Okay, count me as officially curious. I’m a huge fan of iLife and will auto-purchase whatever they release. Now tell me there’s something new and mysterious? Well, you know I like that! What could it be?
The talk is of greater Facebook integration. That sounds good. May there will be a new social media app that provides a one-stop publisher to all social media? Can’t wait to find out.
After delaying the upgrade for a bit, I finally gave into the temptation. It turned out to be quite a good deal. If you buy Lightroom with Photoshop CS5, you get a 30 percent discount. Add in the additional 15 percent discount for being a National Association of Photoshop Professionals member and it is a really good deal!
As far as the review of the software, I think the adjustments are much improved in version 3. The noise reduction and sharpening tools are great. They’ve also added a ton more presets in the development module. I’ve been a heavy Lightroom user since the first beta. Finally, the program is starting to feel mature and highly useful. I would say, “Go for it!”
We upgraded our iPhone 3GS’s to version 4 last night. Installation was not seamless. We got error messages multiple times, uploading from two different Macs! Finally, after using the Restore option several times, the upgrade finally took.
I also upgraded an iPod Touch with the same install challenges.
Regardless, the new software is worth the headaches. I’m digging the new Folders for organizing like apps. The multitasking is cool too. Double tap the home key and you get a dock at the bottom of the screen. Slide your finger across the dock to select from your running apps. Also cool, if you are running a song, you can access the controls for pause/play forward and back right there in the dock … Even with Pandora!
I’m sure I’ll have more observations, but I’ll give the folks at Apple a thumbs up despite the clumsy installation!
The latest talk is all about how “Google leapfrogged Apple.” Yeah, right. The best comment so far:
Googgle = 1,000 different directions, all Beta, all half-baked.
Apple = 10 directions, all polished, all complete.
We’ve been huge fans of Apple TV since we bought the first version in 2007. It does exactly what it says it does. No fuss. We subscribe to various shows, rent movies, or even buy them. The content is available throughout our Apple ecosystem (i.e., family room, desktops, laptops, iPods and iPads).
The competition will surely be good for Apple. I hardly think they’ve squandered the technology lead. One software update later, and Apple TV may be more open to Internet content. We can browse YouTube now!
Until Google starts releasing some hardware that gets actual traction (unlike their failed phone), what we are left with is smoke and carnival mirrors.
Effortlessly uploaded by Eye-Fi
The new Eye-Fi card will take photos in my Nikon D200, however it won’t wirelessly upload. Turns out the company doesn’t support adapter cards. But, all is not lost. I popped the SD card in our Canon Digital Elph and it immediately uploaded all images to Flickr and my laptop wireless — and fast! How cool is that? Looks like I’m going to try and sell my D200 and buy an SD-card based Nikon DSLR in the future!
Now Shipping!
Some of you already have heard me raving about this new memory card. Well, today I ordered it, so we’ll soon see if it lives up to its mythical claims. I’ve been using a new CF card adapter for a couple of weeks now in my Nikon D200. This lets you use an SD card in the CF card slot! It works flawlessly. Now I’ll be able to magically send photos as I take them to flickr and my Mac wirelessly. How cool it that? $69.95 worth of coolness! I’ll post a review soon after it arrives!
“Their new device, the Eye-Fi Geo X2, will only be sold at Apple Stores starting in May. It brings faster uploads of photos and video (via a new 802.11n transmitter) directly to iPhoto and MobileMe (Picasa, Facebook, and 20+ others). Its capacity is 4GB,” writes Dave Caolo for TUAW.
My take: I’ve been “eyeing” this as an option to wirelessly move images from my camera to my computer. Eye-Fi has been around for while. The reviews I’ve read before said it is a slow and painful process. However, this is supposed to solve the speed issues with 801.11n. This could be a nice workflow. The issue is, my Nikon D200 DSLR uses the Compact Flash format. But there are solutions. In fact, I just ordered this adapter from Amazon for less than $20!
Dave continues, “One cool new feature is what they’re calling Endless Memory, which allows users to have Eye-Fi automatically make space available on the card after photos and videos have been safely uploaded. Neat! It also does automatic geotagging so your shots will show up in iPhoto’s “Places” feature with no problem.”
Read more at TUAW or head over to Eye-Fi and take a look at their offerings!
Reading a book on the iPad is a phenomenal experience. This is truly the future of publishing. Why would anyone want a paper version of a book? One hundred years from now people will look back at our generation and say, “That’s when everything changed!”
I shot an iPad wallpaper this afternoon. I haven’t shown Jen yet. I think she is going to prefer a pic of the kids instead! BTW, to do a screenshot on the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, click the home button and the power button simultaneously!
If you like my background, feel free to go download it!
