Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

How to sleep on a plane

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Image by bnilsen used under creative commons license

 

Having traveled over 700,000 miles in the last 20 years, I realize the importance of sleeping on a plane. Over the years, I developed tips and tricks on how to sleep better when flying.

1 - Wear an Eye Mask

Proper sleep requires a nice dark environment but your 200 close friends may not agree. Bring your own Eye Mask and bring something soft, plush and comfortable. If your airline does provide one, it will be cheap and extremely uncomfortable.

2- Earplugs 

Most of us need a quiet and peaceful environment to sleep and you know know that talkative couple will be right behind your seat. 

3 - Noise Cancellation headphones

Sometimes earplugs just aren't enough (think crying baby). Noise cancellation headphones are a great way to drown out noise earplugs can't remove. When trying to sleep, play some soft soothing music or some guided meditation tracks.

4 - Wear Comfortable Clothes

This may seem obvious but many people forget this basic rule. Planes have temperature swings and you have to be ready to go from cold to hot and back. Dress in layers. Make sure your clothes are comfortable.

Many executives I have traveled with go on board with a suit but change into sweatpants or pajamas for those long transatlantic/transpacific flights.  

5 - Wear your seat-belt

If you don't want to be woken up or bothered, always wear your seat-belt and make sure it is visible. Remember that flight attendants have a duty to perform safety checks and they will wake you if they cannot easily determine if your belt is attached. 

6 - Bring your own food and drink

Sure airlines provide crappy food (unless you are flying business or first class). My recommendation is to bring your own food (which would likely be healthier and better tasting). In addition to the health benefits, this frees you from the flight attendance service schedule.

You notify the crew that you do not want to be woken up and then doze off. When you wake up, you have your own meal waiting for you.

7 - Get a window seat

For short flights, I want an aisle seat (in case I want something from the overhead compartment).For longer flights, I want a window seat. This gives you something to lean on when trying to sleep and makes sure you won't be woken up by a seat mate with a peeing problem. 

Travelers need a 4 digit debit card PIN

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

North American banks allow customers to use 6-8 digit debit card PINs which is good security but not if you travel. Many international banks only support 4 digit PINs at their ATMs, 

Some international ATMs support only 4-digit PINs. Be sure your PIN does not start with a zero, and know your PIN by the numbers, as some ATMs outside the United States do not have letters on the keypads.
— Bank of America recommendation

You can read the BoA traveler tip page here

 

The 6 apps every traveller should download now

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

image by fdecomite used under Creative Commons License

The smartphone has quickly become the most important device we own. It allows us to be productive at work. It allows us to stay in touch with family and friends. It helps keep us healthy and accountable. 

It has also become the travellers best friend. I can't imagine taking a trip without it and here are some of my favourite apps that make travelling better, more efficient and much more fun.

1 - Uber and Lyft

I know Uber and Lyft have created an uproar in dozens of cities around world. Taxi drivers are upset and are lobbying their governments to block them.... Try as you may, you cannot block progress so. I have used Uber's UberX in dozens of cities around the world and it has always been a fantastic experience. 

Sure UberX is cheaper in most cities compared to traditional licensed taxis (cabs) but it is also a much better experience. You can order a car without talking to anyone and are always able to get transportation even during the busiest travel times. I can spend 30-45 minutes in New York or Chicago trying to hail a cab but able can book an UberX within minutes. 

Even with surge pricing, the convenience of Uber makes it a must and therefore number 1 on my list.

2 - Waze

I avoid renting a car whenever possible and choose Uber (see number 1) but regardless of mode of transportation, Waze has found a permanent spot on my must have travel app list. 

Waze has sometimes shown me great shortcuts to beat traffic that I have asked my Uber driver to take (which saves you money).

3 - Rome2Rio

Rome2Rio is a very easy app that allows you to "searches any city, town, landmark, attraction or address across the globe with thousands of multi-modal routes to easily get you from A to B." It is a great way to find great ways to get from point A to point B. It even includes options with Uber, taxi, local public transits (including trains) and more.

4 - Google Translate

Google translate is the babel fish of our time. It breaks through language barriers allowing you to explore freely. In addition to the website, Google offers translate apps for IOS and Android (all free). At it's base, it allows you to translate between 52 languages offline (without an internet connection). It allows you to perform 2 way voice translation in 32 languages and camera translation of text in 29 languages.

This camera translation feature was incorporated when Google bought a company called WorldLens. This cool trick allows you to translate signs, menus and invoices. 

5 - XE Currency Converter

Knowing the conversion between currencies is the difference between getting a good deal or getting taken advantage of. I have been using the XE.com currency conversion on their website for years and the XE app makes everything that much easier (IOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry).

Be careful because you can rarely convert currencies at the listed rate (because most agents make their money by charging a high spread) but it still very useful to know if someone is trying to take advantage of you during currency conversion.

6 - AirHelp

So this isn't an app but it is so good and useful that I just had to add it. AirHelp is a service that helps passengers to secure reasonable compensation from airlines when you are delayed, your flight is cancelled or the flight is overbooked. Most passengers don't know their rights and wouldn't know where to start to seek compensation.  The service is free and starts when you allow them to scan your emails for flight information. They will tell you if you are entitled to a claim and they only get paid if you do (they charge 25% of the compensation amount). They can go back up to 3 years and I have friends that have managed to recover up to $1000. 

