Reggie Watts disorients you in the most entertaining way - TEDtalksDirector
“a man who carries too much stuff, drops it” - ancient made up saying.
2012 Resolution Update
I posted my 2012 Resolutions (http://bit.ly/A0pdhy) a few months ago (around New Years in fact!) and here’s an update.
I haven’t run a marathon, but I did run a half-marathon. I did the Goodlife Toronto Half-Marathon and finished in 1:52:36, well under my 2 hour target. I’m feeling confident that I’ll be able to run the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon in October.
My second resolution, to increase my income through freelance work has not been successful thus far. I have worked on some cool projects, but mostly for free. Work at RiverdaleMac has been more demanding, as we’re growing our business.
And finally, my resolution to live in the moment, I feel has made some progress. My “No Computer” experiment has certainly helped. I’ve also been walking to work, which gives me two hours a day to people watch and enjoy my own thoughts. I’ve also been trying to leave my iPhone at home more and more, even if it’s just to take Cooper for a walk.
This post is more for me than for you. I need to post it publicly to keep myself honest.
Head to Head Comparison: Apple’s Siri Versus Samsung’s S Voice [VIDEO]
The Verge has posted a comparison video that puts Apple’s Siri versus Samsung’s S Voice. The latter was introduced by Samsung when they debuted their latest flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III. Early on many noted S Voice ‘resembled’ a clone of Siri on the iPhone 4S. Cosmetics put aside–how do both of these voice assistants compare when they are put head to head?
Check out the video below and see for yourself:
A recent trip to the U.S. enabled me to experience the full capabilities of Siri, versus her lack of location services in Canada. It was actually quite handy asking for directions and seeing results come up when asking for coffee shops or restaurants. Let’s hope Siri receives Canadian localization soon–maybe at WWDC 2012?
[via The Verge]
Head to Head Comparison: Apple’s Siri Versus Samsung’s S Voice [VIDEO] is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada’s #1 iPhone Resource
Related posts:
- Voice Dictation Battle: Apple’s Siri vs Microsoft’s Tellme [VIDEO]
- Samsung’s S Voice Looks Oddly Similar to Apple’s Siri [VIDEO]
- The Voice Behind the UK English Version of Siri is Revealed
Obama Answers Twitter Questions Himself
President Barack Obama is no stranger to Twitter; he held his first Town Hall on the microblogging network, at the White House, complete with Master of Ceremonies Jack Dorsey, just under a year ago.
But that was easy — Obama got as much time and space as he wanted to answer the questions posed on Twitter. How about the president replying in tweet form, in real time?
Thursday, with his reelection campaign getting into gear, Obama decided to respond to a few questions via Twitter while in Iowa — and this time, it was his fingers on the keys.
The Q&A session just ended, so check out what the President had to say in our Storify below. How do you think Obama did with a 140-character limit? Did he get his points across effectively, or use way too many abbreviations? Let us know in the comments.
[View the story “Barack Obama Hosts Twitter Chat” on Storify]
More About: barack obama, Politics, Storify, trending, Twitter
Jay Leno Stole a Guy’s YouTube Video and Then Got It Banned [Copyright]
iPad 2 > the new iPad
The new iPad gets too hot. It’s not like it’s burning me or anything but when I’m sitting in the summer heat and already sweating, I don’t need to be holding something that is producing its own heat. I totally understand why it’s hotter; twice as many LEDs, 70% larger battery, quad-core GPU and LTE all in a super slim package. I get it. But it isn’t comfortable to use.
The battery is annoying. Technically it gets the same battery life as the iPad 2 (on paper anyway, I haven’t tested it) but it feels like it is dying quickly. I hate the feeling that my battery may die. This is the same reason I haven’t been able to switch to Android yet, the batteries just seem to be dying constantly. The iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S just don’t feel like they’re draining.
It is heavier. I went from an iPad 2 Wi-Fi model to a new iPad LTE model and an extra .3lbs makes a difference. When I’m holding it (in my sweaty hands because of the heat), it feels heavy and droppable. The iPad 2 doesn’t feel this way.
The iPad 2 is just as fast, for what I do. Web, email, blogging and YouTube, the iPad 2 is just as fast. In fact, sometimes the new iPad even hesitates where I don’t remember the iPad 2 doing the same.
The iPad is still the greatest device ever made and no tablet can even stand close to it, but all I’m saying is, if you don’t need the specific features of the new iPad, get an iPad 2.
PS. This post is my opinion and my opinion only and not that of my employer, the fruit themed technology company that my employer represents.
Apple - iPhone 4S - TV Ad - Life - Apple
One Week Computerless
I’m one week in to my computer free existence. Last week I sold my iMac and have limited myself to an iPad and iPhone for all of my productivity and entertainment (outside of work). I must admit, I did crack a bit by upgrading my iPad. I started this week with a 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2. I’ve now switched to a new iPad with 32GB of storage and LTE connectivity. I decided this was a worthy upgrade for a few reasons. The screen makes the hours of reading more enjoyable, the storage means I can more realistically try to edit some video on the iPad, using Avid’s app and finally LTE untethers me from Wi-Fi. I’ve cancelled my home broadband connection, I had Fibe 25 from Bell with an upgraded bandwidth cap. I was paying $65 a month because I was downloading torrents, HD movies and streaming Netflix regularly. I used over 140GB of data last month at home. Without a computer I don’t think I need those kinds of limits, so I’ve purchased a 5GB LTE plan from Bell and together with my 6GB plan on my iPhone, this should be sufficient.
To combat some data useage I will have to use Starbucks or my work’s Wi-Fi for large app downloads and to download a movie or two from iTunes once in a while.
Netflix’s option to stream a lower resolution video also helps, now that I’m using a 10” screen and not a 1080p 21” screen.
The only barrier I’ve bumped into so far is when I tried to download a large image that was compressed in a zip file, I was SOL. It was a photo from justhundred.com, a friend’s ongoing photography project. I told him about it and they’re making high-res images available, without zipping them. Yippee!
My long weekend started on Monday (thanks to working in retail!) so I’ve been off for the last 3 days, back to work today. This gave me lots of time I needed to fill, lounging around my apartment. I typically would have spent these days sitting at my desk and scrolling through Facebook, tumblr, twitter and Google Reader. I still did quite a bit of this, but my balcony or at a local coffee shop. I also finished a book for the first time since Steve Jobs’ biography. I read Quiet by Susan Cain, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in introversion. Whether you are an introvert, work with one or live with one. Very enlightening book and I wish I had read it a year ago. It would have made my last relationship much easier, for me and my extroverted ex.
So one week in, I’m loving it! More to come.
UPDATE: winzip for iOS solves my zip file problem. Thanks @ftwphoto!
President Obama orders federal agencies to optimize sites for smartphones and tablets
President Obama has issued a directive to urge major government agencies to focus on the “growing mobile revolution.” In a note issued by The White House this week, Obama says “it is time for the Federal Government to do more” to assist American people using Government services on smartphones or tablets. “American people have been forced to navigate a labyrinth of information across different Government programs in order to find the services they need,” says Obama, while highlighting the trend of people paying bills and buying tickets on mobile devices.
A new strategy, entitled “Digtital Government: Building a 21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People,” was issued this week with a 12-month roadmap for agencies to…
