Travels and Counties

As I noted on the Places Visited page I have made two trips to gather counties toward visiting all of the counties in the Continental US (CONUS) - there are 3,108 of these political units. I have also visited all 5 counties in Hawaii and 7 of 29 boroughs in Alaska.

The two trips I took in May and June allowed me to finish the 255 (most in the US) counties in Texas and all of the counties in Illinois and Missouri. This means I have completed the counties in 29 of the states.

In late September and early October I am planning a trip to Colorado which will allow me to get the last 8 counties in that state. In addition, I will visit 3 National Parks (Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, an Mesa Verde), attend a Rockies/Dodgers game in Denver,, and hopefully see some colorful fall trees. In addition, we will take a narrow gauge train trip from Durango to Silverton and back.

I am looking forward to this trip, and will be happy to update the Places Visited page when I return home.

The Bird Site - Gone Again

Well, earlier this week I deleted my Twitter account and removed the various Twitter apps I have used (Fenix on Android, as well as Twitteriffic and Tweetbot on iOS) from my devices. As it turns out, I was foretelling something. I removed my account as a continuation of my desire to remove myself from the World of M*sk, but at this time it seems that “The Kingturd” or “His Lowness” is doing all he can to run users that do not fit his view of things out of the Twitterverse.

As many know, some time on late Thursday or Friday Twitter stopped honoring the API Keys of many of the most popular 3rd party clients - something that is certainly within his powers and rights as the site owner. I understand that these apps did not allow Twitter to make as much advertising income as the native client, but I also understand that Twitter has not tried to work this out in the past. In addition, to just shut down a widely used API without any statement or notification is certainly either a poor business practice or a sign of hatefulness and spite, albeit an act I would expect from His Lowness based on his narcissism.

Therefore, from this point forward, I intend to do all of my Social Media interactions via Mastodon at (@AllenFinchum@hachyderm.io) and not return to Twitter either forever or at least until the His Lowness has “left the building” - sold out entirely. Even then, I will do so only if and when the site returns to something close to what it has been for many years. Until then - look for me here and on Mastodon.

Good luck and good nite to all.

ArcGIS Pro and M1/M2 (ARM/Apple Silicon) Mac

I have been looking around on the web for comments on using ArcGIS Pro on an M1/M2 (ARM) Mac, but have only found some limited postings so far - here are my thoughts.  I currently own both an M1 Max 14” MacBook Pro (2021) and an M2 MacBook Air (2022), and I have been using a Mac as my day to day system since 2006 - and I have used a Mac from time to time since the mid-1980s, so I am very familiar with the platform., Prior to the ARM Mac’s my systems since 2006 had Intel processors which allowed for ArcGIS Pro to run in either a Windows VM (using Parallels or other VM system) or on Boot Camp.  However, when the ARM systems came out the question for people like me was if it would be possible in any manner.  My choice to use a Mac as my daily machine is because I prefer to use a Mac when it is the option – however, ArcGIS Pro is built to run on Intel based systems.

When I purchased the MacBook Pro in 2021 I wondered if I could still use a Mac for ArcGIS or if I would need to get a Windows system for running ArcGIS Pro.  Since Boot Camp is not an option on these systems I needed to be able use a VM system compiled for the M1 processor.  When Parallels was updated to run on the M1 I decided to see what would happen if I tried to make a way to run ArcGIS on a Mac again.  I installed Parallels 17 (now on v18) and installed the ARM version of Windows 11.  I then took the install media for the Intel based ESRI software and sort of crossed my fingers and began the install process – and IT INSTALLED normally.  That gave me hope – and then I started the software and it opened up normally.

