The Mac 512 Blog

The iPhone 4 Fiasco: An Apple Veteran's Take

2010-07-22T16:11:00.000-05:00

The iPhone 4 Fiasco: An Apple Veteran's Take
by Scott Baret

Steve Jobs held a press conference on Friday to address issues with the iPhone 4, offering a fix in the form of a free case. Up to that point, it had been about a month until Jobs actually did anything other than offer vague advice about how to hold the telephone.

Read the rest of The iPhone 4 Fiasco: An Apple Veteran's Take

iPad Life July 2010 editon is now out

2010-07-15T19:53:00.000-05:00

Today the new issue of iPad Life is out! July 2010 Number 4. Our first Summer app review issue.

Articles in this issue include:

Writepad for iPad review
Solver review

Only 2 apps to review this month? We did not want to short change any app so we looked for two unique apps to review this month. iPad Life feels both of these excellent apps are perfect for anyone who needs to take notes or calculate something.

Writepad for iPad = "We have a new note pad for our note taking in meetings and around town; Writepad for iPad!" The numerous features makes Writepad for iPad the best note taking app we reviewed that ends up with editable text.

Soulver = "Soulver has found it's way into our daily lives." The simplicity of Soulver is awesome. That is Soulver's biggest power.

Check out both of these apps to make you more productive.

Read the rest of the issue here...

What is the Mini's Role in Apple's Lineup?

2010-07-07T06:24:00.000-05:00

What is the Mini's Role in Apple's Lineup?
by Scott Baret

The introduction of the newest iPhone caused quite a media stir last week, first for the hype and anticipation and later because of the problems encountered with Apple's latest device. If a garden variety LG or Samsung phone were being introduced or experiencing problems, nobody would have cared. The fact remains–we love the iPhone in this society.

Read the rest of What is the Mini's Role in Apple's Lineup

Vacationing from the World Online

2010-06-26T15:30:00.000-05:00

Vacationing from the World Online
by Scott Baret

To quote Cole Porter in the excellent musical Anything Goes, "there's no cure like travel to help you unravel the worries of living today." Indeed, we take vacations for exactly this reason. Usually, when we travel for non-business purposes, we leave behind our jobs, our neighbors, and the things we love to hate about our hometowns.

Getting away from the concrete world of our home and workplace is something we are all familiar with–we do it every time we take a vacation. Many of us, however, forget to get away from that "other" world for a bit–the world online.

Read the rest of Vacationing from the World Online here.

iPad Life June 2010 editon is now out

2010-06-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

Today the new issue of iPad Life is out! June 2010 Number 3.

Articles in this issue include:

iPad 3G: Mobile Warrior
Siri
Control your Mac or Windows PCs with iPad

iPad 3G: Mobile Warrior
Now that you have your iPad 3G and are going mobile with it. How do you combat the new AT&T limited data plans? iPad Life looked at this issue for our own iPad 3G. The same principles will work with any iPad WiFi only model that is tethered to a cell phone or connected to a MiFi.

Wifi Hot Spots and Security

AT&T plans have the capability to use free WiFi hot spots at many McDonalds, many airports, Starbucks, and other establishments the are participating with this service. Keep in mind security when you connect to these public WiFi hot spots.

Read the rest of the issue here...

New feature writer Scott Baret

2010-06-16T16:45:00.000-05:00

The Mac 512 is proud to introduce our newest feature writer Scott Baret. Scott hails in PA and has been using personal computers since 1989. Come back as Scott goes deep into the Macintosh's future and past.

A snippet of Scott's first article, "Is the Macintosh Doomed?":

Is the Macintosh Doomed?
by Scott Baret

The death of the Macintosh platform has been predicted several times over the 26 years since the introduction of the original model. The rumors were especially rampant during Apple's "dark years" in the mid-1990s but died down once Steve Jobs returned the company to viability with products such as the iMac, Mac OS X, and iPod. The iPod, creative marketing, and reports of stability brought many "switchers" to the Mac world in the 2000s, but the iPad's introduction and success of the iPhone OS has made many wonder if the Macintosh is endangered once again.

It cannot be denied that mobile devices are starting to supplant traditional computers for some uses. iPod Touches, iPads, and iPhones (as well as their competitors) are being used more frequently for casual web browsing, e-mail correspondence, and social networking–all tasks that had once been reserved for desktop and laptop computers.

Read the rest of "Is the Macintosh Doomed?" here

iPhone 4 and iOS4 thoughts on iPad

2010-06-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

Now that the shock of the new iPhone 4 has worn off. What is there to like? Meaning, Is iPhone 4 different enough or is the iPhone 4 playing catch up with the growing Android smartphone market?

