It keeps me coming back

One of the unfortunate facets of owning gadgets is their nature to break. Regardless of how well something is manufactured, eventually even a brand new just out of the box item will have a manufacturing error or damage caused by shipping. In my past life as an electronic DIY-er the solution usually involved pulling my home constructed PC tower out of its nest of coiling black wires, cracking it open, and replacing the offending part (or salvaging what I could for my next cobbled together tower). Other devices were simply discarded when they went awry; support and customer service for the various non-Apple players I’ve owned was virtually nonexistent and the construction of the devices made tinkering with their innards a task beyond my skills at the time.

Since my conversion to all things Apple the story has been considerably different. On the whole my devices have been remarkably reliable, to date I’ve only had two instances where a device had to be returned (and I’ve owned a lot of Apple products). The consistent level of support and ease of obtaining it has become a main factor in my adoption of Apple products.

Case in point: my new iPhone 5 had a minor light leakage in its display; in the top right corner black backgrounds revealed a touch of light seeming to bleed in from just beyond the edge of the screen. The issue was minor enough that I didn’t deem it worthy of pursuing, but it devolved to other color bleeding (blue over white backgrounds as well) and then streaking pixel loss. Since my iPhone is my only home phone and my primary means of communication at work, I was more than a bit concerned. Unlike my experience with other handsets the solution was simple, quick, and easy. A trip to my local Apple retail store and a demonstration of the issue to an associate resulted in them taking my damaged phone and handing me a new replacement. The associate even backed my iPhone’s data to iCloud for me to insure that everything would transfer. Service was friendly, even though my iPhone had chosen the worst possible time for me to need to visit a retail outlet- the last few days before Christmas. Even though the store was teeming with customers picking up last minute gifts, the store associates were able to accommodate me with a smile.

Contrast this with the DMV-like line at the customer service desk of Best Buy, and the myriad different ways other PC and device manufacturers offer service. Many retailers offer refunds or replacements for defective merchandise, but the experience of dealing with the merchant usually leaves a great deal to be desired. If you purchase directly from the manufacturer your options for service are even more limited and almost certainly require you to ship your item back to them. When I had a possible issue with the Time Capsule router I had purchased online (and the issue was just as likely due to Comcast than a defect in the router) Apple happily replaced it with a new one off the shelf at my local store rather than requiring me to ship it back.

Apple’s support for their devices goes beyond just replacing devices. I was notified of a recall of the Seagate hard drive in my iMac, and was provided links to schedule an appointment to drop the desktop off at the Genius Bar. Even the ecosystem makes for a better overall experience, as my Time Capsule backups restored my iMac and the OSX App Store had all of my software purchases available for immediate download. The same can be said for all of the iOS devices I’ve had- each upgrade was immediately restored with the same apps and data saved automatically to iCloud when I sync the device. Any app that wasn’t part of the last backup is available via the App Store’s Purchased tab; every App you’ve ever bought/downloaded is listed. While there are several computer-agnostic backup services out there, you’ll have to purchase their coverage separately. The service may not offer the same seamless user experience that I had because of that openness; broad compatibility is typically inversely related to detailed compatibility.

I’ve made big financial choices in the past based on similar thinking and have been very happy with the results. Mini Cooper offers some outstanding customer service thanks to their affiliation with BMW; this friendly all-encompassing service (along with a superior product) resulted in my purchase of two consecutive Minis.

Not everyone is in the market for high-end products that Apple produces. Those that aren’t deride the perceived “Apple Tax”, those that do understand that quality and service come at a premium. When I chose Apple devices over competitors it was for more than the device, it was the support and ecosystem built around those devices that form the user experience. Provided they maintain their commitment to the customer experience, both using the device and supporting their products, Apple will have my business.

