June 2011
The B&B Podcast, Episode 17: Aviators and BBQ Jun 30, 2011
Recorded early for 4th-of-July weekend, Ben and I talk about Google+ and the HP TouchPad reviews. Also, I happened to be wearing aviators during the recording. Brought to you by Wren and Seamless.
Best Buy’s Typo of the Day Jun 30, 2011
What’s worse is that it’s still there. [Update: The typo has been fixed.]
Why Can’t Anyone Make a Tablet Better Than the iPad? Jun 30, 2011
Matthew Panzarino: I can give you one reason that I’ve found to be evident across all of the tablets that I’ve tested personally and that seems to be present in the ones that I haven’t yet, going by the reviews: The … (More)
If You Read Just One TouchPad Review This Morning, Read Joshua Topolsky’s Jun 30, 2011
Something you found in most of the TouchPad reviews I read this morning, but that I thought came across best in Joshua’s, is just how likable webOS is. Josh touches on the feel of the TouchPad more than just the … (More)
A Tech Enthusiast Site Reviews the HP TouchPad Jun 30, 2011
Summed up: I’ve been testing the TouchPad for about a week and, in my view, despite its attractive and different user interface, this first version is simply no match for the iPad.
Macworld’s TouchPad Review Jun 30, 2011
The embargo lifted last night and the reviews for the HP TouchPad are being published. And, for the most part, those with review units share the same sentiments about the TouchPad: it seems that HP did a lot of things … (More)
Using Typekit Fonts in Your Own CSS Jun 29, 2011
Setting up Typekit fonts is a piece of cake. And there is not just one way to do it — Typekit has a few different options. If you want to learn a different option, or if you’re still weak in … (More)
Marshall Kirkpatrick’s Initial Google+ Review Jun 29, 2011
Marshall Kirkpatrick also likes it: Big picture take-away: Google has built an attractive, intuitive, intelligent service that’s fun to use and speaks to a deep human need for contextual integrity of communication. There is not just public/private, life is more … (More)
The Google+ iPhone Web App Jun 29, 2011
MG Siegler’s first look at the iPhone app for Google+: If you simply point your iOS Safari browser to plus.google.com, you’ll find a solid web app written in HTML5. You can’t do quite everything you’ll be able to with the … (More)
MG Siegler’s Initial Google+ Review Jun 29, 2011
After spending several hours with Google+, MG Siegler really likes it so far: Google has done a very good job with the early execution. Can they maintain that? Once the novelty is gone, will there be a reason to use … (More)
Google’s Innovation Dilemma Jun 29, 2011
Horace Dediu: Android and Chrome are, if successful, sustaining technologies for Google. That’s not going to be enough.
The Area Code Project Jun 28, 2011
Mike McQuade is cataloging all U.S. area codes by making hand pulled serigraph posters and smart phone socks. The posters look gorgeous; I’m waiting for 303.
Designing GitHub for Mac Jun 28, 2011
Kyle Neath’s behind-the-scenes look at designing the new GitHub Mac app: All in all I created 45 comps for 1.0 — each with about 5-10 unique states (with layer groups).
Should You Buy AppleCare for Your iPad? Jun 28, 2011
Richard Frisch gives a much better answer than the ones on this Quora question. For the record, I bought AppleCare once. It was for my first Mac; a 12-inch PowerBook. I never needed AppleCare for that Mac, nor have I … (More)
Another iMessage Concept for Lion Jun 28, 2011
Mustafa Al-Qinneh over at Teehan+Lax has also drafted up a concept for iMessage, along with some ideas for how regular text messages and incoming calls could also be incorporated with OS X. Mustafa’s concepts show some cool and interesting ideas … (More)
Concept for an iMessage App in Lion Jun 28, 2011
iMessage is awesome. Having the conversations available and synced between iOS devices is great. Having them also be available and synced on your desktop or laptop would be fantastic. I very much like this video concept that Jan-Michael Cart has … (More)
The Rocketeer Animated Jun 28, 2011
John Banana produced and directed an animated short based on The Rocketeer to honor the 20th anniversary of the film. (I just realized I haven’t seen this movie since it was in theaters; my parents took some friends and I … (More)
OmniFocus Videos Jun 28, 2011
The OmniGroup posted a whole slew of short videos (videolets?) to their site which cover a wide range of topics and skill levels with OmniFocus. Definitely worth checking out. (There’s a good 2-minute video on Perspectives that you may want … (More)
10.6.8 Brings TRIM Support Jun 27, 2011
But only for stock SSDs apparently: The new native TRIM support does appear to limited to stock Apple drives, as users who have installed third-party SSDs into their machines have reported that TRIM is not enabled by the update. Moreover, … (More)
How To Automatically Send Your Music, Book, and App Purchases to Your iDevices Jun 27, 2011
With iTunes 10.3 and iOS 4.3.3 you can enable certain iCloud features from tomorrow, today. On your devices using iOS 4.3.3, open the Settings app and select Store to turn on automatic downloads for music, books, and apps as you … (More)
The Market for Digital Textbooks Jun 27, 2011
Yun Xie interviews Vikram Savkar for Ars Technica. Savkar is the Senior Vice President and Publishing Director at Nature Publishing Group. According to Savkar, it seems there is a huge interest in digital textbooks: Ars: How will you introduce digital … (More)
What Happens on the Internet Every 60 Seconds Jun 27, 2011
If 1,500 blog posts are published every 60 seconds I wonder how many refreshes to Google Reader there are by subscribers.
