Bullet Journaling is a hot topic right now on the internet, but what is it really? In short, it just a paper note book that you ... well ... take notes in. It really a simple system. I have been using a the same (sort of) system for a number of years now. Being in the army, I get a note book and I jot down bullet notes for tasks that need to be done at work, notes for soldier issues that need to be taken care of, and generally anything work related.
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Printing from iOS
iOS is a tricky beast. It shows you just enough to entice you, then slaps you in the face with its built-in limitations. Printing should be a fairly simple task, and for the most part it is, if you follow the correct steps.
You probably (without even realizing it) went the easy route and chose a printer that is AirPrint compatible. There are actually a lot of these on the official list. Just about any home printer you buy from either Brother or Canon will do, sort of. Getting the printer is the easy part.
After doing my do diligence I decided on the Canon MG6620 Printer. Not a spectacular printer, or fast, but the ink lasts an amazingly long time and it does print double sided. So I hooked it up and got the iMac and MacBook Pro working easy as pie. Even connecting the printer to the wireless network was easy.
Then I tried to print from an iPhone. "No printer found" was the message I got. I tried a second iPhone. "No printer found". Then I thought, I just got a new iPad Pro and surely this will work. "No printer found". I was getting very frustrated.
As it turns out, you need an app. Both Brother and Canon make their printer apps available for free in the App Store, but it would have been nice knowing I needed them.
Setting up the app was easy enough. Once connected to the printer you can close the app and, as far as I can tell anyway, you never need to re-open it. All of your apps that print, such Pages or Microsoft Word, print just fine without needing to open the Canon Printer App.
Wile a bit annoying, the apps themselves are very small and I can put them away in folder and forget about them until I need to do something else with it. I do, however, need to leave the app installed in order to print.
This is not a big deal while I am at home, but if I am at a friends house, or somewhere else while out-and-about I may have to find an appropriate app for whatever printer is available. I have come to think of these apps as iOS printer drivers. Since not everyone who uses iOS needs to print from it, I will just assume that Apple left that part out to save space since they still sell (and I have no idea why) a 16GB phone.
That's all there really is to it. So go ahead and buy the home printer you want, just make sure it is both AirPrint compatible and the manufacturer has an app for it.
You probably (without even realizing it) went the easy route and chose a printer that is AirPrint compatible. There are actually a lot of these on the official list. Just about any home printer you buy from either Brother or Canon will do, sort of. Getting the printer is the easy part.
After doing my do diligence I decided on the Canon MG6620 Printer. Not a spectacular printer, or fast, but the ink lasts an amazingly long time and it does print double sided. So I hooked it up and got the iMac and MacBook Pro working easy as pie. Even connecting the printer to the wireless network was easy.
Then I tried to print from an iPhone. "No printer found" was the message I got. I tried a second iPhone. "No printer found". Then I thought, I just got a new iPad Pro and surely this will work. "No printer found". I was getting very frustrated.
As it turns out, you need an app. Both Brother and Canon make their printer apps available for free in the App Store, but it would have been nice knowing I needed them.
Setting up the app was easy enough. Once connected to the printer you can close the app and, as far as I can tell anyway, you never need to re-open it. All of your apps that print, such Pages or Microsoft Word, print just fine without needing to open the Canon Printer App.
Wile a bit annoying, the apps themselves are very small and I can put them away in folder and forget about them until I need to do something else with it. I do, however, need to leave the app installed in order to print.
This is not a big deal while I am at home, but if I am at a friends house, or somewhere else while out-and-about I may have to find an appropriate app for whatever printer is available. I have come to think of these apps as iOS printer drivers. Since not everyone who uses iOS needs to print from it, I will just assume that Apple left that part out to save space since they still sell (and I have no idea why) a 16GB phone.
That's all there really is to it. So go ahead and buy the home printer you want, just make sure it is both AirPrint compatible and the manufacturer has an app for it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Post-PC, more evolution than revolution
So, it's been awhile ... again.
