As someone who has an unnatural obsession with iOS devices, I have gone through my fair share of productivity apps, searching for the perfect combo that will allow me to maximize my iPad as an on the go writing solution. Since I now do a majority of my writing from an iPad, I have found that there are a few key apps that keep me productive and focused while I am working, which I can do practically anywhere thanks to the portability of my iPad. I do use a ClamCase Pro keyboard style case to turn my iPad into an ultrabook, which I have written about here. But these are the apps that help me get not only my writing done, but also plan, organize and research my writing topics.
1. Plaintext
When it comes to a perfect writing app for iOS devices, nothing hits the mark like PlainText. It’s simple interface combined with a few key features, such as document organization and word count, make it a word processing gem. As someone who has used countless word processors, I can safely say that PlainText is one of those apps that just gets out of the way and allows the user to write. A full screen mode helps keep you focused on your words without distraction. Since this is one of the view writing apps that is available in a free version, you can give it a whirl without risk, but once you try it, I suggest upgrading to the paid version for a few bucks to remove the ads for a more more immersive and clean writing experience.
2. Paper by 53
A major part of writing for me is processing my ideas and sketching out thoughts. Paper is one of the best sketching apps for creating idea lists and artwork to help you explore your creative side. You can organize your ideas into virtual Moleskine like journals where, like a real journal, you can get creative with handwritten notes, lists and drawings. Again, its free to try but it has a plethora of paid upgrades that you can pick and choose from to customize your own experience. I use it to make lists and outline rough ideas for articles and posts, but it can be used an nearly an infinite variety of ways.
3. DropBox
DropBox is one of those apps that is so useful you hardly remember your using it! It can help you sync DropBox enabled apps like PlainText, so that all your work is available to you on all your devices, or it can be used to transfer and backup your work. Use it to store PDFs and images for reference that can easily be moved from your computer to your iOS device without using valuable space on your portable devices. DropBox is a free app with a limited amount of space on a free subscription, but if you need more you can always upgrade and pay for additional space.
4. MindGenius for iPad
A great add on app that I find infinitely useful is MindGenius, which is basically a full featured mind mapping application for in depth concept development. Its not something that every writer will find necessary, but many will appreciate its simplicity and free price tag. If you are not someone who usually uses mind mapping software, I suggest giving this app a try and see if its something you would find useful for developing your ideas especially for longer pieces of writing.
5. NoteSuite
Every writer needs an app to help them organize their ideas and research. NoteSuite is a simple, low cost app with a variety of uses. Type or handwrite notes, create to do lists to organize article topics, clip webpages for research and reference, and annotate pdf’s and images all from one app. It works with a variety of document and image formats and syncs with DropBox, Google Drive and your Mac, so you can easily backup or move files between devices.
The other week I attended my second Apple Store opening! I am not exactly sure why I love attending these so much, but my husband and I like to collect the free Apple Store shirts they hand out at the door. So, whenever a store opens up in our area, we have a little tradition going to attend the opening, usually video taping the experience (I know, we are that couple)! What’s interesting though, is that each time we attend an opening, we notice that there are always a specific set of people who are in line with us. In case you have never experienced an Apple opening for yourself, I thought I should share my (comical) thoughts on the five types of people in line.
The bragger: Like the name suggests, the bragger is constantly talking about the apple products they own or have owned while they are waiting in line. I’m not sure if this sort of event brings out a sense of nostalgia in these people or what, but you can always spot them with a small group of people surrounding them as they lament how its a pitty indeed that they already own one of everything in the store, because they would really love to make a purchase if only there was something they actually needed during this visit. Clearly, like most in line they are just here for the experience and the free t-shirt, but they don’t want to admit that, so they focus their efforts on trying to figure out something they could buy!
