:knock knock:
...anybody still around? Yeah? Wow, a patient bunch you are! Thanks for hitting your bookmark for this site!
Time for some new content, wouldn't you say?
OK, that sounds good to me too. I've been saving a bunch of cool sites for you to check out, and of course, I need to keep you up-to-date on Apple Computer news! Finally, time to really blog about the world outside my door -- movies, books, food, family, friends -- I promise.
Be back soon!
~Kachup
The first day of summer is upon us, and you know what that means -- we're just days away from the release of Apple's iPhone! (Wait, what? That's not what it means? Oh. Well, anyway...)
I think it's safe to say that no techie gadget (certainly no cell phone) has ever seen so much anticipation, so much pressure, to be the end-all and be-all of everything cool in this world than the iPhone does at this moment. Yes, it will be released, and there will be those folks that will buy one on the first day, the first minute, the first second that it's available. Heck, there's probably people camped out at Apple Stores right now. So what is it about this gadget? Apple says it's the best iPod they've ever made, that, oh, by the way, happens to also be an internet appliance and, oh yeah, the best phone ever. I'd love to say that I will personally test all these features myself and report here, but it's just a wee too steep for my budget at the moment. But hey, we should be able to play with one at the Apple Store once they become available (at least I hope so.)
However, until it launches, I say enjoy the hype. I know of no other company that inspires such brand loyalty and can whip the fan base into a lather than Apple, Inc can. After its release, there will almost undoubtedly be some bell or whistle that doesn't work exactly as advertised, or was left off completely. But until then, we have the image of a perfect product, and Apple can do no wrong.
Here's some links to sites blogging about the iPhone, courtesy of the gettrio.com newsletter I receive:
iPhoneFreak
theiPhoneBlog
TalkiPhone
Hello. Mac power user I may be, but one thing I haven't got a handle on is Photoshop. In my job at the Help Desk, I just don't have a use for it on a daily basis. I take some training in it, play with it, then come back to my job and, because I don't have a personal copy, the skills just fly out the window. I will be purchasing Photoshop Elements, I've decided, but that will have to wait for a paycheck or two. In the meantime, one part of this new Blogger template I'm using is driving me nuts. Yep, that obviously un-Mac-like laptop up in the top right of the blog. As this was how it came out of the box, I figured it wouldn't be such a big deal. But it bugs me now. A lot.
So, what to do? Well, I thought about it, and I happen to know (virtually, that is) some folks that might be able to help -- that's you! Certainly someone out there is a Photoshop guru that can scrape out that Windows-running tin can up there and replace it instead with a similarly-oriented shot of a MacBook Pro instead. Up for the challenge? Here's what my xml template tells me is the URL of the pic. Can someone out there help me out and pick it apart, eliminate that laptop, and drop in a nice image of the MacBook Pro instead, while keeping all the rest the same (colors, border, etc.)? Please e-mail your results to my blog address, on the sidebar at the left. If there are (hopefully) multiple results, I'll either pick my favorite, or rotate them every month or so. I don't have anything to offer as payment, but the thanks of a grateful blogger.
Is anyone willing to take up the challenge? Let me know...and thanks in advance!
~Kachup
I just want to take a moment and say "hello" to all the new contacts I've made through e-mail the last day or so, since I began offering the Joost invites; the response has been overwhelming! I'd love to think that all of you read this blog religiously, and were just waiting for word from me when they would become available, but I'm not quite that naive. I know many of you may have just typed "Joost" into your favorite search engine, and wound up here. That's fine too -- I hope you'll at least hang around for a few minutes, and browse a few pages while you're here. There's plenty to interest a Mac fan, but the websites I comment on here are, of course, usually platform-agnostic.
Secondly, I wanted to say that I really encourage you to drop me a line at the e-mail address on the sidebar to the right. I didn't really think an e-mail account for the blog would be necessary, as I figured that I would respond to any questions or comments in the Comment section for each post. However, I got to thinking about it, and there are times when you may not necessarily want to post your question out there for all to see, and so I created the Gmail account to handle both the requests for Joost invites, but also to open up the floor to you to get in touch with me. What I'd particularly like to see are your suggestions for content on the page, especially any cool web pages you've been browsing lately. It would be great if it had a Mac theme to it, but any website is game -- fun, quirky, and interesting content tops anyone's list. I will reply to your e-mail asking for your permission to blog your find if it looks good, and then credit you in the post. Just in the last few days, I've received e-mails from the far corners of the globe, to right in my backyard -- Canada, Australia, New York, and Ohio, to name a few -- and I'm always looking forward to meeting new friends.
Finally, I never want to be one of those bloggers who need to be away from their blogs for a while, and get on to post "sorry I haven't blogged in a while; this happened, then this, then blah, blah, blah..." I'll say this once, and be done with it. I'd blog all day long if I could, but my job as a Help Desk Analyst is cyclical in nature, as I work for a state university here in Ohio. As a result, as the school year goes along, there will be times when I am swamped and simply don't have the time to post much at all, then there are other times when you'll see multiple posts from me on the same day. That's just the nature of the job. Believe me, my motto could be "I'd rather be posting" Those of you that have followed this blog for any length of time know that. I just wanted it on the record. I'm always around somewhere, just waiting to get some time to post.
Enjoy the site, and I look forward to meeting more of you via e-mail. Send me your thoughts, constructive criticism, web finds, and anything else that's on your mind (and yes, I'm already petting Sulley per one request).
~Kachup