After almost a year away from this blog, I have decided to return. It has been a very exciting year. I moved twice, got back to "nature" and all things outdoors while at the same time learning some new trade skills. Welding is more fun than I thought it would be.
When I last left off, I was attempting to go "Post-PC". At that time, the potential was there, but the capability was just too lacking. There just was not enough software in place to make the transition I was hoping to make. My goal was, and still is, to embrace the "Post-PC" ideals and become completely free of the PC. A goal not without many challenges.
I suppose I should bring everyone up to speed on the "why". I have been involved in PC's since before the days of Commador V16's and TRS-80's (though the Amiga was truly astounding for its day). I have always been an early adopter of new technology, even in my childhood. Now in my forties, I still find the future a mysterious idea full of wonder and possibilities. While not all new ideas will take off, some will. Other ideas will change and merge with still more ideas, hopefully for the better. I have always felt that the future, wether dystopian or utopian, or whatever it turns out to be, will be very different than what is here today and I look forward to it all.
So what is the difference between a "PC" and a "Device"? At the root of it, not much. In fact this question is still being asked. It used to be a device was single purpose. A printer, a fax machine, or even a cell phone, was a "device". Then the term "multi-function" came out and the lines started to blur. In fact, most "devices" today are actually low power computers. Some say the modern definition should be anything with a keyboard and mouse is a "PC". Some used to say it was the ability compile software directly on the Device made it a PC. You can now do that with Android, so that really isn't much of a benchmark anymore.
So as the world becomes more mobile, raw horsepower isn't the goal it used to be. Instead users are looking for an experience that is smooth, coherent, cohesive and works across multiple devices, PC's and whatever else can be connected together. The goal is all of your data available, on demand, on any device or computer. As the world becomes more and more connected, the amount of data available is becoming staggering to us old farts who grew up learning to type on an actual typewriter. For the next generation, it's just the way the world works.
Going "Post-PC" isn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, and yet it is. The ideas are still forming, the workflows still being worked out and the future is not yet written. I love the idea of getting away from the desktop, yet there are still things that a desktop will be better at. So then what does "Post-PC" actually mean then?
In my mind, the Post-PC era isn't a revolution. It's more of an evolution. The "devices" don't need to be as powerful as a desktop, but merely good enough. They must have a smooth and natural UI, be able to connect to all of your data, and be able to get the most common tasks done relatively easily. Framed in such a way, I think the age of mobile is doing very well and will continue to do so. Most tablets, phones and other non-traditional PC's cost much less up front than a gaming computer, or one that is built for large scale 3D rendering or video editing. While much less "powerful", they are good enough for day-to-day use, and I think that's the point.
To this end, my wife has purchased me a new iPad Pro, complete with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil. Using a touch screen can be seen as just a new way to use a mouse, especially if using a stylus or other such add-on. The iPad Pro is truly amazing for what it is and I can see why so many people have adopted it. Granted, this is also my first tablet, but for the first time I think I may be able to give up my MacBook Pro completely. Yes, it is that good (enough). Realistically, I don't write code these days, I no longer do custom ROM's for phones and there are a lot of things that I just don't do anymore with computers. Not because I can't, I have just enjoyed being being a user long enough that the stress of doing those things is no longer outweighed by the satisfaction of doing it.
As my computing needs change I find that I really like just being a user. In the end, it has made all the difference.
After almost a year away from this blog, I have decided to return. It has been a very exciting year. I moved twice, got back to "nature" and all things outdoors while at the same time learning some new trade skills. Welding is more fun than I thought it would be.
When I last left off, I was attempting to go "Post-PC". At that time, the potential was there, but the capability was just too lacking. There just was not enough software in place to make the transition I was hoping to make. My goal was, and still is, to embrace the "Post-PC" ideals and become completely free of the PC. A goal not without many challenges.
