Playing United’s Optathlon Game/App for upgrades and discounts
By woozy | August 11th, 2010 at 1:56pm
So I got this email the other week from United on a promotion to win a millions miles in a sweepstakes and at the same time win prizes instantly including 10% off flights. I decided to check it out as I could use the 10% off a trip I plan to take to Asia.
The link takes you to United’s “Optathlon” website to play simple action games. You can also download them as apps for your mobile phone (more on that in a moment). It really doesn’t matter how well you do (at least to my knowledge) but just that you play the game. At the end of each game you have a chance to enter their sweepstakes to win a grand prize of one million miles. I never think I can win these things so I was really interested in a shot at an instant winner prize of a 10% e-certificate off United flights where you can try once per day. I’m happy to say after my fifth day of trying, I finally got the message that I was an instant winner of the 10% coupon! Not huge savings, but hey – a win is a win, and if you’re considering a trip to Asia in my case that’s $120-$150. You also get free entertainment value vegging out on a semi addicting game trying to beat the outrageously high scores of others that probably are spending way too much time playing. (Ok, i admit, I wasted maybe a half hour or more trying to crack the Top 100 in the “Line Jump Hero” game before giving up. I was close.)
As of this post there are only two games:
“Legroom Legend” is a game where a bratty kid throws stuff at you from the seat in front of you. The object is to kick them on your tray table. (It’s reminiscent of the classic bouncing babies or fireman game). With the right timing, you can get the objects on the tray in fewer kicks. I was a bit tired of this game after few tries.
“Line Jump Hero” is a strange but fun game where you’re scooting on your suitcase to launch over a line of people Evil Knievil style. The object is to jump as far as you can. You pick up speed by pressing the right arrow keys at the right time (think Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution) and then maneuvering mid-air to hit objects that further propel you and extend your airtime. Hitting these objects is more by chance than skill so there’s a lot more luck involved in this game. Your score is the combo of 3 jumps. I found this the more frustrating yet addicting game.
These games are available on both iphone and android devices. I can’t speak for the iphone, but on the Droid it’s a memory hog taking up a whopping 28MBs! (almost as much as Google Earth). It also utilizes quite a bit of resources. If you have a newer Android phone like a EVO 4G or Droid 2 I’m sure you’ll be fine. If not, expect long load times. Somehow the developers fell short on best practice of making this an efficient mobile app. As of this post, the Android Market shows less than 500 downloads with poor ratings with people thinking the app is malicious. You can’t blame them for thinking that. The 3rd party app developer is list as the author instead of United.
Ok the bad aside, the mobile apps do offer additional prizes you can’t win on the website version of the games – free upgrades and passes to the Red Carpet Club. The intent seems to be to for travelers to play the game while waiting for their flight at the airport. If you are an instant winner, you show the screen to the gate agent to redeem your upgrade! If this game catches on, it will be funny to see everyone in the United terminals across the country trying to win before boarding their flight.
Play the United Optathalon games thru 10/31/10 at: www.optathlon.com
Or Download the mobile app on itunes or Android Market
Droid 2: Improvements over Droid
By woozy | August 10th, 2010 at 11:05am
While I’m still waiting for Froyo (Android 2.2) on my Droid, Motorola finally announced the release of it’s Droid 2. As Engadget reports the Droid 2 will ship with Froyo, Flash Player 10.1, mobile hotspot and a revised QWERTY keyboard configuration, and will be ready for purchase at Verizon stores starting Thursday.
Are the improvements enough to tempt me to upgrade? Let’s talk this through…
Since the Droid will eventually get the Froyo update, the hardware is what we really need to look at. The obvious upgrades reported and noted are greater RAM (512MB vs. 256MB), faster processor (1GHz vs. 550Mhz), much greater internal storage (8GB vs. 256MB!), and improved power efficiency (49% increase in battery life ). Of lessor note, the Droid 2 also is 802.11n compatible. All significant upgrades necessary for the ever increasingly data intensive world of ours. The screen size, overall size, and weight are all virtually the same. Other than what’s under the hood, the new keyboard is worth elaborating. Check out the Droid before and after…
Before: Original Droid
After: Droid 2 - larger and raised keys, sans Dpad
The Droid 2 does away with the D-pad and includes directional keys as part of the keyboard in effort to improve the usability with larger keys. More importantly, the keys are now raised further reducing the frustrating mistypes reviewers were griping about. While I don’t use the d-pad much, it is useful for navigation and selecting buttons and links too small on sites and apps to accurately press on the touchscreen. I would imagine you lose a little convenience having to use the direction keys instead. For games, you would also lose playability without the D-pad (especially with Nesriod, GameBoid, etc).
