Tag Archive for: apple

Powerpoint Zen

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I found this great website called Presentation Zen authored by Garr Reynolds. There are a couple of interesting posts. One on the presentation style of Bill Gates and the other which contrasts the visual approach used by Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Reynolds’ view is that we can use many of the concepts in Zen and Zen aesthetics to compare their presentation visuals and gain some insight as to how to improve our own visuals. Some great ideas.

And some really amusing differences in presentation styles. Jobs is not afraid to use blank slides as a way to enhance his presentation. And he keeps his arms wide open and his body language is natural. Gates typically uses dense Powerpoints. His body language does not come across the same way. The two pictures convey the difference.

Jobs

Gates

Rigs

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Okay. I received a number of requests to post a picture of my Mac rig. Since I have a few Macs, I thought I would highlight a picture of the dual processor G5 that is in the studio.

My Apple G5

Quite stunning. The attention to detail is evident across the platform. And, for those who are interested, here is a picture of the Wintel box it replaced. Attention to detail inside a Wintel computer is optional. Much like the Wintel platform itself.

Messy PC

Mac Rig

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A few interesting observations about the cult of Mac. It seems as though people love their Macs so much that they take pictures of them and post them. TUAW has regular posts of Mac rigs like the following:

Mac Rig

And so, without further ado, here is a picture of my favourite Mac rig, Grill’n and Chill’n:

Mac's Rig

Yojimbo

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I came across this really cool little application and I am using it for one reason only. My userid/password list has grown out of control.

I suppose it all began innocently enough. I started with an email account at work. And then an online bulletin board, if you can remember that far back. You know, before the Internet became popular.

Since then, I’m not sure what happened. I have way too many email accounts: work, home, blackberry, gmail, website domains that I own, hotmail. Almost a dozen email accounts in total. Then there are voice mail accounts. Website accounts. LAN accounts. And on, and on.

I have well over one hundred userid/passwords. And, for low frequency access, I am starting to have trouble recalling the correct userid/password combination. I have tried to use a consistent userid handle and a consistent password strategy but the world of technology has made userid/passwords an absolute and complete farce. I’m not sure why some websites are so concerned about my security that they force me to create a userid/password just to download a demo of a package. Yet another userid/password.

Some of them are not worth remembering. But certain ones are. I have several Sympatico accounts. And I do not remember the specifics. Last time I changed my wife’s computer, I had to spend over an hour with technical support, most of that time spent waiting in a queue, to obtain her userid/password. Sympatico likes to use some bizarre userid naming scheme like b1yfrg72. What’s with that?

And so, much like organizing my digital photos, I have organized my digital identities. Over one hundred in all. And I used Yojimbo to help me out. Their password list is encrypted. And I have to use a password to gain access to my list of passwords.

Now if only I could remember that password!

Yojimbo

iBrief

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A romantic touch for your iPod is available here. I guess the key question is: boxers or briefs? You have my answer.

First the iPod sock and now this. Where will it end?

iBrief

Cool Movie

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Someone has the magic touch with Photoshop.

Enemy of Bill Gates

iPod Theology

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Pastor Sal Sberna leads the congregation of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. For whatever reason, the Associated Press carried a story on his recent sermon series on iPod Theology. Sberna hopes to increase his 4,000 member church to over 20,000. And part of his strategy is to appeal to a younger, professional audience.

His iPod Theology appears to be captured in the following excerpt from one of his sermons:

When I go to iTunes, I select all that I want. When I go to Jesus Christ, he gives me all that I need. It’s that simple… Why have you not bought one of these things? These are so cool. They cost a little bit of money, but they are worth the money. Let me tell you something about salvation, it’s free but it’s not cheap.

Deep. A theology that promotes the idea that life is all about what I want and need. It’s that simple.

I don’t think so.

iBelieve