New Windows operating system!

I couldn't help it. I stumbled upon this while searching for the supposed new operating system that Microsoft is developing, after hearing a rumor from a co-worker. I just thought I would take the time to share it with my fellow bloggers and readers.

In this day & age ...

Life has taken a digital turn. For the worse or for the better? It's hard to tell at this point. Everywhere you look, there's technology staring you in the face. If you took away all the cell phones, TVs, and just about every other trinket that we have these days... would people survive? I sit back and watch society as it flies by sometimes, and most of the time I end up in shock and awe. It amazes me to see that so many people can NOT function a complete day without interacting with some sort of electronic device. We rely on these objects, these... things to get through life. So I ask, is this good or bad? Will we one day be so reliable on these electronic devices that human interaction will no longer be necessary? Will we one day become so anti-social on a face-to-face level that all human interaction will depend on technology? I sure hope not.

I'm not trying to say that we're turning into the "Matrix"... no no no. I'm just saying that approximately 70% (if I had to make my best guess) of people on this planet would be entirely lost without their electronic devices. From cell phones to GPS navigators, and televisions to iPods. Why are we so attached to these items? Is it human nature (or destiny more-or-less), for humans to eventually no longer interact with each other on a personal level except when in a relationship? Here's a concept for you to ponder about:

Take a look at MySpace. How many users do they have now? I lost track. Anyways... take a look at the average person, and how many friends they have on their friends list. I'm willing to bet if those people were asked "How many of these people do you know in real life and interact with on a normal basis?", 80% or more would say, "Only some of them." The rest would just be people they met online who shared common interest or "looked cool". Don't get me wrong, it's okay to explore and meet new people, via whatever means you see fit. I just think that maybe we need to get out a bit more, and "disconnect" so to speak.

We bustle through the streets on a weekly basis. To work, from work, during work. All day! Nine times out of ten, we all have stuff to do on the weekends. When was the last time any of us ever just went for an aimless walk. No iPod or CD player, nothing. Just your body (and clothing of course), and nature. Falls back on that old "stop and smell the roses". Most people these days hear that phrase and say "I didn't even see those roses there." That just shows how busy we are! We all need a break. I know I need one... in fact, it's 53º out, I think I'm gonna take myself outside and go for a walk. Maybe you should too!

T-Mobile's G1 is here ...

And you better believe I got one! So did lots of other people, but nonetheless, I got mine. Ok ok ok... relax, I'll start my review.

As with all technology, be it a cell phone, DVD player, TV, vehicle, you name it... there are always a few glitches and bugs to come with it. This is ALWAYS the case with a first model/version. I don't care who makes it, or how "perfect" you think it is. However, the HTC G1 (at development time dubbed the HTC Dream), is not a beautiful phone... it's gorgeous. At first I wasn't too sure about the design of the phone itself. It's dull plastic look, its flush buttons, the way the screen slides up to reveal the keyboard. All of these things, were way forgotten once I received the phone (and mind you I received it a day before its official launch). The G1 looks that I were so worried about, actually made the phone what it is. The flush buttons that I thought would be a nuisance, were simple and easy to conform to. The slide-up screen, amazing (although I was a bit skeptical about how hard it snaps into the open position at first). The keyboard?! Oh my, let me tell you, I actually like it more than my Sidekick LX keyboard. As far as the bland plastic look of the phone... to be honest, I like it. If it was shiny, I think it would take away from the phone's characteristics.

As far as navigating through the phone, and using it's features... that took little to no time to learn. I very easily made the transition from a loyal Sidekick user (I do still love 'em), to my new HTC G1. As far as clarity when making calls, crystal (so far). Text messaging, was... needless to say a bit different, but easy to learn. Browsing the web was "holy cow!" and nothing more to say. Just about everything in general that they previewed about the phone before its launch, worked just like they said it would. The Compass Mode on Google Maps, is absolutely a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I've been putting a lot of my friends in "shock and awe" with it.

As for its glitches... well, of course it had a few (well, still has... I'm waiting for my OTA, Over-the-Air, update from T-Mobile and Google). We can't save photos from MMS messages, we can't listen to MP3's purchased from the Amazon store. We can't record video. And battery life seems to be on el-fritzo (however after fine tuning some settings, I've managed to greatly increase my battery life). I'm not so sure the battery life was so much of an issue, or that it was more the problem of the phone miscalculating the amount of battery left. Needless to say, minor bugs if you ask me. If this is the worst of it, and there's more good things to come... I personally think it will definitely rival all those who have the "Death Grip" on their iPhones. 

Watch out AT&T and Apple, here comes T-Mobile and Google.