Macbook Air M1 & Multiple External Displays

 I saw several folks on Reddit complaining that the new M2 Macbook Air only supports one external monitor.  Technical specifications state that one 6K display is supported but I saw several posts over the past 30 days stating folks have been using multiple external displays with the M1 Mac Minis, which uses the exact same SoC as the M1 Macbook Air.

I decided to check with my Mac Mini M1to see what it would handle and if it could see more than one external monitor.

My Mac Mini is currently connected to an iMac 27" Late 2009 using a Thunderbolt-to-miniDisplayPort cable.  I switch between it and the iMac using Target Display Mode, which I posted about a few weeks ago.  My gaming PC uses a Samsung 34" UltraWQHD screen.  I disconnected it from my gaming PC and connected the display to the Mac Mini using and HDMI-to-HDMI cable, connecting it to the Mini's HDMI port.  The result is that the Mini is able to use both screens without issue, with both rendering in  1440p.

I then attempted to use the same two displays with my MBA M1.  Since the MBA M1 only has the two TB ports on the left side of the system, I had to use my Anker hub, which has an HDMI port.  I found that the MBA M1 can only use one of the two 1440p displays at a time, not both at the same time.  I did not alter the resolution.  NOTE - since the MBA only allows the usage of one external display, using a hub isn't necessary; you can use the aforementioned Thunderbolt-to-miniDisplayPort cable, which will give you the option of 1440p with the 27" iMac.

I think that two 4k monitors is a too much for the bandwidth of the MBA M1 and I've seen articles mentioning that two 4K displays was too much.  I need to test to determine if it'll detect both displays if one is not 4K or if I have to lower the resolution on both for them to be detected.

There are solutions that will allow the usage of multiple displays with the MBA M1, but you've to install DisplayLink.  I haven't tried that yet.

To be honest, the 34" as an external (or second) display is extremely large...it's like having two screens when in 1440p.  That's actually quite enough space for me, but I'll make it a project of trying to get the two 1440p displays to work with the MBA M1.

SSD Fever

Maybe 5 years ago, I bought a 750GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD drive for my Alienware 17" laptop.  It's still going strong (I don't use it as much as I used to).  3 years ago, I bought 2 x 500GB Samsung 750 EVO SSD drives for use in my gaming laptop.  2 days ago, I bought 2 x 1TB Samsung 860 EVO SSDs.

Why so big?  Why not?  Especially since they're super-cheap now.  The 1TB drives were $139 each.  The 500GB drives were around $170 each.  The 750GB was around $400.

I now need to determine how to use them.  I can sacrifice my two 500GB drives and put them into RAID0 for craps and giggles.  Or, I can put the two 1TB drives into RAID0 or RAID1...again, for fun.  I now have more SSD drives than I do mechanical drives.  I know many people buy small SSDs and put their OS on those drives.  Some put the OS and a game or three on the drive.  They would also have several mechanical drives for storage of files, images, and things like that. 


I've no idea how I'll use them, as I mainly bought them because they were on sale, but I'll find a way!  :)

UPDATE - 12/2/2018:

I decided to only use one of the SSDs.  I will probably put the other in another system or wait for a bit to use it.  For now, it's sitting bare but installed.  I could use it as a storage drive.  We'll see.

I reisntalled Windows 7 instead of cloning a different and older (and degraded) install.  I spend the Saturday installing Win7 and all of the required drivers and such, then attempted to install Win10 (I've an upgrade license).  The install hung at 63% and stayed there for 4 hours until I intervened and rebooted the system.  It did not like that but I had no choice.  I waited overnight for the rescue portion of the install disk to fix the errors.  I'll continue with Win7 and clone it, so that when I attempt to upgrade to Win10 and the process breaks, I'll have a fresh copy of Win7.

Samsung Gear S Replaced; Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Android 6.0.1

So, I received my replacement smartwatch.

What can I say, other than "it works"?  I thought I'd get one in a box with a new cradle.  Nope.  They gave me the watch replacement and that is all.  At least it works, though.  We'll see if it'll last a year.  I'm not so sure.  This whole owner experience was fine until the watch died and I got to see how Samsung handles warranty claims.  Although they did good, I've the feeling I'll be pissed 18 months from now when the replacement watch dies without warranty coverage.  I don't even know if the watch is new or refurbished.  I'll investigate whether the watch is new (or a refurb) and find out if a new watch has a full warranty (it should)....and, I'll also discover how well the warranty coverage is for a refurb.

