Apple and FaceTime - Flattery be damned

‘Tis an old maxim in the schools

That flattery’s the food of fools

Yet now and then your men of wit

Will condescend to take a bit

Swift, Cadenus and Vanessa

From the fond memories and predilections I do recall of my SDA-esque deceased girlfriend, Audia Granston proffered here in my article cart blanche, is her liking of my Seventh Day Adventist inspired (NOTE, not derived!!!) Vybz Kartel and Spice song Ramping Shop (2008) which I penned in 2007 while at UWI doing my degree and attending or “visiting” as they call it several Churches in Kingston – and being annoyed at the lackluster discussion on the mechanics of sexual intercourse. The other fond memory of her is her love of flattery. Indeed, flattery maketh many a man vain, as my now girlfriend Audia Granston used to point out to me, in-between whispering in my ear that I am sexy (which I like by the way!!). Thus, while we were together, I made note to listen to her flattery only and ignore the flattery of other persons, as the ditty above says that as men of wit [good humor] we must take in some of it, as it is balm for soothing ones soul in rough times. In summary, flattery does make one feel good but may not necessarily be true, hence it’s best to accept if from those truly close to you, when they are close to you………….if you know what I mean.

My thoughts are drawn to the melancholy and happy faces that I see at the recent launch of the Apple iPhone 4.0 and the utilization or at least the intended utilization of the application as was aptly demonstrated in the commercial “Apple iPhone 4 Facetime Commercial” on Youtube. As the person who originally suggested both the API (Application Interface) layout (love that Video inset on FaceTime!!) as well as how the Video images generated by the Video Calling process is best routed, which is over Telecom Provider AT&T Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Network, the call set up procedure being accomplished via the GSM Data Network (EDGE, GPRS) or over the 3G Data Network so as to avoid clogging Telecom Provider AT&T Wireless Broadband 3G Network as stated in “AT&T considers incentives to curb heavy Data usage”, published December 9, 2009 3:08 PM PST by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News - Signal Strength (http://www.cnet.com).

Telecom Provider AT&T have now capped and metered their Data Usage as stated in the article “For New AT&T users, no more "all you can eat" Data”, published June 2 2010 By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer, Yahoo News (https://www.yahoo.com) and confirmed by the article “New AT&T Data plans for iPhones, iPad, more”,  June 2, 2010 2:39 AM PDT CNET News – Crave, (http://www.cnet.com). This is how it is currently in Jamaica on the Wireless Broadband Telecom Providers Networks at CLARO and LIME, albeit one would appreciate it if they would advise customers just before they exceed their caps [limits] on their Voice (International, Local, Cross-Network), SMS (International, Local, Cross-Network) or Data Plans and adjust their onerous Data Plans as per my blog article entitled CLARO and ETF: Pro-Rated Dutch Auction is Preferred, CLARO and Telecoms Providers: FCC taking actionm on Overcharging and “CLARO and its 3G Data Services - inform people when they exceed their Overage”

I am also struck by the fact that it seems to have some rather sinister connotations. Leave it to young people to find some way to defile themselves using Video cameras! This morning on Smile Jamaica, aired Tuesday, July 13 2010, Television Jamaica, Simon Crosskill, who despite his “appearance” and the ribbing comments by Simone Clarke-Cooper (notice that……….Simone and Simon……what are the odds?) is actually about thirty (30) years old, his aged appearance due mainly to make-up (great job with the grey hair and skin, really convincing!), much in the same way that, across the ocean in the great United States of America, Brian Tong, a Senior Editor on CNET (a CBS owned affiliate), is made to appear to be in his late forties (40s), hair “tonged” and all and Molly Wood, Executive Editor on CNET is “mollified” to the point of appearing to be twenty-five (25) with loads of make-up and Brian Cooley, Executive Editor on CNET of course being in his early thirty’s (30’s) made to appear fifty (50) so as to appeal to a younger audience who may not regards cars as a form of “tech” to quote the American slang for the English word “Technology”.

Cameras can indeed be deceptive, as Simone Clarke-Cooper is made to look younger, when she is not and in fact is actually in her late forties (40s) and sound like a British native as well, oweing to the fact that on average, women only reach high positions in companies, such as network anchor or presenter when they are in their late 40’s and in her case, she has been a presenter and Manager at FAME FM, radio being the bastion for the not-so-good-looking [read “not sexy” or “ugly”] people, such as Francois St. Juste, Denae Ramgolan………….and the “Pet Tales” chick aka Carletta DeLeon, also pushing forty five (45), her grey hairs covered up possibly using SoftSheen Carson Hair Styling Products. Everyone is indeed not who they are, when the make-up goes on. Make-up, lighting and cameras combine to make one appear either younger (if you are a female) or older (if you are a male) to suit the tastes and predilections of the audience as my girlfriend Audia Granston, a NCTVET certified Professional Cosmetologist whose business was located at Toll Gate, Clarendon, has made me aware, being as she had done some make-up work for Video shoots in the past while alive and kicking………..and complaining about life.