What is game changing to me is:

720p HD video recording and editing
Retna display with 960 x 640 resolution using 4 pixel where 1 pixel technology used to be
Three-axis Gyro
Display glass that is more durable and harder to scratch and break
Real thin and light, yet powerful

Where the iPhone is playing catch up to me is:

Multitasking
5MP Camera
Forward facing camera

Still the "catch up" features will make iPhone4 and iOS 4 a joy to use. They won't hinder the new phone platform at all. Since I mentioned Android, Google has come a long way from the boring and plain-Jane Motrola Droid phone. The new HTC Incredible and HTC Evo are not that bad. The Android screens are standard but not breathtaking like the iPhone 4. The Android's screens look flashier and more eye appealing over the Motorola Droid.

Still the Android's multitaking solution is like the Palm Pre, you don't know what is running until you spin/swipe all the way through the windows that are open on seperate virtual screens to the right and left. iPhone 4's multitasking solution is much better visually.

What Android 2.2 is lacking includes no threaded email in a unified mail inbox and a more fragmented OS platform with versions ranging on current phones 1.0 through 2.2;.

Sex and the City 2 - Carrie still uses her Macintosh, which has a soul

2010-05-31T13:51:00.000-05:00

Normally I don't write about something like this in my blog, but after hearing the news a few weeks ago that HBO pretty much sold their soul to let Hewlett-Packard (HP) provide the computers in Sex and the City 2 movie. My first reaction was, WT? Are we at the final stage of Armageddon? When a non-person becomes a character in a successful TV or movie series you don't turn your back on them like they are yesterday's news. Remember the episode called "My Motherboard, My Self"? Truly Carrie's Macintosh laptop is as important as her character is. Maybe if HBO killed off Carrie and her Mac in a crash it would be understandable.

Someone who has their Macintosh Powerbook G3 "Pismo" in the Smithsonian Natural Museum of American History would not dare to go against the grain of success. Visit Carrie's MacBook Pro from the first SATC movie site. This is a cool interactive site lets you browse through Carrie's favorite computer of choice. Not a one night stand, but a lifetime of happiness. Not because of what the Mac laptop can do, but how it lets you do it.

Why do I care? Back in 1998 Apple products were the trendy and cool computers that only a few people of the world used who "got it". Not to be harsh, but no other computing platform (except for the iPad / iPod Touch / iPhone OS) has a soul. Soon after America's youth fell in love of the iPod did Apple finally receive the recognition they deserved.

Before you think I am going bonkers, Apple put a lot of thought into how a person should interact with a Graphical User Interface GUI type of computer. Once you read this book the personal computer becomes personal again. The book is called Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines. Once you read the book you will understand how a computer can have a soul.

iPad blogging on the go with Rapidblog

2010-05-28T17:49:00.002-05:00

Today I am on vacation and wanted to share that using an iPad to blog remotely over 3G is real easy with the right set up. A few years ago I changed from iWeb to Rapidweaver. Part of Rapidweaver's power is the plug ins. The default blog is good, but there is no remote blogging function. After searching I found RapidBlog.

RapidBlog lets me hookup the blog plug in to Google's blogger web site. I can enter a blog posting from within Rapidweaver's publish or over the web through Blogger. iPad can use the Blogger web site perfectly. So I can update The Mac 512's blog on my iPad while traveling. Cool!

This is one tool that can help me in case I want to travel without my MacBook Pro. This set up was in place way before the iPad was announced. Instead of paying for $14.99 per night for Internet access for my MacBook Pro, now I can use my $14.99/month (or $29.99/month unlimited) 3G service. My savings for a week is easily $75 - $90.

The pay as you go 3G iPad plans are perfect for anyone on the go. Many McDonalds offer free Wifi, so if you need a quick Wifi access you have it, or use the free Wifi to get your next 3G plan set up. The beauty of blogging on the highway over 3G is priceless with your iPad.

Using iPad to be your Windows email virus scrubber

2010-05-12T17:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had a great idea after I received an email that I had no idea who it was from. The file name had "resume" in it so the first thing I thought of is that the attachment was a trojan horse type of virus/malware. Since I use the iPad as my mail hub now I had no fear unzipping the attachment to see what was inside. A Windows exe file was inside waiting for some one with a Windows PC to open and infect. The iPad saved the day!

Stay tuned for the 2nd issue of iPad Life magazine out on May 15, 2010 at www.mac512.com/ipad/

YouTube video:

2010: Year of the tablet PC. Apple iPad vs Microsoft Courier - pt.2

2010-05-08T10:44:00.000-05:00

The second portion of the question if 2010 is the year of the tablet PC with looking at the Apple iPad and the Microsoft Courier. The first part was posted on March 9th.

Interesting twist happened on April 29, 2010. Microsoft pulled the plug on their Courier project. Maybe the 1 million + sales of the iPad made the Courier team at Microsoft to reevaluate their concept or just their hardware decisions? I would of liked to of played with the Courier device myself to see how the software on the device actually worked beyond the advanced hype. I personally believe the advanced hype reported to the Gizmodo web site in 2009 was just a diversion to the other tablet PCs coming out on the horizon. What is also interesting is Hewlett-Packard's change of direction on their Slate device to move away from Windows 7. This is a smart move as the bloated Windows 7 is not optimal for tablet computing.