I had to activate the new watch and pair it with my phone.  While that wasn't complicated, it wasn't as simple as it should be, either.  I'll admit, though...it was simpler than when I got the first watch...this one wasn't glitching like the first one.

I also upgraded my phone (Samsung Galaxy Note Edge) from v5.0.1 to v6.0.1 (Marshmallow).

The phone had issues from the onset when trying to install the new firmware.  I kept getting error code 404.  I must've tried like 4 times before clearing the cache (each time I tried, I had to redownload the damned firmware...it was a PITA).  Clearing the cache worked and Marshmallow finally installed.

v6.0 consumes a lot of power.  I've been finding myself having to recharge during the day.  I used to get by without having to charge the phone after letting it charge overnight.  Fast Charge doesn't seem as fast as it was when I was using v5.0 (yes, Fast Charge is enabled).

Yesterday, I was taking a picture of my dog and the phone locked up.  It would freeze at the Verizon screen during boot-up.  It did this 4 times (each time, I had to remove the battery to unfreeze it).  I couldn't get past the freeze.  I ended up doing a factory reset.  This was a PITA.  Yes, I had a recent backup (I did a full backup the night before, using the Verizon Cloud app), but restoring it was very slow (did it over a wifi connection).  I believe my initial upgrade attempt worked but something crucial became corrupt in the process (it took like 24 hours to manifest).

I'm still trying to get the phone back to normal.  I've not yet played with much of the features.  The interface is a bit different in some places.  I don't know of any of the major enhancements.  I suppose I could research them but all I really care about is that I've a functional phone.  If I could find out if there's a fix for the abnormal power consumption, I'd be happy.

UPDATE (6/24/16) - I've experienced no freezing or rebooting or reboot loops since the upgrade to v6.0.1.  This is good news, as my daughter was also experiencing freezing and reboots (I ended up having Asurion replace the unit).  My daughter is still using v5.0.1, though, so I'm wondering if she will eventually experience those issues again -- I'll ask her how her phone is doing...last I asked, I thought she said that the issue was still occurring but was less frequent.

Samsung Gear S

Over the last ten months, I've enjoyed my Gear S.  Here's my user experience thus far:

The watch's voice command feature is very sensitive.  It activates when it thinks it hears a command, usually when I'm talking to someone else.  It's annoying.

The latch features on the charger cradle broke.  The fittings are plastic and snap into the watch.  The latches broke after 6-7 months of ownership.  This usually means you can no longer charge the watch (because the two of them won't stay attached).  This is why I hate proprietary cabling.  It means you have to either coerce Samsung into replacing the cradle or you've to put on your MacGyver hat and somehow latch the cradle to the watch.  If you get a replacement cradle, it will more than likely develop the same issue eventually (some people report their replacements breaking within a week of receiving them).  I usually wrap the band around a pill bottle that has a similar size to my wrist...that keeps the cradle to the watch during the charging period but do I really have to do this for a $400 watch???

What I like is that if I'm driving and don't want to take my eyes off the road, but I get a text or an e-mail arrives, I can usually look down at my watch for 1 sec to get a summary of the text or e-mail.

I can use the watch as a standalone device (in case my phone breaks, if I forget it while going to work, or if it runs out of power).  While I can't use it to browse the internet, I can receive reminders, texts, and calls.  I can even respond to texts.

My watch stopped working maybe three weeks ago while I was on a cruise.  It just died.  It wouldn't charge, it wouldn't turn on, and the indicators wouldn't blink...nothing.  Luckily, this happened before the 1-year manufacturer's warranty ended...I was at the 10 month mark when it died.  I went to the Samsung website and created a case for them to fix it.  They paid for the shipping to their facility and for the shipping back to me.  It turns out that they couldn't repair whatever it was that was damaged/faulty, so they sent me a new one.  It should be delivered to me today.

I get to see how long the replacement will last.  I'm getting tired of buying technology that almost seems like they're designed to self-destruct.  I think most manufacturers purposely build merchandise that doesn't last long, so that they can get a second chance at a customer's money, in the hopes that maybe the item breaks after the maker's warranty.  I'd insure the watch if I could, but I also don't want to end up feeding more money into the system ($12 a month for Asurion insurance coverage where, if the item breaks, it'll cost $200 for a replacement/repair...screw that).  Home owners' insurance may cover it, but there's a steep deductible to worry about.

While I love wearable tech, I'm not going to be spending huge sums of money for shit that's not going to have the legs to last 2-3 years.  No.

