Monday, September 30, 2013

Apple and Microsoft: The retail experience

Microsoft store at the Pentagon City Mall
Two computer stores in the same mall. One had five or six customers, the other was jammed with people. You can probably guess which was rocking and which was chilling.

It was a little before 5 p.m. last Friday when I found myself at the Pentagon City Mall near Washington, D.C. With some time to kill, I was delighted to discover that the mall was home to both an Apple store and the more rare Microsoft store.

I hit the Microsoft store first. It looked familiar. There were big square tables with displays of phones, computers and accessories. Peppy young people in bright t-shirts were answering service questions and putting merchandise in trendy-looking blue logo bags.

Where had I seen all that before?

Maybe it was one floor up at the Apple store. It also had tables displaying phones and computers and it's own cadre of earnest people answering questions, demonstrating products and putting items in white logo bags. Except there were lots more sales people and customers in  the Apple store.


Apple store in the Pentagon City Mall
The Pentagon City Apple store was just like others I've visited in Louisville, Paris, Chicago and London. When have you been in an Apple store that wasn't jammed?

Of course, Apple was just coming off its big fall iPhone announcement. And I wasn't surprised that I to wait my turn to fondle the "unapologetic plastic" case on an iPhone 5C and see if the gold iPhone 5S felt any different than the plain black 5 in my pocket (it didn't).
   
But Microsoft also has new products to promote, especially the Surface 2 tablet that runs a mobile version of Windows 8. A couple of people were test driving the tablets, but no ones were jostling to get their hands on one. And a nearby table holding different models of Microsoft's phones was completely deserted. Most of the action in the store was in a back corner where a young couple was an Xbox soccer game on a big screen monitor.

That's too bad. I thought the tablet and the phone looks and function very nicely. And the price tags were much more attractive than the ones on the tablets and phones one floor up. But not attractive enough to get me to buy one.

In the end, I left the mall with one new piece of equipment, a charging cable from the Apple store. The best part of that transaction was getting my receipt by email and an agreement from the sales woman that, yes, $19 is an outrageous price to pay for a [pair of plugs and a meter of cable. 




Monday, September 23, 2013

Streamer face-off: Roku, Apple TV and Chromecast

Google's Chromecast costs $35
When I first went looking for a device to stream movies and music from the Internet, there were two major options to choose from: a Ruku LT box for $50 or Apple TV for $100.

Now Google has entered the mix with Chromecast, a gadget the size of a thumb drive that plugs into a TV's HDMI port. It checks in at an eye-catching $35.

I've spent some time with all three streamers and I can tell you they are not all equal. There are pretty good reasons why their price tags vary as much as they do.

Roku's entry-level LT modet costs $50
First, let's look at the technical specs. All three support high-definition images, but the Ruku delivers 720p while the Apple and Chromecast do HD at 1080p. All three work with Wi-Fi, but Apple TV also has a jack for an Ethernet cable. You get a remote control wit the Roku and Apple TV, but not with Chromecast.

Now, what about programming? All three come with access to Netflix, so that's a wash. Here are the other major streaming services for each device:


  • Roku: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Pandora, Spotify, Vudu, NHL and Major League Baseball.
  • Apple TV: Hulu Plus, HBO Go, YouTube, Watch ESPN, Vimeo, NHL, NBA, Major League Baseball and anything from iTunes.
  • Chromecast: YouTube and anything from Google Play.


Yes, that Chromecast list is rather short. But it will also stream anything you call up in the Chrome browser on your PC or Mac computer. It doesn't work with the mobile version of Chrome. Not even the one for Android devices. Not even the one on Google-brand tablets.

Apple TV costs $100
So, here'e my take:

If you're mostly interested in streaming Netflix and YouTube, the Chromecast is a great deal at a great price. And I expect it to add more services in the future.

If you're an iPhone and iPad user, the Apple TV makes a lot of sense. In addition to the branded services, it will also work with varios apps and it will stream movies and music stored on your computer.

The Ruku, with a good lineup of services and an affordable price tag, falls somewhere in-between.



  

Sunday, September 22, 2013

iProp is a pillow and a tablet stand

When my wife travels, she takes along one of those horseshoe pillows that wrap around your neck. Good for a nap on the plane, but a bit of hassle to carry around.

I found a product that can be both a pillow and a stand for my iPad or Kindle reader. The iProp looks like a squishy oversized softball. It has a flat plastic panel with a notch for your tablet. The beanbag pillow inside lets the iProp work as a stand on almost any surface. It will adjust to fit an airplane tray table, the center console in a car - or even your lap.

