When the 2021 iPad mini came out last September, I immediately purchased it and thought it would be the perfect research companion. I wrote all about it here. Now that I’ve had it for about 6 months (and the birth of one child), I thought I’d revisit that post and discuss the gear, apps, and workflows I’ve implemented.
It’s 2022 and God-willing, many people will be back to traveling again! I already have 2 conferences planned1and at least 1 family vacation.
As a result I’ve reassessed by bag situation and, as an end of the year bonus, picked up a new bag. So here’s a look at everything in my travel back for 2022.
One of the core beliefs at Apple is telling a good story; it’s weaved into everything they do — every product, service, and publication. I mean, have you seen their 2021 Holiday commercial, Saving Simon? It’s really good1.
Something you’ll notice with that commercial is that it opens by telling you it was shot on iPhone 13 Pro. And in-fact that story they told at the iPhone event in September, about iPhone 13 Pro, was that it’s for movie makers and cinematographers. That’s a fun story. It might even work. But that’s not who iPhone 13 Pro is actually for. That’s just the story. That’s why they call it “Pro.”
But if it’s not for movie makers, who is it really for?
I have a confession: I love new devices. I probably upgrade too often. And I’m constantly looking for the perfect research companion. I thought it could be the Kindle Oasis, but I don’t reach for that as much as I expect1. Turns out the 11″ iPad Pro has been that for me for a long time. It’s nearly the perfect size.
But when I first heard rumors about a redesigned iPad Mini, I was giddy. I thought a bigger screen, with Apple Pencil 2 support…it would be perfect!
I instantly ordered it when it went on sale last month. After spending some time with it, I’m super happy with the purchase. It’s the perfect size for a lot of things. Here’s how I’m using it.
When my faucet was leaking water into the cabinet below, I had no idea what to do. I didn’t even know the question to ask. So I just googled, “Leaky faucet.” I found some YouTube videos, tried what they recommended, made it worse. Went to Home Depot…twice. They told me “Moen” was good for replacement parts. I ordered parts on Amazon. They didn’t fit. Nothing worked. 4 weeks went by.
Turned out, until we got 2 different quotes from professionals, we didn’t know the problem was unfixable and it needed to be replaced. Maybe if I had known a bit more about how faucets worked, I would have known what to look for.
It’s WWDC week – in fact today at 1pm ET is the Keynote, which is generally a popular event. It’s one of the few tech company. keynotes I know people organize watch parties for! As we go into WWDC I thought I’d talk about a few of my hopes and dreams for what we’ll see, starting with the iPad Pro.
(more…)Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve tried to do webinars, and then live streams, on a regular basis. That fell off a little in the summer when my son was born, but now it’s picking up again. Now that we have a babysitter, I can even set a regular schedule. So here are some thought I have around live streaming, and how I’m trying to improve.
(more…)As a guy who makes his living mostly from recording podcasts and videos, it can be frustrating when my family, who’s mostly stuck at home due to a pandemic, comes into my office while I’m recording, or decides to make the most noise right outside my door. I don’t blame them for this. You do what you can to keep 2 small children entertained. But I also wanted to solve the problem as much as I could.
In fact, I’m sure with many now working primarily from home, a silent but noticeable signal that you’re in a meeting would also go a long way. This is a project I’ve been thinking about for a long time, and last week I finally made a smart on-air light for when I’m recording or meeting.
(more…)I’ve been putting a lot more effort into my live streams lately. Thanks to better tools like eCamm Live and my Stream Deck, I can manage things a bit better and it doesn’t feel like a completely overwhelming process. One of the problems I was trying to solve was having a good overhead camera so I can do unboxings, writing, sketching, etc. Here’s how I set it up.
(more…)One of my biggest pieces of advice for people getting into video (or even doing virtual talks) is, “Have good lighting.” This will make you look better, and your webcam won’t have to work as hard, meaning a better picture. There are some simple solutions, but I wanted something a little more automated. Here’s what I’ve got!
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