As I continue my culinary adventure on a no sugar, no flour diet, I have found many helpful resources on the web and iPhone apps that will help me achieve my dietary goals throughout the rest of Lent and stay on track for a healthier lifestyle after the Season of Lent has passed.
My number one pick for iPhone apps is Fooducate. This apps allows you to use the iPhone camera to scan barcodes on food products, and rates the product with a letter grade value of healthiness with a thorough breakdown of what is in the product. The app also provides healthier alternatives to scanned items and a comparison tool which comes in handy when trying to choose between food products at the supermarket. There is a social aspect to the app that lets you like or not like products, add tidbits, and share the information your learned on Facebook and Twitter. I really like this app, but I must warn you the first day I downloaded the app, I scanned all the food in my house. It's very addictive, but the information provided by Foodicate is valuable for anyone who wants to learn more about what they're eating or find healthier alternatives.
My top recipe search site is Foodily. This site aggregates recipes from all over the web and presents them side by side for comparison. You can specify ingredients to exclude from search results making this site a must for anyone with dietary restrictions or on a special diet. The interface is very clean and simple to follow. Foodily includes social aspects that allow you share recipes with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. You can also log in using Facebook Connect to save recipes and plan menus. I highly recommend Foodily to anyone who uses the web to search for recipes. It will save you time and make finding the perfect recipe much easier.
As someone who is striving for a healthier lifestyle, I believe the use of technology is essential for my success. I'm curious what recipe sites or iPhone apps you are using, and is there any other tools or resources you find valuable for eating and living a healthy lifestyle?
UPDATE: Poll Results 3/15/11 - 3/22/11
Does technology play an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
75% Yes
25% Somewhat
00% No
00% Meh
Showing posts with label iPhone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPhone. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Friday, September 10, 2010
Does the Machine Define the Power User?
10 years ago, I'm designing away on a PowerMac G4, and I never would consider using anything less. Today, my workstation is compacted into a smaller and cheaper iMac, and it's more than able to get the job done. Not to mention, my iPhone is quickly becoming my primary computer for all my daily tasks. This made me wonder if I'm losing my power user status, or maybe this is just the way the industry is going. Are smaller machines becoming the norm even for the power user? Share you thoughts.
UPDATE: Poll Results 9/10/10 - 9/17/10
Do you consider yourself a power user?
83% Yes
16% No
00% What's a power user?
00% Meh
UPDATE: Poll Results 9/10/10 - 9/17/10
Do you consider yourself a power user?
83% Yes
16% No
00% What's a power user?
00% Meh
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Updates Via Facebook iPhone App May Not Be Private.
As social networking gains in popularity so does concerns about privacy. One of the most widely adopted sites, Facebook, offers a lot of customization when it comes to who sees what on a member's profile. Recently, Facebook gave users the option to open up their profiles and allow any section to be visible by everyone on internet. They also added a publisher control so users could modify who is able and not able to see content published on their profiles.
On my Facebook profile, everything was set to either "Friends of Friends" or "Only Friends" except anything that had to do with promoting my blog. The website was visible by everyone who visited my profile as well as any announcements about new blog entries. My default publisher control setting was set to "Only Friends" and I selectively choose when something was supposed to be publicly available. Personal status updates that had nothing to do with my site had a tiny lock icon under the post indicating only friends were allowed to see it.
After I upgraded to the Facebook 3.0 iPhone app, I noticed that status updates via the app did not have the tiny lock under the post. At first, I figured these updates would follow my default publisher control setting and would only be viewable by friends. Eventually, my curiosity got the better of me and I created a dummy account to see what my Facebook profile looked like to non-friends. To my surprise, every update made via the iPhone app was visible on my wall and did not follow my privacy settings. Since there are no privacy controls on the Facebook iPhone app, the most logical thing would be for any update to follow the default publisher control setting unless given the option to choose otherwise.
After my discovery, I felt my only option was to lock down my Facebook profile and make all my status updates visible by only friends until Facebook allows me to have more control over who sees posts made via my iPhone. I conclude with a word of caution for those using the Facebook iPhone app: If your profile privacy is set to "Everyone" yet you want to selectively control which updates are visible on your wall by non-friends, just keep in mind any updates made on the iPhone offer no privacy control and are all public.
UPDATE: 9/8/09 - According to TechCrunch, Facebook has resolved this bug with a server-side fix, although I have not tested it myself. The article also addresses other privacy bugs on the Facebook iPhone app.
UPDATE: Poll Results 9/2/09 - 9/9/09
How open is your Facebook profile?
00% Open to everyone
40% Visible to friends only
60% Customized privacy
00% I don't use Facebook
On my Facebook profile, everything was set to either "Friends of Friends" or "Only Friends" except anything that had to do with promoting my blog. The website was visible by everyone who visited my profile as well as any announcements about new blog entries. My default publisher control setting was set to "Only Friends" and I selectively choose when something was supposed to be publicly available. Personal status updates that had nothing to do with my site had a tiny lock icon under the post indicating only friends were allowed to see it.