Samsung Gear S (Verizon)

I'm about to head to bed but thought I'd copy my notes on my initial experience with the Gear S:

Could not find the Samsung Gear app, even when using Samsung's instructions at http://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00038393/239278/.  I found that the problem was Chrome...it wasn't seeing the 'download' icon.  Using the OEM browser, I was able to see it.

Next issue I ran into was that the phone wouldn't pair with the watch.  The instructions never said to go into the phone's BT screen and attempt to pair the device.  As well, once the Gear app is opened, it takes over the screen...this implies that the Gear app needs to be used to initially pair the phone with the watch.  I found that when I go into the phone's BT settings and try to pair the phone with the watch, it downloads and installs 11 new apps, but still won't pair with the watch...the watch won't accept the 'OK' clicks to accept the pairing.

I got fed up and kept hitting the 'OK' prompt on the watch when trying to get it to accept the pair attempt...I hit it maybe 4-5 times rapidly and it THEN began to pair.

I also ended up not seeing the "activate" screen, so the watch was only seeing limited 3G and was set to roam.  I performed a factory reset and after the watch rebooted, it was a night and day difference, where the watch could be navigated without hesistation or voice prompting.  I was able to activate the watch and configure mobile usage for 'auto only'.  

I'm not even sure I should compare the Gear S to my Pebble (non-Steel).  I've pretty much retired my Pebble.  I'll either put it away with my other gadgets or try to sell it.  Maybe one of my daughters will want it.

I don't think I'll ever see a week's worth of usage (on one charge) with the Gear S, although I did fully charge it today...the watch is currently at 68%.  I went into the watch's settings (Settings/Connections/Mobile networks/) and set "Gear networks" to auto switch, which will only use mobile broadband when I or an app needs it (phone calls and such).  I've got the watch set to auto-dim as well.  The charging cradle actually holds a charge, although I don't know if it'll fully charge the watch's battery from empty.  The phone charges pretty quickly if you're not using it while it's being charged.

So far I've set up the Gear app to notify the same apps that I'd configured to notify on my Pebble.  I can get a view of my G-mail e-mails but I'm not sure I'm ready to use the default e-mail application on my Note Edge...I'm used to using the G-mail app, but the watch doesn't have an app for that.

I've set up my voice-mail and have to remember the watch's phone number.  I don't foresee using the watch as a standalone smart device any time soon.  I don't even think I'll be using the watch's phone features.  To set up voice-mail, I had to call the VM number using the watch.  The speaker is loud enough to hear with ease, although I've no idea how well the microphone works and if it has good noise cancellation.

The watch has a native browser as well, but I have to use the Gear app to install it.  I don't see the need to use the watch as a web browser.

I'm curious about the texting/messaging features, though.  I attempted to type a text and while the virtual keys were extremely small, I didn't do any typos, so I guess the keyboard is good enough.

The watch is hefty, but I'm enjoying it thus far.  I worry that I'll bang it against something accidentally (I opted out of insurance for the watch -- Verizon's insurance is expensive!).  I'd rather not use a screen protector...that's more hassle than it's worth (I tried to put one on my Pebble but removed it soon after, as it was annoying).

I'll be setting it up to my liking over the next week...there's so much to configure that I'm a bit overwhelmed.  I might do a quick video review of it later, as well.

For now, I'm impressed enough to say I think I'll keep it.  Initially, when I was having issues setting it up, I was irritated enough to where I was thinking on returning it ($399 for something that was giving me immediate issues...uhmmm...no), but I'm OK now.  :)

UPDATE:

I've not run into any problem with the smartwatch, so far.  I have noticed that with set to auto switch  between BT and using the mobile network, I end up with 15-20% battery use in a 24-hour period.  This is without using the watch as a phone or web browsing with it.  I typically only look at it when someone texts, when I'm notified of an incoming e-mail, or when I'm looking at the time (pretty much how I was using my Pebble).

I've also noticed that my dog likes to lick the watch...her tongue activates the watch!

UPDATE 2:

I usually sit or stand with my arms crossed...I can't do that with this watch.  My arm's skin ends up activating the screen, which sometimes enables widgets or other watch tools.  They should build some type of logic where the screen won't activate if at at certain angle.

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.

Lollipop!

So, both of my phones (work and personal) got upgraded (OEM -- I don't root or try various ROMs on my phones...I need them to be dependable and as stock as possible) to Android 5.0 within the last seven days.

