“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” – Arthur C. Clark

“I want to put a ding in the universe.” – Steve Jobs

Having the reputation of the area’s longtime Apple expert, it was not surprising that I received so many questions what I thought about Steve Jobs and what it meant now that he has passed on. I put off writing this article because I wanted enough time to contemplate – but also because I was honestly not prepared to let go.

No single man has had the impact on the technology world that Steve Jobs has had, at least since the introduction of the personal computer. Nearly every technology that you and I use today – from the mouse, to the PC, to the way we listen to music today, even the phones we use – has the mark of Steve Jobs. No, he didn’t invent most of the technologies that we use. But he either brought them to market first, or figured out how “the rest of us” could best make use of those technologies. Did you know the world wide web was invented on a computer that a Steve Jobs company designed? Without Steve Jobs, even the Internet as we know it today may not exist. Given how ingrained technology is in our world, it is easy to say that no single man has had the impact on our very lives that Steve Jobs has had.

As for myself, my introduction to computers was on an Apple IIe. Apple was widely used in education during the 80′s, and I learned on Apple computers for much of my early life. Since then, my life and career has somehow been intertwined and influenced by Apple and other technology creations by Steve Jobs (NeXT, Pixar). The more I learned and experienced all sorts of different technologies, the more I realized that Apple products were different and special. Apple products have always been known for their ease of use and the fact that they make technology accessible to everyday people. Making technology easier to use and accessible to my clients became the mission of my technology business. It is no stretch to say that Steve Jobs has been the biggest influence in my career.

It can be said that we lost Steve Jobs too soon. But I think that one of the reasons Steve Jobs had such success resurrecting Apple was because he knew that his time in this world was short. Knowing that he only had limited time to perfect and implement his vision of technology in our world, he became super-focused on making this happen. Perhaps we wouldn’t have the Apple products that were introduced in the last 5 or so years without this intense focus. Steve Jobs didn’t waver from his mission and he has now shown much of the world how technology should be – not the tangled mess most of us were familiar with in the 90′s and early 2000′s.

It is incredible what an outpouring of grief and gratitude the world showed when Steve Jobs died. It is clear that he did impact the world in a way that even I didn’t fully grasp. But now that he’s gone, it is up to rest of us to continue his mission. We must continue to push for the best technology possible. We can not allow technology companies to settle for mediocracy. We must continue to make the investment in ourselves to seek out the technology that best fits our lives. We can not allow ourselves to simply accept the technology that so-called experts say is the best for us. Above all, we must understand that technology is much too important to take for granted. If we all commit to take the reins that Steve Jobs has left behind, nothing will be impossible.

This article is part of my Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide. Make sure to read that article first for an overview of my recommendations.

At this point, the only real competition to Apple’s iPhone and iPad are devices that run Google’s Android operating system (also commonly referred to as “Droid” devices, although that actually refers to the brand-name of the Motorola-manufactured Android phones). Android-based smartphones are selling well, with certain statistics even showing them outselling iPhones in certain markets (although they generally count free and half-price phones in their figures, where Apple has never given away iPhones). However, for their relative popularity, Android devices are fraught with peril for the unwary customer. Because of the complexity of explaining this in detail, I have prepared a supporting article. But if you aren’t interested in reading all the details, I can sum it up this way:

• There are too many Android devices resulting in little feature standardization among the devices, making choosing a device difficult.
• Many Android devices are made with cheap materials and are poorly constructed.
• There is not a unified operating system standard among Android devices, resulting in a fragmented market for app development, causing consumer confusion over which device may support certain features or apps.
• Android devices can get malware.
• Android devices are not as easy-to-use as Apple devices, nor have the quality or selection of apps available.
• The support for a particular phone may be poor, as it is up to each device manufacturer and wireless carrier to support it. Google does not do consumer support of any Android phone.
• Google’s recent purchase of Motorola throws their relationships with their current hardware partners into a state of chaos. Will current Android hardware partners be in the Android business next year? Will their current phones be orphaned?