 

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Apple’s not-so-hidden advantage

As I recently mentioned, I’ve traded in my aging Mac Mini media center PC for a third generation Apple TV. The timing was right, and after some careful consideration I came to the conclusion that the Apple TV performed almost all the functions I asked of the Mac Mini. What few things it couldn’t perform were available via a somewhat overlooked feature built into both iOS and OSX devices- Airplay Mirroring. With this feature I can still display Safari-rendered web pages, ESPN3 content, and a host of other media that isn’t available yet on the Apple TV. In addition, the ability to push games from my iOS device to the television has made some games far more enjoyable. The newly released Need For Speed Most Wanted (easily my favorite PC racing game) benefits from the larger screen and better speakers, and I haven’t had the chance to try out some of the apps specifically designed for Airplay that take advantage of the dual screens that your device and TV afford.

Airplay isn’t perfected yet; my iPhone 5‘s screen dimensions require excessive letterboxing (even more than the iPad does) but the technology has added a great deal of enjoyment to an already well designed device. While the content afforded isn’t broad enough for the majority of households yet, my experience with the Apple TV has reaffirmed my choice to cut the cord and eschew all paid TV.

While composing my first impressions of Airplay the tight integration between the Apple TV and iOS I had a feeling of deja vu. I had discussed just this focus on integration between products in Apple’s ecosphere a few months ago when someone asked me about my opinions of smartphones. While all of the flavors of handsets have something to offer consumers, I’ve enjoyed the extra benefit of integration between my iPhone and all my other Apple devices. Messages, iCloud, Photostream, and Airplay are features that I use regularly that I would have to either cobble together via third party solutions or miss out on entirely had I chosen a different smartphone.

While Microsoft leap with both feet into the concept of a single operating system for both mobile and traditional devices, Apple has played it a bit more reserved. Microsoft’s once-named Metro interface is lynchpin of their integration strategy; they seek to offer an identical user interface on every device. Apple has chosen to build two distinct platforms and slowly allow them to grow together. I obviously prefer the second approach; the iPhone and iPad offer significantly different user inputs and experiences than a desktop or traditional laptop. The slow osmosis of successful facets of each OS and cross-platform cooperation has provided a more enjoyable user experience so far compared to my limited use of Windows 8 (best described in polite company as a hot mess).

Android is a powerful mobile operating system, and Google’s free product offerings are enticing- I use quite a few of them every day. Google has recently even begun attempts to copy Apple’s Airplay concept, but it will likely be much more difficult for Google to replicate due to the lack of a comprehensive hardware lineup. Google-enabled TVs  and set top boxes are out there, but they are have a long way to go before they even approach the levels of market penetration of Apple’s “hobby” device, much less the entire OSX line. I completely understand the perspective of my friends that swear by their Android devices, but for me the end point is more than just the handset itself. My choice is influenced by the entire product lineup and its integration. The synergy of my various devices has provided me much more utility than the sum of what competitors offer.

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Life with Mountain Lion (so far)

I tend to be one of those brave souls that are labeled ‘early adopters’- if there’s something new and shiny out there I gravitate towards it. Couple that with the aforementioned shiny thing being extremely affordable (such as OSX Mountain Lion‘s $19.99 price tag) and I’ll be one of the first in the queue.

Now that the not-so-long wait for the latest version of Apple’s operating system is out, what are the early verdicts? Yahoo News references several pundits in it’s review, and the buzz so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Many reference the iOS influences and iCloud integration as primary factors making OSX 10.8 a must-have for Mac users. The negative comments have been limited to halfhearted praise, with a smattering of complaints that 10.8 is merely an evolutionary step or a refinement of the prior version of OSX where Microsoft is introducing a radically different interface on Windows 8 in a bolder attempt to unify mobile and PC experiences.

I for one think Apple has a better strategy. As I’ve argued before, the user experience on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones is markedly different from laptops or desktops. While even Apple is moving to integrate the platforms and offer a smoother user experience, they still recognize that there are enough differences to warrant separate operating systems (for now, at least). Touch interface isn’t optimal for upright screens on laptops and desktops, and tablets lose their value if tethered to both a keyboard and mousepad (as Microsoft’s Surface tablet keyboards have sported)- you may as well have a full laptop. True hybrids like Asus’ Transformer models might show the future of mobile computing, but to date they haven’t caught on in any meaningful way.

