Minimizing my tech, the next step

Looking at my tech is the hardest part of my journey so far into Christian minimalism. I had to look at my gadgets because I know as I try to lead my family away from stuff I have to show that I am all in. One of those things is limiting my technology. I am a techie in Christ! cmon man!
I first got rid of the gadgets in the garage that I tinkered with , like a LCD projector, HDMI cords, adapters. I had to get rid of my baby, the one I birthed from the picture in my banner, my gaming pc! I didn't need a PC that I played by myself or against people hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Bye bye PS4
If I play a game most of the time I want to do it with my family. That's why I haven't been playing my PS4. I originally got it for so called "grown up games" which really mean games "too sinful for your eyes to see kids" haha. So I knocked out two birds with one stone. Well I am selling it now. I just spent 375 on it in February before GOD began working on me and I am trying to recoup my losses. I know I want to get to the point I give up stuff and not think about the losses but my wife don't want me throwing away money. So until a buyer comes, it collects dust! At least its not building dust on my relationship with those around me and my prayer life!

Whats the next tech purge?
I began July with canceling Comcast. I used to use it exclusively for internet so that I can use my Apple Airport Extreme router. I had a jungle of cords set up! Now I sacrificed a little speed, gave up the extra features, and simplified the cords to keep things a little tidier and easier to maintain. I now have one bill for everything keeping it simple. I can always come back when I am considered a new customer for a cheaper price.
 I am down to using one computer. We have an extra laptop as a family , so I am trying to get rid of one of the older slower 2 in 1s. I gave away most of the cords in such and sold some things, I still have old flip phones I need to trash and condense down some old floppy drives. I am debating and praying over the movement to a cheap phone. I am selling my 6 plus honestly to prepare for the iphone 7. Some are rolling their eyes but that is progress for me, a person who upgraded legit probably every 6 months to something. I really enjoy my iphone, rather its taking screenshots, saving passwords, letitng it talk with other devices or Apple Pay! The greatest thing that I love when using my Iphone is Apple Pay. I use apple pay all the time much more often than I swipe my card, rather its gas , groceries , subway, etc.. Its convenient clean and , dare I say it , minimal?,,,,,, haha talked my way out of that one!

Chromebook makes me not miss macbook?

Working with this Chromebook again has been pretty fulfilling. I am typing this using a Asus c300. I have just sold my macbook on my continued journey. My plan was to actually sell my old macbook to acquirer a newer macbook because the old one had battery issues and it was getting dirty and worn from the years of use. I wanted something fast that I can keep for another few years and I still think its ok to get something that you will use everyday if feel like its a tool that  bring pleasure to my life. The crazy thing is , I have really been enjoying this Chromebook. 

The keyboard is very responsive and it feels good to type on. I am typing quickly without any typos (my gramar is human error haha)  so that is showing that the keys are layed out well. The space bar gives me an old mechanical keyboard type bounce back and its a joy. The screen resolution sucks compared to my Macbook air but this Chromebook was dirt cheap. The browsing is fast for me. I noticed the battery life is amazing too I have been typing for 3 hours doing work and now blogging and the battery is at 80 percent! 

I also found out today that there is a easy way to take a screenshot too. I know its something so simple but after using the iphone screenshot daily to work on my daily scripture reading, I find myself taking screenshots all the time. It basically transformed my photo album into a file cabinet. In today's world with much online purchase activity, it comes in handy taking screenshots of confirmations and payments. Especially when many of our email providers trying to protect us from spam, inadvertently hides stuff in clutter or junkmail or the sort. 

The instant on is pretty cool too and the lightness feels pretty good. I became conditioned and even spoiled to thin and light because of the macbook air, but this isnt as bad as I thought it would be. Its light enough. I am also excited because I got a easy hdmi out for my presentation tomorrow. 

I guess the biggest revelation I had since using this chromebook is that my workflow is not really OS dependent. If you read many of my articles in the past you probably seen me go in and out of my desire to use a chromebook or tablet over a mac only to come back to it after 6 months or so. However things really have been changing for me now that I am diving into this idea of Christian minimalism. I love having my computer power just in case I need to tinker or hack away at something, but now that I am trying to get away from the "just in case" precautions and things, I can have something cheap to get just what I need to get done and get out the way to experience other things in life. Is $800 worth me getting the power just in case? Decisions, decisions.... 

