• Holiday hike @ San Pedro Valley County Park http://instagr.am/p/Bwznr/ #
• @sterlingz what does @hover offer that godaddy doesn't, other than a clean UI? (for those of us who only use godaddy for domain reg) #
• Warning for those of you looking at Fidelity credit cards: there is no real auto-pay option (have to specify a dollar amount — no full pay) #
• Tried out EveryTrail today (iPhone app). Here's the track for the trail we did today: http://www.everytrail.com/view….._id=975556 #
• @karipost Heh — there was a lot of tree cover and the iPhone was in my pocket. It was probably not the best for accuracy. :) #
• Very nice! RT @sterlingz: Great news from @HootSuite – change your retweet style on the fly in Hootsuite web. http://ow.ly/40Qhs #
• Hmmm. Hipstamatic (posted via Instagram) seems to have taken over all of my streams. http://ow.ly/i/8qIk #
• OCZ's new Vertex 3 Pro: blows past 3Gb/s SATA and requires 6Gb/s interface. http://ow.ly/40TlX #
• RT @sterlingz: Excellent writeup from Instapaper's Marco Arment over … Apple's in-app purchase policy: http://zum.bz/fQOL8C #
• Amazon offers free instant video to Prime members. Just need media center plug-ins… http://ow.ly/41mzM #
• RT @adamnash: How did I miss this story on San Francisco trying to tax stock options at Twitter & Zynga? http://tcrn.ch/iaNMuF #
• Beautiful dusk @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/ByRN2/ #
• Look up! This color of clear winter dusk is my favorite color. @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/ByRfU/ #
• E.T. sequel trailer (heh) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMW3W-G43gI #
• Facebook just rolled an RSS feed for notifications out to my account. Finally! :) #
• @ArneKuilman having problems with TextExpander as well in Firefox 4 beta. May switch back to Chrome. #
• I need to get back to books and deep-subject magazine articles. Too much quick content online these days. #
• @sterlingz iPhone not supporting vCard is an iPhone shortcoming. They should support it! #
• Light Peak confirmed as "Thunderbolt" in upcoming Apple MacBook refresh. http://ow.ly/42cIM #
• Thunderbolt will be Apple's solution for docking MacBooks to all stationary peripherals using only 1 cable (on computer side). #
• I read "Taming the Wild" in National Geographic this morning — very interesting! http://ow.ly/42hsk #
• I am bad at estimating volume. Double-walled glass doesn't help! http://ow.ly/i/8ujH #
• Gigabytes of storage in a very geeky package by 8BitMemory on Etsy http://ech.cc/ikddVl #
• If you're confused by Light Peak / Thunderbolt, here's a good video example: http://ow.ly/42pvk #
• Rumor: Nikon D4 to support Light Peak? Can you imagine copying from your camera at 750MB/s? ;) http://ow.ly/42pFZ #
• @henrik_pejer I have no real use for LP on camera because I never shoot tethered. I just like the idea. :) #
• RT @sterlingz: What happens after Yahoo acquires you – a sad story by 37signals http://ow.ly/42kVP /via @daringfireball #
• Why 24-bit audio will be bad for consumers http://ow.ly/1s4sCU #
• Wildaid anti-shark fin soup ad in SF @ San Francisco Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/B0Sbz/ #
• New MacBook Pros announced: quad-core, faster graphics, Thunderbold (aka Light Peak). http://ow.ly/42JBe #
• @henrik_pejer In a plastic bag? ;) #
• @gilesshaxted I just made my first Twitter list last week. It is so much easier now! #
• If I were looking to buy a SSD now, I'd probably get a 240GB Vertex 3 (and a SATA 6Gb/s PCIe card). http://ow.ly/42KwL #
