January 2012
Stephen Hackett Interviewed Me Jan 31, 2012
I had the honor of being interviewed by one of the writers I read, Stephen Hackett, for his site, 512 Pixels. We talked mostly about my transition into a full-time writer and topics surrounding writing for the Web and going … (More)
The iOS-ification Of Apple’s Ecosystem Jan 30, 2012
Federico Viticci: The iOS-ification of OS X is, at this point, inevitable, and anyone who doesn’t see it, or tries to neglect, is either software-blind or has some kind of interest in that way of thinking. You’ve got: (a) apps … (More)
Adding a Custom DuckDuckGo Search Bar to Your Site Jan 30, 2012
I’m giving this a shot in place of the built-in WordPress search engine.
The B&B Podcast, Episode 44: Before a Live Studio Audience Jan 28, 2012
Recorded yesterday before a live studio audience in our hotel lobby while attending Macworld in San Francisco. Brought to you by, Verses, who is doing a giveaway. Details for that are in the show notes.
To-Do Lists and Schedules Jan 27, 2012
Daniel Markovitz wrote the article I’ve been mulling on for a while. In short: a concrete schedule is more powerful a tool for getting things done than an unordered list of tasks. Unlike Markovitz, I use both. I have a … (More)
Interview with Miguel Endara Jan 27, 2012
Miguel Endara, the artist behind the “Hero” video, was interviewed on The Indistry: Originally I was planning to photograph him with glass on his face, but that was difficult without a good camera and it wouldn’t get good hi-res of … (More)
81-Percent of Smartphones Sold by AT&T Last Quarter Were iPhones Jan 27, 2012
Matt Brian: US mobile operator AT&T today announced its fourth quarter financial results, declaring that it saw huge growth in mobile broadband sales and smartphone activations, with the iPhone accounting for 81% of all smartphones activated by the carrier. Crazy.
The Problem With The iOS Home Screen Jan 27, 2012
Federico Viticci: There’s a lot of weirdness and inconsistencies going on in some Apple apps and interfaces, but the Home screen is the prime example of a user interface meant for 2007 which was subsequently patched and refined and patched … (More)
Reporting From Macworld Jan 26, 2012
Ben Brooks, Brett Kelly, Stephen Hackett, and I snuck into one of the side studios to shoot a quick video podcast before the expo starts.
Quote of the Day Jan 25, 2012
John Gruber: What’s satisfying about Apple’s current success is that it’s proof that you can succeed wildly by focusing first and foremost on making great products. That design does matter.
Apple Nerdery Goes Mainstream Jan 25, 2012
Stephen Hackett: Talking about iPad apps in line at Starbucks isn’t weird anymore.
The Secrets Apple Keeps Jan 25, 2012
Adam Lashinsky writing for Fortune about the extremely secretive and productive culture within Apple. Lashinsky writes: Almost nobody describes working at Apple as being fun. In fact, when asked if Apple is a “fun” place, the responses are remarkably consistent. … (More)
Do Tech Companies Lack Self-Control? Jan 25, 2012
Great piece by Matthew Alexander that is along the same lines as Topolsky’s article on The Verge last week about too many gadget choices.
The Verge Interviews Dom Leca Jan 25, 2012
Dom Leca, co-founder of Sparrow: How did you apply for your job? How do you negotiate a deal? How do you review your employee work? What tool are you using when you’re sending message to your loved ones? SMS, Facebook … (More)
Sponsor: MindNode Jan 25, 2012
My thanks to MindNode for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. MindNode is an elegant, easy-to-use mind mapping tool for Mac and iOS. Whether you’re brainstorming for your next project, organizing your life, or planning your vacation, MindNode lets you … (More)
Apple Q1 2012 Results in Charts Jan 24, 2012
Their best quarter ever, and not by a small margin. Last quarter, more than 75% of their revenue came from iOS devices.