The late comer: The last comers are an interesting group because you’re never quite sure if they just heard about the event and decided to show up, or if they planned to show up late. These folks have arrived 10 minutes before the store’s opening and are bewildered at why they aren’t at the front of the line. Clearly, they have no concept of how an Apple Store opening works, or really understand that people show up hours in advance to line up! Heck, they didn’t even know the mall opened that early! I secretly believe, however, that these types of people are actually the cleverest, because they do minimal waiting and still end up with a shirt. Seriously, who needs to waste 3 hours of their Saturday morning standing in line at a mall that isn’t even open just to get a shirt and be one of the first in the store?
The android user: These types of people always confuse me the most, not because I question why they are there, but because its always amazing how many of them there are in line. You are never exactly sure why they are there, and sometimes I think they can’t even answer that, but I am pretty convinced that they think it’s a game, denying a spot in line to a true apple fanboy or fangirl! You will usually hear them talking loudly about how androids phones are much better than iPhones and how PCs are far superior computers for gaming than Macs will ever be. Oh, and they will probably just sell the t-shirt on eBay! Such a waste!
The dedicated fanboy: These types are easiest to spot because they are carrying multiple apple products to the opening, including their iPad mini in a dedicated man purse and trying desperately to use more than one iOS device at a time. They are usually documenting their experience to a varying degree through pictures, videos or tweets, and wearing an Apple shirt from a previous event or some screen printed T with an obscure geek reference. You really can’t hate on these guys though because you know they have been planning this social outing for a while and really respect them for their dedication, although the android users are secretly mocking them!
The apple noob: This group includes mostly teenagers and some elderly folks who maybe own an iPhone or iPod? They really have no clue about apple technology but OMG couldn’t miss this! They are either with their parents, who couldn’t tell you the difference between a iPad and an iMac, or with a group of friends that may or may not include an android user. They are also very loud and taking an obsessive amount of pictures with Apple employees to share via social media. They will most likely spend a few hours in the store trying to download illegal music or switching the default homepage of each computer to a soft core porn site or the desktop background to their current favorite meme. Sigh!
Hello Everyone and Happy 4th of July to those of you in the U.S! Since today is a holiday for me, I didn’t have a post planned, so I wanted to share a video I uploaded on my YouTube channel today! It’s my monthly favorites for June 2013, aka my Fave Five! Hope you enjoy this video and the holiday!
With July 4th right around the corner I thought it would be a great time to discuss some of my favorite Summer Tech Tips. Some of these tips you may already be familiar with, others, not so much, but I keep all of these tips in mind when it comes to the summer because tech, gadgets and the summer time all have a very precarious relationship. After all, no one wants water damage on their tablet or to drop their iPhone off a roller coaster! So, here are my 10 Summer Tech Tips to get you and your gadgets through the summer months!
1. Keep your earbuds safe by keeping them wrapped up in a dedicated cord organizer or in a small contact lens case.
3. Use a dedicated hand cream like my favorite Caudalie or JR Watkins hand creams to prevent smudging on your touch screen devices.
4. Give your devices a deep clean every now and again by using anti-bacterial wipes. I use Wet Ones, and I always may sure my device is turned off before I begin cleaning it and always avoid any openings in the device housing!
5. Use a waterproof bikini bag to store any tech gadgets like phones or tablets when you are going to the beach or too the pool.
6. Use dedicated dust plugs to close up any openings in your device while you are at the beach. After all, sand always finds its way into the most unexpected places!
7. Use a heavy duty case for your smartphone while out and about this summer. Some brands even make waterproof cases that are perfect for those hiking and white water rafting adventures!
8. If you plan to use your devices outdoors this summer, make sure to invest in an anti-glare screen protector for the best viewing on your smartphone or tablet.
9. Pack a backup battery for long days out of the house or away from outlets.
10. Make sure to password protect your devices and activate any device location services you have available. Summer is a heavy season for theft and you don’t want to loose your device to crooks or the casual opportunist!
I hope these tips have been helpful to you! Hope you guys have a great summer and make sure to keep your gadgets safe and sound!
With July 4th coming up, I thought I would take a moment to talk to you about drinking, or rather, how to avoid drinking in social situations. This information doesn’t just apply to July 4th weekend, but can be applied all year round if you are someone who prefers not to drink but finds it had to avoid drinking while others are indulging.
