iPad

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Steven Byrnes

Well, last night I went by the apple store and picked up an iPad. Initial impressions are favorable.

In recent months, I had thought about picking up an iPod Touch, mainly for the apps and mobile experience. Around Christmas, I had also considered a Kindle. Also, my MacBook Pro was starting to have seemingly age related issues, so I had been eyeing a net book of some kind.

When I first got my laptop, I was using it as a desktop replacement. But as time has worn on, it seems to get slower and slower. Recently, I had mainly been using it for web, notes, and email, and using a desktop for my work. As a result, a net book seemed adequate for what I needed.

When the iPad was announced, several people I know seemed underwhelmed. I on the other hand was quite excited. Here was an item that potentially could be used instead of 2 or 3 items on my wish list. Reading about the Kindle for Tablets software, and then Evernote’s plans for iPad made it even more compelling.

That left me with one remaining question and a dilemma. The question: would the onscreen keyboard be useable enough or would I have to get a hardware keyboard. (The iPhone keyboard kind of gets on my nerves, which is why I’ve stuck with my Android phone.). After reading a few reviews this week, I was happy to see that people thought the virtual keyboard was quite usable for more than casual use. Then it came down to a dilemma: get one now, or wait for the 3G model at the end of the month. Since I’ve got wifi access 95% of the places I go, and since I already have a portable 3G access point, I started thinking I would skip the internal 3G. And when I noticed that there is already one, and probably soon 2 4G networks in town, I started thinking the cost benefit wasn’t there. Not to mention I was getting impatient.

So last night I went to the Galleria. They were running low on iPads, and only had the 64G model. That was fine, as I had a lot of data to carry around and had planned on the 32G model anyway.

I didn’t open the box until 11 pm, and by the time I updated my laptop to the latest iTunes, downloaded music, photos, and a few free apps, it was 4 am by the time I went to bed.

But here I am In the afternoon and I haven’t cracked open my laptop yet this morning. Just have a few items to sort out. But otherwise I’ve surfing, listening to music, and now twittering (using AOL Lifestream) and posting to my blog (using the WordPress client) for the first time in months.

Losing FTW

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Steven Byrnes

After my dad went on disability a few years ago, I decided to take care of myself a little better, and especially to lose some weight. I got a physical for the first time in years. And I started eating a lot healthier. Over the next couple of years, I lost over 50 lbs and became a little more (and sometimes a lot more) active. I kept the weight off, and I felt years younger.

Then last spring, I got a lot busier. I didn’t sleep as regularly. I stopped all walking. (Which had already tapered off around the time our daughter was born.) I started eating a lot more poorly.

So here I am, at the beginning of 2009, almost 20 pounds heavier than I was a year ago. Ugh! I’m not getting any younger, and I’m feeling the weight, even though I’m not nearly as heavy as I was 4 years ago. So, in commemoration of Groundhog Day, I’m starting a new stage of healthfulness. Like before, my goal is slow & steady. Eating right, a little activity. Nothing drastic. Just consistency. Every day.

too smart for their own good

Posted on December 21, 2008 by Steven Byrnes

I hate those types that are smart, but overly literal. I remember getting into an argument with another kid when I was much younger. I think we were both in 1st grade.

I caught “Fred” (not his real name; “John” was his real name) in what I believed to be a factual lapse, so I put him on notice.

“Liar liar pants on fire.”

“No they’re not,” intoned Fred. Notice how clever he was, ignoring the lying bit & going right to the second part of the idiom.

“It’s an expression. You’re still a liar.”

“Well, it’s a very stupid expression. My pants are clearly not on fire. You just did it so you could rhyme, and as a pathetic attempt at conformity by using an old, tired saw. Why couldn’t you pick another word besides “fire”.”

“Ok”, I said, starting to get inspired. “What do you expect me to say? You have a large spare tire?” (He was a bit chubby.) “You’re a member of the Vienna Boy’s Choir? That’s kind of a stretch, in more ways than one, and breaks the cadence. How about ‘it’s so dire?’ That’s a little better. What else rhymes? Mire? Pyre? Sire? Wire? Gyre? Shire? I think I’ll stick with fire.”

“Well, it still doesn’t make sense.”

So I set his pants on fire. He never questioned my choice of idiom ever again…

I’ve been doing this too long…

Posted on May 23, 2008 by Steven Byrnes

You know, I don’t feel like an old timer. And I know people who have been doing this much longer than me. But… dang…

I was looking at some other editors to use for development instead of Emacs. (I’ve also toyed with the idea of going back to developing inside an IDE, like Eclipse.) Scary thoughts just popped in my head. I haven’t used an IDE regularly since 1995. And as far as replacing Emacs, I’ve officially given up on that thought for good. I’ve been using Emacs for 22 years now. 22! Getting close to 1/4 century, man! I should just tweak it more & be done with it. (What’s making me realize how scary that is, one of my former coworkers was 2 or so when I started using Emacs…)

Ouch! Pass me the ibuprofen & let me ice my wrists again…

I just don’t get people…

Posted on January 28, 2008 by Steven Byrnes

Your sister may have broken her elbow. She waited to see the doctor, and fluid started accumulating. Yet, because you also need to see the doctor for something minor, she drives you 30 miles to your (mutual) doctor (to save you from driving). So… how do you express your gratitude? By griping her out when she needs to go get an X-ray after seeing the doctor. (Cl)assy…