iTunes and Mac demoted

Once iTunes and the MAc was billed as teh centre of your computing universe.  Now apple are saying “We’re going to demote the PC and the Mac to just be a device.”  iCloud is now the centre which has the advantage of you not needing an expensive full computer on and to manage at home and being able to sync anywhere. But the disadvantage of being even more tied in with Apple and mobile data contracts.

Reminders, a great looking iCloud app

Im sure this isn’t exiting to most, but I cant wait for the new lists app in iOS 5.  Ive been waiting for Cultured Code to get over the air syncing working for 2 years, and in that time Ive tried many task managers such as Omnifocus, and didnt egt on with the,  Reminders looks great, will sync using iCoud to all my devices and is free.  Looking forward to it.

Stuff you might have missed

Mac OS X Lion is now just OS X Lion, Apple seem to be getting rid of the Mac name.

Lion is not on DVD, Mac store download only, and its cheap at $29. Available July.

Lion Server is not a separate version, its an add on from the App store for $49

The App store now lets you download non available apps such as old versions to work on your older iOS

iTunes now can sync wireless locally along side its iCloud feature.  This xan happen at night whenb charging. Backs up, syncs, installs app updates.

New notification center is in sync accross all devices

Push notifications and in app purchases are now on the desktop too.

Twitter is built in to everything!

The camera roll syncs in the cloud amongst devices inc pc and mac.

iOS 5 not out until the end of the year

Whats Apple announced today

Apple announced a a load of new software stuff today, loads of exciting new stuff.  These were the new desktop OS, a new version of its mobile OS, a new cloud service, and wireless iTunes sync.  Bellow are links to Apple’s pages on these:

OS X Lion:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

iOS 5 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch:

http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/features.html

iCloud:

http://www.apple.com/icloud/what-is.html

Wireless iTunes:

http://www.apple.com/icloud/features/

 

If you want to watch the keynote, its availiable here:

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/11piubpwiqubf06/event/

My WWDC Wishlist

Well it’s nearly WWDC time, and I’m really looking forward to seeing iOS 5 for the first time, and finally what Apple’s new long time rumoured cloud service will be.

I’m sure that I’m like many people, with the desktop Mac OS isn’t as interesting as it once was, but it will be interesting if anything has been held back from the developer previews. Any iCloud, iTunes server, iOS deep integration is especially interesting. I’m hoping that Dropzone works between iOS devices and the desktop. I’m also hoping their has been work don’t to enhance the Apple TV because I still think this is an overlooked but great product with lots of potential. Third party app support would really help things, and imagine if Apple paired this with an official game controller at the same time as E3. Perhaps a new model of Apple TV with iPad 2 specs. Could be a game changer.

Anyway, my iOS 5/iCloud wish list in no particular order

Improved notification system
Automatic background downloading service for news? Battery life and data?
iPhone custom text sounds!
Apple tv app store and third party development
Better use of iPad screen so not just load of icons
Spotlight search can search within apps
Better browsing of own media collection on network or cloud without need to sync
Less reliance on a traditional computer Inc no plug to iTunes first time
Less reliance on cable sync, sync over the air
Sync game save position and achievements between devices
Sync framework for use by third party apps so many sync services not needed
Dropzone iOS for way to get content between devices Inc desktop
Lock screen content. Appointments, notifications etc.

Add tasks to Things from Alfred

Cool script if you use Alfred and Cultured Code’s Things. I know Things has a quick entry key, but its nice to have everything in one place.

 

http://preppeller.tumblr.com/post/5398279830/alfred-and-things

 

 

Wunderlist – an interesting free task manager

Ive had a look at this when it came out last year, but now its starting to get interesting with plenty of features and now, multiple devices supported and all for free. Not sure how its payed for, but for now, it seems to work, and its free.

Im going to give this some use for a bit seeing as my Cultured Code’s Things still hasnt got web based sync so I cant use it as work, and can only sync my devices at home. Maybe Ill stick with Wunderlist if I get on with it

 

 

 

 

Trying a beta of Flow

Im also playing with a beta of another cloud based task management tool, Flow.  It looks very promising so far, but they have yet to have a mobile app so I cant test using it in my daily workflow. But as a web app, its very polished, and has a nice UI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving The Daily a try

How I’m creating a shared scrapbook using Printopia and Dropbox

 

Ive been wanting to create a system for collecting recipes, and inspiration for doing up our house for sometime, and think Ive found a system that works for me and this is how I do it.

 

Most of my web browsing these days is done on an iOS device, mostly my iPad, so I based my system around this.
Im using a demo of an application called Printopia from Ecamm software that allows me to use the system wide Apple Airprint to print to a virtual printer on my home Mac server as a PDF into my Dropbox folder. I then have this dropbox folder shared out to my wife. Now if we see anything interesting at work, we can copy it into our neatly organised shared folder on Dropbox, or at home, both print to the folder from our Apple devices.

http://www.ecamm.com/mac/printopia/