Critical Thinking
I was supposed to be born in a more technologically advanced 1967The Continuance of My Education
Today was supposed to be doomsday. But, living in South Florida, Tropical Storm Fay caused doomsday to be rescheduled for tomorrow. The 20th of August. That is when I will recommence the horrid reality of school, and everything associated with it. Alarm clocks, homework, class work, grumpy teachers, (and students) school buses, bad lunches, sleep deprivation, and the inevitable panic of the broken pencil shall all be, once again, apart of my daily life as this three month hiatus comes to an end. I may be a tad bit melodramatic about it all, but, well, that’s me.
Unfortunately, no matter how much anguish I omit, there’s nothing I can do to keep the continuance of my education at bay. Unlike most things though, my complaining isn’t going to make it any better. All I can say, is that I’m going to try my best, and put school first. I’ll try to post to this blog when I can, but I don’t know when that will be. In general, my life on the interwebs will be dramatically slowed. I will continue to update, as usual, on Twitter, so you can follow me there if you haven’t already. That may just be one of the very few places I will remain active on the internet in the coming nine months. I might also be posting more story-type, possibly fiction, on this blog, (if you can bare it) and I will most likely be seeking some constructive criticism on that.
I’m now starting to mentally prepare for school, and am franticly trying to get things together and finish things I know I won’t have time for after tomorrow. Wish me luck, and if you happen to be going through a similar experance, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Spring Cleaning in Summer
Today I decided that enough was enough, and I totally cleaned out my desk. I had a whole barrel full of junk that I finally parted with, and I know you can’t see it very well in the picture, but my drawers are 110% cleaner. Everything is organized and in it’s place, and I even took out the printer (HP DeskJet 5150) I had in here. (*finally*) I hated that printer. It deserved to die a slow and painful death, but i gave in and just exiled it to the garage. It took up too much room and now I finally have the much needed space between myself and the computer that will soon inevitably, albeit against my will, be filled with papers and text books. That was a big problem for me school last year, as I couldn’t really use my desk for homework without relinquishing use of my Mac during that time. (which is probably a good thing, but whatever)
In addition to cleaning up my physical workspace, I have cleaned up my virtual one as well. For too long I had things piled up and disorganized. I finally got around to fully backing everything up, deleting useless files and things I don’t need, (my hard drive on my computer is constantly filling up and I have to delete things or move it to my other external drive) and finding a GTD (Get Things Done) system that works for me, among so many other things. For once I feel really organized, and this time I think things will stay that way… but don’t hold me to that
Some Changes…
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be apologizing, because I don’t really have any real reason to apologize, but I think I’m apologizing to myself more then anything. This blog crashed like a PC running Windows 95; before it could start to build itself up. And it’s not the blog that didn’t really work out, it’s the content- or lack there of. I didn’t really have a clear game plan when i started this blog, and i paid the price…but I’m going to be turning that around. Let me explain…
So, I love computers, the internet, communicating with it, interacting with it etc… that’s established. But that means nothing until i do something with it, and up until now I, obviously, haven’t. I have recently been playing around with several ways to express my love for technology, along with my various other interests, and finally decided that a blog is the best way. Of all the options, I concluded that what i was going to be doing needed to be on the internet or at least accosted with computers in one way or another- there was no question about that. Now, as you may or may not know, I have passions for both photography and writing. Photography is a some-what complicated area for me, as i do thoroughly enjoy it, but more as a hobby. Trying to get more out of that interest then I have, as I’ve tried in the past, just doesn’t work. So I will continue to shoot pictures when I want or have the opportunity, and definitely further peruse more artistic and unique forms/ techniques of photography, including delving further into the world of Polaroid photography, and, hopefully, eventually, developing my own black and white negatives.
But enough about photography. Like I said, as you may or (most likely) may not know, I do enjoy to write. For me, it’s one of those things where I enjoy it, and strive to get better at it, even though I know I’m not the best- by a long shot. It’s like speaking Spanish. I know I’m [really] bad at it, but I don’t really care, and I try my best to improve my skills, but with no intention of becoming CNN’s head Spanish translator. In other words, I do it for fun.
