Apple Watch - a revolution?

 Wearing an Apple Watch has been uneventful.

So far the most used function is to unlock my computer which takes about the same as me typing in the password.

Most annoying part is having to charge another device. Yes, I don't miss having to charge another gadget.

In ideal world I wish I could leave the phone at home and just rely on Apple watch for all my communication needs but that's far from that. For example my gym has an app with a barcode to sign in but no apple watch version. So I need to bring my phone anyways. And if I have my phone I don't need apple watch.

Navigating with apple maps and watch displays the turns with taps on the wrist to remind you. I like that as it is useful not to miss the exit.

Overall I am underwhelmed. I think I will use the watch for tracking fitness classes and sleep but from my previous experience having that data does nothing in reality. In my opinion living worry free has much greater impact on a good nights sleep.

Until Apple Watch can replace my phone it is not that useful. And currently it does not so if you want to free yourself from iPhone and migrate to the Watch current state of things does not allow it.

However as a discrete notification device Apple Watch delivers. With ringer off I still get taps on my wrist for calls and messages that need not be missed and that is useful.

I have tested Apple Watch SE gen2 44mm, Apple Watch SE gen2 40mm and Stainless Series 8 41mm. I have to say that having a display on all the time makes the watch so much more useful that in retrospect I would skip SE for missing that feature all together. And smaller size of "ladies" watch is just fine for me as I prefer not to wear gargantuan timepieces lately in fashion. In this case less is more.

Smart Watch Saga Continues - Apple Watch SE v2 is en route through eBay

 I have decided to get an Apple Watch SE2 44mm as my new notification device. 

I've been using Fitbit Ionic and although it is excellent on battery life (I get 3-4 days of use before I charge it) the only feature it has that my iPhone does not is heart rate monitor. Sleep tracking is interesting, but I just don't see much benefit from it. For notifications I do get them on Ionic, but it is somehow not consistent and thus I am not a big fan. 

I am hoping that Apple watch will have rock solid messaging and phone notifications as that is what I need when I can't have my phone on me (exercise classes, rock climbing, swimming, etc.) 

Having cellular connectivity is a plus although I seem to carry my phone with me most of the time. Visible charges $5 a month for adding an Apple Watch to my account and I am looking forward to see how well it works.

I have been curious about Apple Watch Ultra but before I commit I would like to get a taste of experience which SE2 should be able to provide.

At the end I am looking for quality of life improvements. If my life becomes better due to the tech - then it is worth it. If not - then it just adds to an experience (hopefully not in frustration).

Smart Watch Update - 2023 Summer Edition

 I've been rocking Samsung Galaxy Active 2 (died after hot tub submersion) and then Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (I had to take it off as my Sony Xperia 1 mk3 died after our trip to the beach).

I tried re-pairing Samsung Galaxy 5 to my iPhone just to find out that it can not be done. Bummer.

So now I am at the crossroads of either getting another Android phone, another iPhone compatible watch (Apple Watch probably), both or neither.

Let's refresh what I use the watch for.

Most useful feature is picking up a call when the phone is stuck somewhere out of reach. There were several times when I was able to answer the call from childrens school or my mom when otherwise I would had to let it go to voicemail. Useful, but with planning it all can be done with a phone.

 Sleep tracking - the phone lets me know how I slept. However, if I had a terrible night I already know and  tracker or no tracker is going to help me. 

I though the tracker could let me know if I am getting sick or being stressed out but that tech is not there. 

Exercise tracking - I could make it keep track of my heart rate and calorie counting but as I join either the group class that has a rhythm of its own or just follow the workout over headphones again the smart watch is just a glorified timer.

For hiking I would set the watch, but the same can be done with the phone.

For walking I tried using the watch but the constant buzzing if I decided to slow down to take a picture or keep up with the kids make it an annoyance on Samsung.

My conclusion is that I will probably try an Apple watch Ultra to see how it fits my lifestyle as a hands free calling is useful but I am in no hurry as the "wrist computer" doesn't have a killer feature that I must have. And I have missed my old Seiko for way too long.

The best camera is the one you have availabe at moments notice

Los Angeles Zoo - Giraffe Feeding

The camera you use the most is the one you have with you. But let's not kid ourselves - cell phone cameras still leave a lot to be desired - I still prefer the ergonomics and image control of a stand alone camera. Why would I want to use an inferior cell phone camera when I have superior dedicated one?

