Naked, But Not Afraid...Mostly.

Do you like to go naked, or do you prefer something with more coverage?  No, not YOU personally, I'm talking about your cell phone!  Do you like to carry your phone naked and feel it's high-tech goodness, or are you more cautious and prefer the safety of a case?  Me?  Well, I've done it both ways, and quite frankly, I like it naked.  Don't get me wrong, I've used protection when I've had to, but there's something about feeling your phone the way the designer meant it to feel... now that's the good stuff.  And what about letting people see your baby in all it's glory?  Can't do that when it's all covered up, nope!  And that's where I find myself now, on the horns of this dilemma... to cover or not to cover, that IS the question.

All kidding aside though, I really am trying to decide whether or not I should carry my new Nexus 6P in a case.  It's a gorgeous phone, and I went for the big daddy 128gb version, so I dropped some coin buying it outright. On the one hand, I love the way it looks and feels raw, with nothing on it. One the other hand, I'm scared sh$%tless that I'm going to drop it and hurt my investment.  Ordinarily, that fear is always somewhere in the back of your mind, but in the case of the 6P, it's a very real possibility.  Why? Well, the same thing that makes it so slim and lightweight, also makes it slippery as heck.  I'm talking about it's beautiful, slim aluminum back, which, combined with that Gorilla Glass screen, leaves very little grippy material.  Fortunately though, the very shape of the phone makes it fit well in the hand, but it's those precious few seconds when you're taking it out of a pocket, that's when tragedy is most likely to strike.  So, we have to take precautions...like insurance.

I hate insurance.  No matter what kind, home, auto, boat, health...hate, hate, hate, and hate.  And yet, I bought insurance for my 6P. Well not insurance, but Google Protection. I mean, sure, they don't call it insurance, but c'mon, we know better.  So with that, I should be covered right?  And yet, I'm still fiddling around with cases.  I've been trying a clear MoKo Hybrid case, which fits well and still allows me to see the phone, but I can't feel that aluminum finish anymore.  Every time I take it out of the case, I'm reminded of how much I love it.  So, I ordered bumpers instead.  Yeah, bumpers, literally a rubber gasket that just covers the edges of the phone.  Risky?  Perhaps.  But, I'm playing the odds here.  I figure best case scenario, I drop the phone and it lands on an edge.  Worst case, I drop the phone and it lands on the screen.  But you know what? If it shatters, it shatters. Afterall, I have insurance....I mean protection, um, you know what I mean.

The Shape of Things to Come.

The thing about having a blog is that you need to churn out a lot of content.  The things about having multiple jobs is that you have precious little time sometimes to do anything else...like churn out a lot of content for a blog.  So, we're going to be doing things a little bit differently around here in the coming weeks/months.  Being that I already work in TV, we're going to further embrace the video component of Great Gadgets & Gizmos (GG&G) and start posting those pieces here in addition to our written content.  Furthermore, we'll be starting a podcast that will focus on the more ethereal topics we explore, like which OS do you prefer, and what constitutes a fanboi.  In other words, podcasts for those things that require little demonstration or image support.  None of it is new or revolutionary, but organizationally, we think it makes a lot more sense and will be easier to manage.

iPad Pro...It's Like Deja Vu All Over Again!

Well, the wait is over and the iPad Pro is available for sale.  The accessories like the keyboard and Pencil (why can't they just call it a pen?) however, are not.  So if you're picking up one of these beasts,  you're only getting the iPad at this point.  But, what better way to enjoy it in it's purest form, no?  Now, while I have NO intentions on getting one of these, I am finding it fascinating reading and listening to people who might get it talk about it.  What's particularly interesting to me is how this new product is causing a rift in the church of Apple.  Of course, there are those who love very Apple product no matter what, but their numbers seem to be shrinking.  Many of the faithful seem to be leaving the fold, openly criticizing the iPad Pro on the interwebs.  It seems the naysayers are becoming increasingly disenfranchised by the lack of innovation coming out of Cupertino, and who can blame them.  In some ways, it seems like Apple is moving backwards.  Case in point, my 2014 Macbook Pro has two USB ports, the 2015 version?  One.  Want to plug in an external drive and a memory stick?  Better have a hub!  With the new iPad,  they give it the PRO moniker, but don't give it the ability to use 3D touch?!?  Backwards thinking.  And really, what about the Pro is new anyway?  A bigger tablet with a keyboard and pen (sorry, pencil)?  Not new.  Remember the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2?  It has a big screen, comes with a pen, and they sell a Bluetooth keyboard designed specifically for it.  Sound familiar?  And what about the Surface line from Microsoft.  Their first effort, the Surface RT was universally derided for not using a full-blown OS.  Microsoft learned from that mistake and has put the full version of Windows on every Surface since.  Did Apple learn from that?  Not so much.  And maybe that's what's bothering those folks who were once proud to go by the title of fanboy. Not only has Apple stopped leading the pack...they're following. 

iPad Pro? Hard Pass.

Like many of you, I was quite curious to see what Apple was going to concoct when they announced their iPad Pro.  AND, like many of you I was profoundly disappointed.  Somehow they managed to take the mistakes Microsoft made with their original Surface RT, and compound them by making the Pro larger, more unwieldy, and far more costly.  In short, the iPad Pro has all the earmarks of a massive misfire.  Now, I could sit here and spend the next twenty minutes putting my thoughts down on paper (so to speak), but why do that when it was done so much better by PC Magazine?  Seriously, this guy nails it.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2491038,00.asp

I'm Back, and Better Than Ever!

Wow, it's been a while since my last post, which is odd, because I've been buying tech like crazy!  Let's see what I've gotten that could qualify is a great gadget or gizmo...

• Pebble Smart Watch
• OnePlus phone
• DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus Quad copter
• Blue Win HD LTE phone
• Microsoft Lumina XL phone
• Moto 360 Smart Watch
• Microsoft Band
• Asus T-100
• Samsung Note 12.2" Pro tablet
• Microsoft Surface 3

And those are just the things I can remember!  And yes, if you're wondering, I do have a sickness when it comes to new technology.  So, in the coming months, I will be doing my reviews on some of my latest toys to help you decide whether it's tech you need or not.

Before I post any new videos though, I want to offer a few thoughts on the just announced iPad Pro.  Now, I am by no means, an Apple hater.  Far from it.  I own no less than six Macs (I own a video production company), one of which is my weapon of choice when I need to do some serious computing.  However, what has always bothered me about Apple is the way they announce a revolutionary, new product, which is just old tech wrapped in billet aluminum. Like what? 

Well, the new "Pencil" for the Apple iPad Pro for instance.  They made it sound like something so inspired, so unique, so original..and yet, it's not.  Samsung has had the S Pen for their Galaxy Note products for YEARS, and Microsoft has had a pen for the Surface line for YEARS.  And the S Pen comes with your Galaxy Note, and the Surface Pen is cheaper.

And what about that keyboard?  Remind anyone of the keyboard cover for the Surface line?  Magnetic clasps anyone?  But, from what I understand Apple is paying a licensing fee to Microsoft for the patented aspects of the keyboard... so hardly revolutionary, right?

Ok, rant over.  We'll see what that tablet is like once it hits the shelves at your local Apple store.

Enjoy your tech!