There are distinct differences in the UI between them, with the work phone being an HTC One M8 and the personal phone being a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (both Verizon phones).

I was underwhelmed with the One, but I also don't usually tinker with it since it's the work phone, so I can't really notice the new changes since I wasn't really familiar with the old options and features.

With the Note 3, there's a slew of UI changes, but I don't see much difference in the system options/configuration.  I've not yet noticed things such as excessive battery usage or bad phone reception.  I did notice that I had to re-enable some of the features I had selected prior to the Lollipop upgrade.  I also noticed an easter egg.  If you go to Settings/General/About Phone, click "Android version" multiple times, click the lollipop multiple times, then click/hold, you'll see a version of the Flappy Bird game and be able to play it!  There are some new features in the Security settings, too, like reactivation lock, "Send security reports" and "Security policy updates."

I'll report any anomalies or good stuff I discover.


UPDATE:  And I saw this article today, showing how much of a dramatic difference each Android 5.0 experience is per device.  It's good to know I wasn't the only one that noticed this.  A snippet:

This dive into Lollipop revealed something very clear to me: Manufactures are, in fact, doing Android no favors. I've already posted my take on bloatware, and I stand firm on that with Lollipop. But even minus what most would consider bloatware, manufacturers are robbing consumers of the true Android experience, and Lollipop is a perfect example of that.

Anyone who experiences the jump from KitKat to Lollipop should get the platform I had on the Nexus, rather than the HTC M8. After the very long wait for the Lollipop upgrade, some users are going to be disappointed--not because of what Google has done (because what Google has done is brilliant), but because of what the manufacturers have done to the latest iteration of Android.

I agree.

How's the Note 3 holding up? Other stuff as well!

Well, I'm happy to say that my Note 3 experience has been pretty good, so far.  About the only thing I've noticed that I don't like so far is the bloatware that comes with the phone and the fact that Samsung did away with the facial recognition lock screen configuration (not that that's a huge deal, given that this option isn't the most secure unlocking mechanism, but none are 100% secure...as well, facial recognition is two-factor; the face and a PIN are used to unlock the phone).

Also, I was hoping to see that Find My Mobile was actually functional for US phones...sadly, it is not, just like the Note 2.  Yes, there are tons of apps out there that can assist in finding your lost/stolen mobile, but the Samsung solution is free, native to the Galaxy phones, and offers a crap-load more features (for free) than any other free solution you can find on the Play Store.  That being said, I'm now using Prey, which I was using with my Thunderbolt (and laptops).  That's the only free solution that I've found offers near the same amount of features as Find My Mobile.  Another thing:  I've a Norton AV subscription (it includes three licenses).  It isn't cheap at all, IMO.  Well, they offer a mobile app with AV/lock/lost features...it's not included in the price of the PC solution, although they sure as hell market it within the PC solution's GUI (that's how I knew about it).  That's extremely annoying, but it was probably something I didn't need, either...a true AV solution would hog system resources and I'm only looking for something to with features to use in finding lost or stolen phones.

I'm growing used to the Otter Defender case.  The built-in screen protector still doesn't sit well with me, but I've found that if I'm quick with the stylus, it isn't as intrusive to the stylus experience.

I've taken some pretty good pictures with the Note 3 so far and have even doe some video of my son's MMA exams (I captured some slow-mo footage of moving nunchaku).  The video settings layouts are a bit confusing to navigate.

The Note 3 really doesn't have all that much more to offer than the Note 2, IMO.  The only drastic difference are the video settings...there are some seriously high offerings if you want to capture good video.  Is that worth an upgrade from a Note 2?  It depends on how much of a video nut you are (not everyone cares about having the latest specs as far as video capturing is concerned).

Another thing:  I spent a ton of time in creating several themes using the Next launcher on my Note 2.  I lost those when I went to the Note 3.  I ran a back-up but the Next developer should have it backed up to SD card as well (and have the name and location of the backup noted somewhere within the configuration).

I also got my oldest kid an HTC One M8 (she had an iPhone but wanted to go Android).  She loves it.  It is a beautiful phone...I couldn't stop telling her and the store consultant that.  The only thing I didn't like about that phone is that the battery is not removable.  I'm not sure about the 4 Ultra Pixel camera...it's more marketing than anything, and I'm pretty sure it's not going to out-shoot my Note 3.  I love the Sense UI, as well.  I have not played with it all that much since I got it for my daughter, but one evening I'll have her unlock it so that I can play with it a bit.

