Magnus' Teck Profile

This is some facts about myself, so you can get to know me and my true personality better.

Windows, Mac or Linux? Mac, reluctantly. But it is not that important.

Canon or Nikon? Nikon. But it is not that important.

iPhone or Android? iPhone, reluctantly. But it is not that important.

RAW or JPEG? RAW. But it is not that important.

DNG or native RAW? Native RAW. But it is not that important.

vi or Emacs? vi, absolutely! Emacs is for wimps!

Slow iPhone 3G - some things to try

If you have an iPhone 3G, it may have slowed down a lot with the mandatory software update iOS 4.0. These are some things that potentially could improve performance and/or battery life. It may not help, but it does not hurt trying.

1. Upgrade to 4.0.1.
2. Delete superfluous data (big movies, applications, photos) to make sure the phone is not full to the brink.
3. Disable international keyboards you do not use, in case you activated them.
   
4. Switch off 3G. Preferences > General > Network.
5. Switch off location services. Preferences > General > Location Services.
6. Switch off Push notifications. Preferences > Notifications.
7. Switch off Spotlight Search. Preferences > General > Home Button > Spotlight Search. Unselect some or all.
8. Do not use Folders.
9. Restart. Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.

And then some things that may hurt, as some of your data will be deleted:

1. Reset the phone. Preferences > General > Reset. Choose which items you want to reset.
2. Restore the phone to factory settings. In iTunes, the tab Summary, click on Restore. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3828
   
3. Downgrade to iOS 3. I would not dare doing this myself, and do not know how to do it. However, you should be able to find instructions elsewhere if you search for it. Apple does not currently support this.

Update September 2010: But first, upgrade to iOS 4.1 which apparently solves a lot of problems.

The iPad and its inability to batch transfer documents

Let's assume I go on a business trip somewhere. During the trip I create 10 text documents. When I get back home I want to transfer them to my standard Macintosh.

Alternative one. I use an EEE PC. As I create the documents, I save and edit them from my inserted SD Card. The steps to transfer are then:

1. Eject SD Card from EEE PC.
2. Insert SD Card in Macintosh using USB cable.
3. Highlight the files in the Finder and drag them to the harddisk.

You are done.

Alternative two. I use my iPad (which btw is more expensive than my EEE PC). I cannot save and edit directly to an external medium. The steps to transfer the files are then:

1. Switch on the iPad.
2. Open Pages.
3. Highlight document 1.
4. Tap on the transfer icon.
5. Select "Export".
6. Select a file format (like MS Word).
7. Highlight document 2.
8. Tap on the transfer icon.
9. Select "Export".
10. Select a file format (like MS Word).
11. Highlight document 3.
12. Tap on the transfer icon.
13. Select "Export".
14. Select a file format (like MS Word).
15. Highlight document 4.
16. Tap on the transfer icon.
17. Select "Export".
18. Select a file format (like MS Word).
19. Highlight document 5.
20. Tap on the transfer icon.
21. Select "Export".
22. Select a file format (like MS Word).
23. Highlight document 6.
24. Tap on the transfer icon.
25. Select "Export".
26. Select a file format (like MS Word).
27. Highlight document 7.
28. Tap on the transfer icon.
29. Select "Export".
30. Select a file format (like MS Word).
31. Highlight document 8.
32. Tap on the transfer icon.
33. Select "Export".
34. Select a file format (like MS Word).
35. Highlight document 9.
36. Tap on the transfer icon.
37. Select "Export".
38. Select a file format (like MS Word).
39. Highlight document 10.
40. Tap on the transfer icon.
41. Select "Export".
42. Select a file format (like MS Word).
43. Connect the iPad to the Mac.
44. Wait for the two devices to sync.
45. In iTunes, click on the iPad icon.
46. Click on Apps.
47. Scroll down to the bottom of the panel.
48. Click on Pages.
49. Highlight all the documents.
50. Click on Save to...
51. Click on Choose (folder)

You are done.

And they say Apple knows something about usability!

Virtual Keyboards with Google

There are now clever virtual keyboards on Google's localised sites. The really nice thing is that you can use your physical keyboard to type on the virtual one. No need for a mouse.

You can then copy the text in another application if needed. (Command-v does not work for me in Firefox, but right click and copy from the pop-up menu works.)

Webfont news - Microsoft Joins

According to an article in Ars Technica Microsoft joins the webfont initiative. This is great news for people with fast internet connections.

iPad - Not for the creative ones

So, Apple finally released its iPad.

It turns out to be a product for consumption only - no production.

You can listen to music, look at pictures, read web pages, watch movies.

However, there is no application to compose music, to do serious image editing (like with Photoshop or even Apple's own Aperture).

Apple does release a version of iWork for the device, but considering that the keyboard possibilities seem lamentable, it is hardly a tool for writers, journalists or even accountants.

Apple used to be a company proud of its creative solutions. Here it seems more like they are stifling creativity and playing for the lazy ones.

I want one.

Media bias and tablets

The blogs are alive with the sound of rumours. Buzzing rumours, ruminating rumours, rumours of buzz...

Since several years, the web has been full of rumours about Apple's upcoming tablet computer, but the last few weeks the frenzy has been ridiculous. The most ridiculous thing is that no one seems to know what it is supposed to be used for. How are we going to use a tablet pc without keyboard and a decent size screen? Some people have guessed that it will be something with e-books, but they are just guesses.

So the world is buzzing with rumours about a product that people do not actually know the use for.

When I heard about the release about the first iPod back in 2001, I thought it could never work. When I heard about the iPhone, I was certain Apple was betting on the wrong horse. Well, I was not exactly right at the time. I have bought at least five iPods myself since then and use no other phone than my iPhone. However, the idea of a tablet computer is plain silly. This time I just may be right: it will not take off.