A Christian Minimalist,, of course it makes sense

The Start 

This past year I have made a dedication to give more as I try to grow in my spiritual walk with JESUS. It all came to a head as I was looking at my first contract I signed as a teacher too long ago to want to talk about. I still consider myself a young man but I have to admit as I look around at the new teachers in the building , including my former students, I am not such a young man anymore. But I digress ,, While looking at the stub I began thinking about a conversation I was having with my wife when we where just talking of getting married. I was telling her about some financial issues I was having and how I just needed $300 more a month, "I would be living really good. " Once married we where on double income and we was still having meetings together wondering where our money was going. We then naturally continuing in the American dream began thinking about Children and I got a raise just in time. " I should be ok once I get the raise". Years later as I type on my macbook air on the island of the open concept kitchen, in the suburban house that doubled the size of our condo I  think about my current pay check, as much as mines and my wife check at that time combined, and I now know, it wasn't the money. The raises over the years never did have me "living really good", consumerism is the problem!

Worship Argument

I am not naive to think the US could have achieved its global economic dominance without the birth of consumerism but I also know that capitalism is a system set up by man and has little respect for the  tenants of the Christian faith. We know that GOD is concerned with the humble obedience of man that money can not buy. So here in lies my problem. Am I showing humble obedience with my almost cult like allegiance to Apple and Google products. Can one question the direction of my worship when I am up late at night trying to order my phone by midnight ending with a sigh of praise when the order is processed. I thought to myself, even in my intentional focus of reading GOD's word morning and night, I may read about the latest gadget news much more often. I was "spiritual enough" to put "in Christ" but in that same vein I corepresneted myself as "a techie".  We are called to cast all those things away

Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Financial argument 

With a new attitude on life I will let go of the hustle and bustle trying to get the next item. I can save money that I can use for others. I always wanted to be able to tell someone I can pray for them , and not only that financially bless a good cause following the will of GOD and not trying to reason with GOD as if he doesn't understand I think I can't afford to help.  I can save more so I am not stressing over money and the future and instead focus on GOD more. Without financial stress it is less antagonism with my wife when something big comes. We often hear money can be a point of contention in many marriages. Also I delight in the thought of the security she will feel when she see that her husband is not out spending up all the money. A happier marriage brings glory to GOD.

Distraction argument 

I also need less distraction in my life. Less stuff means its less stuff to maintain and keep up with. The less distraction in my life like tv internet video games, means I have more time for the important people in my life and my service to GOD who is most important! Just tv alone can open up more potential for memorable  conversation with others and meditation with GOD. The less I'm doing something by myself on my own the more available I am to others for GOD to use me in their lives.

Declutter Argument 

Maybe I can find things easier. Its hard to loose something if you only have a few things. Its much easier to find something to wear when you don't have much to choose from. Cant be rushing looking for shoes if I only have 2 pair. I don't have to search for a tool if their not all over the place. Maybe the biggest thing, if there is not much paper lying around and I throw things away right away I don't have it around hiding the few things I need to keep. Less clutter also makes it easier to clean . I see maids clean hotels room quickly because its not much in them to clean. I was at the library that had 4 toys. I watched my kids play for a whole hour and when it was time to clean it was less than a minute. When we are at home they switch from game to game and begin looking for me after an hour to entertain them and I have a 15x20 room with 4 bins full of toys that take 20 minutes every night getting them to clean. I (This will be my greatest struggle to change). Thats 19 minutes more time they can have fostering innovation and even I can spend that time playing with them rather than fussing with them. With less clutter I don't have to say, " I know I put this in the garage somewhere" .. as I spend hours of distraction from what GOD Will for me to or keeping my mind fixated on the loss item with regret not thinking about the blessings in my life.

The buried lead ...

So thats my non minimalist intro into a new path I plan to take in life and I am hoping I can document my experiences on this site. Unless of course it becomes too much of a distraction because my Christian minimalist journey includes less stuff and less distractions with more GOD and HIS WILL.

So yes it does make sense for a Christian to embrace minimalism......

Matthew 6:25-34New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “For this reason I say to you, [a]do not be worried about your [b]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the [c]air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single [d]hour to his [e]life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clotheyou? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But [f]seek first [g]His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be [h]added to you.

³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will ^[i]care for itself. ^[j]Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So here we go (leadership) 

I started off looking through my junk drawers and throwing away backs of remotes, broken arms from my boys wrestling toys, pen tops and other stuff that I forgot where it came from but may need it.... I then moved to the garage and that was a struggle. I had many garage sales but this time I was ready to take it to another level. I originally wanted to do it in the house but my wife met me with much resistance. So I decided the best way to embark on this journey is to lead by example. I figure if I get rid of my stuff , she can at least see that I am not being a hypocrite. Lets see how the journey continues. GOD BLESS

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Just awoke from my Surface 3 nightmare!