I've still been wondering about the LG G3 (and even the G2).  I was actually considering the G2 when I was trying to decide which phones to consider.  It's cons were:  non-removable battery and no SD slot.  The G2 is also a free phone (as a contract phone)...I have no idea how much they're charging for it as an Edge upgrade.  The G2 has the same hardware as an S4...it's VERY fresh as far as hardware is concerned.  I think most people couldn't stomach the volume and power buttons layout, which is why it's a free contract phone with Verizon.  I might even consider seeing if I can buy an unlocked G2 as a spare phone (they shouldn't cost too much on Craigslist or eBay).

The G3 is due to be released this summer (it's already been debuted).  I'm predicting mid-July as a Verizon release date.  I'm on the Vz notification list so that I'll know when they decide to sell it.  I want to check it out.  It may well replace my Note 3 (and soon).  I'd have to pay at least 50% of my Note 3 before I can  "edge up", though.  The G3 is a great phone and will be running a ground-breaking display.  It'll be using the SnapDragon 801 series CPU in the US.  It has a removable battery and a micro-SD slot that'll take 128GB cards. (!!)  It's almost as big as a Note 3.  While it doesn't have a stylus, I rarely use the Note's stylus anyways.

Edged Up...Also Got the Note 3!

So, my daughter's 13th birthday was yesterday.  The wife and I got her an iPhone 5S (which is what she wanted).  While we were at the Verizon store, I was told that I was eligible for the Edge program (I will not explain Edge here...most Vz customers will know what Edge is).  I was curious, as I'm tired of always being locked to a phone for 2 years, so I had the Vz shop explain everything to me.  I believe the Edge program would benefit people who like to upgrade ahead of 2 years.  So, I went home and did some thinking.  I'm aware that the Note 4 will eventually be out...I always miss these releases.  I almost decided to wait until my contract with my Note 2 ended (that wouldn't have been a bad idea, either).  I did some research online and it was very difficult for me to decide which phone I'd like to upgrade to, because the Note 2 is THAT good...seriously.

There were two other phones that caught my eye that I could get through Verizon:  The HTC One Max and the LG G2.  The thing I didn't like about the Max was that it is just a big HTC One M8.  It is also extremely large at 5.9" in display area...that might've been too much for me.  Those cons weren't the kickers, though.  The kicker was that the back camera was 4MP (really???)  And a phone that big (I hate the word phablet, so I won't be using that term) needs a stylus.  The LG G2 looks like it would've held my interest...it has LOTS of features and the phone appears to be more responsive than the Galaxy S4 (probably due to Samsung's Touchwiz bloat).  The Note 3 is better than both of them, although I was willing to compromise (but only to an extent).

I ended up getting the Note 3.  I might've been happy enough with the HTC One Max, but I would not have been happy with that camera.  I came close to getting the G2, though.  What lured me toward the Note 3 was the fact that I was already familiar with the Note 2, which would help me when using the Note 3.  Also, the phone on the Note 3 is spectacular and has slow-motion (120fps) capture and 1080p 60fps capture as well.  The charging/syncing port is different, too (using USB 3.0 now and has a funky new port that can still use a regular micro-USB cable to sync).

I got the black version and got an Otter Defender case (will have to sell the Note 2 Otter Commuter case that I have).  I sorely missed the belt clip, which the Commuter case doesn't use, but I could never find a Defender case for my Note 2 in local shops.  One thing I don't like about the Defender is that built-in screen protector...my stylus doesn't like it at all, so I've been using my finger when texting.  I was tempted to cut out the plastic, but I'll try using it for a few weeks instead of being hasty.  Another thing:  I got my daughter a Lifeproof case for her phone...that damn thing was expensive, but I wanted no excuses that she got it wet or broke it.  I wanted to get one for my new phone, but apparently they aren't making them for the Note 3.  That's OK, though, because it doesn't have a belt clip.

For some reason, migrating my data to the new phone took forever, but I've been using the Note 2 heavily the last year, so there was much more data that had to be pushed to the new phone.  As well, I was never near wifi for it to complete the syncing (was shopping after I got the new phone).

My next purchase will be a larger microSD card (64GB).  I ran upon the limit of my 32GB microSD card several times the last 12 months.  I might also look into another battery, because I'm using a Pebble smartwatch now and I have to keep BT on for it to work with my phone...my phone is sucking down battery power bigtime.  I 'm lucky if I can get 10 hours of usage out of it.  If I don't touch the phone, battery life is fine, though.