So if you’d like to read the details, click on to my supporting article (article coming soon … stay tuned). But otherwise, just from the summary above, it’s hard to recommend an Android-based phone or tablet. Based in a large part on the mostly poor feedback I get from Android phone owners, I honestly believe they are selling as well as they are because many people’s wireless carriers do not yet have the iPhone. Time will tell as the iPhone becomes available on other carriers.

This article is part of my Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide. Make sure to read that article first for an overview of my recommendations.

RIM and their various Blackberry devices are well-known, having been the best-selling smartphone on the market prior to the iPhone. However, similar to Microsoft, RIM had to rethink their mobile phone offerings after the iPhone changed the market. So far, they’ve been less than successful.

RIM is still trying to develop a phone that is as user friendly as the iPhone and their selection of third-party apps is quite small. The main problem with the Blackberry is that the platform feels “stuck” in the past. However, RIM is having a hard time breaking with the past for fear of alienating their relatively large installed base (mostly corporate users). Yet at some point they must because their marketshare continues to slip. So prospective buyers are in a sort of limbo, awaiting if RIM will bring out their next big thing sooner than later.

RIM’s tablet offering, the PlayBook, has gotten very poor reviews and is not selling well at all. This bodes very poorly for the company as the operating system that that they are offering on the PlayBook may be what RIM transitions to on their phones. If the PlayBook is a failure in the marketplace, this may not inspire a lot of confidence in the market about future Blackberry phones.

Additionally, RIM as a company appears to be dysfunctional, and it’s not clear they are going to be able to pull out of the tailspin they are in. Given that the future of the company itself is questionable at this time, I must advise that you stay away from RIM’s Blackberry devices for the near future.

This article is part of my Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide. Make sure to read that article first for an overview of my recommendations.

Next in the lineup is Microsoft. For Microsoft’s history of smartphones going back to the early 2000′s, Microsoft has essentially “re-booted” their smartphone strategy with Windows Phone 7. Devices that run Windows Phone 7 are not compatible with any apps made for any of the previous generations of “Windows Mobile” devices. That being said, Windows Phone 7 has only been out on the market less than a year and so far has not garnered a lot of attention. The various devices that run Windows Phone 7 have no where near the number of apps as the other major players and reviews have been mixed. The platform may have a good future, given that Microsoft will not give up on their mobile device strategy (the future of the company depends on it) and they have the resources to keep improving the device, no matter how bad sales are. But as it stands, Windows Phone 7 is just not ready for prime-time. You’d do well to stay away from any device that runs Windows Phone 7 for the near future.

And don’t worry about any tablets that run a Microsoft operating system. They simply don’t exist – except for “tablet PC” devices running the PC version of Windows – but those aren’t the same thing as the tablets most people think about today (like the iPad). Tablet PC devices have been around since the early 2000′s and never sold very well. Rumors are that Microsoft’s next operating system, likely named Windows 8, will run on iPad-like tablets, but that won’t happen for at least a year. So don’t hold your breath.

This article is part of my Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide. Make sure to read that article first for an overview of my recommendations.

When I first started writing my guide, HP had just launched their TouchPad tablet device. So I wanted to include them in the roundup. However, the answer is now very simple. HP is out of the game. Finished. Kaput. They gave up 6 weeks after launching the TouchPad. However, for the near future, you may find “bargain-basement” pricing on HP TouchPads and their smartphone lineup. However tempting it may be, that $99 tablet that sort of looks like an iPad is a dead product. Dead as a doornail. No updates will be released and no more apps will be developed for it. You’re buying this device as is, which isn’t saying much for the ill-fated, poorly-received product. Same for the HP/Palm phones. Please, just be careful and advise any of your friends and family the same. I’ve seen reports of people spending $300 on eBay for these virtually worthless devices now.

This article is part of my Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide. Make sure to read that article first, unless you know for sure you want an Apple iPhone or iPad.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the Apple iPhone and iPad have completely revolutionized the technology industry. It’s not hard to realize this when you consider that a company which was on the brink of extinction about 12 years ago now has $80 billion in the bank and is considered the largest company in the world.

