I *thought* it felt a little warm outside...

[kickaha]

It's not yet 11am.

We just hit 100F outside.

Luckily, humidity is 35%.

Inside... it's down to 83F in the kitchen, and the AC units are doing a pretty damned good job keeping the primary rooms below 78 without straining. ginkgo found yet *another* spot where a badly-installed fixture was leaking hot air into the house, and blocked it. It takes a bit of work, but this place is downright livable in the summer.

Comments

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

It's 45F here and raining. We may strain to get a high above 50F today at all. Are you sure it's not still April? Feels like it.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

I hate you soooooooooo much.

Well actually, it's not so bad as long as you're not in direct sun. The relatively low humidity means that it's almost pleasant in the shade. As long as you don't move too much.

I'd still *MUCH* rather have your weather though. :)

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

Someone yesterday commented that I'm the only one they know not complaining about the weather. The store's doing about 20% over daily projections now, as we haven't slowed due to summer weather because... .well, we haven't had any summer weather. At least I'm happy. Everyone else is whining. And they say it's going to continue until at least early next month. *Cha-ching*

BTW, did you see AT&T released the new 3G rates? $10 a month more for the data plan than it was before... which over 24 months means you'll pay $240 more for the new iphone... so it's $40 more than the old one. $40 more for a faster, new iphone works for me. How about you?

Reference: http://machinist.salon.com/

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, saw that. :) At the rate the dollar is falling, that extra $40 will end up being a savings over that two year period. ;)

Still have some issues with the beast, but it's an improvement.

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

Oh don't start with me about the dollar falling. Do you have any idea how painful that is for me? Everything I sell is imported. Brutal isn't even in the ball park.

And yah, I have some issues too (though why everyone is so upset about lack of video conferencing boggles me a little I admit. Cut and paste I understand, but video conference? Why not just wish for a pony?), but I almost assuredly going to buy 3 of them. Our Motorola Qs are starting to be a bit dated and the plan on them runs out at the end of next month. Steve Jobs has seduced me. I have to have an Iphone or I shall die. And if I get one, you know my men are going to need them as well. *sigh* Do you hear that rousing rendition of "I sold my soul to the company store" or is it just me?

As my resident Apple geek, can I ask you a question? I've gotten addicted to have Google calender sync updates to my phone, meaning I have my schedule available for select people to edit on Google calender and it then syncs via software to the mobile calender on my phone (and visa versa). Does the Iphone interact with google at all? How is Apple with Google in general given Google's proported Iphone killer coming later this year? Is there a functional calender on the Iphone at all?

Thanks you for answering, and all consulting fees can be paid in tea if you so choose. :)

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Woot! I'll collect next time we're up. :D

There are some third party sync-to-the-Googlebrain solutions out there for Macs and iPhones, but most people I know actually have just been using Safari on the iPhone to get access to google's calendar. (Of course, that means you have to have a connection, which can be slow...) Apple and Google have a good relationship, from what I see. Macs are *hugely* popular inside Google, and they seem to share common design sensibilities.

You may, however, be more interested in Apple's new MobileMe system. $149/yr for a Family Pack, each member has their own account, there's also a shared space. Syncs mail/calendar/bookmarks, works on Macs, PCs (w/ Outlook), and the iPhone, natively, and has a nice looking web interface if you're really without your own devices. 5GB storage for each individual, 20GB in the communal space. Web hosting of your own domain if you wish, (email does not offer using your own domain yet, which bites - waiting for that to happen). Multiple email aliases for each person, central management for private shared space, cool stuff. iPhone comes with a 60-day trial period to get you completely hooked. :) They're marketing it as 'Exchange for the rest of us.' Uses CalDAV, AJAX, IMAP Push, etc, etc to boot.

And oh yeah, it's all OTA, so you can be at work, update your household social calendar, and the men will get instant updates where ever they are, on all devices.

I'm jumping on it. I'm tired of futzing with 'almost but not quite' solutions that are free, except for my time. $150/yr is a bit over $12/month. I can live with that, if I don't have to worry so much about crap.

http://www.apple.com/mobileme/ for a rundown of features and a demo video.

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

As always, you're right. I think if I can stand stucking down even more Apple, their mobileme is going to create a complete working solution for things that either take time I don't have or simply don't work now. And for $150 a year for the 3 of us, it's totally worth the cost. Heck, switching phone carries alone is going to save us nearly that _a month_.

Verison can only go straight down with the lack of an iphone killer and data rates at twice what AT&T is charging (yes, even after the extra $10 a month per line for 3G). Currently for very little internet functionality (as in, we can just get the live traffic updates, and that's about it), the three of us are paying nearly $300 a month with Verision for 3 phones. My guess is that we'll be paying just over half that with AT&T, for a better more functional phone. And now that it looks like our outlay will be less than $1000 to get those phones, there's literally not reason not to shift providers.

