(Photo of my happy little poodle who takes great joy in spreading love)

Yikes. Lots of drama in the mobile tech online community recently:

• MG Siegler of TechCrunch posted his opinion about the Galaxy Nexus
• The Verge’s Josh Topolsky countered with his reaction
• Mobile tech aficionados across the Internet noticed

All too often, tech articles remind me of that off-color adage: “Opinions are like *%#holes, everyone has one.” The recent drama also makes me wonder:

Have we become so entrenched in our individual tech biases that we’ve forgotten the joy of tech… how tech can improve lives in both simple and very profound ways? And how sometimes, the tech that supports those improvements isn’t always the current best-seller or perhaps is no longer an industry darling?

It’s disappointing seeing tech writers so entrenched in their biases that they can’t envision how tech (that they don’t use personally) could be beneficial to others with different lifestyles, use cases, preferences, etc. Some make it worse by discounting any opposing reader perspectives by labeling them “fanboys.” Oy.

So, I say to you, tech writers:  It’s not all about you.

It’s a big interesting world out there, and there’s a lot of interesting tech to cover. If you’re a writer posting your articles online, you have an audience… what information can you share that’s useful to them? If you have a strong reaction to a product, help your reader make an informed decision as to whether that product would be a good choice for them (even if it’s not your preferred choice).

As a fairly savvy tech user, share with me pertinent information (fact) to make my own decision. Your rant or rave is not persuasive otherwise, and most likely will be perceived (by me) as link bait.

In closing, an anecdote about a friend’s recent experience and the joy of tech:

I shared with him an old unused Verizon “network extender” because his home does not have good Verizon network coverage. I’d used it when I had a Verizon phone but stopped when I realized that network issues in my neighborhood prevented me from receiving calls when out walking the dog.

Having the network extender meant coverage issues were no longer driving my friend’s phone options. He bought a Motorola “Droid” Razr. He loves his new phone and excitedly recounted the various ways he’s been using it: As a home phone replacement, to listen to Pandora, to research questions on the web, to stream music to a bluetooth speaker.

Same tech. Two people, different perspectives, individual use cases, different outcomes.

He took tech that was no longer useful to me, and used it to make his life better.

And isn’t that what tech is all about?

I’ve updated this post based on my experience after it was published. See text in blue bold for updates.

With the holidays approaching, I’ve been seeking ways to reinforce my motivation to meet health goals. This time of year, it’s all too easy not to be active enough due to long hours at work and colder weather outside.

So, after hearing about friends’ experiences using fitness devices, I decided to try a few myself:

• Jawbone UP activity and sleep tracker
• Fitbit Ultra activity and sleep tracker
• Withings scale

All three devices worked as advertised for me, although there are some caveats potential buyers should be aware of…

Jawbone UP (pictured above):

PROS -

• Easy to wear “bracelet” design
• Compact and unobtrusive
• Push button to change modes is easy to use and works well
• Tracks activity (tracks steps when not in “active” mode)
• Tracks sleep in a fairly granular manner. Comfortable to wear while sleeping. (It’s helped me understand why I’m so tired during the day… I don’t sleep very soundly at night.)

CONS -

• First generation product with (an apparently) high failure rate. (More on this below.)
• Only syncs with iPhone app (no joy for folks with other smartphones or even laptop users)
• Surprisingly, doesn’t sync via bluetooth: User must connect UP to iPhone via headphone jack
• iPhone sync process can be fussy: I find it works best if I restart my iPhone, open UP app, insert UP into headset jack, turn up headset volume, then initiate sync right away within UP app. (It really shouldn’t require such a precise process!)
• Progress and metrics can only be viewed on iPhone app (not able to view metric tracking/dashboard on web site)
• Food tracking is limited
• Doesn’t automatically sync activity metrics with my favorite fitness/food journal app, Lose It!
• Due to bracelet design, your arms must be swinging during exercise to accurately register activity (not happy news for bikers!)

