Why I recommend you never send anything FedEx HOME. Apparently this package sat around in the back of the truck for a week before they decided to give a Saturday delivery at my office a try. Big surprise that the building was locked.

100% FedEX Home Fail.

On Saturday 11/10/12 I went into my local AT&T store in Glastonbury to check out the new Nokia 920 Windows Phone 8 device. I’ve been using a Galaxy Nexus on my AT&T secondary line and the new Nexus 4 which is set to launch on 11/13 doesn’t have much new that interests me in upgrading so I decided to check out the new Nokia 920 which was released the day before (11/9/12) on AT&T.

I’m not going to give a specification rundown or list all the new features. There are plenty of reviews that have already done that. Instead I’m going to make a running comparison of what I like and don’t like on this device versus the two big competitors – iPhone and Android.

Instead this post will be to hold three main topics: My reason for purchasing, What I like, What I dislike.

This is also what I’ll term a “my own money” review. I have not been provided a loaner, evaluation or sample for free. I purchased the phone at the Glastonbury AT&T store for $ 99 on a 2 year contract upgrade.

My Overall Reasons For Purchasing a Nokia 920 / Windows Mobile 8 Device

I’ve had previous experience with Windows Mobile 7 via the Samsung Focus. I found that phone to be great to use though at the time the shortage of applications was a turn off to me continuing on with heavier use. Ultimately I replaced the phone with the Galaxy Nexus (Android) and passed it down to my then 11 year-old daughter.

My daughter absolutely loved the Focus – mainly for the Zune Pass (I think I paid about $14/mo for — since lowered to $99/year)  which allowed her to download and stream unlimited music. Even now as she has migrated to my old iPhone 4 after her Focus broke (lost the ability for callers to hear her clearly) she continues to ask for the Windows Phone back – mainly due to the music integration which she prefers over Spotify.

Going into this experience I accept several things:

• The Nokia 920 is heavier than other devices – try holding it for yourself at an AT&T store before buying
• The ecosystem of apps is smaller for Windows Phone 8 and may never catch up
• Nokia is in an arguably fragile state as a company and may fail or be bought
• Microsoft Windows Phone OS may continue to be a distant third place OS with slower improvements
• The lock in of Windows Phone to the Microsoft ecosystem (which realistically is what all competitors do as well)

What I Like

Windows 8 (desktop) is the first OS from Microsoft that I’ve upgraded  to in quite some time. Previously I’ve always waited until it was time to buy a new computer before updating operating systems. The Microsoft Windows 8 experience was very smooth for both my upgrades – which were for less than year old computers running Windows 7.

It will be some time before we know for sure what type of adoption Windows 8 gathers (I’m guessing at first it will be primarily home users). However I like the direction and I’m curious how Microsoft will evolve their desktop, tablet and smartphone operating systems.

Through my list of likes and dislikes I make no claim that another smartphone OS such as iOS or Android may provide functionality that Windows Phone 8 is missing. I’m focussed on the Windows Phone experience and not trying to prove (or disprove) a theory about which smartphone OS is best.

List of Likes (updated as I find more of need to make corrections)