So among all the ways for me to express my opinons, views, and thoughts, what better way than my blog? What I have been posting on here in the last few monthes is noting like what I’ve wanted, but I pushed it out anyway just to get something out there. From now on, expect a lot more posts- I’ll try my best for at least once a week+, but when the school year starts up again, there are no guarentees. Also expect these posts to have a wide verity of topics, anywhere from my thoughts/ rants about the lates political scandles, to reviews on products, to short stories I sometimes write to pass the time on rainy days. (or when the electricity goes out) :) I plan to utilize this blog as my outlet for expressing myself, and have hope that it won’t succumb to my lazy self this time around.
Testing, Reinstalling, Asking Your Opinion, and Updates
So here’s the low down- (if that’s the correct saying) I’m testing out the Flock 2 beta, (writing this post in its blog editor feature, which is pretty cool) but don’t worry, this isn’t a review, and I don’t think that I’m going to be doing one any time soon. Its just that as some of you guys may know, I used to have a ridiculously obsession with web browsers, and like to keep updated on the most popular ones, especially when its a new number in fount of the point. :)
So anyway, I’ve also decided to reinstall OS X, which i will doing some time this week, hopefully, in an effort to simplify my life and clear out all the junk that has accumulated over the months. So in preparation for this event, I am making a list of applications, utility’s etc… that i have to download upon returning to my fresh OS. (I’m wiping out everything and starting TOTALLY Fresh, all I’m saving/ backing-up is my iTunes library, photos, and a few important documents, obviously) So in a future blog post i will outline my list of necessary downloads for all of you to see.
Now, I have a pretty neat set-up, if i do say so myself, (which reminds me i need to do a video on that sometime…that’s to come) but one crucial piece of my computing puzzle is missing- a hard drive. That’s right folks, the only hard drives i own are in my MacBook and iPod’s. (not a typo) The one in my MacBook is great, but needs backing-up….yes, thats correct, I don’t back-up. I should be burned at the steak for such a horrible act, but at least I’m aware of this and now that I need to reinstall my OS, this is super necessary, and really the only thing that has keep me from doing it before. But don’t worry, I’m not that stupid. Let me tell you about my iPod’s. The first one is a 30gb, black, Video iPod, that i use as my normal iPod. The second iPod is identical, except that the head phone jack is broken, making it unable to be used for music, video (at least not the audio) etc… But instead of just letting it sit there, I put it to work, since its still a perfectly functioning 30gb hard drive! So now i use that to back up my photos, which all i really do is check the box to enable disk use, and only have iTunes sync my photos, but still, its better than nothing, considering that my pictures are the most precious things on my computer, not to mention irreplaceable. So anyway, you can pretty much see where this is going. I need to buy a hard drive, not only so i can reinstall, but for general peace of mind. I don’t really need a big hard drive, but recently my MacBook’s 120gb internal drive totally filled up, (the first time this has ever happened to me) and I don’t have to back up everything anyway, so 120-140 gb should be fine for me. Also, by the time i run out of space, I’ll probably be looking for another one. And just like most things that teenagers are shopping for, price is the most important factor, and doing a little research has lead me to conclude that a good hard drive (i don’t need the best, but a bad hard drive could be devastating if it craps out and I’m relying on it to back-up my data) is going to set me back about $100, which is pretty reasonable. So far, I think I’m going to be going with the Simple Tech Signature Mini USB Drive. It’s small, reliable, and inexpensive. Plus, a BestBuy near me is having a sale on the blue one (160gb) so it’s only $90. You can’t beat that. But what do you guys think? Please leave a comment if you have/ had this drive, or if you want to recommend another one.
Additionally, just to let you guys know, I’m going to be doing another week at my now highly recommended ID Tech Camps, (if there’s one near you, you MUST go– www.internaldrive.com) but this time I’m going to be taking my Mac (hopefully) so it makes it that much better for me. :) (there’s free Wi-Fi, and Ethernet in the dorms, just in case)
Thank you for enduring my endless rambling… I’ll keep you posted on what happens next, and soon after i get the hard drive, I’ll be sure to do a set-up video for everyone. :)
Out of Commission Warning
This is just a heads-up that for roughly the next two weeks (14th-27th of June, 2008) i will be almost totally out of contact via the internet.
For the first week, I will be attending an AWESOME business camp called The Money Game that i have attended for the past few years. There is a link to the camp’s web site here if you want to know more, but basically its a lot of fun, with a focus on business. We spend the whole camp learning about certain business topics, and then at the end there is a huge public ‘amusement park’ where people come and trade real money for fake money. They then spend that fake money, and at the end the team that ran every store splits up the money and gets to take home the real money.
