A Slab of Beauty

Full disclosure: I am in love with my iPhone 5. I won't go so far as writing it is the best, but that's because I haven't used any other smartphones to make a fair comparison, not because it lacks a feature I require/desire. (Although, based on what I've read/seen, I'm guessing NFC would be nice.)

Recently, I finished reading the iPhone User Guide that comes preloaded as a Safari bookmark. A couple months ago, my parents purchased a radiation heater for their bedroom. To ensure proper set-up, I went through the included User Manual to learn the different buttons on the display and their functions, etc. It was fairly simple, and the whole process from opening the box to reading through the Manual took less than 15 minutes. It occurred to me, then, that if I am prepared to read the User Manual of an item my parents will use for, may be, three months a year, how is it that I am yet to read the User Guide for a product that's almost never out my sight/reach? 

Think about it: whether it's a heater, a blender, or hair dye, one is inclined to read the instructions before using it to ensure safety, proper use, etc. But how often do we think of reading the instructions for our smartphone, laptop, or automobile? If we are worried about misusing the heater or the blender, should that logic not apply to items much more expensive and useful? 

Granted, we know how to use a smartphone or a laptop on a general basis, just like we have a basic idea of how to use a heater or a blender. But for a product we will be using so intimately and depending upon so heavily, why should we choose to be familiar with it only on a general basis? We don't necessarily need to understand the engineering behind touch-screen technology or Dynamic Stability Control, but being aware of it on a deeper level than merely knowing it by name results in our being more appreciative of one of our prized possessions' capabilities and respectful of the intelligence and ingenuity that went in its creation.

With these thoughts in mind, I set out to read the iPhone User Guide. It was one of the most gripping, insightful, and marvelous reads I've had. Now that I'm familiar with the iPhone 5 on a level deeper than mere use, I have a newfound appreciation for the way it must have run through the stages of product development--idea generation, idea screening, concept development, business analysis, market testing, technical implementation, commercialization, and pricing--and respect for the people in charge of those stages. Trying to balance engineering ideals, ergonomic practicalities, and economic realities is no cakewalk. The fact that such a sleek, high-performance, and, indeed, beautiful product was the result is incredible.

One is able to fully comprehend its capabilities when you see its features in list format. Think about the depth and breadth of thought and imagination that must have been poured into its creation. It is mind-boggling. I counted 60 available language keyboards. That is simply amazing. Consider its most innovative and taken-for-granted feature: the multi-touch screen. Read about the Accessibility feature to get an idea of the programming that has gone into recognizing the myriad swipes, pinches, and twists. It is beyond amazing; it is humbling.

One can argue--validly--how such a degree of connectivity and back-end complexity is complicating our lives instead of simplifying it. In my opinion, like so many things in life, it's a matter of choice. One can decry technology, but there's no denying how capable it allows me to feel. Life has gone from being siloed to being seamless. Whether that's a good thing or not depends from person to person. As for the iPhone 5, from its supremely low weight and crispness of touch to Siri, Safari, iCloud, iTunes, Camera, Compass, and so on, it is a delight. And as of this writing, I have explored less than a percent of the App Store. Next on my reading list: the MINI Cooper Driver's Manual.

Today's Forecast: Bright and Cloudy

I have been growing increasingly fascinated with the concept of cloud computing. It is amazing. Very generally, we consider cloud computing to be "stuff stored on the Internet". That is true, in that there is no saving on the cloud without the Internet, but cloud computing is much more complex than being a mere closet for our files. However, we won't be getting into the technical details here.

"How you doin'?"

Let's take this blog entry itself as an example. I have made rough notes for the content of this entry in a Google Drive document. Before Google Drive, one would probably have made those rough notes in a MS Word document. Now I am sitting in Subway eating a sandwich, and I remember something I'd like to include in this entry. If I were using Word, I would have had to make a note on an application on my mobile telephone--or, worse, on a piece of paper or napkin--and then transfer it to Word once I got back home and on the computer. With Drive, I can open the document on my mobile telephone and make the addition then and there. Done deal. 

Cloud computing enables the user to get the work done without being restricted by the equipment available. This is done by separating the hardware from the operating system from the application. Let's break that statement down: Before the proliferation of cloud computing, work was hardware-specific. The documents saved on my laptop could only be worked on from my laptop. In other words, there was no separation of the hardware (my laptop), the operating system (Windows), and the application (MS Word). While at Subway, I was able to edit the rough notes document because the application (Google Drive) is operating system- and hardware-blind. Because it is a web browser-based application, it does not matter whether it is being accessed from a Windows laptop, a Chromebook, or an iPhone. It does not even matter which web browser is being used to access it. All that is required is an Internet connection. 