Apple’s devices have set the world on fire and the reasons are as simple as the devices themselves. People love their iPhones and iPads because they are easy to use, are extremely reliable, and have a huge library of apps they can download and make use of. And when I use the word “love”, I really mean it. Most people I talk to literally say they love their Apple device. I almost never get this reaction from any other technology product, including the devices that compete with the iPhone and iPad.

One of the most common questions I get nowadays is which is the best non-iPhone to purchase. It’s interesting I get the question phrased in this way. It’s usually from people who have Sprint, T-Mobile or another carrier who does not have the iPhone available. The insinuation is that if they could get the iPhone they would, but since they can’t, then they want to know the next best thing.

The short answer is there is no “next best thing”. If you want an iPhone, there is only one iPhone. Sure other phones may superficially look similar. But scratch the surface and you’ll find out why the iPhone is revered by their owners, while other devices are not. In fact, Apple is going through great lengths to point that out with their latest iPhone ad campaign – “If you don’t have an iPhone, well, you don’t have an iPhone”.

If you’re looking to purchase a new smartphone, you should seriously consider changing your carrier to get the iPhone. Rumors are that Sprint and T-Mobile may get the iPhone this fall. But these are rumors, so don’t count on them. However, if T-Mobile gets bought out by AT&T, then likely T-Mobile users will get the iPhone. Still, this may be several months out yet, so don’t hold your breath.

I’ve gotten a few similar questions about iPad competitors, but I get the feeling that most people don’t even realize there are iPad competitors. If they do, they don’t care. The reality is that unlike the smartphone market, where Android devices compete with the iPhone, the tablet market is completely dominated by the Apple iPad.

About the only problem that some people have with an iPhone or iPad is the lack of Adobe Flash support on these devices. It seems most people rarely run into a problem by not having Flash support, but some others seem to be affected by this more often. Apple’s competitors often cite their Adobe Flash compatibility (however flawed it may be) as a competitive advantage. The bottom line is that the lack of Adobe Flash support is a problem that will only continue to get better as web site developers move away from that technology. Already, many major web sites have announced they are transitioning to technology that is compatible with the Apple devices. It’s hard to ignore a market of over 200 million devices that only continue to grow rapidly.

So let’s get down to brass tacks. Which iPhone or iPad is best for you? Let’s start with the iPhone. Right now my advice is pretty simple: wait to see what Apple does in the late September/early October timeframe. I’d hate to see you buy a device right before Apple releases their latest iPhone model, which all rumors point to a new one right around the corner. So wait until then and I’ll be write my updated recommendations at that time.

As far as the iPad, your options boil down to the following:

Color: Black or White

Capacity: 16, 32, or 64 GB

Connectivity: Wi-Fi Only, AT&T 3G, Verizon 3G

Between these options, there are 18 different choices of iPad available. But it’s easy to narrow down which option you want as I’ll describe below. Also note that the current iPad model is the iPad 2. If you find an original iPad for sale, it might seem like a good deal, but I highly recommend that you purchase an iPad 2 in most cases.

Color is very simple. Pick whichever one you like best. However, keep in mind that you might put a cover on the iPad, so your choice of the cover may affect which color you prefer. Also keep in mind that the iPad is still very tough to find at times, so you may not get your choice of color if you want it right away.

Capacity can be simple. Each jump in capacity results in a $100 increment in price. For most people, the 16 GB model will be more than plenty. But if you’re the type of person who has a significant amount of music, photos, or video that you’d like to take with you on your iPad, then the 32 or 64 GB model may serve you well. And again, because the iPad can be tough to find at times, you may not be able to find a 16 GB model if that’s what you want. I think for only $100 more, getting double the capacity isn’t a bad deal. So if you want an iPad right away, getting the bigger model may be a good choice.