After I upgraded to the Facebook 3.0 iPhone app, I noticed that status updates via the app did not have the tiny lock under the post. At first, I figured these updates would follow my default publisher control setting and would only be viewable by friends. Eventually, my curiosity got the better of me and I created a dummy account to see what my Facebook profile looked like to non-friends. To my surprise, every update made via the iPhone app was visible on my wall and did not follow my privacy settings. Since there are no privacy controls on the Facebook iPhone app, the most logical thing would be for any update to follow the default publisher control setting unless given the option to choose otherwise.
After my discovery, I felt my only option was to lock down my Facebook profile and make all my status updates visible by only friends until Facebook allows me to have more control over who sees posts made via my iPhone. I conclude with a word of caution for those using the Facebook iPhone app: If your profile privacy is set to "Everyone" yet you want to selectively control which updates are visible on your wall by non-friends, just keep in mind any updates made on the iPhone offer no privacy control and are all public.
UPDATE: 9/8/09 - According to TechCrunch, Facebook has resolved this bug with a server-side fix, although I have not tested it myself. The article also addresses other privacy bugs on the Facebook iPhone app.
UPDATE: Poll Results 9/2/09 - 9/9/09
How open is your Facebook profile?
00% Open to everyone
40% Visible to friends only
60% Customized privacy
00% I don't use Facebook
Friday, July 3, 2009
My iPhone 3GS Diary
On June 19, I paced the halls at work and had a constant eye on the front door as I waited for UPS to deliver my new iPhone 3GS. Around 10:00 AM, I saw that beautiful brown truck pull into in the parking lot, and I ran to greet the driver. When he handed me a single flat envelope, I said, "That's not my iPhone." The driver told me that he didn't have any more deliveries at my address, but someone at the business next door was getting one, and he was the only truck scheduled to stop there for the day. My beaming smile faded from my face.
The driver went outside to check the iPhone designated to go next door just to make sure, then he returned and handed the box to me after he saw it was addressed to my name. Apparently, when my job relocated to a new building a few months ago, everyone was given the wrong address, and no one thought to later inform all the employees of this oversight. But it didn't matter, I had my iPhone in hand.
I ran back to my office to unbox my new most prized gadget. I took the iPhone out of the box and carefully removed the screen protective cover. In awe, I held the phone in my hand, but what was this? I rubbed my finger along to narrow sides around the case. It was not smooth like my vintage 2G iPhone. Where the silver met the plastic back (in my case black), there was a raised, slightly sharp edge. This did not set right with me. In fact, the new iPhone felt cheap. This was supposed to be a day of joy, but I was starting to regret my $299 purchase. I LOVED my 2G iPhone. I was even a little teary-eyed about replacing the original iPhone with the 3GS. That thing was a tank and had been so good to me, and here was this cheaply put-together device mocking me.
I thought, maybe I was just being overly picky and tried to accept the new iPhone. I went home from work and plugged the iPhone into my iMac to activate it and set it up. However, I couldn't stop rubbing my fingers along the edge. I could feel it as I held the phone in my palm, and my disappointment had not diminished. When my husband got home, I asked him to take a look at my 3GS, and he agreed it didn't look or feel right.
Feeling justified in my complaint, I decided to call Apple support. After a ten minute hold time, I got on the line with an agent. I explained the problem and was quickly informed it was a factory defect and to take my iPhone 3GS to the nearest Apple Store for an exchange. The agent scheduled me an appointment at the Genius Bar for Sunday. I let out a sigh of relief knowing in a couple of days my iPhone woes would be woos.
On (Father's Day) Sunday, I went on a field trip to the Apple Store with high hopes of leaving with a perfect iPhone 3GS. I waited for over a half hour only to kindly be told that they can't swap out my iPhone because they do not have any replacement units in the stock yet for online orders, and I would need to call Apple support again to have a new unit mailed to me. My smile faded again. What a waste of time! Plus, I lost a valuable jump start on the shipping process.
On Monday, I called Apple support again and got another friendly agent who arranged my iPhone replacement by mail. The new phone would be shipped overnight priority and he waved the $29 fee. The only catch was I had to provide a credit card number so Apple could secure they would get an iPhone (or the cost of an iPhone) back, and a hold for the non-subsidized price of $699 was placed on my card. That was enough to make me gulp but not enough to keep me from getting a perfect iPhone.
The next day and a half was painful as a waited for my replacement iPhone. I never bonded with defective one and I couldn't wait to finally have my iPhone. Plus, I was tired of babying the thing because if anything happened to it, I would be stuck with it.
Then finally, my delivery showed up while I was at work on Wednesday, June 24. I immediately did the unboxing, and was thrilled to run my fingers along the silky smooth edges of my new iPhone 3GS. It was beautiful and love at first sight. As soon as I got home, I synced my new iPhone, put on my Mindbender Gelaskin, and prepared the defective phone to ship back to Apple.
As I played with my perfect 3GS, I knew this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I was loving it! That was until yesterday (July 2) when I discovered a scratch on the screen. A tiny millimeter hairline scratch at the bottom of the screen. I couldn't believe it! I was so careful with my iPhone. It stayed in my pocket all alone. I've never dropped it. I even lined its assigned cup holder in my car with tissues to make sure my iPhone stayed safe and secure.
