Tag: Apple (Page 2 of 2)

First Times

April 28, 2010 / DB

I recently discovered the site How I Met Your Motherboard, which features stories of first computer experiences. Interestingly, one of the stories mirrors my own.

Seems like perfect fodder for my own blog post, no?

People occasionally ask me why I’m so nutty for Apple products. I think part of it is because of when I got my first Mac: just as I was leaving the corporate world, becoming a father, starting down the path as a stay-at-home parent, etc. I was in the midst of several major life changes. At the same time, I purchased a new consumer electronic device that has a devoted following. As I educated myself on how to use my Mac, I got sucked into the Cult as a way of finding meaning and comfort in my strange new life.

But there’s more to it than that. A college roommate had a mid-90s Mac, on which I discovered the Internet. He dropped a few thousand on it for architecture projects and I probably spent more time on it than him once I discovered America Online and e-mail. Earlier in college, a friend down the hall had a Mac SE, and he allowed us to spend hours playing Tetris on it.

Most importantly, though, was my first ever computer experience, on an Apple ][ Plus in middle school.

Through some wrinkle in the system, I got into my school district’s gifted and talented program. The program was once every two weeks: on those days, we’d go to school, then get on a different bus and go to the old junior high, where the program had carved out three rooms full of stuff to keep us occupied for five hours. For me, the highlight were the two Apple ][ Plus computers that we worked on during each session.

In the morning, we had a programming lesson, in which we learned a series of BASIC commands. Then, we signed up for computer time and had to write our own program based on that lesson. That was all super cool, but I also enjoyed jumping on the computers at lunchtime and playing Lemonade Stand, Oregon Trail, or Midway. I was thoroughly enamored with these cool new toys.

Somewhere along the way I picked up a guide to programming in BASIC. I poured through it, imagining all the cool things I could do with my own computer. I wrote simple, text-based adventure games in a notebook. I would check out computer books from the gifted class’ library and dutifully copy down hundreds of lines of code for cool games that I would enter into my own machine some day. If I came across a magazine article or TV show about computers, I watched it. At the time I was crazy about sports, the Kansas City Royals in particular. Slowly but surely computers were creeping up on sports as my favorite interest.

I begged my mother to buy me an Apple ][ for Christmas in 1982. I’m pretty sure I cried and kicked and screamed. I explained how I would use it to design my own video games. I would learn all the latest programing techniques. I would launch myself on a path that would end with me writing games for Atari in Sunnyvale, CA after college.

She refused.

I pouted.

I did not understand that an Apple ][ ran about $2000 at the time. Throw in more money for disk drives, etc. and we’re talking $2500. In 1982 dollars. If I’ve done the math correctly, that’s roughly $5000 today. Back in ’82, my mom was working two and sometimes three jobs to keep us afloat. I obviously had no understanding of how much the Apple ][ cost, or how little my mom was making at the time.

I tried to talk her down to an Atari 400 or 800, but the answer remained the same.

A year later, when our financial situation had improved slightly, I got an Atari 2600 game system for Christmas. While that was one of my all-time favorite Christmas gifts, I was left playing other people’s games rather than making my own. I did get my own computer, eventually. In 1996, to be exact.

What could have been.

As I recall, I did fine on the entrance test, but my teachers were worried that I wouldn’t take it seriously. In fact, they left the decision to me. “If you think you can stay focused and be serious about this, we’ll let you sign up. But if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.” Or something like that.

❖

The Next Big Thing

February 2, 2010 / DB

I know I have some other Mac and iPhone users in my audience, but I’m confident that, with one or two exceptions, none of you have reached my level of Fanboyhood. Thus, I feel obligated to share some thoughts on last week’s unveiling of Apple’s iPad.

Over the last seven days, I’ve spent hours reading fantastic essays by some of the best tech writers sharing their reactions. I don’t know that I have any great insights, but it seems like I should put all that time and digestion to some kind of use. Not for the faint of heart (of those short on time).

