Microsoft's consumer comeback

I've been impressed and even surprised of late with Microsoft's focus on remaking its image with consumers by paying attention and working at some of the hard things to turn around its image.

Nokia's new Lumia 920 Windows 8 phone

There was a time when I thought that it would be content to roll over and focus on enterprise computing, leaving the fast-moving consumer sector to other more nimble performers like Apple. This is obviously not going to be the case and consumers will be better for it.

Take for instance the new Hotmail Internet client that's been renamed Outlook, not to be confused with the enterprise email product that make sup a key part of Microsoft Office. Hotmail has always been a solid performing product. It's just that it had become stale and stodgy. The new Outlook, which uses the sexy Metro UI, is incredibly compelling and, yes, fun to use. I found myself dusting off my Hotmail account that I hadn't seriously used in years and even applying for a new Outlook address. If you've not tried it, it's definitely worth a look. I've been a Gmail user for some time, but the Outlook interface is much more pleasing and engaging.

Then there's Metro Twit. Again cool and fun to use. Are you seeing a trend here. I've even dabbled with Internet Explorer, which I'd not used in years. It's an old product that's been spiffed up with new features and speed enhancements.

This all brings me around to Windows 8, which is what will bring all of this together. It's getting great reviews. There's a tablet strategy and it may be just what's needed for MS to get back into the mobile game -- a space where it can't afford to lose. I've played with several Windows 7 phones and they are intriguing if not addictive. There are still three areas that need work: the camera, the display quality and the apps marketplace. Two of those are not Microsoft's territory, but the latter is and it's crucial.

Windows 8 promises to be a major boost for mobile. Already, the first hardware being shown gets at the first two issues. And Lord knows MS is working its tail off on the apps issue -- and making progress. Some of the best apps offer a user experience not achievable on either iOS or Android. The only problem is there aren't enough of them.

So, this is a very interesting time for Mr. Softie. Knowing more than a little about the company, though, I'm betting that this is a challenge where they are going to win.

Is the iPhone getting boring?

You know you're not a trend setter when you have the same phone that everyone else (yes, and their dog) has. I saw a pooch walking around with an iPhone the other day. It seems that everyone has an iPhone and the concentration is getting higher by the day. The sheep now have the message and it's become a stampede or whatever runaway sheep do.

Nokia Lumia 900

I've had an iPhone since nearly the time they first came out in 2007. I tried a Blackberry before RIM's huge fall from grace. And I even flirted with Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's Hail Mary attempt to get back into the mobile category.

A former co-worker and friend who now works on Microsoft's mobile team gave me a Samsung Focus about a year ago to try. I put my SIM card in it for awhile and liked a lot of the features, but kept gravitating back to the iPhone. Then I got a new iPhone 4S. Faster and with the Siri gimmick, but otherwise, same old same old.

I've never been one for "going with the flow" even though I'm pretty conservative. All the hype over the new Nokia Lumia 900 has got me fiddling with the Focus again. (I can use it on wireless for email and web access, just not for making phone calls or where there is no WiFi.) It's a nice looking phone that will run on AT&T's new 4G LTE network and has a better camera and probably better display than my Focus. Plus, legendary Nokia quality. Oh, and don't forget the FM radio!

I'm now tempted again to give WP7 a whirl. I've upgraded the operating system to Mango which is definitely faster and fixes some of the shortcomings of the previous OS. The app problem still exists though. There are lots of iPhone apps that I use that aren't available on WP7 and may not be for awhile.

Why would I switch? Well, WP7 is different and pretty cool. It handles email much, much better than the iPhone. In many ways, it seems a lot more integrated that the iPhone. It's as fast if not faster than the iPhone. But, most of all, I could diverge from the flock and maybe be one of the new trend setters!

GOP leadership in disarray

It's a political year and I've held off for far too long. And it looks like this is going to be a very delicious year to be blogging as the Republicans continue to trip all over themselves in their ineptitude trying to win back the White House. Or win something. God knows what considering their standing in Congress.

The latest example comes this week with the complete cave by the GOP on extending the payroll tax cuts. This is one that less than two months ago they were willing to die on the cross for. Not any longer. "It's over. It's done." Those are the quotes coming from GOP insiders who are just shaking their heads about the sad state of affairs of the Republican leadership and how out of sync it is with the presidential front runners, such as they are.

Pretty hilarious AND entertaining if you ask me. John Batchelor presents an excellent inside look today in The Daily Beast at why the GOP caved and why it caved so hard on payroll taxes. They aren't dumb enough yet to realize that this one was gong to kill them if they didn't quickly reverse course. On the other hand, Obama's strategy has been masterful not only on the payroll tax deal where he backed the dullards on the other side of the isle into a corner, but also on the health care/contraception switcharoo.

I'm now convinced that Obama and his team knew full well what they were doing when they angered fundamentalist Catholics on contraception and then quickly changed course to bring all those who have any chance of supporting him in the fall back into his camp. It was brilliant.