• Integrated messaging – Microsoft Live Messenger (or whatever they call it once Skype takes over) and Facebook (which in my opinion could become the future of personal instant messaging)
• Live tiles which update with current information such as weather (though I’ve yet to find a way to group several pinned tiles into groups – such as I want to do with some websites that I use to check news). Update 11-23-2012: My live tiles (at least Facebook) occasionally stop working for no reason. I’m unable to reinstall and get the Facebook live tile working an instead stare at the big white on blue F — for Fail…. If Live Tiles is your marque feature  - they damn well should work all the time…. no excuses (Update: Unsure why but Live Tile for Facebook started to work suddenly – I’m still of the opinion that if Live Tiles are a main feature that they should “just work”.
• Nokia music – free streaming – I’ve mainly used this to find playlists and listen to holiday music or hits of the 1980′s (Similar apps are Pandora , Slacker).
• XBox Music – $99/year for streaming and downloads – I subscribed on day one even though I don’t listen to much music. My prior experience with Zune Pass was positive and I know my daughter loves this so even if I don’t listen much I’m sure she’ll be borrowing my device
• Camera seems to take at least as good quality photos as my iPhone 5 with low light capabilities probably being the key improvement on the Nokia.  I’ve not yet taken enough pictures to really tell if there’s a measurable difference. There are a number of plugins that work with the phone to take panorama or moving stills (see Cinemagraph image below). There’s even a plug in that takes 5 simultaneous shots and lets you choose the best. These are all Nokia plugins and free in the Windows Phone store.
• The 4.5″ screen makes reading many web sites much easier as compared to smaller iPhone 5 screen size (which is 4″).
• Podcast subscription and automatic downloading using only the Windows Phone 8 device work better than any other smartphone platform I’ve ever used. If you’re a serious listener of podcasts – this is the device for you. Tip: If your podcasts are not updating automatically remember that they will only download when you are on WiFi and connected to power.
• People Hub  GROUPS- This section of Windows Phone 8 called People Hub  lets you quickly view status updates (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) of people in your address book. It was an interesting feature but I didn’t really use it until I started creating groups. Instead of looking at lots of updates from your entire address book – create a group called “family” or “friends” and add a few people from your contacts. Now you can see a filtered view. This is very helpful as you can also like or comment or reply to people you’ve viewed in  this group.

What I Don’t Like

• The native Windows Phone 8  messages (which connects to Facebook messaging and Windows Messenger)  does NOT support group messaging  on Facebook (however you can work around this by using the official Facebook App though that is really clunky). The messaging app also does not appear to sync up Facebook messages written via the web to the smartphone. As an example if I’m chatting in Facebook Message to someone on the Nokia 920 and then switch to the web and chat via the web interface – those messages sent via web (or via another mobile device)  do not immediately sync up to make a complete message on the Windows Phone 8 — which they will do on both iOS and Android (though I have seen those sync very slowly). If you are an active Facebook Messenger user – pay attention to this flaw (I’m labeling it a flaw because other competitive OS devices manage the messaging without problem).
• Facebook App looks like a 1.0 effort compared to iPhone and Android versions – it is really bad. People point out that there are alternate versions available in the store – though I’ve just been using touch.facebook.com.
• Inductive charging so far has been a slight problem when the battery is 100% drained as it was on my first full day of heavy use (the phone was only 1/2 charged when I bought it). At the end of the night I kept getting a low battery warning when placed on the charger. I wasn’t using the official Nokia charger so I’ll have to reserve judgement until that arrives.
• I am a Google Apps user and using a Windows Phone device means I’ll forever be fighting the push-me  , pull-me standards battle that seems to rage from these device/OS companies wanting you to move “all in” to their standards (email, calendar, contact). So far my Gmail has been running just fine though Android clearly has the nod in tighter integrations (though my Android device was NOT faster at pushing Gmail).
• If I use Google+ more heavily then I think Windows Phone 8 is going to be a difficult platform to adopt as there is no integration
• I can check-in online to : LinkedIN, Facebook, Twitter — no Foursquare?
• No Instagram
• Did I mention that the Facebook App looks like a 1.0 effort? This is a big disappointment
• There’s no Twitter native application 
• There’s no Skype application (coming soon) for Windows Phone 8 despite the application being shown on several press shots for Windows Phone 8
• The advertised Windows Phone 8 Rooms feature is unusable to integrate with iOS and Android users. It sends a text link (via SMS) which dead ends on their phone with no instructions how to join a private room. Clearly this is unfinished and all the review sites mentioning this feature have not tested it (which is a reason to avoid most blog reviews).
• Cabling to Windows 8 and attempting to sync music is a disaster. The interface is awful, confusing and apparently half done – read more user complaints here. You won’t have a problem cabling to your Windows 8 device but good luck figuring out how to download playlists and collections of music. I’m still experimenting but my initial impressions of cabling the device were very negative. This interface makes iTunes look like a masterpiece.
• Rooms – This is supposed to give you a private area to chat, share photos and calendars. Microsoft claims you can invite in iOS (iPhone) and Android users — which technically you can but all you will be doing is sharing a calendar as group photo and chat is only available to Windows Phone 8 users (and there are various reports that it’s only working sporadically). Another good example of how all of the major smartphone OS players – Google, Apple, Microsoft use their platforms to develop ecosystems which lock you in. On Apple you have iMessage, Google has Google+. Windows Phone is no better or worse though it would have been nice to see an innovation that did not lock room usage to only Windows Phone 8 users.
• Live Tiles – Prone to stopping unexpectedly and if there’s a way to restart them – it’s lost on me. This is one of the top inexcusable problems with Windows Phone 8 since Microsoft trots this feature out as a key differentiating reason to buy WP8 vs competitors. Huge huge fail.
• Many of the Windows Phone applications do not yet take advantage of Windows Phone 8. I’ve seen a myriad of reviews for “new” versions which now take advantage of Windows Phone 8 – for example MetroTalk, Weave, etc. The lateness of updates is no doubt due to Microsoft’s inability to release an SDK (software development kit) until the last moment. This makes a lot of Windows Phone 8 feel partially done.