I've been always carrying camera in a camera bag with its lenses and accessories when I am on the move. That made camera less accessible for spontaneous shots.

I never liked camera straps as I felt they left cameras exposed and more vulnerable to damage by dangling next to the body. I always preferred to have a hand strap (the one I've owne was with Canon 1DS Mk3). However, with a camera "in hand" you don't have a free hand when needed. So I would carry a small bag to place the camera into when not shooting. This strategy works relatively well but prevents grab shots as it takes about 30 seconds to get the camera out of the bag and shooting. 

To have camera accessible at moments notice it either needs to be in your hand or within a grabbing distance. I've done some research on YouTube and Reddit and decided to try a Blackrapid strap system. There are 3 parts to the system - strap itself, FastenR5 attachment point that screws into your cameras tripod mount socket and ConectR swivel carabine. Swivel carbine slides up and down the webbing material strap so you can quickly get camera up to your eye level to grab the shot. 

I've picked up a used strap with a storage pocket on top of it - that sounded like a good idea, but by placing a spare battery in a top pocket it made the strap unbalanced and it kept shifting forward/back around my shoulder and made it less than ideal for carbine to slide up unhindered. At the end I placed nothing in the "pocket" area to maximize padding comfort. Also I shortened the strap to have camera hang above the hips to prevent the camera banging into the side of my leg. The camera did not interfere with my LL Bean Traveler fanny pack that I wear as well for carrying my phone and wallet. 

I am also going to try the Blackrapid strap with a stabilizing strap running under the armpit to prevent sliding. Whichever strap works better that's the one I am going to keep. I am also curious about Spider holsters - I've seen photogs use them more than once. I might try them as well in the future as I do like hanging things around my waist.

Is "premium data" a money grab by the carriers?

What is "premium data"? Many carriers advertise that as a feature yet no one is clearly defining what it is. Carriers want you to be very scared when you run out of "premium data". Lets look at AT&T postpaid offerings: AT&T UNLIMITED PREMIUM℠ PLAN - "Unlimited talk, text, & high-speed data that can’t slow down based on how much you use" which is unlimited premium data. AT&T UNLIMITED EXTRA® PLAN - "Unlimited talk, text, data + 50GB of Premium Data. After 50GB, AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy." AT&T UNLIMITED STARTER® PLAN - "Unlimited talk, text & data. AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy." Only Premium plan offers unlimited premium data. Extra has 50gb of it, and Starter has NO premium data. What does it all mean? Every network has a capacity limit based on chanels of wireless connectivity and connection to the cell site. For example, if the backhaul to the cell cite has capacity of 10GB/s that is the maximum bandwith for all users connected. Now if you have enough users to exceed total of 10 GB/s throughput non-premium users have their speeds throttled and "premium" users should get faster speeds. But what if there is not too many people connected? In reality I find my "non-premium" data just fine. I don't see a difference when streaming audio or video. So in reality it does not matter.

