HEUGEblog

I love the view from this condo in downtown Seattle (no, it’s not mine).  This picture is the 5942px wide version (click twice to get the full size)

There is also a full size version, but it’s so huge it’s not really usable for web devices (maybe it would be fun to print though)

A love/hate relationship sums up my first week experience with the htc EVO 4G on Sprint.

On launch day I was able to pick up an EVO from Sprint in Seattle although activation was painful.  A local employee had to call into the Sprint mother ship to activate the EVO  because the computer system for remote store activations had crashed.  Turning on the EVO, I found the phone a wonder to behold.  It was ridiculously powerful, ridiculously fast, had a beautiful screen, supported 4G WiMax, gave me a hotspot, let me use Android Apps, had two cameras, and yes in some cases with the amount of heat being dissipated I could swear it had a chance to toast bread.

“kicking sand in the iPhone’s face” = LOVE

It’s truly a beast of a phone, but the EVO is a princess who can’t eat enough cake. Gimme more cake! Gimme more power. Plug it in now!!!! *grumble* The speed of the power drain was ridiculous. I plugged it into the micro USB charging cable for a headset, but at 350mA max-current, it wasn’t even recognized as a valid power source. The 1A power adapter worked just fine, but now I wonder whether a standard USB port at 500mA will actually “fully” charge a powered-on phone. I’m thinking it will not. Perhaps my Macbook Air with the 1A USB (needed for the external USB superdrive) might work. *shrug*

“I need to be close to an outlet every 4 hours” = HATE

So I continued to play, to download apps, to let the EVO run wild.

“hey it’s fun to use and there are lots of cool things” = LOVE

The next day the phone was unable to hold itself together and dropped every phone call and started randomly rebooting.  I theorized that some software that I downloaded might have caused this.  For every app, once it’s on there it really has too much of an ability to run anytime.  If this is really based on linux, then we should be able to have granular control of all apps through its “rc.” startup script or through a little utility which does this.  Otherwise network ports should have wrappers which could set group control privileges so that stupid apps don’t access the web and drain my battery and/or break my phone connection if trying to access the network over EVDO.

“I should be able to change the permissions of applications post-installation rather than do a default do-anything-on-install” = HATE

“er, this should really be at minimum a phone” = HATE

A full reset didn’t help with the dropped calls.  For the last decade of using Sprint with the Timeport, the Startac, the RAZR and the KRZR, I had been used to having the most dependable phone on a very dependable network.  I was now on the other side of the coin, and I felt like an iPhone user on AT&T.  I had never apologized so much for dropping calls.  Finally I went in and refreshed everything in the System updates menu including Firmware, Profile, PRL.  Still no good, so I did it again.  Strangely after the second profile update the phone starting working reliably as a phone.  I’m going to keep a close watch over it, but phone calls are still my #1 requirement.  While it’s nice to be able to stream HD YouTube, I care a bit less about the fastest 4G until we’re all on VOIP.  Until then, viva la CDMA.

Update 6/16/2010 – With everything updated, the phone has gone back to being rock-solid as a Sprint CDMA phone.  I’m again happy with the phone functionality (except the bluetooth, but I’ll leave that story for another time)

“hey it’s back to being a phone” = LOVE

So I have already started testing out the photo capabilities of the phone.  Yeah it’s a tiny lens on a smart-phone, so you get what you get.

Samples:

“it’s not a DSLR, but it’s a useful portable camera, and I can share pics near instantly with my friends” = LOVE

So here’s where we get to testing video. This thing will record in a highly-compressed 720p, but there’s pretty much no way to upload video except to YouTube. The Android Facebook application was not supporting video uploads, and the attachment was too large to send via Android mail to Facebook’s upload address, so the only way was to use YouTube. The kicker?!? It wouldn’t upload via 3G!? It demanded that I use a Wi-Fi connection. Yeah, it might take a while, but WiFi isn’t everywhere and neither is 4G.

“yeah, video is the new hotness, and this doesn’t feel up to par yet” = mild HEART PAINS

So if we can’t share videos, how about video calls? Well Fring on Android works perfectly with Skype to do video calls! I’ve only tested it out a few times, and this probably would suck power down way too fast to be useful, but the fact is that there’s enough CPU horsepower and bandwidth to support video conferencing right now over 4G. This is a bit of a face slap to Apple/AT&T whose video chat application should be enabled for 3G rather than just needing to wait for a Wi-Fi connection.