I suppose I should bring everyone up to speed on the "why". I have been involved in PC's since before the days of Commador V16's and TRS-80's (though the Amiga was truly astounding for its day). I have always been an early adopter of new technology, even in my childhood. Now in my forties, I still find the future a mysterious idea full of wonder and possibilities. While not all new ideas will take off, some will. Other ideas will change and merge with still more ideas, hopefully for the better. I have always felt that the future, wether dystopian or utopian, or whatever it turns out to be, will be very different than what is here today and I look forward to it all.
So what is the difference between a "PC" and a "Device"? At the root of it, not much. In fact this question is still being asked. It used to be a device was single purpose. A printer, a fax machine, or even a cell phone, was a "device". Then the term "multi-function" came out and the lines started to blur. In fact, most "devices" today are actually low power computers. Some say the modern definition should be anything with a keyboard and mouse is a "PC". Some used to say it was the ability compile software directly on the Device made it a PC. You can now do that with Android, so that really isn't much of a benchmark anymore.
So as the world becomes more mobile, raw horsepower isn't the goal it used to be. Instead users are looking for an experience that is smooth, coherent, cohesive and works across multiple devices, PC's and whatever else can be connected together. The goal is all of your data available, on demand, on any device or computer. As the world becomes more and more connected, the amount of data available is becoming staggering to us old farts who grew up learning to type on an actual typewriter. For the next generation, it's just the way the world works.
Going "Post-PC" isn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, and yet it is. The ideas are still forming, the workflows still being worked out and the future is not yet written. I love the idea of getting away from the desktop, yet there are still things that a desktop will be better at. So then what does "Post-PC" actually mean then?
In my mind, the Post-PC era isn't a revolution. It's more of an evolution. The "devices" don't need to be as powerful as a desktop, but merely good enough. They must have a smooth and natural UI, be able to connect to all of your data, and be able to get the most common tasks done relatively easily. Framed in such a way, I think the age of mobile is doing very well and will continue to do so. Most tablets, phones and other non-traditional PC's cost much less up front than a gaming computer, or one that is built for large scale 3D rendering or video editing. While much less "powerful", they are good enough for day-to-day use, and I think that's the point.
To this end, my wife has purchased me a new iPad Pro, complete with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil. Using a touch screen can be seen as just a new way to use a mouse, especially if using a stylus or other such add-on. The iPad Pro is truly amazing for what it is and I can see why so many people have adopted it. Granted, this is also my first tablet, but for the first time I think I may be able to give up my MacBook Pro completely. Yes, it is that good (enough). Realistically, I don't write code these days, I no longer do custom ROM's for phones and there are a lot of things that I just don't do anymore with computers. Not because I can't, I have just enjoyed being being a user long enough that the stress of doing those things is no longer outweighed by the satisfaction of doing it.
As my computing needs change I find that I really like just being a user. In the end, it has made all the difference.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Post-PC Day 6
Yes, I skipped a day of posting due to an injury while working out. There was no Day 5 post. Tomorrow I will be writing the Day 7 post, which will be the final post of this particular series.
Now that’s out of the way, it’s time to press on. What I have learned so far? For starters, the basics of moving to a Post-PC lifestyle are easy. My iPhone does well over 90% of what I need a traditional PC to do. It has been fairly rare that I felt that I needed to use my laptop. In fact the only need I currently have for my laptop is to get the media files currently stored on it. However, as part of this experiment, I shut down my laptop to force myself to find new ways of doing things.
Part of that learning process included discovering what apps would be needed, and what would be just nice to have. I don’t want to spoil my final post on this project, but I have come to a few realizations. Sorry, but you will have to check back tomorrow to get all my findings.
What I can say though, this experiment has been frustrating, fun, exciting and more than a little educational. So why would anyone put themselves through all of this, on purpose? Because I can, and because of Ubuntu.
A while back Ubuntu starting talking about a PC in your pocket. You dock your device and you can use a real keyboard, mouse and screen and get a real desktop. However, this is actually a major disadvantage and sets up Ubuntu to fail even before they got started.