For a tablet to have an instant on and overall quickness a mobile OS needs to be used, I believe. The iPad OS is perfect for this task. The iPhone OS is perfect for this task. Even the iPod Touch OS is perfect for this. In short Mac OS X is perfect for this and scalable too it seems. Mobile Mac OS X is known as iPhone OS.

Was the Microsoft Courier concept a bad one?

No. I don't believe that the Microsoft Courier concept is a bad concept. I believe the concept has it's advantages with the tight integration of the applications. An iPad software developer will make their software version of the Courier concept in the next 6 months I am forecasting.

My checklist

What I feel makes the perfect tablet PC for needs to have:
- Quick response
- Be able to take notes in ink
- Allow me to sketch notes
- Allow me to watch music videos and movies
- Be able to be adaptable and expandable
- Play games (entertainment device)
- Personal organizer (PDA)
- Large screen (about 8/5" x 11")
- No viruses or malware to wreck havoc or steal my identity (running antivirus/malware software is NOT acceptable, this slows down any computer and many times misses new and bad malware)
- Long battery life
- Under 2 pounds

What comes close or exact for a current product? Apple iPad.

There is no current tablet offering that has the Newton MessagePad's ink to text translating. To sum this up you could write in ink. Then convert into real text now or later. This was the Newton MessagePad's best feature in their tablets. I still have my 3 Newtons that work great with this. Maybe Apple will take the Mac OS X's handwriting recognition feature and port that to the iPad? I sure hope so as that is a start in the right direction.

Other Tablets?

Can any other planned tablet PC product come close to my checklist? Right now I don't know.

Windows OS is a desktop OS, not a tablet PC OS. Too many problems with malware and slow running protection software, plus bloat from years of enhancements, patches, flaws, and just plain slow puts Windows OS out of contention. Netbooks are underpowered with a crappy Atom processor and run an slow and bloated Windows OS, so they are out of contention.

Android and WebOS tablets coming out on the horizon? Maybe.

Macintosh based ModBooks come close. If i could get my hands on one to actually test it I may include this in my success list. For now the expense puts these out of my reach.

For now, I am totally satisfied with how I go for the iPad before my MacBook Pro for many uses. I have two main reasons for owning a tablet - organizing my life (work and graduate school) and quick entertainment (reading books, videos, games). The iPad fits my life perfectly, for now.

Cleaning your Macintosh

2010-04-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a simple way to clean your Macintoshes. After collecting for over 20 years sometimes the Macs you find are not the cleanest. I start off by removing any sticking or leftover debris on the outside, then vacuum the outside of the case, then I use a lint free cloth (soft) with water. If the soiling is more tough I sometimes use a mild dishwasher detergent on a damp cloth. Nothing abrasive. At times you may need to use isopropyl alcohol on the computer cases (NEVER use isopropyl alcohol on LCD monitors). No sprays of any kind directly on the plastic, aluminum, or glass.

If I need to clean the inside of a desktop I always use compressed air inside. The only time I use a vacuum is to clean the air outside of the case when blowing compressed air. This keeps the debris from getting all over. NEVER use a vacuum on the inside of any computer.

In short:

LCD Panels (desktop monitors or laptops) - use a lint free cloth (no isopropyl alcohol)
Laptops - Use a damp lint free cloth. It is ok to use a little of isopropyl alcohol diluted with water. Make sure you remove any debris first. Dry with a soft lint free cloth.
Desktops - Use a damp lint free cloth. It is ok to use a little of isopropyl alcohol diluted with water. Make sure you remove any debris first. Dry with a soft lint free cloth.

I hope these tips help you clean your collectible Macintosh computers!

iPad Life magazine out now

2010-04-15T22:45:00.000-05:00

We are excited to share with you our newest iPad accessory, our onilne magazine for iPad. The magazine that expands on our iPad Life theme. The online magazine is called simply, iPad Life. We feel it is the the best companion to anyone's iPad.

iPad Life magazine

I have been writing professionally for over 12 years with my Macintosh website for Macintosh collectors, The Mac 512. The Mac 512 puts information in an easy to use format, keeping our pro-Macintosh spirit alive, and being critical of Apple Inc. when it makes sense to. From using and collecting the Macintosh platform since 1985, The Mac 512 has gained the reputation of quality and honest writing. iPad Life magazine will take that heritage and continue with it.

iPhone OS 4.0 announced today for iPad

2010-04-08T22:13:00.000-05:00

Yes, iPhone OS 4.0 will run on the iPad when that specific version is shipped this fall. The big features that will benefit iPad include real multitasking, organized folders, and improved Mail application. The benefits will be the ability for the iPad to run Pandora behind other apps, talking on Skype while playing a game, or pulling email in the background. This will make the iPad the dominant tablet PC for sure. There are a few items many people think are "missing". In the long run I was a fast tablet PC with a large screen, iPad delivers this with no compromises according to me. *

In June 2010, iPhone OS 4.0 will be available for iPhone and iPod Touch. The big features that will benefit iPhone and iPod Touch include real multitasking, organized folders, improved Mail application, and iBooks.