“more slapping around the iPhone” = LOVE

Now there is one thing that makes me realize that this is darn near the ultimate phone. That thing: The ability to add SWYPE as an input method. SWYPE is the greatest (I’m going to keep Swype in all-caps through this, since it’s ridiculously awesome)… as I was saying SWYPE is truly the greatest thing since sliced bread. SWYPE is the way that input methods for mobile devices should have always been. SWYPE is my best friend for 90% of text, and it’s the only seriously awesome innovation in mobile devices since Graffiti on the Palm Pilot. I would have actually probably bought a Pre if it had supported Graffiti 1 (not 2).

So you don’t know about SWYPE? You’ve got to check out the demos, and then if you have an Android phone, you’ve got to download and install it NOW! Freakin’ NOW! I can almost keep up with typing speeds for “normal” English writing.

Apple?  Hello Apple?  If you’re not already working out a deal to buy SWYPE or to license it… do so.  Same goes for you Microsoft… and Motorola.. and HTC.  SWYPE is fantastic.

“SWYPE” = LOVE

At this point If the phone calls continue to work well without dropping and I figure out a good battery solution, I’ll probably keep the EVO and get more of my family standardized on this platform. If I had a chance for a do-over, I’d probably get an iPad 3G with the unlimited data plan and have kept my original Motorola KRZR phone with the extended battery. In the end the battery life of any device that’s “portable” provides the best measure of its usability. If I fear turning it on because it will run out of juice before I get off the bus/train/car, then I might be inclined to turn it off or turn off the features that I really wanted in the first place and why I bought the device. a 7 Amp Hr Lithium Ion laptop battery might be a bit much, but it’s not far off from what I’m considering.

I often describe twitter at SXSW as

Twitter SXSW year 1: join to find where the parties are
Twitter SXSW year 2: wow, we can use this thing to communicate
Twitter SXSW year 3: some companies are using this to market/sell, but how the frak does twitter make money on this?
Twitter SXSW year 4: we have the keynote, but we won’t talk about our super secret monetization strategy.  It’s bad when our employees’ Girl Scout cookie sales have eclipsed our ad revenue.  Actually the Thin Mints alone beat our Q1 actuals.

Foursquare, Gowalla, and other location-based services dominated SXSW discussions.  As night falls upon Austin and it’s time to catch up on sleep, these companies have many opportunities.  I really see these services as the super-local immediate advertising solution.

Do you own an Italian coffee shop and pizza parlor a few blocks away from a cool urban bookstore where smartphone users who don’t yet have a kindle are trying to earn the “I am really much more literate than you” badge?

What would you pay to put a little ad in their face post-check-in reminding them that you have espressos and mochas for when they are thirsty and fresh hot carnavore and veggie pizzas for when they meet their soul-mate reaching for the same book?

This level or targeting is ridiculously powerful.  all-you-can-eat buffet -> pharmacy special on antacids, Harley Davidson Dealership -> insurance company or hospital organ donation signup, DIY hardware store -> real plumber, Blockbuster -> nearest $1 RedBox, bar you’re in -> better bar with more exciting things, Toyota dealership -> Honda dealership… the list goes on and on.

What do I predict for how I will describe location?

4sq/Gow SXSW year 1: hello, we have locations and it works with twitter.  No, don’t worry about stalkers, really.
4sq/Gow SXSW year 2: frak, we just grew a ton and might turn the corner since we beat twitter and Facebook to the punch
4sq/Gow SXSW year 3: we just got acquired by XYZ as a platform for super local mobile ads – OR – we just got buried by Facebook who now owns location

You can find me on twitter at @heuge, but I mostly use it to just update my Facebook status. 

OMFG Download The Tron Legacy HD Trailer Now

Apple Quicktime 1080p version

SCREENCAPS BELOW

FLYNN’S ARCADE

OH NOES, LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU

LIGHTCYCLES

THE DUDE AND NOT THE DUDE

THE LADIES

I believe that this is the first commercial I actually tried to rewind when watching Hulu… and I laughed so hard… I failed to click in the right spot.  Fortunately it’s preserved on YouTube.

then I put in my pocket… left side… front pocket… very safe… you can trust me… look I have pen.

I have been printing legal contracts for review this week, and I realized that the inkjet might not make it.  A quick internet search for inexpensive monochrome laser printers turned up the Samsung ML-2510, and the follow-up search for prices came up with the conclusion.  The price of the printer (on sale) was lower than the price of replacement toner.

When the Toner Costs More than the Printer

Yes, I know that the new printer comes with “starter” toner with limited use, but a brand new b/w laser printer priced at $59.99 and a replacement toner priced at $89.99 really is quite ridiculous.

