Apple’s iPhone is a great device overall.  Since it’s initial release in June 2007, the device has come a long way in terms of hardware, software and features.  The user interface is great and everyone from small children to our beloved elderly can master how to use it in a short period of time. However, even with the latest hardware (iPhone 4S) and iOS (version 5.1.1), there are some issues which I hope Apple addresses in upcoming releases.  Most are pretty basic and make me wonder how/why they haven’t been included for years.  My list is in no particular order. 1. The ringer volume/vibrate settings need to be updated.  Every other smart phone has three basic settings: Normal, Silent and Vibrate.  Why the iPhone doesn’t allow for these same settings without having to jump through hoops is a mystery I cannot seem to figure out.  Sure, there is a switch on the phone which lets you go from normal to silent and there are volume buttons which allow you to turn all sounds down to “almost” silent, but these do not accomplish exactly what most people are used to. 2. Adding ...

Looking for halal fried chicken in the Houston area?  Great news! It seems that several Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) locations in and around Houston have started to serve zabiha halal chicken, upon request.    The chicken used has been certified by the ISWA Halal Certification Department.  A list of the 13 participating locations, their respective phone numbers and a map (for locations and directions) can be found below.  Please use these as a reference only and independently verify prior to ordering.  Remember, you must ask for the "halal" menu.   CommunityWalk Map - Halal KFC Locations in and Around Houston, TX   1. 21017 Kuykendahl Road, Spring, TX 77379 281-251-9600 2. 20320 FM 529, Cypress, TX 77433 281-345-1462 3. 12240 State Highway 6, Santa Fe, TX 77510 409-925-7454 4. 2660 East League City Parkway, League City, TX 77573 281-334-1777 5. 17725 FM 1488 Road, Magnolia, TX 77354 281-259-6300 6. 4317 Lockwood Drive, Houston, TX 77026 713-672-2086 7. 3619 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, TX 77021 713-748-8235 8. ...

I am often asked about my take on the future of the insurance industry.  The industry is not going anywhere, that is for certain.  However, I do expect to see a drop in the number of agencies, especially in the independent insurance agency sector, because many will not mold their business practices and processes in time to handle the changes that are taking place.  The competition will slowly eat away chunks of their business by simply implementing low-cost or even no cost initiatives, only because they had the foresight to do so.    If the changes of the last decade are any indication of what’s to come, then insurance agents need to be ready to adapt in order to survive through this decade. Gone are the days when you established long-term, meaningful relationships with a majority of your clients. Today, insurance is becoming even more retail and talking to people on the phone or having face-to-face meetings is slowly fading as a means of communication. In this fast-paced society, people feel more efficient communicating through text messaging or social networks and they can just as easily meet with you virtually, saving time and money for everyone involved.   Virtual ...

Hardwiring your radar detector, in this case a Valentine 1 (commonly referred to as a v1), is a required mod on pretty much any car. It saves you from using one of your available cigarette lighter sockets, allows you to mount the radar high up on the windshield and most of all, it gets rid of that ugly power cord that gets in the way of so many things. To hardwire a radar simply means that you will use an alternate power source available in the vehicle allowing the radar to turn on and off with the ignition. The wiring is hidden for the most part and the radar can be mounted high up on the windshield for maximum performance.   The good news is that hardwiring a radar detector is fairly easy to do and almost anyone can do it themselves with basic tools you should already have if you’re reading this post. Here are instructions on hardwiring a v1 radar on a 2008 BMW 335i convertible, but these instructions will apply to all e93 bmw models. On these vehicles, this install shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes and we will utilize the wire tap method as ...

I recently purchased this iPad2 competitor (32GB version) and have been using it for almost 2 months now.  Hands down, it's an iPad2 killer.  However, it could use some updates to make it even better.  My thoughts are below: Pros 1. Sleek design 2. Quality materials and workmanship 3. Clear and bright screen 4. Great processing power 5. Thousands of useful apps available 6. Easy to use and understand layout and functions 7. Calendar is great and functions better than on any other Android OS I've ever used 8. Great size keyboard and allows for normal typing if on a flat surface 9. The Verizon 4G LTE network is blazing fast and really makes this tablet handy anywhere you go 10. The wifi connections are great and do not randomly disconnect from networks like the iPad does frequently 11. Real, full internet with Flash support Cons 1. Battery life could definitely be improved on.  Mine lasts only about 1.5 days and I use it at most for an hour total each day. 2. The email application needs the most amount of work.  Although it is laid out well, it lacks the ability to search through email and also does not allow you to view only unread mail.  For any business user, these capabilities are must ...

