Pixelmator for Mac OS X – Photoshop is overpriced

You can download and try Pixelmator for free and then buy it for $59 (USD) if you love it.   You will!

Read the tech specs and start creating cool stuff.

 

Wife got her iFrogz case for iPod Nano (2nd Gen)

Here is the wife’s new case from ifrogz.com for her blue colored iPod Nano (2nd Gen). The cool thing is that ifrogz lets you choose from a ton of colors and mix and match the 2-piece silicon case. Then to top it off you can choose from a ba-zillion covers for the click wheel. Check out ifrogz.com and create your custom iPod/iPhone case. It also comes with a clear shield for screen The big bonus is that ifrogz’s silicon repels lint unlike my iSkinz case that I bought for my original iPod (2nd Gen – first touch wheel). The iSkinz case cleaned out my pockets everytime I put my iPod in there. Needless to say I have been using my original iPod for 4+ years without a case because I was so put off by it. The ifrogz case feels smooth (a little slippery) as the iSkinz case had the same tacky feeling as duct tape. The ifrogz case beats all the cheap-o cases I saw at Yodobashi Camera, and they have a ton of cases (but, all crap).

 

How complicated is your computer life?

At WORK I use….

Computer                     OS                            Main Apps

HP Workstation             Unix                Catia V5/UG-NX

Dell Workstation     XP-Japanese        SDRC  I-deas/UG-NX/MS Office

Sony Vaio Laptop    XP-Japanese       Lotus Notes/MS Office

At HOME I use….

Computer                     OS                            Main Apps

iMac G4                 Mac OS X (10.4.9)             Fun Stuff

iBook G4                Mac OS X (10.4.9)             Fun Stuff

iBook G3                Mac OS X (10.4.9)             Fun Stuff

Generally my mind can keep straight what computer I am working on and what CAD app I am using, but sometimes I do a lot of incorrect button pushing and mouse clicking because of the difference between CAD software for simple pan, zoom, and rotate functions.  Life would be so much easier if I could get my boss to pony up for 2 SpaceBalls, so I could program them the same for all the CAD apps between the 2 computers.

All and all I enjoying working with the different OS’s because at the end of the day I know what I want to use at home.  Macs are the tools to keep my life simple and low stress, no fussing with IT crap for me.

 

Apple – iPod touch

iPod touch – exactly what the world needed.  No phone, no contract.  Hopefully hacks will make it even better.

photo from apple.com

 

liquidicity » Reference for EVERY Character Key on a Mac

liquidicity » Reference for EVERY Character Key on a Mac

 

Earthquake & U.K. – Apple ad

I could be writing about the big earthquake that hit Sunday morning (JST), but you can read all about here.

So, why not check out the UK Apple ad with a printer from Japan.

Click to play

 

Shutdown Day – Can you turn off your Mac or PC for a whole day?

That’s a tough one. The good thing is that March 24th is a Saturday, so I won’t be at work. There is no way for me to not use a computer at work. I pledge that I will not use any of my Macs that day. No surfing, no iTunes, no e-mail. Can you do it? It’s only a day. A looooong day. So, shutdown your computer on March 24th and remember what it was like before computers.

For more info, check out shutdownday.org

Good luck.

 

MacBook fire!

All you proud owners of an Apple MacBook beware! Do not leave your laptop plugged in while it is left unattended, until Apple releases a public statement. Check out the link below and keep that MacBook off your lap while you are reading this.

MacTalk.com.au forums

Pics added….

 

Motorized old school iMac

This is video of a guy driving around with an original iMac on his head. You can’t do this with the latest gen iMac.
People do some strange things…just pointless fun. Enjoy.

 

Never in wildest dreams, did I ever consider an iPod Shuffle…

But, now I am…why? Well, I am growing tired of carrying my 2nd generation 10GB iPod around everywhere. Yes, after 4+ plus years of heavy use I am still able to get 6+ hours of battery life (so, I never did join the iPod battery class action suit). Does anyone really know what the 2nd gen. iPod looked liked? Well, it was the first application of the touch-wheel! (Everyday, I feel like I am using a piece of history that I should not be touching…the technology is now so old). Not only is my 2nd gen. 10GB “old” iPod heavy, it still causes a lot of distractions on my way to and from work. I have over a 1 hour commute to and from work and recently I have found myself scrolling and listening to Fallout Boy and Linkin Park instead of trying to learn some Japanese with podcasts from JapanesePod101.com. So, I am considering buying one of the three colors shown above to just load JapanesePod1o1.com on it and use it exclusively for learning Japanese to and from work. The 2nd gen. Shuffles only hold 1GB, so I really can’t load a bunch of other songs on it. After owning a real iPod for years, I am kind of pessimistic when it comes to buying a such a small POS without a screen. If I stay committed and keep to J-pod1o1 podcasts than I will be cool…Anyone out there really using a Shuffle everyday??? I see many Japanese sporting iPods with most using iPod Nano’s or regular 5th gen iPods , but for the cost and just studying…is a Nano worth it? Also, the Nano’s have more storage space and a small screen to make more distractions from studying. Stop! No, I won’t fall into the Apple zombie trap. More is not always better. Buy what you need, throw it way (recycle it), and then buy the new latest and greatest Apple product next time. I will have to sleep on it because I am so afraid of an iPod without a screen!