HAPPY ALL HALLOWS!!

A creative video shot with an older iPhone.

BATTLE ROYALE

If you're sick of Apple's walled garden but have yet to make the jump from the iPhone to an Android handset, here's what to expect, how to adjust, and how to cope with certain app withdrawal. The following guide, courtesy of the folks at Lifehacker.com will help ease a transition.....

Let me preface all of this by saying that for many—not all—the switch from iPhone to Android will feel like being covered in band-aids and ripping each one off over the course of a few weeks. This is not because there's anything particularly wrong with either mobile operating system, but because they have different paradigms. Android and iPhone feel different, look different, and accomplish things in sometimes very different manners. Nonetheless, they're both mobile operating systems with touch interfaces, so it's hard to avoid comparing the two and finding similarities between them. If you decide to ditch your iPhone and give Android a try, be prepared for a little culture shock.

The Good

While some things are worse and others just different, there are quite a few things Android does best, and you'll want to be sure to check them out.

You've Arrived with Google Maps Navigation
Welcome to getting to your destination safely, courtesy of Android's phenomenal free turn-by-turn navigation. As much as I love beating a dead horse, I won't go on endlessly about the fantastic Google Maps Navigation app. The app has found new routes to places I frequent that save 5-10 minutes over what I learned from my iPhone. It's great, it's built-in, and it costs you nothing.

Your Voice
Voice capabilities are also new and exciting. The iPhone's Voice Control exists, but it's limited to music, apps, and a few other areas of the phone. Android gives you surprisingly accurate voice search that lets you enter text into any field with your voice, get directions while you're driving, make calls to businesses just by saying their names, or find pretty much anything on the web.

Freedom of Choice
On the iPhone you have the App Store; on Android you have the Android Marketplace. One of the reasons you may want to switch to Android is the choice of carrier and hardware it provides, along with its much more open app market. This has its disadvantages, which we'll talk about it later, but the upside is the freedom developers have to bring you all kinds of apps. There are apps that look exactly like their iPhone counterparts, but also apps that dig a lot deeper into the OS, letting you customize all sorts of uses and notifications, and have a seductive level of control over what you can do.

Instant Web
On Android, the web is here. On your iPhone, you have to bring it to you. If you're an eager Google service user and you supply your Android phone with your Google credentials, you'll quickly find your phone is filled with all sorts of information. You'll have e-mail, calendar items, contacts, bookmarks and more. I found out I had calendars and contacts in Google I didn't know existed. You can also connect to Facebook and Twitter to pull even more information into your phone. When Android detects contact information that should belong to an existing contact, it'll suggest you link it. While the way it displays everything isn't so great, and you don't always have easy handles on what you don't want to see, information is in constant sync with your web apps.

Passively Notified

If you were asked to pick just one complaint about the iPhone's interface, there's a good chance it's about how it handles notifications. Nobody loves frequent pop-ups, and it's almost bizarre that Apple has implemented such an archaic notification system. Android handles notifications passively, allowing you to check when you want and be otherwise uninterrupted—but, if you'd like, set specific notifications to ring, vibrate, or flash your trackball light for attention. If you're new to Android, you might not know where to find these updates. Just drag the down on the status bar up top and you'll pull down your notifications drawer.

The Bad

It's not all good news when you switch. Android has its issues, too. Fortunately, you can work around most of them.

Spyware
Apple insists their walled garden of an App Store is necessary to keep everyone safe—and, infamously, offer freedom from porn—and in some ways they may be right. The Android Marketplace has begun to see a spyware problem. How big of an issue it is may be up for debate, but it exists. When you download an Android app, you'll need to consider its source and note the warnings about the sorts of data it can access. Be prudent and think before you install.

It is worth noting that Apple's App Store isn't bereft of spyware; it just hasn't grown to the projected proportions of the Android Marketplace.

Blame the Manufacturer

Carriers and hardware manufacturers can sometimes add to the Android experience, but in most cases you'll wish you could get rid of that Sprint Nascar app (for example). HTC likes to add their Sense layer on top of the standard Android experience, as a means of beautification and betterment, but you might find it more cumbersome than helpful. Of course, you may be the minority that loves mandatory carrier apps and added interface layers. If not, you can relegate carrier apps to the app drawer by simply dragging them from the home screen to the trash (and then further banishing them through the "Manage Applications" section of Settings/Applications). Better still, if you don't like the home screen, change it.

