Macgasm

Steve Jobs is on a roll with his one word and one sentence email replies.  However, this time it’s not regarding one of Apple’s latest gadgets or tech.  This time it’s about something that is more personal, and hits home for Steve Jobs.  It’s about being an organ donor.  Steve Jobs credits organ donation as his reason for still being alive.`

Last year Steve Jobs had a liver transplant.  His liver was donated by a 20 year old man that had passed away.  Consequently, Steve did not receive the transplant here in California.  He had to travel to Kentucky to have the operation performed.  The reason was that the waiting list in California for liver transplants was too high, and Steve was running out of time.  However, the waiting list in Kentucky was lower, and he was able to have the transplant performed there.

Steve Jobs is backing a Bill in California along with California government officials to have the DMV – Department of Motor Vehicles, ask people when they go get their drivers licenses, if they want to be an organ donor.  With this in place the likely hood of organ donation could increase.  Steve pointed out that he was financial able to have the transplant done in another state, but there are other deserving people that don’t have the same financial means.  He believes that everyone should have a chance at life whether you’re rich or poor.

Business Insider’s Dan Frommer, is reporting that a SAI reader named James wrote an email to Steve explaining that his girlfriend had passed away from melanoma, and that he thanks him for being active with this Bill.  Below is the email from James, and Steve’s response to the email:

“James wrote to Steve:

Thank you, you’re awesome.

I lost my girlfriend on April 23, 2008 from melanoma which spread rapidly to her liver, 48 hours after we found out it spread to her liver she sadly passed away….she was only 24 and I think about her every day. I am so grateful you took time out to do this. My girlfriend and I are from Cupertino, since childhood, and it’s really nice to see the hometown hero take time out to do this.

Once again, thank you so much.

Sincerely,

James

A few hours later, Steve wrote back*:

Your most welcome, James. I’m sorry about your girlfriend. Life is fragile.

Steve

Sent from my iPad”

According to the Business Insider piece Steve replied back to this email on the day of the Apple earning’s call.  This definitely shows that Steve is not all about business and tech.  He’s a person like you and I, and he cares.  That last sentence of his reply “Life is fragile.” really makes one stop and pause.  If anyone has lost someone close to them, that last sentence really makes an impact.

I’m glad to see that Steve Jobs is promoting a bill like this.

Photo Credit: Steve Jobs

Article Via Business Insider

If you have no idea why the Woz is so loved by the Apple community, you’ll probably have to look no further than the gag he pulled a couple of days ago.

In an attempt to crack a joke , Woz sent a picture of himself drinking a beer, staring into his iPhone and wearing a  funny t-shirt.  The t-shirt read, “I went drinking with Gray Powell and all I got was a lousy iPhone prototype.”

I’ve always been an early adopter.  Take the Pet Rock, for example.  I bought one when I was a kid.  Yes, I did.  For those of you too young to know what a Pet Rock is, I’ve included a photograph.  Yes.  I still have mine, what of it?

My Pet Rock

What does this have to do with the iPad Camera Connection Kit?  Nothing, really, except that the teeny little manual that comes with the Camera Kit reminded me of my Pet Rock manual (of course there was an instruction booklet for taking care of your pet rock–you don’t automatically know how, do you?)

Pet Rock Manual and Camera Connect Manual

Now, to the connection kit.

iPad Camera Connection Kit Box

It’s pretty self explanatory what the Camera Connection Kit does (which is why the manual is so tiny and unhelpful).  In the darling little package are two items:  a connector for a camera USB cable and a connector for an SD card.  In typical Apple minimalistic style, the two connectors are beautiful. They are also really small–perfect for tucking away in your camera case or for losing them somewhere in the chaos that is your house.

Connector Choices

Connectors front view

When you plug the connector into your iPad, it immediately opens the photo app and shows the photos on your card (or camera).  This can actually take a really long time if you have lots of photos on your card (as I did).  You can opt to import all the photos or choose selected photos.

iPad with Camera Kit connected 2

Once the pictures are imported, you can have the iPad delete them from your card/camera or leave them intact.  Your pics are now available to you on the iPad.  It’s that simple.

Another view of iPad showing import selections

When I first tried the Connection Kit (on my husband’s iPad, since I don’t have mine yet), the app crashed.  I have over 300 pictures on my card, and after selecting a few to load onto the iPad, and then attempting to manipulate them, the app stalled and crashed. So, the iPad Photo app seems to be a bit buggy at this point, especially when there are lots of photos.

iPad showing delay in loading pictures

The Connection Kit, however, works like a charm.

The iPad Camera Connection Kit retails on the Apple Store for $29.00.  This purchase is absolutely a no-brainer if you do any photography at all.  Since the iPad functions as a high-quality photo viewer (though not editor), having the camera kit will allow you to display and enjoy your photos in all their pixelated glory.  Highly recommended.