So how has life been in the few days I’ve used it? Overall it’s been a very welcome update, offering a more noticeable improvement than my transition from Snow Leopard to Lion (I bought my first Mac just after the release of Snow Leopard and was given a free upgrade, so never used Leopard). New features aside, the biggest changes I’ve noticed have been speed and clarity.

I don’t have any empirical data to prove it, but Mountain Lion is noticeably snappier than it’s predecessor. I had already done what I could to optimize my iMac with extra RAM and was more than happy with it’s performance, but 10.8 feels quicker. Safari rivals Chrome at it’s best now, and other non-Apple apps like Steam boot much quicker.

The second impression has been the clarity of the screen. Nothing changed with my iMac hardware-wise, but icons look sharper, colors are brighter, and the new look Dock is visually pleasing. One admission- I did tweak the color settings from the default iMac settings, so your mileage may vary. The color change was a subtle one, but the screen does seem more vivid.

Sadly, not all of 10.8′s functionality is with us yet. I love the new Sharing icon in Safari (I had been using plug ins in both Safari and Firefox for sharing websites or images via social networks or email), but the advertised Facebook integration isn’t active yet- only email, Twitter, and Messages. iCloud sync allowing Safari to show all open browser tabs on your mobile device at your Mac hasn’t worked for me yet either; I’m assuming the upcoming iOS 6 release will be required.

A majority of the new features have gone unnoticed or unused. I haven’t needed to use iCloud documents yet, but I am thankful to have it. Notes and Reminders have been ported from iOS, but again in the past couple of days I’ve had 10.8 I haven’t had an instance to use them.

iChat‘s replacement Messages is another matter. I had installed the beta of Messages shortly after it was offered by Apple and had really enjoyed the extra flexibility it afforded. I use Google Talk extensively, and being able to send iMessage texts to iOS devices was very handy. The final version in Mountain Lion is more polished but essentially the same.

Migrating all updates to the App Store was a common-sense move. While you can still manually check for updates via clicking the Apple icon in the upper right corner of your screen and selecting ‘Software Updates’, instead of launching an independent update routine it launches the App Store. I still plan on perusing non-Apple sources for software, but I do appreciate the additional security and stability that the App Store’s gatekeepers afford. For those that aren’t so adventurous or demanding the App Store will likely have just about any software you would need for daily computing.

The ultimate question is should you upgrade? The easy answer- provided your Mac is Mountain Lion compatible- is absolutely. This is the least expensive upgrade to OSX Apple has provided to date, and the additional features and performance improvement makes upgrading a no-brainer. Even my 2009-era Mac Mini runs 10.8 like a champ. The only negative I have noticed in daily operation has been my iMac being very slow to wake from sleep. Once running it tears through anything I ask of it, but I’d love to see an early bug fix for this minor issue.

If you’ve been nervous about adopting a “.0″ version of an operating system, fear not. Mountain Lion may not be a paradigm shift from Lion, but my experience has been very positive to date.

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Turnabout is fair play

When OSX was first released Apple didn’t have their own browser to bundle with it. The Browser Wars were just forming, leaving just one viable choice- Internet Explorer. That’s right, the dirty secret is out: OSX came bundled with IE. Microsoft’s browser was the default for OSX from 1998 until 2003 when Apple released their own browser Safari. Microsoft ceased development for the OSX version of Internet Explorer in 2005, and removed it from their download offerings altogether a year later.

The rapid rise of the iPod (and later iPhone and iPad) was soon followed by millions of downloads of the device’s companion software iTunes. For good or ill, iTunes and it’s background update software became a way of introducing Apple’s browser to Windows users. Safari was offered by default during updates for iTunes; some users weren’t even aware they were installing the browser. Even with this somewhat disingenuous means of introducing users to the browser, Safari never became a popular browser like Firefox or Chrome with Windows users.

