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Reflection – Your iPhone & iPad on your Mac

March 1, 2012 By 2 Comments
Screen Shot 2012-03-01 at 11.04.42 AM

Have you ever wanted to show off an app on your iPhone or iPad?   Well, I have and as someone who does tech reviews of applications filming an app running is both time consuming and does not provide the best results.  Well there is now an app for your Mac called Reflection that will bring your IOS device to your Mac Desktop.   The technology behind this is Apple’s Airplay and it requires a Mac running OSX Lion along with either an iPad 2 or iPhone 4S.

If you like this product if can be purchased directly from the developer here.

Check out how this product works below.

 

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Apple could learn from this Calendar enhancement!

June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Screen shot 2011-06-20 at 11.35.34 PM


If  you use iCal for tracking your appointments and to dos, you probably hate the interface to create new appointments and the inability to set mutliple reminders or actions for that mater within an appointment.   Well fear not, the folks over at Flexbits, Inc have come up with a nifty little add -on app called Fantastical.

The program adds an icon on your menu bar that allows you to easily look up future appointments plus more importantly it allows you to enter new appointments using natural language!   What is really great about this program is that it syncs directly with your iCal, Outlook or soon to be release BusyCal database, and you can add and lookup appointments without ever opening up the full blow calendar programs.

So as an example I can create a new appointment by typing something just like this:

“Webcast Meeting with Joe on June 24 at 1:30 until 3:00 at Skype”  

Fantastical will automatically fill in all of the detail entered from the appointment without me touching the mouse in the right fields for the appointment.   I hit return, the appointment is saved and since it’s already being stored in my iCal database it lands up in my iPhone in a matter of minutes automatically!   Apple could clearly learn from this little application!

So what’s the downside?

Well as of this version 1.01, there is no way to edit an appointment from within Fantastical, basically you double click and it launches your native full calendar program to make the changes.  In my case iCal.

 

 

The other downside to me is price, when I purchased this app it was $14.99, and recently they have raised the price to $19.99.   For the functionality that this program provides it’s just a little steep to me.

Otherwise a nice add-on for your Mac!

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Apple OS X Lion – Finder, iCal and Address Book

June 20, 2011 By 2 Comments
Screen shot 2011-06-20 at 11.14.34 PM


With OSX Lion, Apple continues to focus on refining the finder through the use of multi-touch gestures and improving usability of the OS with some very nice file and folder manipulation improvements. On top of that when you look at both iCal and Address Book you can see how they are taking what they have learned from their iOS cousins to improve the look and feel of the interface plus add some new features and frankly sorely missing on the Apple side of the world.

For instance why are we just seeing Social Media integration into the Address Book? While iCal has some new views the interface to enter new appoints still is just clumsy to say the least. Please take a look at the screencast included with this post to learn more about these items and more.

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Apple OSX Lion with 250+ New Features

June 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Screen shot 2011-06-15 at 11.27.13 PM

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past week, Apple at the 2011 World Wide Developer conference not only demonstrated Mac OSX Lion, but also wowed the crowed by announcing it’s release in July for only $29.99.   On top of that this major system release will be distributed through the APP store as a 4GB download, this represents a first for Apple in distributing their operating system updates.

With over 250 updates this release represents one of the most far reaching updates in a long time.   With the number of updates that Apple has incorporated into this release there are lot of new features that Mac users should be excited about.   This blog post will be the first in a series along with the screencast below that will walk you through some of the most compelling features in the new cat that at least I found interested.     As you read these blog posts and watch these screencasts, I ask you the reader to give me your thoughts and let me know what you want to see and hear about with regard to OSX Lion.

 

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iPad Initial Impressions & Apps

April 4, 2010 By 1 Comment
Safari

Happy Easter!  Well the iPad came and over the past day and 1/2 I have spent alot of time getting my arms around this device and playing with the different APPS from my short list blog post.   So initial impressions?

I have to say that I just love this thing!  In fact on Saturday I ended up doing a USTREAM.TV video for around 800 viewers for just over 3 hours on how iPad performs and demonstrating APP’s and answering direct questions.    The iPad feels nice in ones hands, albeit that at 1.5lbs over extended usage I did feel it get a little heavy in my hands.    The earlier reviews concerning battery life are correct, in my experience using this all day that the battery kept going with WIFI on and being used non-stop for well over 11 hours!    The screen is just drop dead gorgeous and movies that I looked at from Digital Copies such as The Dark Knight looked like they were in 1080P!

So what about the APPS?   Well from my short list posting this past Friday, I have started to create video demonstrations to show how they look on iPad.   Here are my first two and over the course of the next several days this list will continue to grow.

If you have questions about the iPad, please feel free to leave comments and I will do my best to answer your questions.

