Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Monday, December 05, 2011
Adventures in SmartPhone Land
To say that I have just joined the ranks of smart phone users with my recent purchase of an Android phone, is really untrue. Way back in 2003 or 2004 I owned a VOQ phone. This phone had a phone pad that opened into a keyboard, and with it, I could access the web, email and chat systems. The phone had a tiny joystick that served as a mouse. With that phone, and its small screen I amazed my friends and coworkers who had previously only seen such tricks performed by a Blackberry. My reputation as an ahead-of-the-curve geek was preserved.
The VOQ phone, however, soon fell out of favor in the United States, and when I wore out the joystick with my enthusiastic web and email surfing, there was no way to get it repaired or replaced. Around this time a little thing called the iPhone made its debut, and before long, the race was on to dominate the smart phone market, create millions of apps, and of course, create expensive "data plans" that are required to keep these phones going.
Since I was forced into austerity budget measures at the time, I could neither afford the fancy new smart phones, nor the dataplans to run them. I sat on the sidelines watching people fall in love with their iPhones, become addicted to their Crackberries, and generally leave me behind in the technology dust. It was humiliating. Worst of all was the explosion of QR Codes and my inability to access the secrets they unlocked. Sometimes I just wanted to shout "remember when I was the only one with a smartphone?"
I must confess to a certain small measure of smug self-satisfaction when some of these phone began having issues with operating systems, faulty upgrades, poor cell phone service and fleeting battery life. While others were dealing with phone "bricks" and multiple trips to the various cell phone repair stores, I was motoring along with my simple flip phone, making calls and sending texts like a pro.
This all changed in 2011 when a Black Friday deal made a 4G android phone available for only a penny, and a certain cell phone provider offered a dataplan that was not much more than what I was paying for my "unsmart" phone. I was hooked. The fact that I could keep my old phone number sealed the deal and proudly paid my penny.
When the phone arrived, it needed to be activated, a process that seemed very simple, according the the enclosed directions. This is when I learned that some things, like clueless customer service, have not changed. Waiting endlessly on hold to get to a live person has not changed either. And, as I have experienced with everything from internet service to medical insurance, the process of needing to speak to at least four people has not changed. But eventually, the phone was activated and I was immediately mesmerized by my new toy.
I put in my contacts, even importing everyone's photos directly from Facebook. I snapped photo after photo with the 5 mp camera on the phone, and downloaded a camera app that let me take photos with all kinds of special effects. I was able to view video of my granddaughter and decorate my home screen with "live" holiday wallpaper featuring snowfall. And yes! I could access all the QR codes I could find, including ones I had created myself for work!
My introduction to SmartPhone Land was not complete however. Apparently, even today, no one can escape the curse of the "brick" phone. For me, it is an endless loop telling me that TWLauncher isn't operating and must be force closed. Unfortunately, TWLauncher is like the door at the Mines of Moria, and if you don't know the secret password/reset button combination - you never get back into your phone. I tried every solution I could find in Android forums, but all roads still lead me back to same loop. I have now made an appointment at a cell phone store to see what they can do. I am not so smug now.
The VOQ phone, however, soon fell out of favor in the United States, and when I wore out the joystick with my enthusiastic web and email surfing, there was no way to get it repaired or replaced. Around this time a little thing called the iPhone made its debut, and before long, the race was on to dominate the smart phone market, create millions of apps, and of course, create expensive "data plans" that are required to keep these phones going.
Since I was forced into austerity budget measures at the time, I could neither afford the fancy new smart phones, nor the dataplans to run them. I sat on the sidelines watching people fall in love with their iPhones, become addicted to their Crackberries, and generally leave me behind in the technology dust. It was humiliating. Worst of all was the explosion of QR Codes and my inability to access the secrets they unlocked. Sometimes I just wanted to shout "remember when I was the only one with a smartphone?"
I must confess to a certain small measure of smug self-satisfaction when some of these phone began having issues with operating systems, faulty upgrades, poor cell phone service and fleeting battery life. While others were dealing with phone "bricks" and multiple trips to the various cell phone repair stores, I was motoring along with my simple flip phone, making calls and sending texts like a pro.
