Deepwire's Blog

So I’m not sure if 6 months between posts is a record for me, but it has certainly been a long time.  I’ve thought a few times during that period that I should write something, but then I’ve realised I don’t really have anything to write about.

My best laid plans to build a robot, develop a Windows Phone 7 app, and anything else, have all fallen by the wayside.  There’s not really much point developing further for Windows Phone 7 anyway, after it became clear it’s been a well disguised beta test for Windows Phone 8.  Any adopter, early or late, is now left carrying a device that can’t be updated to Windows Phone 8, and is less likely to have more apps, as I doubt the major app develops would see now as the time to start widely supporting it!

It’s been 18 months, almost 2 years of me trying to be positive about it, to encourage people it is a worthy smartphone platform, but I can’t in good conscience continue now.  In reality it’s been more like 18 months of suffering, particularly with a horrendous on screen keyboard, and being left in the cold when it comes to lack of apps.  Lets hope Windows Phone 8 gets more than a sprinkling of apps, and gets the ones people want when they want them, not years after the rest of the world has moved on.

Fortunately last week, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Google Asus Nexus 7 tablet, when they were sold out almost everywhere.  Thanks go to Currys Reserve and Collect service and my local store getting stock in just at the right time.  While I’ve had just a week using Android properly for the first time, I am definitely a fan.  I know it’s on a tablet, not a phone, but it really does put Windows Phone 7 to shame.

Just the home screen alone, allowing you to mix app icons and interactive widgets beats Metro’s basic combination of Live Tiles (no interaction) and an app list.  Come on Microsoft, pull your finger out!  At this rate, I’ll have changed phones, probably to a HTC One X, before you can say Windows Phone 8.  Android has always had better hardware available, and now I definitely see that they have the better software too.

My baking has continued in the last 6 months.  I have made my classic Bacon Brownies a number of times, mainly on request – at Christmas, for friends and for a summer barbecue (after their success last year).  But I’ve made other things too.  I found the Carrot Cake recipe from The Hairy Bikers tastes great, and really easy to make.

But the next recipe definitely blows that, and anything else, out of the water.  After two recent events with the Scouts – a Cub Camp and our Scout Groups 80th Anniversary Celebration, I have found my new favourite baked item thanks to one of the parents – Monkey Bread!  The recipe itself is from Lakeland, but if it weren’t for trying some on Cub Camp, I may never have found this delicious combination of cinnamon and sweet dough.  I made this for the summer barbecue earlier this month, and although it didn’t turn out perfectly, it was definitely a success.  One to make again in the future.

More recently I have done what I set out to do in my current job, and that is complete the graduate scheme.  It was this that has kept me there after early on I realised I didn’t like the job.  After 6 months, I didn’t want to leave having completed some of the modules, so made the decision to stay at least until the end.  Now I’m finally here, and while it makes no difference to my day to day work, it does mean I am in a better position to look for other opportunities.  Plus having now worked for 2 years in a large technology company, having some experience should be a benefit should I apply for other jobs.

The next few months are going to be extremely busy, so it may be later on in the year that I start thinking about changing jobs.  By the end of October, I will have volunteered as a mentor at Young Rewired State, been on the week long Essex International Jamboree with the Scouts, hopefully moved house, and got married.  All of that is likely to take priority over any potential job hunting, especially since there is still wedding planning to do.

Perhaps by next year I’ll be doing a job I enjoy, whether it’s through the ongoing changes where I’m working now (less likely) or elsewhere.  I may also have finished building the robot and some of the other stuff I said I would do.  Who knows.  Next year is a long way off.