Lovefilm for iPad

I have been a subscriber to the Lovefilm DVD rental service since the beginning of the year and have thoroughly enjoyed getting the films and watching them. Another addition to the service has been their streaming service of which I originally ran via a mac mini under my TV but am now watching it via a Sony blueray player. The choice is limited and it's rare you will see a blockbuster that is recent but with over 5000 films to choose from there is always something to watch.

Today, their iPad application has been released that leverages the streaming service but direct to your tablet. Being as the iPad doesn't use flash this is a welcome addition and means I can now drop my cloud browse application service of which I was using with an iPad app to attempt to stream films but didn't works as the servers are based in the USA.

The restrictions to the service is only 2 devices so my Sony DVD player and my iPad are the only 2 devices I can have registered. It would have been nice to register more devices such as my partner's iPad and an iPhone should they ever bring out an iPhone application.

The other caveat is it only works over wifi but using the 3 ayce 30 day sim only plan for my iPhone and tethering to the iPhone I can stream the films and around this restriction.

It's early days but this is a welcome addition to IPad where I have been suspecting if they would release an application for a long time after an update to their main application and calling Lovefilm by Post.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My new electric car AKA iPad 2

My ipad2 finally arrived one week earlier than expected but really didn't have the opportunity to put it through its paces until the weekend that has just gone. A lot of people have said the iPad 2 is just an incremental upgrade with cameras, a5 processor and extra ram and would just miss this iteration for iPad3.

The only issue I had with the original iPad was it was limited when using it's multitasking when wanting to switch between several applications. With only 256mb of ram there would be occasions when an application would just close and you would need to reopen it. Applications such as flipboard were notorious for this where i am assuming it was due to the fact it was using a lot of graphics.

I have found the ipad2 to work a lot more smoothly and even switching between applications such as zite or flipboard whilst web browsing have been more responsive and not prone to closing as on the first generation. Even when connecting to Citrix server using the Citrix receiver was a lot smoother than on the iPad 1.

For me the upgrade was both necessary and worthwhile due to the above where I can now begin the prospect of leaving my mac book pro at home in favour for the iPad 2.

The only thing that ruins the whole experience for the iPad is the tethering to iTunes to activate, backup and sync. Until this chain is severed the iPad remains me of an electric car. You can't really travel on a long journey without having to plug back in to fuel up. Android has already severed this link and has been like this ever since android 1.5 if not earlier. Whilst there is a lot of people saying that iOS needs to upgrade it's UI and notification system, I honestly believe as a priority I needs to severe the cable tethering first. Even if apple were to allow wireless syncing next I don't believe that this is enough. If I go to a shop and purchase an android tablet I can take it out of the box, power it on, connect to the internet and begin setting it up. With iOS devices this doesn't happen until activation using iTunes and a cable.

In summary I am happy overall with my choice of upgrade but am still bound by not being able travel far with it and the need to be near a PC or MAC in a post Pc era so I can re-activate should I run into problems that require this.

What a refreshing change

I have recently moved mobile phone network operator from o2 to 3 due to a number of reasons such as lack if 3G signal were I work, value for money and a couple of incidents over the past two years related to the unlimited data debacle and more recently the filtering of web sites even non adult sites.

I have been on a contract for over 10 years on and off swapping after each term has run out to a newer contract. However I don't really make calls now or receive many and having a smart phone has meant my usage has changed to other mechanisms.

It was about time I moved with the times and checked out other deals. Payg was never an option for me as I wanted good data tariffs, a decent number of minutes and texts. I was originally on an iPhone sim only 30 say rolling contract for £20 per month. This only came with 500mb of data but I was able to change my habits to only use this when away from wifi.

In early march 3 release a payg all you can eat data tariff with 300 minutes, 3000 text and truly unlimited data. Albeit you cannot tether on the payg variety of this tariff. And all for £15 every 30 days. Well with my mind made up I transferred my number which went smoothly.

Since the beginning of this week I have had nearly constant 3G in most places I would expect 2g from o2. In some places at work I have had edge but this is faster than 2g. But it has allowed me to begin using my smart phone as intended with data and I have even found Skype works very well especially considering I pay for SkypeOut. I do hope 3 never drop this tariff or change it but fear being on payg this could always happen.

So today I am happy to be a customer again rathe than a donkey as I felt on o2 just paying and paying and really getting nothing but grief.

Galaxy Tab and its successor

I have tried a galaxy tab and immediately wrote it off after have three other android tablets and figured I could get an iPad for the same price that was a more complete product. The problem I have with the tab is the phone version of android on a tablet that looks like an oversized kiddies toy. The ipad might have its limitations but has always felt a more complete product.

I am still tempted by the galaxy as I like tinkering where this is something the ipad doesn't really allow me to do. However with the recent announcements of the galaxy tab 2 and the htc flyer combined with the price hike of £450 from a shop,o I figure the tab will either be reduced in price soon or will be left by the wayside.