Low Battery Warning

Certain Android phones (that'd be you, Evo) have embarrassing battery life. While the iPhone's battery isn't endless (even though it's more battery than phone nowadays), due to Android's true multitasking, the battery life falls a little short. You may be able to eke out a little more longevity by utilizing apps like TasKiller (see #6) to quit processes you don't want running, or the buggy-but-brilliant JuiceDefender app to cut back on data and screen usage. There's a debate over TasKiller's efficacy, and you don't want to abuse its power in fear of killing off an important background task you actually want running, but I've found it helps me keep the phone on a little bit longer. If you don't want to take such extreme measures, just make sure you actually quit apps when you're done with them. Unlike the iPhone, you need to be a little more active in your app management.

The Uncomfortable

The good and bad aside, you'll most likely be uncomfortable until you hit the other side of the learning curve. Switching from one OS to another isn't supposed to be, so stay patient and stick with it.

Bad Touch
There's something about (multi)touch on Android that isn't quite as elegant as the iPhone. The animations aren't as smooth, touch doesn't always respond the same way and things just don't feel right. In some cases you'll find yourself adjusting to the little differences, such as sliding down to unlock your phone rather than left to right (as you're used to with the iPhone). In other cases you may find things just don't feel the way you hoped, like when scrolling and you hit a hard stop at the bottom of a page (whereas an iPhone will bounce a little to let you know you've reached the end). How hard it is to adjust to the touch, the feel of cotton Android will depend on you, but remember this: It's different. It's not an iPhone, so don't expect one.

Different Strokes

When you buy a new keyboard for a computer, the displacement of a single button can become very frustrating. Once you memorize key locations it's hard to switch, because they're embedded in your muscle memory. Depending on the Android phone you choose, you'll either be adjusting to a physical keyboard with its own layout, or you'll be presented with a familiar but notably different touch keyboard. The number/symbol selector may be on the right side (it varies), your spacebar is a bit smaller, and you have a microphone button that will let you speak what you want to type instead of typing it. It's slightly different and you'll slip up, but you'll adjust with practice. But once you get the hang of it you'll discover keyboard shortcuts that'll help you type faster. Here are a few shortcuts, but note that they may or may not work based on your hardware:

• Alt + Spacebar lets you insert special characters
• Alt + Delete will delete an entire line
• Pressing Shift twice will initiate caps lock.
• Menu + X will cut all text, Menu + C will copy it, Menu + V will paste clipboard text and Menu + A will select everything in the current field.
• Alt + Q inserts a tab space.

The upside to Android? If you want to try a keyboard that's vastly different, like the gesture-based Swype, you have that option as well.

Consistent Expectations
Consistency of the interface is another piece of culture shock. Maybe staring at a grid of iPhone apps felt like staring into your probable future as a member of the Apple occult, but at least you knew what you were getting. On Android, you have several pages with different items and you may find yourself swiping around blindly. Just like you would with a grid of apps with no real immediate notification of what's what, you'll get used to the differing pages of your home screen. If not, you can always replace it with a nifty app like SlideScreen (something the iPhone could really use).

Localized Settings

On the iPhone you've come to expect some of your app settings in, well, the global Settings app. In Android, you'll always find them in the actual application. To get to any app's settings, you'll need to go into the app, hit your phone's Menu button, and then hit "Settings." This applies not only to apps your downloads from the Android Marketplace, but settings for your text messages, email accounts, and other features you may think of as part of the OS.

Real (or Unreal) Buttons
Speaking of the menu button, you'll find that navigating an Android phone requires the use of those four buttons below the screen. This can be very off-putting at first. You might wonder what purpose is served by offering dedicated buttons which, on some handsets, aren't really even buttons at all. As you get used to them and memorize where they are, you'll adapt, but initially you may want to pull your hair out wondering why everything isn't part of the touch screen. Simply put, iPhone apps have been designed for some time now as single environments with multiple screens to page through, while Android apps function a bit more like traditional desktop apps—a single screen, with buttons and options, made to be switched into and out of regularly.