• @ryderocz "work really well" and "work to full potential" are different things altogether. #
• @cyclelicious The bus the ad was on runs through Chinatown. #
• Wow — getting a call on Verizon iPhone while using personal hotspot is really disruptive. Data drops off and takes awhile to come back. #
• @ryderocz Good point. I am on Mac, so I don't have piecemeal upgrade options. :) Happy with my Intel X25-Ms, for now! #
• Hint: use QuakeHold on iPhone docks so you can dock and undock one handed http://ow.ly/i/8w2i #
• Great meetup with @danemhoward – so good to see you! @ Pizza Antica http://instagr.am/p/B0k4d/ #
• The popular "Russian fur hat and t-shirt" look @ Coffee Bar http://instagr.am/p/B0osX/ #
• @RyderOCZ heh. I tried OCZ back then, but it was in the days of Core-series multi-second write timeouts. Thankfully, things have changed.:) #
• Making beautiful things @ redstart design http://instagr.am/p/B0zTi/ #
• I liked a YouTube video — Old Men Lightsaber Duel (Return Of The Geriatric) http://youtu.be/ojJUzv88Els?a #
• Hook Instagram up to DropBox. Awesome. http://instadrop.appspot.com/ #
• 23andMe just told me that I have slightly higher odds of narcolepsy. #
• Yelp uses a caged dog for their maintenance page. Very strange! http://ow.ly/i/8y8A #
• LifeProof iPhone4 case: water, dirt, snow, shock protection http://ech.cc/i9j4u7 #
• No plans to offer Thunderbolt PCIe cards means that I won't be using Thunderbolt for years. #
• @abigailsmigel Verizon iPhone: I think I've had 1 drop call since I got it. Switch!! :) #
• Siphon pot @ Blue Bottle Café http://instagr.am/p/B2CC1/ #
• Dome @ 16th St Mission BART http://instagr.am/p/B2SCM/ #
• Yummy! @ Bi-Rite Creamery http://instagr.am/p/B2eyv/ #
• LaunchBar is 50% off for 46 more hours (Mac OS X app I cannot live without) http://ow.ly/43QFy #
• News said it snowed in SF tonight in higher neighborhoods. I missed it! (i'm at sea level) #
• There is a bizarre clash of David Lynch fans and San Francisco snow news discussion on Twitter right now. #twinpeaks trending #
• Officer Nuttall on duty @ Palo Alto Creamery – Downtown http://instagr.am/p/B3gdt/ #
• Jack, age 4, is currently schooling 3 of us (5 college degrees between us) on USA geography. #
• I will never understand. @ Westfield Centre http://instagr.am/p/B33ib/ #
• Shark! Old photo from Australia http://instagr.am/p/B4gRP/ #
• Congrats, guys! (met you at a Manu event) RT @HighlightCam: Released! Our iPhone app is now live on the app store! http://bit.ly/eudt6z #
• RT @newsycombinator: How Demand Media Used PR Spin to Have Google Kill Their Competitors http://j.mp/eYuNJH #
• What do you think this is? :) http://instagr.am/p/B5aH4/ #
• Shards @ Universal Cafe http://instagr.am/p/B5hw7/ #
• Beautiful day in the Mission @ Mission Cliffs http://instagr.am/p/B5h6Q/ #
• Mission wall art. Perfect day to study it. http://instagr.am/p/B5j6F/ #
• SF Mission wandering http://instagr.am/p/B5kBo/ #
• SF Mission wandering http://instagr.am/p/B5kaW/ #
• Baby Wolverine says DO NOT ENTER http://instagr.am/p/B5kix/ #
• SF Mission wandering http://instagr.am/p/B5n3y/ #
• Asian zebra says hi @ Aldea Ninos http://instagr.am/p/B5o08/ #
• What's the best Oscar web streaming site? We have http://oscar.go.com/award-show on. #
• The Likability of Angry Birds – The Oatmeal http://ech.cc/eLryGC #
• I liked a YouTube video — Chubby Asian Kid's Awesome Lipdub http://youtu.be/pPWSXL1v3DU?a #