One other notable observation from the looking at the new Droid 2 is how they’ve extended the face plate below the screen. Curiously, instead of being flush with the screen, it is slightly raised or humped. This design change perhaps makes the unit less clean looking or sexy, but I believe this will prove to be significant improvement in usability. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidentally pressed one of the four touchscreen function buttons – especially when I’m showing videos, pictures, or websites to friends and either I or they inadvertently press the back button with the slight touch of a thumb or palm while passing or holding it. Which brings up another noticeable change – the back button is no longer on the left corner but moved over between the home and search buttons leaving the menu button closest to the edge. This further reduces the chances of accidentally backing out of an app.
Here are the things you can’t tell from pictures that I’m looking to see if they’ve improved (and if not, here’s my wishlist)…
Headphone Jack
The original Droid had a faulty headphone jack where the connection between the headset and jack seemed to get loose over time resulting in annoying crackle static noise with even the slightest touch. Even more annoying is having the headset pop out way too easily! I have to consciously slide my Droid in my pocket with special care so I don’t disconnect whenever I’m going for a walk and want to listen to music, a podcast or while on a call. (BTW, I returned my first Droid after just two weeks after experiencing this problem. The second one lasted longer but, yep, now has the same problem as the first.)
Camera
I haven’t read anything new here. The megapixels are the same – which is fine. 5MP is plenty. Photographers know that its not about the resolution, but the quality of the lens that matters. But did they improve the camera overall? I’ve said before that my 3 year old Nokia N95 takes better pictures and functions much better than my Droid as a camera. Not only the lens and light sensor is so much better, but once you focus on a subject the delay is minimal to none in reaction to snapping the picture. My gut feeling is they didn’t improve the camera or it would have been noted.
Screen
It’s the same 3.7 inch 854×480 resolution screen but the Droid 2 is noted as FWVGA (Full Wide Video Graphics Array) vs. Droid’s WVGA. FWIW, I don’t think this matter much. The Droid’s screen is tough to see in bright light. For those that live in San Francisco, this might be fine. But I still like to use my Droid in the event of a sunny day! I’m doubtful, but it remains to be seen if they’ve responded to this common gripe.
Overall, perhaps you can’t ask for too much more for $199 (with 2 year contract on Verizon) which was similar pricing to the original Droid when it launch. But for me, as long as I can run the apps I want on my Droid without major issues, I can’t justify the cost of upgrade from Droid to Droid 2. The hardware changes aren’t significant enough. A solid phone made better nonetheless.
You can actually buy the Droid 2 at Amazon.com
for $149 with 2 year activation. I bought my original Droid there for the same price less than a year ago! Now the original Droid you can basically get free.
Two Must-Have Video Apps
By woozy | June 24th, 2010 at 12:04pm
When I replaced my Nokia N95 late last year, I was sorely disappointed to find that two of my favorite apps were not available on my then new Motorola Droid. Hearing word that one of the developers had no plans to offer their app on the Android market almost caused me to pass on the Droid and the Android OS completely – no joke. But I figured it was only a matter of time. So for months I toted around my Nokia N95 in addition to my Droid just so I had access to these apps. But alas! Those days are over now that both apps are now available on phones running Android 2.1. The apps I’m talking about are the Skyfire browser and Sling Player.
Skyfire
There are a bunch of different mobile web browsers out there but Skyfire browser does something that no other browser can do on a mobile phone and that’s play Flash content. With many popular websites these days you often get a dumbed down mobile version. I don’t know about you, but this totally annoys me. More often then not, there’s always something missing (content or function) that I desire from the original site. Part of the reason is that these sites are data intensive but the other reason is they incorporate flash which doesn’t work on other mobile browsers. With Skyfire, I can have nearly the same browser experience I have when I’m on my desktop or laptop computer. But what makes this browser sweet is the ability to watch video. Not that big of a deal if the video is YouTube content (you can simply use a YouTube app) but it’s awesome if you want to watch content from some of my favorite sites like ESPN and Hulu. (Update: Hulu seems to be blocking Skyfire servers at this time) I’m still testing it and haven’t decided to completely ditch the original browser that came with my phone making Skyfire my default browser, but so far I haven’t found a reason not to.
Skyfire has been available for Symbian for a while but just launched in April for Android 2.1. Until 2.2 comes out Skyfire has got to be THE browser to use. Of course, it’s not available for iPhones (although I hear they have developed the app should Apple allow it into their app store). www.skyfire.com
SlingPlayer Mobile
SlingPlayer on my laptop was cool. SlingPlayer on a mobile phone is genius and to me more useful. The ability to watch TV or control my Tivo anywhere I have a 3G or Wifi connection is a great advancement in tech and a game changer. Yes, I have Tivo and can just as well record something and watch it later when I get home, but how about having access to instant replay or insight from an announcer while at a sporting event? Having this at the Giants game (on the free AT&T Wifi) is killer and enhances the experience. Also how many times have you been stuck with your friends in a car after hitting the slopes in Tahoe trying to make it back to your cabin or home in time to watch a NFL playoff game? Or when you’re away from home traveling on business? That’s when you can really appreciate it, especially if you’re phone has an A/V output (like the N95 or the soon to be released Droid X) that you can plug into the hotel TV. Traveling internationally you’ll probably want to use a Wifi connection for economic reasons. SlingPlayer Mobile is game changing because I’m no longer in a hurry or feel the need to stay or get anywhere with a TV. I’m still playing around with it on my Droid but so far I must say it is very well done in the way of function and UI – way better than I expected. I’m off to the Giants vs. Redsox game on Friday to give it the true test.