Out of Sync

What about syncing? One of the benefits of Android is that, for the most part, you won't need to sync. You can copy media from your computer over USB if you need to. But do you miss the painful tethered syncing of iTunes? Then get doubleTwist (here's our first look), which can be described pretty accurately as iTunes for Android. If you don't like Android's media player, doubleTwist offers an alternative. If you're longing for iTunes after the switch, a couple of downloads should have you covered.

Storage Options
Storage on an iPhone is a sealed deal (much like the battery), but on Android it's expandable. On one hand this is great because you essentially have no limits, but it also means purchasing an additional MicroSDHC card (or two) in order to fit everything you want. Generally you only start with 8GB. Whether you go out and grab a 32GB card or a few smaller ones, you may have to start considering your storage a bit differently.

TALK IS CHEAP -- NOT

A recent announcement by AT&T alerts to an increase in early termination fees for iPhones ... from $175 to $350 per line for new contracts. Not withstanding the insult of draconian fees, surcharges and use taxes on cell phone bills AT&T maintains its service is exemplary. Except, of course, if you happen to live in a large metropolitan area.

The "fix" is to provide free WiFi service in cities like New York and San Francisco to relieve the load of calls running through its cellular 3G service.

Keep waiting.

And if you're thinking of moving to another service using the HTC Droid, think again. I received a "comeback to Verizon" offer following the cancellation of a PC modem for those rare instances when I cannot find a WiFi signal. The offer was for $100 off on a new phone. Since I did not cancel a phone I chalked the offer up to poor CRM management.

But the kicker to Verizon's offer was in the mouse type "terms" that will charge an early termination fee of $350 for "advanced devices". A call to Verizon confirmed that "advanced devices" refers to smart phones like the Droid.

You simply cannot win....or can you?

DO'S AND DONT'S

Today's post will take a departure from general media issues to report on a few personal likes and dislikes which, I believe, may have a small but positive impact on your day.

You'll love how this sounds. If you're in the market for a low cost portable peripheral speaker the size of a golf ball with awesome sound, the X-mini fits the bill. It's the world's first pocket size speaker with built in bass support and a rechargeable battery. Sound quality is uncompromising for its size.

I use these speakers plugged into an iPhone while listening to music or Pandora. They also come in handy when plugged directly into the Sirius (XM) satellite receiver. You can also daisy chain several for a unique listening experience with deep, very deep, bass.

Speakers can be ordered directly from the website for about $20 each. It's only shortcoming is a short tether from the listening device to the speaker.

Twenty Eight, Five hundred, One Thousand Four Hundred. This could be a reprise from the musical RENT. What it represents is a reprehensible amount of average fat, calories and sodium in a new "sandwich" creation from the folks at Yum! Brand's KFC.

A heap of bacon, cheese and special sauce between two pieces of grilled or crispy chicken. Where's the bun!

I admit I had to pull into the nearest KFC to try it. Ecch! It was like biting into a salt lick. A shout out to Dave Novak, Chairman of Yum! Brands .... would you feed one of these to your kids?

The following from Steven Colbert says it all .... "This is deep-fried madness. It is breaded insanity. It is a sandwich that lacks all sandwichness...This is the warped creation of a syphilitic brain."

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Thought for Food - Mentally Ill Advertisers & German Cupcakes
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Finally, a look at one of the best versions of Madonna's "Vogue" video to hit the airwaves ... played by Jane Lynch (Glee's Sue Sylvester), to be aired next week. A big thumbs up for this .... sure to propel Glee and Jane Lynch to the top of the popularity charts.

TAKING A BITE OUT OF THE APPLE

Getting my hands on an iPad for a few hours this weekend I was finally able to see what all the hoopla was about.

Much ado about nothing .... at least for version1.0.

What could this version of an iPhone on steroids do that my iPhone or Lenovo laptop couldn't do? Let's find out.

Upfront, the display is an eye popper. Crisp, clean and bright. Switching from one application to another was sickeningly fast. But switch you must because you cannot multitask on the iPad.

