Fantastical 2 for iPad

Today Flexibits Released Fantastical 2 for iPad. Fantastical has taken over as my home screen calendar app on the iPhone so I guess it is only proper for it to do so on the iPad as well. I’ve been playing with it all morning and there are some nice features including half-screen and full-screen week views, that Fantastical intuitive appointment parser, floating time zone support, and TextExpander support.

My favorite feature is the way it displays week view on the top half of the screen, a month view and a list view all at once without looking cluttered. A close second is the way it builds the event while you type in the details. This immediate feedback is so useful. The slash trick from the Mac and iPhone, where you can designate an event to a specified calendar with a / in the description, also works on the iPad version. For instance, putting “/p” at the end of an event description puts the calendar event on your personal calendar. There is even a slash on the included extended keyboard, that also has numbers and symbols appropriate for creating calendar entries while entering new events.

Michael and the gang have done some great work on the iPad. It’s available now on the iTunes App Store.

The Sweet Setup Reviews Dispatch

Robert McGinley Myers did a proper job of writing up Dispatch. There is so much to like about that app. However, I don’t use it as much as I used to because Sanebox already manages so much email for me. Another up-and-comer in the iOS mail racket is Boxer, that includes a lot of similar gesture based mail management tools (though not as much third-party app support). However, Boxer works on all your folders, not just your inbox.

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LaunchBar 6 Beta

I love that there is some healthy competition in the app launcher, phone number-finder, keyboard-master, drive-my-mac software category that is Alfred and LaunchBar. LaunchBar is about to release a new version and I’m pickled. You can sign up for the beta right here.

Thanks MacDrifter for poin ting thi s out.

Misty Watercolor Memories of Word 5.1

Last week at Macworld, the subject of Word 5.1 kept coming up in multiple conversations with multiple people. This was partly a result of Microsoft releasing Office for the iPad but I have to admit it is strange how much that application is universally loved by old nerds. When was the last time you truly loved a Microsoft app for the Mac? I wonder if it really was that great or if we are all just looking through rose colored glasses. I suspect that even if Microsoft wound back the clock, I’d still be spending the majority of my time in Scrivener, Byword, and Editorial (which is getting much more sticky for me lately).

While I usually make an effort to completely avoid the April Fools posts, I can’t finish this post without making reference to the near-legendary TidBITS April 1, 2011 post about Word 5.1 on the iPad. People wanted to believe that one so badly.

MPU 184: Power User Workflows and Macworld

This week’s Mac Power Users was recorded largely in the Macworld/iWorld press room. Katie and I summarized some of the workflows we covered in our session and talked about some of the cool new gadgets found on the show floor. While we recorded, I drank tea.

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USB to Lightning/Micro USB Combo Cable

One of my favorite finds at Macworld this year was the Skiva combo Lightning/Micro USB Cable. This doesn’t require much explanation. It is a standard USB cable on one end and the other end has a Micro USB plug with an attached adapter that can turn it into a Lightning cable. It provides both power and syncing to my iPhone and a way to sync/charge my Micro USB devices. Where once I carried two cables, now I carry one. I love that. You can find it on Amazon (affiliate link).

Macworld Photo Stream 2

Here are some of my photos from Macworld on March 29, 2014. The show wrapped up today. It was another great Macworld leaving me charged up and full of ideas.

Goal Zero Solar Charger

Goal Zero has some impressive solar chargers. These are just toys anymore and are starting to make a lot of sense for emergency/camping bags.

Backblaze B

Ever thought about assembling a massive letter B from server hardware? Backblaze thought about it, and then made one.

Cloak 2

Cloak received a Best in Show award and deservedly so. Here is the entire company. I love it will small teams make something awesome.

SmartScore

SmartScore lets you take a picture of sheet music and then plays it. Crazy.

PencilCase

Robots and Pencils is a developing Mac app that lets you create an application with drag and drop and a bit of JavaScript and then deliver that App to your iPad. They are calling it Hypercard reimagined, which has my immediate attention. I’m very curious to see how this turns out. In fact, curious enough to include this blurry photo.

Dave and John

Here are Dave and John from BusyMac enjoying their “Best in Show” award for BusyContacts.

Air Turn

Here is another music pick. It’s a Bluetooth pedal that flips pages on digital sheet music. I very nearly bought one of these.

Photo Accessories

I went back to the Square Jellyfish booth and got some more of their tripod related products. This is nice, lightweight surf for the Micro 4/3 crowd.

App Camp For Girls Team

The App Camp for Girls event was a big success. Here’s the team. So punk rock.

Macworld Photo Stream

In the past two days I’ve given five presentations and attended 4 parties. Other than that, I’ve not been doing much. Here’s my photo stream from the Macworld show floor.

BusyContacts

BusyContacts, which premiered as a beta at the show impressed everyone and won a Best in Show award.

Katie and Kourosh

Kourosh Dini, who wrote Creating Flow with OmniFocus, met up with Katie and I on the show floor.

iPad Robot

This device remotely drives around the house or workplace and gives you a virtual presence from an iPad screen. I thought it was simultaneously cool and creepy.

Jellyfish

This company had some great photo accessories, including some clever little tripods. There is a good chance I’ll be spending money there before the show is over.

Handsome!

Phone Cases

There is an assortment of phone cases. I liked this one, which is milled aluminum and needs to be put on with a screwdriver. My phone does, however, remain naked.

Backblaze

I’ve been using Backblaze for awhile now and got to speak to some of its engineers about how I use it and some of my feature requests.

Paul and Me

Paul Kent is the ball of energy that makes Macworld/iWorld happen every year.

Jeff Carlson

Here’s Jeff Carlson looking introspective for my Olympus camera, which I think he approved of.

KatieFloyd!

I got to drink tea in the room with her while we recorded a podcast. I got to see “the look” in person. It sacred me.

ScanSnap Booth

This booth was busy every time I walked by. They had a show special on scanners and I saw lots of people walking around with them in their bags.

Tech Desk

I thought this was a good idea but don’t like the idea of giving up so much writ in space for ventilation.

iRing

This is a Kickstarter project that looks interesting but I have to wonder how useful it actually is.

Windows!

I asked him why they chose Macworld and he explained “It’s the only windows at Macworld”.

Otter Pick

I got a picture of him picking his nose a minute earlier. I told him I’d take a different photo if he smiled.

Music

There are always some good music vendors. Here’s a digital stomp box that guitar players were lusting after. I was told there is also an app that reads sheet music but I haven’t found it yet.

Ergo Mouse

A lot of people love these tall mice.

LiveScribe 3

The livescribe pen has come a long way. The Bluetooth connection is great to the iPad.

OmniFocus 2 for Mac Returns, Expanded Beta

Today at the Omni Group announced its expanded beta for the completely rejiggered Omni Focus 2 with a product release in June. The current beta is pretty complete. I started using it in the private beta about a month ago and for a few weeks now, it has completely replaced version 1 on my Mac.

The new version brings forecasting to the Mac and the Review mode brings the Mac a lot closer to iPad OmniFocus’s utility. There is a lot to like about the new version. I particularly dig the way the inspector becomes a permanent fixture. I’ll have a lot more to say when the final product ships but for now, if you’re interested, get yourself over to The Omni Group and sign up.

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