When I picked up my iPad I didn’t initially purchase a case from the Apple store, mostly because they didn’t have a very large selection.  They only had two round cases and neither of them would be very worthwhile if I wanted to bring my iPad with me anywhere.  So I set off to find a case that would be able to handle all of the accessories and still be portable enough to take anywhere.  I managed to find one, the Incase Travel Kit Plus for iPad.

The Perks

The Incase Travel Kit plus has just about everything that somebody could want out of an iPad case. There is a nice padded sleeve to store your iPad. This will definitely protect your iPad quite nicely. The only downside to this section of the case is that it’s very form fitting, so there is no way that you’ll be able to add a slightly protective case to protect your iPad while it’s outside of the sleeve.  This isn’t necessarily the end of the world; however, it is  something to keep in mind.

The case even includes a stand that allows you to have your iPod stand almost vertically or at at an angle that’s perfect for watching movies or even just using it to type using a bluetooth keyboard.  This is one way of allowing you to protect your iPad.  The stand allows you to orient your iPad in either landscape or portrait mode and it keeps the iPad off the desk less than an inch.  Therefore, if you spill something it won’t hit your iPad.

The case also includes a slew of pockets.  There is one for a bluetooth keyboard the size of Apple’s to fit snugly.  There are also two zippered pockets that allow for storage of any items that you desire.  I keep my stand and my iPad charger in the pockets.

A Little Overkill, and a Couple Oversights

There is also some cable management features, however I’m not entirely sure how useful these are since there are so many pockets that you can store items in, it almost seems redundant and not a necessity.

There are some problems with the Incase Travel Kit Plus.  The first, as mentioned earlier, is the tight fit of the pocket for the iPad itself.  While it will be protected, it is not necessarily the best if you want to put a silicone case around the iPad and then put it into the pocket.

The second problem is the keyboard pocket. It does fit the Apple bluetooth keyboard nicely, but there is no protection against items hitting the keys, and if it’s paired with an iPad, you could be face with some problems if your device turns on.  Now this may not

A possible remedy would be to a have a little optional cover that would slip over the keyboard and not allow the keys to be pressed while it’s in the case.

Overall, the case is not a bad choice.  Particularly if you want to make sure that all of your accessories are included with your iPad when you take it somewhere.  The price of the case is not cheap, it’s $59.95.  I’d recommend going through the Apple store since the Amazon reseller’s to think it’s appropriate to mark up the case by 40%.

AT&T myWireless Mobile is a great app for all iPhone users (in the US) on the go. Pay your bill from the train, stuck in traffic, or even add more minutes just so you don’t go over that dreadful limit. You now have the ability to check every usage stat from your monthly bill, right from your handheld device!

What You’re Getting

It’s fairly simple. Just login to the app (or sign up for free) and boom! Right from the get go you’re able to view and pay your bill, look over your data usage, and look at more features you might want to add! This is definitely great especially if you think you’ve forgotten to setup ‘auto-pay’ or maybe if you’ve just forgotten to send in a payment and you’re too close to the due date to get one in. Just sign on here and in a few quick minutes your bill can be paid and you can keep on texting and calling!

The Best Feature

The best is definitely the ability to pay right from your phone. This is a service that is starting to come around to other smart phones with their “apps”. I’m not sure if AT&T was the first to put this out but it’s definitely the best out there and it makes life so much easier!

Looking to the Future!

There’s not much to add from here. You can upgrade your plan, downgrade, pay your bill, keep tabs on your plan’s usage. Maybe if you’re able to order a new phone or get “Push” notifications when your bill is due. I think if you can set timers to alarm 10 days-a week in advance of your due date, then you can have an easier time with it.

The Just of It

You definitely need this “FREE” app if you’re an AT&T iPhone user. When it comes you actually using and paying for your services this makes things so much more easy. I can’t recommend it enough. You don’t even need to install it on your iPhone, it works just as well on an iPod. So if you’ve just got a regular old cell phone, you can install this app on the iPod touch and pay your bill when you have Wi-Fi coverage!

You can download the app here.

Photo Credit: borman818

About a week ago we reported to you that Apple was unfortunately forced to delay their shipment of iPads internationally. The reason given then was the lack of supply due to the “surprisingly large US demand.” However, recent reports may say otherwise!

In a talk with Bloomberg News, iSuppli analyst Andrew Rassweiler says that there is a problem in this delayed shipment. He reports that yields on the display are causing the problem because they are low. After learning this news it’s sad to say that this is what is causing the “bottleneck” in production. The displays are being made by companies in South Korea and Japan (LG Display, Samsung Electronics, and Seiko Epson).

The displays are similar to those on the iPhone, except the obvious.. they’re much larger. The problem in production lies within upscaling the displays from the size of the iPhone to that of the iPad.

It’s unclear as to when exactly the iPads will be ready for the international shipments, it is believed to be ready for late May. Apple hopes to release the international prices on or around May 10, 2010. Until it’s confirmed we’ll keep reporting on the matter.

