Mailbox: You need this new iOS email app

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​There's a new app on my first homescreen, the holiest and most exclusive of homescreens, and it's called Mailbox. In fact, it replaced Sparrow, my until-last-week favorite iOS email client. Why do you want this thing? Check out all the details here, but before that, listen up.

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​It's Super Fast

You may not have noticed that it takes a significant amount of time to check your email with the built in mail app, the Gmail app, or others, but it actually does. This delay is caused by setting up an IMAP connection every time you check your mail - Mailbox gets around this completely AND sends less data than the other clients do, making for a super snappy experience.​

​Swipe right to archive, further to delete

​It's Allll Gesture Based

No more checking boxes and clicking buttons to do your most frequent tasks, archiving and deleting. It's all about the swipe - Swipe right to archive, swipe right a little longer and it deletes. ​

​You Can 'Snooze' Emails For Later

And they magically appear back in your inbox after however long you told them to snooze for. Swipe left on an email for this. I've found this feature to be super helpful, even though I didn't think it would be such a big deal when I first started. Give it a shot.​

It's Freaking Beautiful

I can't stand crowded user interfaces and crummy graphics. This app is is both minimalist and gorgeous. The threaded messaging is done beautifuly and everything is very intuitive.

It's Free

They're not charging for use of this service (pro, paid features to come later), which is incredible considering all the heavy lifting they do on their servers.​

​Good timing with the screen grab, eh?

What's the catch?

Well, there's two.

First, you have to be comfortable with a startup having full access to your email. In order for them to speed up your connection, send you push notifications, and parse out just the parts of the email you want, they need full access to your Gmail and process everything on their servers. They allegedly are trustworthy, and have a ton of visibility in the tech community, so any security breach will be a big deal. ​I think the benefits are worth the risks here.

Second,​ you'll have to wait a while. These guys were smart about scaling here, and have implemented a queue. Basically you have to stand in line as new users are added one every few seconds. 

Again, for lots of detail, check out The Verge's great piece on this, and hurry up and get in line for it by installing the app. You can thank me later.​

Passbook: Only As Good As iOS 6 Maps

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​Late last night I was checking for app updates (the Sparrow iPhone 5 update is nearly done) when I saw that Starbucks had released a Passbook enabling update to their app. The frustration that it hadn't been updated to handle iPhone 5's larger screen was overwhelmed by excitement to see Passbook finally in action. 

​In a nutshell, Passbook is an iOS 6 app (that they snuck onto your first home screen) with hooks into the phone's location data such that it can pull up passes you'd like to have handy when you walk into a particular location. Passes can be movie tickets, boarding passes, loyalty cards, or other scannable things. The flagship use case for Passbook for me is Starbucks: After establishing a pass for my gold card, I'd simply walk up to the counter, place my elaborate drink order (black coffee, either hot or cold), and whip out my phone only to find a barcode waiting patiently on my lock screen ready to scan for payment. Now extend this to your boarding pass automatically appearing at the airport, your gym card, etc. It's a pretty slick idea with very little barrier to entry for most businesses. You can read more about Apple's grand dream for Passbook here. 

First Try: Fail

So this morning I raced to my local Starbucks ready to Passbook my way into a venti black iced coffee. The night before I had set up the pass and chose my favorite Starbucks locations that it would automatically pop up at (10 maximum), so she was ready to go.  I pull into the parking lot and wake the phone up. The GPS indicator pops up for a bit, and along with my heart sadly fades to black. No notification. I check the settings - everything looks good. I gave it more time as I entered the store, but it wasn't going to come up on its own. Defeated, I purchased my morning medicine by manually opening the Passbook app and scanning the pass. 

Second Try: Semi-Permanent Fail

On the way home from work I thought I'd give it another go.  Still nothing. I opened up Maps to make sure it had a solid GPS lock, and sure enough I was right on top of the place. But wait, it knows where I am, but what if the address for Starbucks is in there incorrectly?  Sure enough, it couldn't have been more wrong. It's in the middle of a shopping area, but Apple's data shows it located on one of the streets that feed it. Heck, they even draw a little cup of coffee there! 

Reporting Bad Map Data - ​Being a Good iOS Citizen

In the following screen grabs, you can see the map error and the process of reporting the problem.​

Blue dot: Me & Starbucks. Red pin: Where iOS 6 maps think Starbucks is.​

​Tap the blue arrow on the pin to bring up this screen where you can tap 'Report a Problem'

​How did we screw up?

​Dragged to the correct location. Now update your freakin map!

