Luke's iPad Review Plus Some Tips

Well I've had my iPad for about a month and my predictions regarding what it was and how I'd use it were pretty accurate: as far as media consumption goes, the iPad is a ridiculously capable and beautiful toy. I say toy because I tend to use it for fun. If anyone out there is using it efficiently for work or non-fun things, more power to them.

Some of the notable pros

• Being able to switch orientations at any time (especially when just browsing apps) is a feature that I now find myself longing for on the iPhone. Some sites have griped about how the vertical orientation has 4 apps per row while the horizontal has 5 apps per row which apparently completely befuddles people as to how/where to find their apps. Uh, here's a tip: if it's not on the row you're looking at, it's either one row up or one row down.
• Orientation lock is also fantastic and something else that is hopefully coming soon to the iPhone.
• The battery life is incredible. 10 hours of heavy usage is legit. I have push notifications turned on for just about everything, use the iPad as my primary iPod during work and still only have to charge once every 2 days usually.
• The native apps are great - Mail, Contacts, YouTube and Calendar is probably my favorite. Since it has "List" view with the big screen, it might actually be the best iCal app that Apple has put out. List view on the iPhone is nice, but small. List view on iCal on the Mac doesn't exist.

Some of the notable cons

• I haven't really figured out the keyboard yet. I took to the iPhone keyboard like a duck to water. The two-thumb "just type and trust that the iPhone will figure it out" technique works great for me. The two thumb technique isn't really an option on the iPad since the screen is so big. Trying to do a full qwerty set up with both hands ... I haven't found the groove.
• You really do need something to set this thing on. Holding it with one hand while using it with the other for an extended period of time just isn't comfortable. I guess all this means is that this thing isn't quite yet the Star Trek communicator.
• I haven't acclimated to the $10+ price point on certain apps yet. I guess the semi-standard $1 price tag on iPhone apps has me pulling a Scrooge here, but so far I haven't bought an app that cost more than $5.

In Summary

It's a gorgeous toy. As far as consuming email, websites, social media, video, audio, it's as good as it gets. Content creation is not as outstanding, but obviously still doable. The keyboard is quite usable and a bluetooth connected keyboard clears up that issue. Still a laptop or desktop has it beat when it comes to composing big documents, spreadsheets, etc. I didn't get the 3G because my primary usage will be at work, home, airports ... all of which have wifi these days. Plus the 3G is $30/month. And my iPhone already has 3G so i'll use my iPhone when I really need data and I'm not near a wireless. In short, this is one of the best unnecessary toys I've ever purchased. When it comes to sitting on the couch and goofing around on the web, the iPad is the best "laptop" ever.

Notable Apps

This is my home page.

• Native apps of Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Maps, Videos, YouTube and the iTunes/App Stores are fantastic. The origami slide show is exceptionally pretty and fun to use. You can see it in the first couple seconds of this video.
• Evernote is on all my devices - all my Macs, PCs and my iPhone (both work and home). I use it for taking notes, keeping extra copies of receipts and keeping To Do lists.
• I use YouTube on the iPad more than I use it on my computer. The layout and flow is fantastic.
• Yahoo Entertainment is now my go-to TV guide.
• Netflix and ABC are great for watching stuff when you're on WiFi.
• USA Today, Instapaper Pro (one of the afore-mentioned $5 apps I bought), NewsRack (another $5 gone) and Stumble Upon make for great reading material. Instapaper Pro allows me to save articles to read later when I'm not connected to WiFi. NewsRack is the best RSS reader I've found so far.
• Twitterific is the free Twitter client I'm using until Tweetie comes out with something for the iPad.
• And then my home screen games: Words HD, We Rule, Godfinger. All fun online games that you can check in on for 5 minutes or 60 minutes at a time.
• My username is johnsonl33 pretty much across with board if you want to play Words with me or be my friend on We Rule or Godfinger.
• One thing I'll see is that I think the iPod app actually has a ton of room for improvement (pending a future blog post or a call from Steve Jobs).

And onto my 2nd page.

