Speed

Though Apple touts that the iPhone 5 is faster with its dual-core A6 processor, it wasn’t fast enough to beat out Samsung’s Exynos quad-core processor. At 1.4GHz, it’s clear that Samsung is running laps while the iPhone 5, at 1.2GHz, is still wading in the kiddie pool. So, if you did go with the iPhone 5, it might be faster than the iPhone 4S, but if you were hoping for the fastest, you should have been looking at Samsung’s latest offering. On the other hand, if you like staring at your phone, waiting for it to upload that pic of a sunset on the beach, you might be sitting in pitch darkness when it gets on to your Twitter account.

Image Capturing

Even with their designer culture and artsy customer base, Apple’s camera also came in second to Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Apple’s iPhone camera has a lower megapixel count (1.2 mp) than the Galaxy’s resolution at 1.9 mp. Plus, you have the option to change the resolution of your image on the Galaxy and not on the iPhone 5. However, the iPhone 5 does have a very handy color-correct and auto-focus function that is on par with that of a professional photographer’s equipment, which the Galaxy claims to also have, but doesn’t deliver even close in an image comparison. Of course, sharpness and color brightness might not mean a whole lot to users who use a smartphone camera for Twitter or Facebook posts, but wouldn’t it be cool to get close to professional shots on a phone?

Apps and Maps

Perhaps the most talked about misfire that Apple made on the iPhone 5, aside from its susceptibility to scuffing, was its Apple Maps App. In a epic fail attempt to out-awesome Google’s Maps, Apple decided to pass on including Google Maps on iPhone 5 and opted to create its own map app from the ground up. This debacle was so disappointing that Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, issued an apology for the absolutely useless system. Complaints that the images of locations are not as clear as they appear in Google maps are petty compared to the real issue at hand, that the app doesn’t offer correct directions, locations or claims that actual locations don’t exist at all.

SmartPhone for Dummies Factor

Yeah, the iPhone 5 might be the easier to manage mobile device, but Samsung’s NFC technology is not connected to an “Apple only” mode of storing video, images and music, unlike the iPhone 5 which keeps everything exclusively in “the cloud.” Sure, keeping your data, art, images and music all in one convenient, easy to access place might seem great, but what if that cloud is hacked? What if you want to get music or images that are not Apple iCloud based? Are we to expect the world to convert over to the Apple empire? Well, maybe, but in the meantime, if you want to share music between operating systems without being an engineer and you don’t mind developing a little bit of tech sense, go with the Samsung Galaxy S III, you might not be considered the cool kid, but at least you won’t be limited to downloading from iTunes only, and that means you can save money too because with Android JellyBean, soon Samsung phones won’t have to worry about downloading audio, video or books from Google Play.

There are benefits to owning both phones, but when it comes to speed, efficiency, durability and the ability to change and adapt to technology with ease, Samsung’s Galaxy S III rises to the top of the heap and knocks Apple’s iPhone 5 out of the ballpark. Which is alarming, since Apple’s iPhone has been the number one name in smartphones for years. Perhaps it’s time to make way for a new heavy-weight champion.

Authored By:

Carmen Diego

Brings her Mac where ever she goes and loves everything Apple. She is crazy about the new iPad mini.

Mozilla stated that even though they support a more secure internet, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, CISPA, is too vast and based on its writings, implies alarming plans that go beyond security. The technology company wrote to Forbes reporter Andy Greenberg that the bill causes damage to their privacy and has ambiguous details regarding cybersecurity. Security is one thing but CISPA goes on to provide immunity to companies and government that are too broad around information misuse.

Mozilla is officially the first major tech company to openly speak against CISPA. The Bill passed in a 248-168 vote and the same day Microsoft came out with their statement that their support was declining and that any new legislation must permit them to honor privacy and security promises the company makes to the customer. Despite the statement, Microsoft has not withdrawn the support till now.

