Though a little late, we want to take a moment to reflect upon a great night Dashfire was luckily enough to attend: The 5th Annual CEC Momentum Awards dinner presented by JP Morgan Chase.

On October 24th, 2012, over 750 of Chicago’s leaders gathered to celebrate entrepreneurship in Chicago. It was the perfect October night at Millennium Park for more reasons than just the incredible weather.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel was in attendance and spoke extremely highly of Chicago’s success thus far. As many of you know, Rahm has had a  profound effect on Chicago’s tech community. We first saw Rahm speak at The 1st Annual Moxie Awards in June shortly after 1871 opened, and then again at 1871 this Fall. To listen to his supporting words about the community of entrepreneurs he’s had faith in for so long is always inspiring and encouraging.

As far as awards went, The Merrick Momentum Award finalists were introduced by Jeff Bennett, Managing Director at Merrick Ventures. The finalists included Braintree, Narrative Science and Trunk Club, each of which’s success was honored in a short film. Braintree won; founder Bryan Johnson graciously accepted the award. Next was The Corporate Champion Award, where Michael Ferro of Merrick Ventures and Glenn Tilton of JP Morgan Chase were honored. Both Michael and Glenn, as well as Merrick Ventures and JP Morgan Chase have been crucial parts of Chicago’s growth over the years. Glenn Tilton said something that stuck with us: “Bueurcracy is the enemy of innovation.”

Having been a part of 1871 since the start, it’s been an honor to be a part of Chicago’s booming entrepreneurial scene. The 12th floor of The Merchandise Mart has become a home for idea-generation, made up of a family of wonderful people who were honored to work beside. The CEC and JP Morgan Chase put on an incredible evening to showcase and honor the work we see on a daily basis. Thanks to everyone who made this night such a great success, and a special thanks to our hosts Lon Chow from Apex Ventures and Matthew Brown from Katten Law, we had a great time!

The night reassured something we’ve been coming to terms with over the past couple years, specifically 2012: Chicago is the greatest city to start a company in. In terms of what this means for Dashfire, the possibilities are endless. So, wanna start something?

p.s. and Rick was in the 1871 video that was featured! He’s famous: CEC 1871 (minute 3:01)

As one of the worst public speakers in the history of the world, I give mad props to anyone who can get on stage and talk to a random group of people.. let alone a room full of investors deciding whether or not they should give you their money. Every month, Chicago’s coolest developers, investors, and students pile into Rockit Bar where five, about-ready-to-launch entrepreneurs get 2 minutes to pitch their startups.

The only investor I’ve ever pitched to is Rick. I asked for advice; not $50K. So I admit I am no expert, I’ve heard my fair share of pitches and have been successfully persuading people for twenty one years. I think this is how you get people to do what you want (and end up making them like it, too)

1.  Be nice. 

2. Hypothetically speaking of course, if you’re doing a demonstration on how to make a smoothie, be prepared for your blender to freak out and splatter bananas all over your face. This way, when the class laughs at you, you’ll have a back up plan. Be prepared for everything to go horribly wrong, and always have something to fall back on.  If your wifi fails or your video loses sound, make sure you’ll be able to quickly recover. Sometimes a well-played catastrophe makes you stand out. Even just one well-rehearsed, crowd pleasing, one-liner, saved only for technical difficulties has the power to turn the mood around. Whatever it is, don’t just stand there with bananas on your face.

3. Talk to people who are interested in what you’re doing and becoming a part of it. Do research prior to talking to investors and find people who think your idea is great. Once you’ve got them window shopping: Be appealing. You’ll get life-long customers if the display is a good as what’s inside.

4. Once you’ve got someone’s attention, butter them up. I feel like sucking up has gotten a bad rep over the years, but, personally, I see no problem with it. If you’re an awesome person and are confident your idea is going to be mutually beneficial to all involved, what’s wrong with showing a little extra love? Prove you’re invested in them; they’ll invest in you. Convincing people takes hard work and creativity; no one is going to give you something if they feel it was effortless on your behalf.

5. When I was 7, my Uncle Hugh gave me a piece of advice: “When you want a puppy, start asking for a pony.” For a 7 year old girl, this meant: ask Dad to the point of being annoying; and if all else fails, ask Uncle Hugh. While asking is the first step in receiving, I’ve since learned that proving you’re deserving of something is much more effective. This isn’t to say that you should be asking for unrealistic things, but shows that success is driven by determination and persistence. You’ve got to know when to push forward and when to pull back. Be patient, getting what you want doesn’t happen right away and your 2 minute pitch is just the start. Eventually, you may even be able to work your way up to a point where even a pony is realistic.