The Hype

Might the iPad be the most hyped gadget ever? Even those of you who only casually follow tech news were probably sick of hearing speculation about what Apple’s new product would be. Consider yourself lucky; if you were like me and read through multiple tech websites each day, listened to several Apple focused podcasts, and generally tried to keep your finger on the pulse of what was going on in Cupertino, you would have been hearing speculation for nearly two years. Cool or not, I was ready for something to be unveiled so the rumors would stop.

Keep in mind every Apple event comes with a massive amount of hype. Steve Jobs and his army of fanboys (and fangirls) know how to manipulate the media. The last time Apple presented a truly new product was the iPhone. Whether you own an iPhone or not, you can’t deny that it’s been a runaway success and completely changed the cell phone industry. When the expectation is that Apple is going to present another toy that is unlike anything we’ve seen before, they’ve earned an extra measure of hype based on the iPhone experience.

The Name

Meh. I’m not thrilled with it, but don’t think it’s the huge error some people have labeled it. I was in the camp of those who were hoping Apple would finally move away from the “i” prefix. After all, Steve Jobs was the iCEO, for interim, and the first iMac was named to remind people of it’s utility on the emerging Internet. Both terms were coined back in 1998. With over a decade of devices and software suites marketed with the “i” appendage, the unveiling of a ground-breaking tablet computer seemed like the appropriate time to rethink the branding strategy.

I suppose Apple thinks it’s a good thing that the iPad so closely resembles the iPod in name. It’s just the next step in the evolution of the iPod, from portable music device, to video-capable gadget, to the iPhone, and now to the iPad.

I would have liked another name better, but I’m not getting all worked up about it.

The Device

It’s beautiful, as expected. It has the requisite cachet of coolness. And, based on the words of those who were granted access to the iPad last week, you can’t truly judge the device until you’ve held it and operated it. I can’t wait for it to show up at my local Apple Store so I can fight through the crowds to get my own greasy hands on one.

Use Case

Here’s where things get tough. Steve Jobs admitted that they’re not trying to replace either smartphones or laptops, but rather address the space between them. It’s one thing to read your e-mail or do casual web browsing on your iPhone in between meetings or while waiting in lines. But what if you want to sit on the couch and read a book, scroll through your pictures, or play a game? Why haul out the laptop when the iPad is available?

That’s a tricky argument. If you’re already dropping $80+ a month on your iPhone (or other smartphone) plan, it’s tough to suggest you need a companion device to improve the experience of many of the iPhone’s functions. Need more screen real estate to view your pictures? That’s when you break out the laptop.

The best counter to that argument is the price. Starting at $499, it’s priced favorably against the Kindle DX and Sony’s top-of-the-line ebook reader. Why not drop an extra $50 and get much more than just an eBook reader? Leave your laptop on your desk, where it can be safe, and stick the iPad on your coffee table or next to your favorite chair, for easy access whenever you need it.

The Future

You can’t discuss the iPad without considering what it means for computing as we know it. A recurring theme among those who held the iPad last week was that Apple is attempting to change how we interact with computers. It’s too early to say goodbye to the desktop/file hierarchy/mouse/pointer metaphor that has ruled since the Mac was introduced in 1984. But, for the first time, there is a reasonable alternative.

What Apple has suggested is a world where your interactions with your data are completed with your fingertips rather than by manipulating a mouse. Files are stored within applications rather than in complex folder systems. You never have to remember where or how you saved a file; when you launch an application you have instant access to all the files you’ve created with it.

No one is suggesting the the iPad model will necessarily be the replacement for our current interaction metaphor. What the experts are saying is that the iPad is the first step along that new path.

Prospects

Will it succeed? My amateur technology blogger opinion is that the iPad will initially be a mild success, which will cause many to label it a failure. It will not have the quick adoption that the iPhone had* simply because of the new space it is supposed to address. People will think the iPad is cool and sexy, they will willingly play with one when their early adopting friends buy one, but they will question where it fits into their digital lives.

(Let’s not forget the iPhone was not a true success until Apple dropped its price three months after its initial release, and really took off when AT&T began subsidizing the price when the 3G was released.)