Other technology companies that are in favor of the bill are Oracle, Symantec, Verizon, AT&T, Intel, and trade association CTIA. The last one basically includes representatives of Sybase, Nokia, Qualcomm and T-Mobile. If put forward by the Senate, CISPA would not officially permit the NSA or Homeland Security any further surveillance power.

However it would still give rise to a new way of information sharing between companies and government agencies with restricted oversight and privacy safeguards.

Regarding the Senate, Mozilla said that they hope the Senate fully looks over and considers these issues with stakeholder input before going ahead with this novel piece of legislation. It is true that America is under a grave threat of cyber attack. It is also true that the attack isn’t merely from hackers inside the country but foreign cyber weapons such as those being billed by Russia and China are competing against those America has at the moment.

The basic reason for overall opposition is that the bill may use private information and won’t really know what to do with that information. There is also the talk about how many personal details should the government being looking out for and how much they would need. If there were to be a threat of cyber attack, there is a vast spectrum as to how the threat could be propagated.

Privacy is a major concern from a teenager wanting it from their parents to the citizens of a country demanding from its government. Parents have found ways to combat the demand for privacy by spyware applications which are now commonly installed in the phones of their kids. These apps from Mobistealth or Flexispy are being used to supervise kids and thus keep them safe and secure. But the point opposition is trying to make here is, that not everyone in America is a kid and not everyone is a risk to the cybersecurity.

Representative Jared Polis who is a Colorado Democrat and onetime Web entrepreneur stated that CISPA would basically waive off every privacy law ever taken out in the name of cybersecurity. He said that allowing the NSA and military to supervise on Americans on American land is basically going against every principle the country was established on.

The future of CISPA is now headed to the Senate where related cybersecurity legislation has been delayed for years. The Senate Majority leader stated that he wished to go ahead with this legislation in May. By the looks of opponents rallying and the degree of debate, the outlook is uncertain.

Tapcloud Game

A new and fresh game that Qubop made that makes use of the camera, the gyros, and other hardware in the phone. The clouds are randomly generated around you in 3D space, find them, tap them, and get points. See the world through the camera and play the game layered on top of reality.

The game is free until the next release.

You have 2 minutes. Go!

Screenshots of the game play:

Tapcloud, Played by Golden Gate Bridge

Tapcloud, played indoors

Video below…

Video of how to play:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft37W1wRE1k

User uploaded video:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ-6QJPmI60

Here is a cut and paste from the site.

Old Spice Voicemail Message Generator

You may be aware of a recent Old Spice advertising campaign featuring a handsome man in absurd situations.

He has posted a video on YouTube that could be used to prepare a personalized voicemail message (and then another one for ladies).

This page generates such messages for you. Choose the parts of the message that you want and press “generate”. You’ll get an MP3 file with your message.

Since there were many questions about it: this website doesn’t send the message to your phone. It just makes an MP3 file (the phone number is only there because it can be included in the message).
You have to figure out how to set the message on your voicemail by yourself.
It’s likely that your best bet is holding the phone to your computer’s speakers while recording the message.

Drop me an email if you have any questions or comments: jfedor@jfedor.org.

I disabled the generator, but here are the options as of now…  Go here to make the mp4

Ah Dollar coins.  We still have then you know.  For those that ride the subway and pay cash or visit the post office vending machines, has most likely received gold dollar coins as change..  So what do you do with it?  If you have kids most like give it them, else try to spend those guys as fast as you can because you know when you get home, you will put them in a stack or in a jar and most likely never use them again till your short of cash or just want to piss off your buddy when paying off a bet.  However, what if you REALLY embraced dollar coins?  Its not too crazy. When I lived in England I really gave pound coins the old collage try.  Even sporting a hip (at least at 1600’s standards) coin sack tied to my belt loop. I was an indie/punk musician at the time so someone trying to nick my bag was not a concern.   However, the bloody awful click click did get to me and I fell into the old habit of keeping a collection in a wicket bowl.  But someone has decided its time for a come back, so with pride I reprint sworddance.com/blog

Party like it’s 1611 aka living credit card and (dollar) bill-free

Late last year I found out from a friend that the U.S. Mint is making a strong effort to get the $1 Coin into circulation. For no shipping and handling fees, the U.S. Mint will send to consumers $1 Coins through the $1 Coin Direct program.

