I am a podcast addict

I don't even remember when it started it has been so long ago.  I think the forerunner was when I discovered a place you could go to download old time radio programs.  I love those things.  In my search for those I found that there are people that are making the equivalent of radio talk show programs with current news and topics that you can download and listen to at your own time and convenience and best of all for me at your own listening speed.  I have been hooked ever since.

Just to let you know, my favorite app is still the for Android Podcast Addict.  It takes a little time to learn but it is intuitive enough.  It does a pretty good job of finding and managing pods and my favorite part is you can take it too 11.  Okay not quite 11 but 5X if you are so inclined. That is fast even for me.  I can run many things around 3X which means I can get it an hour program in about 20 minutes, just about right for a nice walk.  Except for Tony Robbins who gets excited and talks faster than most or Roy H. Williams whose Monday Morning Memo is so rich and deep I have to slow it down so I can take it all in.  I can set each pod to play at its own best speed and adjust on the fly if I need to.  It occasionally goes fuzzy at those higher speeds when the screen goes to sleep on my old Amazon Fire phone but beyond that one thing it is a solid app.

I am still looking for the best solution for my Apple iPhone.  They have a player but it only goes to 2X which is a step backward for me so right now friends and family look at me funny and are always asking me why do you carry around two phones?

So what is a Pod exactly?  The best way to describe it is a mini radio program though some are starting to delve into video.  The topics are all over the place and there is sure to be something you would be interested in, and it is easy to subscribe to an individual Podcast where you can work your way through all the episodes they have produced or just select individual episodes from whomever based on your favorite subject matters just search on a word and see what comes up.

If you are into lifelong learning there are pods that will teach you just about any subject you can think of.  If there is a passion you have in any area of life, there are others that share that passion and are producing a podcast about it.  If you are into self-development, religion, science, planes, trains and automobiles, politics, business, health, fitness, language, winners and losers, and everything in between you can probably find something that someone has done a show about it.  And if you can't find something then feel free to start producing your own.  Just came back here a let us know about it.  I am loving it.

Many people have gotten their introduction to podcast by word of mouth from friends and many get their first taste from one of the highly popular Pods such as Tim Ferris of four hour work week fame, Freakonomics, or This American Life or one of the NPR productions, such as Paula Poundstone Institute or the Ted Radio Hour though I think I prefer the actual Ted Talks themselves which you can also find.

The production values are better with the bigger budgets but I find the that smaller self produced stuff is every bit as good and often has higher quality content, especially if you are getting burned out on political correctness and people with an agenda.  Don't get me wrong, there is some junk out there...a lot of junk and of course some of it I will listen to anyway like a wreck you can't help but look at but my bar is getting ever higher as I realize that 1. I am not getting any younger and so time is a factor and I want to spend time to the best value added activities possible and 2. It is a big world out there, a really really big world out there.  If what you are listening to now ain't cutting it then go ahead and move on.  There is a good chance that the next thing will be better.  The more you experience, the better able you are to recognize and make the better choice.  (Hint: always make the better choice.)

This was my intro entry.  I plan on adding some other entries later telling you what I have been listening to.  I have some can't miss Pods that I look forward to anxiously.  I already mentioned Roy H Williams and his Monday Morning Memo.  I have been following him over 10 years now.  Others I have started at episode one and binge listened till I was current, or at least well on my way.

More to come.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Amazon vs. Apple vs. Google vs. Microsoft vs. Samsung vs. other

and the winner is???

I am willing to wager that you like me have had to wrestle with this battle royale yourself, either in the past, present or to be addressed again in the future and always trying to come to some conclusion as to which is the best way to go.  This has not been easy, and the decisions made do not seem to be permanent.  Things change.  And that means, like Wrestlemania, roll out the roman numerals because even if you found a winner last time, it soon will be time to do it again.

I have been in a constant shopping mod for cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktops and any other electronic gadgetry that comes along that promises to advance my standard of living with the mere transfer of a cash transfusion and a future draft pick to be named later.  I used to thrill to the hunt, leap at the chase, research with relish, and analyse till the cows came home with the confidence that I would know at the end of it all that I could determine what was good, better, best.

It works with cars so why not electronics.  

By looking at the universe of products, you layout a list of features and attributes measured against their effectiveness of meeting certain personal objectives weighted to your biases and desires and rated on your relative scales of values to come up with a very limited number of finalist that make the cut.  You try them on for size, select one, find a store willing to give you the best deal and next thing you know it finds its way home among your most prized possessions.

With cars it is fairly easy to make apples to apples comparisons.  With electronics not so much.  With everyone using a different language and different measuring sticks the comparisons become confusing rather quickly.  The comparison quickly becomes one of Apples and Oranges or Androids or MS as the case maybe.

If all you know is that 'an 8 cylinder engine is more than a 4 cylinder engine so it must be better right' and don't care about what either one does or why then you may not be in the same boat as I am.  I am looking for more.  I need more.  More helps me define and confirm my decisions.  I don't want to know that it has a quad chip, I want to know which quad chip and what speed it is running and which generation ship it is.  These things matter when trying to make an informed decision but it takes some real detective work to find the answers especially with some manufacturers.