There will be fanboys lining up at the stores the day it is released, or who preorder the moment a valid link is added to the online store. I expect, though, much of its initial success to be in the pro-user and educational realms. People who can use the iPad to perform specific functions required for their professions. Photographers, physicians, artists. Schools, students, and teachers will have a field day with the iPad.

As time passes, and more functionality is added, I think the iPad will become a solid addition to the Apple lineup. Not the dud that the AppleTV has been, nor the admired but poor selling MacBook Air. But I don’t think it’s going to become the next iPod or iPhone, either.

At least not yet.

Others will quickly attempt to get into the iPad space, some mimicking Apple’s form and system as others advance competing ways of changing our relationships with computers. Where the iPad will be a runaway success is that it will be the first. In five or ten or 15 years, when using a traditional keyboard and mouse to interact with data is required only for highly specialized actions, we will look back on the iPad as the moment when everything began to change. As the Macintosh changed the way we viewed computers in 1984, the iPad will do the same in 2010.

To Buy or Not

The ultimate question. As a fanboy, I’m required to buy one, right?

Not so fast. I have an iPhone. I’m addicted to it. As much as I love it, I may love my MacBook Pro even more. Most of my waking hours involve me reading, writing, and communicating via one device or the other. As lovely as the iPad looks, I’m having a hard time seeing how I insert it into my current gadget lineup.

I will be eager to see complete reviews once the iPad ships. The aspect that interests me most is the iBook application, through which you can read ebooks. I’ve had one eye on digital readers for awhile. Everyone who has an Amazon Kindle seems to love it. But as I wrote above, why spend $450 on a Kindle DX when you can get an iPad for another $50? And why buy into the strict Amazon system with the $250 Kindle when you will be able to read more book formats, possibly including Kindle books, on the iPad?

I had high hopes for the Barnes and Noble Nook, but the early reviews suggest it is a pain to use. Some of the Sony digital readers get fine reviews, but again you run into the issue of price.

Countering all the shortcomings of digital readers is the fact that the iPad has a backlit LCD screen, which tends to be difficult to read for long periods of time. The aforementioned readers all have E-Ink displays, which mimic the look of real paper, reducing eye strain. It seems like if you’re a big reader, and I am,* you will want the option that allows you to sit and read for hours at a time.

(I both read a lot and am tall, so I’m a big reader in more ways than one.)

So, I suppose the answer is I don’t know. I’ll wait and see what the reviews of production models say. I’ll monitor the development of the Nook, as many of the negative reviews suggest that a firmware update will correct the issues that plagued the early models. I might actually pop into the Sony Style store for once and look at their line of digital readers. If, after all of that, the iPad seems the best way to read books electronically, I suppose there will be one on my desk. Otherwise someone else is getting the next big withdrawal out of my computer fund.

Then again, I may just stick to traditional books for now.

❖

Two Point Oh

August 1, 2008 / DB

Here is my look at the latest iPhone software update, the Application Store, and other things iPhone.

I’ve found the iPhone 2.0 software update to be a profoundly mixed-bag. One of the reasons that lines were (and continue to be) so long for the 3G iPhone is how successful the first generation model was. There were some opening weekend issues a week ago, as well, but things quickly fell into place. The January software update solved some minor stability issues and added some fun and useful new features. So the folks that decided to wait a year seemed justified to bite the bullet and head out to get the second generation phone.*

As I’ve already written, 2.0 does not seem ready for prime time. My phone, which was rock-solid-stable under 1.4 (or whatever the last version was) is now slower when moving from application to application, crawls when loading new screens, and often has a delay of several seconds when I attempt to use the keyboard. Frustrating.

Worse are the crashes. I had one crash in six plus months with the previous software. I’ve had numerous application crashes under 2.0, and one full phone crash. People who use theirs more and have more third party apps than I do are reporting even more frequent crashes and freezes. I’m no programmer, but a lot of developers seem to think these issues are because of instability in the phone OS rather than in the applications (although to be fair, there are some shitty applications out there that are no doubt causing problems).