Important Notes:

I am not interested in engaging in any of the fandom that is rampant around reviews of different smartphone platforms. I own and use iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and in the past have used RIM BlackBerry. The phone platform which is right for you may not be the one that’s right for someone else. I’m merely pointing out my experiences here. Add this together with your own observations taken from other reviews and testing the device in the AT&T store to come up with your own conclusion as to which smartphone platform is right for you.

About an hour later a Coast Guard airplane and helicopter appeared overhead. The rescue took about an hour with three passengers airlifted.

Please ask yourself – in the day when virtually any electronic equipment can be ordered and delivered via overnight mails – why would someone contact you via the web and ask to prepay for two expensive pieces of electronic equipment – fully paid in advance?

My guess is that there’s a very high likelihood that you’re about to be scammed if you respond to these types of requests.

Of course there’s a .01% chance it’s just someone’s naive Grandpa who is unaware that Amazon sells and ships what he wants 50% cheaper than most retail outlets could send it to him for.

Here’s the email I just received as well as my opinion:

Here’s how it starts:

From: Herb Jones <hillsjones21@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 6, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Subject: Inquiry.
To:
Hi,

Herb here, from Los Angeles , Ca and I’d like to know if you carry or can order the Mfg Part #: SVS13A1DGXB Sony VAIO Notebook, to be delivered to the address below :
900 alan shepard st
las vegas NV 89145

Please let me know the total cost plus delivery to the addresss above , of 2 units of the SVS13A1DGXB and the methods of payment you accept, so we can proceed with full payment processing prior to order processing and shipment.

Regards,

Herb Jones
760 666 9364

And my analysis:

While I don’t know the specifics of this person’s request – and I make it a practice to never reply to these types of random odd inquiries – I’ve got a pretty good hunch that this type of request could very likely be a scam.

Why?

One variation of the scam used to be to convince people to ship expensive things overseas (or the person was overseas asking to ship within USA to an intermediary)  and the transit time obscures the fact that the person doing the ordering is in a super duper rush.

That amount of urgent rushing set off all types of alarm bells in most people’s heads. Everyone starts to realize that overseas = higher potential for fraud.

I guess people got scared off by overseas shipment so now they just pretend they’re in the USA.

If you haven’t seen it – a variation of the scam is that the scammer pays for everything in full — usually stolen check or CC —  then convince you to use ultra urgent shipping (so you don’t discover you were stiffed) but often the scam is in the shipping.

They might say they want to provide their own shipping company.

They’re going to send you a check for $ x plus shipping (all of which you see as vastly inflated and your greed takes over telling you that easy money is coming your way) then want you to WIRE TRANSFER the shipping to some bogus company they control.