Connectivity is usually the most confusing option for most people. First off, all the models do have Wi-Fi. Some people think they must choose between Wi-Fi and the 3G service. No matter which device you pick, you’ll always be able to connect to Wi-Fi when you want.

So the first question is should you buy a 3G model? If you know for sure that the iPad will never, ever be used in a situation where the 3G service would be needed, then the Wi-Fi model should be good for you. Often, iPads that are purchased for children, or for use only in a specific location fit into this category. However, increasingly I find that people have the occasional need for mobile iPad Internet use. For example, let’s say a family goes on vacation once or twice a year, or a user travels a few times in a year for business. Because the iPad’s data plans from either AT&T or Verizon do not require a contract, users are free to pay for one month at a time. This flexibility in the data plans means that users can only activate the service when they need it (in monthly increments) and then cancel it until they need it again. The 3G models cost $130 more than their respective Wi-Fi only models, but in many cases I feel the extra money is worth it for the flexibility to activate the 3G service when needed.

So if you decide you’d like a 3G model iPad, then is the AT&T or Verizon service best for you? Note that whichever iPad you pick can only use that specific carrier. So you can’t purchase an AT&T iPad and change it to use Verizon, or vice-versa. Also note that it does not matter which carrier you have for your cell phone service. The iPad data plan is completely independent of your cell phone bill, regardless of which carrier you choose.

The answer to AT&T vs Verizon is not so simple. It completely depends on where you expect to use the iPad with 3G service most often. For example, my first iPad had AT&T service. My new iPad has Verizon service. I did this on purpose so I could compare the two with my usage. For the most part, I haven’t really noticed a difference. Each carrier will try to persuade you that theirs is the best service. But each carrier has their strengths and weaknesses as well as dead zones. The only way to know is to test it yourself, or ask others who have the respective service how well each carrier works for them. The pricing plans are similar between the two carriers, but also check them against your expected usage before making a decision.

If you expect to do a lot of international travel, the AT&T model may be your better choice. AT&T’s network technology is more globally compatible than Verizon’s. Other than that caveat, the choice between AT&T and Verizon in most cases just likely won’t matter. If the specific model you want isn’t available, you probably won’t go wrong with the other.

So hopefully all this information will help you make the best decision for your iPad purchase. As I said, be on the lookout for an iPhone buying guide in about a month or so.

Trying to keep up with the news today is tough! Information moves so fast and there are so many options for getting your news on the Internet that keeping up with what is going on in the world can be a full-time job. I know that just keeping up on the technology industry was using up a lot of my time. I needed something to help me be more efficient. Devices like the iPad are great readers, but it still wasn’t quite enough.

So I took the time to research some iPad apps and found a great service called Pulse. Pulse basically aggregates all the news sources that a reader wants, allowing for easy quick browsing of the articles in a simple interface. The news sources can also include Twitter feeds as well as Facebook, Youtube, and other social media platforms. Pulse has been selected as one of 50 apps in Apple’s App Store Hall of Fame and named one of TIME’s top 50 iPhone apps of 2011

Since I started using Pulse, I am a lot more efficient and can quickly scan through all my favorite news sources on my iPad, choosing to read the ones I am interested in right then. I also have the ability to save articles to my Pulse account. I often do this when I read an article I want to re-read later, and also to have the ability to review all my saved articles on my main computer. If this isn’t enough, the app and the service are FREE!

Pulse is available for the iPad, iPhone, and Android devices. For more information on Pulse, check out their web site at http://www.pulse.me

As companies like HP tumble out of the smartphone and tablet market, others fall from prominence like RIM (“Blackberry”), and yet others like Microsoft try to get a foothold with Windows Phone 7 (and eventually Windows 8?), it can be difficult for an average consumer to filter through all the hype and make the best purchase decision possible. So I’ve prepared a guide to help you make the best purchase possible.