Caveats:
The Jawbone UP’s early failure rate almost dissuaded me from purchasing this product. Even so, I bought at my Apple Store, taking care to keep the package and receipt *just in case*. And the failure rates are not just anonymous metrics — I know someone who is on his third Jawbone UP — the 1st two failed.

With so many reports of early hardware failure, I’m not sure I’d give it as a gift until Jawbone comes out with UP v.2

UPDATED: A big con arose for me… it completely stopped syncing. No matter what I did, it would not sync. I finally wound up returning it to Apple (where I bought it) as defective.

Fitbit Ultra:

PROS -

• Syncs wirelessly (dock connected via USB to your laptop)
• Comes with seemingly handy plastic clip to connect to your clothing. (More on this below.)
• Tracks activity and sleep
• Offers detailed online dashboard at fitbit.com
• Offers an iPhone app, as well as a mobile web site for other smartphones

UPDATE: I decided to keep the Fitbit after the UP stopped syncing. Based on the variety of tracking devices available on the market, Fitbit is among the best. I wrapped the Fitbit “holster” in electrical tape to make it less slippery (less likely to slide off my belt), and added a layer of electrical tape inside the holster to add friction (make it less likely the device itself would slide out on its own).

CONS -

• Sleep tracking requires inserting device into cloth wristband (I found this a little uncomfortable)
• Sleep tracking is not as granular as Jawbone UP
• Integrates with Lose It! mobile app but in a confusing way. (More on this below.)
• SUPER easy to lose! It’s flown off my belt several times.
• Fitbit iPhone app is okay but not as granular as I’d like

Caveats:
The plastic clip is slippery! It’s far too easy to lose the Fitbit Ultra (and at $99, you don’t want to risk losing it!). Integrates with Lose It! app but only populates Lose It’s exercise metrics if you burn a certain number of calories (hey, I want credit for all activity, as a motivator to be even more active!).

If you buy a Fitbit Ultra, be sure to find a way to affix it to your clothing so that it won’t fly off.

Withings Scale:

PROS -

• Super easy to use… just weigh yourself and your weight is automatically synced to your my.withings.com dashboard
• Easy to set up: Insert batteries, then connect scale to your computer via USB to complete set up (including enabling WIFI sync).
• User can enable integration with Lose It! app and Fitbit dashboard.
• Offers multiple mobile apps (WiScale app for iPhone and Withings app for Android).

CONS -

• Expensive at $159 (see Amazon page for product details & reviews).

Caveats:
Aside from cost, no caveats I can think of. Does what it promises.

Special mention: Lose It! fitness / food journal app

I first started using Lose It! a few years ago on my iPhone and missed it terribly when I moved to an android phone.

I love its robust food database and how easy it is to update and review my food and activity metrics.

However, since then, a Lose It! Android app has been released. Glad to see this great app available for more phones!

UPDATE to add another special mention: F.lux. It’s software for Windows, Mac, Linux, and jailbroken iOS devices. It automatically adjusts your screen brightness by time of day. If you use your computer before bedtime, it’s a must have… I installed it yesterday and noticed a big difference in how soundly I slept last night.

So what combination works best for me?

I’m still using the Jawbone UP and Withings scale with Lose It! iPhone app and web site dashboard:

• I manually add activity tracked on the UP into Lose It!
• Since I have Lose It! linked to my Withings scale, my weight is automatically posted to my LoseIt! account.
• I monitor my sleep metrics via the UP iPhone app.

Both the UP bracelet and Withings scale have been a good fit for me, offering motivation while not requiring a lot of effort or workarounds.

• I found the Fitbit Ultra works well but wasn’t practical for me because it kept coming off my belt — I decided it would be too easy to lose. (UPDATED: Fixed this with some electrical tape)
• I recommend Jawbone UP with some reservation. It does what it does well, but seems prone to early hardware failure based on user reports. (UPDATED: And my UP failed as well. Great device, disappointing quality issues.)
• I recommend Withings scale without reservation.
• You can’t go wrong with the Lose It! app for iPhone and android!
• UPDATED: F.lux is a must have, as well!

