It now seems that hotel WiFi is the norm with many places I stay having free access. However, sometimes even at free, it just isn’t worth it. At times, the speed can be so slow and problematic that it is more frustrating than anything to use. Up until May, I had a Sprint MiFi 3G router, so having poor hotel WiFi wasn’t an issue and for the most part, I didn’t even use the hotel WiFi. However, it is now important if I have any hope of getting something done in my hotel room.

In my last 3 trips to Portland, the hotel I’ve stayed at, Hotel Monaco, has WiFi that is a) free and b) works quite well. I’ve been able to stream Netflix, download apps, upload things, and even carry on FaceTime calls with excellent results.

I wonder if there is a site that rates hotel WiFi. Does good WiFi matter in a hotel room? With our always connected society, it almost might. I can do many things on my iPhone over 3G, but having WiFi is so much nicer.

I’ve used the earbuds that came with the iPods, iPhone, etc. for a long time and have been generally pleased with them. However, they just aren’t very reliable. I got one pair replaced in June because one side failed. This was a pair that I just used for phone calls and occasionally listening to music. I didn’t mistreat them, they just stopped working.

Since I managed to accumulate a bunch of the earbuds, I used a pair for running. Sweat really kills them, so I bought knockoffs that fared just as well as the Apple branded ones. The microphone, volume controls, or the speakers stopped working which has become increasingly frustrating.

So now I’m searching for the right earbuds for me. Actually, I’ve broken up my use of earbuds into 3 categories, each with a different pair. The first category is for when I fly. This year, it looks like I will have gone on 9 trips, and I’ve found that noise canceling earbuds make the trip so much nicer. I’ve been using the Audio-Technica ANC23 earbuds for a few months now and find them to be holding up well. I don’t like using these for phone calls as the noise canceling makes me sound strange when I talk. Also, they wouldn’t hold up for running and these don’t have a microphone or 3 button remote.

A few weeks ago, the Apple earbuds I use for phone calls stopped working. I went on a search and ended up with the V-MODA Remix Remote Headset and they seem to be working well. I like the 3 button remote and the sound quality is pretty good. My wife is going to get a pair as they have interchangeable inserts for different size ears.

Next up are earbuds for running. The reviews I’ve read about sweat proof ones have not been good. I want the 3 button remote with microphone so that I can control Siri and talk on the phone, if need be (I’ve only taken 2 calls while running this year). I might just have to bite the bullet and buy one or more pair to try. They aren’t cheap, however.

Earlier this year, a friend of mine that I’ve known for over 15 years told me that he bought an iPad. Normally I’d think nothing of it, but this friend has been writing Windows code (Windows desktop, mobile, embedded) for a long time and never came close to a Mac or Apple products. Then in October, he told me he got an iPhone 4S after liking his iPad. Oh no, what was next?

A few weeks back, he started asking me how hard would it be to learn iOS development. I told him it would take a little bit of time and that I’d help him if needed. One of his clients was interested in having him do some iOS development.

Today, he let me know that the 13″ MacBook Air that his client sent had just arrived. In less than a year, he now has basically a complete line up of Apple products (save for the Apple TV and some lesser used items). Will he come over to the Mac and iOS? I just read an article this evening about a former Microsoft Evangelist quitting his day job to write iOS apps. Maybe this will happen to my friend as well; it will give me something to pester him about if he does. “Why did it take you so long to wake up?”

I’ve been playing a lot with Siri on my iPhone 4S and am finding it pretty neat. I add reminders when running and when in the car. I’m also asking it the weather, temperature, etc. My 4 1/2 year old son saw me asking it “What’s the weather?” and he tried to do the same. Unfortunately he doesn’t enunciate well, so Siri gets very, very confused. He’s managed to get Siri to respond to something this evening; he asked it “What’s the weather in San Jose?” and it responded correctly.

So, while Siri works pretty well for me, I wonder how well it works for people that don’t speak clearly, have speech impediments or have thick accents. I know that Apple is still working on it, but right now, don’t expect Siri to work for a 4 year old!

Now that my wife and I both have iPhones running iOS 5, the single most useful feature for us is Reminders. I’ve used to do lists on and off for years, but never found anything that was always accessible and easy to use. With iOS 5 and iCloud, I have access to my reminders on my desktop, iPhone and iPad. Furthermore, with Siri on my iPhone 4S, I can add reminders when I’m running or when I’m driving.

To top off my personal use of reminders, with iCloud, I can share reminder lists with my wife. I’ve setup a grocery list that we can both see. The other day I added an item to the list while I was in Portland and when I arrived home later that day, my wife had been to the store and purchased everything on the list, including what I had added!

There are lots of other useful iOS 5 features, but so far, this feature could be something that helps restore my sanity. Yes, I know that other apps can do this, but this is simple to use and just works.