* Flash is not really needed unless you live to play Hannah Montana games or slow your tablet PC down, a camera is not really needed as all cell phones have a camera and the photos or videos can be emailed to the iPad, the WebCam is not widely popular with the computing masses and is really a "vanity" type of add-on, expandable memory can be done with an AirStash, removable batteries are really for pre-2010 with AA and AAA world. Of course, this is just my opinion, and not everyone shares this. That is ok. We can all have our different opinions and live together is this wonderful world. :)

Source: http://www.apple.com/iphone/preview-iphone-os/

Today is the day that starts the iPad era

2010-04-03T11:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am proclaiming after using an iPad last night that the iPad era has officially begun. Knowing how small the iPad is, is really a good thing. The fast responsiveness is where I was expecting it to be. Videos are smooth, the display is great to look at, 2,500 apps available for downloading, and a killer feel to it makes the iPad real.

Since we officially launched iPad Life mini-site my vision was simply this - living with the iPad is not like using any other computer (sorry Mac). The ultra-portable aspect of the iPad is really taking hold once you touch it, feel it, caress it (I will stop as I am creeping myself out!). You get the picture. The iPad for me will become an extension of myself. I plan on carrying it like I carried my Newton over a decade ago. My workplace is prepared to see it in meetings organizing my life and my work.

Visit the iPad Life area when you get a chance. Living the iPad Life is about celebration of life itself while using an ultra cool personal assistant that caters to your every need. We feel with the iPad you will become one with the ability to record thoughts, be organized, while getting the oohs and aahs of everyone around. That is living the iPad Life. Don't blame me if you start to drink Panama bottled water, start drinking expensive beer, or like the finer things in life. If you are accustomed with those things, adding the iPad will be a natural part of life.

Visit the iPad Life at http://www.mac512.com/ipad/ and partake in the forums about Mac and iPad discussions at http://www.mac512.com/forum/

"Living the iPad Life is like life itself. Full of wonder, amazement, adventure, and discovery." by G.Younk - Founder of iPad Life and The Mac 512.

iPad Guided Tour or how 2010 will be like 1984

2010-03-29T19:15:00.000-05:00

Back in 1984 you bought your Apple Macintosh and if you were lucky you did have a quick demo from the Apple dealer showing you how to do basic things like moving the mouse, clicking, how to eject a disk, and how to shutdown your new Macintosh. This combination was one of two ways you could learn your new Macintosh; watch and hear the guided tour, or dive right in by reading the user manual. This state of the art technique was not used before in any personal computer that I saw or owned from 1978ish - 1984. Look at the picture at the bottom of this posting of the guided tours that came with the original Macintosh.

Enter in 2010, Apple has brought back part of the magic of owning a new personal computer. The guided tour available online. I applaud Apple for this move as the iPad is as revolutionary as the original Macintosh for the computing world. No really, let me explain.

The iPad will help usher in the way most of us will think about personal computing in the future. Something handheld that is large enough to hold and see a lot of the material at one time. Don't get me wrong the iPhone and iPod Touch gives us this capability but with a 3.5" screen. The larger screen of the iPad (9.7") will enable us to really use web pages, books, magazines, newspapers, and applications to their fullest by being able to see more and/or all of the content.

I have read the arguments over the weeks of the benefits of the: laptop, netbook, iPhone.iPod Touch, etc. These all have their places. The iPad likewise will have it's place. I just see wanting to grab the iPad to look up something while watching TV with the instant on and go there metaphor with a large screen that will make me more productive. Even on my couch. The other devices can do it with either weight (laptop), small screen (iPhone/iPod Touch), and slow and cheap (netbook). Heck, I need a table next to me to hold my laptop so I can bring it over to my lap. Think of the space savings the iPad offers on that table. Not everyone will agree with me. I feel that I see the world changing with this device where so many other tablets failed to be useful in everyday life.

Less than one week we will all see the benefits of the iPad. Join our discussion forums or use the contact us link in the menu bar of this site and let us know how you are using your iPad once you have it. The Mac 512 and iPad Life would love to know and feature you on our site.

The original Guided Tour disk/cassette tape combination for Macintosh and MacWrite/MacPaint applications:

Fake Apple Email - March 2010 - Duping iPad and Mac buyers

2010-03-27T10:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my spam blocker in Apple Mail did it's job by not letting me see this fradulant email. This is a good thing for me as I do have an order in the Apple Store but not under this fake order number. In Apple Mail we are blessed with hovering the mouse over the link and seeing where the link takes you to. In this case some "zoskalesdiamond . com" malware site (I did not go there so I am assuming it is a malware site).

Common sense told me not to go to the site and I fear with the iPad's launch in 7 days this will be more common as these thieves are trying to dup people who placed an order for an iPad or Macintosh recently. My advice is not to click on the link and sign into the Apple Store at www.apple.com manually instead of clicking on email links. That way you are protected.

