January 2012
5 posts
Things you should try: IFTTT →
Here’s a quick post about a tool I love but can’t say I’ve yet found an extremely useful purpose for. IFTTT stands for If This Then This, and that is exactly what it does. You connect it to different services or feeds and then set up rules that will take actions on specified conditions. For example, I use this to send me a text when it’s raining (I don’t have a window...
Things I Want: Raspberry Pi →
I’ve spent some time reading about this nifty little project that should be shipping by next month. What is the Raspberry Pi? According to the project’s website it is an ARM processor based Linux box for $25. Looks like the $35 model will be the one to get though because it includes an extra USB port, networking, and increased RAM. Heck, even at $35 this thing should still be an...
The answer for those who complain the iPhone lacks... →
I’ve seen these before, but this is by far the most affordable way I’ve seen to effectively add a physical keyboard to your iPhone. I have had people tell me they can’t give up their crapberry for an iPhone because they swear they can type better on a physical keyboard. I personally am ok with the virtual keyboard on the iPhone so I have no use for such a ridiculous peripheral.
...
Reconnecting The Cord
Well, it was fun while it lasted. After less than one month of experimentation, our family are no longer “cord cutters”. It came down to a great deal from Verizon, we were able to add our TV service back (with a few less channels) for only a few dollars more than we were paying for just internet and phone service each month. This was a fun, challenging, and ultimately discouraging...
We Cut The Cord!
Last week, my wife and I took the leap and cancelled the video service portion of our FiOs service. We had many reasons for doing this, the main reason being to cut our monthly costs. We are planning on relying on Netflix, Hulu, various network websites, over the air tv, and iTunes for our entertainment needs. In our living room we have an Apple TV, Xbox 360, iMac, internet connected Blu-ray...
November 2011
2 posts
The Steve Jobs Bio - my impressions
When I first heard that there was going to be an authorized biography of Steve Jobs coming out this year I was a little interested but skeptical that it would be as harshly honest as the unauthorized Jobs biography I read years ago (iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business). I’ll admit that in the midst of the hysteria and nostalgia after the recent death of his...
A simpler way to manage finances
Years ago, back when I still used Windows at home, I used Microsoft Money to manage my family’s finances. Even though I may have become someone of an Apple bigot in the years to follow I readily admit that Money remains my favorite financial management tool ever.
When I switched to the Mac, I started using a nice piece of software that I got to watch grow up from infancy called...
October 2011
1 post
I'm back
Just noticed it’s been a long time since I last updated this blog. This has been due mostly to my new job that I started about six months ago doing IT for a condo associaiton financing company just outside of downtown Tampa. I’ve been loving the new job, so much so that I really haven’t had the time to devote to writing about my geek life. I hope to see that change now though and...
March 2011
5 posts
Overcoming The Fear Of "Missing Out" →
This is a great article from the Simple Dollar about putting yourself in a mindset that focuses on appreciating what you have, where you are, and what you’re doing instead of worrying about missing out on something better.
BubCap - Toddler home button protection for... →
I first saw these on iphoneandkids.com and I think we need these in our household. No matter how much fun Parker is having playing on of his games on the iPad or iPhone, he just can’t seem to resist the temptation to push the home button. These neat little accessories prevent him from doing so. I plan on ordering a pack and writing a full review (well as much of a review as you can write...
Parker's Pick - The Monster At The End Of This...
In an attempt to stick to my goal of keeping this blog fresh I am going to start a series of posts for fellow parents of Toddlers that features something that either entertains my son or helps us keep our sanity while chasing after him.
For our first installment I want to give a quick shout out to Parker’s very favorite book for the iPad. Now, this isn’t necessarily a book in the...
Working Remotely on iOS
As anyone who has an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad probably knows, the more you use these devices the more you realize how much they can improve your life by making just about every computing task you do more mobile. One way my iPhone and iPad do this for my is by allowing me to work from home without having to sit at my uncomfortable desk chair all day.
My job allows me the opportunity to work...
January 2011
18 posts
Top 10 Space-Saving Household Projects →
Impressive lifehacker article with some amazing ways to save space around the house.
What to do?
Last year our family adopted yet another consumer electronic device, an Apple TV. We’ve gotten a lot of use out of this tiny little box so far, especially the Netflix app. The real reason I was interested in the Apple TV is that I really believe Apple will add the ability to add third party apps to the platform in the near future. Fortunately for me, the Apple TV has been jailbroken and it...
