By now, we all know about the iPhone 4’s antenna reception fiasco. Though Apple denies it, it seems to be the result of a hardware design flaw and has led to everything from class-action lawsuits to product-recall demands. Consumer Reports, even though it deemed the iPhone 4 the best smartphone on the market, refused to recommend it due to the antenna flaw, and Microsoft’s COO Kevin Turner went so far as to call the iPhone 4 Apple’s “Vista”. Ouch.

All in all, the latest iPhone has been a headache for Apple from the get go. From the leaked prototype to the reception issue, to complaints about discolorations in the “retina display,” I’m sure Steve Jobs would prefer to skip ahead to the iPhone 5 and forget about the past few months.

So the question is, if the iPhone 4 really is all that bad, how come I still want one? How come I would be willing to buy the phone, cover the antenna with duct tape (as CR recommends) and happily drop calls anyway? Am I a blind-loyalist? Have I chosen to cast away all rational thinking and reasoning in the name of getting my hands on Apple’s latest, greatest supergadget fun-panel?

I think I know the answer, and it comes down to the strength of the brand. You see, whether it’s true or not, I believe that the iPhone 4, with all of its imperfections, is still far better (and more importantly) far cooler, than its competition.

This is the power of branding. Even though I know there are critical problems with the product, I’ll trade those for the chance to own it — to further my status in the Apple tribe.

Granted, my iPhone 4 desires will go unquenched because I’m firmly mired in the early-goings of a two-year service contract; I must make do with my primitive 3GS until next summer. That being said, I think it’s a great testament to the power of the Apple brand that I would even entertain the thought of buying one.

So what do you think? Is there a part of you that still wants an iPhone 4? Do you already own one? Can I see it/play with it?

There's no hiding it: I'm an Apple geek through and through. Apple at home, Apple at work, Apple when I travel. Personally, I own 2 iPhones (3G and 3GS), 3-4 iPod shuffles of various sizes, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro as my primary home computer. Now, I'm not crazy enough to stand in long lines during launches; I know I can get what I want just a few days after release. But suffice it to say, I'm an addict for Apple hardware.

However, I'm damn glad I waited on the iPhone 4. Display issues, reception problems, instructions to hold the phone a certain way or to buy a "bumper". This release has been a big flop and that's unusual for Apple, especially in the past few years. Following on the recent footsteps of the phenomenal release of the iPad (which I personally wouldn't recommend to most people), this release of the new iPhone has been laden with bad mojo.  Apple's initial response was "you're doing it wrong", but now even Consumer Reports says they can't recommend the iPhone 4.

As innovative as the case-as-antenna is, I can't believe this design made it out of Apple. The average user immediately saw the limitations once the device was in hand. This is what happens when you're too close to your project. You know how to hold it, you know how to click its buttons. I know Apple has vigorous testing of their software, but have they ever really had to do so with the physical case? I find it hard to believe they tested the physical phone case itself as meticulously as they do the software -- or they did, but decided to let it out in the wild anyway with crossed-fingers, hoping that no one would notice. Steve Jobs is obviously not beyond hubris, so this is a possible scenario.

Then again, done is better than perfect. That is a mantra that the IT world has to stick with, or nothing would ever get released.  You can release patches, fixes, and new code to push towards perfection.  But how do you do that with hardware like the iPhone case?

You begrudgingly and snarkfully give away bumpers, that's how.

Just when you thought 'there's an app for that' for everything you could have possibly dreamed of, Google is now working on an app for Android that will help you find an open parking space! Now not only can you get directions to a destination by using a phone, but you can find a parking spot there as well!

It is called, 'Open Spot,' but don't get too excited yet. It relies on other people to mark the spot after they leave - it turns red automatically, then orange after five minutes, then yellow after 10 minutes, and then it loses its status after 20 minutes. To  be truly useful, the app requires a ton of users to utilize it. The app will award 'karma points' to encourage people to mark the free spots when they leave and will apparently handle what they call 'grievers' or people that mark fake spots.

