AppleInsider today wrote about the mythical Apple tablet. I’ve been pining away for one of these for years. I have no idea if any of this is true. I suspect that if they had such a device at Macworld, Steve Jobs would not be handing over the keynote to someone else.
Continue readingActionGear Giveaway
The developer of ActionGear, a lightweight task management application reviewed by my friend John Chandler, has generously agreed to give away two licenses to MacSparky readers. Take a look at John’s review and, if you would like to get in the contest, simply send me an email with the words “ActionGear Contest” in the name. I’ll be randomly selecting two names after I return from Macworld next week. Good luck!
ActionGear is also giving away two copies on John’s own site, The Creativityist. So you can double your chances (and learn a thing or two) heading over.
ActionGear Review
by John Chandler from The Creativityist
For 15 years, I have managed my task list on my computer. Behind me lies a pile of discarded task management apps, including Starfish Sidekick, Lotus Notes, Outlook, and iGTD, not to mention a few others I’ve flirted with along the way. I switched over to OmniFocus when the beta went public, and the launch of the iPhone version earlier this year has landed me squarely in GTD utopia.
One of my greatest joys in life is checking little boxes next to completed tasks. (Sad, isn’t it?) As a result, my infatuation with task management apps rivals Imelda Marcos’ love for shoes. Even in my current task utopian bliss, curiosity draws me to explore every task app I run across. So when David asked me if I’d be willing to do a review of ActionGear, I knew I was the man for the job.
ActionGear is billed as Lightweight task management for Mac. That simple tagline captures some of what I like best about this app:
Quick and easy access – ActionGear feels more like a handy background utility than a resource eating app. It resides in the menubar for convenient access, though you can also assign a quick keystroke like command-space, option-space, or anything you choose, to open the ActionGear window.- Straight forward task management – ActionGear doesn’t require a PhD to manage your tasks. As tasks are added, you can drag and drop them into the folders you create. Whether you want to sort them by projects or contexts, it’s up to you.
- Quickly capture reference and ideas – ActionGear is not confined only to tasks. It can also capture a screenshot, an iSight image, or a note if you want to grab an idea or other reference material in a flash. The item becomes a line item just like a task, and can be sorted quickly into a folder. QuickLook is built in, so you can take a quick gander at your saved information.
- Tags and smart folders – Though ActionGear is simple and lightweight, it can scale for more demanding users. The ability to create tags and smart folders means that you can customize your tasks into multiple folders sorted by projects, contexts, due dates, or any combination of them.
ActionGear is a new release — I’m reviewing 1.0.3. (Actually, I started reviewing 1.0.2, but found a bug. The developer was prompt with his response, and a new version was released within a few days.) As you’d expect in a 1.0 product, ActionGear still has lots of room to grow, but it is already a capable task manager. Priced at $24, it’s reasonable too. If the complexities of Things or OmniFocus feel like too much for you, ActionGear might be just what you are looking for.
John writes Creativityist, a blog about shaping good habits for your soul, and your Mac, to practice creativity.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all! I will be spending the next day with my family and “unplugging” a bit. May Santa stop by Cupertino on the way to your Christmas tree. If you have little ones, you may want to track Santa yourself right here.
Continue readingiPhone Nano?
The interwebs are all abuzz this afternoon based on the above photos of a case for the alleged iPhone Nano. I think all of this stuff should be taken with a grain of salt. Regardless, expect many more rumors in the next two weeks.
On the subject of rumors, if you do want to play the game, I’d recommend following the MacRumors website. Arnold does a good job of pointing out fact from fiction.
iMacworld on your iPhone
For those of you lucky enough to get to Macworld this January, IDG has recently released its own iPhone app, iMacworld. Currently it has details of show exhibitors but IDG is promising further updates. I assume that will include maps, conference schedules, and related useful information.
Now I’m going to cross my fingers that AT&T has adequate Edge and 3G coverage. Last year it was insufficient and the iPhone was of little use with no signal.
Free Software at the Mac Giving Tree
The MacHeist is giving away software with the Christmas Giving Tree. So far they have unlocked Synergy, an iTunes desktop controller, and Enigmo 2, the newest Mac version of an excellent little puzzle game. There are more presents to unwrap on Christmas so make sure to go over and check it out.
Continue readingRichardSolo 1800 Review
To be honest, I’ve never been much for iPhone accessories. I don’t keep my phone in a case and except for an upgraded set of headphones, I’ve skipped over most of the accessory madness. However, the limited life of my battery has become enough of a problem that I found myself looking for a solution. I found one with the RichardSolo 1800 iPhone backup battery.
