Today Vahl discusses Skyfire, MLB At-bat force close issues, how cool Handcent SMS is, and no 3g in South Carolina and parts of Georgia on I-95.
Vahl talks about how great Launcherpro Plus for the Samsung Captivate. Special thanks go out to Mr. B for recommending this to Vahl!
On today's Mobile in the Real World Podcast, Tony Vahl discussed whether the Burson-Marsteller Facebook incident, where the PR firm was hired to smear Google's Social Circle offering, was an isolated incident or common place in the blogging world.
Vahl also discussed how he reinstalled app killer and vlingo on his Android Samsung Captivate. It turns out the Froyo task manager is not enough to prevent apps running the background, crashing the phone. Also, the vlingo app works well with the Blackberry wired hands-free headset; the Google voice search app does not pick up voice commands when using a hands-free set. This is a glitch in Froyo 2.2 that gets fixed in 2.2.3; unfortunately, AT&T doesn't believe in delivering updates to users.
Finally, Vahl mentioned some cool games that he recommends for the Samsung Captivate, like Pushroll, Move It!, and Dominoes!.
Chrome CR-48:
- Vahl's son has successfully managed to use the Google Voice features
- Vahl has given a spelling test over the Google Voice to his son successfully
- The only problem is the audio gets chopped up on occasion; Vahl theorizes this is an issue with the CR-48 hardware
Android apps:
- Yobrainparty is a great way to watch your brain decline as the work week progresses
- Buzzbox appears to have stopped working; looks like it's heading for the trash....
- MLB At Bat 2011 works great on Vahl's Samsung Captivate
For more, check out the Mobile in the Real World Podcast!
In today's Mobile in the Real World podcast, Tony Vahl talks about two solutions he found for problems he was having with his Samsung Captivate. In the podcast, he mentioned he would link to the message board threads where he found the solutions. Here goes:
- "Update Successful!" followed by "Can't Connect to DM Server" error messages
- How to Recalibrate your Battery after Updating your Samsung Captivate to Froyo
Special thanks to JoeyBear23 and Jack45 for posting these answers in the Android message boards.
Highlights from the Podcast:
- Vahl is sick of hearing how great Open Source is.
- Google needs to turn Android into a "Managed Source" operating system, with much stricter rules of compliance for manufacturers and cell phone carriers.
- When AT&T or Verizon, in answer to your question about your Samsung Captivate or other Android phone, says, "You'll have to do a factory reset," what they are really saying is, "We don't know the answer to your question."
- If an OS update is pushed through after massive testing by AT&T (LOL), Vahl expects his phone to work!
- Windows has the blue screen of death; Android has a black screen. "Is the angel of death behind me?"
- Vahl discovers new ways to freeze his Samsung Captivate on almost a daily basis. He recounts one incident where he was merely trying to make a phone call and the touch screen wouldn't work, and he couldn't escape out of it. "Contacts screen ... back ... black screen ... back ... number pad ... back ... Contacts ... back ... black screen ... back ... number pad ... six or seven times before I gave up!"
- If Android OS continues to have quirky issues 16 months from now, Vahl will make the switch to iPhone. Yes, he will set aside $10 a month starting now so he can afford whatever iPhone is out at that time.
- Vahl is also sick of message board mutants who don't know about the problem being discussed, but just have to opine about how the solution is stupid and the people using that solution don't know what they're doing. All this added noise makes it harder for regular Android users to find the answer they're looking for.
You have to wonder if the Android message board mutants are actually employees of RIM or Microsoft.
On today's podcast, Vahl talks about the Image Aviary Photo Editor web app for Chrome OS and the Picsay app for Android.
The Image Aviary app works in the Chrome browser. So, if you have Windows or Mac, you can try out this Photoshop-style editor on your browser, without having to install new software on your machine!
The Picsay app makes it real easy to add text and effects to photos you take on your Samsung Captivate or other Android device. Vahl is now inspired to do some photo editing on his phone! Who knows? Could another stirring Photo Novella be on the way?
Vahl: "Nah."
Vahl's daughter and son give their initial impressions of the Google Cr-48 laptop. How does Google's netbook appear to elementary school-age kids?
Highlights:
- both Simon and Naomi love the Kid Mode app; dad is amazed by the plethora of math and reading games available
- Simon talks about the ease of use and the intricacies of the touchpad
- dad talks about how the battery life on the Cr-48 is better than his Android Samsung Captivate!
So, overall, the Google Chrome Cr-48 appears to be a great netbook if you're on the go. Their are plenty of great apps, like Aviary photo-editing, that allow you to work like you would normally on a Mac or PC.
However, the one negative is the lack of storage space on the laptop. Vahl theorized that his Android phone, which has more gigabytes of space, could eventually be the storage device for all his music and text files, and he could plug it into the Cr-48 when a file was needed. As of right now, the Cr-48 can charge his Samsung Captivate; Vahl has yet to figure out how to get files off of the phone and unto the laptop.
On today's podcast, Vahl talks mostly about the Cr-48 Chrome laptop that just arrived, and mentions a little bit about Froyo.
Highlights:
- the laptop Vahl got does not appear to be clunky, as the initial wave of laptops were reported to be. Perhaps this is laptop body version 2.0?
- the body, keyboard, and touchpad look just like a 10" Macbook, except it's black; it's not a Mac Air, but it's lighter than Vahl's Macbook and his wife's Compaq
- Vahl is no longer buying the Apple/Google rivalry; "Is this some kind of inside joke? 'Let's take a Mac and Paint It Black?'"
