Community  

Places I Visit


Gear Up



follow rflack at http://twitter.com


Shameless commerce

Basecamp project management and collaboration

Photo Blog

www.flickr.com
flackr's photos More of flackr's photos

Apple | A tip sheet for switchers from Walt Mossberg
“Sales of Apple’s Macintosh computers have been growing much faster than PC sales overall, with many new Mac buyers switching from years of using Windows computers,” admits Walt Mossberg (allthingsd.com). And to help those who have made the switch, he’s assembled “a quick tip sheet explaining a few of the most common differences” between Mac OS Leopard and Windows. The Story

Apple | Telstra and Apple to bring iPhone 3G to Australia on 11 July
The Story

Apple | Award-Winning Television Programming Now Available on the iTunes Store in Australia
The Story

Apple | iTunes Store Tops Over Five Billion Songs Sold
The Story

Apple | Apple’s First Retail Store in Australia Opens in Sydney on Thursday, 19 June
The Story

Apple | Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers
The Story

View Ron Flack's profile on LinkedIn

cool things I've found online

ExpressionEngine is a highly flexible, feature-rich web publishing system that empowers individuals, organizations, and companies around the world to create dynamic, content-driven websites.

ExpressionEngine won't overwhelm you with technology. Even if you have modest experience you'll find that ExpressionEngine enables your creative process through its intuitive interface and tools.



web design tips

Sat Jun 14, 2008

contentbar

Wide Eyed Life ... Summer Refugees
Topic | personal
Posted by | Ron Flack

So on Sunday nights I've been frequenting WideEyedLife ... The thing I dig about it is that it's not church ... like Simsons church ... WideEyed is people who go some place on Sunday morning ... I go to Muggz on Sunday morning ... but need someplace to connect w/ others who are in a journey w/ their maker ... so I find myself at WideEyed. No sales pitch. No bait and switch. Just stories of how to help ... how to get to know God together. No pointed fingers. Dang.
WideEyedLife ... web ready

It's not completely unplugged but it is very real. I like that about it. Some of the people who have dreamed it into existance have made a really difference in my day-to-day. Reached to me. Listened. Are you kidding me ... Listened.

So some college age Summer Time Refugees have found themselves on my back porch for kind-of-a Journey support session on Thursday. These are people home for the summer and have found themselves looking for a couple hours of breathing space. We read the bible ... we pray ... we talk. No rocket science.
More info about Thursday Nights here ...


Jun 14, 08 | 12:38 pm
(11) views | permalink




Sat Jun 07, 2008

contentbar

Twitter Flitter Glitter Bitter Heither ...
Topic |
Posted by | Ron Flack

Defined as: Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, the Twitter website or an application such as Twitterrific. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

So I signed up. It's great place to put those tidbits that just don't belong any place else. Check it http://twitter.com/rflack


Jun 07, 08 | 12:29 pm
(13) views | permalink




contentbar

Starbucks and Free At&t WiFi
Topic | personal
Posted by | Ron Flack

All you need is a registered card that you've had a transaction on in the last 30 days. You do have to offer a real home address ... which to me is a fair trade off ... especially when it means 2 hours of Wifi. I do think their technology is behind a bit. The rules say only 1 session per day but I've found that you can create multiple sessions at the Washington Square Location (North Canton, Ohio).

So there, now you can check your email on the way to work.


Jun 07, 08 | 12:21 pm
(13) views | permalink




Next Five Entries

What's a Wireframe for?
Mar 29, 08 | 2:33 pm

Questions I will ask at my next interview
Mar 26, 08 | 6:42 pm

Test Expression Engine Screen Shots
Feb 08, 08 | 9:30 pm

More Fun with Flickr Banners
Feb 03, 08 | 11:43 am

An iframe flash slideshow for flickr Images
Feb 03, 08 | 11:06 am

Wire News

WIRED | Developers at WWDC Looking Forward to iPhone 3G Platform | Story
Attendees at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference are looking forward to the new iPhone's features and the fact that it will enable them to create applications for corporate use. Some, however, think the enhancements don't go far enough.

WIRED | Gallery: The iPhone 2.0 Keynote | Story
: Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com SAN FRANCISCO -- As conferences go, Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference ranks low on the sexiness factor. It's a good bet that, without the promise of a new, iPhone 3G, the programmer-centric conference would not have drawn the hundreds of broadcast, print and blog journalists that it did. Fortunately, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did have a new iPhone up his sleeve, and after spending an hour selling the company's new iPhone development tools and previewing some of the platform's forthcoming apps, Jobs delivered what we all came for: the new phone. The iPhone 3G, as it will be called, will cost $200 for an 8-GB version, $300 for a 16-GB version. Both will be available in a new, slightly rounded case with a shiny black-plastic back. The 16-GB version will also be available with a white back. Breaking with Jobs' keynote tradition, the iPhone 3G is not yet available: Both models will go on sale July 11 in 22 countries. Apple plans to make the phone available in 75 countries within several months. For details, check out our full coverage of the WWDC 2008 keynote, or browse these slides for the highlights. Left: Jobs' normal "reality-distortion field" seemed to be at ebb during today's keynote, which many observers noted was less exciting than a typical Jobs presentation. Indeed, Jobs -- looking thinner than ever in his trademark black mock-turtleneck -- let his deputies take most of the stage time. More than one audience member noticed that Jobs seemed to be looking a little wan and have less energy than usual. And maybe it's time for a new turtleneck? This one was looking a little gray, not to mention baggy. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Apple's Phil Schiller, a regular fixture at Apple keynotes, touted the phone's new integration with Microsoft Exchange using "ActiveStink -- I mean ActiveSync." Was that an intentional dig at the Cupertino company's sometime competitor, sometime partner? Or was it a true Freudian slip, indicating Schiller's habitual distaste for the nearly ubiquitous Microsoft standard? It's not clear. One thing is sure, though: Apple has provided deep and meaningful enterprise tools in the 2.0 version of the iPhone software, including the ability to "push" e-mail, calendar and contact updates. The company has also given IT managers the ability to zero out any data on a corporate iPhone, remotely -- handy when one of them goes missing. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Apple executive Scott Forstall demonstrates how easy it is to create an iPhone application using the software development kit's new tools. You just drag in this snippet of code here, drop a button there and presto! Instant contact manager. Like other software-development demos, this one had a lot in common with cooking demonstrations on TV: So much depends on having everything set up just right, ahead of time. In real life, you'd spend half a day doing prep work before you got to do the five minutes of dragging-and-dropping that Forstall showed onstage. Still, developer after developer testified to the ease of developing iPhone apps. It's clear that if you're used to coding OS X apps, the iPhone should be a cakewalk. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com One of the applications shown at the March preview of the iPhone SDK was Sega's popular Nintendo DS title Super Monkey Ball. This game will be available for the iPhone for $10 -- once the iPhone App Store opens -- and will feature all four cute little monkeys and more than 100 different levels. Players control the rolling monkeys simply by tilting the iPhone this way and that. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Developers who want to create location-aware applications have plenty to drool over with the new iPhone 2.0 operating system, which has plenty of support for geographic data. In addition to the first-generation iPhone's ability to do geolocation by triangulating nearby WiFi hotspots and cell towers, the iPhone 3G will also have a GPS receiver, giving the device the ability to track its movements with great precision. In this demo by location-sensitive social network Loopt, the orange pin denotes the user's location, while blue pins show nearby friends. Looking for someone to have lunch with? Loopt can help you hook up with someone and can even help recommend a cute little local cafe. (Friends not included.) : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Major League Baseball's iPhone app takes advantage of the phone's fast 3-G and WiFi data connections to provide real-time game scores -- and "real-time video clips." That doesn't mean you'll be able to watch streaming video of the whole game, but highlight clips will be available for you to view within "minutes" after they happen, the MLB developer promised. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Among the most impressive iPhone app demos of the day were graphics-intensive ones, including a medical-imaging program and this game, called Kroll, from Digital Legends. In the demo, a fully animated character ran through a beautifully rendered fantasy landscape, battling winged demons and an immense, scary-looking giant whose steps shook the very screen. Like the many other developers who took the stage, Digital Legends touted the ease of porting its OS X software to the iPhone -- and also provided an impressive demonstration of the phone's built-in 3-D video capabilities. In terms of graphics quality, this game looked comparable to what you might find on a PlayStation 2. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Perhaps the biggest news of the day was a three-digit number: $199, the price of the 8-GB iPhone 3G. That's a significant drop from the current price for the 8-GB first-generation iPhone ($399), and a huge drop from the $600 that it cost when Apple first introduced the iPhone a year ago. As if the mere figure weren't impressive enough, Jobs had the price stomp onto the screen with massive booming sounds, saving him from having to actually say the word Boom. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com The new iPhone 3G comes with a shiny black-plastic back, in contrast to the current model's matte aluminum. If you decide to spring for the more capacious 16-GB model (which will cost $299), you can also choose a shiny white-plastic back. The iPhone 3G itself doesn't appear to be any smaller, thinner or lighter than the current version, although it has tapered, slightly rounded edges, which will either make it feel thinner or make it feel more like a bar of soap. : Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com Jobs made his customary brief appearance in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by burly bodyguards, after the keynote wrapped up. However, he didn't spend any time chitchatting with the hoi polloi, and no one got any hands-on time with his shiny new gadget.