Mobile Phone Adventures in 2022 recap

Following last year I've decided to experience Google Fi. First step was to port the number from Google Voice and that's where things started to go wrong. After waiting for 5 days the port by Fi was not finished. I checked with Spectrum Mobile to see if they could port in the number. They said they could but... Fi never ported the number in. Spectrum has ported the number in but assigned it to a wrong person and I got a theirs number assigned to me! It took me 3 months to resolve the issue but at the end I got my original number back. I had to contact Spectrum VP offices and I got a special liaison assigned who was indispensable in making the process move forward. But it was quite a battle with countless hours wasted on the phone. I did try out Google Fi and it works great on my Sony Xperia mk3. I got 5G signal, WiFi calling and international accessibility. Then I decided to try it out on my iPhone 12 Mini. That's where Fi falls flat as LTE coverage is quite spotty. I would get interruptions in my streams, and voice call quality was on the borderline unusable. As I frequently switch between phones that was not acceptable for my main line. So for now I keep Fi line for international use. I have the line being "paused". I still have my main number on Spectrum Mobile but soon I will be moving on. Spectrum runs on Verizon network and although the voice quality is much better than T-Mobile it is still not as good as AT&T. So I have got $25 AT&T prepaid line and it has been working well besides being little low on data (8GB a month). I have signed up with Boost Infinite who provide 30GB of data a month for $25. I've been with them for past week and so far so good. I wonder how the prepaid AT&T and Boost will do when traveling to Mexico. Spectrum drops the connection to 3G (HSPDA) and it is barely useable. If I get 3G connections on AT&T and Boost then Fi is definite way to go. With Fi I was getting 4G (LTE) or even 5G connections (in Helsinki airport). And if I am traveling abroad and relying on mobile for anything more than couple days I will invest into local prepaid SIM card which is usually much much cheaper and has larger data allotment. I've looked into AT&T postpaid as I qualified for a "discount" through work and Fiber, but at the end Elite plan was still over $50 and was gonna go up after the credits expired - I did not feel it was worth it. To finish the year with a bang I've dropped my iPhone 12 Mini on concrete and put several fracture lines onto the screen. But even before that I've noticed that the screen was scratching very easily. Conclusion is that Apple's "ceramic shield" is not that hard in comparison to my Pixel phones. I've gotten a used Pixel 4 to check out and it compares very favorably against iPhone 12 mini. Pixel 4 face unlock works in vertical or horizontal vs only vertical on iPhone. Built in rubber bumper of Pixel 4 allows you to use it without the case as there is sufficient grip to hold it comfortably and firmly. iPhone needs the case just to be able to hold it without dropping, and even with the case (Spigen) it shattered on impact. I tried putting on the case on Pixel 4 (Otterbox Defender) but the buttons were too stiff to be able to operate camera comfortably and I could not use "squeeze" functionality so now I use the phone bare. If it broke I would just replace it as it would be still cheaper than replacing the screen on iPhone 12 Mini ($229 at Apple). I think I will just get a screen protector and that way prevent from cracks getting worse. I don't feel them with my finger anyways and screen/digitizer work 100%. At the end you have to be aware where and how you use your phone - if there are the deadzones and how much data you need. Based on that you can find a plan that fits without breaking the bank.

Android Adventures in 2022 - from Sony Xperia 1 mk3 to Google Pixel 6 and back

Little bit of background - it all has started when my iPhone 7 Plus started uploading gigabytes of data over cellular. If you were on an unlimited plan you probably won't even notice, but I wasn't and I did. I contacted Apple (the phone was still under warranty, I bought it refurbished from Apple) but after a month of data dumps and analysis nothing came out of it. I lost trust in iPhone for the first time after using them since iPhone 3G. I wanted the Android experience and narrowed down the choices to either Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel. I didn't want to buy a used phone with an exausted battery so I shopped manufacturers refurbished sites. I didn't find anything on Samsung, but ran across refurbished Pixel 3. Pixel 3 was a great phone. It came with Android 9 or 10 and I used 11 with it. Eventually I updated it to the last version - Android 12 which is the last update it will get. The phone also came with unlimited ORIGINAL Photo and Video storage, but later that got reduced to Storage Saver mode, while still unlimited. Pixel 3 had a good camera, but I was also shooting my Sony A7r mk3 and was able to transfer photos to Pixel to be uploaded to the cloud. It woked great as Pixel 3 provided GPS information for the photos as well AND the uploads did not count to my cloud usage as they came through Pixel 3 phone. I also found out that on Android it is possible to upload to the cloud services in the background - unlike iOS. On iPhone I had to keep Google Photos or Synology Memories in the forground for the uploads to take place - quite a hassle as Apple tried to herd you to use Apple Photos which does upload in the background. Eventually I got enamored with Android and decided to take a leap with a current "spec champ" Sony Xperia 1 mk3. This phone has it all - dual SIMs, expandable storage (at the cost of one SIM slot), triple lens camera system - the works. It looks pretty good too to me. So I took the plunge and picked one up. Honeymoon did not last too long. I found out that the shutter had a long delay and shots of my kids were quite chalenging. Also, I experienced regular lockups of camera app - just as you launch it it would not start and the only way to get it working again was a phone reboot. Eventually the microphone failed and I had it repaired by Sony. Lesson to be learned - even when specs are making you salivate the reality is what matters. I decided to go for Pixel experience as I had good luck with Pixel 3. I picked up a new and shiny Pixel 6. Pixel 6 was a good phone although I could not get eSIM to work on AT&T prepaid plan. Phone support tried and failed, at the store I was told that only on iPhone prepaid eSIM would work. Postpaid would work on Pixel 6, but it was not what I had. So back it went to Google. People complained a lot about the phone but I did not experience those issues - yes, the touch ID was little slow but it still worked and "Hey Google" response was immediate unlike on Sony where I had to call several times. But I was back where I started - Pixel 3 and iPhone 7+. I also did not want a large phone. Pixel 6 was pretty big - big enough for me to get uncomfortable holding phone while in bed. I wanted something small. So I got iPhone 12 Mini through Apple refurbished program. And that's where I am now. I am no longer craving "Pixel 7 Pro" or "iPhone 14 Pro" because they are not that better than my current one. iPhone 12 Mini is a fluid single handed user phone. It is not a phablet or a folder but it does what I want it too. If the phone does what you want it to comfortably then you don't need another phone.

