At one point in this podcast I say that I wish my computer was roaring like it used to. I apologize for the unintentional terrible pun.

Just for grins, I counted how many bounces it took for Chrome to open when I went to write this post. It bounced fifty times before opening. Yes, fifty. Ugh.

Links from this episode:

• Apple OS X Lion Released Today — I blogged some initial thoughts on the new OS
• Here are the instructions I used to create a bootable Mac OS X Lion USB installer
• If you’re not a Mac user you might not know what I meant when I said that my computer “beach balls”
• This was the Google Chrome speed test video I was thinking of, though the part I was remembering is actually a lightning strike and not a light bulb
• SuperDuper! — a useful backup utility for Mac

Installing Mac OS X Lion was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

The truly unique aspect of this OS is the way the upgrade is purchased. All upgrades will be available only via download through the Mac App Store. I don’t think I like the fact that to reinstall OS X from scratch I’ll first need to install Snow Leopard. However, I intend to try out these instructions on how to burn a Lion boot disc as described by The Unofficial Apple Blog, so maybe it won’t be such a big deal for me after all.

My personal Mac might not receive the update for a while. I want to wipe my computer and start from scratch, which will be a bit of an undertaking. I have an up-to-date Time Machine backup but I’m also going to give SuperDuper a try for a little extra insurance. (I also have a Mozy offsite backup of my data and most of my day-to-day files are saved in Dropbox.)

I highly recommend reading this review of Lion by Shawn Blanc (@shawnblanc). Of course, there’s always Apple’s OS X Lion page for the official list of features.

Do me a favor. Buy Lion via this link. It’s an affiliate link, so I’ll get a small kickback if you use it to purchase the OS (about $1 per purchase).

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: Affiliate Marketing Links http://cmp.ly/5

Apple OS X Lion Released Today was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

Friday is complete now that I got a #bluescreenofdeath

3/25/11 2:54 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite

@scdvs

shaun davis

@scdvs You're not doing it right.

3/25/11 4:31 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@ricobert1

rob hodges

@ricobert1 @scdvs no, that was predestinated to happen; it's just that Macs are the elect

3/25/11 6:44 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@patrickgines

Patrick Gines

@patrickgines @ricobert1 Mr.Bell says that the #bluescreenofdeath doesn't exist.

3/25/11 8:25 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@scdvs

shaun davis

@scdvs @patrickgines @ricobert1 Bell says the #bluescreenofdeath exists, but eventually all will be Macs. #applewins #badtheology

3/25/11 9:41 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@jaledwith

Andrew Ledwith

@jaledwith @patrickgines @ricobert1 But what about people who've never used the Command Key?

3/25/11 9:44 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@scdvs

shaun davis

@scdvs @patrickgines @ricobert1 Jobs will compel them even beyond their #bluescreenofdeath to use the Command Key. #whateverthatmeans

3/25/11 9:51 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@jaledwith

Andrew Ledwith

@jaledwith @scdvs @ricobert1 what if they never call the command key by it's name, Apple?

3/25/11 10:04 pm via Seesmic for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@patrickgines

Patrick Gines

@patrickgines @jaledwith @scdvs @ricobert1They will be stuck with the #bluescreenofdeath until they realize that they had an Apple all along

3/25/11 10:43 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@Sandpapery

James Zachary Latham

I’m glad we sorted that out.

Theology of the Personal Computer was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

I am about to make my first foray into smart phones. I just pre-ordered the new iPhone 4. It’ll be released on June 24.

I’ve been following the development of smart phones, app stores, and the like for years. I have a general idea of the apps I’d like to use, but I want to hear from the people who have been using them. What iPhone apps do you use? Which are your favorites? These could be apps from Apple’s App Store or they could be web apps.

Leave your suggestions in the comments. I’ll try out all the free apps you suggest and many of the premium ones, too. I’ll write a follow-up post in a few weeks.