So I've done my part to get Starbucks moved to the correct location. Until Apple does something about this, nobody's Passbook is going to automatically pop up when they show up at this location. ​Incidentally, my house is also located wrong in Apple's maps. I've submitted pin replacements multiple times since the maps launched and it appears that the Sliech Mountain Compound is not high on their priority list.

So Does Passbook Work At All?

​Still determined to have Passbook pop up automatically, I ventured over to where the address is incorrectly located on the map and... BOOM.

​Eureka! But wait, where's the barcode? 

I was actually parked right at the red dot, but the GPS was off. Close enough I guess.​

Swiping the notification opened up the pass, which is nice, but I was under the impression that the pass would be displayed directly on the lock screen. There's even a switch in the settings for that pass that says 'Show On Lock Screen', and of course it's switched on. Oh well.​

Would Google Maps Have Gotten It Right?

Nope. I did two searches in Google's web app: One for the address listed in the Passbook pass for this particular Starbucks and another for nearby Starbucks. The exact address returned an incorrect location (across the street) while the search for a nearby Starbucks was dead on. Since Passbook calls out exact addresses, it would use Google's version of the wrong location if Google was still the map provider. In this case nobody would get it right, womp.

​The exact address of Starbucks as listed in the Passbook pass. Closer than iOS 6, but still wrong.

A search for nearby Starbucks got it dead on.

​This is the first time Apple's maps have deceived me. I've made a half dozen or so trips over complicated routes in Boston and elsewhere that have been very accurate and a much better experience than my crummy Garmin GPS. However, the Apple maps problems are very real, and I hope they get their act together ASAP. In the mean time, the best we can do is correct errors when we see them (and where it's even possible) and have back-up mapping apps. 

Update: 3/2/13 - Still not fixed.​

iPhone 5 First Impressions

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​This is without a doubt the most beautiful piece of hardware I've ever laid my hands and eyes on. There's no question about it. I won't be reviewing this thing, but can point you to my favorite reviews by Gruber, Josh Topolsky of The Verge. If you're not into reading lengthy reviews, just watch The Verge's exceptional video review. All their videos are well put together and simply beautiful. And if you really don't have any attention span, watch Josh talk about it on Jimmy Fallon this week, it's pretty hilarious. And last but not least, if podcasts are your thing, look no further than John Gruber discussing this and iOS 6 with MG Siegler. In fact, MG sums up my thoughts regarding the talk of people being bored with the new iPhone very well in his excellent review.

Those worried about the talk of “disappointment” surrounding the iPhone 5, I suggest you simply go to an Apple Store starting on Friday and try it for yourself. My guess is you’ll immediately recognize just how ridiculous all that bluster actually is. The iPhone 5 is the culmination of Apple doing what Apple does best. This is the smartphone nearly perfected.

​Now, enough with what these professional tech news guys think about the review units they've had since the announcement, I've had a whole 10 hours with it.


The screen is incredible and the new size is a welcome update

The blacks are blacker (I have a black one, it's incredibly hard to differentiate black areas of the screen from the actual black hardware), the colors are richer and more vibrant, and the inclusion of an extra row of icons is very helpful. The transition to the new screen size was seamless for me, although I imagine landscape typers will take some getting used to with the wider keyboard. 

I would like to see Apple add an additional row of icons in each folder now. ​Seems like an oversite, since it certainly would fit just fine. UPDATE: There are indeed 5 rows available, thanks Eric for pointing that out!

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EVERYTHING  IS SO FREAKIN' FAST

In Nashua, New Hampshire, LTE beat out my WiFi with 20Mbps down, 800Mbps up. See the screen grab - 'nuff said. These speeds are incredible - we'll see how they hold up as more and more devices are added to the network.

It's important to note that the speed at which web pages render on your phone is also heavily influenced by how fast the phone is. Getting the bits there is one thing, but most modern web pages put a significant burdon on the browser to render the page once the data is there. That said, you really get a double bump up in performance here: Really fast data and a 2X-ish faster processor.​

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It disappears into your pocket

Even though when you look at the front of it you see a larger phone, it's nearly 20% lighter and smaller in volume. It was immediately apparent just how less noticeable it was in the pocket of my jeans​. Since it's thinner, it makes it easier to slip right into your hipster skinny jeans, yet it's just a smidge taller so it won't be sticking out. So who cares that it's lighter?  Welp, the weight and thinness of this device makes it so much more pocketable. 