I spent a few hours wandering around in the San Francisco’s Mission District today. The weather was perfect, and the sunlight was clear and warm. I’m not sure if anyone has done exhaustive documentation of the graffiti art in the Mission, but it is beautiful. (read more »)

I don’t know why Apple doesn’t just retire Numbers. It is so clunky!

There is a 24-hour sale right now on TextExpander, which is one of the Mac OS X utilities that I rely on and use on a daily basis. TextExpander lives in the background and listens for abbreviations, which can be expanded out into frequently-used strings and images. For example, if I type “addresssf”, it auto-expands into my mailing address.

TextExpander works in most Mac OS applications.

The sale is via MacUpdate Promo, and expires in 22 hours (which would be 9PM PST, Feb 23, 2011).

If you take advantage of the discount, please check to make sure that the app you are buying is TextExpander. One of my friends bought the wrong app last time because he forgot to check to see what he was actually buying!

2 weeks ago, I ordered an iPhone 4 dock and USB cable off of eBay for $2.99 shipped, which seemed impossibly low. As promised, the dock and cable came in the mail today shipped from Shenzhen, China (not surprisingly, the same city in which iPhones are made). Although the dock is black and is made of a different material, the fit and finish matches what I’d expect of a product made by Apple. Who knows? Maybe they used the same machines. :)

At 10% the price of an Apple dock, it was an incredible deal (I bought 2). If this vendor can make money selling a dock & cable for $2.99 shipped from China, imagine Apple’s margin on its branded accessories!

UPDATE: I forgot to note that I have Wrapsol applied to my iPhone, and it fits just fine in the dock.

I just got this note from Chase Card Services:

Designed from its inception to provide unparalleled travel benefits, your United® Mileage Plus® Club Visa® Card has now been further enhanced.

As of February 15, 2011, you will no longer be charged foreign transaction fees.1 That means that you’ll now save 3% on all international purchases made using your United Mileage Plus Club Visa Card.

This exciting new benefit is sure to make your international travel experience even more enjoyable. Best of all, you needn’t do anything to take advantage of it – the change will automatically take effect on February 15, 2011.

This is huge for international travelers—there are very few credit cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees. Good call, Chase; you’ve just ensured that I stick to your card for the foreseeable future!¹

