iPhone4 not cool enough?

It was my birthday morning, I wake up to some noises. Actually it was the happy birthday song from a very familiar voice. I saw a gift-wrapped package on the couch. It was the new iPhone 4. My DH sang and recorded happy birthday for me and set it as a ringtone on the phone. Wow, it was super cool. The look and feel of it, the glass... just felt good holding it. I soon found myself using it in great many ways: text, email, chat, blogs, maps, music, movies, tickets, restaurants - the applications were great many. And best of all, I didn't read any manuals or research on google to use the phone.

DH did all the research for me before buying the phone. He usually gets the best phone that suits my needs. After all this I end up returning the phone and getting a new one - just so I make some noise to prove my existence. I came across a few android phones and got to play with them. For the short period of time that I used, it seemed great - integration with Gmail, Picasa, GTalk was so much better. Someone mentioned that I could easily unlock the phone and just replace the SIM card to use it in India. Getting iPhone to work in India isn't so straight-forward.

So this and some other insignificant reasons set out my mind to android phones. Plus it is google: open systems, freedom to write better apps etc. Meantime, my iPhone was working great. No antenna issues (personally, I think the antenna issue was just a hype... couldn't replicate it on my phone unless you do a little dance with it), good call quality and skype worked flawlessly over wi-fi. DH was convincing me to keep the phone. I would have chosen to keep it if it was my choice. But it was DH's... so had to find something wrong with it.

My trial period was ending and I was still debating whether or not to keep the phone. DH said he bought the phone not just because he liked it but because he thought I would like it. Ohhh... how sweet? ... But my mind doesn't work that way. So here goes my iPhone back into the package for return - for no real reason! After having it for 19 days, I felt so crippled the next day.

I went to the AT&T store to look at my next phone -the androids. And guess what: the androids didn't have the same charm as before. For some reason, when iPhone was in my hands the androids did seem better. Also, I learnt the same day that skype only works on verizon's androids. I understood two things about androids:

1. It is difficult to make apps that will work on all android phones due to the wide range of firmware available. So whether an app will work for you or not is a question.

2. Though android is an open system, the service providers are not so open - cutting down the abilities of your phone. AIM doesn't work on wi-fi, vonage allows only wi-fi and no 3G calls, skype works only on verizon.
Way too many restrictions placed by service providers. Seems like true open system is not yet achieved by google's phones.

So a day has passed since my iPhone had gone and I am left with nothing but these thoughts. I am sure DH is mad at me for returning the phone. It was a birthday present, how could I do it! On the outside I am still speaking great of the androids but inside I hate myself for returning the iPhone. So that night I ask DH to call AT&T and get back my iPhone. So DH calls next morning, I guess he must have told them one of the two things:

1. Oops! I returned my wife's phone accidentally. Can you send it back to me?
2. Oh, I am dumb. After this many years, I still haven't realized that when my wife says a no, she actually means a yes. I shouldn't have returned the phone, can you give it back please...

Well, whatever he said we don't know but basically they were unable to send back the phone. My next option was to get the android that I secretly wanted or to re-order the iPhone. iPhone asked for activation fee again, so I decided to go for the Samsung captivate. It was a cool phone - just saying this to cool myself off. Since I was already on AT&T, they couldn't port my number over again. So placed an order on wirefly, new number.

So on went a few phoneless days - it felt kind of connected and disconnected: connected to people near me, disconnected from rest of the world. I was preparing food in the kitchen one hot summer day when I heard some vague noises, thought it must be a kid’s toy so searched for it to switch off. The sound came from my bag - opened it to see my new phone. This time it was singing "I love you..." I was totally thrilled. DH mentioned that the happy birthday song wasn't lucky, that's why this time he tried a different song. I wondered how he couldn’t give up after all this. Ah! I know... not that he loves me so much but the love for cutting edge technology – he can research and try out new phones in my name. Whatever it is, I was surprised that he had the guts to spend on another phone for me.

First day with my phone - I was completely psyched, showed off to anyone and everyone I met that day. I liked the alerts for new messages on IM or mail with out interrupting the current application. I love how you can directly upload pictures from camera to Picasa albums. Oh and I love the Swype keyboard - so fast and easy to type. And I love the unique looks as opposed to the so common, everyone carries an iPhone look.

On the flip side, I couldn’t get Vonage, Nimbuzz, Sipdroid or other VoIP apps to work in it. Either AT&T blocks them or apps don't support the newer firm wares yet. There seems to be issues with the GPS, but forums say Samsung will come up with a fix for that. I greatly miss the glassy feel of the iPhone. AT&T has not yet confirmed my return. I secretly wish they don't approve and send back the phone.

