Category: bluetooth

Posted on

iPhone

First impressions, in no particular order:

  1. The device and OS are great.
  2. The network is not great(no surprise there).
  3. It pairs seamlessly with the Prius hands free system.
  4. It lacks MMS.
  5. The SIM is removable with a paper clip.
  6. It doesn’t seem to recognize and properly configure GAFYD accounts (at least it did not work with mine).
  7. Battery life is as claimed- great.
  8. Irony: the GSM radio interferes with my computer’s sound system. If the rebuttal to this is a suggestion that consumers need to understand RF shielding, it’s a miss (to be fair it’s an age-old issue).
  9. It represents a huge breakthrough, not in technology but in product. Industry pundits will rightfully suggest that a lot of the technologies in the iPhone have been around for a while. This is true, but Apple has artfully combined them, in conjunction with their own IP, to create something that will have a much more interesting legacy that a Wikipedia article.  I recommend that everyone (who reads this blog) spend some time playing with an iPhone.
Posted on

Prius Continued

I recently came across an amusing review of the Prius. Now that we’ve added the one of these to our fleet, it’s becoming a favorite. Not that I don’t still enjoy driving a German car up and down the 405 or 101, which, when either is not a parking lot, is a joy. The problem is that these arteries are parking lots much of the time, and this is where the Prius shines, getting 50 mpg and offering a great hands free experience to boot (my Treo 700p pairs perfectly and even syncs the address book).

On the highway at 80 mph efficiency and fun give way to the feeling that, no matter what the appeal at slower speeds, you’re still driving a compact Toyota in the midst of long-haul truck traffic. That said, for local driving and commutes, the car is noteworthy.