Was the oleophobic coating on the screen to blame? I stuck by my decision to not degrade the picture quality by using a screen protectant film, as I discussed in my blog: Do iPhones Need Screen Protectors? The post included a link to a video of an iPhone endurance test that showed how scratch resistant the iPhone 3G screen was. Not to mention, I used my 2G iPhone for two years and never got a scratch on it. So how was it possible that I got a scratch on my iPhone 3GS screen in less than two weeks of ownership? The only physical difference was the addition of the oleophobic coating.
The scratch was extremely minor and was not even visible when using the phone, so eventually I will get over it. The first scratch on any new device is always the hardest. However, this minor imperfection made me wonder if I should buy a screen protector. I'm waiting for someone to do scratch test on the 3GS to confirm if it's more prone the scratches or not.
My first two weeks with the iPhone 3GS have been a roller coaster of emotion, but in the end, I'm happy with my new phone. I'm curious about other iPhone owners' experiences. Has it been painless or eventful? And has anyone else noticed any scratches already on their 3GS and would you recommend using a screen protective film?
UPDATE: Poll Results 7/4/09 - 7/11/09
Which iPhone(s) do you own?
66% 2G (Original)
50% 3G
66% 3GS
16% No iPhone
Does your iPhone wear protection?
00% Screen protector only
14% Case only
00% Case & screen protector
14% Skin or sticker
42% No protection needed
28% No iPhone
The driver went outside to check the iPhone designated to go next door just to make sure, then he returned and handed the box to me after he saw it was addressed to my name. Apparently, when my job relocated to a new building a few months ago, everyone was given the wrong address, and no one thought to later inform all the employees of this oversight. But it didn't matter, I had my iPhone in hand.
I ran back to my office to unbox my new most prized gadget. I took the iPhone out of the box and carefully removed the screen protective cover. In awe, I held the phone in my hand, but what was this? I rubbed my finger along to narrow sides around the case. It was not smooth like my vintage 2G iPhone. Where the silver met the plastic back (in my case black), there was a raised, slightly sharp edge. This did not set right with me. In fact, the new iPhone felt cheap. This was supposed to be a day of joy, but I was starting to regret my $299 purchase. I LOVED my 2G iPhone. I was even a little teary-eyed about replacing the original iPhone with the 3GS. That thing was a tank and had been so good to me, and here was this cheaply put-together device mocking me.
I thought, maybe I was just being overly picky and tried to accept the new iPhone. I went home from work and plugged the iPhone into my iMac to activate it and set it up. However, I couldn't stop rubbing my fingers along the edge. I could feel it as I held the phone in my palm, and my disappointment had not diminished. When my husband got home, I asked him to take a look at my 3GS, and he agreed it didn't look or feel right.
Feeling justified in my complaint, I decided to call Apple support. After a ten minute hold time, I got on the line with an agent. I explained the problem and was quickly informed it was a factory defect and to take my iPhone 3GS to the nearest Apple Store for an exchange. The agent scheduled me an appointment at the Genius Bar for Sunday. I let out a sigh of relief knowing in a couple of days my iPhone woes would be woos.
On (Father's Day) Sunday, I went on a field trip to the Apple Store with high hopes of leaving with a perfect iPhone 3GS. I waited for over a half hour only to kindly be told that they can't swap out my iPhone because they do not have any replacement units in the stock yet for online orders, and I would need to call Apple support again to have a new unit mailed to me. My smile faded again. What a waste of time! Plus, I lost a valuable jump start on the shipping process.
On Monday, I called Apple support again and got another friendly agent who arranged my iPhone replacement by mail. The new phone would be shipped overnight priority and he waved the $29 fee. The only catch was I had to provide a credit card number so Apple could secure they would get an iPhone (or the cost of an iPhone) back, and a hold for the non-subsidized price of $699 was placed on my card. That was enough to make me gulp but not enough to keep me from getting a perfect iPhone.
The next day and a half was painful as a waited for my replacement iPhone. I never bonded with defective one and I couldn't wait to finally have my iPhone. Plus, I was tired of babying the thing because if anything happened to it, I would be stuck with it.
Then finally, my delivery showed up while I was at work on Wednesday, June 24. I immediately did the unboxing, and was thrilled to run my fingers along the silky smooth edges of my new iPhone 3GS. It was beautiful and love at first sight. As soon as I got home, I synced my new iPhone, put on my Mindbender Gelaskin, and prepared the defective phone to ship back to Apple.
As I played with my perfect 3GS, I knew this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I was loving it! That was until yesterday (July 2) when I discovered a scratch on the screen. A tiny millimeter hairline scratch at the bottom of the screen. I couldn't believe it! I was so careful with my iPhone. It stayed in my pocket all alone. I've never dropped it. I even lined its assigned cup holder in my car with tissues to make sure my iPhone stayed safe and secure.
Was the oleophobic coating on the screen to blame? I stuck by my decision to not degrade the picture quality by using a screen protectant film, as I discussed in my blog: Do iPhones Need Screen Protectors? The post included a link to a video of an iPhone endurance test that showed how scratch resistant the iPhone 3G screen was. Not to mention, I used my 2G iPhone for two years and never got a scratch on it. So how was it possible that I got a scratch on my iPhone 3GS screen in less than two weeks of ownership? The only physical difference was the addition of the oleophobic coating.