"Lost in the Hype"
I purchased a Surface tablet 3 a few weeks ago and I'm "meh" ...
I fell for the hype in the commercials seeing artists and engineers draw on the versatile computer easily toting it and writing on. I watched Nadella and his crew charismatically pitched how Microsoft is jumping ahead as the leader of the wave of technology and the future. I seen the shiny display in Bestbuy and it seemed so much more interesting than the usual macbook i have now become accustomed to because it looked like the 5 year old Macbook I already have. One of my keys was stuffed crumbs on my macbook air so I used it as an opportunity to dive into the windows world once again. So I got myself a Surface 3

The initial impression was amazing, I loved the build due to its thinner and light weight! It felt amazingly solid in my hand and thats when things seemed to stop.

Somethings not right 
I took a late flight after wrestle mania so I was stuck in Dallas airport for about 5 hours. I had trouble getting a good connection to wifi and I became very frustrated. My frustration came to a peek when i couldn't get the browser to log in to my Uverse websites to watch wrestling. Luckily I remembered I had an Uverse app on my iPhone. I logged in quickly and was off to watching WWE Monday Night Raw! Apple saved the day!


The turn

I got home and posted the surface 3 on craigslist but after reading some positive reviews I decided to give it another shot! I gave it my full effort even going as far as buying a keyboard a surface pen and sitting my MBA down for a week. That brings me to why I am writing this. I was at work wondering whats wrong with the connection. I kept having to refresh my browser and reconnecting. I tried to download office and it kept freezing. I had trouble getting it to boot at one point and I had to research finding out I have to press volume down with the window logo in order for it to go into troubleshooting mode. I wasted a whole day of productivity thinking that my new idea of minimalist productivity could somewhat improve with this device... boy was I wrong!  In a bat of frustration I pulled out my macbook air I brought into work to reformat and prepare for sale and I logged right in. I logged in within a second or so. I then pulled up the browser to see if it was something wrong with the internet and I was wrong everything popped up right away! I logged into blogger and wala! It was soo easy, so simple, such a minimal amount of work for maximum productivity.

"Prodigal Son Returns"
What was I thinking. The keys feel good in my hand without the weird angle of the type cover keyboard. My palms wrest nicely on the side of the touch pad as my fingers glide and bang across the keys. The 13 inch screen helps my eyes to relax. Testing minimalist waters, its much easier to carry my macbook as my only device because it gives me access to many of the phone features I use like phone text and video calls via face time. I also can use my iBooks purchased on my iPad. Once you add the type cover, there is really not that dramatic of a difference between the bulk and weight of the Surface 3 verses the Macbook Air 13.. If you have read my previous articles , you can see this is not my first go around trying a surface, a few years back i was an early adopter of the Surface pro 2 but that ended in the same result.

Im sorry Apple I am so disloyal but hey I keep coming back. They say if you love something let it free if it comes back you know it loves you back. I guess I love my Apple products. GOD BLESS

Why I felt Wrestlemania 32 was amazing!!

Let's start of stating I'm a grown man in my 30's with a wife and kids. I guess that's saying I'm not the stereotypical smark my keyboard warrior in my moms house asking for privacy while I complain about a show I spend 6 hours plus watching (raw, smackdown, nxt). Not trying to start a war with anyone but I just had to address the first elephant in the room. I watch WWE because of what it stands for ,,,, entertainment!!

Wrestlemania 32 fit guys like me! who cares who got pushed who got buried. Who cares who deserves a spot, you wouldn't know any of the wrestlers if they didn't get pushed to be on tv for you to notice them! It's entertainment, not a sport. I spent $1000 to watch the greatest show in person not the greatest sports ticket! So how did it do? 

 Pre match - Ryback vs Kalisto 

I didn't see it because I was outside trying to get in! I'm from Chicago so I was burning up in the Dallas sun next to a guy dressed in a unicorn! 

I got settled in during the Usos vs the Dudleys... I have to admit I cheered for the Dudleys because I grew up watching them. I thought it was cool a black guy and white guy brothers and they looked like to geeks who can thrash anyone! I wanted them to win but it was cool seing the Usos fly through the air! It was entertaining.