What iPhone Apps Do You Use? was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

15″ MacBook Pro

• Eventually I’ll need to buy a new battery for my MacBook Pro (when my current one stops holding a charge), and I’m glad to see that they’ve made a battery with even better battery life than my computer currently has. UPDATE: I don’t think I got this one right. Yes, the 15″ MacBook Pro has a better battery, (up from 5 hours to 7) but these new 15″ MBPs have a battery that cannot be swapped out by the user, only by Apple (one more reason I’m glad I got my computer when I did). So, it’s unclear to me whether the type of battery found in my computer received an update. I’m guessing it didn’t.
• I’m really glad I got my 15″ MacBook Pro when I did. My computer has an ExpressCard slot; now they come with an SD card slot instead. The average user will like this move, but not the power user. I think it’s a very strange decision.
• I’m glad to see the MacBook Pro received a price cut, even if it only affects the low-end model.
• I really wish my MacBook Pro could handle 8GB of RAM. That is a HUGE update. The hard drive and processor updates are also nice.
• Refreshed features and lower price is immediately available.

17″ MacBook Pro

• The 17″ MacBook Pro has such a niche market. I’m surprised they cut its price, but I won’t complain.
• I’m very glad to see that they left the ExpressCard slot on the 17″. Those power users need the flexibility.
• Lower price is immediately available.

13″ MacBook

• The FireWire 800 port is making a return to the 13″ MacBook. I bet those early adopters aren’t happy.
• I’m shocked that it can handle 8GB of RAM as well.
• The standard backlit keyboard is a bigger deal than you may think. I’ve come to really appreciate that feature on my computer.
• I’m confused on one point. Since the MacBook is now technically part of the MacBook Pro line, is it called a MacBook Pro? I know they made it a part of the line to further differentiate it from the old, white MacBook they’re still making (still, sort of a weird decision). But what is it called?
• Refreshed features and lower price immediately available.

MacBook Air

• That is one insane price cut! It’s now $700 cheaper.
• Lower price immediately available.

Snow Leopard

• It’s only a $29 upgrade for current Leopard users! I didn’t think I’d be upgrading for a while, but it looks like I will be.
• Exchange support doesn’t really mean anything to me, but I know it does to a lot of people. Way to go, Apple!
• The update to Exposé sounds like something I’d use.
• Somehow Snow Leopard is half the size of Leopard. I don’t see how that’s possible, but I’m all for it.
• The handwriting recognition for the trackpad could be cool. I’ll give my verdict once I give it a try.
• Safari 4 looks fast, but Firefox is still king in my book.
• Grand Central Dispatch will unlock the power behind multi-core systems. I’m very excited to see this in action.
• Available this September.

iPhone OS 3.0

• The fact that tethering is coming to the iPhone but isn’t coming to AT&T iPhone users (i.e. American iPhone users) is as epic a failure as you can imagine.
• Find My iPhone is awesome. Every cell phone should have this feature. Login to the web, send a message to your phone, it’ll play a sound, even if it’s set to silent. (I could see awesome potential to abuse this feature to great comedic effect.) Also includes a wipe command to use if your iPhone is stolen.
• The built-in iTunes U support might add to the growing fad of universities using the iPhone/iPod touch in the classroom.
• Turn-by-turn apps will soon hit the App Store. I’m pretty excited about that, but I’ll say this: the fact that TomTom didn’t announce the price of their app during their demo is probably a bad sign.
• I know nothing about Zipcar, but the fact that there’s an iPhone app that can unlock a car is pretty sweet.
• The iPhone OS 3.0 is a tremendous upgrade, but anyone who paid attention to the demo event months ago knew about a lot of the basic features already. As such, I won’t list them again here.
• Available June 17 — free for iPhone, $9.95 for iPod touch.