In 2007, Lamborghini introduced some modest updates to the Murcielago line. Most of the significant changes were under the bonnet and interior, but slight changes were also made to the exterior. Of these, the most notable, in my opinion, is the replacing of the taillights with a new design. For someone who owns an older model Murcielago, this was an upgrade I was very interested in.   Unfortunately, the new taillights are not simply plug-and-play when replacing them. Some modifications are necessary to the rear body of the car in order for the new lights to fit and some rewiring is also required. It sounds daunting, but I embarked on doing this conversion on my own with help from a very handy friend. For those who are somewhat handy, I thought I would provide some detailed instructions along with pictures of my experience while doing this project. The end result is well-worth the effort, this I assure you. For those that are curious, before and after photos are at the bottom of this page so you can see what a huge difference these new lights make.   What You Will Need · You can do ...

If you own a Lamborghini Murcielago, you probably know that you shouldn’t open or close your doors with the windows down, especially if the window is not all the way down. You should also know that you shouldn’t slam the doors, ever. You have to be patient with them and ideally, only operate them with the windows up all the way. Otherwise, you risk the windows falling off their tracks, leaving the power window inoperable. Sadly, this can easily be caused by others so it’s important you warn anyone who is opening or closing your door to do so gently. This is a common issue with Murcis so if it happens to you, don’t worry; there’s a fix for it and, if you put in the time, you can do it yourself in no time.   This issue happened to my car and instead of taking it to the dealer to get it fixed, I thought I would attempt to fix it on my own with help from a friend. You will need to take the door paneling apart in order to access the rail/track. I have outlined the instructions below with pictures. I hope this helps. ...

“River Test” is a new game available for free in the BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook tablet.  The app is actually a virtual riddle and claims that it is used by employers in Japan during the employee interview process.  It further states that only 10% of the human race can solve this.   I downloaded this test and disagree with the sentence above.  Given enough time, I think anyone can successfully finish this if they put their mind to it.  I do, however, feel that most could not complete it within 10 minutes on their first try.   The rules are simple.  There are 8 people, a small raft and a river.  The 8 people are:   Cop Prisoner Father Son 1 Son 2 Mother Daughter 1 Daughter 2   The objective of this riddle is to have all of the people cross the river.  However, it is made difficult due to the following rules:   1. The cop must always be present with the prisoner or else the prisoner will attack 2. The Father can never be left with any ...

If you have ever disputed or hired someone to dispute an item on your credit report, there is a possibility that you still have an open dispute showing up on your credit history.  Normally, this doesn’t matter.  However, with the strict new guidelines associated with conventional mortgage loans, an open dispute is unacceptable and must be closed or removed.  FHA guidelines do allow open disputes, but you are limited to FHA funding amounts and fees.   In most cases, when you file a dispute, the lender acknowledges it and provides the credit bureaus with a notice that confirms or denies the fact.  However, some lenders just don’t respond and simply let it remain pending.  This can become a nightmare if you are looking to buy a home.  Yes, it’s unfair, but not illegal.   So now you come to find out that there is such a dispute open on your credit file and because of it, you no longer qualify for a conventional home loan.  Are your home buying dreams over?  NO WAY!  There is a solution and it’s fast and easy.   Your only option is to withdraw, remove, retract, or revoke the ...

Do you have an idea for an iPhone application?  Are you in need of an iphone application developer in Houston?   The future of the software development business is in mobile application development.  Whether you want to build an app to make money or build it on a “freemium” model, it’s better you get in now before someone else brings your concept to reality.  Hundreds of apps across all platforms are being posted daily in the various app stores available by Apple, RIM (BlackBerry), Android and Windows Mobile devices.   Companies are getting on this as well, not for the consumer market, but for internal use.  They are realizing that mobile apps can increase efficiency greatly to improve internal workflows.  If a company has an internal application which is used out in the field by workers and their laptops, a mobile application for either a phone or tablet could replace their chunky and expensive laptops with a sleek device which is fast and easy to use, while relatively cost effective.   On the consumer side, you can build anything from games to mobile-friendly websites.  And if you’re searching for talented programmers, your search will ...