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Why Facebook Users Should Support Google+

July 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Over the past two weeks as I’ve had a chance to play around with Google+ and really had a great experience.  Who knew Google could do social and do it so well?  Guess they learned from the Buzz/Wave disasters and seem to be on to something this time.

Unfortunately probably the most important ingredient to having a great experience with a social network is the ability to find and connect with the people you want to interact with.  As a result, I’ve spent two weeks now struggling to get friends and family to setup their own Google+ accounts and was met with a surprising amount of resistance.   “Why not just stick with Facebook” they ask?  “Where is the value?”   “Where is my Farmville and other games?”  When I stepped back to look at it from the average person’s perspective I can see their point, why should someone bother setting up a Google+ account?

Why Switch From Facebook to Google+?

First and foremost, I need to point out that you don’t need to “switch” to Google+ unless you want to.  Signing up for Google+ doesn’t do or change anything with your Facebook profile so there really is no down side.   Secondly, Facebook needs competition and Google is one of only a couple of companies (if not the only one) who could seriously compete with Facebook.  Competition brings innovation and their are plenty of examples out there of situations where there wasn’t competition and as a result there wasn’t innovation (Internet Explorer 6 jumps to mind).   Besides, the more successful the initial launch of Google+ is, the more likely Google is to continue to place their valuable engineer resources into improving this product and making it a true competitor to Facebook.

Am I pro Google+ or just anti-Facebook? 

This is something I’ve put a lot of thought into over the past two weeks and I’ve come to the conclusion that it is a little bit of both.  I truly love the innovation put into Google+ with the hangouts, circles, and even the sparks feature has some potential.   With that said, I admit to being more scared of where the Internet is heading with the growing dominance of Facebook and I think the internet needs to support a competitor.

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Problems with Apple iPad Applications

June 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Like close to a million others, I was fortunate to be one of those lucky iPad owners on launch day, a device that has changed my life for the better. With that said, however, the transition to the iPad has left me with a lot to be desired, as I suppose you should expect with any first generation device.  Among the biggest of my frustrations is how iPad apps are handled in iTunes and by developers.

Of course in the interest of fairness, this is not specifically a problem with Apple, but instead a problem with how many developers choose to handle their iPad apps.  As an iPhone/iPod Touch owner, I have amassed hundreds of applications over the past 3 years. In the months since the iPad came out, I’ve had to repurchase many of these apps.  That itself isn’t the problem, as I realize that development time and often new graphics are required for the iPad version, but why aren’t all iPad versions universal applications when an iPhone version is available? Because most developers don’t make universal versions of their applications I have to maintain TWO copies in my iTunes and then delete then iPhone version off of my iPad. Making the iPad version universal would solve this problem completely, allowing me to delete the iPhone only version and avoid duplicates on my iPad!!

This problem was present immediately but I had hoped that it would be temporary as developers tried to make a quick buck when the iPad was released. Unfortunately this problem still exists almost three months later and only seems to be getting worse as I struggle to manage applications for two different devices. It would be nice if Apple would mandate or provide an incentive for developers to make universal applications.

Anyone else having similar frustrations with their iPad applications?

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Why I Switched to Apple Products

June 18, 2010 by 2 Comments

For several years now I’ve felt very close to finally making the jump from Windows over to MAC OS X, but the timing was never right for me. I’m already used to Windows, I use Windows at work, and there is a moderate learning curve in making the switch.  Another big hurdle is that the price is extremely high compared to Windows comparable products so you need to be in a good place financially or have a very strong business need in order to make the jump. 

Roughly a month ago circumstances finally afforded me the opportunity to finally make my jump from my Dell using Windows 7 over to a new iMac which uses Snow Leopard OS X.  The result?  After a few weeks of learning all the ins and outs of the machine I have to say that I wish I’d taken the time to make the switch sooner!

So, what makes it better?  I’ve been pondering this question since I made the switch and it is a very hard thing to pin down.  It really just feels “right” and has to be experienced because it can’t really be described.  Load times are pretty much a thing of the past for me now, as are anti-virus software.  Installing software is easy, the way it should be.  In fact, it is so easy that it leaves you thinking you did something wrong!! 

On the flipside, I’ve found a few pieces of software which I used to rely heavily on which aren’t available, but all crucial software is available for OS X and for the others I’ve found suitable alternatives to meet my needs.  I also think the launch of Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac later this year will have a big impact on my experience. 

In closing, now that I’ve got my iMac I’ve just about completed my conversion to team Apple and I couldn’t be happier. Over the years I’ve collected several iPod Touches, iPhones, an iPad, and now I’ve converted my deskto pover to an iMac. 

Have you been considering making the switch to Apple?  Quit procrastinating and make the jump.  Whether you are technology savvy or new to computers, you’ll be glad you did!!

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