Archive for April, 2010
Panic to Unveil Transmit 4 in T minus 6 Days
Posted in Software, on April 21st, 2010 by Carlos.
I’ve been a long time user of Transmit, a well-rounded FTP client for the Mac developed by Panic. I admittedly switched to Flow when it was included in a MacHeist promotion to see if there were any features that might beat out Transmit. To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by Flow, but kept using it because I had already bothered to move my bookmarks over. So we’ll see what Panic has in store when they release Transmit 4. It doesn’t look like Panic is unveiling any details about the app yet, but I’m sure they’ll be including something nifty as per Panic’s usual style.
I find the feature that seems to always elude these FTP applications is the ability to set file upload and download limits independently of each other. I would like to download more files at once, but don’t want to upload more than one file at once. Is it that difficult to include this feature? Bleh.
New and Improved! Introducing the newly designed Keys That Click
Posted in Announcements, on April 20th, 2010 by Carlos.
I started Keys That Click in December of last year seeing if this blogging thing would pan out. Compared to my past attempts at blogging, this has been the most successful attempt yet. Given that I was unsure of my intentions when I first started, I had created the site based on WordPress using a free theme called Lightword that was beautifully designed and executed. My goal, however, was to create something original…. and I finally did. I’d like to introduce my newly designed site (I can’t say redesigned since I didn’t design the original look)! Given that it is my first WordPress theme, there may be a few kinks to work out, but I’m very pleased with it so far.
I used a dash of CSS3, some jQuery and a whole bunch of tutorials (thanks specifically for this tutorial on bavotasan.com which provided the code and know-how to build out the comments section). Knowing it wasn’t a theme I’d be distributing I took some short-cuts and liberties to speed things along. I also used @font-face to embed the Miso font that looks similar to FF Netto. I grabbed it and the code and font files from Font-Squirrel in case you are interested.
For you Internet Explorer users, everything should work, but the site won’t have the same visual appeal as Safari and Firefox users will experience. I used CSS3 rounded corners and shadows that will show up all boxy and boring for incompatible browsers (see the screenshot above to see what I’m talking about). Even the @font-face doesn’t look as clean (I’ll see if I do something about that with subbing in a system font instead). And for IE6 users – well, sorry. I used a heavy amount of transparent PNGs, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I just know will cripple the browser. Given this is still somewhat of a hobby site for me, I couldn’t justify putting in the hours to make this site look right and work in that antiquated browser. It feels nice to move on!
I look forward to any feedback that you may provide, and please let me know if you experience any technical difficulties and I’ll try to look after them right away. I’m hoping that this will be another kick in the pants to get me in gear to keep on posting articles. In the meantime, enjoy!
Keys Software Must Haves: CSSEdit by MacRabbit
Posted in Software, on April 20th, 2010 by Carlos.
There are tools that I use so frequently that I don’t even realize that I’m using them anymore. They integrate themselves into my workflow practically to the point as to which they ARE my workflow. One of these tools is CSSEdit by MacRabbit.
CSSEdit makes laying out your web templates as comfortable as it possibly can be (thanks IE, you do suck, as per the CSSEdit icon pictured above). As the app’s official site suggests, it truly is an app for CSS newbies and power users. In fact, I would take it one step further and say it turns CSS newbies into power users. CSSEdit takes a different approach from other web design packages like Coda, Espresso (also from MacRabbit) and Dreamweaver in that it strictly focuses on CSS file editing. There are a few features that really make this app shine.
Live Preview Live preview let’s you override a site’s current CSS file with one that you specify. Then, with its built-in Webkit based browser, you can see live changes to your layout as you edit your CSS file. You don’t have to hit save, you don’t have to refresh. It happens right before your eyes as you type.
X-Ray Inspector This nifty feature let’s you view CSS elements on a given website, and tells you what styles are applied to it, and even the parent CSS elements that it belongs to. I find this tool specifically useful for beginners who want to understand how the various CSS elements interact with each other to create a layout. I also find it useful to see what is broken on a layout I’m working on. Identifying the ‘broken’ element with the X-Ray Inspector saves time hunting for the pesky DIV box that isn’t cooperating.
Group Styles When you start getting familiar with CSS, you will quickly realize how large CSS files can become, and just how much of a pain in can be to find a particular style in a swamp of lines of code. CSSEdit allows you to create groups and sub-groups that help you manage your styles a lot easier.