The scratch was extremely minor and was not even visible when using the phone, so eventually I will get over it. The first scratch on any new device is always the hardest. However, this minor imperfection made me wonder if I should buy a screen protector. I'm waiting for someone to do scratch test on the 3GS to confirm if it's more prone the scratches or not.
My first two weeks with the iPhone 3GS have been a roller coaster of emotion, but in the end, I'm happy with my new phone. I'm curious about other iPhone owners' experiences. Has it been painless or eventful? And has anyone else noticed any scratches already on their 3GS and would you recommend using a screen protective film?
UPDATE: Poll Results 7/4/09 - 7/11/09
Which iPhone(s) do you own?
66% 2G (Original)
50% 3G
66% 3GS
16% No iPhone
Does your iPhone wear protection?
00% Screen protector only
14% Case only
00% Case & screen protector
14% Skin or sticker
42% No protection needed
28% No iPhone
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
To Turn Off Or Not To Turn Off?
Tomorrow husband, son, and I are traveling to go see my in-laws and friends for Thanksgiving weekend. There's still tons of packing to do, but my iPhone is synced and ready to go. As I was choosing what music to sync to my iPhone, I was debating on whether or not I should shut my iMac down before we head out tomorrow. We'll be gone for four days, so it seems logical to turn off everything to save power. However, I have two reasons why I would rather leave my machine on: Simplify Media and email.
First Simplify Media is a must have for any iPhone owner. I love my iPhone, but my 8 GB version makes picking and choosing music a pain. I have a very large collection of music in my iTunes Library and I want to take it all with me. Simplify Media does that for me. It allows me to stream my entire music library from home and listen to it on my iPhone. The one catch is my iMac must be on and it has to be set to never go into sleep mode.
Now about email. I have a MobileMe account that I've had and loved since the beginning of .Mac back in 2002. I use Leopard's Mail App to check my email on my iMac, and of course I check my email regularly on my iPhone. Problem is, the iPhone doesn't filter junk mail, so I need the mail app to work it's magic to keep spam out of my inbox. This wouldn't be a problem if MobileMe's server side junk mail filtering was as sophisticated as say GMail, but that's another topic. It is what it is, and I can deal with it by setting my own junk mail rules locally. But again, the catch is I have to leave my iMac on all the time to filter my mail, and I have to set my iPhone to fetch email instead of push, otherwise it pushes me all the junk too.
So now I'm curious how many carbon credits I'm burning by leaving my iMac on for the next four days while I'm out of town, or is it nothing to worry about to have access to my home machine while on the road? To turn off or not to turn off? That is the question.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/26/08 - 12/3/08
Do you turn your desktop off when you're out of town?
33% Leave it on
33% Shut it down
33% Sleep mode
00% No desktop
First Simplify Media is a must have for any iPhone owner. I love my iPhone, but my 8 GB version makes picking and choosing music a pain. I have a very large collection of music in my iTunes Library and I want to take it all with me. Simplify Media does that for me. It allows me to stream my entire music library from home and listen to it on my iPhone. The one catch is my iMac must be on and it has to be set to never go into sleep mode.
Now about email. I have a MobileMe account that I've had and loved since the beginning of .Mac back in 2002. I use Leopard's Mail App to check my email on my iMac, and of course I check my email regularly on my iPhone. Problem is, the iPhone doesn't filter junk mail, so I need the mail app to work it's magic to keep spam out of my inbox. This wouldn't be a problem if MobileMe's server side junk mail filtering was as sophisticated as say GMail, but that's another topic. It is what it is, and I can deal with it by setting my own junk mail rules locally. But again, the catch is I have to leave my iMac on all the time to filter my mail, and I have to set my iPhone to fetch email instead of push, otherwise it pushes me all the junk too.
So now I'm curious how many carbon credits I'm burning by leaving my iMac on for the next four days while I'm out of town, or is it nothing to worry about to have access to my home machine while on the road? To turn off or not to turn off? That is the question.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/26/08 - 12/3/08
Do you turn your desktop off when you're out of town?
33% Leave it on
33% Shut it down
33% Sleep mode
00% No desktop
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Safety & Location-Based Social Networking Sites
I recently signed up for a BrightKite account. For those unfamiliar with BrightKite, it's a location-based social networking site that allows users to see where their friends are in real time, and users also have the opportunity to meet new people that are nearby. Users "check-in" to post their current location to BrightKite. This can be an exact location such as an address or name of a restaurant, store, etc., or the location can be more obscure such as just a city and state depending on how the user feels about privacy. There is also a toggle switch to flip back and forth between public and private modes. After checking-in, the user can post photos or notes associated with that location for others to see.