Not everyone likes to look that hard or think that hard or spend that much time worrying about what is right for them so they phone a friend, "Hey, what have you got? Do you like it? Cool." and go get one of those but the next model up cause you have to have some bragging rights, end of story.  And for many that works great.

I am still from an era where a dollar was hard earned and hard spent and have wanted to get the most bang for the buck so it was important to try and find the best of whatever for me, and as I said before, I really did enjoy the whole shopping experience.

It is all about the system

So for those still with me I will start at the foundation.  Every system out there tries to be a closed proprietary system meaning they want you to be locked into only buying from them for all your wants and needs.  That is fine if they can deliver all your wants and needs but if not drop them and look elsewhere.  Please take note, systems change, some for the worst, some for the better, some stick around, some die off.  Just because you can get a great 'deal' on something be aware that it might not just be the model that is being closed out.  Also note that even if the system on the whole is solid, one of its divisions may not be.  There are a lot of products out there that have come and gone without a lot of impact and barely able to make one of those 'do you remember these' lists that get past around your email inbox.

So my system look narrows quickly when related to cell phones and tablets with a slight pause at the desktop/laptops.  I have grouped these a little because even though the operating systems are different the main systems all come from the same roots.  Basically you have Apple, Microsoft and Android or some version thereof.

Let's start with Android and it's derivatives of which there are many.  Most closely associated with Google, Android is a base upon which many have built such as Samsung, Amazon's Fire and dozens of other names too numerous to mention here.  Some use their own modified version of Android and that presents its own set of challenges for the user.  For example Amazon wants you to stay with Amazon and will not play with Google.  Also the further away from a pure Android system, the less likely it will be kept up to date with it's operating system.  And Android has a lot of versions.  So many it is hard to keep up with which candy name you are on or dealing with.  (Was I eating a jelly bean or a lollipop?  And does it matter?) It matters.  Although I like the fact that the software side of a system is in a constant state of update, meaning improvements and advancement, it also means that the hardware side is in for the obsolescence pile sooner.  When the hardware can't keep up with the latest software you are stuck with an upgrade, one you might not have been planning for.

Microsoft on the other hand is trying to be all things to all people and failing miserably.  For the desktop/laptop scene they have a pretty well established line that has served them well even if it has made many a user scream in frustration.  The attempt to move into other areas has not gone as well.  Cell phones with Windows do not capture 2% of the market and when you are that small it doesn't pay to bother with them.  At some point they will get their act together or give up and I am betting on the later.

Which leaves Apple the 500 pound gorilla that may or may not use gorilla glass.  Apple probably has the best universal approach out there.  It's users can find a consistent, stable, universe of commonality.  And even though there are different systems for the cell phone and the desktop you have a better chance of interfacing here than on most other platforms.  There are of course downsides and they will be mentioned later but they are the current king for finding simple utility in a product.

There are other solutions out there but they are on the fringe so to speak.  If you have these other solutions then you also are on the fringe, and I don't say that to belittle anyone but to give them the respect they deserve because they are the ones willing to put up with a few inconveniences in order to have a better solution and more power to them.  I have found that I spend too much time fighting with the simple solutions let alone trying to be one who is running on the fringe.

Or is it?

There is something more to consider than just the system and that is what are you going to do with it?  I remember a few decades ago when the first PCs were coming out the the question again was Apple vs MS.  Going to school at the time and with limited funds and the fact that businesses were using IBMs and MS I went with a MS based PC rather than a Mac.  In the process of looking I had a friend that asked, 'What are you going to do with it?' as if I knew.  We are talking way back at the start of all this so I wanted the world but soon found out the technology of the day was very short of ideal.  What he was referring to was not so much the hardware but the software or applications that I wanted to run that would help me to 'do' what I wanted to do.  Which platform or system gave me the best chance of doing what I wanted to do?

Same thing today.  What apps do you want that will 'do' the things you want to do and do them the best?  And more importantly where can you get them?

Here comes the big elimination.  It isn't really about who has the most apps...but it is.  You can do pretty much anything you would like to on any system but...then again you can't.  And so here it is boiled down in a nut shell.  When you see an app advertised 99% of the time it will say 'Get it now at Apple or Google Play'.  If you are not one of those two or if you cannot access one of those two then you no longer count.  Sorry and thanks for playing.  Microsoft/Windows will get a few mentions but generally not enough to worry about.  Everyone says Apple iTunes or Google Play, but I don't recall anyone saying Amazon Apps other than Amazon so for now all the Fire devices are out because if Amazon Apps doesn't have it, even if it is an Android based app, you cannot get it from Google Play.  Even if you can get it from Amazon Apps there is no guarantee if it will work on the Amazon Android Fire devices, some don't.

And after apps, content is king.  

