Apple
More On the iPad as a Writing Tool
It seems I can’t stop using the iPad now that I’ve realized its true potential as a writing tool. I’m using it for all sorts of writing now, but still primarily for scripts using the Final Draft Writer app.
However, it is also great for other types of writing. In fact, I’m using the Wordpress app on the iPad to do this post right now. Fancy that.
After several days I’m pretty convinced the iPad could become my primary writing tool perminantly. Using it really feels good and allows for a more tactile approach to writing that I don’t experience as much when using a laptop or desktop with a traditional keyboard. Other people (with far more readership and insight) seem to feel the same way I do.
One thing, though, I do feel a little bad for my MacBook Air. It looks sorta lonely sitting there unused.
I’m sure it won’t sit idle forever. I’m sure I’ll get back to using it for something soon enough. Until then, it’s the iPad for me all the way.
Some New Photos
Took these over the weekend. One more in my “California” series and one just because I thought it was funny. Taken with the iPhone 5 using Instagram.
Weekend Plans, New Apple Stuff and More
I realize today is only Thursday, but it’s never too late to plan for the weekend. That said, it is likely I will be in Long Beach this weekend going to the Long Beach Comic & Horror Con.
I’ve been taking care of a lot of things recently (many of them personal) and need a bit of a break to explore my inner (and outer) geek. So, in that spirit (and because I missed Comic-Con in San Diego due to my back) I’m going to head to Long Beach this weekend.
I expect it to be interesting and fun. Plus, it will be nice to see a few people I haven’t seen in some time as well as check out some new comics and horror stuff.
Plus, there’s a couple panels I want to go to as well. They mostly have to do with making comics and such, stuff most of you probably are not all that interested in. I also plan on taking a few pics, so be on the lookout for those as well.
In other news, I have opted against getting a new 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display and will also not be getting an iPad Mini. Why?
The short answer is I already have way too much stuff already. The longer answer is I just got a new laptop a few months ago (the amazing 13" i7 MacBook Air) and I already have an iPad I hardly ever use.
So, I don’t need to spend the money on new stuff I don’t really need or something I probably wouldn’t use very often. Plus, I’ve read a fee reviews of the new MacBook Pro and from what i gather it isn’t quite all there yet. So, I’ll wait until it is.
I’m actually quite pleased with these decisions. I think I’m growing.
See you in Long Beach.
A Little Apple History: Print Advertising 1975 - 2002
If you know me, even a little bit, you know I’m a huge fan of all things Apple. I use an iPhone 5, MacBook Air, iPad and have had other Apple products going all the way back to before the first Macintosh. In short, I’m old school.
Let’s face it, the company makes, and has made, some insanely great products. Another thing the company is known for is its advertising. They’ve created some of the most innovative and informative commercials in history, probably the most famous of which is Ridley’s Scott’s ‘1984’ spot. That’s it at the bottom.
They’ve also had some pretty cool print ads over the years as well. To illustrate, these guys (and gals) have taken the time to put together a very nice look at Apple’s print ads from the years 1975 to 2002.
It’s pretty cool and I actually remember some of these ads. It’s fun to look back and see how far Apple, and we, have come.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4&w=500&h=281]
The iPhone 5 Is Fun
So I went ahead and got an iPhone 5. Those who know me will know it isn’t that hard to believe. I’ve had the phone for a few weeks now (I pre-ordered it the same time I ordered one for H) and it arrived on launch day.
So far, it’s a great device. I especially like the 4G LTE, which has come in handy several times while on the road. It’s also a great phone to make calls with. The sound is good and I get reception almost everywhere (of course that also has a lot to do with Verizon too, I’m sure).
The phone is also faster and the screen is better than the 4S I was using previously. I also like the extra row of icons I get from the phone being a bit longer as well as the new features of iOS 6. In short, I’m very happy with the upgrade.
If I have a complaint about the device (and it’s a minor one) it’s that Apple really didn’t do much to improve the camera over the 4S. Sure, it works a bit better in lower light, but that’s about all.
Although, I’m not entirely sure what they could have done with the camera given the new, thinner form factor. I guess we’ll have to wait for those liquid lenses to get a better camera in such a thin device.
The device is also a bit prone to scratching and I already have a bit of one on the top right side near where the antenna gap is. It’s not particularly noticeable but still, it’s kind of disappointing. I guess a case would cover it, but I don’t really like cases. So, there’s that.
I may do a more in-depth report later after I’ve used the iPhone 5 longer. Until then, if you got one for yourself, I hope you’re enjoying it.
