Had to Rearrange My Desk

 I've rearranged my desk so that I can use the Macs at one end of the (long) desk.  

This resulted in moving my 27" iMac, placing it next to my Mac Mini.  The enables me to use the iMac as a monitor for my Mini, using Target Display Mode (TDM).  I had to buy a USB-C to mini-Displayport cable and use the one of the Thunderbolt slots to connect to the iMac.

Even though I can use TDM, there's the issue of having two sets of keyboard and mice between both systems.  I don't think there's a worthwhile way around that issue.

I'm also using a bluetooth mouse and keyboard with the Mini.  The mouse is a Corsair Harpoon that has a bluetooth mode.  I'd been using that mouse with my work laptop until I found that it had BT functionality, then I repurposed it for use with my Mini.  The keyboard is a Seenda ISJ-ZXKB01.  It has mapped controls for MacOS.  It works well, but tends to take a few seconds to reconnect when it is hibernating (I've to tap a button and wait maybe a second or two for it to awaken before I can use it).

Since I took the iMac from my work setup, I am mow using my Dell 27" monitor as my second screen for work.  I'd previously been using it as a second monitor for use when I'm streaming gameplay, but since that system has a 34" UW display, I really didn't have an excuse to use an additional monitor.  It did make things a bit more simple, as I could use OBS on that screen while the main screen was outputting gameplay.  I may buy another 27" screen from Dell if I want to go back to that setup, but I'd have to rearrange the desk or get a wallmount for it (or the iMac).  We'll see.

The Macbook Air (MBA) is doing well.  I've been using it to do light things such as blog posts, research, and note-taking (using OneNote).  I'd heard folks with M1 Macs using the MS Edge browser because it's less resource-intensive than Firefox and Chrome.  I've been using Firefox as my main browser, but I've to watch it closely because it tends to consume lots of memory.  I might try Edge soon.

Verizon Customer Service Issues, Samsung Gear S

I reported awhile back that I upgraded my daughter to the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.  We had to return her phone because the display was showing a thin green line going down the center of the screen.  It initially showed after I took it out of the box, but disappeared the next day.  My daughter told me that the display issue had returned maybe a week later.  I began to research how to get the phone replaced.  Verizon has no real guidance on how to do such a thing...the box contained return instructions (in case we changed our minds about the phone)...it said nothing of if the phone were damaged.  There was nothing on their website.

Two days before the two-week return period expired, I decided to bring it in to a local corporate store.  They sent me to another store because they didn't have a replacement in stock.  I went to the other store and when trying to describe the display issue, they asked me if I were a Verizon employee (the store I initially visited didn't ask me this).  I told them, "Yes."  They told me I couldn't be helped and that I had to call Verizon Customer Service to get a replacement.  Keep in mind that this is two days before the return period expires, around 7PM.  I returned home and asked online help for assistance.  They couldn't help but gave me a number to call.  When I called the number, and after walking through a menu system that was not intuitive, I got someone who began to help but then told me that I'd have to call back the next day during core duty hours because they weren't staffed to assist me.  By this time it was 10:30PM.

I called the next morning and they walked me through the RMA process, told me where to get a return shipping label, and also told me that I had to ship it and have it post-marked before midnight that night.  I packed up the phone and took it to the local Post Office and got a shipping and tracking receipt, just in case.

That was almost two months ago.  I checked my bill last night and the RMA'd phone was charged to me (WTF).  I'm pretty sure it's because they received the phone after the two-week return period.  I'm awaiting to visit a Corporate store to get it sorted out physically...I'm tired of dealing with phone queues and being transferred (I called several times the first night I was seeking assistance and was disconnected twice).

I haven't had issues with Verizon until now (I'm a long-time customer and employee).  When employees buy phones, they receive discounts.  Verizon uses a different system to process billing of phone purchases and upgrades than they do with non-employees, but this process is convoluted and isn't documented.  I spent a LOT of time trying to determine who to call and when to call.  Another thing:  If you upgrade online, your two-week return period doesn't start until after you've received the phone (shipping days don't count), so I was within the 14-day period (they've the shipping day in their system).  None of this is mentioned anywhere on their website.

If I find that they're going to stick me with the bill after going through all that, I'll immediately withdraw the money to cancel every single line and move to a different carrier.  Almost every phone I have on the plan is a Verizon Edge phone (all but one).  I'll just pay for the 3 Edge phones and 1 contracted phone...better to do that than to give Verizon $350/month the next 2 years.

I've also ordered a Samsung Gear S watch from Verizon.  I bought the watch last night.  After seeing my current Verizon Wireless bill, I almost didn't buy this watch.  I paid full price ($399) instead of having the watch under contract ($349).  Why?  Because I didn't want to have to deal with a contract device if I have to leave Verizon over this recent billing issue.  As well, the difference is only $50 between the two.

I can't wait for this watch.  It is a stand-alone device, meaning it can be used without being tethered to a smartphone (my Pebble needs to be tethered).  I can make and receive calls from the phone.  I can listen to music directly from the phone, with or without a BT headset.  I can get notifications on the phone.  I can't do much of that with my Pebble.  The con is, I *might* get 2 days of battery life from it and will have to carry a charging cradle and micro-USB cable around with me (I can charge the watch while going to/from work and I can also do it while at work).  Functionality-wise, the Gear S is well beyond my Pebble, plus the Pebble was already returned once because of a display issue (the replacement watch has been showing similar issues, though).

