Long time no see

I got nothing to say.

An iPad, Eh?

Thirty years from now, assuming I am still around, people will referring to things like iPhones, iPods and Macs as relics from an era that has passed. People will say, "I can't see how got anything done with those.", or, "Those cost how much?" Yes, i know this because we do this now. Don't tell me you don't.

Until that time comes, however, I am in the here and now and RIGHT NOW there is a burgeoning technological age sitting at the cusp of exploding. Not sure exactly what that is, but I can sense it. Steve Jobs has done a pretty good job of pushing us along just enough to give us hope for the future. When I say just enough, I mean 'just enough'. Sure the iPhone is a great product but on a grand scale it is just an improvement on what was already out there. Sure Macs are great, but again they are just like their Apple IIe ancestors in more ways anybody, especially Apple, would like to admit.

No, not since the actual invention of the personal computer has there been the type of technological breakthrough we have been needing. I can think of three inventions off-hand that changed society forever: the printing press, the automobile and the personal computer. There may be more but those are the big ones.

This week, we all had the pleasure of learning of Apple's latest and greatest concoction, the iPad. First off, either the naming is pure genius or pure stupidity, I haven't decided yet. No shortage of jokes may prove there is no such thing as bad publicity. After watching the keynote speech, watching the Apple marketing video and reading information on the iPad itself, I have concluded that the iPad is certainly worth considering but is it really 'better' than a laptop as Jobs attests?

During the keynote, Jobs stated multiple times that the iPad was better than the iPhone and a (Mac) laptop at surfing the Web, listening to music, using Apps, etc. Really? Better than a laptop?

I am sure the iPad has an improved user experience, great portability, and relative convenience but I could hardly think it would be better than a laptop. Okay, so maybe its faster than a G3 ProBook from Mac but a modern-day, state-of-the-art laptop? I seriously doubt it.

First case in point. Steve, does Safari on the iPad support Flash? My laptop does! Watching your keynote, I noticed the little 'missing object' icons on the unloadable page elements and how you skimmed over them very quickly. I've seen that before...on the iPhone! That's right, the iPhone doesn't support Flash. So if the iPad doesn't support Flash, which is what I am guessing, then how is the it BETTER than a laptop? Don't get me wrong, I hate Flash just like the next guy but sometimes, I want to experience the entire site without having to deal with compatibility issues. That seems like a pain to me.

Also, how fast is it to save and recover files? My laptop drops them right on the laptop in a matter of a few seconds. I am assuming that you will be able to save a few files to the iPad but once it fills up, you will have to push them up to an internet disk or something like that to make space.

So, I'm pretty sure that the iPad IS NOT better than a laptop. Impressive? Sure. Better? No-way. Overall, I think Apple's marketing angle is a pretty weak here. Apple has the guts to push a $500 digital music player during an economic downturn and sell millions of them, but then sell the iPad by suggesting it is superior to other products they have? C'mon Apple! Sell it on sexiness, appeal, user experience and the cool factor, not on saying its better.

Don't take my word it, watch the keynote speech and the product introduction at the apple web site: http://images.apple.com/ipad/

EB

My Youngest

This is photo represents some nice features in Lightroom. Even though I like to try and capture an image 'in the can', I can't resist playing with the sliders in Lightroom. The best way to learn is to experiment, I always say!

Basically, I used a white background with a large array of lights coming from one direction for the main light. There was a bounce card as fill in. With kids, you can't really control the light like you can with adults. Just fill the space with light and shoot tons of photos. That's how I do it anyway.

Exposure: 1/125 at f/8

Focal Length: 38mm

ISO: 100

Canon EOS 30D

Here is a quick diagram of how the photo was set up. Enjoy. As always, tips for improvement or other ideas are always welcome!

Welcome to My Blog

Well, this is my first post. I hope to bring more soon. My goal is to pretty much make this a random vessel of useful information...appropriate for the Internet!