A Hard Graft Christmas Present

To myself. If I can afford it. Hard Graft Shoulder MacBook Sleeve, $200. Drool.

Metal Beveled Back for iPhone 4

If I were to ever upgrade my iPhone to version 4, I'd probably try and void my warranty by doing something like this. Yum.

What's In My Bag?

Gorillapod, WD 500GB, Apple Macbook Pro 13", HiFiMAN EF2A headphone amp, Panasonic Lumix GF-1, Grado SR225i, iPhone 3GS, my sketchbook, a bunch of pens, and my Oakley Holbrooks.

iPad Design: Something New

Here's a few inspiring tips from Derek Powazek's lessons learned after designing the MagCloud app.

• Design intimately, it's much more than print: "It’s utterly unlike print in every other way imaginable. Point is, the direct interface really does mean reevaluating every assumption when it comes to interactive design."
• No more hover states! "You don’t click, you tap. You don’t scroll, you swipe! It's all changed our interaction vocabulary."
• Take your time: "Apps have a lot of hidden corners that can disrupt a user experience. Getting them right takes time."

Personally, I'm pretty psyched about the device and will most likely be picking one up later this year. The plan is to streamline home entertainment, cloud life, and keep up with all of my favorite blogs anywhere in my house. Trust me, this'll be interesting.

New Mac Mini, End of Apple TV?

It's all aluminum, faster, HDMI, and $100 more than the original Mac Mini. For a home entertainment center, it's a bit too much in my opinion. However, feeding it into a 52" LED HDTV doesn't sound too bad as a desktop computer.

The iPad is for Porn

After recent news of Apple's War on Porn, it finally hit me. Adobe and Apple's Flash debacle wasn't about anyone's laziness, ownership of digital rights, or restrictions on open-source. It was about keeping their little slate as clean as possible from the rarely talked about, but highly influential adult entertainment industry.

I remember it was a game-changer the day when we first heard the first Blu-ray disc was set to be released to the masses. At that point, I pictured someone in their office throwing their laptop to the floor and yelling, "There, it's done! Blu-ray wins!"

And while Apple's recent crackdown of "sexually explicit applications" may not come across as such a surprise, I'm personally convinced that they are on their way to killing off the ultimate adult entertainment device ever created by man. Allow me to name the top 5 reasons why:

1. It has the sensual power of touch. Multi-touch, to be exact. If some creative developers could develop some highly addicting and entertaining games involving 3-D articles of clothing, the results could only be brilliant. Either that, or an army of perverted iPad gamers.
2. It has tilt. Just more ingenious gaming possibilities.
3. It's almost too conveniently sized. Bring it on the bus. A restroom. A funeral home. There is no place too inconvenient or too small. The iPad fits it all.
4. It's the ultimate multimedia hub. The ability to emulate the reading experience of a magazine with the ability to display video and animation has been the dream for many adult media collectors for years.
5. It's sexy by nature. Hey - that almost sounds like a rap song. Anyway, many industrial designers argue that the visual impression gained within the first few milliseconds and after 6 months is essential to a successful design (though don't quote me on that). Even though it's purely a subjective view that the iPad would be an aesthetically wonderful experience, I would like to certainly think so.
   

Though it may be a longshot, calling any form of adult media "aesthetic" may be pushing it, but if you're willing to accept it, the pieces fall right into place.

Now, my guess a jailbroken iPad would mean one of two things. Either one, it would mean porn would be the first for developers to go bananas and a bonanza of pornography games, magazines, and new experiences will be available for the masses. Or, Apple would finally acknowledge the mountain of gold they've been sitting on and open up the floodgates for the 18+. The Earth would probably stop moving for a while. The iPad would explode the following day in record-breaking hype and popularity that no one would be able to use a normal computer ever again.
That's what I call a game-changer, dude.

Image: Wired

Apple Legend Jonathan Ive Talks Design

A very, very rare and enjoyable glimpse into the design process of Jonathan Ive, vice president of Apple's industrial design. Watching this clip makes me want to design even more. Design like painting. Design like a never ending river.

Mac Hack Attack: Multiple Identities on Apple Mail Edition

If you've ever tried setting up multiple alias with a single e-mail using Apple Mail, you'll notice it isn't nearly as easy as setting it up in Thunderbird on a PC. You either had to manually add a Reply-To address or throw a pissy fit.

The main reason for this is because there is no box or anything remotely logical to get the alias to add. Luckily, there's an easy solution, thanks to yours truly. Here it is:

1. Open Mail App.
2. Go to Preferences
3. Click on Accounts
4. Choose your account
5. In the "Email Addresses" data entry field, add your aliases (identities), separated by a comma.
6. Save your account.

Now, when you compose a new email, your aliases (identities) will be in the "Account:" drop-down menu.

Where You Do What You Do

Colethomas Studio is a small (but perfectly formed) graphic design studio based in Preston, in the UK.

