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Julie’s gadget diary – No iPhone 8 till next year?


The Apple rumor mill is churning wildly today with news (should I call it fake news, if it’s still just a rumor?) that we might not see the mythical bezel-less iPhone 8 until 2018 instead of later this fall when Apple typically rolls out new phones. There appear to be problems in the supply chain with the availability of critical components.

This autumn (usually in September) won’t be completely devoid of new iPhones though, Apple will most likely launch the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus models.

-Queue the cricket noises-

Does anyone really care about iPhone 7s devices at this point when all the hype is for the iPhone 8? After all, wasn’t the iPhone 7 just an updated iPhone 6?

It’s true that I haven’t been an iPhone fan for several years, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about a potential delay for the iPhone 8. I’m always excited when Apple trots out a new device because I feel like there’s always the hope that it might be the one to seduce me back to the Apple empire.

What do you think? Bummed or meh?

[via The Verge]

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Julie’s gadget diary – No iPhone 8 till next year? originally appeared on on May 2, 2017 at 4:50 pm.

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Julie’s gadget diary – I have finally found my perfect travel computer

After years of trying and failing to force an iPad or Android tablet to work like a laptop when I travel, I have finally found what I think is going to be my perfect travel computer. The 12″ MacBook. I ordered a refurbished unit from Amazon last Friday and it was delivered Saturday morning. I’ve been using it since then and I am almost giddy about how much I like this laptop!

If you have been following my gadget diary posts for any length of time, you’ve probably grown tired of my whining every time I travel. I either moan about how my laptop is too bulky to carry through an airport or I cry about how my tablet won’t do Gmail the way I want in full desktop mode.

I’ve even annoyed myself year after year when I complain about the same issues. But it looks like I can move on thanks to Dave Rees and a some of you who have told me to check out the 12″ MacBook. I decided not to splurge for a brand new one but did like Dave had done and bought a refurb. He bought his through Swappa and I opted to order through Amazon’s Warehouse Deals.

With refurbs, you can end up with some scratches, dents or other wear and tear, but the one I ordered is perfect as far as I can tell.

Compared to the early 2015 13″ MacBook Pro that I’ve been using for over a year, the 12″ MacBook feels like an iPad when it comes to weight and size. The MacBook only weighs 2 lbs compared to the almost 3.5 lb MacBook Pro. 1.5 lb doesn’t sound like a lot, but it really makes a big difference to me.

I was concerned that the display and especially the keyboard would feel too tiny, but that hasn’t been the case at all. I’m completely happy with the display. It is a retina display after all.

The keyboard and trackpad feel very roomy. More so than I had anticipated. The keys on the keyboard are even a little larger than the keys on my MBP, but they don’t stick up as high. That took a little getting used to, but it didn’t bother me for more than an hour or so. Now I can touch type as fast as I do on other keyboards.

Yesterday I decided to order a Type-C dock adapter with HDMI, pass-through charging, and a USB-A port so I could hook the MB up to my 29″ LG monitor like I’ve done with the 13″ MBP using a LandingZone Dock. You might be thinking “Julie, why are you connecting this laptop up to a monitor when you’re just going to use it when you travel?” Good question! It’s because I am about 90% sure I’m going to make the 12″ MacBook my main/only computer. That’s right. I like it so much that I don’t think I even need my 13″ MBP any longer.

The Travel Inspira USB-C to HDMI Hub works great! It only offers HDMI and one USB-A port, but that’s fine. I don’t really plug that many USB devices into my computer anyway.

The HDMI output with this adapter is fantastic and looks better/sharper than my 13″ MBP using the LandingZone Dock’s HDMI connection.

I’ve installed almost all of the apps that I use on a regular basis: Photoshop, Chrome, iMovie, Garageband, Wondershare Filmora, OpenOffice, FileZilla, Canon EOS Utility, TypeIt4Me and more. So far I’ve not noticed any real lag or sluggishness from the MacBook’s mobile processor.  I haven’t done any video editing yet though…

I’m really happy with the 12″ MacBook and plan to use it for the next couple of weeks to see if there’s any reason why it can’t be my main computer. If it succeeds which I think it will, I’ll be selling my MBP.

Now I need to find a new bag to carry the 12″ MacBook. It’s kind of like when you get new rugs or carpet in your house and all of a sudden your couch looks shabby 😉 It’s time for a new bag too.

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Julie’s gadget diary – I have finally found my perfect travel computer originally appeared on on April 10, 2017 at 5:57 pm.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Thinking about buying a new laptop (or tablet) for my next trip

I had to take Jeanne to the hospital this morning for surgery to have her gallbladder removed. I went back and forth last night trying to decide if I wanted to lug my 13″ MacBook Pro with me, my Samsung Galaxy S Tab 10.5 or just my phone which is currently the LG G6 which I’m reviewing.

But I knew that I wanted to do a little Gadgeteer writing while I was waiting for her surgery to finish, so I didn’t want to just rely on my phone. So the internal struggle was really just about the full sized MBP laptop and the Android tablet.

I ended up leaving the MBP at home and took the Galaxy S Tab. I really enjoy the S Tab, but that’s only when I’m playing on it. By “playing”, I mean a few games of Words with Friends, catching up on my Feedly RSS feeds, Instagram, and stuff like that.

When I tired of those tasks and decided that I wanted to dig into some email reading and writing, and Gadgeteer writing, I started getting a little frustrated with the tablet’s lack of a physical keyboard. I even complained in real time about it with Dave Rees via Google Hangouts.

If you read the chat transcript above (click for a bigger view), you can see that I had a few typos. That’s because tablet touch style keyboards are a  big pain in the… fingers! I’m a really good touch typist, but only on a physical keyboard.

