My Thoughts On: Natural Disasters, Taxes, and a New User Interfaces!

You know, my heart goes out to the victims of the recent natural disaster in Oklahoma, America. It really does. I’ve never been in a disaster myself (and hope not to be), but it must be hard, not only losing part of your lives in material substance, but also losing family members and loved ones in the same circumstance, with nothing and no-one to blame but the weather.

This section of the post, however, is more to do with how we see natural disaster and their effects these days. In my mind, we’ve become ‘desensitized’ by the frequent disasters, natural and man-made, that we’re bombarded with every day. I mean, with all the disasters and death that we see on TV, in Newspapers, and all around us, it’s not hard to see why we are less inclined to feel emotion at the sight of another disaster when we’re constantly surrounded by them all the time. I just hope that we can find it in ourselves to be heartfelt in our condolences and feel genuine sympathy when something goes wrong with someone, as we would like people feel if it was us in that situation.

For the second part of my post, in all seriousness, why can’t these companies be truthful and pay taxes where taxes are due? We complain that the economy is collapsing, and that our countries are in debt, but when you think about it, would all this have happened if these companies had been truthful with their earnings and paid that they owe the state, and stopped avoiding the inevitable? Now, I’m no expert in finance and stock, and I’ll happily admit that. I just think that, even though we may not be totally out of debt if they had have been truthful, perhaps we wouldn’t be in so much. Opinions on this recent Google UK crisis, and the fact that the NHS and all Schools could be funded by what it owes us anyone?

Thirdly, and probably the most insignificant of all three (though I find it exciting nonetheless), has anyone discovered Flickr’s new layout? I personally love it, though it seems that these days the ‘header’ or ‘banner’ that I first saw on Facebook has become all its age as of late. Nearly all social networking sites I use have one now. I know it’s used to ‘express yourself’ and all that, but don’t you think it’s become a bit global? Isn’t there another alternative?

Well, that’s all I can churn out of my head for today.

I have a date with destiny (which, in my speech, is translated as finishing off collecting all the useless and unimportant bits of junk in Tomb Raider)!

Until next time!

iTunes 11 – Hands On

It’s been an exciting week for all the iTunes users out there, with Apple announcing the release ‘in days’ and then the final release yesterday…

But was it really worth all the fuss?

Sure, there’s the new layout, and everyone appreciates a new face every once in a while, but have Apple really managed to pull it off with version 11 of their ‘jukebox’ software?

Well, I decided to do a review on the matter, and here it is:

Setup

The installation files of the new iTunes 11 doesn’t really weigh much. At just under 90mb (upgrade) it downloads in seconds (100mpbs connection), ad the installation itself was surprisingly short that, for a minute, I wondered if it had failed somehow. Alas, my fears were dispelled when I restarted and found a brand-spanking new icon sitting on my start screen!

Problem is…

It wasn’t a modern UI application.

A modern UI app is not with us yet, but I can’t honestly say I expected it…

This didn’t phase the slightest though, as I honestly didn’t expect Apple to be metro-focused, not will I ever expect that from them. Besides, you have to admit, a Modern UI iTunes with it’s right angles, flat colors, and large button wouldn’t have suited it anyway. I probably would’ve still reverted to the desktop application, myself.

But I digress.

The Launch

I quickly launched myself into launched myself into the desktop, started up the new program, and of course accepted the licensing agreement (you honestly think I read?). At once, I was greeted with Apple’s new welcome screen, which I think is a nice addition, helping users who may not be as tech-savvy get around the brand new layout without tearing out any strands of finely combed hair.

The new welcome screen in iTunes 11 provides a helpful insight into the new layout…

Of course, I totally dismissed the idea after it had updated my library, and hit the agree button with a renewed sense of vigor. Let it be noted though, that updating your library may take some time, as it did mine, seeing as I have so many things stashed away in it. The speed of your computer may also factor in on this, though it shouldn’t make too much of a difference.

The first time you start up the new iTunes 11, it may take some time (depending on library size) to create a cache of all the artwork from the files, before it settles down. My hard drive had an abundance of activity for around six minutes before it finally quit stalling on me and I was free to use my newfound power.

Wanting to test start-up time, I quickly closed it, waited thirty seconds, and re-launched the application. I was pleasantly surprised with the 10-second start-up time, and even more impressed with it’s immediate responsiveness!

