Back in the days, my Dad used to have this small Acer Tablet PC. I completely forgot the name or model because Acer, just like most computer manufacturers love numbers and codes instead of product names. This tablet PC is so shit that it made Dad asked me each day “what the fuck is wrong with this thing that it hangs when doing anything?” and it is so shit that it cannot level itself perfectly on a table with the battery attached.

Over the years, I have yet to see that improvement from Acer, not in quality, not in durability. They are all, in my opinion, still plasticky, and shit.

Now, recently, Acer announced that they wanted to be more like Apple, and they restructured themselves to make that happen. And seriously, who would’ve thought that in the process of being more like Apple, they decided to ape the MacBook Air and came out with this:

So do you think Acer deserves my loathe? Yes, just because I hate plagiarists. What’s next on your to-do list, Acer? An Aspire that looks like a Mac Pro? A Z5 that looks like an iMac? Or maybe an Iconia that looks like an iPhone? Or maybe, just maybe, a CEO that looks like Steve Jobs?

First things first, here’s what my current iPhone looks like, with and without the Bumper:

Now let’s just get on with the review. Just like the flat case, I find this case exciting to use. And here are the pros that I could think of:

• It feels better than the original glass back plate, and it definitely would not shatter.
• The beveled plate makes it super-flush while using the Bumper case. It’s more ergonomic and lessens the fatigue when holding it.
• It looks superb. I could never understand why Apple didn’t come up with this in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, the glass back plate is also superb, but it doesn’t give that industrial look and class.

However, despite the excellent features, nothing is perfect, and this case didn’t escape that as well:

• The markings scrape off quite easily. You may not notice them in the photos, but I already have a few scratches on the Apple logo there. In fact, if you buy this thing now, they don’t sell ones with the markings anymore. Legal issues as well maybe? I don’t know.
• The screw mounts are just plain weak. Unlike the original back plate, which has steel screw mounts, this one (as well as the other ones from the same seller) has plastic mounts. So basically, screwing it altogether breaks the mount and makes the screws loose. This is where the Bumper case comes in handy.
• Not actually a con, but you might need to know that because of the beveled plate, no aftermarket cases other the Bumper or anything with a similar design, would fit after you have this back plate installed.
• Last but not least, when you are using this back plate, there will be involuntary vignettes and flash artifacts when taking pictures as seen in the example below. Although the flash artifact would only happen when you photograph objects from a half a meter or further.

These rather unpleasant results (which could actually can be useful if you’re a hipster) when taking photos are caused by the gap the back plate creates between itself and the camera lens and flash. It’s too bad because if only they made it flush, this wouldn’t happen. But it is a minor hassle if you can live with it.

There are also a few things to note if you do decide to buy this case and install it on your iPhone:

• First, you’ll need a Phillips 00 screwdriver to open your current back plate.
• If you just bought your iPhone recently, Apple ships them with pentagram screws. A common mistake is that people thought those are regular Torx screws. It’s not and you will most likely break it if you try to open it by force using a Torx or Phillips screwdriver. You’ll need a specialized screwdriver like this one or this one. And trust me, that’s not really easy to find here.
• I do recommend replacing the screws with the regular Phillips screw, because the pentagram screws don’t really last that long after repeated use.

So there we go, my complete review of the beveled metal back plate for the iPhone 4, and I will stress again that modifying your iPhone 4 physically is not condoned by Apple and may break your warranty. Do this at your own risk.

Update:
After further inspections with a different aftermarket back plate of the same type, apparently the flash artifacts was not caused by the beveled structure of the back plate, but it is more of a manufacturing defect. I noticed that the backplate is slightly off-center and this is why the flash reflects back into the camera upon firing. The conclusion is that since this is an aftermarket accessory, we cannot expect it to be in the same quality of Apple’s craftsmanship. So if you got yourself a perfectly aligned back plate, then you’re lucky. Otherwise, well that is something you have to expect from the moment you made the purchase.

I just successfully turned my iPhone 4 into an iPhone 4 Pro. LOL!

Well, not exactly. The photo up there is a real deal iPhone 4, with its back plate replaced with a metal version, which I got from here for $14. There is a beveled version of the case as well, which supposedly will make the iPhone more ergonomic to hold, but it’s still in the shipping box and I haven’t tried it on. Of course unless if another little birdy send me another iPhone 4 for some reason.

