You can also go here: http://www.scribblelive.com/Event/TEDxBoston

It took awhile (past couple of days since I haven’t been writing) for me to think of what the iPhone 4 really has, what it can offer me and whether or not it is worth one.

A big thanks to Engadget, CrunchGear (MobileCrunch) and GDGT. A big sorry to Gizmodo… hang in there guys!

App store… HTML5… blah blah blah… Netflix streaming on iPhone/iPad free? Now that is some news!

I could go on listing everything the new iPhone 4 has, but why bother when you can check out the lists at Gdgt, Engadget, CrunchGear, Gizmodo, c|net and other sources. Here is what I think…

1. Apple has some of the best engineers to make the new iPhone thinner, smaller and faster.  The new antenna system is very innovative and should be better than what is currently available.
2. Apple has also made everything that can be done on previous phones (not necessarily from this country) easy: FaceTime (video chatting has been around on phones in Japan before here… the EVO has it and was released before iPhone 4… albeit 3 days earlier), multitasking, picture taking, video editing (for an extra $5)
3. Not thrilled about Apple sticking with AT&T.  Here are some more bullet points!
   1. AT&T is allowing people who have contracts that expire within the next 6 months to get the special pricing.  Why? To lock them in because something better is going to come out.  It is the same for those who don’t have the special pricing.  It is still lower than the price without a contract ($399/499 upgrade; $599/699 no contract).
   2. New AT&T customers are subjected to at $25/mo data fee that only allows up to 2GB of data a month.  For an extra $10, you get an extra 1GB… which is nothing!  OH! And add another $20/mo for tethering (which means you can hook your phone up to your laptop and use it as a modem).
4. I want one…
   1. My iPod touch is busted which means a 32GB iPhone 4 is the same price as a 32GB iPod Touch.
   2. I currently pay $60/mo for a broadband data plan.  Price of iPhone with tethering? $85 ($95 if I use up to 3GB).  That is only $25-35 more a month for a fully functional phone/surfing device and I can tether.
   3. HD videos.  I record a lot of videos.  It would be nice to film with just my phone at games, concerts, etc.  Nice and handy esp. with iMovie for the phone.
   4. I will cancel my AT&T contract next June once Verizon gets their 4G phones in line.  I will suck up the $205 termination fee ($325 – $10/mo for each month while on contract)
5. Speaking of 4G, the next iPhone next year will be the iPhone 4G… for Verizon…

Videos and slides are at the end of the post. A big thanks to page.ly and Tom from trbdesigns.com for sponsoring this month’s meeting. Another thanks to Amanda Blum for the swag.

Hi Everyone,

We know this is last minute, but we have secured 2 rooms for future WordPress Meetups. Based on the results of the polls, the majority would like to see 2 tracks (Toolbox [non-coding] and Dev/Design [coding]) with 1 topic for each track. And with Microsoft’s help, they have agreed to support our expansion.

As a result, we are bringing you 2 topics for this month (one for each track).

Toolbox: “Growing up from WordPress.com to WordPress.org” by myself (Kurt). Here, we will go though a brand new installation on a new host (we’ll cover 2 hosts), setting up, getting plugins in order and finding a starter base theme.

Dev/Design: “Cool Stuff Developers Can Do With WordPress” by Brian Krausz. Here, Brian will go through WordPress hooks as well as some of the architecture behind WordPress plugins. Some knowledge of PHP is recommended.

Agenda:
7-7:30pm Networking, Pizza
7:30-7:45pm Opening remarks, updates, any other business
7:50-8:50pm Sessions (rooms TBD)
8:50-9pm Wrap-up

Page.ly has been generous and will be sponsoring this month’s event. More details will be given out that night.

Don’t forget our new website, Twitter account and Facebook page.