I'll review the watch and post it here once I receive it.

UPDATE:

Verizon straightened up the billing for the phones.  My wife called them and got it sorted (luckily, I made sure to get receipts when I mailed the phones back to Verizon...had Post Office and UPS tracking numbers and receipts).  In fact, one was already in the process of being credited back even before my wife called.  Verizon gets a big thumbs-up this time.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

For my daughter's birthday, I upgraded her phone from an HTC One M8 to a Samsung Galaxy Note Edge.  I actually opened the box for her and ensured it had a full charge so that when she came home, from school, she'd be able to immediately play with it.  That she did!  I actually resisted the urge to play with it while it was charging, so she was able to enjoy the whole factory setup experience.

Just seeing her phone made me want to upgrade mine and I did just that!  I upgraded from my Note 3 to the Note Edge.

I was actually on the fence on whether to get the Note 4 or the Note Edge...decided that it wouldn't hurt to try the Edge and if I found to not like it, I could always 'edge up' to something else a bit later.

Some observations:

• The Edge consumes quite a bit more battery power during the day compared to my Note 3 and my daughter's M8.  This might be due to the quad display.  It consumes less power when in power saving mode, but it's nowhere near what it was with the Note 3.  There's also the ultra power saving mode, which I haven't tried yet...I'm not sure if it hobbles the phone too much (it also goes to grayscale).
• It takes some time to get used to the phone's display edge.  I keep thinking that it's about to slip out of my hands.
• The phone will get hot when using it while the display is on.
• Quick charges are ridiculously fast!  This is good, since this phone consumes power quickly.
• There's no Android 5.x for the Note Edge yet (or, at least I haven't seen the upgrade prompt for it yet).  This phone is currently at v4.4.4.  It may not seem to be a big deal, but I got a taste of 5.x on my Note 3...loved it and currently miss it dearly on my Edge.
• Verizon only had the phones in Black...I'm not sure if White was promotional or if they ran out of stock when I bought the phones, but there was a two week gap between buying the two of them, so if there was a stocking shortage, you'd think that it wouldn't last two weeks.
• There aren't many phone cases available for this phone, currently.  My daughter has the Samsung wallet cover.  I have the Verizon shell/holster combo w/ kickstand (which I had for my Note 2).  I'd much rather have an Otterbox Defender on this phone, but until they're available, I'll be happy with what I currently have.
• There was at least one app that I had on the Note 3 that wasn't detecting the user config file on the SD card that came from the Note 3.  I had to manually grab the config from the Verizon Cloud and overwrite them on the SD card for them to work (mainly Tasker).  mSecure also had a problem taking imported backup and I ended up having to manually copy over a backup.  I exported a copy of the database to G-mail and imported the G-mail copy without issue...wouldn't work with the Edge, as the app kept complaining that it couldn't see G-mail's SMTP server.  I didn't have that issue with the Note 2 and 3.
• The fingerprint reader is better than what reviewers are stating.  I've been using it with little issue...it's pretty accurate.
• The heart monitor is iffy...I'm not sure if it's precise but my pulse is usually higher than average, and it's right in that regard...I wouldn't use it in place of a dedicated blood pressure and pulse monitor, though.
• No problems using my Pebble watch...BT is BT, I guess.
• It doesn't feel any bigger than my Note 3, although it's slightly bigger.

I haven't messed with the S-Pen yet.  I have fiddled with setting up the Edge...that's gonna take some getting used to.

Now, there was an issue with my daughter's Edge.  I plugged it in when I first removed it from the box and it had a green line in the middle of the screen, going from top to bottom.  It disappeared the first day of use, then returned and stayed after that day.  I'd been trying to find out how to return/replace it and Verizon has NO documentation on how to do that...it's not included on their My Verizon pages nor does any information regarding returning/replacing or troubleshooting come with the phone.  I visited 2 different stores and got no help.  The first store didn't even check my account, I don't think...they saw that they didn't have any Edge phones to swap with mine, so they sent me to another store that was 1/2 hour away.  I got to that store and they immediately told me that they couldn't pull up the account.  I had to call their employee assistance line to request a replacement.  They treat employee accounts differently and that's what really irked me...I'm not just an employee.  I'm a damned customer.  These phones and the service isn't cheap...I deserved better service than I got.  I ended up spending at LEAST 3 hours in two stores last night.  Then I came home and was on the phone for another hour, being bounce around different tech teams.  I also spent another hour on the phone today, as well, but I finally got the right person and they were able to assist me in getting a new phone sent to me.  This could've been done yesterday without all the traveling and phone time if Verizon had understood how to help me...they didn't know a thing.  I was so ticked that I almost considered moving to a competitor ASAP.  Verizon needs to do a better job at customer service (I've said this many times to friends and colleages)...the run-around I got last night was pretty ridiculous.  They also need to make the custom replacement process for employees more transparent than what it currently is, because it's hardly transparent.  They need to make it so that the employees feel like customers...I felt like a damned leper last night.  And on top of that, I had to rush ship my daughter's phone back to them since this was the 14th day of ownership...if they'd know WTH they were doing yesterday, I wouldn't have been quite as rushed.

We'll see if the new phone is without problems...it'll be here tomorrow.