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Man cannot live on iPhones alone...

I really like my iPhone 4S.

In fact, by time of usage, it is by far my primary computing device. But after putting it through its paces for a few months, let me tell you this: man cannot live on iPhones alone.

There are plenty of things that this device is well-suited for. On the flip side, there are many things that cannot be easily done (or done at all) on your phone.

Here are a few short reasons why I won't be ditching my laptop anytime soon (though I just might spring for MacBook Air):

- Editing anything longer than three paragraphs. Doing real creation - specifically text - is hard on the small screen. Forget doing anything remotely complex or using tools like Google Docs. Yes, you can access these things, but don't expect to get much done.

-Adding a hyperlink. It still boggles my mind that I am unable to highlight text and add a hyperlink. I can shoot HD video but no linking? Ugh.

-Reading anything longer than one page. Content consumption is generally great in the iPhone, but even with tools like Instapaper and Safari's "Reader" mode, staring at the small screen for too long will wear you down.

So, for light to medium duty, the iPhone does great! Need to knock out some heavy lifting? Look elsewhere.

What have you found to be limitations on your iPhone or Android device that keep you from relying on it for all of your computing needs? Sound off in the comments below.

Why Quiet Reflection Is Hard (Or: Have Devices Rewired My Brain?)

Seattle has experienced some significant weather events in the past few days: a snowstorm that turned into an ice storm that is rapidly warming up and threatening to flood any clogged storm drain, gutter, or alleyway. Schools have been closed for three days, as has my office. While working from home is not new to me, I have found myself facing some new challenges with this slight schedule alteration.

Namely: I find it very difficult to sit in a quiet room by myself.

Most of us have trouble sitting alone, quietly, doing nothing. We have the need to do something, to check our inboxes and social media, to be productive. Sitting still can be difficult if you haven’t cultivated the habit.

I had the opportunity to do just this over the past few, snowy days. No TV, no Pandora, no iPad or iPhone. It was hard.

I've tried several things to help keep my brain from distraction:
  • turning off notification sounds on my devices (particularly troublesome when they're all in one room - a single email triggers three or four nearly-but-not-quite-simultaneous chimes);
  • working on only one thing at a time;
  • the Pomodoro technique (but instead of 25/5, I do 8 minutes of hard, targeted work, followed by 2 minutes of doing whatever I want. I like this web-based timer to help me keep track.)
And still, it's hard.

I do begin to wonder if the constant compulsion to check my devices, responding to any sound, refreshing my timelines, and writing back to any email as soon as I can has begun to change me in some fundamental way. Will I ever be able to scale back and recover some of my attention span? Should I go cold turkey and turn everything off? Will there be a long, drawn-out, and difficult detoxing period like other addictions?

I don't know.

Perhaps merely being consciously aware of these changes will help. 

Perhaps not.

Please wait while your TV reboots...

That's the message I saw when I turned on my TV after dinner last night. Turns out, my TV was downloading and installing a new firmware update. This may seem weird now, but it's something we should all get used to.

My TV, a Vizio, came with an assortment of 'webapps' pre-installed. All we had to do was point it towards our WiFi network, and we were free to link out accounts with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu+.

This latest firmware update brought two new apps to my TV: YouTube and Skype. This is significant for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that new networks and services can be added to existing hardware with no need to upgrade - something all consumers can appreciate.

The addition of YouTube, in my mind, truly validates the service as a content distribution platform. The battle for the living room is in full-swing this week as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) takes place in Las Vegas. Instead of battling others, however, YouTube has side-stepped the battle by making themselves available to all manufacturers and platforms, ensuring that they continue to reach their audience.

Finally, by adding Skype and the ability to add an external video camera (at additional cost, of course) we are seeing the first signals of true convergence. In the very near future, operating systems and devices will matter much less than today. Instead, you'll access apps and services from whichever screen is most convenient: mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop, television, car, refrigerator, etc.

For anyone who thought that apps were a fad, I can tell you now that they're not. In fact, the app mentality, mechanisms, and ecosystem are now driving product and design decisions on your TV, in your car (ref. Ford's SYNC platform, Toyota's recent entry), and beyond. I don't know that this is an entirely good thing, but it's certainly something to be aware of.

Gotta run - I think my TV is finally done updating.

My Technology Adoption Barometer

With all the punditry going on in the new media space these days, it can get tough to tell what's hot and what's hype.

This problem gets compounded if you're a power user or early adopter, like myself. From here, it's easy to see the merits of everything, or think about how you "could make it work" rather than judging a technology or product merely on its own.

So what's a technologist to do? I use a low tech solution: my mom.

If my mom can use a technology with minimal phone support from me, it's ready for prime time (congrats, iPod. Not so much, iTunes.)

When my mom starts asking questions that may indicate an assisted purpose, I know that the market penetration and consumer awareness levels are fairly high (I'm looking at you, MacBook Pro).

But when my mom goes out and gets it on her own, and manages to get setup without my help, file this thing is seriously disruptive! Very few technology products ever reach this pinnacle, but a new one has today:

The iPhone 4S

That's right. My mom got an iPhone on her own, negotiated the contract terms with AT&T, activated it, added contacts, AND called me from it - all without my help.

The iPhone, ladies and gentlemen, has truly arrived as a mainstream consumer device, joining the ranks of the television and the radio (and honestly not much else).

I'm also proud of my mom for taking this technological leap all on her own! I'm looking forward to getting some FaceTime soon!

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