Tretakoff Musings

So, it's now been years since smartphones have become ubiquitous in the US. We've also seen the growth of Waze as a nav app, specifically because of it's combination of crowdsourced traffic, speedtraps, and road conditions; so much so, Google and Facebook fought each other for the right to buy them (Google won). So, we have a perfect blend of market, community, and technology to be able to report and share vital driving info. Right? Um, TrapTap doesn't think so. Nope, these folks are introducing a small physical device that uses visual and audio indicators to tell you that there's something  to watch out for. Could be a speed trap, could be a school zone. Oh, but you see that cop you just passed at 20 miles faster than you should be? Well, just before he pulls you over, just tap twice on this gadget and everyone else will get hooked up with the info on their  TrapTap. So why my gripe? Well, first you're creating a boil the ocean problem: in order for...

In my ongoing newfound desire to share my unrequested opinions on various crowdfunding projects, I bring to you today another entry in the supposed "smart" products. Now, unlike my last screed, this device actually fits the more accepted definition of "smart;" it has sensors, adds functionality to address a problem, and enhances the use of existing solutions. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Bluejay, the worlds' "first" smart mount. Now, upon first glance, this gadget seems to be a winner. Beautifully engineered out of aluminum and carbon fiber, clearly designed with an attention to upgrade the ungainly other solutions, and a plethora of functionality, the Bluejay offers to make the mount for your smartphone in your car far more advanced. There's a clear focus on balancing impressive design with technological wizardry, no wonder it made it's funding goals. What does it do? Well, in addition to offering mounting options on the windshield, da...

I recently have been amazed at the plethora of products being offered on Kickstarter and similar crowdfunding websites. I have had both good experiences on crowdfunding sites (my Pebble is still going strong, and getting smarter), and poor experiences (the Coin card...2 years, no shipment, and reduced functionality), but I thought I'd revive my blog to start showcasing some of the good, bad, and plain stupid ones I come across for your entertainment. First up today: a good one (I think). The FlipFlic offers a small device that clips on to your existing window blinds. It's solar powered, and a has a plethora of light and temperature settings. When the room's getting too cold, it allows the light to come in, rotating your blinds open. Too warm, and it closes them. Not only is this a good energy saver, but it's a clever use of "smart technology" to accomplish a task without having to invest in a whole platform of smart devices. And yes, it claims to be app b...

Like many people, I was very excited by the prospect of Coin , a credit card replacement that offered the ability to combine multiple cards into a single one, selectable with an encoded switch, working with any credit card reader today. Like others, I got in on the ability last year to preorder it at a 50% discount for $49, with a proposed shipping date of the "summer." All was good. Throughout the wait, Coin has been very cool, providing "VIP only" password protected updates, truly making you feel like a special customer. The updates, though a little light on details, were honest, insightful, and good. Then, as summer began and there was no word on dates, it started to feel a little uncertain, but hey, we'll see, right? A little over a week ago, a news update! Great news: iOS users would get access to the app by the end of August; Android, by end of September. As an Android user, this is pretty depressing, as this was the first hint that there was some so...

I recently picked up a Samsung Chromebook from Best Buy . A couple of interesting seeming contradictions from that statement: - Why Best Buy? I had not visited BB in a while, and was contemplating buying a new desktop or laptop. Instead of my constant loyalty to Amazon, I wanted to get a sense of size and weight of the computers, with the complete intent of making my actual purchase on Amazon. In other words, I was showrooming . In my examinations, I had not even considered the Chromebook, as previous cursory evaluations had left me underwhelmed. But this Samsung model was intriguing: incredibly light and thin, good price point, and intriguing. What really surprised me was the under-informed salesperson (more on that later) mentioning that Best Buy now offered a 15 day return policy with no restocking fee, encouraging me to try it out. This convinced me, and I pulled the trigger. - Why the Chromebook? The size, the full keyboard, and the long battery life addressed all I wanted f...