[Sponsor] Hoban Cards Jun 27, 2011
Elegance is not stopping every two seconds to spell out your email to people that want to connect with you as you are trying to get out the door. Elegance is handing out a minimal, unique card. A calling card … (More)
The Cost of Adding Thunderbolt to Peripherals Jun 27, 2011
iLounge reports that “the price of the components required to add a Thunderbolt port to an external hard drive is roughly equal to the cost of a low-end hard drive itself.”
Speed Testing Lacie’s External Thunderbolt SSD Jun 27, 2011
Chris Davies at SlashGear: The first demo was a raw speed test, reading and writing to the drives with 4GB files. As you can see in the video, the MBP was able to write at up to 352.5 MB/s, while … (More)
Jeff Bezos on Innovation Jun 27, 2011
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, answers the question: “If it’s still Amazon’s philosophy to make bold bets, I would expect that maybe some of them wouldn’t work out, but I am just not seeing that. So, my question is where … (More)
Self-Publishing is About to Get Real Jun 25, 2011
Aaron Mahnke: According to Wired Magazine, JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series of books (which, as of yesterday, had no sign of ever hitting the eBook market), has decided to skip her publishers and release the 7-book … (More)
The AppStorm Freelance Mac App Bundle Jun 24, 2011
A huge thanks to AppStorm for sponsoring the RSS feed this week to promote their current bundle of Mac Apps. The bundle is $49 and has 8 top-shelf apps. And I mean it when I say these apps are top-shelf. … (More)
Our Longest Episode Ever Jun 24, 2011
Just posted: episode 16 of The B&B Podcast. Ben and I talk about backing up, wireless networking speeds, the celebration of keeping an iPhone for more than one year, and other things. I even learned a few things in this … (More)
Apple’s MobileMe Transition and iCloud FAQ’s Jun 24, 2011
If you use more than 5GB of data (which does not include purchased music, apps, or books) then you’ll be able to buy more. My .Mac email address is my primary email, I’ve been using it for years, I have … (More)
J. Eddie Smith, IV’s One Liners Jun 24, 2011
Speaking of J. Eddie Smith, IV, if you haven’t checked out his weekly series of one-line tidbits of app advice, you should.
A Tale of Two Fly Papers Jun 24, 2011
J. Eddie Smith, IV wrote a great follow-up post to my Tale of Two Inboxes article. Smith hits on what was by far the most common feedback I received, which is that Twitter is for the less important and/or high-frequency … (More)
Conan O’Brien’s Editors Like Final Cut Pro X Jun 24, 2011
Conan’s post-production team doesn’t get what all the hubbub is about, so they made this video statement to voice their support of FCPX. (Via Daniel Jalkut.)
MacStories’ iPhone 4 Retrospective Jun 24, 2011
Weird to think that a year ago today I was standing in line waiting to upgrade from my old, crappy, slow, iPhone 3GS.
Kickstarter Project of the Day Jun 24, 2011
Plug Projects is seeking to raise $1,500 in order to host 6 art exhibitions over the next year at their new studio space in the West Bottoms right here in Kansas City. A local Kickstarter project supporting local artists? Count … (More)
OmniFocus for iPhone Gets Forecast View Jun 23, 2011
Along with many more great updates. Two down, one to go.