(p.s. I never got a pony, I got a Vespa.)

This computer was/is iconic. I remember when it first came out. I was 7, just learning how to use the older Mac desktop in my basement. I vividly remember thinking about how much cooler I would be if I got my hands on one, and when Elle Woods got the iBook laptop in Legally Blonde, I knew I would be cooler.

My brother got the first generation iPod for his birthday. The one with the scroll pad and 4 buttons around it. He wouldn’t let me touch it but he’d sit there all day playing some helicopter game. “1,000 songs in your pocket” capability and I was convinced he didn’t have 1. Still, he was cool.

I hit the jackpot a couple years later with the 3rd generation. A whole new model – thinner, the wheel didn’t click when you spun it, buttons on top, rounded edges. Classic. Bumpin’ songs like “Girls and Boys” by Good Charlotte and “Magic Stick” by 50 Cent while playing helicopter on the bus – I was cool.

In the years to follow, the newest iPods were always at the top of me and my siblings’ Christmas lists. iPod Photo, Nano, mini, mini in all sorts of awesome colors, red addition that is currently in a bag labeled “electronics” next to me, black one that held a ton of songs that my brother still uses to this day, shuffle, littler shuffle, littlest shuffle, iPod touch. We were cool and music was cool.

My Dad bought my Mom our first fancy Mac for Mother’s day. We went to the Apple store that had just opened by my house. It smelt like electronics – clean, crisp, white electronics. It wasn’t like going to Best Buy or something. It was special. White countertops, new shiny keypads waiting to be touched, cute nerds. It was Apple.

The computer is still in the exact spot where my Dad unwrapped it, where my siblings and I gathered around the second it was set-up to take pictures on Photobooth. It’s where I anxiously checked my email in 2008 and found out I GOT INTO COLLEGE! It’s where I updated my Facebook status: “Off to school – I’ll miss this town!” over four years ago, where, a month or two ago, I scrolled through pictures and came across my three year old brother making funny faces in Spongebob pajamas and wondered how he became ten years old so quickly. It’s the computer I used to Skype my family when I lived in Europe, making it seem as though I was in the same room as them. It’s the computer my mom is reading this blog off, and the computer she’ll send me an email from in approximately 10 minutes. Hi mom 🙂

From playing Sims on the Mac in my basement, to swapping iPods with my siblings throughout middle school, to documenting a semester in Europe all from an iPhone, Steve Jobs and Apple made life easier to live – and easier to remember.

Thank you, Steve, for making us feel cool, for creating a connection between an artist and fan, for making being away from home not-so-bad, and allowing my favorite moments to be saved.  10-5-2011.

So you have a company, a blog, a tweet, whatever. How will you get people to listen to you? The pro’s gave tips last week at Bow Truss Coffee Roasters, where Doejo hosted a Social Media Week panel: “Community Building for Small Businesses.”

Here’s what I learned:

1. The power of social media should never be taken for granted. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pintrest, etc. are all great tools for building your brand and a community of followers around it. Michael Salvatore of Heritage Bicycles states that by building a tight-knit community, you’re allowing people to be apart of your family, “You invest in me, and in turn, Heritage is as much yours as it is mine.” It makes perfect sense, why do you follow certain people? Because you’re interested in what they’re doing and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., are all ways for you to get involved. When Michael posts a picture of his son on Instagram, he’s allowing you to connect with him on a more personal level. Once you get to know the awesome person and family behind Heritage, aren’t you more likely to stop in? The answer is yes.
2. Lisa Frame, social media queen and creator of Mugshot-Monday.com and SoYeahDuh, built her community by engaging and listening. “You have to know why people should listen to you,” she points out “but you don’t always need to be the one talking.” She attacked her target market of single women who like technology by doing just so. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not as easy as Lisa made it seem to be, but defining your audience, engaging with them, and then shutting up every once in a while are all part of her secret sauce. In terms of how to reach those people, Lisa went to where the conversation already existed. How to do that these days? #tags. She recommends using IceRocket.com to figure out what’s trending. She had a “stupid” but awesome/hilarious/relatable blog, knew who she was talking to, found where they were, and started appreciating the value of a tag.  “I was tagging the weirdest stuff.. dating, bipoloar, whatever!” The result? 500K followers in a week and a half.
3. “There’s a story to everything”, Johnny Auer believes. JamCo Creative helps their clients narrate it. While Johnny and Creative Director Blake Royer, understand that the best thing a person can do when starting a company is to do it themselves, JamCo Creative lends a hand to companies they believe have great stories but need help narrating. Blake discussed the importance of visuals in this story telling process. A picture tells a thousand words has never really been more true than in the case of Instagram and all it’s success. After you’ve got a great story and some people to listen, “Collaborate” Johnny suggests, “find partners who are really cool and work with them.”

