Other Browsers.

There are plenty of web browsers to choose from and Internet Explorer is continually losing it’s dominance. According to wikipedia.org (August 2009) 65% of users are using Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer (65.29%;) Mozilla Firefox (25.69%) Safari (3.74%) Google Chrome (2.84%) Opera (1.62%) Other (0.82%)

I’ve seen Firefox with higher numbers in other polls.

For the record, Chrome was officially launched in September 2008 and it is still in BETA form.

Simplicity

Google is a master of simplicity. Because of this, they are huge. This is apparent and I opened Chrome for the first time. The home screen opens with Google search at the top thumbnails of your most commonly visited web sites. Here is a screen capture of my new home screen. (See picture below) Nice? Yes!

Revolutionary? I don’t think so -  it looks pretty similar to my home screen in Apple’s Browser (Safari). (See picture below) I have no idea who borrowed who’s idea, but it is nice.

Themes

Google Chrome boast 25 themes (templates) that you can use skin (change the look) of your browser. Firefox has a similar feature. I’ve found it fun to search though the skins only to revert back the the default theme.

The most exciting part of Chrome is behind the scenes. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is not very stable, thus it is affectionately called Internet Exploder. Google has designed chrome with stability.

“Under the hood, we were able to build the foundation of a browser that runs today’s complex web applications much better.

By keeping each tab in an isolated “sandbox”, we were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites.” says Google.

Web Applications

This is an exciting project, they are looking at today and into the future. Their emphasis is not just to make web sites view properly, but making web APPLICATIONS rock. It is designed to allocate the resources needed for these applications to go to a whole new level. Reading the Google Manifesto I began to see Chrome as much more than a browser. It sounds a lot like an Operating System.

So I wasn’t terribly surprised to learn about Google’s next big thing.

What is next for Google?

This July, Google Announced Chrome OS. That’s right – a new operation system to change the world. I’ll keep you posted.

Oscar Myre IV is the owner and creative director at his marketing firm, omOriginals Design studio in Longview WA. You can reach him for all your “geeky” questions @ #360.575.9839 or online @ omOriginals.com

He said he’d like to hear what you think about Google Chrome, comment online!

I’m such a geek…

To be accurate with the pricing we should consider that they all come with 2 year AT&T contracts. Depending on the plan it will cost roughly $100/month. So a more realistic number is $100 + $100×24(months) = $2500. Ouch! That costs more than most computers.

Before the release of the new iPhones, I had the top of the line latest and greatest smart phone in the world.  Today I have a phone that you can get for just $99.

Technology is so funny that way: Cutting edge one moment, out of date faster than you can say, “Control-Alt-Delete.”

But in an interesting twist – at the same time my phone became old – it became new. You see, Apple also released the next generation operating system. Here are the twenty new features from apple.com:

Cut, Copy & Paste

Quickly and easily cut, copy, and paste text from application to application. Select entire blocks of web text with a tap. Copy and paste images from the web, too.

Landscape Keyboard

Want more room to type? Rotate iPhone to landscape to use a larger keyboard in Mail, Messages, Notes, and Safari.

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)

Send MMS messages and include photos, audio, and contact info. Think if MMS as text messaging on steroids. FYI: The iPhones are ready but, AT&T and still figure how much it wants to charge for this feature.

Spotlight Search

Find what you’re looking for across your iPhone, all from one place.

Voice Memos

Capture a memo, a meeting, or any audio recording on the go. Voice Memos works with the built-in iPhone microphone or with the mic on your headset.

Calendar

Create meetings via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and subscribe to calendars with new CalDAV support.

Buy Movies, TV Shows, and Audiobooks

Download movies, TV shows, music videos, and audiobooks from the iTunes Store on your iPhone.3

Enhanced Stocks App

Get more at-a-glance information and view charts in landscape.

Safari Improvements

Enjoy faster performance, autofill user names and passwords, and more.

Internet Tethering

Share your Internet connection with your laptop with Internet tethering via Bluetooth or USB. This is another exciting feature that AT&T is disabling until they figure out their pricing.

Stereo Bluetooth

Connect compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones, car kits, or other accessories.

Automatic Wi-Fi Login

Log in to a Wi-Fi hotspot and iPhone automatically logs you in when you connect again.

Sync Notes

Never leave a note behind. Now you can sync all the notes you write on your iPhone back to your Mac or PC.

Parental Controls

Decide what music, videos, and apps your kids can access.

iTunes Store Account

Create and log in to one or more iTunes Store accounts directly from your iPhone.

YouTube Login

Log in to your YouTube account to save and sync bookmarks and rate favorites.

Shake to Shuffle

Give iPhone a shake and it shuffles to a different song in your music library.

New Languages

iPhone supports 30 languages and more than 40 keyboard layouts.

MobileMe Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe

Find your iPhone if you lose it and protect your privacy with Remote Wipe.

Run the Latest Apps

Run the next generation of iPhone apps, like peer-to-peer games and more.