Photos? Got them on my iPhone. Reader? While I don't use a digital reader, I understand that the LED back lighting on the iPad is not as easy on the eyes as is the Kindle or Sony Reader. The interface that allows you to move from page to page is an awesome bell and whistle.

Computing and word processing? Not yet. Typing on glass may be a natural for those growing up with it, but I still prefer the keys on my Lenovo (even though I'm a whiz at texting on the iPhone).

Connecting peripherals? Forget it. No USB ports. Would rather listen to music on the iPhone with my external speakers.

No camera or web cam or communication device (as in PHONE). A device killer.

On and on....it's a way cool new (if not retro) gadget that will no doubt have all your friends buzzing like bees around you to get their hands on it.

This first release leaves much to be desired and much to be looking forward to.

I'll pass on the iPad till version x.o proves it can at least live up to its cousin the iPhone. So for now, it's an interactive clipboard.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

PHD (Omnicom) Reception, NYC

Long past are the days when media reps had to cool their heels in a reception area while waiting for a meeting. Productivity rules.

But productivity is a two way street as time pressures build on both ends of the buy/sell relationship. Strategists and buyers on the agency side of the equation are doing more with less as media reps are finding it more difficult to secure face to face time with the buyers.

In today's digital ecosystem selling also requires reaching out to agency personnel outside of the media department. Account services, research and creative teams are now part of the mix effectively lengthening the sales cycle.

Tools of the trade have changed as well, making it easier to manage time while multi-tasking. Smartphones, netbooks, and productivity software are now crucial to success.

As we move forcefully with stress into the 21st century, we still need to take time to lighten the load we are carrying .... for our own sanity.

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, 'How heavy is this glass of water?'

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem..
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.'

He continued,
'And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,
the burden will become increasingly heavy:
and we won't be able to carry on. '

'As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again..
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.
So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down: don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.'

So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Just accept that, some days, you're the pigeon:
and, some days, you're the statue.

* Always keep your words soft and sweet - ,
just in case you have to eat them.

* Always wear stuff that will make you look good
if you die in the middle of it.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be
"recalled" by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again,
It was probably worth it.

* Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Just get up and dance.

* When everything's coming your way,
you're in the wrong lane.

* You may be only one person in the world,
But you may also be the world to one person.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp; some are pretty; and some are dull. Some have weird names; and all are different colours; but they all have to live in the same box.

A PAD WITHOUT A PENCIL

As Apple releases its latest "magical" device, a closer look reveals a host of shortcomings that may have Apple going back to the drawing pad.

The Huffington Post recently released "The Nine Worst Things About The iPad".

1-It's name. Sounds like a tampon product
2-No Multi-tasking
3-No Camera
4-No USB port
5-The AT&T deal. Major complaints concerning coverage.
6-No Flash. Forget about Online gaming, ESPN or Disney.
7-Its Screen. LED is harsh on the eyes and drains batteries faster than OLED.
8-The Price. For a limited use machine it's overpriced at $499 and up.
9-Closed App Store. Must pass Apple approval process that limits certain apps.
10-Every pad needs a pencil.

The video that follows puts it best. Hilarious. But oh so true!

TWITTER .... A DOOMED INVENTION?

Twitter. What is it and what can it become?

The speed at which the communications business is accelerating has us all playing catch up. New platforms and applications developed around them have us all scrambling to understand the new landscape to stay on top of what's "cool".

The iPhone is perhaps the best example of a communications device built on an open platform that has generated an industry onto itself, blossoming with tens of thousands of apps and billions of downloads.

Then there's Twitter. The great disruptor. An invention of our time that will likely join the ranks of failed inventions.

Why?

As a communications channel, Twitter is a one trick pony. Handily, it can broadcast a simple message to a closed loop of followers. In doing so several applications can track the noise or "buzz" on any subject and quickly update the masses on what's "hot".... that is of course if you care to stay glued to a computer screen or mobile app all day long.

A few days ago, TechCrunch released notes on internal documents it somehow secured from Twitter. The documents revealed the musings of a group so heavily invested in the bloated success of the platform that it could provide comic fodder for Saturday Night Live.

