Switching From Windows to Mac – Part 1

Well it’s official – a few weeks ago I finally made the shift I’ve been talking about for the last 6 months or more and jumped from Windows to Mac (some say I’ve joined the dark side but it sure feels like the other way around). I decided to go with a MacBook Pro and I have to tell you I couldn’t be happier.

It has certainly been a learning curve and in even the just the short time I’ve been a Mac user I’ve learned A LOT about some of the differences between the two operating systems, found some really cool new software and utilities, and basically been having a ball.

Sure I’ve been a bit less productive while making the transition but it is well worth it (and at least the lost productivity isn’t due to blue screens and dll errors)!

The video below is Part 1 of a 2 part series I shot about why I made the switch from Windows to Mac and why I felt I could make this jump without too much grief (my first project in iMovie):

Along with this post and video goes out a big heartfelt apology to all my family and friends who have been long time Mac users.  I gave you all a lot of shit over the years about living in your “Mac world” and not using a “realcomputer” but let me tell you . . . I’ve drunk the koolaid and it’s good!!

Read more

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (34.6MB)

How to Use Social Media for Your Small Business Success

I’m really loving the growth of social media – especially the way it can serve as a watercooler and networking environment for those that work in The Anywhere Office.  One of the downsides of being virtual is losing the connections and social element of working in an office.

I have found Twitter to be a great way to connect with people and in many ways it’s even more powerful than the traditional water cooler as I have connected with people from all over the globe!

Being a work at home dad, entrepreneur, and small business owner it’s hard to find the time in my schedule to get out to networking events. This is another area where social media has really been amazing – I’m able to take a more asynchronous approach to finding and starting conversations with other liked minded people I meet.  I think the key, however, is to then take those conversations to the next step and schedule a real-time phone call, Skype chat, or in person meeting when possible.

Still haven’t taken the social media plunge?  I came across a recent article that helps you get up to speed on the big three:

Here’s a quick 101 on how to best leverage the top three social networking sites — Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. via Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn? Finding the Right Fit for Your Small Business | Small Business Matters.

If you haven’t explored any of these services yet I strongly urge you to do so!  You can connect with me on all three here – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Twitter is by far my favorite – which is yours? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

How to Downgrade your iPod Touch or iPhone from iOS4 to 3.12/3.13

If you’re like me, and apparently many others, after installing iOS4 for your iPod Touch or iPhone you were less than impressed.  Well after several weeks, and a few tries, I’ve successfully removed iOS4 from my iPod Touch 2G and downgraded/reinstalled the previous OS 3.12 (more on why it’s not 3.13 in a bit).  Read on and I’ll explain how you can do the same on your device to solve problems such as battery drain, sluggishness, and crashing.

I’ve always been someone who jumps on upgrades for software pretty much as soon as they come out.  I also try a lot of beta software – friends, colleagues, clients, and readers of this blog have come to trust  me to “test it all out” and then report back on what are the best programs, devices, and technology available.  I have to say however it was a mistake for me to upgrade my iPod Touch 2G to iOS4 the day it came out. I should have waited a few days and read about what others were experiencing as it would have saved me a lot of problems.

I was really excited about the new features in iOS4 and you have heard me mention here on this blog before that my iPod Touch has pretty much been my favorite piece of technology for the last few years.  It’s amazing and it just works – I travel without my laptop a lot more these day thanks to this handy little device.  In fact it has essentially acted as an Apple gateway drug making me want to switch from a PC to a MAC.

But my wonderful, joyful piece of technology was no longer bringing me as much joy after upgrading the firmware/software from 3.13 to iOS4. As it turns out many of the new features I was excited about (multitasking and screen rotation lock) were not supported on my older device. But worse was that the addition of persistent wi-fi when the device goes into sleep/standby mode was killing my battery.  Even when it was off in my pocket what used to last a few days was out of juice by the middle of a single day.  UNACCEPTABLE! Read more

Using Social Media for Inspired Learning and Education

I love it when people get creative with the tools and technology available to them!  When you think of social media you may think of staying in touch with friends, or another avenue of business networking – but what about tapping into this amazing technology in the classroom?

I came across a great post that was chock-full of ideas for how to use social media for learning.  It breaks them down into grade levels and topics and even links to some case studies or articles that explain in more detail the specific examples:

Sites such as Facebook and Twitter and tools such as Skype are connecting students to learning opportunities in new and exciting ways. Whether you teach an elementary class, a traditional college class, or at an online university, you will find inspirational ways to incorporate social media in your classroom with this list.

via Fred’s Head from APH: 100 Inspiring Ways to Use Social Media In the Classroom.

Have you heard of any other innovative or creative uses of social media? Post a comment below and share!

Are We Entering the Era of Mobile Video Chat?

It’s clear that video is booming on the web.  Video sharing sites like YouTube and portable camcorders like the Flip have exploded.  Also, as I’ve discussed in previous blog articles and in the recent Businessweek Video Webcast – video conferencing is growing in leaps and bounds.

I’ve seen significant growth in the desktop video conferencing space with services like Skype, Tokbox, and ooVoo being used for everything from virtual meetings and remote collaboration to friends and family keeping in touch.   Thanks to the increase in broadband and wi-fi people can meet face-to-face virtually from almost anywhere.

Well now it looks like video chat/conferencing is about to get even more mobile.   Last week Apple released the iPhone 4 which includes a forward facing camera and a built in program called FaceTime that allows video chatting from iPhone to iPhone.  Also Sprint released the EVO 4G which also includes a front-facing camera and the QIK video chat software. It seems like the natural next step . . .

There is no mistaking that the time is ripe to get into the mobile video chatting game. It is already big enough with tools from Skype, Google (Talk) and others, and it’s only going to get bigger. There are already millions of notebook owners in the mix, and when you add what is likely going to be millions of smartphone and tablet owners, the potential market for video chat offerings is going to be huge.

via Is a Mobile Video Chat Revolution Imminent?.

I’m sure these two phones are only the start of this trend.  In fact you can be sure that once Apple starts to push this envelope others will be soon to follow – much the way that the iPhone invigorated the smartphone market and the iPad has woken up the sleeping tablet market.  I’m still shocked that the iPad didn’t include a camera on it for video chats – but I’m almost certain the next generation will include that feature.  In fact it’s Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »