Dishwasher Safe

April 13, 2016 by David Johnson

While this is not a review of the new nylon bands for the Apple Watch, it is a good time to let you know that the bands are very nice additions to a growing Apple Watch band collection. There are a number of colors. The aesthetic will not suit everyone. But once you see them in person, you are sure to find at least one that floats your boat. They feel great to the touch. You can hardly tell it is on your wrist. Anyone with allergies to the flouroelastimer bands now has a great option from Apple for the same price.

iPad Pro 9.7: When Less Is More

April 05, 2016 by David Johnson

Bigger is not always better. And one size really doesn't fit all. I believe Apple was tossing around all of these cliches when they came up with the iPad Pro 9.7. I don't believe it is a reaction to iPad Pro sales. Even remix products take time to develop and execute.

My Time with the Surface Book at the Microsoft Store in New York

April 04, 2016 by David Johnson

I spent most of a week in New York on a piece of business that didn't pan out. While there, I found the time to visit both the Apple Store and the Microsoft Store. It was a study in similarities and contrasts...

The US Government Vs. Personal Privacy, iPhone Edition

February 29, 2016 by David Johnson

The FBI wants Apple to unlock an iPhone 5C. Make no mistake about it: This is an inflection point in our society. Whether or not you care about the iPhone, politics, or legal issues, this effects you regardless of where you are in the world...

Using Tech: Part One

January 27, 2016 by David Johnson

A lot has been made about the success, or lack thereof, of the latest crop of apple products. The metric many in the techospher seem to be using is how much you use the product. This seemed to make sense at first glance. But the longer I think about it, the less sense it makes. The time of usage myth is a little like the megahertz myth. More is not necessarily better. What does it actually mean to use tech these days. Let's take a closer look:

With These Apps, "Pro" Is for Productive

December 20, 2015 by David Johnson

How are you liking your iPad Pro? Me too. But that doesn't mean that it couldn't be even better. In my earlier writings, I stated that there were some tasks I do for work that I can't do on the iPad Pro. That is only partly true. I can actually do everything for work on the iPad Pro, and do.

But I have to use a couple of workarounds to make it happen. With these two powerful apps, you can raise the productivity of the iPad Pro to a whole, new level. Best yet, these apps are great even if you don't have an iPad Pro. If you use a Mac along with any other Mac or iOS device, these apps are likely for you:

Final Thoughts on the iPad Pro: Something Like a Review

December 01, 2015 by David Johnson

I have been looking forward to this device for years. It has had a rough introduction to the world. But that is only true for early adopters like myself. By the time normal people start to discover and purchase the iPad Pro, these early jitters will all be sorted out.

Everything You Need to Know About iPad Pro Keyboards

November 28, 2015 by David Johnson

After long last, I finally got a Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro. I have had most of this article in my head for about a week. But I couldn’t credibly write it until I actually got an official, Apple iPad Pro keyboard for myself. I have probably logged enough time on this thing in the Apple Store since the iPad Pro came out. But there are always a few things you learn about a product after living with it, that you don’t learn from spending time with a demo in a store.

Laptop Replacement

November 20, 2015 by David Johnson

In review after review, the drumbeat for the iPad Pro is all about whether or not it can replace your laptop. Tim Cook did not help matters with some of [his recent comments](http://www.cnet.com/news/apples-cook-on-the-ipad-pro-why-would-you-buy-a-pc-anymore/). While this is not a part of the marketing push for the device, it seems to be the only thing tech reviewers care about. It is as if to say, if the iPad can't replace your laptop, it is not worth your while. Can the iPad Pro replace your laptop? And does that narrative even make any sense? Let's find out:

The iPad Pro, or Is It?

November 15, 2015 by David Johnson

After a week I can say without reservation that I am loving the iPad Pro. I haven't used my notebook since I've had the iPad Pro, and haven't yet missed it. I have put it up for sale. So it is fair to say that I am all in on the iPad Pro. What I am not all in on is how it is positioned in the market.

iPad Pro: Entertainment, Content Consumption, and Second Impressions

November 14, 2015 by David Johnson

Let's start with second impressions. There is a reason Apple seeded all official reviewers with a Smart Keyboard cover and an Apple Pencil. Without these accessories, the iPad Pro is just a giant iPad. This also explains why reviews of the device seem to be much more positive from reviewers equipped with these accessories.

iPad Proa: the Wait Is Finally Over, A New Wait Has Just Begun'

November 12, 2015 by David Johnson

I'm as giddy as a kid in a candy store on his birthday. The long wait for the iPad Pro is finally over. But don't mistake this little write up as some kind of review. It is not. It might be some time before I can actually give it a proper review.

Truth be told, I'm not even certain I am going to keep this thing. It might well go back to the store for a full refund. The jury is still out. In fact, the jury hasn't even been called in for duty. Just think if this as a first impression.

