I get this comment all the time. People act like I just committed a terrible crime against a defenseless child. I had broken an unspoken rule. iPhones aren’t cheap and apparently they needs to be protected.

I haven’t always been this way, I used to be paranoid about scratches on my iPods.  I would leave a new iPod in the box until I got a case to protect it. I would search the Internet for weeks looking for the best case available. No price was too high to protect my “investment.”

I would rationalize that the shiny back looked better without any scratches on it.  What ridiculous and backwards thinking since I will never see the back if it is always covered.  People say the iPod looks great then slap on a bulky and ugly case.

Those clear plastic cases always make me chuckle. You can still see the iPod so you can still bask in it’s beauty, sort of. The clear hard plastic cases are even worse than the rubber cases. They are tacky and destroy the sleek image of the iPod/Phone.

The sleeve type cases aren’t as bad as the others.  These will protect the device and still allow you to see it’s original beauty on a regular basis.  However, they add bulk to the device and make it take up more pocket space.

The sticker type screen protectors avoid the bulk problem, but still aren’t a good solution. Most of them just add a foggy layer. They have a textured surface and dull down the image. I haven’t used Invisible Shield so it may be the exception.

A case doesn’t offer much protection if the device is dropped or subjected to other physical harm. It mostly protects against scratches, which I have stopped obsessing over. I would rather use my iPhone than handle it like a delicate luxury good. It sits in it’s own pocket so there is less of a chance of scratches, but that is about it. The screen is made out of optical glass that is pretty scratch resistant and I am not too concerned about the back. So far it still looks great.

Stop babying your device and start using it. The first minor scratch will be the hardest, but afterwards you will be able to take a deep breath and suck it up. There is no point of using a case to protect the exterior if you never see it.

Take a clean white sheet of paper.  Set it on a flat surface and roll the scroll ball vigorously on it for about a minute or so.  Roll it up and down, side to side, and in circles.  The purpose is to dislodge all the gunk and free up the ball.

After this my Mighty Mouse works like new.  The scroll ball functions better than it has for the past year.  I tried this on a mouse at work and you wouldn’t believe the crap that came out.  If you are seeing a decrease in performance then give your mouse a little TLC.

Twistori has one of the best implementations of the Twitter API and it is neat to see them extend it for events like this.

After my first visit to apple.com I got intrigued by the veil of mystery that surrounded the Mac. At the time I didn’t know anyone that owned one. This presented me with the opportunity to be the first to learn about the technology. I could safely fiddle to my hearts content without anyone telling me a better way to do things. It gave me a chance to take the longest way possible to arrive at the simplest solution and learn new things along the way.

I had plenty of friends that knew about Windows. I even had some that knew about Linux. Due to this fact, I would always be second best. I wouldn’t have the chance to learn as much. If they asked what I was working on it would eventually lead to just giving me the answer. As long as there were others that used these operating systems, I would always be second best in my mind.

With the Mac I had free rein to explore until I saw fit. I could come up with my own weird ways to do things without anyone telling me to do it differently. I developed my own opinions on software and created new habits.

Getting a Mac opened me up to exploring other technology. It was the gateway drug to my tech addiction. I got addicted to trying out different technologies and trying to learn as much as possible. I believe that my foray into the Mac world made me more comfortable learning new things.

I by no means hate Windows, contrary to what some of my friends think. I use Windows daily both at school and at work. Since getting a Mac, I have learned more about Windows. The Mac OS has taught me a ton about operating systems in general and I have taken that knowledge over to the Windows side.

My main point is that I didn’t start using a Mac for the debatable claims that people make (like lack of viruses, it just works, etc.) I started using a Mac to quench my geeky thirst for technology. I continue to use a Mac because this is where I have built my computing world. I have my own software setup that makes my life easier day in and day out. I have set up things to work best for my way of thinking and I continue to learn new things as I explore new problems. Sure my software may have capable counterparts on the Windows side, but why switch. I don’t believe that all Windows users should switch to a Mac for this very reason. Stick with what you know and what you like. I like using my Mac and I see the benefits of Windows as well.

Hopefully others can see that although I am a Mac fanboy 90% of the time, I still maintain a strong grasp on reality. My beginnings with the Mac weren’t the same typical arguments you hear again and again. Mine was much deeper and connected with a part of my life that defines me.

