BNJMN

So my last blog entry had me trying to convince myself not to buy a new computer. I needed strong convincing. Then I thought about it. By waiting, sure I could set aside the money… Sure I could get by with my poor, falling-apart Dell. By waiting, however, I’m inching closer to a newer shiner iMac (expected anytime between tomorrow and never). I’m suffering for no real reason. Why not get an iMac now, start transferring over my life. Start all the projects I’l get to “when I get a new computer”? In short, I bought my Mac. It’s like a 15-year dream finally come true. iMac on the bus Who says iMacs aren't portable? Let me tell you, few things are as joyous as the moment when I plugged it in and that screen lit up. It was magic, enhanced by all 27 inches of screen. I’ve lugged all kinds of stuff on a bus before. Faux Christmas trees, giant pencils. Mannequins. Other computers. Bringing a new iMac box on the bus turns heads. It starts conversations. It could seat two, if t...

I am the world’s worst blogger. I see many great people who blog daily, weekly, biweekly, or whenever they feel like it. And usually, they feel like it every few days! I always feel like I will, yet somehow I just run out of time. Perhaps I should just be more disciplined and allot a block of time every few days. Work out a schedule. Put to use this iPad of mine, perhaps? What I like to believe in my head is that it’s unproductivity as a result of poor tools. The Dell laptop I’ve had since 2008 is really on its last breaths (not even, since the fans don’t work properly. To use my laptop in this crazy hot summer, it has it’s own oscillating fan), and I’ve been postponing lots of projects until I get a new computer. Podcasting. Blogging. Video. Photo even. At this point, I’m ready to embrace the full Apple ecosystem: iPhone, iPad, iMac. I’ve wanted an iMac ever since those futuristic, blue, all-in-one machines started popping up in my middle school. Thankfully, they’ve evolved qui...

The new iPad. Like many, I sat comfortably in a chair, clutching my iPad 2, wondering how much life my 8-month old post-PC device has left in it as live blogs refreshed with breaking news from Apple’s event. Predictably, the company touted a fancy high res screen, souped up innards, and an (belated) advanced camera system. Unpredictably, “HD” and “3″ were not mentioned following the word “iPad.” that was perhaps the biggest surprise about the new iPad. That, and the new dictation feature that will let me be a starship captain as I tell my iPad what to blog for me. Still, it was exciting! I normally reserve this level of excitement for Nintendo E3 presentations. I hopped onto the Apple site shortly thereafter and watched the presentation, even after knowing the script. I tried many times to update my iPhone to iOS 5.1 over the air, until I gave up and did it the old fashion way through iTunes. I wonder just how slammed Apple’s servers got… Really, since I’m going to continu...

I bought an iPad. I hadn't wanted one until fairly recently when it just clicked that i would use one as more than an oversized iPod. I could use it to write and read comfortably in the couch or out and about. Up until now, my iPhone has been indispensable, and the iPad would allow me to do even more in an easier fashion. So far, i've been right. It's a much more comfortable platform for iBooks, which allows you to add PDF documents. I haven't checked my Google home page, which is crammed with rss feeds I read, with my computer because I've moved (most of) them to an app called Pulse, which simplifies reading via RSS while making it a more visually appealing experience. Also, browsing the Internet really is a better, more intimate experience on a touch screen device. I thought that was all hype and spin. It isn't. Pages was the first app I downloaded, and used it to rewrite an entry in a brand new blog series I will hopefully one day soon start. I also use...

Much has happened in the past month. I've been to two concerts, tried Geocaching, got an iPhone, cleaned my website, and got into following the municipal election. Concerts: Jason Mraz and Stars. Both were fantastic in their own way. I met Mr. A-Z (do people call him that? Shoulda asked), and fell in love with a few of his new songs, most notable What Mama Say. First concert at Scotiabank Place, to! Stars had fantastic lighting and a great crowd, and are really good live. Very impressed. iPhone: iPhone4. Is there more to say? It's perhaps the best device I've ever owned. Website: It was attacked somehow recently, and unwanted script ended up on every page. So I cleaned it out old school, and now there shouldn't be any malware warnings when people visit. Check it out: BenjaminWood.Net ! My blog, as part of the site, had also been flagged, so I hadn't updated it just because of that headache. Maybe I'll write more often now. Geocaching: One of the results of havi...

I really like the iPod Touch. I've wanted one since the first hit the market, but held off up until a couple of weeks ago, when I thought I had lost my friend's sister's Nano that I've been using this year (which I later found in my pants pocket in the laundry). I bought it with the idea that, if I really did like the device, I would return it and get an iPhone 4 once my cell contract expires this September. Supposedly, it has a really nice screen, though my left-handedness might interfere with you know, calls. Interestingly, I find the iPod (or smart devices in general) much better e-social devices than the computer. Where have I been all this time? I'm on MSN, Facebook, Twitter, and all these social tools much more, and reading what other people update. But I really do need a camera and internet connectivity - hence iPhone upgrading... They better be readily available in 2 months. Or maybe I'll find some other smart phone between now and then. Movie Nights, Zi...