For the moment Twitter is a fun toy ... soon, I'm afraid, to be cast aside like many of the others. Follow this link to a test on failed inventions for a bit of comic relief.

WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE ON THE iPHONE

Are your client's using Google AdWords? Chances are that you are also running those ads on mobile devices and the iPhone with not-so-pretty results.

It appears that the user experience for the iPhone delivered ads by Goggle is not properly configured for the device. At a $.20 Cost Per Click advertisers would be spending their marketing dollars to irritate the customer.

Many agencies and marketers are not aware of the problem. But their is a solution. "Simply" opt out of the user experience for AdWords delivered to the iPhone.

Google does not make it easy. But the good folks at Silicon Alley Insider put together a quick step-by-step guide for opting out of the negative iPhone experience.

Click here for the opt out guide.

GOT iPHONE? GOT TWITTER?

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and are a Twitter user, get yourself over to TweetMic. It’s an application that allows you to record a tweet with no limits on recording time. The app effectively eliminates the frustrating 140 character limit on a Twitter posting.

The app works flawlessly with a high quality recording and playback. A list of features from their home page follows:

• Incredibly simple and intuitive interface
• Quickly record audio and publish to Twitter
• Review your recordings before publishing
• Easily overwrite old recordings by hitting "record" again
• Create unique and engaging Tweetcasts in no time
• Ultra high recording sound quality
• Unlimited recording time
• Uses your existing Twitter account, no additional signup
• Navigate and listen to your published audio tweets
• Your tweets stay live unless you delete them
• Easy management of your audio tweets at tweetmic.com

CONNECTIONS

Early this afternoon, one of the staffers at Agency Spy, a member of the MediaBistro empire, Twittered to ask about a recent Chivas commercial. His interest was the background music in the spot.

The music was “driving him crazy”…. He couldn’t recall where he heard it before.

This is where the artist, the album, the commercial, YouTube, an Apple iPhone App, Grooveshark (a free music sight) and Twitter all came together in a few short minutes to make our friend at Agency Spy a bit less crazed.

It’s a classic example of how ordered digital forensics can make a difference.

1-Search YouTube for “Chivas Commercial” and rank by date.

2-Play the clip and confirm it’s the right commercial

3-Use the iPhone Shazam application which “listens” to the song and plays back its title, artist and, in some cases lyrics, with a link to iTunes for potential purchase. Granted, I did hunt for a few seconds in the commercial with no voice-over to capture the music.

4-Jump to Grooveshark (www.grooveshark.com), search for the album and pick the music track that matches the commercial. While on the site, you can also create a widget that can be embedded in a blog.

5-Capture the URL link to the music and forward back to Agency Spy on Twitter.

Bliss

Here’s the widget with the soundtrack … sometimes it all comes together neatly, with potential for monetization and data capture along the way.

When Will The Other Shoe Drop?

Launch date for the iPhone: June 29, 2007

Waiting with baited breath, we can expect campers to line outside the Apple Stores the evening before it goes on sale …. for the privilege of spending $499 to $599 for the 4GB or 8GB models.

Oh! Did you want a carrier for that iPhone? Both AT&T and Apple have yet to announce service plans for these phones. Just 15 days to launch and millions of callers don’t know what to expect to shell out on a monthly basis to stay connected.

To take advantage of all the services and communication applications, many have estimated an annual cost of $850 before taxes on the low end. Buy-in will likely require a 2-year contract. Total entry cost: At best, $2300 including the phone.

This from a fellow blogger: “iPhone users will expect their new whizzy phones to work as they do in the advertisements. When you want to surf the Web, press the Safari icon and be on your way. When you need to get in touch via text, email or an SMS message is the way to go. When you want to find directions to the local pizza shack, Google Maps takes you there. The last thing you want is to access one of these options and discover it doesn’t work because you haven’t signed up for the correct data plan or that it does work but, whoops, you’ve exceeded your data limit for the month and it’s going to cost you a buck fifty to check the baseball score."

Before you put on your running shoes to get to your local Apple Store, understand what it’s going to cost you to be “cool” for a few months.