The Mac 512 is posting a copy of the email as a benefit for everyone to see what it looks like:

I am waiting until phones have a better camera inside before I can say the iPad needs one

2010-03-25T16:43:00.000-05:00

I was reading CNN's tech area this morning and stumbled across this an article on camera phone quality. This article gives good reasons why most photos with a phone are not very good. The image sensors inside are not that great which made me think that I am glad the iPad did not have "just any cheap" camera built in. I understand technology will get better and I can say my current cell phone (Samsung Gloss) has a camera that is a bit better than my previous cell phone (Nokia "something").

I asked a good friend of mine about the iPhone's camera (2MP) and he responded that is is pretty good. Pretty good to me means I will use it since it is included and I cannot upgrade it. Not, this Fuji slim 10MP camera creates images that are stunningly clear with gorgeous color. The iPad's camera connection makes sense to me as I can purchase any low price slimline camera and the iPad will sync with either the memory card or through a USB connection for picture that I can easily "zoom" in (remember with digital pictures I cannot enlarge the picture beyond a point before pixeling starts to occur badly.)

If I am traveling abroad and need to take a quick picture from my car while driving a small device would let me continue to drive without an accidents. If I whipped out a 9.7" tablet and needed 2 hands to take a picture, BAM! The odds increased in my involvement in an accident. Taking the cell phone out to snap a picture is quick and easy.

I can easily email the picture from my Samsung cell phone to my iPad in shorter time it would take to connect Apple's Camera Connection hardware. With no plan I can pay 25 cents a picture or can choose from many picture messaging plans for a lower cost per picture. This makes the mose sense to me for my cell phone.

This is where I don't understand why Cannon, Nikon, and Fuji camers technology is not inside of any cell phones. Not to bash Apple but they are not the forefront in camera technology. To keep costs down Apple most likely went with a contract with a camera manufactuer who is not charging a lot. I am purely speculating as I cannot find this info on the web today.

So to me not having a camera in the iPad makes sense now.

CNN article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/25/cnet.mobile.phone.cameras/index.html

iPad Developers - Start your Engines

2010-03-19T16:34:00.000-05:00

Today Apple released an email to all iPhone developers that they can start to submit their iPad apps they have been working on since January 27th. There is a formal review process but overall this is good news. If you miss their deadline (the email will say) then your new iPad app won't be available. Of course to be included you already needed to be enrolled as an iPhone developer with Apple.

This is good news because the iPad will have a jump start of applications tailored for the platform. More iPad apps means more variety, which means more sales, more support, and more people seeing how the iPad will change the computing industry. Maybe not all of the computing industry, just those what want to work in a new way that works.

Need to mark up a PDF?

2010-03-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

If you have a Mac the full fledged Acrobat Professional can do it. (I thin kAdobe reader also can do it.)

If you have an iPad or iPhone you now can with Aji Annotate PDF app you can. I have not tried it but in my search for a password protected PDF reader I came across this app.

Source: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aji-annotate-pdf/id285258831?mt=8#

Did you pre-order an iPad today? I did.

2010-03-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

Yes I did it. Most of The Mac 512's readers already knew that. They know I have been looking for a Newton MessagePad replacement and until now could never find one that "fit" me like the Newton MessagePad did.

Is part of it knowing that it is an Apple product? Yes, the quality of Apple's products has amazed me and still thrive in my household. To be more specific that is 46 unique Macintosh models and 10 duplicate Macintosh models for parts); Newton Message Pads 100, 2000 (with 2100 software), and eMate 300; Next Cube and Turbo Color Workstation; Apple Lisa, and the iPod Touch (1st Gen and 2nd Gen). All of these work as good as they day they were made. At one point in time I did have almost all of them networked together. That was a pretty warm room.

Now that my pre-order is in process at the Apple Online Stores opening today, let me explain why a tablet form factor will work for me. The model I pre-ordered is the 32GB model with 3G capability. The only accessory I ordered is the black case as my reasoning is that I could get a dock later depending if I wanted one with a keyboard or not.

Graduate School

I went back to school again for my Master of Business Administration (MBA) and have classes and homework to complete weekly. As I am in an accelerated MBA program I have no breaks at all. This will add to my student loans since I decided to start back in school 5 years ago to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree and my Master in Information Systems degree.

Where iPad fits in for school: The iPad will help me carry my eBooks (PDF format) around. All of my interaction when I am not at my local campus is done on the school's website which acts as a way to collaborate with my fellow classmates too. Lectures and other resources are also found online. The school library is found online. At any downtime I can now study and complete my schoolwork anywhere. The 3G makes that possible. Pages looks like a capable word processor for my papers.

Full time Job

My current job involves Agile project work, software developing, and analysis of the Quality Assurance processes.

Where iPad fits in for my full time job: The iPad will be my new notetaker, schedule keeper, and all around Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). With a few apps and a stylus I will be able to sketch any idea or jot down any thought. Keep myself organized in the process.

Leisure Time

I like to listen to music, watch movies, watch music videos, and check up on new trends on the Internet. Video games is something I have not really done on my iPod Touch but will look into it on the iPad.