From that point I tinkered with several processes I run frequently and they worked, and worked well.  These ARM based Macs are incredibly fast and fun to use, and the fact that even with the processor transition it can still run this very large and complex Intel based software is astounding.  My MacBook Pro also has 64GB RAM and I assign 32GB to the VM.  Here is what I assume is happening – the VM (ARM based) contains a specific Windows OS that is for the ARM platform.  And then within the VM and ARM Windows OS there is some form of emulation that allows ArcGIS Pro to run properly.  I simply find this amazing – especially since ArcGIS is running as quicky as it has for me on several laptops (both Windows and Mac) I have used in the last few years.  While there are a few minor little hiccups, none are significantly different than I experienced on Intel based Macs using a standard Windows VM.

I have to laud Apple, Microsoft, Parallels, and ESRI for building hardware platforms, operating systems, and application software that is able to work properly through all of these complications.  As I said, I prefer to use a Mac for my normal computing, and my use of ArcGIS (especially since my retirement) has been occasional, so I had little motivation to purchase a separate machine to run one piece of software – a large and important application yes, but an application that I only use from time to time.  The power and flexibility of the M1/M2 platform, the ability to run a fully functional combination of software like this is fantastic for the user.

More recently I have set up the same combination of software on the M2 MacBook Air with 24GB RAM (12GB assigned to the VM).  ArcGIS Pro runs almost as fast on this system as on the MacBook Pro.  If I am using a larger dataset and/or running some more complex processes I can tell the process is slower, but not to any extreme level – I would guess most processes on the Air run at 80-90% of the speed as the MacBook Pro – the Air is an astonishing little machine.  While the Pro is faster, has a dedicated active cooling system, and a better screen – the fact that this slim, fanless machine can run these processes in an acceptable manner is just incredible.

I know some will tell me to just use a Windows system, but my choice for my other computing needs are well served by the Mac and it is the system I prefer to use when I can.  If you are happy using a Windows system I encourage you to do so, especially if you are an ArcGIS Pro user – I have no problem encouraging people to go that route.  But if your preference is to use a Mac and run ArcGIS in a VM, my experience says it is possible and that the software runs well.  This experience simply proves the strength of the new Mac ARM/Apple Silicon platform, and if you prefer the Mac this is a workable solution.

As I continue to use ArcGIS Pro on the Apple Silicon platform I will consider posting more, and if you have any questions I am willing to consider them. 

Have a nice day.

2022 - Over and Out

Well, 2022 is over - an eventful year in many ways. First - political correction might be occurring and perhaps the Covid Pandemic will finally come to a merciful close (albeit not in 22). Personally it is the year of my retirement from a 38 career working for two great universities - time to go, but I am proud of my times at UTK and OSU and I certainly have no regrets.

Good luck to all in the coming year and Happy 2023!!! Go Vols and Go Pokes!!

Off The Bird

I have now elected to lock my account on The Bird site and no longer plan to monitor the account — maybe even a little fish like me will eventually get suspended!! While I still plan to begin posting some longer thoughts here I will be monitoring my Mastodon account: @AllenFinchum@hachyderm.io and following specific tech and sports accounts as well as some news feeds.

If you elect to remain on The Bird - well, good luck!! As for me, I simply can no longer support the management of the site in any way and will most likely soon just cancel my account there.

Have a great day!!

Twitter to Mastadon

I am writing this short comment to anyone who might visit this site or be interested. I am currently beginning the process of potentially leaving Twitter and using Mastadon as my primary social media account. Since 2016 I have not been a member of Facebook or any other purely social media site other than Twitter. I recently created a LinkedIn account but I do not use it extensively since I am now retired from Oklahoma State University. Should I take on a new professional role that would be aided by a more active LinkedIn presence I will become more active there, but for now it is simply a professional placeholder for the most part.

I have enjoyed Twitter since I joined in early 2011, but with the recent ownership change and the new policies (or lack thereof) I find my desire to remain on the network “strained” at best. I have always used third party clients to use Twitter and never used the web interface and therefore avoided much of the less desirable traffic (thank you Twitteriffic and Tweetbot), but in all honesty who knows how long that will remain possible.