Everyone knows that Apple's iTunes is a treasure trove but much of it can also be found with Google Play and Amazon and Podcasts Addict and so on and so on and so one possible next step is to compare pricing of your favorite albums and books.  You may be willing to pay more for the hardware but are you willing to pay up for the further installments of apps and content?

Wait a minute, didn't you eliminate Amazon earlier but you mentioned them again, what gives?  Amazon was smart enough to have a two way street but dumb enough to close off half of it.  You can get Amazon apps that will run on any Android device as well as your Apples so their store is wide open for all, just don't expect their Fire devices to work the other way.

Now for the most part I like Google and Android and I have found relative good use from them but I find that they often keep coming up short.  All too often they are just not quite there.  I hate it when that happens because the hardware used to run Android can be had at such a better price and sometimes flat out better hardware that it disappoints me to think that I am considering, let alone deciding, that my best choice for next upgrade will be Apple.

And Here is Why

I love my wife.  But you knew that already.  Her tolerance with technology is not as high as mine therefore whatever we get next must be simple, intuitive, functional, and easy, and if that doesn't describe Apple I don't know what does.

Everyone I talk to that has an Apple says about the same thing.  They love it and wouldn't go back.  They get long life out of the product and good service even if it comes with long lines.  The phones are everywhere so you can feel good about being part of the 'in' crowd if that means something to you.  Their products work, so even if they are dated right out of the box, they have been tested enough to give you a pretty good assurance that you won't have any issues from the get go or from future releases and with fewer variations and a tightly controlled system there are less worries for the apps as well.

And if I get a phablet I can try to justify the costs by telling myself that I am really getting a phone and a tablet and an MP3 player and a camera both still and video all in one.  So if I add all those items up the cost of a new iPhone is only twice what I would normally spend for all the others combined.  And I would be cool.

Basically though, I have been down the other path, tried it, been there, got the T-shirt.  It is time to try the other side of the fence and see if the grass really has a greener hue from a Retina resolution display.

Just have to figure out how to afford it.  If I forgo the around the world cruise and down grade my next car from an S class Benz to the Civic...

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Too busy to listen?

There are many things I have wanted to write about this past week but by the time a get around to it they are missing from my memory. I really need to invest in a notebook or at least a notepad and take notes to refresh that memory when I finally get the opportunity to sit down at the keyboard. It is those little suggestions that come to your mind in the middle of the night, or while you are driving to work and you’re stuck in traffic, or you are stuck in a staff meeting; that is when you’re mind starts to wander and you receive some marvelous ideas.

I have a hard time staying awake in meetings. On the one hand I think that I am easily bored but on the other hand I think that I am on a constant go and when I come to a screeching halt to sit in a meeting I tend to fade out. I think that this has something to do with being on pace all the time, from the moment we rise till the moment our head hits the pillow we are doing something. It isn’t always something important. It isn’t always something of value. It is just something. When you get to those points we you have to do nothing, like standing in lines or sitting in meetings, the body and mind go into pause mode.

At work we have to appear to be busy, whither it is productive or not is another matter though I am always trying to be productive because it is in my nature to do so, even then there is always the effort to appear busy. This even comes at times when you have to sit and think your way through a problem; you have to do it in such a way that it appears you are busy. I am sure that this affects more than just those of us that live in a world of Dilbert.

This carries over into our home lives as we return home to find a list of daily and weekly chores awaiting our arrival. There is enough busy work backlogged to keep us busy for a month of Saturdays. No wonder we crash on the couch, flip on the TV and mindlessly surf the voids that use to provide some respite through entertainment. And when there is a commercial on, we can’t let that time go to waste so we are up doing little chores running to and fro or we start to channel surf looking for something to fill the gap between the program in an effort to ease our conscience for sitting there inert for the 2 to 3 minute exposure of advertising drivel.

When did we lose control of this thing we call the time of our lives? And how do we gain it back?

We used to hear about the time before TV when people used to sit around and have conversations. Now that seems to have been relegated to a chore and must be done only on a cell phone while commuting in the car.

People used to read books for personal education, entertainment, and enjoyment. There seems to be too much personal effort after a long laborious day to want to expend anything in that area. Besides it takes many, many hours to make your way through one whole book when you can throw in a DVD and watch the movie in a fraction of the time. I could probably watch all 7 Harry Potter movies in the same amount of time it takes to read one of the books.

So when it comes time for prayer and meditation, do we even allow ourselves the time for prayer and meditation? I mean, how much time does it take anyway? I can say my prayers in 30 seconds if I try. Or can I? It can take me a good 30 seconds just to call someone on the phone and leave a message on the answering machine. Why should my conversations with God be any less important than a daily call with a friend? And do we take the time to listen for an answer? Are our prayers truly a two way conversation, or are we just leaving a message on the machine?

I think that we need that eternal feedback from our Heavenly Father. It is an essential ingredient in the makeup of who we are. When we go without sleep are bodies feel deprived and try to compensate until sleep is mandatory. When we go without food for too long our bodies try to tell us through hunger pains that this condition cannot be a lasting one. When we go without spiritual nourishment, can we as easily read the signs of a deficit, and can we readily spot the damage done?