Wireless Adventures Continue in 2022 - Moving from Google Voice

Sony has updated Xperia 1 mark 3 to Android 12 and that fixed the problem of SMS messages not being received. I also found out that 5G would not work on AT&T, but their LTE service is top notch in L.A. and worked well, although it is the most expensive option for me ($45 plus another $5 in taxes for unlimited MAX is the cheapest prepaid option; I could get postpaid Unlimited Extra is $46.25 after all the discounts for 2 years, then it goes up $10 after the "port-in" $10 credit ends). My other gripe is I could not get WiFi calling to work with the Sony and it is Sonys fault. So far only Google Fi would support it, but their plans are not that great price wise and I did not had great luck with T-Mobile Magenta while roadtripping so it became a non starter (although I did conteplate it for a while). At the end paying $50 for Unlimited (new rate in April of 2022) + Tax (another mystery charge) extinguished my interest in going with Google Fi. Spectrum was more transparent including taxes and disclosed them as $1.82 itemized charge. Why would I not stay with Google Voice? First reason is inferrior voice quality. I have tried multiple phones on local calls and got response that "I was sounding like coming from the barrel", also I had problems hearing the person I was talking too. I presume it is due to overzealous compression. And when I called internationally (I called Mexico) the sound quality was so poor that I could not communicate at all. The second reason was that I am using this phone number for 2 factor authentication and there are services that would not authenticate over "VOIP" numbers. The third reason was that Viber and Line would not authenicate over "VOIP" phone number. So although good in theory Google Voice is limited and becoming less and less useful for somebody who is on the lookout for a better service and would like avoid porting numbers around. My conclusion is that I need a service that would provide best price with good coverage in U.S. and worldwide if needed for reasonable price and Spectrum checks all the boxes so far. I did use Spectrum Mobile in Mexico and the charges were reasonable ($.01 per megabyte so Gig would cost you $10). We just used it for Google maps and Yelp so so the charges were like $.24. WiFi at the hotel was for all the heavier data use. Later today... Transfering number from Google Voice is a nightmare. Instead of couple minutes on regular carriers I was informed it is going to take 1-4 DAYS. So now I have a de-activated SIM on Spectrum and no number to route calls from.

What's the lowdown on 5G in the end of 2021?

Yosemite Winter

With all the promotion of latest generation of phones I wanted to know if it was anything substantial.

I was using Spectrum Mobile - MVNO on Verizon network with iPhone 7+. Then I started getting unexplained data leaks that Apple was not able to solve so I switched to Android. My first introduction was Google Pixel 3 which is an excellent phone with a short battery life. As Spectrum Mobile started supporting 5G I decided to check it out.

First I needed a phone that would support it - Qualcomm 888 Snapdragon is the latest chipset for 2021.

I do not like phones with notches or punches in the screen. I homed in on Sony Xperia 1 mark 3 as the phone that checked all the boxes.

After I started using it on Spectrum network I found out that it was not a "supported device". Basically everything worked except visual voice mail (not a big deal) and receiving SMS (big deal). Spectrum solution was for me to get another phone but I was already out of my $$$ so I decided to look for another solution with a different carrier.

First I needed to port out my phone number so I would not loose it.

Since I have been using Google Voice for years I decided to park my number there.

The process took couple days and $20.