Edited 10/17/2011: See Update at bottom of article. Despite swappa being an easy way to buy / sell devices, I think I’ll stick to selling my old devices to friends instead.

——————

Like so many other nerds, I love how competition in the mobile marketplace is causing mobile phone features to evolve quickly. It’s a wonderful thing for consumers, especially early adopters.

The downside?

Being an early adopter can get really expensive. One way to mitigate the cost is to sell mobile phones you’re no longer using. But I’d always been hesitant to do so, after hearing so many horror stories about cell phone sales on ebay and craigslist.

Enter swappa.com — a web site where android users can buy or sell their gently used, recent mobile phones. What makes swappa (in my opinion) preferable to craigslist or ebay?

For buyers:

• Sellers are required to indicate specific condition of the phone.
• Sellers are required to provide the IMEI up front (not disclosed to the buyer until after purchase).
• Sellers are required to itemize what comes with the phone.
• No haggling: The phone cost is clearly noted on sale listing.
• No “surprise” shipping costs: The seller is responsible for routine shipping cost.
• All communication with seller is via swappa.com.

For sellers:

• It’s cheap to add a swappa sale listing: It costs $10 for the listing. Add another $10 to promote it to “featured” which gains your listing greater visibility via a @swappa tweet.
• Seller pays shipping within U.S. — I usually indicate shipping via UPS ground with the caveat that faster shipping will require a 2nd paypal payment (i.e., expedited shipping at buyer’s cost).
• No haggling: You set the price and the buyer finalizes the sale by issuing a paypal account, or not. You receive an email when the buyer issues their payment via paypal.
• Rooted phones are welcome. The sales listing form even offers a field to specific root information!
• All communication with buyer is via swappa.com

So, you decide to sell your device via swappa.com. How can you prompt it to sell quickly??

• Add clear, macro photos to your listing so buyer can see the condition of your phone and any accessories
• Be as specific as possible in your listing. For example: If including an SDcard, indicate both the size and speed.
• If you’re including gently used accessories, it’s okay to specify how much the phone and accessories cost retail.
• Include a link to the technical specs for your phone.
• And, of course… you will sell more quickly if you price your phone competitively.

And to make it a pleasant experience for the person buying your phone:

• Post-sale, treat the buyer as you’d want to be treated: Be patient and answer their questions promptly. Remember, they’ve just sent you money for a device sight unseen. I also try to offer the buyer multiple carrier options for shipping (e.g., UPS, fedex, or USPS) in case one method is more convenient for them than another.
• Limit activation issues for the buyer: If it’s a locked phone, contact your carrier to add a note to your account specifying that phone has been sold.
• Ship promptly! As an early adopter, you like to get your tech stuff quickly… so does your buyer!

I’ve used swappa.com twice so far, and have really been pleased with the experience. One phone sold in 3 days, the other sold in 2 hours!

I recommend swappa.com wholeheartedly. If you’re an android early adopter, give swappa a try… you’ll like it!

Edited 10/17/2011: Well, no longer sure I feel comfortable selling phones I no longer use to strangers. A buyer left a comment post-sale accusing me of shipping a damaged device. (It was in excellent condition with no damage and I’d posted photos showing phone’s condition from various angles.) His accusatory message ended with “thanks for the good deal & fast shipping!”. Very weird experience. I’m not sure why someone would do that (and certainly not swappa founders’ fault), but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Ugh.

Like many geeks, er technophiles, I recently bought an HP TouchPad at fire sale pricing. I bought it partly because it was a great tech buy, and this article describes what I like about it, as well as webOS apps I’m enjoying.

But I also bought the TouchPad for a more nostalgic reason:

Palm ignited my love of mobile tech

Once upon a time, in a decade not so long ago (the 90s), I received a Palm Vx for Christmas.