So, frustration because it seems like we got a beta release rather than a fully baked version, but tempered by the hope that 2.1 is coming soon and will solve these issues.**

What about the apps themselves? I’ve only tried a few, but there are my favorites so far.

Perhaps my favorite is MLB.com At Bat. While it would be great if it streamed games live, instead it gives you a running line score of games along with a snapshot of what’s going on at that moment: pitcher, batter, count, outs, men on base. The coolest feature is the link to highlights. Select a game, click on the video icon, and you can get highlights of each game, often just a couple minutes after the play occurred. It’s like having Baseball Tonight on your phone, but without John Kruk et. al. ruining your night with their nonsense. My only quibble is that live box scores aren’t included: it ships you out to the MLB.com’s mobile website for those. Otherwise a great little app, especially for $6. I hope they don’t try to charge $30 for the entire season next year. And I would love it if ESPN did something like this for college basketball, although that’s probably asking way too much.

Another new favorite is <a href=”http://www.pandora.com/”>Pandora Radio</a>. Pandora Radio is an off-shoot of the Genome Project, which attempts to categorize music through its core elements, then connect bands and songs via these elements. You plug in a band or song you like, give Pandora a few moments to assemble a station for you, and soon you have a running playlist of music based off your first selection. For example, I’ve put together a station based on three bands I’m listening to a lot: Silversun Pickups, Frightened Rabbit, and Andrew Bird. Right now, my Pandora Radio is playing a song by Eels and tells me it was selected because it features mellow rock instrumentalism, folk influences, repetitive melodic phrasing, major key tonality, and melodic songwriting. OK, maybe that description sucks some of the cool out of it, but it’s a fantastic way to discover new music. And thanks to the iPhone app, if I get tired of the music I’ve already loaded my iPhone up with, I can venture out and try some new stuff. Even if you don’t have an iPhone (or other AT&T and Sprint phones that are compatible), you can check out the web service.

The final app I’ll talk about is a game. Geeks were totally geeking out over the gaming possibilities on the iPhone. I’m not a big gamer, but after I heard some glowing reviews of Dizzy Bee, I thought I’d check it out. It’s a terrific little time waster. You control Dizzy Bee by tilting your iPhone different directions to direct him (her?) around the screen to free his friends who have been captured. Um, yeah, it’s cooler than it sounds. I promise. Think of a modified Pac-Man that involves tilting the screen rather than using a joystick. One of the promises of iPhone games is that they give you things to do in those small increments of time we all have while waiting on hold, in a lobby, on an elevator, or in line at the store. Dizzy Bee is perfect for wasting a few minutes in a way other than checking your e-mail for the 8000th time that day.

The bottom line is that the iPhone is still a game-changing device. 18 months ago, other cell phone manufacturers scoffed A) at the idea that Apple could create a decent phone and B) that anyone would want/use a touchscreen phone. Now they’re all scrambling to get a touchscreen phone to market and are marketing them as potential iPhone killers. Looks like the gamble paid off. As expected, most of the competitors are better at individual things than the iPhone. But none combines the complete experience of the iPhone. Whether Apple continues to lead the field is another story, but the iPhone is the first step in a fundamental change in how we access our online data. High speed access to information is no longer a luxury. It’s becoming something that we expect to have no matter where we are. Five years from now, the computer industry is going to look dramatically different because of what the iPhone started. Warts and all, it’s still on the cutting edge.

/* I know, it’s super confusing if you aren’t paying close attention. There’s the first generation phone, the second generation phone, and the 2.0 software. But the second generation phone is called the 3G iPhone because it operates on the 3G data network. Maybe we should just say old and new.

** Rumor has it the beta of 2.1 that’s been seeded to developers sucks, too. If it’s going to take two updates to get every software package to work correctly, those people who claim Apple is becoming Microsoft might be right after all.

Big Day

May 6, 2008 / DB

First off, happy belated Cinco de Mayo to you all. I hope you enjoyed a bag of Doritos or perhaps had some Cinnamon Twists to celebrate the occasion.