Thanks for you help mate, and now the real question is can we wait until our plan is up in late August... or are we going to end up swallowing the last month or more make double payments so we can have the iphones soon after they launch?

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Up to you on that last one - IIRC, cell companies are now (or soon) required to pro-rate your termination fees, so if there's only a month or two left, it may be worth doing if you want/need them that badly. :) (OTOH, heck, if it's going to save you that much per month, seems kinda straightforward.)

When you get your hands on them is up to you, of course. :D (Ain't I helpful? :D)

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

Yes, you're very helpful. Thank you very much. You are also evil, but for that you'll simply have to thank your self.

This I do know, no new Iphone for me until after July 11th. After that, each day is going to be touch and go. (Btw, did I mention that L's phone only holds a charge for about 1/2 a day at this point, and that mine has started spontaneously rebooting....).

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

Damm you again! You made me go look. Verizon has already prorated the fees. So, as of July 11th it will cost us about $200 to terminate the contract on all 3 phones ($65 for what's left on the fee for the last 2 months times 3), which would be saved in the first month plus a little on AT&T.

So, in fact, it's cheaper for us to go get the new phone sooner rather than later. damn you! I was trying really hard NOT to be one of those people waiting in line on the 11th of July like a goober waiting to pay for a new cell phone. You're removed my last excuse!

(Apple should really pay you some sort of conversion bonus or finders fee or something. Not only are we going all Iphone this year, but the replacement for L's laptop is almost certainly going to be Apple. Just to be clear, I blame you.)

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

You say the nicest things... :D

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Oh, just in case you needed *more* of a reason... I don't know if you're a fan of the GTD workflow, but L's new laptop can almost certainly run this spiffy app from OmniGroup called OmniFocus. It's a GTD task manager that is just awesome.

And they're coming out with an OmniFocus iPhone client, with live sync/push/etc, and that's location aware. It knows when you're home, at work, or out and about, and gives you the appropriate contextual tasks for where you are.

I'm hoping that they include the ability to delegate tasks to other folks, so I could be at work, realize I can't do X before I get home, and push it to ginkgo so it pops up in her Inbox wherever she is, to let her know that it's an open item. (Probably an OmniFocus 2.0 feature, but hope spring eternal.)

ANYwho... :D

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

First, and most importantly, I don't need more of a reason. Right now I'm clearing my schedule to be in line by 6:30am on July 11th to buy 3 phones from our local AT&T store. (Damn you!)

Second, it would be nice to have a good work flow task program, given that he and I work the website and other Teacup flow issues out together, and it can be hard to keep it all happening smoothly. Weeks like this week where I'm working tons of nights and weekends and we barely see each other would be simpler if we could do what you describe. Just having the MobileMe portal solves about 6 issues we're having with people not having X's phone number but someone else has it on their phone and... you get the idea.

Lastly, I'm not stalking you, I promise. You just happen to be in the sweet spot of posting in your day when I'm up checking email and the interwebs. Really, I promise. Tell ginkgo to put that sharp looking object down!

Oh, and thanks so much for all your help on this topic. I feel much more confident about this choice (which I will admit was one I wanted to make anyway) after talking with you about it. Even if it did mean I had to watch that insipid MobileMe Video with the guy that clearly runs the downtown San Francisco Apple Store. (Where did they get that sweater, honestly!) But truly, you've been super helpful and understanding as you helped me make what is at the core, a business decision. I owe you one, man.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Any sharp implements I'm sure are pointed my way for posting essays when I have deadlines at work. ;)

Glad to help, you know where to find me if I can provide any more lightening of your wallet. :D

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Er, hold the phone. (No pun intended. Really.)

Shared calendar push has not been confirmed for Family Plans. Looking into it. Individuals have their data pushed, trying to find out the sitch with shared cals.

[lirrin.livejournal.com]

I had to get up and get the heating pad last night because it was too cold for me to fall asleep. I checked the calendar on my way by. Yeah, June, theoretically.

On the other hand, I haven't had to water my garden yet...

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

kajafoglio called it "Juneuary" on her blog today.

[theevilhalf.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear y'all stayed cool. The humidity was low here, too, In fact at one point it was lower outside than inside. The heat index hit a record today for our house at 107 for the season. Max temp was only 95. I am so looking forward to 65 tonight then mid to upper 50's for the low tomorrow night. Air leaks? Heh. We live in a sieve. Hopefully less so come winter.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

I recommend liberal application of a caulking gun. :)

[theevilhalf.livejournal.com]

Heh. If it were only that easy. I do have an elegant plan: replace the spring metal weather stripping that a previous owner removed from all the windows because "it looked ugly."