App Glitch trouble

     As if daylight savings time isn’t trouble enough, now the iPhone alarm clock app has a glitch with repeating alarms.  If you had an alarm set for something it was ringing an hour late.

     I’m wondering how in the world a problem like this ended up happening.  From what the reports say, the actual clock rolled forward, the alarms just didn’t go off on time.

     As a programmer, I can think of only a couple of scenarios that would create this situation.  First one, that the iOS doesn’t really change for daylight savings time, some coder just wrote a couple of lines of code that make the clock display one hour more than before when the country is on standard time.   Then, when the app sets alarms, it sets them not according to the time being displayed, but the actual internal clock time.  This is just bad coding, something that could have been prevented if QA had just double checked the code.

     The second option is more worrisome.  The only other possibility I can see is that for some stupid reason, the iPhone and related devices all have a second internal clock, one that follows DST, the other that follows UTC, resulting in the possibility of setting your programs clock settings to the wrong clock.  This would be a major engineering oversight, and would throw another wrench in the already shaky reputation the iPhone 4 has. 

     But in the end, what’s done is done.  If you’re looking for the solution that Apple came up with for this problem, its here, but they say the problem should have been fixed on the 7th.

Trouble With iPhones

     Being someone who really does enjoy his service from AT&T, and is pleased with the functionality of his simple Sony Ericsson W518a,  I have noticed something of a saddening trend:  how many people have switched over to AT&T over iPhone envy.
     Now, if you really do like your iPhone, this article is not for you.  But for those of you that made the change in carrier just because you had to keep up with the Joneses, I would like to speak with you for just a moment.
     Why?  Why do people switch over to a new carrier just to get a phone they may or may not like?  Why do some people have to make a big deal over their purchase of something as simple as a phone (and yes, I do realize that the iphone is in no way simple, but it is still just a phone)?
     Its because we desire things that seem exclusive.  Heck, just look at Apple itself, they've made an empire out of being elusive and elite.  And people continue to eat it up.  It isn't because Mac are better, or because they're more functional, but because they are shiny.  Every thing about them is sleek and stylish, and people buy into that.
     Which brings me to the conclusion of this discussion.  Having looked at the numbers of Digital Fruit's annual cell phone survey, I've noticed a shift, slowly creeping away from the local Verizon population to other cell phone services.  The largest of which has been to AT&T.  Almost all of those new phones and plans are the iPhones people have been buying.  Can one phone really bring that many people?  It can if its shiny.

PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  C: wait...

Working the Gossip Grindstone

     Well, anyone with an AT&T smart phone in Aberdeen may soon be in luck.  Trucks with equipment designed for finding the best place to set up a cellphone tower have been seen driving around Aberdeen.  There have been four seen in the last week alone.  My source has told me that they are looking to set up 3G service in Aberdeen.
     This brings a couple of benefits not necessarily obvious to everyone.  First is the ability to own and use a 3G capable iPad or iPhone, something we've been lacking in the local area.  This is good because it not only allows local people to use their iPhones with 3G, but also AT&T customers from out of the area will have it too, making their experience in Aberdeen better.  The more Aberdeen stands out as a positive place, the better things will go for Aberdeen.
     The other unseen benefit is the ability for AT&T customers, whatever their phone, can purchase and set up a plan for a microcell.  Also called femtocells, these devices extend from your usual internet service 1500ft of cellphone service for up to four different devices.  This helps to improve coverage area and stability of the network as a whole, and it makes sure that just about anyone's whole house will be guaranteed coverage.
      So, that's all I've got from the rumor mill for today, till next time.