• More fun reading apps: SkyGrid, Zinio Magazine Reader, New York Times Editors' Choice.
• NBA Courtside is a great companion while watching NBA playoff games.
• The Marvel app is so well done that I read my first comic in 15 years recently and plan to read more.
• Plenty of reading options - iBooks and Kindle are pretty much the same - no crazy stand outs that I can see that one has over the other. Stanza is the carry over from the iPhone that has all the books I've downloaded from drinkmalk.com. I need to take the time to switch them over to iBooks for an iPad-optimized reading experience.
• GoodReader is a great tool that allows for storing, organizing and viewing of files you receive via the web - PDFs, images, etc.
• Some carry overs from the iPhone: WootWatch, Zenbe Lists for GTD, Bookworm, Streak For The Cash, ESPN Scorecenter, Remote and Drop7. All these apps proved good enough that I still use them even though they're not iPad optimized.
• Again I can't say enough about Drop7 - possibly the best iPhone/iPad game I've come across yet.
• And then we have some iPad optimized games: Pinball HD, SpaceStation, Sudoku and Implode! All pretty and very fun - Pinball being the real winner of the bunch. What a gorgeous and well executed game. I can understand why it's been in the App Store top 5 since its release.

Tips and Accessories

• Wallpapers - As gorgeous as the default wallpaper for the iPad is, there's plenty more great backgrounds to be found at interfacelift.com already sized for the iPad.
• Also I've cut and cropped a few of my favorite carry overs from the past years that haven't yet been cropped by the original authors. Check out my collection here.

• Accessories - As you can see in my pics at the top of the post, I picked up this little gem for my iPad stand - the Fellowes Study Stand. I actually picked up 2 since they're only $5 each - one for my desk, oen for the coffee table. No need for a $30 iPad dock. Just grab one of these. And they fold up so you can take one with you.
• And I also found this little guy collecting dust in my company's supply closet - a slightly nicer option for a couple extra bucks. You can find them at Office Depot.
• For travel, I had to bite the bullet and pick up a case. I got this one. It comes a portable/foldable stand that works great on trays on planes. Worth the $40 (I guess).
• I use my static free cloth that came with my iMac to wipe down the screen every now and then. The screen does a good job of "shining through" the finger prints, but it's still nice to have something to wipe it down every so often.

In the words of Ferris Bueller, "if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

Kaitlyn and Eric's Wedding

Kaitlyn and Eric's wedding featuring Thank God I Miss You by Ben Rector and then the greatest wedding song of all time - Footloose!

Sorry for the mushy start.

Another Day, Another T-Shirt

"What t-shirt am I gonna wear? Can't decide! Brain anneurism!"

-Tenacious D

The Bachelor Diaries: On The Wings of Awkward Proposals

Well, here we are. Another season almost in the bag. And all we need to do is stomach our way through 2 hours of awkward interaction with the family that raised what grew to be Jake. Oh yeah ... and helicopter arrivals for the big decision. Aviation.

