lifestyle

lifestyle The Pink Mac

iPhone’s Dilemma

Post brought to you by Cousy the Boyfriend.
Well it didn’t take long but Apple rumors are swarming the internet all over again. After months of iPad fever it was nice to have a little break of the constant barrage of theories. But like all good things, it must come to an end and new rumors have started again. So what is the buzz on the internet now? Well it turns out people are gravitating their focus towards the iPhone. Part of the fever is because the iPhone 4G could be coming out…. soon…sometime…maybe. A lot of features are being speculated like it will be made of titanium, have a removable battery, have GPS, and will cook you bacon anytime you want (a guy can dream). Let’s be honest, like all Apple rumors most of them will probably be dead wrong so I’m not trying to get my hopes up too much. But what fascinates me is what people think will “solve” all of the iPhone’s problems. And what I find odd is that many are saying that it is all about the Benjamin’s baby. Yes people are saying that the $99 price point is just too great of a commitment to make and is the big turnoff for them. In face a recent survey by Morgan Stanley Research says that people are focused on this most of all.
But I have to wonder about this, since to me $99 isn’t a horrible price to pay for a phone with a camera, internet service, and games. Sure the prices of the phone, plan, and contract length aren’t the best things in the world for the iPhone… but why is the service provider ranked as 6th on the chart? People are more concerned by a battery than the service? No offense to AT&T, but their service hasn’t been getting a lot of great reviews both for quality and price, and I’m not switching from my very good carrier to that just for a phone. If Apple really wants to expand their market they need to not renew their exclusivity contract with AT&T and let more carriers in. Besides if they did that that might bring down the 2nd and 4th items on the list with more options for service plan costs and lengths.
I know this plea that the iPhone should open up to more carriers has been said a hundred times before and will be said a hundred more times, but to claim that the price is a bigger problem than the carrier just seems stupid to me. So what about you? What do you think is the biggest problem for the iPhone that needs to be solved? Leave a comment below and let us know!
lifestyle The Pink Mac

Could Content Redeem the iPad?

I read this article the other day, writen by the notable tech writer Andy Ihnatko that got me thinking about the practical nature of the iPad, which I had previously deemed impratical. Okay, so as I have already said, this thing is a big iPod Touch- I wouldn’t say it’s an iPhone necessarily because thus far it is not a phone, although with a Skype application this could indeed make voice chatting and even calling a feature, but that is a conversation for another post.

Never the less, the iPad’s greatest asset is its screen real estate, which is arguably larger than a majority of netbooks out in the market (if anything 10 inches is the max for netbooks), but unlike said netbooks, the iPad comes with a multitude of content, some you may have to pay for, some you may not, and of course I am referring to iTunes. See, for someone who already has an iPod(s) full of content (movies, music, apps, ect) you are already pretty well set up if you were to buy an iPad, which is certainly not the case if you were to buy a netbook or a tablet of another brand.

Now the big A-HA moment I had while reading the Ihnatko article was that, I, and I am sure a nice slice of the consumer market, have an interest in ebook readers, and so the ibookstore available to iPad users (question; is this ibookstore going to be available to iPhone or touch users??) gives me (and you!) the ability to fullfill ebook desires and make use of my iPod content at the same time. Of course the math of this decision would be more than simply…

ereader= $250
netbook= $300
total= $550
$550>$499 (iPad)
iPad Wins!

You have to take into consideration the fact that the iPad would be a means to spend even more money on content that you now need to own because you have a screen larger than a cell phones to work with. Apple is running a business after all and they will try to seduce you into their ever growing content market one way or another.

For me, I think it is time to refocus my thoughts in a new area. I know I want a tablet, and in light of the availability of content for the iPad perhaps it could be the tablet for me. I certainly have a good amount of time to think about it, but I fear my anticipation for the device may cause me to purchase too soon, something I ended up regretting with my iPod touch. Remember, longing makes the heart grow fonder!
lifestyle The Pink Mac

My Life in Gadgets: Laptops.