The Eleventh App Jun 23, 2011
David Barnard: If we took a poll of all iOS users and asked for a list of the eleven absolutely essential, can’t live without apps I bet we’d end up with at least a thousand different types of apps. A … (More)
The Inverted AeroPress Brewing Method Jun 23, 2011
This is the same method that most of the world-champion AeroPressers use. (Via Nick Schaden.)
Everything is a Remix Part 3 Jun 22, 2011
In part 3 of this fantastic series of videos, Kirby Ferguson explores the elements of creativity and how innovations truly happen. I watched part 3 yesterday evening and was thinking about what it is that makes these videos so cool. … (More)
Best Buy’s Impenetrable Mess Jun 22, 2011
Jared Newan on Best Buy’s new cloud music service: To listen on smartphones, you’ve got to register each handset by handing over its make, model and phone number. Then Best Buy e-mails you a link to the application by text … (More)
Best Buy Introduces Their Own Cloud Music Service Jun 22, 2011
Alas, CDs which you have bought at Best Buy over the past 20 years are not automatically available for you in the cloud. Seriously though, at first glance this does seem to be a pretty decent service. What’s odd is … (More)
Agenda 1.0 Jun 22, 2011
Agenda is a calendar app for your iPhone, and it just launched this morning. I’ve been beta testing it for a while and I like it. The layout is clean and minimal, the app is fast, and I especially like … (More)
How to Keep Things Secure in Your Dropbox or Other Cloud Storage Jun 22, 2011
A clever tip from Scott Jordan. If there are files you want to keep in your Dropbox but you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands, create an encrypted Disk Image to store those top-secret files in. Then, simply … (More)
The Development of Denver’s Newest Urban Center Jun 21, 2011
Absolutely gorgeous website detailing the history of and upcoming development information for Denver’s Union Station Neighborhood. (Hat tip to Chris Bowler.)
Consumers Don’t Want Tablets, They Want iPads Jun 21, 2011
I don’t even think it’s an issue of the average consumer comparing the offerings and then making an educated decision that they want an iPad instead of a Xoom or a PlayBook or a Samsung Galaxy Tab. The average consumer … (More)
Performance is a Feature Jun 21, 2011
As Amazon and Google have proven, the longer it takes for your website to load (even by 100 milliseconds) the less that people will want to use it. And so, as Jeff points out, it makes sense that the faster … (More)
[Sponsor] The AppStorm Freelance Mac App Bundle Jun 21, 2011
Bringing you over $330 of apps and resources, the AppStorm Freelance Mac App Bundle features a fantastic package of software for freelancers. We’re including Billings, WriteRoom, TextExpander, 1Password, LittleSnapper, Arq, Radium, and Alarms — all for just $49! You’ll also … (More)
The Nokia N9 Jun 21, 2011
Remember when Nokia cell phones were the phones to have? The new N9 looks slick: no front-side buttons, a very attractive hardware design, and the “3rd View” of the recent and open applications looks very clever. (Doesn’t look like it’s … (More)
Amazon’s Dedicated Landing Page for the HP TouchPad Jun 20, 2011
I don’t recall seeing a dedicated page like this on Amazon.com for the PlayBook, iPad, iPad 2, Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab, or others. And speaking of the HP TouchPad, from what I’ve seen, I really think WebOS 3.0 looks great. … (More)
Survey: Comparing RSS and Twitter Usage Jun 20, 2011
Hey friends, if you’ve got 60 seconds I’d love it if you answered a few questions for me.
Review for iPad Jun 17, 2011
Many thanks to Roben Kleene of 1Percenter for sponsoring the RSS feed to promote his iPad app, Review. Review is a very clever app idea, and is something that strikes me as being perfectly suited for iOS. You use it … (More)
The B&B Podcast – Episode 15: Dub Dub Goers Jun 17, 2011
We had to skip last week’s show due to a combination of poor hotel Wi-Fi and my travel schedule. So this week I fill Ben in on my trip to WWDC, and we talk about Apple’s new Back to School … (More)
The Fastest Mac Macworld Has Ever Tested Jun 17, 2011
I’m telling you, SSDs make all the difference.
‘The New York Times’ Reviews ‘Page One’, the Documentary About ‘The New York Times’ Jun 17, 2011
Today’s quintessential example of the word meta. (Via Jim Ray.)