Also, if you live, or are going to be visiting the south west Florida area during this time, you can visit the web site for more information, and should consider coming the the final event- its all ways a blast for everyone.
After that, i will also be attending a camp that i have never been to before. It’s an ID tech camp, which is supposed to be nationally acclaimed and what-not. But i really think I’ll like it. I’ll be staying at the University of Miami, which is pretty neat, and taking the corse on Web-Design and Flash Animation. During the week, I’m supposed to learn how to code in both HTML and Flash, which I don’t see possible, but what ever they got, I’m all ears. :) A good friend of mine who is a graphic designer has offered to give me a ‘crash-course’ on HTML, which i can’t wait for!
So during these two weeks, I will have somewhat limited contact with the rest of the world, as these camps will take up a lot of my time and effort. At the second camp, i will have very limited computer access, and am not allowed to bring my Mac, so it will just be me and my phone. I will try to check twitter every now and then, and if you @reply to me, I’m sure to get it eventually. I will also be actively tweeting, but expect well below the normal amount. I will also be fully accessible by email all week, although i may be slow to respond. If you leave a comment on the blog, i get it via email and will be able reply from the web on my phone.
BASICY DON’T ASSUME I’M DEAD IF I DON’T RESPOND TO YOUR MESSAGES thank you :)
Echoing the Rest of the Internet- WWDC Thoughs
Well, you knew it was comming, and here it is. I’m not going to be going through everything, but rather my harsh humble opinion on the results of Steve Job’s WWDC 2008 Keynote. Note: Its best if you’ve all ready watched the keynote, or at least have a great idea of what happened, or you will most likely be lost, as i tend to jump around and change topics a lot.
App. Store
I think that this is genius. The iPhone is a wonderful development platform, and Apple has made it that way. Normal companies would have just put an API out there, a few guidelines, and let things play themselves out. But Apple has all ways had a more proprietary approach to things controlling every aspect in the end user experience, yet leaving the end open enough to make some great things happen. The App. Store, in my opinion, is one of the best way to distribute applications, and should be a great success. (Take THAT installer.app!) Other than that, i really can’t wait for the release, and am actually considering somehow getting my hands on an iPod Touch so i can get in on the action and upgrade my iPod Video. But thats WAY down there on my wish list. :P
Speaking of iPod Touch, i think its redicilous that you have to pay ANOTHER fee (about 10$) just to get simple upgrades for the poor device. And this is just a simple firmware upgrade, that is going down the same way on the iPhone, but for free. What we see in the upgrade applications for sale and so easily defendable like the previous rip-off offer a few months back. But i guess there’s no way around it, and Apple, as a company, can make what ever decisions they want, and I’m trying hard not to complain here, because after, its not that shoddy of a deal.
Mobile Me
I like this idea more and more every time i think about it. Its really great, and give perfect solutions to lots of problems that arise and are constantly trying to be solved by different methods and services. The whole idea is great, and almost gives me no need for things like Gmail or (almost, not quite) my Blackberry’s calender. Yet another reason to have an iPhone… but an iPod Touch shall work just fine for me. Besides, I’m broke right now and locked into a 2 year contract over my precious 8310. But after i pay it off, I’m setting my sights on an iPod Touch if i happen to come across $500 sometime. ;) But really, on July 11, I’m going to be pointlessly waiting in line for the new iPhone, and although i won’t be buying one, i will be getting my hands on MobileMe.
iPhone 3G
Well, not to ramble or be repetitive here, I am pretty excited about the new iPhone. It fixes a lot of the problems other people and I had with the original iPhone, and especially with the inclusion of 22 more countries at launch, I wouldn’t be surprised if the July 11th release date beat the original iPhone and Leopard debut’s combined for initial sales. There’s no doubt about it, this is big, and it will be big. But for me its just another thing that i can ogle over, as i still need to wait another 2 years for a new phone. Which, of corse, i am anxious to get my hands on an iPhone especially with the App. Store, MobileMe, and the new low price.
Now, do i wish i waited? Well, if i had waited to buy my new phone for about another 2 months, i could have bought an iPhone 3G, and in the end with all the monthly payments and the cost of the phone, it would have come out less. (Which means a lot to me, because I’m paying every penny of this with no help from my parents) :P But don’t get me wrong, I’m not regretting buying my beautiful Blackberry! I’m very happy with it. But there are certain things that i would like from something like an iPhone, and this is one HUGE reason that I’m super interested in an iPod Touch. So basically, no, i don’t think i should have waited.