Now I was free to check out any other carrier without going through the hassle of porting (and not having access to it while in limbo) my number.

After an extensive research I chose Mint.

They had an incredible promotion - buy 3 months and get 3 months free. I ended up spending around $50 for first 3 months of 4GB data per month and then got another 3 months on top of that. Not bad.

The bad part is that Mint runs on T-Mobiles network. Although I get a acceptable coverage at my home and office the coverage is spotty to say the least when I am on the road. I have ended up in a dead zone quite a few times which made me think about trying another network.

As I new about Verizon network from my Spectrum experience (coverage was good except the SMS issue) I decided to give AT&T a try.

AT&T PREPAID^SM Unlimited Plus for $50 a month ($75 without auto pay) plus tax ($55) had 5G access and would give me a good taste of the network.

After testing it out for a month I could not get 5G to work in my area although my area was covered on the maps. After 2 contacts with AT&T including a visit to a store for a SIM swap I was still not connecting to 5G. Lastly tech admitted that 5G was not "on" in my town and I gave up. The speeds were comparable to Verizon and so was the coverage.

I decided to give another go to T-Mobile on highest priority plan to see if I was missing anything from "deprioritized" Mint.

This time the choice was Los Mobile Magenta plan - $45 +tax = $50. Honestly, I ran SpeedTest many times and maybe I got slightly faster speed than Mint but it was not really noticeable. Upload speeds were still slow and not worth extra money.

At the end I am back on Mint until the plan runs out, then I am going back to Spectrum Mobile. As I got my SMS problem fixed I am just going to use Spectrum Mobile as a dumb pipe for Google Voice.

 

Sound System at your Desk

2020, the year of Covid-19.

I've spend most of the year at home working on my computer. 

So I decided to upgrade my desktop sound system for improved performance.

I've had a couple pairs of Stax electrostatic Earphones in my collection - SR-X and SR-Lambda. My device chain used to start on my Windows 7 machine over SPIDIF to SoundStream DAC and then through Krell KAV300i amp to Stax SRM-1/MK-2 headphone energizer to my headphones. I would listen to my FLAC and mp3 rips or would stream radio stations that offered it. Ahh, the early days of streaming.

Enter 2021. I've just moved from 2010 Mac Pro to 2018 Mac Mini and decided to use Toslink digital connector that has been built into the audio jack of many Macs. Well, it is not there anymore so that idea was out of the window. Second I wanted to use USB connection but realized that my SoundStream DAC did not have USB inputs. So I did some research on Reddit and Youtube and ended up acquiring Schiit Modi 3+ for a DAC, then plugged it in to STAX SRM-1/MK-2 energizer and then put on my headphones. Audirvana did sound nice but I kept wondering what would a "better" DAC would sound like. 

Down the rabbit hole with GAS (gear acquisition syndrome).

Metrum Amethyst R2R DAC, KOSS ESP/95X headphones, and a revival of another older DAC - MOTU Traveler via USB-C to Firewire converter. Wow. 

My audio never sounded that good over headphones. Yeah, if I had my space I would play my speakers more, but now it is not quite possible.

Then came streaming service comparison.

I already had YouTube Premium and Amazon Music Prime, both lossy streams but they did sound pretty good to me.

I've tested out Deezer HiFi and Qobuz, in CD or High Res tracks of the same songs. Could not hear the difference. 320/256 mp3/OggVorbis? Still could not tell the difference.

The only difference I could tell was the stability of the app and functionality.

I did like the design of Deezer (I hear Spotify is very similar but more social features) so I might give them a try for a year. Qobuz and Amazon Unlimited are already canceled. I did not try Amazon HD as I felt disappointed in "High Res" moniker. Diminishing returns in quality is very evident in my case.

Youtube Music has excellent selection of music but no dedicated app for OSX. Can't have it all I guess.

Getting a New Car

No, I don't mean a "New Car", just a car new to ME.

Buying a NEW car will happen if there is a ton of money dropped on me and I have nothing better to do with it.

About 2 years ago I picked up a used 2012 Nissan Leaf from Craigslist for $4000 as an experiment. Car had a new battery (changed under warranty by previous owner), and a new set of tires. So far it has cost me nothing - I get free power at the charger at work and near the house. Granted, it does not fit 5 people comfortably or doesn't go too far on a charge (about 65 miles I figured) but compared to Lexus LS400 it has paid for itself just of gasoline costs (read below) alone.