Suddenly, I could have my calendar and contact list me wherever I went. I could sync my device with AvantGo content and read news articles while I waited to get my allergy shots. I loaded Peanut Press books onto my Palm Vx and caught up on my reading while waiting in line at the grocery store.

The Palm Vx was small. It was stylish. Palm Computing (division of 3Com) had made other PDAs but none so svelte and pocketable.

I’ve had many PDAs and smartphones over the years, but none evoke the delight I felt using the Palm Vx. I dutifully tucked it into its desktop dock to charge every evening, and never left the house without it. It became my first experience of ubiquitous computing, despite the fact that it didn’t directly connect to the Internet.

When HP bought Palm in 2010, it seemed promising. Finally, the Palm brand would be nurtured.

Alas, that was not to be. In August 2011, HP announced it would no longer manufacture webOS devices, including the TouchPad, Pre 3, and Veer.

And so, when HP announced its TouchPad fire sale pricing ($99 for 16GB, $149 for 32GB), I knew I had to get one.

After all these years, what did I think of the current version of Palm OS (now webOS)?

I love it:

• Easy to use, intuitive
• Elegant user interface
• Scales well to tablet use
• Easily optimized via Preware

And, like Palm OS of years past, there’s a vibrant and committed webOS community.

And the TouchPad? With its webOS underpinnings, it’s probably the best tablet I’ve used, and I’ve tried them all!

While heavier than the iPad 2, its softly rounded edges make it comfortable to hold and use. Docked in its Touchstone, it’s easily accessible and comfortable to use at one’s desk even while charging. It’s plenty speedy after applying Preware patches and a custom kernel (I’m currently running F4 Phantom).

And despite those naysayers intent on complaining webOS and TouchPad are light on apps, I haven’t had any trouble finding apps I’ve looked for. And I’ve stumbled across great TouchPad apps too.

My favorite HP TouchPad (webOS) apps, so far:

InterfaceLIFT: Gorgeous wallpapers

Angry Birds: ’nuff said

Glimpse: Cool app that enables user to select apps to use in a multi-pane view. See these instructions for downloading Glimpse (Developers’ Cut)

Spaz HD: Great twitter app despite the odd name!

AccuWeather: The same great weather data in an app designed for TouchPad.

box: 50GB free cloud storage just for creating your account from your TouchPad!

Flickr Mundo HD: Great Flickr app, and gorgeous in Exhibition mode.

FlashCards HD: Great study aid. Easy to import cards you find online — I’m using it to study for a professional exam.

Audubon Birds: Beautiful photos and lots of great info for aviary fans

NPR Reader: For NPR fans

Kindle: To read your Kindle books. Be forewarned the Kindle icon you see on your newly purchased TouchPad is just a link to the HP Store — you still need to download it!

Quell HD: One of my favorite Android games, beautiful and relaxing

Honorable mention (aka, apps for which I couldn’t find links!):

The WSJ Reader

The Washington Post Reader

Chicago Tribune Reader

L.A. Times Reader

News Republic

USA Today

Guardian News Hub

Guardian zeitgeist

iheartradio

atPeace: Relaxing scenes and music

PodCatcher Deluxe: Nice podcast streamer

If you’re a new TouchPad owner (and even if you’ve had your TouchPad for a while), I can’t recommend highly enough James Kendrick’s TouchPad optimization article on ZDNet. He’s posted several TouchPad articles, all well worth your time.

All in all, the TouchPad is a very good tablet made even better by webOS. If you’re fortunate enough to find one, I say go for it!

Last week into the weekend, the Caribbean and Eastern seaboard had an unwelcome guest: Irene. And, wow, was she ever ill-behaved.

There are those who scoff at Irene and media exuberance in covering her journey. Sure, those scenes of reporters nearly getting blown away in hurricane winds are a dime a dozen. But for those not impacted to scoff at a storm that killed 27 people adds insult to injury for those suffering in Irene’s wake.