• 7 mins at a single stoplight waiting for 3 CalTrains to go by. 9am at Castro and Central is broken. #
• @corbosman I suppose that's possible, however unlikely. ;) #
• My good friend @atow has pre-announced a new version of MsgFiler, which allows you to quickly file email into mailboxes. http://ow.ly/3WQ3i #
• Just posted a photo http://instagr.am/p/Bn7kE/ #
• California shark fin bill would ban Chinese delicacy http://ech.cc/ia5JMu #
• Yoogl? Lame. http://ow.ly/i/8dC6 #
• RT @corbosman: #apple + #ipv6 = #fail #
• World Press Photo: winners – The Big Picture – Boston.com http://ech.cc/fdLRrF #
• Just wrote to Assemblymember Fong, Senator Yee and my local assemblyman and senator to support banning sale of shark fins http://ow.ly/3Xh4h #
• Barcode — free barcode video generator for FCP, Motion, After Effects http://ech.cc/dJ4qe4 #
• Having 2 jobs is really time consuming. #
• BBC – Richard Black's Earth Watch: Whaling: Beginning of the end? http://ech.cc/gLkQbF #
• BBC – Richard Black's Earth Watch: Whaling: Beginning of the end? http://ech.cc/eJJ1gE #
• @chrismichel I missed it! Left the building at 6:50a this morning. #
• Morning glare @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/BpN-r/ #
• @ihatepink Visual FX, I think… #
• My memolane: http://beta.memolane.com/echeng #
• @sterlingz White on light green. Nice. (visualization of Obama’s 2012 Budget Proposal: http://ow.ly/3XSTO) #
• There is a starfish on my Pam! @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/BplZL/ #
• I liked a YouTube video — Must Love Cats: Klepto Kitty http://youtu.be/xhRW4WmfrDA?a #
• An unfortunate name… http://instagr.am/p/Bpypc/ #
• Purrty podcast tools http://instagr.am/p/Bpys-/ #
• Giving Firefox 4 beta a try. Missing the bit.ly extension that Chrome uses. Maybe a deal-killer. Still looking… #
• Train in the rain @ San Francisco Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/BqgAh/ #
• Umbrellas do not work in San Francisco @ San Francisco Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/BqgDL/ #
• Latte flowers @ Blue Bottle Café http://instagr.am/p/BqgLM/ #
• This is the one thing that makes me share with Instagram instead of Hipstamatic http://ow.ly/i/8hnh #
• Obama tech leaders meeting http://ow.ly/1s3f6x #
• SF Caltrain http://instagr.am/p/Bqg9t/ #
• 100 seats left (and reserved) for #TEDxBerkeley this Saturday. If you're interested in going, contact me. :) http://tedxberkeley.org/ #
• If you set Excel to print on a fake 300" x 100" page size and then try to print (to get a PDF), it crashes. Now I know. #
• Pam has discovered Words with Friends http://instagr.am/p/BrAwr/ #
• The Making of a Gigapixel Image « The SmugMug Blog http://ech.cc/gQqGaD #
• I liked a YouTube video — The Best Taekwondo Fight EVER!!!! http://youtu.be/wlG7SMsNbc0?a #
• Upgrading your ProClip to iPhone 4? I'll trade you my iPhone 4 mount for a 3G/3Gs mount. http://ow.ly/i/8iqm #
• Holy SSD read/write speeds! http://www.engadget.com/2011/0…..gle-drive/ #
• My snow monkey image: Picture of the day, Telegraph UK http://ow.ly/3Z888 #
• @sterlingz So… what is the best way to share to Facebook and Twitter in Firefox 4? I miss the Chrome bit.ly extension. #
• Bird vs window. RIP. (@sterlingz) http://instagr.am/p/Bru5s/ #
• BATS: Bay Area Traffic Solutions @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/Br85F/ #
• Frothing at Eye-Fi @ Eye-Fi Main Campus http://instagr.am/p/Br_jb/ #
• tap tap tap ~ Creating a Camera+ effect http://ech.cc/icSYtr #
• Dave Evans in lovely California weather @ Mountain View Caltrain Station http://instagr.am/p/BsPyy/ #
• Livia Sohn backstage before the show @ Dinkelspiel Auditorium http://instagr.am/p/BseJM/ #
• Livia Sohn at Stanford @ Dinkelspiel Auditorium http://instagr.am/p/BsfIw/ #
• Hex @ La Bodeguita del Medio http://instagr.am/p/BsluJ/ #
• Cuban food! @ La Bodeguita del Medio http://instagr.am/p/BslyI/ #
• @johnolilly heh. It's an experiment. :) #
• RT @viennateng: Taped this a while back, didn't know it'd actually air! CA Report piece on the story behind "City Hall" http://ping.fm/Z8kUK #
• Pouring rain in Berkeley (en route to #TEDxB http://ow.ly/i/8lQT #
• #TEDxBerkeley at Zellerbach Hall @ Zellerbach Hall http://instagr.am/p/BtYeg/ #
• Ellerba h Hall may need a bit of work! #TEDxBerkeley @ Zellerbach Hall http://instagr.am/p/BtYmm/ #
• $1.50 in Berkeley @ C.R.E.A.M. http://instagr.am/p/BtjVd/ #
• Hangin' with Manu Kumar at #TEDxBerkeley @ Zellerbach Hall http://instagr.am/p/BtmQY/ #
• Yerba Buena, SF @ Yerba Buena Gardens http://instagr.am/p/BuNrm/ #
• Black Swan: WOW. Natalie Portman was incredible (as was the entire movie). I loved it. #
• @johnolilly Enjoy the Stanford HCI anniversary! I decided not to go: never really felt like a part of the program, even though I was. #
• Sky has opened up! http://instagr.am/p/BvFC1/ #
• Sunday soul food brunch @ Farmer Brown http://instagr.am/p/BvHdB/ #
• Watchful eye @ Farmer Brown http://instagr.am/p/BvJBF/ #
• iPhone autocorrect of "hotpot" (discovered by Pam) http://ow.ly/i/8ocy #
• SFMoma and greenhouse boat thing @ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art http://instagr.am/p/BvZxf/ #
• Piano wire sculpture at SFMoma http://instagr.am/p/BvZ9R/ #
• Words with Friends just deleted one of my games in process #fail #
• SFMoma entrance @ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art http://instagr.am/p/BvdN9/ #
• Waiting for Steve's concert in San Jose @ San Jose City Hall http://instagr.am/p/Bvkwf/ #
• @johnolilly "Too much criticism, not enough building." Exactly my thoughts (in general) when I was there. #
• Le Petit Trianon, San Jose @ Le Petit Trianon http://instagr.am/p/BvpON/ #
• You shouldn't be allowed to have big hair at a concert. #
• Getting a little sick of the human slalom that characterizes driving in SF's SOMA district at night. #

Wow.

