Category: Technology

Categories
Technology

The New iPad

I’m going to split my thoughts on the Apple announcement over a few posts, but I’ll keep them segregated by topic.

I’ll start with the headliner … the new iPad.

The new iPad

The Name

It is not iPad 3, or iPad HD, or iPad Pro … or anything else. The new iPad is just that: iPad.

It now falls in line with the other product lines from Apple including the MacBook Air, the Mac Pro, the iMac, the iPod touch, the Mac mini, and many others as being simply a product line with updates but no number or number-letter combination tacked onto the end.

I’m guessing we’ll see this also move to the iPhone later this year, so don’t expect an iPhone 5 but and iPhone (6th generation). I like it for its simplicity, and I think that consumers are going to not really notice after a short time of some slight confusion.

Retina Display

After moving from an iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4S, I can state that the move to a “Retina Display” is a HUGE move for the iPad. From all accounts, the other aspects of the display have also been improved and tweaked to really create one of the best displays you can possibly buy at almost any size.

You’ll just have to go and take a look at it.

A5X Processor

A dual-core CPU coupled with a quad-core GPU, it is an updated version of the A5 processor used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S last year, which was quite snappy and a big updated over the A4 from the year prior.

Adding the quad-core GPU makes sense with the 3.1 million pixels that it will have to push for the new display. That is where the main update is and we will see if the A5X will come to the next iPhone or if Apple will pull out a redesigned A6 in seven months (or so).

iSight Camera

There is a substantial update for the camera on the back of the iPad, bringing the optics from the iPhone 4S and coupling it with a 5-megapixel camera. You’ll actually be able to take pictures to share with this camera. I’ve been using the iPhone 4S as my only camera since I got the phone and it works really well.

The front-facing camera did not get an update.

The use of the name “iSight” is a good blast-from-the-past and kind of funny. Will see if Apple brings the name to the rest of the line.

The last thing the new camera can do is record 1080p HD video. You have a new display and you need to fill it with something.

 Network Connectivity

They added 4G LTE for both Verizon and AT&T. That’s about it.

Data prices are the same as with 3G-only, so check with your carrier.

Other Stuffs

iOS received an update to 5.1 during the event and the two noticeable changes are this:

  • If you have AT&T, you will now see “4G” for their “4G” service (read: faux 4G)
  • You can get to the camera from the lock screen with a gesture all of the time (no double-tapping the home button)

Apple also added a larger battery to the iPad so it is slightly thicker and heavier than the iPad 2 yet thinning and lighter than the iPad (1st generation). The larger battery means that even with the larger, better screen and the addition of 4G LTE, the new iPad gets the same battery life.

Also, no Siri for the iPad. They added dictation, but no Siri. Why? I’m not sure, but Siri is still in “beta” and maybe they are just not ready to roll it out to more devices.

Conclusion

So that’s about it for the iPad. It really is a big update from the iPad 2 and a MASSIVE update from the iPad (1st generation), so try and get yours hands on one on or after March 16th to see for yourself.

Categories
Business Technology

Don’t Stop Consumerization

Over at f5 DevCentral, Lori MacVittie has written about how IT departments might stop the consumerization of technology in the enterprise space.

I really don’t think that overly-restrictive MDMs are going to really stem the tide, but I would rather have IT departments view the changes coming as an opportunity to really look at the processes in place and change the ones that are now outdated.

What does the consumerization of IT free IT departments up to do better? What new challenges are brought in? How can we mitigate the security and reliability issues by changing how we provide services?

I think THAT is how we should be looking at the changes and not trying to grab onto the old way of thinking.

Categories
Business Life Technology

An Hour A Day

Michael Lopp posted over at Rands in Repose about a new goal for himself:

Starting at the beginning of February, I made a change. Each day I blocked off a precious hour to build something.

Every day. One hour. No matter what.

Every day? Yup. Including weekends.

A hour? Yup, 60 full minutes. More if I can afford it.

I like it. I like it a lot. Knowing full well that I am going to fail at this consistently (having a 7 month-old will do that for you), I’m going to try and start setting aside an hour a day to actually build something.

Not just think about it, but actually build something. I can do the “thinking” part, but I need to get better at the “building” part.

An hour a day.

Categories
Business Technology

Thoughts on Trello

I’ve been using Things for Mac to handle my “project management” for a while now, but it felt like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole … or a square peg in a round hole (whichever is harder).

So a friend of mine (hey Dan) invited me to a board over at Trello. I didn’t quite “get it” at first, but after spending the better part of an afternoon really playing around with the service and moving some stuff over there it really started to click.

So I’ve moved all of my project management “stuff” over there.

Granted, it isn’t a lot, but I have a few boards floating around in various stages of “usefulness”. I’ll just briefly outline how I manage a project currently:

  • Setup an organization for a number of projects (right now I have one for Deck78 and one for Martin Luther College)
  • Create one board per project (MLC Website, any products I’m working on, etc.)
  • Edit the labels to fit what the board needs
    • Usually I have Emergency as red, Bug as orange, and Feature as green … the others are fluid
  • Create cards as needed
  • Move cards between the To Do, Doing, and Done lists
  • Profit?

That’s about it. I I have a board for our home projects and also one for This One Podcast, I’m hoping it will help keep things in order a little bit more.

Categories
Business Technology

Square Register

So cool to see Square continuing to simplify things for small businesses.

This is seriously cool.