The progression of gadgets and electronics has been something I have been thinking about a lot for the last few days. In the next few days, Apple could possibly announce a life changing device to the market- but what is life changing anyway? When I think about it, nearly every gadget I have owned has been life changing, even within the scope of similar devices. As generations of them progress, they become more featured and intuitive, suiting the needs of the user to a greater degree.
Consequently, all this deep thought on electronics forced me to recall all the gadgets I have owned, so I thought I would share with you the laptops I have owned throughout the years.
My first laptop was given to me in 1996 at age 10. I can’t recall the brand of the computer, but it looked very similar to this photo above. It was grey and thick and ran Windows 95, and what I thought was very interesting about it was that it had a trackball for a mouse. It was heavy and had a small screen, but it could connect to the internet via a phone line and so I loved it!
The next laptop I owned was a Compaq Presario 1200 series which I received in 1999. Coming from that old clunky early 90’s laptop, this thing was light and fast and had a much more attractive form factor, not to mention it had a floppy and CD-Rom drive. It also ran ‘the new operating system’ Windows 98. At the age of 13 when I was given this machine I had no clue about operating systems, but the jump from Windows 95 to 98 opened my eyes to a new world of computing I never understood before. I have since become an OS junkie.
In 2003, the year before I went to college, I bought this even more modern Compaq Presario 2500 series. This had the largest screen of any laptop I had owned, or have owned since. It also had a DVD drive, so this was also the time I converted from VHS to DVD- a little late, I know! This machine also ran, what to me at the time, was a revolutionary new operating system- Windows XP! Everything about this laptop seemed more vibrant and refreshed, and I remember having the distinct feeling when I bought this that I had entered the future.
As we all know, college is a crazy time in a persons life. They learn new things, they experiment- some of it good, some of it bad. As an Art History major in college I was surrounded by these new machines I had very little knowledge of before this time. I mean, as a PC user for all of my life until that point, I had been conditioned to think of Macs as the enemy and an inferior computer to the PC, but I was never really taught why. So, in college I dabbled, and unsurprisingly, I liked it. So, in 2006 after my PC died on me in the middle of Maymester (May semester), I started researching Macs. Coincidentally, this was also nearly the exact same time that the intel based white Macbooks were announced and so I took it as a sign to convert.
By 2009 when I upgraded to a 13 inch Macbook Pro, I was already indoctrinated into the Macintosh lifestyle and haven’t looked back. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me technologically, as looking back from that very first laptop over 10 years ago, I have made such a substantial jump in my fluency with computers that I wonder how much further it will all progress in the next 10!
lifestyle The Pink Mac

2010: Year of the Tablet

With CES 2010 right around the corner, Macworld following that and then the alleged Apple event at the end of the month, I suppose it’s time for me to make my prediction for what we will be seeing tech-wise in 2010. If 2009 was the year of the netbook, I foresee that 2010 will be the year of the tablet. Not just the Apple tablet, mind you, but I think starting with CES and onward this year we will be seeing a vast increase in computer manufacturers announcing tablet style computers. We have already begun to see a touch of this consumer interest in tablet computers with the Entourage Edge and similar devices, but I think in the new year the market for such machines is going to skyrocket. Whether they be dual screened, touched screen or just incredibly portable, we will be seeing much more of them in many shapes, sizes and colors this year!
lifestyle Solutions tech The Pink Mac

The Pink Mac’s Holiday Gift Guide 2009!

The Pink Mac's Holiday Gift Guide 2009
Now that the holiday season is finally here, it is time for The Pink Mac’s Holiday Gift Guide. This year has been groundbreaking in many ways in regard to consumer electronics, and especially Apple products. We have seen some amazing bumps in product standards and at the same time some big price drops which have made gadgets and accesories even more affordable! So, I have put together a list of some of the best and most interesting Apple related accessories and products out on the market today, taking into consideration quality and price to ensure that you are giving only the best and most unique gifts this season!

Gifts for Mac’s

Hu2 Design Laptop Decals: These vinyl laptop decals are unique and durable; a sure way to brighten up any Mac user’s holiday!

Fabrix Laptop Cases: The usual brand of laptop cases can get boring, so instead, consider Fabrix cases; they’re handmade and made from unique fabric designs that are sure to spread the holiday cheer!

Apple’s Magic Mouse: For any mouse using Mac user in your family, Apple’s Magic Mouse has all the familiar gestures of a trackpad with the functionality of a mouse!

Gifts for iPod’s

iSkin Nanovibes: Give the gift of unique iPod protection with these interesting patterned cases!

Richard Solo 1800 for iPod: For the avid iPod user in your life, consider this backup iPod power source- small and compact- perfect for the ipod user on the go!

Belkin Rockstar: Does your ipod lover like to share their music? Then this is the perfect gift for them, allowing for up to 5 users to experience the tunes!

