My wallet is scared of the Humble Bundles

I have a weakness.

Cheap games.

The Humble Bundle is terrifying for someone like me.  When I see a bunch of decent games for a good price I can't help but start reciting my card number with glee.  I have been a big supporter of the Humble Bundle and though this might be a good time to bring attention to how AWESOME it is.

The most current Humble Bundle is about $6 right now, as of this writing, and contains plenty of goodness.  The games included are: Dear Esther, Capsized, Awesomenauts, Thomas Was Alone, Little Inferno, Proteus and Hotline Miami.  This obviously isn't going to excite everyone.  Considering that any of these games alone is worth more than $6 bucks is worth mentioning.  We also need to remember we are getting soundtracks AND Steam keys.  Yes, you get a Steam key AND you get a DRM free version for your use wherever you want.  The ultimate win/win.

The idea is simple.  Go spend a penny and get all of the games, minus Proteus and Hotline Miami, in a DRM free format.  Spend a dollar and get all of those games you got for a penny with a Steam key.  Spend more than that 6 bucks I mentioned and you get the other two games.  Hotline Miami for $6 should be enough to make you want to buy this!

Check out the video.  Support a good cause and get some fucking awesome games.  DO IT!

Google Music All Access Revisited

I've had a little more time to spend with Google Music All Access.  I have even branched out and tried a couple of things to make the experience better.

The first thing I did was pick up this sweet "app" from vhanla.  While it basically just does what a browser does it seems to suffer less from the memory explosion of Chrome, not to mention it has options on when to dump memory, too.  There are actually a lot of neat features.  The latest version seems to add support for this latest feature that came out of I/O.  This has been around for a while and people seem to enjoy it.  I'm a bit of a minimalist, so it is nice to see that even though it is something else I've got to have running that I can smash it into a tiny attractive frame and put it somewhere that isn't going to bother me.  Kudos to my buddy Billy for keeping an eye out for something to unfuckify my life.

The second thing was try out an iOS app that supports this feature.  When I described the absolute disaster of using the Android version, I could have never imagined that an experience could exist that was even more poor.  This is that experience.  Don't get me wrong, the app isn't really all that bad, it just isn't good... at all.  The app does support Google Music All Access. It does work for the most part.  It does pretty much everything that it needs to.  The design is cluttered and kind of ugly.  The navigation is a little weird.  I don't hate it, but I'd have a hard time recommending it.  I blame Google, though.  If they would just release an app we wouldn't have to deal with these knock-offs.  The Wal-Mart version of an official Google app never offers quite the experience you hope for.  Trust me... I've got a Windows Phone.

The final thing is really put the thing through the paces.  The servers are kind of slow.  Maybe they are ramping it up, I don't know.  I am getting more and more frustrated by the stutter that is caused when loading anything that might require an ounce of processing power.  While I notice this much less using vhanla's alternative, it is still there.  It makes me want to rip my hair out.  There have been times when I have to actually STOP doing what I am doing so that I can open Spotify and load up THE SAME FUCKING SONGS.  ERGH!

I still have the ultimate faith in this product, but I am not impressed with it thus far.  I am hoping that by the holiday season I will be smitten and completely absorbed into the Android camp again.

Google Play Music All Access Review

I am a Spotify user.  I like it.  My wife likes it.  I LOVE Google, though.  I am not, however, in love with Google's latest product that is designed to compete with these products like Spotify.

Spotify isn't perfect.  It is far from it.  A lot of music isn't available.  Not every artist is available, and I'm not even talking like indie or underground bands.  Bands such as Tool are not present on Spotify.  Yeah I know that aren't as popular as they were a decade or so again, but they are still "famous" and not present.  There are other products that offer similar things for a similar price.  Rhapsody and Rdio are two other big players in this space.  Rhapsody peaked, for me, a LONG time ago.  They have since broken up with Real Networks and have attempted to modernize.  Not in a way that I liked, so I ditched that service.  My brother is a big supporter of Rdio and utilizes a feature available so that he can provide my father with music and they can still have separate accounts... sort of.  My brother pays a small extra fee so that my father can piggy back on the account, and so that his music and recently plays aren't reflected on my brother's profile.

I use Spotify because it is easy.  My wife has playlists that I create for her and then download or show her how to select on her iPhone and I normally use the Windows 8 app on my PC.  I will stream during my nightly workout, but the application is pretty bareboned and not that great on my WP8 or Android device.  Spotify allows me to have music wherever I go and I'm not stuck with a Pandora style station, I can listen to whatever I want.  It's awesome.

I love Google, though.  When I heard that Google was going to be bringing out a competitor I was on board.  If I sign up early I even get it for 8 bucks instead of 10!  I'm in!  The last couple of days using it have been sad and miserable.  I've supported a lot of products that Google has shuddered.  I have been a big time supporter of Google for a long time.  Hell, I even had all 20,000 songs that they allowed already uploaded to my Google Music account.  This is a trainwreck out of the box, but I do see the potential for it to be very good.

The fact that there is not an app or program for this is incredibly annoying.  Having to dedicate my browser to listening to music sucks.  Not only is the Spotify app for Windows 8 less memory sapping, but it doesn't shit itself with as much regularity.  I am a savvy PC user and I run things pretty lean.  I ran into an issue where I'd listen to a couple of albums and then the entire site would stop responding.  I'd have to close out my entire browser and open it back up.  I ran into a couple situations where it actually crashed.  Yes, CHROME CRASHED.  This could always be Hangouts doing this, but I've not seen Hangouts cause any issues thus far when not using the Music site.  I desperately hope that they ditch this approach and allow us to run an app.

The mobile application is available only for Android.  My daily driver is a WP8 device, but I carry an Android for some extra flexibility.  The experience on an Android device is miserable.  Maybe on a Galaxy S4 or HTC One it is great, but for me it was brutal.  Things wouldn't load, wouldn't play, the app Force Closed itself.  What is more disappointing is that there are no plans to bring it to WP8 devices, I'm shit out of luck.  They may or may not put a version together for iOS, there hasn't been any official word, yet.  So far you have the Android app and the web browser.  The redesign of the app is nice, but the functionality is a nightmare.

All this being said, I know it will get better.  If it doesn't get better then they will axe it and cut their losses.  Goggle isn't dumb.  Every time I think that they are slipping and are off the rails, they get it together and put out something better than the last big thing.  I just really hope that they get it together soon.  If you want me to leave Spotify you have to put something better together.

Honest HTC 8X Review

I recently got ahold of the HTC 8X.  Someone didn't give it to me or ship it to me as a favor or shameless plug.  I actually USED the phone for day-to-day usage for the last couple of weeks.  It is great.  There are some issues, but I will cover those as well.

Oh Apps, where art thou?!
The first, and most alarming thing, you will experience when moving from iOS or Android to WP8 is apps.  Some apps are great, others not so much.  There are several THOUSAND apps available, you won't want most of them.  It is hard to transition because there are so few apps that were built for WP7, let alone the new WP8.  You have to rely on homebrew apps that require some sort of assistance accessing some kind of mobile backend to help you do anything.  I am amazed that they even get some of the stuff to work.

Coming from Android I had a few apps that I REALLY wanted to work, so far I have found manageable alternatives, but they aren't as good as the real thing.  Google Voice, Play Music and Picasa are all non-existent on WP8.  Not a single Google app for any of those exists.  3rd party homebrew apps do manage to give you most of the access you are used to, but in a kind of weird way.  Gooroovester manages to get my Play Music stuff mostly right.  There are several Picasa apps, but they are all limited in some way on the features available.  The Google Voice apps are a toss up.  Some work, some don't, some crash, some will try to forward all of your texts through Google Voice.  For the time being I am content, but not happy.

WP8 MUST get solid apps working from these people.  Get Google on board, get other developers on board and motivate them to make these apps.  We have the ability to compile two versions at once for desktop apps... why are we not doing this?  Get Facebook and Twitter involved, you have them both deeply integrated into the device with the Me and People tiles, get some apps on the phone and get it done RIGHT!

Speedfreak
This phone isn't just gorgeous, light and thin... it is FAST.  The WP7 phone were slouches, but this experience is raising the bar significantly.  Imagine the speed and power of a Galaxy S3 without the bloat of Touchwiz, a slightly faster NAND and an OS catered to getting shit done RIGHT NOW.  That is pretty much this phone.  My old Galaxy Nexus was awesome and it was pretty fast, but it doesn't hold a candle to the speed and responsiveness of this device.  WP8 was designed specifically for this hardware and, moreover, for this resolution.  It looks good, it feels good and it couldn't be faster.  Things open like they should, move like they are supposed to and you almost forget the old days of waiting while things did stuff.

With the long development time on this mobile OS Microsoft had time to tune it to the specs that it wanted.  Take a look at the other WP8 phones out and you will see that even the 99 dollar offering that is the baseline, barebones model is just as powerful... it just has a less spectacular resolution and display.  After spending time with this phone I almost giggle when I watch people open up apps now, not because I am trying to stop from crying because I probably can't use that app, but because they have to wait for it.  While I do wish I had more "things" on my phone, I also don't think I'd sacrifice the experience I have now for them.

iPhone Killer
This thing isn't going to take over the world.  The Nokia Lumia 920 is my first choice.  Even though I have the 8X, I'd rather have that phone.  Hands down.  Period.  I have the 8X because I am on Verizon and Nokia decided to do a six month exclusive deal with AT(and)T.  That means I won't own that phone.  Because that puts me 1/3rd of the way through my upgrade cycle before I can get my hands on one.  This phone is nice, but it isn't THAT nice.

The feel of it in your hand is unmistakable.  It feels great.  It is very light and very thin.  It rivals the new iPhone in almost every way.  This phone has a screen that is now considered small (4.3 in), but is still larger than the new iPhone.  The maps app is also way better.  Like... a lot.  At the end of the day even comparing the two devices is silly.  One is made to be an all-in-one media device, the other is designed to be a productivity monster.  The WP8 phones have plenty of bells and whistles, but they are all about easy integration first and foremost.

Hope for the future
Holding this phone I think about what Microsoft could do with the mobile industry and I am thrilled.  I think they have taken a huge step forward for themselves AND the rest of us.  Apple wants to keep it closed and keep everyone out.  Google is willing to let anyone play.  Microsoft is taking a combined approach and is asking everyone to come visit, but making sure you know that there are no VIPs.  Microsoft is still kind of in it's own ecosystem and if you don't wish to play along, they don't mind.  Could you imagine if Microsoft took a Google approach and simply stopped allowing device drivers for Android to install in Windows 8?  I'm sure there would be a boatload of upset people, but I bet that'd make Google change their tune about development.

Once Microsoft gets some better apps from better developers out and once they put more focus on the ability to compile code for both ARM and x86 at once, we are all going to be winners.  Whether you like Microsoft or not and whether you want to consider them a technological power doesn't matter.  What matters is that they are shaking up the industry more than it has been in the last almost decade.  With Blackberry poised to fall on it's face, Microsoft is there to pick up the pieces and be the best choice for business and productivity.  This should be pretty exciting!

At the end of the day...
At the end of the day we all know that only one thing matters.  That is how I felt about the device on several levels.  How do you rate a smartphone?  Well, I left some pros and cons in my usage below.

Pros
Ease of Use:  Having an old Hotmail or an Xbox live account makes things a lot easier, but even without one the process to get in and start playing is fairly simple.  Everything is very intuitive and I am pretty certain that the average user would be able to pick up the device and understand it very quickly

Size/Weight/Feel:  The phone feels amazing.  It is thin, light and gorgeous looking.  The size may be a little small for people coming from current generation Android powerhouse phones, but the phone is a dream to use and handle.

Fairly seamless experience:  Syncing is a breeze in Windows 8, but even on Mac it is very pleasing.  The latest software allows syncing music with iTunes, as well.  They did a great job on the new apps AND making the phone so easy to transfer files to and from.

Cons
Apps:  We need more apps.  Like, a lot more.

Battery life:  While battery life isn't as miserable as it is on some phones, a heavy user can easily drain this thing and have you wishing you had more plugs to charge this thing up.

STEAM! Y U NO SALE WHEN I HAZ MONIEZ?!

Today I got a gift.  A Steam gift.

