DON'T BUY 1Password 3.9!

I never thought I'd hear myself utter those words. I've probably been one of AgileBits' most boisterous proponents, recommending 1Password for the past four years in every medium I possess. This blog, our MacTexan podcast and the MacNoob blog have all had posts and segments dedicated to 1Password evangalism. With the Mac App Store release of version 3.9 I must rebut myself.

When I got the email notification from AgileBits announcing the release of version 3.9, I was all too happy to spend twenty bucks for the privilege of downloading 1Password from the MAS. While there are few visible changes from version 3.8.5 (the most recent non-MAS version), the promise of a free upgrade to version 4 and automatic updating was more than enough reason for me to spring. Turns out, IT WAS A BAD IDEA! Version 3.9 is a giant step backwards from the usual error-free, reliable releases I've come to expect from the 1P guys. After installation I soon realized I was working from a very dated keychain database and the Dropbox support, while advertized, wouldn't work. When I tried to point version 3.9 to my keychain file stored in my Dropbox folder, the button for doing so was greyed out and nothing I did would change that. I spent countless hours fighting failed imports and corrupted databases before finally surrendering and reverting to the 3.8.5 version stored in a Time Machine backup. In the process, the 1P data on each of my iOS devices was FUBAR. Thankfully, Dropbox and Time Machine saved my bacon but I still don't have the new MAS version of 1Password I paid for. If you want my advice, DON'T UPGRADE YET.

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The iPad's First REAL Competition

The greatly anticipated Amazon tablet (dubbed the Kindle) is expected to hit the streets before the Christmas buying season begins. M. G. Siegler at TechCrunch says he’s played with the new device and reports the new 7” tablet will be available sometime in October. So what makes the new Kindle different from every other Android tablet and why will it be the first to challenge the iPad?

Content, content and more content.

Unlike every other iPad “competitor”, Amazon has the content infrastructure in place to provide buyers with a true “end-to-end” experience. It’s something the Samsungs and Motorolas of the world don’t have and can’t provide. This complete solution including great hardware, a sound and user-friendly operating system and a convenient, well-stocked content market is what has made the iPad so successful (with over 80% market share). Take away any one of these three ingredients and the iPad would be no more successful than the HP TouchPad. Motorola and Samsung both make great hardware and the latest Android build, while no iOS is arguably good enough, but users wanting movies, music and more apps for their device are forced to navigate through a hodgepodge of content providers with no unified method of getting apps and media purchased and installed. Amazon is the only company that seems to get it. Their MP3 store has been on-line for years now and Amazon Prime customers recently got access to a wealth of movies. Additionally, according to Mr. Siegler, Amazon plans to open their own app store. If there’s one thing Amazon does better than anyone, it’s operate an on-line market. The Android Marketplace won’t even work on the new Kindle’s forked Android version that Amazon is customizing specifically for this device. Word is, it won’t look like any Android version we’ve seen.

So, it looks like Apple is finally going to have some competition in the tablet space. I say GREAT! Competition drives lower prices and innovation and so far, no one has mounted a serious challenge to the iPad. Amazon certainly has the chops to do it.

History's Take on Steve?

Since Steve Jobs’ resignation as CEO of Apple last week, the tech press has gone completely wild with retrospectives. Being the Apple fanboy that I am, I spent an inordinate amount of time reading, watching and listening to all the media had to say. From favorite Steve quotes and reporters’ personal anecdotes to complete synopses of his life and career, the tech world was literally abuzz covering what was arguably the biggest technology story of the year. Frankly, the tone ranged from playful to funereal and everything in between. Amongst all this noise I came to the the realization that the real story here has hardly been touched: How will history judge Steve Jobs?

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