I found out that iTunes itself is no longer the 150-600mb memory-hogging program it once was, but now runs as smooth as butter on 40-50mb of RAM, which actually knocked me for six, the first time I saw the screen.

iTunes 11 has been slimmed… Weight Watchers style!

No 64-Bit power-boost on Windows!

As you can see though, it lacks the 64-Bit punch on Windows, which isn’t all of a big deal, apart from the knowledge that if it was, it would probably operate twice as fast as it does now. Still, Apple can’t allow us Windows users to have all the fun. They wouldn’t be Apple if they did!

Interface – Re-imagined

Now, we all know iTunes has long been due a good facelift these past…what…three or so years? Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve had the real joy of celebrating a decent step forward in the graphical user interface of the worlds most loved music organizer.

Until now.

The new iTunes. A refreshing look.

The new iTunes interface was well overdue, but I’m quite happy to say that they’ve got it right this time. I honestly don’t expect another major refresh till version 25, but by then interfaces will have stopped mattering to me, and I’ll probably still be in Windows 8…9 if I’m lucky.

The color-shifting album display really is a gift from the gods.

The new iOS-like interface for albums and items honestly does the trick, and is quick to respond like it’s cousin, the music app. The sidebar-less display may stump some, but click the ‘music’ tab in the top left corner, and all becomes as clear as water. The surprising thing is that when you open albums, the background color actually changes to suit the main colors of the artwork. Yet another stroke of genius from our favorite company. The new iCloud integration works like a charm, too, allowing me to play my TV shows I haven’t downloaded, and pick up my movie right from where I left off on my iPod. I shift from desktop to iPod just for the fun of it, these days. The floating menu design I especially like. Click the arrow next to a song, and you’ll immediately notice the smooth rounded edges on the menu, and iOS-like speech bubble appearance, and the smooth-expanding animation when you go to add said song to a playlist. It’s simple wonderful.

The synchronization tab was also re-designed, but left me a little clueless as to where it was, at first. I did finally find it in the top right corner of the library though, and proceeded to sync my iPod, just to be safe.

Sync your Apple device in style!

As always, though, there is always one annoyance in a new design, and for me, that was the ‘iPod’ button. You see, for me, I like to click the icon to go to the screen, not the name, so when I found out on hovering my mouse over the icon it became an ‘eject’ button, I was surprised. The label ‘iPod’ is far too small to accurately click every time, and to this moment I’ve accidentally ejected my pride and joy at least seven times. I feel like I’ve been abusing it.

But the iTunes GUI wasn’t the only thing that got Apple fans excited this year, oh no…

This did:

Small on size…

Big on control…

Now, even if I was a die-hard Apple fan till death, even I would have to admit that the mini-player had probably been the same since Moses was banging out those beats on the way from Egypt.

It had to go.

The new mini-player actually empowers the user, as you can see.

A search function has been added, the design has been revamped, the airplay button is actually there now…

And most of all…

Up Next has been added to the mix.

Which brings us to our next point.

What’s Up Next, DJ?

Haven’t you ever had those moments when you have a playlist, or you’re listening to a song in an album, and think ‘Man, I wish I could just add insert song name to my list straight after this!’ but realize that your favorite jukebox, with all it’s Genius and smart playlist features, can’t do a thing about it?

Well, obviously someone in Cupertino had this issue, and demanded a private audience with the head of iTunes…

And thus we were blessed with the Up Next feature (which I sincerely hope makes it’s way to iOS. Soon).

What’s up next?

It’s fairly simple to use. Just drag and drop any track onto the top bar, and hey presto, it’s up next! Of course, you can click the little arrow next to a track in an album, and click the ‘add to up next’ button…

But where’s the fun in that?

In addition to adding tracks, you can click the icon, and re-organize what comes up by drag and drop, really adding a mix to a party when you need it.

Now, if we had a blend feature to make songs flow seamlessly, real DJs would be out of business…

Think on that, Apple.

You could revolutionize music mixing, if you so desired…

Store

The store also got a wealth of attention, too, though I won’t go into it too much, as it seems like it’s not fully functional as of yet. It’s fair to say though, that when it’s finished it’ll easily be the most beautiful-looking store I’ll have ever seen by far.

Not finished…but still looking gorgeous!

Remote – TV

In addition to iTunes, I noticed my Apple TV got it’s latest update (6.0.1), which added support for ‘up next’ which I thoroughly enjoyed messing around with for at least 10 minutes mixing songs to get the best flow.