I use the BrightKite app on my iPhone, and the iPhone's location-based services makes checking-in a snap. I've only been using BrightKite for about a month now. Mostly, I keep my location set to my city and state unless I go out to eat or shopping and have something interesting to post. Today, I've been playing around in BrightKite to set placemarks and set privacy settings for each location to get more use out of the service. I start with the two places I'm at the most: home and work. Setting these two locations to private was a no brainer for me personally. Whatever others feel about giving out their home and work addresses online is their business, but I like to keep them private except to a very select group of trusted friends. Then, I turn my attention to other places I take my son to regularly like the park. I debate over whether the park should be public or private when I check-in there. I think, maybe there might be another cool mom there, BrightKite would alert us, and I might make a new friend. But then I feared, publicly giving out the location I was at with my son might lead to some creep stalking us. Risking my son's safety is something I'm not willing to do, so I set the park to private.
Location-based social networking is a very cool thing, but I think a certain amount of caution has to be used. I know BrightKite is just one of the many sites taking on this new frontier, and they have a fastly growing popularity. So, I'm curious who else fancies location-based social networking and who is opposed? What privacy settings do you feel most comfortable with? Any success stories meeting cool new people? Or just stalkers? Please share your stories.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/18/08 - 11/25/08
Do you use any location-based social networking sites?
66% Yes
00% No
00% Thinking about it
34% Meh
I use the BrightKite app on my iPhone, and the iPhone's location-based services makes checking-in a snap. I've only been using BrightKite for about a month now. Mostly, I keep my location set to my city and state unless I go out to eat or shopping and have something interesting to post. Today, I've been playing around in BrightKite to set placemarks and set privacy settings for each location to get more use out of the service. I start with the two places I'm at the most: home and work. Setting these two locations to private was a no brainer for me personally. Whatever others feel about giving out their home and work addresses online is their business, but I like to keep them private except to a very select group of trusted friends. Then, I turn my attention to other places I take my son to regularly like the park. I debate over whether the park should be public or private when I check-in there. I think, maybe there might be another cool mom there, BrightKite would alert us, and I might make a new friend. But then I feared, publicly giving out the location I was at with my son might lead to some creep stalking us. Risking my son's safety is something I'm not willing to do, so I set the park to private.
Location-based social networking is a very cool thing, but I think a certain amount of caution has to be used. I know BrightKite is just one of the many sites taking on this new frontier, and they have a fastly growing popularity. So, I'm curious who else fancies location-based social networking and who is opposed? What privacy settings do you feel most comfortable with? Any success stories meeting cool new people? Or just stalkers? Please share your stories.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/18/08 - 11/25/08
Do you use any location-based social networking sites?
66% Yes
00% No
00% Thinking about it
34% Meh
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Simple Finder Solution
Recently, I wrote a blog post entitled Geeks In Training - How Young is Too Yonng? where I discussed my three year old son using my iMac and how much I disliked Leopard's Simple Finder solution for very young users.
For the past couple of months, I had not enabled Simple Finder. Instead, I set up parental controls to only limit access to certain applications on Cruz's account. However, I caught him numerous times clicking on the Finder in the Dock, changing the open window from icon view to columns view, and navigating back to the hard drives and getting into places I didn't want him messing with. When I found Bluetooth File Exchange on his desktop, I knew I had to find a new way to further limit his account without resorting to Simple Finder.
After a lot of searching the internet, I found a Simple Finder solution. I found a Terminal command that turns on the Finder's simplified interface while still allowing applications to be present in the Dock.
Log into the account and arrange the Dock the way you want. Next, open Applications > Utilities > Terminal and enter the commands below. Then log out and back in.
Parental controls can still be used to limit the account even further. This is a solution everyone is happy with. Cruz can use the computer and I can relax knowing that he won't accidentally delete any of my important data.
On a side note, Cruz has really enjoyed his iPod Touch he got for his birthday. There are numerous educational applications in the App Store which make this the perfect gift. However, he has already gone into the settings and set a passcode lock on the device and then couldn't remember the number combination to unlock the it. I had to restore his iPod and start over. I'm sure it won't be the last time I have to restore his iPod Touch, but there should be better parental control settings on a gadget such as this. As of now, I can only limit access to Safari, YouTube, iTunes WiFi Store, and App Store. I feel if I enable parental controls, I should also be able to set a parental password to restrict access to the settings on the iPod Touch. He shouldn't even be able to get in there to set a passcode lock in the first place. For now, I just discuss with him why he shouldn't change any important settings on his iPod and hope he will listen and not do that again. Other than that one incident, he has taken remarkable care of his iPod Touch.
I'm proud of my little geek in training. With a little bit a parental supervision and the use of parental controls, he can have a very enjoyable time using my computer and his iPod Touch. I can also feel confident that he is learning some important skills he can use throughout his life such as computer knowledge and how to take care of expensive items. I hope my experience will help anyone else who has a little geek in the house find harmony between their electronics and those little hands.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/13/08 - 11/20/08
What do you feel is most important when your kids use the computer?
(More than one answer allowed)
50% Communication
50% Parental supervision
50% Parental controls
50% I don't have kids
For the past couple of months, I had not enabled Simple Finder. Instead, I set up parental controls to only limit access to certain applications on Cruz's account. However, I caught him numerous times clicking on the Finder in the Dock, changing the open window from icon view to columns view, and navigating back to the hard drives and getting into places I didn't want him messing with. When I found Bluetooth File Exchange on his desktop, I knew I had to find a new way to further limit his account without resorting to Simple Finder.
