Aaron lays it out:
Here’s a great rule of thumb: until you create something yourself and then actually ship it, try to first find the positive in the products around you. Those products are the result of someone’s passion, hard work and innate genius. When we compare them to our own twisted, entitlement-driven expectations, we do nothing but insult their creators.
Aaron, as a member of your audience, I am standing — and applauding.
With iOS 6 being released later today, it’s not a bad idea to check out this installation guide put together by Dan Frakes and Serenity Caldwell over at Macworld.
David Chartier has some great thoughts on Apple’s choices of what to include — and what not to include — in the iPhone 5.
When Lion released its cockamamie Address Book and iCal UI, I found the apps to be far less usable than the Snow Leopard counterparts.
Mountain Lion made the functional again while renaming them to Contacts and Calendar, respectively, but the apps still have a cockamamie look to them.
These UI edits by Shtekeris over at The Verge’s forums are elegant, functional, and simply beautiful.
Apple, please hire this guy.
Rene Ritchie on why Apple is suddenly “boring”.
Time.com has a list of the ten worst cities in the US for mobile phone reception. My city of residence, Lincoln, NE, weighs in at number 4. Swell.
Seth Weintraub for 9to5Mac a couple days ago:
We just got the word directly from AT&T that Facetime over 3G and 4G would only be available on AT&T for those who choose to go with its new “Mobile Share” plans. If you have an individual plan or family plan, you will not be able to purchase or use FaceTime over 3G/4G at any price. Pre-paid? Nope.
[…]
AT&T noted that you could still use FaceTime over Wi-Fi with an AT&T iPhone. *Slow Clap*.
Sprint & Verizon? Not hindering FaceTime over Cellular.
Both times I have bought an iPhone (iPhone 3G and iPhone 4, in 2008 and 2010, respectively), AT&T was the only carrier in the US. I very likely would not have chosen them if there had been options.
I am ready to be done with AT&T’s sparse coverage, slow rollout of 3G (let alone 4G LTE), and extreme nickle-and-dimeyness.
For extra credit, go read Jim Dalrymple’s interpretation of AT&T’s PR.
For most tasks on the iPad, I’m fully touch-ready. In fact, I’m now so used to my iPhone and iPad that I reach up to touch the screen of my MacBook more than I’d care to admit. It’s simply a much more natural interface than using a mouse. You see an area you want to take action on? Touch it.
That’s one reason why the iPad is such a powerful tool with children. It just makes sense. There is basically no learning curve.
This thought leads some skeptics to suggest that maybe the iPad is just that: a children’s toy. It’s not a real computer. But that’s crap. Again, I’m a heavy computer user. And I’m getting comfortable enough with the iPad now that I much prefer to use it in the vast majority of computing situations.
I have found that, especially in the past year, I am doing much more of my computing on the iPad. In fact, it is rare that I take my MacBook Pro along on meetings anymore. The iPad is just that much more portable, and, honestly, it is more than capable for many of my daily tasks.
I am a huge fan of Square. I use it to accept payments. My wife uses it to accept payments. I use their amazing Pay with Square app to buy coffee at my favroite coffee shop.
Even though I have become a bit snobbish about my coffee in the past year, Starbucks helped me to have an interest in the caffeinated beverage. And I still like Starbucks every now and then, because they were integral into kicking off this little area of my life that I take a little pride in. I still like to go and sit at a Starbucks every now and then, and when I am on the road, I know I can get a fairly decent brew there.
Today, Square and Starbucks have teamed up. Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square:
It’s amazing to think that Starbucks began as a single coffee shop in Seattle. The concept of taking a good idea and helping it grow is not foreign to them, and Starbucks doesn’t just view Square as the simplest way to accept payments. They see an opportunity to extend and accelerate a model they grew up with: the idea that business is local and that community plays a vital role in job creation and economic vitality. When Starbucks builds the Square Directory into their apps and in-store Digital Network, it gives Square new visibility, driving more customers to opt-in to Square. And with nearly 7,000 Starbucks stores soon accepting Square, these new payers will be able to find your business (including coffeehouses) and pay with their name, building community and creating value.
This is huge and exciting. I think this is going to be a fantastic partnership for both companies, and I hope more people and businesses sign up for Square.
Onward.
The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple:
Reading the press from the Apple vs Samsung trial lead me to believe that most people don’t understand Apple’s motives for suing Samsung. This lawsuit isn’t about getting compensation for products that were released in 2007 or even 2011, it’s about protecting the products that will be released in 2013 and 2015 and beyond.