The strategy to drive deferred revenue through consumables is one that all printer companies use, but some consumers may believe that when the ink runs out, it might make sense to buy a new printer; other consumers will just get a refurbished toner kit.  All-in, people see the printer manufacturer as the devil for “ripping them off” on toner.  So this is all old news, so why am I talking about it?

Phone pricing:  I was recently the purchaser and then returner of the new Motorola Droid phone serviced through Verizon.  In the end, I really didn’t need it, but looking at pricing for the Droid plans and comparing it with Apple iPhones on AT&T made me think.

With the new Apple 3GS iPhones the retail price with plan has dropped (assume $100) while the price of the AT&T plan increased (assume $30 x 24 months = $936).  I am not sure what percent of that increase is going straight from the consumer with AT&T as a passthrough to Apple, but it’s probably enough to guarantee Apple some fat margins.  All of the consumer awe and love goes to Apple for phones that start at $99, while the high monthly charges and failed data network and taxes to be paid get blamed on AT&T who is responsible for keeping billions of dollars of wireless infrastructure up and running.  Whether AT&T is making a profit on servicing high-data, high-demand customers, I feel that they are improperly(or properly) getting beaten by the ugly stick of missed consumer expectation.

What’s the best option for an original Apple iPhone user who finished their intial contract?  I guess it’s to buy a new printer (a new smartphone or iPhone with 2 year plan) or go for some off-brand toner (jailbreak and go T-Mobile).  In my case, the longer I stay with Sprint PCS, and the more customers they lose, I should keep getting better connections since I’m competing with less phones for the same infrastructure.  This holds until Sprint starts cutting cell base stations, and then it will be a good time to not be under a phone contract.

The Seattle Skyline at Night - Eugene Hsu

It looks like Omar Gallaga has broken the news that I’m heading to Seattle to be a part of the Cheezburger Network which is more famously known by the main site I Can Has Cheezburger.  It was a very sudden decision, but I feel very honored to be able to have the opportunity to work for Ben Huh and Todd Sawicki at a company where the entire goal is to make visitors laugh for five minutes a day.

I will be sad to leave Austin, TX and the awesome folks at Challenge Games, but I’ll be in town for a while longer.  More importantly, I’ll always try to be back every year for SXSW and Fantastic Fest. 

For Cheezburger, I’m looking forward to running site merchandising and providing cool stuff for our fans to buy.  If you have ideas about what you want to buy from us, then tell me.  I’m always willing to listen.

I’ve been enjoying Fantastic Fest this year and doing some photo coverage.  My shots are being streamed inline on the Alamo Drafthouse FLICK Stream mixed-in with some of Austin’s best event photographers : Mary Sledd, David Hill, Rich Merritt and Isabel Salazar.

Here’s a quick shot of Uwe Boll vs Tim League in the FF09 Debates

Tim League and Uwe Boll Boxing at Fantastic Fest 2009

SXSW 2010 Panel Picker for our Social Gaming and Monetization Panel

We put together a panel for SXSW 2010 and were fortunate enough to have made it to the first level of voting. Through your help, we are looking to improve our chances by having you give our panel a thumb’s up!

The biggest news at the time when we were putting this together was the publication of revenue numbers for Zynga! which were said to be trending to $100MM this year.  We’ve also seen SuperRewards! announce that they were going to surpass $100MM, and then they were bought-out.  It’s a very exciting time for Social Games and alternative monetization strategies.  Thus, we hope you will support our panel.

Additional Participants are pending, but so far we have Austin Chang, VP of Strategy and Development for MTV Digital, Malcolm Ong, Senior Developer at Razorfish NYC, Karina Paje, Business Development at RockYou!, and me from Challenge Games.  I hope that you will find our topic to be of great interest to you and worthy of support.

Due to limitations on characters and words, I decided to be a bit more creative in the naming and description of the panel. This means that we are the only SXSWi panel where you can find us by searching by typing in “bunnies” or “Mobster.” 

I’m posting an old photo album to test Twitter Tools integration with Word Press.  This was an event that was part of the 2008 NAAAP National Conference.  The 2009 NAAAP Conference and Career Fair is coming up soon, and if you’re an Asian American professional who is trying to build your network or look for a new company, you should be coming with us to Denver, Colorado this year.  Click on THIS LINK to get to the photo album.

The 3rd Annual Who’s Who in Asian American Communities

Sachi Koto

Leaders & Legends Awards: Greg Chun, Richard Chow-Wah, Bill Imada, Wallace Tsuha, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chow, Scott Oki, David Lum, Senator Daniel K. Inouye
Performers: Lola Fair & Baby J, Erik Carlson, L.A. Matsuri Taiko