• Jake goes with "so in love" for both of the ladies? WTF, Jake.
• "My family just shut down their lives to come out here and help me." The whole St. Lucia thing probably didn't hurt, dude.
• "Both laugh at my stupid jokes," says Jake. Mom's reaction: "Wow." So far I love Mom.
• LOVE Mom. "Is she the girl everybody hated?"
• First commercial break. I'll agree with Ando's logic that he's gonna pick Vienna due to a) lack of previous marriage baggage, b) the Hooters girl factor (aka rocked Jake in the bedroom) and c) the fact that she has nothing going on besides being in love with Jake.
• Tenley, cool it on the mmhmm's, yeah's and uh huh's with Jake's mom. Just let her ask the damn question.
• You know what Tenley's good at? Conversing while crying.
• I'm pretty sure this all means that Vienna's time with the fam is going to be a fracking train wreck.
• "You need to tell her how goofy you get," says Mom to Jake. Yeah, tell her, but whatever you do, don't show her.
• Chances of Jake coming up with the idea of jumping in the pool himself? What number is lower than 0%?
• The train wreck is off to a ridiculously fast start. Vienna is like a train wreck engineer. Every move she makes brings this date to a new disastrous level.
• Okay. Every girl on The Bachelor and every girl in Jake's family and every girl I know can't all be wrong. Vienna is like rabies for women. Within 20 minutes, every girl in earshot is approaching foaming at the mouth rage.
• The female in-laws talking to Vienna: "You and Tenley are so different. Like night and day different. Like you're the day ... and like ... I'm a vampire. Like Jake chooses you and I'll burst into flames and die." Not verbatim, but I think the conversation went something like that.
• What just happened? Mom changed her mind and one of the in-laws is crying for judging Vienna? Did I black out over the last 5 minutes? I have no idea how Vienna turned the tide. Seriously.
• So Jake opens the Vienna date with "how do you feel about sulphur?" If I were to ask a girl this question at the beginning of a date in an alternative universe, here's the descending list of answers I'd most like to hear. A) "Uh. What? You're weird." B) "I hate sulphur." C) "I LOVE sulphur!!"
• It'd be a lot more fun if these 2 were using this mud to hide from the predator. In fact just about anything would be better than this date.
• Vienna was married for 3 days? When/how did I miss out on this fun fact?
• If nothing else, the bachelor is a vehicle for people to say every cliche they've ever heard out loud and feel like they actually mean them.
• No one has ever said "Tomorrow, one of these girls is going to be my fiance" with a frown on their face ... until Jake.
• "You captivated me deeper than I've ever been," says Jake about Tenley. I don't even know what that means. I think it's a compliment, but I'm not sure.
• My new greatest hope for the finale is that Jake proposes to Tenley and then she says no. Please please please please please.
• Grey's Anatomy is still on ... huh.
• Tenley and Jake just talked for a long time. I have nothing interesting or funny to add.
• You know what I could go for? A lot of cliched voice over from Jake with an extended shot of him sitting like this:
• 
  
• Perfect.
• Obligatory ring choosing segment -> obligatory selection of a horrible tie and it's time for chopper arrivals.
• Last minute prediction: he goes with Tenley cuz he still feels bad about whatever he said on the boat and just cuz breaking up with Tenley would be so much more of a dick move. And if there's anything we learned this season, it's that Jake is the opposite of a dick.
• Woops. So much for my last minute prediction.
• Ho. Leecrap this is even worse than I imagined.
• And then it got worse when Tenley somehow thanked him for rejecting her. And took crying while conversing to a new level.
• Sign of how horrendous the last segment was: I stopped busying myself with the Internet to pay attention to the DWTS reveal. Erin Andrews, HELLO!
• Just thought of something that made me physically smile. How pissed is Ali right now?
• Well everyone, what have we learned? Being one of the most hated females in Bachelor history pays off in the end. That's what.
• I have 3 words for you, ABC, Jake and The Bachelor franchise regarding this season: Fail. Epic Fail.

I got nothing. I'll see about doing "After The Final Rose" at a later date. It was all downhill after they booted Roslyn.

The Bachelor Diaries: On The Wings of Roslyn's Infidelity

It is on. What is it, you ask? It. Harrison. Roslyn. Arms folded grudge match. Is on. It. Plus some more crying from Ali I'm sure.

• Reliving Elizabeth's insanely awkward note reading ... coulda done without that.
• Just in case you can't tell what's "live" and what's not, the super duper not live stuff is the stuff where they've turned up the contrast so much that you kind of have to squint and everything is blurry. The really not live stuff is at normal contrast ... oh and is all happening in the fracking studio with the audience. Bungie jumping. Two dudes on a couch. Top of Coit Tower. Live studio audience. I wouldn't know which was which without the contrast.
• Oooooh, past season catch up when we get back. "You won't believe what happens when these people get together," says Harrison. Unless they combine forces to create the super large hadron collider, I'm probably gonna believe it.
  
• Jesse! My boy! GNARRRRRRR, dude!
• Nikki, I was so happy to have forgotten you.
• Did Wes just say nipple? I ran it back 4 times and can't say for sure that he's saying nipple. He uses nipples to quantify his good times?
  
