technology

Flowers from my love…

I’ve been keeping busy playing around with my new iPhone and I am loving some of these apps that I can utilize on my iPhone (because the iPad doesn’t have a camera). I love the Instagram app which allows you to take photos and then apply different filters to change the look of the photo. There is also another one called 100 cameras in 1 which is the same thing but with tons more filters! Best part, both of these apps are free!

I think the best calendar app is Pocket Informant. It’s kind of pricey, but I think it’s worth it. You can sync the calendar with Google calendar, which I never used before, but started using to when I discovered Pocket Informant.

Well I swear I was going to write about something else, but I got sidetracked…and now I can’t remember!

Have a fabulous Valentine’s Day everyone!

Even though I said I wasn’t going to get the iPhone since I have an iPad, I got the iPhone! It was my early Valentine’s Day present. I’ve been stalking the internet for years waiting for the iPhone to come to Verizon- how could I NOT? Plus the kids are always playing my iPad, except at night when I charge it and use it for reading. Most of the apps are transferable between the two. There are some iPad apps that are HD and are made specifically for the iPad though. I ordered a case that snaps just on the back which I am not sure if I will use all the time or not. I TOTALLY LOVE IT!! I haven’t had any problems with it, the connection is perfect too!

THANKS TO MY LOVE WHO ALWAYS SPOILS ME xoxoxoxoxox Love you!

Tomorrow is the release of the fabulous Apple iPad. Let me start by saying I want one. Period. My reasons for wanting one….well I don’t really have any good reasons. I love new gadgets and this gorgeous looking piece of technology will certainly provide hours and hours of fun and usefulness. I use an iPod Nano for listening to music. For reading books I use a Kindle that I got last year for Mother’s Day. I totally love my Kindle, I couldn’t think of one negative thing about it. I have a Dell laptop that I use for work and couch-computer use. My desk (where I work) also has our family Mac computer which I sometimes use for browsing and also watching all sorts of entertainment while I work. As you can see I don’t really need an iPad, but doesn’t it look and sound super cool? So small and compact!

I think it would be neat to be able to utilize and basically play around with some of the Apple Apps. The touch screen seems pretty sweet. The photo gallery functions are unbelievable, but I don’t see myself putting photos on it. The idea of downloading movies and letting Karli watch them once in awhile at baseball games sound neat, but then again I probably wouldn’t let her touch it when we are outdoors sitting on bleachers. Maybe we could use it together, play checkers or I could teach her to play Solitaire or something. I am a Texas Holdem addict but the iPad doesn’t utilize Flash so most online games won’t be functional. I know there are Apps for Texas Holdem, but that doesn’t help me increase my bank for my Facebook Texas Holdem account. Haha! I have heard that most websites like Hulu.com are scampering about to make their websites run on the iPad. The iPad runs off the same software as the iPhone. Which also brings up another topic on how there are rumors that Apple may be releasing an iPhone to Verizon customers sometime this summer or early fall. If that is the case, the iPhone would be my first choice. Maybe.

I’ve read that there is a program available so I could transfer my Kindle downloaded books to the iPad. I would then sell my Kindle which is in perfect condition with 30+ books on it already. I don’t think you are suppose to sell the Kindle with books already on it, but I see others doing it on Ebay.

If I do decide to get the iPad I plan on waiting for the WiFi-3G version which isn’t going to be released until the end of this month and in perfect time for a Mothers Day gift. (I swear I get better Mothers Day gifts than birthday presents most of the time!) It would cost me the same amount to have 3G connection through AT&T for the iPad as it does for my monthly fee for web and email for my Blackberry, which I would cancel. I don’t use it that often anyways.

In a way I keep thinking that I might want to wait until Version 2 of the iPad comes out because I bet there will be a lot of revisions made. Like I can’t believe it doesn’t have a camera, especially since it runs like the iPhone. I’ve read many different articles online to see what other people think of the iPad.

