Gerard’s CC:World

As a follow-up to my previous post where I looked at the costing for data plans on Rogers in Canada for iPhone users, I needed to update the information based on the latest changes and limited time offers. For those who follow me on Twitter already know, I got myself the iPhone last Friday (that was fun). Just before the launch, Rogers announced a special time limited data plan at CA$ 30 for 6Gb of data per month, that could be added to any voice plan you wanted.

(more…)

OK, we are about 3 weeks (my guesstimate) of knowing what will really happen with the iPhone 2, which is widely expected to be announced at the WWDC conference. Over the last few weeks, more and more mobile operators around the world have announced the upcoming availability of the cell phone from Apple on their network in many different countries (the iPhone blog has a good summary post). Looking as this list getting longer and longer almost every day, this can only mean one thing in my mind: the iPhone 2.0 will be unlocked.

Update (June 10, 2008): OK, my unfounded rumor was completely wrong… that must be why it was unfounded

(more…)

I had some Swiss Francs that I wanted to get exchanged and put on my Canadian bank account today. So I happily go to my branch here in Ottawa with my foreign money, wait kindly in line and when comes my turn, ask if they could put this on my bank account, expecting to get charged a ridiculous amount for transaction fees, and potentially even requiring them to send it to a central place to process the currency exchange. Well, it’s even more fun than that: They simply won’t take it! 

It really sounded like the currency from Switzerland was the equal of the one from a third-world country where the exchange rate changes by the minute due to civil war… so when I asked what currencies are actually accepted by my bank, the answer was simply US Dollars and British Pounds (at least one European currency, thanks to the Queen). Yes, you’ve read correctly, my bank in Canada isn’t even willing to exchange Euros.

And for those who ask, I am banking with one of the biggest ones in Canada who charge a fortune for a normal account per month, not a small unknown internet bank. I was already convinced that the banking system in this country is completely outdated, but this was just the little extra that confirmed everything. The only solution for me is to go to a currency exchange place downtown (yes, where the tourists go) and then take the Canadian Dollars to bring them to my branch! Not impressed…

One of the interesting things in Canada is that it is a bi-lingual country and that I can read both languages, or at least that’s what I thought… Now if someone can tell me how I should cook this vegetable by reading the French instructions, you would be a great help.

For someone who had a whole theory about why he wouldn’t buy one, I am very surprised how long I lasted before getting my iPhone. Yes, I finally have one and it is, all in all, and amazing combination of technology and user experience design.

Living about one hour north of the US border, I drove down to a small town in upstate New York last weekend to get my iPhone and activated it as a pay-as-you-go cell phone from a Starbucks (you know, the other Apple partner when it comes to this device) and updated it to the 1.1.1 firmware. As soon as I crossed the border back, I took the SIM card out so that the battery would not drain to quickly, especially as AT&T dosen’t offer international roaming on their GoPhone plans. Oh yes, Apple, I know I removed the SIM card… no need to remind me about that on a regular basis with a modal dialog box.

(more…)

Yes, I know. A few weeks back, I came up with a theory about why I didn’t want to have an iPhone… Well here I am playing with a collegue’s one and I now have to rationalize the purchase decision as I so want one. It takes a while to get used to the keyboard (it sure isn’t a Blackberry) but I start to get the neck of it and the predictive detection works quite well.

The web browser experience is really great (blogging from the iPhone right now) and Google Maps is fun to use. YouTube will be fun, but this small device won’t replace the AppleTV. I haven’t tried the mail client (it is not my phone) and the phone doesn’t work as this is a locked US iPhone with an AT&T pay as you go SIM.

Rogers, can you please speed-up the introduction of the iPhone in Canada? I would rather not want to buy it in the States and have to hack it. Well, let’s see how long I can wait

Update (Sept 18, 2008): the big question is much more iPhone 8Gb or iPod touch 16Gb… is a de-featured device with more space better? After trying out the email client with my IMAP server I’ve got the answer: iPhone, even one where the phone part doesn’t work

Or should I be more specific… living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Part 1. I’ve crossed the Atlantic in November of 2006, just in time for winter, which I survived, and am now enjoying my first Canadian summer. To summarize this blog post, I really like living in the capital of this huge country. People are really nice, and many of them speak a language that reminds me of French, hidden behind an accent and some strange ways of saying things, that is for someone who grew-up on the other side of the Atlantic. As for when living in the UK before coming to this side of the world, there are things that come as a surprise to me, some constructive comments and other random thoughts not really worth mentioning. In no particular order, I’ll be covering the milk distribution, the temperature during winter, batteries recycling, the Canadian-French language, buying geek toys, hockey and weather news on USA channels.

(more…)

Yesterday, I went to an Ontario Park called “Murphys Point”, about 150km South-West of Ottawa. Beautiful place. Having visited the UK last year, I was surprised by the similarity of the landscape in Ontario, Canada and some regions of the UK such as the Lake District or Southern Scotland. A hint, one has more hills and mountains than the other… I’ll let you be the judge

Is this in Ontario, Canada?

Or is it this one?

Today are the celebration of Canada’s 140th birthday, also known as Canada Day. I walked around Parliament Hill in Ottawa and enjoyed the celebrations.

Winter finally made its way to Ottawa, with about a month delay… we’re now on average between -5 and -10° Celsius!

A few more weeks and the Canal should freeze. Time to get myself some skating shoes

With the move to Canada, I will need to also move my web and mail server. While I will make sure that my email server stays available all the time, I am expecting my web site, including this blog, to disconnect for a few weeks. I’ll make all I can to have it back online as quickly as possible.

If you have a hard time contacting me, try my Yahoo email address: gerard.metrailler[at]yahoo.com

Yes, big changes are in front of me. After almost 4 years in the UK, we will be moving west to live in Canada. And now that we have the visa in my pocket, I can make it public. I have accepted a new position at Corel and will be moving with my better half to Ottawa, ON in Canada early November… just in time for the winter
As time goes on, I’ll certainly continue the “Living in…” series, but with an Ontario view this time. I can already tell you that opening a bank account is almost as bad as it is in the UK, with the only advantage that you don’t need a utility bill to get started… but you start from scratch with the credit history
That’s it for now… flying back shortly to the UK to finish organizing the move.