Apple Sidekicks

Nook: This well designed e-reader looks the part of the Apple lineup, and with it’s simple touch screen design, it puts other e-readers to shame!

Canon Powershot: There is no doubt that Canon makes some of the best compact digital camera’s out on the market, and this compact design is the perfect gift for any photo lover!

Bose Headphones: What is all the great audio technology good for if you can’t experience it full throttle? These bose headphones are compact enough for use at home or on the go and will surely strike a chord with any music or movie lover in your life.

Stocking Stuffers

Monster Screen Cleaner: Keeping your gadget’s LCD screens clean is always important for frequent users, so stuff some of this in their stockings to keep all their gadets looking new!

Pogo Sketch: Whether it is the touch screen of a iPod or trackpad of a Macbook, this inexpensive accessory is a perfect stocking stuffer for your gadget lover, and cheap enough for you to splurge on yourself!

Netflicks Gift Subscription: Who needs on-demand movies and expensive extra channels when, for less than the price of a single DVD, you can have access to an entire movie library and streaming DVDs online?
lifestyle The Pink Mac

New White Macbook vs. Macbook Pro

Here it is! My video comparison of the new White Macbook side by side with the Macbook Pro. If you aren’t able to watch the video, let me give you a quick written review of the specs and what makes these two models different.
New White Macbook Base Specs:
2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
250 GB Hard Drive
2 GB of DDR3 Memory
New Brighter Display
Full Unibody Construction
7 Hour Battery
Multi-Touch Glass Trackpad
Total $999
Aluminum Macbook Pro Base Specs:
2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
160 GB Hard Drive
2 GB of DDR3 Memory
LED Display
Full Unibody Construction
7 Hour Battery
Multi- Touch Glass Trackpad
SD Card Slot
FireWire 800
Back-lit keyboard
Battery Indicator Light
Total $1,199
Obviously, each model also includes a display port, ethernet port, two USBs, an audio in/out, Kensington Lock, and a Superdrive, so we can just ignore those specs, along with the processor, the memory, 7 hour battery and glass track pads which are the same between the two models. What we are really interested in are the components of the computer that differ. To begin with, the screen. Although they both have the same screen resolution and LED Backlit display, the Macbook Pro still has a superior quality of the screen. In the video you can see the difference between the colors on each screen and although I believe Apple has made vast improvements to the Macbook’s screen, it is still not on par with the Macbook Pro.
Now, the Macbook has a greater hard drive capacity in the base model. There is no way around this, the numbers speak for themselves. You can of course upgrade the size of the Macbook Pro’s hard drive, but this is one area where the new Macbook is superior to the Macbook Pro. However, this is really where the superiority ends, as the Macbook lacks many of the great features that make the Macbook Pro a more functional and fully equipped computer.
These Pro features include the SD card slot, FireWire 800, a back lit keyboard, and battery indicator lights. Now, for a difference of $200 you can get all these useful features, by giving up 90 GBs of hard drive space, and to me, that is worth it. When it comes to computers, space isn’t a major issue because hard drives are one of the most easily replaceable components of any computer. Apple charges you a mere $50 to equip your Macbook Pro with a 250 GB hard drive, and for not too much more, you can bring your laptop to an Apple certified repair business to have the hard drive upgraded. You also have the option of many different forms of external hard drive space that any computer owner should use to back up their files -if for no other purpose. Remember, you can always get more hard drive space, but you can’t just add an SD card slot, or a backlit display to a notebook computer.
When it comes down to it, the difference between the Macbook and the Macbook Pro base models is $200, and you certainly get your money’s worth for the difference, especially if you are someone, who like me, values those added features and would prefer them to a $200 savings. Of course, another major factor in the decision between the two machines is the difference between white plastic and aluminum, and although I am not going to discuss that difference because to me it will always come down to personal taste, I just wanted to remind my readers that this is a machine that you will probably have for some time and you should like the way it looks just as much as you like the way it works. So, if you love the way the white Macbook looks and can’t stand the Aluminum, I think you have already made your choice, because no amount of extra features will turn one unibody into another 😉
lifestyle The Pink Mac