Where iPad fits in for my leisure time: The iPad will become my hub of the majority of my digital life. I still have my 46" LCD HDTV for major movie and TV watching. But with the right tools I can continue watching any movie or TV show I did not finish on the move.

What the iPad to me is

Knowing the 3G was my extra expense ($129) with the benefits outweighing the price made sense to me.
I could of chosen a Windows Tablet or just used a smartphone with the pricey data/voice plans. None of these products would really help me out.
I want a secure device and Windows cannot offer that due to the number of malware and viruses our there waiting to disable my tablet or steal my personal data.
I want a voice plan that is real cheap for my phone use. AT&T has expensive iPhone plans which does not fit into my budget. Now AT&T's $29 unlimited data only plan for the iPad does fit in my budget.
I also want a large screen but not as large as a laptop, yet much larger than a netbook's screen.
I want a fast system with little waits between applications and fast games.

The iPad will give me exactly what I want. The Apple philosophy of the App Store will help protect me and my personal data while giving me access to many applications. I will be able to live without handwriting recognition until a company decides to make a wow application using it or until Apple implements it in the OS.

Did you pre-order an iPad. If so, what will you use it for? The Mac 512 would like to know.

2010: Year of the tablet PC. Apple iPad vs Microsoft Courier - pt.1

2010-03-09T18:20:00.000-06:00

I have been an advocate of using a computer-based tablet since 1993. I have three Newtons and they are still very useful except you cannot go past the year 2009, unless you patched the device with an unofficial patch. Watching and participating in the pen-computing arena as an end user waiting until another breakthrough emerges has been rather interesting. I tried the Personal Digital Assistants from Palm and Microsoft over the years but never really topped the usefulness of the Newton MessagePad. For me handwriting recognition on the Newton MessagePad is the utopia on how a personal computer can become personal. (Your mileage may vary on that issue.)

Enter 2010 - the year the tablet pc really takes off?

Apple iPad

I was stoked about the possibility of a real Newton MessagePad replacement when Apple announced their tablet computer. Eagerly waiting until I can hold one for myself. I started a discussion on LinkedIn about using an iPad for my graduate studies and there has been a lot of talk about how great or how bad that idea is. Most of the people who think it is a bad idea either don't get how a tablet PC will help them or are really anti-Apple with their comments about a "high tax". Some think the iPad is only a eBook reader, others think because it does not run Windows 7 it cannot be good.

What I like from the iPad is the ability to use a large screen as your window to the world. Using the finger is a newer way of using the pen metaphor for personal computing. In many ways I like it that I cannot loose my finger like a stylus. Yet it is natural to use a stylus for writing down notes or drawing. Since you can put any application on it (from Apple's App Store) the unit is ultra customizable. Being able to use your finger for writing would be a +1 for me. We need an application that will allow the user to write in ink or draw with their finger on the same "page" for starters. That would be really useful for when you don't want to use the on-screen or external keyboard to quickly jot down a note. So the Pogo stylus may be of use if the iPad has a killer application that mimics the pen-computing of the Newton. This app could be built into the operating system too. (hint , hint Apple.)

By now we all know the capabilities of the iPad so I don't have to really go into the full detail. See my "Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100?" blog posting for more on what the iPad has and can do (from the announcement, not a shipping device). Being expandable is really one of the powerful features of the iPad that most people overlook. You cannot never have too much choice, in my opinion.

One thing that most people don't consider with a personal digital assistant is security. Having Apple oversee all applications means no nasty viruses or malware trying to steal your information. This is a good thing and a good feature.

Apple iPad - http://www.apple.com/ipad/
Pogo Stylus for the iPhone / iPod Touch - http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php

Microsoft Courier

Microsoft has been talking about a tablet pc through a "leaked" video about a new device called the Microsoft Courier since September 2009 (from my research). Engadget has the computer generated animation video on their web site about a Gen Researcher working on a furniture design project who uses the Courier as a personal digital assistant (PDA). After watching the video it brought me back to 1993. A PDA with contacts, notepaper, and connectivity with the outside world through faxing or through a modem. The Courier is not limited to a modem or faxing but most likely the device will have wifi and 3G, but I really don't know.

The first time I saw a picture of the Microsoft Courier I thought Microsoft was entering in the portable game market to beat out the Nintendo DS series.

Since I could not find any real technical specs I will stay more on the functionality of the device. According to Engadget the device is about 5" x 7" closed. So the dual screen will give you about the same size as a single 8-8.5" screen. Since the hinge is in the middle separating the screens, the device will not be good at some things like movies or a larger ebook reader. The device may be good for having a personal journal and that is it. Limiting the device like this will appeal to certain people but may cost potential customers in the long run. We don't know what limitations the device will have other other features until more information comes forth.