WIRED | Gallery: From Mind-Blowing to Mockery -- The iPhone 2 Mocked Up | Story
: The creative types that make up Apple's fan base have been busy dreaming up the ideal iPhone, Version 2. (Steve Jobs is expected to introduce the real thing on Monday.) The release of a new Apple product is an opportunity for Apple fans to dream big -- and make fun of the company they love. This collection of iPhone 2 mock-ups runs the gamut, from the mundane to the mind-blowing. Check out the iPhone Pico -- a mini-iPhone that's smaller than a pinkie fingernail. We wish! These mock-ups were designed by the readers of iLounge, which held a competition to find the best ideas for the new iPhone. The full list of winners are included in iLounge's free iPod + iPhone Book 4. iPhone See-through Left: This mock-up by Robert Davis of Cornelius, North Carolina, is thin, lightweight and crystal clear. It runs a full version of Leopard (not a stripped-down one) and has a 5-megapixel camera. Not very realistic -- or practical -- but pretty. : iPhone Pro The iPhone Pro by A. Berio of Los Angeles is an iPhone for well, the pros. Boasting a 1024x768 display, the iPhone Pro also has Intel's latest Atom processor and runs OS X Leopard. Dream on! : iPhone Mirror The iPhone Mirror by an unnamed iLounge reader from Boston has two touch screens and two cameras -- one on either side. This makes video conferencing -- and also taking self-portraits -- very easy. : iPhone Shuffle The iPhone Shuffle by Michael Hornbek of Hornslet, Denmark, has no screen and calls random people. "Think Indifferent," Michael says. : iPhone Pico iPhone Pico. Smallest. iPhone. Ever. : iPhone Classic and Mini A lot of Apple watchers expect the iPhone line to diversify like that of the iPod: different models for different pocketbooks. Many except to see a smaller, slimmed-down iPhone -- like the iPhone Mini. By Frank Reinders, Venlo, Netherlands. : iPhone 3-G Slider With Virtual Keyboard This 3-G iPhone by Aaron Besson of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, is a slider with a difference. The slide-out keyboard is actually a second touch screen, and the keyboard its displaying is virtual. Clever. : iPhone Air The iPhone Air by Renato Ruiz of Oxnard, California, is the perfect complement to the MacBook Air. It's a clamshell and has two screens -- one for a virtual keyboard -- that are both protected when the device is closed. There's a third screen on the lid that shows what music is playing while the iPhone is being used as a media player. : Two Trackballs This next-gen iPhone has two home buttons, which are now trackballs for gaming and easier scrolling. It also uses the built-in accelerometers as game controls. Designed by an unnamed iLounge reader from Skokie, Illinois. : iPhone Bio The iPhone Bio has the usual 3-G for video calls and video chat, but also uses biometric fingerprint security to protect your sensitive data. : iPhone Duo The iPhone Duo is slimmer, slicker and a slider to boot. By I. Sugiharto of New Zealand.