Interviews With the Original Macintosh Design Team
When I find intersting stuff, I drop it in here. Although, as I’ve not put up much lately, I guess there’s not that much interesting stuff to be found. Or, I’m just not looking hard enough. Meh.
Anyway, this is quite interesting, especially if you’re a fan of Apple and the Mac. Enjoy.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTtQ0l0ukvQ?rel=0&w=420&h=315]
Inside Where the iPhone and iPad are Made
As I’m the owner and user of many an Apple iDevice, I found this particular video quite interesting. ABC News got to go inside Foxconn, the company in China that makes the iPhone and iPad.
Conditions and such are pretty much what you would expect from a factory in China. In fact, compared to conditions outside the factory, the workers seem to have it pretty good.
Although, the nets around many of the buildings are a bit disturbing.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLuPtMvvwA0?rel=0&w=500&h=281]
Coffee, Macs and More
I love gadgets, tech and toys. As I’ve grown older, that love hasn’t lessened. Although, the quantity of gadgets, tech and toys may have decreased slightly, the quality (and the associated cost) has increased, so there’s that.
That’s just the “circle of life” or something. Anyway, that leads me to recent developments. One of these developments has to do with my search for the perfect way to make coffee at home.
Some of you may be shocked and wonder how I could betray my beloved Starbucks, Coffee Bean or various other establishments I frequent. It’s simple, really, I just want to do it at home so I get used to working at home again. I would also like to save some time where I can too.
On a busy morning, if I have to take the time to stop at Starbucks or wherever on the way somewhere else, it can often take quite a bit of time. So, in the interest of efficiency (and to save a buy or two, let’s face it) I’m going to make coffee at home.
During a previous attempt at this I had purchased one of the Tasimo devices that makes coffee from a capsule. The results were less than stellar. In fact, the coffee kinda sucked.
This time around I’ve done much more research and committed to a much better solution. At least I think it is.
I’ve decided that the only way to make it work at home is to get the best coffee maker you can get. That one, if you ask pretty much anyone who knows anything about it, is The Moccamaster
That’s a picture of it right there. Nice, huh.
I expect this little beauty to arrive early next week and I will report back on how awesome it is. Yes, I expect it to be awesome.
In other news, I am also trying something else again that I had tried several years ago: going all-laptop and having no desktop Mac.
At this moment, I have two computers. One is a 27" iMac and the other is my 13" MacBook Air. I’m am giving the iMac to a worthy person (selling, actually) and will be using the MacBook Air exclusively from this point forward.
However, this choice does present a few problems. The first of which is my iTunes library is way too big to fit on the Air. So, for the moment, it will have to reside on an external drive. Not ideal.
Second, my iMac also served as the media and print server for the house. With it gone, certain people are going to have to go upstairs and connect to the printer via usb if they want to print. Also, not ideal.
So, that means I will most likely have to get some sort of computer to use as a file, media, print server and iTunes repository. That will most likely mean a Mac Mini.
Before you ask, I’m not considering a Windows or other solution at the moment. We’re too invested in Apple tech at home to try to make that work right now. Maybe if I get some more free time I can put together a nice Windows server instead.
For now, it will probably be a Mac Mini running Apple’s Lion Server that will take on those duties at home. Plus I would like to work with Lion Server a bit more so the new Mini serves that purpose as well.
Of course, if I’m going to be using the MacBook Air as my only machine from this time forward, I kinda think it should be the latest model, don’t you? Just go with me here, okay? The one I have know is a 13" 2.13 Ghz Core 2 Duo with 256 GB SSD.
I feel a newer 13" MacBook Air i7
So, lots of changes coming in my tech world. Fortunately, I don’t mind change all that much – especially when it brings newer, shinier toys.
2012 Update: Balance and Taking More Photos
As I’ve said before, I don’t make resolutions. However, for 2012 I decided to at least make some decisions about how I’m going to do things and how I’m going to live my life.
So far, it’s going well. I’ve managed to be more productive and also managed to enjoy some quality time doing as little as possible. I’m well on the way to achieving that balance I was looking for.
Another thing I would like to do more of in 2012 is take photos. With the iPhone 4S it should be very easy. The camera is great and there are several apps that help to make the pics look cooler. One is Instagram, which is what the pic above is.
I highlighted some of those apps and some of my latest photos in an earlier post. Now that 2012 is here, I’m going to be doing more with these apps and trying to take a few photos each day.
I’ve done this experiment before (taking a photo a day for thirty days I mean) and it seemed to go well. I will try to make it last longer this time around. We’ll see how it goes.
How’s your 2012 going so far?