Intro/Opening Remarks

Slides to come

Toolbox

Dev/Design

Day 1

The Future of the World Weird Web: Ethan Zuckerman and Danah Boyd

• #roflcon is underway 1:24 PM Apr 30th
• Bric brazil Russia India china to take lead of memes
• Makmende = make my day #roflcon OH! Hitler knows him too!
• Great keynote at #roflcon by @zephoria & @EthanZ

The Longview Panel:  Robert Cockerham, Joel Veitch, Neil Cicierega, Ethan Zuckerman, Danah Boyd

• How much gold is in goldschlager? #roflcon #cockeyed
• Watch Hyakugojyuuichi
• YouTube is the worst place for commenting
• These seats are really uncomfortable at #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XsQ7t

The Secret Masters of Digg:  Muhammad Saleem, Andrew Sorcini, JD Rucker, Amy Vernon

• Sitting in 54-100 for the Digg panel with @msaleem @mrbabyman et al #roflcon
• Almost every meme goes through digg which is then pounded into submission
• How are memes formed and how are they getting to a massive audience? #digg #4chan #reddit #dark social media
• “I saw this panel on #reddit yesterday” @msaleem #digg #roflcon
• Can’t talk about the future of #digg or they would ban our accounts!
• The new #digg will be more open for site owners to put more stories out. Expansion bur no monetization

The Good, The Bad, and The Awkward:  Mike Bender, Jonathan Standefer, Helen Killer, Douglas Chemack, Brad O’Farrell, Johannes Grenzfurtner

• the good, the bad and the awkward of making fun of people on the internet being anonymous
• many emails about sites being “not nice” but most of the time, the owners don’t care (regretsy)
• PSA: if you don’t want to be criticized on the internet, don’t put stuff online
• “So, the @Etsy people are human beings?”, @Regretsy: “Which is more than you can say for some of the sellers” LEGEND
• Panelists more afraid of their own IRL harm than rather than other people’s safety
• WOW how can you not know what IRL means? DUH! Ireland only the best place on earth!

• At least people recycle! #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XycsA

And the Internet Swooped In: Mahir Cagri, David Devore, David A Devore, Charlie Schmidt, Christian Sandvig

• Getting ready for “And the Internet Swooped In” panel with “David after the dentist”
• David after the Dentist has made roughly $120k from YouTube sponsorship
• Mahir (I kiss you) is about peace, love and not war (go kiss!)
• Charlie (original keyboard cat) used what he had to make the best out of a situation (a camera, a cat, a keyboard and a onesie)
• new Bento keyboard cat video to be released right now youtube.com/chuckieart
• Did Borat steal Mahir’s character? His words? His website?
• RT @stevegarfield: Breaking: Mahir Cagri (The I Kiss You Guy) Comes to America to Sue Borat http://bit.ly/aaolUH
• David’s dad feels defensive about slander of putting David in danger (in a car that was moving… which is false)
• Apparently bringing your child to the dentist and putting him in a seatbelt is child abuse
• Mahir: the internet is an interesting world, you don’t need a visa, you don’t need a passport
• RT @ekai: These 4 guys represent millions of wasted hours on the Internet #roflcon http://bit.ly/bFpt3P
• David: my friends used to talk about the videos but they don’t anymore (he’s so cute)
• Is Chad Vader funnier than David at the Dentist? David: NO IT ISN’T!
• Charlie has started keyboardcatchurch.com to help people!
• “Go buy a bag of Iams and see how fast three cats burn through it” — Charlie of Keyboard Cat: http://bit.ly/tdzvZ
• Mahir doesnt have anything to say to Sasha Baron Cohen about Borat cause he doesnt want to attack. Really upset about copyright & bad image

Day 2

WAFLcon

• I was promised waffles and they delivered! #waflcon #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XCkHT
• Got waffles? #waflcon #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XFC3Y
• Need some coffee? #roflcon #waflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XCtxB
• #waflcon mascot #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XCwHg

Clippy: It Looks Like You Are Giving A Keynote:  Kevan Atteberry

• “It looks like you are giving a keynote” – Clippy #roflcon
• Clippy – For you Mac people…. well… you’ll get it… #roflcon
• “Word no more than 2 syllables please! – creator of Clippy #roflcon
• you need 8MB of RAM to run Microsoft Bob…
• “Can you make the book female?’ Microsoft to Kevan (creator of Clippy) #roflcon
• Kevan “I designed Clippy on my Mac” #roflcon

Running The Tubes: Pete Hottelet, Larry Oji, David Lloyd, Aaron Peckham, Jef Sewell, Xiaochang Li