It’s great to be able to share the same first world problems over and over again with Dave. Let’s just say that after years of being friends, he just gets me when it comes to gadgets. Probably because he keeps dealing with the same issues as far as the best devices for travel.

My problem is that I really want to make a tablet work for me and just can’t seem to let go of that dream. I continue to revisit this same question every year about this time. What’s so special about this time of year? It’s a few weeks before our first vacation which we always take in May. Vacations require planning. Jeanne plans where we’ll go and planning for me involves the gear that I plan to take with me.

I’ve tried the iPad Pro, a Windows Surface Pro, and a Samsung Galaxy S Tab. It’s time to FINALLY find an ultra light weight laptop with a full sized keyboard that lets me use the laptop on my lap and not just on a table.

Although I’m not a huge fan of Windows 10, I can deal with it if the solution is a better buy than Dave’s suggestion of a used 12″ MacBook.

It’s time to start researching options before I run out of time before the trip. Wish me luck!

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Julie’s gadget diary – Thinking about buying a new laptop (or tablet) for my next trip originally appeared on on April 6, 2017 at 3:56 pm.

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Julie’s gadget diary – I just held a Samsung Galaxy S8+ and I liked it

Two days ago after Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ phones, I wrote that I’d be staying up and pre-ordering one at the crack of dawn the next day. As it turned out, I didn’t pre-order one because I found out that I would not be able to order an unlocked phone until May 9th.

I wasn’t that tore up about not being able to pre-order because I knew I’d be able to test drive one from Verizon at the end of April when they start shipping on 4/21. I also knew that a shiny new LG G6 loaner unit would be waiting for me on Thursday. New toys make it easier waiting for future toys.

Today I decided to stop by my local Best Buy after work because it was on the way to my accountant where I had to pick up my taxes. The reason why I wanted to stop at Best Buy was so I could check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 in person. But I got an even better surprise when I walked in and saw a big Galaxy S8 and S8+ display. It didn’t really occur to me that they would already have them in the store.

I got to try both sizes and was really surprised how similar they look and feel. I kept having to check the sticker on the back of the phone to see which one I had in my hand.

I never liked the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S7 Edge devices because my palm would accidentally touch the curved edges of the display causing weird behavior. I didn’t notice that issue with the S8+ (shown above) or the S8 (shown below). At least not during the few short minutes that I played with each phone.

I will tell you that two things were immediately apparent to me upon holding the devices. One thing I love and one thing I hate.

I love Samsung’s displays. They really do make every other smartphone’s display look anemic in comparison. Some people might not fancy the vivid, almost over saturated displays, but I kinda love them.

I love the displays but I hate the slimy, smeary, fingerprinty feel of the back of the phone. Ick. That said, the LG G6 that I started testing has the same issue. If I do end up buying an S8+ (that’s the one that I’m leaning towards now that I’ve actually held one), I’ll have to put a skin on the back like the “leather” dbrand skin that I have on my Nexus 6P.

Other than not liking the back of the phone, I found the S8 and S8+ to be comfortable to hold and oh so pretty to look at. Where the S8 devices feel like slab of glass in my hand, the Nexus 6P feels more like a slab of steel. I prefer the feel of the 6P, but that won’t keep me from probably buying an S8+.

I really am looking forward to using one for a few weeks when I get the chance to get one to review.

I was disappointed that Best Buy didn’t have a DeX dock because I’m really interested in trying one.

Oh, I also checked out the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 which was my main reason for stopping at the store. Really thin and light. I’m tempted… I wish my current S Tab 10.5 would just die already so I wouldn’t feel guilty buying a new one!

Anyone else had a chance to see and touch one of the S8’s in the wild yet? Thoughts?

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Julie’s gadget diary – I just held a Samsung Galaxy S8+ and I liked it originally appeared on on March 31, 2017 at 4:32 pm.

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Julie’s gadget diary – I’m going to be really tired tomorrow and quite a bit poorer

I have been using a Nexus 6P as my main phone since the fall of 2015. It’s been a really nice device, but it’s time that I hand it down to Jeanne so she can ditch her older than dirt Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and I can move to something new like the Samsung Galaxy S8! 

I just finished watching Samsung’s Unpacked Event where they officially unveiled the Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices. I’m excited about the new phones. The event itself didn’t sway me to want to buy one of them though. I had already decided that I would be buying one months ago. My only struggle has been trying to decide which one to choose: S8 or S8+. I’ve finally made up my mind to go with the S8. The S8+’s crazy large display is very tempting, but I’m looking forward to having the same size screen as my Nexus 6P in a more pocket-friendly size.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices won’t be available until April 21st, but pre-orders start at 12:01 AM tomorrow morning through Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. The S8 will be priced at $750 and the S8+ will be $850 from AT&T and T-Mobile, but only $720 and $830 through Verizon, which is the carrier that I use. Verizon and T-Mobile are also including a new Samsung Gear VR headset and other goodies.

I also want to buy a Samsung DeX dock which will let you connect the S8/S8+ to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse for a full-screen PC-like experience. I’m really excited to try that feature. Right not there isn’t any info about pricing or availability. But if it’s up for pre-sale at 12:01 tomorrow morning, I’m adding one to my shopping cart along with a black S8.

Check out Samsung for more info on the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices (Note: at the time I’m posting this, they haven’t added any specific product info).

Is anyone else as excited as I am to get their hands on one of these new phones?

[Source: The Verge, CNet]

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Julie’s gadget diary – I’m going to be really tired tomorrow and quite a bit poorer originally appeared on on March 29, 2017 at 1:04 pm.

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