Things Smackie Thinks You Need to Know...

[vansmack]

work
verizon
apple everything personal, thinkpad for work
i buy limited apps, but wouldn't really need to buy any for the galaxy--i still have an iphone 5 for personal use

Well, in that case, I don't see any reason to get two of the exact same phone.  I'd get the S3 for sure (assuming the S4 won't be offered to you in a few weeks).

[vansmack]

Smackie Approved.  Already an investor:

Fundawear.  WiFi controlled stimulating underwear.  Take that, Snapchat.

NOTE: I'm not going to safe NSFW, but definitely use caution, and if you work at a conservative place, use an abundance of caution.

[vansmack]

The Addition of Google Now to iOS makes the iPhone one of the best Android Phones you Can Buy

While it's hard to argue that legacy Android devices get left behind far too quickly, it's clear that any iOS is not even close a comparable Google experience to the Nexus line.  And with a new OS coming in two weeks time, this will be even more evident then.

But the really good part of the article is "What a Google Wants" which explains fairly clearly why Google treats iOS so much better than Apple treats everyone else and why I will not play in that ecosystem.

[atomicfront]

The Addition of Google Now to iOS makes the iPhone one of the best Android Phones you Can Buy

While it's hard to argue that legacy Android devices get left behind far too quickly, it's clear that any iOS is not even close a comparable Google experience to the Nexus line.  And with a new OS coming in two weeks time, this will be even more evident then.

But the really good part of the article is "What a Google Wants" which explains fairly clearly why Google treats iOS so much better than Apple treats everyone else and why I will not play in that ecosystem.

Well you could get an Iphone to run Google software and you would pay more money for an inferior product.   This article makes no sense.   People who are getting cheaper androids won't pay for an iphone anyway.   If you compare a Galaxy 4 to an Iphone 5 and you want to run google stuff you would get the Galaxy. 

[vansmack]

This article makes no sense.   People who are getting cheaper androids won't pay for an iphone anyway.  

The author could have made things a lot simpler had he said Apple has forced Google to provide it's services in the form of Apps by bundling competing services in iOS in the form of Apple products.  By doing so, Google has made apps that are not available in the entire Android ecosystem available to all of iOS.

By making Google Now part of Jelly Bean (Android 4.2), Google limits it's useful in the Android ecosystem.  I'd imagine a quick fix is on the way in the form of a new Android Google Search App.

I agree with you, however, that the inclusion of one app, Google Now, does not make the Android Experience better on an iDevice rather than an Android Device.  One app does not a product make.

[sweetcell]

Samsung is spanking Apple in earnings, sales
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/29/tech/mobile/samsung-spanking-apple/index.html

[vansmack]

Samsung is spanking Apple in earnings, sales

This isn't even shocking anymore.  We've seen this with EVERY Apple product since the Apple II.

Marketing makes them look like first to market (they rarely are).
Marketing gives them massive market share.
The competition quickly catches up, Apple fails to adjust.
They lose market share just as rapidly.

The iPad, from 70% in Q1 2011, to 63% Q1 in 2012 to 48% Q1 in 2013.  Anyone want to hazard a guess on Q1 2014?

The difference this year of course is that Steve Jobs isn't around for Apple's next great product and there's this big company out innovating them called Google.

[vansmack]

With friends like these...

PETITION: President Obama: Make the CHiPs Episode "Battle of the Bands" into a National Holiday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtbvAuA8szA

[vansmack]

And somehow I'm expected to sleep at night....

The Angels, simply put, aren't doing anything right.

They certainly aren't pitching. A rotation that has been without ace Jered Weaver since April 7 sports the fourth-highest ERA in the Majors, while a bullpen without four crucial members ranks 23rd in WHIP.

The Halos aren't playing much defense, sporting a fielding percentage that's tied for the fifth lowest in baseball and allowing the second-highest stolen-base success rate.

Offensively, they aren't doing much of anything. They've stolen more bases than only three other teams, while Albert Pujols and his plantar fasciitis -- owed another $114 million over four years after Hamilton's contract expires -- are batting .153 since April 21.

And the Angels' injury list is haunting, with 19 pitchers used since Opening Day and 12 of the players on their 40-man roster spending time on the disabled list.

It's numbers like those that make you wonder how they're even 11-20, which is tied with 1990 for the worst start in franchise history and is better than only two American League teams -- the Astros, who the Angels start a three-game road series against on Tuesday, and a Blue Jays team of similar expectations.

At the center, though, is Hamilton, whose early struggles seem like an extension of last year's second half -- he's batting .242/.302/.442 in 100 games since that point -- and feel eerily familiar to the ones Pujols went through in 2012.

[atomicfront]

And somehow I'm expected to sleep at night....

The Angels, simply put, aren't doing anything right.

They certainly aren't pitching. A rotation that has been without ace Jered Weaver since April 7 sports the fourth-highest ERA in the Majors, while a bullpen without four crucial members ranks 23rd in WHIP.

The Halos aren't playing much defense, sporting a fielding percentage that's tied for the fifth lowest in baseball and allowing the second-highest stolen-base success rate.

Offensively, they aren't doing much of anything. They've stolen more bases than only three other teams, while Albert Pujols and his plantar fasciitis -- owed another $114 million over four years after Hamilton's contract expires -- are batting .153 since April 21.

And the Angels' injury list is haunting, with 19 pitchers used since Opening Day and 12 of the players on their 40-man roster spending time on the disabled list.

It's numbers like those that make you wonder how they're even 11-20, which is tied with 1990 for the worst start in franchise history and is better than only two American League teams -- the Astros, who the Angels start a three-game road series against on Tuesday, and a Blue Jays team of similar expectations.

At the center, though, is Hamilton, whose early struggles seem like an extension of last year's second half -- he's batting .242/.302/.442 in 100 games since that point -- and feel eerily familiar to the ones Pujols went through in 2012.

Thank god their GM turned us down and instead chose to work his magic on the Angels.

[vansmack]

Thank god their GM turned us down and instead chose to work his magic on the Angels.

I think he wishes he had taken a job different than Anaheim, too.  This is an owner out of control - word on the street is that Moreno flew to Texas to meet with Hamilton unbeknownst to DiPoto and Scioscia and presented Hamilton with a take it or leave it offer.  He did the same with Pujols last season...

He inherited the Vernon Wells behemoth from Tony Reagins, though Scioscia never really liked Napoli either - so he may have helped.

I still think replacing E. Santana and Haren with Blanton, Vargas and Hanson was a good move, but it was only precipitated by signing Hamilton instead of Greinke, which I don't think you can hang on DiPoto.  Had he held on to Greinke and not resigned Haren, that allows the Angels to keep Santana and deal Morales for Vargas.  This is a completely different 2013 with Weaver, Greinke, Wilson, Santana and Vargas.

With the lack of free agent pitchers next season and the horrendous farm system left after all these marquis deals, rebuilding this staff is going to be brutal. 

And for the record, I'd still take the job.   

[shemptiness]

Filming those Old Spice / Head & Shoulders commercials was the kiss of death.

[i am gay and i like cats]

i hate my galaxy samsung phone.  maybe the four is better, but when you fuck up the past . . . its hard to believe in the future.  bugs are the death of any product to me.

[kosmo vinyl]

I ended up getting the HTC One, primarily because the Galaxy 4 felt like a cheap POS.  That and the much touted features of the Galaxy 4 ended up being hype.  Of course as is usually these days, there were a couple features in the Galaxy 4 that I would like to have i.e. easily removable battery and 4.2 OS.  oh well... tis the way of consumer electronics these day.

[StoneTheCrow]

i hate my galaxy samsung phone.  maybe the four is better, but when you fuck up the past . . . its hard to believe in the future.  bugs are the death of any product to me.

Can you elaborate?  I'm waiting on the 4 but would jump to an iPhone if this is a bad move.