The Pink Mac

AFK

 

Yes, I know, I have been AFK for a while now, but if you hold tight, I will be back shortly with some new content for the blog. In the meantime, let’s just run down what has happened since we last spoke.
1. I won Nanowrimo 2011 with my novel The Alchemist’s Club
2. I bought a pretty new iPad sleeve case*
3. I made a bunch of new writing friends including a former MacUser writer
4. I spent most of December recovering from November and planning out the ending of my novel (which I didn’t actually complete during nano, and have yet to complete at this point)
5. I was gifted new tech accessories, such as an awesome and affordable stylus and a sparkly sleeve case for my macbook*
6. This blog turned 3
7. I continued decorating my apartment*
8. I read dozens of articles on tech, productivity and life in general*
9. I signed up for Code Year*
10. I backed an awesome Kickstarter project*
*More info to come
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!
lifestyle The Pink Mac

Why I am canceling my Netflix DVD service

This morning, like many others, I woke to find an apologetic email from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings explaining yet another change to my Netflix service. As you may already be aware, this email discussed the further dismemberment of Netflix services by explaining that Netflix DVD service is now re-branded as Qwikster, a service that will replicate the current Netflix DVD service, but will ultimately be a separate entity from Netflix and a separate website.

When I first joined Netflix in 2009, I was lured in by the convenience of having an instant library of movies that could stream to my computer as well as the flexibility of receiving DVDs by mail when my movie or TV show of choice was not available in streaming. It was like having access to a complete library of movies and shows practically 24/7 and it couldn’t have been any more convenient. On top of that, the prices for the plans were unbeatable. So much so, that I did not and, still do not, have expanded cable. Netflix was saving me and plenty of others probably about $100 a month!
But then of course, earlier this year, they announced the change in their plan pricing that doubled the price of my plan. Although many were unhappy enough to leave Netflix behind, I understood the reasons Netflix was forced to take up pricing as even that was still a good price for the convenience and excellent service Netflix provided. So, I continued my same service, DVDs and streaming at the new increased price.

This new change, rather, separation, of the services has pushed me over the line. The major reason for this is that now, instead of having one website where I can go to browse movies, I will now need to browse two. The Netflix site was great because you could view movies by your taste and if you found something you liked you could add it to either one of your queues. Now, if you can’t find a movie in streaming, you will need to look for it on Qwikster and then manage that queue. I don’t want to seem lazy, but I am a consumer after all and I want things streamlined. I don’t want to jump from list to list, site to site to put my entertainment in order. Now, since I do use a majority streaming, I don’t want to loose that. I only use about 1-2 DVDs a month and the movies are usually things I can get on demand from Comcast my cable provider. So instead of paying Qwikster $8 a month to give me two DVDs, I will just rent the new movies from Comcast for a few bucks each. For the price of the service, its just not worth it to do double duty for something I rarely use.

I am sure I am not going to be the only one that feels this way, but if you have an opinion on the matter, please feel free to comment to add to the discussion.

As always, thanks for reading!

The Pink Mac

How Do You Carry Your iPad?

lifestyle The Pink Mac

An Immaculate Desk

Earlier this week I posted a video of my Office Tour that I hope everyone enjoyed. Since I now have my own office space in my new apartment, I am really excited over the idea of having an immaculate desk space. I think when you have a home office that you use for personal use, its very important for that space to be a place you want to be sitting and working at especially after a full work day at your actual office. For me, I really need a creative space to inspire my writing and I hope I am very close to achieving the balance I need to keep me focused and to keep me in my chair writing.

I found these images of other immaculate desks, as I like to call them, and I thought I would share them with you! These are taken from the Who What Wear offices. WWW is a fashion website, which would explain the awe inspiring decor, that reminds me of the set of The Devil Wears Prada. Now, I’m certainly not running a fashion empire from my little office space but I would certainly like to set a good mood for my space and these images are just the inspiration I need and I hope you also get a little inspiration for your own desk space. Enjoy!

The Pink Mac

In Search of the Perfect iPad Case

So many to choose from.

As it has been well documented for us at The Pink Mac, we love iPad cases. Love them, obsessed with them, and yes, hoard them. Each of our cases have specific uses for specific times. For example my cheap $5 rubber case is for around house when I have little risk of putting my iPad in harms way in of the big wide world. Then there is my display case, perfect for different viewing angles which makes watching movies or showing off pictures a lot easier. But my most used is my rugged travel case. Thick padding and a cover fully protect my iPad while I take it out with me to school.

However, I have had this traveling case for some time, it is starting to wear down, and frankly I would like a change. So I need your help. I will describe everything I am looking for in an iPad case and if you have any ideas of what would fit my needs, please leave a comment below with a link to the case. If I like it and it is within my price range I will pick it up, use it, and even review it for the website!

1. Needs to fit an iPad 1
2. Needs to have a folio cover.
3. Have some padding for protection, but not so much that it is too bulky
4. Has a good method to hold the iPad in place, but does not cover too much of the sides around the screen.
5. Needs to have some form of a strap to connect the folio cover to the back while the case is open. I hate having a cover flap around and move while holding it.
6. It would be nice if there was a strap to put your hand through so you can hold the iPad with one hand.

Help me Pink Mac readers, your my only hope!

The Pink Mac

Back to the Blog: Office Tour

I know it has been a few months since my last post, but I am finally back to blogging after my eventful summer! I moved at the end of July and have been busy putting together my new apartment. I decided that I should give you guys a peek of my new office since I am pretty much done furnishing and decorating it. Enjoy and keep your eyes out for more new content coming soon!