In theory Ubuntu had a great idea. The reality is all you really get a terrible PC. The fact is a phone uses, not only a mobile processor, but a R.I.S.C. processor. R.I.S.C. is an acronym for Reduced Instruction Set Computing. There are all kinds of processors in the world and if you are reading this on a modern PC, your most likely using a C.I.S.C., or Complex Instruction Set Computing, based computer. The Intel line of x86 chips alone have multiple sets of these complex instructions sets. Without going into to much detail, the bottom line is that a desktop processor (CPU or GPU) will always be more powerful than it’s mobile counterpart.
The Ubuntu model attempts to bring desktop computing to mobile, a grand and futile goal. When a user sits down in front of a real keyboard, mouse and screen, they are going to expect real PC performance. A certain level of capability has become expected by just abut everyone who uses computers. The performance just will never be there. As mobile devices become more and more powerful, so do the laptops, desktops, servers, workstations and everything else that people use every day. The Mobile Desktop is a pipe dream.
What is really needed is a new way to work, a new way to learn to use devices to get real world work done. You can’t use new tools that have a completely new way of user interaction, and completely different capabilities (in most cases less capable) to do things in the same way they have always been done. It’s just not going to work.
So what is the answer then? While I am still learning, you will have to read tomorrows post for the conclusion of this experiment.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Post-PC Day 2
My laptop has been shut down since the start of day 1 of this little experiment of mine. So far, there have been a few changes. Some were expected, and others not so much.
The first change I noticed is that I spend a lot less time “at the computer”. I don’t mean that I have switched my time from computer to my iPhone. I actually spend less time online. My dog seems to like this a lot.
Another change I noticed, even when I am not online, and I need a “real” keyboard, I don’t sit at my desk. I sit at the dining room table with my Bluetooth Keyboard and my phone. My entire work flow, including what I think of as “work space” is changing. A complete lack of wires and much much smaller hardware allows me to work just about anywhere in the house. Its a strangely liberating experience in that I no longer feel bound to any one place to get things done.
This part I was not prepared for. Yes, having a laptop meant that I could work anywhere, for a while. When I do actual work, I tend to do a lot of it. Diving in with complete focus and making the most of every minute. This aggravates my wife to no end as I tend to tune out everything around me.
You see, when I am on the laptop, I am also listening to music, doing the whole email thing, multiple browsers open, more than a few documents and usually at least two spreadsheets are all open at the same time. I am <gasp> multitasking. The iPhone doesn’t handle that real well, and as it turns out, its a good thing.
By keeping my apps smallish (mobile version) and taking the time to find new ways to do things I have discovered that I can get more done in less time by concentrating on one task at a time. Although I still listen to music while working. That will probably never stop. I love music and Apple does music very very well. It really is a great fit.
Then the laptop battery would get low and I would scramble for an outlet after only a few hours. All this while the hot aluminum shell got (sometimes uncomfortably) warm on my legs. With my iPhone, I not only get all day battery life, I get it for days. I recharge my phone every night starting around eleven p.m., where it usually is still around 75% charged. I have gone two and half days with out charging just to see how long it would take.
For now at least, I am loving the Post-PC experiment I have set out for myself. I still haven’t figured out all the answers, but I see a lot of potential in this new workflow. Only five more days to go before I end this experiment. Only time will tell.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
iPhone 6 Plus ... more (and less) than expected
While the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released as far back as September 2014, I am just now getting my hands on one. Specificaly the iPhone 6 Plus. This thing is massive. If I didn't know better, I would say they (Apple) are trying to compete directly with the Galaxy Note line of phones. The battery last for days. Honestly. I have been using this thing heavily for two days I am just now dropping below 20%.
With this release Apple has continued to blur the lines, though not between iOS and osX. Instead, with iPhone 6 Plus, it blurs the lines between iPhone and iPad. The screen has a native 1080p resolution, and is large enough that Apple decided that the main "desktop" screen should also have a landscape mode. However, I still can't use Blogsy as it is an iPad only app.
On the plus side, the camera is (of course) amazing and with the size and feel of the iPhone 6 Plus, I was thinking that thing should be able to be about as close to a desktop replacement as you can get. So, I have decided to find out just how well (or poorly) this will work out.