Perhaps that is why in those moments of sitting in meetings, inching along in traffic, standing in line, or nodding off to bed, when the world is put on hold and the pause button is pushed; perhaps it is at those times that the mind can truly reflect on things, ponder if you will, and there is enough calmness around that the inspirations of heaven can finally penetrate the noises and clamor of the world that it can reach my ears and my heart.

Perhaps that is why I shouldn’t just let those times come as a matter of chance, but should seek them out. Perhaps I should even schedule them into my daily routine. That way they will be a constant part of my life rather than a passing coincidence.

Perhaps you already know this, and I commend you if you do. After all, you did read this rather than doing something else. Perhaps it made you stop and ponder.

I know I did.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.

cell phone update 14 April 2008

Well it is time for the cell phone adventure update. I have had the ‘thing’ for close to a month and half now and though I have been using it I am not that much closer to liking it yet. In the words of Jay Sherman “It stinks”!

I just got off the phone with a service rep named Brandon who by the way was very pleasant and patient with me. I must say that the one thing that T-Mobile has done right is to teach proper customer service to their phone representatives.

So why was I on the phone to a service rep and why did I need a patient one? I got a letter in the post today that said I was denied my sign up rebate. Everyone should know that the rebates are part of the deal to get you to sign up in the first place. I hate rebates because they make me do extra work that should just be done at the time of sale automatically. Businesses love them because it does drive sales up and they know that a certain percentage of people will never actually fill out the paperwork and send it in. Well brother, if I am going to be suckered into a sale because of a rebate, you better believe I am going to send in for my rebate and it better be worth the trouble or you won’t be seeing my business.

So now my rebate is in question and I am just a little upset. The letter says that they do not honor rebates for purchases made through discount places such as Wal-mart or Sam’s. I bought mine through Costco where they have an authorized dealer and they are the ones that gave me the rebate form with their dealer numbers on it and they are the ones that gave me copies of my receipts to send in. It was all part of the deal.

So the letter gives me an 800 number to call if I had questions about said letter. If I were to call using the new cell phone just recently obtained I would have to call during business hours and utilize airtime minutes to correct the situation. I called on the land line and was glad I did because I then went through the normal service call process, that is, I got to talk to a computer that didn’t understand a word I was saying. Computer answering systems have reached the height of uselessness. They don’t know what you want, the choices they offer are pointless for most items and eventually I end up talking to a human anyway because, that is what I really wanted and that is what I really need in most cases. If only there were a quicker way to get to that point. The computer did give me instructions on where to go online and there I could talk to another computer that wouldn’t listen any better, I’m sure. What is the use of having a phone if even the phone company wants you to deal with a computer over the internet?

So after going through a long process of select one to continue in English and so on, I finally made it to the holding line to talk to a real person. The hold music was the worst ever. I know it was supposed to be relaxing but I felt like I had been trapped on an elevator that never got to the next floor and the elevator recital was on an endless loop that played the same section of annoyance over and over and over and over. Other than a dead spot where the phone would drop the sound level every so often, I would get the traditional “all of our operators are busy helping everyone else but you” computerized speech to let me know how truly special I am. I was just about ready to fling the phone though the wall when Brandon came on the line.

Now computers I can be rude back to rather easily and was being rather loud into the phone talking back to this computer, but humans are humans and I tried not to let the upset carry forward into this new conversation. Brandon helped me transition by being patient and apologetic. I appreciated that response to my frustration and so we were able to get right to the point, even though I did quickly tell him how irritating the hold music and computer interface was.

Brandon looked up my problem and quickly found that I was correct and they were wrong. He told me that this was a common error and has happened quite often, something to do with the way it is coded in the system. Of the two phones bought on the same day at the same time, and the two forms sent in at the same time with the same information in the same envelope, one worked and one didn’t. Brandon verified some information and quickly got things resolved and gave me a new tracking number and we were on our way.

The question arises in my own mind now as to whether this was a legitimate error, or was it an intentional play done as a second attempt to get a customer to forgo a rebate? I want to give the benefit of the doubt and choose the former because there is the possibility that when I had to change my assigned number the day I got the phone that this could have created a glitch. Still that seed of doubt is planted and I will be watching for further developments.

As I have said before, the phone business model needs to change as there is still much room for improvement. This is one business where the proper initiative could bring a true change in the whole phone world and it wouldn’t take much.

So to make this a real update, the Blackberry Pearl is less than grand. We are still trying to learn some of the features and so far it seems to have less capability than I was hoping for, or maybe it just doesn’t do any of them in a really stress free productive way like I was hoping. I haven’t really figured out a lot of short cuts like you can with most computer programs. Our address books are still far from being built because it seems to take a long time to do it directly into the phone and we haven’t figured out how to do the computer interface correctly yet, but one day hopefully I will find enough time and patience to try again. The keypad for input on the phone has two different settings, the traditional multi tap and since there are more keys it should make for a quicker input, or another way that tries to guess what letters you are inputting based on the possible words you are trying to spell. The latter is the default setting and it seems that my attempts to use it have produced about 50% more key punching than is needed.