The ladder match

This match was amazing! The crowd was über into it from the crazy dive through the ladder , to the the kalisto spring board flip and splash/fall! I cringed at the suplex on the ladder I thought it was a botch and Owens was legit hurt. Ryder won the crowd with the elbow drop! Wow we was primed to chear woo woo woo (sorry)... Thoroughly entertaining 

Break the walls down! 

Wow what a match I lost my voice from the ohhh! Wanted to cheer for the last time with a win but Jericho always does the job for mania I think this his first win in maybe 5 or so 

New day

This match was boo but then the magic happened

3 of the most entertaining wrestlers of my childhood came out. In their prime I couldn't afford to go see them and my parents didn't value wrestling but I thank GOD I had the finances to hear that music and that crowd as they came out! Shawn Micheals still looks like he can go. Stone Cold the no games stunner like days of old. Whimsical Foley still making me laugh but looking like a legit threat! Wow this was perfectly placed after what would've totally killed the crowd! There was more new day shirts and signs than any other talent! Despite what the old heads say... New day is definitely over! The only people who was more over? The legends I mentioned. I finally got a chance to see what people meant when they said it was nothing like a stone cold pop! I was headed for food until I heard this! 

The ladies match was food time for me for religious reasons. Not being sexist. I heard it was a good match! I don't listen to rap no more for religious reasons but I have to admit I popped hearing Snoop my favorite childhood rapper (poor parenting ) haha. The crowd was hyped and I respect their talent. 

Shane vs Taker 

This match started slow and made me remover the slow fumbling around type wrestling of my childhood. The crowd including myself was biting our fingers in anxious anticipation for Shane to do something stupid for our entertainment! When he cut the gate we popped, when he crashed on the table we popped. By the time he began ascending to the top we totally forgot about the beginning of the match! I recorded my reaction as I watched him fall breaking my usual stoic reaction. We all chanted thank you Shane! Thank you Shane for risking your life for my entertainment! 

Finally the Rock has come back to Wrestlemania

I grew much more emotional than I'm comfortable with as the Rock came out! The reason I began working out, coming back to wrestling after the 80's , the reason I came back as an adult! The rocked looked like me, had swag like me, was funny , and can wrestle. If your still reading of course you know why people love the rock! I felt like my money was well spent already and then the Rock came to give us desert cutting a awesome promo he controlled the crowd in the palm of his hands! Then when he ripped into his gear and said he wanted a match I yelled like I did when Macho man said "Elizabeth , will you mar-ry-me?" . I lost my voice and jumped up even if it was 6 seconds. ... Then John Cena !!!!! Wow I knew he was coming but wow and I seen him burry like always but I'm in my 30's Hogan, Goldberg, Sting, dX , and the NWO birdied everyone too! I pay to see stars be stars not people become stars! They came to entertain me! 

The bad part 

Haha they did bury the main event to be honest. Nothing mattered after the Rock! I was ready to go home. They tried hard! The Game intro was amazing! It was very disturbing but he looked like an awesome villain! I tried to cheer for Reigns I think 60 thousand did. A small kid behind me said "reigns is cool triple H sucks daddy" .. The match was doomed when they started with a lock up , he should've rushed into a spear right away and have Steph pull him out but .. Hey I am not a writer. I still enjoyed the few cool spots . I appreciate the effort , I loved seing him win again. Many did cheer but the the smarks spending $1000 plus on tickets alone was the voice that's heard. 

Godfather was good even though the dancing at the wedding was long and boring.. The talk was long and boring on kill bill before she flung the knife in Vivica fox chest... We regard those movies as awesome because the good outweighed the 20 min of bad! The 4 hours of good outweighed the last match 

Wrestlemania was amazing because it was well wrestled matches with the stars that I grew up watching coming back to entertain a "Mark" like me. Not to be fair , but give me wrestling entertainment! Thank you WWE.. Sorry smarks

Apple pay working at stores not mentioned

I just used this terminal at my local jewel osco grocery store and there was no stickers or signage saying it was apple pay compatible or anything about nfc but like last months post I noticed it was the same as the machine in toysrus (apple pay partner) so I went into my passbook in the self check out line and it was glorious! It worked ! So keep a look out and try it just in case. Maybe the mentioned partners paid for the advertisement in stories of Apple pay but all these like terminals are nfc capable! Post any store you visit that's not on the apple partners list but still accepted your Apple pay. GOD BLESS

iPhone 6 plus truly is bigger than bigger, a "iSheep's journey"

 I mean - whats the point of being an isheep if you don't read every review you can find on the iPhone 6 or 6+! I know I have read almost every post that I can possibly find on my google+ / Twitter feed trying to reaffirm the positive feelings I have for my precious ..... yes i do say it as creepy as the voice sounds in your head when you read that. .