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​New headphone jack position is baller

You can make arguments either way for where the headphone jack should be, but I found it extremely comfortable to type on both one and two handed with headphones plugged in. The phone seems more balanced in hand with the cable hanging out the bottom rather than the top.​

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A less chintzy feeling home button

I've had to replace my home button before, which was no easy task, so it's good to hear that the new home button is beefier. It's immediately evident that it's a new, sturdier design when you press it. It just feels beefy.​

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Lastly, please don't hide this beautiful piece of hardware in a case

I really really don't like cases, and like I said, this is the most beautiful piece of hardware I've ever experienced. Whenever I yell at someone for hiding their phone in a case (especially those atrocious OtterBoxes), it's always because they're worried it'll get al dinged up, or they'll drop it and shatter the thing. ​When, I ask, will you be admiring your non-dinged up phone then? Never. All you'll be admiring is this stupid case. This is like keeping plastic over furniture - it keeps it from getting dirty but you never get to use it the way you intend to. Now, I did learn that for many people, a case is necessary because they're pretty careless with the >$600 glass covered object that they run their life from. But that was a 4 and 4S problem - not nearly as big a deal with iPhone 5 since the back has been replaced with aluminum. Check out this video to see a guy that most definitely should never be put in front of a camera drop this thing over and over again. 

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In conclusion

Go get it, dummy.​

iPhone 5: The Carrier Dilema

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I switched from Verizon (or was it Sprint? hm) to AT&T in 2007 because they had exclusivity on the iPhone. Moving on to my 6th iPhone, I'm reevaluating what carrier I'd like to be on. Why now? LTE. From what I've been reading and hearing, Verizon currently has both superior LTE coverage and speeds. And in my area, AT&T has no coverage at all. The downside: Verizon doesn't support data (except wifi) during voice calls.

Checking out Verizon's plans, I was completely surprised to see that these 'Share Everything' plans are the only plans available, even if you have just one device. Ok, so that narrows it down. Although there aren't any great deals here, the way Verizon puts your plan together is refreshingly simple.​ The antiquated concepts of paying by the minute or text are gonezo; welcome to 2012. All that's left to figure out is the data. But first, let's take a gander at what iMessage has done to my text messaging over the past year.

iOS 5 (which introduced iMessaging) was released October 12, 2011, curiously when my text messaging peaked. Since then, legit SMS usage dropped rapidly as my friends either upgraded to iOS 5​ or smartened up and got iPhones. Nowadays it seems weird to see those green messages, since most people i message use iMessage. This was just for fun, SMS doesn't matter any more so let's move on to data. 

I've been sick of hearing everyone get worked up about maintaing their unlimited data plans that they've been grandfathered in for years. "I won't do X, Y, or Z because I'd lose my unlimited data plan" they say. I too as once worked up about this when I needed tethering - the unlimited data plan would have to be relinquished. ​News flash: It's extremely likely you don't need unlimited data. Here's my data usage over the past year.

​Once, and only once, did I exceed 2GB in one month of usage, making a 2GB plan perfect for me (overages are billed at $15/GB on Verizon, which I would have incurred once over last year). I bet if you dig up your own usage data (check your bills, bro), it's likely you'll find that you fit quite nicely into one of the limited data plans. Your mileage may vary, especially avid Pandora-ers, but it's worth checking.

On to Verizon's Share Everything plans, which are really easy to put together. ​

  1. ​Got a smartphone? Check. $40 for unlimited voice and text. 
  2. Want some data? Check. $60 ​for 2GB, $70 for 4GB (higher amounts available too). Use as a wireless hotspot is included too. You're paying for these bits and get do to whatever you'd like with them.
  3. There is no step 3. ​

For those who find adding two separate prices together Verizon supplies you, dumb American consumer, with an example of how to add them. ​Following this example, I find that my base bill will be $100/mo. Since I only expect to exceed the 2GB cap once per year, it makes more sense to pay the $15 overage once than the extra $10/mo for 12 months for a 4GB plan. If my usage goes up and stays up, move to the 4GB plan. Simple. It looks to me that it'll be about a wash with my current plan when I estimate my corporate discount and other random fees they tack on.

AT&T's has competing "Mobile Share Plans" in addition to the more classic limited voice, text, and data plans. The mobile share plans are slightly more complicated because they discount the voice/text part of the plan more as you increase how much data you're purchasing. 2GB data plans are conspicuously missing. The 1GB plan isn't enough, so the next step is 4GB.

