The Retina iMac: One Year In

My fancy retina iMac is now a year old and Apple has just released an update. I thought it would be a good time to reflect on my thoughts about the 27 inch retina iMac.

When I purchased it a year ago, I had no idea that I was going to be leaving my job and opening my own law practice a few months later. I originally thought of the iMac as a luxury item and I understood I would not be using it all the time. That has changed. I now use this computer many hours every day.

You pay a premium to have a screen this gorgeous. I know in the future this technology will be standard, and cheaper, but for now, retina screens on big computers are still expensive. The question I’m exploring after a year is , was it worth it?

I have always been a resolution junkie. There was a time many years ago when choosing a computer monitor required you to decide if you wanted color or sharp resolution. You couldn’t have both. Monochrome monitors rendered text better and since most of what I did on computers even back then involved text, I was more likely to go for the sharp monochrome monitor over the blurry color monitor.

Now I’m fortunate enough to have both. If sharp text and beautiful color are a “thing” for you, you are going to love a retina iMac. Just like in my youth, I use this screen mostly for words. I write books, legal briefs, and even notes to friends using a screen that renders text in printed magazine quality. Every few months I go to do some maintenance on my kids’ MacBook Airs and the blocky resolution hurts my eyes. You can’t see pixels with a retina screen and that makes all of the difference. 

The screen of this caliber isn’t, however, just for text. Photos look amazing. Games pop. Video looks great and sharp, even when you only give the video half the screen so you can work in the other half. Pixels=flexibility. If this stuff is a big deal to you and you’re trying to save money, my advice is to stay away from looking at one of these retina iMacs.

With 27 inches of retina goodness, it is quite easy to have a lot of data open on your screen at one time. (There’s probably a separate post in exactly how I pull that off.) I’ve not been tempted at all for a second screen.

So after using this computer for a year I can attest that the screen remains awesome and drool-worthy. That probably isn’t much of a surprise.

The rest of the machine is no slouch either. I sprung for SSD storage when I purchased it. It stung when I had to pay for it but it’s been real nice every time I use it. For storage, I additionally have a Drobo G3 attached via USB 3. I keep the iTunes library and other cold storage on the Drobo but managed to keep the rest of my key data on the iMac’s SSD, including my Photos library.

This iMac replaced a six-year-old iMac and one thing I do miss is the inclusion of an optical drive. Not often, but on occasion a bit of optical data lands in my life and getting it into the system now requires me to track down the external optical drive that we share among the family. I understand the trade-off for getting rid of the optical drive was making the computer thinner and lighter (which are noble goals, particularly for portable computers). However, since installing the iMac on my desk, I’ve had no occasion to spin it on its side or lift it except when trying to plug something into a USB port, which are located on the back because of said thinness. In my case, I’d happily trade a little more weight and thickness to get an optical drive back.

There is so much to love about this computer. It is fast, quiet, and reliable. But above all, it has a gorgeous screen that I spend many hours a day looking at. Although it was my biggest technology purchase in several years, I don’t regret it in the slightest.

Steve Jobs Screening on October 15

I’m not particularly excited about the new Aaron Sorkin movie on Steve Jobs. I don’t think the book that the movie is based on is very good and while I’m sure the movie will be full of drama, I can’t help but think the movie will make a lot of the same mistakes as the book. Nevertheless, I still want to see it. This Thursday, October 15, I’m going to go see the movie along with Adam Christianson from The MacCast and Victor Cajiao from the TerraTech podcast in Irvine California. If you’re in the neighborhood and want to watch it with some fellow nerds, join us. Afterwards, we’ll probably find a local bar to discuss the movie. You can get tickets at Fandango here.

Sponsor: OmniPlan 3 for the Mac


This week MacSparky is sponsored by OmniPlan 3 for the Mac

It has been four years since the last major update to OmniPlan and the recent release of version 3 is a doozy. OmniPlan brings the usual level of Omni-style attention to detail to a project planning application. 

Like versions before, you can easily set up an outline and turn it into a Gantt chart. I use this with project planning in my day job and share the charts with clients. It lets everyone know when to expect things to start happening. As with every other Omni Group productivity application, everything looks gorgeous.


The new version includes a substantial number of brand new power features starting with network diagrams, which do a fine job of pushing my nerd buttons. With the network diagram, you can see the visual flow of your project and make connections and adjustments.

With the Pro version you get a multi-project dashboard that lets you track now only one but many projects going on in your company at the same time. The Pro version also has a reports feature that lets you see where things are working and not working. They’ve also added Monte Carlo simulation, which lets you run your project through different scenarios to see how it impacts the project outcome. It’s powerful stuff and it’s now in OmniPlan 3 for the Mac.

I’ve been using OmniPlan for some time and am going to start covering it in more detail here to explain where I can make it work for me. Learn more at the OmniPlan website. 


The Big Mac Bundle



eb335511cbc50e760fd819e588a609b62ba1c940_main_hero_image.jpg


Stack Social’s shown up with a new Mac bundle worth consideration. For $17.99 you get 14 Mac Applications. Several of them are apps I currently use or have used. Take a look at the list below. That’s a lot of software for 18 bucks. Also, if you buy through the links in this post, I get some taco money. I love tacos.

Ember – This is one is a gem and the reason this bundle caught my eye. I use Ember to organize photos and screenshots for MacSparky projects.

Voila – This is another one I paid full price for. It helps you capture, record & then annotate screenshots and is a great companion for Ember.