• To recap ... nope. No super large hadron collider. Just drinking, flirting and making out.
• Oops, wait apparently "with great success comes ..." the need to work with 5th graders and paint life guard stands. Not exactly as quotable as Uncle Ben, but I guess it works.
• The Bachelor and someone named Mike Fleiss gave money to Ellen? Who's Mike Fleiss? Oh.
  
• Harrison says "the most memorable women are here tonight." Which girls watching at home just started crying?
• Ashley, I haven't forgotten about you.
  
• Did Gia just say that Tenley shits rainbows? Where was this personality during the season, Gigi?
• These stories about Roslyn are easily the most interesting stories from the whole season. The season has been that bad.
• Pot shots Harrison has taken at Michelle tonight ... at least 5. Don't pick on the crazy ones, Harrison. They don't know you're making fun of them half the time.
• All things considered, props to Michelle's crazy ass. She defended herself well against Harrison, Ali's "look at me" interruption and her own condemning footage.
  
• How many more viewings before Jake double closing Ali's limo door is not funny? 100? 1,000?
• What the hell is going on? Ali just apologized to Vienna and asked others to stick up for her.
• Looks wise, I'll say it. I'm not mad at Ashleigh or Elizabeth.
• Of all the cruel ironies, why did they reunite Roslyn with her steamy staffer during the walk through the back halls of the studio?
• 
• Harrison, we see that ring on your finger. No reason to try to score points with Roslyn.
• "Son, isn't the simplest story the truth?" Yes. Yes it is, Dr. Phil.
  
• How in the hell do they not have any footage of this?
  
• I know what would settle this once and for all. Have her try on the glove!
  
• How great would it be if Roslyn really was telling the truth and all the girls met late one night and formulated this conspiracy? At this point, that's my greatest hope for the outcome of this story.
• "Back by popular demand, your bachelor, Jake!" You go to hell, Harrison. You go to hell and you die!
• "When we were sitting on that bench, my heart was crying." I loathe this man.
• 
  
• Most unexpected tears of the night: Kathryn. No question. Did you WATCH the show? This guy sucks! What are you crying about?
• 
  
• I told you you blew it with Christina, Jake.
  
• ANOTHER pot shot at Michelle. Chris is ruthless tonight.
• For those scoring at home, it's 9:48pm and Steve just went upstairs and put himself to bed. Night, Steve.
• These outtakes are tremendously tremendous. (USA! USA! USA!) Harrison's response to what he uses on his teeth is my fav. And Ashleigh's send off.
• And someone get Corrie and Tenley their own show.

Next week on The Bachelor, we find out who's on the next DWTS!!! Oh and Jake picks between "sugar and spice." Which one's which exactly?

More importantly, the guy that watched Roslyn why she packed her bags and walked her to the studio tonight ... is named Paulie. And he's single!

The Bachelor Diaries: On The Wings of Fantasy Suites

Okay, it's time for the episode where all the actual dates are just prelude to a phone call from Ms. Career Woman Ali. So much for Eyes On The Prize. Oh and I forgot about the fantasy suites ... probably because the idea of Jake making a move on these chicks is about as natural as a jet planes. Aviation.

