Apple Hardware, Apple iPad

iPad? First Thoughts

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I was hoping that Apple  (Steve Jobs) would resurrect the iBook moniker as the name of the new Apple Tablet, but this was not to be. Apple did, however, revive the use of the name for the eBook feature to be rolled out with the device. A few crumbs to be thankful for.

OK, let’s get past the obvious rolling of the eyes and hushed snickers that “iPad” bring to mind (Thanks Madd TV) and move onto my first impressions.

Features I like

  • The Price
  • The User Interface
  • 3G as an option, not a requirement
  • 64 GB version
  • iPhone App compatibility
    A lot of personal investment here.
  • iWork Apps
    A first glimpse at new iPad-specific applications.
  • Full sized virtual keyboard
  • Bluetooth device support
  • The accessories
  • Oh yes, the Price

Features it needs

  • A Video-capable CAMERA!
    Apple, what are you thinking? I want to Skype, video chat, etc. I think I need a CAMERA for this.
  • Multi-tasking
    I had visions of running multiple iPhone Apps each in their little iPhone App widget container. I could then copy and paste to my heart’s content. (Hopefully, this will show up for the iPad and iPhone in a later OS update)
  • Multiple User Support
    I don’t want to buy a separate iPad for my wife to use, just let me add her as a user. I also want a “Guest” account where the user I lend the iPad to can do little or no harm (unless he drops it on the floor)
  • SD Card support
    I know there’s a plug-in SD Card adapter, but the tech specs seem to indicate that all you can do with it is transfer photos. I want to use the SD Card for additional storage and the transfer of files. Listen up Apple software team.

Will I buy one? My heart says yes, but my tech mind asks “What about version 2?” for hardware updates such as the camera. The next major OS update (OS 4.0?) will certainly influence me.

Who am I kidding? Heart, let’s me and you go down to the Apple Store.

Apple Hardware, Apple iPad, Apple Software, iPhone

What Will January 27th Bring?

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The long-awaited Apple (Tablet?) event arrives on Wednesday, January 27th.

Apple will remove the paint splotches and unveil the product (s) that have fueled the flames of speculation for months.

The question remains, can Apple possibly live up to the hype that has been growing to what seems to be an unattainable level.

A number of rumors have settled on 4 basic items.

  • The Apple Tablet (I still hope for the rebirth of iBook)
  • iPhone OS 4.0
  • iPhone Next Generation
  • iLife 2010

After the Tablet, one of the other three might make the “one more thing” category, but I believe the show will center around the Tablet and the Tablet OS.

As Paul Harvey used to proclaim…”Stand by for News!”.

Apple Hardware, Apple iPad

What Do We Want from an Apple Tablet?

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As the temperature cools down, the news around the release of the long-rumored Apple Tablet heats up.

Sites around the internet are buzzing with tidbits of information that can be arranged in a way to predict the impending release (MacRumors & 9to5Mac lead the way), but i am more interested in what the new Tablet will bring to us functionally rather than when it will arrive or what the name will be.

There has been speculation that the Tablet will be an overgrown iPod Touch or will be targeted to the burgeoning eReader market. I hope that the Tablet provides more than these limited areas of function.

Some of the features I look for, in no particular order of precedence, include:

  • Multi-tasking
    Most people need the ability to execute multiple programs. Multi-tasking is a must. Hopefully, multi-tasking support will also appear in a later release of the iPhone software as well.
  • RAM
    Apple needs to push the RAM toward the 1.0 Gigabyte level.
  • Storage
    On board storage needs to be a least 64 GB. Recent enhancements to NAND appears that this should be a lock.
  • Operating System
    A variant of Mac OS X. More capable than the iPhone OS.
  • iPhone App support
    Support for iPhone Apps either natively or via an embedded emulator.
  • Platform Software Freedom
    The ability to install software by means other than being tethered to iTunes. Treat the Tablet as a Mac, not a phone.
  • Multi-touch
    We are now spoiled by the intuitive touch interface provided by the iPhone. This UI is now “required” for the Tablet. We need the “pinch” and “swipe” motions we have become accustomed to.
  • Input/Output
    I need to be able to plug in a USB device and, hopefully, a media card.
  • Wireless Networking
    802.11n Wi-Fi, full Bluetooth support and a wired RF-45 connection. Provide 3G as a option. Not all of us want to pay for an additional Data Plan.
  • eReader
    eReader functionality with support for Text-to-Speech for those of us with low-vision difficulties.
  • Accessibility
    Integration of Mac OS Universal Access capability

These are just a few items. What features would you like to see in the new Apple Tablet?

iPhone

Price Check!