The RichardSolo 1800 on first glance looks a lot like a slightly smaller iPhone. It has a similar design aesthetic and shape to the first generation iPhone. It is slightly slimmer and slightly shorter. It is also much lighter than your iPhone. Regardless, it fit in my pocket nicely and was very easy to carry around in my bag.
Sticking out the end of the RichardSolo 1800 is the standard iPhone/iPod connector port. Once charged you simply plug it into your device and the RichardSolo starts recharging it. There are several charging batteries that require you to plug the iPhone in through a separate iPod cable. I hate having to bring extra cables and the built in solution is much better. The built in connector on the RichardSolo 1800 is firm and actually locks on to your device requiring you to squeeze two points in order to unhook it not unlike the older iPod cables. It also includes two plastic connectors that lend a little more support to your phone while it is charging. In a pinch, you can use your phone while it is charging but it does feel a bit funny talking into it with the battery attached. On the other hand, I found holding it with the battery convenient while watching a movie.
Because the battery plugs in from the bottom instead of the wrap-around design of some of its competitors, the RichardSolo can charge just about any iPod with the 30 pin connector. I used it successfully on a first generation nano, third generation 30 gig iPod, and an iPod Touch in addition to my iPhone.
With 1800 mAh, you can recharge your iPhone and then some. I let my iPhone drain down to 10% and then plugged it in. In about 80 minutes, it was fully charged again. Charging the RichardSolo simply requires you to plug it in through the MiniUSB connector to your computer or any USB charging device. Speaking of which, the RichardSolo 1800 includes home and automobile USB chargers along with the required cables. I thought this was a great touch allowing me to recharge the battery from just about anywhere. You can also charge the RichardSolo and iPhone together simply by leaving them connected while you USB charge the RichardSolo 1800. Charging the RichardSolo 1800 from my MacBook Pro takes about 5 hours.
I find the RichardSolo 1800 perfect for days when I use my phone a lot and when I travel. If I know I will be stuck on a plane or relying on my phone and away from extra power, the RichardSolo 1800 is a champ. Once in awhile I will mistakenly leave the iPod running on my iPhone and suddenly find I’ve drained my battery. The other nice thing about having this device in my bag is that it pretty much shuts up that inner voice that tells me I’m not allowed to watch long movies, play games, or otherwise carelessly use up my battery. I don’t care anymore. I’ve got insurance. I don’t need the RichardSolo 1800 everyday, but when I do, it comes in very handy.
As an added bonus, the RichardSolo 1800 has an included LED flashlight and laser pointer. While these extras may seem like window dressing, I actually find them quite useful. I most often need the RichardSolo 1800 when I’m on the road giving presentations. Having a flashlight and laser pointer in my pocket is quite handy. You can also use the laser pointer to torment cats.
The RichardSolo 1800 is a great solution for anyone in need of extra power for their iPhone. It retails for $69.95 and you can purchase it directly from the RichardSolo website.
This review was recorded and published on the NosillaCast podcast.
Hyperspaces Review
The Spaces feature in OS X Leopard is one of those things you either love or hate. Since I do a lot of my computing with a 13″ laptop screen, I find it very useful. The trouble is quite often I’m clueless as to which space I am actually occupying. I know I can display the number in the menubar but that just gets me more befuddled.
Hyperspaces is a small application designed around this specific problem. It allows you to set a custom wallpaper for each space. It also allows you to give each space its own specific name. So, instead of seeing “Space 3” in my menubar, I see “Writing”, I also have spaces for OmniFocus, iCal, Mail, and a few others. You can display the label up in your menubar or even right on top of the current desktop. The application offers several ways to navigate including custom hot keys to switch directly to a certain space or add and remove spaces.
Be warned that if you are running an older machine or one without a dedicated video card. Loading up multiple wallpapers could eat into clock cycles. Fortunately the developer also allows you to configure it so it just changes color or, if you really like one specific wallpaper, you can rely on Hyperspaces other notification methods such as the menubar and on top of the desktop.
One feature this application begs for is a customizable dock. I know this is a 1.0 release, but if the developer could allow you to additionally customize your dock for each space with this single application, he will please a lot of unsatisfied Spaces users.
With the demonstration version you can customize three of your spaces. If you want more than that, you can buy a license for $13. The developer gives out his email on the application website and encourages feedback. It appears to be a well loved project with a bright future. While Hyperspaces is still a bit rough on the edges (this review is of final candidate 1.0), I see this application getting traction with Spaces power users soon. You can find it at Hyperspacesapp.com.
This review was also recorded and published on the MacReviewCast episode 122.
Disney Photos
Every year, my family makes a Christmas trip to Disneyland. Here are a few nice (albeit overexposed) photos.