Until then my Toyota made fleet has been serving me quite diligently.

My oldest vehicle, 1998 Lexus LS400, is still running strong but at 168k miles is starting to feel long at the tooth and with a V8 is not a frugal proposition at the pump. Right now, with gas lingering around $3.49, I can easily spend $60 - $70 filling up the tank. If I drove to work and around, it is a weekly expense, and it does add up. But the AC is strong, brakes are good and starter motor has been changed - I could be driving this beast for another 10 years or till transmission failed. But I do not expect gas prices to come down, so even if nothing goes wrong (knock on wood) just the fuel would cost me $70*52 weeks = $3640 a year.

But wait - I do have another car as well! What if my LS400 dies (like the starter went out and I was dead in the water) but I still need to go to work? Well, I have a trusty 2001 Lexus LX470. That's the behemoth I take on camping trips and Costco runs. I move furniture with it when needed, and go out with our family of 5 on weekends with ease. But that's not the car to drive to work - it is very thirsty with a tank size to match. It's a specialist vehicle.

I would have bought an electric Toyota as well, but I could not find anything in my price range - Rav4 EV was around $15k, but I wasn't feeling it. So Nissan Leaf it was.

My conclusion is if you have access to a free charger, you can save a lot on your transportation. Used Leafs are cheap and they are pretty reliable. Battery is the weakest link, but as long as you can charge it for free and range is enough, it is a steal!

Going 10G on home network

I have a MacPro 5,1, 2010. 

10.14 Mojave is the end of the road for this machine. 

But for its last hurrah I wanted to speed up access to my Synology DS3612xs NAS with 10G link, so after researching ended up picking up old stock new Solarflare SFN5161T Dual port 10BASE-T NIC for just under $70. I've could have gotten older card for around $30, but I decided to splurge.

I am trying to do piece 10G on an experimenting budget with mostly used server parts on eBay. The only "new" items are the switch and SFP+ to RJ45 module, 

Drivers downloaded and installed without a hitch from the vendor.

Right now running on a Gigagbit network, waiting for MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN to arrive.

Exciting times!

 

Update: Sticking with Mojave and i7 2018 Mac Mini with 10G ethernet.

 

Tried out MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN and ended up returning it as I had issues with intel X520 card in my Synology.

 

Got a used Dell x1052P switch and it works well with my POE cameras and 10G on Synology and my Mac Mini.

Apple Watch 4 is coming Err is here

Rumors abound about a new apple watch, with images floating around.

Since I have gotten a Pebble Time for $47.89, I have been very comfortable with it.

It does not cost a small fortune, and it has always on time display.

There are a lot of watch faces to choose from (my fav right now is Trek v3).

It lets me know if someone is calling or texting or emailing me. Skyping, Lining, Vibering... You get the point.

Waterproof.

So, what would it take for Apple to get my business?

The apple watch needs to replace the phone functionality.

The battery needs to last for 3-4 days.

Ability to read news/web/ebooks - new way to interact with the screen is needed, maybe through Augmented Reality glasses.

I use a time function of my watch a lot. Glanceability is very high on my list. Then notifications. Then stand alone functionality. v.3 Apple Watch LTE has gotten closer, but not being able to choose your carrier killed this for me. I think with v5 and 5G networking that give a 3-4 days of use I might take another look.

Update 9-12-18

Well, my initial feel holds - "new" apple watch is nothing special. Another year of waiting for something "revolutionary".

When will Apple build a Watch for me?

I've been lusting after Apple watch for a long time, but so far I am not buying.

I just don't want another device that I have to charge every night, with redundant functionality to my iPhone.

I've been using Mi Band 2 for the past year, and it has been good - buzzing me when there is a message, but not being able to see the messages in detail made me reach for the phone way too often.

I just picked up a Pebble Time - for $47 it does everything Mi Band 2 did (minus the heart rate workout tracking) but I can now see the messages on my wrist! Sleep tracking is different too - turns out I have been sleeping more according to Pebble, and step counting is more accurate too (on Mi Band it used hand swinging motion, so if I was pushing a stroller, I was "not walking").

Is the Pebble my ultimate "wrist tech"? Of course not. The color screen is just an afterthought.

