December 2011
38 posts
“Make sure you have a consistent set of useful behaviors in place before you try...”
– Busy Signals: Install habits FIRST. Then software. If you have to.
November 2011
41 posts
This Digitized Society on the Path 2 announcement →
digitizedsociety:
Is it just me or did the PATH team structure their entire blog post that introduces the new Path product like a Steve Jobs Keynote?
Holy crap. Nicholas does a section by section breakdown. They completely did!
A Lesser Photographer: Photo Stream's Hidden... →
alesserphotographer:
Upon first glance, this feature seems contrary to the lesser photography philosophy of ruthlessly editing your photos before anyone else can see them. Indeed, photographers complain about this feature nonstop. But, what some photographers call a bug is a welcome feature for one segment of photography: the citizen journalist.
A very interesting take that I have not thought...
Path: Introducing Path 2, the Smart Journal →
thepersonalnetwork:
We’ve built a host of new features that make it easier to share even more on Path — your thoughts, the music you’re listening to, where you are, who you’re with, when you wake and when you sleep, and as always, your photos and videos.
I’ve used Path for a while and it has stood the test of time on my home screen. I liked its approach from the beginning. That was, a way of...
iA Writer →
Looks like iA Writer got a nice little update adding support for both iCloud and Dropbox. Worth a look if you are in need of a simple writing application with support for Markdown formatting. (via Ben Brooks)
Amazon.com: Brother Printer HL2270DW Wireless... →
Reader Thomas Cole alerted me to the fact that my favorite wireless laser printer with duplex (two sided printing) is on sale at Amazon right now for only $89.00. This is the lowest price I have seen on it in a while. I’ve reviewed it before and it gets used by my family daily. If you are in the market, or know someone who is, this is a no brainer.
“The right tool, learned deeply, used when appropriate, no matter how basic, can...”
– Patrick Rhone. Keeping it Straight, Know Your Tools (via mnmal)
I’m reblogging my friend Uri quoting me here mainly to remind you that you can get the book from which this came for a very low price for a very limited time. For instance, the ePub version (which works great in iBooks, by the...
Patagonia – The Cleanest Line: Don't Buy This... →
It’s not hypocrisy for us to address the need to reduce consumption. On the other hand, it’s folly to assume that a healthy economy can be based on buying and selling more and more things people don’t need – and it’s time for people who believe that’s folly to say so.
Nothing about the Mac. Everything about what we believe in.
Black Bag Friday
My friend Garrick alerted me to this tradition started by a neighbor of his dubbed Black Bag Friday:
We declare today as Black Bag Friday, a new way to spend your day! A chance to be grateful for all that we have and get rid of all that we don’t need! It is simple..
1-be grateful for all that you have.
2-realize how much excess is surrounding us.
3-grab a black garbage bag(s).
...
The MacGuffin
If you have been reading this site or listened to the Enough podcast for long enough, you know I’m always trying crazy experiments. Like going a week without things I use or writing a book on my iPad. Ask me on almost any day and I have some sort of insane idea I’m trying out. My latest seems to have attracted more attention than I ever thought it would.
On a recent episode of the podcast, I...
Minimal Mac | The Season of Stuff →
It’s that time of year again. How can you tell? Well I’m linking to this as I do every year at this time.
On Packing Light
packlite:
My friend Patrick Rhone from Minimal Mac sent me the following when I asked him about packing light:
For me, packing light is the freedom to go with little-to-no notice. To not be weighted down either physically by stuff I don’t need or mentally by fear, what ifs, conjecture, or doubt. I bring only enough to know that I can last thousands of miles and to let such journeys begin with...
Replacement Therapy - Magazine - The Atlantic →
It’s not our devices that wear thin, it’s our patience with them.
Excellent article about planned obsolescence shifting from supply side, to demand side.
★ Getting Steve Jobs Wrong →
Required reading.
Touchscreens Have No Hand →
So instead let us give more time for doing physical things in the real world and less time for staring at (and touching) the glowing flat rectangle.
While I don’t agree with the entirety of Professor Tufte’s argument, this is sound advice.