There was also an Android update waiting for me when I got my hands on the phone (v4.4.3).

Other than getting all my apps installed on the new phone, I've not played with it yet.  I still need to get the Next launcher running again (will have to customize a new theme).

I'll post up any new findings I discover/experience.

Bought a Samsung 840 EVO For My Laptop!

So, I've always wanted to install an SSD drive in one of my gaming rigs. Initially I wanted to install it on my main desktop gaming rig, but that system hasn't been stable in awhile and I've been almost totally reliant on my Alienware gaming laptop, so I decided to focus on using an SSD in that instead. Part of the problem is that the laptop is using 2 x 750GB Seagate drives in RAID0. No, it is not fast, but I have a crap ton of drive space. I did not want to lose any of that space, so in order for me to have an SSD, I'd have to go big. As well, the M17x R3 has issues with SSDs on drive 0 (of 0 and 1)...they had to nix the speed (so no 6GB/s with this drive in this system). I can go SSD on both drive slots if I wanted and even set them up in RAID0, but I wouldn't be able use SATA 3, only SATA 2. Dell has disabled SATA 3 in all BIOS versions over A08 for this system, also (I'm at A09...it's been like that since I bought it...I've had no reason to update to a higher version). So, I bought 1 x 750GB Samsung 840 EVO. I will break my RAID0 setup and replace the drive in slot 1 with the SSD (and I'll have an extra 750GB drive just sitting around, I guess...I can always throw it into one of my other laptops). I'll use the SSD for my games (BF4 and Arma 3, amongst others), and use the other drive as my data/archive drive. For now, I can live with bandwidth limitation. I can always reuse this drive if I decided to upgrade to an R4 or R5 later on. I'll post my OS reinstall experience a bit later.

Still Active

This blog is still active.  We'll, it isn't but as long as I still have Macs, I'll keep the site up and running.

I've not been using the iMac all that much. I take that back.  I use do use it, but mainly for crunching video and movies that I capture from my phone, my GoPro, and my Emerson Action Cam.  iMovie does some things that Movie Maker doesn't.  iMovie also tends to be more intuitive.  Other than that, the only action the iMac sees is in playing Minecraft (my kids).

My MacBook is barely being used (I do occasionally use it for web browsing while in bed).  My Macbook is no longer supported (it is a 1g).  I suppose I could swap out the battery with the wife's (my wife's is a 2g and is still supported - but her battery stopped working) and use hers.  Or I can throw Linux on it.

I don't think I'm every going to buy another Apple.  I love the idea and the simplicity of basic operations, but when complicated issues arise, sometimes even the basic things are no longer simple.  As well, I tire of trying to ensure the computers are supported.

But, I should document how to get my music from a backup of my iPad Mini to my Samsung Galaxy Note 2.  I've been trying to do that for a very long time.  Like a fool, when I installed Windows 8 on my Alienware, I forgot to back up my iTunes stuff (music and such).  Now, I can get most of it back via iCloud and via wireless and iTunes, but I'm having a problem getting my music reinstalled that I *didn't* purchase via iTunes.  It's a PITA (similar to the issue I had back in 2008 where I dropped and broke my iPhone...got a new iPhone but had a very difficult time getting my music onto the new phone).

Galaxy S III bug bypasses lock screen, allowing access to personal data on Home Screen

http://bit.ly/Yd4P4C

The lock screen on your phone may not be doing a good job of keeping intruders out. A new bug has been found on the Galaxy S III that can let users bypass the lock screen and access phone data that resides on the home screen.

This issue also affects the Galaxy Note II.

Bought Samsung Galaxy Note II

I finally got the chance to replace my aging HTC Thunderbolt.

The Thunderbolt was actually fine until Verizon pushed a 4.0 firmware update (without my knowledge and without prompting me first...if I'd have known, I'd have done some research and postponed the update).

The update caused issues.  ICS is designed for multi-core CPUs.  The T-bolt is single-core.  After the update, I noticed serious lag in response times when clicking on objects.  2-3 seconds of lag, in some cases. I decided to restore back to the factory settings and wipe the microSD card of data.  Even after doing that, there was still lag (although not as much...but it was much more random).  As well, the battery was draining more quickly than it used to...power consumption was already kinda bad without adding ICS.  Sometimes the phone would shut down with little warning.  At first, I thought it was a system crash, but began to notice that the battery was dead, even when showing at least 50% power.  I don't know if the battery needed to be replaced, but I wasn't about to buy a new one when I was close to being eligible for an upgrade.