Reasons to avoid alcohol
While you certainly do not need a reason to avoid drinking, there are many legitimate reasons why one would choose not to drink in a social situation. You may be in a recovery program in which you are voluntarily prohibiting yourself from alcohol, in which case you have made a commitment and would not want to stray from that. You may be on certain medications that interact negatively with alcohol, or you may be the designated driver for the evening. These situations tend to have the least amount of pressure from others to drink. Usually, people who know this information will not offer you drinks or try to compromise your integrity or health while out at a bar or a barbecue, but what about other reasons when your avoidance of alcohol is not so clear cut?
I for one, generally do not drink when I am out, even if I am with friends who are drinking. I have no problem defending my position that I don’t like alcohol and the affects it has on my demeanor. I find that alcohol makes me feel tired and gives me a stomach ache, and even if I keep my drink count low, having alcohol in my system usually makes me feel laggy for days. I personally also do not like to drink my calories in alcohol or any other beverage for that matter so that factors in as well.
The Stigma of Sobriety
For me, its not hard to avoid drinking because most people know this about me and will not offer me drinks, but what if you were someone who usually drinks with friends but now, for whatever reason, has decided to stop?
The first thing you have to know is that sometimes people find it hard to understand why someone would not be drinking alcohol if it was offered. People almost take it personally or feel like they are being judged when someone suddenly stops drinking. There is definitely a stigma around sobriety and it usually leads to the assumption that you are recovering from an alcohol addiction (whether you are or not) or that you’re pregnant (if you’re a woman). These questions can lead to a feeling of peer pressure that could cause you to fall off your own wagon in a way and choose to drink just to fit in.
I know some people who end up doing this. They may want to avoid alcohol for one reason or another but when they get together with their group of old drinking buddies, they find it hard to avoid drinking and since they don’t have a strong reason to withhold they end up imbibing. I think this stigma sucks, but luckily there are some things you can do to avoid it!
Tips to Avoid Alcohol
If you feel like you cannot survive the stigma around sobriety, there are a few things you can do to avoid suspicion. If you have an event at a bar or restaurant, I would suggest arriving a bit early before the others and talking to your bartender or waitress. If you let them know you are not drinking this evening, but you don’t want anyone to know, they can make you fake drinks that appear to be alcoholic beverages, but are really just club soda or mixers without the alcohol. Many times, the glasses they use at bars and restaurants denote alcoholic beverages from non alcoholic beverages, so if you arrive ahead of your friends and they see you with a clear glass filled with ice and garnished with a lime, they will just assume its your usual gin and tonic, even if its clear soda or seltzer water.
Just make sure if someone wants to try your drink you keep it to yourself. Its easy enough to make up an excuse like “I think I may be coming down with something so its probably best if you don’t drink from my glass.” And if you can’t make it early to to location, don’t fret, just try to pull your waitress or bartender aside and discreetly let them know your preference for the evening. Bartenders especially will understand this and are usually more than willing to oblige. Just make sure you pass them a good tip at the end of the night for keeping your secret safe, after all, you are saving a good amount of money if your drinks are dressed up sodas without the shots of alcohol!
Now, these tips may work when you are out with friends, but what about when you’re at someones home or a barbecue? Obviously, its a little harder to control this situation, but there are things you can do to avoid alcohol without people pestering you about it. First, I suggest bringing some drinks of your own. Usually, if your attending a barbecue or a party at someone’s house, or at a public place like a camp site or local park, you would bring something like a side dish or a bottle of wine etc. Well, make sure you bring yourself something to drink without alcohol in it.
I suggest one of three things. First, if you are normally a beer drinker, I suggest picking up a 6-pack of a micro brew root beer or ginger ale that you can find at your local grocery store. Often times these microbrew non alcoholic drinks appear to be actual beers as they are packaged like them. You don’t need to say anything about what you brought, but if someone asks you and notices its not a beer, you can say something like “I really love this stuff, its my new addiction!” People may offer you something alcoholic, and you can politely pass on it with the legitimate excuse that you brought your own. I find with situations like this, people aren’t so concerned with what you are drinking as long as you are drinking something that looks familiar.
