The iPhone 6 and 6+ Review: Are these bigger phones worth the (much) bigger price tag?

The iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6+ have been in user's hands for about 10 days now and the user reviews are starting to come in.

In user's hands: iPhone 6 (L) and iPhone6+ (R)

To review, the new iPhones are larger (6= 4.7", 6+= 5.5") than the current iPhone 5s and are more in line with Android phone manufacturers who have been offering much more screen real estate for years now. Additionally, the new iPhones arrive with iOS8, a new camera and the ability to pay for your stuff using Near Field Communications technology and a great deal more.

Apple also claims the iPhones are the thinnest Apple phones ever, although I have always been puzzled as to why this claim is so important to their market. If it takes an extra millimeter to add a huge battery for a long life, I don't care- just get it done. But Apple has an obsession with thin, thin, thin and thinks everyone else does too. I don't think it's all that important, but apparently others do.

TechRadar extensively reviewed the phone recently and found it to be a better product all around, although they did criticize it for it's high price and average screen resolution. You can find the review here. Be warned- the review runs for twelve pages and is best viewed on a desktop or tablet as loading a new page every 45 seconds can get tedious.

Stephen Fry with his iPhone 6+ (I told you it was large!)
(courtesy: Gizmodo)

In more humorous vein, British funnyman Stephen Fry- long time and proud tech geek, Apple fan and commentator-  has written his take on the iPhone 6. It is very British with it's terms and lingo and slang, but his message is clear and delightful to read. Click here to go to it.

Will I get one of the bigger iPhone 6 siblings when the time comes to make that decision (March of next year)? I'm not sure...

I mean, my iPhone5 has been trouble-free and reliable for the past 18 months, but the way I use my smartphone doesn't necessarily mean I need a million apps, or one of the gazillion accessories available for the iPhone family. And the cost! Wow...

There's a lot of competition out there from Android and Windows phones and they're just going to get better every few months. So, when March arrives, I'm going to have to think a great deal about my next smartphone choice.

I can't wait.

The Best of CES 2013. Electronic Heaven for Gadget Geeks.

I swear, one day I will make the pilgrimage to Las Vegas- not for the casinos, not for the shows and not for the glitz, glamor or gambling.

No, I will make my trip to the desert of southern Nevada for one reason- the massive Consumer Electronics Show. So large only Las Vegas can accommodate the attendees, the CES is the annual presentation of what's new and what's coming to the U.S. in the form of electronics, accessories, computers, phones and more.

Companies of all sizes present the latest in their offerings for the coming year and tens of thousands of attendees flock to the booths to grope, pinch, inspect and otherwise drool over a seemingly unlimited number of products.

Some of the products will be a hit, some will never be seen again and some will be vaporware (constantly promised but never seen on the open market). Newly introduced televisions like the recent 4k advances are very popular. Also,  video games, tablets, cell phones, wrist watches, software and even kitchen ovens premiere here for the gadget-hungry public.

This watch will make people beg you for the time.
(verge.com)

The media coverage for this event is also massive. Press from the around the globe descend to have a peep at everything and they report on what they see, like and want. In fact, the show "opens" the week before just to accommodate the press before the real show opens to the general public. The good news is that if you can't make the CES show yourself, there's no shortage of journalists to show you the hottest in... well, everything!

I said everything!
(unknown)

For a great look at some of the best products at the show, engadget.com , wired.com and ubergizmo.com what they think is the future consumer available electronics for the next year. 

And remember, look for me on the floor next year!

Windows 8 - Microsoft takes a chance on a new look.

The Microsoft Windows operating system gets a bad rap. Many speak about Windows with disdain and a sour face and harp incessantly about crashes, freezes and other OS maladies.

These people are wrong. Dead wrong. Since before Windows XP, the OS has generally been a stable system and the new Windows 8 promises the same trouble-free experience but with a graphical twist.

Will the new look be a hit with people used to the old look?
(Microsoft)

Just like the Windows Phone OS, the user will be greeted with a set of "tiles"  with each representing a different app. This new design has been called "Metro".For instance, one tile may represent the user's email account. Since the app is live, the tile will display the current number of unread messages. The user need only to click on the app to open the email client.