The video shows a home page on the Courier that includes: the web, contacts, journal, and a camera area. There applications are integrated by using your finger and the stylus to navigate and interact with the device. Using the stylus allows easy note taking, but at times I would like to use a on-screen keyboard instead. I have to give the device a +1 for the pen enabled computing but a -1 for the lack of an on-screen keyboard. Remember when the Newton MessagePad arrived? Many times the handwriting recognition was error prone and gave weird results until the device learned your writing style. This should appear again unless the device cannot convert ink into editable text. This feature of the Newton was really useful and made the device more useful than any other pen-computing device back then. If the Courier does not have this capability, it will be limited if the device cannot accurately find information or pull up web sites based on someone's poor handwriting.

Being able to collaborate with other people over the web on your "special journal website" is actually a nice touch. Their updates allow back-to-back communication on the pages you give other people access to. This will most likely tie into Microsoft's Live web hosting platform making instant customers. Some people say putting too much faith in a company like Microsoft or Apple in their product offering that don't allow you to have a choice is bad. I don't know if this is really bad, but if Microsoft had to make this component work with every web server our there that capability may not exist then.

The Courier may work out for some but if history continues as it has in the past. Most people will not purchase this device and insist a laptop or netbook is the best of both worlds yet. Getting over this misconception of most people may work against the Courier and its fans.

Microsoft Courier at Engadget - http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

Stay tuned for the second part where I look at my needs and figure out my checklist to help determine which will I want to purchase. The second part is posted here.

Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100? pt.2

2010-02-28T07:52:00.000-06:00

Ongoing series looking at the iPad and the Newton MessagePad 2000 / 2100 in comparison. Part one was here if you missed it.

iPad Platform
The iPad has a 9.7" diagonal screen with multi-touch capability. The whole size of the unit is just a bit less than a regular 8.5" x 11" notepad from looking at the specs. Is this the sweet spot in size? For a tablet that could be used in business and even the health care industry I believe it is. Since you can have a carry case to protect the iPad this case must be around 8.5" x 11" or a tad larger like a regular portfolio, I am expecting. The 9.7" screen is the size of the popular netbooks in a handheld unit.

The multitouch capability lets the unit tell how much pressure and how many fingers are touching the screen. Away is the external Watcom pressure pads that you can add on to your Macintosh PC. Seeing where you can draw like a pencil on paper makes a strong advantage indeed. Seperate companies make a stylus that you can use on the iPod Touch and iPhone, and most likely will work with the iPad. So handwriting recognition is a possibility through software alone. Knowing that the iPhone OS is Mac OS X based. Using the same handwriting recognition software (Inkwell) that comes with Mac OS X should be a no-brainer to port. From my research that handwriting recognition program was originally ported from the Newton and was available in some versions of Mac OS X.

iPad comes with all of the iPod Touch / iPhone applications (Mail, Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Stocks, Maps, Weather, Clock, Calculator, iTunes, YouTube, App Store, Music, Videos, and Photos). The only information we have is release photos of the iPad so don't quote me on this as I won't know until the unit ships in another month. I am hoping for an advanced painting/drawing application is built-in. I can always buy one from software developers later through the App Store and may be the way Apple wants to distribute their software from now on.

Wifi and 3G access makes the iPad a strong candidate for today's world where easy to access information is necessary. I find myself as an iPod Touch only owner the I tend to go to places I know have free Wifi service since I have no 3G cell tower capability. If I lived in a large metropolitian area like New York City that task would not be that tough (my basis is when I was in NYC in September 2009 my iPod Touch could hook to some public Wifi hotspot no matter where I was). In my local area free Wifi is only at some restaurants or businesses, most establishments in my area don't provide this.

Expandability of the iPad is limited to a few devices at the introduction: keyboard dock, camera adapter, and a SD Card reader. More accessories will follow.

The need of a printer should be coming forth based on the rumors on many Mac rumor web sites where developers who downloaded the SDK mentions there are OS level print drivers in the latest SDK. (AppleInside forums). This will open the iPad to a new market like my parents. Using the touch capability will benefit my parents who are pretty much computer-illiterate. The mouse and the GUI confuses them. So the touch capability to navigate a few applcations (50 would put them over the top), surf the web easily with their finger, and print their annual Christmas letter from Pages = BAM. That is all they need.

Does the iPad answer my question?

My original question was "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" If the iPad was new to the point where no iPod Touch / or iPhone existed, YES would be the quick answer. Since most of the capability had existed for 3 years already, my thoughts are the iPad does extend that existing capability with a larger screen and 3G access. I will not be the first person to admit that the iPad is not perfect. But I will say this device will be the turning point where a personal computer is personal again.

For me, handwriting recognition would made it of mostly perfect in my opinion. I will enjoy the larger screen for photos of my trips, internet surfing, movies, music videos, and drawing. Taking notes with a small keyboard on the iPad Touch really limited my desire to use this for note taking at work. It could be done but was a pain as I often hit the wrong key while in my groove and had to backspace or try to move the cursor with my finger to correct the problem. I have the same problem with my Samsung phone's keyboard. I don't know if your iPod Touch or iPhone can sync notes to a Macintosh PC, I cannot with my unit. (I am still running iPhone/iPod Touch OS 2.2.X.) This lack of syncing is the other problem for using the notes application as a business tool. The calendar and address book is fully usable as a business tool. So will the Pages component of iWork sync? I hope so. Since the keyboard is close to the size of a regular MacBook Pro keyboard I should be able to take notes with ease. The true test is once I get my unit in my hands about 1 month from now.

