The iPad
So, I had the chance to fondle an iPad this past weekend for a few minutes at the local Apple store. Sure, it was cool. Sure, it was pretty neat. Sure, it struck me as an iPod touch with a microphone and larger screen.
I wasn’t that impressed.
First up, I was amazed at how heavy it was. I now understand when people say they can only read about a chapter before having to set it down. I also found the keyboard awkward to use with more than my two index fingers. The rest, iPod touch. With iWork.
Revolutionary? I don’t think so. Game changing? Not for me. Cool? Yes. Buy it? No.
There currently is not a handy slot for the device to fit into my everyday life. Hell, I don’t think I have a place for this as a weekly use device either. It’s not a laptop, so you can’t really use it to store anything. You can’t get anything on to it unless it goes through iTunes. And I don’t use iTunes for my media except for playback. I don’t buy music, don’t buy or rent movies either. Sure, Handbrake does the conversions on video files, but do I really want to go back and redo 10 seasons of Top Gear or 7 seasons of The West Wing to ensure they play on the device? Not really. And don’t even get me started on having to pay for Hulu for this.
Then there is the keyboard. I would have to carry an external keyboard with me all the time with this device. The onscreen board felt like it would be good for about 3, maybe 4 sentances before I would be extremely over it.
All in all good things, since I don’t have 5 bills to drop on a piece of tech right now that wouldn’t immediately improve my productivity, connectivity or somethingsomethingity. Sure it’s cool, but it’s not cool enough for me. At least it’s not right now.
iPod as an iPhone
There is a very good chance that I will be going to England over Memorial day weekend, for those of you that haven’t heard. MINI United 2009 is coming up and they have asked us to head on over and cover it for WRR and Motoringfile. Should be fun!
I have a couple of issues before heading over the pond however. One of them is communication. Verizon, while selling me this fine Blackberry World phone (even has a SIM card), wants to charge me an exorbitant amount of money to use that feature of my phone. I could go the Pre-paid SIM route, but getting the unlock codes for my phone is a serious pain in the ass (so I have read) and isn’t always successful.
Looking around a bit last night, and playing with teh lad’s iPod Touch, I had a lightbulb moment. No, a lightbulb didn’t actually appear, but you know what I mean. Look at the photo above and think on that for a minute.
Yes, it’s a microphone for the iPod Touch. Yes, it works with Skype on the iPod Touch. In fact, there is a whole bunch of them over at Touchmic.com. They work with current and previous generation iPTs.
Ok, it’s not an ATP, but it would work for me as long as I had WiFi, which I am pretty sure I will.
Has anyone used one of these mics, or any microphone, on the iPod Touch?
I have decided
For the last 6 months or so I’ve been going back and forth on my next computer purchase. As I’ve mentioned before, I like 2 machines. 1 that is mobile that I can keep small, light and having only what I need to have while I’m mobile. And the other for my desk which holds all of my media (music, photos, video) and does everything the mobile machine does.
I haven’t had that. Not since my PC died in early ’07, shortly after I got the MacBook. And, while the MacBook is a great little mobile machine, it just doesn’t have the horsepower I need for doing other things. As it turns out, there are a few other issues I have with it as well.
So I’ve been watching the refurb shop at the Apple store for a 20″ iMac (the good one, not the low-end model), a 24″ iMac and a 15″ MacBook Pro. After my last trip, I’ve made my decision.
15″ MacBook Pro.
This came to me as I was trying to edit video on the road on the 13″ MB screen and watching as iMovie brought the machine to a smoking, screeching halt and declared 200+ minutes to export a 15 minute long video. No good that. Also I got the chance to check one out in person at that ginormous Apple store in Boston. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend it.
So, when the time comes, I will get a 15″ MBP for my desk. Run it off the juice with the battery removed (if I can) and use it mobile when I need the extra power.
Something else that I discovered after last week was just how cool the iPhone was. Every day during MTTS it saved our asses no less than twice, and some days more often than that. Whether it was finding the nearest Starbucks or giving us directions from point a to point b, just have access to Google Maps, even as slow as it is over EDGE, was a godsend!
Now, I’m not going to do anything foolish like drop Verizon and go to AT&T. Besides not liking AT&T, the coverage, where I spend most of my time, is crap. And, since it’s the only phone I carry, I like it to work all the time.
What I’m actually hoping to be able to do is get my MBP sometime before Apple stops that student special so I can also get an iPod Touch. Um, sure, it’s, um, for teh lad. Yea, that’s the ticket!
All of which hinges, directly or not, on my getting work. Don’t forget, I am for hire! Feel free to pass along my contact info and whatnot to anyone that you think could benefit from my skills.
Ok, back to processing one more video. Then, and only then, will this round of MTTS be done!