I got a 60 dollar game as a gift.  It was amazing.  I may not get a chance to play it a lot, but I sure am happy to have it.  One of my longtime e-friends gave me an early Christmas gift while he was enjoying the Steam Autumn Sale.  I was unable to enjoy... because I has no monies!

I really enjoy the Steam sales.  I can get a lot for a little.  I will be ready next month for the winter sale that runs through Christmas.  I can't wait.  I hope to only score a couple of games or expansions, but it should be good stuff.

The hardest part is figuring out what to get my e-friend...

Why I (mostly) gave up on Android Pt. 4

And... number four...

Carriers
Why do the carriers matter?  BECAUSE THEY DO.  Take a look at how well AT&T did because they had the iPhone.  Disregard the fact that the GSM network is better for an actual mobile user.  Disregard the fact that people continue to flip their shit about CDMA restrictions.  Disregard the fact that T-Mobile still doesn't have an iPhone and still has unlimited data (and in some places a better HSPA+ network).  Carriers matter, trust me.

Verizon dropped the ball so fucking hard that Google didn't even make the new Nexus available on CDMA... at all.  (Sprint loses, too.  Poor Sprint.)  I am pretty sure that if they continue to be the fucking hateful bloodsuckers that they are that after the Moto contract expires that Google will pull that exclusive contract.  Imagine if Google could make a Motorola Nexus and offer it to carriers with their own stipulations.  WIN!  Imagine, now, if Google stopped Moto from making all of those sweet DROIDs for Verizon.  You'd have... a couple of Samsung lawsuit phones and some garbage LG phones.  AWESOME!  No that the RAZR M of the HD versions of the RAZR and MAXX are all that great.  Actually... the RAZR and MAXX themselves were kinda shitty.  Since the Droid X Moto has kind of been mediocre on VZW.

T-Mobile started the pure Nexus thing and I think it'd be same to hedge some bets on them.  What I'd love to see if Google go in and buy them... and then buy Sprint.  Have both GSM and CDMA and use that with your new Fiber powerhouse to go across the country and provide us with quality service for reasonable prices and making a fucking killing.  I'd buy into it.  I can't wait until the Google Fiber is available.  I might just set my fucking Comcast modem on fire.  Dicks.

If I ever go back to Android it will be for a Nexus.  I want the pure experience.  I want the bloatfree guarantee.  I want to know that people are going to develop for it.  I want to know, moreover, that the Carrier won't fuck it up again.  Fuck you Verizon, assholes.

Why I (mostly) gave up on Android Pt. 3

And a third part to the Android rant...

Apple
One of the biggest things stopping Android from really moving forward is Apple.  Apple doesn't seem to want to innovate in the mobile market.  What this results in is a whole fucking lot of arguing and some lawsuits where people argue over things that don't matter and award each other large sums of money that provide upper-management with better vacations.  I'm not mad at Apple for making money.  I'm mad at Apple for stifling innovation for half a decade.

Apple makes a shitload of money.  They dominate all of the more important parts of mobile technology.  Smartphones, tablets and "ultrabooks".  Want it to be easy, portable and easy to use?  Apple has you covered.  In the case of the ultrabooks.... I'm not sure I'd call it that easy to use and you may run into some trouble when everyone else and your IT department uses PCs.  The iPhone and iPad are far and away some of the best devices in their category in terms of polish.  Apple only releases one thing and they control it from start to finish.  If it is a flop, it is on them.  They are invested more in the product than Android is.  Even the Nexus 7 isn't the best device it can be.  Cutting costs and getting your name out there are great, but for technophiles like myself... it sucks.

If it isn't a lawsuit then it's an advertisement.  If it isn't an advertisement then it's a huge pile of money to get someone to adopt the phone.  Sending out iPhone to celebs = win.  Embedding iPods into the culture = win. Android is so far behind it isn't even funny.  They are making up ground, but how many shitty, el-cheapo devices are people going to get before they give up on?  That 50 dollar tablet from Walgreens isn't going to wow anyone.  Apple does a pretty good job at convincing people that they NEED to play 600 bucks for an iPad.  How?  I don't know. *full disclosure: I'm getting a Surface and have owned a Nexus 7*