So, in the interest of fairness, tonight, before I go to bed, I will power down my trusted and proven laptop. I will leave it off for seven days. If I have to open it up to solve an issue, the test will be a failure.
With this release Apple has continued to blur the lines, though not between iOS and osX. Instead, with iPhone 6 Plus, it blurs the lines between iPhone and iPad. The screen has a native 1080p resolution, and is large enough that Apple decided that the main "desktop" screen should also have a landscape mode. However, I still can't use Blogsy as it is an iPad only app.
On the plus side, the camera is (of course) amazing and with the size and feel of the iPhone 6 Plus, I was thinking that thing should be able to be about as close to a desktop replacement as you can get. So, I have decided to find out just how well (or poorly) this will work out.
I will spend the next few days not using my MacBook Pro at all. In fact, I am writing this post on the iPhone with an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. As I am justgetting started with this, the fact that I have no real "plan" and that I am not sure what apps are available to replace my desktop apps, one would think this is doomed to failure before it even really gets started. But that's the idea. What would it take for the average user, who is used to using both a computer and a mobile device or two to completly drop the traditional "PC" as an everyday device? Is the iPhone 6 Plus up to it? I'll be honest; I really don't think so. However, I will give it a fair shot.
So, in the interest of fairness, tonight, before I go to bed, I will power down my trusted and proven laptop. I will leave it off for seven days. If I have to open it up to solve an issue, the test will be a failure.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
XFDL on iOS Updated
O.K., this will be a short post to let you guys know that an update is out that fixes many of the issues I had in my last post. So far all seems to be going well. There are still a few minor issues, but nothing that wont be fixed shortly.
Until next time ...
Until next time ...
Thursday, November 29, 2012
XFDL on iOS
XFDL on iOS!
Yup, someone has beaten me to punch. Sometimes having a job and a bills can be such a drag. However, in this case, its good thing.
This is what a form DA 4856 (detailed info redacted for privacy) looks like on an iPhone 4S. For the most part not to bad, however, there are some hick-ups.
The first issue I ran into was that I couldn't figure how to open a file from DropBox. It took a minute, but I finally did. Basically, open the file in DropBox like you normally would any other file, then when it likes like a large jumble of text, select the "Arrow going into the box" icon, and you will get an option to open the file in the XFDL app.
My next gripe is something very minor. The forms are not "print quality". They are close, as you can see here:
The corners don't quite line up properly. Not that I am looking to print from this app, still it would be nice.
Last thing. It doesn't handle text boxes well. See:
Since I was the one who filled out this form for my soldier to sign, I know there is lot more text were that came from. Basically, all multi line text areas are treated as a single line and just run off the right side of the page. This is perhaps my biggest complaint.
Wait, I do have one more. When trying to edit text on my iPhone 4S, the form auto sets the zoom level and position of the form. This has the result of making viewing what you are typing move completely off of the screen. All you can see is a super zoomed version of the top left corner of the page.
So basically this app is useless right? Wrong!
This is a version one (1) application and I think we should support this developer so it can get better. I am sure with time and support it will get much better. After all, isn't having this work perfectly a few months from now worth $1.99 today?
I don't normally advocate for small application that have so many issues. In this case, since users of XFDL files really do not have many other options, I say do it. Support this independent author. Show him some love, and buy his app.
The author runs a support forum at: http://www.venturacountylife.com/xfdl/
Until next time ...
Yup, someone has beaten me to punch. Sometimes having a job and a bills can be such a drag. However, in this case, its good thing.
This is what a form DA 4856 (detailed info redacted for privacy) looks like on an iPhone 4S. For the most part not to bad, however, there are some hick-ups.
The first issue I ran into was that I couldn't figure how to open a file from DropBox. It took a minute, but I finally did. Basically, open the file in DropBox like you normally would any other file, then when it likes like a large jumble of text, select the "Arrow going into the box" icon, and you will get an option to open the file in the XFDL app.