The remote app was also updates for use with ‘up next’ and with a brand new icon to match it’s sleek counterpart.

Remote…with a new icon!

Not much changed on the inside…

Exclusive!

Now, an exclusive shock to those who own a Windows PC, laptop, or tablet…

iCloud 2.1 is out!

Call off the alarm, folks, it’s only a compatibility update.

No changes. At all.

In Other News…

In other newspapers…

In other countries…

In other continents…

In other planets…

I hit 10,000 tweets the other day!

It’s alright, no need to applaud, I’m not finished yet!

In fact, I am, just look at the photos, will you?

I’ve finally reached, Houston!

My 10,000th Tweet. Ingenious.

And that’s a wrap, folks!

My iTunes 11 review…

My Remote 3.0 update…

My iCloud 2.1 letdown…

And my personal Tweet milestone all wrapped up in one!

This is Alex, signing off!

亞歷克斯的！

The Most Exciting Week Of May

Ah, I was supposed to update you guys on Monday…or at least somewhere around that time, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be, eh?

Well, just to ease your minds on where I have been, I’ve been at Prayer Warriors 2012 in Alton. Alton Castle, to be precise.

It was a real eye opener in many fields, and a great experience. The plenary sessions were the most informative, and the deepest parts of the weekend. I managed to get down quite a few notes and recordings, too. Prayer Warriors 2012 – Notes. It’s had to explain it all in words, so I’ll just let the notes here and pictures at the end of this post explain it all If you want to see all of the pictures, head over to Flickr or add me on Facebook!

The rest of my week has been fairly standard though, apart from the bus ride back home today, and the iMovie trailer that I managed to develop, that is.

The trailer was to be developed for next week’s AY session, in which we would have a panel of ‘expert’ challenging our seven core beliefs on which we grounded our faith. It’s going to be a big thing, so I was asked to put together a promotion trailer…not that I’d had much experience in that area, of course. Fortunately, the new iMovie for iPhone update came along with the iMovie ’11 feature: Trailers! It was just a matter of choosing the theme, recording the clips, adding in some pan and zoom photos, and making sure the battery didn’t die during recording. It took from around 5 till 8 to complete to a standard that I was mildly ok with before we showed it to all those who were there at the time, and to my surprise…it was a big success! Now, I haven’t quite got permission to upload it yet, but hopefully by Tuesday everything will be sorted for the final public export.

Now then, on to today. You see, I ended up going to Karen’s house to help cut her front lawn grass with her son after pathfinders, and that went all well. Especially with us pretending to be hard-core westerners from back in the 1700′s. Especially.

Anyway, it was soon coming 5:00 by the time we’d finished, so I decided to head on home and catch the bus. That was all good, but it was the route and time the bus took to get home that got to me. You see, the ride home to my house usually takes 15 minutes maximum, not 1:30 hours. So when I saw that I was going away from my house, I was a little bit worried, needless to say. Turns out though that it was the ‘normal’ route now…not that I necessarily agreed with the driver, but I went along with it, and found myself back at the bus station an hour and fifteen minutes later. Now that was annoying. I did, however, gain hope when the bus driver seemed to finally find his bearings and go towards where the sign on the bus said: Low Hill. It was an agonizing 15 minutes before I finally arrived home at 6:30, exactly an hour and a half after leaving my starting point.

I was home at last.

And that’s where I pick up my life story now! I decided to finally do a post before I got through the door, and now I’m doing it, I feel much better. I’m back on my schedule now, so things should roll a lot smoother, but until then…

亞歷克斯的！

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Newsspot – For Apple, Pressure Builds Over App Store Fraud

Morning guys! Yeah, sorry for the inactivity over the last couple of days, but I’ve been busy with my house, and going to events. Sorry I don’t have the time or will to divulge, but if you want to know more, search for the hash-tag #NECYouthDay . Trust me, it went in. Anyway, today’s post deals with a common problem that seems to be happening with Apple these days. Fraud. I’ve been a victim of this happening twice, myself, so I know how it feels. Thing is, bot my cases had different cards, which was strange. Each lump transaction was around £300-£500, which was…well…a real dent. It seems that Apple seem to be letting too many of these cases slip, and more often, the consumer gets the worst of it. If you’re lucky, like me, you’ll get the money refunded, and a new card. Problem is, this can only happen so many times before the bank decides that you’re on your own. I happen to have no chances left. Another thing is that immediately after notifying Apple, your Apple ID gets permanently disabled. Harsh, huh? You can’t get your stuff off iCloud, and you’ve gotta re-purchase those apps on a different account, seeing as you can’t even update the ones you have. Rant over, here’s the post!