Replacing the back cover is also surprisingly easy. Unlike the previous iPhones which basically require a brute force teardown, this time you’ll only need a Philips #00 screwdriver (Make sure it’s #00 and not #0, or you’ll potentially ruin the screws) and steady hands. Remove the two screws at the bottom of the phone, slide the back cover, replace it, put the screws back in, and voila! The “unibody” iPhone 4 is in your hands :D

For comparison, here’s my phone in its original state:

Note:
By all means, these casing replacements are not official products of Apple, so if you decide to replace yours, you will most likely void the warranty (I practically don’t care about it now since my phone is not even from here).

Some people commented that Apple made a lot of profit by manufacturing the iPhone for $188 a pop, and then selling it for several hundred bucks. These people probably never had the terms “R&D”, “marketing” or “manufacturing cost” crossing in their minds. If you idiots want Apple to sell these for $180 each then how are they (as well as other normal businesses) supposed to run their business?

Take Microsoft, for instance. How did you think they do their business so that they raked up humongous amount of money? Do you think they sell Windows for 10 cents each? Maybe you thought so because you live in Indonesia where you can buy a pirated copy for 25,000 rupiahs. They are selling Windows for at least $100 each. Now why don’t you go to them and complain that they should just charge people as much as they were copying the DVDs? I don’t know, like a buck each?

Let me put it this way. You people buy cars, right? In fact, some of you are probably lucky enough to be able to purchase European cars. Do you have the slightest idea how much they spend on manufacturing those cars? It’s probably half of what you paid for, if not less. Do you complain? No. You freaking know that Audis here cost more than they do in Europe, but you keep buying them. Do you know how much restaurants spend to make a soup that they sold for a severa thousand rupiahs? It’s probably just mere cents. Do you complain? No. Do you go barging into the kitchen demanding that they should’ve sold it as much as the production cost? No.

Apple is a premium product, and by being a premium product—despite of all its weaknesses (you dumbasses should also start to realize that nothing is perfect and even Ferraris have flaws)—They will not give a damn to those who doesn’t want to buy their products. As simple as that. It’s not fanboyism, but it is a simple fact. That is their product positioning, and it will be like that whether you like it or not.

So if you constantly whine on how Apple should do their business and that they need to lower their prices, then you can simply just ignore their products. Big deal, maybe their products were not meant for you. Now go buy an Acer or something and stop acting like a 10-year old, or you can probably try whining to Lexus that they should sell their cars as cheap as a Chery QQ. Hey, who knows? Maybe you can convince them.

• Telkomsel is the largest cellular provider in this country, and with the widest coverage.
• Telkomsel is Apple’s exclusive partner that sells bundled iPhones in this country.
• As far as I know, the iPad 3G is the only device available right now (including here, despite it’s not officially imported) that uses a micro SIM.

So given those facts, Telkomsel should be able to steal the competition by supplying micro SIMs for Indonesian iPad 3G owners, right? No. We have to cut them ourselves instead, AND, instead of them, XL is pioneering the move. Ironic? Yes. But then again, Telkomsel’s 3G coverage (or stability) is not entirely that spectacular anyway.

Now, let’s see how long would it take for them to bring the iPhone 4 here, and how long would it take for them to sell them appropriately or competitively. But the way I see it, Apple should’ve ditched the partnership from the beginning and sell factory-unlocked iPhones through Indonesian authorized resellers instead. I’m pretty sure that this would work better in terms of sales.

So maybe, by the time the iPhone 4 is here, and we ask Telkomsel on whether we can get an official micro SIM card or not, this is the reply that you would probably get: “Mohon informasikan nomor telepon dan lokasi, tim kami yang akan menindaklanjuti.”

Sorry, just had to let that out :)

This ongoing project is called aifonografi, a project coined by Andira Pramanta and Arief Rakhmadani. It is a simple photoblog with many contributors. What sets it apart is that the contributors are required to be either in Indonesia or Indonesian anywhere in the world, have an iPhone, and to contribute a photo a day, throughout 2010 (at least until we decide if we want to continue this next year or not). We have a theme on every weekend that lasts a day, and it’s free-for-all for the rest of the week.

So here we are, on the fourth day of 2010, 17 members, and growing bit by bit all year long. Come take a look.

24″ iMac 2.4 GHz
Except when I’m not in town, perhaps there isn’t a day go by without me using my trusty workstation. It’s an upgrade to the previous 20″ iMac G5 (which is still being used by Disti on the next desk), and it has proven to be worthy for almost 2 years now. It is paired with a Samsung SyncMaster 2033SW as a secondary display, Altec Lansing ATP3 speakers, and a pair of 1TB WD MyBook Studio Edition for a redundant backup system, which is highly important in my line of work. Why not the Mac Pro? The answer to that for me is simply that it is an overkill.