Kinemac – I haven’t used this one yet but am looking forward to trying it out. It lets you create 3D animations.

RapidWeaver – This application lets you build and deploy websites from your Mac. 

WiFi Radar Pro – Collect & troubleshoot network issues.

Candy Apple  – Design creative masterpieces or edit & add effects w/ this pro vector drawing app.

Deliver Express – Standard  –  Create hot folders, then auto-send to up to 50 locations.

MacPilot – Turn hidden features on & off on your Mac to optimize your workflow.

Concealer – Protect sensitive files w/ passwords & encryption options.

SendLater – Schedule emails to send on a specific date or at a specific time.

Commander – Seamlessly interact w/ your files in a two-pane file manager interface.

MacBooster 3 – Maintain & optimize your Mac w/ performance enhancing tools & malware removal.

Levavo Blu-ray Ripper – watch Blu-rays on your computer, media players or other devices.

Picture Collage Maker – turn your images into unique collages, card, scrapbooks & more.

∞

Relay FM App


If you are a fan of Mac Power Users, you should go ahead and download the new Relay app. A lot of work went into this app and it looks and works great. You can subscribe and follow Relay shows right in the application.

∞

MPU 282: Making it up as we go along

We just published this week’s MPU live. Mark Metzger joined us to chat about File Maker. We also talked about cleaning up iOS, follow-up on Office 365 accounts and Google Docs, discuss Mac/PC hybrid setups, hear from a virtual assistant, share listener tips and tricks and Katie shares her experiences with the iPad Air 2.

∞
 

Jazz Friday: Phil Woods at the Village Vanguard


Alto Saxophonist Phil Woods was an animal. I saw him for the first time in the late 70’s and it changed the way I thought about the saxophone forever. Phil played so fast and hard that it reminded me of a running out of control and always about to fall on my face. But Phil never fell down. 

Some called him the “New Bird” because of the way he played so intensely like Charlie Parker. (He also was married to Bird’s widow.) I always thought of him as the jazz-hippie because I was introduced to him during his long-hair phase. For awhile, Phil lived in France and recorded avant-garde jazz with a group called the European Rhythm Machine. (A nice example of this music is their song, Chromatic Banana.) By the 70’s, Phil moved back to the United States, returned to more straight ahead jazz, and got a haircut.

Phil also played sax for many popular artists including Billy Joel and Paul Simon. Whether playing upbeat or a ballad, Phil Woods always played intensely. My pick, his Live at the Village Vanguard is on iTunes and features him powering through Webb City and equally nailing a ballad as only Phil could in Prelude to a Kiss. Like a lot of jazz artists, the best Phil Woods recordings are those made before a live audience.

Phil passed away last week at the age of 83. The below video is of Phil playing in Lincoln Center a few years ago. Even in his 80’s Phil Woods still could swing his ass off.

My Home Screen: iOS 9 Edition

While I’m usually featuring someone else’s home screen, with the release of iOS 9 and a few other developments, I thought I’d share my own home screen today. So, here goes.


My home screen is always in motion. For example, the Notes app is currently in my dock because I’m still testing it as a potential full-time notes solution. Camera is likewise in the dock because the 3D touch buttons on the Photos application icon make keeping the app on my home screen suddenly relevant again. Audible is another example. I don’t usually keep it on the home screen but I’ve been listening to James Corey’s Expanse Series so I want quick access.

Drafts is still a thing for me. Even with iOS 9, I like the ability to start dictating text with one press. I also admire the way Drafts keeps evolving to take advantage of new iOS features. It’s now 3D touch-friendly.

Unread is under new management but still manages to hold onto the whimsey that makes it my RSS tool of choice.

About two months ago, I got tired of looking at Tweetbot on the iPad and switched over to the native Twitter app. About the time I started figuring out the official app, Tweetbot released its new version with much better iPad support and I went back without thinking twice.

1Password is another application that I like to keep on my home screen. I’ve got so much data in there and want easy access. Secure notes are a great feature in 1Password if you want to keep something important behind a separate security wall.

I haven’t decided if the App Store deserves to be on home screen but with all the post-iOS 9 app updates, it’s going to stay there for at least the next month.

The strangest development is that my home screen is now my only screen. Katie Floyd made the suggestion in a recent episode of Mac Power Users. She split all her additional apps into just 4 folders. I tried it and was skeptical at first but I think I’m sold. The folders are Productivity, Reference, Utility, and Fun, I’ve put the most frequently used apps in each category in that first page and I can now get to my favorite apps without swiping away from the home screen.

My wallpaper is another thing constantly in motion. The current one is a picture of a gray brick wall that I like (for now).

If I were in charge at Apple, I’d continue to give iOS more power-user features. I understand how they want to keep things simple but as iOS evolves, the operating system needs more power tools. 3D Touch is a great start. It’s easy to use and easily ignorable. More of that please.

Fantastical for iOS 2.5

This week the other penny dropped for Fantastical. On the heals of their Mac update comes Fantastical for iOS 2.5. There’s a long list of updates and new features including things like 3D Touch on the new iPhones and multitasking. 

For me, the big story here is the Apple Watch app. It’s always looked better than the native Calendar app but also been hampered by the fact it’s not a native application. It is now. The native app is much faster, now includes a Fantastical complication, and retains that clean Fantastical design. I’ve switched all my calendar complications over to the new Fantastical.