Random Numbers

I never took a statistics class, but this just occurred to me:

If R is a random number between 0 and 1, then the average value of R taken to the power of N is the inverse of N+1;

EVO 4G: First Impressions

Having been an iPhone user for 2+ years, many of my comments will occasionally refer to that new iPhone thinger that all the cool kids are sporting. Kids, like the guys over at Engadget who seem to keep a decent perspective with the insane pace of the phone industry. In order to help my own perspective, I have read their articles, specifically: a review of the EVO 4G, and a comparison between the EVO 4G and the iPhone 4, which confoundedly ends with "follow your heart." Maybe I should be more emotionally attached to my electronics...

With all that said, here are my first impressions of the EVO 4G:

• Beautiful screen, and considering I'll be staring at this, like, all the time, it's a good thing.
• A bit heavier and obviously bigger than my iPhone 3G, but not in a bad way.
• Won't that protruding camera lens get scratched up?
• The power button is a bit difficult to press because of the way the phone's edge profile is shaped with respect to the button. 
• The UI is slightly more sluggish than I was hoping, but I'd still label it "very fast."
• After a quick login to Google, everything was automagically synced: contacts, gmail, calendars (even the shared ones). Could not ask for more.

My Hungover iPhone

It's actually not me that's hungover. It's my phone. Here's my theory: Apple released iOS v3 and it was so splendiferously good that my phone secretly went on a drinking binge. By the time iOS 4 came out, the phone had had enough with the bottle and simply fell into a nasty hangover.

Search speeds, browsing speeds, even navigating the freaking settings was slow. The phone that had once been so snappy was now a sluggish beast that could barely manage playing an mp3 whilst placing a "Q" tile on the board in Words with Friends.

And I'm not even going to bitch about AT&T's network "service."

My point here is to provide a little back-story to why I want to move away from my current phone. AT&T is less than admirable (text costs), their connections are spotty and drain my battery quickly in Chicago, Apple has bloated my iPhone 3G and provides me no way to make it lean and mean again, and I have a slight desire to do more phone-tweaking (read: root).

And a switch to Sprint's EVO 4G = cheaper monthly cost (we'll see about that) + a phone with more features + allegedly a faster network. Oh, and they offered a 30-day return policy. I was sold, and so the testing begins.

Reward: EVO 4G

I wrapped up taking (again) the SE II exam here in Illinois on Saturday. Naturally, one must reward oneself for such a thing, so I went and did what any respectable geek should do in such a situation: buy an EVO 4G. You know, that one phone that is the first to make sliced bread, the wheel, and will babysit your kids:



I searched high and low for a decent EVO 4G review for Chicago, and barely one was found. So, granted it's late to the show, I plan to leave a few remarks, comments, and maybe even a video over the next 28 days as I "test drive" the phone (before I need to return it, if so decided).

The EVO Test Drive continues...