- it is mobile. You can, in theory, access the web anywhere. Not cheap - the Verizon 3g access is actually $9.99 a DAY, not a month. They offer monthly plans; prices are not listed, so it must be Verizon's regular monthly plan for a my-fi device
- Vahl's son will most likely have access to this laptop when he is in in-patient at Duke's Bone Marrow Transplant unit; so far, he finds it easier to use than a Mac; there are a lot of educational games in the Chrome Web Store
- Froyo: Vahl's problem with the phone refusing to turn on without being plugged in has gone away; so, it was a software issue
- Vahl has been getting a lot of Froyo updates over-the-air. A LOT!
- Gmail looks a lot better in Froyo
Part II:
- Froyo and Cr-48 in the same week!
- Chrome OS does not play Netflix yet; Netflix is "working with Google" to resolve this in the next few months; how is it that Nintendo Wii has Netflix, but Android and Chrome don't? Hmm. Nintendo rules!
- Entanglement is a very addictive puzzle game that comes pre-installed in Chrome
- you can use multiple accounts easily; just like having multiple login accounts in Windows
- there is also a Guest account (no login required), where the "questionable looking man in sunglasses, trench coat, and hat" is on the top left corner
- the wi-fi in the Chrome laptop is not very good; it had trouble picking up the router signal. The Mac laptop wi-fi is much better.
- the camera and microphone are on top of the screen, and ready for Google video chat
- Vahl talks about how Eric Schmidt and Steve Jobs are buddy-buddy. The rivalry between Google and Apple is like "The rivalry between Ric Flair and Sting."
- competition between companies is a great marketing ploy (Coke vs. Pepsi comes to mind); it inspires brand loyalty
- the two companies are definitely competitive, but it's not a blood feud like Yankees-Red Sox (Steve Jobs mentioning the Samsung Galaxy S tab during the iPad 2 announcement is proof of this); the Mac body for the Chrome laptop is proof!
- Google and Apple need each other; search engines are like a manual for Apple products like iPhone; Google has products running on iPhone and Mac computers
At last, the glorious moment has arrived. Hear how Vahl managed to update his Samsung Captivate to Android 2.2 Froyo using the Kies Mini software from Samsung (Here are the instructions, if you need it).
Highlights from the podcast:
- Keep your car window closed, Vahl. It causes vibrations on the microphone
- AT&T finally allowed Samsung to push through the Froyo update. Yay!
- Real restrictive method; NOT an over-the-air update; only one way to do it
- The update is only available on PC; Mac users are OUT OF LUCK (Booooooo)
- Kudos to CNN for linking to the instructions for updating the Captivate to Froyo
- Newsflash: Hyperlinks are bad for SEO?
- AT&T apparently does not allow the full version of Kies to update the Samsung Captivate; Vahl speculates that AT&T forcing Samsung to come up with a restrictive Mini version of their software was the source of the delay. We'll find out; the Gingerbread update should happen quickly, right? Ha ha ha. Don't hold your breath!
- Vahl first tried to upgrade the Samsung Captivate on his old Shuttle PC. He did not have enough space on his C: for the upgrade -- 1 gigabyte is needed, apparently
- God bless Thorbjorn in Orlando! WOOOOoooooooh, clap clap clap
- Vahl next went to his wife's lovely "Bottom-of-the-line" Compaq laptop, which runs Vista
- After fun with drivers on Vista, the problem was getting the USB ports to support USB 2.0. Luckily, Microsoft had a handy-dandy Run it! .exe file that fixed the problem within five minutes. After this, Vahl's smartphone was successfully upgraded to Froyo! KUDOS TO MICROSOFT!
- "Einstein's rule of Insanity" now has an exception -- turns out when you repeatedly unplug and plug in your Android phone to Vista, you DO get a different result each time!
- Typical message board nonsense: "If you have a Mac, why would you buy an Android?" Perhaps the Msg Bd Mutant could send me a money order for $200 next time I'm in the market for a smartphone!
- First impressions of Froyo:
-- Much more colorful
-- No need for Vlingo anymore because Google's Voice Search works much better now
-- No need for App Killer anymore; Google's built in Task Manager monitors the memory and makes it easy to clean up the RAM
-- the Playon App now works and plays NETFLIX ON ANDROID!
Vahl did not belabor the point, since Google is up to Honeycomb and Froyo has been out forever. "Down here in the trenches, we just got Froyo, so we're very excited about it. Thank you, Samsung ... for battling with AT&T and getting the job done."
On today's Mobile in The Real World podcast, we learn what happens when you click the Messaging app on an ATT Samsung Captivate in a pressure situation.
Yes, hear how Android 2.1 Eclair chokes in high-leverage situations on the Samsung Captivate. Learn why this is mostly ATT's fault, since they have a history of delaying OS updates on Blackberry, and are showing the exact same poor customer service for Android users.
Also: hear how Google screwed up when they decided to release Android as an open system; Apple iOS is the only smartphone operating system that is updated in realtime. All the other smartphone manufacturers are slaves to ATT's whims and sales plan. As flashy as Android is, the lack of realtime updates pretty much makes it a poor user experience.
It's no wonder polling data indicates that Verizon Droid users plan on switching to Verizon iPhone!
Hear how Vahl may leave ATT over their refusal to update the Samsung Captivate to Froyo operating system.
DailySkew co-founder, along with Damian Hospital. Writer of worlds, politics, parodies, tech, and more. Podcaster of opinions, true stories, cover tunes, and satirical readings. Vahl does voices. He sings. He drives while videocasting. Mr. Multitask.
