Windows Phone 7 Bashing

So, I was in a Verizon store yesterday, and chanced to ask the store manager about a "Kin One" feature phone. (I know someone who was looking for a new feature phone.) He responded by bashing the (admittedly short-lived) Kin, and Windows Phone 7 in general.
I was rather taken aback, even as an Android fan. The store manager told me that they merely unbox the shipment, play with them, and ship them back. He described high return rates and described the software as a nightmare. It got me to thinking, if the store manager won't even stock them, no wonder Microsoft can't sell them.
I think Windows Phone 7 has a beautiful UI, so I was shocked. I certainly hope this is the exception rather than the rule!

Thank You Steve

I'm not going to apologize for offending people.  I just have to put this out there.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this.  I'm not sure what my connection is.  I've never owned an Apple product, but somehow, the loss of Steve Jobs is impacting me.  I could gloss over what a visionary he was, I could say I think how he's the greatest businessman of all time, but that's already been said.  I could say how I bet he's just a really awesome guy and a great dad, but that's already been said too.

What I'm pondering, is controversial, but I have to get it off my chest.  The reason I'm saddened, is that I'm a Christian, and that Steve wasn't.  He was a Buddhist.  I don't believe he is going to heaven, and that is crushing me.  An incredible person, a great businessman and a great dad, and a great neighbor, and gifted, and talented, and a genius who thought differently than anyone of his time, but still lost.

This is so hard for me to write.  There are millions of people in his same circumstance, and his death is bringing that once again before my eyes.  I want to believe that he is in heaven, but I can't.  Maybe he is, maybe his beliefs changed before his death.  Still, there are millions who haven't.

Steve, thanks for all you have done.  Thank you for changing things.  Thank you for thinking differently.  Thank you.

Evolution of Connection

This post written with inspiration from Nadia Crawford's post

There are always things that bring us together as a group. Whether it's the radio station you're listening to, the spectacular blaze of a shuttle launch, or a common conversation on Facebook, they each give us the feeling of connecting with others.

Increasingly, the internet has become about connection. Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and the newest entry, Google+, aim to connect you with those you knew, those you know, and those you will know. However, at the same time, we strive for personalization, with sites like Pandora, Google, and Yelp aiming to give you exactly what you want, whether it's music or the perfect restaurant.

This has advantages and disadvantages. There isn't the same level of connection when we listen to Pandora as when we listen to the local radio station. There is a vacuum of connection beyond our typical conversations. This opens up a position for media, games, and much more that will be enhanced by the addition of our friends. (No, I'm not talking about people giving you cows on Farmville) Xbox live is perhaps one of the earliest modern entries to this era. It allows you to easily connect with your friends to play games.

One site that I've seen take this connection and personalization to the next level is Turntable.fm. Turntable allows you to select tracks to play (personalization) while voting on and listening to tracks that others play (selection). Anyone who isn't playing music can listen in on the music as a radio station curated by their friends. This is a powerful way of allowing people to interact and enjoy music with their friends.

Developers, take this as a challenge. Build something that has social at the core. Not a share button, or a hook to invite other users (Farmville gifts). Build something that brings a rich experience with the contribution of one's friends. This is the challenge, and those who do it best will succeed.

Cross Posted at Rogue Chromebook Gurus

Graduation Day

Wow, 18 years and I'm finally here! It's graduation day! Over the years I've had wonderful teachers. I'm especially thankful for my AP Calculus teacher! She has truly inspired me and pushed me to do things beyond what I thought possible.

The years have been filled with lessons. I've learned to write research reports, to integrate, and maybe even a little bit of physics. Reflecting on the years that I've had, I'm thankful for the friends who helped me to think critically, even if it took arguing with me to do it. It's unbelievable how quickly life has moved. It seems like just yesterday that I was meeting everyone in sixth grade. Fast forward to today, and we have shared memories, and opportunities to go on and do great things. We have a huge potential to make an impact on this world!

It is my prayer that God blesses all of you, my friends! I want to thank you all for making me who I am. Without the insightful discussion, heated debates, and a few pushes or nudges in the right direction, I would not have grown as much as I have. I love you all, and can't wait to see what we accomplish class of 2011!

God bless you all!

Love,

Nathan

AP Calculus Practice Test

What a weekend! I really had a lot going on, but I'm going to take the time to focus in on one thing in particular: The AP Calculus practice test at Wyomissing high school.  Now, I could say a lot of things.  I could make comments about kids walking past with ice cream, I could discuss the others comments about how it didn't look fun.  But I won't.  (See what I did there?)

It was great! A question about snow removal, that, while I didn't ace it, I felt comfortable.  Another one modeling a speaker by a couple of different equations.  A bit of integration with respect to the y-axis.  I felt on top of the world! That is, until I got to the multiple choice section of the test.  I'll admit it.  On a lot of the multiple choice, I felt pretty lost.  I found it hard to narrow things down, but overall, I think I did average on the multiple choice, and pretty awesome on the open ended.  This doesn't make a ton of sense, because I honestly expected the open ended to be far harder, and we haven't reviewed at all.

Now for the results: I got a 4 on the test!  It was the 2010 AP Calculus test, so that gives me a lot of hope that I will be alright on this year's.  Still, I can't afford to stand still.  I'll keep praying, study my butt off and get a lot of rest before the test just like I did yesterday.  Bring it on!

Senior Year

We're over halfway through the school year.  Tomorrow is the 108^th day of school, and senior skip day. (Note: I will not be skipping tomorrow)  I think now is as good a time as any to report on the state of my year.  The three classes I'm most interested in this year are: Computer Science II, AP Calculus, and AP Physics.

Let's start off with my most frustrating class: AP Physics.  We are never lectured and expected to learn by watching the teacher do problems.  My problem?  Actually understanding what I'm supposed to do half the time.

Now, my favorite class: Computer Science II.  This is an honors class that I thoroughly enjoy!  We're doing 3D wire frames and I'm just having a blast starting my day with some good coding.  We're still using Visual Basic 6, but I expect we'll be in C++ later this year. I can't wait to get a real taste of what real life coding is like, because the graphic editor in VB6 just seems way too easy.  Object Oriented Programming, here I come!

Finally, AP Calculus.  This is my hardest class.  Derivatives, integrals and a very rapid pace.  My teacher is awesome and I have had her for three years of my high school career, so I'm loving the class!  I just wish I could get better grades on my tests.  (Part two of a test tomorrow)  Anyway, I expect to pass the AP exam, and decide if I want to retake the class in college.  Now, speaking of college....

As I approach the end of my senior year, no doubt some people are wondering what's next for me.  I'm proud to publicly re-announce my decision to attend Grove City College, an hour north of Pittsburgh, PA!

Grove City is a Christian college where I plan to major in computer science and potentially math.  I am looking forward to the spiritual and academic opportunities over the course of my next few years, and hope to share more in the future!