I have had samsung products before and they do not support a product when they deem it as obsolete. There has not been any concrete announcements from mwc 2011 that the tab 7" will get honeycomb or if samsung will continue to support it. Samsung have announced there will be no more 7" devices and reading between the lines I am thinking an impulse purchase will be a bad decision.

The Ipad has worked 50/50 for me whilst away being flawless on battery life and good for consuming media but there is still the element that its not a full machine or something that I can switch on as a full machine when needed. I really wish that the tab could plug this gap but if my previous android tablet experiences are true, this device will also be a failure.

Which brings the topic around again- what is an appropriate device?

Any prospective iPad 2 will really need more ram as applications close too often on the ipad 1 due to low memory. On android there are really no rich applications when compared to IOS which use the tablet form. Nokia with the n900 was nearly there but again there wasq no applications that offer that real world PC experience. PsiXDA could be another prospect but then you have the problem of a PC in small form factor.

It really saddens me to say that the Psion range of machines have only ever fitted this gap and anything else is just a poor comparison. The latest devices may be ale to play media, do push mail, go online when required or route me around a city but they have never offered a complete solution out of the box. The n900 was nearly there but poor battery life and lack of rich applications made it a failure. Both Android has the interface and IOS has the applications but there is nothing available with a real mix

I know you have to move with the times and cannot dwell on the old but there is still a gap in the market that could be filled.

I can recall being able to get my email, browse the web, run full blown applications and still be able to restore my Psion without the need for a Pc. Android nearly gets there but falls down on the applications. IOS plugs the other gaps with the number of applications but is too locked down and requires a PC for restore.

Seeing nokia recently focus on windows 7 instead of symbian shows the market is becoming fashion driven as opposed to functionality. S60 was never as good as epoc or s80 but was good for multitasking and feature rich applications. Sadly if nokia had been quicker developing their UI or purchasing Palm for WEBOS I honestly believe symbian would still be a viable alternative.

However this is all water under the bridge and we are left with the blackberry, IOS, android and windows phone 7 leftovers. Android has the potential to become more rich where I believe honeycomb will decide this when the numerous tablets are released this year that have been announced. But I feel eventually they will all have the same functionality and it will be the hardware looks that will set them apart - if we are not there already?

But even after all of this I am still left with the dilemma if I should just impulse buy a tab? The issue of not having a laptop to hand is driving me crazy. But I don't want another net book and would still like to purchase the tab to try it. There has been many bloggers say it is the best thing since sliced bread and that it will replace their smartphone due its size and remove the need for a laptop or iPad. Ideally this is the device I wanted and had thought the n900 could have done this for me. I don't make many phone calls so VOIP is ideal for me and the 7" size would be suitable as the ipad is too large. But it means android again on 2.2 which hasn't really got any better since the nexus I imported from the USA whereas IOS seems to be gaining in strength.

My usual cavalier attitude is "fuck it" I will just buy the thing and get rid if I don't get on - the last contender for this was the advent vega only after one week. But then if I purchase the tab I have both and then need to decide which one to keep - the ipad or the tab.

So for the moment painful as it is I will stick with the iPad as I know what It can do. I will decide in the future that any device shouldn't really be an ipad replacement or have to prove itself that it is better in tests. This device should be able to hold its own without comparisons and just fill the niche that I want.

Previously Psion did this but who else is able to pick this challenge and just deliver?




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The portable firewall of China

I am currently away on training in London so made the drastic decision to travel light and only bring my Ipad and a mifi. Okay I did bring some more gadgets but settled that I only should require the Ipad. My thoughts will be blogged after the week is up.

The mifi itself has been a god send as I put it in my back pack attached to a battery extender which gives me wifi for 8 hours. More than enough to get me through the day with my devices.

I no longer subscribe to a contract for the mifi but have opted to purchase data sim cards from EBay or other outlets dependent on what best deal I can get. Recently I have been purchasing Vodafone sims from eBay at £8 for 3gb as the signal strength has been very good and the speeds acceptable.

There has been a few reports in the Press that vodafone has been blocking Voip and I reported recently that Cydia had been blocked on my Ipad

However I am finding that more sites are being blocked by vodafone content control for example Iplayer streaming, twitgo and yfrog and even Skype. Now all it takes is a phone call to customer services to remove the lock but because I am purchasing new sim cards this is too much of a pain as it requires registration each time. Now you could say why don't get a contract but the prices are poor for 3gb and I am saving through what I am doing.