So, I was due for an upgrade.  The window of the upgrade would open on 3/9.  I'd been researching the last 4-5 months and had set my eye on two phones:

Samsung Galaxy SIII
Samsung Galaxy Note II

For those that don't know, both of these phones share the same hardware.  The Note II is bigger, though.   The SIII has a 4.8" screen and the Note II has a 5.5" screen.  The SIII is sold in a 16GB version and 32GB version.  The Note is only sold as a 16GB version.

I decided multiple times on the SIII 16GB version (I'd add my 32GB microSD to expand the storage), but I kept going back to the Note II and changing my mind.

**Another thing (treat this as a warning):  do not get these phones from Verizon.  They're a lot more expensive than 3rd party vendors such as Radio Shack and Best Buy.  As of 3/5/2013, both Best Buy and Radio Shack sold both SIII versions (the 16GB version for $99 and the other version for $199 -- Verizon sold the 16GB version for $199, AND Verizon only sold the 16GB version).  Both of those stores also sold the Note II for $199, whereas Verizon sold it for $299.  No-brainer for me...do not buy from Verizon.

So, I decided to get the Note II.  I wanted a traditional color, so I got the gray one.  I got it yesterday afternoon.

First, it is a BIG phone.  It is big, but I love the size of the screen.  The extra space is an asset.  It is also highly configurable.  I thought I liked ICS on the Thunderbolt (it was nice...it was just that it appears that ICS didn't like the phone's hardware)...  My Note II is running v4.1.1 (stock ROM, which I'm happy with).

I haven't found anything that I dislike about the phone so far, and I'll looking hard.

I got a case for it as well, the Platinum Series Kickstand Case.  At first, I wanted the Samsung flip case, but I read reviews that said that they're not durable.  The case that I got is pretty hardcore, but it is hard to remove the bottom portion...not a problem until you have to install or remove the microSD card or battery.

As well, the battery capacity is outstanding.  I can probably go 24 hours without recharging the battery, with heavy usage.  Wireless reception is very good.  4G reception still needs to be tested (I only have average reception when I'm at home, due to the distance of the tower from the house), but I shouldn't have a problem with that.

All my apps work fine on this phone (I've a crapload of apps, both free and paid).

The camera is outstanding.  The screen renders colors the way that most Samsung products do...extremely well.

All I have to do now is get insurance coverage, as I've read that it's a fragile phone.  I'll cancel my T-bolt coverage and add the Note II instead.

Overall, I'm very happy with this phone.  I'll be studying up on its capabilities by joining web forums that cater to this make and model.

I may donate the T-bolt, but may play with it to experiment with ROMs.  I'll have to get another microSD card before I do that, though.  At this point I should probably just donate it, because, really, my older iPhones are more capable than the T-bolt.  I liked the T-bolt but it got old rather quickly (was already an old phone when I first got it).

** I'm referencing US-spec models.

Got a New Phone!

Bought a new phone yesterday.

Yeah.  I went Verizon.  This is the first time in years that I'm not using an iPhone.  Since I've done a lot in the last 24 hours with the new phone, I've a bit to discuss.

The wife wouldn't let go of her vacation and stretched it to the limit yesterday.  She took the kids to the water park and I was positively done with vacationing, so I opted out.  I took the boy with me and decided to drive around Massanutten/Luray/Harrisburg in Virginia.  Then I got to thinking that maybe I should go look at phones at the closest Verizon Wireless center.  After driving around for a bit, I went to Harrisburg, looked around, and asked them if they had HTC Thunderbolts.  They did and I began to ask questions.  I looked at other 4G Verizon phones but had all issues with them.  The Droid X2 had a BIG screen but wasn't 4G.  The Revolution and Charge were OK but again, they weren't meeting my requirements, which I explained in my last post.

So, I ended up getting the Thunderbolt.

My 24-hour impressions are below.

1.  This phone is HEAVY.  When I say this, I'm comparing to my current iPhone 3GS.  My wife's Samsung Infuse makes the T-bolt seem like a boulder.  But I do like the solid feel.  I do like the heft, though...it doesn't seem fragile and is probably more durable than my iPhone.

2.  The screen is brighter than I thought.  It was blinding my wife when I was in bed reading.

3.  Voice clarity is incredible.  I called my mom and could hear everything going on in the background.

4.  Still getting used to the Android Market.  There's a LOT of junk apps...seriously.  I'm not used to that.  I was trying to find a free and GOOD free screenshot app but couldn't find one (and all want you to have a hacked phone (for root access).  I'm still looking for a good screenshot app, too.

