San Francisco slide show


I'm sitting in my garden with Amelia watching the Monaco GP on the iPad.
Making the most of the amazing Scottish weather, and appreciating the technology in play.




Perhaps I'll nip to the fridge for a Guinness during the next ad break.


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F1 garden party


By popular demand (perhaps not), here is my slideshow from April's visit to San Francisco. Perhaps a little cable-car heavy, but hey - that's what I liked....

(video to return once I find the original)

<script type="application/javascript" src="//content.jwplatform.com/players/9r2m7JPW-7nIVD8E6.js"></script>

Apologies to Train for <del>pinching</del> using their song. Hope they don't mind. Speaking of Train, buy California 37, it's brilliant.



Inspired by [this post](http://www.cocoanetics.com/2011/05/iphone-3g-data-usa-truth-fiction/), one of the first things I did on my visit to San Francisco was a #30 bus ride to Chestnut Street. Unfortunately, all I found was this:


![](2012-04-15_sanfrancisco_iphone_tue_8.jpg)



I had already passed a T-Mobile store barely 1 block along the street, so I went back there - knowing I'd be settling for 2G - and received excellent service from knowledgeable staff who sold me a microsim, installed it and set up my iPhone to use it. In and out in 5 minutes with working data. "$2 Daily UL Talk Text 2G Web" - unlimited voice, text and data for $2 a day. Calls back to the UK are $2 a minute as far as I can make out, even more than roaming would have been - but at least incoming calls are free which is handy if you are here on business.




There doesn't seem be any daily activation required, I've had it 3 days now and haven't had to do anything. I can only imagine the first time you use it any day, you are charged the $2.




Edge/2G coverage is turning out to be more the sufficient. As well as web/email/twitter, I've also successfully used Skype voice calls and even managed a one-way video. The one-way was probably more down to Skype than the mobile connection.




Similarly to AT&T, it seems that topping up by $100 will keep it active for 1 year. I won't be doing that, so I will lose any remaining credit after 90 days. It remains to be seen whether I can re-activate the SIM later, or whether it will be for the bin.