The pre- order  

I was one of the dorks / fortunate ones that stayed up until midnight pacific, 2 a.m my time getting ready to purchase the iPhone 6+ believing the rumors was true (and they where), I had to make sure I order as quickly as possible. I had the iPad  , iPhone, and iMac waiting to ibuy! haha I kept refreshing being the apple store close on my safari app , and i kept closing and relaunching the store app until wall 2:45 I'm in like flip and my journey begins, I got the black iPhone 6+, debating the gold but feared letting this one go and ending with nothing I stayed with what I got first. I entered the info , and OH NO the store gives an error, it says it will email me when purchase goes through... the thirst pushed me to not bank on this email so i thought ," ill resubmit order if I'm double charged I will just fix up later! " , who cares about money when obsessed, ,, i mean crazy, i mean passionate, i mean just trying to enjoy the experience! (the last one sounds the best ) .. Oh the joy posting a screenshot of my notification my order is complete !  jealous much? ,,,,

The wait 

What a long , ugly week it was. Friday couldn't come soon enough, I go to Amazon to purchase a case , which still hasn't come! I re - watch the press conference imaging the thoughts in my mind, i hock my iPhone 5s of to some poor sap who broke his and stuck in the middle of a contract! I laugh at the guys waiting in line , what shmucks spends the night outside when they can just loose a nights sleep, some people are ridiculous haha. As Wednesday and Thursday slowly drives in the left lane as Im speeding to Friday. I get tips like using my order code to check my location. I slighty panic when I see my order disappears from my checking account until I read it happens all the time in my isheep forums.. I constantly refresh the app store wondering why its thursday and my order hasn't ship,, it was hiding in the hills of kentucky.

The Arrival 

Wow a plain white minimalist box. The white album. Beauty in the unbeautiful nothing ness. Allowing me to paint the picture of how this iPhone will affect my life.. Just trying to audition for a PR job , i looked and thought I guess they wanted to save money and I broke it open. The box is open and wow this thing is huge! Luckly I dabbled in ridiculous sized phones before with the samsung mega earlier in the year, but I recently had the iPhone 5s so i became reacustemed to the small phone. Wow its like the iPhone went away to summer camp and came back a man! Wow good headline huh?
The screen is beautiful! I like the way it curved to the edges like my old nexus 4 i miss the rounded sides, it makes it seem as though the screen was coming out to me rather me looking inside of it. I enjoyed seeing the beauty of IOS on a bigger screen, small enough so its bright and visible from side angles but not big enough to seem normal like a iPad. Basically it looks rich, you know like a mercedes black vs a Ford Taurus black, it just seems different.  The phone is skinny to like a giant iPod touch! I like the lines because it makes it stand out but after feeling the slipperiness of the phone (necessarry fake word,, i think its fake),  i knew right away I needed a case. The load up seemed quicker and the finger recognition was quicker. My phone got pretty warm when I was loading up from backup. to be honest if I had another chance , which I kinda do, I would start from scratch , especially due to the fact I have to reload the and approve all the security and location settings anyway.

The experience 

Screen 

I really loved my first experience with this phone! The screen is amazing and continues to be so. I can see it from far away, the colors seem brighter and the curve makes a difference. It looks as though its coming to me and it takes me back often.

Quickness 

The quickness in the sign in is amazing. The apps feel the same but strangely it seems as though Facebook is much slower. My screen goes black and then loads up its weird. I am not used to seeing that on apple products . I love how fast siri is, i guess i can say the main chip isn't that significant and I think it needs some more time with iOS 8 but the co processor that handles security , siri and all that   is amazing! Though I'm not sure about the siri being handled by that. The Internet is faster I didn't think the faster wifi would be visible, it may be a placebo thing but I feel its faster.

Camera 

i took a quick shot of some Mexican food i figured if I do a one take unedited shot you can see real  life scenarios. 

The camera works good,  I like throwback looking pictures ala IG so the camera don't get me to excited anyway. I can say my caffinated hands was helped by the image stabilization. I like the slow picture, its funny how people are willing to embarrass themselves to see how it works. Im a good Christian so I won't embarrass them haha.