Regular readers of this blog know my feelings about empowerment and freedom and their connection to the Internet. I cannot help but draw a parallel between cloud computing and another abstract concept: diffusion of power. Authority figures across the board--from CEOs to dictators to parents--struggle with this concept. Indeed, it is not an easy concept to come to terms with, let alone practice. It involves foregoing one's ego, but I digress. What cloud computing embodies so well is decentralization. As a user, my goal is to edit that document. Would I rather have the convenience of doing it whenever and wherever or be handicapped by the fact that I don't have my laptop with me at all times? 

By this point, most people are aware of how cloud computing enables synchronization across devices, ease of use, agility, etc. Holding all those things together is cloud computing's defining feature: simultaneity. Collaboration and sharing are cloud computing's two underlying principles. There's a flow, a seamlessness with cloud computing. Sure, security will be a never-ending issue. But isn't security a never-ending issue by its very nature? Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos famously believes we are using less than 10% of what the Internet is really capable of. If that is true, it is awesomely exciting to imagine what the remaining 90+% has in store. It is critical for businesses today to embrace cloud computing. In other words, it is critical for people today to embrace cloud computing. Software was undoubtedly a terrific innovation, but while it was cool back then, who wants to be seen with a flip-open mobile telephone today?

Life on the Internet

"We lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we're going to live on the internet!" -- Sean Parker, The Social Network.

You don't need me to tell you we're in the midst of a technological revolution. When it comes to technology, the term "shelf life" is being redefined by the minute. This time last month, I was using the iPhone 3G. Right now, the iPhone 5 is sitting next to me. Little did I know my life's upgrade was so undeniably linked to my mobile telephone's. With the 5, everything is just...better. I feel more connected, aware, "with the program." I don't remember the last time it was out of my reach (showers don't count). The only time it is out of my sight is when it's in my pocket. My dad, the brave soul, is still going strong with the 3G. A few days ago, he asked me to help him with some settings on the device. After a mere month with the 5, the 3G felt like an antique. Only three years ago, it was the thing to be seen with. Now? Fuggedaboutit. I have been persuading my dad, a Microsoft loyalist, to purchase a Windows 8 phone. He said he'll think about it. May God bless him.

Today, technology is omnipresent. Soon, it will be omnipotent. Some argue it is already omniscient. You can love it, hate it, neither, or both, but you can't ignore it. Recently, I read an article that said a person's e-mail address can indicate how tech-savvy they are. A bit superficial, one may think. However, is it only me or do we pretty much expect every e-mail address to end with "@gmail.com"? 

Google is a beautiful thing

On the left is a screenshot of all the Google applications I have on my phone. In addition, I have synced the native Calendar application with Google Calendar, so the schedule I see on my phone is the one I see when I am on a computer. In fact, I'm writing this entry on a computer--the Samsung Chromebook. Game. Set. Match.

The iPhone 5 and the Chromebook have given me two things that are so critical in this age: connectivity and mobility at the same time. In these conditions, if I am unaware of a piece of news, it is by choice, not circumstance. But the utility and, indeed, the very existence of devices like these is possible only due to the ubiquity of the Big Spider: the Internet.

The Internet's influence and impact on important events like the Egyptian Revolution and Barack Obama's presidential re-election have been well-documented. In day-to-day life, it has given people the ability to conduct business with colleagues on the other side of the world while sipping coffee at Starbucks. Establishments like Khan Academy and endeavors like Coursera have made hitherto unforeseen concepts accessible. In short, the Internet has made the world within reach. It is really up to us to decide how much of it we want to grab.

The broad theme that emerges out of the Internet's proliferation is one of empowerment: Wikipedia (knowledge), Amazon (consumer products), Facebook (personal connections), Twitter (news updates), LinkedIn (professional connections), Skype (international telephony), Evernote (productivity), and so on. The Internet, like curiosity, is limitless. I am a big Roger Ebert fan. I learn more about a movie by reading his review of it than by watching the movie. The Internet has made that possible.

It is important to build one's virtual identity these days, establish one's online presence. It takes time to build one's brand. One has to know themselves, their beliefs, fears, prejudices, desires, and ambitions. And even then, one is constantly learning. To paraphrase one of my favorite quotations, write because you have something to write, not because you have to write something. I am not at all implying I do that. It is a process, like life itself. One hopes to reach that point eventually.

I love the Internet. Perhaps because I associate it strongly with freedom. Living in America, one runs the risk of taking freedom for granted. Justly, with news of atrocities being committed in the name of religion, politics, and, yes, freedom, it is the Internet that helps us put it in perspective. It is imperative the Internet remain open and untainted. By that, I mean an eternal separation of Internet and state. Government is too multitudinous an entity. It is constantly being pulled in multiple directions. I do not contradict myself when I wrote the Internet is limitless. The whole of Internet represents the spread of information and knowledge unencumbered by borders and ideology. It is said the human spirit thrives when fueled by a regular supply of education. History is proof that when free circulation of knowledge is prohibited, societies collapse.