I'm not Paul the Psychic Octopus, but I think in the long run this could be a really useful and successful app. I could definitely see myself using it while trying to park at something like Thunder Over Louisville next year. Well, that is if they make a similar app for iPhone and I can actually get service during major event...

One of my biggest passions is traveling.   Shortly after I bought my iPhone, I traveled to Chicago and put it to the test.  I found that I could search anything from where to get the best cupcake near my hotel to train schedules on the Metra.  Here are a couple other great apps I've used:

Southwest Airlines has a great app that allows you view flight schedules and will even let you check into your flight.  They also offer special “Ding” offers that are only available through the app.

I’m all about location when I travel. I prefer to stay in urban areas where I can walk, take a train or catch a quick taxi ride.  Yelp and AroundMe apps both let me find restaurants and places near my hotel.  The Yelp app is great for giving you ratings from other users so that you aren’t blindly walking into a place that might be below your standards.

While Yelp is great, I’ve found that AroundMe has a more expansive listing of places.  Both apps will link you right to the location on Google maps making finding it a breeze.

My Mom would have loved this last app.  When I was a kid we always had to hit a Cracker Barrel on every road trip we took. Sometimes it would be for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  If iExit had been available in the 80’s, my Dad would probably have less gray hair right now.  It allows you to save your favorite restaurants, and it will alert you about exits along your route that feature your restaurant selections. Genius!  I use it for coffee and snack stops along the way.  A good road trip is always about the snacks, right?

If anyone has any great travel apps they use, I’d love to hear about them!  I’m always searching for new ones.

Okay, so admission time - I’m a PC guy.

In the main, this is a function of personal history - I cut my pre-teen computing teeth on Windows 3.11 and Sierra adventure games (ah, Roger Wilco, we hardly knew ye), and surfed the Mesozoic age of the web on the stalwart S.S. Netscape Navigator. As time went on, I learned to cobble together my own machines out of disparate bits of motherboard and RAM, giving life to inert parts in a process both primal and alchemical. Sure, they were rough around the edges, but there’s an undeniable charm to using a computer built with your own two hands.

Macs have always been...the other computer. I was never much interested in the sports rivalry between the competing machines, but I honestly didn’t like using Apple’s OS. The supposedly slick and intuitive user interface confused me. What’s with these programs that don’t close when you close them, and where was my C: drive, damnit? I crave simple file trees; without them, the jitters come.

Having recently come aboard at CurrentMarketing, I found myself tossed into the deep end of Macintosh use. My work machine is a comely beast, it must be said, but I intended to keep the relationship strictly business. One can use a Mac all day and come home to a PC every night, right? No big deal. That big LCD screen was mighty tempting, sure, but it didn’t mean anything. Honest...

Wait, what’s this? Coda? Well, isn’t it nice that someone made what Dreamweaver has always wanted to be in its innermost fantasies. Wish I could use that at home...

My PC is infected with the hideous AV Security virus? Ugh, there goes the weekend. Glad that’ll never be an issue for my work machine. Wow, once you get to know it, this user interface really is fantastic...

So, that’s it. By slow erosion, my CurrentMarketing experience is turning me into a Mac Guy. There’s no shame, really. It feels good. Natural. Like it was always supposed to be this way.

Song for the Day: “Truth Skull” by Lymbyc Systym (don’t let the title fool you - it’s quite tame!)

Having just gotten back from the Paradise that is Southwest Florida, I was intrigued to read a post from Mark Driscoll, an influential young pastor in Seattle, WA.

He and his family (wife and 5 kids) are leaving headed for vacation, and Mark has decided to immerse in a total media blackout.  For some, that would be no big deal.  But this fellow Facebooks (wow, is that a word now?) and Tweets and Podcasts and Vidcasts and DVD’s relentlessly.  To spend four weeks with no iPhone, no laptop, no television, no MEDIA?  I wonder what THAT’S like.

