Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Apple

Skype offers free WIFI access in 50 US Airports

Airport, Apple, IOS, Internet, MAC, Skype, Travelling, WIFI, WindowsEdward Kiledjian

Make travelling less stressful with free WIFI from Skype. Until December 27 2011, The fine folks at Skype are offering you an hour of FREE WIFI internet at more than 50 US Airports. All you need is a free Skype account and a Windows, Mac Skype application (or IOS Skype WIFI App).

You can read the Skype blog posts and get a list of participating sites here.

In years past, we have seen Google offer similar gifts (but alas, not this year).

 

Airports may be hazardous to your Kindle

Amazon, Apple, Europe, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Travelling, eReader, iPad, technologyEdward Kiledjian

Over the last couple of days, we have been hearing more and more complaints from Kindle owners about airport X-Ray machines killing their beloved eReaders.

The UK Telegraph reports some travellers claiming their device was bricked after going through the X-Ray. The devices were nonfunctional with blank screens.

Amazon is denying that there is a design issue but seems to be replacing affected devices. Some specialists believe it may not be the X-Rays themselves but more a static discharge from the machine’s thick rubber conveyor belt.  So far, we are only hearing complaints from Kindle owners. I wonder if owners of other devices like the Kobo, B&N Nook or Sony eReader are having the same experience.

Links:

UK Telegraph

Gizmodo

Smartphone activations don't matter (iphone or android)

Android, Apple, Cell Phones, Google, IOS, Microsoft, WP7, WebOS, iPhoneEdward Kiledjian

Whether you’re in the Apple or Android smartphone camp, at one time or another, your side used creative statistics interpretation to justify why you are the market favorite. The numbers used most often are total activations or total devices sold. But how important are these numbers?

Until a platform reaches critical mass, it is very important for the manufacturer to keep pushing the platform forward. With critical user mass come the apps which in turn will drive additional growth.  So a platform needs enough users to make the platform interesting to developers but after that point, who cares!

I want Google and Apple to spend less time trying to creatively interpret statistics and more time improving their user experience.

Weather Trends 360 predicts weather 1 year out

Apple, Environment, IOS, Management, Risk Management, Strategy, Travelling, iPad, iPhone, technology, websitesEdward Kiledjian

My local news station weatherman seems to have a 50/50 success rating predicting the 5 day forecast. Imagine my surprise when I learned about a company called Weather Trends International that claims to provide weather prediction for up to 365 days into the future.  At first I thought this was another fly by nights hocus pocus type website, then I checked out their client list. It includes names like Walmart, Loblaws, Target, Coca Cola, Heinz and many more.

The prediction

As expected, the mechanism used to predict the weather is a closely guarded secret. What we are told is that they use a constantly refined trade secret algorithm (using statistics and cyclic patterns) and the results are checked by a team of meteorologists. For what it’s worth, the company claims an accuracy rate of 80%.

Interestingly, they provide predictions for over “720,000 locations, all 195 countries, islands and territories”.

Many professional meteorology services have contested that this is a “forecasting service” and say there is no scientific evidence that proves WTI can predict weather that far ahead.

How to use the predictions

Weather Trends International is quick to point out that the best way to use their service isn’t to determine the absolute weather 6 months out but rather to determine the best time period for your planned activities. If you’re planning a trip to sunny Mexico sometime next July or August, then you can use the tool to determine which week seems to be the hottest and driest during your window of opportunity.

The mobile app

They now offer a 0.99 IOS app that is basically a mobile front end to their free website. Interestingly, they seem to listen to their users and in newer versions of the app have added requested features like UV Index, sunrise/sunset, etc.

 

Considering the purpose of the app, I would love to a historical summary of the weather (like what WolframAlpha currently provides). Coupling the historical with their prediction would make an excellent combo.

Some of the features like animated world maps are well done but the overall app interface seems a little clumsy and not well thought out (like a date slider which doesn’t work all that well on a small iphone screen).

 This is the main screen   

This is the 10 day weather forecast screen

My tests

I tested the app using 3 week long prediction periods at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days out. My unscientific testing showed that their overall period prediction seems to be close enough.

Right now they are predicting the first “light snow” for my area on November 20 2011 (Montreal , Quebec). I will see if they hit the mark with this or not.

Who should use this?

Although the 0.99 price is low which makes the purchase decision easy, I don’t know what the value of the app is when the website is free and provides the same information. To make the app truly worthwhile, they need to add some app-only features.

Setting this point aside, this is a cool tool for anyone planning a family vacation or event. Even small to medium business owners, that can’t afford the WTI commercial product but that could benefit from weather predictions, will likely find this useful in their strategic planning process.