The Motorola H700 Bluetooth earpiece that I got is only moments away from being taken back. The sound from the speaker has kind of been distorted from day one but not bad enough for me to get too upset. The mic used started out fine but seems to be getting worse as time goes on. Some people I have talked to on it have made mention of the fact that they can certainly tell when I am using it and have gone so far as to ask me to switch to the handset. If there is any wind while using it either driving or walking let alone while riding a bike it becomes practically useless. The whole point of having a hands free set is to be able to do things with your hands while still being able to carry on a conversation but if you have to put done what you are doing and pick up the phone then it has lost its purpose.

The Blackberry Pearl has voice command recognition which means you are supposed to be able to talk to it and it will perform certain functions like calling someone from your address book or dialing a spoken number. In conjunction with the H700 earpiece this should be a very useful tool. As time goes on I am getting more and more frustrated with it. I have to raise my voice more and more to get heard and have even cupped my hands around my face trying to direct the sound into the mic. Sometimes that works but most times I just feel silly.

You push the button on the earpiece to summon the phone and a voice says “say a command”. You then tell it to call a person in your book and lately it will repeat itself asking me to “say a command” again. I speak louder and try again and it questions me “did you say call Bob mobile”. I find myself saying sarcastically “No”, which if I am lucky enough for it to understand goes on to the next wrong guess at what I said. Often times it will come back and say “Sorry, no match found” then proceeds to hang up on me and make me start all over. This is for the items that are in my address table. For a straight number, it makes the most outlandish guesses and if I’m not careful it will go ahead and try to dial them, long distance or not. You have to be in ideal conditions for this thing to work properly and I was hoping that with time there would be a learning function that would make it work better with my voice as it got familiar with me or me with it. It seems to be getting worse. I am not sure which unit, the earpiece of the phone, is to blame but I think I will start with the earpiece and see.

I understand that there are worse units out there as well as much better units than this but they are well into the hundreds of dollars and I am already beginning to think I have put way too much money into this venture. On a scale of 10 I would have to give this a 3.

So what about coverage? This is where I am still better off than the AT&T phone. I don’t recall being dropped yet and that includes the being in the several places the AT&T did drop the call. That said, I have still found some dead spots where I had to go elsewhere to find a signal. Some places were understandable, but some were not. If I think about it very long I should probably be amazed that there is as much coverage across this great land as there is.

The first bill came and it was even more shocking than I had prepared myself for. About double what I wanted it to be, but this is the first one with all the rotten start up fees and even more rotten taxes and surcharges. At this point I would probably still quite right now and cut my losses and say lesson learned if it was not for the two year commitment with high exit fee to T-Mobile and my commitment to my wife. She wanted me to have one and so I do, and to be able to reach out and talk to her whenever I want or need, for this I am glad. There are some days that go on way too long without taking a break and hearing her sweet voice. I guess I will keep on with it for now.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.

New cell phone not all it's cracked up to be

I have been playing with my new phone from T-Mobile. As you know I was having quite a struggle deciding which cell phone company to go with. I did not want to get a phone in the first place but my wife was insistent that she be able to get a hold of me when needed and I finally agreed. After carrying it around for a couple of weeks if it was up to me I would still be phoneless. The one or two times it is useful, do not make up for the pain of hauling it around, making sure it is charged, and trying to call at just the right time of day to avoid creating excessive charges.

Anyway, I got on line today to check the status of my usage. There is a charge for a text message. Why I do not know. I know that the ones from T-Mobile are free and I don’t open are look at or request any from anywhere so why have I got a charge for a text message on a brand new phone?

I decided to call and ask about this. This was also a test of the customer service department and I must say that any and all of my dealings with them have been great. They really do have a good customer service. The people are people. They are friendly, cheerful, considerate, and they really are trying to help. I like that. This is such a vast difference compared to dealing with AT&T that I once again have hope for the communications industry.

The one thing my customer service rep could not do was change T-Mobile policy in the one area that needs to be changed. I do not want text messaging. I do not want to receive it; I do not want to send it. I do not want it, period, end of story.

But even more important, I do not want to pay for it. And I shouldn’t have to. No one should have to pay for a service that is neither requested, nor desired and at this point pay for something they have no control over. You see, T-Mobile like many or all cell phone companies charges you for incoming and outgoing text messages at a per message rate or if you get flooded you can always upgrade to unlimited for about $20 a month, but they will charge you whether you want it or not. You can not opt out. There is no place to go, no setting you can make, and no switch they can throw that will kill text messaging for you. You are stuck with it.

I really dislike that fact. The person I spoke with was very apologetic for that and said that T-Mobile may change that in the future but for now that is just the way things are. T-Mobile evidently gets quite a few calls concerning this. The person I spoke with said it comes up all the time. “HELLO”. It is time to wake up and listen. People want the ability to turn this off. A communication company of all companies should be able to listen. Give the people what they want. It would certainly make me happier if I thought I was in control of my expenses.