Could be a real blessing, I suppose, but it’s difficult departure in today’s age of 24/7 immediacy.  Granted, I was sneaking away with my bride for a four day “recharge” getaway, but I used my iPhone GPS on the golf course, UrbanSpoon for help with restaurants, and checked in on FourSquare three times.  Although I spend less than one week per month in my Florida getaway, it’s wired for wireless and digital cable.  I checked my email, favorite news sites and exchanged Facebook messages with my son traveling in Europe.

Maybe someday I’ll go “media free” for an extended period and get back in touch the deeper things in life.  Right now, I gotta post this blog.

Look at this blog entry. Now look at your blog. Now look back here. Is your blog as well written as this one? No. Can it at least be written in the same language? Yes. And if you haven't enjoyed the Old Spice The Man Your Man Could Smell Like spots, you should. Last week, a new one came out and it is as clever and well done as the "I'm on a horse" spot.

After the fifth or sixth viewing, I started wondering how the hell did they do that? It looks like most of it is real, meaning non-CG. The beach background and sky in the beginning were composited, but the dock, towel and prosthetic legs look real. Is the background real or on a soundstage? Probably real, but who knows? The sawdust kicking up on the circular saw looks CG to me, but it might be a rig. In any case, it's a fake, because this required more than one take to get it right, and you're not going to have your actor keep sawing planks off your set every take.

The "swan dive" is either real or they took a lot of trouble to make the move look fake (that would be going pretty deep, but considering the creative, not out of the realm of possibilities). The real mind blower is the transition at the end from shorts and barefoot to jeans and shoes.

Here's what I think: The camera is on a computer controlled track. The splashing water is CG. You can see between 22:08 and 22:09 he abruptly, but ever so slightly, changes position without motion blur, meaning there is a cut there. They probably stopped action shortly after he landed from the swan dive, then they placed the motorcycle on his mark, refilled the tank, then used a still from the take they wanted and positioned his body to make the transition as smooth as possible, then used the CG water to obscure the cut. The trees and rocks are blocking the sky, so you don't have to worry about the cloud continuity.

Either way, it is so skillfully done, that I applaud you, Old Spice. Your attention to detail is refreshing and astounding. But I'm still not going to buy your body wash. See the rest of the spots here.

As a member of our media department here at CurrentMarketing, I am a firm believer in the power of numbers. I am especially impressed when the power is driven solely by a large group of people, working together to make a difference. Our world has experienced natural and man-made disasters of equal magnitude, all of which have produced some of the most moving scenes and inspirational stories.

You hear it everywhere you go. "I just don't have time." I truly believe that people want to help, but as life goes, most people can't seem to find the leftover hours in the day to volunteer at their local shelter, ring the Salvation Army Bell, or pack food boxes for Dare to Care.

When I first read about this company, I knew I had to share the story on UnderCurrent, because frankly everyone has time to text. We all have time and how easily we forget, that it's how you spend your time that really matters. We are now in the age, when a text message can be the beginning of a significant event in history.

mGive began as a 25-person mobile software company whose initial mission was to recruit non-profits to adopt mobile giving. Metro United Way, for example, can sign on and any fundraiser or donations they accept will be transmitted through text message. As grassroots movements go, it was very difficult for founder, James Eberhard, to recruit even one NPO to jump on board. Eberhard put over $4 million of his own money into the company before the morning of January 13, 2010 at 4:30a.m. when the State Department reached him to get a very specific mobile giving campaign going for Haiti.

Literally hours later his company launched a national campaign that allowed people to donate $10 to a number of different charities via cell phone. Thanks to the many cell phone carriers that waived their fees and allowed pledges to show up on the next month's bill, people could text the word HAITI to the number 90999 and the dollars would instantly show. And they did!

To date, more than $40 million has been raised for Haiti. We always say we need things faster and easier. It doesn't get much better than this! If you want to feel like you've helped in some small way, I urge you to find the time to text.  Here are just a few U.S. organizations offering mobile giving campaigns:

• American Red Cross: Text the word “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10.
• The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund: Text the word “QUAKE” to 20222 to donate $10.
• Salvation Army: Text the word “Haiti” to 52000 to donate $10.
• UNICEF: Text the word “Hope10” or “UNICEF” to 20222 to donate $10.
• National Religious Broadcasters (NRB): Text the word “Haiti” to 40579 to donate $10.
• Save the Children Federation: Text the word “Save” or “Safe” to 20222 to donate $10.
• World Vision: Text the word “Give” or “World” to 20222 to donate $10.
• Americares: Text the word “Americares” to 25383 to donate $10.
• Habitat for Humanity: Text the word “Habitat” to 25383 to donate $10.
• American Jewish World Service: Text the word “AJWS” to 25383 to donate $10.

