New BB Aps

I have added foursquare as a regular application and moved to the new CB2 theme. Both are free and a must haves on the BB Flip.

Check them out:
http://foursquare.com/blackberry/
http://crackberry.com/free-cb2-blackberry-theme

I sometimes use the new eBay app but only to check on things i have already bid on, it wouldn't make my top 10 list.

My Top Blackberry Apps

PodTrapper - Download Podcasts over Verizon, so much nicer than a iPod but it cost real money (only app I have paid for to date)
Facebook - Does Facebook, still not as nice as the iPhone version)
QuickPull - Can actually shut the BB off or reboot on a schegual (the dark side on BB running apps in the background is sometimes it gets slow and reboot helps from closing running applications)
Google Apps - I use Maps and Google Sync (Google maps syncs mymap)
Viigo - RSS reader I love (shows update to friend blogs or website feeds) and has way more features I don't use like streaming podcast. Oh, and you can update it the web and it syncs with your BB
Vlingo - Not as good as it was (now charge for a pro account) but it replaces my voice dialer (call John) with many more options. It does an ok job translating voice into email or text messages (now limited number a month) but is pretty slow. Only options when you're driving and want to be 'safe'
Sametime - Hey, it's the IM we use at work so don't make fun of me (I use Yahoo IM once and a while)

Sometime used
Amazon - check prices when I'm in a store and leverage my prime account to get it in 2 days
Audible - streaming audio book but it's to choppy so I only use it for buying the books and still use my iPod for listening
Opera Mini - nice browser but I stick to a pearl BB for size so I only use it when I want to see a website the built in browser butches
BB App world - don't think this really counts as a app but if you have an older BB you should grab it

Picking up a Dell Mini

So, to help the pain giving up my BlackBerry I put in a order for a Dell Mini 9.  I'm grabbing the XP version so I wouldn't have the Linux learning curve.  I don't get it till March but as soon as I do I'm post pics and my .02 cents...

Update: Called and added build in webcam and it moved the ship date from 2/26 to 3/9 - wish they would have told me that on the phone

Giving up my BlackBerry

So, I liked the Storm but it was just a little too big and the batter life just plan wasn't good for me.  I would still recommend it as a phone b/c I love a lot of things about it but my final decision was to return it in the first 30 days to get a phone phone since that's what the main reason I use it for.  I know I'm going to go into withdraw but we will see how bad it is.  I was pretty much a crackberry person so it's not going to be easy.

Day one review of Storm

Overall I really like the phone.  I still would like a week to give it my offical review but here are some quick day one notes:

Pros

• I have the typing down (I'm still faster on my pearl)
  
• Touch screen with click is nice
  
• Screen is wonderful and video podcasts look great
  
• Facebook reinstall fixed menu problem (I blame stupid appstore)
  
• Voice quality is good and my old Bluetooth headset connected quickly
  
• Easy to move icons around and customize it to your preferences
  

Cons

• Still haven't got the browser down (zoom when I want to click or click on the wrong thing)
  
• I miss the scroll ball
  
• Takes to long to reboot (if you install something)
  
• Flips to landscape to quick (Maybe I hold my BB to flat)
  
• Same with my last blackberry - I feel like the mute button should also be a Silent or vibrate button that switches to configurable profile (top left)
  
• I have answered the phone upside down when I'm using it in landscape mode (strange feeling)
  

Still need to figure out

• Google maps still doesn't use GPS (works with NAV4ALL and BB Maps)
  
• Need an app to easily upload video
  

Wish list

• e-mail/messages in conversation (like g-mail or IM messages)
  
• More app to work with new OS (bbPlaces and Qik don't work)
  
• An application store that works and is up to date (version looks to control it 9)
  

BlackBerry Storm 1 hour review

Well, I can't really say that I got to do much in the first hour.  I basically played with it for 10 min and then upgraded it to v4.7 of the OS that wasn't a quick process.  I'm not sure what was on it before but  4.7 works pretty well.  So, first hour was basically set up and that's it.  My first hour review:

Pros

• I like the luck button (on my old BB I remaped the 
  
• Love the auto focus camera: you can push the button (or touch the screen) and it focuses so when you take the picture it's a quick process (about a second)
  
• Transfer of contact and settings was seamless from other BB
  

They need to fix

• Sporadic menu drawing errors (ex, Facebook's submenu never looks quite right)
  
• Browser isn't quite there yet (maybe I just need to get used to it)
  
• Landscape suretype keyboard option
  
• Stop letting applications control the type of keyboard (ex, Opra Mini doesn't use suretype)
  
• Application store is down right embarrassing
  
• A little disappointed my mail accounts didn't port over but that's due to switching providers
  

ToDo

• Figure out why Goggle Maps isn't using the GPS (BB Maps does)
  
• Move around icons (not a fan of default folders)
  
• Look for some new applications
  
• Make some calls on it
  

India 2008 – Power Sightseeing Weekend

So, we were some busy this weekend I haven't had time to write anything. So, I'm going to post some pictures on Facebook until I get some time (more than likely on the way home from India)

Team Dinner - Leela Palace

So, tonight I think I might have had the best dinner. It was the whole team and we went to Leela Palace. The place was so big I couldn’t get a picture so here is one from the web.



Here is some video that someone took while we were there, it's a little dark but you can get a better idea



Anyway, we had a nice table at a place called Jamavar. It was the best Indian food I had ever had and it stared with the biggest shrimp (Prawns) I have ever imagined. Really, they were so big I thought they were small lobsters without legs. I didn't take a picture of one but I should have.

I don’t really understand why but at lots of the restaurants are set menus. So you basically have 2 choices, veg or non-veg so I got non-veg of course. We toped off dinner with the first bottle of Indian wine I had. Overall it was a wonderful dinner.

Having a driver

OK, the whole drive thing. I guess the reason this is so strange is b/c in the states most people have cars and you do somewhere you just rent a car. At most you only use a cab if you’re someone like New York or need to do from point A to point B. Well, here when you get a car you get a drive. Oh, and the drive is pretty much at your beck and call. It’s so strange to get dropped off and have someone say, I’ll be hear when ever you’re done. They never ask what time, they never complain about what time to pick you up, nothing. So, Saturday we got picked up at 7am and didn’t get dropped off till 10PM. The drive was with us the whole day. I have no idea when he ate or drank but he never did in front of us and he was always right there when we came out of where we were. On Saturday we went too 5 shops (2 were malls) 5 touristy places and stopped twice to see local stuff. Guess I know how the rich feel now.

India - First weekend

So, I pretty much didn’t know what India even was until this weekend. I got a full view with dinner out on Friday. We ate at a hotel called Oberoi and got to sit out in a courtyard.

Traffic was bad but dinner was fun. This was our first trip that wasn’t at 2am so we got to see all the crazy driving. We also our first go at telling vendors NO.



The whole driver this is a post in itself but I will stick to the weekend. The highlight was a trip Meghan and I took to MySore. It was a three hour trip but worth it. We got picked up early and stopped a few time to find out about Papa, Jack Fruit, and Sugar Cane. I was happy with our driver b/c it went out of his way to show us things.

The key reason to go was to see MySore Palace. I can’t begin to explain how impressive it was.

It's to bad but we couldn't take any pictures inside. I could go on and on about it but I can finish up with I got to sit on an elephant (pics on Facebook)

After the Palace we went up to Chimundi Hill which had a temple on the top, a “daemon” statue, and a big bull. The temple was very interesting but a great view down over the city of Mysore. Oh, and I didn't even talk about the place we ate lunch - guess I have to post more later when I have time.

Work and eating

So, since I have been to China all I have done is work and eat. The crazy thing is there isn't much where I’m located so I'm just going back and forth from the hotel to the office that is just across the street. Here is a picture of the office that it actually really nice.