A recent posting from MacRumors now brings the affair full circle, as Apple appears to be in the process of discontinuing Safari for Windows. Safari 6, the latest incarnation of the browser, comes packed with new features that include tight integration with iCloud and iOS devices. This integration with Apple’s entire product line left those few that use Safari on non-OSX PCs in a lurch as they aren’t afforded the same level of access to iCloud.

The actions by Apple leave little doubt as to the fate of Safari for non-OSX users. As mentioned before Apple won’t be offering Safari 6 to any OS but their own, furthermore they pulled the download link for the last version of Safari for Windows, 5.1.7, from their Windows downloads page.

I’ve slowly transitioned from Firefox as my default browser on my iMac to Safari as my iOS device use has increased. The lack of Firefox for iOS and the ability to sync bookmarks and passwords between Safari on my desktop and iOS devices were the first push, and the expanded functionality that Safari 6 and iOS 6 will bring sealed the deal. I’ve found Safari to be an exceptionally fast browser, just as it’s cousin Chrome is (both are built on Webkit foundations), but with some extra features that other browsers lack. While it doesn’t have the same plugin support of Firefox or Chrome, I find that I haven’t needed it; the only plugin I currently run is 1Password (and that’s only to integrate my saved passwords between browsers). While Chrome and Firefox are both fine choices for OSX browsers, I’ve returned to Apple’s answer. Like many things in their ecosystem Safari simply offers the best overall user experience for me.

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Sync an Android device with a Mac

While iOS was designed to work hand in hand with OSX, those of you that prefer Android devices haven’t had as seamless an experience. What’s a tech aficionado to do without iTunes or iCloud to sync the data on your Mac to your handheld device?

TUAW (the Unofficial Apple Weblog) has a recent post with tips on how to do just this. While not as effortless as the iOS sync framework, there are workable solutions for just about any Android device. Check out the short video content of the post for the quick and dirty how-to.

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AT&T to offer additional incentive against stealing iPhones

One of iCloud‘s more welcome features has been Find My iPhone. The free service has been a boon to those of us that tend to forget where we left our devices, allowing users to locate their iOS property via Maps, play a tone to see if it’s close (or to alert those around that the device has been nicked), display a message to the finder of the device , or lock it/remotely wipe the data off the device if it isn’t returned.

As helpful as this can be, it isn’t foolproof. A simple factory reset of the device (even if locked) will wipe it clean, allowing a thief full use of their ill-gotten gain. Courtesy of an article from MacRumors, AT&T has revealed that they will put into play a database for stolen phones that use their service. Per the press release:

“As announced in April, AT&T is creating a stolen phone database to prevent devices reported stolen from accessing wireless networks. We will install this availability next week for AT&T phones on our network and are working toward a cross-carrier solution later this year.”

The MacRumors article cites further that only the customer that originates the block may request its removal, in effect creating a blacklist that would prevent the phone from being used on AT&T’s network.

While an excellent idea, the plan does have some limitations. The iPhone 4S has chips (theoretically) allowing use on multiple carriers, so it is possible that the device could be used on a different service if stolen, or be sold for use overseas.

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Google expanding their iOS presence with Chrome

Fans of alternative web browsers rejoice- one of the internet’s most popular browsers has finally made its way to iOS. Google Chrome has made surprising strides in popularity over the past few years, recently surpassing Internet Explorer as the most popular browser worldwide (it had done so briefly once before, only to relinquish its standing shortly thereafter). 

Chrome’s success has several factors; being a Google product means that it meshes perfectly with the rest of Google’s web products like Gmail. The browser eases the process of switching from other browsers through some slick import features, drawing your bookmarks and favorites from any other browser you had been using and using the same keyboard shortcuts of competitors. Chrome even lives up to its short-lived television ads featuring how fast it renders pages; the browser is as snappy and feels faster than just about any that I’ve used. Chrome also has been found to consistently be the most secure of popular browsers due to its sandbox construction (isolating each tab from vital components).