Given these developments and the recent movement of some of the small number of people I follow to Mastadon, along with the more distributed nature of the service I have elected to join myself - my account is located at @AllenFinchum@hachyderm.io and as more of the accounts I follow move in this direction I will spend my time on this service rather than on Twitter. I have never been a highly active poster on Twitter using it primarily to follow people I know or am interested in along with a few mainstream media services, so in some ways my departure in time will probably not be noticed, but I simply wanted to state my position for the record as I begin this process.

The links to both my Twitter and Mastadon accounts will remain on this site until I am ready to fully disable my Twitter account - hopefully sometime in the not too distant future.

2022 - On to the Next Chapter

Updated: 26 Oct 2022

OK - it has been a while, but I am beginning to look at a new “chapter” in my life - I am looking to retire during the Summer of 2022, so Spring 2022 will be my last as a full time faculty member at Oklahoma State University.

I say this with some reluctance as any change of this type is always daunting, but I do believe the time is right for me to move on to something new. I have spent the past 26 years at OSU, and the past 38 years working for either OSU or The University of Tennessee - I believe I have done my duty so to speak. In May I turn 64 years old and after several health issues (now resolved) in the past decade as well as changes to the Higher Education landscape (both in a broader sense and at OSU in specific) I believe it is a good time to move on as I no longer really have the job I set out to get when I graduated from ETSU in December 1979.

While I have left OSU as a full time member of the faculty, I will continue to serve as an advisor for a long term project with the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office along with my friends and colleagues Michael Larson and Hongbo Yu in the Department of Geography. I will also still be serving on a small number of graduate committees over the next 1-2 years until those students complete their studies.

To that end, it is my hope to make this website a more active place for comments on technology and education, and I hope to be far more regular at making such posts. In the next few days I plan to post my thoughts on the newest Apple Laptops - the M1 MacBook Pro models, and how I believe they will lead a new era in personal computing over the next few years.

So, with that let me just say that I wish everyone a Happy 2022, and lets hope it turns out better than the last 2 years. Take care and Go Pokes!!

Galaxy Note 10+

Last month I made my annual trade of Android phones – this time for a Galaxy Note 10+ from a Note 9.  Have owned and used almost 50 Android phones since 2010, this was just a natural progression.  I no longer purchase new phones every few months, but I still enjoy upgrading to a new phone every so often.  Currently I have an iPhone XS Max and the Note 10+, and I enjoy both.  Here are a few thoughts of my own on the new Note.

 I have had every Galaxy Note phone, including the infamous Note 7 and the unique Note Edge.  I believe that this new model is the epitome of what the Galaxy Note line is intended to be.  While it does not have the absolute latest Sanpdragon processor, it has the current high in SoC and the performance of the phone is extremely impressive.  This most likely has to do with the 12gb of ram the larger Note device carries.  I have also been impressed with the battery life of this phone – like all Note devices it has a large battery, but this one is beyond “large” with a 4300 mAh cell.  I have yet to see this device drop below about 30% in my usage – I am not wedded to this device as I often carry two phones, but I did attempt to drain the battery and simply was not able to under normal use patterns.

 The most impressive part of this phone is, as usual, the screen.  The Note 10+ has a 6.8 inch screen that runs almost edge to edge on all four sides, with only a small gutter on the top for the speaker grill.  The camera is in a circular cutout just below the top/center of the screen, and I have found it to be normally unobtrusive.  Like the cutout in the latest iPhones and some other devices, the center of the top line of the screen is often devoid of any real information, so it seems a natural location for whatever kind of cutout might be necessary for the camera.  The screen is ridiculously bright and vibrant, and the sensitivity of the touch panel is excellent.

 Now, to the S-Pen – a caveat for me to be honest.  I choose to use the Note line over the regular Galaxy S line of Samsung phones because I simply prefer the slightly “boxier” or squarer shape of the device and the screen in the Note line.  After I had surgery a few years ago I developed a tremor in my left (writing) hand, so my ability to use the S-Pen or an Apple Pencil is somewhat to very limited.  It is simply difficult for me to hold the stylus steady on the slick surface of the glass screen.  I appreciate the purpose and utility of the stylus for both this phone and the iPad, but for me they provide limited utility.  To that end, I cannot really comment on the S-Pen other than from the perspective of appreciating the utility of the item.