SlingPlayer Mobile has long been available for Symbian, Blackberry, and Palm OS and more recently iPhone. And now, the much anticipated app for Android 2.1 just released. The app costs $29.99 but that’s cheap considering you will now have a portable TV. Of course you do need to buy hardware and connect it at home first (I recommend the Slingbox SOLO
As of today, I no longer miss my N95 (with the exception of its camera) as now I have everything I need and more on my Droid.
I’m a Droid. Why I passed on the iPhone.
By woozy | February 18th, 2010 at 9:54am
It’s been 2 years since I ditched my Palm Treo and opened the box to my new Nokia N95. I must say the N95 served me very well in my travels. My international travels, in fact, were the reason I chose it over the iphone. The ability to swap a sim card was a must and the N95 was already a popular and proven device in Europe among other countries. Even as the iPhone rapidly grew in popularity with so many cool apps somehow I was only slightly envious (mostly of the touch screen and browser). I found the iPhone still did not do a lot of things the N95 could (or at least well). iPhone was still was far behind in its hardware and utilizing more advance tech like great streaming apps like Slingbox, Qik, Kyte, Flixwagon. As a traveler, these apps were my crack that made me a fan of the Symbian OS and my N95. And not just the apps but the hardware. The camera on the N95 embarrasses the iPhone with a Carl Zeiss lens, 5mp, flash, and a button to press to take the shot. It’s standard camera app with a UI and settings similar to that of a point-and-shoot digital camera, pressing the button partially to focus and then fully to take the shot at that instant, the camera’s feature and function was not an afterthought as it is on iPhone and most other mobile phones. The proof obviously is in the shot quality – still and video (and audio). My friends with iphones were always amazed with the pictures and audio/video quality of my recordings. While it’s not totally on par with a good point and shoot, I have on occasion considered leaving my Canon behind when traveling.
A month ago I finally decided it was time to upgrade. My N95 was pretty beaten up now having gone through 11 countries, many drops, moisture (my sweaty jersey pocket!), hard resets, re-installs, and replacement batteries. When the phone started restarting every time it experienced a slight bump (even from opening and closing the slider!) I decided it was time to get a new device. For a techie like myself two years with the same phone was certainly too long. Surely there were devices far more advanced to be had.
I previously passed on the N96, not only because my N95 was still fairly new, but the rumors and promise of the N97 with touchscreen and fill QWERTY had me waiting. But it was with great disappointment to find the much hyped N97 had fallen short in delivering anything significantly better (if better at all) than the N95 to compete with the iphone’s superb multi-touch screen capabilities even with a full keyboard. It seems like yesterday, but it was a year ago at CES when I first handled one under the close supervision at the Nokia booth. While their Ovi app market has grown, it hasn’t really hasn’t gained the developers and momentum I thought it would. It had left me hungry for more.
Once again, I was considering an iphone purchase but didn’t know if I could stand another year on AT&T. Beyond the network I knew there had to be a smarter device out there that could rival the usability Apple is so well known for. Google and it’s Android OS had emerged but the devices were something left to be desired. That is until the Motorola Droid came out.
So you know how this post is supposed to end, so here it is… When I picked up the Droid, I couldn’t get past the amazing 854×480 (WVGA) screen. As a big user of Google services (gmail, maps, gtalk, picasa, voice) I looked forward to the seamless integration of my contacts and data. The fact that I would be back on Verizon was a huge plus despite not being able to swap sim cards for travel. I realized most of my usage this year would be domestic in the US. Verizon is unbelievable better than AT&T when it comes to coverage despite AT&T and Luke Wilson’s best efforts to communicate otherwise. And it’s not just coverage, but availability. Going against the iPhone grain has allowed me network availability at concerts and venues with crowds infested with iPhone users.