Although Irene had weakened to a tropical storm by the time she reached Connecticut, she was all too memorable for many areas of the state: Beachfront homes destroyed by storm surge, freshwater flooding, numerous trees downed (many landing on homes) and 700,000 Connecticut households left without power…. not to mention post-storm flooding. For a clear, intelligent explanation of Irene and her impacts in Connecticut, I highly recommend Ryan Hanrahan’s post Irene — Why Was She So Bad?

I learned a lot before/during/after Irene:

Take authorities’ preparedness warnings seriously

• I was lucky, my only damage was a blown-over shrub. I lost Comcast service for just a few hours and never lost power.
• As I see damage reports from around Connecticut, it’s truly a case of “but for the grace of God, go I.” The human and property cost experienced by others could just as easily have happened to me.

When preparing for inclement weather, ask friends to send you mobile-friendly links.

• Even if mobile networks are up, expect them to be much slower than usual.
• When it comes to clicking links on a slow network, Tom Petty was right… the waiting is the hardest part.

Often recommended (with good reason), use text messaging to contact friends & family

• Text messages queue up and continue to to attempt delivery until successful

Provide loved ones with trusted news sources (links) so they can monitor the situation from afar.

• I mentioned Ryan Hanrahan’s blog above — I provided it to family so they could stay abreast of what’s happening locally.

Do what you can to reduce your own stress during the weather event

• I had a fan running during the storm. It provided white noise, and let me better ignore some of the wind gusts.
• Of course, at a certain point, there was no drowning out the wind noise. Still, running a fan helped a bit.

Buying a house you love costs the price of the house. Having great neighbors who will help you when needed? Priceless.

• Help your neighbors whenever you can. Cultivate those relationships. Your neighbors become an extended family, especially when you live alone.

Share your stuff.

• If your friend or neighbor has lost power or Internet, help them achieve some sense of normalcy.
• If you have a tablet w/3g connectivity or battery-powered radio, share it with them so they can keep up with news. Being off the grid involuntarily increases one’s need to be informed.

And a point that seems to be all too obvious: If you weren’t negatively impacted by a weather event, great!!

• However, be sensitive to others’ experience of the storm. Don’t add to their misery.

This last week has been interesting, and reinforced some basic lessons for me. For those impacted by Irene, whether due to loss of a loved one, property damage, storm surge or flooding, my heart goes out to you.

Full disclosure: I was contacted by Rearth and asked if I’d like to review their Ringke Case for Samsung Galaxy S II. I was hesitant at first, then thought…. why not? Despite receiving this case for free, what you’ll read below is my candid, unvarnished view. Read on…

Thin and light, but any downside?
I love the idea of skin cases but in practice find them hideous… they are usually lint magnets and with a long-haired cat at my house, well, you get the picture. So, when the Rearth rep asked me if I’d like to review a case I thought would share this issue, what did I think? Well, my very first thought was, “Ugh!” Then, I realized I had nothing to lose, so why not?

Thankfully, I was very wrong about this case. When I received it, I first noticed its unique feel. Thin, close-fitting with a slightly grippy feel. And I was delighted to find the surface didn’t have that lint-magnet “feature” of so many other thin, light cases! Despite leaving the case on surfaces my cat likes to walk across, the case consistently looked brand new and lint-free. Another bonus: The surface never showed fingerprints. Nice!

I even asked a friend what she thought. Her reaction? “I like the texture.”

Which brings me to… fit
I was delighted to find that the case fit the SGS2 like a glove and the cut-outs are properly sized. Volume up/down buttons are covered but still easy to find and manipulate.

Another interesting find: Despite being a tight fit within my HTC EVO 4G messenger side case, the case didn’t stretch out.

Cosmetics
The case is available in several colors, some quite bright and other more subtle tones. I received a black case and it’s very professional looking — it’s suitable for a conservative office environment.