After a lot of searching the internet, I found a Simple Finder solution. I found a Terminal command that turns on the Finder's simplified interface while still allowing applications to be present in the Dock.
Log into the account and arrange the Dock the way you want. Next, open Applications > Utilities > Terminal and enter the commands below. Then log out and back in.
defaults write com.apple.finder InterfaceLevel simple
defaults write com.apple.dock contents-immutable -bool true
Parental controls can still be used to limit the account even further. This is a solution everyone is happy with. Cruz can use the computer and I can relax knowing that he won't accidentally delete any of my important data.
On a side note, Cruz has really enjoyed his iPod Touch he got for his birthday. There are numerous educational applications in the App Store which make this the perfect gift. However, he has already gone into the settings and set a passcode lock on the device and then couldn't remember the number combination to unlock the it. I had to restore his iPod and start over. I'm sure it won't be the last time I have to restore his iPod Touch, but there should be better parental control settings on a gadget such as this. As of now, I can only limit access to Safari, YouTube, iTunes WiFi Store, and App Store. I feel if I enable parental controls, I should also be able to set a parental password to restrict access to the settings on the iPod Touch. He shouldn't even be able to get in there to set a passcode lock in the first place. For now, I just discuss with him why he shouldn't change any important settings on his iPod and hope he will listen and not do that again. Other than that one incident, he has taken remarkable care of his iPod Touch.
I'm proud of my little geek in training. With a little bit a parental supervision and the use of parental controls, he can have a very enjoyable time using my computer and his iPod Touch. I can also feel confident that he is learning some important skills he can use throughout his life such as computer knowledge and how to take care of expensive items. I hope my experience will help anyone else who has a little geek in the house find harmony between their electronics and those little hands.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/13/08 - 11/20/08
What do you feel is most important when your kids use the computer?
(More than one answer allowed)
50% Communication
50% Parental supervision
50% Parental controls
50% I don't have kids
Friday, November 7, 2008
iPhone Predictive Text Fail
I love my iPhone and my iPhone loves me. But sometimes my iPhone likes to get a laugh by correcting what I type in my SMS messages into some strange statement right as I tap send.
For the most part, my iPhone predictive text is my best friend and we get along just fine. Over the past year and a half, the iPhone has learned my touch typing habits and done it's best to make the appropriate corrections. However, the predictive text system has the occasional slip-up. For example, the other day when I typed "nah" iPhone changed it to "bag". Yes, I can sorta see why as the corresponding letters are next to each other on the keypad. None the less, the recipient of my message was confused and I had to apologize for my iPhone, and we then both enjoyed a good laugh.
The predictive text corrections that surprise me the most are the ones that are known words. One such recent example is my iPhone changed "limes" to "lines". In fact, it just did it again as I painstakingly type this blog post out on my iPhone.
So I'm curious about iPhone predictive text fails others have encountered. How often do they happen and what is the strangest correction the iPhone has ever made to your text. Please share your experiences.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/8/08 - 11/15/05
How do you feel about the iPhone's predictive text?
50% It's a nice feature
00% It's an annoying feature
50% I don't have an iPhone
00% Meh
For the most part, my iPhone predictive text is my best friend and we get along just fine. Over the past year and a half, the iPhone has learned my touch typing habits and done it's best to make the appropriate corrections. However, the predictive text system has the occasional slip-up. For example, the other day when I typed "nah" iPhone changed it to "bag". Yes, I can sorta see why as the corresponding letters are next to each other on the keypad. None the less, the recipient of my message was confused and I had to apologize for my iPhone, and we then both enjoyed a good laugh.
The predictive text corrections that surprise me the most are the ones that are known words. One such recent example is my iPhone changed "limes" to "lines". In fact, it just did it again as I painstakingly type this blog post out on my iPhone.
So I'm curious about iPhone predictive text fails others have encountered. How often do they happen and what is the strangest correction the iPhone has ever made to your text. Please share your experiences.
UPDATE: Poll Results 11/8/08 - 11/15/05
How do you feel about the iPhone's predictive text?
50% It's a nice feature
00% It's an annoying feature
50% I don't have an iPhone
00% Meh
Monday, October 27, 2008
Geeks In Training - How Young Is Too Young?
Last weekend we celebrated my son, Cruz's third birthday. Spawned from two geeks, he is naturally drawn to computers and gadgets. Over the past year, he has slowly taken over a few of my most needed pieces of tech gear; namely, my iMac and iPhone. At first it was cute. I was a proud Mama watching over my geek in training as he learned how the slide to unlock feature worked on my iPhone. And when he mastered every button of my MX Revolution mouse, I had a big smile on my face. Then it became a problem. My iPhone battery was constantly drained from him playing hours of Jirbo Bounce, and I barely had time to work on my own projects on my iMac. The solution to the madness was to get Cruz his very own iPod Touch for his birthday.
When I told various friends he was getting his own iPod Touch, I got a lot of different responses. My parents were very cool about it and even paid half of the price of the gift. Other friends started giving me bets on how long the device would last in the hands of a three year old. Sometimes I admit, I even had my doubts on the logistics of his present, but my doubts quickly diminished as Cruz took over my iPhone again, moved my icons around, and then drained my battery. He was definitely getting his iPod Touch.
