If you want to see all your wine you have to scroll in landscape mode and click each bottle for info. so no easy way to see how many reds or whites you have left.

Having said all that, it's clean and easy to use. I'm sure it'll get updates soon.

I don't do fashion (generally) but browsing around the 'net the other week I was rather taken by some iPhone cases, or rather half cases - the kind that clip onto the back.

These are "Metallico" series cases apparently, and come in a range of sometimes gaudy, and sometimes nice (in my opinion) colours.

On the spur of the moment I splashed out, not realising at the time the site I was ordering from (Deal Sniper) was in Hong Kong. To be fair I got very prompt emails telling me I'd paid (inevitably), but also that my order had been dispatched, and a tracking link. About 2 and a bit weeks later, my case arrived.

I've gone for this rather fetching "Ice Blue" colour.

Let's not beat about the bush - it's plastic despite the name "metallico", but somehow it does look nice with a bit of a sheen to it, and doesn't really increase the size of the phone more than about 1mm all round.

I guess any protection is better than none. It clips on and fits very snugly and certainly doesn't feel like it will drop off at any point. With so many iPhones around now, it does set it apart a bit.

I've never really been a case man, so whether I'll persevere with this or not I don't know. For the moment, I'm sticking with it and I like it.

Mine cost me £9 plus P+P from Asia, but you may well find them more locally.

O2 Data Roaming - short and curlies

With all the talk about reduced costs for using your phone abroad, the carriers still have you by the short and curlies.

As I've previously indicated, the hotel we'll be staying at on holiday has wifi, but it'll cost 3 euros an hour. Not overly extortionate, but no use if I need/want data when out and about.

In the end I bit the bullet and have taken out an O2 data bolt on. But there's a catch - the cost of the bolt on relates to your billing date.

Therefore, if I want to start it from my next billing date I'm already on holiday. If I start it now, I'm being charged for data I'm not using because I haven't gone away yet.

Had a long and complicated chat with the O2 people about this. I think I'm just going to have to avoid using data for the first few days of my holiday (or use the hotel wifi), after which I should be good to go.

Why is this such a pain? I also wonder, with so many smartphones in use these days, particularly iPhones, how many people will not think about this and come back to horrendous bills?

Ashes (low) lights

Mini and I have spent a day (well two thirds of a day) at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff watching Australia tighten their already strong hold on the first Ashes Test.

I got these tickets for a Father's Day present (lucky me), but the forecast for today was dreadful, so we turned up early armed with brolly, raincoats and glasses to read the very small print on the refund policy in the event of a curtailed day's play.

However, though the clouds threatened early on, the rain, forecast to arrive about 12pm didn't, and we were treated to the Aussie batters North and Haddin, showing England how it should be done. Both reached impressive centuries, and after lunch with brightening skies they took the England attack apart. Ricky "Punter" Ponting, the Oz slip, duly declared when they were zillions ahead, leaving England with a tricky seven or so overs to bat before tea. By now, the rain was threatening. TMS commentator Jonathan Agnew who I follow on Twitter (@aggerscricket) was tweeting first that rain ad reached Cork, then Swansea (by watching it's progress on the immensely useful raintoday.co.uk), by which time I'd had a call from my wife in Barry (about 6 miles as the crow flies) saying it was heaving down.

The lights came on just before tea to stave off the dreaded "bad light" scenario (why didn't anyone do this before?), but just as tea came round with England already 2 down - one plumb LBW (Cook) and one shocker of an LBW decision (Bopara) - Billy Doctrove that was a horrendous decision - the rain came, and it stayed.

That was it - a lot of wet cricket fans making their way home. Me & Mini have had a great day - first ever visit to a Test for either of us (thanks Anne), and we got 4 hours of play in when I expected no more than an hour. Now will watch on the box tomorrow and hope England can bat all day to save the game. I'm not optimistic.

Palm Pre Christmas?

As has been widely reported around the mobile and technical blog world today, it appears the Palm Pre is coming to the UK in time for Christmas. I got my details from the very fine PDA247, where Shaun as always is on the ball.

It seems the Pre will be offered on O2, which is good and bad.

For me it's good, because as an existing O2 customer, if I decide to "upgrade" to a Pre when the time comes to renew my contract (May 2010) it saves messing about porting numbers. Incidentally, don't start suggested the Pre is a downgrade compared to the iPhone!

The bad side is, that for many people having a device tied to a specific carrier puts them off - either because they don't want to use that carrier, or as is the case with some carriers - although I don't think O2 is one of them - having the carrier branding slapped on an otherwise aesthetically pleasing device.

I'm not as convinced about the problems of being tied to carriers as some. The more phones like this (i.e. smartphones) come into general use - rather than being the domain of the businessman or gadget lovers, the less of an issue it is. Do you get people worrying overly about whether a particualr feature phone is unlocked or tied to a carrier? Not so sure.

Wifi access/Data roaming (again)

I've previously posted about data roaming charges, but a couple of days ago emailed the hotel we'll be staying at in Kefalonia, to ask them how flexible their wifi access is. Often, with hotels, it's only via a locked down PC.

The hotel emailed me back today and confirmed that I would indeed be able to access the wifi via my iPhone (or laptop if I had one) for 3 euros an hour. Now I'm not going to be doing much browsing whilst over there, but this will be ample for me to collect my (personal) emails, post to the blog and maybe a daily Twitter update.
Even if I used an hour's worth every day for a fortnight (which I won't) it'll work out cheaper than an O2 Data 50 bolt on, which would set me back £50.

Hopefully that's sorted me out now on that front. Whilst I was at it I asked them to confirm we had a room with a balcony and sea view, which they've done. Oh, bliss - can't wait to watch the sun setting over the Ionian sea....might even post a pic on this blog!

City Legends match

John commented on my post below about the first match at the new Cardiff City Stadium, and I'm glad to say he's shamed me into going.