With this taken into account the full answer to my question "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" is still a YES to me. Why? The interface is more user friendly and capable than the Newton was. The stylus of the Newton could tap and control the unit like a mouse. The iPad will have multitouch and pressure sensitive capabilities. So the iPad with its larger screen, anywhere capability for information (3G and Wifi), and control mechanisms (multitouch screen and accelerometer) is the wow factors the iPad has. This sets the iPad apart since the world now expects this in a handheld unit.

Was this a fair question? Not really. Taking devicing that debuted about 17 years apart is like comparing a car from 2000 and a car from 1960. Too much time as passed and technology has really improved quite a bit. It was fun to compare and contrast the capabilities to see how far we have come. I believe this is the start of when people really take the tablet computing metaphor into a reality. Not just a fad that some of us embraced in the 1990s. But a serious push towards how we can use a personal computer and make the computer personal again. Just like 1993.

I look forward in using my iPad with 3G capabilities to extend my world.

The third part will be after I test a iPad in my hands and see what the shipping unit compares to my original thoughts and how can we extend the unit. Expect this after the unit ships.

Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100? pt.1

2010-02-17T16:38:00.000-06:00

I have been a Newton user since 1993 when the MessagePad was released. Later the MessagePad was dubbed with the model 100 tag when the 110 and 120 models were released. What I loved was the business aspects of this little device and the handwriting recognition. Eventually as time went on and Mac OS X was released syncing became a problem and I retired the Newton from use in my life. I have the hardware to backup, restore, and sync to my Newton but was waiting for that Macintosh tablet which never came out. Often I pull out my Newton and show people what was available 12 years ago when only a handful of people willing to invest into the future of computing.

Enter 2010 with the iPad. Not a Macintosh tablet that I was wanting exactly. But a larger iPhone without the voice call capability. Is the iPad something that will work for me? Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table? The Mac 512 will answer that question in a series of postings.

What the iPad brings is the ability for Apple to provide a larger personal experience almost the same way the Newton did back 17 years ago. Both the Newton and iPad platforms are based on a separate operating system and cannot run Macintosh-based software.

Newton platform
I will admit that the original Newton MP 100 was very cool and usable back in 1993. The screen is perfect in size, however the unit was too thick to put in a pocket. The weight alone will sag the strongest pocket. The Newton MP 2000/2100 was the almost perfect size for carrying around like a tablet. This is due to the thickness being matched with a larger screen. The screen size for the original MessagePad was 336x240and the MessagePad 2000/2100 was 480x320.

Using the larger screen made the Newton MP 2000/2100 more enjoyable to use. A main reason was when writing down notes in ink the more room meant less scrolling down. The ability to convert any ink into real editable text is the main bonus of the Newton series. Eventually other PDA units came out from other manufacturers. None of these units were even close to the personal aspect of the Newton. If I was in a hurry I would scribble and draw out my notes and convert the text later. Talk about a timesaver.

The original Newton MessagePad had Notes, Dates (calendar) and Names(address book) applications. The Newton MessagePad 2000/2100 added an NetHopper (Web browser), Inbox (Email) applications, QuickFigure Works (spreadsheet), and Newton Works (word processor). Both had connection software to sync with a Macintosh or Windows. I used the Internet and email programs with the dial-up ISP Earthlink years ago. This worked pretty well with the ability to store all outgoing email until I could connect. The only shortfall with the Internet is the Newton would dial up your ISP, grab a web page or send/receive email, and disconnect the connection. It was workable back then, nowadays this would be unbearable.

Handwriting recognition and drawing support built in gave all Newtons the "wow" factor and usability. The ability to store the "ink" and convert it into real text later (or at that moment) put the Newton MessagePad into a portable device with real power for business people.

An Apple Newton 2000 / 2100:

Look at part 2 of this article here.

Google to drop support for older browsers

2010-02-03T08:53:00.000-06:00

Do you use Google's web services (gmail, gapps, etc)? A recent email to all Google users of those web apps received an email stating on March 1, 2010 with Google apps onward to the end of 2010 with Gmail and other Google web services will need to upgrade. A message will be shown when you connect to Google's apps when they are upgraded.

Supported by Google:
Google Apps will continue to support ~~Internet Explorer 7.0 and above~~, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Macintosh Browser list:
Camino 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://caminobrowser.org/
Camino 1.6 supports OS X 10.3.9; http://caminobrowser.org/download/
Classilla supports Mac OS 9; http://classilla.org/
Firefox 3.6, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.mozilla.com/
Flock, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.flock.com/
Google Chrome, Intel only, OS X 10.5 and later, http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=mac
Opera 10, OS X 10.3 and later; http://www.opera.com/
SeaMonkey 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
Shiira 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://shiira.jp/en