The iOS version has a number of features sported by the full desktop one- tabbed browsing (offering unlimited tabs as opposed to mobile Safari’s limit of nine), syncing of bookmarks and browsing between clients (just as iOS 6 has advertised for Safari) and an easy-to-engage Incognito mode for when you’d rather not have your browsing history saved. Should the mobile version have issues rendering the page you’d like to see you have the option of loading the full desktop version instead, and it offers the ability to search by voice via a microphone tab in the browser.

I’ve used it for a few days now and have been impressed with it so far. I have used Chrome off and on for some time now on both Windows and my iMac and like its construction and performance. I’ve slowly been transitioning from using Google services like Documents to iCloud, so I haven’t used the browser’s full capacity lately, but still feel very comfortable with it. Apparently I’m not the only one that feels this way, as the iOS version of Chrome became iTune’s top app shortly after its release.

All isn’t wine and roses, though. iOS users can’t change their default browser, so clicking a link in another app will still open in the default Safari. While quick, the iOS version of Chrome isn’t as fluid rendering Java, so pages that rely heavily on the programming language will load noticeably slower than in Safari. That being acknowledged, if you use Chrome as your default browser on your laptop or desktop it’s a welcome addition to the iTunes app store. Just like the desktop version, the iOS version of Chrome is absolutely free.

The addition of Chrome to iOS is the latest in a quiet strategy Google has been employing to keep their products in the hands of iOS users. Many of the Google apps built into Android have been slowly added to the iOS app store. The official Google app feels like a little slice of Android, offering Google Places, Plus, Earth, Latitude, Books, Gmail, Sync, Shopper, Blogger, Translate, Maps (now that Apple has announced their own native Maps app), even Google Voice. Just as with their mobile operating system, these products don’t directly earn Google any revenue, they act as a feeder system to Google’s actual business- selling advertising. No other competitor tailors their advertising or displays it as effectively as Google. Your actions, be it on any of the aforementioned apps, in an email via Gmail, or something you’ve searched for via Google Search feeds into Google’s vast data harvesting and processing architecture resulting in personalized advertisements (sometimes more relevant than the results of your search) and a wealth of data mining information. The process is completely impersonal, so intense concerns over personal privacy aren’t warranted.

Google has been wildly popular by being the best in their field. While broad based, all of their ventures feed back to their primary business- getting the most effective ads to potential customers. Apple may be attempting to cut them out of their mobile platform, but Google won’t be disappearing anytime soon; you will just have to choose their services on iOS instead of relying on them as a default.

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Controlling your cables, adorably

One of the things that got me to abandon my PC-making ways and switch to an iMac was Apple’s iconic aesthetics. The clean, condensed form of Apple’s all-in-one desktop made for a much less cluttered office than my tower/monitor/speakers/USB keyboard and mouse did. While my desk is still occasionally marred by an iPhone/iPad sync cable (even with iCloud and wifi sync it can be easier to handle large transfers via direct link) it’s far less cluttered than it was.

For those of you that are still losing the battle with the electrical spaghetti dangling from your collective devices Neatorama has a novel way of handling your problem. The Mousetail Cordwrap offers a one-tail-fits-all resizable, reusable cable organizer. The little mice have flexible appendages that can wrap up loose wiring, allowing you to keep your work area more organized. While it may not match the aesthetic of Apple’s product line, it’s arguably the cutest solution to cord clutter out there. The Mousetail Cordwrap comes in packs of two for a very reasonable $5.95 at one of my favorite oddity retailers, the NeatoShop. 

