Incredible

My HTC Incredible will be arriving by Fed Ex tomorrow.  I've been reading up on the device on a number of forums and tip sites, planning and plotting out what I'll do with the phone.

For instance, the phone allows you to create different profiles.  Each profile can be customized, whether its the apps it displays on the homescreen, the programs and widgets running, options like GPS and wifi automatically turned on or off, etc.

It might seem a bit overkill, but I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to having that.  I'll give you an example of how this could benefit me.

When I go out jogging (okay, let's be honest, it's mostly just walking) I'd like to keep track of the distance I cover, my route, while listening to music, with a camera, and, if depending on what I'm thinking about, a voice recorder to take verbal notes for my writing.

That's a lot of stuff to carry along or keep track of for what should be a recreational walk.  Well, with the HTC Droid Incredible (D.I. from here on out), I can create a profile that has the GPS turned on, Google Maps enabled, the music player and voice recorder apps ready and waiting, and a cardio program updating me on my progress.

So, whenever I decide to head out on a walk, all I need to do is switch profiles and all those programs and apps will be ready to go.  It's like hitting one button, instead of configuring 10, and I approve.

Also in the works is a Social profile, tying together Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Gmail & Text Messaging, with 3G on, and everything else off (except the phone, of course).  With that in place, I can sit down, pop the profile, and go to work on catching up with everyone else.

Even though smart phones have been around for awhile now, I'm still astounded by what some of these phones and apps are capable of.  Next post I'll list some of the apps I'm downloading, and some of the wild things they do (hint: you can measure the height of any object with the camera).

My Evolution Will Be Digitized

For the last few years, I've mostly avoided social media. Emails were the harbinger of bills to be paid, or Netflix movies coming or going. Instant messengers like Aim, Pidgin, Digsby and co. were funny little programs that could show me a list of old, lost friends in a perpetual state of offlineliness.

Myspace had elegance and sophistication of Amy Winehouse; Facebook, the privacy of a nude beach, and Twitter… well, ADHD never looked so mild-mannered.
Despite the convenience and ability to stay in touch with people, social media just never seemed worth the cost of privacy, pride or solitude.

Admittedly, technology isn't some foreign concept to me. I build and repair computers for a hobby. I've written stories about the digital age and how it affects people. Making use of technology or social media needn't force you into the spotlight, let alone constrain you from walking away.

So what exactly am I doing here? Believe it or not, it's because my cell phone died. After 3 years of occasional use, It wouldn't charge anymore. Though I clock less than an hour a week on my phone, I knew it'd need replacing for the sake of work, or the very occasional text message.

I wasn't happy with my service provider, Verizon. Their reception has always been phenomenal, whether I was roaming in Vancouver, or in a completely neutered region after a hurricane, I've never had cell phone reception troubles. Reception aside though, I just couldn't justify the cost, spending 45-60 bucks a month for a phone that barely saw use.

After hunting through a few competitors, I realized that the better pricing and plans came at the cost of reliability. I don't use my phone much, but when I do, I really need it.

So, I had three choices: stick with Verizon and grab and pay too much for a basic phone, switch to Sprint or AT&T, Boostmobile, (or whoever) and risk crap reception, or take the plunge, add a data plan, and grab a smart phone.

Yep, despite my limited digital social life, I definitely have an online presence. There's message boards, videos, wikis and more I use regularly. Maybe it was time grab a convergent device by the earphones and live a little. So, what did I do?

I purchased the HTC Droid Incredible.

I'll save my plans for the phone for another post, but ordering this phone and thinking about all its potential uses made me realize I was missing out on a lot of the benefits social sites and services could provide. Soooo, it looks like I'm going to take the plunge. Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, etc.

A few weeks may pass before I've got my lil digital world organized and streamlined to the point of being truly convenient, but it's on the way.