My next gripe is something very minor. The forms are not "print quality". They are close, as you can see here:
Last thing. It doesn't handle text boxes well. See:
Wait, I do have one more. When trying to edit text on my iPhone 4S, the form auto sets the zoom level and position of the form. This has the result of making viewing what you are typing move completely off of the screen. All you can see is a super zoomed version of the top left corner of the page.
So basically this app is useless right? Wrong!
This is a version one (1) application and I think we should support this developer so it can get better. I am sure with time and support it will get much better. After all, isn't having this work perfectly a few months from now worth $1.99 today?
I don't normally advocate for small application that have so many issues. In this case, since users of XFDL files really do not have many other options, I say do it. Support this independent author. Show him some love, and buy his app.
The author runs a support forum at: http://www.venturacountylife.com/xfdl/
Until next time ...
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The future of the PC
This post is all about the current state of personal computer. Recently windows domination slipped a few factions of a percentage point, but does it really mean anything to the average user? Does anyone other than the geeks really care? The answer to both of these is probably a big fat "not really". But it is the geeks, nerds and tech-heads that shape and define the digital world for the average user, so perhaps its only fitting that the architects of the future care more than its tenets.
Monday, August 20, 2012
DropBox revisited ...
A while ago I was having an issue with DropBox trying to copy my entire HardDrive to the cloud, thus filling my 2GB cloud storage rather easily. I had received no word from DropBox support at the time of the post. The problem is now resolved.
Fixing "Wide Tabs" in Safari 6
Ever since I upgraded to Safari 6 for OsX, I have been frustrated by the extra large Tabs. They stretch across the entire window and are generally a waist of space. It has the added benefit of making Safari feel even more bloated and cumbersome that it really is. I have recently found a solution that, so far, is working far better than I expected.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Safari ... has gotten fat ...
Safari 6 from apple is faster than 5, mostly. It still hangs on some Google pages for some reason with a rainbow beach ball for a few seconds. Overall I can't really see any major improvements. Don't get me wrong, I am sure they are there. There is just this massive glaring issue that is keeping me from seeing anything else.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
DropBox ... FAIL!
For the last few weeks I have been in a battle, with DropBox.com. The problem started after the latest upgrade, and I have yet to be able to find a way to correct it. After three e-mails to their customer support, I have yet to hear from them. The thing is, it seems to be a more complex problem than it should, or needs to be.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
XFDL on a Mac ... has finally arrived!
Yes, its finally here! PureEdge 6.5 is the older MicroSoft Windows software that was used to read and write XFDL files. The updated version is the IBM Lotus Forms Viewer.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Rethinking XFDL
As many of you know, I not only have a MacBook Pro, I also work with XFDL files. As so many people do, I usually work on these files at work on a MicroSoft Windows based PC. I also have a venerable version of the IBM Forms Viewer for osX, but the last time that was updated was in 2006. Many of the newer forms, and incompatibility issues with newer versions of Apple's operating system, crash the aged program. So, I started working on this problem myself.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Decoding XFDL
When I first started to work on my own XFDL Viewer for Apple's osX, I knew that it wasn't going to easy. What I didn't know was just how hard it was going to be.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
iOS 5.1.1 JailBreak for A5 devices ... almost here
Its not often I wait for software to be released with any real amount of anticipation. And then there's the forthcoming Absinthe 2.0 that is scheduled to be released in just over ten hours from the time this post was made.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
AirPrint from any printer
A few days ago I started to look for ways to print from iPhone 4S. I am not really sure why, it just seemed like something I should be able to do. As it turns out Apple want's you to use only those printers that support "AirPrint". As with everything Apple related, there is always another way. I found two.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
XFDL Viewer for Mac
If you have read my previous posts on XFDL, then you know that I have been working on an XFDL viewer for the Apple Mac. I have hit, yet again, some snags. Reverse engineering software is not only wrong, but it also illegal. However, reverse engineering a file type isn't, but that doesn't make it easy.
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