November 2011

Native GMail for iOS Arrives … But Not Quite Fully Baked

If you want to be part of the unofficial beta team for the iOS version of GMail, you can grab it here. Note that it apparently isn’t showing up in iTunes searches, at least from my iPad. Here is the description: Get the official Gmail experience for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. With the Gmail app, you can: ? Receive notification badges for new messages ? Read your mail with threaded conversations ? Organize your mail by archiving, labeling, starring, deleting, and reporting spam ? Keep track of important messages with priority inbox ? Auto-complete contact names as you…

How to Do It Yourself!

A Day in the Life: Using a Bluetooth Headset as a Remote Recording Device for Lectures

I have been teaching for the past few years and have found that recording my lectures is helpful for students that are sick or that need assistance due to attention deficit issues. Many of the programs to record lectures are costly, so I set out to see if I could use my MacBook and a Bluetooth headset to accomplish the task. I found that not only can I, but that it works remarkably well. The Bluetooth Device: The Bluetooth device I opted for is the Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset [affiliate link]. Not only is it a good headset, but…

Gear Bits

iCloud Workflow Update Thanks to the iOS App Elements

The other day I wrote a post talking about the fact that, thanks to, Siri and iCloud, the Notes application that ships on all iOS devices has suddenly become a full-fledged productivity tool. Thanks to Siri, I’m now able to write everything I need to write on my iPhone by voice and then, thanks to iCloud, the exact same text is immediately available onto my iPad in its Notes app or on my Mac in the Mail.app program. In other words, I’m able to write by voice on the go and then format and correct the text on a larger,…

Editorials

Lies, Damn Lies, and Android Tablet Numbers

Image courtesy of Retrevo I have been on the hunt for over a year for an Android tablet that meets my needs: I have abandoned hope for now that will be anything appealing in the 10″ space, since Android is currently inferior and fragmented for gaming and a non-factor in music production software. But in the 7″ space there are some cool options, yet in spite of trying three different tablets (Galaxy Tab, Acer Iconia and HTC Flyer) and finding that the size is perfect … I haven’t managed to find a device with enough positives that I can accept…

Gear Bits

Looking for a Digital Movie Tonight? Check Out ‘CanIStream.It’!

Have you ever wanted to watch a movie or TV show only to be thwarted by the seemingly random method used to decide whether or not you can watch certain things on the various services? I know my family has – and both Doug and I have ranted about it in the past. In fact, this past weekend while I was out of town overnight and my younger son was at a school dance, my wife and older son wanted to watch Paranormal Activity 2, only to be disappointed when it was unavailable on our Roku (it is now available)…

News

Twelve South PlugBug iPad/iPhone Travel Charger- a Simple but Brilliant Apple Accessory

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas. That’s how Twelve South’s new PlugBug strikes me. The accessory lets you use one plug to charge both your Mac and your iPad. “Simple”, “fast” and “clean” are the words that came to mind when I got the announcement a few minutes ago. Deciding to order one for myself was a no-brainer. So what exactly is the PlugBug? Let’s let Twelve South explain. PlugBug… piggybacks onto a MacBook Power Adapter, allowing you to charge a MacBook and an iPad/iPhone simultaneously from one power outlet. The ingenious PlugBug connects to all MacBook Power Adapters. Simply…

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