Persona Grata

I'm doing this 'cause I love you.

[ilovecharts]

[herostratus]

Size range of human fingertips, from baby to basketball player, from Microsoft Windows 8 UX guidelines. Eleven mm is average.

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I argue for some simplifications:

Suck Publicly*

Repeat

But then again, what do I know? - I suck.

*Not like that, dirtbag

[herostratus]

I've been thinking a lot about cases lately, mostly because I think every one I've tried on various iPhones and iPads has hindered my enjoyment of that device. And recently someone sent me this awesome Japanese iPad case that converts an iPad into a MacBook Pro.

I want it, but can't figure out how to order it. But that's not the reason I'm posting it here. I think the 30 pin connector -- you know, that Apple device-only charger you use -- is one impediment to great device accessories. 

It's (obviously) not that I won't trade weight or bulk for security -- that MacBook Pro clone is large. But if it is going to be that big, charging needs to be integrated. My inference -- and its truly only a guess -- is that building the smallest possible 30-pin connector into the case would create an awkward imbalance or off-centering of the iPad relative to the keyboard and the rest of the case. And that this is a problem for other accessory manufacturers.

I don't know how others use their iDevices, but I use mine a lot. And so iCharge them (sorry). A lot. At work. At home. Via expensive external batteries on trips. Via snap-in cases. I've spent half an iPhone on these at least. (Alternatively, Apple could increase the battery life by increasing the thickness, but that's not appealing to me.) 

And so all the great iPad accessories make the same trade off -- to charge (or pass-through) or not to charge, and if to charge, how awkwardly to attach the 30 pin connector. 

Consider design prodigy Andrew Kim's otherwise great Polyply, where chargers would be awkwardly protrude, added by the user upon setup:

Consider my beloved Nest, which can't charge in portrait mode:

And this -- probably the least offensive iPad battery case. It has the additional feature of making your iPad look like one of those also-ran carrier-subsidized tablets:

Between this and my love of holding the device's form factor, I can't say I've liked any case yet. Apple has made a mind-blowing, futuristic media and gaming device. But they haven't made a good case for it. And neither has anyone else. This of course might be due in part to Apple disrupting their own accessory market every year -- or at least threatening to -- that's another blog post...  

In the interim, maybe iPad 4 would be a good time for inductive charging? Or maybe Apple should make more (and more innovative) cases, chargers and stands? I admit those don't sound likely ... I don't know how to fix this, but it needs fixed.

Am I missing great iPad cases?

[herostratus]

Bluelounge Nest & Kicks review

Nest absolutely, Kicks no

I got a new iPad. It's amazing and I use it all the time. More about that some other day.

But with a new device, I needed something for my desk so my iPad would face me during the day -- you know, so I could use it. While at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue, I picked up a gray plastic Smart Cover. While it snaps nicely to the screen and to itself (to fold up), it isn't confidence inspiring while holding the iPad upright. And as low as I sit, the lay-down angle was not enough.

So, not the smart cover. Of course there are plenty of cases out there that would solve this. But as you know I grow to hate all cases -- because I like to hold the device. Fortunately, I had heard of Bluelounge's Kicks as an alternative way of protecting the back of my iPad. And on their site is the great, versatile Nest stand.

Nest is great. it holds the iPad securely in multiple angles. It fits the Smart Cover, or without, perfectly. Because it doesn't snap in, you can be imprecise in setting it down. Really a good solution. 

While buying my Nest, I decided to get some Kicks -- I will probably get the 4th Gen iPad when it comes out and sell my current 3rd Gen, so I want it to look nice. The Kicks are less impressive.

First, they don't solve my problem -- not Kick's fault, but they just don't protect the device the way that I use it, at least not that I've noticed. The iPad's corners are getting worn. A more minor problem is that they come off when pulling the iPad out of my bag. And the icing on the cake? Though I worked hard to straighten them, its not possible to lay them straight & parallel. They should be more rigid. And, though it would increase the packaging, I would include a plastic layout guide that snaps to the iPad and, when pressed down, glued the Kick's in place. 

However, the Kicks stick well when not being dragged out of a laptop carrier pocket with a magazine and they re-stick perfectly, which continues to surprise me.

[ilovecharts]

[herostratus]

Internet for sale

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Yup.

[herostratus]

Fast Co. takes 1000 words to essentially say:

"The iPad of 2010 can't run the apps of 2012, which is absurd."

I am in this exact situation: I have the tragic misfortune† to own a first and third gen iPad. And, a 3G and a 4S.

Plenty of apps just don't load. Or drag. Or crash.

The original iPad is tragically slow with iOS5 across the board -- including the Android-style lag of death. Going into settings and navigating a few layers deep is painful. Apps I've downloaded for the third gen iPad come with warnings that they don't run on the first gen. As a consequence these apps are getting one star reviews from people who didn't read those warnings.

Good apps get dinged. Consumers waste money. Support from both sides wastes time. Why does Apple allow this?