Bottom line?
I like this case alot. I expected to use it for a few days and then take it off, but found that I didn’t want to remove it! It retains the thin form factor of the SGS2 and provides a slightly grippy texture to make dropping the phone less likely. It looks good, feels good, and I couldn’t find any downside. Highly recommended. (More photos, below)

I published some initial thoughts about Google+ yesterday. Since then, Google’s already enabled some feature enhancements, so a follow-up post is in order. For more about Google+ feature set, see this Google+ Project article.

Late yesterday, Google+ rolled out two very welcome enhancements based on user feedback:

• Revising how limited distribution posts can be shared.
• Revising post stream algorithm to ensure that highly-commented posts don’t crowd out other posts at the top of user streams.

I’m delighted by what Google is offering in Google+ thus far, and excited to see how it evolves. I love that Google is listening to users and demonstrating sensitivity to privacy concerns and data portability… Google+ feels like the anti-Facebook!

Other things I love about Google+ so far:

• Open internationally from the outset: Some of my favorite people live outside the U.S. and my Google+ experience wouldn’t be as fun without them!
• Not just rank and file Googlers are interacting with G+ users, but executive level folks are also accessible, as this Bits column notes. Sure, it’s PR, but it’s still cool.
• That my posts can be as public or as private as I wish.

Some enhancement requests I’ve submitted since my last post:

• As my follower list grows, it’s becoming more time-intensive to identify users not already added to circles. Would love to have a 4th link on the Circles page, something like “Followers not in your circles”, to help me identify them more quickly.
• I love the Android app!! As an SGS2 user, I’d love for the app to offer the option of a black background (theme), to minimize battery drain due to the super amoled screen.

Will continue to post my thoughts about Google+. So far, I’m impressed!

A few days ago, I started hearing buzz about a new social networking service called Google+. I was able to join via a Twitter friend’s invite, and have been using Google+ for about two days.

My initial impression after logging in was…. um, okay. But then I realized that social networks aren’t any fun without one’s friends, so I got busy inviting friends and adding those already on Google+ to my “circles.” A few days in, I have to say I really like Google+ a lot. Cool features, granular privacy controls, interesting ways to interact with friends, family and acquaintances.

Rather than reiterate Google+ features (which you can read about here), I’d like to note what I like about Google+:

• User Profile: Easy to set up user profile and user can share only as much (or as little) as you’d like. I can share details with my circles, with extended circles (my friends’ circles), or broadly with any web user. Google has left that decision up to me, and I appreciate that!
• Stream: The post stream is reminiscent of FriendFeed in that you see posts from folks you’re following. If you follow a wide variety of people, your stream will be more diverse and interesting than following just a few users. You can choose to see a Stream from everyone you follow, or select a specific Circle to only view posts by those users.
• Post settings: I can decide on a post-by-post basis who can view the post. It can be public (viewable by anyone on the web), limited to those following my friends, as well as limited to my circles, or even individual users. Nice granularity!
• Circles: Easy to determine what level of access other users have to my posts by using the Circle feature. I can set up private circles for close friends and families. I also have a circle set up including folks I interact with on Twitter, as well as another circle that includes folks I don’t know well but find interesting.
• Android App: App is available via Android Market as well as online via forum.xda-developers.com (handy for folks outside the U.S.). For an initial release, the Google+ android app is surprisingly full-featured and fun to use. I’ve set most notifications to be pushed to my phone rather than my inbox filling with various types of Google+ notifications. I’ve seen a few comments about high battery use with the app, but I haven’t experienced any unusual battery drainage with Google+ android app running on my unlocked SGS2. (Also see my SGS2 review here.)
• Interaction with Google employees: Google+ is a lot of fun and an interesting social product. I love how Google employees are accessible and interacting freely with G+ users.  Makes Google+ even more fun!

