BenWoodall(dot)Com

All My Junk — In One Place

So I’ve been playing around with Google’s new social app, “Buzz.”   I’ve had no qualms in the past talking about my Google fan-boy-ism, so when I say I’m a bit let down by it, you know I mean business.

The lack of quid-pro-quo twitter tie in is horrid.  I like that I can add my twitter posts to buzz, but why can’t I have it the other way around?  I know they’re trying to kill off Twitter with this, but it’s a step.

Also, my Twitter address is twitter.com/benwoodall... my Buzz address is google.com/profiles/benwoody.  I don’t see why google.com/benwoody wouldn’t link to my profile.  It’s a mouthful.

And the main point of this rant? The mobile web client.  I hear it’s different for Android and iPhone users.  The android version of the mobile site is HORRID!  I can’t update.  I can’t follow/unfollow friends from it.  And the timeline is so screwed up, I can’t tell what comes first.

BUT I HAVE A WORK AROUND!

Screw pointing your browers to buzz.google.com.  On the Droid, I find that it’s easier to see what locals and your friends are saying by using the Foursquare app. Once you’ve loaded the app, find your location and click on the “Map” tab.  Then click the geolocation button in the upper right of the map.  It brings you right to the address you want on Android Maps if you have the Buzz layer added.  You can see who’s around and then add what you want to the place you’re at.

Hope we get a Buzz app soon,

~Ben

Edit 1:
I see that it’s a bit confusing as to why you wouldn’t just use the android maps app to use Buzz. I like to use Foursquare because it finds the business or exact address you’re at before you update buzz. It seems to me that when you use buzz to find your where-abouts…it’s not as exact. Because Foursquare uses user info to find places, I think it’s more accurate.

Wardrobe via Goodwill. Sweat stains via PAM Cooking Oil. Pretty much the only person who dressed up. But I got a free ticket.

Grilled chicken, white onions, mushrooms, broccoli with white sauce. And that’s Paul Newman himself peekin’ out from behind.

Super om nom nom

I have no shame in saying that I’m not a huge Apple fan.  It’s not that I hate them, in fact, the Mac OS is an amazing operating system and the iPhone started a whole new generation of smart phones.  But the way they go about their business is appalling.  Of course, what do I know about technology business models…this is just a rant from someone hating on what I think is a flawed system.  Like the closed App Market and the locked plans with AT&T.

With that said, here’s one of a million other rants about the flaws in Apples iPad.

1. The inch of frame around the touch screen. It’s just ugly.  I expected better from Apple.  Yeah, I get that it helps to grab and carry it, but you only need one side to do that.  Keep that inch of black non-usable real estate with the home button.
2. No HDMI out. There’s just no point in that.  The black-turtle-necked-one kept ranting about the HD Youtube quality and iTunes media player but how hard is it to add a little HDMI output on there?  I don’t want to pay another $30 for a converter.
3. 1ghz Processor. The Nexus1 has a 1Ghz processor and it at least does multitasking.  I know it threads better, but, I mean, come on.
4. STILL NO MULTITASKING! Self explanatory.  Come on, Apple.  I want to listen to Pandora while I surf the web or at least read an eBook.
5. No Camera…Seriously? It seems like they’re marketing this as an eReader to rival the Kindle, but give me a camera!  I want to carry this with me and use the Brushes app to edit some pics that I took.  It just doesn’t make sense not to have one now adays.  Everything has a camera on it.

Things that just suck about everything Apple:

• Non-replaceable battery
• No Flash support
• Horrible closed app store
• Apple adapters for EVERYTHING

My 2 Cents,

~Ben

Tacos with ground turkey. Much better than beef. Also, Cholula hot sauce. Yum

My girlfriend, Holly, bought a Droid last month after I told her how much I liked mine.  I really like that even though she’s not too into tech and geek type stuff, she really puts her phone to good use.  But the one thing I can’t stand is all the wasted real estate she has on her Android desktop.  One desktop.  That’s it.

I ran into some old friends of mine this weekend, who happened to have both bought Android phones the week before.  We had fun going over new apps to get and new services they should try.  But just like Holly… they both only used one desktop.  The waste!  I was actually offended and told them they weren’t using their phones right.  Sure it might be a personal preference, but why wouldn’t you use it?

I’ve been a Gnome (Linux Xwin Interface) user for about 12 years now and one of the nicest things about most Linux desktop environments is the multiple desktops.  I’m pretty crazy when it comes to how I organize my desktop.  I usually like one desktop to have absolutely nothing on it.  No reason really.  Just aesthetics.  The others are usually organized in some way or fashion for usability.  One page for games, another for publishing, maybe even a whole desktop devoted to website bookmarks.

It’s no different on my Droid.  I have everything mapped out in a certain way that helps me navigate.  The home (middle) screen is devoted to mostly phone related activies.  Contacts, messaging, etc… as well as a few other things that a smart phone should be used for, like my browser, Gmail, and Google maps.  Left screen is mostly widgets, with a few select user control apps while the right is all the social and work related apps.

I know that the app slider is easy to use, but really…why wouldn’t you use all of that space?  I hear that Android 2.1 bumps it up to 5 desktops!  I don’t even know if I can fill that!  I”m really excited to see what else 2.1 brings.  I know it has the interactive (battery draining) wallpapers.  I can’t wait to see what people do with that.  There are also some 3rd party desktop theme apps that look pretty good.

What does your Android desktop look like?  Feel free to post pictures or comments.  To learn how to take screenshots, visit the Know Your Cell “Droid Screenshot” page.

~Ben