My complaints about iPod/iPhone:

1. iTunes.  You MUST use it to transfer files to and from your device.  I should be able to see my device as a drive letter and be able to drag files over to it.  Also, iTunes is very slow and clunky.  It doesn't matter what computer I'm using and how fast that computer is, iTunes just seems to hang for long periods at a time.  You also have to be careful about having iTunes installed on different computers because moving files to and from an iPod or iPhone is done by synchronizing in iTunes.  If some files are on one computer and not another, you could actually wipe files off of your iTunes or iPod when you go to do a synch.

2.  The iPod doesn't have a microphone.  This is particularly annoying on the iPod touch.  The Touch can use all the same programs as an iPhone, as it's essentially an iPhone without a phone, but because there is no microphone, you can't use certain applications that utilize voice recognition and you can do voice recording.  Get with it Apple.  Zune HD has a mic.  Even Creative Zen has a mic.

3.  Titles of movies and songs don't scroll.  This is true even with the Touch and iPhone and is amazingly frustrating.  So if I have something with a long title... say an MP3 with the artist name and song title or a TV program that has the season number, episode number, show name and episode name in the title... you can only read the first few characters of this title if it's longer than what the iPod or iPhone screen allows for.  Dumb. 

4.  Inability to multi-task.  There's no pausing a game on your iPod Touch or iPhone so you can read an email or check on your stocks.  Once you leave that game, you have to restart it when you fire it back up again.

5.  Battery life is horrible.  Of course, this is a relative thing and the battery in an iPod and iPhone are quite small.  Regardless, I feel this is still something that Apple should address.  The fact that the battery can't be (easily) accessed and replaced only doubles this problem.  With other companies' phones and MP3 players, spare batteries can be swapped out if need be when you're running out of juice.

6.  There's no stop.  Only pause.  It sounds like a silly complaint, and on the surface it doesn't sound like a big deal.  But use an iPod or iPhone for a while and you start to wonder why they didn't put a stop button that allows you to stop playing a song or a video and either replay that file or go back to browse for another. 

7.  There's flaky WiFi on the Touch and iPhone. I'm not sure why, but if the device is allowed to fade to a black screen, I will lose my WiFi connection and it takes it forever to make the connection again.

8.  Lack of non-proprietary connector.  I know WHY the iPod has a proprietary connector.  It's because you can actually control an iPod or iPhone through it's interface.  Simple signals through the multi-pin connector can control track navigation, volume, etc.  There's even a video output pin.  But this is no excuse for a complete lack of a standard connector like a mini-USB.  Charging the iPod or iPhone is impossible without having an expensive, proprietary iPod cable.

9.  Spell check.  Yes.  Spell check on the iPod Touch and iPhone will drive you mad.  Unlike most phones that give you spelling correction suggestions, Apple just automatically assumes you're a crappy speller and changes words for you on the fly.  You have to tell it NOT to change words for you as you type, which I feel is completely backwards behavior.  Let me keep typing.  If I want to change the spelling of something I think I might have spelled wrong, I'll tell you.

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Our SUV is in the shop and it's apparently taking a lot longer to fix than they expected (supposedly just a failed BCM, but last I saw the car the mechanic was completely upside down under the hood).  The dealer was nice enough to provide me with a vehicle to use while they figure out what's wrong with our car. Interestingly enough, the loaner car was a 2010 Dodge Challenger.

First impressions of the Dodge Challenger are "wow!"  Dodge did an awesome job of making the Challenger look  completely retro.  At first glance, it would be easy to mistake the 2010 for a 1970-1974 Challenger.  The Challenger is not a car for someone that wants to keep a low profile.  At the very least, the menacing look of the Challenger gets stares and a lot of people talking.

My loaner car is powered by the 3.5L SOHC V6 and provides just enough power to get this nearly 2 ton car out of it's own way.  Handling is very good, especially considering the weight of this thing.

The Challenger is slightly uncomfortable for my 6'4" tall, large frame.  It seems that the pedals are closer to the steering column than I'm used to.  In other words: with the seat far enough back for me to comfortably grasp the steering wheel, my legs are still fairly bent when on the pedals.  In fact, my right knee rests right on the corner of the center dashboard.  After a long drive, my knee was starting to hurt.  I can't honestly see who would be 100% comfortable driving this car.  Isn't everyone's legs longer than their arms?  The pedals really need to be farther forward, or perhaps the steering wheel needs to come farther into the cockpit.  The steering wheel is actually quite flush with the dashboard and actually obstructs the view of some of the instrumentation.

The backseat of the challenger is more useful than other modern-day pony cars on the market in that you can actually fit adults back there.  The problem is in getting those adults in and out of the back seat.  Only the passenger seat flips forward to allow access to the back.

Trunk capacity is enormous in the Challenger and the interior is fairly roomy with plenty of head and shoulder room.  The sound system is excellent for a stock sound system and all controls are well within reach (if not located in different locations than most other cars I've driven.)

I'm not a big fan of the 5-speed automatic transmission, but that's more of a knock agaist Chrysler in general and not the Challenger specifically as I have driven other Chrysler products and have NEVER liked their "Autostick" shifting mechanism.  I have a tendency to rest my right hand on the shifter on the center console.  With Chrysler's Autostick, a slight pull towards the driver causes a downshift and changes the transmission mode from automatic to Autostick.  In many other cars, like those equipped with Triptronic or Shiftronic, the manual upshift/downshift is operated in a separate shift gate AWAY from the driver so there is no unintentional downshifts from simply resting one's hand on the shifter.

Over all, the Challenger is a very cool car.  I can totally see enjoying the V8 Hemi version with a manual transmission.  Would I buy one?  No.  It's just not practical and I can't see taking one for a long trip.  But if I'm given the opportunity to drive one again on someone else's dime, I would totally do it.

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Jon Gerow's Blog

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