Some ideas for feature enhancements (I’ve submitted all of these to Google via their “Send Feedback” feature):

• Stream (post) order: Let users determine which posts they want to have “bubble” to the top of their streams. Right now, posts that receive a lot comments, shares or +1s automatically move to top – this approach “crowds out” other equally interesting posts by less popular users (similar to the Scoble effect on FriendFeed). While I can “mute” any post to stop seeing it again, I’d prefer posts appear chronologically in my stream (newest at top). Note: Googler Kelly Ellis posted a video today mentioning a new algorithm will be implemented this weekend, to instead give higher ranking to posts from friends. Sounds like a good improvement, although I’d still love a setting to enable me to always see newest posts displayed at top.)
• More granular ways to monitor posts: A noted above, I can mute a post so that it no longer appears in my stream. However, there are some posts that I want to go back to later, to read new comments. I’d love to see a new option added under the “Stream” listing, called “Monitored Posts” or something similar, to see new activity on posts I’ve commented on, shared, or +1ed.
• Make Google nav bar at top persistent: Google+ provides a Google navigation bar that offers easy access to other Google products like Gmail, Calendar, etc., as well as a Notification Alert (that turns red when user has notifications). Currently, if I scroll down, the Google nav bar disappears. Instead, I’d love to see it persistent, so that it remains viewable at top of screen even if I’ve scrolled to bottom of a Google+ page.

I’m delighted with what Google is offering with its new Google+ product and enjoy using it. Kudos to Google for hitting it out of the park on this effort and to all the Googlers involved!

When I opened my AT&T account, I picked up an Infuse 4G. I’d never been fond of Samsung phones until the Infuse, and it was love at first sight: The gorgeous screen, the minimalist controls, its thin/light form factor. I was sufficiently impressed to write an Infuse 4G review.

But I kept reading about a mythical phone, the Samsung Galaxy S II. The more I read, the more curious I became… what was this wonderful phone? Could it be there was an unlocked Samsung phone similar to the Infuse but even faster and more responsive?! And thus my unicorn hunt began…

I’d had an AT&T account for several years, and for much of that time used unlocked Nokia phones. I realize it’s fashionable to bash Nokia lately, but I loved Nokia camera hardware and the fantastic shots Nokia phones enabled.

But I digress…
Since my Infuse was still new, I tried to distract myself but the Samsung Galaxy S II (SGS2) continued to beckon. I read reviews, I visited phone import stores online, I pondered. I liked the Infuse. The problem? I thought I’d like the SGS2 even more. Finally, I decided to pick one up despite the high ticket price that goes with buying an unlocked phone.

I’ve had my SGS2 for about a month. And you know what? The SGS2 is the best cell phone I’ve ever used. Based on user reviews on CNET, I’m not alone:

• Very responsive. No lag, no waiting.
• Great camera and photo quality
• Excellent voice and audio quality
• Gorgeous, vivid screen
• Re-sizable (!) stock widgets that are both informative and attractively minimalist
• Thin, light, and beautiful

With most phones, there’s a certain amount of waiting… waiting for an app to open, waiting for the phone to connect to the network, waiting, waiting, waiting…

That changed with the SGS2. I never realized how speedy a phone could be. View SGS2 specs here.

There are other advantages to the SGS2:

• I stumbled across this thread on xda-developers.com, where you can find updated SGS2 firmware along with instructions for flashing – the post originator is very sharp and generous in helping other users with questions. NOTE: Flashing these firmware doesn’t require rooting, and at the rate Samsung has been releasing regional updates to the SGS firmware, SGS2 users can always be running the latest, greatest firmware. I’m currently running the XXKF2 firmware on my SGS2 (Android 2.3.3); this firmware’s build date is 6/10/2011 (fabulous battery life with KF2 firmware, by the way!).
• A very cool official Samsung “vent” case – a lightweight but very functional case for your SGS2. I love that its rubberized finish makes the phone grippier while its design preserves the phone’s thin, light form factor. I picked up this case on ebay.uk from ebayer bluejamgem – they put the case in the mail very quickly – I received it in about 5 business days (from the UK).
• If you want a more substantial case, Case-Mate offers 2 SGS2 cases. I picked up a Barely There case and it offers a bit more protection than the vent case.
• Looking for a Samsung desk dock for the SGS2? I found that the SGS2(with the vent case on) will fit into the official Samsung Infuse 4G desk dock.
• I went with a Zagg SGS2 Invisishield screen protector bought via zagg.com since none were available locally. Because I don’t have much luck applying screen protectors, I took my shiny new phone and Zagg Invisishield to Best Buy and the nice folks there applied it for me for a small fee (well worth it, btw!!).