• Running the Tubes is up next in 26-100… Looking forward to Urban dictionary and Despair.com #roflcon
• “What is more sexier than the infrastructure of the internet?” Running the Tubes #roflcon
• Ghostbusters 3 comes out next year! you heard it first! #roflcon
• If you like Despair, check out Amplifier #roflcon
• Pete: Real like is like Grand Theft Auto… instead of killing people you can steal a cadalliac and jump it onto railroad tracks #roflcon
• People who come to Urban Dictionary don’t read (TL;DR) #roflcon
• Pete: “You spend roughly 18 years being told how to think, and then you have 4 years to think on your own…” #roflcon
• Jef: “The Art of Demotivation: Employees are the biggest liability to companies” #roflcon
• There is a Tombstone pizza vending machine that is made in the US: The Snuggie of vending machines #roflcon
• RT @cherot #roflcon: The Art of Demotivation http://bit.ly/1Lf0Pp comes in three editions Manager, Executive, Chairman ($1300 w/ humidor)
• The library of congress is archiving urban dictionary #roflcon

Super Art Fight: Yuko Ota, Jamie Baldwin, Chris Impink, Jami Noguchi, Tak Toyoshima, Zach Weiner, Rosscott Nover, Marty Day

• Super art fight! #roflcon
• Super art fight is rockin #roflcon #fleshlight
• Wangs vs bacon only at suprtartfight #roflcon
• Cats doing taxes not Texas #roflcon
• WOW is all I can say about super art fight! awesome! #roflcon

ROFLing the News: Mark Hale, Ken Lowery, Evan Gregory, Andrew Gregory, David Weinberger

• In house with @fakeapstylebook and autotune #roflcon
• RT @msaleem Uproarious laughter an massive applause for autotune the news guys. Just awesome #roflcon
• We make politicians and newscasters sound like superstars! – auto tune in the news #roflcon
• How so you put syllables and make them into words? #roflcon
• Fake AP guys are always indifferent #roflcon

Break…

• Can someone explain this? #roflcon http://flic.kr/p/7XHkEr

Mainstreaming the Web:  Jamie Wilkinson, Greg Rutter, Kenyatta Cheese, Ben Huh, moot, Tim Hwang, Christina Xu

• At the final keynote session… final session actually at #roflcon
• Is the mainstreaming of the internet becoming a problem for “us” #roflcon
• The spread of internet culture & meme to mainstream means “we” have won #roflcon
• “we” are still a small part of the internet subculture and it will be a matter of time before it grows! #roflcon
• Facebook is training wheels for the internet – Ben Huh #roflcon
• moot was considered a controversial speaker at Facebook #roflcon
• “Us old Mother F-ers know compression baby” Jason Scott #roflcon

And the pictures throughout the day:

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

This is our 2nd year in the Whisker Walk and we would greatly appreciate any donations for this year’s event. I’ll be taking pictures and posting them for all to enjoy. Please, help save the animals in the shelters!

Thanks!

Last year’s event:

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

I didn’t write yesterday for 2 reasons… OK, maybe a bunch (gaming, tired, and not enough information).  But today, I am now more informed, not as well rested, and still wanting to play Modern Warfare 2.  Let’s go over 2 phones which my fiance is considering:  The Nexus one and the Incredible (both for Verizon).  She needs a new phone… desperately!  Her’s is cracked and on the verge of breaking down completely.  So I told her to wait for the Nexus One as it is Google’s baby (their first phone).  But what’s wrong with this picture?

Google hasn’t released any more information about the release of the Nexus One on Verizon.  It is available now for AT&T, T-Mobile and soon to be Sprint.  But it still says “Spring 2010″ and summer is quickly approaching.  But how much longer can we wait?  And by we, I mean we… I want to play with this too!  Download apps, download music, take some pictures… but with Verizon announcing that the HTC Incredible is going to be released on the 29th of April, that leaves us with little choices.