Mail Pilot Jan 24, 2012
Here’s an interesting project on Kickstarter. Josh Milas and Alex Obenauer are seeking to re-imagine email by developing an email program that’s melded with a to-do app. The premiss is that the vast majority of your incoming emails are actionable … (More)
What You Can Make With iBooks Author Jan 24, 2012
Lots of iBooks Ideas from Matt Gemmell. I’d add to the list magazines. I see no reason why Wired, The New Yorker, et al. couldn’t publish their magazines as iBooks instead. They would still be just as design-y and interactive … (More)
Kindle Touch Software Update Jan 24, 2012
I noticed the snappiness right away. Especially with page turns. (Via Marco.)
iClassroom Jan 23, 2012
Will Kujawa, a student at Oklahoma State: In a few years Apple could dominate the [college] classroom similar to how Microsoft dominates enterprise. Will also talks about how the majority of Apple products in his college classrooms are MacBooks, not … (More)
WordPress.com Just Got a Little More Tumblr-Y Jan 23, 2012
WordPress.com now has a dashboard RSS reader, with the ability to Like, Follow, and Reblog posts. (Via Jonathan Christopher.)
The Good and Bad of Apple’s Education Announcements Jan 23, 2012
Fraser Speirs gives a good overview of the good and bad regarding the new iBooks textbooks, iBooks Author, and iTunes U: Apple already revolutionized education when it invented the iPad. While iBooks textbooks are a bridge from the past to … (More)
Why iBooks Author is a Big Deal Jan 23, 2012
Michael E. Cohen: Having access to good instructional resources is always better for students and for teachers than not having such access. And although interactive multimedia textbooks of the type that iBooks Author makes so very easy to prepare and … (More)
My Computer Is Slow This Week Jan 20, 2012
On this week’s of The B&B Podcast, Ben and I talk about meetings, snow in Seattle, Harry Potter jellybeans, and iBooks. Brought to you by, Verses, who is doing a giveaway. Details in the show notes.
Re: On-Screen Typography in ‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol’ [PDF] Jan 20, 2012
Matthew Butterick, type designer, wrote a letter to director Brad Bird about the use of Verdana in his movie Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. (Via Kottke.)
Too Many Gadget Choices Jan 20, 2012
Joshua Topolsky: For a journalist, it’s daunting — for shoppers, it’s starting to seem impossible. See also, Grant Blakeman’s three-minute case for minimalism in design, marketing, and life.
iBooks Author for Authors Jan 19, 2012
Matt Gemmell gives a high-level look at what you’re getting into if you decide to publish a work via the iBooks Author app. I’ve spent a the majority of my afternoon working in iBooks Author, and it is very simple … (More)
Apple in Education Jan 19, 2012
Apple’s official page for textbooks on the iPad, iTunes U, and iBooks Author. Also this morning’s keynote has posted.
More Ideas Than Time, but More Time Than Focus Jan 19, 2012
Something I wrote almost exactly a year ago. It goes hand in hand with the piece I wrote yesterday.
Sponsor: Scrivener Jan 18, 2012
My thanks to Scrivener for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. Writing a book or research paper is about more than hammering away at the keys until it’s done. Research, shuffling index cards to find that elusive structure — most … (More)
Access, Commitment, Courage, and Discernment Jan 17, 2012
Seth Godin on how access to ideas, information, tutorials, and capital is easier before. However: The only access that’s harder than ever is access to the part of your brain that’s willing to take advantage of all of this. Precisely … (More)
The Life and Death of Camino Jan 16, 2012
Great piece by Thomas Brand looking at Camino’s life as a Web Browser, which is now drifting into obsolescence. Like Brand, Camino was my default browser before Tiger and Safari 2.0.
The MacBook Air is 4 Years Old Jan 16, 2012
Steve Jobs announced the Air four years ago, yesterday. Now it’s Apple’s flagship Mac and is the finest computer I’ve ever owned.