For Apple, Pressure Builds Over App Store Fraud

Gilles Sabrie for The New York Times

Jian Huang, head of Hoolai Game in Beijing. Hoolai, a game developer, discovered that it was missing payments from Apple.

By EVELYN M. RUSLI and BRIAN X. CHEN

Published: March 15, 2012

In a little over an hour, Ryan Matthew Pierson racked up $437.71 in iTunes charges for virtual currency that he could use to buy guns, nightclubs and cars in iMobsters, a popular iPhone game. One problem: Mr. Pierson, a technology writer in Texas, has never played iMobsters.

“This was fraud,” said Mr. Pierson, recalling the November incident. “I woke up, checked my e-mail, and I could see these purchases happening in real time.”

Mr. Pierson raised the issue with Appleand his bank, and the problem was eventually resolved. But his experience is hardly unique, as reflected by hundreds of online complaints saying that Apple’s iTunes Store, and in particular its App Store, which the company portrays as the safest of shopping environments, is not so secure.

The complaints come from consumers like Mr. Pierson, who say that their accounts have been hijacked or that some apps are falsely advertised. And they come from creators of apps, who say they are having to deal with fraudulent purchases that drain their time and resources. Software makers also complain that competition in the App Store has become so brutal that many companies resort to artificially inflating their popularity rankings to grab attention.

It’s a change for Apple, which was once criticized for its micromanaging of the App Store. Now the problem is not too much control, but too little.

“This kind of thing just happens any time a platform is successful,” said David Edery, chief executive of Spry Fox, a small software company that sells games in the App Store. “People start flooding into it and it starts to get crazy.”

The App Store offers more than 600,000 applications for iPhones, iPads and iPodTouches, and has already generated billions in revenue for Apple and its developers. That makes it both the best deal going for software makers and consumers, and also a hulking target for those looking to manipulate the system and cheat people.

Apple declined a request for an interview, but said in a statement that it was working to enhance security. It advised customers whose payment information had been stolen to change their iTunes passwords and to contact their financial institutions.

In the shadowy world of hacking, it’s often unclear how criminals get iTunes passwords or credit card information. But the App Store, and Apple’s broader iTunes Store, have become playgrounds for illicit transactions. And the Web is rife with App Store scams. On Chinese online marketplaces, like Taobao or DHgate, some sellers are offering access to iTunes accounts for as little as $33. One seller on DHgate, for instance, has sold 56 iTunes accounts for less than $35 each, promising thousands of dollars in “credit.”

Photo Of The Day – Seascape 19

Seascape 19 a photo by Mohammed H. Aldossari on Flickr.

Well, many of you will be asking ‘Well, where’s all these posts I’m supposed to be getting emails about, huh?’ and I have to say, well done for remembering! Now, I have my reasons for not putting those posts up. In fact, scratch that. They’re my mother’s reasons. Besically, it seems that I am no longer allowed to have this beast on in the mornings (my computer), and can only have it on when everything that needs to be done is done (around 4pm), so it looks like it’s time to say goodbye to the morning mail *sniffle*. Now, stop your crying, because I had an idea! You know, I’ve just gotta love Automattic and their mobile applications, because I’ll be posting a morning mail issue hopefully every day from the comfort of my bed, on my iPod. It won’t be as long or elaborate as my other posts with links galore, but it’ll have to do until I can get a silent laptop that wakes in like 0.3 seconds…A.K.A a Macbook Pro…

Moving on, here’s the photo of the day! I decided on something a tad more serene today simply because I’m feeling at peace. Nothing’s running around in my head, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything under control. I was browsing my favorite Flickr pool this evening, and suddenly spotted this photo. The purple and blue just seemed to communicate tranquility, and I was surprised to see that such a good photo was available for sharing! Taken only two hours ago in Al Khubar, this array of colored pixels is fresh off the memory stick, so to speak. I would put a quote to go with it, but I’m running low on time in my busy schedule as it is, so I’m gonna have to cut this short. Remember, I’ll be back!

亞歷克斯出！