It has been a good month or 2 since we’ve last heard about the Nexus One for Verizon. The other stories (which are numerous) all involve some type of comparison between the Nexus One and other phones (iPhone with OS 4.0, the Incredible, HD2…).  It’s great that the phone has become a benchmark, but what it isn’t good for is for consumers who are on the Verizon Wireless network, desperately waiting for a new phone.  With Incredible’s release sooner than expected, you can be sure that the Nexus One for Verizon will take a huge hit in sales… and not in a good way.  Just check out the specs compared with other Verizon Android phones (sources and table (2/3 of it) from Engadget [1] [2]):

The Incredible has some impressive specs (with speculations in italics)… even more so with the internal storage and camera.  So are we going to wait for the Nexus One?  Only if they announce something before the Incredible goes on sale!

[picture source from Engadget referenced above]

Update: here is the slideshow!

I’m here a bit early and I have a couple of pics of vendors setting up.  There are a lot of people down stairs waiting to get in!  It is going to be one looooong day!  Keep tuned to more pics.  I’ll be putting them up in Flickr as the day goes on (or follow the Flickr widget below).

Another page in the saga of Apple vs. HTC only this time it has HTC coming out with a far superior phone than the current iPhone 3GS.  I emphasize current since we all know the rumors of the next generation iPhone being released this coming June (hopefully).  But this new phone comes in from a far different competitor:  Sprint!  And from the looks of it (from the comments section of MobileCrunch, Gizmodo and Engadget), a lot of people will be jumping from Verizon and AT&T to get this highly anticipated phone.  Why?  Hit the bump for more including pics and the press release… but note, this is only for now… let’s see what Apple can conjure up with on the next iPhone…

Meet the HTC Evo.  The world’s first 4G phone.  Yes, 4G, which is 10x faster than the current 3G phones out there.  Couple that with Sprint’s $69.99 Any Mobile, Anytime^SM and all of the specs:

• 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera!
• 8 megapixel rear camera
• Android
• 720p HDMI output
• 720p video recording
• Snapdragon 1GHz processor
• 4.3” 480×800 capacitive touchscreen
• 802.11 b/g wi-fi
• A built in kick-stand (for watching videos)
• an 8GB microSD card (that’s some storage for you!)
• AND it can act as a wi-fi hub for upto 8 connections (through 4G)

It is the last bullet point that really hits home.  I currently have an AT&T USB data card which is fine but if I can have a phone that does it for me at the same plan cost, and has 720p video recording, I am sold!  Check out the press release pics as well as the full press release below!

HTC EVOTM 4G
The ultimate multimedia experience at Sprint 4G speeds
The world’s first 3G/4G Android handset, exclusively from Sprint, HTC EVOTM 4G, offers a rich mobile Internet experience with a fully integrated suite of services built on the AndroidTM 2.1 platform. HTC EVO 4G includes a blazing-fast 1GHz Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM processor, the award-winning HTC SenseTM user experience, an 8.0 megapixel auto-focus camera with HD- capable video camcorder and a forward-facing 1.3 megapixel camera. The large vibrant 4.3 inch display, built-in kickstand, 3.5 mm headset jack and HDMI output make HTC EVO 4G an unparalleled platform for wireless entertainment. Download music, pictures, files, or videos in seconds – not minutes – and watch streaming video on the go on a network with download speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G speeds.1    With built-in mobile hotspot functionality, HTC EVO 4G also allows up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including laptop, camera, music player, video player and any other Wi-Fi-enabled device, to enjoy the benefits of 4G speeds on the go.

PRODUCTIVITY
3G/4G capability Qualcomm® SnapdragonTM QSD8650 (1GHz) processor 4.3” capacitive display with pinch-to-zoom and tactile feedback World-class HTML browser – bandwidth and quality that rival that of netbooks Android 2.1, with access to more than 30,000 apps on Android Market GoogleTM mobile services including Google SearchTM, Google MapsTM, Google TalkTM, GmailTM, YouTubeTM , and syncs with Google CalendarTM Access to Google GogglesTM to search with pictures instead of words Sprint Navigation, with turn-by-turn driving directions and 3D maps Updated HTC Sense, award-winning user experience, which includes Friend Stream to integrate Facebook, Twitter and more into a single flow of updates Visual voicemail Messaging – personal and business email, IM and text messaging 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability – connects up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices 4G data speeds (WiMAX) – peak download speeds of more than 10 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1 Mbps; average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps. 3G data speeds (EVDO Rev A.) – peak download speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1.8 Mbps; average download speeds of 600 kbps-1.4 Mbps.