• Canon develops EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender1.4x: Digital Photography Review http://ech.cc/e5k0iL #
• Canon's new Speedlite 320EX also has an LED video light http://ech.cc/eeCyfx #
• Superbowl commercial playlist, in case that was all you were interested in. http://ech.cc/ghiVKL #
• NoteSlate. WANT!! http://ech.cc/fzQRjo #
• Work-Life Balance? Smartphones and Laptops Tip the Scale – NYTimes.com http://instapaper.com/zbuwpj22y #
• Military communications: Liquid radio | The Economist http://instapaper.com/zowslh12V #
• @corbosman Tweet in English, post in Dutch? ;) #
• Meta http://instagr.am/p/BddMO/ #
• @gillat Is there a list of Eye-Fi aware SLRs somewhere? #
• Getting the dreaded error -50 when syncing iPhone 4. I'm glad this thing is so easy to use! *sigh* http://ech.cc/ftYWBq #
• Glad I am a musician. Currently trilling between two keys to delete every other msg in inbox (after Gmail duped a couple thousand in inbox). #
• Just declared email bankruptcy. A Mail.app IMAP glitch with Gmail forced my hand, but it was welcome. I never caught up from the last trip. #
• I want this but already have Panny GF1. "Fujifilm announces commercial release of FinePix X100" http://ech.cc/hYHnhL #
• Night thunderstorm and stars @ Misool, Indonesia http://instagr.am/p/BeeGJ/ #
• I think all websites should support "u" as a keyboard shortcut to go back to index. #
• Going to TEDxBerkeley on Feb 19 (but not speaking this year). Anyone interested in going? #
• Coffee with @bryanlamkin of @bagcheck – it was great to meet you! #
• Sign the petition to protect the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach, Florida! (duplicate petition from 3 years ago) http://ech.cc/glTmwF #
• $2.99 for iPhone 4 dock and USB cable, shipped free from Hong Kong. How is that possible?? http://ech.cc/dXQQjL #
• FS: New, unopened Adobe CS4 Design Premium for Windows $350 + shipping. http://yfrog.com/h0uhdsej #
• I liked a YouTube video — PhantomHD – Kitten in Slow Motion.mp4 http://youtu.be/J1vpB6h3ek4?a #
• Catholic Church Approves Confession App – Geekologie http://ech.cc/h2Sx5L #
• This is all a part of my nightly wind-down process. ;) "Arm Wrestling FAIL" http://ech.cc/hX99zS #
• @vaihkonen yes, selling adobe suite. #
• @gilesshaxted used eBay. Not expecting OEM — just want something functional! #
• @corbosman $19 including shipping for a non-branded remote timer seems about right. There is nothing to the product!! ;) #
• @corbosman I ordered 2 of them at that ridiculous price. we'll see if they arrive. :) #
• @gilesshaxted I use a dremel to fix things that don't fit right. Worked well to convert iPod/iPhone docks in the past. :) #
• Hmmm. iPhone 4 wireless hotspot causes my phone to flip between 3G and GPRS (while driving down the 280). MiFi seemed more consistent. #
• @sterlingz Pixelpipe is one solution for getting Eye-Fi images to Dropbox, but it only works for JPG. http://ech.cc/eiaWwq #
• @vaihkonen I'm going to attempt to sell in USA first, and will open up to Europe if I can't. :) #
• Mac App Store isn't working for me. Click "Buy", am asked (again) for password. Click "Billing Info" (only option), and… nothing. #
• Trying to buy Sparrow from the Mac App Store. Still unable to. #
• @johnolilly I sure wish I could try it, first. #
• Just enabled "All Mail" in Gmail for IMAP access. Mail.app is now downloading 105,000 messages. I expect #fail soon. ;) #
• @randyching It must have been, if it drew you back to using Twitter! ;) #
• @vaihkonen CS4 has been sold. Sorry. :) #
• Just tried to renew my vehicle registration at dmv.ca.gov. Entered credit card info, hit submit, and… back to home page! #dmv #fail #
• Auto-disable AirPort when ethernet is active – Mac OS X Hints http://ech.cc/hUGOyu #
• @cindypon AT&T has been notoriously bad in SF and NYC. Do some searches and you will find 100% complaining and 0% happiness. Dunno about SD. #
• @cindypon Check out this search for "AT&T service in San Francisco" :) http://ech.cc/gaHn7s #
• RIP Palm. It was a good ride — my first handheld mobile device! http://ech.cc/fxVFt6 #
• Huge 48-hr game sale for iPhone / iPad. EA: http://ech.cc/erGsFA Capcom: http://ech.cc/fBBIs2 #
