What to do if you broke your iPhone

Everything is in slow motion as it hurtles towards the ground. You are frozen and powerless to do anything. All you can do is look on and hope that there is not to much damage. That's the feeling that you get when your Smartphone (most likely the iPhone) is about to hit the concrete.

Unfortunately, all of this happened to me. It stinks, I know. And to make it worse, Apple charges you 199.00 to fix it (they actually replace the phone for you with a refurbished model). So what do you do? You have numerous options.



1. Pay Apple: It may seem like a lot of money (and it is) but sometimes you just have to suck it up and pay it. Hey, Apple will still let you finish off your Apple Care warranty that is on the phone.



2. Roam Internet Auction sites: Sites like ebay and Craigslist thrive on people like me and you who tend to be a little more clumsy than usual. I'm sure you could find an iphone on there for about 50 dollars cheaper than what Apple would charge you. But, do your really want to?



3. Fix the phone yourself: If you are a self proclaimed tech nerd and you want to save a good chunk of change, you could always order a new screen or piece of component for your phone and replace it yourself. This will save you a lot of money if you know what your doing, but may also void your warranty. Also, it may be good if you have a roommate who has done this numerous times and is willing to help you for a lunch. Did someone say dollar menu?

If you hapen to have an iPhone 4, here is a great instructional video on how to fix it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNM90pb-Xwk

iPhone announcement for Verizon on Tuesday December 11th? It doesn't add up

It's funny to think that Verizon will announce an iPhone on Tuesday. Many reputable sources such as the WSJ, Gizmodo, Life Hacker, and CNet are all saying that it will happen. In reality, it won't.

Think about it. Apple has a contract with AT&T through mid 2012. Verizon is just launching their LTE (4G) network. AT&T will be launching their LTE network later this year. That doesn't make much sense then for Apple to make a phone that will work on CDMA (which is what everyone is reporting) when in fact, the new network is coming out (in some places it's already available). Also, think about it like this. Would Apple really let Verizon launch something this big and let them take the credit for it? Not gonna happen.

Apple wants and needs to have total control over their products and release dates. Why would they let Verizon do it? Nothing here adds up. In the end I have a bet going with a few coworkers who say the phone will be announced on Tuesday for a 2011 release. I'm saying it won't. Basically it adds up to some free lunches. I'm thinking some lobster.

Mac App Store

Ok everyone! Its here! The Mac App store. Upon first inspection, it seems a lot like the app store for the iPad and iPhone. You can choose categories, top grossing apps, free and paid apps. You have a spot for updates as well. What's also cool is the fact that since I have iWork 09 and iLife 11 installed already (I bought them in disk form) the app store recognizes it, and shows it is already installed.

Diving a little deeper into the store, I realize now, that this is a game changer. No longer will I need to go out and buy a program on disk (and the ones I have I can use as a coaster or a frisbee!). Just click, and it will automatically install in your system. The icon shows up on the dock once it's done, and you can use it immediately. I downloaded a Twitter app which only took a few seconds. It was great!

Unfortunately, the one program we have all been waiting for is not here yet. iWork 11. In fact, only iWork 09 is available, with each program being a separate download. I was kind of disappointed to see that iWork 11 was not here yet, but I have a strong feeling Apple will be working on it. Lets all hope!

Below are some pictures of the App store and the icon. Enjoy!

Year of the Tablet

Many people think that 2010 was the "year of the tablet." That makes perfect sense. I mean the iPad came out, then the Dell Streak and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, so its only natural to assume that it would be the year of the tablet. But it isn't. I can say this with confidence. Companies like Microsoft (with it's infamous Courier that was canceled and that I eagerly waited for), HP with it's supposed "Palm Pad" running Palm's Web OS, a Tablet made by RIM running it's Blackberry OS, and lastly, a tablet made by Google have yet to release actual products which we can all consider tablets.

These companies need to find a way to release these products this year that can compete with Apple's iPad. We all know that in April the iPad 2 or whatever you want to call it will be released with some amazing features. Theses other companies need to realize this and compete.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Apple. My theory is that if everyone in the world owned an apple product, there would be no war, hunger, or poverty. The reason I want to see these other companies come out with great products is so that Apple has someone to compete with. I always say that "competition spurs innovation." Because of this, I want to see innovative products. Yes, 99.99% of the products will probably have Android on them like the Galaxy Tab and the Streak, but the .01% that don't are going to shine. They will be from the big companies like Microsoft, HP, and RIM. These will be the companies to put out amazing products along with Apple and help us shift our thoughts and ideas from Laptops and netbooks, to tablets.

As it says in the title, this will be the "YEAR OF THE TABLET."