For the most part, he is gentle with the technology he plays with. We make it very clear that if we catch him mistreating anything, it will go away. I think he understands. For three years old, he is remarkably smart. Yes, I know it sounds like I am bragging, but he mimics what he sees, and my husband and I set a very good example of proper care for computers and gadgets. However, he had been somewhat destructive to a few of his toys and books. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he won't damage his iPod Touch or any other expensive gadget in the house. I would hate to have to write a blog about why it is a mistake to give young children iPods later on down the line.
I also would like to add, I set up a log-in for Cruz on my iMac. I dabbled with parental controls for the first time ever. I have a few things I like and dislike in the way Leopard handles young users. First off, Simple Finder is lame! My son loves all the icons in the dock, but Simple Finder only puts a single applications folder in the dock and not separate application icons. Simple Finder is great in other ways such as not allowing access to the main hard drive or external hard drives on the desktop, but the simplified dock caused my son to have no interest in using his log-in. I had to disable Simple Finder and go into view options to hide the hard drives on the desktop, but if he clicks the finder in the dock and changes it from icon view to columns view, he can then navigate back to access my external hard drives - which he does. (I told you he was smart.)
Another thing I do not like is there is no option to prompt for administrator password to empty the trash. I can limit what applications he has access to, and I can try to control what he can see, but if by chance he does happen to throw an important file in the trash and empty the trash, it could be devastating. I guess that is why we have Time Machine, but it would be nice to have an option to keep him from deleting anything.
So am I crazy for letting my three year old son use my iMac? And is he too young for his own iPod Touch? I guess it depends on the kid, but how young is too young when it comes to our geeks in training?
UPDATE: Poll Results 10/27/08 - 11/3/08
Is 3 years old too young for an iPod Touch?
00% Yes
75% No
25% Meh
When I told various friends he was getting his own iPod Touch, I got a lot of different responses. My parents were very cool about it and even paid half of the price of the gift. Other friends started giving me bets on how long the device would last in the hands of a three year old. Sometimes I admit, I even had my doubts on the logistics of his present, but my doubts quickly diminished as Cruz took over my iPhone again, moved my icons around, and then drained my battery. He was definitely getting his iPod Touch.
For the most part, he is gentle with the technology he plays with. We make it very clear that if we catch him mistreating anything, it will go away. I think he understands. For three years old, he is remarkably smart. Yes, I know it sounds like I am bragging, but he mimics what he sees, and my husband and I set a very good example of proper care for computers and gadgets. However, he had been somewhat destructive to a few of his toys and books. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he won't damage his iPod Touch or any other expensive gadget in the house. I would hate to have to write a blog about why it is a mistake to give young children iPods later on down the line.
I also would like to add, I set up a log-in for Cruz on my iMac. I dabbled with parental controls for the first time ever. I have a few things I like and dislike in the way Leopard handles young users. First off, Simple Finder is lame! My son loves all the icons in the dock, but Simple Finder only puts a single applications folder in the dock and not separate application icons. Simple Finder is great in other ways such as not allowing access to the main hard drive or external hard drives on the desktop, but the simplified dock caused my son to have no interest in using his log-in. I had to disable Simple Finder and go into view options to hide the hard drives on the desktop, but if he clicks the finder in the dock and changes it from icon view to columns view, he can then navigate back to access my external hard drives - which he does. (I told you he was smart.)
Another thing I do not like is there is no option to prompt for administrator password to empty the trash. I can limit what applications he has access to, and I can try to control what he can see, but if by chance he does happen to throw an important file in the trash and empty the trash, it could be devastating. I guess that is why we have Time Machine, but it would be nice to have an option to keep him from deleting anything.
So am I crazy for letting my three year old son use my iMac? And is he too young for his own iPod Touch? I guess it depends on the kid, but how young is too young when it comes to our geeks in training?
UPDATE: Poll Results 10/27/08 - 11/3/08
Is 3 years old too young for an iPod Touch?
00% Yes
75% No
25% Meh
Monday, October 20, 2008
Do iPhones Need Screen Protectors?
I have had my iPhone for over a year now, and ever since I first bought it, I had a screen protecting film defending my precious iPhone against scratches. I have had good and bad experiences with different brands of screen protectors. Yes, they all worked as promised and my iPhone screen looks as glossy as the day I bought it, but some protectors applied easier and sealed better than others. As a perfectionist bordering on obsessive-compulsive disorder when it comes to how my electronics appear, I can not stand any bubbles or misalignment in my screen protecting films.
I had a terrible experience with the Rocketfish screen protectors I bought from Best Buy. I cheaped out and thought they were a better bargain. When it comes to screen protectors, I can say you definitely get what you pay for. The Rocketfish films were impossible to apply without bubbling around the top edge. It was so annoying, and I was relieved when I finally finished the last one in the pack and could get better quality screen protectors.
