I usually buy books from the Kindle store to read on my iPad because of the range available, but the Steve Jobs autobiography came out first on iBooks, so I'm reading it in that app. iBooks has this page turning animation that is SO cool. Not only does it show you the page curling around under your finger, but if you move your finger up and down a bit, the curling page wriggles in different directions just like a real thin sheet of paper would. I know that the Kindle app has now copied that animation, but it isn't as good and Apple did it first. It's these little touches that cause people to love their iDevices. Anyway, guess I'd better get back to reading now!
Jethro Tull
I've never understood the humour in the Weird Al song about the virus that makes your iPod play just Jethro Tull. That's pretty much how my iPod works right now...
Traveling to work by ferry
An hour on the water, with space around me and free wifi. Need I say more?
Driving in country NSW
I was out at Dubbo this past weekend, and while I flew rather than driving, a conversation with a friend reminded me of the previous time I'd been there, when I did drive out and back. The easy driving in country NSW through rolling hills and plains is just beautiful and I dig it.
Steve Jobs
Not everyone goes back to the Apple II. I do. A memory that will stay with me forever is the manual speaking about formatting a floppy disk. In the sidebar was a fallout box with the simple text, "On a clear disk, you can seek forever." RIP Steve - I haven't felt quite like this since the day Isaac Asimov died.
Genius Next Door
I love this song by Regina Spektor, even though I have no idea what it is about (and sometimes when I read the lyrics am not sure I want to know!). It's such a haunting beautiful melody. Vintage Spektor!
Tripview
This cool little app has become a regular part of my life. It hooks into the timetables for train, bus and ferry; updates automatically when there is a timetable change; lets you save favorite trips and just makes public transport easier to navigate.
Wagamamas Darling Harbour
Great food, reasonable prices, great view of the Harbour. A perfect combo!
Pulse Newsreader
This is my 'go to' Newsreader on the iPad. I like its semi-visual approach but still broken into individual feeds, unlike Zite which is a 'magazine style' reader I use less regularly.
Scottevest
If you are a gadget person and travel around a bit, you have to check out Scottevest jackets and coats. They have space for all your gadgets including special see-through pockets which let you see and control iPods and iPhones without taking them out; channels to run earbuds through the lining and little pockets for the buds; and a pocket big enough for an iPad. At airport security I just take off my Scottevest and put the whole lot through security in one hit – no fuss, no bother.
Star Trek: TNG
Really I like all forms of Star Trek, but TNG was the first series I really got into, having really got hooked on Star Trek through the first four movies. Of course I later went back and watched all the original series, as well as watching DS9 and VOY, but really it was some of the social commentary and the ethical issues in TNG which made me a dyed-in-the-wool fan.
Natalie Portman
I must admit to being somewhat surprised when I realized that I was going to post this one, as I despised Natalie Portman (and the other bloke whose name I don’t even remember) in the Star Wars trilogy. My description of number two was “Blue Lagoon in space”.
But when V for Vendetta came out, I didn’t think Portman stank… in fact, once she had shaved her head she kinda rocked.
And when I saw Thor I thought Natalie was quite hot. She’s definitely grown on me.
The Duckworth Lewis Method
I am in fact of a mathematical bent, but in claiming to dig “The Duckworth Lewis Method”, I am speaking of the band (and eponymous album). There is something deliciously retro about the style of music and despite never being a ‘cricket tragic’ it does create in me a sense of nostalgia for those summer days spent watching the New Year’s Test Match on TV with my father and brother.
(I’m also trying out the use of markdown in my posterous postings to enable some better formatting, linkage etc. Hope it works!)
Dropbox
Before getting an iPad I used Dropbox sporadically to upload large files which I couldn't email, or to move stuff from home to work. Since getting the iPad, Dropbox is my constant companion. Along with Goodreader, everything I need on the iPad goes in and out via Dropbox. It (or another such service - box.net, iCloud?) are a must for iPadders.
Comics on the iPad
Since getting the iPad, I've rediscovered comic books. The iPad is the perfect size for reading comics and you can zoom to look at details or dodgy hard-to-read lettering. The "Comics" app from Comixology is the best option but isn't perfect, especially with larger collections; and for the first time I can see myself wishing the iPad had expandable storage, but overall I'm loving collecting and reading comics again.
Trudi Canavan - Australian Author
Suzie and I both enjoyed the Black Magician Trilogy, and now we're reading the second trilogy in the series as well. We read bedtime stories together (awwww.....) and these books have hit the mark - sorcery for him, romance for her and enjoyable, likable characters to follow.
60 Excellent long exposure photos
These are stunning! 60 Excellent long exposure photography examples
http://www.thedphoto.com/inspiration-fix/60-excellent-long-exposure-photography-examples/
http://www.thedphoto.com/inspiration-fix/60-excellent-long-exposure-photography-examples/
Game of Thrones
The books are great, and to my immense surprise, so was the series! Fine adaptation, good production values, interesting casting, excellent acting, no gratuitous sex scenes... Well, four out of five isn't bad...
Ukulele Songs - Eddie Vedder
Rob Hanks used a track from this album, but I blame Rob McFarlane for inspiring me to banjo-love and thus opening me up to non-Fender stringed instruments...
Stuff I Dig starts today!
I decided to start posting brief comments on stuff I dig. So I've registered the domain 'stuffidig.org' and pointed it at my posterous site. The aim is to post (at least? exactly?) one thing a day that I really like. So here goes... I've been playing the iPad app "Flapcraft" for the last few days and loving it. It's simple, fun, has groovy graphics and and a great feel.