• The throwbacks to night one are kinda fun. Tenley's name is "Tenley ... like the number ten." Cute.
• Holy crap Vienna was the girl that asked to see Jake's abs straight out of the limo. I can't even imagine all the other ladies watching that episode back.
• "So I've watched about 5 minutes of this season and I hate this dude." My ever-wise roommate Dave, everybody.
• Ali is back "home" which looks a lot like a hotel room ... and sleeps with pictures of Jake by her bed. What do you call someone that puts food on the shelves at a grocery store? A stalker, that's right. (Wrong spelling, but go with me, people.)
• 2 thoughts about Gia and Jake's time in the city. 1) There's not even a word for how annoying Gia is. 2) Jake can not dance. At all.
• Wait a minute. Leap of faith ... jump of the dock into the ocean. Oh. Oh I see what you did there. Not even close to clever or charming.
• Ugh. Jake dons the necklace.
• Here's a sampling of convo during dinner. Jake: "You're very deep." Gia: "... Like, more than I would ever open up, like, really, like you don't even -- you don't even know." Deep indeed, Jake. Deep.
• Somehow the men's snowcross on the olympics has pulled me away from this deep conversation. This course is insane.
• "Eh ha. I'm ready to use the key. Eh ha!" She's deep and not shy ... and annoying beyond words.
• Tenley arrives just in time for 1,000th helicopter ride in Bachelor history!! You figure they would have rolled out some balloons or some confetti or something.
• Tenley thinks Jake loves to dance? Someone roll the Gia date for her.
• Fantasy Suite? More like Can't-asy suite! Cuz Tenley has only been with one man ... in case you hadn't heard Tenley the first 489 times. What? No recycling of jokes allowed?
• "This came from Chris Harrison ... and I'm really excited about it," says Jake. Holy crap, you sold her, Jake. I might actually be impres -- nah, can't go that far.
• Euphemisms for sex learned during tonight's show ... Tenley: "moving forward." Gia: "Ready to use the key."
• Oh no, they've shifted to pairs figure skating on the other TV. I'm forced to watch the rest of this date.
• Onto Vienna's date ... Putting an eye patch on Jake is like putting a birthday hat on a dog. He's immediately disoriented and he's gonna squirm uncomfortably until he figures out a way to get it off.
• "I don't care if we're in St. Lucia or Texas, I just want to be with him." What are you trying to say, Vienna? What are you trying to say?
• Well this date is mostly unbearable. Hey look, I was a one-year-old lush!
• Gist of the dinner date as best I can tell ... there will be no suspense when it comes to fantasy suite choice time.
• Tenley's euphemism for the evening: "show him another side of me." No real need for euphemism in this case.
• Uh, so much for suspense of the next segment ... looks like Ali's headed for Lucia.
• Why do they even bother asking for bachelor and bachelorette nominees on the website? How long has it been since we've had a newcomer as the main character? If only I had the past 5 or so odd seasons documented somehow ... shit.
• Key quote from the Jake/Ali phone convo: "Ehhhhhh." Ali's got a real way with words. I can see why he asked her back.
• Wow, looks like the damn editors at ABC got me again. Jake makes a stand. In your face, Ali! Aviation!
• That was a really really really long segment to end up right where we were at the end of the last episode.
• Gia's head tilt during her video diary makes me want to jam handfuls of marbles into my eyes.
• For the sake of drama, I hope he drops Vienna mostly cuz I think her freak out would involve the most acting out. Gia would probably cry and do an annoying whimper very similar to her annoying laugh. And dumping Tenley at this point would just be too cruel for words.
• This has to be one of the most numbing episodes in Bachelor history. I'm averaging 0.67 comments per segment over the last 4 segments.
• First draft pick - Tenley. Very impressive turn around for her.
• Oh Gia. Gia Gia Gia. Your mom was way off, right?! Lesson learned: don't listen to your mom after she's only known a guy for 2 hours.
• Did anyone else catch the giant smile on Harrison's face as he walked in to give Gia the boot? Dude was downright giddy.
• Gia's complete acceptance of all this is ... bizarre. Sad and bizarre.
• Oh and I just noticed she's wearing the necklace thing on her wrist. Please take it off for your own dignity. Good gravy.
• What is this dirt road they're taking Gia away on? Are they going to ... take care of her? Seems like the airport would be on a paved road.
• Jake puts the cherry on top of the most awkward toast of the season with not only a group hug but talk of how hard it was to get rid of Gia. Smooth as always.
• Be proud, ladies. Jake thinks you're "the best of the best."

Next week, good times with the return of the crazies from this season. And enough non-verbal reactions from Vienna and Tenley to keep us all guessing.

The Bachelor Diaries: On The Wings of Self Loathing

Well here we are again. Looks like we're in for another week of interaction that leaves you wondering "what exactly do they see in this guy besides the aviation and the abs?" At least we get some funny accents and a lot of dramatic leaning.