I'm blogging this from my new season ticket seat in the Grange Stand.

View is perfect, stadium is perfect and even the rin has stopped (temporarily)!

Mini Stats an Little Miss Stats are with me too.

Here's the view from out seats.

Thanks John!




-- Post From My iPhone

Astraware Solitaire 59p in App Store

If you're a fan of card games, and particularly solitaire, you could do worse than check out Astraware's Solitaire for the iPhone, newly released into the App Store at the bargain price of 59p.

I have this on the Palm platform and it was great. Astraware have ported this to the iPhone where the increased screen size have enabled rich graphics to complement 12 really playable solitaire games.

I don't play games a lot on my iPhone, and those I do are relatively simple, but the key is they're eminently playable. This looks like one of those, and well worth 59 of my hard earned pence.

Thanks to Astraware's Alison Barclay for giving the heads up on this on Twitter (follow Alison - @AlsiB).

Live shipping map

One of my sad chums sent me this, as he thought I'd be interested. I am!

How cool is this? A live world shipping map. You get a Google map style interface littered with graphics denoting ships in real time. Hovering your mouse over one of the ship icons tells you the name of the vessel, speed and direction. Clicking one brings up an archive photo of the vessel, displays the flag it's registered under, and details such as breadth, length, speed, direction, status (underway etc), destination, ETA, draught, and links to open further details.

There are different graphics for ferries, cargo vessels, tugs, high speed vessels, yachts etc. It also shows navigational points of interest such as oil platforms, and VTS (vessel traffic services) stations (I just Googled that, I didn't know it!)

Absolutely fascinating. I spent a good hour or so last night clicking around the worls to look at stuff, especially close to home around the Welsh coast (not much apart from a few ferries and tankers!).

If you like stamp collecting (I don't), you'll love this!

New City Stadium opener

Cardiff City play the first match at the new stadium tomorrow when a "Legends" match sees some old City heroes wheeled out to play.

I'm sure it will be an emotional moment for many, but I won't be there. I just can't get fired up about these sort of things generally, and anyway I should be supporting the cricket club's 2nd XI who are playing at home (chairmanly duties and all that).

The real business doesn't kick off until 8th August as far as I'm concerned, and even that's still in the middle of the cricket season!


Anyway, as I'm on the subject of the beautiful game (football), City have made a few signings this week. In come Mark Hudson (Charlton) and Liverpudlian Gerrard, though sadly it's not Stevie G, but cousing Anthony from the mighty Walsall (I jest of course). Also looking likely is Motherwell's Paul Quinn. Well hopefully they'll stop the goals being scored. Ross McCormack our prolific striker has penned another contract (thank Gawd for that), sol hopefully he & Chops will bag hatfuls of goals, though it would be nice to have a striker above 3ft 4in in the team. All we need now is some midfielders, because the one's we've got (possibly Ledley and Rae apart) aren't up to much.






Anthony Gerrard & Paul Quinn

Worst ever football kits

This story over at Sky News, not a site I normally frequent, took my eye.

It's a trawl through some of the worst football kits in recent history. There's not a lot, I'm sure more could have been found, but of those featured (and there are some pretty dire ones, I think my vote goes to the one David Seaman was wearing.

iPhone Apps

I thought I'd give you a quick rundown of every app on my iPhone (those that are currently installed as opposed to those I've ever downloaded, and rate them. Fairly subjective and relatively lengthy post of course, but here goes. It's in screen order rather than importance or effectiveness order:

• Messages (default app): 9/10. Great now OS3.0 provides forward capability. Just wish it had a character count in it. Used a lot.
• Calendar (default app): 6/10. Used a lot. No real alternative. Fails for me on having no week view, no ability to create private appointments or not being able to categorise appointments or letting any other 3rd part app integration. Disappointing after using a Palm.
• Twittelator Pro: 8/10. Great Twitter client. Used a fair bit. Better than Twitterific and Twitterfon which I used before.
• Notebook by Appigo: 9/10 See previous post. Good notes client.
• Clock (default app): 9/10. Does what it says on the tin. Alarm and countdown occasionally useful.
• Evernote: 5/10. See previous post. Potentially good, some issues
• eWallet by Ilium: 8/10. Good electronic wallet. I used versions on Palm and WM devices.
  
• Newsstand: 8/10. Good RSS reader (best I've found on iPhone)
• Photos (deafult app): 7/10 Does what it's supposed to.
• Camera (default app): 7/10 Does what it's supposed to. Bit fiddly I find
• Settings - not going there. Use it to fiddle settings. Works
• Contacts (default app): 8/10 Works for me. Some improvements with OS3.0
• Deluxe Weather: 7/10. Very nice interface, forecast and current weather a bit out sometimes
• Calculator (default app): 8/10 Works
• Documents to Go: 7/10. Be better when Excel editing support arrives
• Maps (default app) 8/10. Handy
• Mail (default app): 8/10. Be better if you could access multiple accounts from one screen
• Ipod (default app): 9/10 What more is there to say?
• Safari (default app): 9/10 After Blazer on the Palm, anything's better! Actually it's quite good.
• Phone (default app): 8/10 works for me. Not sure it's the app's fault but I occasionally miss calls
  