There Will Always Be a Place for Apps That Raise the Premium Bar Jun 17, 2011
I think we’d all agree with Julen: Apple’s new features in Lion and iOS 5 will not “kill” Dropbox, Instapaper, OmniFocus, et al. I know this because I’m sure I’m not the only one who says you can have these … (More)
Day One’s iOS App is Now Universal Jun 17, 2011
I missed linking to this when the Universal version came out a few weeks ago. It’s a great update to a very polished, personal journaling app. Day One now works on and syncs with your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. I … (More)
Jorge Quinteros’ Sneak Peek at Mosaic Cloud Storage for Photographers Jun 17, 2011
Speaking of off-site backups, Mosaic is an up-and-coming cloud-based photo-storage service that works as a plugin with Lightroom. I’m not a photographer and I don’t use Lightroom, but reading through the Q&A between Jorge and Gerard (the co-founder of Mosaic), … (More)
Oliver Reichenstein Shares the Reasoning Behind the Prices and Features of iA Writer Jun 16, 2011
This is a great piece by Oliver Reichenstein. For one, Oliver is an articulate and intelligent communicator; I learned a few things reading this article. Secondly, iA Writer is a great app and I love reading the stories behind good … (More)
What Brian Stelter Learned In Joplin Jun 16, 2011
Brian Stelter, a reporter for the New York Times, was on his way to the final taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show when he learned of the tornadoes that had just hit Joplin. He booked a last-minute flight to Kansas … (More)
The Great Typekit Table Jun 14, 2011
One of the most difficult things about Typekit is finding and choosing a typeface. Here’s a nice recourse for finding some of the gems in Typekit’s vast library.
An In-Depth, Side-by-Side Comparison of All the Major Cloud Services Jun 14, 2011
Dan Sung wrote a great overview and comparison of iCloud, Amazon’s Cloud Drive, Google, Dropbox, and Microsoft SkyDrive. Dan covers what each service does and doesn’t offer, what they cost, and more. And never before have I seen Apple’s ease … (More)
Clever use of DropVox, Hazel, and OmniFocus Jun 14, 2011
After Nathan Henrie records a voice memo with DropVox, and it’s been uploaded into his Dropbox account, it gets automatically added to OmniFocus as an action item.
Katie O’Shea Uses This Jun 13, 2011
The setup of Katie O’Shea, barista at Intelligentsia and bike fanatic: My dream set-up would be a bike/coffee shop that offers fully-built frames, parts, & service for randonneur-style touring bikes as well as specialty coffee & home brewing equipment. No … (More)
[Sponsor] Review for iPad: A tool for becoming yourself Jun 13, 2011
When you read an interesting fact in the paper, how long do you remember it? When you’re inspired by a piece of writing, how long does it last? When you have an epiphany about how you should live your life, … (More)
DropVox Jun 13, 2011
There are two things which irk me about the iPhone’s native Voice Memos app: (1) If you record a memo that is too long, the only way to get that memo onto your computer is to sync; and (2) the … (More)
Typekit Jun 10, 2011
Many thanks to Typekit for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. As a matter of fact I decided to sign up for a Typekit account about two weeks ago. (They didn’t give me any sort of deal — I paid … (More)
Introducing Creatiplicity Jun 10, 2011
Creatiplicity is a brand new podcast featuring yours truly and Chris Bowler. It’s the official Fusion Network podcast, and we will be interviewing the fabulously wonderful people within the Fusion network. And I love the name. Chris came up with … (More)
iCloud Is The Operating System Jun 10, 2011
I think Federico’s article is not as wild of an opinion piece as it sounds. All this week at WWDC the idea that “iCloud is the operating system” was a common conversation I had with people. For one, on those … (More)
Reeder for Mac 1.0 Jun 9, 2011
The best RSS reader on the iPad and iPhone now has a Mac app. For further reading, check out Federico’s review at MacStories.
The HP TouchPad: Available July 1 Jun 9, 2011
Goes on pre-sale in 10 days and starts at $500. The TouchPad looks great; I’d love to try one out.
How iCloud Works With a Shared Apple ID Jun 9, 2011
I’ve had several conversations with people wondering about how iCloud and iOS 5 will work for those of us with multiple family members each with their own iDevice (or two, or three). Specifically: if each person has their own Apple … (More)
Apple’s iMessages Paves the Way to a Carrier Agnostic iPhone Jun 8, 2011
Ben and I have talked before on the B&B Podcast about how long until carriers sell data-only plans instead of voice plans with data add-ons. And though it certainly would have some drawbacks, at least at this point in time, … (More)
“It Takes a Certain Skill to Assemble the Total Picture” Jun 8, 2011
Lessien’s thoughts on the WWDC 2011 keynote.