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Apple Sets the Gold Standard for Access

Apple has finally revealed what they have in store with the upcoming release of iOS 6. If you haven’t seen the video of today’s WWDC Keynote it’s available streaming from Apple- it’s a good presentation absolutely full of demonstrations of new products, iOS 6, and OSX Mountain Lion. One of the talking points was Apple’s new accessibility features: Guided Access, a way of limiting what inputs can be accessed (including deactivating the home button) and improvements to VoiceOver, Apple’s outstanding screen reader for users with impaired vision. Apple is also working in conjunction with manufacturers of hearing aids to create a line of Made for iPhone devices that can deliver better audio to users with hearing issues.

While these additions to iOS are welcome, Apple isn’t new to accommodating  users with disabilities. Initially a touchscreen-based device like the iOS lineup wouldn’t seem like a very useful device for a user with limited sight, but even before the improvements and new features of iOS 6 there are some key features that make current devices fantastic resources.

All iOS devices have VoiceOver, a screen reader that reads on screen text to users. For those that can’t see the screen VoiceOver is their portal to the device; the user can use gesture controls to interact with items on the screen. For instance, touch the screen and VoiceOver will describe what you are touching. The feature is already a powerful tool, and will be even more so when integrated into Maps and other features of iOS 6. While VoiceOver provides support for the on-screen keyboard, the new Dictation feature and upcoming improvements to Siri makes interaction that much more intuitive for those with limited sight. VoiceOver is even compatible with the iPhone’s Camera app, as illustrated by an article in TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog).

While for most users incoming calls are easy to identify because of the on-screen caller ID and contact information that iOS displays, for the visually impaired these features don’t offer an advantage. Apple again has gone above and beyond by providing the ability to assign distinctive ring tones as an audible caller ID or a silent mode with different vibrational patterns for callers. Users can even create their own patterns to identify callers.

Beyond the features built into the operating system there are a host of iOS apps for those with limited vision. AppAdvice has a comprehensive list, from GPS to an app that identifies the denomination of paper money. Not all of the apps are specifically for those with limited vision but each provides something to make your daily life easier. Audible, billed as the “premier provider of digital audiobooks” is VoiceOver compliant giving users a choice of reading material beyond Apple’s built-in offerings. The Atlantic provides even more insight in a recently posted a story on two blind women who use the iPhone and a variety of apps in their daily lives.

I’m still relatively new to Apple’s access support in both OSX and iOS. For those with vision issues there are some great resources out there that can provide more in-depth information than my limited experience can. MacForTheBlind is a perfect starting point; the author does a fantastic job covering just about everything Apple and the site has a wealth of information. The Apple Support Community can often provide answers and insight as well.

I was very happy to read about the inclusion of accessibility tools Apple has developed into iOS (and the reviews of those using the accessibility features have been very positive). Accessibility features have been a part of OSX longer than I’ve been a Mac aficionado. While I haven’t had to face challenges like this personally, I have a longtime friend who has had to overcome the barriers of visually-centered computer use. He’s been using JAWS, a third party screen reader for his Windows-based PC, but the software is prohibitively expensive and prevents him from upgrading beyond Windows XP.  I’ve spoken to him about reviewing the accessibility features of iOS and am looking forward to sharing his opinions on the iPhone, iPad, and apps with all of you.

See you soon, Spencer!

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Apple driving iCloud adoption by offering free upgrades to Snow Leopard

As reported by MacGasm (great site, unfortunate name), Apple is giving luddites an incentive to join the rest of us that are enjoying the benefits of iCloud by offering a free upgrade to Snow Leopard . The holdovers that still run the venerable OSX Leopard must first upgrade to Snow Leopard before they can make the jump to Lion, hence the carrot offered by Apple. Even without the free upgrade those that are looking to run the latest and shiniest still have it better than our Microsoft-encumbered friends; upgrades from the venerable XP to Windows 7 Home Premium is still running well over $100 from the Microsoft website. 

Provided your Mac is Lion-capable you really should look into upgrading; I did so on the day the latest version of OSX was available and haven’t been disappointed. Click through for more information; I think you’ll be glad you did.

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