Today I ordered an iPad -- the 3G version. I did this not because I am an Apple fetishist; in fact I've never bought an Apple product before. I did it because my Internet connection, provided by my cable company (the illustrious Cablevision), is so unreliable that I felt I needed an alternative way of getting online. The iPad, with its low-cost, no-contract ATT wireless option, seemed like the best bet. Although the iPad is more expensive than most netbooks, the 3G option is much cheaper, so over time it should -- should -- make economic sense.
Plus, it's just cool.
I don't know why it's so hard for cable companies to deliver the bare minimum of service to their customers, but apparently it is. I get my TV, Internet, and phone service from a cable company, and today all three services were kaput. Not for the first time, either. Since I trade stocks and options online, this meant I was out of business for the day. (On the plus side, it gave me no excuses not to work on my upcoming self-published novel, now in its final stages.)
I've thought of switching to Verizon Fios, the only other option available in my area, but some Googling turned up an awful lot of complaints about Verizon's customer service and billing policies.
So I have a question -- not paranormal- or afterlife-related -- for anyone who wants to address it. Has anyone tried Fios? Is it good, bad, indifferent? Fios is offering a low-price triple-play package (TV, cable, phone) right now, and it's hard for me to believe it would be worse than cable. But maybe it is.
Any thoughts?
I've had FIOS for a few years now and think it's great.
Pros: Extremely reliable, very fast, no technical issues at all; much, much better than the DSL I had previously.
Cons:
1) The quoted monthly cost will get jacked up by fees (typical) + set-top box rental.
2) And they seem to increase prices every year once your contract is up.
3) If your electric goes out for any reason, included battery back-up keeps your phone service (only) working for a few hours, then it's kaput until the electrical is restored.
4) The rated dnload & upload speeds are not ever really achieved for whatever reason (I suspect this is true of all providers). Mine is supposed to be 25Mb/sec & 25Mb/sec, but www.speedtest.net says it is really 8.4 & 2.2 right now. I have seen it as high as 12 & 12.
Posted by: Daniel | May 03, 2010 at 11:01 PM
Thanks for that helpful feedback, Daniel!
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 03, 2010 at 11:40 PM
Your title reminded me of an interesting new book on grammar and usage, Woe Is I.
Posted by: Roger Knights | May 04, 2010 at 02:39 AM
I think Michael was subtly alluding to that fine musical 'The King and I', to show just how much he likes his iPad.
Posted by: Tom Ruffles | May 04, 2010 at 05:31 AM
Actually I haven't received my iPad yet, so I can't say if I'll like it. I probably won't get it for ten days or so. I'll post a review once I've played with it for a while.
The thing is pretty expensive considering its limited functionality, but I guess that's the price you pay for being an early adopter. This may be the first time since the introduction of the Walkman CD player that I've been an early adopter, by the way. Usually I'm very slow in adopting new technology. I still don't have Tivo or a digital TV ...
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 04, 2010 at 10:12 AM
It's probably tax-deductible isn't it? :)
Posted by: Paul | May 04, 2010 at 03:18 PM
I think it is partially tax deductible,since I do intend to use it for business purposes (in part).
Good point!
By the way, I have to take back some of what I said about Cablevision yesterday, because the technician who repaired my service was excellent, and took as much time as necessary to do the job right.
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 04, 2010 at 03:42 PM
I have a PC and a Mac right next to each other. I use the Mac almost exclusively. It just functions so much more logically so that if I forget how to do something, the chances are I can figure it out fairly easily, whereas when I forget how to do something on the PC it is freaking TORTURE to figure it out again. This is good for me because I don't particularly care for a learning curve to come with my computer equipment. I have enough to do already.
Good luck with the iPad.
Posted by: dmduncan | May 04, 2010 at 06:30 PM
Oh, and if you are using internet phone service, you might want to check out OOMA. It's a box that looks like an answering machine that you attach to your router. Your existing phone then plugs into the OOMA device. It costs about $250, one time cost for the box, available from Best Buy. Basic phone service is then FREE after that, and you do NOT have to have your computer on to make or receive calls.
Financially, it's more sensible than paying your high speed provider a phone bill as well as an internet service bill.
And it works great.
Posted by: dmduncan | May 04, 2010 at 06:37 PM
Thanks, DMDuncan, for the tip about OOMA. (The name reminds me of David Letterman's disastrous night hosting the Oscars, when he kept repeating a bad joke about Oprah Winfrey meeting Uma Thurman: "Oprah, Uma. Uma, Oprah.") I don't think I'll get this for my main home, but I may try it at my winter residence next year.
Amazon sells the OOMA Telo for $192, by the way.
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 04, 2010 at 11:08 PM
For the record, OOMA service is no longer totally free. For new purchasers, there's a $12 a year fee to recover regulatory costs. Of course this is chicken feed compared to the price of conventional phone service.
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 04, 2010 at 11:10 PM
Interesting. Early customers must be exempted from that. I still pay nothing.
Posted by: dmduncan | May 04, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Yes, the early customers are exempt. Still, a dollar a month is nothing compared to the $40+ a month I pay now.
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 05, 2010 at 10:20 AM
Michael, my parents have Fios. The say it is six and one half dozen of another compared to Cablevision. They refuse to get Cablevision because they hate it as a company, but, they did say that Fios is slightly, but not too noticeably, slower on line. I have not noticed this when I use their computer. They also had to tear up their whole yard to get it installed, and the cost is slightly more. Hope this helps.
Posted by: j-9 | May 05, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Thanks, j-9. I think I will stick with Cablevision. I wasn't too happy with Verizon as a phone service provider, and I'm not sure I trust them with FIOS.
Cablevision's customer service is actually quite good, IMO. The technician who repaired my phone ended up rewiring the phone lines throughout the whole house, at no charge.
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 05, 2010 at 02:43 PM
"limited functionality"
Wags have dubbed it "the MacBook Po'."
Posted by: Roger Knights | May 06, 2010 at 08:28 AM
It's not a computer, it's a window to the world of Star Trek.
Michael I hope you aren't long any stocks right now!
Posted by: Matthew C. | May 06, 2010 at 02:39 PM
Hey Matthew, your Beech Forest 120 looks like silver birch. Great picture, though.
Posted by: . | May 06, 2010 at 02:59 PM
Michael I hope your stock trading survived the algo nightmare today. . .
Posted by: Matthew C. | May 06, 2010 at 04:16 PM
no name,
We don't have any silver birch in North Carolina (or native to North America AFAIK). Glad you like the picture though!
Posted by: Matthew C. | May 06, 2010 at 04:18 PM
Because of computer problems (my system malfunctioned and required a reinstallation of the OS), I didn't follow the trading today, and happily missed all the panic. But thanks for asking!
Posted by: Michael Prescott | May 07, 2010 at 12:41 AM