• Just saw someone with an E.piphany backpack at the SF Caltrain station. Blast from the past! #
• Interesting. Trying to return a $50 purchase (shock mount for microphone), and company is just issuing a refund (no return – value too low)! #
• @johnolilly Email workflow post: http://ech.cc/hgn4fb I'd love to see what you do! #
• @sterlingz Do you have a suggestion for a lightweight Twitter Mac client that supports bit.ly API? Sick of waiting for Tweetie to do it. #
• RT @sterlingz: Probably a very good idea to set up Find My iPhone to allow remote wipe of a lost phone. http://ow.ly/3U9NB #
• @sterlingz I use Tweetdeck at home, but Adobe AIR is too resource hungry for use on a MacBook Air. ;) #
• What's the best Twitter sync app on Facebook? Twitter (the official one) doesn't work with secure http. #
• My behind the scenes tour of NASA, which included the space shuttle flight simulator: http://bit.ly/i8j0Ic (via @andybiggs) #
• 2-factor authentication on Google: turn it on! (hasn't been rolled out to me yet) https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount) #
• I wish I could configure TwitterFeed to ignore Twitter @replies. #
• Capitol Weekly: Paul Fong to introduce bill to ban shark fin soup http://ech.cc/dWtMFb #
• @sterlingz yeah. I switch between The various Facebook Twitter apps constantly. Fed up! #
• Now using Hootsuite on web and iPhone thanks to @sterlingz's recommendation. It is incredible! #
• @atow's new MsgFiler app is out in the Mac App Store. Check it out if you like to organize your mail in Mail.app! http://msgfiler.com/ #
• Applied Wrapsol films to both my iPhone and Pam's. It is a shame to cover that beautiful glass, but protection is a good thing. :) #
• Pure Digital CEO Leaving Cisco; Was Flip Deal a Flop?: Online Video News « http://ech.cc/hsIQkE #
• Stuxnet Worm Used Against Iran Was Tested in Israel – NYTimes.com http://instapaper.com/zZsr5ek1e #
• A Windows 7 update just totally hosed my Bootcamp setup on my Mac. I wish they played together nicely. :( #
• Recovered Windows 7 install. System restore failed, but found other way. Updated Bootcamp to 3.2 and turned Win7auto-update off. Annoyed! #
• Lucia knows how to pick the movies… http://instagr.am/p/Bietm/ #
• Livia really knows how to pick the movies… http://ow.ly/i/85eM #
• Locked in a Vegas Hotel Room with a Phantom Flex on Vimeo http://ech.cc/e7N5nf #
• USB Follow Focus: I want this for underwater! Strange that it seems to be linear, though (focus is not). http://ow.ly/3V7wr #
• @vaihkonen Video shows that rin correlates to turning focus ring on lens. Want it to slow when it focuses further away (maybe impossible). #
• I put together a @bagcheck underwater photography bag after meeting @bryanlamkin. Here it is! http://ow.ly/3V88A #
• @sterlingz oops! Should have checked… #
• @tonyylu I wish I could "like" tweets. #
• I liked a YouTube video — Harvey Shapiro Plays Nina http://youtu.be/30mfo4tyS9o?a #
• I liked a YouTube video — Darth Vader's theme from "Star Wars" in the style of Beethoven http://youtu.be/IshINI7uGpE?a #
• Very few people can improvise a fugue! The Muppets' Theme in the style a of Bach fugue. http://ech.cc/hv6uj0 #
• So far, I've copied about 80,000 old emails from my local mail archive into Gmail. It's taking forever to copy them all! #
• The Inside Story of How Facebook Responded to Tunisian Hacks – Alexis Madrigal – Technology – The Atlantic http://instapaper.com/zWvv5102p #
• @tonyylu did you switch to Verizon? Does this mean I can call you now? :) #
• @gilesshaxted I have whatsapp, but all of my friends still use SMS or BB messenger. #
• Hmmm. The Hipstamatic non-100% viewfinder is hokey. I want to see what I'm going to capture. #
• Out for a hike… http://instagr.am/p/BlcTS/ #
• Walking in Portola Valley is dangerous because Jack now thinks that everyone has a trampoline. #
• Spring #1 in California http://instagr.am/p/BlfUn/ #
• @Hipstamatic thank you! Will change my settings now. :) #
• I just Instapapered 4 tabs on my browser so I can continue my research in the bathroom. TMI? ;) #
• @manukumar I'm actually enjoying Office 2011 more than 2008. #
• @manukumar … and by "enjoying," I mean using out of necessity. Word has shortcut for hide/show ribbon, but Excel uses that key combo. #

