MacBook Pro

November 8, 2009 | 3 comments

One thing that I particularly like about the MacBook Pro is its grunt. Even though mine is the bottom of the range model it has far more processing power than my old Windows desktop allowing me to rip DVDs in minutes rather than hours. This processing power has led me to make the MacBook my main machine, something that is possible with its excellent battery life.

I had intended to try and go completely Mac to the extent that I bought a copy of Office for Mac to ease that transition but there was one program that I found there … Read the rest

The Gadget Show Apps

October 15, 2009 | Comment

On the Gadget Show this week they had an interesting challenge. Suzy and Jason were pitted against each other to produce an application for a mobile device. The winner would be the one that got the most downloads.

After almost 30 seconds of deliberation they both chose to develop an application for the iPhone, simply because this was the most mature of all and was likely to give them the widest possible audience. And with a couple of billion downloads under its belt who can blame them for going this route?

Suzy elected to create a game while Jason wanted … Read the rest

WifiPhoto for iPhone

October 8, 2009 | Comment

Getting pictures off an iPhone can be a bind, particularly if you don’t have a sync cable to hand. The most reliable way is to email yourself the pictures but if you do this directly from the Photo app it reduces the size of your pictures. The only way round this is to cut and paste the image from Photos to the email which preserves the quality.

However, now there is another way with WifiPhoto which, as the name suggests, allows you to get access to your photos over a wifi connection.

The app is very simple to use. You … Read the rest

USB Key Key

October 6, 2009 | Comment

Yes it looks like an ordinary house key (well if you don’t look too closely) but in fact it is a USB memory stick cleverly disguised to look like a house key.

I don’t often have call for a memory stick these days but when you need one they are invaluable and to have one always around without having to dig into your gadget bag only to find you have left it at home would be great.

In the past I have tried to attach memory sticks to my key ring but they always broke off due to having weedy … Read the rest

3 mifi Review

October 5, 2009 | 2 comments

For a number of years now I have been using mobile broadband with my laptop using a usb dongle. I have taken service from mobile provider 3 and it has been a pretty reliable and cost effective way of getting web access when I have been out and about. My current contract gives me 1gb of data for only £5 per month.

When I got back from holiday recently I noticed that 3 had released their “mifi” device. This is a small unit that allows you to share your mobile broadband connection with a number of local users over wifi. … Read the rest

Unfuddle for iPhone

August 28, 2009 | 1 comment

I have been using Unfuddle for a while now with a number of my clients. To quote Unfuddle themselves it is a “secure, hosted project management solution for software development teams.”

Depending on your level of membership, which start at free, you get ticketing, time tracking, messages, subversion or git hosting, notebooks and milestone tracking. It is a slick, cost effective, solution that works well and is great for distributed teams, such as those I am working with.

However, there aren’t any mobile optimised screen, so I decided to try and put something together to enable me to get a … Read the rest

FREETALK Everyman USB Headset for Skype

August 10, 2009 | 2 comments

I have found myself using Skype more and more recently, particularly since some good friends have moved to Australia.

Over the years I have used a number of ways to make Skype calls. I have used the speaker and microphone on my netbook, a VoIPVoice Cyberphone-w handset and a Polycom Communicator.

The laptop only experience is ok but the sound is very tinny. The Cyberphone and the Communicator are both excellent devices but I don’t like holding the handset on long calls, particularly when they are video too and the communicator is really better suited for conference calls and … Read the rest

Services I use and Recommend

July 9, 2009 | 1 comment

In a previous post I talked about the freemium model and how it has affected my attitude to software purchases. I wanted to go through the services that I use regularly and pay for and highlight them.

This is obviously just a personal selection. Over the years I have tried out numerous applications that rival the one that finally made this list. In the end it is just personal preference as much as anything else. You may prefer something else but these are the ones that made me put my hand in my pocket and purchase a subscription

So in … Read the rest

Paid Apps and the Freemium model

July 1, 2009 | 2 comments

Over the years I have tended to avoid paying for applications because the up-front cost was prohibitive. So I either went without, used an older version that may have been given away with a magazine, or found an open source equivalent. However, I am now finding myself committing to a number of applications because of the small up-front cost and, quite often, after a period of using the service for free – the so call freemium model. The question is whether that is good value for money.

The applications below are all ones that I use on a regular basis, … Read the rest

Moblin – the Netbook OS

June 17, 2009 | Comment

I have been playing around with a new OS interface that is optimised for netbooks and specifically those running on the Intel Atom processor, which is most of them. Moblin has a simplistic and very appealing interface that quickly gives you access to all the functionality that you are likely to need from a Netbook. This means that web browsing, IM and Twitter are all quickly accessible from a menu bar at the top of the screen. Panels on the “home” page present information and quick links to other areas such as media.

It looks fantastic, as you can see … Read the rest