In Search Of A 'Great' Keyboard
If you’re a person who uses a computer and, more to the point, an input device known as a keyboard on a daily basis for hours at a time, having a good one is highly necessary. In fact, not having one can often lead to bad results for hands, wrists, back and more.
So, over the years as I’ve written and done other work requiring long hours using a keyboard (I currently use an Apple Wireless Keyboard or the one on the MacBook Air), I’ve always been in search of a good one. Notice I didn’t say a “great” one.
I hesitate to use the word “great” because I’ve yet to find one I even consider good. Sure, many of the ones I’ve tried over the years have been decent. Some could even be considered close to good. None were even close to great though.
This brings me to the problem at, well, hand. Or, hands as the case may be. I need to find a great keyboard. I say a great keyboard because I think at this point only a great keyboard can help me.
It’s the hands, you see, they are hurting. Yes, over the years I’ve developed some pain in my fingers from all the oh so important typing. So now, I need to do something about it or pretty soon I won’t be able to type at all. The horror!
I really don’t care at this point how much it costs, just that it helps and helps me keep working. Although, as someone who’s paid both very little and quite a bit for keyboards over the years, I’m not entirely sure price is the total arbiter of “great.” If it was, I would probably have found that “great” keyboard long ago.
Given the above, I’m now in search of the perfect keyboard. If you have any thoughts on the subject, feel free to let me know. I will also be doing my research and buying several to try out over the next few weeks.
I will, of course, report on what I find out, if anything. I know there’s a lot of choices out there but based on past experience, I’m not all that optimistic.
Still, miracles do happen and I’m the kind of person who tries to keep an open mind. So, let the search commence and may the best keyboard win.
Obligatory "Best of 2011" Post
Even though I try to stop myself, I’m still a slave to some conventions. One such convention is the “Best Of” lists that invariably crop up at the end of the year.
Of course, I bowed to convention and did one. It was published over at The Flickcast. However, because I like to help and I like you, I’ve included it below as well.
No need to thank me.
–
As is the usual practice almost anywhere were column inches or post counts matter, writers such as myself take to their keyboards and make lists. I am no exception and, with a great deal of difficulty and toil, have managed to cobble together a list of what I think are some of the best things of 2011.
I don’t really want to bore you with a lot of explanations as to why I picked what I did. Suffice it to say these picks are mine and mine alone. Also, they are not in any particular order, mostly because I find it hard to rank them that closely. Or, I was just too lazy.
Either way, here you go.
Movies
Drive The Artist Attack the Block X-Men: First Class Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol The Descendants Thunder Soul 13 Assassins Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 Hugo
TV
Game of Thrones Fringe Community Homeland Breaking Bad Justified Sons of Anarchy Archer Happy Endings Boardwalk Empire
Games, Gadgets, Software, iOS Apps, etc.
Apple iPhone 4S Apple iPad 2 Apple iOS 5 Wordpress Final Draft iA Writer Batman: Arkham City Cal of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Saints Row: The Third Forza Motorsport 4
Comics
Detective Comics Batman (DC) Justice League (DC) Green Lantern (DC) Irredeemable (BOOM! Studios) Daredevil (Marvel) Criminal: Last of the Innocents (Icon / Marvel)
Keyboard Considerations
I’ve been trying to use just the iPad 2 for a few days to do my writing work and I came to the conclusion that I need a keyboard. That’s not to say that typing directly on the iPad 2 wouldn’t work for most people, or for me under different circumstances, it’s just that right now my fingers are a bit sore and it’s time to explore other options.
Fortunately, I already have a solution. I’ve dropped some hard earned cash on a keyboard case and stand combo from Incase. It’s called the Origami Workstation and it features a place to hold your Apple Wireless Keyboard (I already had one of from a previous experiment) and to hold you iPad or iPad 2 either vertically or horizontally. I usually pick horozontal, just in case you were wondering.
With the iPad 2 and keyboard in place things have gotten much easier on my hands and fingers. Yes, I realize having to bring a keyboard with you begs the question as to why I don’t just use the MacBook Air. That’s a valid question and one I could answer by just saying I just don’t want to. The truth is I’m not just doing this just for me. I’m doing it for you. For those of you who want to know if you can get along and get work done with just an iPad 2 and that’s it. The answer is, so far, yes you can – unless you have a problem like I do. In that case you need to make some adjustments. Problem or not, the iPad 2 is especially useful if you’re a writer, or some other type of creative person, who’s job it is to put words in a certain order and upload, print or otherwise share them with people. It really is a great tool. It’s likely if my hands were a bit younger and I haden’t spent the last ten or more years pounding keys I would have gotten away without using an external keyboard. Sadly, I can’t. You might be able to, however. And you should try. It makes the idea you can bring a small device like the iPad 2 with you, and that’s all you really need, that much cooler. My needing to use a keyboard doesn’t change the fact that the iPad is a great writing tool and so far has proven to be very useful in my everyday work. Now to get back to it. I’ll let you know how it’s going, don’t worry.
