Top Posts
Nate Anderson: >Well-loved radio show This American Life—spawned from station WBEZ right here in Chicago—has some “difficult news” about one its most popular shows, an episode on Apple and labor conditions in China. The episode “contained significant fabrications,” writes TAL host Ira Glass today on the show’s blog. He is devoting this week’s entire episode,…
Nate Anderson:
>Well-loved radio show This American Life—spawned from station WBEZ right here in Chicago—has some “difficult news” about one its most popular shows, an episode on Apple and labor conditions in China. The episode “contained significant fabrications,” writes TAL host Ira Glass today on the show’s blog. He is devoting this week’s entire episode, called “Retraction,” to the story.
Can’t wait to listen to that episode.
Cristina Cordova: >So, curiously, I tried replacing my username with Kevin Rose’s: http://oink-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/kevinrose-export.zip (go ahead, click it). You’ll get a zip file of every item he has ever added, rated or reviewed. You’ll also get every photo he has ever uploaded to Oink. It’s like these companies don’t care or something, oh wait, they don’t.…
Cristina Cordova:
>So, curiously, I tried replacing my username with Kevin Rose’s: http://oink-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/kevinrose-export.zip (go ahead, click it). You’ll get a zip file of every item he has ever added, rated or reviewed. You’ll also get every photo he has ever uploaded to Oink.
It’s like these companies don’t care or something, oh wait, they don’t.
Matthew Panzarino: >This is a pretty cool development, as it would have been easy for the Verizon edition to be locked down so that it wouldn’t be able to use AT&T’s GSM networks here in the states. The device will only work on the standard 3G, HSPA+ and EDGE networks because Verizon and AT&T’s LTE…
Matthew Panzarino:
>This is a pretty cool development, as it would have been easy for the Verizon edition to be locked down so that it wouldn’t be able to use AT&T’s GSM networks here in the states. The device will only work on the standard 3G, HSPA+ and EDGE networks because Verizon and AT&T’s LTE networks are not compatible.
Sweet.
Ron Nixon: >Sixteen of the nation’s 450 airports use private contractors, including larger ones like San Francisco International Airport as well as smaller ones like Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming. SFO is really great to go through compared to the TSA playground that is SeaTac. But I am confused by this bit: >Those that want…
Ron Nixon:
>Sixteen of the nation’s 450 airports use private contractors, including larger ones like San Francisco International Airport as well as smaller ones like Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming.
SFO is really great to go through compared to the TSA playground that is SeaTac. But I am confused by this bit:
>Those that want to leave the agency’s screening program must prove to the federal government that contractors are more cost-effective and would not be detrimental to security. The private screeners have to follow T.S.A. guidelines and fall under its supervision, although the agency will not conduct private screeners’ training. The T.S.A. will pay for the private screeners.
Here’s what I don’t get: if an airport opts for private contractors, the TSA still pays for them? If that’s not the case, then why do the private contractors need to be more “cost-effective”? Shouldn’t all that matter be if private contractors are as effective as TSA screeners? (Truthfully it’s hard to imagine a monkey not being more effective than a TSA screener.)
George Hobica interviewing a former TSA agent: >Q: What was one of the least enjoyable parts of your job? >A: Having to take away bottled drinks, expensive perfumes and lotions, homemade food items, and other personal belongings and throw them in the trash (usually in front of the passenger) while they wondered what it was…
George Hobica interviewing a former TSA agent:
>Q: What was one of the least enjoyable parts of your job?
>A: Having to take away bottled drinks, expensive perfumes and lotions, homemade food items, and other personal belongings and throw them in the trash (usually in front of the passenger) while they wondered what it was all about. The liquid ban really consumes much of our screening activity, and perhaps sometimes, to the detriment of our efforts to search for other dangerous items.
MG Siegler: >But I will absolutely get an LTE iPad. Again, it’s faster than most WiFi networks I usually connect to. That’s going to make working from coffee shops that much better. The speeds he was seeing are faster than what I get at work (not at home though). Can’t wait for the LTE.