Update - Mi Band 2 can track my yoga workouts through "Treadmill" mode. Steps are bogus, but I get heart rate zones. I don't remember that from before, must be a recent sofware update for MiFit.

7-3-18 Update - the Pebble Time can be fooled when pushing a stroller into not counting steps, so that's that.

How many G's do you need? Apparently, not too many. MVNO Verizon LTE.

Yeah, all I need is reliable service, I don't give rats ass what "gen" it is.

For past couple months my T-mobile service has gone down the toilet - slow(er) and no signal (at the places where it used to be OK).

You would think that over time the phone companies would improve their networks and service, so how come it is going backwards?

Sprint was offering a $15 a month kickstart "deal" last week, but after doing some research with a weak signal on an overloaded network it was a no go.

So I went with Verizon LTE network, and so far I am pleasantly surprised. The service is cheaper, and  is better.

Prices from Verizon directly are quite high,

Direct prices from Verizon

but you can buy their service through MVNO - I use US Mobile. I am not a datawhore, so I can function on 1GB of data a month doing my Skype, Line and Viber communications. I also started streaming music in my car, so I might have to bump to 2GB tier.

Direct price for Verizon service through US Mobile

For all you Amazon Prime streamers there is limited "unlimited" tier(s) (read the small print)

So for a limited user like me, I get top speed when needed, can add more data if required and not be paying Verizon retail.

About Electric Cars

It's 2017 and my 18 year old Lexus started having intermittent problems.

So, I started looking around to see what I could replace it with.

I could buy another Lexus in 5-10 thousand range, but it's a gamble as the car is only as good as it has been taken care of.

Then I came across a $2500 2011 Nissan Leaf with 75k miles. I saw it, drove it, and liked it. I was going to buy it next day, but the guy who came after me bought it already.

That started my interest in electric vehicles in general, and curiosity why used are so cheap compared to new.

After months of research, this is the conclusion I have reached.

Early Leafs had battery capacity problems - but if you can find one cheap enough, new battery costs around 6k usd. The real range of the car is like 60 miles if you use AC or freeway, so that has to be taken into consideration. There is useful space in the trunk, back seat and there are 4 doors. If I was buying a Leaf, I would look for 2013+ model as it had a 7kw charger versus 3kw in 2011 and 2012. Higher kw charger equates in faster charges from 220v line. 110v connections are limited due to low Amps supplied by the household plug.

Update 6-19-18

So I bought a 2012  Nissan Leaf with 50k miles and a bad battery. Yeah, old battery took a dive and I was able to get a new one! So far I have driven couple thousand miles, and this car is a great commuter. I can get like 60 miles if I go 65 mph on the freeway, or 80+ on the streets.

Second look at Apple Watch 3 LTE - why does it smell like original iPhone and AT&T deal?

I was very curious to see where Apple takes their Watch. I am looking not for an iPhone companion, but for a stand alone wrist communicator.

Recent propaganda from Apple got me all salivating - things were moving into the right direction, cellular support for iPhoneless functionality.

I felt like it would be nice to have a device that would work in L.A., and would still function for some bar hopping in Tijuana or for trekking in Peru, but that does not look to be the case. Not at least with my prepaid, T-Mobile based, virtual carrier. 

• "Wireless service plan required for cellular service." (All good there). "Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same." (Ugh oh, no mention of Apple Watch on my providers site) "Not available with all service providers." (Excitement is lessening) "Not all service providers support enterprise accounts; check with your employer and service provider. Some legacy plans may not be compatible." (More fluff) "Prepaid plans are not supported." (Bang! And on this Bombshell...)  "Coverage dependent on carrier network." (Makes sense - need to have a signal for LTE to function) "Roaming is not available outside your carrier network coverage area." (Huh? Not sure about that one - so if my carrier supports roaming, shouldn't the watch would be able to take advantage of it too?) "Contact your service provider for more details. Check www.apple.com/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility." (Sounds restricted and limiting)

That's a total deal buster, will wait till there is a watch for a common man that supports any carrier with any plan. So far looks like a play from original iPhone playbook when it supported AT&T only. Thanks, but no thanks. At least not yet.