I was hoping that iPhone 3.0 would allow me to shoot video on my current phone and to use it as a wi-fi hub.

Bummer, I can’t do either at this time. But, I’m excited to to be able Cut, Copy & Paste.

The spotlight search is very nice as well. I can now search eMails, events, contacts, music and lots more. There wasn’t ANY search available before.

I’m also glad to have my notes sync to my computer. I’m surprised at how many notes I have taken.

The parental controls are welcome as well. I don’t worry so much about my girls removing applications or playing with a file they shouldn’t.

Last, but not least is the Mobile me ‘Find My Phone’. So in the event I turn off my ringer and misplace my phone (NObody else does this, right?) I can go to me.com can have it override my phone settings and RING, so I can find the phone.

Now that is a smart phone. Until neXt time.

Oscar Myre IV is the owner and creative director at omOriginals Design Studio in Longview. 360.575.9839 or online @ omOriginals.com

Merry Christmas!

The iPhone promised to be 3+ devices in 1. A phone, an iPod, an Internet Device & More.

New Phone

I wasn’t that excited about a new phone. I didn’t really like phones. I’m a tech-snob (Is that a word). Phones and so called smart phones have always been cumbersome to me. I appreciate how a real computer works, but phones don’t work right.

New iPod

My wife has had an iPod for years. It was nice having a ton of music that traveled with us, but I wasn’t interested in an iPod. My favorite music is listening to my wife and daughters sing.

Internet

Now the internet. Now you have my attention. I’d played with smart phones in the past that had internet browser, but they were slow. How slow were they? They were so slow they made dial-up look like a T-1 line. This was true (in my experience) with the original iPhone as well. So I waited.

Enter the second generation iPhone (iPhone 3G). Billed as “Twice as Fast. Half the Price”. Michelle and my old phones, conveniently died. Finally the wait was over. For my Birthday Michelle and I both got new iPhones. An 8GB for Michelle and a 16GB for her favorite geek. Thanks Honey!

So how did Apple deliver on its promise?

At first I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Mike the Manager at the Longview AT&T store opened up the boxes and started to get us setup. You see I really enjoy buying a new Apple Computer. Opening the box, the packaging, discovering and setting up the new Mac is a blast.

<< Hey I’m a geek.

To Mike’s defense he didn’t know that I was a Mac Addict and would have preferred to open the box myself.

With iPhone in hand I tapped (clicking is so last century) on safari (the web browser) slowly “typed” omOriginals.com. The virtually keyboard appears on the screen as you touch the screen with your thumbs to type. It takes a little to getting used to this new way to type.

The web site came up quickly. Much quicker than than when I tried the original iPhone. Is it 2x as fast? My un-scientific tests – say much quicker.
 I then thumbed my way through setting up eMail. After I turned off SSL, my eMail quickly downloaded.

Next I was eager to sync (share info) with my Mac. I connected the cable and iTunes started up. Within a few minutes I had 1300 of my closest friends (contacts) added to my iPhone.

I also added some music and a book or two from my audio bible. Then I found the App Store. The App Store has tons of free and fee applications designed for iPhone. You can download them directly from the iPhone or from iTunes on your computer. One of our favorite games is iBowl.

The iPhone has an “Accelerometer” sensor that senses the movement of the iPhone. Our daughters really enjoy swinging the phone to make the ball move. We are careful to throw the ball, but NOT the phone.

One “practical” use of the Accelerometer is the app called iMilk. (haha) When you start up this program your phone looks like it begins to fill with Milk. If you move the phone, the milk tilts like it would in a real glass. Thirsty? Put the “glass” to your mouth and pour. When the glass is empty you hear a virtual “burp”! < Excuse me. >

Got Beer? iPhone does. iBeer “drinks” the same as iMilk and is 100% non-alcoholic.

There are plenty of games to keep you busy, but there are also some great tools to help you be more productive.

Productivity

I now have my work and home calendars in my pocket where ever I go. This was the main reason that I wanted to get the iPhone. My calendars are automatically synced over the internet. This is great not having to open up my laptop to do basic info lookups. Unfortunately, my to-do list from my Mac doesn’t make it to my iPhone. Originally I thought something was broken, but it looks like it was an oversight. There are quite a few to-do apps, but I was looking forward to integrating with iCal (the Mac calendar).

I believe that Toodledo
 http://www.toodledo.com …will be the key to keeping me in sync.

I’ve been using my iPhone 2 weeks today and I see it as more than just Phone. It’s beginning to look a lot like a Computer.

So I waited. And I’m glad iDid.

Merry Christmas! Here’s to you finding an iPhone under your tree this year.
God Bless,
Oscar Myre IV

Oscar started listening to Christmas Music this year in early November. He loves Christmas and is looking forward to his new baby this year!

Oscar Myre IV is the owner and creative director of omOriginals Design Studio, located in Longview and serving Cowlitz County and beyond. For web site or other “geek related” questions, please call his studio at 360.575.9839 or on the web:
 http://omOriginals.com