Putting An End To This Mac Vs. PC Bidness

PC or Mac? Coming from a field that's been so heavily focused on both interfaces, it's hard to choose favorites based on operating system alone. Additionally, the push for cloud computing has made it even more difficult to hand over the kudos to Apple's slightly more innovative Macbook line. Basically, if everything is possible over the internet, it doesn't really matter if you're on a Mac or PC. What does matters is a reasonably sized keyboard, a decent screen, a strong WiFi card, and lightweight body for portability.

Fortunately, both of the Macbook and HP Mini series are capable machines that sport all of the above requirements for an above-average notebook. The only difference being the price. With a good company or educational discount deal, you can have the new unibody Macbook 13" for about $1100. The HP Mini 2140 can be had for about less than half of that - $500. There are reasons for it being this cheap, outside of it being "PC" instead of a "Mac." Quotations are present for obvious reasons.

One of the big differences is resolution. While the Macbook allows for the standard 1280x800 resolution (good for 720p films and such), the HP only supports 1024x576. If you're looking to browse the web for extended periods of time, squinting at the text rendered on the HP Mini just isn't really a good idea. The Macbook's larger digital workspace lets you comfortably browse without added eyestrain, while maintaining the body weight down at a reasonable 4.5lbs (vs. HP's 2.5lbs).

Secondly, the specs are worth a quick mention. The HP uses a 1.6Ghz Atom processor while the Macbook comes in flavors of 2.0GHz or 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo. There's no doubt the Macbook is a superior machine in terms of performance, but where it strives in power, it loses in battery life. In real world tests, you can squeeze about 3 hours out of the Macbook on a single charge; you can get about twice as much using a six-cell battery on the HP Mini. There is no expansion for the Macbook due it its unibody design.

Aesthetics and ergonomics come into play, but are absolutely subjective depending on the individual. Personally, I find the Macbook's design many levels above the HP Mini, though this shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Thoughtful design has always been one of Apple's strongest selling points and continues to be up until now. The HP Mini, on the other hand, isn't a pushover either. The simple, lightweight design pushes the boundary on what a cheap "netbook" could and should be. Its spacious keyboard truly allows for comfortable computing without making you feel like you're on a child's toy.

Finally, the last thing we should glisten on is longetivity. In IT, we use the term "destructive technology" a great deal when dealing with hardware refreshes. Simply put, a new piece of tech is deemed destructive when it completely annihilates another industry. For instance, the MP3 destroyed CDs. DVDs to VHS tapes. Facebook to Myspace. The list goes on. This does not happen much with the field of personal computers, but it does happen, just on a smaller scale.

While the Macbook may continue to be more than usable for 3-4 years after the intial purchase, "netbooks" have had a natural tendency to become outdated fairly quickly (just by looking at the rate of new netbook releases every 3 months) and feels like they've become more of a "phenomenon" than a true market niche that's destined to stay. Some may argue otherwise, especially when you consider the upward trend of netbook sales, but one must truly consider value in every conceivable definition before making a final decision on something you'll be using on a daily basis. Hell, most people take up more time picking out a bed than laptops these days anyway.

In the end, technology is technology and every budget is as different. If you're doing most of your daily work via an online interface anyway, the Mac vs. PC argument can end right there. Because even though gestures are a noteworthy plus, there needs to be much more than that to justify $400-$500 above a similarly speced PC.

So it really comes down to is how much you're willing to throw down. Those extra bells and whistles matter to you? (It's quite okay, if they do, really) For me, they're enough to greatly effect my purchasing decision. While I'll never let go of my pimped out desktop PC, but for portability, I'll stick with my Macbook. I'll tout it around like an asshole, but for me, it just makes sense. Gesture control is perfect for my blogging habits, the ability to dual boot into Windows will allow me to switch on over whenever OSX pisses me off, and the design is on par to a BMW I can't afford as of the moment, so why not settle on a little machine that'll bring a smile to your face the next day? Ah, yes. I said it. A piece of aluminum can really bring a smile to one's face. Strange world we live in, no?

New iPhone To Be Slippery, Like Bar Soap

Something tells me all this hub-bub is just going to blow up into a big circle jerk of disappointment. So I'm just going to stop visiting technology sites for the next few months. Perhaps turning off this Twitter thing might do me some good, too...

Edible Concepts, Apple Edition

Yep, it's prolly fake. But if the leak is true - a 10.4" Macbook Mini priced at $899 with LED backlighting, 1.83Ghz Atom processor, 2GB DDR3, 64GB SSD, and essential standard goodies (Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Wireless-N) - Apple might just have found its goldmine computer for students and traveling professionals looking to switch over to Mac. I dunno about you, but I got my fingers crossed.

MSI Wind vs. Apple Macbook Air Showdown

While I don't condone biting designs from another company, I can definitely see the attraction in doing so. So let's compare take a cold hard look at MSI's "Apple-inspired" Wind, shall we?

First off, I'm going to have to agree with the masses. As a netbook, the Macbook Air is outrageously priced given what you're getting. A 4200 RPM hard drive? Please. With specs this terrible, you'd probably guess that given enough time, someone would develop a Hacknintosh alternative and throw a pirated version of OSX onto it.

