Summer 2013–1st Playlist

Well, it is about summer time.  That means warm weather, parties, vacations, days at the beach and summer jams that get played over and over, but supply the soundtrack of memories.  I think the songs that will be on repeat rotation are just coming out and here is the first batch that I’m playing.  Enjoy and feel free to add your own in the comments section.

* Photo note: my portable sounds this summer will be powered by the Nokia Purity earbuds(by Monster) , Sony X Headphones and the Sony NFC/Bluetooth enabled mobile speaker.

My Red Lumia just got an Indigo Upgrade

Apple should take note…Siri-ously.

Tomorrow users of Windows Phone and Android will get a chance to try out a new app that I’ve been playing with for a few days.  The company, Artificial Solutions, has been innovating NLI (Natural Language Interaction) for other companies’ sites and gadgets, but now is releasing their own Indigo app.  My red Nokia Lumia 920 has been officially upgraded with the presence of this app.

From my testing over the weekend, I’m impressed.  Besides the generally accurate voice recognition and picking up cues from natural speech, which are no slouch, they have already implemented a few tricks that make the app stand out.  Here are two that I find fascinating:

Why I Hate Instagram

As I sit to write this blog entry, the thought strikes me that it is odd to have such an emotional response to a service, especially one that I don’t even use.  Needless to say, since I’m still typing, that those thoughts were quickly squashed in my brain.  To the many that rely on InstaGrime to display your meals in what you think is a quirky, artsy way, I might have to spend a bit more time explaining.  Let’s see if I can filter through the nonsense and get this issue squared away.  See what I did there?

DalyDose of…6 WEEKS!

There are just about 6 weeks left in 2012.  Did you make a bunch of resolutions for yourself that you didn’t keep?  Well, now is the time to tackle those issues and we have apps for that!

I am starting up a goal orientated fitness plan for these last 6 weeks and I challenge/invite you to join me.  DO NOT WAIT for New Year’s to get this done.  Let’s do it now so we can work on bigger, better things in 2013.  Read on to join the challenge. Links to the apps, the plan and a little motivation, after the break.

DalyDose of…Labor Day Kickoff in Pictures

No, I don’t mean the football games.  There are no games until Michigan takes on Alabama today.  Go Blue.  I speak of the Friday that kicks off the long Labor Day weekend, that I get to celebrate regardless of my employment status.  What a great country.

Yesterday, I was prepared to have a Netflix night at home with my microwave popcorn in a lunch bag, made “famous” in this YouTube video.  That thrilling video was put together on another thrilling night in the JDE.  Try not to be too jealous.  Alas, my date with streaming video was cancelled by a better offer.

The offer was so good that I had to give the ‘ole skull a fresh shave.  Here is a representation over time of my preparation of a fresh skull.  It is not always easy being JD…it takes work, but the final product is soooo worth it.

DalyDose of…Union+AT&T Savings

Please note that what I am telling you about here applies to ANY union member, who is (or wants to be) an AT&T Wireless subscriber.  My message is geared toward actors, but is just as applicable to unions of all jobs, in all industries across the land.  Now on to my regularly scheduled blog.

This is the first blog entry where I’m saving you money on technology and productivity.  Yay me!  How about I start it off with a quick JD video intro…

Read on to learn HOW to take advantage of the savings!

DalyDose of…Zombies, Run!

Two things that I’m not that interested in: zombies and running.  Who knew that pairing them up would result in some fun and motivating fitness?  I got so motivated that I recorded a short video at the end of my run.

WARNING: This video is unrehearsed and immediately follows a non-runner’s run.  I can’t guarantee the level of awesomeness that you are accustomed to, but if sweaty truly IS the new sexy, you won’t be disappointed!

*photo taken with Nokia Lumia 900 (Windows Phone). Zombie effect by Photofunia app.
Hilarious wisdom and insight by yours truly.  Read on!  WAIT…first the video…

Apps You Didn’t Know You Needed

OK, you have every “must have” that all of the blogs tell you that you need.  Well, I have a few here that you might never have heard of, but I have found them very useful.  I use a Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 900 to be exact, but some of these apps are available for Android and iOS.  I’ll let you know, because I’m cool like that.

Why Nokia Wins – Post Beta Test

There is finally some good hardware competition going on with Windows Phone.  Samsung and HTC have really been repackaging successful Android devices and Nokia is focused solely on Windows Phone.  That focus seems to be paying dividends.

Nokia is now the best-selling Windows Phone device after being in the market for just a few months.  The reviews have been great and the customer satisfaction has been off the charts.  The greatest testament was when Siri got caught recommending the Lumia when asked “What is the best cell phone ever”.  Apple has since hard-coded the answer to be more Apple friendly, but the customer satisfaction data that Siri originally based her answer on, doesn’t lie.  Now let’s look at WHY Nokia is winning and elevating the status of Windows Phone.

Mango-nificent Love

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” -Mother Teresa

Could both hungers be satiated with a little mango?

I love my Samsung Focus as much as one can love an electronic device, but that is not what this blog entry is about.  I have a developer unlocked device and thus, I have Microsoft’s test version of the latest iteration of Windows Phone, codenamed “Mango”.

This writing is not 100% mango centric.  Many of the apps are available for any major smartphone platform.  There are some features that are built-in to Windows Phone Mango and I’ll point those out.