Why? It was Obama's trap to lure the Republican candidates back into the social issues swamp and off the economy and other issues where he is more vulnerable. Now you've got Rick Santorum out there talking about aspirin as a birth control solution (I know he didn't say it but he might as well have). And suggesting that education receive no state or federal funding? Huh?

Oh ya, and this is also the guy who drives an Audi, which would be made by the German socialists. Again, the GOP finds is hands in the hypocrisy cookie jar. Believe me it's going to be an entertaining election year.

Dinner with the Iron Lady

Something happened to our satellite (DirecTV) the other day, so we've been without service this week until tomorrow when the repairman is due to visit our house. We were originally told it would be two weeks before we could get someone here to fix it. I suspect they rely on telephone support to fix 98% of all issues.

Anyhow, we decided to do something very unusual for us. We went to a movie during the week. I don't think I've done that in decades. A new theater, Cinetopia, opened in our neighborhood last summer, but this was our first visit. Cinetopia is a new kind of theater with different sized viewing rooms and charge accordingly. The smaller the room, the more expensive. We chose the smallest, the Parlor, which was $18 per ticket, but we got senior discounts, so it was $15.50 per.

The seating was very comfortable and the room only accommodated about 18 people in plush living room style couches and chairs. Before the show began, a waitress took our order. We decided to go whole hog, so we ordered dinner -- fish and chips, nachos and two beers. The bill? $48. So altogether with tip we shelled out about $86 for a movie -- surely a record and even steeper than what we paid in London when we lived there.

First, the food. I had been told that it wasn't very good. I would say it was OK, but nothing special. The portions were huge, which always makes me nervous. Though a perfect accompaniment for the film, my chips were too salty in addition to too many.

Watching the movie was a pleasant experience and better than in a big theater. You're much closer to the screen even though it's smaller than in a big theater. We sat in the middle and it seemed just right. The sound was excellent -- also better than a big theater. They offer four different sized viewing rooms. All the other ones are cheaper and scale all the way down to normal prices.

As for the movie (The Iron Lady), we enjoyed it. Meryl Streep did a superb job portraying Margaret Thatcher. It was all done in flashbacks with an elderly Lady Thatcher recalling key moments in her life. I found the approach somewhat disruptive and annoying. Her late husband, Dennis Thatcher, who died some years ago, is constantly popping into her imagination. While that works some of the time, at other times it's annoying and overdone in my opinion.

I felt like there was a bit of a lack of continuity to the story as it jumped back and forth from the present to the past. None of this should detract from the great job Streep did in both the present and the past. But, it left you wanting more and wishing the story line was a bit more tied together vs. the flashback, bits of this, bits of that technique. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 55% ripe rating and that seems about right.

My man Tucker at New Seasons

A New Seasons market opened recently in our neighborhood and we are ecstatic about the whole thing. I'm incredibly amazed by the quality of the people who work there. Not only are they friendly, they are helpful and even funny. They obviously enjoy their jobs.


I swear that the wine steward, Tucker, works all day every day. He's always there no matter when I show up. And, I love that he actually knows something about the wine. In fact,he knows quite a lot. And, he can help you pick out great wine at the price YOU want to pay.


Right now, I'm drinking one of his recommendations, Behemoth, a blend from the Columbia Valley AVA, which crosses the Oregon-Washington border and runs from The Dalles to Walla Walla. The 2008 vintage is produced by Portland Wine Co. 


I don't remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't a lot and it's terrific as an everyday red. Great red fruit and wonderfully drinkable. The blend is 53% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah. Great with everything from steak to pizza.

Returning to the Art of Shaving

Today, I'm revisiting an old topic -- shaving. In the past two years, I've come full circle from Gillette Fusion cartridge razor to Braun electric razor and now it's back to basics -- a good old fashioned double edge safety razor, the kind my father used to use (I can even remember my grandfather using a straight razor, I think.).

Previously, I had used a shaving brush and soap bowl, but still stuck with the trusty Fusion. So, when an Art of Shaving store opened in Portland, I decided to give it a try. My first purchase was a Merkur Futur, a heavy, Germany made razor with a dial on the handle to adjust the angle of the blade. Then, I decided to give the more dainty, English made Edwin Jagger a try. It's very nice, but the handle is a bit on the short side. Still, it seems to suite my needs a little more than the big German machine.

At first, I was very off-and-on about the whole idea. I was put off by the need to really slow down and take a whole different approach to shaving, even shaving two or three times to get a super close shave. After numerous cuts, I just gave up and went back to the Fusion. But, I keep coming back to the safety razor. I've now been using the Edwin Jagger for about a week with excellent results and liking the idea more every day.

I've been using a pre-oil (made from rape seed) to soften up the beard, but just read that I should be shaving after I get out of the shower, not before in order to better moisten my beard.