Quora Question of the Day Jan 16, 2012
What everyday habit do you wish you had developed earlier in life?
Apple Developers, A Love Story Jan 16, 2012
It’s sentiment like this that was one of the reasons I began writing this site in the first place. The the indy-developer crew for Mac and iOS is full of kind and fun folks. Though I am not a developer … (More)
“I Think He’s the Most Genuine Person I’ve Ever Met.” Jan 13, 2012
Rick Reilly’s profile of Tim Tebow’s life off the field.
Baby Technology Jan 13, 2012
On episode 42 of The B&B Podcast Ben and I talk about headphones, Google and antitrust, and iPhone photography. I recite a lame poem that I wrote, and at the end of the show we share one more thing. Brought … (More)
Apple-Centric Websites Sure Have Changed a Lot in 16 Years Jan 13, 2012
Jim Dalrymple, talking about his first Apple news website, MacCentral, that he started in 1995: 1995 was so much different — there weren’t many Mac websites around then. In fact, we received a lot of the press releases via snail … (More)
Sponsor: HelpSpot & Open Source Help Desk List Jan 12, 2012
My thanks to HelpSpot for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. At HelpSpot we’re big supporters of open source software and simply couldn’t run our business without it. So, 6 years ago we created Open Source Help Desk List to … (More)
Is the iPad a PC? Jan 12, 2012
Horace Dediu: Ever since the iPad launched the hypothesis that it has an impact on PC has been hanging in the air.
How To Work From Home Like You Mean It Jan 11, 2012
Kevin Purdy gives some suggestions for staying productive at home. One of them is having a routine, such as starting work at the same time every day and taking a lunch break, etc. I’ve found that as a self-employed guy … (More)
My Coffee Joulies Chart Jan 11, 2012
Marco Arment reviewed his coffee Joulies several months ago. After I received mine I did a similar test but never ended up turning it into an article. Today, Marco linked to this report by Jeff Ammons and it reminded me … (More)
List Post of the Day (Or Year, I Suppose) Jan 11, 2012
Thirty-five things Noah Stokes has learned in his 35 years. Wise man that Mr. Stokes. (Happy birthday, Noah.)
A Look at Lettercase App Jan 11, 2012
A first look at some of the behind-the-scenes features of Lettercase: a currently-in-private-beta Mac app by Micah Rich. Lettercase looks like it may be the first social font manager, and after reading Michah’s description and plans for Lettercase it sounds … (More)
Stephen Hackett On Windows 8 and that ‘No Compromises’ Mantra Jan 10, 2012
Stephen Hackett: Microsoft is compromising where it matters the most — the user experience. [...] To Microsoft, the product comes first. Apple puts the customer first. I felt the same way after using the Galaxy Nexus. In my review I … (More)
Software Everywhere Jan 10, 2012
Dr. Drang: On/off switches used to literally control the power that ran a device. Now, they often just send signals to the device—signals that mimic, after a fashion, the old, true power switch. Is there a switch on your Mac … (More)
Newspapers, Paywalls, and Core Users Jan 10, 2012
Excellent article by Clay Shirky: For the moment at least, the most promising experiment in user support means forgoing mass in favor of passion. (Via Seth Godin.)
A Bunch of Geeks Jan 10, 2012
Believe it or not, I was a guest on not just one, but two podcasts this week. The second was episode 100 of Enough — The Minimal Mac Podcast. I, along with, 9 other handsome nerds joined in to talk … (More)
Talking Tech with Shawn Blanc Jan 10, 2012
Chris Bowler asked me to come on as a guest for his most recent episode of Creatiplicy. As you no doubt remember, I used to be the co-host with Chris Bowler for the show’s first 20 episodes. It was fun … (More)
Using WD-40 to Fix the Home Button Jan 10, 2012
News to me is that some iPhone and iPad Home buttons become unresponsive. Both Marco and Khoi have had trouble with theirs. Marco tried a software recalibration which didn’t fix anything, but Khoi sprayed his Home button with WD-40 and … (More)
Kickstarter’s 2011 Stats Jan 9, 2012
Speaking of Kickstarter, what strikes me as one of its primary benefits to someone kickstarting a project or product is not just in the ability to raise capital. Kickstarter is also a great way to simultaneously send your product to … (More)
10 Million Daily Page Views on Instagram’s Website Jan 6, 2012
I wonder how much of Instagram’s traffic is via Twitter and Facebook, as people publish their ‘Gram and auto-post a link to it on their other social network(s).