ENTERTAINMENT
8MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash and 1.3MP front-facing camera High-quality video streaming and downloads at 3G and 4G data speeds Capture and share HD-quality video (720p) from your phone
-more-
Output pictures, slides and videos in HD quality (720p) via HDMI cable (sold separately) Live video sharing with Qik Built-in kickstand for hands-free viewing Media player with 3.5mm stereo headset jack
FM radio and Amazon MP3 store Sprint applications including Sprint TV® and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile(SM) Bluetooth® 2.1 with A2DP Stereo and EDR Built-in WiFi®: 802.11 b/g Digital compass, G-Sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor, GPS Expandable memory: 8GB microSD card included; supports up to 32GB

SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 4.8″ x 2.6″ x .5″ (LxWxT) Weight: 6 ounces Main display: 4.3” WVGA (800×480) 65K colors Standard removable 1500mAh Lithium (Li-on) battery Memory: 1GB ROM, 512MB RAM
1 “Up to 10x faster” based on download speed comparison of 3G’s 600 kbps vs. 4G’s 6 Mbps. Industry published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary. Sprint 4G currently available in over 25 markets and counting, and on select devices. See www.sprint.com/4G for details. Not all services available on 4G and coverage may default to 3G/separate network where 4G unavailable.
Note: Device features, specifications, services and applications are subject to change.

There have been so many lawsuits surrounding cell phones and the technology behind each and every small portable device that allows us to be connected anywhere and everywhere.  But with the huge surge of smartphones and mobile web based phones, the technology becomes limited as devices get smaller and users become more demanding.

But now, in comes Apple, owners of almost 26% of the smartphone market with the iPhone.  The iPhone… one of the most revolutionary tech devices out there.  And then there is HTC, makers of cell phones and smartphones primarily Windows and Android based.  With the latest HTC phones such as the Nexus One, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile subscribers have been tempted to leave the omnipotent iPhone for the Google Nexus One, which is also available for AT&T.  And for good reason too as the iPhone does not yet support multi-tasking and/or Flash-based applications.

Users are moving from a “closed source” platform to an “open source” platform but not if Apple has anything to say about it.  Apple has recently filed a lawsuit against HTC on 20 patent infringements.  20!

So what I have done to day is compiled a list of links from the start of the lawsuits, to the 20 patent infringements, to HTC’s response.  Next week, I hope to have a roundtable podcast on each of the patents.  Read up now so you can follow along next week!

The Lawsuit:
CrunchGear (MobileCrunch)
Engadget
Gizmodo

The Patents in Question:
Engadget
Gizmodo

HTC’s Response:
Engadget
Gizmodo

Google’s Response:
Engadget
TechCrunch

OH! What was that Steve?
Gizmodo

Other related lawsuit posts:
CrunchGear
Engadget
Gizmodo
HTC now hiring – Engadget

Take a quick look at this video. You’ll notice a fairly ergonomic tablet with a multi-touch capacitive screen and a camera that rotates 180 degrees to take pictures of you or of someone else! Not only that, the screen uses far less power (280mW vs. 2.4-2.8W now), increasing battery life and it even supports Flash since it runs on Android. It has 3 USB ports, headphones, and even HDMI out! The screen even adjusts to sunlight, making the screen monochrome so that it is easy to read no matter what light conditions are available. Battery gives 24 hours with Wi-Fi on, 10 hours if you are outputting to an HD TV which is extremely impressive. In comes Notion Ink! It has nearly everything the iPad doesn’t have, except for that exterior sexy sleek look, but it is the performance that counts!

Hit the bump for a video, spec sheets and links on the Adam disassembled.

One thing to note, the touchpad on the back of the tablet is supposed to be used for finer, more precise “clicking” on hyperlinks or objects rather than pulling an FFS or Fat-Finger Syndrome (I have some long fingers and I tend to mash keys a lot). It is slated to come out in 3Q2010 and if it enters at the same or less price point as the iPad, I will be sure to pick this up.

Engadget has the device in its naked-ness here.

Full specs with Pixel Qi display here.

Full specs with touch screen only here.