MG Siegler:
>But I will absolutely get an LTE iPad. Again, it’s faster than most WiFi networks I usually connect to.
That’s going to make working from coffee shops that much better. The speeds he was seeing are faster than what I get at work (not at home though). Can’t wait for the LTE.
Shawn and I talk about iPad storage space, iPad bags, Byword, Writer, and Sparrow. We end with some talk about standing in line for the iPad.
Shawn and I talk about iPad storage space, iPad bags, Byword, Writer, and Sparrow. We end with some talk about standing in line for the iPad.
PayPal launches their Square competitor, and underwhelms us all. Why does one of the triangle bits droop down when it is plugged in? That already bugs me and I haven’t even seen one in person.
PayPal launches their Square competitor, and underwhelms us all. Why does one of the triangle bits droop down when it is plugged in?
That already bugs me and I haven’t even seen one in person.
Nice review from Viticci. I will say that the UI looks kind of interesting, but I just don’t see the benefit over using the native Mail app — there are some nice touches, but that’s about it. Why, this is why: >It’s also worth noting that, because this is a third-party client, iOS apps that…
Nice review from Viticci. I will say that the UI looks kind of interesting, but I just don’t see the benefit over using the native Mail app — there are some nice touches, but that’s about it.
Why, this is why:
>It’s also worth noting that, because this is a third-party client, iOS apps that embed mail views will still fall back to Apple’s Mail — the same that happens with third-party browsers.
Until I can change the default email app, it’s not worth using a different email app.
Matt Galligan: >Signal will always be high, and you’ll always be connected to the “4G” network, so then the only thing that actually matters is how GOOD the network actually is. And if you are around too many people on the same network, enjoy the ‘5 bars of 4G’ service that won’t load a single…
Matt Galligan:
>Signal will always be high, and you’ll always be connected to the “4G” network, so then the only thing that actually matters is how GOOD the network actually is.
And if you are around too many people on the same network, enjoy the ‘5 bars of 4G’ service that won’t load a single web page. It’s interesting that we have reached a point in network distribution that it is almost assumed you are connected, what is still wildly unknown is your connection speed — at least until you try using your device.
Feeling better and better about my decision to go with Verizon this time around.
Feeling better and better about my decision to go with Verizon this time around.
A large part of my job these days is going into vacant spaces and, well, waiting. Waiting for someone to do something or to show up somewhere. Lots of a waiting. Typically I soak up that time rather uncomfortably perched somewhere with my iPad. Yesterday was different though, yesterday I went to a vacant coffee…
A large part of my job these days is going into vacant spaces and, well, waiting. Waiting for someone to do something or to show up somewhere. Lots of a waiting. Typically I soak up that time rather uncomfortably perched somewhere with my iPad.
Yesterday was different though, yesterday I went to a vacant coffee shop. The tables and chairs were gone, but left in the space was this bar that was standing height. I set my bag down and my iPad, then I noticed this:
[
](http://c276381.r81.cf1.rackcdn.com/iPad-bar-3.jpg)
The iPad fit perfectly on the bar. Held in by a large lip, but one that comfortably sat my wrists while I typed. Oh it was nice, then I turned it to portrait. Here’s what happened:
[
](http://c276381.r81.cf1.rackcdn.com/iPad-bar-2.jpg)
[
](http://c276381.r81.cf1.rackcdn.com/iPad-bar-1.jpg)
That’s pretty sweet. So in landscape the iPad fit perfectly as a writing spot and in portrait it was held perfectly (for my height) as a reading device. So very sweet.
The perfect iPad bar.
In all the years I managed that space I never knew this existed and they never marketed it. If I was a coffee shop owner I would make something like this and then show people it — I would frequent such a place.