 The camera seems to be a bit of an improvement over the Note 9, especially in the low light environments I have used it.  I know that the sensors are basically unchanged between the 9 and 10+, so I am guessing this is based primarily on software improvements.  In any event, for everyday usage the camera holds its own against most flagship devices, with the possible exception of the Pixel phones in low light – and these phones do their “magic” computationally as well, so improvements like that could continue to be made to a phone like the Note 10.

 I also greatly enjoy the new version of the S-View case I got with my phone.  I have used the S-View case with other Samsung phones, and while I liked the general functionality of the case, they proved to be absolute nightmares to keep clean – that is not the case with this version for the most part.  The case is covered mostly with a tacky, opaque material that shows no fingerprints or oil deposits to speak of, unlike its predecessors.  The S-View function has been moved to a ¾ inch strip of translucent plastic along the outer/right edge of the case.  Through this strip you can see the clock, notification icons, and even answer phone calls by swiping the call notification icon like in the older, full screen S-View case.  This change makes keeping the case clean much easier (the plastic strip is still prone to fingerprints and the like but is easily managed), while still providing the functionality the case is known for – I highly recommend the case if you like a case with a cover over the screen.

 I have included a couple of photos of the Note 10+ and one taken by the device as well.  You can judge what you can from those.  In the end, I really like and can highly recommend the Note 10+ if you are looking for a large, flagship Android device and are not scared away by the price.  Enjoy. 

Indoor picture of my silly old wiener dog.

Device with S-View Cover closed.

Device Home Screen

View from my very dirty office window.

My friend Steve pretending to work.

Not a Trip I Wanted to Make

I am riding in the car back to Oklahoma, after returning to Tennessee to take my mother home to be buried near my aunt and uncle.  No one wants to make this type of trip, but everyone does at some point.  Mom had 85+ good years (more good than bad anyway). The last few months and weeks got more and more difficult, and near the end mom was ready to go even if she did not really want to leave.  I am relieved that she is out of pain and is no longer frustrated by her declining health.  I have tried to follow her wishes, and I hope that I have to the best of my ability.  Both Tanya and Curtis came with me (although he has had some flying difficulties), and I saw many of her friends and students, and everyone was both sad but happy to have known her. 

Oh well, enough of this — she would be telling me to go back to work if she was here.  I love you mom. 

iPhone X, 8 Plus, and the Note 8

I recently purchased both an iPhone X and an 8 Plus - the X and Note 8 for myself and the 8 Plus went to my son.  Let me say that ALL of these devices are great pieces of technology, and any user would be happy with any of them.  After using all three (before handing the 8 Plus off to Curtis), I have chosen to make the iPhone X my daily phone and sell the Note 8 -- this is not intended as any kind of knock on the Samsung device, but is at lease in part tied to my use of a Mac and my strong preference for an Apple Watch over any Android/Tizen watch.

Having said all of this, I will say that the Note 8 came close to winning me over from my Apple dominated universe, and I am very impressed with the screen and usability of the Note 8 over any other Android phone I have used (and that is a lot).  However, the iPhone X is a recreation of the original iPhone in 2007 - the first iPhone to really make a usability difference in the iOS platform.  It took me about an hour to get used to the swiping motions on the X vs using the Home Button, they just came easy and are intuitive after you use them for a little while.  The screen is incredible even in comparison to the Note 8 (which is very similar in technology), and the device is blazing fast and extremely smooth.  The Note 8, while an excellent device as I have stated, is simply an iteration of the Android/Samsung environment - the iPhone X is a major leap in many respects for iOS.