So I ordered, A few days later…

For over a month now I have been paying for everything with coin! No bills, no credit cards. The only exceptions have been my transit card and online transactions, including the coin purchase. $100 dinner, all in coin! $180 drug prescription – all in coin! Babysitting? coin!

Instead of carrying a wallet I now carry a money bag! People have asked about the weight. A $1 coin weighs about 8g so a $1000 weighs about 17.6 pounds. $50 dollars weighs about a pound. This must be horrible! Actually, no:

1. I carry my laptop with me anyhow so an extra pound is not horrible.
2. It is easy to control spending, carrying the extra weight means I just take exactly what I am willing to spend and no more. Really easy to stay in budget when all you have is coin!

The reactions have been all over the place:

• “Are these quarters?”
• “Are they collectables?”
• “Are they gold?” ( Uncirculated $1 coins are shiny )
• “What? Fine.” (And then dumps them in the drop safe)
• “Are they real?”
• “Do I have to take them to the bank?”
• “I love them, you are taking Caltrain, right?” (Coffee house)
• “We don’t pass them out as change.” (Safeway)
• “Sounds like a good idea but don’t you have to spend time converting them to bills?” (Safeway manager – apparently the idea of using money as money is a new concept)
• “I am going to give them to my wife” (A waiter who bought up the $100 in $1 coins that we paid for dinner with)
• “My company gives them out as a sign of good luck during the New Years.”
• “I am going to give these to my kids in the Christmas stockings”

Clearly, the Mint has a ways to go in the educational department, if cashiers are uncertain if the $1 coin is even money!

This program is a great deal for consumers. This is a cash advance through the U.S. government! WTF? Yeap! Lets look at a “traditional” cash advance:

There are lots of really great iphone games out there, but sometime you want a game that does not take too much investment to learn or long term focus. These are simple additive games that you can call up and play while waiting in line or on the subway or wherever you have a quick 10-15 min to kill. So, in typical top ten format, my choices for the best simple additive iphone games out there.  I know there are no images posted.  I’ll get to it. Remember, this blog is written first, edited later.

10. Monster truck TN

This is a fun monster truck game where you have to navigate a monster truck through a 2d course trying to keep it level with the track while beating the preset time to get gold silver or bronze .Through out the game you will unlock two new trucks, a school bus and an indie 500 car. This game is a very simple racing game but still really fun.

9. Paper Toss

This is a pretty popular game that I played for a while that’s addictive. The goal of this game is to throw a ball of paper into a trash can and keep the longest streak you can going. You also have to watch out for the fan because the faster the fan speed the farther your paper ball will go off course.  The graphics are pretty good for this.

8. Icopter

This helicopter game is a game that I always played on the computer and was pretty excited when they brought it to itouch. First you set the speed and gravity and then navigate throught the course lifting your finger off and on the screen trying to last as long as possible.

7. Trace

I haven’t gotten to into this game yet but it is still really fun. There are over a hundred different levels to chose from. There is a little guy who you can make go left and right and jump, but the part of the game is that you draw your own map from point A to B trying to get around all of the obstacles of the map.

6. Blooms TD

This is your classic tower defense game except with the bloons twist. You can buy things such as monkeys, boomerangs, cannons, and supermonkey’s to try and pop all of the bloons before they navigate through the map. Although simple it is one of the most addictive games I have ever played but not enough to make number 1.. yet.

5. Touchgrind

This is a touch skateboarding game a lot like other skateboarding games you have played except in this one you have an arial view and your middle and index finger to all the work of riding ollieing and grinding while on the board.