• ToDo by Appigo: 5/10. One of those things you think you need, but I rarely use in practice.
• App Store (default app). Works for me. Neat
• BlogPress: 7/10. Decent enough blogging app. Some minor niggles
• Facebook: 9/10. Not a huge Facebook fan, but this works well.
• eReader: 8/10 Only just got this. Struggled with ebooks before, but thought I'd give it another go
• Voice memo (default app): 6/10 New in OS3.0. Another one of those apps you think will be useful but never use.
• eBay: 9/10. very handy for tracking sales I've done. Neat.
• Converter: 9/10. Converts everything I've needed to!
• YouNote Lite: 7/10. Handy note tool. Allows photos, freehand text, text.
• iTunes (default app): Never used it so can't rate it
• YouTube: 8/10. Great but not used a lot
• Trunk (notes): 5/10. A wikipedia style note app where you create links. Never got the hang of it.
• Countdown: 8/10 How many days to Christmas/holiday etc. Does what it says on the tin.
• Mobile Linked Me: 7/10. Instant messneger app. Don't use it a lot, but when I do it works OK
• Google Earth: 7/10 Better on the desktop
• Twitterific: 6/10 Prefer Twitterlator
• WeatherPro: 8/10 Forecasts ok but not fussed on interface
• Moby: 8/10 Used for my Tweet picture posts
• Tipulator: 5/10. A bit twee but invaluable when there's 17 of you tring to split a bill and give a tip!
• Tap Expense: 6/10 Can't find a decent expense app. This is as close as I've got
• Shazam: 10/10 Just for the "wow" factor, being able to identify just about any piece of music gives it maximum
• Around me: 6/10 Find out what services, pubs, garages etc are close - providing they've got an internet presence or have subscribed to the directory!
• Lastminute.com Greek phrases: 7/10 For my hols! Volume is very quiet, but handy.
• Photogene: 10/10 Great for touching up you photos
• Kai pond:9/10 Pointless, but graphically great
• Google: 6/10 Installed because I though I should. Never use it
• Sol Free: 6/10 Fairly basic solitaire. Very small graphics
• Bejeweled 2: 8/10 If you like that sort of thing. My daughter does.
• Cro Mag Rally: 6/10. Greatgraphics. Occasionally crashes iPhone
• Notes (deafult app): 4/10 Basic. Never used it really
• Arcade Bowl: 9/10 Very addictive game
• WordPop: 10/10 Possibly the best mobile game ever?
• Stocks (deafult app). Never used it so can't rate it
• Weather: (default app). 2/10 Basic

So there you have it. That's what's on my phone.

Notes and the iPhone

I'm still not sure about Evernote for the iPhone. The principle is sound - make text notes, take photo notes or voice notes, sync them and have it all available on your iPhone.

Trouble is, to sync you need wifi access, which you might not have when out and about. I don't know if it's just me, but I have a problem when trying to view notes on my iPhone when there's no wifi access, where I can see the thumbnail of the note but when I open it, I just get a blank page. Bizarre. Thers a thread on the Evernot support page that suggests deleting the app and re-installing, but that's not overly convenient. I hope a bug fix omes soon.

Meantime, the best other note app by far that I've found is Appigo's Notes which I've mentioned before.

It doesn't do photo notes, but it's got a great, clean and simple interface, and syncs (without wifi) to Toodledo. You can format your notes with bold, italics, bullets, headings, and change alignment. You can also email your notes, and if you have Appigo's ToDo also, you can create new to do tasks from notes. Think of it as a souped up Palm "Memo" app and you won't go far wrong. It's the best and easiest solution I've found so far. The integration with Toodledo, especially when using a desktop, and the ability to export notes (and to dos) into a variety of formats including CSV, XML, text and allegedly Palm Tasks makes it a very valuable app and one that should ensure you'll never lose any valuable notes.

Data roaming charges

I've been pretty pleased with the service I've had from O2 since moving to my iPhone. OK, it's not the cheapest tariff in the world, but you do get unlimited data which is very handy on such a data intensive device.

Anyway, annual overseas holiday is looming (not fast enough in my opinion), and I checked out the O2 web site to see what's what. I knew I couldn't use my unlimited data plan abroad.

Basically, it seems I have three options.

1. Do nothing (i.e. don't get any add on), and get charged £2.94 per MB (Western Europe) for all the data I use.
2. Take out a "Data Abroad 10" data roaming bundle, where I get 10MB (per billing month) for £20
3. Take out a "Data abroad 50" data roaming bundle as above, that'll give me £50 MB but will cost me £50.

I reset my usage stats on the iPhone on Friday evening to get a feel for how much data I'm using. Bear in mind that I was playing out playing cricket for about 9 hours yesterday so hardly used the device, and it's been busy at home with family today so I haven't used it much either, I've still managed to rack up nearly 7MB in that time. That's almost exclusively Twitter, fetching RSS feeds and a few emails (no major attachments in there).

If I did that on holiday, a 10MB bundle ain't going to last me very long, but I'm not fancying the idea of adding another £50 to my holiday spending for data (skinflint). At this point, looks like I'll take a 10MB bundle, and restrict myself to a few tweets and a daily RSS download, and maybe check emails a couple of times week (not work emails I hasten to add).

Cloud computing - the way forward?

If you're technically inclined you'll have heard about cloud computing. The basic theory is that rather than tying yourself to a desktop PC, or a laptop with certain inevitable restrictions, you can use any device to access your data because it's held "in the cloud".

Think, Googlemail for example. It doesn't matter whether I'm using my PC, my netbook or my iPhone I can access my Googlemail account from any internet connected device. And because companies like Google also do documents, calendars, contacts etc, theoretically I've got pretty much always on access to all my key personal data.

And there's the rub. Do I want all my key personal data "in the cloud", or would I rather have it safe and secure on my hard disk, USB drive of CD or DVD backup? I've always been a bit sceptical about loading data onto someone else's servers, despite all the reassurances about data protection and other security matters.

Generally though, I think this is the way that things are going, and providing you're sensible about what you store in the cloud, it's clearly better than getting to a meeting for example and finding out you've left that presentation on a USB stick in the draw in your study.

To that end there are a couple of cloud applications that I've been fiddling around with - some for longer than others, but which I'm beginning to make more of an effort to use iin a serious way.