Last weekend, I went to the Apple Store to buy the Power Supply Film Set they carry. This was the brand I used when I first bought my iPhone and had great success with. They are not the best price on the market, but they are most certainly the best quality in my experience. When I arrived at the Apple Store, I was semi-shocked to find that they no longer carried screen protectors for the original iPhone and only supplied the store with accessories for the 3G iPhone. I say "semi-shocked" because I feared this would be the case even before making the trip to the Apple Store. I even asked one of the guys working there if they carried screen protectors for the original iPhone, and he confirmed they did not and said I could go online and buy them directly from the manufacturer. What he failed to mention was Apple still carries them on their website, so the Apple employee basically gave me information that could lead me to spend my money else where.
Apple's online store charges an extra $4 for shipping and Power Supply charges and additional $7 for shipping for a product that weighs next to nothing. Being the penny-pincher I am, that is just unacceptable.
After doing a little online searching, I started to question the necessity of the screen protecting films in the first place. The iPhone screen is made of glass similar to a car windshield. That is pretty durable and resistant to scratches.
Here is a video of the stress test PC World put the iPhone through. It's pretty brutal, so I'm warning those who have weak stomachs when watching perfectly good gadgets get tortured to not watch the video. Basically, the conclusion was if you plan to abuse your iPhone, you may want to invest in a sturdy case. However, they did not advise one way or the other on needing a screen protector. The scratch test in this video proved the screen itself was amazingly resistant to scratches.
I also found numerous forum postings of others asking about the necessity of the iPhone screen protector. Some replies strongly advocated using a screen protector and a few brave souls argued against it. Usually, most comments said they put a screen protector on their iPhone "just in case".
I think we justify the extra protection because of past experiences with many products getting damaged and dinged up very easily, and that is what we are used to. However, the iPhone is a high quality product unlike any other phone or PDA I owned in the past. At first, I thought I needed to baby my iPhone, but I am learning it is very durable and maybe the screen protectors are a little over kill. So I am boldly stripping my iPhone and letting it be bare. Well almost. I did get a GelaSkin to apply to the back since that is the most vulnerable spot. I must say, it is taking some getting used to. I went from a silicone case and screen protecting film to only a GelaSkin. That is quite a difference.
So now, I am curious how many other iPhone owners out there swear by their screen protectors or think it is an unnecessary accessory?
UPDATE: Poll Results 10/20/08 - 10/27/08
Do iPhones need screen protectors?
50% It's a must
00% Just in case
50% Not necessary
00% I'm unsure
I had a terrible experience with the Rocketfish screen protectors I bought from Best Buy. I cheaped out and thought they were a better bargain. When it comes to screen protectors, I can say you definitely get what you pay for. The Rocketfish films were impossible to apply without bubbling around the top edge. It was so annoying, and I was relieved when I finally finished the last one in the pack and could get better quality screen protectors.
Last weekend, I went to the Apple Store to buy the Power Supply Film Set they carry. This was the brand I used when I first bought my iPhone and had great success with. They are not the best price on the market, but they are most certainly the best quality in my experience. When I arrived at the Apple Store, I was semi-shocked to find that they no longer carried screen protectors for the original iPhone and only supplied the store with accessories for the 3G iPhone. I say "semi-shocked" because I feared this would be the case even before making the trip to the Apple Store. I even asked one of the guys working there if they carried screen protectors for the original iPhone, and he confirmed they did not and said I could go online and buy them directly from the manufacturer. What he failed to mention was Apple still carries them on their website, so the Apple employee basically gave me information that could lead me to spend my money else where.
Apple's online store charges an extra $4 for shipping and Power Supply charges and additional $7 for shipping for a product that weighs next to nothing. Being the penny-pincher I am, that is just unacceptable.
After doing a little online searching, I started to question the necessity of the screen protecting films in the first place. The iPhone screen is made of glass similar to a car windshield. That is pretty durable and resistant to scratches.
Here is a video of the stress test PC World put the iPhone through. It's pretty brutal, so I'm warning those who have weak stomachs when watching perfectly good gadgets get tortured to not watch the video. Basically, the conclusion was if you plan to abuse your iPhone, you may want to invest in a sturdy case. However, they did not advise one way or the other on needing a screen protector. The scratch test in this video proved the screen itself was amazingly resistant to scratches.
I also found numerous forum postings of others asking about the necessity of the iPhone screen protector. Some replies strongly advocated using a screen protector and a few brave souls argued against it. Usually, most comments said they put a screen protector on their iPhone "just in case".
I think we justify the extra protection because of past experiences with many products getting damaged and dinged up very easily, and that is what we are used to. However, the iPhone is a high quality product unlike any other phone or PDA I owned in the past. At first, I thought I needed to baby my iPhone, but I am learning it is very durable and maybe the screen protectors are a little over kill. So I am boldly stripping my iPhone and letting it be bare. Well almost. I did get a GelaSkin to apply to the back since that is the most vulnerable spot. I must say, it is taking some getting used to. I went from a silicone case and screen protecting film to only a GelaSkin. That is quite a difference.
So now, I am curious how many other iPhone owners out there swear by their screen protectors or think it is an unnecessary accessory?
UPDATE: Poll Results 10/20/08 - 10/27/08
Do iPhones need screen protectors?
50% It's a must
00% Just in case
50% Not necessary
00% I'm unsure
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