iOS 5.0.1.

Last week, I upgraded the software on my iPhone 4 from iOS 4.something to the newest version (5.0.1). The new iOS adds a lot of great features that make the iPhone even easier to use. Here are some of the best features that I've noticed:

• In the text messaging application, the keyboard now moves out of the way when I'm not using it so that I can read more previous text messages. Finally!
• I can set a custom text tone (the sound that plays when a specific person sends a text message), and I can even use the custom ring tones that I set up. Finally! Also, I can set my alarm sounds to the custom ringtones.
• Text messages will appear on the screen even when the phone is locked. Finally!
• I can take a picture and control music playback right from the lock screen. (By double-tapping the Home button.)

Lastly, just before I upgraded to iOS 5.0.1, I had noticed a distinct drop in my iPhone's battery life. I know there were some problems with the iOS 5.0 battery life, but I started noticing battery life issues at the end of October, and I hadn't upgraded to iOS 5.0. Previously, the iPhone would have 30% - 20% of its life left by the time I plugged it in to charge at night. When the problem started, the iPhone was getting down to 5% - 10% of a charge by the same time. The good news is that the iOS 5.0.1 upgrade also fixed the issues that I was seeing with battery life.

1 comment(s).

The Sezmi.

In February, our household ditched cable T.V. service in favor of a combination of Netflix, a new DVR and less T.V. overall. For our new DVR, we chose an over-the-air DVR from a company called Sezmi. Unfortunately, last month Sezmi decided to cease providing direct to consumer service.

While we could watch previously recorded shows, the DVR stopped recording new shows, and seemed to lose the listing service. We could still manually set recordings, and choose live T.V. by network.

However, we recently rebooted the Sezmi, and since then it's started automatically recording shows, and it's been showing the listings information again. Hooray! This will certainly stave off the need to research and purchase a new DVR solution for a while.

1 comment(s).

Ways to Irritate a Klingon.

The husband and I have been watching the entire series of Star Trek: The Next Generation over the past couple of weeks. We often watch during dinner, and sometimes I have a cocktail. Apropos, I present this list:

Ways to Irritate a Klingon

• Surprise parties
• Mind games
• Vague Facebook status updates