Toodledo is an online list organiser, that handily syncs both Appigo's Notes and ToDo apps on my iPhone. I'm also trying to use Evernote, a similar application, but one that's been around longer and allows notes, clips from web pages (or whole pages), photos and voice note's to be taken and then accessed/synced to other devices.

I've also taken out an account with an online storage service - a free service to start with to see how I get on. I can transfer files to this service, and again access them from any internet connected PC. It also doubles as a decent backup option for certain files too.

I'm still a little wary. I wouldn't want to put anything really personally sensitive in the cloud, and of course you're buggered if you haven't got an internet connection (unless you've synced the files you need to your PC/laptop/mobile device.

I'll see how I get on.

Father's Day surprise

I've had a great Father's Day. Didn't get breakfast in bed (had to make breakfast), but had in laws and my Dad round for Sunday lunch, and a nice day all round.
Was anticipating a box of choccies or similar and cards, but I had a massive surprise when out of a card fell two tickets for the Saturday of the first npower Ashes Test against the Aussies on Saturday 11th July! To say I was gobsmacked is an understatement!

So, all being well - weather permitting, and permitting we haven't stuffed the Aussies inside three days (some hope!), me and Mini-Stats will go armed with picnic, sun cream and camera for a day of top test cricket. Looking forward to it (thank you very much family!)

iPhone OS 3.0

So, I've updated my iPhone to OS 3.0.
It was a little bit traumatic. Everything seemed to be going ticketyboo until the point where the dialog "restarting your phone" came up. The iTunes window went blank, the iPhone restarted to the emergency call screen only, and iTunes persisted in telling me my connection to the App Store was broken and it couldn't connect. This went on for about 40 minutes, but which time I'd worked out that there was nothing wrong with my connection, but Apple's servers were taking a hammering.

Suddenly, my iPhone popped up a "your phone is activated" (or similar message), and I was off an running, so to speak.

So, was it worth it? Yes.

There are very few reasons for not upgrading any version of software on any platform to the latest version. OS 3.0 (hereafter just 3.0) adds some stuff which will be useful for me, and some that wont.

Useful

• Forwarding text messages. Why this wasn't default in v1.0 God only knows.
• MMS (the ability to send a picture via text message). As above. Almost every other phone in the world for the last 3-4 years has offered both of those
• Landscape mode for email, notes messages....
• Cut, copy & paste. Everyone wants it. How useful it will be only time will tell
• Spotlight - a way to search your iPhone for just about anything from contacts to applications

Less Useful (for me anyway)

• Voice memos. One of those things you always think will be useful, but never use in practice
• Tethering (to be able to use the iPhone as a modem for a laptop. Not at O2's extra data bolt on prices matey!
• Auto join networks - not a major user of wifi to be honest
• Stereo bluetooth capability. rarely use BT on the device. Use a wired headset in the car and a decent set of wired earphones for listening to audio/music (not Apple's I hasten to add)
• Turn by turn GPS. Haven't got any software, and use my Centro with Tom Tom mobile in any case.
  

There are some other bits and pieces, but these are the main ones that I'll use (or not)

Docs to Go for the iPhone arrives

Documents to Go is now available for the iPhone! However there are some caveats, and they might be pretty big depending on what your expecting and what you want to do.

Firstly, you can currently only edit Word documents - there's no support for editing Excel or Powerpoint files, although a free update is promised when the Excel editing function arrives.

You can however view Word, Excel, Powerpoint and PDF files. It all looks very good, and I've already downloaded the app - at £2.99 (limited time offer) this is an absolute steal. OK, functionality may be a bit limited, but when Excel edit arrives and you've paid less than 3 quid, you can't complain. It's a darn sight cheaper than Quick Office.

Cut and paste is here, and it works! Again, it's not the same implementation as we're going to find in OS 3.0 on Wednesday, but it's there and I've tested it.

Once you've downloaded and configured you have to download a desktop app and set the app to sync via wireless - a bit like the eWallet app if you've used that. Again, set up was easy and it works very well. You can store doc on the device you've created as "local files" or you can use the "Desktop files" option to have files that sync between your phone and your desktop.

I have to say it all looks very slick, and I'm glad I held on. I hope Excel editing arrives soon - not sure why, I don't know ow much I'll iuse it, but it's hand to have there.

Once again, think of the price. For less than 3 beer vouchers you get a polished app that offers way more even now than some of the crud you get on the iPhone that costs a bit more. Any half serious iPhone user would be nuts not to download this at £2.99.

Twitter update

Twitterific has been updated to resolve the Twitpocalypse problem and the free update is available via the App Sttore. I'm sticking with Twitterfon for now, but have updated anyway.

Twitpocalypse and the iPhone

In a move that will no doubt annoy my learned Father who thinks I'm overly obsessed with things gadgety and suchlike, I have to report that as a user of the micro-blogging service "Twitter", I've been having trouble with my Twitter client of choice, Twitterific from the Iconfactory.

I'm not going to go into the depths of what Twitter is about - that's been done to death elsewhere. Whether you think it's pointless or not, the fact is that it can be very useful.

The problem I've been experiencing is this. When I try and log into Twitter via my Twitter client of choice, Twitterific, on my iPhone I get the following error message..." (Twitter API Error The connection to Twitter failed with 'Operation could not be completed. (YAJL error 3.)' This is apparently known as the Twitpocalypse problem.

Now it appears the cause of the problem is this. Every "Tweet" (message" is given a unique ID number, and Twitterific has hit a problem whereby the sheer number of Tweets in the system has hit a point where the incremental unique ID number cannot be recognised (or so I'm told).

So, what to do. The Iconfactory have posted a message saying they're working on a fix, have submitted an update to the App Store but have no idea when this will get through.

Luckily there are a load of different Twitter clients around for the iPhone, so in the meantime I've switched to "Twitterfon" another free client (beset by some ads, but bearable. So far it looks good, and at least I can satisfy my Twitter obsession.