NaNoWriMo 2009

I just wanted to let everyone know I am an official participant in NaNoWriMo 2009. If your not familiar with the annual event, I will explain. For the past 11 years, November has been National Novel Writing Month, where people from around the globe attempt in write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. I have been interested in participating in the event for a few years now, but I have either forgotten about it or was too late/busy to join. This year, however, I am official! You can visit my “Author Page” here and follow my progress online. If you too are participating, feel free to add me as a writing buddy- so far I have none 😉
On the advice of the dedicated writer/bloggers over at Macworld who are also participating in NaNoWriMo, I have decided to download and use the writing program Scrivener, which is offering an extended trial of the software for those participating in the event. I downloaded it yesterday and started playing around with it, so I suppose after this month is up I will have a good review of the program for you guys. Best part is, Literature and Latte (the developers) are offering 20% discounts on the program for those who participate in NaNoWriMo and 50% discounts for those who win (winning means hitting the 50k word mark)! Hopefully, if things go well, I will have my own copy of Scrivener half off come December!
On a blog related note, I am expecting this to sorta take over my life for the next month, so chances are posts will be scarce, but I will try my best to get you guys some great content to hold you over until December! As always, thanks for your support- I really do appreciate all you each do to help me make this blog a success.
I’m not going to say “goodbye” because I do not intent to leave you for a month, but I do wish you a Happy Halloween, and while I’m at it a Happy Thanksgiving in advance!
lifestyle The Pink Mac

Wireless Deceiver.

One of the hot new tech items on the market right now is the PowerMat wireless charger, however, with all the buzz and press around this innovative new device, I find that many have been fooled into thinking more of this gadget than necessary. Undoubtedly, the item is unique and innovative as it is now possible to charge all your gadgets without having to plug them into the wall. A socked saver for sure, however, what actually differentiates the PowerMat from other charging stations out on the market? Well, really only one thing- the lack of a wire directly from the charging area to the device.


Let’s break down the PowerMat into its working parts. First of all, we have a mat, powered by a single wire to an outlet. The mat functions as a base station where the devices must be left in order to charge. Then we have the wireless receiver called the Powercube (above). This little box has a wire that connects directly to the device you are looking to charge, and with a collection of interchangeable tips, one cube can act as a receiver for multiple different devices, but only one at a time.

Okay, so you still need to plug your device into the receiver, and keep it stored on the mat itself in order to charge it- unless you buy one of the optional battery door receivers (above) made for either a Blackberry or an iPhone- in which case you have to attach something directly to the device and then leave it to charge on the mat. I don’t want to take away from the innovation of a consumer device with the ability to charge an array of devices without a direct connection from the power source to the device, but it really isn’t that different from the traditional charging station. You still plug or attach something to the device that needs charging, and you still need to leave it at one location while it does so, and for the price tag of the power mat ($99.99) which can charge up to 3 devices at a time, plus the cost of 2 extra Powercubes ($29.99 each) and/or the optional device specific battery door chargers ($29.99- $39.99) you are looking at a cost of at least $159.97. Let’s compare that to a more traditional but no less innovative wired charging station like Bluelounge’s Refresh charging station (below) that costs $89.99, can charge at least 3 devices at once, and also has a variety of tip heads to choose from for different devices.

Let’s be honest with ourselves right now, we were all temporarily deceived by the seemingly futuristic simplicity of the PowerMat, but unless we can innovate to the point of simply leaving a device on a mat to pick up a charge, I am not spending $50 per device to charge them when I can get a great charging station for under $100 or just get a surge protector for $20 and use the free wires that come with the device!

lifestyle The Pink Mac

Away from Keyboard.

I realize I have yet again gone missing from the internet. Sorry about that. After the September marathon of posting I was a little worn out, I was busy in my personal life, then things became hectic at work, and before I knew it, days away from the blog turned into more than a week. I just wanted to take some time to come up for air and let you know I haven’t died. I am actually trying to put together some new material that I hope you will enjoy later this month, but for now I have decided to take it at a slow and steady pace as I make it through October.

XoXo
The Pink Mac
lifestyle The Pink Mac

Do you Unfriend your Exes on Facebook?

The other day I was browsing facebook and discovered that I was blocked from my exes profile. At first I didn’t understand what had happened, but then I realized, he unfriended me. Now, I am not sure of the protocol with something like this, but he and I have been separated for almost a year now, so I guess it took him long enough to do it, but I wanted to get the opinion of my tech saavy readers. I for one do not believe you should really ever unfriend someone unless they have done something bad to you, but in the case of an ex that you mutually separated from, why deny you know each other when everyone of your shared friends know you were once together? So, what do you think? Do you unfriend your exes on facebook after you breakup? If so, what is the appropriate time frame? Right after you break up or months later? I guess it’s something to ponder!