I’m currently writing this article on a Microsoft Surface running Windows RT and I have to say I kind of like it. The construction is on par with the iPad. The case is nice and stiff, it doesn’t twist or bend. I like to twist tablets from opposite corners. The iPad doesn’t deflect at all, nor does the Surface. The Samsung Galaxy tab on the other hand deflects quite a bit and feels cheap by comparison.

I’ve had an iPad for quite a while now and one of the nicest features of the Surface has to be the keyboard. I thought it wouldn’t be hold up for typing lager amounts of text, but it is surprisingly responsive. I do think that it has a lot to do with the fact I can touch type, a hunter-pecker may have greater difficulty using the keyboard. And I kind of wish that the indents on the home keys were on the top of the key instead of the bottom. Maybe it is because I want my fingers to be resting in the groove instead of finding the groove and moving my fingers up. I do like that I’m not smudging my screen while I type, and don’t loose half the screen to a keyboard. I can’t imagine that I’d ever leave the Surface keyboard cover behind, like I would the Bluetooth keyboard I have for my iPad, so it is very useful. Because the OS is Windows, it is also nice that they included a trackpad with left & right mouse buttons.

The screen is quite nice with a good resolution and nice and wide and with the kickstand far more stable than an iPad with it’s cover rolled up for it to stand up. The kickstand even works well on a lap, although it would be nice if the keyboard were a bit stiffer. The white on black keyboard almost appears backlit in a dark room from just the light off the screen, making it very easy to use in low light.

l don’t have a stylus, but even my cursive with just my finger was recognized very well. Well enough that l decided to write two sentences with the handwriting input. The only error was a spelling mistake on my part. Now either it is very good at handwriting recognition or maybe my cursive is textbook, I’m sure it is something in the middle, but I’m very impressed.

The battery life is on par with the iPad. I found I could get 2 days of occasional use out of it before having to recharge.

The one problem I have run into over the past few days, is that the Surface doesn’t load applications like a tablet. It is slow to load. There are a lot of loading screens. The unlocking feature, is also slow, there is a wait indicator and it takes 5-10 seconds to get going. Coming from an iPad, that’s a long time to wait just to pick an application.

Overall, I think I’d hold off on a Surface until the Pro has come out. It is supposed to run full Windows 8 (not RT) and have a Intel i5 processor. It should significantly cut down on load times, and offer a wider range of software.

You were the best dog ever. I really miss you.



April 2002 – Aug 8, 2012

I’m in the process of transferring my 8 domains off of GoDaddy’s service after reading about their CEO and his elephant hunt. Since the CEO speaks for the company, I can no longer in good conscience continue to do business with GoDaddy.

Update: NameCheap.com is offering a discount on transfers using the promo code ELEPHANT

Dear Apple,

Thanks for 4.2 on my iPad, but I really want the switch on the side to lock the screen again.

For the vast majority of the time I use my iPad without any sound, and spend a good deal of time locking the rotation via the switch. I’d like that feature back. I find using the multitask switcher clunky and awkward.

I’m also reminded of the Camera+ application when they re-assigned a volume button as a shutter button for photos. Your company rejected the app from the store because, it uses the volume buttons in a “non-standard way, potentially resulting in user confusing,” Source: AppleInsider

That is exactly what you have done with this change. Without reading the release notes, and after using my iPad for 6 months, how exactly was I to know why the button changed? So, where is the consistency? Do as I say, not as I do comes to mind.

Today on my ride to work, like any other day, I stopped at Tim Hortons to get my bagel. Unfortunately, the interact system was down and I couldn’t pay with my card. Exiting the store still hungry and a little annoyed, a nice gentleman who had asked me previously about my bike offered to buy my breakfast, awesome! But as he lent me the $2, an employee walked out carrying my bagel, they had already made it when they saw me pull up.

I’ll pay for it on Monday.

I used the 3M Headlight Restoration kit, which I must say worked extremely well. See the results for yourself.

Apple has a media event planed for later today, where they plan to announce something.

Now, this morning, while listening to CFRB 1010, a trusted News agency, they reported that it would be in fact an Apple Tablet, reporting it’s size somewhere between an iPhone and a laptop.  It would play music, display books and movies and cost around $1,000.

ALL of that is conjecture and speculation.  None of it is fact.  Since Apple has yet to announce the product, and they wouldn’t announce it to separate news agencies before their event, my news report contained fabrications.  Statements portrayed as Truth with no reliable source to back them up.

This kind of main stream reporting tends to happen more frequently in the technology sector.  Especially with high profile consumer electronics where there is a LOT of conjecture by the technology blogs, including cleverly created images depicting mock-ups of these fictitious devices.

I’m going to wait and see what the announcement is, because it does interest me as a person who enjoys technology. Who knows maybe this mornings lies will be this evenings truths. But it doesn’t excuse the lie.

Do you really want to know what makes Apple stand apart from other cellphone companies? Two words, Customer service.

Compared to my experiences with other phones, Apple’s iPhone support has been vastly superior. For example, I had a Nokia phone (I’ve had Motorola & Ericson phones too, but I only ever had to get the Nokia fixed), it needed repairs. My cellular company, Rogers, sent me to one of their so called authorized service dealers, after a long argument that the phone was indeed faulty. And an even longer time with the repair center on the phone to Nokia; they gave me a loaner phone. There was no offer to transfer my phone numbers so I grabbed the few I thought I needed, and transfered them to the new phone. Three weeks later, I get a call to come pickup my repaired phone. Total time spent probably 3 hours.

Apple, on the other hand, in both my and Staysea’s experience have been the model of customer service. I booked an appointment online. Showed up at the store. Showed them the dust under the screen. The nice lady, Carina went over to her drawer, pulled out a new iPhone gave me some papers to sign and off I went. 30 minutes, tops. The same level of service was provided when Staysea complained about some hairline cracks in her white iPhone case. A common problem that is recognized by Apple.

Thank you Apple for standing behind your products and making the decision to buy from you again that much more easier.

Don’t buy.

They over sell their network meaning that speeds are abysmal when you want it the most. By extension of their over selling, they clearly don’t know how to manage their infrastructure.

After giving them a week to resolve the issue, and having already spent over a month trying to fix it myself, their only solution was ADSL which is by Bell’s own admission not suitable in my area.

No refund was provided, no apology. Just some smart ass who doesn’t think that 7 days is all that long to leave a customer without quality service.

3web.com cia.com

You know, when I got iPhoto 09 I was really excited about finally doing a book of my trip to Tokyo and Shanghai. But when I tried to put up a map in my book, iPhoto refused to draw an arrow across the Pacific, even though it was the shorter route. I even tried a map from Hawaii to Tokyo, same result, insanely long trip across 3 continents. Boo Apple.