†Meaning, of course, great fortune

[finerios]

Quickly select a whole paragraph

When you are composing text in a text field or reading text, simply two-finger-tap on a paragraph to select the whole thing.

[chartier]

Photos is broken: The Camera Roll is a mess and Photo Stream is its drunk, belligerent cousin that just came out of the woodwork. Yes, even after 5.1. We need a way to take iOS screenshots that don’t pollute our Apple TV screensavers. We need to be able to actually move photos to albums so they disappear from the Camera Roll.

[herostratus]

Yes.

[danbenjaminhour]

[herostratus]

John Gruber:

Daisey, near the end of his “I’m not going away” piece yesterday:

I believe the truth is vitally important. I continue to believe that. I believe that I will answer for the things I have done.

If Daisey actually believed any of that, he’d never perform his show again. I think what Daisey really believes is that he deserves the attention his lies have brought him, and so he has no intention to stop telling them. ★

[herostratus]

Form factors

I am regularly surprised by how wonderful the iPhone and iPad form factors are. As I type this -- in landscape on my iPhone 4S -- I can't imagine one of those supersized Android phones. How can you type? How can you like holding it? (And I have large enough hands to have lamented the loss of the maligned original large XBOX controllers.)

Anyway, I recently left my standard issue Apple iPhone bumper case in a rental car. On the one hand I'm upset. Upset that Apple and the cord makers haven't figured out how to let me simultaneously protect my phone while using it. Upset that the only decent cases are $30+. Upset that I am forgetful.

On the other and I'm pleased to be once again be surprised by how excellent the iPhone feels to hold without accoutrements. How perfectly sized it is. It's fantastic heft. I had this revelation with my iPad (the original), too, when I removed it from its (admittedly wonderful) Dodo Case. The thing is meant to be held and used and scratched and poked.

I know this is old news by now. But I keep rediscovering it.

[herostratus]

I don't think Netflix understands its own value

Netflix is looking to partner with cable companies to offer its services on their set-top boxes (Engadget). In return they'll get faster streaming from those same cable companies.

I've always thought the tiered speed is contrary to the idea of the open internet, but let's forget about that for a second.

Netflix's value was that it would replace the ludicrously priced paid TV bundles. Sure, Comcast and Warner Bros. would always fight against it. (Fighting it because they don't understand their value, either.) By only charging me for what I watch -- or really for the aggregate average of what everyone watches -- Netflix had (has?) a chance to become the TV and film operator of the future. Even if they had to raise their prices -- no problem if they onboard more and more TV and movies, closer and closer to their release.

But Netflix is fast looking like a company trying to do something its not an expert at: produce new content. No one wants this. While perusing Netflix offerings, no one has thought to themselves: you know what we need? More choices we've never heard of.

Clearly, though, they see themselves as additive to cable or satellite providers. Sad. It's always been harder to be a cord cutter. But we used to have one big red hope.

[marco]

They just kept posting more signs, because they were convinced that they were right.

[herostratus]

Khoi's main wish is for a way of giving the iPad multiple user accounts and better management of Apple IDs. I agree, taken together, these are a huge impediment to more use and enjoyment.

Apple could start with a parallel approach to personal data, like contacts, calendars and emails, letting users access what’s relevant to them via their own password from within any other user’s session. What would be even better would be a way to create a family address book and calendar, something like the one moms have kept in kitchen drawers and on refrigerator doors forever. There’s no technological equivalent to that yet, and there really should be.

My only quibble: I'm not sure that I want Apple to address the Mom's Calendar app need, even though I love the idea. (To be clear, I'm not sure Mr. Vinh is arguing that either.) The Apple calendar is not wowing anyone now. Its nice it exists, it works, but its no joy to use. And what they've shown us in Find My Friends and Calendar is that they might care more about leather trim imagery than my goals and use cases within new and recently redesigned apps.

On passwords he says

In fact, iOS in general desperately needs a comprehensive password management service embedded into the operating system. For my money, they should just acquire the superb and indispensable 1Password and be done with it; there’s nothing better on the market.

Yes. Find someone who has done this well and embed it. He also makes points on needs for screen dimming and message archival -- both nice, though I think screen dimming might get worse with the new display before it gets better. You really should read the whole thing.

On Avatar Management: What I really want is single sign-on personal self-ID management. Enter my info in once, share only what I want, only when I want to, automatically when I want that. Avatars are only one small thread, and I think a trivial portion in the scheme of things.

[uxrave]

[herostratus]

Speaking of Mountain Lion

Safari’s buttons appear to be overloaded. We’ll see. I’m of course going to trial it before burying it...

[herostratus]

And some additional thoughts on multiple desktops. I had the misfortune of trying to simultaneously learn iMovie, GarageBand and Keynote last night. These three apps can open into individual desktops. But when you need to switch quickly between the two of them -- which, admittedly, was largely as a result of thinking you know what you are doing but really having no idea what you are doing -- multiple desktops are a nuisance. 

Beyond slightly increasing your focus on one specific task, what benefit does this feature have?