5.  I had to find some critical apps that matched what I was using on my iPhone, such as mSecure.  They had mSecure for Android phones but it was a real pain to get a backed up copy imported onto my T-bolt.  At first, I mailed a backup to myself, but the phone wouldn't let me copy the encrypted backup (it was several pages long and the phone wouldn't let me copy AND scroll down).  So, I used mBackup and my Macbook to get a copy onto the T-bolt.

6.  I had a difficult time figuring out how to get my iPhone pictures onto my T-bolt.  Finally, I plugged my T-bolt into my Macbook with a USB cable, which mounted the phone as a drive.  Then I just copied the pictures onto the micro-SD card.

7.  I had to repurchase my highly desirable apps.  Apps such as Tapatalk and Motorcycle.com (as well as mSecure).  That was undesirable but unavoidable.  I found that I'd invested a bit into the iPhone, enough to where it was a bit painful for me to repurchase these apps.  I left alone such apps as Angry Bird, especially since I'd have to start all over with playing it (I don't believe Angry Bird saves game progress to the level that I can continue from the same place I'd left off on the iPhone).

8.  I love the speaker phone.  It is loud.  I love the fact that the speaker is big (it is behind the side stand).

9.  My bill should be the same as what I had with the iPhone, with the exception of the activation fee, which is $35 and will only show on the first bill.

10.  Data plan usage is NOT unlimited, but the salesperson swears that most people don't bump into the limit.  He insisted that 2GB is fine for most people.  We will see, as I do sometimes use data (at work when I can't reach the wifi hotspots).

11.  The voice plan I selected was the 450 plan.  Lately, with AT&T, I'd been bumping into my limit but what was saving me was the rollover minutes (I have a TON of them).  I'll have to watch my usage very closely.  No more speaking with mom for 1+ hours in the middle of the day!

12.  The seven (7) virtual screentops may not be enough for me.  Or, maybe I need to reconsider what I place on those screentops.  I'm used to the IOS's way of grouping screentop icons.

13.  The FriendStream app is NICE!  The wife also has it on her phone (but she doesn't use it...I'm going to push her to try it, as it is VERY cool.

14.  The front-facing camera on this phone is wicked.  It rivals my wife's Infuse (that statement would be scandalous to some).  The flash is bright, also.  The clarity is good.  The rear-facing camera is decent, also, but I would like to test it with apps such as Skype.  Sadly, Skype isn't ready for this phone yet.  Yahoo might work, though.

15.  I love the way I can kill running apps and have an app manage battery consumption.

16.  The micro-USB cable is a life-saver.  No more proprietary cabling.  I HATED the iPhone's cable and the fact that I couldn't do crap with it without iTunes.

17.  The 32-gb micro-SD card is a lifesaver...and it is rather large in storage capacity.  Too bad that you can only access it by removing the battery.

18.  This phone pretty much flies when asked to do something.  I rarely see it running slowly.

19.  I had a few large software updates waiting for me.  It's nice to have these loaded directly to the phone instead of relying on iTunes.  Word of advice, though, some updates can be large...it would be wise to use a wifi connection when updating.  Also, I preprogramed the phone to get the updates while I was sleeping (so it wouldn't interfere with me doing other things...plus, the phone gets hot when downloading large files).

It's going to take me awhile to get used to this phone, especially since I'm coming from an iPhone.  I'm ready for a change, but I'm not going to lie when I say that the iPhone is the phone to have if you just want crap to work.

Loving it so far!

EDIT:


Still need to import my iPhone contacts and music to my Thunderbolt.  I'm currently in the process of importing my contacts.  What I had to do was save all of my contacts in my address book on my Macbook into a vcard formated file.  I then placed this file on the micro-SD card, then I imported the file into my People app.  It looks like it worked fine.  The real test may be my music, especially my iTunes-purchased music.  :(


EDIT 2:


Tried using ITMW (itunemywalkman) to get my music into my Android but it was cumbersome, but I remember a phone salseman mentioning Doubletwist.  I installed that and my music appears to be synching.  It will be awhile, as I've 29GB of stuff to transfer.  I suppose I can do this a few hours every day for a few days.  Most of it is podcasts, I think, so I could maybe remove all the podcasts (I don't listen to them anymore anyways).  We'll see how it turns out.