February 2012
10 posts
1 tag
How Apple could fix iMessage notifications across...
Apple recently released a beta version of Messages for OS X, as part of the unveiling of the preview of Mountain Lion. While I think most people are happy to have the ability to send iMessage messages from their computer to their contacts that are on phones or iPads, one universal complaint I’ve heard is that if you have multiple devices with Messages on them, for example a Mac, an iPhone,...
WorldWideWeb wide-area hypertext app available -... →
This is is the newsgroup posting announcing the invention of the www, or “world wide web”. The internet already existed in terms of a network of computers, but this was the invention of the concept of publishing text, then rich text, then pictures with text, then formatted pages that became what we now know as the web.
This project is experimental and of course comes without any...
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“It’s A Brick” – Tesla Motors’ Devastating Design... →
After reading this article from theunderstatement.com, my desire to own a Tesla Roadster went from 100 to 0 in 10 seconds flat:
Tesla Motors’ lineup of all-electric vehicles — its existing Roadster, almost certainly its impending Model S, and possibly its future Model X — apparently suffer from a severe limitation that can largely destroy the value of the vehicle. If the battery is ever totally...
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How to control Twitter so it doesn't control you
There are many ways to use Twitter, and I’m not about to tell you that my way is the only way, or even the best way. But I have refined my usage and feel pretty confident that it’s an efficient way to use the service, particular if you enjoy reading tweets as much or more than writing them.
My particular workflow prioritizes a few elements. If your priorities align with mine, then I...
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How to add a list of categories or tags to your...
Tumblr is a fantastic platform for building a quick blog, but it lacks some of the organizational features of more full-featured blog engines. In particular, it lacks the ability to categorize posts. The best you can do is add tags to them, but then Tumblr doesn’t make it easy to view all the posts with a given tag. No sidebar list is generated.
If you’d like to add a list of the...
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It's time for Google to DuckDuckGo
If you’re getting more and more uncomfortable with Google, like I am, let me suggest giving DuckDuckGo a try for your searching needs.
Why am I getting uncomfortable with Google? Firstly, they’re playing around with their privacy policy. While I don’t necessarily believe that the latest change is a bad one, what I don’t like is when companies move the goalposts on its...
Path’s new Terms of Service puts the lie to CEO’s... →
How a social network with trust issues like Path has could have the following clause in their terms of service is beyond me:
Any changes or modification will be effective immediately upon posting of the revisions on our site, and you waive any right you may have to receive specific notice of such changes or modifications.
My budding curiosity about Path is now completely extinguished.
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Do you know who has access to your email (and what... →
I read the following line in this article at Mashable, and it gave me pause:
Baydin recently extracted data from five million emails its users handled — either using the company’s “email game” or scheduled for later via Boomerang.
The article is about a study Baydin did on the effectiveness of various words in email subject lines. But to do this study, they analyzed the text in all the...
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IBM Research study finds organizing email into... →
In productivity circles this has become pretty much accepted wisdom, but it’s great to see a research paper back up the anecdotal evidence.
[via Ben Brooks]
The one you feed →
Tim Johnson, responding to a request on Quora for parables:
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and...
January 2012
3 posts
1 tag
Encouraging Things to Say to Kids « Parenting From... →
Here is a list of encouraging phrases to say to kids. Some of these examples fit many kinds of scenarios, and others are responses I’ve said to my kids about something specific that happened. I try to say these kinds of things daily, and, once I understood what makes a response encouraging (as opposed to praising, belittling, fixing, etc.), it’s actually not very difficult to fit them into...
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December 2011
9 posts
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What happened to Lego? →
Dan Sinker:
The reality is that the unisex, open-ended, building and imaginative creation sets that my peers normally associate with Lego are gone. Look at this ad:
That ad is remarkable for two reasons: First, it presents Legos as a playset where you can just make stuff, and it revels in it. But even more remarkable is that it features a girl holding Legos. I seriously can not remember...
The Failed Promise of ‘The Verge’ — The Brooks... →
The truth hurts.
It’s true that The Verge seems to be lacking a voice. Those guys were never influenced by advertisers back when they were at Engadget, so I can’t imagine it happening now. It sure reads like they’re afraid to piss anyone off, though.
Ben just won me back as a reader with this piece.