Meantime, I am trying to enjoy my new phone – just because it is my choice!

Who is Superior?

Working for a public services client has given me some valuable experience in this sector. In this blog I share some useful tips for someone that is going into a public services project.

On my first day to work, I didn’t have a badge to enter the building. So the person at the security desk asked for my ID. As she copied my name letter by letter from my ID on to the visitor pass she made several mistakes. On my subsequent visits I noticed that she always misspelled my name. It is not even misspelled, it is no where close to what is on my ID. Maybe it’s because she is always multi-tasking on the phone.

I took a dingy elevator up to the 5th floor. There is a secure door here. If you don’t have a badge, you buzz in and the lady who is the manager (at least that’s what you think when you first see her) let’s you in. Now rule no1: it is very important that you thank her when you enter otherwise you may not be allowed through those magic doors ever again. A guy in my office walked in without thanking her and she complained aloud that he doesn't have any manners and that she would not open the door for this 'ugly face' again.

I went to my place and noticed the desk was too dusty to keep anything. I tried to sweep it off with a paper towel but the dust would just fly and sit in the same place back. So I went to get some water to wipe it off. The not-so-clean cooler had a sticky note with rule no.2 posted on it: “Do not touch your bottle to the spout in order to minimize the chances of spreading an infection!” Well I guess it should be read as “….in order to minimize the chances of getting an infection.”

As I got settled in my place, I heard some jingling bell sounds. I turned around and saw the queen of the palace walk in. She is the cleaning lady. Oh, now I have to tell you something important – if there is a trash can beside your table just move it near someone you want to take a revenge (for e.g. your boss). Chances are that she may empty the trash can over your head (alright, I am going over the board… that’s not actually true. She is very polite… she just empties it on your desk if someone threw a recyclable bottle by mistake into the trash). So that's rule no 3: no trash cans beside your seat else you get trashed for other's mistakes.

Now it is about a half a day since I came in and I want to go to the bathroom. The employees have their own keys to the bathroom and we consultants have to share a common key. So I took the key and exited out of the magic doors to the bathroom. The lock was struck and I struggled with it for sometime but was unable to open it. I have heard that the 9th floor has cutting edge technology bathrooms. They can be opened with a number lock system. And one of my friends had leaked out the password to me. So I buzzed in the magic door to leave the keys inside and then went upstairs to the 9th floor. The queen of the palace was standing outside with some cleaning stuff. As I saw her earlier that day I gave her a friendly smile and went towards the bathroom. She quickly blocked my way and said “you are from 5th floor; go to the 5th floor bathroom”. She immediately went inside and closed the door.

Having learnt rule no. 4 (Use only the bathrooms on your floor), I went down, buzzed in again through the magic doors and took the keys to try again. As I left, I heard the frustrations of the manager-amma that opened the magic door for me. She complained aloud to her friends “how many times this girl goes to the bathroom” and I heard a huge laughter as the door closed behind me.

It was about lunch time, my friends took me to the lunch room. It was actually the printer room with a small table but no chairs. My friends warmed up the food and started eating. One of them even said that it is good to stand and eat because food goes right into your stomach. I liked the idea and joined the gang. Manager-amma walked in to pick up her printer copies. She sniffed the air and left with a loud comment ‘These rise-eaters stink our place…’ Few minutes later, couple of her girl friends walked in with pretense of picking up their printer copies, sniffed the air and left the room whispering something and giggling to themselves.

The next day when we entered then lunch/ printer room, manager –amma was warming up her food. It smelt so offensive in there that we felt like throwing up. We didn’t bother to heat our food that day. Just ate cold food at our desks. Here I learnt rule no: 5 – bring stinking food so no one else can use the microwave after you.

One fine morning I received an email that my badge was ready. I was so happy. I immediately called and made an appointment. I went there promptly. I was asked to wait in the reception. A while later a lady came to me. “Hello ma’am. I am here to get my badge”, I said. She put on her glasses, took one close look at me and said “Who asked you to come?” I said “I called and you asked me to come in at 2:00”. “Well you should have called to check if I am free before you come. I am so busy all day, can’t be waiting for you. I can’t do it today. Call me tomorrow.” Well, I have learnt rule no. 6 – call before you go even if you have an appointment.

I will post more rules as I learn them the tough way, hopefully making it easier for those who are entering this world of superior attitudes.