Oh, and happy birthday to the iMac, which was announced ten years ago today.

Well, the big day is finally here. Indiana, for the first time in 20 years, gets a real say in who our next president may be. While it appears Indiana is about as muddled as the rest of the country is and neither Barack or Hillary will end the day with a commanding victory in this state, it has been an interesting six weeks or so as the candidates have showered our fair state with attention and ad dollars. I don’t watch much regular TV, but when I do, there’s not much else other than ads for those two, for the Democratic US House primary in Marion County, the Democratic primary in the Governor’s race, and then a few for the Republican primary here in Hamilton County in which Dan “Two Handicap” Burton is being challenged. And the radio is ridiculous. Anytime I leave the house, I’m guaranteed to hear at least five political commercials. This must be what it feels like to live in Iowa.

And then there’s the phone. I’m getting at least five calls a day between my cell phone and the house phone. I assume they’re all political in nature, either campaigns or pollsters, but since I don’t answer and they rarely leave messages, I can’t be sure. Barack has left me a couple messages, or at least people speaking on his behalf have. The guy running against Burton left me a message, too. I’m waiting to get texts and IMs from them as well. Maybe they’ll get that element together for the general election.

The final indication that this is a crazy year in Indiana came Sunday when someone actually came to my house from the Obama campaign to see if I was A) voting today and B) voting for Barack. I’m surprised the police weren’t called out. Democrats roaming the streets in Hamilton County?!?!

After I talked to him, M. asked who he was. I explained that he was talking to me about voting. “What’s voting?” I said it is how we pick the president, mayor, and stuff like that, which I knew was a horrible answer for a three-year-old. Her response was a long pause, then “What?” I rephrased saying the people who make the rules. Not sure if that helped or not.

Anyway, it ends today. My polling place just happens to be at our church/M.’s preschool, so when I pick her up this afternoon, we’ll walk over to the main building and she’ll help me vote for the change America needs. Afterwards, we’ll go put on some Italian loafers, get a latte, and maybe test drive a Prius.

The pre-election polls are all over the place, but I would expect Hillary to win Indiana by a narrow margin. I mean, she’s going to end the gas tax! But, amazingly, my vote for a Democratic candidate in Hamilton County Indiana might make a difference this year.

Give Me A Call -or- My Wife Rocks

December 31, 2007 / DB

There are many things I admire and love about my wife.

She’s compassionate and kind in every aspect of her life.

She knew what she wanted to do early in life, went for it, and not only reached her goals, but has excelled at every step along the way.

She has more patience with children than I do.

Wait, she has more patience when it comes to everything than I do.

And she gives out the best Christmas presents.

Yes, after a week (and an off-blog discussion about what on earth it could be) I am unveiling the what was under the tree for me this year. (For some reason the pics I took with my webcam won’t import, so you’re stuck with a stock photo.)

Yes, I received an iPhone from my lovely wife. Completely unexpected. She’s well aware of how deeply I’ve been sucked into the Cult of Mac, but rather than reinforce it, Christmas seemed like the perfect time for her to avoid the Apple Store and keep me from sinking deeper into my illness. But apparently I was good this year and she dropped the ultimate Apple anvil on my head. If that makes any sense.

I had played around with the iPhones many times at the store, but after actually owning one for a week, I can confirm they are pretty freaking cool. I was always very resistant to the idea of combining a music player with a phone/PDA/small computer. Given the size of iPods and cell phones these days, it didn’t bother me to carry one of each at all times. Plus, I’m a dad and a journalist; my wardrobe is heavy on the cargo pants/shorts, so I’m never lacking for pockets to stow items away.

I know there are concerns about what is missing on the iPhone, but as a first-time user of a smartphone, they don’t affect me. The simple fact that I can access the Internet using Apple’s Safari browser, just like on a Mac, instead of some watered-down browser made for a phone is the biggest selling feature to me. And with the release of the software development kit to programmers coming soon, there will no doubt be all kinds of fun additions to it this spring.

I need to revise my list, because in 2007, I received the greatest Christmas gift ever.

