https://wiki.mozilla.org/B2G

I spent a lot of time playing with my fiancée’s mom’s new Chromebook! I absolutely love the Web-only operating system. It would be awesome to have something similar on my mobile device. I’m not sure if I’d prefer seeing Android gobble up Chrome or Chrome replace Android… OR Boot 2 Gecko beat both, giving us a truly free and open source Web-based operating system!

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I see a true mobile life as one with smartphones replacing our wallets and acting as our personal processing devices, wristwatches as easy to view notification systems, headsets and other peripherals extending our connections with our personal area networks. With the introduction and continued development of consumer robots like NAO from Aldebaran Robotics, I am continually interested in ... Read More »]]> It’s January 1, 2012 … the start of a new year. With that, I’d like to start a few new habits to help me reach my goals. I’ve decided that I will begin posting reviews and my personal opinions about all of the mobile technologies that I’ve been researching and testing. Mainly I’ll be discussing Web content management systems, Android smartphones, wristwatches, Bluetooth headsets and peripherals, and consumer robotics. It might sound like they don’t all go together, but in my mind they absolutely do.

I see a true mobile life as one with smartphones replacing our wallets and acting as our personal processing devices, wristwatches as easy to view notification systems, headsets and other peripherals extending our connections with our personal area networks. With the introduction and continued development of consumer robots like NAO from Aldebaran Robotics, I am continually interested in how personal robots can become the personal computer of the future. The Web, of course, is the glue that holds everything together.

My first review, coming this week is my full opinion of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. After two full weeks of use, it’s definitely the best Android I’ve ever used… I’ll explain why.

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I’ve had a lot of Androids… and I mean a LOT. I started out with HTC devices and then moved to Samsung. Eventually I tried Motorola, and now I’m back to Samsung. One reason I love Android is that it is a common operating system across many manufacturers and therefore there are different designs that fit every type ... Read More »]]> When I sat down to write this post I initially intended to write a review of the Google/Samsung/Verizon Galaxy Nexus. I quickly realized that adding another review to the Web wouldn’t really hold any value. There are people who love Android, and there are people who hate it. Many bloggers have already dissected the Galaxy Nexus from hardware to software to cell service. Instead of explaining why I love this particular phone, I think it would be more valuable to explain why I love Android.

I’ve had a lot of Androids… and I mean a LOT. I started out with HTC devices and then moved to Samsung. Eventually I tried Motorola, and now I’m back to Samsung. One reason I love Android is that it is a common operating system across many manufacturers and therefore there are different designs that fit every type of taste or style. At the same time, this is one of the biggest problems with Android! People have started to refer to devices as “Androids” when in fact they are simply running Android. An HTC device is still an HTC device. A Samsung device is still made by Samsung. They simply share a common operating system. And since it’s an open operating system, it could (and does) look and feel very different on each device. It is important, when buying an Android, to know what manufacturer’s device you are buying. Realize that the back of the phone might say “with Google,” but that does not mean that all Androids are made by Google!

This is what’s lead me back to the Nexus. I’ve owned a Nexus 1, Nexus S, and now the Galaxy Nexus and the best feature of all of these devices has been that they are more Google than other Androids. Google built the operating system and no one messed with it (except maybe Verizon, but that’s another article all together). Google updates the operating system. Google even worked very closely with the manufacturer to build the hardware specifically for the new features of the latest version of the operating system. I want my Android to be pure Google, and the Galaxy Nexus definitely is.

I’ve been using the Galaxy Nexus for almost a month now and I’m extremely impressed. One of the most interesting new features is something that Apple’s Siri has somewhat over-shadowed. The Galaxy Nexus (Android 4.0) has an incredible Voice Keyboard! It types as you talk. You can tap mis-typed words to quickly and easily correct them. It learns your voice and therefore improves its dictation over time. I know it may sound weird to actually talk to your phone (((sarcasm))), but it’s so much easier and faster to type. I have to say that the Galaxy Nexus is the absolute best Android I have ever used. I’m extremely happy with the Samsung manufacturing and absolutely impressed with the software that Google has designed and developed. I can’t wait to see how the Android operating system evolves.

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“One of the hardest things, when you’re trying to affect change, is that people like this gentleman are right in some areas. [...] The hardest thing is how does that fit in a cohesive, larger vision that’s gunna allow you to sell, uhm, 8 billion dollars, 10 billion dollars, a year. And one of the things I’ve always found is that you’ve gotta start ... Read More »]]> In the weeks after Steve Jobs’ death, tales of his life, work, and inspiration have surged through the media like a typhoon and continue today, one month later. I’ve heard people put him on a pedestal as an almost god-like thought-leader, and I’ve heard people bash him as an overbearing monster who demanded perfection at any cost. I’m not quite sure how I feel about the media spin, but I keep coming back to this one quote:

“One of the hardest things, when you’re trying to affect change, is that people like this gentleman are right in some areas. [...] The hardest thing is how does that fit in a cohesive, larger vision that’s gunna allow you to sell, uhm, 8 billion dollars, 10 billion dollars, a year. And one of the things I’ve always found is that you’ve gotta start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can’t start with the technology and try to figure out where you’re gunna try to sell it. And I’ve made this mistake probably more than anyone else in this room, and I’ve got the scar tissue to prove it, and I know that it’s the case. And as we have tried to come up with a strategy and a vision for Apple, it started with ‘What incredible benefits could we give the customer? Where can we take the customer?’ not starting with ‘Lets sit down with the engineers and figure out what awesome technology we have and then how are we gunna market that?’ And I think that’s the right path to take.”

I think this specific quote really shows who Steve Jobs was and what he accomplished. It definitely embodies my impressions and ideas of who he was. He was very calm, collected, and in control of his emotions.This was a man who had incredible passion and had the drive to bring that passion to the entire world. He was confident in his strategies and vision. The magnitude of what companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft accomplish is so astonishing, regardless of media spin, I hope we can all agree that this was an exceptional man whose life can teach all of us many lessons.

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Blogger just recently added a new template to their offering called Dynamic Views. I’ve tweaked it a little with some CSS, but this is a really slick theme for a personal site. There’s even a view tailored to showing off your photo galleries.

Check out Blogger and connect to your Google+Profile!

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There are very few technologists who are universally considered “cool.” Very few who are truly creative. Very few who are revolutionary … Steve Jobs is, and will remain, an amazing inspiration to me. As I continue my career on the Web, I will always review my work through his eyes: “how would the user expect this to work?” “how can I improve the user experience?”

Rest in peace, Steve.

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Check out my presentation slides:

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