working on tech

working on tech

Mission Statement

This blog should be a safe place for anyone who wants to talk, read, listen, and experience technology in safe GOD fearing way. I am a believer and follower of JESUS CHRIST MY LORD AND SAVIOR WHO I BELIEVE CAME DOWN AS GOD IN THE FLESH TO SHED BLOOD SO WE MAY BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD AND HE WILL ACT AS WITNESS ON OUR BEHALF BECAUSE NO MAN CAN GET TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BUT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST and it is those who believe mission to spread this message of love to all people for GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD! I strive to live righteously and I pray you do to and understand that we should do that in all that we do even when we are enjoying my favorite hobby, all things tech! that's why I am a techie in CHRIST I am a tech nerd that is grounded in the LORD. GOD BLESS !
Showing posts with label marketplace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketplace. Show all posts

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Why I left Surface Pro 2 for Ipad mini and Macbook Pro: life lessons

First The Rant

So as I was deciding to begin writing a post about why I dropped pc and went back to mac I decided to check on something on my desktop pc. I tried to download a file but it needed administrator access, I proceed to put the code in but oops there is no box to put the code in....thats odd? I click something else and,,,,,. I think, well maybe its a bug and I need to upgrade, I go to upgrade but uh oh, in order to upgrade I need to have administrator access! So Im stuck , oh great! time to refresh the computer totally, now that takes me to a reboot in which I cant get to any recovery memory even though its set aside, so off to the box o junk I go hoping I have a restore disc made because I cant download one without admin privileges... I find a disk , go through the process and I format drive, but wait its not over,, "windows cant be installed on drive,,,," That ladies and gentlemen, is exhibit A and the prevailing argument for dropping pc for Apple!

So as I try the ol power off and turn back on method,,,I begin my next paragraph...

Stepping into danger 

Allow me to give background, around Christmas I became intrigued by the propaganda spewed by Microsoft Execs about the Surface Pro 2 . I was also bored with the Iphone and jumped ship to android. I was thinking this will be the best time of any to go windows. I promptly sold my macbook, Ipad, and powered off the Imac. I replaced my beloveds with a Surface pro 2 with a dock. Hopefully I have some returning readers out there who remember my grandiose exit explaining why I'm leaving Apple for Surface Pro 2.
I was excited by the well constructed and different gem. I noted how I was bored of things just working and I want a little chaos and opportunity to create chaos. My fellow Apple fanboys responded to my motives with a smirk replying "you will be back". I scoffed at their prediction as I shown off the 4 pains I was able to do on my surface in docked mode and pull it out to walk around with still two windows. I aggravated them with my showcase of games I was playing with my dongle and wireless xbox controller. I wrote articles about using it to root my phone. I wanted chaos and work and work I did. Like a kid going off to college, you are free from the monotony of order and someone telling you whats best for you but now the prodigal son returns , why you may ask? Because freedom and excitement has an adverse and equal reaction of pain and frustration.
I mentioned a point of frustration earlier.

By the way, its starting now after the reboot..

That is just one example. I hated how I got freezes from day one. Doing the simplest of tasks. I figured it was maybye because it did not come out the box updated. Most task I did took an extra step than it would have taken on the Ipad. For instance , passwords didn't always save so I had to answer questions. I had to log back in by first moving up the screen then type in. I couldn't press the off button to long because it would go to sleep mode thus having to log back in. If I had a few desktop apps running on start up this slowed me down a great bit. I had to think what place to write my notes in because they look different depending on what part of Onenote you enter your info into. I had to adjust my screen because chrome browser was fuzzy by default. There was two different explorers and depending on the site, sometimes you got switched into the desktop mode. If you are having trouble following , it was purposeful to give you a since of the experience.

  • I purchased a Macbook Pro used and I was able to hook it up to the internet and let the magic happen. It asked for my Itunes account name and noticed I previously downloaded osX like windows and it loaded it up for me. No discs, no long product id, just a log in and a server. I don't get many freezes even though its more buggy than previous OSX. Chrome is in all its chrome glory, which it should be seeing as though most Googlers are using macs in press photos. The Ipad turns right on. I have a passcode because my job uses exchange (ahem Microsoft) but thats understandable,,,I guess. It stays on all day, my wife was laughing because i kept charging it. she said "you don't have to do that with apple". On my Ipad when I want to go to a website I realize there is an app for that that is often more feature rich and quick so I just go there, but we will get to that later. 

