Finally, I took the plunge. For a couple of years now I’ve been wanting to switch from my Android phone to an iPhone. With each release of the iPhone I became more and more anxious to make the switch.

Unfortunately, we have cellular service from US Cellular, and I didn’t see a way around the fact that they didn’t carry the iPhone.

Then last year my daughter who moved to New York setup her account on Verizon. Two of my other daughters made the switch too. One got an iPhone, the other two went with Android. But the option was there. I could move my line over to their account and get an iPhone. Then I got wind that not one, but two iPhones would be released in September. So once again, I was on the sidelines, waiting.

On release day for the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s I read all the information that I could. Soon thereafter I watched videos of people unboxing their phones. I read reviews. I came close to salivating. I wanted an iPhone 5s so badly. But when you run a small business, have eight kids, and all kinds of expenses…you wait.

Then I got word that US Cellular was going to be getting the iPhone later in the year. So my excitement level rose again. I could do this without having to switch. And to make it easier, the US Cellular rewards points that we earn every month could be used to get the phone. I might be able to to this without any out-of-pocket expenses.

Then my son’s phone died and he needed a phone. We didn’t have a single usable phone that he could even use to get by. Oddly enough, despite the fact that he’s a football player and wrestler, and is a pretty violent participant in those sports…his phone didn’t die from being dropped or from anything he did. The battery simply gave up the ghost, and since it was a sealed phone he was stuck.

So we went to the local cell phone store and he got a brand new, shiny iPhone 5s. There went the rewards points. There went my hope of a new phone anytime soon. I figured, “Oh well, that’s just part of being a parent”. So I put my hopes for a new phone into mental storage.

But, we were still collecting points. And today I realized that we had enough points in our account that I could get an iPhone 5s for a penny (with a two-year contract). So before anything else could happen that would divert me, I headed to the store and got my iPhone 5s.

I’ll admit, I’m still getting everything configured on the phone, and I’m sure I’ll be doing that for a while. I already knew what apps I wanted on it from my prior experience with my Android phone as well as recent experience with my iPad Air configuration. But that didn’t change the fact that it was kind of fun to unbox a new technology item.

The one feature the excited me the most was the ability to use the Touch ID to get onto the phone. Back in 1999 we installed fingerprint touch sensors at my wife’s medical practice so they could easily log on to their computers and software without having to remember a zillion passwords. It’s only been 15 years, but I finally have a phone that does the same thing.

Imagine my disappointment when I went to get my first App from the App Store and discovered that I had to type in my password. I’m a computer nerd, so my password is very secure. But, the Apple ID and password that I use was tailored to a computer keyboard, not to an onscreen keyboard. That means that I have to switch between upper and lower case, and from the main keyboard to the symbols keyboard, and then back…just to put in a stupid password.

So I started searching the internet to determine if I could use the Touch ID with my Apple ID. And sure enough you can. If you have an iPhone 5s and want to enable the Touch ID for the App Store, here’s how:

• Settings
• General
• Touch ID & Passcode
• Touch ID
• Use Touch ID For iTunes & App Store = “On”

Now when you go to the App Store or iTunes you can simply use the Touch ID instead of typing in your password. Way cool if you ask me…but then again, I’m pretty easily impressed with technology things like this that make my day easier.

Watch out over the next few weeks or months, I’m sure I’ll have more to say about my iPhone 5s. For now, I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to using it for some of the things I wasn’t able to do on my Android (mostly because of its age, not because it was an Android).