With startups popping up in Chicago at a rate faster than ever before, entrepreneurs must not only have a great idea, but have a following that’s willing to show the city, and hopefully, the universe, just how great their idea is. One of the first questions Rick asks entrepreneurs when they come to Dashfire for help is: How will you acquire customers? While he’s normally looking for a basic strategic plan, models, charts, all that business stuff, I’ve come to realize one thing: If you want people on your side, you first must get them to like you.

There’s tons of companies who I admire, think highly of, and (KEY!) will tell my friends about, not because I think they have an idea that’s going to change life as we know it (while it may), but because I LIKE THEM. Because they’re personable, approachable, want to talk, and are willing to provide help.

As an intern, I’m pretty much at the bottom of this totem pole that is the Chicago digital startup scene. People don’t have to (nor was I really expecting them to) introduce themselves or engage in conversation, let alone ask me if I need any help. Luckily for me and humankind, there are nice people in the world who’ve made a strong effort to be kind, provide me with introductions, and make this whole thing exciting for me.

I met Wes Dearborn, co-founder of Lasso, during my internship-hunt at the beginning of summer. I introduced myself to him via email, and he proceeded to tell me his situation, that, with Lasso being so new, he wasn’t in the position to hire interns but was grateful I reached out. That could have been it, right? I go my way, Wes goes his, still a nice guy in my book.

…but, what will make me use Lasso?

When I started working at 1871, Wes scooted by my desk weekly.  Just a quick “Hi, How’s your day? You look busy. I’m busy. Coffee is expensive. Ok, Bye!” Maybe this was all part of his scheme to get me and my friends to be in a focus group for his app, but something tells me Wes is just a nice guy who made me feel important and cool. Regardless of his motives, A few weeks later, myself and 5 of my girlfriends were obviously willing to help Wes and his team test Lasso at a focus groups, two separate times. While I do believe Lasso rocks, and will use it all the time, I may feel differently about it if I didn’t know that Wes and his team were such awesome people just trying to make socializing a little easier. If he had ended our conversation a couple months back, with him not needing an intern, would I have met with him and convinced 5 of my girlfriends to help out? The chances are a lot less likely. When Lasso launches in 2 weeks, I’ll be downloading it, my friends will be downloading it, and, simply because he’s a nice guy, Wes gets 10 active users who will certainly spread the world. And the best part is, I’m sure I’m not the only person Wes has been nice to.

Let’s replace Wes with, hypothetically speaking, Tim. I’ve heard of Tim’s company before and always thought it was a great idea. Tim speaks about his company at an event that I’m attending with plans on writing two articles the next day: one for Built In Chicago, who recently asked me to intern for them, and one for Dashfire, whom I’ve been interning with for a while. I love Tim’s pitch, everything I’ve heard about the app in the past is correct, and I download it on the spot. Good job, Tim.

I liked the pitch so much that after the event, I wanted to make a point to introduce myself to Tim, maybe ask him a question or two to be featured in my blog post. The event ends, everyone starts mingling, I spot out someone wearing Tim’s company’s shirt (let’s call him Jim) and wave. I’ve never gotten a more blank and confused look in my life. Granted I did just wave at a random person who doesn’t know me, but a smile would have been nice, right? Name tag on, notebook in hand; my 21-year-old self looked a little out of place, but it wasn’t like I was a random hobo coming for the free food. Super intimidated, but still wanting to introduce myself and congratulate him, I approach Jim and this is the exact conversation we had:

Me: “Hi! I’m Alexx. Congrats! That was awesome. I’ve seen you guys around 1871. What’s your name?”

Jim: “Uh, thanks. Have we met?”

I’m thinking ok, awkward… didn’t I just introduce myself? Wanting to run away but knowing it would be even more awkward, I try to save the conversation. I probably approached it the wrong way, I’m thinking to myself.

Me: “We haven’t, but I know your company and wanted to introduce myself. I intern at Dashfire and I’m writing about the event.”

Jim: “Wait.. What’s Dashfire? Do we know them?”

Me: “They’re a startup enabler working out of 1871, that’s how I recognize you guys! Are you guys there 5 days a week?”

