Judgemental

We judge others by their actions. We judge ourselves by our intentions.

It's easy to sit behind our steering wheels and keyboards and point
out all the ways in which others are deficient.

"You cut me off, idiot!"

When we bump into that same person on the street we're polite.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

I think the difference is that the offender gets a chance to explain
and apologize.

I recently had an epiphany. I was in the mall and a woman walked into
me. I was angry. I felt she should know better. I felt she should
think about me. I felt she should be aware of her surroundings.

A few minutes later a little boy bumped into me. I asked if he was ok,
made sure his parents were nearby, smiled and said goodbye. I felt
like I helped someone who clearly didn't know better.

That's when I realized the woman probably doesn't know any better,
either. My world will be a happier place the less I expect others to
be and think and act like me.

Incidentally, you parents frustrated by your kids need to ask why
they're doing the thing and teach them what to do differently. Did you
forget what it is like to be a child? They don't know any better.

Here's the thing. We can't know what another's intentions are unless
we ask him. I recommend doing that.

The one thing I'd most like to change about myself is the way I judge
others based on arbitrary details such as their dress, their grammar,
their neighborhood, the car they drive, etc. Let's leave the judging
to God. We are unqualified.

iPhone 4 "No Service"

I was shopping in Lee, MA yesterday. While I was there, I noticed I had no cell service. It is unusual for me to have no service there, but it is in the middle of the Berkshires, so it's not that alarming. Others were talking on their phones, so I was suspicious.

When I returned to Albany I still had no service. Then I knew something was wrong. I shut off the device, waited a few seconds, then turned it back on. Service was restored.

I've had this happen to me periodically with every phone I've ever owned, so while it doesn't happen frequently, it's not without precedent. Maybe it's happened to you?

My iPhone 4

In short, I love it. I rarely set it down.

Would you like to know what apps I run? Sure.

Mail
I use the native Mail app. I love the unified inbox and the improved method of navigating the folders on each account separately. That was my killer app on the Blackberry. I would like to be able to Mark All Read, please, @Apple. Thanks in advance.

Twitter
I use the official Twitter for iPhone from Twitter.com. I am more aware of what's happening in my community and my state and local governments since joining Twitter. I've also made friends I hope to have a long time all over the country, many local. I can do everything with this client I can do on the website, but the interface is much more Bob friendly. I have stopped using Twitter on the desktop at all. However, Twitter doesn't notify me of new mentions and direct messages.

Boxcar
This provides pop up notifications for new messages for a variety of social networks. I use it for Twitter.

iPod
I bought Bluetooth headphones with a seven hour battery. I rarely take them off. I've stopped playing music on the desktop.

Pandora
Because my appetite for music exceeds my budget for iTunes, I can fall in love with an album prior to spending any money, which makes me a smarter consumer.

Safari, YouTube, and QuickTime
Native interwebz.

Mozilla Firefox Home
Sync Firefox bookmarks to iPhone. I'd prefer if it wrapped Safari, allowing me to use it as a browser replacement, but I'm so happy to have my bookmarks I haven't the heart to complain.

LastPass
Sync with encrypted, online, password database. This is a life saver if your bank requires you to change your password between visits.

Mint.com
I've just started using this. It's like Microsoft Money, but online. I was amazed by how quick and easy it was to set up. It automagically made me a budget, which is like woah! (I know, I'm so eloquent)

Words With Friends (Thanks @AvaApollo!)
Remember those new friends I met with Twitter? I'm getting to know them better by playing long, drawn out games of [not Scrabble]

Messages
I use the native app. I prefer txt over phone calls. I really only want to know what time we're meeting for dinner. I don't care who cut you off on the way home from where or how many lima beans you ate for lunch.
 
Clock
The native app. I use it for my daily alarm. Plural, actually. I've improved my wakability by setting two alarms 30 minutes apart and foregoing the snooze button. Except this morning. I snoozed the second alarm, because it was that kind of morning.

Zarf
The rules to Scrabble changed. I need help learning what is or is not a word. This tool is fantastic! Don't use it to cheat, people. That's not cricket.

Weather
I use the native app to decide when to bring my coat.

Fandango
"Hey, wanna see a movie?"

"What do you think is playing?"

[tap tap tap] "X is playing at 7:20 and 9:30."

"Wanna do 9:30 so we can eat slower?"

"Sure, I'll buy." [tap tap tap]

[Show up at cinema two hours later and swipe check card at kiosk]

[Ride escalator]

[Sit]

OneTap
Because @Fandango doesn't link to @RottenTomatoes (hint hint).