The Green Hornet
Took the kids I mentor to see the new Green Hornet movie today. Awesome choice, we all really enjoyed it. I’m sure it’s probably a movie that will anger comic book nerds, but luckily I am not one of those. I enjoy comic book movies that aren’t boring, don’t take themselves too seriously, and don’t last too long. This movie met those requirements for me. I’ve...
iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Best Apps for Kids →
Found this cool, interesting site today while searching for protective cases for my son’s iPhone (we’re not those kind of parents, it’s just for us to keep his music and movies with us without taking up space on our phones, besides it was just laying around because we upgraded and we can’t sell it because the bluetooth doesn’t work on it … oh, can you tell I...
$40 of a current gen iPod touch →
I would jump on this in a heart beat if I didn’t already have two iPhone 4s, an iPhone 3G, and an iPad. This is a great device for video chatting and playing some of the amazing iOS games. I definitely recommend this as a must have for anyone who doesn’t have an iPhone or iPad already. Then, you need an Apple TV to make your digital enjoyment complete.
Here comes 4.3! →
Here comes the next version of the iOS. This is a good but brief article by The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) about the next iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system. Nothing too exciting other than the fact that it sounds like there is going to be more support in XCode for developers to use AirPlay for video in the next version. This would be cool because if Apps are able to use this...
Happy iPhone day Verizon
Short one tonight (I’ve only got 9 minutes to post this to make my self imposed deadline).
So, I followed the announcement today of the iPhone coming to Verizon. Competition is always good for consumers, unfortunately for Verizon in this case I don’t think they’ll be able to really compete until they dump CDMA for LTE. I couldn’t imagine not being able to use my...
Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car Kit
This is a hard review to write. I absolutely love this product in many ways. If it’s only intended function were to allow you to hear your device’s audio through the speakers of your car, then this would be a great product and I would give it five stars. Unfortunately, this is where the positives end. This product is also intended to allow you make speakerphone calls with your...
Wunderlist
Productivity apps hold a place near and dear to my heart. I get some sort of thrill from feeling like I am in complete control of getting things done. I have yet to find an app that totally meets my needs so I am always experimenting with new ones.
I will admit that this may be a boring post to some, but if you are not currently using some sort of tool to help you track and complete tasks I...
You are the controller . . and boy do you look...
Last November I picked up a late birthday present for myself, the new Microsoft Kinect for XBox 360. I’d been looking forward to this device since Microsoft initially showed it off almost two years ago and was excited to finally try out the future of gaming. Unfortunately at the time I was so busy with work I only got to try it out for a few minutes the day we got it and then had to wait...
Skype Video on iPhone
Last summer Apple introduced the iPhone 4. At first there wasn’t a lot that really intrigued me about this new device, but I was initially somewhat interested in the front facing camera (yes, I’m well aware that other phones have had this feature before the iPhone 4). A lot has been said about how goofy the idea is that people will ever adopt video calling over voice calls, and I...
Mac App Store: Good or Bad?
My descent into a full on Apple fanboy-dom began in a fashion similar to many geeks. A few years back the computer manufacturer / consumer electronics company announced they would start using Intel chips in their machines. This announcement led to me expirementing with the Mac OS by turning my HP AMD tower into a Hackintosh. While this quenched my thirst for this new platform, I was hooked and...
My new bluetooth headphones
I have to admit that I am one of those people that makes a Christmas list for my loved ones to use as a guide to understanding what I would like for gifts if they feel so inclined to purchase them for me. This isn’t because I’m narcicistic or picky but because nobody in my life knows as much as I do about technology and they actually appreciate the guidance because nobody wants to...
Unlimited Music Service Showdown
Those who know me best know I love music and love a ridiculously random selection of mostly tacky and sometimes bad music. Because of my interest in music I am a huge fan of listening to whole albums but the invention of services like the iTunes and Amazon digital music stores have led me into a purchasing habit where I usually just purchase one or two songs from an album that I know that I like...
Lifehacker
Something about this time of year always piques my interest in changing things up and looking for ways to simplify or improve my life. There is one site I have learned to turn to for some great ideas for doing this. Lifehacker is that site. From ideas on hacking Ikea furniture to ways to take control of your job and ‘manage up’ this site is a treasure trove of tips. This site even has...
High Tech Weight Loss
Just like pretty much every year of my life that I can remember, losing weight is a priority for me this year. For my health and for mine and my family’s happiness I’m committed to making 2011 the year that I finally lose weight and keep it off. One thing that makes this time a little different is that I now have more high tech tools than ever to help me achieve this goal.
My main...
2011
this will be quick, want to blog once a day in 2011 … this barely counts but it is still 11:59 on my clock!
