When I left my new Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket (yes, this is the name of a phone, not an '87 Buick) in a cab last week, I decided to make a leap of faith with the latest and greatest iPhone. It's not that I didn't want another "SGSIIS", though there weren't any in stock at AT&T, so I thought I would give Apple another shot (I had the iPhone 3GS a couple years ago).

The Apple Store guy sucked me into the 16GB model so I could load it up with tons of music/apps, and still have plenty of room for my new girlfriend, Siri. I have to admit the phone was beautiful. The screen is amazingly clear and crisp (Apple claims the human eye can't see individual pixels). I'm not exactly human, though I couldn't either. The exterior of the phone is also fantabulous--a work of industrial art.

Screen.  Now I'll get to the reason why the title of this post is what it is. Basically, I could barely stand using the 4S for more than a day. While the screen is gorgeous, it's dwarfed by many new Android phones. And while Android phones aren't as high of resolution, it's nearly impossible to see the difference. And Samsung's AMOLED screen is arguably as beautiful.

Apps.  I'm not a super nerd when it comes to hacking or "jail-breaking", though I like to know that it's possible with the device I'm using. That means that I can't install sweet apps for downloading music and tethering my phone to my laptop, etc (unless I want to use Apple-only apps). Jail-breaking or "rooting" any Android phone takes about 10 minutes, while the 4S has yet to be hacked.

My Sweet Siri.  Our relationship was so brief, yet you made my life complete for 

those few short hours. Not. You never listened to me, and it often took me telling you several times before you finally did.  

Why can't one of these Android companies just make a beautiful phone, and then my dreams of Siri will go away?  Oh Apple, I'm trying to love you, though you aren't making it easy for me.

The holiday shopping season is officially heating up. And Friday will mark the annual day of which thousands of people will be trampled at the door of Walmart's and Best Buys across the country.

But fret not, you can avoid the mangling by purchasing online and early. Here are the hottest items that you'll want to add to your list:

1. Low Cost Android Tablet. $99-$399. Yes, there are more expensive devices, though there are plenty in this range that are great. i.e. Toshiba Thrive, Acer Iconia.

2. Amazon Kindle Fire. $199. Different from other Android devices, but so cheap.

3. 4G LTE Mobile Device. I was upgraded to the new Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket (LTE version of SGSII). Rarely do I buy into the marketing from mobile providers that claim the latest "upgrades" or expansions, though the latest AT&T 4G LTE is blazing fast. In fact, it's faster than my broadband at home. By the way, your current 4G phone is now an antique.

4. Networked TV. Apple TV $99. Google TV $180-$600. "Smart" TV's $400-$5,000. Either way, it's now easier than ever to watch fat kids falling on Youtube...in the comfort of your living room at halftime.

5. MacBook Air $900-$1,599. While these are a bit pricey compared to other gadgets above, the new MacBook Air's are amazing. And being a newfound Mac fan, I have to say that they are pretty amazing.

I'm not sure where this came from, though I was getting some groceries the other day (Costco obviously) and thought about the things I would need to survive on a deserted island. It didn't take long to come up with this. Don't judge.

• 'Tussin.  A.k.a. Robitussin.  This stuff is believed to have eradicated the Plague.  I have friends that actually carry this stuff in their pockets at all times (you know who you are), just in case they come down with a cold at the spur of the moment. This is not a lie.
   
• Neosporin.  I nearly sliced my finger off last summer, though it was no match for a little Neosporin, band-aids and super glue (under guidance from a doctor friend).  I'm sure stitches would have been more appropriate.

  

• Android tablet. Of course I'd need a solar charger, and it would need to be loaded with this app.
   
• Tag Heuer watch. This hasn't left my sight since I bought it back in '05. It brings nothing to the table from a survival perspective, though it's super shiny! 

• Some sweet jeans. Preferably I'd like to have a pair of my Hudsons or True Religions...or mom jeans.

Hopefully I never end up on a deserted island.

After using Google Plus for a couple of months, I'm actually a big fan.  But I have mixed feelings about it.  I'm a huge fan of the innate viral capabilities, however, there are still some things that need to be ironed out:

1. No Google Apps Support.  My business relies on Google Apps for several applications including shared calendaring, inbox and other line of business applications.  Because G+ is not supported with Google Apps, I need to open a separate browser and login with a separate Gmail account.  Annoying.
2. Read Only.  Currently, G+ only allows pushing content and activity to other web properties.  In order for G+ to become a full-flown social media platform, we'll need true application API support, that allows us to sync and integrate with other platforms.
3. Event Management.  This should be a no-brainer.  Even if there was support for Google Apps, we still don't have a streamlined way to setup a simple event and invite our friends.  This happens to be functionality built in Facebook since day one.
4. Mobil Mess.  If you use Google Apps on your phone, be prepared to be disappointed.  See #1.
5. No API.  An API will accelerate the growth of G+, and we might actually start seeing some of our non-nerd friends on it!  See #2

Let's go Google!  We like the momentum, though it's time to step it up.