If you know about these things, you can follow me on Twitter via my username @Statto1927

Has the iPhone 3Gs Got Talent?

Well, the iPhone 3Gs has certainly divided opinion - or rather it's pricing has.

Reading my various mobile information sources, PDA247, Palm-Mac and The iPhone Blog and the most highly veritable @ruskin147 on Twitter (Rory Cellan-Jones) see his blog also, amongst others, people are falling largely into two camps.

Firstly there are the "Wow, what a brilliant device, here are 999 reasons to upgrade from your current iPhone which seems to have become an incompetent device overnight" brigade, and "never mind the price, it's got a 3 megapixel camera and video recording"!!!

Then there are those (like me) who think that the OS 3.0 update is clearly worth having, but the actual costs of owning the new 3Gs hardware is extortionate. Especially if you whack in an internet tethering bolt on which I would have been interested in it it was included in my already pricey plan, and even more especially given that when all said and done, the hardware doesn't break new ground. Well it does for an iPhone, but not compared to many of the current smartphones that are out there from RIM, Nokia, Android and dare I say it Palm?

The Apple fanboys counter that by saying hey, the majority of iPhone owners don't want all that hardware keyboard stuff, proper PIM integation, front mounted cameras for video calling (does anyone really do that on a smartphone?), what they want is music and media. Well, if that's the case, why don't they buy an iPod Touch?

Speed is the key. Apparently 3gs will open the NYT web page 2.9 times faster than the current 3G unit. Who's counting? It'll also open those applications that much faster. I can't say I've noticed any lag.

Anyway, my point is, as I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm not overly impressed with the new hardware. It leaves me feeling lacklustre. Maybe I was expecting too much. I'm not even really sure what I was expecting.

Anyway, and for the foreseeable future, Simon is it a yes or a no? Will the 3Gs go through to the next round?

No.

iPhone 3.0: Internet tethering & MMS: Hurrah, but read the small print

Although both the above are part of the iPhone 3.0 update, you read the small print and it talks about dependence on local carriers and you just know that you'll be one of the unlucky few whose carrier won't support this.

But those of us on O2 (at least on pay monthly) in the UK need fear not. The new iPhone 3Gs and 3.0 update page has links for tethering and MMS and both say that we'll get it. In fact, it appears once you've downloaded 3.0, O2 will set up MMS for you automatically. You get MMS on PAYG too you lucky people.

The bad news is, to get tethering you've got to pay for a bolt on and that's a minimum of £14.68 a month which frankly is a bit stingy when you're already paying £35 a month. Bah.

Apple's banana skin

Just noticed this on Apple's own iPhone 3.0 update page. Has someone slipped up? When it extols the virtue of the new MMS function it says....

MMS

Send MMS messages and include video, photos, audio and contact info. Even tap to snap a picture or shoot a video right inside Messages.

But the iphone 3G doesn't shoot video (unless you jailbreak it).....Oops

To be fair there's a footnote that says sending video on an iPhone 3G is not supported, but it doesn't say anything about shooting it...

New iPhone. The nattily named iPhone 3Gs

So the new iPhone has been announced, and all those pre-release blurry photoshop makeups of new hardware scattered around the web have been shown up for what they are. Blurry photoshop make ups. You can't have a matte casing, the chrome band is still there, it's still the same size it hasn't got a front facing camera...

It's a new phone in the same case. So what of it?

As an existing iPhone owner, the OS update to iPhone 3.0 available 17th June looks a no brainer, and I've covered what's in there before and bar a few tweaks that stands, and come 17th I'll be updating. Apple's run down of the benefits of 3.0 is listed on their web pages

As for the new hardware, I’m bordering between non-plussed and surprise that Apple really haven’t upped the ante that much.

Much of what both 3.0 and the new hardware offers can be achieved by jailbreaking rather than shelling out on a new phone (and a new contract to go with it), and that's something I'll seriously consider doing I think.

Personally, I don't think theres much that's really innovative here, and nothing that justifies Apple's statement that this is "lightyears" ahead. I’ve seen people on some forums talking about how “awesome” Spotlight search is (well it's OK, but hardly awesome), or how nifty that guitar app thingy is (D’oh). Video? Pretty much every smartphone (bar the current iPhone) can record video now - and you can do that if you jailbreak. Turn by turn navigation. Ditto, or buy a dedicated unit. Voice diallin? Again, most phones have been able to do that for years (except the current iPhone). Seeing a trend here? Give iPhone users what every other phone already has and they go Woo-hoo!

OK, battery life is allegedly better, but in day to day use, I don't have a real problem with the battery on my 3G unit.

The only possible “wow” factor for me was them retaining the 3G at a $99 price point. If that price point translates to the UK, the 3G might be a bit of a steal for people - especially as the 3.0 update is free. Otherwise I’m not dreadfully impressed, and I think I'll be keeping my eye on how the Pre does. Mind you, I've still got a year left on my contract, bu which time Palm might have released the Pre 2 (ok, maybe not), but Apple probably sure as hell will be gearing up for iPhone 4.

iPod Touch

My daughter has just spent her birthday money and some of her savings on an iPod Touch. She's always been taken with my iPhone, and decided she wanted one for her birthday. We said, let's wait and see what you get - she got quite a bit of cash from friends and family, and as is the way with young girls found a few more quid lying around in her multitude of handbags (she's only 12!).

We agreed that to make up any difference she'd have to flog her 4G pink Nano which I've listed on e-bay tonight, and in the meantime we shelled out on the Touch - or rather she gave me what she had, I paid the difference and will pocket the e-bay money (and give her any surplus of course!).

I've never held a touch before, and though comparisons with the iPhone are obvious (minus the phone bit), the striking thing is just how thin it it - much thinner than the iPhone.

She's already uploaded about 800 songs from our iTunes/CD library, and a couple of DVD's I'd ripped for my iPhone.