Jim: “I’m there 7.”

I blanked out the rest of the horribly awkward conversation and was so caught off guard by his intense hostility to have a simple, no-more-than 3 minute conversation, that I left the event. I know it doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, and it’s really not, but isn’t it kind of? Jim didn’t know who I was, didn’t know what Dashfire was and therefore didn’t care. While my silly little blog post that I planned to write, raving about Tim’s company, probably wouldn’t have made that much of a difference in terms of exposure or whatever, why should that matter? Shouldn’t people like Tim be working with people like Wes? AKA people who are stoked to meet new people and make connections, even it’s just a little intern? App deleted.

Be nice. Hire nice people. Make friends. Acquire Customers.

Yesterday, Apple released their newest product: the iPhone 5. While all of it’s features seem to be upgraded, I, Alexx Miles, lover of iPhone, self-proclaimed know-it-all, and intern of devoted iPhone users, feel that they could have stepped up their game with a couple more features…

The iPhone 5 should be waterproof. Not only am I sick of having to get a new phone when a drop of water gets on it, but I want to take underwater Instagrams. I want to get caught in a rainstorm and be able to freely pull my phone out to get directions to the nearest shelter. Most importantly, I need to take my iPhone in the shower with me.

It should be able to hold as many pictures and videos as I want. I understand that 1,900 is a lot of photos, but limiting my ability to take more after a certain amount gives me anxiety. Do I miss this epic photo-op of a man dressed as a full-blown cowboy on the brown line, or do I delete that video of Coldplay at the United Center to capture it? Making me delete pics and vids is like making me delete a part of my life. I know I can upload them to my computer but IT’S JUST NOT THE SAME! I know you feel me.

I’m down for improvement, but the iPhone 5 should remember the good ol days of the original version with rounded edges THAT NEVER BROKE EVER. Rick saw first hand just how bad my last iPhone was damaged and took a picture of it every time he saw it. I don’t wan’t to deal with that kind of humility again.

The iPhone 5 should have a little button on the side that allows me to quickly and efficiently turn locations settings on and off. Rather than going through the Settings > Location > On > Open Foursquare > Type in really cool place that I want all my friends to see I’m at > Settings > Location > Off process, a simple click would make life much easier.

I’ve said it once and I will say it again, the iPhone 5 needs a longer charger. I would like this 3ft long charger to have a feature that only allows charging abilities to your iPhone (and maybe your best friend’s iPhone) so that all iPhone-charger-stealing people just STOP.

In addition, I’d like the iPhone 5 to be able to teleport me and/or my friends and family to me; to have a battery life that allows me to use my iPhone in it’s full glory, all day and all night, without running out; to automatically put my similar applications in their little box-homes right when I download an app. Also, I would like the iPhone 5 to be free for everyone who deserves it.

I have full faith that Apple will be able to grant my wishes for the iPhone 6. In the meantime, I will definitely be ordering the iPhone 5. I’m really jazzed about the new camera upgrades (HD FaceTime, Panoramic abilities, faster shutter, the ability to take a photo and video at the same time, Photo Stream capabilities). The 5th row of applications that will now exist on the iPhone 5’s larger screen will be a great addition to my home screen. It’s skinnier, and I dig the new color palette. The 21st night of September will continue to be a great day.

Check out the iPhone 5 here!

1. Apple TV

Normally I am a huge supporter of all things Apple, but this one thing I can’t seem to love. I got it for Christmas from my parents, who thought it was a great idea, “you can load all of your pictures on it, and when you have a party you can play a slideshow on your TV!”

I don’t want to sound ungrateful… but no…

Still, I gave it a shot thinking it would be cool to link my computer screen to my TV.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is not a feature. You have to have an HDMI cord, which isn’t compatible with my MacBook, and even if it was, my computer would be attached to a cord sitting next to my TV. Still hopeful it served some sort of purpose when I found out it could link to Netflix, disappoint struck again when I discovered the fine print: must have the best internet connection there ever was in order to watch movie. Last but not least: THAT LITTLE REMOTE! Like ok, you’re telling me Apple TV makes my TV a computer, but you make me use a 3×1 inch remote to operate it when I have a full keyboard sitting in front of me. And if you thought you lost your TV remote a lot….

2. Garmin GPS

I am sorry, Garmin, I know you were probably invented pre-iPhone’s amazing ‘Maps’ feature, which never fails, ever, but nonetheless, your time has passed.