• Fashion question - long sleeve shirt while wearing shorts and flip flops ... better than a hoodie leather jacket?
• "That's the empire state building with the thing on the top." Really, Gia? Really?
• Amazing conversationalist moment #1: "So this is where you're from."
• Good news! The mega-annoying laugh has been upgraded to hyperultra-annoying.
• "He always as they say 'has my back.'" Who's they, Gia's mom? I don't think anyone knows what you mean.
• Gia's brother Erick's hair takes the blowout to new levels. In your face, Pauly D.
• 
• Gia's mom is a cliche machine. She's a multi-conglomerate cliche factory. "Reach for them stars, but keep one foot on that ground." She likes to throw in her own little twists though ... obviously.
• Onto Ali's town ... full leg and arm clasp hug count: 2. Are they coached on these greetings?
• Amazing conversationalist moment #2: "There's a lot of leaves."
• Ali: "My mom is not an easy lady ..." she says "... to impress." Whew. That was about to get awkward there.
• I'll confess to spending the majority of the Ali family dinner date trying to figure out what was wrong with Gretzky during the Olympic opening ceremonies last night. Did that dude have to use the restroom or something?
  
• Just got snapped back into focus when Ali said she'd marry Jake today. I'm guessing Jake would like to see her open up a bit more. It's gonna be tough when she has all these walls up.
• Hmmm, looks like Tenley's date is not going to be a big upper and it looks like Ali loses it later.
• Aaaaaaand the streak is broken. No leg clasp from Tenley. Damn your walls, Tenley. Damn them!
• I wonder what Mia would have to say about Tenley's routine? Or even Jill?
• Unlike Gia's mom, Tenley isn't interested in Jake having her back, she just hopes that "We'll be a we." Tenley's a cliche innovator.
• If you ever want Jake to say the word "aviation" just say something like "You saw what Jake loves" and then pause for 0.25 seconds. Guaranteed he says "aviation" with an especially pompous tone.
• The Tenley dinner in a word: eeeeeemotions.
• Jake to Tenley's dad: "I guess what I'm asking is ... can I marry your daughter ... assuming I pick her from the 4 girls I'm currently dating that is."
• Tenley's dad, thanks for playing along. Really, we appreciate it, but c'mon you're not really granting your marital blessing after 2 hours, right?
• Onto Vienna's date. Of course she lives in Florida. Reminds me of a segment that Carolla used to do on his radio show called "Germany or Florida" where someone would read a news article about some crazy person doing something insane and then Carolla would guess if the story originated in Germany or Florida. Vienna is one giant game of Germany or Florida.
  
• Jake goes 2 for 4 with leg clasps. You can't win 'em all, Jake.
• Jake also goes 2 for 4 with dates involving boats which leads to this exchange ...
• Vienna: "You do know how to drive a boat, right?" Jake: "Aviation. Er, I mean. Yes."
• Hey, Vienna's dad, I've got 2 words for ya. Consider Lasik.
  
• 
• Is Vienna adopted? Honestly she looks nothing like these people.
• So Ali has to go home cuz of her job? But she checks her email on the weekends, what more do these corporate slave drivers want!?!? Probably for her not be gone for weeks at a time dating a pilot.
  
• This is the look of a chick that just remembered how much she hates her competition ... and is ready to jet.
• 
• Also, is this a hair style that Ali is rocking? Or is it just ... hair?
• Crap I just remembered a clip from "this season on the bachelor" with Ali that hasn't happened yet. So much for the suspense. See you on the exotic date.
• This is why I watch the Bachelor. I think this is why we all watch the Bachelor. She held this pose for a good 15 seconds.
• 
• Huh. I guess my memory failed me. Later, Ali.
• I hope that Gia, Vienna and Tenley have all stood in silence this whole time. Possibly an occasional laugh out of nowhere from Gia that makes the other two roll their eyes.

Next week, Jake puts on a necklace. I think some other stuff happened, but I was too thrown off by the necklace to notice.