WIRED | What to Expect at WWDC: New iPhone, New Apps, Snow Leopard | Story
The sold-out Worldwide Developer Conference, happening June 9-13 in San Francisco, is widely expected to be the venue at which company CEO Steve Jobs unveils a second-generation iPhone, a panoply of new applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, a new MacBook Pro and the next upgrade to OS X, code named "Snow Leopard."

WIRED | Mobile Me: What a New .Mac Might Mean for the iPhone | Story
Apple buys a slew of .me domains, the new domain suffix for Montenegro, set to go live next month. The domain will likely be an international hit (imagine the possibilities: drive.me, send.me, xxxx.me). Will Apple rebrand .Mac as "Mobile Me"? Here's what we'd like to see the service include. Send us your ideas.



MacCentral News

Video: World Tech Update
In this week’s show: YouTube stars gather in Boston, a laptop is stolen from a car in just 90 seconds, a look at new robots, a tearful farewell to Bill Gates and we look inside a cable laying ship.
Story

Google blurs faces to protect privacy in French StreetView
Google has chosen to blur the faces of people caught on camera by the French edition of its StreetView service.
Story

Expect iPhone, Fourth of July scams, security firm says
Apple's launch of its new iPhone 3G will produce a flurry of spam and scams, a security company warned Thursday.
Story

Google releases instant messaging web client for iPhone
Google's released a web-based version of Google Talk, its instant messaging client, designed specifically for the iPhone.
Story

Telia Sonera revisits iPhone 3G plans in Sweden
After an outpouring of complaints from Swedish iPhone buyers, Telia Sonera has revised its iPhone plan offerings.
Story



The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami Blog

Comment-spam warning
Tsunami Update Blog

Deadly Earthquake in Indonesia
Tsunami Update Blog

Swedish Survivors, 14 Months On
Tsunami Update Blog



Blog Archive

June 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
October 2006
July 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003

Next Five Recent Posts

What's a Wireframe for?
Mar 29, 08 | 2:33 pm

Questions I will ask at my next interview
Mar 26, 08 | 6:42 pm

Test Expression Engine Screen Shots
Feb 08, 08 | 9:30 pm

More Fun with Flickr Banners
Feb 03, 08 | 11:43 am

An iframe flash slideshow for flickr Images
Feb 03, 08 | 11:06 am

Sarah's Blog

My Friend Sarah was just diagnosed with leukemia. This is her journey. Maybe you and I can help.

Phone Call From Sarah
Jul 10, 04 | 10:38 am

Benefit Dinner for Sarah-- THIS SUNDAY 3/7/04
Mar 04, 04 | 8:40 am

Home For Christmas
Dec 26, 03 | 7:22 pm

HEADED HOME?
Dec 19, 03 | 4:52 pm

Sarah's Message to You! 12/17/03
Dec 17, 03 | 9:20 am

Sunday's Coffee

It really does matter. How we live, how we treat people. What we do with God. Just some thoughts I've been thinking.

Eric of Starbucks

I have a friend. Eric. He has given his life away. Committed to what he believes. Share his coffee.

Web Software n' Stuff

New Features of OSX 10.4.7
Jul 01, 06 | 12:20 pm

ArtRage 2
May 17, 06 | 8:42 pm

Email Newsletter software for web designers
Apr 19, 06 | 8:27 pm

CAPTCHATM | Protect Forms from Spam Spiders
Apr 11, 06 | 9:30 pm

Plaxo Toolbar for Mac (BETA)
Apr 01, 06 | 6:24 am

iTunes Faves

Top 10 Inspirational