Original iPod
Wow.
I just unplugged my original iPod from the HK dock for the first time in about a year.
I think I have 4 iPods of various kinds scattered around the house … a Nano, a 20 gig 2nd generation (that’s the one that’s hooked up to my HK stereo), a 40 gig Video, and of course my iPhone. But I haven’t picked up this sucker in a long time … and when I did … wow.
The unbelievable thing is that when I bought it, perhaps 5 years ago, it was the most amazing slim incredible sleek purrrfect machine. Now, it’s still cool and iconic and recognizable … but it’s FAT!
Funny thing is, it just keeps on ticking.
The battery is basically toast, but that doesn’t matter because it’s always hooked up to my stereo, which is charging it. The screen is fine (although tiny and dark compared to new iPods). The processor must be OK … it keeps on ticking, and I just now played a quick game of Parachute.
I just can’t believe how small and thin and sleek I thought it was … and how fat and heavy and blocky I now think it is.
That’s progress, I guess …
Say again, Google?
So I’m searching for software usability features, and in the Sponsored links … this is what appears.
Sketchup is an architecture prototyping tool - a very cool one - that Google bought for no apparent reason and now offers for free (well, the basic version).
What on earth does that have to do with a search for usability information? Your guess is as good as mine.
I can only assume someone in the Sketchup marketing team has his AdWords campaigns screwed up. But hey, if your ads are free … why not?
iPhone 2.2
Just installed the iPhone 2.2 update on Saturday.
Most important change: WAY better battery life. I mean significant. Not just a little … a LOT better battery life, like from 1 day to 3. Of course, YMMV.
Wow.
[ update Nov. 27 ]
Much, much, MUCH better.
The worst thing about Windows
I’m using a lot of Windows lately, via VMware Fusion … recently installing both Vista and XP. It’s for work, and it’s for certain apps that need to be tested on a PC.
The most annoying thing I’ve found so far - besides the way Windows is always mothering me to death me with little messages, asking me if I’m really, totally, quite absolutely sure I want to do something - is that fact that there are no visual cues that an application is launching.
You double-click an app … and nothing happens! Or so you think. Actually, it is launching (usually). But it’s entirely invisible until it appears, fully loaded, on your desktop. In the meantime, of course, you’ve double-clicked it a couple more times … and more of the same open like jack-in-the-boxes.
Annoying!
Mac OS X tells you an app is launching. First by changing the icon background color, and most importantly, by bouncing the icon in the dock until it is fully launched. Plus, if you double-click the app again by mistake, OS X is smart enough to not launch the same app twice.
Now that makes sense.
. . .
. . .
I’m sure this is in actual fact not the most annoying thing about Windows. But it is the most annoying thing right now for me.
e-Commerce for the rest of us?
Do you remember vStores?
Perhaps 7 years ago that was something I tried out: hosted and completely outsourced eCommerce. I made a couple hundred dollars, and then the vStores thing went down the tubes. Last time I checked, they were still not able to get their act straight.
So it was more than a little interesting to me to get a ping from ReviewMe to review the new Pepperjam Store Builder.
This is exactly the type of thing that I’ve been looking for, off and on, for some years: a very simple way to create an online store. PepperJam sources the products, provides the technology, and handles the eCommerce. You just have to select your business focus, promote your site, and collect the cash.
Here’s the thing that particularly interests me: PepperJam allows you to host the store on your own domain … not just a virtual domain at pepperjam.com. That’s how vStores worked, and it was annoying to not be able to host your own store at your own domain.
I agreed to do the review for ReviewMe (I only review things that I’m interested in and think might be interesting to readers of Sparkplug9) and I’ve checked out the service, but haven’t been able to use it. I signed up, as I’d like to be able to actually use and implement it before reviewing, but there’s a 48-hour period in which they check potential users’ bona fides. I suppose that’s a good thing, and is going to help keep Pepperjam’s affiliates clean and above-board.
Here’s a view of their store builder:
I look forward to getting approved, in which case I’ll post more info about Pepperjam’s e-commerce solution.
Surreal
I just had the surreal experience of seeing my own job transition announced on ReadWriteWeb’s Jobwire:
After 15 years of helping education planning software Premier Agendas Inc. grow, be acquired and turn into a big success - John Koetsier has left the company to become Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian childrens’ computing software maker Easy Bits. Koetsier recently announce the change on his very enjoyable blog.
Very cool!
(And thanks, Marshall, for the props on my blog! I’ve followed you since your TechCrunch days, and you rock.)
Funny - or not
You gotta love this: software for the hotel industry to remotely train workers so they don’t incur travel expenses for off-site training:
“The Virtual Classroom gives hotels a low-cost tool (travel expenses are eliminated), for providing advanced or customized training,” said Kelly Gray, Newmarket’s Director of Educational Services. “Web delivery also affords hotels enhanced “speed-to-market” capabilities. For example, upgrade training for users at 400 different sites can now be done simultaneously, while traditional methods would take months.” (link)
Happened to see this as I was looking for classroom software …
Developers, developers, developers, developers
Week two of my brand-new job is coming up tomorrow. Here’s what I need:
- Office space in Richmond, BC, for 10-20 people
- Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Payroll services, ideally all from one provider
- Developers, developers, developers, developers
(Just channeling Steve Ballmer in text here … what I need are Delphi developers, including at least one who speaks Russian.) - Technical writer who understand usability and can write UI strings, help, & maybe even some marketing-type text
- Once the office is in place, internet, phone, supplies, etc.
- Once the developers are hired, computers, screens, software, etc.
If you know someone who can help with any of the above, give me a shout!
. . .
. . .
OK, just for fun, here you go:
Spaces: Made for MacBook
I’ve used virtual windows before … it must have been 7-8 years ago when I was deep into web application development, and desktop real estate was still expensive …
But I hadn’t enabled Spaces yet … mostly because I had Leopard on our home iMac, with a 20″ screen. The screen was big enough for most work, and I didn’t actually do much work on it in any case.
But I just picked up a MacBook for my new job …
It’s an absolutely lovely knock-out of a machine. Light, powerful, portable, gorgeous screen, unbelievably streamlined body unmarred by any of the bumps, hings, protusions, and other assorted warts on so many other laptops.
But the screen is 13″ big.
Surprisingly (to myself) I haven’t actually missed the desktop real estate that much. That’s what the fairly hi-res 1280 x 800 and high-quality screen will do for you. But there are occasions when I like to only see the windows associated with the application I’m currently using - and that’s where Spaces shines.
I enabled it tonight, and already love it. Switching to an app pushes you automatically to the right space - perfect. And if I need more switchability, I’ve set up the Command key with the arrow keys to quickly move wherever I need to go.
Simple, quick, easy, and beautiful. That’s Mac!
Craigslist Spam: “Financially relieving”
You gotta love Craigslist spam.
I just posted a position - looking for a Delphi developer, anyone interested please get in touch - and the next morning found some business solicitation spam.
I kind of enjoyed the pitch though:
I wanted to introduce our services to you, perhaps you may find us financially relieving. We are running a website and graphic design company with very little overhead so our prices are very competitive.
Who doesn’t like “financially relieving” services?
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About
Sparkplug 9 is John Koetsier's blog on life, the universe, and everything,
but mostly the stuff you see big in the tags to the left.
Welcome, enjoy, buy the T-shirt, take a picture, tell your friends. -
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