I’ve been struggling with email workflow since selling my MacBook Pro. My notebook computer used to be communication central — the (somewhat) mobile device that held my master email archives and the most current version of projects in process. My more powerful Mac Pro was used for heavier projects (media-related), and occasionally received a sync of working files from the MacBook Pro.

I’m more “local” now, but strangely, it has also made me more mobile. At the same time, I’ve lost access to my main email archive when I’m away from my Mac Pro (which has become the new central repository). (read more »)

I’ve had my pre-ordered Verizon iPhone for 3 days now, and I love the thing.

My good friend, Sterling Zumbrunn, helped me with initial app suggestions — super helpful because he has pretty much tried every app in the app store :).

Things have changed quite a bit since I was last on iPhone (in the AT&T dark ages), and the infrastructure and app ecosystem are really mature now. One big difference for me is that many apps now support DropBox, which means that all of my devices are always in sync.¹

For note taking and text editing, the combination of Elements on the iPhone and nvALT (a Notational Velocity fork) on Mac OS X is convenient and versatile. Since I don’t like UI clutter, I also have PlainText, which is cleaner but less powerful than Elements. All three are pointed at the same DropBox folder, so the content is seamlessly shared, and all three support TextExpander. I’m finding that this combination works well for both jotting down notes and composing and previewing longer articles (in Markdown). If you don’t already use Markdown and are a frequent web content creator, you really need to check it out.

Other apps that are indispensable for desktop / mobile device harmony are PasteBot, an app that lets you easily push clipboard content to and from your Mac, and DropCopy, which lets you easily send files and images to any other device currently running DropCopy.

For mobile WiFi, I retired my MiFi 2200 and am now paying $20/month for 2GB of wireless hotspot service (instead of $65). I rarely use over 2GB a month, and at $10/GB for excess data, it is a much better deal even if I do go over.

Other apps I use daily are Istapaper, Kindle, GoodReader, TextExpander, 1Password, Evernote, 42s, Twitter, Facebook, and Google.

Pam got her pre-ordered Verizon iPhone at the same time. I backed up her old AT&T iPhone 3Gs, restored the backup to her new Verizon iPhone 4, and she is happily using it exactly the same way she used to. The one big change? I can actually call her and talk for more than 20 seconds!

I do miss the physical keyboard on my old Blackberry Bold 9650, and I miss Blackberry Messenger. Blackberry is still the king of messaging, but since messaging is only 10% of what I actually want to do with a mobile device, an iPhone or Android makes much more sense. When I travel internationally, I will likely swap my line over to the Blackberry so I can take advantage of the unlimited global data plan. As I noted before, I believe the Blackberry has the only viable international plan for those of us living in the States.

I have a couple things for sale. Contact me if you’re interested!

1. SOLD Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. Working perfectly. Comes with charge-only USB cable (works with your computer or any USB charger), but no AC adapter. $35 + shipping
2. Plantronics .Audio 400 USB folding headset. Very good condition and clean. $25 + shipping

Google is honoring Jules Verne today (it would have been Verne’s 183rd birthday) with an interactive submarine doodle at google.com. You can drive the sub around to see flying fish, narwhals, a basking shark, giant squid, and more! Here’s a video of me taking the virtual sub for a drive (in case you missed it).

iPhone 4 for Verizon

Look what was waiting on my desk this morning!