Looking back on my high school days, a lot has changed in the office setting.   While in high school, I can remember taking Shorthand.   That class was important if you wanted to work in an office as a secretary.  I was one of the girls that wanted to be an Executive Secretary; taking shorthand was an added plus on your resume along with your typing speed.

In my junior year, I took Shorthand 1.  I still recall how easy it was to pick up the method.  Once we had the abbreviated symbols down, our teacher dictated a letter to us to help build our speed.   She verbally punctuated with  commas, periods, new paragraphs...which was very important to know. Keep in mind, though, when you were hired for the position with an officer of a company, he/she would not punctuate while they were dictating.  You had to know where the commas went, the start of a new sentence and even a new paragraph.   After the teacher was finished with the dictation, we would then have to type the letter she dictated from our notes.

This was so serious that we had to practice so we wouldn't lose the speed that we had built up or forget the symbols.  My girlfriends and I would get together during summer breaks and practice shorthand and dictate to each other so we could keep up our speed.

My senior year, I took Shorthand 2.  In Shorthand 2, we were taught how to abbreviate more symbols to increase out speed even more.  Believe me, it was important to keep my speed up because if I got behind on the dictation, I was lost when it came time to type what was dictated.  Back then we had the good old typewriter, not a computer to edit until everything was correct.   If we made a mistake, we had to use either the White-Out or Correction Tape to correct the misspelling and hoped it wasn’t too noticeable on the paper.   Typing letters today, using Microsoft Word or Excel, all you have to do is hit the “Spell Check & Grammar” button and it points out the mistakes on grammar or spelling that needs to be corrected.

I'm not sure, but I suspect Shorthand isn't used in any type of office setting anymore.  I’ve read that the Medical Field uses it when they are making notes in our files, but otherwise, can you think of anywhere else?  Would it help the Account Executives to know shorthand while they are taking notes in meetings with the clients? Maybe so!

Exactly 13 months ago today, Wolfram|Alpha, a self-billed “Computational Knowledge Engine,” went online. It was hailed as a new type of search engine. Unlike Google or Yahoo!, Wolfram|Alpha wasn’t made to scan the entire web for relevant articles and content. Instead, it was built to deliver objective, factual data on the search topic as well as solve complex mathematical queries.

For instance, search “barrel of oil” in Wolfram|Alpha and instead of a slew of articles about the Gulf spill, you’ll get a collection of facts about oil barrels. Search “Chuck Norris” on Wolfram|Alpham, and instead of facts like “Chuck Norris sheds his skin twice a year,” all you’ll get are his hometown and birth date. Boring, yes.

Having been designed largely for academic and scientific purposes, Wolfram|Alpha is a powerful tool for everything from solving calculus equations, to doing a quick calorie audit of what you had for breakfast. The point being, it only yields results that are demonstrably true.

So the question is, with today’s students enjoying the unmatched research power of Google and Wikipedia along with Wolfram|Alpha for the math homework, is personal knowledge losing value? Are we transitioning from a society of “knowers” to a society of “finders”? Is this a good thing?

I’m not quite sure, but a strong argument can be made that traditional learning, i.e. repeating, understanding and storing information, is quickly becoming obsolete. These days, the answer to virtually any question you can think of is only a web search away, and with mobile technology, access is abundant.

While genuinely knowing things will never go out of style (I’d hope), it seems to be ceding ground to knowing how to find things. With our collective human knowledge growing at an exponential rate, perhaps this is as it should be; I guess only time will tell. However, it does seem that while personal knowledge will never become worthless, it’s certainly becoming worth less. ;-)