The other interesting thing I found, was that I could load up applications that I'd download from iTunes for my iPhone. I thought I would have to pay again or download again, but no - they were all listed, all I had to do was pick and choose which ones to put on the Touch. Cool.

We haven't set up another iTunes account - if she goes to the App store, it asks for my username/password. I haven't read any info about the best way to manage multiple devices through iTunes, but I'm happy with things the way they are at the moment - at least she doesn't know my username/password!

Palm Pre teething troubles

Well, today's the day the Palm Pre was released in the US - no sign of it over here. How's it going down? Well, it's hard to say without first hand experience, but it's certainly been hyped a lot.

However, reading the Forums at Precentral it seems all is not rosy.

• First, there's a software update available on launch day (hmm..) and reports are that it requires a lengthy re-boot process
• There are also reports of dead pixels in units and even more worryingly a report from one of those with that problem that Palm have told them it's not a warranty issue. Eh?
• Others are reporting light leakage at the bottom of the screen

So, a great start then. Given the apparent limited numbers of units available to vendors on launch day, it rather makes you wonder if the launch hasn't all been a bit rushed and Palm have had problems at manufacture, but having said that it's been almost 6 months since the device was showcased. Maybe they're "rushing" to trump the next gen iPhone which is widely rumoured to be unveiled by Apple on Monday.

Who knows? On the plus side, not having the device launch in the UK just yet means we can sit back and watch our American cousins "beta test" the device in the wild. On the downside, it really makes you wonder, if despite the pre-launch hype Palm have already blown any credibility they might have regained over the last few months.

Mini-Stats

Mini-Stats fractured his elbow last week playing cricket for the 2nd XI. Fell whilst fielding and put his hand out to break his fall and broke his elbow instead. Ouch.

We've spent half the week in fracture clinic, and yesterday he had surgery to pin and wire the break back together. He's going to be in plaster for about 6 weeks, and that about wraps up his cricket season.

Pipex webspace update

Using Terrapin an FTP client I have, I can now log into my Pipex webspace, but alas there don't appear to be any files in the root folder. This is rather concerning given that I run four websites in this webspace!

I have backups - but I'd rather Pipex had backups and that they can find them and restore them. Still no word from them apart for the original "we'll be in touch..."

Pipex, Tiscali, whoever - crap

My ISP is Pipex. Or rather was until they were taken over by Tiscali. Or rather was until Tiscali was taken over by Carphone Warehouse (are you getting a sense of a pattern here?)

Anyway, the long and short of it is I've been with them years, mostly because at first they provided a decent service. Since the Tiscali takeover a few years ago the service has deteriorated, and lately has been poorer still, espcially in the evenings. Think BT throttling and you'll get a sense of what I experience msot evenings.

Anyhows, I've just been too lazy to be arsed to move to another provider.

Today I've been unable to access my websapce - or rather I can't access any of my 4 websites

• www.dinaspowyscc.co.uk
• www.dpab.co.uk
• www.chepstowmvc.co.uk
• www.hendreeynon.co.uk
  

All I get is a dreaded page not found 404 error. Pipex web pages don't indicate anything wrong with the service, and no reports of an outage.

I'm seriously considering moving to another ISP or at least moving my websites to a hosted service. Anyone any thoughts on what/who?

I'm getting closer to

Happy Anniversary

Well it's been 16 years today since Mrs Statto and I tied the knot. That day was a rather dull and wet May 29th, when it was supposed to be like today - gloriously hot. C'est la vie. Anyway, it's been a good 16 years so far, long may it continue.

I've had a cracking day. First up, me & the Mrs went to M&S to do a bit of shopping (partly on the pretence of getting each other a gift - neither of us had done so - not because we'd forgotten, but because we'd been so busy. Anyway, a few bob later and we've both added to our summer wardrobe, handy with holidays coming up in July. we also spoilt oursleves by getting some nice stuff for tea as we weren't going out (having been out for daughter's 12th birthday tea yesterday!).

Then it was off to garden centre for a few bits and bobs, although as is always the way it ended up being a bit more than I'd planned. This afternoon it's been gardening, which I really enjoy - I'm no Alan Titchmarsh, but I do like potterning about.

Then I was in charge of aforementioned M&S tea. Chilli & coriander prawns in garlic for starters followed by fillet steak - yum, plus a bottle of bubbly, followed by coffee and Tia Maria (Mrs S) and Metaxa (me).

To round of a great day I burnt a load of wood in the chimenea on the patio as dusk fell and the bats started flying about. There's something hypnotising (for me anyway) about a fire , and the lad in me can't help but poke a good fire with a stick.

Good day.

Pembrokeshire

We've just spent a couple of days down in west, West Wales staying in my sister's caravan. I absolutely love Pembrokeshire as I think I may have mentioned before, it's a rather special place. The coastal scenery is stunning, and the flora and fauna rich and diverse.

This view of Greenscar island just off the entrance to Sova harbour is taken from the "Gribben", a small hill that runs down one side of the fjord like harbour, and is possibly just about my favourite of all places in the area.

The weather was kond to us. Bethan and I swam in the sea on Monday (bloody cold it was too - even with our wetsuits on), and we did a bit of "coasteering" (scrambling over rocks and jumping into the sea), whilst Anne and James walked along the coat path a bit.

Yesterday we drove round to the other side of St Brides Bay to Wooltack Point where the renowned islands of Skomer and Skockholm are a huge attraction for seabirds and those that wish to see them in their natural habitat. After that we went to Marloes beach (also pictured), a huge expanse of sand and rocks - so big, even with a lot of people on it it looked empty.

Ah, well, until the next time.

Happy Christmas - if you want a Palm Pre

Palm247 are reporting that if you want a Palm Pre (and who of you that has owned a Palm device previously doesn't?) it looks like you're going to have wait until Christmas - and even then there might not be many devices available.