Portability 

I noticed that I couldn't get used to the weight. Every time I managed to at least not bug me, I picked up my wife's Ipad and voila there it goes again. I literally had thoughts to take it with me and then ended with a "nah i don't feel like lugging that thing". It was a chore when I had the only personal time I get as a father (ahem the bathroom). So I defaulted to my phone. When I go to the mall to let the kids get free time in the play area, I defaulted , to my phone. When I was in the back yard bbq  and wanted to read while the food was smoking, I defaulted , to my phone. When my kids wanted to play a game , they had to hold the xbox controller because I was scared the heavy tablet would lead to them dropping it. (Notice that was the first time I used the word tablet). I was thinking it would replace my laptop as a more mobile device but it was essentially serving the same purpose. It was just a tiny desktop.

  • But my new Ipad mini fits in my big pockets, partly because I'm stuck in the baggy 90s. I can take it to my "daddy area". And feel fine! I also have a laptop that is sitting stationary or on my lap. What Microsoft is missing about the type keyboard is that the weight needs to be on the base to feel sturdy. Until then it will never be lapable. (is that a word?) 
I just rebooted twice because the screen went blank and the cd stop spinning during the refresh ! 

Software 

I touched on how getting started is a dream. I hate to beat a dead horse because i rolled my eyes at the constant mentioned of the poor amount of apps but once again like a teen I should have listened! I am not ashamed to admit I like wrestling! I was trying to get the WWE APP but it seemed as though it wasn't updated in years! It didn't even have the added live network so I was forced to access it through the browser. I went to the one of choice, chrome and it was a bug in it. Chrome kept thinking I was using a usual tablet so it told me to download the app. Even though I was in desktop mode. I searched and found a hack but the hack took away the touch functionality of my surface so that was not a viable option. I then wanted to use a grade book program that has an awesome app for the Ipad. I couldn't use it so I went desktop mode. The icons where to small for touch so I lost my ability to walk around and check grades. Those are just examples of my angst for the app store/ market place/ whatever. 

  • Ipad apps are amazing. There is something for everything I can think of (accept for Instagram for some reason, its a stretched mess). I was able to go back to my mobile grading. I was able to do quick Iprint. I dint have to bother with messy hookups to my tv because I can just click air play and once again my kids was playing games. They was excited to be back to playing lego on tv but this time controlling the Ipad as he stare to the main screen. I miss the controller but I read there are bluetooth ones available. My mac keyboard is so nice. I actually like the typecover 2 keyboard but the laptop keyboard is better for in the lap. Everything works together too! You can air drop, airplay share open tabs like a dream. Everything works. At one point when showing off my pc stuff I always uttered the words "hold up wait one minute let me try something". Now its just watch this, did you see that? Oh and the books, have to love the books. It was so awkward reading in widescreen or legal pad mode haha, ibooks ,and of course kindle looks beautiful on my Ipad! 
apparently I have two volumes of windows 8 started now :(...I have been recovering/ DIY PCS for 20 years by the way 

Sooo


To sum it up, I came back to apple for normalcy! Normalcy and Quality. No its not as fun being back home but moms meals are always good , there is no sleep like your old room and waking to that good breakfast. Its the normalcy that feels good! When I can type this blog up on my Ipad comfortably with no plug , print with drivers installed automatically, close it down and go out side with my Ipad air in my pocket, grabbing a cup of coffee and pulling it out to read my Bible app comfortably. When things get chaotic in my tech life like mama , Apple makes it all better, with its auto updates, and Icloud backup. Easy Facetime call to the wife and kids to make me smile. I can tell the wife I will be right there, because Im not loosing time getting something to work. Im sorry apple , thanks for welcoming me back home.
Thanks for working guys :) 

Screen went black again , I'm rebooting 

GOD BLESS!