technotes

A week with the iPad April 14, 2010

Posted by Kristin Lynch in : technology , 2 comments

Image representing iPad as depicted in CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

I spent about a month deciding whether or not I’d be plopping down some cash to buy an Apple iPad, then another few days listening to nerdy discussions about which version to buy – the WiFi version now available, or wait until the 3G version makes its appearance in late April.

I opted to get the mid-range 32GB WiFi version. My reasoning?

1. My experience with my MacBook Pro has been that I’ve almost always been able to connect via WiFi wherever I am.

2. I already have an unlimited access iPhone that’s always with me so I’m never disconnected via 3G, and I really don’t need to shell out any additional service fees to AT&T anyway. This model saved me about $250 over the 3G model I had previously considered.

3. It’s probably just a matter of time before MiFi becomes more accessible and more reasonably priced.

4. The only time I’d likely suffer from a lack of WiFi coverage is on the road, and since I travel alone 99% of the time, I can’t really use the device while I’m driving. Well, I COULD but that would be really stupid.

So what do I think of it so far? I love it. Reading books is great, typing takes a little to get used to, but the learning curve is no different than that of an iPhone or BlackBerry. The screen is beautiful, movies and games are more enjoyable. Some of my favorite cool iPhone apps have already been rebuilt beautifully for the iPad – making use of the large screen and space. Battery life is very impressive, and the device turns on instantly – there’s no such thing as booting up.

I use a lot of book documentation for my work and now have about 16 of them in PDF version on my iPad. That alone is worth it to me. I don’t have to carry my laptop around when I just want to read my PDFs, and they’re very handily available docked next to my laptop while I code.

I have several PowerPoint presentations I need to access regularly for an ongoing training project. Additionally, I have several software manuals saved there in PDF format for reference purposes.

The entertainment tools – photos, music, movies, games – are splendid. You have to try them yourself to get the full effect. I can’t do it justice.

New applications are being released for the device every day and many are very impressive. Some favorites: GoodReader is a very nice document manager. The NetFlix application plays your streaming library. AirStudio accesses your home movie library over your WiFi network connection. Evernote – already a favorite Windows, Mac and iPhone application – is very impressive on the iPad. The iBook application is getting so much use when I go to bed that I’m losing sleep.

Elements is a gorgeous way to present the periodic table. This application alone gives us an idea about the future of books and how we’ll use information.

So far my friends’ reactions have ranged from ‘yeah hi where is it?’, ‘ooh slick….now I want one’ to ‘I still have no idea why I would need one but I kind of want one anyway’.

I was asked to talk with a class of Mercyhurst College students recently about my career. I brought my iPad to show the instructor – a longtime friend and fellow geek, who immediately took a photo of it and sent it to his wife. The class was understandably more interested in seeing the device than hearing me blather on about myself, and they had some great questions.

I’ve been asked about the inability to connect peripherals, and the likelihood of the iPad becoming a laptop replacement. My answer depends on who’s asking. If you mainly use your computer for web surfing, e-mail, watching videos, listening to music and viewing photos, then this could become a great portable device for you. For heavy computer users like me, no – but it can be a great device for managing those tasks without needing to access your desktop or laptop.

As much as I enjoy the iPad, I have to believe that the real ‘killer app’ for the device hasn’t even been released yet. An app is going to be released and consumers will say ‘wow, OK now I know why I need an iPad.’ I think we will see that day very soon.

Incidentally, I wrote this entire post on my iPad using the WordPress application.

technorati tags: Apple, IPad, iPad device apple usability, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Netflix

FreshBooks makes managing your own business easy! February 1, 2010

Posted by Kristin Lynch in : technology , 2 comments

I’ve been using FreshBooks for a few months now after switching from MacFreelance. I love it. It allow me to easily and quickly set up the client/time/invoicing/expense management portion of my freelance business so I can spend more time focusing on my clients and their needs.

Set up your free account to get started. Check out the very reasonable pricing chart. You won’t pay at all until you enter your fourth client into the system. At that point, you’ll be charged $19/month, with rates increasing at a fair rate dependent on client numbers. The most you’ll pay for the service is $149/month – and that’s with 5,000 customers!

Go here to set up an account now!

What can you do with FreshBooks?

Maintain your client information
Track your time
Allow team members to add their time and other details
Allow clients to view their own invoices
Create custom invoices with your own branding
Customize e-mails, late notices, etc.
View and print reports
Manage expenses, including one-time and recurring charges
Manage your time, view your invoices and add expenses using the iPhone app
Send your invoices via e-mail or snail mail (snail mail includes a statement, payment stub, and window return envelope)

Those are just a few of the features of FreshBooks. Go here to set up an account now and get more details.

I’m still discovering very handy features!

I also like how FreshBooks maintains its customer relationships. As soon as I signed up, I received an e-mail from a customer representative thanking me for signing up and providing me with their full contact details in case I have questions or need help. I also received a sample invoice in the mail showing me how my invoices will look if I choose to send them that way – including a payment stub and return envelope. If you decide to go that route, you just pay for an allotment of ‘stamps’ and they handle the rest. FreshBooks also provides a toll free number, online support form, a blog and customer forums – all designed to help you find the information you need quickly and easily.

Their system even provides a report card so you can see how you’re doing. You’ll need to be on the system for a full fiscal quarter before you can view any data, however.

I’m very impressed with the system. It allows me to easily and professionally maintain the financial data of my new business, providing me with more time to manage my customer relationships and the work I do for them. I even ENJOY using my business management system. When have you ever heard such a thing? Go here to set up an account now!

technorati tags: Accounting, Add new tag, Business Services, Freelancer, FreshBooks, Invoice, iPhone, Management, Time Tracking, Web Based

Saving a soaked cell phone December 1, 2009

Posted by Kristin Lynch in : technology , 1 comment so far

Image by JonJon2k8 via Flickr

I heard a great tip for saving a soaked cell phone – or any other unfortunate electronic device, for that matter. I’ve had a few friends who have had the misfortune of dropping their cell phone in a puddle or a glass of water (that friend was heavily medicated) or – GASP – through an entire washing machine cycle. But fear not…

If you ever find yourself with a wet device, don’t cry – that will just create more moisture! Trust me…we can get through this. Try these steps instead.

1. Get your vacuum cleaner out and use an appropriate attachment to suck out as much water as possible. Look for the largest input area on your device and start there.

2. Always try #1 first to get as much water as you can out of the device quickly. Next, pick up a bag of Fresh Scent cat litter. You must use the one with the blue/green crystals. A small bag will do. (HINT: uncooked rice will also work!) Grab a small container that can be sealed tightly – such as Tupperware. Pour some of the cat litter (or rice) in the container and place your device on top. Close the container and leave it alone for a day or so. The cat litter (or rice) will suck up the moisture from the device!

If neither of these methods work, you might be out of luck but at least you’ll have tried a couple of quick and easy fixes before throwing in the towel.

Thanks to the guys on the MacBreak Weekly podcast for these suggestions.

Good luck!