Enjoy!

USA TODAY & WALL STREET JOURNAL

ABC PLAYER

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My iPad Apps Short List

April 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
apps

Well.. here we are the day before the official launch of the magical and revolutionary Apple iPad, and the technology, consumer electronics, and financial industry segments are all abuzz over Steve Job’s latest creation.   Will it live up to the hype?  The major news sources like Time, USA Today, WSJ, PCWorld have all sung praises to “the next era of computing”.

But what about the applications, great hardware is meaningless without great software to empower the user.   Yesterday Apple launched the iPad portion of the APP store and from browsing the store; here is my must have short list to at least start off with tomorrow when my iPad gets delivered.

Skeeter’s Short List

  1. Apple Keynote – The ability to show my presentations quickly along with editing on the fly will be just awesome!
  2. Apple Pages – While I would not envision writing long documents, the ability to update proposals, tweak contracts, etc will be invaluable.
  3. iBooks – While I love my nook & Kindle, I believe the added capabilities that iPad will bring to books will make reading fun again.
  4. Marvel Comics – Ironman and Spiderman coming to life in full delicious color… oh my
  5. Tweetdeck for iPad – One of my favorite tweet clients for being social!
  6. USA Today - Can’t wait to see the full of color USA today come to life
  7. LogMein Ignition – One of the best APPS on the iPhone period.  You can fully control both Windows and Macs with it.  Need I say more?
  8. WSJ for iPad - Have you seen the screen shots – looks like the paper?
  9. ABC Player - Lost and Modern Family on demand?  Coolness!
  10. Mirrors Edge –  A really fun and gorgeous game on the consoles, well see how it performs on the iPad.

Check back tomorrow (morning I hope) for an unboxing video and then over the weekend I will report back with my initial impressions on the iPad along with initial impressions on my short list!

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An interesting Alternative to iPad w/3G

March 29, 2010 By 2 Comments
iPad with 3G

While pondering about the Apple iPad and having numerous conversations about this “magical and revolutionary product” the big questions that people always ask me is “How much memory should I get? ” and “Should I order it with 3G”.   Well the first question to me was pretty simple – Memory.     From my perspective while 16GB is just not enough – the cost of the 64GB unit just pushes this device in my humble opinion to a price point that is just too high!    In addition to my price concern,  I carry a 32GB iPhone have 339 songs, 33 videos, 190 photos, 82 Apps and still have over 8GB of free space!   So what I have learned from my first iPod days is that I really don’t need to carry my entire library with me all the time!   Thus 32GB just “feels Right”  and practical to me for storage.

WI-FI + 3G or Not?

Well I have to say my initial reaction was YES you need 3G, however the more I thought about it the less I thought of having to add $130 to the cost of an iPad and then spend either $14.99 or $29.99 a month, contract or not for 3G data access!   So then it dawned on me that there was another option albeit more expensive, it would provide me 3G access on my iPad plus a whole lot more!

Enter Verizon’s MIFI 2200 or Sprints Overdrive app Wireless Hotspot!  In case you are not familiar with these devices they are pocket sized, battery powered,  portable WIFI hotspots that allow up to 5 devices access to the internet over the 3G/4G wireless networks!      Currently you can buy the Verizon MIFI 2200 from Verizon for $59.95, and the Sprint Overdrive for $99 with $50 mail in rebate.  Of course both devices assumed a 2yr contract for service with both carriers offering “unlimited” 5GB per month data plans at $59.95 per month.

I was able to do some extensive testing with both of these devices to determine how well they really did perform with normal usage, at least with my laptop and desktop computers.   These tests were conducted around Rochester, NY so Sprints 4G network was non-existant, meaning all tests were done within Verizon & Sprints 3G EDVO Rev a. Network.    I found that both units from a download speed persecutive were very close to each other in multiple tests and web page surfing user experience.   Utilizing an internet speed test site – SpeedTest.net I found that wireless download speeds ranged from 1.0 – 1.3 mbs down and .150 – .350 mbs upload speeds.   The Verizion MIFI 2200 usually bested the Sprint Overdrive almost every time by 10%, not really anything you noticed when surfing web pages or watching YouTube videos.    What was surprising to me however was the speed comparison when the hotspots were directly connected to my laptop via the included USB cables.   With the Sprint Overdrive the speeds did not change, however the Verizon MIFI just took off with speed testing improvements such as 1.7 – 1.9mbs down and .350 – .550 mbs upload speeds!   Beyond the speed testing you could easily see that web pages easily loaded faster under this configuration as well.   Bottom line:  Verizon out performed Sprint, at least in Rochester, NY with no 4G coverage at the time of this blog posting.

