The more I see of Siri, the more my nerd alarm bells are going off. My favorite part of the video: “We have milk.”

My friend, Dave Caolo, along with Steve Sande and Michael Grothaus, published a book, Taking Your OS X Lion to the Max. Dave is one of my favorite technology writers and this one is worth checking out.

Mac Power Users Episode 59, iPad at Work, is available for download. I promise this isn’t an hour long commercial about the new book. Instead, I talked about the mechanics, software, and workflows I used to write 110,000 words in my free time. Get the episode over at 5by5. Also, studies show that people who subscribe are less likely to lose their hair.

There’ve been several posts lately about monitors. Ben Brooks ditched his extra monitor, but that only worked a few days. Brett Terpstra had a similar experience. Al Gore’s desk has so many monitors that it feels like his office should be on a secret island. Eddie Smith summed it up nicely. I really don’t think there is a right or wrong way about this. Like many things, it depends.

In my case, I’ve worked with multiple monitor setups in the past and it’s never stuck with me. My problem is that multiple monitors just feel noisy with information everywhere. Also, I don’t like the way that looking straight ahead, you don’t seen the center of a screen but instead a seam between two different screens. (I get that there is a way to avoid this but don’t like that option either.) All of my computers, ranging from a 27” iMac down to a 13” MacBook Air are single monitor machines. So how far do I go with this? I do most of my computing at the day job at a standing desk with nothing but 13 inches of computer screen to work with. From there, I am tunneled into a PC with Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection and have several other screens (Safari, OmniFocus, PDFpen Pro) running all day in their own spaces. Lion makes this easier than ever before. One of the advantages of working this way is that when I am working with dead tree paper, I can just close the lid on my MacBook and stick it in a drawer. I love doing that.

I think the ability to work with fewer monitors is a function of what I do on a computer: Mainly, research and writing. It seems web designers and programmers have a genuine need for the additional real estate that I don’t find necessary. I also cheat on occaision. For example, when dictating to my Mac I use my iPad to reference research, PDFs, and e-mails so, in that regard, the iPad does occaisionally serve duty as a sort of second screen.

John Siracusa gets so much right in this podcast about Steve’s passing and what it should mean to you, today. This one is must listen in my book.

I recently did an interview with the Law Technology News magazine about what to do when technology goes wrong at trial. I talked about the time I pulled out my remote and found its batteries dead. Also, of the numerous professionals interviewed I managed to be the only one to use the word “dork.”

When the Mac Power Users recorded its recent Mail show, I lamented about the trouble with full screen Mail and writing new messages. Specifically, the compose window is modal and takes over the screen so if you want to refer to a prior e-mail you have exit full screen or cancel the composition.

Reader Sunit figured out a work around. While composing an e-mail in full screen, pressing ⌘⌥N creates a new mail view window. You can search, block, and copy to your hearts delight and then return to the screen with your e-mail composition.

The 5by5 hosts, including yours truly, created a podcast with our memories and thoughts about Steve. It is most definitely worth your time.