It does take longer to shave. This morning, I shaved twice because I watched a video where it was recommended. Also, learned that I should soak the razor in warm water before using as it makes a difference. I'm getting better and better at it and haven't had any major cuts in awhile. One of the tricks is to figure out how long a blade will last. I think it's going to be about a week. I could make one of those Fusion cartridges go a month.

One of the things I really like is that double edge shaving gives me a smaller footprint. No hunks of plastic and metal to throw away, just a very thin blade that is recyclable. And, the razor itself should last for years. In fact I asked a friend who's into antiquing to look for an antique razor. And, you'll definitely save money. Costco sells a 16-pack of Fusion cartridges for about $44, so that's less than $3 each. A double edge blade runs about 25 cents.

I also like the feel after using the double edge razor. It seems like more of an accomplishment and a throwback to a time when he lived in less of a throw away world and cared more about permanence. I'm not surprised that it took me several starts and stops to actually get to a point where I was using the safety razor for more than a day or two at a time. But, I think I finally may be hooked.

If you're inclined to go double edge, read this post from one of the commentators from Badger & Blade, a shaving website.

Bose finally fixes Lifestyle 235 firmware

Almost a year ago, I bought a Bose Lifestyle 235 home theater system. I connected it to my DirecTV box, Blue-ray player, Sonos sound system and iPod. Everything worked fine with one big exception. I could not use an HDMI interface between my DirecTV box and the Bose console. It worked at first and then wouldn't work.

In frustration, I finally just gave up on the HDMI and after hours on the phone with Bose, connected the DirecTV box using bulky component cables and a very slim fiber optic audio cable. I still had an HDMI connecting the Bose and my TV. But, it was frustrating that I couldn't use HDMI for the whole setup.

Well, I was in the local Bose store today looking at a new SoundLink portable speaker Bose just introduced last week. I happened to mention that I had the 235 and that it worked fine with the exception of the HDMI issue. The salesman told me it had now been fixed.

Bose ships a USB thumb drive with the 235 to allow firmware upgrades. I did one right after I got it, but forgot about it after that. As it turns out, Bose finally figured out why the HDMI wasn't working and made the appropriate firmware upgrades to fix it. So, tonight, I came home, downloaded the upgrade and installed it. After a few bumps on the reset of the Bose unit, it now works with an HDMI cable. And, I swear, the picture and the sound are better.

Lucky I stopped into the Bose store and happened to mention the HDMI problem. Also great that Bose makes its products so they are user upgradable. So, I was able to eliminate some cabling and probably will get a smidgen better performance out of my entertainment equipment.

Linfield sends warning: We've reloaded

It was another historic day at Maxwell Field in McMinnville yesterday. Linfield opened another football season and from the looks of their solid play and improvement, this is going to be yet another amazing Wildcat campaign. Less predictable and more fun.

Let met set the stage: Linfield comes into the game ranked 7th nationally against 16th ranked California Lutheran University. The rankings mean nothing. Linfield is ranked 7th strictly off its finish last year (9-2, advanced to second round of NCAA Division III playoffs). Linfield is rebuilding, particularly at quarterback, where they lost an All-American. Defense projected to be solid, but also lost an All-American.

And, CLU was projected to be better than their ranking and possibly better than what showed on paper, which was very good. I was fully prepared for a lessons-learning opening loss, not something Wildcat fans suffer lightly, especially at home. And, it did not start out well. Linfield went three out on their first three series and looked, in a word, bad. Meanwhile, CLU marched down the field in its first possession and scored with ease. Uh oh! This could have been a long afternoon.

But, the amazing thing about Linfield historically, is how well they are coached and how well they adjust. Major kudos to Coach Joe Smith and his staff. The fake punt call in the second quarter was pure brilliance and superbly executed. It was the turning point in the game. And, let's hear it for the Wildcat defense! They kept us in the game early and then slammed the door shut on CLU's comeback attempts late.

QB Mickey Inns started out slow and finished like a house on fire, aided significantly by his offensive line who did not allow a sack. He's got a ways to go, but showed visible and major improvement as the game progressed. He's going to be more than adequate, especially if he demonstrates the same kind of improvement throughout the season. Despite two picks, Inns was solid, solid, sold.

And, then there was Josh Hill. The Portland junior ran for 164 yards and two TDs in one of the best performance by a Linfield running back in years. He is exactly what the spread offense needs to be killer this year. Speed, quickness and smarts. Josh is our LaMichael James and will make our passing game even more effective.

This is a team to get excited about. I haven't been excited about a "new" Linfield team since Bret Elliott showed up on the scene in 2004. I was all prepared for a tough season of weekly hand-to-hand combat. I don't think so after watching the superbly entertaining and well played opener yesterday. I've watched a lot of Linfield football in the past 34 years and this year is unlikely to disappoint.