3. Siri

For someone who grew up with a cellphone, Siri is a complete disaster. I don’t believe that voice command, no matter how perfect it’s designed, will ever work for our generation and the ones to follow. Typing things in our cell phones has become second nature, and, in many times, more efficient than asking someone for help, let alone Siri.

That being said, props to Apple for luring so many people in to the iPhone 4s with those awesome commercials that made Siri seem like a necessary tool for your existence.

4. iPhone chargers

It’s just like… why are you so short?

5. The Jaw Bone

I am guilty of buying this for my exboyfriend for Christmas. He pretended he liked it, which, looking back, was one of the nicer things he did in our relationship. Boom roasted. I don’t know what I thinking, but spending $200 on that, was definitely a low point. If you’re reading this, you have my permission to sell it, but I can’t guarantee anyone will buy it.

Note: I commented on a post a friend of Dashfire, Varun wrote about how quickly the news of Osama’s death spread via social media. I’ve added to my original comments in the post below

A decade has passed since 9/11 and since then, our security and privacy has forever been altered.  As expected, our security measures are far more stringent (see: airports) and the government redrew personal privacy boundaries in an attempt to keep us safe.  But over the same time period, we, on our own accord, lowered our guard on personal privacy.  Why?  Because Facebook (and now social media) presented us with a unique value proposition: exchange your information for access to others’ information, and personalized and relevant content.   The latter – a result of Twitter, push notifications, and being “mobile” – has led to revolutions in the Middle East and real-time breaking news (see: Osama’s death).   But this didn’t start after 9/11.  In fact, it was happening during 9/11.  We already had in place the foundation that drives today’s network effect.

I was attending Georgetown in DC during 9/11 and was oversleeping when, my mom, a morning news fan, called from Michigan to tell me to turn on the TV. She actually called my land line before trying my cell.  In the aftermath of the Pentagon attack, cell phone lines in DC were flooded and we were no longer accessible to concerned friends and family.  So we turned to AOL Instant Messenger.  Long before G-Chat, Facebook Chat, & Tweeting, my entire universe was on AOL. On 9/11, I was able to connect with family and friends on my Buddy List and let them know we were safe. Patriotic Away Messages that week resembled my patriotic Facebook & Twitter Newsfeeds after Americans learned that the architect of 9/11 had been killed.

AOL Instant Messenger was one of the earliest tools that facilitated real-time communication.  In participating, we were making ourselves more accessible and thereby, less private.  This value exchange relaxed the flood gates for next decade’s social expansion. I have not IMed anyone on AOL in over 6 years, and I wonder what application will consume our attention 5 years from now. But, the takeaway remains the same. We are willing to give up personal privacy for access to transparent and better information and connections.  This transparency is pervasive and provides us with a huge benefit: it allows us the freedom and ability to be more aware and shed our dated assumptions and misinformation, especially as we reflect on that tragic day in 2011.

-rd423 (my very dated AOL Screename)

related: Bostinnovation‘s post on 9/11 In a Social Media World

Yes, I’m talking about my summer internship coming to a close. Have I been brainwashed? Maybe. Am I mad about it? No. Would I do it again? Yes. Did you hear that, Dad?! I LIKE WORKING! In what felt like no time, eight weeks has come and gone and it’s my last day at 1871. Tear.

I came into this whole internship thing thinking “Ok, I nailed that interview.. but I don’t really know what I’m doing.” Scary. My first project was to create a top-secret everything-you-need-to-know-about-starting-a-company “toolbox” for Dashfire’s partners to access, compiled with nearly a hundred of the best, expert-written articles I could find. Ranging in topics from A/B testing, analytics, target markets, SEO, web design, etc, this toolbox will (hopefully) act as a information guide for entrepreneurs who are in the process of launching a startup, but don’t know everything about everything. Time will tell if project #1 gets an A, but, if anything, creating the toolbox was a great way for me to learn about all things tech-related. Maybe it was Rick’s way of teaching me without making it sound boring. Sneaky…

Post-internship life lesson #1: Before you jump into something, learn as much as you can about it. Read. Listen. Ask questions. Take notes. Learn from people who know what they’re talking about.

I’ve been in charge of managing social media and writing blogs for Dashfire. What I thought would be a side task became something I did constantly throughout the day. I’ve come to learn that social media is a huge part of business development, and, after getting my learn on all summer, I’ve created a social media framework for Dashfire’s companies. Initially, I was intimated by the fact that Dashfire was a well-established company. Rick went to Georgetown and sometimes when he talked about differences between b2b and b2c companies I took notes on what he was saying and googled it after our conversation. Guilty, but at least I was learning! Basically, I didn’t feel like I was qualified enough to tell 200 Twitter followers, all of Built In Chicago, and THE WORLD WIDE WEB how to better network online, or how small business SEO is changing. Though I knew how to do both, and was learning new things every day, I didn’t have that much confidence.