12″ iBook G4
Up to this day, despite of those numerous upgrades Apple has done with the MacBook, I’m still using the last generation iBook when I have to work outside of the office or out of town. But since it’s a G4, and it’s nearing its own end of days, I seldom use it now except for checking emails or browsing.

iPhone 3GS
When I’m outside, this is my next best thing after the iMac, serves the purpose for me entirely. And if you’re wondering why I’m not using that ever-popular BlackBerry, read here.

Canon PowerShot G10
Because I’m not a photographer by occupation, I rarely needed a full-size SLR. That’s why this is my camera of choice, smaller than a DSLR, more powerful than your average joe pocket camera.

A Mac User
Well yes, first of all, I’m an avid Mac user, so I needed something that I know truthfully can sync up to my Mac without a hitch. The BlackBerry Desktop Manager was just released recently, and no, that doesn’t give me a slightest consideration on the BlackBerry back there. While syncing the BlackBerry is probably easier for Windows users (I don’t know, and I don’t even care), syncing my contacts, calendar, photos, and music to an iPhone is far more easier.

I Have No Need of BlackBerry Features
If I ever opted for the BlackBerry Bold, then what do I get? A business machine capable of delivering emails right to my fingertips anywhere anytime? Yes. An always-online messenger? Yes. Do I need them? No. Here’s the thing, I’m the kind of guy who likes to keep emails on my desktop computer, and I really hate it when an email forcefully get pushed and delivered to me at that moment when I’m outside the office. It gave me this urge to do other things while at that time, I’m probably occupied with something more important. Even when the iPhone gained itself the Push Notification, I don’t have that huge urge to use it for my emails. I prefer to check them and download them at will.

Second, I don’t chat while I’m outside. When I’m outside, here are the things that I do the most: Driving, meeting with clients, teaching, going out with my girlfriend or friends. I don’t see the necessity of having an always-online messenger there, at least for me. Yes, I occasionally check my Twitter from time to time, but that is when I want to and I don’t necessarily tweet or reply every single time. Besides, if people want to reach me, they can always find me by phone, SMS, or Twitter, if you must. But don’t give me that messaging through BBM is free and easier. Paying IDR 180k each month to even use the service is not exactly “free”. Cheaper maybe, not free.

There Isn’t an App for That on BlackBerry
The iPhone has this huge collection of apps, and I have to admit that some of them are pointless, but I never see any apps on BlackBerry that could aid me with my desktop applications. I use 1Password, Things, ShoveBox, NetNewsWire, and iBank daily on my Mac and I need them to have the same information with the one I carry in my iPhone. Because when I’m outside, my iPhone is the closest thing I have to my iMac. Taking this from a design point-of-view, since I am a designer, I never find the interface design on BlackBerry appealing or intuitive.

No Good Games on a BlackBerry
Okay, this is fairly unimportant for me, but seriously, can you name one game on a BlackBerry that has a comparable experience with the games in an iPhone? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I really don’t think so.

Touchscreen
I like touchscreens. It’s compact, it doesn’t require a stylus, and it lacks the physical hardware that wears over time. Yes, having a physical QWERTY keyboard can be easier for some people, but I have no objections typing on my iPhone’s virtual keyboard. To me, they serve the purpose better than anything similar, be it the Storm, HTC Magic, and don’t get me started with Windows Mobile.

So there we have it, why I don’t use the BlackBerry and why I have no intentions of owning one even until now. So if any of you ever asked me (or even Arleen in this matter), sorry, we’re not going to buy a BlackBerry anytime soon :) Besides, essentially, iPhones and BlackBerries are two different things. They are not comparable, you’d just have to choose which one is the right one for you. As for me, it’s still the iPhone.

When I tried browsing around the interface, I have a few thoughts about it:

• The OS seemed a bit lagging compared to the iPhone and BlackBerry. Nevertheless, this is the first smartphone OS that Google came out with, so I think we can excuse them for this. Although I do expect that it should have lots of improvements for the next years to come.
• Usability-wise, I’m not too fond of how they lay out all the menus. At first try, to me, everything seemed a bit too cluttered, and at the same time it has inconsistent hierarchies. iPhone and Palm still provide the most elegant solution for this. Most normal users wouldn’t want complicated menu items.
• The keyboard is actually excellent, for an on-screen keyboard. Up to this point, I still feel that the iPhone still holds the most responsive screen keyboard that I have ever tried (I’m still looking forward on trying the Palm Pre), and although the Space key lags sometimes, it is far usable than BlackBerry Storm’s. No offense, but when I opt for on-screen keyboard, I’d like it to respond at my first effort. I simply think that having to highlight a key and pressing it (and at the same time moved to another key and pressed that instead) is a major turnoff.