Overall, I’m very happy with WWDC and the results. I love the iPhone (nothing changed there) :) and think that the App. Store, MobileMe, and [especially] Apple’s solution for running applications in the background, (or lack there of) among other things, is pure genius. I’m not sure if MobileMe will be available on July 11th or earlier, but if it is available by the time the 3G iPhone comes out, you can expect a review form me. :D
Excuse Me While I Test m.wordpress.com on my Blackberry
Wow, this is actually really cool!! Right when I was going to complain about my lack of mobile bloging options… the only thing I would ask for is email updates similar to Blogger, (on wordpress.com, not via a plug-in on a wordpress.org blog) but maybe I’m asking to much. :/
Mobile Tech. I Just Can’t Wait For
1) Blackberry Flip Phone
I’ve heard lots about this phone, and although at first thought, I’m not exactly sold on the concept, I think it will definitely make a splash in the market, and is something I look forward to.
2)Blackberry 9000 (AKA: Blackberry Bold)
I know that everyone is looking forward to this, (unless your John Mayor) and I am ridiculously excited about it. I keep more updated on the Blackberry 9000 then I did for Macworld back in the beginning of the year. At any rate, (price, really) this will most certainly be on my radar the next time my contract expires and I go phone hunting once more.
3) iPhone 2
Although there is no, ‘official’ word on this, it is a given, and I could really go on forever about the iPhone, (don’t worry, one of these days I’m gonna explode and spread my thoughts on the iPhone all over the interweb) All I can say as of now, is that I am anticipating it, along with everyone else in the world. The next time I hear from the iPhone, I expect to see some 3G support, better MMS, video support, the SDK, and most importantly better wallet support. :)
4) Android
Basically, for those of you in the dark here, Android is Google’s Mobile OS, which is currently still in development, and most of the news on Android at the moment are just rumors. But Google has announced the project, and is currently working on it. It is going to be a totally open platform, where the OS, device, applications, and any other factors are all controlled by different companies and/or people. Remind you of anything? (*coughWindowscoughcough*) I think that this can be a good thing, but its exactly like Mac vs. PC, (except not so brutal… yet) in that, among other factors, Microsoft makes the operating system, and leaves (practically) everything else up to the OEM’s. Apple, on the other hand, controls every aspect of the final product, and in practice, that is a great thing. It helps maintain a consistently high quality product, yet at the same time is open. (Mac software is some of the best out there, period. Just as good, and possibly better then Windows or any other platform) My instant tells me to remind everyone that history will repeat itself, but you can make the call. I really think that this might work, as a kind of much more open, beautiful, and overall cleaner Windows Mobile-esk concept. I doubt that all our wishes will be granted upon the first few beta releases, but as this platform matures, I see lots of potential.
5) Palms Next Move
What do I have to say. Palm used to be the giant in the PDA biz, and now that our Palm Pilots are long retired to the ancient technology museum, we have been expecting something else new from Palm for too long. The Treos are ok, but i think most people agree that you don’t get enough bang for your buck. Not only that, but the Palm OS, is dreadfully outdated, and i don’t see it being updated anytime soon. Palm, in an act of desperation, in my opinion, has recently been utilizing Windows Mobile on some Treos, and it seams to have worked, but again, the hardware just doesn’t match the competition in most cases. Now, I have to say that i do like the new direction Palm seems to be going in with the Centro. They are now targeting it more toward younger audiences, and turning their focus from “Meetings to meeting-up.” It looks like its worked so far, and the Centro has sold well. Now that the tiny device is on (or about to be on) every major US carrier, I am anxious to see what Palm will do next. As far as software goes, I’m hoping to see an updated Garnet OS, and not a continuation of the Windows Mobile trend, as with the new Treo 500.(europe only) But I do like the new styling of the 500- a nice blend of the Centro’s good looks, and the usability of the classic Treos. (try typing an email on the Centro- good luck) I really think that Palm should keep things going, and try to keep up with the competition that seems to have all ready lapped them, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Palm decided to slowly abandon ship, and possibly (yet again) move into another market.
Test!
Please don’t be alarmed; I’m simply writing a corny test blog post. The good stuff will begin in no time at all!