I only have one concern about the SGS2: I wonder what will happen when U.S. wireless carriers decide to “customize” the Galaxy S II experience. Will it become a laggy beast, like so many other smartphones? We’ll see, and I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen. I’d love for folks buying a carrier-branded SGS2 to have the same fast, responsive SGS2 experience I’m enjoying.

Bottom line: I love the SGS2 and highly recommend it unlocked. If you have questions about the SGS2, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll be happy to respond.

I love my Prius, as well. It’s a safe, comfortable car that sips gas. What’s not to love?

Perhaps more than most cars, there was a bit of a learning curve with the Prius. I now had a car that showed me, in real-time, how my driving habits were impacting my gas mileage. I started to compile my observations and recently emailed them to a new Prius owner. Like any geek, I figured I should blog these tips too.

Fine print:
This is truly a scenario where your mileage may vary. Mileage is impacted by several variables, including driver’s style (aggressive / conservative), terrain, length of trip, etc. Put simply, what works well for me may not work for you. As Stuart Smalley would say, “And that’s okay.”

Prius’s 4 modes (it’s worth experimenting to see which model gives you best mpg for your driving style):

EV
- Electric only, but only works under a certain speed (25 mph, I think)
- Once you reach the threshold speed, it turns on the gas engine. I haven’t used this mode very much

Eco
- Reduces gas pedal sensitivity so driver has to press pedal down harder to go faster
- Air conditioner (a/c) runs at a lower rate (consuming less power); still gets cold enough!
- When running a/c, gas engine turns off when car is stopped (e.g., stoplights)
- I used Eco mode during snowy weather last winter, and have used it when running a/c this summer

Power
- Adjusts gas pedal to be more sensitive
- Enables quicker starts from stop, or faster lane changes on freeway
- When driving conservatively, Power mode won’t necessarily result in poorer mpg

Normal (no mode buttons pressed) -
- I’ve generally used Normal mode except in snow or when running a/c
- I’ve found I get best mpg in normal mode

For more about Prius driving modes:
http://www.prius3.com/specs/four-driving-modes

Braking:
- Energy captured during braking is used to charge Prius battery

Hill Assist:
- If stopped at a stoplight on a steep hill, pressing down *hard* on brake pedal for several seconds engages hill assist, essentially locking brakes
- Pressing on gas pedal releases hill assist/brakes

Coasting, Pulse & Glide:
- Coasting: Because the Prius is relatively heavy and uses low friction tires, you can sometimes take your foot off the gas pedal and just let the weight of the car propel you (especially on very flat streets, or gentle down hills).
- Pulse & Glide: Once you get up to speed (e.g., on freeway), taking your foot off gas pedal and  then easing gas pedal back down will use less gas than getting up to speed and maintaining consistent pressure on gas pedal.

More about Coasting and Pulse/Glide here:
http://www.hybridcars.com/gas-saving-tips/maximizing-mileage-toyota-prius.html

Locking / unlocking car without using key fobs:
- Standing outside car with key fobs in pocket, touch inside driver-side door handle to unlock. You’ll hear 2 beeps confirming unlock.2
- To lock (with key fobs in pocket), touch top/front section of driver-side door handle to lock — you’ll hear 1 beep confirming that car is locked.

Tires:
- Don’t let them get under-inflated; check them with each fill-up.

If you’re considering buying a 3rd generation (2010+) Toyota Prius and have questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!