2012, Year of the Baby Photographer

Here is my first post of the 2012, and it’s simply to say:

I am using 2012 to refind my writing-mojo, get back on track and to get creative with my articles. I am determined to read and write a lot more about photographic subjects.

Throughout 2012 my wordpress blog is going to return to the main point of focus, and be filled with stories about my photographic ideas, lens and camera comparisions, plus my thoughts on many related accessories.

Why the sudden importance on this?

There’s going to be a baby in our house in 5 months time (thus the interesting title to this first post), so I want the newest addition to our clan to know that Daddy is more than the blob on the computer!

I have realised that since being introduced to various social networking sites, and you know the ones I mean, I have spent more time glued to my computer reading other people’s lives rather than investigating or doing the stuff that interests me most!

I have also realised how important it is to keep my mind active, my body fit and my creativity flowing: I want to be able to think fast, stay on my toes (both physically and metaphorically), and to be able to tackle any situation that comes before me quickly and efficiently. I’m told kids are hard work, so I want to be ready.

I hope my kid catches my bug for photography, creativity, action and entrepreneurialism early. I’d like them to be selling lemonade on the street corner before the age of 10!

Watch it, there’s more coming your way….!

Why am I Wearing Headphones?

[1] I am listening to music.
[2] I am listening to a podcast.
[3] Whatever I was listening to ended 30 minutes ago and I am sitting here in complete silence without realizing it.
More often I am sitting here in silence. Sad.

/ Cartoon by poorlydrawnlines.com.

Save Space on your Computer

Yeah, tonight I am covering the all-important subject that probably effects most of us computer geeks: Finding or saving space on our computers.

As often as possible I ‘‘defrag” my laptop. But I often find there is insufficient space available for anything to be moved around during the defrag, so the computer fails to anything after the analysis of the drive. To combat this, I either delete stuff I have accumulated (ie, PDF downloads, screen dumps of site ideas, CSS scraped from interesting sites.), or not do it all.

Recent days have had my computer crashing or failing – and I know that a good defrag will solve some of these issues. Yes, I need a new computer with more space, but that will have to wait a little longer.

So tonight whilst traveling home on the train (wearing my new earphones), I suddenly realised how else to save some space on my laptop — without actually losing anything. It actually surprises me that I never thought of this before now!

The answer to saving space on my computer is surprisingly simple:

1. Sync as much music as possible to my Apple  Touch.
2. Backup ALL music on computer to external HD.
3. Delete from computer.

Perfect way to save 15GB of space! Yes, this means I can only play music on PC/Laptop with AppleTouch connected, yet it occurred to me that this is the perfect scenario.

I hope this idea is useful to other people. That, or it makes you laugh that I hadn’t done it already. Either way, I am up 15GB – and I can finally defrag my laptop!

Surviving Option-Paralysis Syndrome

I’ve found a title for the syndrome I have been experiencing for the past 18 months - Option Paralysis. Whilst you might think it’s a sugar-coat for ‘indecisiveness‘, I’m not the first to mention this issue.

I first read about this syndrome in Stephen Fry’s twitter-feed:

Stephen Fry The bewildering variety of sartorial advice I’m receiving is in danger of giving me Option Paralysis. But v grateful for the thoughts.
9:02:25 am ET Jul 2nd from Twitter for iPhone

My problem has been choosing the optimal smart-phone for my (nerdish) needs. For over 2 years I was gungho on getting the Apple iPhone. After having the Apple Touch since 2007, it seems like the ultimate upgrade.

Early in 2011 +Richard Pascoe suggested waiting till the Apple iPhone Gen-5 came out on the market. Like the rest of us, he has no idea what extra features will be included, yet feels confident that AdobeFlash + additional USB points will make us Apple Addicts drool!

So I have waited – but not quietly.

Last week I was introduced to Google+ ( Courtesy of an invitation by +RichardPascoe – which survived the ON/OFF switch at Google headquarters!)

After one week  on Google+ , I am hooked! It is surprisingly easy to navigate, it’s easy on the eye, and gives instant access to past and present statuses for all users in my circles. I’m infatuated by the uber-clean UI. No more word-relevant adverts, no more seeing farmvile, no more NSFW colourschemes. Without the massive FACEBOOK logo in the corner, usage goes almost undetected.

Now that the UI is simplified, we can open Google+ anywhere without people knowing you are social networking!

So I asked my new & knowledged audience what they considered to a suitable smart-phone. This may have been not a smart idea when considering my current symptom, yet the answers proved both interesting and invaluable.

After googling the most mentioned phone, I found the Samsung Galaxy (S1 & S2) to be the most popular choices by many Google+ users, followed closely by the Apple iPhone. I also had it suggested that getting internet-access on an iPad was possible. Whilst I like the idea of a tablet, I already have a reasonable laptop, so that option can wait a litte longer.

After lots of reading, comparing of specifications, checking the ratio of either phone owned by networked and RL friends – I have determined which I prefer and will be getting:

I will have a SAMSUNG Galaxy S by this time next week
by mid morning this coming Monday! 

Now my wife is happy, I am happy, our finances are happy and … well, I am happy. So now you will read more articles by me reviewing the features, apps, and specifications of this new device in my life! To reverse-quote C3PO: I’ve got a very good feeling about this.

Postscript: I also plan to purchase a SAMSUNG Chromebook later in 2011. Similarly to how Apple users connect their iPad wifi to their iPhone’s Internet connection, I will be able to do the same between these 2 SAMSUNG devices.