My buddy, [Shawn Blanc](http://shawnblanc.net/) is a fan of [Byword](http://bywordapp.com/) — has been for a while now. It was because of him that I tried Byword to begin with. But when [iA Writer](http://www.iawriter.com/#Mac) came out [I wrote this about the two apps](https://brooksreview.net/2011/05/ia-writer/): >The difference between Writer and Byword is very, very significant. Writer has zero preferences…
My buddy, [Shawn Blanc](http://shawnblanc.net/) is a fan of [Byword](http://bywordapp.com/) — has been for a while now. It was because of him that I tried Byword to begin with.
But when [iA Writer](http://www.iawriter.com/#Mac) came out [I wrote this about the two apps](https://brooksreview.net/2011/05/ia-writer/):
>The difference between Writer and Byword is very, very significant. Writer has zero preferences and while Byword has limited preferences, it has far too many options. Allowing you to pick what you see in “focus mode” is nice on a bullet point feature list, but in practice it is far too much choice. On and Off is all you really need.
I screwed up in making that statement, not because I was wrong, but because I didn’t dig deep enough into the differences between the two apps.
Truthfully, the difference between Byword (or [WriteRoom](http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/writeroom)) and iA Writer is the difference between my home office and a coffee shop. It’s the difference between entering a writing environment that you can’t change, or manufacturing your own writing environment.
Byword is your home office, and while it is very nice, it is also very distracting — because you can and *will* tinker with it. If the desk isn’t clean, I can’t work. Why is that picture crooked? Maybe I should get different color light bulbs — ugh what is that CLICKING!?!
I think that is my general home office experience, there is always something to be tinkered with instead of writing, and because I can tinker with it, I typically will tinker with it.
iA Writer on the other hand is the coffee shop, or perhaps more accurately the Starbucks near your house/office. It’s the place you go to “focus” because it is the one place that two things happen:
1. You know what to expect. At the coffee shop that means: The WiFi works, but isn’t particularly quick. The atmosphere is soft with occasionally loud waves. The smells are warm and inviting. Everyone else there is minding their laptop screens, so you mind yours. It’s always the same, never more and never less.
2. The Coffee Shop (like Writer) also just *is*. You can’t change it, or tinker with it. At the coffee shop that means: The chair is a bit uncomfortable? Too bad. The light too low? Too bad. Your only option is to finish what you came there to do so that you can leave, eventually — right after the wave of productivity subsides.
Some people can’t work at coffee shops, some can’t work at their office.
This analogy isn’t perfect for either app ((For one Byword isn’t as tweak-able as my office and iA Writer is far better looking than any Starbucks.)) , but I hope you understand what I am saying. I don’t dislike Byword for any one reason — I dislike it because it doesn’t work for me because of the fact that I am a tinkerer and using an app that I can tinker with, when I want to focus, is a truly bad idea.
After using iA Writer everyday since it came out for the iPad I can say this for sure: I no longer have a want to tweak it, to tinker.
I downloaded the new Byword for iOS this morning — I spent the first 15 minutes trying to decide between the two custom fonts. 15 minutes. 2 fonts. Just imagine if I could change the background color? I used to spend hours a week tweaking colors in WriteRoom.
Now? Now I just write.
Lukas Mathis: >Apple can’t expect every iPhoto user to watch its Keynote, just to figure out how to use the app. It should be accessible to anyone. Read his entire post for a great take on the flaws in iPhoto. I have no doubt that the app is packed full of great stuff — it’s…
Lukas Mathis:
>Apple can’t expect every iPhoto user to watch its Keynote, just to figure out how to use the app. It should be accessible to anyone.
Read his entire post for a great take on the flaws in iPhoto. I have no doubt that the app is packed full of great stuff — it’s just that I haven’t figured it all out yet and because of that I gave up on it and have no desire to *try* and figure out the app, nor should I have to try and figure it out.
Britannica is just like Wikipedia, except that Britannica was accurate.
Britannica is just like Wikipedia, except that Britannica was accurate.