Milestones Ever try to fix one CSS problem only then to realize you broke another? CSSEdit will let you save Milestones so that you can quickly go back to a version of your CSS file that was working.
These are only a handful of the features that make CSSEdit a powerful tool. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, this is a tool that really defines my workflow. I have found it to be an indispensable tool. Even as I get more and more comfortable with CSS, there are still problems that CSSEdit helps me debug with ease. Sorry Windows users, CSSEdit is Mac only. It retails for $41.30 CAD, and a trial version is available. Check it out! [CSSEdit on MacRabbit]
Regarding the Recently Revealed Alleged iPhone 4th Generation Device
My two three cents.
First cent: I’ll eat my hat if the device actually ships looking like that. Wide seams on the aluminum ring? Seemingly harder edges? That’s very un-Apple like. My guess is that they are pre-production tools that were used to create those parts. It certainly lacks the polish and refinements that are oh so Apple. But who knows – they really need to make this 4th device stand apart from the previous two generations that have been identical. Hopefully they pull it off well though.
Second cent: It kind of sucks to have seen this so far in advance, if it is in fact real. It really takes away from the usual lead up to the official unveiling. Who am I kidding? Now I really can’t wait!
Fine, Third cent: Rumoured front facing camera is there. Can Apple be the company to finally make mobile video chat main stream? I’m still not sold… I think it may wind up having some other nifty uses rather than just video chatting. What those are… I really don’t know.
I’ll refrain from posting any images… you can check them out at the sites I’ve linked to. [Gizmodo via Engadget]
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) – A Designer’s Best Friend
Posted in Tech, on April 19th, 2010 by Carlos.
One of the first pieces of equipment I bought when I was getting serious about starting my own business (aside from my computer system of course) was an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) from APC (a Back-UPS XS 900VA 120v to be precise). At my previous workplace, my entire department was outfitted with them… and the power rarely went out. But when it did, they were life savers! Losing unsaved work is always a pain, but it seems to hurt more when it’s your own business that suffers form the decrease in productivity and lost work that blackouts can cause.
Living in a small town, we seem to be more prone to power outages than the next person, so I thought it would be a wise investment to purchase one of these units. UPS units come in all shapes and sizes. You should make your purchase decision based off what you find essential to keep powered in the case of a blackout and for how long. APC has a product selection wizard that may make things easier. Along with the battery backup, you also get a very good power surge protector, with some units providing power conditioning to protect your connected electronics from surges, spikes, lightning, etc. Most of the UPS units come with insurance to protect damaged equipment in case something goes wrong with electronics plugged in to your UPS.
I was most concerned with being able to save my work, then properly shut down my system if the power were to go out, and I didn’t expect to keep working until the power came back on (the laptop comes in handy then). I have my Mac Pro, monitors and external hard drive connected to the UPS. I wasn’t too concerned about keeping my cable modem and router running, so they are connected to a normal power bar, and because they are located in my office closet rather than near my computer, I would have to get a second unit, which admittedly wouldn’t be a horrible idea given that I have a VOIP line for my business.
You may be wondering if it has actually come in handy. It has – several times, in fact. I couldn’t be happier with having made a ~$150 investment that has already saved me well over that in time saved. When the power goes off, the UPS kicks in running off its internal battery to keep your electronics powered. My unit also starts beeping to alert you that you are running off the battery backup. It sounds rather alarming, but it should. That sound tells me, stop what you’re doing, save your work and shut down your computer properly.
For the green-thumbed, APC has announced a new line of units with zero-draw power outlets that will kill the power to devices that are not being used. Belkin also has a couple of UPS units available in case you are interested. If you are on the fence, start doing a little research, and ask yourself what your time is worth. I think you’ll find it is a worthy investment!
Photoshop CS5 (64-bit) Blows CS4 (32-bit) Out of the Water
Posted in Software, on April 19th, 2010 by Carlos.
John Nack, Principal Product Manager for Adobe Photoshop, has posted some rather impressive speed benchmarks comparing the soon-to-be-shipped Photoshop CS5 64-bit vs the 32-bit CS4 counterpart. CS5 outperforms CS4 in every test that was run from 1.4 – 2.4 times faster. From time to time I work with large files that put a strain on my system, but given CS5 can take advantage of more system RAM that I actually have a available, I should realize some improvements.