Other than that how do I like my Blackberry Pearl? (You can’t see it but my hand is wavering back and forth). So far, so, so. The phone is simple in some areas and needlessly complicated in others. I know we haven’t begun to stretch it’s capabilities so far but I am still trying to figure out how to block text messaging. Set up is taking some time. It is not as intuitive as I had hoped. Battery life is shorter than planned so you are always trying to remember to put it on the charger about every third or fourth night. It really sucks up the juice if you are actually using it. This is a worry if you travel much. Will I be able to find access to power on the road? What about overseas? What will it be like if I use the media player functions on it? Will I ever be able to figure out how to use the media player functions on it?

I also go the Motorola H700 bluetooth ear piece headset with it. Again, so far, so, so. The earpiece is noisy like I got a bad speaker in it. When you turn your head away from the phone, which is in my pocket, it seems to get worse. Again, battery life seems less that adequate with no real way of knowing how much life is left. This means that it could die on you in the middle of doing something, which it did to me and that is how I know. The range of the unit is not great but I don’t recall ever reading what to expect so maybe that is normal for these things. I pretty much have to stay within a cubicle distance. I have also been told that I sound like I am speaking in a barrel. I find myself repeating myself more than I should. Not an ideal situation.

This is disappointing because being able to talk hands free is a very good thing. Especially when driving. I still do not recommend anyone drive while under the influence of cell phone but if you have to hands free is the only way to go.

I hope to report later that all is well and that it has become a useful tool but for now I is just so much dead weight. I feel like I have to baby sit it as much as it is babysitting me. Until there is a better way, I guess we just have to go with what we’ve got.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.

Verizon starts the challenge

Was somebody listening or had the time finally come for there to be a fixed price unlimited calling plan? Verizon was the first to break the ice and announce a fixed price deal although it is at a rather steep $100 a month. (I know it is only $99.99 but who are we kidding?) AT&T ever the follower and never the inovator, (though some may claim otherwise thanks to the iPhone even if it was Apple's creation and not AT&T's) followed suit with the exact same offer. T-Mobile then did likewise but thows in texting where the others are charging an extra $20. Sprint/Nextel is the last hold out but there are many that think they will come in with a fixed price plan also but at a lower rate to be competitive seeing that they are losing market share. The guesses for them range anywhere from $60 - $85.


This raises the possibilities of a price war. Frankly I would gladly welcome one. The cell phone industry has had excessivily high margins on essentially a commodity item for far to long. It is the perfect time to introduce competition back into the business instead of the price fixing nature that has prevailed since the early days of the brick.


Granted this latest pricing effort only affects the top 13% of users who have phone bills that top $100 a month and Wall Street is beside itself trying to figure out what the impact will be to the bottom line, but it is a start and I am hopeful that the trend will expand throughout the market and even reach a simple lad like me. I do not own a cell phone as of yet, (see http://farrwestview.blogspot.com/2008/01/there-is-need-for-real-cell-phone.html) but I know it is just a matter of time. It is inevitable. Yes I am a gadget junkie, and yes I like tech, and yes there is a safety factor for a guy that likes to travel, but no I do not like hauling around the electronic leash, that is why I like to travel, and no I haven't needed one for safety reasons in my mumble years yet, and no I don't have to get on the phone the second I get behind the wheel, and no I don't need to talk with my mouth full in a resaurant, and no I don't need to have someone with me when I go to the bathroom, and no I don't need my hand upside my head to make it look like I am sane when I am talking to myself. My wife wants me to have one so it is just a matter of time, nuff said.


With this 'new' pricing scheme, that Cricket started sometime ago and land lines long before that, there is the possiblity for a whole new business model for the cell phone industry. As rates drop the way people communicate will finally be able to break free from the land line forever, and I know many of you have already. Other areas around the world are already there. We just need the economic incentive to make it feasible and then we too can take advantage of the fruits of our technology. This change may be coming at this time because of the talk of a new business model that would revolutionize communication cost by introducing advertising to pay for expenses and thereby reducing the direct charges to the consumers. I have heard that Google was interested in this approach. Maybe talk was enough to spur the big boys into action to stem the possibility. Whatever the reason, bring it on. If the consumer can win back even just a little, we will all be better off for it.


This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.

Please send me a real cell phone company

On a trip to Budapest Hungary 10 years ago shortly after the fall of the iron curtain it was interesting to note the number of cell phones in use on the streets of the city. I remember stories of ten year waiting list to get a phone installed in your home yet here was an explosion of cell phone users. When the free market was finally able to operate, the market seemed to skip right over the old technology and went for the current offerings.

When digital and broadcast high definition TV came out, Europe and Japan were enjoying what it had to offer while we had to send the decision to congress to decide for us the format that would become the standard. Here we are years later and still waiting, of course now it is a wait for the prices to drop to the level of affordability. And while I am waiting I still notice that the standard doesn’t seem to be set in stone yet. Are we broadcasting in 720i or 1080p or something else entirely? The old system is supposed to go away in 2009 or something like that, but then we all converted to the metric system exclusively back in the 70’s, remember.