“If You See a Chance, Take It” Jan 6, 2012
Great piece by Jeffrey Zeldman: The first thing I got about the web was its ability to empower the maker. From this context, the web hasn’t changed a bit over the past 15 years.
The Items I Carried in June 2007 Jan 6, 2012
Some things change, some things stay the same. The phone and car keys are long gone, the moleskin is retired, the wallet and wedding ring are with me as I type this.
Coality Jan 6, 2012
The first B&B Podcast episode of 2012. Ben and I kick off the new year by chatting about the latest iPod nanos and why Ben says they aren’t that great. We talk about blogging via the iPad and using an … (More)
Sponsor: The Master of Information Systems Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University Jan 4, 2012
My thanks to Carnegie Mellon University for sponsoring the RSS feed this week. Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Information Systems Management (MISM) degree with a Business Intelligence and Data Analytics (BIDA) concentration is developing an elite set of graduates cross-trained … (More)
A Chat with Frank Chimero Jan 4, 2012
Creatiplicy, the podcast I used to co-host with Chris Bowler, has continued on with amazing excellence. This episode from a few weeks ago with Frank Chimero is just stellar. It’s especially worth a listen if you are a writer.
How To Dismiss Banner Notifications In iOS 5 Jan 3, 2012
Until recently I didn’t realize there was any way to dismiss the roll-over banner notifications in iOS 5 other than to wait for them to roll away. You can swipe from right to left on the banner, or you can … (More)
PSA: Membership Jan 2, 2012
A new year, a new season of the members-only podcast, Shawn Today. If you’re a member and you didn’t yet catch the final episode of 2011 (it was a video) you definitely should. If you’re not a member of shawnblanc.net, … (More)
Tools & Toys Jan 2, 2012
Kicking off the new year seems like a good time to do a bit of self-promotion. And so, just a reminder that I publish another weblog in addition to this one. The site, Tools & Toys, is a daily collection … (More)
Solitude and Leadership Jan 2, 2012
A fantastic lecture-turned-essay by William Deresiewicz on leadership, bureaucracy, the myth of multitasking, working, thinking, and how all of that fits together so as to give yourself the space to form your own ideas. (Via Nick Charlton via email.)
Front End Upload, a New WordPress Plugin Jan 2, 2012
If you build client sites using WordPress and need a way for your client to be able to upload their own files, this new plugin from Jonathan Christopher may be just the ticket.
MacSparky Joins The Syndicate Jan 2, 2012
Very glad to see David Sparks join the The Syndicate. The Syndicate now reaches over 100,000 daily readers and a 1.5 million monthly page views. If you’re looking to book a sponsorship in 2012, now would a great time. Looks … (More)
Galaxy Nexus Power Analysis Jan 2, 2012
Reddit member “iansmith6″ did some power tests to see why chargers can’t keep up with the Galaxy Nexus when it’s using 4G data.
Josh Farmer’s Favorite Typefaces from 2011 Jan 2, 2012
Josh Farmer: This was a great year for type. Apple got a bit more serious about their font choices in iBooks. Adobe acquired Typekit. Hoefler & Frere-Jones set to slabbing Gotham for President Obama’s second presidential run. Individual foundries stepped … (More)
Phil Coffman’s Interview on The Great Discontent Jan 2, 2012
If The Great Discontent isn’t a regular read for you, you’re missing out.