This usage of make-up, lighting and camera angles utilized by even the great Oprah Winfrey to appear thinner and younger, combined with scripting and witty one-liners, exuded the appearance of youth, a fact that I was well informed of while getting into the mind (and hopefully her pants?) of an NCU (Northern Caribbean University) Broadcasting Student while on my way home from Mandeville on Wednesday July 7^th 2010, as Christians are great in other ways, oweing to their penchant for Calling on the name of the Lord at the height of emotional exuberance…………….if only walls could talk. Thus, make-up, therefore is the ultimate form of flattery, preparing one for the Video light to deceiving the audience into believing that they are older or younger that they appear. FaceTime make life easier for not only those Japanese technology “wannabees”, but also for the hearing impaired, as featured in the FaceTime ad, which is what John Public was really gunning for, as it is a help to all hearing impaired

But the hiding of ones age on Television, be it Web TV as in the Case of CNET, a CBS (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) affiliate in San Francisco, California and traditional Analog Broadcast medium of TVJ, a RJR Communications Group Affiliate in Kingston, Jamaica, one cannot help be annoyed by the antics of young people, especially on the University of the West Indies Campus, who apparently get much out of “sexting” each other with nude pictures (which to me is not porn, as they are mostly over 18 years old!!) albeit it has dastardly consequences as MTV’s “Sexting in America: When Privates go Public” which aired on Valentine’s Day, February 14 2010 as stated in the article “MTV's sexting show to air stark message for teens”, published February 13, 2010 2:48 PM PST by Larry Magid, CNET News - Safe and Secure (http://www.cnet.com). Now comes the latest craze to come with the advent of Video Calling in the form of “sexviding” as stated in the article “Our new National nightmare: sexviding” published Friday 25th 2010 by Christopher Null, Technology Writer, Yahoo! News (http://www.news.yahoo.com) using a phone capable of Video Calling to show off ones junk, an expression referring to one’s genitalia, which is more sinister than “sexting” as people can be listening in on your Video conversations, as Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) is easily interceptable and decryptable and would put a face to an otherwise unknown name or phone number, as FaceTime-to-FaceTime calls only are possible via Apple iPhone 4.0 and Apple Ipod Touch upgrades.

Young people on UWI Campus as well as Colleges and Campuses in the United States of America, why art though so evil? Is it not sign enough that after Wednesday June 2^nd 2010 when AT&T capped its Data offerings, doing away with the archaic Chinese delight “all -you-can-eat experiment with Data Plans, made Skype a pay service over 3G and in general after it had been free on Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) as stated in the article “Skype for iPhone now support 3G, but free ride's ending”, published June 2 2010, by Ben Patterson, Yahoo! News (https://www.yahoo.com) and Hulu is now a US$10.00 service as stated in the article “Hulu launches US$10 Video subscription service”, published Tuesday June 29 2010 by RYAN NAKASHIMA, AP Business Writer, (https://www.news.yahoo.com) that Data clogging services are not welcome? The recent raids on purveyors of illegal Video and music downloading as stated in the article “Feds sieze cash, Web sites of alledged film pirates”, published June 30, 2010 3:11 PM PDT by Greg Sandoval CNET News - Media Maverick (http://www.cnet.com) and as stated in the article “Federal rules on campus file sharing kick in today”, published July 1, 2010 7:14 AM PDT by Greg Sandoval CNET News - Media Maverick (http://www.cnet.com) also a sign? The Government of the United States of America is trying to make money from taxes by streamlining and legitimizing the usage of the Internet as stated in the article “Democrats push for new Unternet Sales taxes”, published July 2, 2010 12:28 PM PDT by Declan McCullagh, CNET News - Politics and Law (http://www.cnet.com)? Indeed, Benjamin Franklin would be in love with himself to hear his prose repeated so oft: Nothing is certain except death and taxes!

Worse, Video Calling capabilities exist on other smart phones, such as the HTC Evo 4G on Telecom Provider Sprint 4G Wireless Broadband Network, the smart phone that holds the distinction of being the first 4G phone in the United States of America, as shown in the Video CNET First Look HTC Evo 4G (Sprint), aired Saturday May 22^nd 2010 by Bonnie Cha, Senior Editor, CNET News (http://www.youtube.com/cnettv) and the recently announced smart phone HTC Droid Incredible 4G on Telecom Provider Verizon 4G Wireless Broadband Network, as stated in the Video CNET Buzz Report, aired Thursday May 6^th 2010, by Molly Wood, Executive Editor, CNET News (https://www.youtube.com/cnettv) and assessed in the Video CNET First Look HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon Wireless) aired Monday April 19^th 2010 by Bonnie Cha, Senior Editor, CNET News (http://www.youtube.com/cnettv) as well as the other alternatives as listed in the article “Top 4 iPhone 4 Alternatives”, published June 8, 2010 6:52 pm, by J.R. Raphael, PC World (https://www.pcworld.com).

It is expected that there will be Video Calling featured on the Digicel Rising Stars Show, now equipped with a stage sporting a Telepresence Screen similar to the ones used in Telecom Provider Digicel and at Telecom Provider LIME to make Telepresnce meetings between Digicel Group and Telecom Provider LIME and their respective parent companies Mossel Plc in Ireland and C&W Plc in England. Thus with a simple app download from GetJar or the various affiliated Apps stores of the various Android Phones, Video Calling – and the ills that come with it, are expected to be on the rise, as young people “FaceTime” each other via their mobile smart phones, showing you in your true glory, flattery be damned.