jeffreymark

WRITER STEPHEN FRY GOES ORGASMIC OVER IPAD

Actor writer Stephen Fry met not long ago with Apple CEO genius Steven Jobs. Fry insists that Jobs possesses a sort of god-like mystique that sells technology. Fry also got a bit orgasmic over the iPad. Why not? I must say, it looks like one of those 1950s sci-fi gadgets that you thought you might never see in your lifetime. 

After he leaves, I am finally left alone with an iPad. Finally I get some finger time. I peep under the slip holder, and there it is. When I switch it on, a little sigh escapes me as the screen lights up. Ten minutes later I am rolling on the floor, snarling and biting, trying to wrestle it from the hands of an Apple press representative.

APPLE NUMBER ONE ADMIRED COMPANY

Fortune 500 named Apple the world's most admired company. Perhaps this is one reason why:

For the creative professionals at RTKL, one of the greatest benefits of iPhone is its ability to transmit and display rich visual information. “Virtually everything we do is based on a picture, an image, a drawing, a sketch, an animation,” says McKay. “iPhone has been perfect for us because it allows us to exchange ideas and share sketches, PDFs, and JPEGs. It’s made communication easier and more immediate.” But iPhone doesn’t just enhance the firm’s creative capital, Sprague adds: It also brings together a world’s worth of business information, from deadlines in Dubai to contacts in Chicago. “We’re a global firm, and iPhone is a global device,” she says. “We truly are networked as a result. I'm really excited that the idea of creativity and business can live together. This tool thinks the way we think. It absolutely has changed the way we work.”

See the video here.

SHOULD YOU PURCHASE AN iPAD?

Three of the nerdiest guys known to mankind from Cnet discuss pros and cons to owning an iPad. As stated in an earlier post: I don't need one, I want one. 

GOTTA HAVE AN iPAD

Being a Mac fan for all of my computing career (early 80's) I must confess I could not have said it any better than the good Professor Bainbridge:

 I want one. I don't need one. But I want one. I love my Mac, my iPod, and my iPhone. They look great. They work great. Very high hedonistic value.

I see no reason to think the iPad will be any different. The iPad will be fun to use at home as an entertainment adjunct and on short trips as a laptop replacement. (Even if the name does sound like a feminine hygiene product.)

The only question is when to buy. There's bound to be a few glitches for early adopters and, if the iPhone is any precedent, the price is bound to come down sooner rather than later.

APPLE KICKS THE COMPETITION'S BUTT

They are the most innovative in the business.

APPLE LAPTOP UPGRADES

Apple computers slashed its prices on lower line MacBooks. A word to the wise. Don't buy a MacBook simply to save money. They are as cheap as they look. Pay the extra and buy a MacBook Pro. It will be money well spent.

EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT NEEDS A MAC

I've used both PC's and Mac's. Let me put it this way:Once you use Mac you won't go back. Bob Levitus tells us why our kids should take a Mac to college:

It's back-to-school time again. So if you're about to send your kid off to college with a new computer, here are some reasons to make that computer a Mac:

1. Issues are the last things a kid needs at college and Macs have fewer issues with viruses, malware, and icky stuff like that. It has also been my experience that Macs have fewer issues with almost everything else, as well. This was my daughter's first year away at college and she required technical help from me only once.

2. Most Macs sold today have a built-in video camera and iChat software. So it's easy to communicate by video, audio, or even plain old text chat. Of course this assumes that you have a Mac of relatively recent vintage.

3. Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) includes easy-as-pie remote screen sharing that lets you see and control your student's Mac from anywhere in the world. So, if your kid calls you up, frantic because Microsoft Word has disappeared from the Dock, you can take over the screen and fix it in just a few seconds.

4. Every Mac comes with fast 802.11n Wi-Fi built-in so your student can join most WiFi networks in the library, dorm, Starbucks or wherever — with just one click.

5. A Mac is the only computer that can run both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows; a Dell, HP, Sony, Lenovo or other PC just can't do that.

6. Every Mac sold today can run the latest version of Microsoft Office and run it quite nicely, I might add.

7. Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Entourage) is just $119.99 at www.Amazon.com.

8. College students (and faculty and staff members) receive free iPod touches or iPod nanos if they purchase new Macs before Sept. 15. How could you not love a free iPod?

9. College students (and faculty and staff members) can save on any Mac, selected software and accessories via the Apple Education Discount available at Apple-authorized campus stores and the Apple Online Store for Education.

10. Excellent free software for producing masterful movies (iMovie), dazzling DVDs (iDVD), awesome audio (GarageBand), and wonderful Web sites (iWeb), and for managing digital audio, video (iTunes) and photos (iPhoto).

11. Free personal shopping assistance is available at all Apple Stores. I've shopped in a lot of computer stores over the years and Apple Stores definitely have the most honest and knowledgeable staffs.
And last but not least:

12. Because Macs are cool. You wouldn't want other students making fun of your kid, would you?

IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD FOR THE VAIN THAT IS

When I undertook the mammoth project of this blogging hobby two years ago, I swore to keep it a hobby. (Well I am an attorney wannabe and attorney bloggers greatly influenced me as you can see from my blog mentors section) So, I ardently vowed not to follow in the footsteps of more visible evangelicals who like to preach on hell and seem to revel in the fact that a few people may indeed end up there. When I saw the news about an Apple iPhones application priced at $1,000, however, I recalled these words from the Apostle Paul:

All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them.

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (I Timothy 6:1-21 NIV)

I wonder how a person with a conscience sleeps at night thinking about those who live in hunger and purchases a meaningless application designed for the narcissist. If you have that much money to burn, get in touch with me and I will point you towards several needful causes in which to direct your excess.

iPhone MANIA II

It's great but it ain't worth this. Can't you folks just wait one or two more days for your new Matty Mattel toy?

iPHONE MANIA

The new iPhone G3 hits the market tomorrow and I'm ready. Some are predicting less of a frenzy than last year's run for the phone. Well if I don't get my upgrade tomorrow I can always wait.

We’ve had an internal debate in the Macworld offices this week about how big a deal Friday’s iPhone 3G launch will turn out to be. I mean, certainly, we think it’s big in the sense that people are interested in the updated phone and will upgrade in significant numbers. But is it… you know… camp-out-in-front-of-your-local-retailer-for-hours big?

Consider last year’s original iPhone launch. By this time—t-minus 16 hours and counting—brave souls were already massing in front of their local Apple Stores to try and be among the first to grab the new phone. We had correspondents filing reports from coast to coast.
This year? Not so much.
The iPhone 3G launch has the feel of a major OS X release—people are excited and, sure, some are going to queue up just to be a part of the happening. But for most upgraders, whether they get the phone first thing Friday or some time over the weekend, it’s all the same to them.
That seems to be the prevailing attitude here in the States at least. Overseas, where they’ve been best by iPhone envy for more than a year, it’s an entirely different story.