Alternative Approach

So think of this approach from this perspective;  add $130 to the cost of my iPad, then plan on spending $29.99 per month for unlimited  data access OR get one of these instant hotspot devices which will give you hotspot access for not just your iPad, but your smart phone, Laptop and 2 other internet hungry devices!     The long term monthly cost (assuming 2 year contract) is certainly more then the iPad data plan however again in my humble opinon you get more capability then buying a WI-FI + 3G iPad!

If you ordered an iPad I would like to hear your comments about this device.   I will be sharing my unboxing and thoughts on this device over the coming weekend in both blog posts and video.  Hope to see you soon!

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Apples iPad..Magical & Revolutionary? Perhaps!

March 12, 2010 By 5 Comments
Apples iPad
Apples iPad

Apples iPad

So here we are March 12th and the Pre-orders started today at 8:30am EDT with various Mac News, Rumor sites and technology analysts reporting that based on their estimates that these puppies were being ordered at an astounding rate of 25,000 units per hour! Is that number really accurate? I doubt it, but it certainly fuels the fever pitch which is something that no tech-company other then Apple, Inc. can garner in the computer industry.

So I have to admit my first reaction to this device was somewhat underwhelming and comparing it to an overgrown iPod Touch was easy to do.  So you can look & listen to your photos, music and even movies on iPad and YES they will look nicer then on the iPhone 3Gs but that is not very compelling to me. Now Apple reports of 150,000 existing apps that are all just ready to be loaded on your iPad. Ok, but I already have them on my iPhone. Maybe I could put them on my iPad… but again not very compelling.  Next up comes a 9.7 inch web browsing experience in your hands.  I can see it being a great experience, but not enough to make me put my laptop away. The productivity apps like email, calendar, google maps are OK but, I have them on other devices. So what remains are really two functions/features which are iPad specific. It is in these two areas that get me excited.  If you have not seen the Apple Keynote, it was these same two areas that got the most reaction from the audience in what otherwise was a very subdued keynote.

eBooks and iWork Apps, and Games

Where I see the biggest potential is with Books and Periodicals. With a device such as the iPad a users experience can now combine text, audio, and video into a very engaging and intimate experience. Of additional interest to support this, Barnes & Noble announced formal support of an B&N iPad App to read and access their bookstore!  So I have to believe Amazon will not be far behind!  Penguin a publisher in the UK showcased upcoming books that provide the kind of intimacy that will revolutionize peoples reading experience. While the video below starts with children’s books, it gets really interesting when they get to the fiction, travel guides and star charts!

Custom iPad Apps like Keynote, Pages, and Numbers will allow me to have enough power in standard business applications that I could easily leave the MacBookPro at home. With iPad I could teach my Social Media classes via Keynote and respond to email, and work on proposals with Pages and Numbers. I believe that these applications are just scratching the surface on what can be done with iPad specific applications!  The last area that I believe has huge potential is the gaming marketing, but I will save my comments on that topic for a future post.

What is going to happen in 3 weeks?

  1. New Version of iTunes – We can expect that right before April 3rd we will see the launch of a new version of iTunes. It will at a minimum it will incorporate the sync services for iPad, and add sections to the APP Store for iPad specific Apps. I would also suspect that a Book Store menu will appear in iTunes so you can not only purchase but backup purchased books to your computer. I for one hope Apple produces booking reading apps for your iPhone, Mac & PC like both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have done with their e-reader devices.
  2. Guided Tour Video – I also suspect that before the end of this month we can expect to see an Apple Guided Tour of iPad that you can watch to learn more about this new device along with several How-To documents on the use of particular apps or settings.
  3. Another Commercial – We have already seen the first commercial for iPad, thanks to the Oscars but I suspect that another one will surface before the launch showing off more usage of the device.
  4. Revamped Apple Store – Finally on the evening of April 2rd if you happen to live near an Apple Store, expect the windows to be covered so that the window displays can be all “iPadded Up” and a section of the store carved up for both demo units and a plethora of accessories for iPad.
  5. No iPads! – What you won’t see are any iPads in the store before April 3rd.  Apple unlike other tech companies (thinking Gateway & Dell) knows that you don’t tease your consumers with “Oh Look” check out my new sexy gadget/computer but sorry you can’t buy it now or get it here approach!

Well you might be wondering well am I getting one? – You Bet!

Between the potential with iBooks, iWork Apps, and Web Surfing I see great potential and opportunity from this device. In fact I pre-ordered the iPad 32GB WIFI model at 8:34am this morning, with an order Acknowledgement back from Apple at 9:04:06!