Since I have been here there hasn’t been a ton of food I really like until today. It’s funny but everything here looks the same so I can’t really tell it apart. However today I found out there is Northern and Southern Indian food. I’m not sure what one I like but one is better I think. I still can’t tell the food apart but here is some stuff that was really good:

So, Friday I hope to do something that will be more fun than cross the street so stay tune.

Made it to India

Long flight but it wasn’t bad. It took about 24 hours but for the first time I took a shower in a business lounge in Germany. It was just like a hotel bathroom but in an airport business lounge. I thought it was great to break up the trip with a shower. It’s nice after being stuck in an airplane. When I fly back I’m going to plan for it and take a change of clothes. Another cool thing about the layover was in Germany was I got to eat some German food and have a few beers. The meal was the soup below and I took the beer glass as a souvenir. Oh, and I got to eat my first Indian food on the airplane. Not bad but nothing special. I did thing the little bag of mint fennel and other seeds (strange but similar to a mint of piece of gum in the states)







So, onto the first problem. I filled my TV on the plane and actually crashed it. It turned out to be Windows CE and here is a picture of the crash/reboot. Overall, the TV is so much cooler than on planes in the States. It even had video games on it and the best part is that it was included in the ticket price.



Second and more exciting problem. No driver at the airport! So, we called the hotel with the help of a local but they didn’t have a driver reservation. So, we crammed all three of us into a supper small extra mini van and made our way to the hotel. It was a little shady but we agreed on a price before we left and it worked out. Just not the nice air conditioned van we should have had waiting. Here is me in the cab...

New Coaster with 97 Degree Drop - I wish it was closer

I love costers so I have to put this one on the list: "the Farenheit at Hershey Park, a coaster that drops you down a 97-degree slope. Yes, that's beyond vertical. It hits you with 4 Gs of force, more than what NASA astronauts are subjected to.

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/311472804/new-coaster-doesnt-screw-around-features-97-degree-drop

Eureka Skydeck 88

So, today we went to Skydeck on the Yarra River in Melbourne. The 88 is for the 88 stories and of course we went to the top and took the pics below:









It also had a white cube that you get in, they hang it over the side of the building, then make the white clear glass. It was crazy seeing down under your feet. Problem is they don't let you take pictures why you are in the cube. I was able to get some video from the desk

Down Under - Hand Feeding

So, I'm in Australia 2 days and I already get to see Kangaroos and even get to feed them!

There were also birds that would eat right out of your hand but as you can see they were more aggressive

This one has a baby (Dingo)

Trip starting soon

Leaving for Floriday on Thursday, can't wait...

Buyers Market - New homes in Washington, IL

So, I spent 2 hours over in Washington doing the open house thing. It's a buyers market for sure. I couldn't believe how fast they talked about doing extra things like finishing the bsmt if you had a good offer. One builder (had a whole subdivision) was offering to take your house on a trade. I though that was interesting. My understanding, they want full price on the new house and will give you full price or extra on your current house. It keeps prices in the subdivision high and they can sell your old house at cost. With 5-6 vacant houses and more partly finished I think they are eating lots of interest on the project.

Back in the US

My trip is coming to an end. It was fun and I'm looking forward to going again.

Dalian - Big Black Mountain

The best in Dalian was probably the Stone Drum Temple on Big Black Mountain. We entered at the bottom of the mountain and hiked up to the top. Here are a few pictures along the way:

It's fun to see something up close then seeing it from half was up

At the top was the temple area. It's a little strange hiking up into the mountain and all of a sudden you're at a clearing with a temple:

Yep, I'm a dork...

Trip to see my sister

My trip to India got cut so I get to stay in China a few extra days. So, I hopped a plane to Dalian for the weekend. It was just like a flight to Chicago, take off, get a drink, land. It was fun to meet all Mandy and Darren's friends. We did get to see some things while I was there:

From the beach we walked up into a park

You do tons of walking here in China