• I hate email. #
• Ordered a LogicSkin for After Effects CS5, plus Shuttle Express. 15% off coupon til Feb 7, 2011: 'MACWORLD11' http://logickeyboard.com #
• @adamnash Tried suggesting an item in your bagcheck, and it threw an error. #
• Spread the word. XS4ALL opened up dialup accounts to bypass Egypt blockade of the internet. Access numbers at http://bit.ly/gdCqZD #
• @bagchk Went to a friend's bag: http://t.co/uHrBly3 … but "suggest" is no longer on the screen, as of now. #
• @bagchk I've never used the service, and saw the "suggest" option when I clicked through the first time. Strange! #
• CNN story on sharks and fishing / shark-finning pressure http://ech.cc/fRSfhj #
• @tjx Wish I could go to your Zozi / 500 startups' trampoline dodgeball event! Looks like it will be epic. #
• I love it when creative and talented people are rewarded for their work! http://ech.cc/gcpYJ9 #
• BUSTED! "Microsoft’s Bing uses Google search results—and denies it" http://ech.cc/hrEofb #
• Apple rejects Sony Reader app. If they reject Kindle after I switch back to iPhone, I will sell my device immediately. http://ech.cc/f0oEET #
• FINALLY — opt out of wasteful Yellow Page delivery: http://ech.cc/eCY6X9 #
• @Paul_Ark Ah, that makes sense. #
• Buy my friend's Canon Digital Rebel T2i underwater housing! It's in great condition, and is about 44% below new cost. http://ech.cc/gelnfT #
• Flickr deletes a user's 4,000 images on accident. Reminder: back up your images. http://ech.cc/dJFdHX #
• "Microsoft Puts H.264 Video Back in Google Chrome, Considers WebM for IE" http://ech.cc/eZt3GW #
• Pre-ordered 2 Verizon iPhones last night. It made me pay for a new family plan, for some reason — I hope the numbers actually add up. #
• Mac OS X and Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000: How do I change the zoom slider to scroll? Found Windows tips, but no Mac. #
• I ended up driving a random girl home from work because of the Caltrain death in Mountain View. Twitter search useful! http://ech.cc/fQ7sVf #
• The Average Asian Aging Process http://ech.cc/dHVVF9 #
• Twitter is an incredible real-time search engine-was the only source of information during today's Caltrain incident. Citizen journalism! #
• And in case anyone took offense to my "random girl" comment, I meant that innocuously. She has a name, and was nice. (sensitive people!) #
• @alexkingorg uh… ok. not quite sure how to take that! #
• Love it! "Cartoonist Trolls Bigots With Web Trickery" http://ech.cc/i7cRZF #
• Chrome 4 Supports Greasemonkey Userscripts Without an Extension http://ech.cc/fZrwEd #
• Blackberry feels so dated now. Great messaging, terrible everything else. Also, incredibly underpowered. Slow, slow, slow. #
• This Week's Top Web Comedy Video: The Full McBain Movie http://ech.cc/ePl7zr #
• Video: Uncontacted Tribe in Brazilian Jungle | Wired Science | Wired.com http://ech.cc/dWOrrN #
• Light Skeletons http://ech.cc/hTHTD9 #
• Our Verizon iPhones shipped and will arrive on Mon. Will be exciting to be able to successfully call my wife again (she is on AT&T iPhone) #
• I just realized that I still have Google Buzz active. Can't figure out why it still exists; I have disabled my account. #
• @viennateng song used in auditions for American Idol 2011 Auditions, Los Angeles http://ech.cc/hV4bFx #
• @johnolilly We use a Chemex. More manual than a drip machine, but produces great coffee. http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/ #
• Facebook, Twitter, Google sync, Latitude and Blackberry OS 6 on Bold 9650 do not mix well. Extreme sluggishness is the norm. #
• @theta_aquarii I wish I could 'like' your tweet! #

Every once in awhile, I take a look at my most viewed photos at Flickr. It looks like my shark photos are by far the most interesting images. (read more »)

Eric with shark, Dan with Paneer, Kozy with their other cat

Don picked me up from Monrovia this morning and drove me down to Culver City, where we met up with Matt to visit Dan and Kozy (kozyndan). I had wanted to see kozyndan’s studio for some time to see the place where their artistic genius is realized. (read more »)

Chee-Yun and Alisa are in town to play Beethoven Triple Concerto with the SF Symphony. The music world is tiny; I’m not even really a part of it, but it’s always fun to hang out and catch up.

Tickets for tonight and tomorrow night are still available — highly recommended! Photos follow… (read more »)

I went to MacWorld last week to check out products and to meet Sterling Zumbrunn and Daniel Brown. The show was tiny this year; it is shrinking year after year because Apple pulled out in 2009.

MacWorld 2011 might as well have been named “iStuff 2011.” The vast majority of booths seemed to be dedicated to iPhone and iPad accessories and software. Still, the show was interesting. The Mac has a great shareware culture, and some of the more successful shareware companies were on site in micro-booths — a great opportunity to meet some of the folks who write the software I use every day.