Thanks to the folks here who voted , I opted to expedite my Pebble experience, eschewing the Grey color I originally chose, and going for the Black. A couple of weeks later, and my wrist was wrapped with a Pebble. Voila! Thank you all for your encouragement; the results were overwhelming in favor of the going for it now. Good job, Internet! So, now that I finally have the smartwatch I have been waiting for, for a year, what do I think? I haven't worn a watch for nearly 15 years. I stopped wearing one because I have an innate sense of time (or have carried an electronic device at least that long that has a clock in it), and wearing a watch made me tense. So, I was a bit concerned that the old familiar tension would come back, but I'm happy to report it's not the case. Part of it seems to be that, since it is truly redundant as a timepiece for me, and 15 years of conditioning to look elsewhere for the time, I simply don't consider it as a tireless taskmaster (...

After successfully backing one of my dream projects, the Pebble Watch , I am still waiting months later. Why? Because they produced Black first, and I ordered Grey. Today, Pebble sent an update that says the Grey (as well as other colors), are further delayed and are "problematic." No ETA on when they will ship. Towards that end, they are offering folks like me the ability to swap out my color choice for a black version, and ship ASAP. So, help me decide: do I go for the Black Pebble in my hand, or wait for the Grey Pebble in the bush? I will abide by the wisdom of the crowd: voting will end by 4/12. Whatever you folks decide, that's what I will agree to. So, put your color on my wrist! Loading...

The iPhone 5 is coming to life, as I write this. I thought I'd share some impressions so far. The design: wow, is this thing light. Like half the weight of my iPhone 4. A perfect blend of light without giving a hint of cheapness: it feels milled, not produced. I opted for the black, as I always have, and I am amazed to be captivated by it. It's like looking at a grand piano on the stage of a concert hall: inky, deep, exuding class without anything other than the blend of the black, both shiny and oh so understated matte. With the Nokia 920 I was trying out, it was all about the screen, and the playful curve and color: this is all about...Apple. The helpful AT&T staff activated the phone in the store. Not necessary, but nice. However, other than knowing that it's, yes, an iPhone 5, and yes, talks to AT&T's network, it was essentially a blank slate. So, when I got home, I promptly stuck my old iPhone 4 into the cradle, synced it...and things got a little we...

In case the title didn't give it away, the noble experiment to switch from iOS to Windows Phone 8 has concluded, albeit early. It was not an easy test, nor did it amount to be as long as I had hoped (which should say something right there), but concluded it has, for the foreseeable future. A refresher: I was attempting to try out the Nokia Lumia 920, the top of the line phone running Windows Phone 8, switching from my trusty iPhone. I intended to give it two full weeks, but, as you may have read , the Nokia failed to cooperate, and ended up as a lovely sleek brick. So, back to AT&T it went for a replacement, with the experiment to continue upon the new one's arrival. That was 10 days ago. And here is where the story becomes less about the hardware or software, and more about the pain of being an early adopter. You see, the Lumia 920 is a genuine hit: it is sold out at most AT&T stores. It's price point ($99, already cheap, but lowered to $49 this last weekend...

Today was gonna be two major tests for the Nokia 920: sync, hell or high water, and a real world test: driving. First, time to figure out the sync issue. Still stumped, I tried another sync, and experienced the same freeze/crash as before. But, a new wrinkle: the phone itself did not seem to be recognized by the computer. Like the iPhone, it mounts the Nokia as a "drive," which means you can somewhat poke around in it's innards. However, attempts to do so here were failures: it either disappeared from Explorer, or was so sluggish it could not be used. No time to puzzle that out; it's time for the field test. Using the built in Podcast part of Music & Video, I loaded up a few podcasts. Again, frustrated that I can't find how to do playlists for podcasts, but at least I have them. Time to hit the road. Volume is excellent, and the dedicated volume rocker helps, as does the helpful on screen controls for pause, fast forward and rewind. Much more spaced ou...

