wrighters.net

Like many iPhone owners I couldn’t wait to try the new 2.0 firmware. So when macrumors reported it was available early, I downloaded and installed it against my better judgment. You have to download the file separately and then use option click on the “Check for update” button in iTunes to install the firmware.

First, I thought I bricked my iPhone when it wouldn’t install. iTunes then recognized the iPhone was in recovery mode, but a restore failed with the error “iphone could not be restored (20)”. Turns out you can also use option click on the “Restore” button to get another attempt to install the firmware. The second try worked.

The new firmware is great – the app store is nice. I put twitterific, facebook, and a few more apps on right away. Now I’m finding my first synch will not get past the “Syncing contacts” step. This may be an adventure.

I think a lot of geeks will be pretty worthless at work tomorrow.

I got a new iPhone today, and thought I would try to activate it with a prepaid plan – known as a GoPhone with AT&T.  This would allow me to not have to sign a contract and since I use almost no minutes anyway, it would be $5/month cheaper than the lowest postpaid plan.  I quick google search shows that there used to be a nice hole in the activation process where you could send in a garbage SSN like all 9’s, fail the credit check, and then get an option to go with a prepaid “pick your plan” option. It looks like that hole has been closed by Apple or AT&T. This looks like a server side fix – since it allows you to submit the form before telling you the SSN is no good.

There’s really no other apparent way to activate prepaid without having terrible credit. I guess that’s the punishment I get for good credit – no choice. Now I get a 2-year relationship with AT&T – a company I had managed to get rid of for a few year.

After a regular activation, the phone has been pretty good. We’ll see if the number ports over from prepaid T-mobile ok. I bet it won’t be ported into AT&T for at least 24 hours.

I have used a Fisher bullet pen for a while now. These are the pens made famous by the Seinfeld episode where Jerry accepts the pen from his parents’ arch nemesis in the condo association, and they want him to give it back. Hilarity ensues. The big deal was that the pen could write upside down (which it can). I like the bullet pen because it is really small and can fit in your pocket. The problem is that it is in two pieces and the cap has to be removed and placed back on the main part of the pen in order for it to be long enough to write with.

I just got a new Fisher Telescoping Pen on Friday. This pen is made from “F-16″ aluminum (did they buy an F-16 to cut into pieces?) and consists of one piece with a part that extends out the back for a balanced feel when the pen is open and you are writing, then closes up to 3 1/2″ when closed. So far, I really like it – let’s hope I don’t lose it.