– Here is a recent one from MSNBC.

– A great review from Engadget with a pretty detailed video as well. Other linked articles from the same site here.

– Cnet Review

Basically it comes down to whether or not I really need a new $650 toy. Ken told me if I close a job I can buy whatever I want as a little treat for myself so maybe I can use that as my deciding factor. If I don’t close one, I don’t need it.

Finally…my package that I have been Twittering about like crazy arrived. Actually it arrived yesterday, but since then I have been playing around with it and trying to get our home network set back up. It HATE networks with a passion. Things are never easy peasy. I am still only about 75% done having everything set up correctly and that doesn’t include moving most of my files over to the iMac. I plan to finish up this weekend. I have to work these next few days… I am so behind now!

We had been contemplating getting a Mac for over a year now. When I got my last Dell laptop in September of 07′ we debated getting a Mac, but decided to wait. We had a hard time deciding what to get first. The main priority for me was to get a bigger screen. Recently I have been hunching over my desk to work on my laptop and after several hours of nonstop work my back and neck were killing me. We went to the Apple store in Ann Arbor, MI a couple of weekends ago and we almost came home with a MacBook Pro with a separate wide screen. Ken had a slight problem with that because he is the one due for a new laptop, not me. He has issues with his all the time. Outlook is constantly locking up on him and shutting down, Windows searches for solutions, restarts…if you have a PC, you know what I mean. I was throwing a fit though because I use my laptop way more than he does. Sure he works on his, but I am on mine for more than just work. Plus I actually use my laptop throughout other rooms in the house, where as he would be fine with a desktop computer. We left the store with nothing… it was too much pressure to decide on the spot what to buy.

Later on at home, we each built the MacBook that we wanted along with the separate 24 inch wide screen and keyboard to use during work hours and it was a bit more than we wanted to spend right now. I had solved that problem by saying, let’s just wait until we get the money from “such and such job” and he agreed. Three days later Ken changed his mind and we were online buying a new desktop computer to replace the “family computer” that sits on our office desk. The Dell that was there before was 8 years old and moves as slow as molasses. I never used it. This is the computer that we just bought the new 19 inch wide screen for. The kids are the only ones that play on the computer…Webkinz, Poptropica, NickJr, math games, etc. We moved the old Dell with their new screen over to a little kids sized table in den. It will be nice because Karli will be able to play on the computer now while I am working. Before she would bug me to get on the computer while I am working during the day and there simply isn’t enough room for her at my desk. Now she can play away and I will be nearby to help her if needed.

Ken’s logic behind this decision was practical. The desktop Dell was the oldest computer in the house. This way also allows us to get used to using a Mac before transferring all of our work onto a Mac. We need to find a new program other than Act by Sage for our client management program. Anyone know of a good Mac program for managing contacts & a calendar? Ask your husbands too…maybe they use something at work? I would love some advice on this before I pay for a program I hate.

So while I loved Ken’s logic… I totally hit the jackpot…right? I mean I get to have the new Mac at my desk and play with it all I want. I am going to use it for everything but my work stuff. I can watch movies while I work, listen to my music files, blog hop (LOL), and whatever else I want. The 24 inch screen is almost too big, but I am getting used to it. I thought the ones that were on display at the stores were 24 inch and here they were 20 inch! The 20 inch would have been plenty big enough. Oh well!

Ken will be the next one to get a Mac. We we then move all of our business stuff to the Mac computers. Then as long as one of us has a Mac laptop we should be fine. We don’t really need two. We basically need one for when we are on vacation or out of town for any reason. Whenever I decide I need to work on a laptop, say on the weekend while I am hanging out in the living room or whatever, I can always use his.

Isn’t it beautiful?!

We finally replaced our gigantic 7 year old Dell monitor with a flat screen. It is a 19 inch screen that we bought from Office Max for $100 and I had a $10 off coupon! It’s an off brand – AOC – but it looks amazing!
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