Ok, new iPhone is out and this time it has enough I guess for me to splurge and buy it for myself. However, I am really disappointed that it still does not have A2DP or wireless sync. That said, with GPS and fast internet… Hey, why not.

So, but my real problem with Apple. Why are they calling it cheaper? It is not cheaper. I was waiting to see how long before people figure that out. Finally, there are some articles about it. According to my naive math, the phone is $200 cheaper, but the monthly fee is $10 more, so after 24 months the phone costs $40 more. That said, turns out people in Europe have way better plans. And they get the device for free.

So, here is my list of suggestions for the “next” iPhone or next software release:

• Full bluetooth including A2DP and OBEX
• Wireless syncing
• Wireless subscription to podcasts (I don’t want to sync with iTunes every time I want to listen to a new podcast).
• Support for shoutcast/icecast/whatever cast Internet radio
• Better PDF reader for free ebooks (Should remember position, scale fonts, wrap on the screen etc)
• Instant messenger and VOIP

I probably missed something, but this is a good start. So, July 11th, where are you?

Last year on June 9th, I entered California. On today’s day I started working here.

Bye New York

Happy Anniversary California!

According to this article an average commute is 16 miles. Most people work 5 days a week and let’s be generous and say that people take 6 weeks of vacations a year. Year has 52 weeks, so that means 46 working weeks. 16 miles twice a day, 5 days a week, 46 weeks a year adds up to 7360 miles a year. At 22 mpg this gives us 334.5 gallons. Current average price of oil is over $4, but let’s call it $4. This multiplies to $1338.

If you only use bike to commute half the time, you are looking at more than $600 per year, which is way more than a cost of a commuter bike. And it is also like getting the stimulus package every year. In Japan, they developed a cycling computer that logs the environmental and financial savings you make.

Let’s take this a bit further. Let say you have a gym membership. Most people go to the gym and exercise on the stationary bike or treadmill. The gym membership ranges anywhere from $10 to $80 per month. Assuming that an average gym membership is $30 per month, you add another $360 per year.

In addition, there are several well supported claims that exercise helps with depression and anxiety. Monthly supply of anti depression and anti anxiety medication can range in hundreds of dollars. And this does not even include doctor visits. I don’t know what the average numbers are, but I would imagine that you could cut those by significant amount.

But you need a car sometimes. Do you? Well, if you do, then you are asking, what is my solution? Community owned cars and temporary rentals for the time when you absolutely need the car. There are several options in the cities all over US. For the time you absolutely need a car, they are much cheaper than actually owning the car. Further more, most places you can get with public transport. It may take a bit longer, but you will save yourself lots of stress and anxiety.

So, adding all these expenses together, without including the cost of car and the costs of ownership (maintenance, insurance, registration, etc), you are spending a lot of money just to, well, go to work and make that money. Imagine the world, where you do not actually spend that money for stressful activity, but instead to take vacation every year to a nice resort. Or to buy yourself some present. Or save the money for the rainy day.