Month: November 2011

The Pink Mac

My New Blackberry 9930!

This post is actually far overdue and has been a while in the making. I bought my new Blackberry back in August but have continuously been putting off a post about it despite the fact that I really believe its a great phone and I am extremely happy with it! So, here it is in all it’s glory!

There really isn’t much to say about the new Blackberry except that this is point blank the best Blackberry out on the market. It is so sleek it blows other BBs as well as other smart phones out of the water. It has a wide full qwerty keyboard which is a breeze to use compared to my old BB Tour’s keyboard which had smaller keys. It has a touch pad which I realize isn’t a new feature of Blackberry’s but it is new to me and I enjoy not having a trackball get stuck as I am trying to search for an app or a website. The feature that distinguishes this phone the most is probably the touch screen which in conjunction with the full keyboard and non-slider brick form is a first for RIM. In this day and age of touch screens, its really great to have a smartphone with a touchscreen so you can tap icons or pinch to zoom in webpages or images. The screen is large enough that you really get a lot of information packed in and catching up on your favorite website is totally possible with this phone!

Really, the best thing about the new Blackberry is really its speed. It is snappy and for the first time, I have been able to really use the internet browser on a smartphone. Websites load fast, and the search is quick. Maps and navigation are quick to use and other 3rd party applications run smoothly. Overall, I am very impressed with the new phone and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new Blackberry.

I have included a few links below with reviews on the phone in case you would like some more detail on the specs and such.
The Pink Mac

The Missing Links 11.5.11

Since I have already announced that I am partaking in NaNoWriMo again this year, I thought that I would put together a post full of links for other Mac users who are also participating. Whether this is your first year or not, and whether you are writing from a Mac, iPad or iPhone, these links are for you to find something new to help keep your word count at its maximum all month long!

  • Macworld has put together their annual collection of nanowrimo tips and tricks.
  • For those writing via iPad, Macgasm has collected an indispensable toolkit for November.
  • Need to find that perfect iPad software to keep you writing for 30 days, find it here.
  • Looking for the perfect OSX software to keep you on track, I love Scrivener!
  • Whether your using OSX or iOS, MacLife knows Mac users are nano-winners with this gear!
Happy Novel Writing my wonderful Mac Users!
{Image via Flickr}
The Pink Mac

NaNoWriMo 2011 has begun!

It’s November, and for me that means back to noveling as part of National Novel Writing Month. Not only am I taking on this 50,000 word challenge, but I have also volunteered to be the Municipal Liaison for my county. So, I am not only responsible for writing my own novel, but I am also responsible for an entire region of writers and helping them to achieve the goal as well! It was a little daunting at first, but after our Kick Off Party and meeting some of my regions participants I know that there is nothing to fear because I am in with a great group!

I am already ahead of the game with my word count, which makes me very happy, and my home office setup is perfect and includes the following:



Hardware:

13″ Macbook (circa 2006) connected to a 15″ Apple Studio Display

13″ Macbook Pro (2009)

16gb iPad (1st Gen)

Apple Pro Mouse

Apple Bluetooth Keyboard


Software:

Scrivener for Mac

Notebooks for iPad

Dropbox

Loads of iPad games like Splodes and Osmos HD


Misc:

Bowers & Wilkins P5 Headphones

Large Squared Moleskine

The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy on audiobook (I can’t write to music, only spoken word)

I have been trying to recreate that home office pictured above as it seems nice and cozy especially with the extreme weather we are getting on the east coast– it looks like we may have a snowy November ahead. This year I am very lucky because my fiance is also participating in the event, so we have built a novel writing schedule for ourselves to keep each other on track. I know its only day one, but I am feeling really good about this year’s novel, so I hope I have more positive updates to give you in the weeks to come.
lifestyle The Pink Mac

“Be a yardstick of quality.”

An unfortunate thing has happened since I last posted on this blog, and as you probably already know, Steve Jobs passed away on October 5th from complications associated with the pancreatic cancer he had been fighting for years. I know I didn’t know him, but I certainly felt connected to him through the numerous products of his that I brought into my life. I know that may some crazy to some people, but I believe objects can connect people (not just through the internet) and I believe Steve felt the same way.
Since Steve’s passing there have been so many publications focusing on his life, a biography, numerous magazine articles, and countless news and opinion pieces. I feel like I have been inundated by information regarding this man I never knew, yet who had such a big influence in my life. I saw a quote the other day from him that goes “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” You know, the funny thing about this quote is that I think the world considered Steve to be so revolutionary because he was living this way in a world that had forgotten the value of quality. So, lets all start living this way, expecting more from ourselves and others, because in the end that quality matters!