The Great-ish Writing Experiment
I think in the spirit of trying to make things work, and also challenging myself a bit, I’m going to try to use the iPad 2 as a writing/blogging tool as often as I can. Let this post serve as the first-ish example of that. I say -ish because I’ve already done at least one or two with the iPad 2, but that was before. Now, I’m going to take it more seriously and consider it more of an experiment, or test , then I did before. One of the first questions to ask when embarking on a journey such as this is do I use the built-in keyboard on the iPad 2 or do I use an external one? It’s an important question because, to be honest, my fingers do get kinda sore when using just the iPad 2’s touchscreen keyboard. However, that may be more a function of the fact that by the time I start using the iPad I’ve already been typing for a few hours. Maybe my fingers would hurt no matter what? I suspect they would. So, with that in mind I think I will try to use the touchscreen keyboard for now and see how it goes. I’ve got an extra Bluetooth keyboard I could use but that sorta defeats the purpose of using the iPad if you have the also lug around a keyboard. At any rate, I’ll know soon enough if my fingers can’t take it and then I will consider other options. Fortunately, as I discussed in an earlier post, the rest of the writing/blogging experience shouldbe pretty good on the iPad 2. I guess I’ll find out. In case you’re the sort of person who likes to know the more technical, nuts and bolts kinds of things, I’m going to list the tools I will be using during this experiment. Here they are: Apple iPad 2 (of course) - Apple’s device excels at so many things and has a battery that lasts a long time. It has become an indispensable part of my daily work (and fun). Blogsy - This is the primary blogging app I’m using. It allows for complete control over posts and offers the ability to insert photos and video. Pretty much everything you need and pretty easy to figure out and use. IResize - This is a great app that allows you to resize images to fit in a blog post or other writing. You can load any picture from your Photos on the iPad and change the size, resolution, etc. and then save the changed version for use in other apps like Blogsy. IAWriter - This app let’s you get back to basics and just write. It removes distractions and lets you focus on the words. Plus, it syncs with Apple’s iCloud and its own OS X desktop version to allow you to work on whatever you want and have it available on the iPad or your Mac with whatever changes you’ve made already there and synced. Other tools: Pages - Appple’s own writing App is pretty good and I used it quite a bit before IA Writer and Blogsy came into the picture. Now I use it less frequently, especially as oit doesn’t support sync across the mobile and desktop versions using iCloud as IA Writer does. At least not yet. FDX Reader - Sadly, my favorite screenwriting app Final Draft doesn’t have and iPad version yet. I’ve been assured one is on the way, but until then, I still need to use the MacBook Air when I want to write in Final Draft. However, I can at least read scripts in Final Draft format (instead of PDF) on the iPad by using the terrific FDX Reader app. This app allows you to load scripts written in Final Draft and saved as .fdx files and view them in their native format. Very useful and saves you the time and effort of saving scripts as .pdf files plus if your a writer on the go or collaborating with another writer it also makes it easier to quickly review the current draft. So, this is my challenge and those are the tools of choice. Of course, figuring out what you want to do and choosing the tools to accomplish a task is often the easy part. The hard part is doing the actual writing. I’m goin' in, wish me luck.
Writing On the iPad
Since the iPad first came out I was hoping it would completely take the place of my laptop for most things. I was especially hoping it would allow me to use it when I go to events like Comic-Con in San Diego and other places I’m covering for The Flickcast that require me to post to the website during the day. Unfortunately, as an early adopter, I got one of the first iPads released. And although the hardware was darn good, the software, and in particular apps for blogging, left something to be desired. Cut to today and I’m using the iPad 2 and there are lots more apps out there to do most of the things you want to do on the iPad. Sadly, there’s still a shortage of good blogging apps. Fortunately, all you really need is one. I think I’ve found that one. Or, at least I’ve found one that’s as close to perfect as I’m going to get right now. What’s the name of this amazing, life changing blogging app? Blogsy. It does most of what I need it to do in the writing area. I can write a post in either HTML or visual mode, add photos and videos and set it to publish. Combine that with resizing photos using the great iResize app and the iPad has become almost a complete replacement for my Mac laptop. It does take a bit of time to get used to blogging on the iPad and also, typing on the screen itself is a bit hard on the fingers. Still, for short things like blog posts (just like this one!) it works very well. I’m going to be using Blogsy more and more and I’m sure I will find things I don’t like about it. Still, it has enough going for it already that I’m very pleased and happy I found it. Also, I’m sure they will improve it over time with updates.