November 2010
1 post
refocusing
WOW, I really haven’t been updating this blog at all. This is definitely one for my new year’s resolution list. So much I’d like to write about but it’s so hard to find the time. Right now, I’m looking forward to the iOS 4.2 update and all the goodies it will bring. It will be great to have multitasking and folders on my iPad finally
August 2010
1 post
Bad, but not unbearable
About two weeks ago, the glass on the front of my young iPhone 4’s screen suffered a nasty crack. I will try to post a pic but it is a little difficult to take a picture of it. Fortunately, when I’m using the phone it’s not that noticeable. When I’m not using the phone I’m not looking at the phone so it’s not really a problem then either. The only time...
April 2010
4 posts
3D TV Sets Aren't Great For Drinkers, Kids,... →
If James Cameron, Nintendo and Sony have anything to say about it, 3D is the future not just of movies, but of gaming as well. I wonder, though, if they’d read the safety…
A Little Pre Apple Event Hype
With the iPhone OS 4.0 event in less than 24 hours, I thought it would be fun to throw out some of my pre-event predictions.
Now, I am by no means an expert at this. I’m just a guy who knows a little Apple history and waded into their ecosystem five years a go with an iPod mini, then jumped in the deep end when I bought the first Intel powered MacBook Pro model the company released.
With...
iMahjong earns its keep
The following review was written for my application to an app reviewer spot withTUAW, I thought I might as well post it here after taking the time to write it I would hate to have it never gets published if they pass me up.
There’s little one expects from a free mahjong game. Basically, the app just needs to open, give you a game to play, and not crash. iMahjong meets these requirements...
iPad has arrived ! . . . now what?
After just a short wait in line this morning at the South Tampa Best Buy store, I finally got my hands on an iPad. Unfortunately the store had no accessories so I’m currently going commando with my lovely new tablet. Hopefully I can avoid any nasty accidents until I get some sort of protective gear.
So far the greatest advantage of the device has been the beautiful apps designed...
March 2010
3 posts
Hey Julius: 100 Mbps to 100 Million Is Not... →
Shared by Number One Bucs Fan
This is the problem with most of the Obama administration’s apointees in technical positions. They know the flashy buzz words but have no clue about the actual…
Apple Seeking to Stimulate Mac Development With... →
After a brief outage on Thursday, Apple’s developer site returned with a dramatically restructured developer program for the Mac that is modeled after the $99/year iPhone developer program: …
You can't say that on television! →
Watching Peter Pan with Parker the other day made me realize how offensive some of these older children’s movies can be. Especially the part when they go “injun hunting” for recreation. This link is to a funny story on Cracked from a couple years back pointing out some of the most racist characters in Disney movies.
September 2009
3 posts
Today is MMS On iPhone Day. Did Yours Kick In Yet? →
It’s time to go back, folks. Waaay back. Back to a simpler time; back when the government was busy with Enron and leaving No Child Behind. Back when the best Nintendo handheld the world knew had…
Google Releases A Nuke. Apple Won’t Win This... →
Well, something clearly broke down behind the scenes in the ongoing Apple/Google negotiations over Google Voice on the iPhone, because Google released one of two nukes it has been holding back….
Kurt Cobain Will Have His Revenge On Activision... →
If you found the original video of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain reanimated for Guitar Hero 5 uncomfortable to watch, seeing his polygonal ghost prance about and sing the songs of Bush…
August 2009
9 posts
Okay enough waiting, where is tru2way? →
Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Cable
It seems like forever that we’ve been waiting to see a tru2way TV at the local big box store and honestly we’re starting to think it’s…
Apple Attempts to Suppress Steve Jobs Profile... →
Macworld UK points out a feature article from The Sunday Times profiling Apple CEO Steve Jobs, noting that Apple attempted several times to discourage or block publication of the piece. Apple hates…
AT&T, Apple Sued Over Lacking iPhone MMS - New... →
AT&T has taken a beating for being late in supporting MMS and tethering support for the iPhone, something Apple included in the latest device software update earlier this year. When we …
Sprint To Settle ETF Suit For $17.5 Million →
The class-action lawsuit claimed Sprint overcharged customers $1.2 billion in early-termination fees.
The Zune HD: September 15. Apple iPod Event:... →
A lot of people today are excited about the new Zune HD. And that’s great news for Microsoft, as it has been attempting for a few years now to even just steal some buzz from Apple in the MP3…
Sega Will Celebrate Dreamcast's 10th Anniversary... →
9/9/09 will not produce any major Sega events commemorating the Dreamcast launch of 9/9/99, but the company is thinking about the future of its last gaming console in one key way. The head of…
If Wolfenstein Beats Madden, Wolfenstein Is Free... →
Raven Software designer Manveer Heir has mounted a one-man Twitter Wolfenstein marketing campaign, offering to pay for your copy of the game if it manages to outsell Madden 10. Yes,…