There are still changes I would like to see come to iOS - an optional information page as the opening homepage, simple widgets or complications on the lock screen, and some continued improvements to the notification area and widget setup before I would call this a complete overhaul, but Apple has made a major step with this combination of hardware and software.

A note on Face ID -- it works smoothly (sometimes too smoothly - it unlocks when I really don't need it to) for me.  Perhaps one time in 10 or 20 tries it fails because of a strange angle, but overall this process works as promised and I am extremely impressed.  I did not expect it to work this well, but it does.  My experience with this type of security on Samsung phones has not been that great, but Apple has come close to nailing it.

With that, I can recommend any of these devices to someone looking for a new smart phone, and I would not hesitate in supporting any friend who wished to buy any of these phones.  I am happy, and I believe any other user will be happy with any of these devices.

Steelers vs Bengals on Sat 9 Jan 2016

I have been a Bengals fan since I lived in Cincinnati from 1980-1983, I was a season ticket holder during that time and I have followed the team since.  However, last night the events of the playoff game with the Steelers made me question whether I can continue following this team as it currently exists.

I dislike the Steelers as much as any Bengals fan (and my dislike for them pre-dates my time in Cincinnati for a number of reasons), but last night the Bengals and their fans turned my stomach a bit.  Multiple personal fouls, mouthing, and the fans acting like twits simply made me very unhappy to be a follower of the Bengals.  While I will not go into details - it is outlined well all over the web - I am simply going to state that for now I will continue to follow the Packers in the NFC, and I think I will follow the Chiefs in the AFC (I live in Oklahoma and they are nearby).  When the Bengals earn my respect again I will consider coming back to them, but my disdain for these actions simply forces me to this current conclusion.  I am not absolving Pittsburgh for their part in last nights events, but I was never a Steeler fan and I will not be in the future so that really does not matter.

I will miss the Bengals for now, and perhaps their management, coaches, players, and even the fans will see these events for what they are and begin to fix these issues.  

Go Packers!!  Go Chiefs!!

2015 - Another Year in the Mobile World

OK, I am slow but I really mean to update this thing more often and will try to do so in the next few weeks/months -- there are several things I need to say anyway.

First - Mobile Devices: Currently I am using an iPhone 6S Plus and a Samsung Galaxy Note 5.  Both are excellent phones with very good cameras in particular.  The updates to the iPhone from the past model make it noticeably faster and improve the camera.  In addition 3D Touch is beginning to grow on me - as more developers get on board with this option it could prove to be a real game changer.  As for the Note 5 -- I know some who appreciated earlier versions of the Note lineup feel betrayed by the enclosed battery and no Micro SD Card, but I have not found this to be a major issue.  The battery makes it through a day for me without any issues, and 64gb is enough for my basic use -- while more storage would be nice this gets the job done without the glitches associated with using SD Cards.  Finally, I have ordered a Nexus 6P and plan to put it on the Google Fi network using my Google Voice number -- I am looking forward to this phone and will come back here when I know more.

At the end of the day, while I like Android, I always seem to drift back to the iPhone.  That pattern is strengthened with the Apple Watch.  I have a Stainless Steel Apple Watch and several bands, and I really like it.  I also have a Moto 360 v2, but at the end of the day I just like how the Apple Watch works for me.  When I get the Nexus 6P I will pair the Moto 360 with it and give it a whirl, but taking down the Apple Watch will be a big task with me.

I also have the 2015 Macbook, and I am really liking it (I am typing on it now).  Very portable and faster than my 2011 11 inch Macbook Air.  I do have to say I am intrigued by the new Microsoft Surface Book, but money will just not allow for it right now.  Maybe next year.

Well, enough for now.  In my next update I will discuss some new research I am doing on smartphone usage with one of my colleagues and a PhD student -- fun stuff.