My second suggestion would be to bring a pitcher of a beverage that looks like a mixed drink. Remember in college when you used to drink “jungle juice” and it was basically Kool Aid with tons of clear alcohol in it, but for some reason you couldn’t taste the alcohol? That’s the concept with this one. Make a colorful beverage and stick to it for the event. If someone asks for a sip, let them have it and revel with them in amazement at the fact that you just can’t taste the alcohol! “Maybe I didn’t put enough alcohol in,” you can suggest. Your not lying and your friends will probably end up avoiding your beverage for something stronger anyway. In the end, everyone wins and you most of all win for avoiding alcohol without feeling the peer pressure of your friends.
My final suggestion would be to use a colored solo cup or your own opaque pitcher to drink from during the event. At parties, the non alcoholic beverages are normally sitting right next to the alcoholic ones, so its easy enough to fill your cup with a soda or juice instead of the hostesses homemade sangria. As long as they can’t see whats in your cup, no one can notice what you are or are not drinking. If comments arise as to the quality and taste of the sangria, make sure you give your thumbs up to be polite to your host. She certainly won’t know you didn’t try it!
Conclusion
Even though you may find yourself in social situations where you would normally enjoy a drink with friends and family, its often tough to avoid alcohol even if you want to. Compound that with the fact that many people find it odd when friends suddenly change their drinking behavior, and certain social events can turn into a pressure filled time instead of a fun event! Although honesty is always the best policy, what your friends and family don’t know won’t hurt them, and its not like your hurting yourself by not drinking. So, with a little forethought, you can make sure you look and feel like you fit in with your crowd while also maintaining your personal integrity. After all, alcohol is a tricky thing. It may be fun to loosen up with a drink, but it can also have short term and long term affects to your well being that just aren’t worth it to some people. So make sure you’re doing what you need to do to get by and I hope you have a great July 4th wherever and however you are celebrating!
I absolutely love my Kate Spade iPhone hard case, but when I first purchased it, I will admit, I couldn’t figure out how to install or remove it! The case did come with a short set of directions, however, I found those to be utterly useless, so I headed to YouTube to find the answer. There weren’t many videos on the subject but I eventually found one that helped me get my case up and running. Recently, I decided to return the favor and filmed my own “How to Install and Remove a Kate Spade iPhone Case” video that shows the best way I have found to deal with the case. Above is the video in case you want to watch it, but I thought I should give a brief written overview in case your not able to watch the video.
To Install the case
The Kate Spade Hard Cases come in two pieces, a front section that includes the front lip and sides of the case and a back section that is just a flat backing with raised grooves that will lock into the front portion. To open the case for installation, simply push the backing out away from the inside out. Make sure to firmly hold onto the front lip of the case and push the back plate out of place. This made be hard to do initially, so don’t be afraid to use force.
Once the two parts are separated, you will drop your phone face first into the front portion of the case and then fit the back plate in behind it to close it up. You will then need to push firmly all around the back edges of the case to get the back plate to snap in. If any sections around the sides seem to be lifting away from the case, push firmly on those side sections while also pushing down with on the backplate until you hear that section snap into place.
On a side note, these cases are so well fitted that you cannot use a thick screen or back plate cover while using this case. For example, I had one of those thick mirrored screen protectors when I received this case and it wouldn’t go on properly so I had to switch my screen protector out for a simple thin one. Just keep that in mind when using a Kate Spade hard case!
To Remove the case
Removing the case is the tough part, especially since you are going to feel like you’re breaking the case, so this next part is not something to rush through without thought. The best way I have found to remove the Kate Spade Hard Case is by pushing the front portion away from the back portion at the cut out for your volume rocker. That is really the only spot on the case where you can get a good grip with your thumb.