Looks like O2 have got the deal, so with the iPhone and the Pre tied up, they've got a big sector of the "consumer" smartphone market cornered.

Cooking

Blimey, at last. Summer. Cripes it's been hot today.

Loverly it is too, and about time. Let's hope there more of this to come over the next couple of months.

I've been cricket coaching with the juniors this morning (checkout our website) and then after a hearty dinner courtesy of mother in law, doing a oad of gardening. Knackered now, and looking forward to a couple of days away as we're off to one of our favourite places - Pembrokeshire for a couple of days tomorrow.

3rd Gen iPhone

Hot on the heels of the announcement that the Palm Pre is going to be available on June 6th (on Sprint in the US) comes a rumour via the iPhone Blog that the next gen iPhone will be available from 17th July.

If you've been waiting to upgrade, you could soon have a very big dilemma...

Heatwave. D'oh

Can you believe this country?

It's been thrashing down with rain for ever, with gale force winds, and the good ole Department of Health is warning us about a heatwave, with top tips for staying cool. How's this for starters.

Paint your house white to reflect the heat. Come on, this is Britain, not Greece. Can you honestly see Mr Smith from 38 Acacia Avenue, Milton Keynes, rushing down to B&Q for an 8 gallon drum of whitewash because some twerp says we're going to have a heatwave? I think not. Here are the other "top tips".

• Shade south and west-facing windows
• Plant small trees and shrubs around buildings
• Replace metal blinds with curtains with white linings to reflect heat outwards where possible

I especially like the one about planting small trees and shrubs. By the time they've grown big enough to shade us, I'll be dead or global warming will mean they're under water!

Let me know if you see the sun. No sign of it here in South Wales for weeks.

Palm Pre...coming....very slowly

The Palm Pre is coming. Honest. We first knew about this device back in January, and despite many dodgy YouTube videos and an occasional spot of one "in the wild", Palm have been keeping amazingly shtum about this device, or more specifically when it will be available.

That's led many to believe that in fact it might never really materialise, going the way of the famed Foleo, and you have to wonder about Palm's motives for not giving anything away in terms of release dates or indeed upping the hype about this, especially in the wake of the forthcoming iPhone 3.0 OS and probably next gen iPhone device.

Still, Palm presumably have a plan. And word on the street is that June 7th is the likely date, though whether we'll see it here in the UK then is debatable.

I have to say that what I've seen of this device (the glossy Palm website aside) which amounts to a few of those dodgy YouTube videos, I'm very impressed, and very much have the "want one" factor. It just oozes "hold me".

Sadly (though not too sadly) I'm tied to my iPhone contract for a good while yet, although that will give me time to assess real usability from the inevitable early adopters (Shaun at PDA247, Murray from Palm-Mac and Philippa (another 247 stalwart) to name a few).

I'm going to be particularly interested in things like signal reception, battery life and stability, perhaps Palm's biggest issues with their Treo and Centro ranges.

Purse an Owl?

Rumour has it that City's Darren Purse is to sign for Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday, although the deal is not yet done.

Many people will be glad to see him go - he's proven a liability at times, and his style of football, is, well, crude to say the least.

I've mixed feelings. He's served the club well, proved far more passionate than many, knows his limitations, and has been warming the bench for most of last season. But he wants, regular first team football, and you can't blame him for wanting out.

He proved against the Jacks in our home match against them that he can still perform at this level, though he's too inconsistent for my liking.

If he goes, and he'll surely go somewhere, I wish him well.

New look PDA247

One of my favourite and daily visited mobile device sites PDA247 has undergone a radical facelift.

It looks sharp and clean, but personally I find the adverts a bit more obtrusive and the layout a little confusing at the moment. Maybe in time I'll get used to it, but it's a bit strange at the moment.

Luckily, the regular news stories and forum is there and all the old stalwarts who add their comments are still there too. It's a really helpful and informative site for all things mobile - quite refreshingly covering all mobile device platforms.

Keeper's everywhere

About the only thing you can guarantee about Cardiff City, is that they'll get through about 8 keepers a season.

True to form, having just missed out on the play-offfs, and sent on-loan glovemen Tom Heaton, Stuart Taylor and Dimi Cantstopalot back to their respective clubs, City have moved very quickly to snap up David Marshall from relegated Norwich.

Marshall has played for Celtic in the Champions League, and is well rated. He joins the only other senior keeper, Peter Enckleman on the playing staff. No doubt we'll get another 3 or 4 in before the new season starts...

Weather with you

Heard "Aggers" (Jonathan Agnew) the erstwhile Test Match Special cricket commentator mention this site today - raintoday.co.uk.

He was saying at 11am that there would be no chance of play at the Riverside today in the Test match after visiting this site and seeing the rain picture.

Guess what - he was right, it's a total washout today.

Nifty site - does what it says on the tin - provides a visual representation of where the rain is, and where it's most heavy. Could be quite handy

iPhone battery update

I ran the iPhone battery right down as I said I was going to, and then fully charged again overnight. The immediate impression was that the battery was lasting a little better after that, but still seemed to be discharging fairly quickly compared to the rest of the time that I've had it.

Anyway, got home from Harrogate and the battery's been fine - back to normal, despite a seemingly comparable signal to the time I spent in North Yorkshire. Now either one of two things is happening.

Either I'm not using the device as much here as when I was away (I can't say I've consciously noticed this), or despite an apparently similar signal showing, something spooky is going on "up North".

It really is quite bizarre. At home, I have 3G switched on all day and rarely get down below 50% of battery remaining. During my time in Harrogate I had 3G and wifi switched off, and was getting as low at 10% remaining, complete with low battery warning.

Care to explain that to me?

Home soon

All done in Harrogate. My work here is finished, so a quiet evening and then home after breakfast tomorrow.