One Year Later - Thoughts Part I

OK, it is a year in and I have not posted as often as I would like.  However, I am hoping to do better in 2015.  Here are a few thoughts on my experiences in 2015 - I might post on GIS and some other topics early next week in a Part II:

iOS or Android -- this is the one that might be the ticklish one, so I will get it out of the way.  I currently have five phones (2 sim cards/numbers) and here are my thoughts on each - at the end I will talk overall.

1. iPhone 6 Plus.  This one has become my daily driver - that says something I think.  But I toy with switching all the time.  The 6 Plus is far and away the best iPhone I have ever used (I have had all models but the 3G).  Battery life on this phone is great, the screen is the best ever on the iPhone, and iOS 8 has been very good for me since 2007.  This one has my main sim card/number.
2. iPhone 6.  This is also a nice phone, and would be a better choice for those who do not want a phablet.  I don't really use it much, and at some point I plan to pass it to my wife and sell her 5s when she will let me.
3. HTC One M8.  This is a great phone as well, with one significant issue, and one not so important flaw compared to the iPhone 6 models -- the camera and the weight.  The camera takes good indoor and low light pictures, but is lacking in detail to create really good large scale and outdoor shots.  The lesser problem - weight - is not really that big,  but the phone has an odd center of balance and the slippery finish makes it an adventure to hold sometimes. A case is almost imperative, but I hate covering the design of this device.  Two things I like about this phone which gets me to consider using it even more - the FM Radio and on screen widgets.  Don't start with TuneIn, Pandora, etc - I have music on board and I have a Beats subscription too.  I go to Football and Basketball games and like to listen to the radio play-by-play - can't do that on a streaming service.  This one has my secondary sim card/number.
4. Moto X - 2013 Model (Older phone I have not sold).  This is a very nice little phone.  Easy to pocket, quick, and with all Motorola's new tricks too.  I really like this phone, but I have become spoiled by bigger screens lately.
5. Nexus 5 (Older phone I use for special purposes).  This phone is locked up in my office - I use it for students in my GIS Programming class to test their apps so that they can actually test maps.  The Nexus 5 is an excellent phone, albeit not on the overall level with the flagships (1-3 and sort of 4).  Reasoning - camera is OK, features are limited, and while it is quite functional and well designed, it is not on the design level with the Apple or HTC phones.  However, from a bang for the buck perspective, this device is top-notch.

iOS vs Android - always the sticky question.  Personally, I like both Operating Systems and Ecosystems (Apple vs Google).  I love the polished look and simplicity of iOS, but I also love the quick info availability of Android thru widgets.  Putting "widgets" in the iOS notification tray is a great move on the part of Apple, but what I really want from iOS is for the first page of the phone setup to be an info page - time, weather, next appointment, email/text notification, etc - then swipe into the apps themselves.  But the widgets they have implemented are a nice start.

While the apps in the Google Play Store have ramped up considerably, I still feel that those on the Apple App Store are a bit more polished - but this gap is narrowing quickly.  It really just gets down to whether you want to pay Apple $$ to have a very well polished ecosystem or allow Google to use your data to do similar things.  Google is also very dependent on the OEMs to produce good products, something Apple can control themselves.  In the end Apple is a hardware maker and Google is a data sifter and advertiser - which suits you better.

A bit more on Apps - I read lots of comments and talk to people I meet all the time about their phone choices.  As has been discussed in numerous articles throughout the news media, Android users tend to pay less (and insist on doing so) for app and services.  They bought what they perceived as a cheaper phone and they want cheaper add-ons too.  I have seen this in my discussions with people, and it is this pushes app developers in the US and Europe to often put iOS first, because that is often where the money is for them.  Ads in apps suck to me (as do in app add ons/payments most of the time).  Just let me pay up front and I am fine.  These developers deserve to be paid for their work - users need to understand this and not complain about $2-5 apps and upgrades so much.