iPhone 3G S

• The name is lame (the ‘s’ stands for speed). The name lameness will not hurt sales.
• A 3 megapixel camera on a phone is crazy. I remember when that was considered the standard for point-and-shoot cameras. How far we’ve come.
• Macro and tap focus look great. I’d like to see the result of each in person.
• An iPhone video camera (without jailbreak) is long overdue. The polished features look impressive, but I won’t coo over something that should have been released at the iPhone’s initial launch.
• How accurate is the voice control? It’s a sweet feature if I don’t have to shout the same command over and over again.
• I have said since its 2007 release that I wouldn’t buy an iPhone until the capacity hit at least 30GB. We now have a 32GB model for $299. The 16GB model sells for $199. (Prices are for iPhones bought on contract.)
• If you’re mid-contract you’d pay $299 for the 3G and $399/$499 for the 3G S.
• Available June 19.

iPhone 3G

• It was a GREAT decision to keep the 8GB iPhone 3G on the market for $99.
• New price starts today, so if price was what was holding you back before go get one.

General Thoughts

• It would appear that not even Apple is immune to the recession. Price cuts occurred across the board.
• For the first time I will seriously look at purchasing an iPhone. (I am already an AT&T customer, so the consideration comes down to the increase in monthly service costs and the purchase of a very expensive phone.)
• I will be upgrading to Snow Leopard immediately. The $29 upgrade cost was my favorite announcement of the day. I still can’t believe it.
• Even though I no longer have the newest version of the 15″ MacBook Pro I’m glad I purchased mine when I did. It’ll be years before I need more than 4GB of RAM, but I can see myself needing the ExpressCard slot much sooner.
• Clearly the 13″ MacBook is the biggest winner of the day in terms of refreshed products. I also think it’s Apple’s biggest surprise of the day.
• Even at its new price, you still shouldn’t buy the MacBook Air. There are satisfied customers, I’m sure. But it seems to generate more complaints than any other Apple product. If you want a small Apple computer, buy a MacBook, not a MacBook Air.

What Do You Think?

Have any thoughts about today’s keynote? Leave them in the comments.

Immediate Reactions to WWDC 2009 was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

Not long ago I wrote about my very first purchase from the Apple Store. A little more than six weeks ago I bought toy number two: a brand new MacBook Pro.

This is a big deal to me for a couple of reasons. It’s my first new computer since 2002 when I got a Dell Dimensions desktop right before my freshman year of college. And yes, I’ve been using that desktop ever since then. You may be surprised to learn that it’s only become unbearably slow in the last six months. It’s been a great machine, but I’m happy to replace it.

This is also my very first Mac. As little as two years ago I was pro PC and couldn’t imagine owning anything else. But when Vista didn’t impress me the way I’d hoped it would and my then-roommate Scott purchased a MacBook Pro, I started to consider the Mac option. I finally set my mind to the idea last fall and have been waiting for the right set of features ever since. When Apple refreshed their laptops back in October I decided they had delivered on enough of my wish list to pull the trigger. (The only thing missing was a Blu-ray drive, but I can live without that.) I’ve been using it for about six weeks now and I think it’s great!

For those of you who like numbers here are the specs:

• 15-inch widescreen
• 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 320GB Serial ATA @ 7200 RPMs
• 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT with 512MB

Yeah, it was pricey. I don’t even want to think about it. But I didn’t buy this haphazardly. As I mentioned, this is my first computer in six years. I don’t intend to buy another computer for at least five more years, so I was willing to drop the cash on a system that was going to be stable between now and then.

I’ve had a ball trying out Mac-only software that until now I could only read about. Some of my new favorites are Skitch, Growl, Pages and Quicksilver (it’s a complicated program, so here’s a guide). If you have a Mac I’d really like to hear about the programs you can’t live without that are Mac-only. I’m still a newbie!

My MacBook Pro was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

As I’ve said time and time again on this blog I’m a huge fan of Apple hardware and software but I’ve never actually owned any of their wares before. Well, as you can see, that’s no longer the case.

When I took my new job at FSU I started walking to work a few days each week. It’s great getting exercise before and after work, but I missed having a stereo to listen to tunes and audiobooks. So, I decided to purchase an iPod shuffle. I like it a lot.

This is my first toy from Apple, but not the last. Stay tuned.

