People always ask us when they get a new computer which of the Microsoft Operating Systems they should choose. Most people seem to want XP. I like Vista personally.

Linked below is a quick and dirty review of Windows 7. He makes some good points for sticking with XP. Like "If Microsoft isn't letting go of XP, why should I?"

Check out the article here.

If anyone has played with Windows 7 yet, or have some input on why they didn't like Vista, let us know.

This blog is clearly, and completely about the iPhone. So let me preface this blog by saying: I don't own one, and I personally don't have the slightest desire to use one.

Now that's off my chest, here we go...

Someone asked me last night what the latest exciting new technology that is on the horizon. I admitted that right now is a fairly boring time to be in technology because there are not any huge technology break-throughs happening right now.

In the mid-ninties there were new products coming out left and right: computers at home, scanners, color printers, and endless other products we take for granted (the mouse and desktop speakers).

In the late nineties, it was all about the internet.

Early 2000s, video games really took off, and high-speed internet ruled the landscape.

A few years ago wifi and finally internet on the cell phones capitvated the scene. (Enter, stage right: blackberry)

Now what we have, is one single device that does all the above: The iPhone.

Here are the 3 things the iPhone did for the technology world:

1. Useful Integration: Never before had we seen a useful device that had GPS, Camera, Touch Screen, wifi, cellular communication, PDA, endless amounts of bells and whistles that actually did something.


2. Raised the bar: All other cell phones will now have to include all the above, just to compete. (With the exception of the disposable pay-as-you-go phones marketed to organized crime)


3. User-centric: From the ground up, this was built for the user in mind. We dreamed of being able to surf the web on our cell phone in 1999, but we had no need for it. The need has never been stronger and people are gladly paying for it.

Many critics in 1999 thought email on a cell phone was just unnecessary, which BlackBerry quickly proved wrong (CrackBerry!). What they didn't do was make the web browsing experience as good as the email experience. THAT is why the iPhone was a movement. They didn't forget anything.

Technology will continue to be a progression of those 3 attributes above. Do you doubt the necessity of your refrigerator being on the internet, wait for someone to apply those principles, and you wont imagine life without it.

In the spirit of the season, I'm encouraging everyone to cast their vote for the November 4th election.

Also, to save time, everyone should sign up to vote absentee, recently renamed in California to "Vote-By-Mail Voting" (Can we say "redundant"?).

I've just finished filling out my ballot and will proudly deliver it to the post office in the morning. I know many disagree, but personally I can't wait until we can vote online! I also can't wait for my mailbox to not be filled with election material.

California residents can go here for a Vote-by-mail ballot application.[pdf]
If you are outside California, you can find more info here.