I’m A Switcher

July 13, 2004 / DB

“You’re a what?” you probably ask. I’m a Switcher, which is what Apple calls people that shun the Windows world for a Macintosh. Our beautiful little eMac arrived yesterday morning. The computer Gods must have been watching, because the Dell laptop that I use for work promptly got ravaged by a virus/spyware that no one could figure out how to fix. I spent literally all day yesterday, and most of this morning, on the phone with our tech support people, or sitting watching my screen as someone in K.C. took control of the device and tried to remove the offending files. Meanwhile, my Mac sat quietly on the other side of my desk, happily cranking away at multiple applications without crashing, locking up, or doing any of the other fun things our old HP did. I’ll bore you with more Mac evangelism later; it is a cult, you know; but I feel obligated to point out regular reader E-bro in NoCal makes his living relying on the world to purchase computers with Intel processors. I’ll be happy to discuss, in great depth, the joys of the Mac world with anyone interested in switching, but keep in mind you’re helping a friend if you yield to societal pressures and stick with Windows.

Will everything that was going on last week, I somehow missed the Carlos Beltran All-Star controversy completely. Thankfully, Major League Baseball was given an out to cover their asses and wisely added Carlos to the National League roster. I could have been misinformed, but it was my understanding that despite being voted into the game for the American League by the fans, his recent trade to Houston meant that Carlos could not compete in this week’s events. He could show up and call himself an All-Star, but he couldn’t actually suit up. Was anyone really surprised by this rule? Coming from the same people who decided to let the teams play to a tie two years ago, and last season made home field advantage in the World Series dependent on the winner of the game, a rule as dumb as this seemed about right. Thank goodness it was corrected. What if the Astros had traded Carlos to Boston or New York this week, though? What then, Mr. Selig???

Another thing lost in the shuffle was the whole Maria Sharapova thing. Wow! She just worked Serena over last Saturday in the Wimbledon final. Finally, the white, heterosexual male’s perfect tennis player: hot, smart, funny, and talent on top of it all. (For the record, I’ve always been down with Serena’s looks; I don’t like to fence myself in.) In a semi-related note, columnists in the Midwest who will have to write about Kansas basketball over the next four years, were already beginning their columns comparing Alexander Kaun to Sharapova. “Like Maria Sharapova, who was born in Siberia, moved to Florida with little money and less English for the chance to play a game in the United States…” It’s going to happen, I guarantee it.

So the wife’s stomach is getting really, really big. Noticeably bigger over the past week, in fact. This poor girl was sticking out in so many different directions last night that S’s stomach looked like a misshapen pumpkin: smooth angles here, right angles there. As an added bonus, neither of us can sleep all the way through the night now. S. wakes for obvious reasons. I have no idea why four nights in a row I’ve woken just after 1:00 feeling like it’s 7:00 and spend the next 60-90 minutes either tossing and turning or down on the couch reading.

One of the best things about being a prospective parent is shopping for baby clothes. Not for the process itself, but more because you get to say funny things. For example, anytime we see clothes, mobiles, anything baby-related with a monkey on it, we say, “Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?” How is that not fun?

Something I forgot to mention in my mini book review Sunday was the fact the copy of The Sweet Forever I read was a signed copy by the author. Now why the Carmel-Clay public library needs signed copies of George Pelecanos novels is beyond me. I just hope my tax dollars aren’t being wasted here.

Do yourself a favor and check out the Snow Patrol song “Spitting Games”. Pure pop brilliance. I can’t get the freaking thing out of my head.

To close, I was pretty much sitting staring out the window yesterday morning waiting for the FedEx truck to show up with my Mac. Finally, just after 9:00 AM, it pulls around the corner, and a young guy pops the box on his shoulder and makes his way to our door. I greet him before he can get to the bell and show him in. He sets the box down and says, “This is a beautiful house, man.” I don’t know if he was just a really nice guy, or if he gets paid off by Apple to make the customer experience rewarding from the moment the machine arrives at your door. It was a nice touch, though.