4. Cube Runner

This is another game that came from the internet and is very simple. All you have to do is guide your arrow through the levels without hitting the blocks by tilting your itouch or iphone. The best part of this game is how smooth the graphics are. I have the feeling this was originally created to test out displaying graphics and working with the tilt, and turned into a game.  This game has been around since the 2.0 days of the iphone. Perhaps before that.

3. Bloons

Bloons is another tower defence type of game and I am really surprised if someone hasn’t heard of this game as it was really popular on the web about a year ago, thus I’m sure that it will become popular on the iphone.  There are fifty levels with different bloon configurations and your monkey is allotted a certain amount of darts to pop as many of the of bloons to pass through the path.

2. Line Rider

This used to be my favorite game of all time. What you do it draw a course using the touch screen making jumps and loopty loops. When your down designing your course, you click ‘play’ and your little line rider on his sled will go and follow your course using the physics of gravity, friction and collision. Pretty impressive really. They even made a McDonalds commercial from the nonIphone version. Pretty crazy really. There is a link at the bottom of this post.

1. DoodleJump

This game definitely has to be my all time favorite game ever. A lot like the game papi jump except you are a weird elephant thing and you get items such as springs, spring shoes,trampolines, and jet packs along the way. You can also change the scheme of the game by changing the highscore name to ooga and snow.

And thus my list.  I’ll update it now and again.  Have better suggestions? Let me know and I’ll give it a try.

McDonalds Line Rider commercial

As a social media consultant it’s always important for me to be “connected” not just to clients or friends, but to information on the web.   Of course, not all of the apps I use are necessarily for business, but many of the ones I have listed here are.  A lot of these apps don’t even have much to do with social media consulting, but that’s what I am and these are the apps I use (not jailbroken, at which Chris shakes his head)

Twittelator

Twitter has been a tremendous resource and valuable networking tool, so naturally I try to stay connected even when I am not around my PC.  Twittelator is my favorite free way to stay connected to the various conversations on twitter.

Google

Google has a great app available that allows you to access things such as your RSS feed, Goog 411, News, etc.  Part of being a consultant means you have to know what’s going on in the social media space…all the time.  I’ll be honest, the thing I use the most from the Google app is the RSS feed, this allows me to stay up to date on the latest social media news and technologies.  If you need a free portable way to access your RSS feeds, the Google app is for you.

IM+Lite

This application is pretty much an all around chat app.  I use it to connect with people on aim and gchat when I’m traveling around.  Fring is another one you can check out, I haven’t used it but have heard good things.

Facebook

Truth be told I use facebook mainly as an event management tool.  I use facebook to find out about new events in my area and as a calendar.  While I do like the facebook app one shortcoming I have noticed is that it doesn’t let me view various events.  Still, it’s a good app for connecting with people on the go.

News Apps, i,e. NY Times, USA Today

The various news apps out there are great, I can stay up do date on everything from economic news to tech news.  The apps are easy to navigate and read which is a huge plus.  I can scan an article in about a minute on iphone, so it’s a huge time saver and an efficient way to read the news.

Chess

Eh what can I say I’m a huge chess nerd, by far my most favorite app is called chess with friends.  Chess with friends is an app that lets me play games against contacts or random folks on the network.  I usually have at least 5 games going at a time and I can make a move at my leisure.  If you like chess then this is a must have app!

Pandora

Do I really need to explain this one?  Free streaming music on the go anywhere?  Ya, it’s amazing

There are plenty of other apps I use out there, the list can go on and on.  I’m also a big fan of apps such as linkedin, yelp, urbanspoon, around me, etc.  But the ones I listed above are my favorites…for now.  That is until I jailbreak my phone and will have the ability to tether my iphone to my laptop, when that day comes, then you might see a different favorite app post from me

In the meantime connect with me on twitter