The nylon pouch has a zipper opening, which is great for stashing earphones, a screen-cleaning cloth or other small items.  And, when I'm finished watching a movie on my tablet, the iProp becomes my pillow for an in-flight nap.

You can find the iProp in black or gray for about $25 at amazon.com.





Friday, September 20, 2013

This robot does windows

One of the more intriguing new products that I saw at the Consumer Electronics Show last January was the Winbot 7, a robotic window washer made by Ecovacs.

The device clings to a glass surface using vacuum suction to defy gravity. It crawls around the window surface scrubbing away with soft cloth pad that you spray with a cleaning solution. When it has the entire window covered, it beeps out a little tune when has everything covered.

The Winbot looked pretty impressive in the demonstrations I saw at CES. Earlier this month, I had a chance to try it on my own windows and the results were quite satisfactory.

The Winbot works best on large open windows. It cleaned the standard-sized double-hung windows in my home, but getting the Winbot in position to do its work was almost as much of a chore as cleaning the glass myself.
 
The Winbot's $400 price is a little on the high side, but I'm sure some people would pay just about any price to avoid window-cleaning duty.

You can find the Winbot online at RobotShop.com

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

What to do with that old mobile phone?

Thinking about getting a fancy new cell phone? Check your service contract. If it's more than two years old, you may be entitled to a new phone for a small fee or even for free, depending on the brand and model you choose. 

And your current phone could be worth a few hundred dollars that would help cut the cost of a new one. Even an old phone stashed in a drawer could have some value. 

Mobile phone manufacturers, service providers and vendors all have programs that let you swap your present phone for a better one. And even if your contract hasn't expired, you might still be able to trade up.

Apple recently launched a trade-in program at its Apple stores. Bring any older iPhone to the store and an employee will determine the trade-in value of the phone and offer you a deal on a new one. Other services will evaluate your phone and offer you a price on their websites.

For links and more ideas, check my latest column at MyWell-Being.com.

 

Monday, September 16, 2013

Findercodes helps find lost pets

When a pet wanders away from home, you want it to be found and returned as quickly as possible. This lost and found kit from FinderCodes can help.

Findercodes uses tags that display QR codes. Those are the blocks of squiggles that you can scan with a cell phone camera. The kit comes with three plastic tags that can be customized just for you. Set up an account on the FinderCodes website, enter the code number from each tag and your contact information.

When someone finds your lost pooch, they scan the tag and you get a text message and an email. You get a map showing the spot where the tag was scanned. When the finder calls, you can make return arrangements.

You can include optional information about your pet, including a vet's name and phone number or any special food or medicine needs. And you can offer a reward, if you wish, using PayPal.

The FinderCodes come three to a pack. In addition to tagging pets, you can also use them on luggage or put one on your key ring - anything that  might get misplaced.

You can find a FinderCodes kit at Target stores for about $25.



Sunday, September 1, 2013

Moto Maxx is an eye-catcher

It's not that I've fallen out of love with my iPhone 5, but you could definitely say the thrill has worn off. I keep getting distracted by new Android phones that are lighter and thinner with larger and brighter screens.

The latest object of my flirtations is the new Droid Maxx from Motorola and Verizon Wireless. http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/smartphone/droid-maxx   I've been around the dance floor a few times in the past with Moto phones. The original Razr phone was a hottie and the first Droid was a solid and reliable companion.

The Maxx has two features that immediately catch your attention: a long-running battery and bright, gorgeous screen. 

Motorola says the battery will last for 48 hours of mixed uses, meaning phone calls, videos, games and other data-crunching activities. In drain tests performed by testing labs, the Maxx scored better than it's primary competitors, including the HTC One and Samsung's Galaxy S4. That should make it appealing to road warriors - or mobile Netflix addicts.

The beefy battery makes the Maxx only slightly thicker and at 5.9 ounces, a little heavier than those other Android phones. With a black surface of Kevlar fiber, the phone has a solid and serious feel to it, without feeling heavy or bulky.

And, about that screen. It's 5-inch high-definition OLED display that delivers rich colors with deep blacks. The 720p resolution is just fine for either videos or text.

The Maxx also scores points for having a camera that is incredibly simple to use and for including a feacure called Active Display that causes the screen to flash softly when e-mail, text messages or calls arrive. You can touch and hold an icon in the center of the screen to get more information without having the phone completely wake up.

One thing that may make you think twice about going steady with the Maxx -- it's not a cheap date. While other high-end Android phones like the HTC One, the Moto X, or the Galaxy S4 can be yours for $199 with a two-year contract, the Maxx costs $100 more.



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