The weeks, or even months, before Macworld is when people start “leaking” information that someone on the “inside” has passed along. In addition, you also see speculation about where the industry is headed and the products that are “definitely” going to be released. Some rumor sites post lists of their readers ideas and speculation, most of which sound as if there origins are in a science fiction story. We hear stories about really cool technology that doesn’t really sound feasible. In the end, most of the rumors and speculation are usually wrong and way off the mark, but this doesn’t negate their value. In fact, these fake rumors are just as important as the products that are actually released.

All these fake rumors were created by someone’s imagination. They dreamt of things that they would like to see invented and instead of shooting down an idea because it was unrealistic, they ran with it. They told others about these ideas and somewhere along the way it turned into, “Company A is going to release product B according to a reliable source.” The fact is, a companies innovation is limited to their creators imagination. If people stop dreaming and start saying “this isn’t possible” or “it can’t be done” then innovation will come to a standstill. Some of the greatest products are a result of people following their imagination.

I don’t believe that all, or even most, of these rumors are started by employees at Apple or other tech companies, but their idea could still make it there. Someone may hear about this idea and try to make it a reality. These creative individuals may even start their own company or find their way into one that is already established.

Remember to take the rumors you hear with a grain of salt, but don’t stop enjoying these fantasy products that may show up in the future.

He makes a good point about a lot of Apple’s great ideas come from Steve himself. What happens when Steve decides it is time for him to retire and hand the reigns off to someone else? I really hope that when that time comes someone at Apple can step up to the plate and fill Steve’s shoes. If not then that could spell out the downfall of Apple.

Go over and check out Mr. Sobotta’s blog, he has some very insightful posts ranging from the current state of technological innovation to his time spent at Apple.

I really really wanted the Zune to be outstanding. I wanted the press to get a hold of it and actually dub it the device that will dethrone the iPod. This has not happened. It hasn’t necessarily gotten bad reviews, it is just good. I was actually a little bit puzzled that my fellow Mac fanboys do not share my disappointment that the Zune was not the iPod killer.

Why do I want the Zune to be amazing? It is quite simple actually. If Microsoft made a product that the media was raving over, what would Apple do? They would make the iPod better by leaps and bounds. Apple wouldn’t sit around as their “golden child” got trampled by a competitor, they would go out and make it regain its throne. I am not saying that I am not satisfied with the iPod by any means, I just think that Apple can do better. I feel like they have a lot of cool things that they are planning to do with it but are holding out so they can release it in a steady stream and gain more revenue. This isn’t wrong from a corporate standpoint, but it doesn’t really benefit me the consumer.

So far it seems like the Zune isn’t necessarily bad, it just has some broken features. The biggest example is the wifi. It is an excellent idea but the limitations cripple it. I understand that the restrictions are in place to keep the record labels happy, but I believe that they could have made the restrictions a little more laid back. Also it could have been made a little bit more viral, they could have allowed you to re-share songs. That ways if “friend A” gives me a song that I like then I can pass it to “friend B” so that he can get a taste of it as well. Also it would have been neat if they could not only have done sharing but also a broadcasting type of thing. This way if you and your buddies are taking the train or something somewhere you could all tune into one Zune as if it were a radio station. One major thing that the Zune is lacking is Podcast support. I am a huge fan of podcasts and believe they are an excellent source of entertainment. The mere fact that the Zune does not support podcasts is a deal breaker for me.

Overall I think it is a good thing that the Zune has come in to battle the iPod, it will help force Apple’s hand to put more neat idea’s into the iPod. I am hoping that they incorporate the wifi functionality except do it better and hopefully include what I said above. Also, Apple could adopt a better interface to compete with the one on the Zune. I like the minimalistic one but it is starting to show its age. The form factor of the iPod is fantastic. I don’t want them to change the metallic back and polycarbonate front that they have used for so long. They can change up the screen layout and do some interesting stuff with the clickwheel, but in general I want it to remain the same. The last main difference means very little to me and I think that Apple’s approach is the better one. That is the built in FM tuner. I don’t need to have radio on my iPod and would personally like it to stay the way it is without it. Apple offers the FM radio add-on for those who want it and I think that is the way it should stay. That way people that want it can have it and it doesn’t add bulk to the iPod for those of us who don’t need it.

Overall I think it is good that the Zune has been brought into the market. It will force Apple to keep innovating and make the iPod better. As always, Arstechnica has done an outstanding job reviewing the Zune. You can find their review here.

First off I just want to get this out of the way. I am a Mac user, I love Mac and everything about it. I also use a Windows computer at work and have Windows XP and Vista installed on my Mac. This post will not be Windows bashing or Mac praising, this is a neutral stance on one of the most annoying problems.