P.S. When I travel I either stay on wifi (for very short trips) or purchase a local pre-paid SIM with data. That is way cheaper than paying for roaming. In the past, when Apple locked the phones, it was a pain and there were all kinds of workarounds, but now it is no longer an issue. The same parity in time will come to the Apple Watch too.

New iPhone needs to be the new iWatch

My iPhone is just fine the way it is - it makes calls, sends iMessages, and checks email. The way phones have been evolving  (getting thinner, bigger screen, longer talk time) are not really promising anything revolutionary.

What I want to see is my iPhone being replaced by a smart watch.

I remember when my organizer (Palm Pilot) and my cell phone (PacBell McDonalds blue phone by Ericson) got replaced by a SMART phone (Palm Treo). Suddenly, there was less items to worry about! I want to see the same with a new iWatch - with "SuperSiri" - that would take the voice interface to the level of Star Trek computer. When I can converse with it and get things done via voice, screen size becomes irrelevant.

So there, less is more!

Wristable Devices

I have to admit that I am a sucker for a functional gear. I love Casio G-Shocks, they are practically indestructible (minus the band, that's their Achilles heel), love mechanical watches and high accuracy time pieces (I had a Ti Citizen Chronomaster until it was stolen in a burglary, I still miss it dearly).

I have been keeping an eye on wristable devices and especially Apple Watch, but I am still not convinced that I need one. I feel I still need to bring my phone with me where ever I go and having a smart watch is superfluous. For a quick glance to get time my Casio G-Shock is more than adequate. For navigation phone with data is superior. Do I need to know my heart rate? Not really. Well, it might be interesting, but not that useful. So, what would I like to see in the watch I would buy?

Data connectivity with iMessage, Line and Skype. Voice control that works well (think Enterprise computer). Never needs charging - either powered by solar, motion or something new (like earths magnetic field). Device like that would become part of my routine just like the smart phone has done so. Let's see if in decade or so it will become reality.

Cell phone costs revisited and updated

Ever since cell phones acquired data capabilities I was a great fan of the wireless. Whenever I traveled, I always had email, then web with me - by getting a simcard abroad. But I never had that in US. Why? Data costs were just too high. I was never willing to pay $100 or even $50 a month for internet enabled smart phone service. Until couple days ago that is...

What made me change my mind? Going down prices started to make sense to add data to my smart phone(s). At first I came across Ting, and they started to look something I might be willing to pay; then I found U.S. Mobile - and everything came together.

I have ordered a SIM for $4, then activated and added 1GB of data. I added 100 minutes of talk time for another $3, but I don't think I'll be using that. There is $2 charge for "service fee". So after a month of using it, I'll see how much data I need and how much will I be spending.

Most of my talk time is on Skype now, with WhatsApp and Line doing some messaging and texting. I don't use SMS or Voice services anymore, just plain data. I did discover that my budget windows Nokia 620 is little under powered for Skype video chat, will be upgrading to a beefier hardware soon.

Speaking of hardware, what am I looking for? I am looking for a good camera, plenty of ram for smooth multitasking, plenty of storage for that camera and a battery that won't die at the end of the day. I have used iOS which I like for build quality and apps but dislike for not having SD style expansion. Not waterproof without bulky case. Plus you gotta pay Apple Tax in price. But overall I was pretty happy with my Apple phones - I have had 4 of them! I have played with Android phones too - they were a mixed bag. Cheaper Asus ZenPhone sounded great on paper, but in reality was just not snappy enough - not sure because of hardware or software; Windows 8 phone I have got (Lumia 620) is quite a firecracker - but there are some apps that I miss from my iPhone (like Amazon Video) that makes it so less useful. My next phone will have to be unlocked and support GSM, but LTE is not a priority. Waterproofness is nice, and good camera is a must. As I don't have the tablet, my phone is my tablet too so it has to be big. I'll be waiting to see what Apple shows at the upcoming iPhone 6s event, then make the decision. Sony Xperia Z3 is on my list, and so is Nokia 1520. I might just buy 6s Plus if I feel good about it. I do miss little things like "turn off sound" switch.

Anyways, data plan used to be the most expensive part before, and now it is the phone. As I tend to keep my phone for at least few years, I might be well served by buying the best I can afford.

Update: I have purchased Nokia 1520, but it died on me before I could not return it, so back it went. Good phone, just unfortunate failure.