What you can expect to see and read here over the next three weeks:

  • Updates and comentary on the iPad and aforementioned predictions
  • Unboxing Video on April 3rd
  • Comparison of iPad to other e-Readers such as Nook and Kindle
  • iPad as a replacement to my MacBook Pro
  • iPad for gaming

Will Apple’s iPad live up to being both Magical and Revolutionary or just another gadget looking to solve a problem that doesn’t exist?  At this point I believe it is too early to say, but I for one see awesome potential here!

I would like to hear your thoughts!

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Parallels Desktop 5 Sets a Very High Bar

February 17, 2010 By 1 Comment
Here is where you select a virtual machine to open.

The Virtualization industry for the Apple Macintosh has existed for almost as long as the Macintosh, with one of the first virtualization products (at least that I used) being hardware based on the Macintosh IIc back in 1987.   Warping forward to 2010 how times have changed for both software and hardware manufactures and “with Hell Freezing Over…” Apple made the move to the Intel Chipset.   In my humble opinion one of the best decisions Apple ever made!  Parallels Desktop 5In the Virtualization space today the players are Parallels Desktop 5, VMWare fusion 3, and Oracles’ Virtual Box, with the predominate lead going to Parallels.  What sets Parallels Desktop 5 apart from other Virtualization software really boils down to it’s mature and thorough feature set and just raw performance emulating Windows.  If your interested in a short comparison of Parallels and VMware I created a screencast here, late last year.

Parallels Desktop 5 is all about raw speed, performance and reliability.  Leveraging the release of Mac OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard, Parallels Desktop 5 now takes advantage of the 64bit OS, Intels VT-x2 Technologies,  and can utilize up to 8 CPU’s on the most powerful Mac the MacPro.   What does this mean?   In simple terms it means booting up in Windows XP in under one minute or even less with Windows 7.

Here is where you select a virtual machine to open.

Here is where you select a virtual machine to open.

I can now suspend a windows instance in less then 10 seconds, and when I need to go back into windows with just one click Windows is back and operational on my Mac in less then 10 seconds!  Truly amazing.

Performance is clearly carried through in both application performance as well as graphics including OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9 support.   What this has meant to me is that I can easily run applications like MS Word and Internet Explorer with performance that is better then most windows machines, and quickly test my website designs and video production for Windows compliance.   What has also much improved in Parallels Desktop 5 is the ability to play 3D games now in a virtualized environment, and get performance that makes casual gaming very acceptable.  For a more detailed look on gameplay within Parallels, I created a screencast late last year that you can find here.

What sets Parallels Desktop 5 apart is a well executed user interface and mature feature set for each Virtual Machine.   Parallels has created a very unobtrusive interface to launching a Virtual Machine instance, and accessing the hardware & settings of the environment.

Hardware and VM Settings Seamless Integrate with running Virtual Machine

Hardware and VM Settings Seamless Integrate with running Virtual Machine

The interface has been well thought out with the ability to configure every feature/function of the virtualization experience with a very comprehensive set of options.  While there are over 70 new features that are included in this release and certainly too many to cover here, the most important features to me are the performance improvements and the new Crystal Mode of operation.  To see Windows 7 literally melt away so that only you only see the Windows program running next to your mac programs is simply brilliant!

Notice that MS Word 2007 is running to the left of Apple Pages!

Notice that MS Word 2007 is running to the left of Apple Pages!

In summary Parallels Desktop 5 sets a very high bar and a new standard in Virtualization software.   The product offers an incredibly robust feature set, performance that is just amazing, and rock solid stability.   I personally use Parallels Desktop 5 on both a MacPro and MacBookPro daily, and my experience has just been stellar!   I for one will be interested to see how Parallels improves on this incredible release!

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Parallels Desktop 5 Compared to VMWare Fusion 3

November 9, 2009 By 18 Comments

It was just last week that VMWare release Fusion 3, and this week Parallels responds with the release of Desktop 5 for Mac. Like Fusion 3 Parallels made claims to several interesting claims along with many new and unique features such as:

  • 300% Increase in performance of Parallels 4
  • OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9.0E Support
  • Multi-Touch Gesture Support on Trackpads
  • New Utilities like Parallels Compressor
  • New Mode of Operation – Crystal
  • Support for up to 8 Virtual CPU’s

WIth such an impressive list of features I owed it to myself to look yet again at the new version and it ultimately lead me down the path of doing a feature comparison and some informal benchmarking. t It was thru these tests and comparing operation on both a MacBookPro and MacPro that has made me determine which Virtualization Software I will stick with.

The Screencast below will give you a brief comparison of VMWare Fusion 3 and Parallels 5, along with showing the different operating modes of Parallels. By the end of this screencast I discuss my experience and the performance I was able to achieve comparing Fusion 3 to Parallels 5. I think you may be surprised by the results.

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