El Techie: Every Latino Should Get an iPhone 4!

A Quick Diatribe

Okay. Sure this was a little bit of link bait, but I think it’s true! Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want everyone to give their hard earned money away to AT&T or to Apple if they don’t want to. We should not use iPhones because they are a symbol of status, but because we need to have a firm understanding of current technology, what it does, and how it can benefit our lives. I’m honestly just sick of the stereotype that Latinos are slow to pick up on new technologies. I know we’ve had our share of amazing inventors and innovators, but we need to try harder to be the early adopters of new gadgets and technologies.

It’s important for our children’s sakes too. Even though Latinos in America are the second-largest ethnic group, they only make up a small percentage of high school and college graduates. We have the power to change that. The earlier our kids are exposed to the possibilities new technologies bring, the better their chance will be of getting the education they need and becoming an innovator in the future. There aren’t many brown faces in my field today, but I have faith that there will be. Look at the recently established Latinos in Social Media Group, which is definitely making their mark in the space. We have amazing technologies literally in the palm of our hands and we Latinos should be leading the way in adoption and innovation.

The Benefits

You might say, “I already have basic phone, it makes calls and that is all I need it to do.” But, having a smart phone is about efficiency. It’s about understanding the value of your time and your resources. At any given moment, you can reply to an important work email, find a new restaurant and make reservations or catch up with the news via web or podcast. You can manage your finances, find great new artists or even just relax your mind with a simple game. Plan dinner, your commute, your date night, your life. It is in essence a Swiss Army knife. It has provided so much value to my life and saved me countless hours.

With this recent revision, iPhone 4 has finally turned into the basics of a media creation power house. I had an iPhone 3G for a couple years, but did not upgrade because the camera still was not up to par with what I wanted. iPhone 4 has a great camera for photos, a front-facing camera for video chat, and its HD video camera is simply stunning. The screen is phenomenal! It is by far the best reading and viewing experience available in any smart phone today. The pixel is officially dead with this phone. It almost has the resolution of a 15” monitor in a 3.5” screen. Between capture capabilities, Twitter, Facebook and the rest of the Internet at your finger tips so you can be a one-person media powerhouse. We are experimenting with all of this here at Gozamos. Taking videos and photos at concerts, keeping up with our readers and even just solving simple logistic problems.

The Negatives

iPhone is not for everyone. I know this because many people just tune me out when start talking about it. Or they simply rebut with one major and key argument: AT&T. I know, I know, notice how in the benefits I really did not mention much about phone calls. While service is improving in Chicago – you can even use it in the subway now – it still leaves much to be desired. I drop an average of 3-5 calls per week. Mostly in our studio, which I think is because of its brick/loft-style construction.

And I’m sure most of you have heard of the recent antenna debacle. I’m not making any excuses for Apple. They designed this phone and they knew the flaws, yet they moved forward. They do have a great return policy, so try it out for the 30-day period and if you flat out do not get the reception you want to make the phone calls you need to, then please return it.

And yes, it is expensive to have an iPhone, but if you drop your land line, and even cable, it averages out for having the Internet in your back pocket. For just one person the phone bill can be anywhere between $7
0-$100 for basic calling, texting and data. You can save a lot of money if you get on a family plan and also see if you work offers a discount.

The Best Apps

I’ve spent way more money on Apps that I would like to admit, but after upgrading a few weeks ago I decided to do a clean wipe and start fresh with the apps I really need and enjoy. So here is the long list with a quick description:

• Calendar, Mail, Contacts, SimplenNote – My life is finally organized! I never miss a meeting or lose information.
• Google Maps – A directory of everything in the city, do a quick search for anything and there it is: location, phone number and even store hours.
• Pandora, iPod – Every genre of music and all your favorite Podcasts to keep you entertained for hours.
• Chase Bank, Mint, Amazon – Manage your finances and save money by instantly ordering online.
• Twitter, Facebook, NPR, BBC News, SkyGrid, NetNewsWire and WikiPanion – Every last bit of information
• Tetris, Solitaire, Field Runners, Plants vs Zombies, The Simpson’s game, Street Fighter IV and Racing! – You will waste lots of hours with these if you are not careful!
• Zipcar, CTA Transit, TaxiMagic, Yelp, Urban Spoon, OpenTable – All niceties for a young urban-ite.
• Flickr, CameraPlus, AutoStich, iMovie – Will completely change the way you capture your world, and years down the line you will recall all the wonderful memories.

The Alternatives

If you are still reading this article, you should either be imagining a near perfect life of efficiency/productivity or asking your other iPhone-having friends to come by your place to test out the reception. If the iPhone 4 is not for you, then that is totally OK. I understand. My point earlier was about Latino being in the forefront of technology, not necessarily about the iPhone. Android and its wide varieties of phones and carriers are the best alternative. Anything from the the Nexus One on T-Mobile, to the Evo on Sprint or the new Droid X on Verizon. They are all amazing phones that might not be here without the first push by the iPhone in 2007. Google has created a great and open Operating System that in many ways is superior to the iPhone. It is simply a matter of personal preference.

Got a question or need some help?

If you have any questions, tech problems, or want advice on how to simplify your life with awesome gadgets, send me an email at abraham@gozamos.com.

Comments?

Would you like to call me an Apple fanboy or have any other great app suggestions? Please leave a comment below.

Update: Google has discontinued the Nexus One. See what I mean, this stuff moves fast! But take a look the Samsung Galaxy S on T-Mobile