Information Flow & Digest

Since I got an iPhone last March (my first smartphone), the way that I access and consume information has changed. While I’ve had an iPad for about 5 months, I hadn’t yet gotten a 3G card from my carrier. There is a big difference between having access to the Internet anywhere and just not being able to do so. The places I go to don’t have reliable free WiFi. The iPhone 4S allows me to tether my iPad for free, because my carrier is CHT in Taiwan and they are partly government-owned, my iPad 2 still hasn’t gotten an 3G card.

Optimize Your Workflow: Using Flipboard As a Feed Reader

Whether you’re a pro social networker or just someone who needs to be kept abreast of a large amount of news, the new software aggregators transform your feeds into an almost magazine-like spread. I’ve mentioned before how I rarely use my iOS devices to do work, but Flipboard allows me to optimize my daily workflow significantly. Here’s how I do it.

More

Jason Snell’s iPad Review

I initially skimmed this and didn’t read it through, but it kept coming up from a variety of sources, so I decided to read Jason Snell’s review in its entirety. If you read through the gratuitous positive impressions, you get the feel of the device. The productivity apps aren’t completely fleshed out, but the screen is apparently extremely good, just what you’d expect.

It’s not a laptop-replacement device, but it makes it easy to consume media, although, at least for now, it won’t be as easy to use to read magazines and newspapers as the Kindle 2. If this gets fixed, which it probably will, it will make the iPad a serious contender for anyone wanting an eBook reader.

Google Wave & Google Buzz

via TechCrunch

If Google Wave is the future, Google Buzz is the present.
★

A lot of buzz is going around about Google Buzz. If there’s anything that ever threatened Twitter, it’s got to be Google Buzz, with it’s smooth integration into GReader and GMail. Sure, the interface isn’t perfect, but GMail’s interface also took some time to be polished. I’ve got Wave, but I’ve only logged in a few times. It’s not really that relevant to me. However, Google Buzz kind of bridges the gap. I can see how it would get really interesting to a lot of people.

For now, I’ll continue using Twitter, but Buzz is hard to dismiss when it beckons in my inbox. However, since I try to use a sort of Inbox Zero system, I rarely leave an email tab open for long periods of time. I do leave GReader and Twitter open a lot until I log off in the evenings, which begs the question, will I just keep GReader and Buzz, now that they are slowly merging?

I don’t know. I like keeping things separate. Google has a way of merging services that is somewhat annoying, especially for people working in technology. I don’t want to be reached all of the time, and having all of these ways of commenting and reading stuff is sometimes just time wasted.

I use GReader as a tool. Twitter is also fun, much more for personal stuff, than my blog posts and comments. I guess time will tell, but the general buzz is good for Buzz.

1000+ in Google Reader

It’s just one of those days when I have 1000+ items to read in my feeds.

Colorware Does the New Kindle: Looks Better Than in White

People love to customize their laptops. Now that other devices are becoming very popular, they too will be customized. It’s sad when a company only offers their devices in one color. The Kindle has slowly become more prevalent in our modern lives, yet it still is available in only one colors. Thanks to a some enterprising companies, we are seeing a very different Kindle!

Read More…

Kindle DX For $500

Engadget on the new Kindle DX. The new Kindle is super-sized and will feature content from the NY Times and other publishers, at a cost. The net is abuzz with this device. I’ve counted at least 100 posts in my daily feeds about the new Kindle. Personally, it’s not for me. $500 is a lot of money for a reader, not counting the amount that you will be paying month by month to read your paper and articles. For that amount, I’d suggest just buying a netbook and using that to read, even though it doesn’t have that big fancy e-ink screen.

GReader Problems

WTF is up with Google Reader today? It’s taken me twice as long to read my feeds. I tried rebooting, using Chrome and restarting FF. No change. Slow and buggy.

It’s taken me over 65 minutes to write my first post of the day. I’d allotted 45 minutes for two posts. That totally sucks balls.

Griffin Simpifi: iPod/iPhone Dock and USB/Memory Card Reader

We are always for reducing the clutter on your desk. One thing that definitely creates a lot of clutter, is all those USB peripherals that you need to plug into your computer. Griffin has come up with a solution to clean up part of that cable mess. The Griffin Simplifi combines an iPod/iPhone dock with a CF card/Memory Stick/SD/xD reader, as well as with two powered USB ports.

My latest from Unplggd…

Blogging Blitz

I was totally out of it at the beginning of the day. Yesterday I got up at around 9PM after my after school nap. I coded some more and talked with my wife. I went to bed watching some old Tom Baker Dr. Whos.

The day actually began really late for me, around noon. I had overslept. The dull throb of sleep inertia stayed with me most of the day. I usually sleep in on Saturdays, but I get up between 9 and 10AM. Today was different. I’ve been using my brain too much this week. The brain needs a while before it gets used to all of this new use.