The  potential scam is the shipping part.

See you’ve just wire transferred your own money. Sure they’ve sent you a check. But if/when the check bounces you’re stuck with a bad check that the bank takes back out of your account — and you’ve sent the inflated shipping costs to the company.

Scammed!

Now this email I’m referencing could just be some innocent guy on the web — but think about it — in the age of Amazon – who has to submit something like this…?

It has potential for BIG SCAM written all over it.

Someone in Michigan thinks that adding 400 talking urinal cakes to 200 restaurant and bar bathrooms is going to reduce drunk driving.

Bathroom occupants will be treated to the following speech – while going about their business:

Listen up. That’s right, I’m talking to you. Had a few drinks? Maybe a few too many? Then do yourself and everyone else a favor: Call a sober friend or a cab. Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands.

I’m still not entirely sure this isn’t a gag – though the company that produces these talking pee cakes – Wiz Mark – seems to offer an entire collection that also promote things like movies and local radio DJ’s.

Talking Urinal Cakes Deployed to Curb Drunk Driving

This is a video caught by a bystander. Apparently this is a temporary fireworks stand in West Virginia near Shorty’s.

Source - http://davidmchenry.com/2012/fireworks-stand-on-route-30-by-shortys-bar-explodes/

Question: How can you tell a social online service is dying?

Answer: When it evolves into endless cat and personal meme’s that do nothing but waste time

Google+

One of the features of my Galaxy Nexus that I was most excited about was the ability to use the smartphone as a wallet.

The Galaxy Nexus contains special NFC (Near Field Communications) technology which when combined with special software from Google called Google Wallet claims to allow you to pay for purchases  simply by tapping your phone to any of 140,000 Paypass merchant terminals nationwide.

The only problem with this ambitious project is that:

- Hardly any cashiers know what it is or how to use it

- The technology flat out did not work for me unless I waited until the very end when the cashier had rung up every charge. Several times I tapped my phone to the payment terminal, received the acknowledgement vibration, then watched as the cashier rang up that “one more thing” they forgot to get the first time.

In my limited testing each and every time I tapped to pay before the cashier was completely done – the transaction failed.

In contrast, when paying with a regular credit card some terminals allow you to swipe your card midway through the process while the cashier is still ringing up your purchase. Other times you must wait unti the very end to swipe. In no instance with a “standard” credit card have I ever not been able to swipe my credit card again. Not so with Google Wallet. Swipe at the wrong time and you won’t be able to swipe again (let’s just assume the cashier has no clue how you are paying with a phone since my experience is most look at you sideways when you use your phone to pay).

In each of the times that the transaction failed – the cashier had absolutely not the slightest clue how to reset  the transaction so that I could swipe my NFC Google Wallet again.

Recommendation: Avoid Google Wallet – it is not ready for everyday use

Those of you using the popular Whatsapp Instant Messenger know that in the past when you’ve wanted to deleted your account you would have to email Whatsapp support.

Recent updates to the program now make it possible for you to delete your Whatsapp account without having to email support. The knowledgebase link below provides information on how to delete accounts created on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone.

How to delete Whatsapp account

Fool me once – shame on you. Fool me twice – shame on me. That’s the mantra Straight Talk Unlimited subscribers might want to memorize if they expect to use anywhere near 100 MB of mobile data daily. Scattered but consistent reports across the Internet indicate that Straight Talk will make a phone call to warn about high data use – but cannot explain any type of limit – to counsel you on how to use less of their unlimited data.

To be clear – Straight Talk Terms Of Service do indeed indicate they can cut your service off (without refund) for breaking their rules concerning usage. Several users who’ve received “the call” report that the customer service representatives counsel on how to reduce data use but when asked cannot clearly state what the rules for data usage are.

For now it appears Straight Talk “unlimited” is best as a backup data plan when you will consume the bulk of your data on WiFi with light web browsing.

So Straight Talk Called Me