About That New Magic Keyboard from Apple…

October 14, 2015 by David Johnson

suspect I am the first person in Birmingham, AL to try one of these keyboards. I suspect that because when I went to the Apple Store to see if they had them (for the second time that day), the sales staff said they didn’t. It just so happened that I knew they had just received a large shipment of new product, and so, insisted the sales person go to the back to check. As it happened, they did have the new keyboards along with the other new products announced that morning. None of the products were priced in the system at that time. After all that was settled, I walked out with the first Magic Keyboard to be sold, likely in the state. Here’s what I found:

Thoughts About the Upcoming iPad Pro

October 12, 2015 by David Johnson

I want one. That should come as no surprise to anyone. Like the original iPad, I feel like there is a use-case for it somewhere in my life. I just can’t pin down what it is. I’ve been looking forward to the iPad Pro two years before it was announce. It is a product that has been much rumored, and I suspect, much delayed. My guess is that even Apple was unsure of the direction they wanted to take it. This writing is my attempt to sort out my feeling about the product now that its market debut is imminent. Also, this is my real-time musings on how I might actually use the product, in an attempt to sort the fantasy from the soon-to-be reality.

Apple Watch/ I've grown accustomed to its face

May 02, 2015 by David Johnson

I received my stainless steel Apple Watch with white sports band Friday evening. By Tuesday night, I had it boxed up and ready to be returned for a full refund. While not the typical way to start a product review, it is the part of the experience that was most visceral to me. But for now, let’s leave that repacked box aside, and talk about the experiences that led up to that moment. For that, we must flash back all the way to the beginning, For me, that would be long before the Apple Watch was a gleam in Tim Cook’s eye…

Bose SoundLink On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones Review: Bluetooth Done Right

January 27, 2015 by David Johnson

If you do not have $250 that you are inclined to spend on a set of headphones, I doubt I can offer you much incentive to continue reading. Then again, we all watched "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" knowing full-well that we were never going to live that way. So, if you are not in the high-end headphone market, just think of me as Robin Leach. I will gladly show you what you could be enjoying if you have a little more money, And a lot less sense:

iPhone 6: the embiggening

May 13, 2014 by David Johnson

The word may be made up, but the sentiment is real enough. The iPhone 6 will be bigger than any iPhone that has come before it. There are two very persistent rumors. One is almost certainly real while the other is tantalizingly questionable. The first rumor is that the iPhone will come in a 4.7" screen size. If persistence equals veritas, then you can take this one to the bank. The second rumor is that a month or so later, another iPhone will emerge sized at 5.5". There have been different flavors of this rumor floating around for some time. It is far from confirmed. But it is worth considering the possibilities.

Why 1984 is not like 2014

April 28, 2014 by David Johnson

Microsoft has just completed the purchase of Nokia: the only company that was all in on building Windows Phone devices. To celebrate this occasion, Microsoft has released a new ad. Laughably ironic, Microsoft is painting itself as the underdog. More than that, they are juxtaposing themselves against Apple. Microsoft is the cool and scrappy countercultural niche player for the people who don't want to just follow the crowd. Apple is the grey, soulless establishment for people who have no imagination and just do what is expected. This is all a play on Apple's famous 1984 ad. As much as companies like Microsoft want to catch the zeitgeist of that ad, they never can. Here's why:

Despite new offerings from Samsung, iPhone 5S is still considered the best smartphone available

April 20, 2014 by David Johnson

In an effort to counter program the iPhone, Samsung and others, time their new smartphone announcements to be as far away from a new iPhone as possible. Since Apple releases new iPhones in the Fall, Samsung likes to release in the Spring. That gives plenty of time for the hype and interest surrounding new iPhone to dissipate. Samsung gets to own the product cycle for 6 months without any interference from Apple. Their new phone can be the new hotness uncontested by any real competitors. So how's that working out for the Galaxy S5? According to the New York Times, not so well:

While Apple fights one thief in court, they get robbed by another

April 14, 2014 by David Johnson

Microsoft reverse engineers Apple's Passbook, adds support in Windows Phone 8.1

When Apple showed off PassBook for the first time, I yawned. When I got a chance to try it for myself, I yawned even wider. You see, I haven't taken a single flight, or drank a single cup of Starbucks coffee since PassBook was released. I also have not used a loyalty card at a store. In other words, I don't do the sorts of things for which PassBook was designed. Despite my apathy towards the product, it has had quite an exciting life since its debut in iOS 6. Its biggest claim to fame is that it has been ripped off twice by competitors.

Naturally, the first was Samsung. I covered it at the time it happened. Samsung copied the heck out of PassBook and put in into its own product. Today, it was discovered that Microsoft has done something similar, only worse. Instead of just copying the idea and design of the app, they reverse engineered Apple's PassBook so that it's information can be read in Microsoft's wallet app. Since developers are only interested in writing for Apple's proprietary solution, Microsoft is trying to steel PassBook by making it less proprietary. Right now, PassBook is a feature that helps sell iPhones. If Microsoft has its way, PassBook will help sell Windows Phones as well. This, while Apple is in court with the other thief that stole PassBook. What a world.

David Johnson