Other new features include:

• Internet Explorer 10- built to take advantage of the new Metro design.
• Powerful, but lightweight, W8 can be installed on nearly any computer made in the last 5-6 years.
• Windows Defender- an excellent antivirus program that used to be separate (but free) is now built in. 
• Media Center is now standard
• USB 3.0 integration means pictures and video can be downloaded faster than ever before. 

There's more- much more in fact. But the best news about Windows 8 may be the price to upgrade your current computer- only $40! So, if you're running XP, Windows 7 or just want the newest and fastest version of Windows, it will set you back less than dinner at a decent restaurant. 

Although it's not normally my policy to use Wikipedia as a link, there's a strong article detailing all Windows 8 has to offer. Go to it here. 

For a news of W8, no one knows the new OS better than Paul Thurrott. He's literally written the book on the subject and posts regular articles about new developments, tips and opinion on all things WS8. Take a look here. 

Apple's New Products for 2012- Newer, Better, Faster but where's the iPhone?

You know, for a company that holds just a small percentage of the electronics industry market share (from 11%-17% depending on who you ask) Apple sure gets a lot of attention. And who can resist listening when Apple talks? Personally, I don't own a single Apple product so I have no dog in this fight, but I can help but pay attention when Apple starts to make announcements on future products.

Remember this? I think the new products
are a wee bit more advanced.
(wikipedia.com)

At the 2012 WWDC (World Wide Developer's Conference), Apple has started to release the first post-Steve Jobs products. Undoubtedly, these products were set before the passing of Apple's legendary leader, so this is the consumer's chance to see what's coming for the next 12 months and what they might find under the tree in December.

The list is a little long for complete coverage, but here's some things you can expect from the conference:

• A new MacBook pro, updated with speedier processors and more oomph, including the ability to use USB 3.0 (lightning quick data transfers)
• Retina displays on some computers (as an option or standard? Not sure) 
• A new iPhone and/or iPod? (probably not, but...) 

Engadget has complete coverage details and posts breaking news as it happens. Go over to their site now for analysis and insight into Apple's latest offerings and, who knows? I might just ask Santa for a new Apple gizmo this Christmas. 

Windows 8- Your Most Common Questions Answered.

Windows rules the world.

Despite the huge (and loud) Apple fanbase, the fact remains that the Microsoft Windows operating system is the predominate computer system by a factor of 10 or more. Since the 1980's, the majority of the world's computers run on the system begun by Bill Gates and a few others in a small storefront in Albuquerque, New Mexico decades ago.

Windows Phone 7 with
a look towards the future.
(pcmag.com)

And as each new version of Windows emerges for the consuming public, new methods of computing and the human/machine interface gets a little bit better each time. Until recently, changes were evolutionary- a little bit better each time, but still recognizable as the same ol' Windows- just a bit more grown up.

Not this time though. For 2012, Microsoft is debuting a brand new system called Windows 8 with some deeply interesting elements sure to catch the eye of Windows lovers all over the world. If you've seen the Microsoft smart phone operating system Windows Phone 7, you get the idea. Tiles on the home screen are "alive" with information like e-mails, weather, Facebook postings, sports scores, etc.

Looks different, doesn't it?
(Microsoft)

Much of what gives Windows 8 its unique appearance is what gives Windows Phone 7 its appearance and that's on purpose. The thinking is, if you become used to the W8 system, then you'll be more likely to see the WP7 system as comfortable, familiar and you'll be more likely to buy one or the other due to this familiarity. I don't pretend to understand this approach, but Microsoft seems to believe the concept has merit.

No release date is available but it's almost sure to be in the 4th quarter of this year. For those of you who still have questions, PCWorld.com has the answers to some of the more common queries users have been asking. But, if we all wait just a couple of months, all of our questions will be answered when the systems premieres. Click here to see if your question was answered. 

By the way, work has already begun on Windows 9. Some would call that too soon.

I call it job security.