I'll be glad to get back. Been on the go pretty much since last Tuesday, and frankly I'm knackered.


-- Post From My iPhone

iPhone battery

I'm away in Harrogate at the moment, and there must be something funny about the area. Since I arrived on Saturday my iPhone has been losing it's battery charge abouttwi e as quickly as usual.

At first I thought it might be beacuse it was struggling to pick up and hold on to a 3G signal, so I turned 3G off but it continues to lose charge pretty quickly.

I'm going to let the battery completely discharge as many forums suggest that a complete discharge cycle once a month keeps batteries in tip top shape. I on the other hand almost never let the battery run down completely and charge overnight every night.

I'll let you know how I get on.


-- Post From My iPhone

Working away

Fairly quiet on the blogging front at the moment as I'm working away for a few days. Came up to Harrogate yesterday, here until Wednesday for RCN Congress. Long days, and if you're not carefull even longer nights!

All good fun, but tiring and really miss the family.


-- Post From My iPhone

RCN Congress

As some of my readers know, and some don't, I work for the Royal College of Nursing. This week is the big event of the year - RCMN Congress, this year held in Harrogate.

I'm here from Sarursay through to Wednesday helping with the registration of delegates and exhibitors - I have about 12 of my team down. It'll be long days and long nights!


-- Post From My iPhone

I don't like cricket....I love it

It's been a busy weekend. As regular readers of this erstwhile blog will know, I'm involved in the local cricket scene, and since being elected Chairman of the club (mostly because no-one else wanted to do it!) last autumn it's been non-stop. By my reckoning, I'm now, Chairman, webmaster (www.dinaspowyscc.co.uk), Under 15 Coach, i/c sorting club clothing (match shirts, leisure wear etc). My son also plays, and despite my dodgy kne and a constant threat to retire completely, I've even been wheeled out to play this weekend (scored 22 as well!).

It feels like I'm up at the club every day - and if I'm not there I'm on the phone, or email or text about cricket. This weekend I spent all afternoon watching our 1st XI, Sunday afternoon playing in our Welsh Cup game (with my son in the side - very proud), and all afternoon today watching same son play his second game of weekend in near arctic conditions.

I'm going to work for a rest tomorrow. Then, tomorrow evening we have a committee meeting, Wednesday is a night off (we have a senior Midweek match but I must remind my wife who her husband and father of her children is by showing my face at home!). Thursday the Junior league starts so I'm off with the U15's, and then Friday is another night off - before I disappear off to Harrgate for nearly a week with work. Blimey. Life wasn't this busy before..... so if my posts are less frequent, I apologise...

Heartache: Sheff Weds 1-0 City

City missed out on a play off spot after the were beaten at Hillsborough and Preston beat QPR. The 6-0 thumping by Preston came home to haunt Cardiff as they lost out by goal difference to the Deepdale outfit.

It's a gut wrenching moment for all City fans, who 3 games ago were looking at automatic promotion, but one point from the last 12 on offer is a horror end to the season, and ultimately City have paid the price.
Those late goals conceded at Reading & Birmingham to name a couple show what could have been, but it's another season in the Championship for the Bluebirds next term.

The only question remaining, is how many of the current squad will be there when we start again...

Gutted, gutted, gutted.

You wait all day for a bus, then 3 come along at once...

Well, here we are waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) for Palm's much talked about Pre to hit the shelves and how it's going to save Palm, and lo and behold, before we can get our grubby hands on it, Palm announce (allegedly), that they're going to release another webOS device, cunningly named the Palm Eos. This will be a small, thin phone with a front mounted hardware keyboard. The photos floating around the 'net at the moment look "well dodgy" and may well be a a Photoshop mockup. It's an interesting device though, and will no dobt appeal to many Blackberry users who might have once been addicted to Palms.

And then, with 2 nonexsistent devices in the pipeline (OK, the Pre at least has been seen and handled by some though it's not yet available to ordinary mortals), Shaun over at PDA-247 suggests that the time might be ripe for the Foleo, another Palm device that never saw the light of day to make a re-appearance as a webOS device.

That might be rather a neat call, but....what have we actually got?

One device that was formally announced months ago, and no-one knows when or even if it's going to appear. One device announced a couple of days ago that appears to exist only as a mockup in some software program. And one device that's already been consigned to the skip once before it saw the light of day.

Palm must either be incredibly clever, or incredibly stupid.

Rock on Palm!

Cardiff City Stadium

The Bluebirds new stadium now has it's own official logo. The stadium managed by Cardiff City Stadium Limited, and inspirationally called "Cardiff City Stadium" opens it's doors in July just over the road from the antiquated Ninian Park where City have played for the last 99 years.

The ground will be shared by the Bluebirds and Cardiff Blues regional rugby, and the naming of the stadium is a bit of an interesting point.

At one stage we (the fans) were told that one of the saving graces of the massive debt that City had accrued (£30 million+ if some reports were to be believed) would at least be offset by the fact the the naming rights were worth £9m. Yeah, right. Well clearly no-one's spent £9m on "Cardiff City Stadium". However, that may change in the future when it becomes inevitably, something else (how about the "Sam Hamman Dome" - remember Langston? Sorry - CCFC in joke, and a bad one at that)

Anyhow, the cynical amongst us (see the Thin Blue Line fanzine for one - a great read by the way) note that having cunningly called the place "Cardiff City Stadium", the Bluebirds have jostled the egg chasers slightly out of the picture, whilst the words "Cardiff City" are ever prominent.

Of course, the other take is that it's "Cardiff - (the) City Stadium", and the new logo above keeps that view by having the words "City Stadium" at one size, whilst "Cardiff" could be taken to refer to either the Bluebirds, or the Blues. Oh, how much clever politicking thought has gone into such a seemingly innocuous name and logo.

I bet someone paid someone £9m for that.