If you really want me to cut to the chase, I’ll do so here. The rest of my guide will simply back up my conclusion: you should only be looking to purchase an Apple iPhone or iPad. All the other products and the platforms they are based on have serious flaws or usability issues that should cause serious concern to anyone interested. If you trust me (you do trust me, don’t you?) then you can stop reading here, or go on and read more specifically which model of iPhone or iPad is best for you. But for the curious, feel free to read on for the gory details. I’ll try to keep it as non-techy as possible, I promise.

Simply click on the links below for a more in-depth look at each major platform in the market:

Apple iPhone and iPad Buying Guide

Google Android Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide

RIM (Blackberry) Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide

Microsoft Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide

HP Smartphone and Tablet Buying Guide

One of our local TV stations ran a segment tonight warning their viewers about potential security risks with smartphones. They basically identified two risks: malicious apps and phishing texts. I have no issue with their warnings about suspicious text messages, and I hope that most people are savvy enough to recognize junk texts as illegitimate (would you really give away your social security number to a random text?). But I have a serious issue with their portrayal of malicious apps.

Simply put, they only speak vaguely about “phones”, “smartphones”, and once mention “tablet”. Yet every device they showed was an Apple iPhone or iPad. And there is the rub. Apple iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) can NOT get malicious apps. Let me say that again so there is no doubt: Apple iOS devices can NOT get malicious apps. (A few of you out there may argue that jailbroken iOS devices can get malicious apps, but if you are the type to jailbreak your device, then you know well enough what you are potentially getting yourself into.)

This is one of the main advantages of the tight control Apple retains over their App Store. The Apple App store is the only way of installing apps on iOS devices. Every single app must be specifically reviewed and approved by Apple before it is allowed to be made available to the public. By controlling the only method of installing apps on iOS devices, Apple ensures no malicious software can make its way into the iOS “ecosystem”. Other smartphone platforms, namely Android, do not offer any control over the apps that their devices can download. Consequently, there are already many examples of malware for those platforms. Some technical people argue against Apple’s system, claiming that it isn’t “open” or that it restricts the freedom of software developers. But I guarantee you that owners of iOS devices could care less about “openness” or the freedom of developers – so long as there are plenty of useful and malware-free apps available. 200 million iOS devices sold (as of June 2011) seem to back up Apple’s way of doing things.

So while the news segment never specifically mentions the iPhone or iPad, by ONLY showing video of iOS devices, even going so far as to show the Apple App Store, the clear insinuation is that Apple iOS devices are as susceptible to malware as any other platform. As I have explained, this is blatantly WRONG. While I do not believe this news segment was meant to be deliberately misleading, it is unfortunately spreading misinformation.

To be fair, if you own any smartphone besides an Apple iPhone, you should pay heed to this news segment’s warnings. I would also give the same advice to those that own any tablet besides an iPad, but Apple’s complete and utter domination of this market means that likely not a single person reading this article actually owns a tablet that isn’t an iPad. (There is no “tablet” market, there is only an iPad market)

Bottom line, if you own an Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you have nothing to worry about as long as Apple retains control over their App Store – which there is NO sign of that changing any time soon.

This isn’t exactly a Tech Toy … it’s like a box full of Tech Toys! Many of you have had the unfortunate experience of your local video rental store closing. If you’re like me, the thing we miss the most is the loss of video game rentals. With the ability to rent movies online through services like Netflix or iTunes, we don’t need to pick up movie rentals anymore, but video games for our Wii, Playstation, or XBox still need physical discs. The good news is that Redbox has come in to fill the void left by Blockbuster and other stores.

Having completed a pilot test of 5,000 kiosks, Redbox has just recently started renting video games at all of its locations nationwide. For $2 per day, you can pick up games for the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, or Microsoft XBox 360. For more information, see this article or Redbox’s website.

Remember, $2/day may seem inexpensive, but it can add up quickly if you keep the game too long. Make sure you know what a game would cost both new and used before you rent it from Redbox. It may be less expensive to buy a used copy of a game than to rent it for more than a week! Check out Slackers and Play N Trade as good local sources of used video games.

If you have any questions about new technology devices, feel free to contact me any time!