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How often have you or your significant other been in this situation. There you are, staring at a piece of merchandise and wondering “Hmmm…I like this _________, but is this a good price? Perchance the item may be available at a lower cost elsewhere. Methinks I will endeavor to locate the item and profit from the savings.” (Mind you, I don’t really know any people that talk like that)

Well, you scurry around the mall or other shopping outlets on a search for that better deal. You can’t find one, so you go back to the original store where yout journey began only to find that the item is no longer there. Rats! The dreaded “price check” scenario has won again.

Well, fellow iPhone users, do not despair. Check out the RedLaser app at iTunes. This $1.99 app may save you many times that. I downloaded it yesterday for my iPhone 3G and was amazed at the features.

Product List
Product List

RedLaser works by reading the image of a UPC barcode (actually looking for the associated number). Once the information is obtained, the data is checked. If RedLaser is able to identify the product, a listing is provided with prices for the merchandise listed from online vendors as well as local prices (GPS-enabled iPhones). The app provides an audible tone when the label is scanned. If you are unable to get a good scan, the app allows the user to manually enter the UPC code.

I’ve tried it out on a few recent purchases and most items are located by the app. In fact, I could have saved over $10 yesterday if I had downloaded the app a little earlier ($5 if I had just walked across the street for one of the items).

For more information, visit the RedLaser web site. Here’s to great shopping in the future.

Apple Hardware

Trouble in Magic Land!

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As noted in a previous post, I am using the new Apple Magic Mouse and have enjoyed the new device. However, all is not joyful in Magic Land.

I also use the Apple Wireless Aluminum keyboard and have for over a year. Prior to the arrival of the Magic Mouse, the keyboard was coupled with the wireless Apple Mighty Mouse.

Upon the arrival of Mr. Magic, I made the necessary Mac OS X software updates required in order to use the full capabilities of the mouse. I have also moved to the latest version of Snow Leopard (10.6.2).

Prior to these changes, the battery life for my keyboard was measured in months. It is now measured in days. I just had to replace the set of batteries again after 8 days of use.  My conjecture at this point is that the keyboard is no longer achieving the automatic low-power setting during periods of idle time.

I note that I am not alone. Many others are reporting the same issue in discussion groups scattered across the internet. I have submitted a “bug report” to Apple, but have no idea  when or if the Apple Team will respond to this dilemma.

In the meantime, I will place the keyboard in manual “low power” mode by turning it OFF when I leave my office. I am also scanning ETrade for opportunities in the AA battery market.

Apple, remember, it is the drip, drip, drip of these seemingly small annoyances that can cause a mighty dam to fail.

Just sayin’

Apple Software

All Those Passwords!

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If your web experience is anything like mine, you are building up quite an inventory of user names and passwords. You don’t want to use the same entries on every site, but there are limits to your ability to remember which one goes where.

For those of the Apple persuasion, here are two software offerings that solve the problem.

Pastor

Off-line Password Database
Off-line Password Database

Pastor is classed as “donation-ware”. Pay whatever you think it’s worth to you. The software provides a basic password-protected off-line database of sites and their associated login information. I describe the tool as “off-line” since it is not integrated into your web browser.  Pastor can also be used to generate password suggestions.

Pastor was the first password management application I used and I’m still using it as a general password database.

1Password by Agile Web Solutions

1Password Main Screen
1Password Main Screen

A few months ago, I decided that I needed a password management system that could be integrated with my web browsers (I use Safari and Firefox). I settled on 1Password.

1Password is commercial software, but  Agile offers a free download to allow user evaluation.

One feature I like is it’s integration support for a number of web browsers.  1Password also helps generate passwords and has a nice visual representation of the relative “strength”  of each password you use.

For those running the new Mac OS X Snow Leopard, 1Password offers 1Password 3 which is the version I am currently running.

What ever your preference, a Password Manager is a valuable addition to your web security toolbox.

Apple Software

Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac Released

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Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac
Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac

Parallels Inc. has announced the release of it’s latest offering in the field of computer virtualization. Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is now ready for distribution.

I took the bait and ordered the upgrade package. I have been a Parallels customer since Version 2 in 2006 and have dutifully followed the upgrade path through version 3 and 4.

The announcement of the availability of Parallels Desktop 5 comes on the heels of the release of VMWare Fusion 3 by VMWare, Parallels chief competitor in the world of Virtual Operating System software.

My interest in virtualization is due to the need for running multiple types of Operating Systems as part of my work as a Software Application developer. Using my Mac Pro (circa 2006) , I use a variety of virtual PCs representing different versions of MS Windows, as well as various Linux distributions. I run my Virtual PCs both singly and in combination.

The upgrade from Parallels version 4 to 5 went very smoothly. I immediately noticed an improvement in performance in the boot process. One of the improvements featured an advertised performance boost which appears, at first glance, to be there.