My First Toy from Apple was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

I can’t believe my sister got an iPhone before I did! Way to go, Alison! Read on and I’ll tell you about some of the iPhone 3G’s best apps and accessories.

I could act like this is really making me jealous or mad or something, but I’ve been encouraging people to consider the iPhone since it came out, so I actually view this as a good thing. I think the only thing that’s frustrating is that she didn’t even want one. She was looking into getting a Blackberry and found that it would actually cost less over the duration of her contract if she got an iPhone instead.

As I’ve mentioned here before, I’ve never actually owned any piece of Apple hardware before. (My only Apple purchase was Quicktime Pro for my Dell desktop, which I really like.) My sister has an 80GB iPod classic and now an 8GB iPhone 3G. I have some catching up to do.

Trick Out Your iPhone (or iPod touch)

Because Alison hadn’t considered getting an iPhone until days before she made her purchase she really didn’t know much about it beyond the basics. I, on the other hand, have been considering one for quite a while. (I’m waiting for at least 30GB of storage.) During that time I’ve been collecting links from the all over the web that will help me trick out my iPhone if/when I get one. At my sister’s request I emailed to her a list of my best finds. I’ve decided to share that list here.

Case:

My sister and I agree on this: if you’re going to spend this much money on something so easily dropped you’d better protect it as best you can. The IvySkin Touch-Thru Case completely covers your phone but still allows you to use the touch screen without any difficulty.

iHome:

You know that funny sound you hear when you put a cell phone near a speaker? You hear that sound a lot when your phone and your music player are one in the same. There are a variety of iHome products (and generic me-toos) that are designed to shield against that noise. The iHome iP99BR and the iHome iP47BR are two examples. (If you do buy a dock with speakers, look for one with a “Works With iPhone” sticker. Both of these products have it.)

Apps from the App Store:

Obviously there are a lot more than the ones on this list, but here are a few that I recommend.

• AIM – Meebo and Trillian will also get you connected to AIM
• Air Sharing – Turns your iPhone into a wireless network drive [read about it here]
• Evernote – Robust note-taking software [read about it here]
• Facebook – Current version is pretty good, but version 2.0 (to be released soon, read about it here) looks wicked awesome
• Google Mobile – Should be a no-brainer [read about it here]
• Jott – I am a huge fan and heavy user of this voice-to-text service [read about it here]
• Mocha VNC Lite – Remote control your PC [read about it here]
• Pandora – The killer app for the iPhone [read about it here]
• Remote – Control iTunes on your PC remotely [read about it here]
• Sportacular – Unlike the ESPN app this one is ad-free
• Wikipanion – For those addicted to Wikipedia
• WordPress – For self-hosted WP blogs and wordpress.com blogs [read about it here]

For more great iPhone apps I suggest you read Lifehacker’s Featured iPhone Application series.

Blog Posts:

Some of my favorite blogs talk about the iPhone quite a bit. Here are a few posts you may find interesting.

• Make an iPhone Ringtone with iTunes in Windows
• Create Custom iPhone Ringtones the Free and Apple Way – For Mac users
• Free Replacements for Paid Tools – For “push” email, calendar and contacts without paying for MobileMe
• Turn Your iPhone or Your iPod Touch into a Multi-Room Wireless Music Remote
• How to Transfer iPhone Voice Mail to Your Computer
• 12 iPhone Tricks You Might Not Have Known
• 8 More iPhone Tricks You Might Not Have Known

Add to This List!

Are you an iPhone owner (or, like me, an iPhone enthusist)? Share your thoughts on what apps, products and tricks work for you in the comments.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: Affiliate Marketing Links http://cmp.ly/5

Get the Most Out of Your iPhone 3G (Just Like My Sister) was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

The majority of the blogosphere seems to dislike these new Microsoft ads, which is why I chose to write about them. I think they’re pretty good. Most video advertising these days is so predictable the only real difference is the logo at the end. These ads, while not pitching a particular product, do make the viewer stop and watch, either due to wonder or bewilderment.

