Google drops Active Sync Coverage

So it turns out that Google dropped Active Sync coverage for unpaid and a few other types of Gmail accounts effective January 30th, 2013.

In an announcement made here in December of 2012 they had the following to say:

Google Sync was designed to allow access to Gmail, Google Calendar, and Contacts via the Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. With the recent launch of CardDAV, Google now offers similar access via IMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV, making it possible to build a seamless sync experience using open protocols. Starting January 30, 2013, consumers won't be able to set up new devices using Google Sync, however, existing Google Sync connections will continue to function. Google Sync will continue to be fully supported for Google Apps for Business, Government and Education users who are unaffected by this announcement.

I found out about this announcement 10 months after it was made because I got a new phone (a GS 3...new to me) this week and I could not understand why I wasn't able to set up my Gmail account using Microsoft Exchange on my new phone.

Most people couldn't care less about this announcement. Most people are saying to themselves "whatevs, i use the Gmail app...no skin off my back"

I am not one of those people. Why am I not one of those people? Because...let me say this clearly:

THE GMAIL APPLICATION SUCKS!

Why does it suck?

1. No offline search
2. No push scheduling

#1
Offline search matters when you want to find an email from 8, 9 or 10 days ago when you're without a mobile network connection on the train and you don't have the time nor the patience to sort through hundreds of emails to find that ONE email...that was probably sent to you 12 days ago.

#2
Push scheduling matters because battery life matters. Microsoft Exchange allowed me to get all power user with my email download scheduling. My personal preference is for every 5mins during between 7a and 7p, hourly between 7p and 11p and on weekends and Not at all between 11p and 7a. Only giving me a binary ("push on" "push off") option in the Gmail app is completely unacceptable.

I have found a suitable solution in Aqua Mail. Although it doesn't have the email sync scheduling of exchange, it does have a helpful and battery saving "nights and weekends" feature. I have been using the free version for the past 5 days and tonight, my friends, I will purchase the full version of the app for $5 (this will be my first ever app purchase). I'm purchasing the full version because I'm a fan of the functionality (customization and the gmail integration), but I really don't like the email signature that gets appended to my emails - and the full version lets you delete the signature.

Big Ups to Aqua Mail for making an awesome app.

Kimani "Kiki" Grey Shot by Police - pictures and video

This is an undated picture of Kimani Grey, the 16 year old boy that was shot by two plainclothes officers from Brooklyn's 67th precinct this past weekend.

The plainclothes officers said that Kimani left a group of teens as the officers approached them in their unmarked car. The officers went on to state that Kimani aroused their suspicion as he awkwardly adjusted his waistband while leaving the group of boys. The officers said they approached Kimani, told him to show them his hands after which Kimani turned around and pointed a revolver at them. The officers then said that they opened fire on the boy.

A witness in the neighborhood said that he was shot while running away and screaming "stop".

Kimani's sister said that her brother wasn't stupid enough to do what the officers described him as doing.

I have serious doubts that Kimani pointed a gun at the cops. My guess is that they caught him when he had the gun in his hands and he didn't know how to respond. He probably figured his best bet was to follow instructions.

I think the best thing to do in such a situation is to state something to the effect of "I have a gun. I am surrendering. What should i do with it?".

When he turned around with the gun in his hands - the cops didn't see a stupid kid, they saw a hardened criminal, felt as thought their lives were in danger and they responded in kind.

The problem is that most people know him as a harmless kid who wasn't really a big threat to anyone...and that is what will fuel this and all other community outrage over how minority communities are policed.

what i wrote in the paragraph above begs the question "If someone carrying a gun isn't a 'big threat', what then is actually a big threat?". I don't think anyone that knew Kimani believes that he was the kind of person who would have actually pointed a gun at the police. Holding and pointing are two very different things.

I feel like this will all end as so many other cases have - the police will not be called on to admit that their plainclothes guys exercised poor judgment...because doing so would put the NYPD up for civil liability. I feel like the police will present Kimani in a manner that justifies the force they used...they will probably present him as "Shapow", a heartless and violent criminal/gangbanger.


We will probably see this video (see Kimani in the red adidas hoodie as he slaps a newly "turned" (minted) crip after taunting him)



...and we will probably see more of this picture (these particular beads indicate that he is a blood)

He's got his beads on in this picture and he's slapping crips in the video...i mean...it's only a matter of time before he kills someone or he gets himself killed, right?

The flip side of this story is "what do we expect police officers to do when they feel like their lives are in danger?". The last thing we want to hear about it a police officer getting shot or killed in the line of duty. Another thing to consider is the fact that police aren't trained to shoot to disarm or to immobilize - they are trained to shoot to kill. If their guns are drawn, they fear for their lives. You don't want to do anything that would cause a police officer to fear for his or her life - no matter how profiled you feel...no matter how wrong their judgment is...inspiring fear in the heart of a police officer is the last thing that anyone would want to do. 

...it's just a shame that it all worked out this way.

A letter to Chiquita

Found a typo on the Chiquita website, here’s what I sent them:

Dear Chiquita,

Your nutrition facts for plantains are incorrect. You've got "89mg" of potassium listed as being "26%" of my daily value. Either you meant to write "890mg" or a smaller percentage.

If you would like to thank me, a free lifetime supply of plantains and bananas would be an appropriate gesture. I use bananas in my protein shakes and i microwave plantains with dinner almost every day.

Also - plantains are sooooo sweet naturally - after looking at some of your recipes, i do not understand why you guys encourage ppl to add sugar to them...so unnecessary, but i digress - back on topic: LIFETIME SUPPLY! My mailing address is xxxxxxxx, Brooklyn, NY :o)

Jason

Here was their response to me:

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your email and for giving us the opportunity to reply.

Thank you for bringing that information to our attention. It appears to be a typo and we are in the process of having that corrected at this time. Even though we are grateful for your attention to detail, we will not be able to provide you with a lifetime supply of plantains for this correction. 

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. 

Sincerely, 
Customer Response Center


Good Times :o)