1. It’s gorgeous!  I’ve always been a fan of simplicity.  Plain round neck shirts, bagel with cream cheese, brewed coffee with some brown sugar, vanilla ice cream…you get the idea.  Apple’s design principles is no different.  I think the reason why the Ipod touch, the Iphone and the Ipad looks so similar is that even if you start designing one of these things without knowing the existence of the other devices, they’d probably arrive at the same hardware and software specifications.  In Apple’s philosophy, less is more and the success of these award winning devices further strengthens that belief.

2. It’s fast!  If you want something done right, do it yourself.  The exact reason why Apple insists on its own software.  Windows (and I refer to any of its iterations) is just really ancient technology that needs to be thrown out the window. Get it? “Windows” out the window?  Microsoft’s OS is just not designed for today’s technologies.  It is cryptic, unstable and sluggish.  I can just imagine needing to run a command line to troubleshoot the Ipad if it actually ran on the thing.  With Apple using its own IOS, it guaranteed that  the device ran “silky smooth” given its hardware.  One of their more controversial decision points is to not allow any Flash content to run on the device as it would affect the user experience (i.e. the device would probably choke) and though I would have been happier if they let me decide if I want to run those contents or not, in the end, it indeed ensure that people don’t see the device struggling to deliver content.

3. It’s heavy!!!  I guess this one is the natural outcome of ensuring that a slim device is sturdy enough for people to roll on it should they fall asleep while using it.  This, they later realized, is not enough reason to make the device as if it was also intended to be your night time form of exercise hence the slimmer, lighter Ipad 2.  I wonder how many people now have stronger forearms because of the Ipad.

4. It’s not cheap!  ”The magical device that comes at an amazing price!”  I’m not sure if Steve Jobs was trying to be sarcastic when they arrived at this slogan but really, the device does have an amazing price, amazingly high that is.  I’ve seen complete teardowns of this on Youtube and the internal parts don’t seem to warrant the price that’s on the box.  If the Chinese can make a functional tablet for a tenth of the Ipad’s price, I’m pretty sure, we can see a more decent device priced somewhere in the middle.  Right now, Apple has set the benchmark for pricing these devices and all the competition needs to do is price their products a notch lower.  Despite the barrage of Ipad wannabes out there, the selling price doesn’t seem to vary much.  These things are still damn expensive and we can blame Apple for making us all believe that these gadgets need to be priced that way.

5.  It’s addictive!  This device just brings out a ton of new possibilities that you can’t help but spend endless hours exploring.  Don’t know what I mean?  Try installing iMovie or Garageband or a painting application and you’ll soon understand.  The multi touch capability coupled with very precise gyros brings out a new breed of applications and use cases for the computer.  Interacting with a computer has never felt more natural that you begin to question why it took so long for computers to be designed this way.

There’s lots more that I can say about this device but human focus and attention (mine and yours) can only take so much so I’ll stop right here and let your mind wander some other place.  Till my next entry! Cheers!

I’ve played with tablets before, long before Apple decided it was the right time for it. Back then, they were all based on Windows. How is it that Microsoft’s utter failure becomes Apple’s next golden boy? Simple answer comes in two words. STEVE JOBS. A device is always way cooler when someone wearing a black turtle neck does the marketing than someone wearing a suit. But seriously, I think Apple’s conservative approach on technology paid up on this one. Nowadays, mobile processors not only have sufficient processing power to take on the task, battery technology has also caught up to make the devices last longer providing truly mobile capabilities on the tablets. Not to mention that mobile internet is now more obiquitous than ever. My experience with the device so far is a fair mix of amusement for the things it can do and disappointments for the things it can’t. Apple has definitely delivered on things they say the device would deliver (intuitive UI, responsive hardware, excellent battery life, and a great software catalogue). My gripes though is that for a device that was deemed to be a ‘post computer’ one, it totally depends on a computer to manage its contents. I guess Jobs and I just dont agree on what ‘post computer’ should mean. At the end of the day, I’d say that the ipad is a great device. Apple describes it as ‘magical’ but I wouldn’t go that far but would say it is a game changer. Am I now officially an Apple fanboy? Naahh! I didn’t buy the Ipad because of that fruit logo at the back but I did buy it though as it is currently the best in it’s class, hands down. How long that’s the case though is another story. Till my next post!

Stumbled upon this really cool web app that creates a 3D wall ala Youtube to display photo galleries.  Tried it using an album from my facebook account.  Enjoy!

As for my subjects, there are only a couple of words I’d use to describe BHS on a Sunday.  Sculptures, kids and dogs.  See the snaps from this weekend’s shooting adventure.  Enjoy!

My curiosity with DSLRs heightened further when my wife and I together with another couple went on a vacation to Bantayan, Cebu.  They were carrying with them the Canon 450D which is relatively one of Canon’s newer model entry level DSLRs.  After taking a few shots with it, I was convinced, I want one of ‘em.  I started looking around for these cameras and started my price hunting.  Luckily, my wife and I had booked in advance a flight to Hongkong taking advantage of Cebu Pacific’s low fare promos.  After some research,  I was able to make it to HK’s DSLR Mecca.  Amazingly, in HK, they do what they call parallel importing which basically allows local traders there to source their goods from regions offering the same products at lower prices.   I originally allocated a budget to buy a Canon 450D as in Manila, this was the model within my range of Php30K to Php40K.  Fortunately, imports from Japan for the higher model and feature packed Kiss X3 (500D) was selling for roughly Php36K and this was already the kit package that included an IS 18-55 lens, a 4GB card and a camera bag.  Was I thrilled to have bought this piece of digital marvel.  Shooting with it so far has been phenomenal.  I have yet to understand all that it has to offer and yet I’ve managed to take some really good photos with it.

More of my adventures with my new toy in the next post.  Meanwhile, enjoy the snaps taken with the cam

Time for me to find a good reason to “upgrade” my phone.