Our Laptops and Desktops Have Been “Demoted” Jun 6, 2011
It was a sly, bold statement this morning when Steve Jobs said it was time that our Desktops and Laptops exist on the same plane as our iPhones, iPods, and iPads. The central hub for all our “stuff” is now … (More)
iCloud Jun 6, 2011
Apple: This is the cloud the way it should be: automatic and effortless. iCloud is seamlessly integrated into your apps, so you can access your content on all your devices. And it’s free with iOS 5. Today’s keynote was huge. … (More)
iOS 5 Jun 6, 2011
Apple’s landing page for iOS 5 which ships this fall. They had me at Notification Center.
You Should Follow me on Twitter Jun 6, 2011
I am in San Francisco this week for WWDC. I’m not attending the conference, but am here for the week to finally put faces to names for all the fine folks I work with and write about all year long. … (More)
[Sponsor] Typekit Jun 6, 2011
Typekit is the easiest way to use fonts on the web. Just copy and paste two lines of code, and you’re off: design just like you ordinarily would, and Typekit takes care of the rest. A huge library of fonts … (More)
Macworld’s Liveblog of WWDC 2011 Jun 6, 2011
Jason Snell, Dan Moren, and Dan Frakes will be rocking the WWDC 2011 Keynote this morning. It’s too bad Macworld makes them use those embedded “liveblog window” things. Though it does have it’s advantages (like you don’t have to refresh … (More)
My iCloud Predictions Jun 5, 2011
Re-linking to my predictions from a month ago. In less than 12 hours we’ll see how right I was (or wasn’t). And for way, way back (2007), here’s an oldie where I give a wish-list for the ideal .Mac service.
Kyle Baxter on Windows 8, Lion, and the Future of Computing Jun 5, 2011
Thoughtful, as always, piece from Kyle Baxter regarding Windows 8 and Mobile Phone 7 and contrasting them to Lion and iOS. Here’s Kyle’s hook: I think Apple’s attempting to converge Mac OS and iOS.
Byword Jun 3, 2011
A huge thanks to the fine folks at Metaclassy for sponsoring the RSS feed this week to promote Byword. It’s an honor to have them sponsor the site because I’ve written about Byword before — it is one of my … (More)
The Future of NetNewsWire Jun 3, 2011
John Gruber’s interview with Brent Simmons and Black Pixel’s Daniel Pasco regarding the acquisition and transition of NetNewsWire. It’s a great conversation; the final closing remarks from John and Brent are especially nostalgic.
NetNewsWire Finds a New Home Jun 3, 2011
It’s the end of an era. A changing of the guards. Those of you reading this know as well as anyone that some applications grow on you. You form an emotional bond with the software you use day in and … (More)
The B&B Podcast – Episode 14: When the Internet Is Your Job Jun 3, 2011
This is one seriously nerdy episode. Especially the front end where Ben and I talk about ISPs and DOCSIS 3.0 modems, off-site backups. We also talk about WWDC rumors and my upcoming trip to San Francisco. This week’s show is … (More)
If You’re Going to Work, Work Hard Jun 3, 2011
I love this. Seth Godin hits the why behind the what of “not checking your email or Twitter every 5 minutes” that we all talk about so often.
New Coldplay Single Jun 3, 2011
Coldplay’s new single, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”, is out today and I like it. It sounds like them, which I’m glad for because I was afraid it would have some new feel that didn’t sound or feel like Coldplay. … (More)
‘Take Control of TextExpander’ Jun 2, 2011
Take Control of TextExpander is a brand-new e-book by Michael E. Cohen that covers the ins and outs and tips and tricks of TextExpander. Writing nerd-centric prose can be tough but Michael is very good at it — his writing … (More)
David Silva on Twitter Account Integration in iOS 5 Jun 1, 2011
David Silva also has some good thoughts about Twitter DMs, Address Book contact cards, and what things could potentially look like if Twitter account integration were baked in to iOS 5.
“Apple’s Twitter” Jun 1, 2011
Interesting thoughts from Anil Dash regarding the potential system-wide integration of Twitter with iOS 5: But in short, the hardest, most expensive technical part of building a web-scale Twitter competitor already exists in Apple’s infrastructure. What’s missing, in an odd … (More)