One thing that I don’t like is probably the build quality of HTC phones. Seriously, they suck. One thing that they should think about if they want to put Android on a smartphone without a physical keyboard is probably not using plastic for the screen. Compared to the iPhone and BlackBerry, it feels like a crappy second-grade Taiwanese cellphones.

Bottom line, if I have to choose between the Android, Symbian, or Windows Mobile, I would definitely pick the first one, regardless what the hardware they’re in. But that is if. Right now, I would still pick the iPhone any day.

I’m sure that most of you geeks would probably have seen this ad around and performed PC-Mac battles everywhere. Long story short, it’s about Lauren who’s trying to find a sub-$1000 17″ notebook and got herself a dirt-cheap HP Pavilion notebook. The ad definitely showed that Lauren tried to get an Apple notebook at first, but decided not to because their lowest end notebook would be the $999 white MacBook that doesn’t even have a 17″ screen. This concludes the ad to give out this message: Apple’s hardwares are goddamned expensive.

I do have something to say about this matter, and I’m saying this as realistically as possible, without being an Apple fanboy. I believe both companies have their own reasons to build whatever they want to build, I still believe that Windows 7 is going to be the best Windows there is and craps out Vista any day, and I’ve got my own good reasons why I am now an Apple user and stays that way. While I could agree that Apple’s products are generally more expensive at a glance, it tickles me that Microsoft is advertising against Apple not with their own products, but with any notebook that’s definitely not Microsoft’s.

Here’s the deal. Microsoft, just like Apple, is essentially a software company. Microsoft makes Windows, Apple makes Mac OS X. But Apple takes this up a notch by building good-quality products to complement their software and lock their softwares (essentially) to only their hardware. This is probably what Microsoft see as a threat to them. I have no idea why since the ones building PCs for Microsoft is not themselves. If they are worried, don’t you think actual hardware manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell should’ve been the ones that should worry with Apple’s hardwares?

Apple also did competitor-bashing advertisements with their “Get a Mac” lineup, but instead of bashing Microsoft’s hardware (which does not exist except for accessories like keyboards or mice), they did a good apple-to-apple (no pun intended) comparison by putting OS X and Windows on a head-to-head fight.

So what does this ad really shows? It shows that Microsoft is that desperate to try saving their own ass with the havoc Vista brought upon them, using an apple-to-orange comparison. Microsoft, I hope your ad agency has a real good reason for this, because this is what I think you guys should really do:

1. Fire Ballmer. If you could put someone on par and as competent as Apple’s (or probably any company in this matter) top guys, you might probably come up with something that is actually good. Personally, I wouldn’t want to buy something from a company that selected a primate to talk on keynotes. Convincing? In a mental asylum, perhaps.
2. Why don’t you stop whining and stop trying to convince people that Vista is a good consumer OS. It’s not, and I don’t think it would ever be. So instead of focusing on how to get back on Apple for their Leopard’s victory over you and lurch out pointless ads, why not focus on Windows 7 instead and give what your users really deserve for their money.
3. The least you could do is simplify your OS version lineup. Seriously. Who would fucking care that you have six different versions for Vista alone. Consumers need something simpler to choose from. Or is this just your elaborate marketing scam so that common users would give out cash for more features?
4. If you want to counter Apple’s way of getting into your nerves, then try aiming for their software, because that is exactly what they did in the first place. With this ad, it’s as if you’re telling BMW to build cheap Tata Nanos. Apple has their own market, and no matter what the prices are, people will keep buying their hardware. And they wouldn’t even care if there’s a $200 notebook to compete with their 17″ MacBook Pro.

Some time ago, I got my hopes up with Microsoft when I was trying out Windows 7. Maybe they’ve come to their senses and could bring out a good and useable OS. But seeing what their reaction is like by keeping pointless ads such as this one in production, I think I’d have my doubts back.

On the other hand, are Apple’s products that expensive? If you calculated the features, the craftsmanship, and the software that they are bundled with, I personally think it’s worth the price. Therefore, it’s not really a matter of whether people should push Apple to come up with cheap products, but it’s a matter of whether you want to buy premium products or not. I think everyone has all the rights to position their products on a certain target market.