Workspace | Trent Walton →
I like the idea of defining certain spaces or postures for specific activities. The sit and click posture taxes my cognitive and creative faculties after too long. It’s hard for my brain to move from reading to writing, designing, troubleshooting, etc., when my body remains stationary. I need to move. Breaking up the workday by visiting different spaces in the office at different times not only...
Protect The Internet →
Congress is considering two well-intentioned but deeply flawed bills, the PROTECT-IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). As written, they would betray more than a decade of US policy and advocacy of Internet freedom by establishing a censorship system using the same domain blacklisting technologies pioneered by China and Iran.
Not what we believe in.
Call your representatives. Flood...
Keeping It Straight Limited Time Offers
If you have not picked up a copy of my book, Keeping It Straight: You, Me, & Everything Else, now would be a perfect time.
First of all, for the holiday season I am offering a new beautiful hardcover version. It’s printed on premium paper and has a case wrap cover that is just stunning. It’s currently available for only $19.99 for a limited time and would make a great gift or even for anyone...
PopClip for Mac →
PopClip is a faster, easier way to work with text on your Mac. Just select some text with your mouse, and PopClip appears. (Yep, it’s just like iOS!)
I was wondering when someone would beat Apple to the punch on this (because I’m betting Apple will implement this in Mac OS at some future point).
Growing Up Analog
staticmade:
I think having lived through the transition from an analog society to a digital society is a blessing. It was extremely hard making things happen in those days. It took planning, initiative, determination and a little bit of luck, all of which apply today albeit in different capacities.
What are the benefits of age unless we can use our experiences as lessons to pass to those...
MonoPrice iPhone 4 Backup Battery Pack
Quite some time ago, I did a quick shout out for the MonoPrice iPhone Backup Battery for the iPhone 3G. I really liked that model and it was a permanent staple in my Bad Ass Bag for the whole time I owned an iPhone 3G.
With my acquisition of an iPhone 4 last year (a gift from my wife), I knew I would eventually get the upgraded pack compatible with that model – The 1500mAh Backup Battery Pack...
WriteRoom 3.0 — Distraction free writing software... →
In my continuing effort to catch up on all of the great apps that have recently be updated, I bring you WriteRoom 3.0. This is the latest update to the wonderfuly focused wrting app from Hog Bay Software. Jesse has completely overhauled the app for this version. Here is what’s new:
Full Lion Support. (Autosave, Versions, etc.)
Themes (Set up your favorite look. Even share it)
Track...
Tictoc: The simple task timer →
Another recent update to a great little app. New version includes:
Refined user interface to take better advantage of Lion
Better support for editing tasks and timer session data
Ability to run as many timers as you want at once
Full keyboard support added to almost every function in the app
Ability to add notes to each session. Those notes are also exported with the timing data.
If you...
DoublePane 1.7 is Out →
Nice update to one of my essential Mac utilities. Currently on sale at the bargain blow-out price of $.99. It is worth at least ten times more that to me.
iCal Has Some Brains | Erik's Brain →
Make a new event. Include the word “breakfast,” “lunch,” or “dinner” in the event name. Did you see it? iCal automatically assigns the time to a typical breakfast, lunch or dinner time.
I had not noticed this because a) I don’t use iCal (I use BusyCal) and b) I use QuickCal to enter events using natural language processing.
That said, it is nice to see Apple finally putting some of the...
The biggest lie about travel we all believe. | Jon... →
I have friends who travel less than me but are less present in their marriages because when they’re home, they’re not really home.
I think we will all see a little bit of ourselves in here. I know I did.
A Week Without →
Go a week without something, learn something more about yourself.
A new site from Sam Gray based on the Week Without… posts I have done here. I’m excited to see this idea expanded upon.
“Steve devoted his professional life to giving us (you, me and a billion other...”
– Seth’s Blog: A eulogy of action
“Don’t let yourself obsess on less for less sake, you’re often missing the true...”
– Excessively Minimal by Michael Schechter
iOS as Anti-Distraction Software — Shawn Blanc →
Last summer I touted iOS as the best piece of anti-distraction software I own.
Ditto. When I want to focus on Doing The Work™, that work gets done on my iPad.