Size benefits 

I love the big screen. I missed my mega when it came to reading the web. My calloused thumbs reminded me that I would've been more comfortable if I still had my phablet while reading instead of the tiny 5s. I feel bad, but my iPad has been feeling like Woody because Buzz has replaced it for my morning Bible Study! I used to fire up the iPad mini for the kindle app but not I can just use my iPhone 6+ and share the scripture just as quickly with the keyboard.

my, "I dare you make a snarky comment about my giant phone" face 

I know a ton of people don't like IOS keyboard but I think its the best, the problem was that it was squished. Now that there is plenty of room the iPhone keyboard can shine again. Much less typos than on my android stock keyboards, I am one of the few I guess that has no interest in a swype keyboard and honestly my phone is probably to big to swipe with one hand.
I also like how in landscape mode you get traditional looking safari! Thats amazing! I think its to much junk on the landscape keyboard but the copy and paste button is pretty cool.

Battery 

I don't have any scientific measurements but I know many people like me just want to hear real practical use reports. I can say when I did the usual gitty phone use that most have when they get a new gadget, I had 48% 11:30 pm. I unplugged 5:30 that morning and I was listening to 3 hours of tech podcast (because they where talking iPhone). I was showing off of course , watching review videos, and of course browsing the web, Facebook, google plus, and twitter. I know I used to charge my iPhone 5s around 3:00 and was still red before bedtime. I had to laugh at myself when watching the Samsung wall hugger commercial but none of those people would realistically hold an iPhone 6+, (sans the fact it was made before the new phone) haha.

IOS 8 

IOS 8 has some awesome things, I am sure by now many have it. I want to write separately about this but why we are on the subject I will mention a few things I like.
Messages
I have been using the voice message a lot! I love how I can just send my wife a quick voice message and send it. Its a way so she can hear my voice and understand the inflection of my voice when I send it. We all know by now how sometimes bad vibes can be falsely communicated because someone read a text wrong! I also love the quick picture sharing. The new chip (wow a good thing about it), made it seamless and quick, in fact I sent pics by accident. I am a faithful man so I'm not worried about that!
key chain
I am now able to quickly fill in the info I need and it remembers everything! I like being able to log in and pay for things quick with my phone. I feel as though I don't need my desktop as much to take care of business. Me and my wife had date night and needed to make reservations, I quickly downloaded open table (I know I should've been had it don't judge me!) , I then had key chain fill out all the info for me!

But the Negatives. 

This is the buggiest experience I have had on IOS at least since the 3g. my Desktop got stuck upside down a few times and I had to reboot, I was used to that on my nexus 4 but not from an apple product.
I have apps freeze up often, the cure was to clear out everything but it shouldn't be a problem with two or three apps open.
I have to admit I feel much more comfortable holding my wife iPhone 6. I knew what I was getting myself into and I'm pretty used to it but I know it would be a deterrent for some.

The keyboard in landscape mode is fussy, the key pad is in the middle of all this other stuff so you have to consciously type at least right now. I like typing from muscle memory and iOS keyboard makes that easy usually but not now.

Verdict 

After a whole week with the iPhone 6 plus I have to say I'm extremely happy. I have never been this happy with a phone since the my iPhone 4. I love the large screen, good speed and of course IOS 8 which I will let them hold on to the "it just works" in grace. The only thing this phone is missing now is split screen! I know hindsight will have me laughing at this next statement , but there is nothing else I can imagine I want on a phone. I can predict people bad mouthing next years 6+s because its nothing really to do but the usual battery bump blah blah, but after my use even thats not on my checklist. Its kinda sad actually not having anything to wish for but its a blessing to be able to enjoy a gadget like that. I was telling folks this time last year, " a perfect phone is a big screen iPhone that I can buy stuff with, oh crap I recorded that on my iMac, are they watching me?.............Haha its probable i was like most in that assessment. Now to through fire on the fandroid fury..
There is no reason to get an android now ,,, all google services is on iPhone, you can customize keyboard and notifications, you can jailbreak usually quick like rooting a phone, you have a big screen, and apple pay will work on anything you can use google pay on because nfc is a standard POS, oh and you can defend your buggy quirky os. haha
Tim Cook wasn't just giving us his usual hyperbole this time, this is really the best iPhone ever made, and it truly is bigger than bigger. I suggest everyone get an iPhone 6 and if you want a tablet for your pocket, get the iPhone  6 plus! GOD BLESS

cool a train, now i can play with my phone wow look at the blues