While my friend at Google offered no help whatsoever (and certainly did not influence my decision) I took the leap and jumped on the much hyped Motorola Droid. So far, not bad. I say that from a very techie perspective. Using it as a phone actually takes getting used to. The fact that there are no physical buttons to control the phone (other than volume) and makes it a bit frustrating to use. But like other smartphones, you usually don’t buy for its phone function but for everything else it does and is capable of doing. I’m primarily talking about the Android OS. Google, while they always seem to release products forever in beta and therefore very buggy, you can’t deny the juggernaut and the innovation and the fact that they’ll be around for a while. Whereas Apple limits app developers to certain parts of the iPhone OS, Google provides little restrictions for developers of Android apps. This strategy could result in more developers and potentially apps with greater capability. The flipside is there will be a lot of buggy apps to weed through and ones that could potentially crash your phone.
I have accepted the fact that my Droid or any future Android phone I purchase may not work as perfect as an iPhone, but I’m willing to work through minor pains to have the latest tech, innovations, and apps without restrictions of use or service. I like the potential of the Android OS and the growth of their app market. I will certainly be following it closely now that I’m invested. So for now, no iPhone for me. I’m a Droid – at least for 2010.
Is the Nokia N97 NAM here, already?
By woozy | May 19th, 2009 at 11:18pm
It seemed so long ago that Nokia previewed the N97 at CES. In reality just four months have passed – but it seems like eternity when you’re awaiting a major product release. We were told the N97 was being rolled to to Europe first in Q1 but they were nebulous about North America (they had me thinking Q3). Well surprise! Looks like the wait is almost over for North Americans, even ahead of the European release? While a UK version is slated to release June 29th (according to Expansys.ie), rumors are that Nokia will be releasing the North American version of the much anticipated N97 on June 2nd. Evidence that a release date nearing is on Amazon.com‘s site where you can now buy one! Instead of saying it’s on pre-order like Nokia and other online retailers, they actually list it as being “Temporary Out of Stock.” Maybe there was an intitial stock that sold out and I just missed it? Either way, transact your order and they’ll ship it as soon as its available. Better yet: List Price is $699 but right now on Amazon you can buy it at a discount…
Also available in Black
With more memory, better resolution, touch screen, and full QWERTY keyboard, it is not only a major upgrade over its predecessors, the N95 and N96 (great phones already), but it could just leave their new owners with little to be jealous about in not owning a Blackberry or iPhone.
The Nokia Sports Tracker
By woozy | May 7th, 2009 at 11:09am
Here’s a cool app that I installed last year when I first got my Nokia N95. Nokia’s Sports Tracker allows you to monitor and record your workouts – time, speed, and distance. It was one of the first apps I install however I actually didn’t use it much mostly because as an athlete, I didn’t find it very convenient as a serious athlete and didn’t think it worked all that well. (Admittedly, it could have been due to user error – with the N95 you need to slide the phone open in order for the GPS to work!). So why am I talking about it now? Continue reading this post »
Mobile Phones and 3G in Australia – “Yes” to Optus
By woozy | February 23rd, 2009 at 9:32pm
Yes 3G lets you know your location
If you’re traveling anywhere outside your domestic mobile phone provider coverage it’s gonna be expensive. As I always do when I travel to another country, I came to Australia with the intentions on getting a SIM card from a local provider for my phone and buying pre-paid calling plan. In Australia, there are four major players when it comes to 3G mobile networks: Vodaphone, Next G (Telstra), 3 (Hutchison), and Yes Optus. By all accounts, they are more advanced than the US so I was excited to try one of them out. Which one to go with could have taken me forever to figure out. Luckily, I got the scoop from a fellow techie from Sydney while on the plane flight over. Continue reading this post »
Tagged with SIM Cards
Categories: Australia,Cool Apps,Mobile Phones,Travel Log,Travel Tips
Comments: No comments
Amazon Unveils Kindle 2
By woozy | February 9th, 2009 at 10:35pm
Today Amazon.com unveiled its new slimmer Kindle. At 1/3″ thick, the Kindle 2 is about half as thin as the original version which means better portability for the space conscious traveler. Here’s an idea: download digital copies of travel guidebooks (like those from Offbeat). There’s a significant upgrade in internal storage from 256MB to 2 GB and a 25% longer battery life which is more good news for the traveler. For speed readers like my friend Judith (who consistently reads over 100 books a year), the page turning is 20% faster. The Kindle 2 has upgraded its controls making for easier on screen navigation but it’s most significant upgrade, in my opinion, is it’s new text-to-speech feature. While I know I’m not alone in my preference to actually read books myself, I can definitely see the utility and instances when having the Kindle 2 read to would be welcome… like times when your eyes need to focus on other things (driving, walking, hiking, etc) or simply when you don’t want your eyes to focus on anything or hold anything for that matter. And for people prone to motion sickness this can be key. This is taking “books on tape” to the next level. Of course, more than books, you can read blogs, newspapers, and other common digital documents as well as play Mp3′s. 3G Wireless service (EVDO) is still limited to US only which means you’ll want to do all your downloads everything up before traveling aboard internationally.
It can be pre-ordered through Amazon.com for $359.