To get around these restrictions so I can post to twitter with pictures or use Iplayer (I have paid for the bandwidth!) I am using a VPN. Through jail breaking my iPhone and ipad I am running a tool called Guizmovpn and for 4.99 € I can run an openvpn connection over SSL to an openvpn provider. Because this encrypts and tunnels my traffic I am able to do my tweeting with photos using a service called freedomvpn for 8€ per month. Unfortunately whilst cheap it does not allow me to connect all devices at once on the cheapest tariff. Therefore I am now trailing a VPN pro package with Hidemyass.com for £7.66 per month. This allows up to 3 devices to be connected and they offer openvpn, pptp and l2tp VPNs. I have yet to still try their openvpn offering but pptp works fine. I am looking at setting up a VPN at home and using my home broadband to save in the monthly subscription. The only technical issue I have is the iPhone disconnects automatically and doesn't reconnect when its not in use. Whereas Guizmovpn stays connected all the time and reconnects as and when required.

The VPN services are also useful in free wifi areas to hide my credentials from fire sheep wanna be kiddie script hackers so I can ensure I am secure.

What has surprised me is how much Vodafone is restricting especially sites such as yfrog, twit go and Cydia. None of these sites causes problems albeit they may argue Cydia means jail broken devices. Whilst I understand they want to protect their networks and consumers from bad things they seriously need to need to re-evaluate their filters. Ultimately I have paid for a connection to the internet and expect a level of service that allows me to use it. However I feel each time I pass wind there is someone over my shoulder saying you cannot do that.

I accept there are terms for using their network but this recent example feels like big brother gone mad or it's a preemptive trial for charging more for certain types of traffic.

Thankfully my technical skills helped me out here but what about your normal user in the street?

I believe as Vodafone and the other networks follow suit with this Orwellian approach to traffic management that VPN and other proxy based solutions will become more prevalent.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Backup and Restore

I am away next week in London on training and I want to travel light instead of taking my mac book, work laptop and iPad. I figured the iPad will do all of the functions I need on trip. It's preloaded with media, my course material and can certainly cope with my Internet activities. However one thought came to mind what ignite crashes. The same with my iPhone what if it crashes. I am stumped as I need a PC or mac with iTunes to restore.

Both devices are jailbroken and I use pkgbackup on both devices to backup and restore from Dropbox which works flawlessly. However if the devices die I cannot rejailbreak as I need a Pc or mac. I cannot restore as I need iTunes. I don't know what apps I have installed so I mentally need to keep a note.

Anyone who follows me on twitter I have been an android and Symbian fan.

Now I have found with psion, windows mobile, symbian on nokia and android I can take on device backups. This would either use built in functionality or a new application. I can then restore and all without the need of then Pc or mac.

So I have a dilemma, although I am enjoying iOS, have all the applications I want, can work without the Pc or mac that is until shit hits the fan.

It's as this point I get a reality check and am considering the Galaxy Tab or an android device as a backup.

Apple restores using iTunes work great but if you don't have the luxury of being able to tether or do online backups to the cloud.

You are stuffed until you can hook up again.

We sent a letter to your old address

I have recently changed my address with two companies who deal with my pension and life assurance and am shocked by their processes.

Both companies security checked me over the phone and allowed me to change my contact details for correspondence. The checks were random asking for information only I knew. After confirming my new address they said they would send me a letter to the new address as a final confirmation.

I have no issue with being security checked on the phone and am happy that they changed my address.

What really gripes me is both companies failed to tell me that a letter would still be sent to my old address advising me again that my address had been updated.

It would appear first hand that the companies are looking out for my interest. I accept it is the 21st century and that ID theft is ripe. Therefore I can certainly understand if someone was impersonating me and did the change maliciously this service would be useful.

However, I think they are just covering themselves.

Firstly if I hadn't had post redirection I wouldn't have known these letters were sent out.

Now you may be thinking what's the issue?

(1) Firstly they are assuming straight away I am not who I say I am even though I passed the security checks.

(2) They don't tell me their full intentions and what letters will be sent out.

(3) Now I am not accusing the person who moved into property as being malicious but.... What if this wasn't the case, they opened the letter that was sent, called the company, passed the security checks but then said the address should not have been changed. How do I get to find out?

Although nothing malicious has happened it has left a sour taste in my mouth. Two separate companies I deal with have indirectly not trusted me but I am expected to trust then with my money.

If they were that bothered about security then they could have asked me to provide proof such as a passport, driving license or proof of my new address all of which could have been couriered at their expense more securely.

Whoever came up with this practise of sending a letter to the old address really needs to go back to the drawing board and have a rethink. I would go as far as calling both the policy implementors and the policy itself stupid.

It's another sad example of companies not trusting their customers and implementing bad policies which probably adds no real value, just the impression that things appear secure.

I would like to see the real statistics to prove if this practise has protected people versus people who were a victim of ID fraud because of these letters being sent to their old address.

We now live in a time where there is a heightened sense of security and are advised to shred documents that can be used to identify us if they are no longer required.

However I am of the opinion this is another sad example of a good intention that clearly has not been thought out or even risk assessed correctly. It is a practice I would like to see disappear and a better process of identification put in its place.

I don't have all the answers but am happy I have not been affected by fraud as a result of this practice. However I do not like the fact that although I took the time to update my contact details there an element of mistrust in me.

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?