Capitalism works if you let it. We are supposed to be the champions of the free market system. We are supposed to be the leaders in technology. We are supposed to be the ones to introduce the rest of the world to the new ideals. Alas, we seem to be missing the boat because we are stuck in our present paradigms and are afraid to cross the street unless Uncle Sam is holding our hand. I think it is time for some shackle breaking people.

Anyway, it is time for me to breakdown, get rid of the land line and venture into the world of cell phones. It is not that I am a Luddite; I just really, really, really don’t like the pricing structure of current cell phone companies. You would think that with the number of companies out there plying their wares that phone services could be had at a much more reasonable price. That and this radiation thing has me concerned.

I like the idea of Cricket and the one fixed all included pricing but they are in a limited market area and from those I’ve talked to, they have had limited coverage even in those areas. I like to travel and if I am going to subject myself to the electronic leash then it better be able to go wherever I do.

I was leaning toward Cingular because I liked the roll over feature of their phones. They also have the free talk to those in their plan which is o.k. because I know people I talk to that have Cingular phones. Most plans have some version of that so it is no big deal unless you are talking to someone not on your plan, and guess what, that is bound to happen. Cingular blew it big time by selling out to at&t. at&t is the absolute worst in terms of customer service. They do not deserve to exist. Their advertisements are horrid and misleading. As for more bars, I borrowed a phone for a time and got dropped more times than I care to say. I couldn't even connect standing next to their sales booth in the local Wal-mart. It told me I could use it for emergencies only. That means someone had a connection there, they just weren’t willing to pay the sharing price and so the customer has to pay the price of no service. The quality of the sound was a 50/50 affair, where half the calls were barely usable and many ended in “I’ll call you back later”. This kind of defeats the purpose of going mobile.

So I tried to check reliability ratings with the consumer reports and various on-line sources (most of which are just trying to sell you a service, though some offer an attempt at value comparisons). Sprint/Nextel seem to be in the also ran category not scoring very high in any area. The two best names seem to be Verizon and T-Mobile. Both of which have lousy ads by the way. Verizon’s baby delivery taxi in the tunnel ride took me 4 tries before I figured it out. What the heck were they thinking with that one?

I have talked to someone that said T-Mobile has very good customer service and I understand that Verizon takes care of its customers as well. Both are supposed to provide the best service and coverage; it’s their pricing structures that leave much to be desired. All services provide a discount, but that is only if you qualify. I can qualify for at least one in most cases but if you have ever seen them listed you will notice that there are several different discounts offered depending on whose group you belong to, and those discounted amounts can vary by quite a bit. It’s simple, I want the biggest discount they offer, no matter whose discount it is.

I know, I know, I am the picky consumer that wants it all. I do. I hate it when there is differential treatment of customers. I don’t think it is fair that one person should pay this and another that for the exact same item no matter what the reason. I also realize that these pricing differences are a fact of life, and with that realization, I want to get my fair cut. It just isn’t always that easy to find and get. That is part of the reason that I will wait as long as I have to in order to find a fair deal.

So what is a fair deal? With the state of technology given today, and the coverage that is available, and the number of companies supposedly trying for my business, I feel I should be able to get a phone service on a family plan of 2 phones (one for the wife and I) that we can use without worry for minutes, or who we are talking to and which plan they have, or when we call so that we get those free weekend and middle of the night minutes, and be able to get this for about the same price as basic land line services are costing now. No fancy add ons needed, though they should be included since the costs to include is practically nothing. The prices the want for caller id, three way and voice mail is sad.

Is that too much to ask? So far it seems to be. Yet, there are enough out there that are dissatisfied with their phone service that they are willing to switch at the drop of a hat. I hear enough complaints to know that not everyone is happy with what they have. I also know that there are many who think that things are just fine and won’t bother to switch because that’s just the way things are. This all reminds me of what we had before cell phones were an option, when Ma Bell was all there was. All this competition and new technology and we are still operating the same old way with the same old expectations. No wonder so little has changed.

You would think that Verizon and T-Mobile would be attacking the number one position hard and you would think that the pickings would be easy since the number one position is held by at&t, the one with the worst reputation for customer service. Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part because what I am wanting does not exist yet. That’s o.k., I have waited this long, what’s a little longer. Who knows, maybe Sprint/Nextel will make a leap of discovery that will place them in the running. I am not holding my breath. Reality says that there is nothing on the horizon to suggest a change anytime soon. But all it takes is a desire to make the customer happy and a company could raise the bar, not just talk about having some bars. Maybe it’s too much government regulation interfering in the free market process. Maybe I am just dreaming of how things could be.

Give the people what they want. They will come.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.

Google blogging not as easy as it looks.