I’ll admit one of my greatest disappoints with CS4 was that Adobe didn’t make it 32-bit, while our Windows brethren got to enjoy an extra 32 bits of bittage. It’s good to hear that the initial results are showing that 64-bit was worth the wait. Let’s hope that tests run by non-Adobe employees turn out to be similar! [John Nack on Adobe via Daring Fireball]
Keys Software Must Haves: Reeder for iPhone (RSS Feed Reader)
Posted in Software, on April 16th, 2010 by Carlos.
I couldn’t handle following the goings-on of the web and the world if it weren’t for RSS feeds. Having all my news come to me in a single location, instead of having to visit website after website has transformed the way I, and many other people, consume information. The various web apps, desktop apps and iPhone apps all fight for supremacy to establish themselves as the best method in which to track and read your RSS feeds. As a long time user of NetNewsWire, I’ve found it difficult to switch to other readers as I’ve liked having a desktop app and iPhone app that are in sync with each other, and really, didn’t expect I would need to try any other RSS feed reader.
Well things changed yesterday when I was perusing the App Store and noticed Reeder, an app by developer Silvio Rizzi. With its high rating, nice icon (yes, I judge Apps by their covers) and syncing capabilities with Google Reader, I had to give it a shot. First and foremost, the app is beautifully designed. It is not gimmicky in it’s design, which I find can just get in the way of reading feeds, but it’s a heck of a lot more interesting than NetNewsWire, as an example.
Its user interaction methods are also unique, for example, to get to the next article you can scroll down to the end of the article, and slightly hold the position for the app to suck you into the next article (next/previous buttons are also their for the old-fashioned). I already mentioned that the app syncs with Google Reader, but this is a major reason why I like this app. As NetNewsWire still wins hands-down for me on the desktop, I still wanted to have RSS feeds that were in sync. If I’ve read it on my iPhone, I would want it updated on my desktop. Given that NetNewsWire now also syncs with Google Reader, this still happens, even though I’m not using the NetNewsWire iPhone app. Other features include a multitude of sharing options (Twitter, Instapaper, etc.), as well as the ability to lock the app in portrait mode – especially important for those who like to lay in bed reading articles. It can also cache images for offline viewing – that might be especially handy for those who have iPod Touches, or limited data plans that would be consumed too quickly with downloading RSS feeds over the cell network (Matt – this applies to you!).
My one gripe with the app so far, is that there doesn’t seem to be an ability to zoom into a photo in an article. Sounds silly, but I subscribe to Get Fuzzy and Dilbert via RSS, and in portrait mode, the comics are just too small to read. Switching to landscape makes things easier, but then I obviously can’t take advantage of locking the orientation to portrait. Hopefully the developer looks into adding some of that functionality.
Reeder is $2.99 on the App Store. Give it a try today, follow the links here: [Reeder App Website or Reeder on iTunes App Store]
Wacom Cintiq Pen Displays Featured in Dilbert Comic Strip?
Posted in Humour, on April 15th, 2010 by Carlos.
Looks like the folks in the Art Department at Dilbert’s workplace don’t suffer from the same budgetary setbacks as the engineers. Check out the monitors they are using in today’s strip. From the two legs showing from the front of the display and the pen with holder – those certainly look like Wacom Cintiq pen displays. They appear a few times in the strip. Check it out! [Dilbert]
FreelanceFolder
Posted in Business, on April 14th, 2010 by Carlos.
Here’s a handy site you should have bookmarked. FreelanceFolder has a slew of articles geared towards freelancers and self-employed individuals. Here’s a description from their site:
FreelanceFolder is a community for freelancers, entrepreneurs, work-at-home business owners, and web-workers. We strive to bring you the articles, information, and community you need to succeed.
One of their recent articles entitled “The Fear of Freelancing: Why You Could Be Hurting Yourself” speaks to a topic I’ve touched upon in the past with my post, Quitting Your Job. It makes for a good read. Check it out. [FreelanceFolder]
Boo-urns: Apple iPad International Launch Date Delayed by a Month
Posted in Gadgets, on April 14th, 2010 by Carlos.
To the world’s disappointment, the iPad launch outside of the US will be delayed by a month. It was odd that Apple hadn’t even announced a release date by now if they were originally aiming to launch by the end of the month… and now we know why. I suppose we humble Canadians must wait longer. Hopefully our strong dollar will compel Apple to keep the price on par with the US price, rather than giving us our standard “sorry, you’re Canadian” mark-up. And hopefully they’re trying to work out all the content deals so things like the iBookstore will launch alongside the hardware. Only time will tell. [The Globe and Mail]
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