Post-internship life lesson #2: Have confidence! If you think you know what you’re talking about, you’re one step ahead of a lot of people. Just because what you’re saying may not be articulated perfectly or 100% true across the board, it’s still a free country, right?! Speak your mind, and speak it with confidence. I minor in Journalism at DePaul because I like to write, but I’m averaging a C+ (don’t tell my Dad). Naturally, I was considering giving academic writing the boot and sticking to communication studies this year. After working at Dashfire and having Rick as a boss/mentor and my #1 complimenter, DePaul professors will not only have to put up with my writing for another year, but now I’ll be fighting my grades because “teacherz, my boss thinks I write good!”

Post-internship life lesson #2.1: Get a mentor like Rick Desai.

Another project I worked on was creating a template for entrepreneurs who come to Dashfire with a simple idea, or as an established company looking for Rick and the Dashfire team’s expertise. I’m about to contradict everything I just ragged on DePaul for, but it was great to see what I’ve learned studying communications put to use outside the classroom. Outlining how an idea on a powerpoint will turn into a company is very similar to, for example, creating a Public Relations plan. You must define your company’s situation, layout your objections and goals, define and know your target audience, develop strategies, and tactics to implement those strategies, create a timeline, delegate responsibility, and, most importantly, evaluate results.

Post-internship life lesson #3: Listen in school. Take classes that will be relevant to what you want to do post-grad. Take electives that will be of use to you in the future, not because it’s an online class with a teacher who everyone loves on ratemyprofessor.com called “History of the Beatles 101.” Unless, of course, you are very interested in this topic and feel it to be useful. I am not here to pass judgments.

Thanks to 1871’s awesome co-working space and Rick’s introductions, I’ve had an opportunity to meet tons of great people this summer. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be a small part of the Chicago tech startup scene, and look forward to being involved during the school year. That being said, I’m trying to start something! Ironic, right? Here’s why: I feel lucky that I’ve made great connections, but it saddens me that other kids my age didn’t have this opportunity and probably would have loved to. I want to connect entrepreneurs to other entrepreneurs on a personal level, as well as introduce them and their rad companies to people who are interested. It’ll start as a blog and then probably turn in to, like, the next Jersey Shore or something. Just kidding. If you’re interested in letting me ask you a few questions which will result in people knowing how awesome you are, feel free to email me at alexx@dashfire.com, or send me a tweet @withtwoxs. 

Welcome to my life! I like you a lot. I’ve had many of you in the past, so don’t worry about dealing with a new user. I know that if I double-click the home screen all of your running apps will come up, and if I close out of them I’ll preserve your battery. I know that the same button that increases your volume can also take photos. I know that turning your location off will help with battery life, but also know that keeping it off will screw up maps and geo-tagging for my Instagrams.

Speaking of Instagram, I’d like to introduce you. It’s the reason I love iPhones so much, and I just downloaded the new version, so get ready to party! It has a “photo map” feature, which I was initially really jazzed about, but after playing around I’m upset that only 346 of my 1,113 photos have been tagged. Where did all my Europe pictures wind up? Prepare to figure that out for me.

You probably feel a little weird right now because you have 1,600 photos in you that you didn’t take. Blame the syncing process. If you want a fresh photo library, just give me to option to click multiple photos to delete at once and I will.

I’m grateful that you have all of my friends stored in you, it got our relationship off to a great start. You’ll be contacting the people in your favorites on the reg. If possible, please help me refrain from making phone calls and texting paragraphs to people who aren’t in that category after midnight. I tend to make a fool of myself and the next morning I’ll probably resent you.

I promise I’ll treat you better than my last iPhone, but please don’t be offended when I drop you. Take it as a compliment! I like you SO much that I can’t bare to put you away for even a second. You have to realize that it’s not entirely my fault. Not only does Apple make you so easy to break (no offense), but the cases are either protective and ugly, or adorable but don’t protect you at all. I have chosen and will continue to choose the latter. Once the heels go on and I have a drink or two, keeping you in my hand seems impossible, but I promise to try harder.

So, new iPhone 4s, thanks for being you. I know we will have a great life together.

Peace love and apps,

Alexx

R.I.P. first iPhone 4s that I bought full price.

May 2012 – August 2012