The NYTimes on Google's latest venture toward Creepytown:
Google on Friday announced that it would soon be able to show users' names, photos, ratings and comments in ads across the Web, endorsing marketers' products.
Nope. Nope nope nope.
The NYTimes on Google's latest venture toward Creepytown:
Google on Friday announced that it would soon be able to show users' names, photos, ratings and comments in ads across the Web, endorsing marketers' products.
Nope. Nope nope nope.
Amazon announced updated Kindle Fires last month, and one of the key features of the HDX was the "Mayday button." These tablets have a button that, when pressed, will initiate a video connection to an Amazon support technician1. The Amazon tech will be able to guide you, and, if needed, draw on the screen to help you along. They can even remotely control the device.
This is fascinating for a few reasons. One, it shows that Amazon has a giant pair of balls that it isn't trying to hide. Mayday only works if there are enough reps available at any given time. Amazon doesn't release Kindle sales numbers, but they have to be selling a lot. Ensuring that Mayday works as intended means a big investment in support techs. That's both awesome and terrifying. Do you really trust Amazon that much?
It's also fascinating because Amazon is admitting that their devices aren't as easy to use as the iPad. Very few people really have trouble figuring out how to use an iPad. It's very intuitive to use. Android2 devices are getting better, sure, but they simply aren't as easy to learn as iOS devices. By adding Mayday, Amazon is admitting that to the world.
A grassroots committee is calling for all adults in Switzerland to receive an unconditional income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,800) per month from the state, with the aim of providing a financial safety net for the population.
This is an interesting solution to the Swiss income inequality problem. The cost of living in Switzerland is very high, which puts an extra burden on low earners.
I don't imagine many Swiss citizens would be able / content to quit work and live on $33,600 per year alone. Couples, on the other hand, could do just fine. "Earning" $67,200 per year for doing absolutely nothing is a huge incentive to quit working. With a bit of frugality, a family could do just fine on that income, even with the cost of living as high as it is.
Then there's the whole matter of paying for the program. I'm sure the well-off Swiss aren't champing at the bit to pay higher taxes.
Income inequality is a problem. I don't think this solves it the right way.
Elliot Nash on writing:
v4 Fewer words create a more powerful message.
Well said. Also, what a great URL.
Version 4 of Simplenote was released on iOS 7 day. It is exactly the update that I was waiting for.
Simplenote was the first third-party note app that I used on my iPhone. It was so great that I happily paid the $20 yearly charge for Premium. The killer feature of Simplenote was sync. Fast , flawless sync. My notes were everywhere I needed them to be without requiring any work on my part.
If you aren't a long-time iPhone user, you may scoff at that. Sure, iCloud and Dropbox sync are the norm now. A few years ago? Not so much. Remember, iCloud didn't even exist until 2011.
The folks behind Simplenote pushed out updates at their own pace, and they were not very fast. As I understand it , they spent more time on the sync engine than the app itself. Compared with the flood of text editors / note apps on iOS today, they had fallen behind.
Until iOS 7 day, I had been using Byword as much as Simplenote. Then Version 4 was released, and everything changed.
The interface, by no means cluttered, was drastically simplified. There are only two options now.1 The lone font is Source Sans Pro. It looks fantastic. Links are a muted shade of blue. There are no Markdown preview or HTML export options. If this really makes you sad, I don't think you understand the spirit of Markdown.
When I open a text editor on my iPhone, I want to see a list of notes, a search box, and a button to create a new file. Simplenote gives me exactly that. And Simplenote still uses the first line of your note as the title — this is something that all iOS text editors should do.
For now, Simplenote remains free. The developers aren't sure about the future of the subscription. I hope they figure out a way to make that work — they need to remain profitable. This simply isn't an app I want to go without.
You want to select Condensed Note List. ↩
A coworker asks me a question:
I need a new phone. Which one should i get?
Without turning to look, I reply simply, "Get an iPhone 5."
I mean, besides an iPhone. I like Android. Which Android phone should I get?
At this point I stop what I'm doing and turn to face my questioner. I've known this person for a few years. Since I've had an iPhone since the 3G1, he's never seen me with any other phone.
