The app is worth one dollar.

A very common revenue model for apps is that there are two versions, a free app that has ads and a paid version that does not have ads. So far we’ve just downloaded the free version and ignored the apps.

However, even on our regular computer we’ve found that our kids aren’t always discriminating about where they click on the screen. Sam has already purchased and downloaded an app (we have no idea what it does…). But the kicker for me was when I accidentally clicked on an ad inside of an app, and found that I was one more click away from adding an additional $10 to my monthly bill.

What!?

Yep, some dinky ad that I accidentally clicked on started signing me up for some additional service, that would automatically charge me $10 per month, which would very nicely (and conveniently) be added to my phone bill. And I’m sure that opting out or canceling would be very simple and painless.

So, I’m thinking that the extra dollar to get the paid app is a worthwhile investment, especially if you ever let your kids play with your phone or tablet.

Even so, I wanted to express my grattitude this Easter for Jesus Christ, for His suffering for us and resurrection. I’m especially grateful for the knowledge that this life is not all that there is. Death is not the end, it is only another step in a long progression. We will see and meet family and loved ones again after this life. This is the gospel–the good news.

This knowledge comes from the witness of the Holy Spirit. One of the great tenants of my faith is that God lives, and that He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. We can go to him in prayer and receive answers from Him. We each have the ability to receive inspiration and knowledge from God. That is how I have come to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. That He suffered for the sins of all mankind, was crucified, and rose from the grave. His gift to us is two-fold. One is the ability for us to repent and be forgiven of our sins. The other is that we will also live again. The fall of Adam brought both physical and spiritual death. The sacrifice and resurrection of Christ answers both of these.

That Easter morn, a grave that burst
Proclaimed to man that “Last and First”
Had ris’n again
And conquered pain.

This morn renews for us that day
When Jesus cast the bonds away,
Took living breath
And conquered death.

Thus we in gratitude recall
And give our love and pledge our all,
Shed grateful tear
And conquer fear.

~That Easter Morn, Marion D. Hanks
LDS Hymns 198

Doh!

I smashed the front of it, broke some of the side gear, etc. I managed to glue most of it together, and got it running decently. But then it would break again. The  glue wouldn’t stick (and I tried a few different kinds). I struggled with it for several months before learning that Bachmann has a really good warranty.

I looked into it. They have a really good warranty. I sent my train in along with $25. They replaced the train. No questions, no receipts needed. It didn’t matter that I bought it second-hand. It was awesome!

How often do you have a good experience with any kind of warranty?

A paper towel dipped in plaster is rather like working with a fish skin (as my dad put it). In addition, we have been playing with putting some dye in the plaster. Lesson number one on that venture was that the dark brown dye turns rather purple… and that when the plaster fully dries, the color gets a lot lighter.

[Show as slideshow]

One member did mention to me (in good humor) that he was just a little bit disappointed when he saw me bringing my tablet to Church–he had liked the fact that my lesson notes were all in books and on paper.

A few years ago I got a feature phone that I thought was really cool. It had a web browser, a small keyboard, a note-taking app, and actually one of the better sets of speakers on a phone (or tablet) that I’ve heard to this day.

At any rate, I was really excited about the phone, and I thought about how useful it would be at church for taking notes with; ignoring the fact that I never did take a lot (if any) notes in church.

So I’m at church with my cool phone, ready to get spiritual impressions and put them in my neat note-taking phone. You can probably guess how much I got out of church, and how much I actually used that cool note application.

A few Sundays later, again at church, I suddenly did have some spiritual thoughts (rare though it is, it does occasionally happen), and I was able to use my phone to write them down. It was actually rather remarkable.

The difference between the two is really rather obvious–the first time my concentration was all on the phone, and what a cool gadget it was. I certainly was not in a frame of mind for any kind of spiritual instruction. On the other occasion, while I did have the phone it wasn’t what I was focusing on; it was simply an available tool for me to use.