After listing four pieces of crap, Eric Franklin says the iPad 2 is where it is at because: >That’s right. The best alternative to the new iPad is the old iPad, or as it prefers to be called, the iPad 2. It’s thinner and lighter than the new iPad and has the smoothest and most…
After listing four pieces of crap, Eric Franklin says the iPad 2 is where it is at because:
>That’s right. The best alternative to the new iPad is the old iPad, or as it prefers to be called, the iPad 2. It’s thinner and lighter than the new iPad and has the smoothest and most responsive touch interface of any tablet on this list.
Forget about the fact that it doesn’t have:
– LTE
– Retina display
– Twice the RAM (smoothness, responsiveness?)
– More advanced and smooth graphics processing
Nah, forget about that stuff because Eric Franklin says it doesn’t matter — instead just go buy an iPad 2, or maybe the Toshiba Thrive — surely you won’t regret that.
James Whittaker sharing thoughts on why he left Google: >Even worse was that innovation had to be social. Ideas that failed to put Google+ at the center of the universe were a distraction. This post is a very interesting read, beyond what is quoted here, or on *Daring Fireball*. Whittaker actually paints a pretty bleak…
James Whittaker sharing thoughts on why he left Google:
>Even worse was that innovation had to be social. Ideas that failed to put Google+ at the center of the universe were a distraction.
This post is a very interesting read, beyond what is quoted here, or on *Daring Fireball*. Whittaker actually paints a pretty bleak picture for the future of Google.
“When the software provides the metaphor for the device, every tablet lives and dies by the display and what’s on that display.” — Ryan Block
Earlier today [I linked to the Curator’s Code](http://www.curatorscode.org/) crap — actually I linked [to *The Loop’s* take on it because I agree with Dalrymple](http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/03/12/code-of-conduct-proposed-for-content-aggregators/): >How about just stop stealing other people’s shit. I have never been excited that someone gave me a `via` link. Often people ask if I want one when I share something…
Earlier today [I linked to the Curator’s Code](http://www.curatorscode.org/) crap — actually I linked [to *The Loop’s* take on it because I agree with Dalrymple](http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/03/12/code-of-conduct-proposed-for-content-aggregators/):
>How about just stop stealing other people’s shit.
I have never been excited that someone gave me a `via` link. Often people ask if I want one when I share something with them via DM or iChat — I usually say “I don’t care.”
Because I don’t care.
I think the curator’s code deal is pretty stupid and inconsequential, [but Marco Arment brings up an interesting point](http://www.marco.org/2012/03/12/not-a-curator):
>The real problem is that these posts replace the need for the source link.
>Sites that do this can call this practice whatever they want. Often, it’s called aggregation, or simply reporting. There’s a continuum between 100% original reporting and zero value being added to the source content, but I don’t think I’m being unnecessarily inflammatory by labeling the posts on the far end of the continuum as rewriting.
I absolutely hate the way *The Verge* cites posts — so much so I can’t read the site. Rewriting is the true problem — not adding in more `via` attribution. The problem I face is when I write a post like this that is somewhere between a linked list post and an article post — on these types of posts I try to make source links really long, more than a few words. That seems decent enough to me.
I tend to find the people who whine about `via` attribution to fall under two categories (in general, as always, there are exceptions):
1. News breakers. These are the guys that break news and are truly *the* source of the news.
2. Small sites that linked to something and believe that a larger site *got* that link from them.
I totally agree with the first and the second — well I have been there, but let me share a secret: `via` attribution links don’t give you very much traffic and certainly not lasting readership.
I try to stay away from these debates, because blogging about blogging isn’t really interesting to anyone but bloggers. But I decided to write about this to state why/when I use such attribution.
I use `via` attribution when it feels right.
There’s no set rule and often I don’t remember where I found the link to begin with so I can’t put attribution on links that I sometimes wish to. Oh well: do what feels right.
I thought I knew LaunchBar, but I don’t know it as well as Dan Frakes does.
I thought I knew LaunchBar, but I don’t know it as well as Dan Frakes does.