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American Drink: Back to School Special →
This one accidentally sat in my drafts for a couple of months, so it’s not quite as timely as it otherwise would have been. It’s still pretty funny though.
americandrink:
At the end of a busy school day, kids need some love from a relaxed, supportive parent. At the end of a busy work day, some of us need a little help to become that parent. Here’s what to do when the closest...
chpwn blog: Carrier IQ is on iOS →
chpwn:
Carrier IQ, the now infamous “rootkit” or “keylogger”, is not just for Android, Symbian, BlackBerry, and even webOS. In fact, up through and including iOS 5, Apple has included a copy of Carrier IQ on the iPhone. However, it does appears to be disabled along with diagnostics enabled on iOS 5; older versions may send back information in more cases. Because of that, if you want to disable...
Rogers and Telus confirm that Carrier IQ is not... →
Daniel Bader writing for MobileSyrup:
Rogers has done an investigation and has confirmed that Carrier IQ is not present on any of its devices. On Twitter they stated that “Hi all. I’m happy to confirm that we have investigated and Carrier IQ is NOT on any of our devices”. TELUS also confirmed that they have not installed Carrier IQ on any of their devices. We are waiting to hear back from...
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November 2011
3 posts
Researcher’s Video Shows Secret Software on... →
Many people avoid iPhones and Apple products like the plague because they’re afraid of the control Apple exerts over their products. That control can be a good thing though; it turns out that most modern Android, Blackberry, and Nokia phones ship with hidden tracking software that logs everything from who you call and when to the keystrokes you type (even when communicating with secure...
Gmail for iPhone and iPad Is So Terrible It Must... →
This marks the first time I’ve ever linked to Gizmodo. They nailed it.
October 2011
22 posts
How Steve Jobs was able to always drive his car... →
Steve (or someone close to him) spotted a loophole in the California vehicle laws. Anyone with a brand new car had a maximum of six months to affix the issued number plate to the vehicle.
Clever.
Steve Jobs on God →
WALTER ISAACSON: I remember sitting in his backyard in his garden one day and he started talking about God. He said, “Sometimes I believe in God, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s 50-50 maybe. But ever since I’ve had cancer, I’ve been thinking about it more. And I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of— maybe it’s ‘cause I want to believe in an...
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How to Enable Multitasking Gestures and Display... →
Works like a charm.
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Before You Submit: Some Tips for Self-Editing -... →
Here’s another article that explains why the passive voice, use of the first person, and prepositions at the ends of sentences are not the crimes against grammar that some people would have you believe.
And sentences can begin with ‘and’ or ‘but’.
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“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure...”
– ~ William Gibson
(This isn’t aimed at anyone, it just makes me laugh.)
Why we crave creativity but reject creative ideas →
Most people view creativity as an asset — until they come across a creative idea. That’s because creativity not only reveals new perspectives; it promotes a sense of uncertainty.
Split Family Faces →
Unsettling but awesome.
Eric Schmidt on Steve Jobs - BusinessWeek →
(via Instapaper)
Yet another accident at the intersection of PR and... →
When I wrote for Download Squad, I received on average 10-20 poorly researched PR pitches a day, along with a few well researched ones. The signal to noise ratio was awful, and it turned me completely off of the public relations industry, even though my rational side knows that there are professionals out there doing a stand-up job of it.
The problem is that it’s not just a few bad apples...
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Steve Jobs: Making a dent in the universe |... →
It might not have looked like it in 2001, but in 2011 it’s clear. This is not the story of a talented but under-appreciated man whose products were influential while his company flailed and failed while others made billions on his good ideas.
This is a story of victory. In the end, the world embraced Apple. It embraced Steve Jobs. And the world’s a better place because he was in it.
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The Living Bridge →
A community in India uses the roots of fig trees to build living bridges that span storm engorged rivers for hundreds of years. The epitome of green architecture.
Access Main Computer File →
I’ve always been fascinated by the fake computer user interfaces you see in movies and TV shows. Obviously I’m not the only one, as this is a site dedicated to documenting them.
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Letters of Note: Each of you is special just... →
Back in January of 1990, a 6-year-old boy named Christopher wrote to Fred Rogers — host of the widely-adored children’s programme, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood — and asked if he could visit the show’s studio. The beautifully composed rejection he soon received can be seen below, as can both a lovely letter of thanks subsequently sent to the studio by Christopher’s...
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Mistakes Are Made (but Using the Passive Isn’t One... →
September 2011
9 posts
1 tag
4 tags
How to use Keyboard Maestro to add hotkeys for...
With the addition of Tweet Marker support, Twitterrific has become my go-to Twitter client on my Mac. Aside from Tweet Marker support, one of my favourite things about Twitterrific is its very well thought out set of keyboard shortcuts.
Unfortunately, though Twitterrific does a nice job supporting Twitter Lists, there are no keyboard shortcuts to switch your timeline view to look at them. There...
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