by A.J. Wood

Unruly Inbox

Rules cannot contain my messages...

Just a quick post tonight. Twitter is up & down which is fine. As you can see I have a lot of student messages to catch up on.

Apparently, I need to rethink my inbox rule strategy, or hire an assistant to whittle through the deluge of messages I am under. 785 is not an accurate count as 1/5 of the messages received are replies which I sent from my mobile phone. My Windows smartphone “Sent Items” folder does not sync to the computer so I’m forced to CC myself copies of responses.

While I am tech-savvy, the creative side of my brain is quite unorganized. A good friend had recommended a book on simplifying things, and I am considering applying those principles to my inbox.

As much as I like Outlook for contacts, I am beginning to seriously consider alternatives. Who or What remains to be found, but I do know that my Gmail account is a Godsend simply from the search functions.

Outlook is the only PC application I still use, having converted solely to a Mac. Entourage is a less than stellar replacement, considering I have over 20 years of message history (dating back to BBS boards & Prodigy) stored as PST files.

Would welcome any suggestions from the Mac faithful about contact/calendaring/mail items under OS X.

in Editorial / Technology 0 comments
 by A.J. Wood

4 Days Left on MacUpdate Promo Bundle

There are only four days left to purchase over $400 worth of software for only $64. The MacUpdate Promo Bundle has now unlocked all the software, which includes a copy of Parallels.

Here’s a list of what’s included in the bundle:

Hazel – organize and automate file management.

Art Text – turn text into graphics.

MenuCalendarClock for iCal – adds iCal info to Menu Bar.

Leap – File management utility to replace Finder. (Chris says this product alone makes the bundle worth buying)

StoryMill – digital story boarding.

Typinator – autocorrect for OSX.

DVDRemaster Pro – DVD utility for ripping to & from your hardware.

Sound Studio – Could it be better than Audacity?

BannerZest – Flash banner creator.

Parallels Desktop – You should know what this is… no really, you should.

Go see the deal for yourself.

in Technology 0 comments
 by A.J. Wood

Jump on the MacUpdate Promo Bundle

Just caught Chris Pirillo’s tweet about the MacUpdate Promo Bundle. Looks like a great program. MacUpdate works with developers to get a large discount on their software by running promotions like the current one for a limited time. Software gets added to the bundle as certain sales markers are hit; in this case the targets are 5000, 10,000 and 15,000 units. People who purchase the bundle early will receive the additional programs once the target numbers are hit.

The bundle includes the following software:

Hazel – organize and automate file management.

Art Text – turn text into graphics.

MenuCalendarClock for iCal – adds iCal info to Menu Bar.

Leap – File management utility to replace Finder. (Chris says this product alone makes the bundle worth buying)

StoryMill – digital story boarding.

Typinator – autocorrect for OSX.

DVDRemaster Pro – DVD utility for ripping to & from your hardware.

Sound Studio – Could it be better than Audacity?

BannerZest – Flash banner creator.

Parallels Desktop – You should know what this is… no really, you should.

in Technology 0 comments
 by A.J. Wood

Spyware Correction

Ah… the vast reaching arm of the ‘net is long indeed. Yesterday I was contacted by the folks over at Weatherbug. It seems I referenced them in an entry last September where I had a particular rant going about the need for people to educate themselves a little more when it comes to computers. (Notice today I’m a little more tactful in my approach)

In that editorial piece, I linked Weatherbug to Gator Corp (which is now Claria)

GATOR CORP IS SPYWARE
GATOR CORP IS SPYWARE
GATOR CORP IS SPYWARE
CLARIA IS SPYWARE
CLARIA IS SPYWARE
CLARIA IS SPYWARE

Sorry… got off on another tangent. ANYWAY… the folks over at Weatherbug assured me that while they had a relationship with Gator previously they have long since terminated that partnership. In fact, they dropped Claria quicker than a five cent hooker with a bad case of the clap. Spyware is like having herpes when it comes to a computer company’s rep and Weatherbug has been doing its best to clarify its position on spyware.

Having said all that, today’s post is meant to correct any mistake I may have made (said September entry has already been edited) and I’ll be checking out the new Weatherbug when I have a chance.

in Technology 0 comments
 by A.J. Wood

Cell Phone Virus?

Somebody hand me a condom to slip over my phone. Apparently cell phones can be attacked by computer viruses now.

Add that to the list of made up excuses for not answering your cell phone. “Sorry honey, I would have picked up, but some pesky virus kept my phone from ringing.”

I need a shot of whiskey and a Mountain Dew.

in Technology 3 comments