  1. ​Got a smartphone? Check. $40 for unlimited voice and text w/ a 4GB data plan.
  2. Want some data? Spoiler alert, I already said 4GB. That'll be $70.​
  3. There is no step 3.​

My plan cost from AT&T comes in at $110, which will end up slightly more expensive than what I'm paying now when you figure in the fees and discounts. Now what if you go with an individual plan instead of the mobile share plan? Note that I need tethering and text messaging.​

  1. ​450 minutes w/ roll-over (metered minutes seem so ridiculous in 2012) $40
  2. 5GB data w/ tethering (only option available...)​ $50
  3. ​Unlimited messaging (only option available) $20

This comes out to $110, just like the share everything plan.

​The bigger question here is: AT&T or Verizon? Until the end of the year, there is no AT&T LTE service in Nashua, NH, where I live, but there is for Verizon. I can't say that I have been unhappy with my AT&T service, but I'm going to switch. As my research has shown, the plans are roughly the same cost between carriers, but Verizon's LTE network is not only already here now, but faster. Now, what about that ETF from AT&T? It'll cost me about $225 to cancel my AT&T contract, but that's actually cheaper than the additional $250 I'd have to pay for iPhone 5 since I'm not eligible for full upgrade subsidies.

​And now we wait till 3AM PST to pre-order these things. Tomorrow's going to be rough.

Sixth Generation iPhone - First Impressions

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​Note that I'm not calling this thing iPhone 5, but that's mainly because i'm being a sore loser. Why call it iPhone 6 when it's the 6th one, runs iOS 6 and an A6 processor? Clearly, iPhone 5 was the way to go. Ok, enough with that.

I posted last night that something didn't seem right. There was no way that everything could have leaked out and there would be no surprises. But sure enough, this is all we got, save for HD voice and the panorama feature. Unlike the 4S announcement there wasn't widespread (and mostly misunderstood) disappointment, but my initial impression is that most folks don't see this as a big deal. ​After following the liveblogs and seeing what the Apple folks had to say, it's clear why I want to upgrade from my 4S.

For iPhone toting folks, the an upgrade from a 4 to this one is a no brainer, but it may be more difficult to to see why one would want to upgrade from a 4S. The following, in order from most important to least, is why I will be upgrading from a 4S​

  • Improved cameras. This is a critical feature, as my phone has replaced my point and shoot in most cases. The iPhone 4S had a dramatically better camera than its predecessors and shoots beautiful photos.  The most important improvement with the camera this time around is low light performance, and although it's yet to be determined how much better it will be, it is a welcome update. Shooting time is now improved by 40%, another big deal. Lastly, the front facing camera is now higher resolution, allowing for 720p facetime. 
  • LTE. I rarely do anything on my phone that has made me upset about 3G download speeds (mainly because of the 50MB download restriction), but i am certain that the dramatically faster speeds will make web browsing that much more snappy.​ The argument that LTE is a battery killer only applies to phones that adopted LTE early and before the chipsets were mature. Battery life for LTE and 3G browsing are identical, coming in at 8 hours, just like the 4S. 
  • A6 Processor. The charts say it all - around 2X performance across the board.​ And again, no hit in battery life. It isn't just performance for performance's sake at the expense of carrying around a dead phone at the end of the night, you get an extra snappy experience with no hit in battery life.
  • ​The screen. I think the 16:9 aspect ratio is nice, and who wouldn't want another row of icons without making this thing that much larger. But the real story here is that they improved the color saturation by 44%, so everything is going to look so much better. I can't wait to see this thing.

If you're not impressed by this thing, you're not looking hard enough. It's 20%-ish thinner and lighter, has about 2x the performance, has LTE radios, and a larger and more beautiful display all while maintaining the same battery life. I'd love to hear arguments on why you should be disappointed by this. ​The biggest disappointment for me is that we already knew about everything, which took the bulk of the fun out of the announcement. Now, I do think that NFC would have been a good addition, since I think when Apple adds this to their devices suddenly the industry will widely adopt it.

Lastly, I think the best news for Joe-iPhone-user is that the earbuds don't suck anymore, at least according to MG Siegler. I have always been bewildered by folks that don't purchase third party earbuds, instead using the tinny sounding garbage that comes boxed with their device. Sadly, that's been most people. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised with the new headphones since they haven't realized what they've been missing.​ (FYI, I use these and they're incredible; the best I've ever had)

​So go forth and pre order your new iPhone this Friday so next Friday you can spend the day incorrectly identifying the sounds of the FedEx truck arriving all day (It's here! Crap, mailman. It's here! Crap, Blazer.). I certainly will be.

​Read all the details about it here.