OS flame wars is a plague on social websites that discuss things regarding to technology. It usually starts when someone mentions something about one OS or another. For example someone posts on a forum a cool trick to do in Windows, then a Mac user (often referred to as a “fanboi” by the other opposing side) will come in and say that everyone is stupid for using a Windows computer. Thus the flame war has started. Now it will go back and fourth with Mac and Windows users will argue who is right and why.

These are pointless. Do they actually think they will change the other persons mind by attacking them and telling them they are stupid? If the person was even remotely interested in switching they will do it on their own. This happens on tech websites so I would assume they know something about tech. One thing people do not realize is that it is not always easy to learn a new OS, this goes both ways. They are very very different from each other. This goes for both ways, I use a Mac primarily and just started using a PC again a few months ago and it wasn’t the easiest to get back into it. I have to relearn how to do certain things and very few things are the same.

Another thing to notice is that these people use the machine they use for a reason. They wouldn’t be using the OS they use unless they believed it was the best option. Also, most likely they know the pitfalls of the OS of their choice and have found their own way of dealing with it. When a Mac user starts flaming a PC user and says, “well Window’s has a lot of viruses”, do they believe that these people do not know this? I am positive they do and use virus protection software to protect myself. They are also smart when surfing the web, remember these are tech guys and gals we are talking about. Also when a Windows user starts bashing a Mac user and says that they are just using toys and dumbed down machines, this is not really necessary. The person has the machine that works for them and by insulting them will only make them mad and want to fight back. Telling them these things will not make them switch.

Each OS has their benefits and drawbacks. The users usually know about these and use their machine accordingly. Also these people don’t really listen to each other. Instead they just reiterate the same things over and over.

Instead of fighting they should embrace the other OS. They don’t need to switch but should be happy that it is there. With more products in the market it will force companies to innovate and make good products. What motivation would Microsoft or Apple have if the other was gone. If they have no one to compete with they would just let their OS sit, or just make very small updates to get people to buy another copy or computer. It is important that both of these companies stay in the market.

These flame wars are pointless and a waste of time and energy. I won’t say it is a certain demographic that does it because I don’t believe it is so. Whatever it is that is causing this needs to be stopped. It is because of this that I am sometimes turned off from reading things dealing with tech on the internet.

Like I said, I am not bashing on one group or another (sorry if it seemed like it, it is hard to give example of both sides without being long winded) rather I want to address the issue at hand. I am not talking about friendly jokes between friends, like telling your windows buddy that your OS is better for…. It becomes a problem when it is harsh and mean and putting down another party. I am sick of hearing that I “dugg” a story because I am a fanboy. I obviously dugg it because I thought it was interesting, if that makes me a fanboy then so be it. I digg what I like and what difference does it make to someone else.

The calendar that I use is iCal which is included with OS X on the Mac.  It is a great piece of software.  There is only one problem that I have with this system, I can’t change it when I am on the go.  When I am at class and something gets changed or I pick up an extra shift at work I have no way of updating my schedule.

This is where it gets interesting.  I use Google Calendar to update my calendar when on the go.  I have my iCal calendar subscribed to the one created on Google Calendar so that when I publish changes it shows up on my desktop application.  Then when I get home I can officially put it into my calendar.

Another thing that is useful is to be able to view your calendars on the go.  This can be done a few ways.  First, if you have an iPod you can just have the calendar sync to that.  This way you will always have it with you on the go and can check it when needed.  Another option if you don’t like the layout of the iPod’s calendar is to have your iCal calendar put onto the web.  The easiest way to do this is if you have .mac.  If you don’t then it gets a little more difficult but still doable.  I have my calendar published with .mac and then subscribed to in Google Calendar.

Now I know some of you are wondering why I don’t just use Google Calendar for everything, the truth is that I don’t really like web apps nearly as much as standard desktop applications.  iCal has a much nicer interface and is easier to use than Google Calendar, also with Google Calendar you lose the iPod syncing option.  In then end it is really all about personal taste.  Some people would really rather just have it all on Google Calendar, but if you would like to keep it on a desktop app and have it on the go now you know how.

I wouldn’t mind if Apple released a cell phone that was not also a music player.  I am not happy with the cellphones on the market today.  Very few of them have bluetooth and even fewer sync naturally with my Mac.  If Apple created a phone it would do both of these things plus have a nice UI and more.  What I want is a good cellphone that works and makes me feel good the same way my iPod does.  Is this to much to ask.  Apple doesn’t even have to be the one who makes it, I just think they are the ones that could.

All that being said, iPhone is a no in my book unless they have a cheaper model sans music player.