And so that's what happened. Except now, you have a company that's shamelessly stealing a design and actually turning into an ugly piece of shit. How is that possible, especially if you try and blantantly stealing a design off Apple? Whether you're in agreement or not, it's outright ridiculous that they're not getting sued already by Apple.

More value, I must agree, but again, stealing is wrong and there's no doubt MSI's wearing the darkside shorts here. That, in addition with their reputation of ripping off customers with rebates in the past, convinces me to say that their entry into the netbook playing field is dispicable and doesn't deserve a penny from consumers.

As long as there are people who shop at Walmart and Hong Kong knock-off manufacturers looking to make an easy dime, there will be MSI. And as long as Apple continues to price shit so goddamn high, consumers will only get more inbred retard looking alternatives designed for bottom feeders.

iPhone 3G Lego Dock

Now that's pretty rad. If only it looked a little bit more stable, I'd consider it. Anyway, instructions are in Italian if you feel like using Google to translate it.

Rolando Turns Your iPhone Into a Wacky Gaming Device

Whew! Well it may have taken a while longer than expected, but I'm super excited to see the release of Rolando on the iPhone! Credits go to Mikko Walamies for bringing Rolandoland to life with his wonderful, charming illustrations, and to awesome talents like Mr. Scruff who helped sculpt Rolando’s musical landscape. Can't wait to check this out!

To Macbook Air, Or To Not Macbook Air

That is the question, yes. Now if I could only convince myself to let my MP3 and movie collection go to make room for the tiny SSD drive, this decision would come much easier…

So, It Looks Like You Want To Use Your iPhone GPS Without A Data Plan

You just scored a cheap iPhone 3G off eBay and are stoked to not have to deal with AT&T's data plan. Not so fast, buddy. I understand paying an extra $30 per month is really burning a hole in your pocket with being unemployed and all. Believe me, you're not the only one that thinks so.

However, if you're looking to use the built-in GPS that utilizes triangulation - you're gonna just have to suck it up or not use the feature at all. The overages will literally turn that cash burn into an all-out wildfire. The data plan is required if you're going to use it for GPS.

How To Sync Google Calendar with iPhone

Your iPhone doesn't get cool points until it has the ability to sync with multiple sources (especially calendars) that are actively pushed throughout the day, ensuring you're taking advantage of that super expensive data plan you're paying for. Well, here it is, my friends, a solution to sync up your GCal with your iPhone via the built-in Exchange Server Active Sync Push support.

It's called NuevaSync. NuevaSync is a Exchange Conduit for Google Calendar, Contacts and Gmail. Totally free? You betcha.

To set up you iPhone or iTouch to fetch data from your Google Calendar go to NuevaSync’s website and sign up. After filling all you information check your email and verify your email address.

When you have verified your email, log in to set your settings. Next to Calendar click on Change, select Google and click to configure your settings. Enter your Google account id and click on ‘Request Account Access’. Voilà, you are done with NuevaSync.

On you device, click on Settings and select ‘Mail, Contacts, Calendars’ Tab. Under Accounts click on ‘Add Account…’ and select the first item on the menu, Microsoft Exchange. For Email type in your Google email address, following with your NuevaSync’s username and password. Describe the account and click Next. A pop-up message will show up, ignore it and click ‘Accept’. You’ll be asked for the exchange server address, which is ‘www.nuevaserver.com’. Type it in and click Save.

Congratulation! Now you can sync your GCal without paying $99 for the MobileMe Service.

With NuevaSync you can also fetch Mail, Contacts and Tasks from your Google Account. Special thanks to this article for walking me through it.

Why I Want To Go Into Usability Design

Mister Apple clan master said it best:

"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it
works." -- Steve Jobs, The New York Times, 2003

And seeing as there are so many things that just don't behave the way they're suppose, I'm sure I'll be in for a lifetime of work.

Top 5 Things You Can Buy That Won't Depreciate Within 1 Year

Of course you'll end up losing a little bit, but not so far as 50% or more. Know of more? Do let me know, I'm getting that placebo fat wallet effect this month before Black Friday.

1. Apple iPhone: Jailbreaking an iPhone (a somewhat legal action) can mean lots of extra cash if you know what you're doing. Sometimes, you'll end up getting more for it in return than what you paid for.
2. Apple Macbook laptops: If you check the eBay resale value on these things, the numbers are incredibly encouraging. Especially if you're in school, you'll be able to check out with their sweet educational discounts and then break completely even by the end of the first year.
3. IKEA furniture: Despite their reputation of being "flimsy" and "cheap," IKEA products are at the top tier in Craigslist furniture searches. If you buy it used and sell it used, in most cases you'll be able to break even or lose $10-$20 max.
4. Video games: Do your research before buying a video game. There are tons of review sites out there right now where you can check out reviews before taking the plunge. The higher the rating, the more likely you'll get 80% back from your investment.
5. Designer furniture: Ever see an ad for a sofa and people are forcefully trying to get rid of stuff so they can upgrade? Won't happen with a name every interior designer knows. A $2000 chair will sell for $1800 years down the line.