AirHelp is an international service so why not try it?

Google is cheating Nexus users, should you trust the new Pixel?

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

I am an open-minded technologist that uses both Android and iPhone. The one thing I love about the iPhone is that there is no carrier bloat and system updates are released almost immediately to all iPhone owners. 

Android is fragmented with thousands of devices from hundreds of manufacturers all trying to be a little different (skins and apps), most sold through carriers also trying to make their mark with their own unremovable apps. Add to that the fact that an official Google android update may never make it to your device because of the manufacturer or carrier and you start having migraines. 

Google tried to fix all of that by selling unlocked devices with vanilla android called. These devices weren't always the fastest, slimmest, prettiest or cheapest but they came with the promise of fast updates. This became doubly important in the age of everything being hacked.

Naturally the most ardent supporters of the platform flocked to the Nexus line and things were good. Until last week when Google announced their new line of Google branded unlocked vanilla OS Android phones called the Pixel. At first glance the Pixel stole the show with its all Google design and innovative new features (Google Assistant, computational photography, etc). Think about that. Google's new line is replacing the old Nexus line. But who cares is they changed the name, Nexus devices always receive the latest updates. Right? Nexus will receive the new Pixel powering Android 7.1... Right?

 Yes it will but not right away. Google will release it on the Pixel devices this month but Nexus owners will  receive it sometime before the end of the year. So the new OS is good enough for the shiny new thing but not for your old grimey Nexus. 

Many Nexus owners I have spoken to are upset that the promise of rapid regular updates has changed due to Google's new product direction. To make things worse, when the new 7.1 OS does come to Nexus devices, it will be missing some cool new software features like Google Assistant everywhere, the new Pixel launcher, the new camera app and some other aesthetic tweaks. 

I'm sure some of the missing features (software based ones) will eventually come to the Nexus but this shows a clear change in direction at Google. The move to Pixel seems to be a first push to take back control of Android and likely isn't the last change we will see. My assumption is that Chrome OS and Android will likely disappear and Google will make a real time Operating System (non linux based like Google Fuchsia). 

If you are a Nexus owner, how do you feel?

HTC 10 is a wonderful Android phone you haven't thought of

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Readers know I love gadgets and no gadget is more important or personal than a smartphone. Although I have tested several dozen smartphones over the years, an Phone 6s Plus is still my daily driver. 

Recently I wanted to revisit the HTC 10 and determine if it is a phone I can recommend. 

Hardware

The first thing you notice when you pickup the HTC 10 is how good HTC is at industrial design. The sand blasted aluminium is soft and grippy in the hand. The phone feels incredibly solid with a beautifully executed chamfered edges. 

The screen is protected with Gorilla Glass 3 and the "home button" is a matt finger print sensor, that work quickly and reliably every single time. 

The buttons are solid (no wobble) and are extremely tactile. Clicking them is very satisfying. 

The phone is definitely beautiful and a few people asked me what the device was. People rarely ask about smarpthone models I test ( since most look very similar.)

IP53 water resistance means the phone would likely survive being used in the rain (but don't try to submerge it). 

The screen is a beautiful 5.2 inch super LCD 5 (QHD) screen with 565 PPI. Blacks on LCD screens aren't as dark as on AMOLED or SuperAmoLED) screens, but the HTC 10 screen has excellent color reproduction and is visible in all but the brightest sunlight conditions.

The capacitive buttons below the screen mean you are not losing any valuable real estate for virtual buttons. A definite plus.

The phone includes its signature BoomSound tweaks and hardware. The quality built in DAC (Digital Audio Converter) supports 24 bit high resolution (hi res) audio. Older HTC devices had 2 front facing speakers while the HTC 10 has a tweeter on the top and a woofer on the bottom. This is one of the drawbacks of this phone. The older HTC phones were amazing when consuming content or playing games because of the front facing speakers. The HTC 10 is good but not as good as its older siblings. BoomSound support Dolby audio and now works system wide (when using the built in speakers or headphones - not available via bluetooth headphones).

Hardware spec dump:

  • Snapdragon 820
  • 4GB RAM
  • Adreno 530 GPU
  • 32 GB if internal storage, expandable
  • WIFI 802.11ac
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • 3000 mAh battery

Software

Sense is tightly built into their version of android and it is though even finding the version installed. 

HTC has tried to fight bloat and has not double installed apps. As an example the default calendar was Google Calendar while the camera app is the HTC one. HTC has tried to choose the best app for each function. Most HTC created apps have adopted Material design which means apps feel unified (between the Google ones and the HTC Ones). This is a very good thing to improve consistency. 

My test version came from Bell and had bundled Bell apps that did were not material design and could not be uninstalled.

HTC bundles an app called Boost+ which helps eliminate bloat. Until using the HTC device, I had to install a third party app to perform this clean-up. 

Usability

The first thing you will notice is how responsive the device is when scrolling a long list of apps (100+ apps on my test device). It's refreshing to see that even with the HTC skin, responsiveness doesn't seem to suffer.