Awoke with a fully charged Nokia. Today's the day to put it through it's paces! First up, WiFi. Connected it to the 5GHz WiFi connection, quick and easy. No issues, whereas my iPhone 4 only talks to the crowded 2.4GHz band. To be fair, the iPhone 5 handles the 5GHz without issue, as well. The folks at Microsoft touted the "live wallpaper" of Windows Phone 8 as a key differentiator. For example, being able to see a dynamic background of your Facebook photos. One area I was particularly intrigued by was the ability to set live sports scores and updated photos as the lock screen background; handy! Except...how does that work? The ESPN app came preloaded, and claims to be able to do live tile updates, but nothing shows there. And there doesn't seem to be a "Sports App" as they refer to. Sure, I can tell it to look at Facebook photos or CNN, but where's the scores? The first of my real annoyances also emerges: there is no way MSFT intended th...

Or: How an Apple mobile fanboy decides to see how the other side can live.  I've noted in previous posts about the current frustrations I have with the iPhone , and the allure of the Windows Phone UI. So, it's time to put my money where my mouth is: I am taking the plunge, and trying to live in a Windows Phone 8 world for 2 weeks. I'll be documenting my impressions here, so apologies for those who are bored by such topics. First, the phone. AT&T introduced the first US phone running Windows Phone 8, the Lumia 920. Let's start with the expected questions on those choices. Why AT&T? Well, I've been using it for years with the iPhone, and actually have had no particularly bad experiences, and many good. Yes, AT&T drops calls occasionally, but the least used function of my mobile device is calls, and it's not been so atrocious as others have expected (I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area). Also, AT&T is the only major carrier that supports ...

As you may have heard, the iPhone 5 event was announced today . Well, being Apple, they can't actually announce it; instead, they used a clever graphic shadow to indicate something with the number 5 is coming on September 12th's long rumored event. As much as I am feeling iOS is getting long in the tooth, I have to say that it's still the best option out there. Yes, Android is more open, but it's UI is still very messy and feels like a command line mask, instead of a fluid OS (yes, I know Butter is coming, but alas, not to most Android models yet). And I love the grown-up feel of Windows Phone's Metro interface, but the app support is really lacking, as is the basic functionality. So, I find my upgrade cycle pinned on Cupertino once again, and the newest iToy, with the new iOS 6 to make it hum. While the rumors are flying fast and furious, one delightful graphic invites us to play iPhone 5 Bingo on the day of release: Some of these are clever snarks, other...

As a cyclist in the city and suburbs, I took particular note of this story in today's SFGate of a cyclist who recorded being hit by a car, who seemingly veered into the two bikes, and then proceeded on, as if nothing had happened. Take a look below; the actual crash happens around 2:35: Now this is horrific, to say the least. But it brings up a series of observations and questions for me: As the comments in YouTube all point out, earlier in the video you can see the cyclists casually blowing through stop signs, without stopping. Am I guilty of this? Yes, at rare times, when there is no one around, and not in a busy area; still doesn't make it right. Do they deserve to be karmically punished for this by the actions of the car later? Of course not. But cyclists have to remember that we are vehicles, and, as this video shows, defenseless ones. We need to obey the rules of the road, period. What an amazing use of digital video! I never thought of this; brilliant. Now, if I...

The Minnesota Star Tribune has a clever article on " Time To Ditch These 10 Tech Devices ." On the surface, it seems another one of those "Oh, let's marvel at the way we used to do things" article that media loves to use as a nostalgia point. Point of fact, I usually am the first person to argue that dedicated purpose devices are obsolete when you buy them: I have always consolidated around my handheld device as much as possible. However, this article irked me, as many of the conclusions it drew were wrong, and may of the reasons it cited were flat out bizarre. Allow me to walk through it with you. The Flip Cam.  Agreed, this device is indeed obsolete, as smartphones have subsumed this. However, the simplicity and ease of use is ideal for kids, and given that you no longer need to be concerned with preserving the delicacy of the electronics, it's perfect for budding filmmakers. Extreme sports participants, with their obsession of filming their tri...