Which to pick - personal preference.  Do you want a cheaper phone, do you like to tinker with your devices, do you just want to stick it to Apple - then go with Android.  Do you want only an Audi/Mercedes level experience, are you willing to pay for it, do you have a Mac -then the iPhone is most likely for you.  Are you a nerd, geek, technophile, love open source stuff - you will probably lean to Android.  In the end, you simply have to pick which one works best for you.  I like to tinker, but I love a slick environment too.  Apple's new services (continuity and handoffs) are very nice, and just need a little working out to make them top notch.  Oh, also do not get me started on the endless "cards" popping up in Android 5 -- this need to be smoothed out a lot and soon.  In the end, it is about you and who you are and what you prefer - and it should not engender all of these emotions and arguments.  BOTH platforms are great, both will be around for some time to come, and the competition makes BOTH Apple and Google work harder.  But, both sides need to work on allowing more cross platform connections.

Wearables - obviously this is dependent at this point on the ecosystem you choose to use.  Personally, I feel Android Wear has a way to go.  Yes, you can get notifications and take some rudimentary actions from one of these phones, but in some ways I find the interaction a bit over done.  I have had a Gear Live, Gear 2, and a Pebble watch, and the Gear Live is easily the most annoying to me personally.  Both the Tizen and Pebble watches provide the same level of info without all the cards, swiping, and whatnot that goes into Google Wear.  Of course we really do not know what the Apple Watch will be like on a day to day basis yet, but hopefully it will be less annoying intrusive and just give me what I need to know and let me decide if I want more.

Finally, while I do not have one I did play with one in the store recently - the Droid Turbo.  This is a VERY nice phone, and if you use Verizon for cell service it is most definitely worth considering.  Just wish it had an FM Radio (iPhones too for that matter).

My thoughts on phones/mobile - these are my thoughts, and I do not expect everyone to agree with me, but at the same time I feel I am very open to the two major ecosystems.  There are times I really want to use Android, but because I use a Mac and some Apple services, my use of one is simply not as smooth as I would like.  This is where it would be nice for the two camps (Apple and Google) to put their differences aside and see if some level of direct cross platform communication can be achieved.

Have a great day, and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or simply a great week.

iPhone 6/6 Plus - a New Beginning

Well, I recently purchased both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and I have to say that I am unsurprisingly impressed.  This comment is not meant to be a full review, just a few of my observations, so read it as such.

At this time I carry the 6 Plus daily, and after having all 3 previous Samsung Note's, I can say that the new iPhone phablet is in their league.  While it is different (IOS vs Android, the stylus, etc), both provide the user with an incredible amount of screen space while still being pocketable.

I am also impressed with the way the 6 Plus runs in iPad mode when you rotate it to landscape mode.  This is a very nice touch when the apps are built to use the function.  Also, the camera on this beast is as good as any phone camera available.  If you really want to take a top class photo then get a real camera, but for the compromises made in using a phone camera this one is still quite good. 

At this point I may pass the iPhone 6 to someone in my family since I find myself really hooked on the 6 Plus.  This is not a knock on the 6, just a preference - it is a great phone too.  If you are in the market for a new phone and iOS is your thing I can heartily recommend both - pick either and you will be happy.

Finally - my phone is not bent - I do not sit on it!!  This whole issue is overblown - it is just physics - sit on a big aluminum phone and it just might bend.

Have a great week!!

This is my first blog post (Christmas Eve 2013)

Wow - never was sure I would start a blog of my own, but here I go. 

View of San Francisco from Alcatraz

My plans for this blog are to discuss my experiences with technologies (mostly smartphones, but others from time to time) and how they might be used by geographers. For the past 17.5 years I have been privileged to serve as a faculty member in the Department of Geography at Oklahoma State University, and a large portion of my work has revolved around geographic information systems and other technologies.  Over the past few years I have come to believe that mobile devices will become more and more common and important in our daily lives and in the activities of geographers and educators. This confluence is an area where I feel I have some expertise, and I hope that my experiences will aid others as they move through their own uses of technologies.

If you have any questions, comments, or issues you would like me to address, please feel free to leave them here or to contact me directly.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and/or simply have a wonderful holiday season!!