O.K. so I thought I was getting the hang of this blogging thing but now I am having second thoughts. I was feeling good about my first attempts and have been enjoying myself but something has happened, or rather not happened. Like many of you I have had a desire to have this experience be supplemented with a few sponsorship ads placed using Googles own AdSense. I have applied for an account but my application was denied for an incomplete name and address which I am sure I submitted. Every attempt to try again has met with failure. I sent back a reply e-mail but now have to wait another 4 days for a response.

Here then lies the test of a true modern day company – company service. It seems so lacking in this day and age. The subjective test of how well does a company do what it is supposed to do when it is doing what it is supposed to be doing and how well does it handle things when they go wrong.

I like companies that have easy access and an open ear to listen to its customers. It seems like such a simple little thing but few companies know how or even seemingly want to do right by their lifeblood – the customer. Many companies spend large amounts on feedback campaigns but you seldom see any real results from them. It’s sort of like when bosses ask ‘How are things going?’ you just know that anything other than “Great” is an unacceptable or unheard answer.

I have seen some creative request for feedback such as giving out pennies by a restaurant as patrons finished their meals that they could put in their choice of gumball machines as a way of casting a vote as to the quality of their meal. I have also seen far too lengthy surveys given using questions and responses that never really capture the true feelings of the respondent with nothing more in thanks than a million to one shot at some trivial prize.

But that covers the day to day, average business transactions that are made. What is a company willing to do when something goes wrong? When I have experienced something that has gone wrong to a large enough degree, I generally like to inform the company so that they might correct the problem. They might not be aware of it and with good intentions, things are made better. For many this is the final step in quality control for those things that may have slipped past all the other testing and checks to ensure a good product reaches their customers. Most are grateful for the information and will replace the damaged item quickly. Calling the local Coke producer to let them know of a can problem I had, or letting the Fritos people know of a recent bag of chips that was missing its seasoning, or commenting to the makers of Puffs tissues about a packaging issue I was noticing are all replied to with a sincere thank you and a coupon for replacement product.

On the other hand I have seen companies that have gotten defensive and combative when all you are trying to do is work through a problem and come to a mutual resolution. The worst example that still haunts me to think of it, was trying to work through a billing problem with AT&T. This occurred twice when trying to solve my Grandmother's account and one episode that lasted almost two years with an account at work. I went in with the best of intentions simply trying to correct a mistake made by AT&T and was met with sugary sweet remarks and promises of swift action resulting in nothing to being turned over to collections agency. I had the problems blamed on everything from people changes to Hurricane Katrina. I was lied to so many times that there is no credibility with them any more.

As a result I will not deal with AT&T for anything else, at all, ever again if I can help it. I tell that to anyone that will listen if the subject comes up. In looking for a new cell phone I was strongly considering Cingular but when they were bought by AT&T, there is just no way. Apple brought out the new iPhone but I won’t even look once, let alone twice because they made it exclusive to AT&T. (There is a lesson here about who you make friends with and even more importantly who you take on as a business partner.) The experience left such a bad taste in my mouth that they are one of the few companies that genuinely earns the phrase AT&T SUCKS.

In this whole affair I wanted to pass along the knowledge of the misguided customer service that was experienced but in all my efforts I could not find an outlet. I would have talked to the president if there was even a remote possibility of doing it. After the whole thing was completed however, I am pretty sure that it wouldn’t make any difference. The culture at AT&T is so bad that it seems beyond repair. It doesn’t matter what Jim Kramer of Mad Money thinks, bad customer service will eventually make an impact.

Now don’t get me wrong. I did run into a few well meaning employees and I think they were honest in their efforts to make amends, but they were powerless to do so. For the most part, the ones I had to deal with were incompetent in problem resolution and wholly inadequate in customer relations. And to have so many different departments that did not begin to know how to communicate with each other in this day and age is usually a sign of the coming end. It appeared on occasion that they deal with each other internally as poorly as they deal with the paying customer.

I know some of you have been with AT&T and have had nothing wrong to report and think that all is well and I am glad for that. I hope that you or anyone you know or ever will know ever in your life will never have to go through what I had to. It is just not worth it. As for me and anything I have a say in, there is no use for AT&T. I will not deal with them.

The point I am trying to make here is that all this bitterness towards one company came from an extended bad experience, and one at this point that can not be repaired. I know that the loss of one customer to them is nothing. But this one customer has a voice. And bad experiences are shared. I remember seeing a report somewhere that said a bad experience is shared 10 times where as a good experience is shared about three. The report also said that it is better and cheaper to keep a good customer than to acquire a new one. Sage advice.

I hope that my ratio of sharing is better than 10 to 3 of bad to good. In fact, I have tried over the years to find someone doing something good with which to praise and then trying to do so. Many places have the comment box or an 800 number to provide feedback and most of us will only use them when we find something wrong, but how many will try to find something right or praiseworthy to positively provide reinforcement for good service. If you note something good, take the time to pass it on. It can, and should make a difference. If it only affects the person you are praising, then it is still worth it.

So Google I await your response. I am hopeful and optimistic as I am with most companies. I give most the benefit of the doubt and several second chances. Please don’t disappoint. We’re all in this together. I’m pulling for ya.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.