I’ve heard both arguments about using smartphones and/or other gadgets in church, and for me the answer is: what are you using it for? What is the purpose, and what is the focus? Is it a tool, or a toy?

Now, in general, for me, computers and such are very much toys (“Never met a gadget I didn’t like”). I actually recommend that considering a computer as a toy is a good way to get to figure out how to use it.

So is it possible to take something that is a toy on Saturday and consider as only a tool on Sunday?

Someone recently showed me how to do it. It’s really pretty simple. I created a bookmark called “Daily” and set it to where I’m at in my scripture study. Then, when I was done with my scripture study and ready to update my bookmark, I open up the bookmarks dialogue and longpress (press and hold) on the “Daily” bookmark. When I do that, I am prompted whether or not I want to update the existing bookmark, and I say yes.

I have to confess, I am really enjoying my smartphone.

It’s nothing really spectacular, a LG myTouch. My wife got a nicer phone (HTC Amaze 4G), but I like the smaller size of my phone–it actually fits into my pocket nicer than my old feature phone.

I am certainly not a fan of the wonderful data plans that come with the phones, but I am finding myself really enjoying a lot of the basic features of this new world of apps and constanct connectivity. The question “How did I get along before without this” is an indicator of successful technology.

I did have some planned uses for getting a smart phone. The main things I was thinking of were the ability to synchronize contacts and calendar items between computer and phone (and to share a calendar with my wife). I was also wanting to have the LDS Gospel Library information (scriptures and manuals, etc) available–ever since we started carrying a diaper bag, we’ve had a harder time bringing our scriptures to church.

Happily, my phone does not disappoint on either of those points. I have been able to have a better management of contacts and calendar, and have already made a lot of use of my phone at church. But there are a number of other things that I have really found useful. One of these is simply Google Reader. I have lately found an awful lot of really fun/interesting/informative blogs, but I have had the hardest time keeping up with them–every so often I would just have to skip a whole bunch of entries. With the phone I have been able to read blogs in my spare five or ten minutes while I’m waiting for the carpool, or in the bathroom… after washing my hands very carefully and thoroughly…

…Anyway…

I have also enjoyed the GPS navigation apps, especially since the in-laws have just moved and I haven’t quite got a good handle on where they live and how to get there. And I have never really been all that great with directions anyway.

The next app I have enjoyed is audiogalaxy. This allows me to stream my music from my home to my phone. Awesome.

The, a couple weeks later, my company gets a tablet for me to use! So I am typing this post from my new Lenovo tablet. It’s a little heavy and (as with all things lenovo) the speakers aren’t that great, but so far I’m pretty impressed. I have an external keyboard that goes with the case, so I can really use this as a pretty nice netbook.

It is interesting to see how the computer has shifted over the years. Laptops and desktops certainly have not gone away (but mainframes and servers haven’t really gone away, either), but the common user device is now part of your phone. Maybe a tablet.

So I am typing this post from my new Lenovo tablet, which I got from my work.

In general the comments that stuck out to me were the ones that talked about standing up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and also about being more diligent in our regular responsibilities: daily scripture study and prayer (individually and as a family), attending church meetings and the temple, etc. I’ve referred to these things as the Primary Answers for two reasons:

1. They are the answers to virtually every question asked by a gospel instructor since we were in Primary. If you had fallen asleep in class and were woken up by the instructor asking you a question, your safest bet is to reply: “Go to church, listen to the prophets, read your scriptures, and pray” (OK, so this isn’t really the case, but sometimes it feels like it)
2. They are Primary, meaning first and foremost. There is a reason why said instructors are trying to pound those things into our heads. It is critical that we stay close to the gospel, and the way that is done is not through some occasional or once-in-a-lifetime super-spiritual experience (Even the scriptures demonstrate that while such things do happen, they do not by themselves bring about either salvation or conversion). Instead, conversion to the Gospel, and developing a relationship with our Father in Heaven, is done through steady, regular, consistent effort.

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/