The First Two Episodes

Here’s the first ad, Shoe Circus:

Here’s the second ad, New Family:

There’s probably two main reasons the ads haven’t been popular. First, I think you have to be a fan of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm styles of humor to appreciate these ads. That style of humor isn’t as popular as it once was. Second, I mentioned earlier that many blogs have panned these ads. This is partly due to the fact that a large portion of popular bloggers are Apple enthusiasts. Even had these ads been Oscar-worthy they wouldn’t have met with that crowd’s approval.

More To The Point

There were some rumors that Microsoft was canning the Gates/Seinfeld ad campaign due to strong blogger disapproval, but those reports seem to be false. However, that has not stopped Microsoft from releasing another new ad that does not use Seinfeld. This ad says “I’m a PC” and proud of it:

Again, I like this ad. I even agree with its content. I’m a huge fan of Apple products (though, admittedly, I’ve never owned a single piece of Apple hardware), but I think Windows PCs are stereotyped by the Mac elite as being these completely useless machines. There are three major things that a Windows machine has going for it that a Mac currently can’t touch: price of hardware, software and hardware options, and Windows Media Center. A Windows PC is still the right choice for a large piece of the computer-using population.

What Do You Think?

I want to hear what you think of these three new Windows ads. Do you think they’ll help change the perception of Windows and/or Microsoft? Do you think the two with Seinfeld are funny or lame? Would you declare “I’m a PC” with pride?

The Adventures of Seinfeld and Gates was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.

Today the blogosphere is abuzz with the news of a new app in the App Store called I Am Rich. The man behind the app is asking $999.99 for his efforts. What does it do? Here’s the description in the creator’s own words:

The red icon on your iPhone or iPod touch reminds you (and others when you show it to them) that you were able to afford this.

It’s a work of art with no hidden function at all.

After pressing the (i) button on the main page, a secret mantra will be shown. This may help you to stay rich, healthy and successful.

So, in other words, it does nothing.

There’s been a wide variety of reactions to this app. Some folks are angry, some find it humorous, and still others wish they’d thought of it first. Personally I was sad to hear about it, but it did get me thinking.

Reminds Me of Facebook

I was hoping the Apple App Store wasn’t going to turn into the Facebook App Directory. When the Facebook Platform first launched I’d swing by the directory every now and then just to see if there was a gem I hadn’t heard of yet. But have you tried using the Facebook App Directory lately? It’s impossible to find anything of value in there! And I’m sure there are some pretty stellar apps being made each month that get buried under the endless supply of drivel.

Now, I don’t own an iPhone or an iPod touch but I have debated getting one recently. If I did own one I would be far less likely to “window shop” the App Store if I thought I’d have to sift through garbage like this just to find something useful. And believe me, copycats of this app are bound to be made now that the world knows Apple is willing to grant them a piece of digital shelf space. Personally, I’d like to see this app get pulled from the store and for Apple to take a stronger stance against useless applications.

Apps Worth a High Price

Obviously none of us would pay $1000 for this iPhone application. But I got to thinking: how much would a guy like me be willing to pay for an iPhone/iPod touch application? Could I see myself paying $50 for an app? How about $100?

There’s been a lot of talk about the potential for the iPhone/iPod touch to become the next great gaming device. I’m still a little skeptical, but if developers turn out good products I could see hardcore gamers (but not me) dropping $30-50 on a good game.

There have also been persistent rumors that turn-by-turn GPS is coming to the iPhone in the form of an app. I could see myself spending good money on a quality GPS app if it meant that I didn’t have to buy a standalone unit.

But those are really the only two types of applications that I could really see warrenting a high price tag, and neither would come anywhere near $1000. Plus, when you come right down to it, many of the best apps are free.

What Do You Think?

What do you think of the “I Am Rich” application? What’s the most you’d pay for an iPhone/iPod touch application? What would that application be?

Would You Pay $1000 for an iPhone App? was originally published on Andrew Ledwith's blog.
© 2004-2011 Andrew Ledwith. All rights reserved.