So holding the case face down in your hand so that you are looking at the back plate, position your thumb into the opening for the volume and begin to firmly pull it down away from the back plate. You will see a little section pop up away from the front portion and with that you will use your fingers or finger nails to peel the back plate away from the front section of the case. The first few times you do this may be difficult and if you are having trouble definitely watch the video to see how I do it, but this method is the easiest, you just need to do it carefully because you don’t want to break the casing around the volume rocker because it is thinner plastic, so it could break theoretically with too much force.
I hope this information was helpful to anyone out there who has a Kate Spade iPhone Hard Case or was thinking of buying one! If you are interested in the case I have, I have included a link to mine through Amazon where you can buy one pretty inexpensively!
{Click through the image to get to product information}
Okay guys! Listen up because I have some news and updates that I wanted to share! I just got back from The Blogcademy in New York City. In case you are not aware, The Blogcademy is a two day workshop for bloggers hosted by three of the webs greatest bloggers, Gala Darling, Nubby Twiglet and Rock N Roll Bride! Without going into too much detail, the workshop centers around helping budding young bloggers like myself turn their sites into successful internet properties by learning to develop good content, accurately using branding and marketing and learning to monetize.
I learned a lot about some areas I am behind in and also rediscovered my purpose and direction for Strange & Charmed. So, of course, this means over the next few days, weeks and months, you may see some tweaks here and there to the site, my content and hopefully to the overall feel of the blog.
A more complete write up of my Blogcademy experience will follow eventually is some form or another, but like I said, there is a lot of processing I need to do and the fact that I have to go back to work Monday morning doesn’t give me any immediate time to think! So, stay tuned!
Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice, the official start of summer. Something about this time of year always makes me think about the Shakespearean play A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. It is one of my favorite books, filled with Fairy’s, magic, and romance! Whenever I read it, I envision all the characters as though they have stepped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. Mermaids, Sprites, Amazonians, Fairy Lords and Ladies frolicking in an enchanted wood all while leading a bunch of quarreling lovers through a moonlit chase to find their true love! Yes, a little magic is needed to cure the love-sick hearts, but in the end each couple is reunited to their hearts content, with only the memory of a fading dream to explain their night.
“Once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back, Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song; And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid’s music.”
– Oberon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;
Then, for the third part of a minute, hence;
Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,
Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats, and some keep back
The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders
At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;
Then to your offices and let me rest.”
-Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“But all the story of the night told over, And their minds transfigur’d so together, More witnesseth than fancy’s images, And grows to something of great constancy, But howsoever strange, and admirable.”
– Hippolyta, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was.”
-Bottom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumber’d here While these visions did appear.”
Have you guys heard about the new Pebble smart watch? Back in April on Kickstarter, the Pebble smart watch became the most funded project to date, raising an astounding $10,266,844, pledged by nearly 70,000 people! By the way, its original goal was only $100,000.
So what does this watch do that makes it so smart? This watch is a quick way to stay connected to your incoming cell phone messages no matter where your phone is. It connects to your iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth and keeps you informed when notifications come in including emails, text messages, calendar alerts, weather updates, and incoming phone calls. In addition to notifying you, the watch also allows you to quick browse your messages, accept or deny calls, and control your music. That is just the beginning though, since in addition to other features, Pebble has released an SDK for developers to start working on even better and specific applications to run with the watch.
So why am I obsessing over it? Think of how many times you have missed a call or important message because had your phone in another room, or on silent, hidden in your bag, or deep inside your pockets. With this, you can always be informed of who is trying to reach you and decide if you should bother pulling out your phone just to talk to a telemarketer. The watch is also useful, if let’s say, you are in a meeting and want to check a missed call or text but don’t want to be disrespectful by pulling out your phone. Instead you could discretely look at your watch.
It currently comes in five colors: jet black, grey, arctic white, cherry red, and orange. It has an e-paper display with a backlight so you can clearly see it day or night. You can download and customize your watch faces and easily change out the watchbands with ones you purchase yourself. It is currently on pre-order, since they are still fulfilling Kickstarter orders, and it is priced at $150.00. You can find out more about the watch, or order one yourself at http://www.getpebble.com.
So, what do you think? Is this watch worth the hype or just another gimmicky accessory? Let us know in the comments!
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