A Sister's Eulogy for Steve Jobs
This was written by Steve Jobs sister Mona Simpson and given at a ceremony for the late Apple co-founder and all-around genius. I thought it was worth reposting and preserving here for me, and for you.
I grew up as an only child, with a single mother. Because we were poor and because I knew my father had emigrated from Syria, I imagined he looked like Omar Sharif. I hoped he would be rich and kind and would come into our lives (and our not yet furnished apartment) and help us. Later, after I’d met my father, I tried to believe he’d changed his number and left no forwarding address because he was an idealistic revolutionary, plotting a new world for the Arab people.
Even as a feminist, my whole life I’d been waiting for a man to love, who could love me. For decades, I’d thought that man would be my father. When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother.
By then, I lived in New York, where I was trying to write my first novel. I had a job at a small magazine in an office the size of a closet, with three other aspiring writers. When one day a lawyer called me — me, the middle-class girl from California who hassled the boss to buy us health insurance — and said his client was rich and famous and was my long-lost brother, the young editors went wild.
This was 1985 and we worked at a cutting-edge literary magazine, but I’d fallen into the plot of a Dickens novel and really, we all loved those best. The lawyer refused to tell me my brother’s name and my colleagues started a betting pool. The leading candidate: John Travolta. I secretly hoped for a literary descendant of Henry James — someone more talented than I, someone brilliant without even trying.
When I met Steve, he was a guy my age in jeans, Arab- or Jewish-looking and handsomer than Omar Sharif.
We took a long walk — something, it happened, that we both liked to do. I don’t remember much of what we said that first day, only that he felt like someone I’d pick to be a friend. He explained that he worked in computers.
Looking For Inspiration
No matter what I’ve achieved in my life, occasionally I find myself in need of some inspiration or motivation (or both). Usually, whatever I need comes from inside me and I end up making it work somehow.
Other times, I need to look elsewhere for what I need. Today is one of those days. So, to help me move forward and do what I need to do, here's a little inspiration from my man Steve Jobs.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc?rel=0&w=480&h=390]
Whatever you may think of him or Apple, he certainly knows his way around public speaking. We could all hope to be this good at something someday.
Money quote:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition."
Yep. I needed that.
Some New Pics, New iPhone 4 and Some Cool iPhone 4 Photo Apps
I've recently returned from the land of Android (and the HTC Incredible) to the land of iPhone 4 and IOS. To be honest, it's great to be back. Not that the Android platform isn't cool, it is.
It's just that the iPhone and iOS 4 are cooler. Case in point is all the great applications you can use to take some really cool photos with your iPhone 4.
I've been using quite a few of them and in particular Hipstamatic, Instagram, Plastic Bullet and Camera Bag. These apps, and the included Camera App from Apple on the iPhone, allow me to take and make some pretty cool photos. Sure, I can still take "normal" photos as well, but using these Apps is way more fun and the photos often turn out way different and better than you expect.
To demonstrate, I've included a few here from the new iPhone 4. Some are taken with Hipstamatic, some were taken with the iPhone's native Photo App and then processed in Plastic Bullet or Camera Bag and some are just normal. Check 'em out.
As I get better at taking pics and discover more of what these Apps can do I will post some more here as well as the usual places like my Facebook and my Flickr.
My Favorite New Apple Ad - 'Broken Promises'
As you probably know, Windows 7 came out this week and, of course, Apple launched an ad campaign to fight this latest encroachment by the “evil empire.” Here’s my favorite one of the new ads so far featuring your old friends Mac and PC. Enjoy.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtvloPFYocw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]</p>
It is Mine
For more on my quest for the new iPhone 3G on Friday (aka iPhone day), check out this post over at TUAW where I detail the day for you.
Also, as time goes on, look for more about my experiences with the new iPhone 3G. Meantime, here's a nice pic of the new device side by side with the old one. FYI, the new one is the one the left. You can tell because its slightly wider and also has that cool "3G" logo in the upper left corner.
<img src="http://cullrich.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/img-07811.jpg" alt="IMG_0781.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="381">
I ordered a new MacBook Air
Yes, yes I did. If you happen to be curios as to my reasons, head on over to TUAW and <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/19/hello-my-name-is-chris-and-i-ordered-a-macbook-air/" target="_blank">take a look</a> at the article I wrote explaining it all. Apparently, judging from the number of comments (almost 140 I think so far) this particular topic appears to be one of interest. Check it out.