This all changed in 2011 when a Black Friday deal made a 4G android phone available for only a penny, and a certain cell phone provider offered a dataplan that was not much more than what I was paying for my "unsmart" phone. I was hooked. The fact that I could keep my old phone number sealed the deal and proudly paid my penny.
When the phone arrived, it needed to be activated, a process that seemed very simple, according the the enclosed directions. This is when I learned that some things, like clueless customer service, have not changed. Waiting endlessly on hold to get to a live person has not changed either. And, as I have experienced with everything from internet service to medical insurance, the process of needing to speak to at least four people has not changed. But eventually, the phone was activated and I was immediately mesmerized by my new toy.
I put in my contacts, even importing everyone's photos directly from Facebook. I snapped photo after photo with the 5 mp camera on the phone, and downloaded a camera app that let me take photos with all kinds of special effects. I was able to view video of my granddaughter and decorate my home screen with "live" holiday wallpaper featuring snowfall. And yes! I could access all the QR codes I could find, including ones I had created myself for work!
My introduction to SmartPhone Land was not complete however. Apparently, even today, no one can escape the curse of the "brick" phone. For me, it is an endless loop telling me that TWLauncher isn't operating and must be force closed. Unfortunately, TWLauncher is like the door at the Mines of Moria, and if you don't know the secret password/reset button combination - you never get back into your phone. I tried every solution I could find in Android forums, but all roads still lead me back to same loop. I have now made an appointment at a cell phone store to see what they can do. I am not so smug now.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Free Excerpt From "Treading Water"
In addition to the excerpt printed at the What's Your Mom Story blog, I am also printing another mother-related excerpt here. To order "Treading Water" see my webpage at www.noreensdigitaldreams.com
I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Kid
by Noreen Braman
Medical science recently discovered that women who have been pregnant might carry cells from the child in their body for decades after the birth. And those same children show evidence of having cells from their mother in their bodies for a lifetime. Finally, a scientific explanation for some of the dynamics of family life.
Mothers invariably have a certain radar for when “things aren’t right.” The kids are too quiet or they’ve been out too long or there is just a nagging feeling inside that for the most part, fathers are clueless about. How many times do we read a story about a child’s rare illness, diagnosed only when doctor after doctor found nothing, and mom insisted on one more test. Sure, we all acknowledge this is a mother’s instinct, but now, we finally have scientific proof of how it might work.
I am probably carrying around with me, some cells from all three of my children. Cells that swim around in the bloodstream, basically doing nothing until they are awakened by messages from the cells in my child’s body. I don’t know how this would work exactly, but perhaps there is some kind of wireless, cellular Internet – or maybe they use cell phones. The result is, the child cells in my body start swimming as fast as they can up to my brain where they pull the emergency cord and my train of thought screeches to a halt. I am immediately consumed with concern for the involved child and must track him or her down right away. “How did my mom know!” is often the surprised reaction. Especially when a truant child bounces into the house after a day spent avoiding school, only to find Mom standing there, home from work a full three hours early.
Now that we know that mothers and children are forever connected by these interloper cells, perhaps they can be used to our advantage. Mom’s cells in the child’s body can be trained to monitor a teenager’s driving, automatically imposing a 40 mph speed limit. Grass could be cut and garbage taken out without nagging – and that wild boyfriend with the nose ring – he could be history.
Of course, eventually, the children will find out how to activate their own cells in mom’s body. Phone calls will no longer begin with “so you haven’t called in three weeks, good thing I’m not dead …” Twins and close siblings will no longer be outfitted in matching clothes and paraded around the neighborhood. Becoming a lawyer or a doctor will be something pursued because of interest, not just because Mom wants one in the family!
Perhaps this isn’t such a good idea after all.
(c)2011 Noreen Braman an excerpt from "Treading Water."
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Veteran's Day 11-11-11
To honor all our military veterans, a poem from WWI, that Linus recites in the video "What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?"
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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