Parallels, as does VMWare, focuses their Virtual Desktop support more toward the world of MS Windows (XP is noticeably faster and Windows 7 runs like a dream), but Linux support is more than adequate. In fact, version 5 seems to have corrected a problem I had been having after an upgrade from Ubuntu Linux  9.04 to 9.10.

More updates to follow.

Update: November 9, 2009

The performance is indeed improved. I especially like the new addition of icons to the Mac Dock.  It allows you to lauch Windows apps in “Coherence” Mode much easier. Coherence Mode is the term used by Parallels when referring to running a Windows App intermingled with other Mac apps on your desktop.

Apple Software

Moneydance 2008

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When I first moved to the Mac platform in 2005, one of the applications that provided the impetus for my final move from Windows was Quicken 2005. I had been a long-time Quicken user and, at the time of my purchase of the Mac Mini, I was using Quicken 2005 for Windows.

One of the applications available on that first Mac was Quicken 2005 for Mac. I took the opportunity to import years of financial data into the Mac application. Initially, I maintained my accounts both on the old Windows PC and the new Mac. After a short while, I abandoned the Windows platform.

I dutifully upgraded to Quicken 2006. Then Quicken 2007 arrived, but the features available for the new version weren’t enough to pry the upgrade price out of me.

I waited for Quicken 2008, but time passed with no release from Intuit. I then began searching for a replacement for Quicken.

I tried a number of contenders such as Moneywell and iBank, but all fell short in the area of importing my old Quicken data. I then downloaded a trial version of Moneydance 2008 by Reilly Technologies.

The import of my Quicken data was accomplished without a hitch. The interface was clean and simple. Moneydance didn’t have all  the bells and whistles  of Quicken, but I never used these features. Moneydance provided exactly what I needed, a simple, straight-forward financial program that provided direct download of financial transactions from my bank and easy reconciliation of my accounts. I’m looking forward to the release of the 2010 version of the product.

If you’re looking for financial software for your Mac platform, Quicken is not the only party in town. For me, Moneydance is my choice. Check it out, or try any of the other applications to see which one suits your needs.

Apple Hardware

The Magic Has Arrived!

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Apple announced a refresh of their computer line. I had a chance to view the new iMacs at a local Best Buy and, I must say, the 27″ iMac display is stunning.

But, alas, my wallet won out. I did, however, draw from the new line-up with the purchase of the new Apple Magic Mouse to replace my current Apple Bluetooth Mighty Mouse for my desktop machine. The Mighty Mouse will probably find a new home in my laptop bag although, the multi-touch touchpad on my aluminum MacBook tends to eliminate the need for using a separate mouse.

There were four basic reasons I decided to purchase the Magic Mouse.

  • Let’s face it. I’m a geek at heart and this is a NEW gadget.
  • I was intrigued by the Multi-touch Interface. I suffer from repeated occurrences of Repetitive Strain injury caused by the constant rolling of a mouse scroll wheel or Mighty Mouse scroll-ball. No wheel, no ball, just swipe anywhere on the top surface.
  • Scrolling Debris – Maybe I’m the only one that encountered dust, dirt, cracker crumbs or other foreign substances clogging up the scroll function on my mouse. Again, no wheel, no ball, just a smooth multi-touch surface.
  • Multi-touch – I have used an iPhone since it’s inception (June, 2007) and I am hooked on a multi-touch user interface (Apple Tablet?)

MagicMouseWell,  the Magic Mouse arrived today by FedEx. The packaging was like braking into Ft Knox. I finally freed the mouse from it’s tape prison.

The setup instructions are future-based, referring to a  Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8 or Snow Leopard 10.6.2 requirement. Snow Leopard 10.6.2 has not been released yet.

Not to fear, the device paired flawlessly with my Mac Pro, but no multi-touch function. A quick trip to Google directed me to the Apple Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0. Once the update installed and the Mac restarted, the Magic Mouse was fully operational.

First Impressions

  • Definitely a different form factor from the Mighty Mouse.  Slightly lighter, more slim in width, lower profile. The rounded surface of the Mighty Mouse is replaced by a more “table top” look with noticeable edges on the sides of the mouse.
  • Normal mouse functions, tracking, item selection, etc. feel the same. The “click” is still there. Loss of Expose and Dashboard selection capabilities though. Hopefully, a later version of the Magic Mouse software will provide these functions as additional multi-touch gestures.
  • Now scrolling can be activated by moving or flicking your finger on the top surface of the mouse. I’m no longer chained to the scroll-ball. Due to low vision, I use the Mac Screen Zoom feature extensively.  The Magic Mouse has the ability to Zoom with or without Momentum. This is a nice feature.
  • Inadvertent touching – Similar to learning to use a touchpad on a laptop. Sometimes you scroll unintentionally by lightly touching the top surface. I’m getting better.

So far, I am pleased with the purchase.