[Picture via Apple.com]

via TUAW

When I visit my doctor, there is a mini computer with an LCD display in the Examining Room.  My doctor will refer to the computer to check what medications I’ve taken, or if I have been seen by another doctor, and it will tell him what I was in for.  More and more medical facilities are moving into the 21st Century, and they are trading in their clipboard charts for computers and laptops.  There is one California hospital that is taking it to the next step.  They are trading in their laptops for iPads.

Frank Zhang of CruchGear writes that Kaweah Delta Health Care District has dropped laptops for the iPad.  He explains how the iPad will be used by the Physicians:

“The iPad, with its 10-hour battery life and portability, can replace the laptop for usual office applications such as e-mail, as well as for looking at X-ray images, EKG results, and patient monitoring programs. This information will be delivered using the Citrix virtual desktop software, which gives users access to their desktop from any location on a number of different devices including Macs, tablets, and smartphones.”

This is pretty impressive.  I could definitely see my doctor using the iPad.  As I mentioned earlier, he references the computer for information.  With the iPad, it will literally be at his fingertips.  I can also see test results turn round time being a lot faster.  They can have the information sent directly to their iPad.

Some might think that this is an unnecessary expense, considering the tough economic times we are in.  Jonny Evans of 9to5Mac explains that the $500.00 price tag for an iPad is inexpensive compared to specialized touchscreen tablets that cost $3000.00 per unit.  For the same price the hospital could afford to buy six iPads for every one touchscreen tablet.  Plus when you buy in bulk, they are probably getting a slight discount.  So the price at this point is even less.

It’s exciting to see how hospitals are embracing all this new technology.  The applications are limitless as to what the iPad can do for the medical field.  I can see in the next five years portable devices such as the iPad as common as a laptop is today.

Photo Credit: Computer Doctor

Article Via CrunchGear & 9to5Mac

Apple has used their ad campaign to get switchers, when switching wasn’t cool.  They had a good run with the “Get a Mac” ads with John Hodgman and Justin Long.  Aptly named PC and Mac.  Now Apple is focusing their ad campaign on the iPhone.  Apple has been airing iPhone ads that cater to everyone’s lifestyle.  One in particular that I can relate to as a dad is their latest iPhone ad – “Family Man”.

Switcher Ad

Before I get into the current iPhone ad, I thought I would take a stroll down Memory Lane.  Let’s go back say about ten years when Apple had their Switcher’s ad campaign.  They were a mix of using regular people and celebrities pointing out the virtues of the Mac.  One I remember in particular was the Switcher ad with a non celebrity named Aaron Adams.  He explains how he’s a Window’s guy that has switched to the Mac.  I can totally relate to this guy, and how he feels.  That’s why these commercials work so well, is because they are relatable.  Below is the thirty second spot, please watch before continuing to read:

I work in Information Technology, and everything Aaron is saying is true.  You have to deal with Windows, and yes it is in your face.  I look forward to coming home, and working on my Mac.  Because I know that I am going to work on a computer that will not give me any problems, or I’ll have to spend time fixing.  I can do what I need to do, and have the rest of the evening free to spend with my family.  Ask a Windows user if they can say the same thing.

Get a Mac Ad

Now lets travel ahead in time say about six years.  Apple is now airing “Get a Mac” ads, in which you have two characters, one is PC and the other is Mac.  They are played by John Hodgman and Justin Long respectively.  These ads were still in the vein of the Switcher ads; however, they brought more of a comedic presence to the ads.  PC was representative of Bill Gates, a suit wearing, more interested in spreadsheets, and not innovative.  As where Mac was representative of Steve Jobs, a hip jean wearing, more interested in being creative, and touting the Apple slogan – “It just Works.”.  Personally I loved these ads, however, some people hated these ads right off the bat.  Then there are others that found them to be getting old towards the end.  Below is one of my favorite “Get a Mac” ads:

iPhone Ad – Hello

Ok, time travelers. lets fast forward a couple of years to the first iPhone ad.  This one was played during the Oscars, and it was simply titled “Hello”.  It showed snippets of TV and Movie characters answering the phone saying, “Hello”.  It started with Lucy from I Love Lucy answering the phone, and ending with Mr. Incredible from The Incredible’s answering the phone.  The simplicity of this commercial it what made it memorable.  Below is the “Hello” ad”

iPhone Ad – Family Man

Now we’ve traveled back to the future — to the present day.  Apple’s latest iPhone ad titled Family Man describes in thirty seconds how the iPhone is not just Dad’s iPhone, but the entire families.  As I mentioned at the beginning, I can totally relate to this video.  When my wife and I got our iPhones, our kids monopolized them when we went out to dinner, or when we were in the car on long trips.  It was their personal video player.  Now they have their own iPod Touches, and my wife and I have our iPhones back.  For your viewing enjoyment I now present you with the latest iPhone ad – “Family Man”:

Photo Credit: Get_a_Mac_ad_characters