I ask, "What would make you think I'm qualified to answer that question? It would be like asking me which Kia you should buy.2"
I can almost see the lightbulb flash above his head as he realizes the error of his ways. He nodded slightly, stood, and left without saying another word.
I was going to write up my thoughts on Vesper, but Dr. Drang1 read my mind and beat me to the punch.
Here’s a thought experiment: Imagine a new note-taking app written by an unknown developer. It’s has a nice, clean look and is easy to use, but it has no syncing, no TextExpander support, and no URL scheme. Assuming the app got any attention at all, how much effort would Apple bloggers put into defending that design choice? How often would the phrase “data silo” be used?
Creepy snowman-headed guy. ↩
After waiting in line behind 119,000 people, my Mailbox account was activated. Waiting for those 119,000 people gave me some time to really think about the app, however. It gave me the time to realize that the app is not a good idea for anyone. Let me explain.
The main feature of Mailbox is the ability to get to Fake Inbox Zero by "snoozing" your emails. This is also it's very worst feature.
Suppose you are Mr. Super Important Email Man, and you get a cool 500 emails per day. Fake Inbox Zero sounds great, doesn't it?
I'm going to be generous here, and assume that you can reasonably handle 70% of your email1 to start off. At the end of Day One, you will have 150 emails left in your inbox. Snooze time! You (not so) wisely snooze those 150 emails until tomorrow, so you can enjoy Fake Inbox Zero for a moment.
Since you're Super Important, another 500 emails are delivered to you. The 150 snoozed emails from Day One are also back, bringing your total to an unhealthy 650 emails. We already determined that processing 350 emails is about where you top out. That means you'll process 350 emails on Day Two, but you'll have to snooze 300 emails.
500 emails. 300 from yesterday's snooze-binge. That's 800 total, 350 processed, and a whopping 450 snoozed.
Your inbox explodes from the weight of the 3,500 emails delivered to it. You look at it, think about the fruitlessness of processing a measly 10% of your email, and go play golf.
Your golf game will improve if you use Mailbox in this way. Your ability to handle your email will suffer drastically, and that's exactly the opposite of what you're trying to do here. The last thing you need is more email.
Why in the world would you need Mailbox if you get six emails a day? Handle it and quit crying about it.
Mailbox is already a very bad idea before you even consider the server issues. Mailbox only works with Gmail. Gmail is historically very reliable, but it does go down. With Mailbox, you're reliant not only on Gmail's servers, but Mailbox's server as well. If Mailbox goes down, so does your use of the Mailbox app. All your cool snoozing and procrastinating goes out the window. You can still use Mail.app or the web view, of course... but using Mailbox introducing another way for your email to break.
So. Bad idea. Procrastination. More ways for your mail to break. Mailbox is free, but it's a terrible idea. Pass.
If you get 500 emails per day, you can't. But just go with me. ↩
Many (Most?) of us work a day job - probably in an office setting. Working as part of a team in an office can be great, but it also has it's challenges. Being heard, even if you have great ideas, is one of those challenges. Your instincts may tell you to speak louder, and more often. After all, if you're always outspoken, always loud, people have to listen to you, right?
Not so fast, buckaroo.
In fact, the complete opposite is true. Think for a moment - you probably have that guy in the office who just won't shut up. He speaks up in every meeting, trying to take it over. He's constantly giving his opinion on things, even if they don't really concern him. Regardless of the subject matter, Mr. Chatty has something to say.
Do you listen to this guy?
I don't. And I'd wager to say that you don't either. This guy is talking all the time, and that dilutes his effectiveness drastically. You aren't likely to take his thoughts seriously.
Do you want to be heard? Shut up.
Don't voice your opinion at every opportunity. Keep your thoughts to yourself; let others take the stage. That is, unless you feel very strongly about the matter at hand. By keeping quiet in most situations, when you do finally speak up, everyone is very likely to stop and listen - really listen.
Choose your timing carefuly, and choose your words carefully. Make sure every time you speak, you have a clear purpose. Make sure your words are important, and that they will make a difference. Do that, and your coworkers will truly listen to you. Your words will matter - and all it takes it learning to keep quiet.