Calendar and Contacts
I sync the native apps to Google via Google Sync by adding my Gmail as an Exchange Account in the Mail, Contacts, and Calendars settings. Google it for instructions.

Notes I'm gradually using the native Notes app to replace pad and paper, as my skill with the soft keyboard improves.

App Store and iTunes
These were actually my primary reason for avoiding Apple products, until I tried them, now it's my preferred way to shop. [tap tap spend]

iBooks
I actually prefer the Stanza e-reader over the iBooks app, but I prefer to buy from iBooks, so there you have it.

MeeboMeebo is my favorite universal IM tool. I use the web page on the desktop. I use the app on the iPhone. It just works. I am not a heavy IMer, as I find it disruptive.

Camera
I find that the pictures are somewhat flat and grainy when light conditions are imperfect. I love the way the zoom and autofocus features work. Pictures in well lit areas are amazing. I was able to capture a rainbow, which is a challenge even with a dedicated point and shoot. I like being able to take self portraits with the front facing camera. I also love being able to use it to spy on college kids at the table behind me. I don't trust them.

ByteRun Solitaire
Every computerized device needs solitaire. I love this version, but it doesn't run well on iOS4. It has customizable desktop and card backs, and undo button, 1 or 3 card draw, with or without scoring. Perfect.

ByteRun MahJong
Because solitaire gets boring sometimes.

CraigsphoneI used this extensively to shop for a car. I decided to fix the one I have because I couldn't find a better deal than what I'm already driving.

KBB.comKelley Blue Book, which I used to decide that I could find no better value than the car I'm already driving.

JotNot Pro (Thanks @Adriane_M!)This is amazing! Use the camera to scan documents to multipage PDFs. It works so good! You can try the free version. I used it to copy receipts on a business trip.

FacebookI don't use Facebook much any more. I have to say that social gaming and Facebook's repeatedly removing the tools I used to filter them from my news feed drove me away. I use the official Facebook client. It's lacking a few features that stop it from completely replacing the web site, but I prefer the way it displays photo albums and I like the pop up notifications of private messages. I use Meebo to chat, instead.


Google Maps
You know, because I'm a navigational genius.

Amway Global
I can use to look up product information or place orders for customers faster than loading the web site. Obviously, I'd like to use this one more (cha-ching).

RedLaser
This is cool! You scan an item on the shelf at the store, and RedLaser searches a bunch of online sources to find the best price. You then know if you're saving $20 on that Rock Band wireless guitar controller, not that I would know, because I certainly don't waste my time playing Rock Band, and if I did, certainly not enough to get angry with the stupid wired controller that it came with and why won't that deploy Overdrive, anyway? Right. [straighten shirt]

Chess With Friends
I only played one game. I won. I ran out of friends.

Battle Bears
Senseless violence with a teddy bear, unicorn, and rainbow theme. Yeah...

Dungeon Hunter
This is a Diablo-like game with faeries. I know, but it's still good. Smooth controls, engaging story, enough character building that there's replayability. Recommended.

Redbox
Much easier to browse than the kiosk at the supermarket, and I can reserve the movie I find until I get there.

PocketGuitar
Not as cool as I'd hoped, because it's hard to work and has a sound quality reminiscent of an 80s Casio keyboard. Still, I have a guitar in my pocket. What you got?

Bump (Thanks @Adriane_M!)
I am super excited about this one, though I haven't got to use it. Two Bump users knock knuckles with their phone hands and the app transfers contact info and selected pictures. That's pretty darn cool! I envision great fun at networking events. Sadly, I don't frequent networking events... YET!


Planet Wave Guitar Tools
Tuner, Chord and Scale references, metronome, and store and teacher look up tools. I haven't got to use it much, yet, but I'm very excited to have it.

Battery Doctor
I haven't noticed any benefit from merely installing it, nor have I had a chance to engage its battery maintenance features. More later.

Shazam/SoundHound
I haven't used these, yet. It's not often I need to identify a song, because I'm a font of useless knowledge (Never gonna give you up...).

MLB At Bat Lite
Way cool for checking baseball scores live during the game.

Phone
Hey, did you know you can make phone calls on this thing? Visual voicemail rocks! I've only made a couple of calls so far. I haven't dropped any.

I tried to list those I use most frequently first. I add and remove apps a few per week looking to refine my utility and work flow. It's a lot of fun. This is the only device I carry all day long, and I've all but abandoned my laptop.