 Positives

  • App interface is easier to use than a Safari site for this
  • Many of the graphical features are pretty
  • Simple easy to understand interface
  • Seems to be fairly accurate

Negatives

  • I would love to have the measurement scale change depending on location (Celsius for most locations outside the US automatically)
  • Rethink some of the interface design elements to make them more small screen friendly
  • Don't expect accurate daily forecasts

Review of the Zagg InvisibleShield for Iphone 4/4s

Apple, IOS, InvisibleShield, Zagg, iPhoneEdward Kiledjian

Years ago, I learned the importance of protecting my devices to keep them looking newer longer. Even after a couple of years of use, most of my electronics look fairly new. One of my secrets is the InvisibleShield product from Zagg.


What is the Zagg InvisibleShield?
It is a specially designed thin and transparent film that you install on your phone to protect it from scratches and minor bumps.  I bought the Maximum Coverage product which has all of the required pieces to protect the front, back and sides.

 

Installation
Installation is a bit tricky and for first time users will be fairly frustrating. Each kit includes a special mini spray bottle (with their special solution), a plastic squeegee and 2 sheets of the material pre-cut to the right shape.


The process is as follow:

  • You thoroughly clean your device and ensure it is absolutely dust free
  • You wet your finger tips then strip the first section from the backing
  • you wet the material (in hand)
  • you gently install and nudge the protector until it looks properly positioned
  • Using the squeegee, you push out any air bubbles to the sides.

You then wait until it dries a little and move on to the sides and back.
Most installers find it challenging to get the film places “just right” and once the product has dried for 24 hours, it has to be replaced if put on wrong. Their instructions are basic at best. Even after 3 installations, I still find it challenging to find the right side piece and install it in the right place. There is no coding to ensure you install the right [side piece] in the right place.

Finished product

Anything you install on top of your screen will slightly dull, haze or reduce the brightness (orange peel effect) of your screen. InvisibleShield is no different. Although some people find that it adds a yellowish tint, I have not had that issue myself.

The InvisibleShield has a textured surface “to aid with grip”. Some people have complained that it “doesn’t feel natural” however I have never been bothered by this.

Any device I have protected with InvisibleShield has remained scratch free which is really the ultimate test.

Usage with a case
Since the time  I bought my product (during the launch of the iPhone 4), they have added a new screen cover specifically made for use with cases. This is a good thing.

Using any of their other protectors with a case means the case will push up the side of the front protector and cause it to bubble and peel. Huge issue.  If you have a protector installed on the back, I have found it adds too much thickness to make cases usable. I have tested this with the Mophie Juicepack, Ottherbox Defender, Lifeproof  and a couple of other models.

The moral of this story is buy the specific case version if you plan on using it with a case or you will have issues.

Why I am no longer a customer

 One of the biggest selling points for me was the warranty. Any company willing to provide a lifetime warranty on its products really believes in them. To be fair, I have had to replace my Shield a couple of times. First time because I started using the Mophie Juicepack air case (there were no counter indications) and found my front shield starting to peel.

Most of the time, the shipping and handling to Canada was a reasonable $US5-6. I had my iphone replaced by Apple and wanted to replace my InvisibleShield.  I was shocked when the S&H [for my free replacement] was $US15. Now the last replacement came in a small bubble envelope that costs about $4 to ship to Canada via USPS and rates have not gone up that much to justify such a jump. Keep in mind a brand new replacement can be bought in most retail stores for about $25.


I tweeted and emailed their support asking for a revision to this charge but was told at every turn that the price on the site (for S&H) is the USPS price and there is nothing they can do. When I check shipping on the USPS site with the dimensions and weight of their retail package product, shipping is still under $5. So you have to ask yourself what’s going on.

No more Zagg products for me
I have 2 pairs of Zagg earphones; I have bought about a dozen Invisible shield products, for various devices, over the years. Dozens of my friends and colleagues have purchased Zagg InvisibleShield products because of my recommendations.

Having not had any issues, I would likely have been a customer for many more years but…. This latest challenge with their excessive (my opinion) S&H rate, to replace an in warranty product, was the last straw. It makes me think the S&H cost is being kept unreasonably high  to dissuade people from ordering free replacements (again my opinion). Attempts to solve this issue more fairly, using their support, also failed.

For a couple of dollars, Zagg has lost not only a loyal customer but also an advocate. Knowing that every installation will eventually require replacing, I cannot recommend their product due to the high replacement cost [of their free lifetime warranty].