I installed and tested these 5 demanding Android games for testing :

  • Modern Combat 5: Blackout
  • Asphalt 8: Airborne
  • Real Racing 3
  • N.O.V.A 3 Freedom Edition
  • Dead Trigger 2

All of the above games opened quickly and ran smoothly. After playing these games for 10-15 minutes, the phone becomes warm but nothing too dramatic.

HTC Connect  is included again and works relatively well. It allows you to stream on device content to various devices from Chromecast to Miracast and Bluetooth. The most surprising inclusion is the ability to stream to Apple Airplay devices (to AirPlay speakers and AppleTV). 

The device supports lock-screen gestures (such as launching the camera from an off screen). 

I've been testing the HTC 10 for 2.5 weeks now (while at home and while travelling for business). I loaded our corporate Mobile Device Management framework and used it as my main work smartphone during this time. 

Phone calls always sounded great and the phone connected to 2 major Canadian networks reliably. I compared WIFI and LTE performance to my iPhone 6s Plus and surprisingly, the HTC 10 seems to detect, capture and stay connected to wireless networks better than my iPhone. 

The 3000 mAH battery (with Android 6) was better than average for Android devices but nothing to write home about. I was able to get 3.5+ hours of screen on time. With heavy corporate use (texting, emailing and reading content), I regularly got between 3.5-4 hours of battery life.

The bundled charger is QC3.0 (but was not included in my test version provided by HTC, so I couldn't test this). Using my own Anker charger with QC3.0, I charged my device from 20% to full in a little over an hour. 

The size of the HTC 10 seems to be just right. It is big enough to enjoy videos while small enough to be used one handed. 

The HTC 10 Camera

HTC has added Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to both the front and back cameras. This is an amazing achievement and a model for other companies to follow.

The back camera uses their Ultrapixel sensor with a bright 1.8f lens. The 12 MP Ultrapixel sensor includes 1.55um per UltraPixel. The front camera also has a bright 1.8f lens with screen flash. Its one of the few devices to include OIS for the front camera. The built in (rear camera) takes beautiful 4K video with very good 24-bit Hi-Res audio. I compared the audio to that of my iPhone and found the HTC 10 in-video audio quality better than the iPhone's. The audio quality on the HTC 10 rivaled that of my iPhone with the Shure MV88 attached. 

Front camera OIS means this could be used as an excellent Vlog camera. 

I tested the video stabilization of the HTC 10 compared to the Samsung S7 Edge (rear) and found it is competitive. stabilization does not rival that of external 3-axis gimble based stabilizers but is very usable. 

In my testing, daytime photos are amazing with deep color saturation and fantastic contrast. In many test situations, the HTC 10 produced more pleasing pictures than my iPhone 6s Plus. To be honest, the iPhone is likely to get a better & more usable picture in more situations but the HTC has an honorable mention. 

The HTC 10 camera app is super simple for the average user but includes other modes such as hyperlapse, slow motion, selfie photo. selfie video and full manual. I wish HTC had slightly faster focusing (photo and video). This focusing issue is more pronounced at night. 

Warranty

 HTC offers it's Uh Oh Protection for the HTC 10. When purchasing an HTC 10 from HTC directly in the US, you can add this free protection which gives you a opne time replacement for a broken screen or water damage for the first year. 

Why aren't more people buying it?

Samsung has a huge marketing budget and seems to have pulled the oxygen out for most other Android smartphones. The Samsung S7 offers wireless charging, an amazing display and a better camera. The big killer is price. The Samsung S7 can sometimes be had cheaper (or close to) than the HTC 10 price.

B&H price for the Unlocked Samsung S7 32GB

Expansys special price for the Unlocked HTC 10 32 GB

The HTC 10 is a wonderful phone with great specs but priced it as if it were 2014. Price is the main reason most consumers haven't jumped on this phone.

OnePlus, Alcatel, ZTE and Honor have changed the conversation around smartphone pricing. These phones come with fantastic specs but are sub $400. The HTC 10 is definitely  a better phone (than those lower cost competitors but not enough to justify the substantially higher price.) 

This bracketing by Samsung offering higher end specs at the same price (as the HTC 10) and the lower end competitors offering amazing specs at $100-250 less, have meant most consumers have shied away from what is otherwise a great device.

Conclusion

The HTC 10 is the best HTC phone I have ever used. It is also one of the best Android phones I have ever tested. During my ~3 week of testing, I never had to force reset the device (unlike most Android devices I test). 

  • The microSD slot for the space consuming 4K Video is a wonderful touch. 
  • QuickCharge 3.0 which allows you to top up the battery as quick as technical possible.
  • Excellent audio quality for calls with very few dropped calls.
  • Excellent ability to find and hold onto mobile data (Wifi and LTE).
  • Built in discreet DAC (with a headphone jack) for amazing audio quality during playback.
  • Good pace of Android security updates (not perfect but decent). 

The Achilles heel is the price. If this phone was priced at $399, this would probably be the smash hit of the year. The HTC 10 is easy to recommend in isolation but harder to recommend when you consider its lower cost Asian competitors.