One of the first applications I purchased when I switched back to the Mac fulltime in 2006 was 1Password (known as 1Passwrd back then).

I had been using RoboForm on the PC (still do for my IE-only sites that I get to from Windows XP on VMWare Fusion) and I had hundreds of logins and saved secure notes that I didn’t want to lose. 1Passwrd worked in both Firefox and Safari and imported those saved logins. In fact, I’d say this application was one of the reasons I was able to move back to the Mac as easily as I did.

I paid $29.95 for that software. It was buggy, and didn’t work nearly as well as RoboForm did on the PC. But it was the best option of what was available on the Mac so I stuck with it. And it was updated. And updated. And updated. The developers actively responded to questions, complaints and feature requests in their forums. They respond to tweets and emails promptly. Their license card scheme was a little funky and an online version didn’t quite work out. But the software was updated again. And again. And again. They introduced a new keychain format which lets me keep my copy of 1Password in sync on both my laptop and desktop computers. It works beautifully.

I was never asked to pay another dime (until the upcoming 3.0 version).

So they introduce an iPhone app, and there’s some confusion. And if you read the comments, some folks are upset and feeling ripped off.

Not me.

Continue reading “What does it take for a developer to earn your trust?” →

You spin the wheel and take your chances. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don’t. I bought a 13″ MacBook 10 days ago, and this afternoon Apple announces a brand new 13″ MacBook Pro.

This isn’t the first time I bought something close to an Apple keynote where products are typically announced. It’s the first time the gamble didn’t work out for me. Oh well. And worse, even though my computer is less than 2 weeks old, because I had my MacBook customized by Apple with 4 GB RAM I don’t think I can return it.

Comparing the specs of the new vs. the old, I’m not that disappointed. Yes, my computer was $1,699 with 4 GB when I could have spent $1,499. It’s not like I bought one of those round iMacs a week before the new design came out. I have no interest in the SD slot. No need for the Firewire port. My MacBook is 2.4 Ghz while the new one is a slightly faster 2.53 Ghz. Same L2 cache. Same hard drive. Same video and graphics. Same lame 2 USB ports. Same case. Same keyboard and trackpad. Same connectivity. Same software.

The big difference is the new built-in battery, and I’m torn on that. Yes, 7 hours of life sounds nice. I imagine the reality is less than that. My MacBook gets 3.5-4 hours of normal use out of the promised 5, so I would imagine the new computers see around 5-6 hours on average. Then again, I always have the option of a 2nd backup battery. Not that I’ve ever actually purchased a 2nd battery, but the option is there.

No plans for a new iPhone. My resolve is much stronger this year. As nice as the iPhone 3GS looks, I’m happy enough with my iPhone 3G to sit this one out. I’m most looking forward to the software update coming next week, and can live without the rest.

It’s strange the way AT&T is doling out the upgrade pricing. We have a 5-line family account (Eric, our girls, my Mom and me). Eric and I got our iPhones on the same day last July. I am entitled for an upgrade discount on July 13, 2009. Eric isn’t eligible until December 13, 2009. My guess is that I’ve simply upgraded my phone more often over the years than he has, so my upgrade date rolls around faster as thanks for being a good little customer. Seems arbitrary, no wonder folks are upset.