Check out this iNudge #klp8

This is obviously totally unrelated to my usual posts, but I wanted to say something about Apple's newest product.

First of all, I have to say that for me personally the unveiling of the iPad was a huge deal. I love all aspects of Macs: their security, power, design, etc. Furthermore, I have been a fan of the iPod in all of its forms ever since Day 1. Needless to say I was incredibly excited by the prospect of an Apple-made tablet.

As today loomed, I became ever more excited about it, and launched into daydreams about it instead of paying attention in my lectures.

And then came the time of the announcement. I was (as always) in a lecture, but afterward I was able to take a look at this great new thing.

I can't deny that it is a marvelous piece of hardware. The LED screen is beautiful, and the expanded multitouch screen is definitely the next step up from the iPod. And you can't forget the fact that the screen is fingerprint resistant. That is truly special.

The design was, though no longer original, quite attractive. The fact that the multiple orientation concept had been expanded upon, was worthy of applause. And of course the $499 price tag was quite appetizing.

I was ready to buy this thing the moment I could get my hands on it, when I took a closer look at the software and features of this baby.

That's when I saw that this beautiful thing, this incredible piece of hardware... was actually just what it looked like: a gigantic iPod. The retooled software that Apple execs laud in their video is... well... Safari, iPhoto, a calendar, email, and uhhhhhh... the capability to use apps from the App Store? Can't I do that on my iPod? Well, the big guys certainly think that you can't. Look at how nice the internet looks on the big screen. Touch it! Look how we organized your photos in a pretty manner. Touch them! You can flip through the calendar. Touch it! Touch it! Sorry guys, I love touchscreens, but does the fact that you can touch it make email any more groundbreaking? And who even uses iPhoto aside from their main computer? Most importantly, does a larger internet browser justify releasing an enormous iPod touch at 2+ times the price?

I was expecting the capability to hook this up to a computer and use it as a tablet. You know, the thing I thought this would be? But when you get past the beautiful outer appearance of the iPad, it is a piece of hardware that is sorely lacking in functionality. It does nothing the iPod Touch can't do, when you really take a hard look past the Apple guys' excited, puppy dog faces. Sure things look better, but they really aren't that much different. At least you can carry the iPod around in your pocket. I'm sad to say that the iPad truly disappointing creation.

Day 29

Well its been another long break, but this time I have a good excuse. My computer was fried this week, and I had no ability to type anything on it. And now that I have fixed it, I still don't have a decent word processor reinstalled, so it may be a couple more days before I get anything new up. Many apologies!

Day 21

Some math has helped me in discovering today's number. Also, incredibly enough, I'm writing this BEFORE three in the morning. Anyway, I'm going to hit you with part deux of the introduction now. It's a bit longer than the previous stories that I linked, and includes the return of a lovely character from the past.

Also, I think that when I combine all the parts of the intro I'm going to drop the little introductory part in the first portion, because there's a bit of a time gap here, which breaks the whole "I remembered everything perfectly" type of flow in my opinion.

And of course this still needs major editing, but for now I'm just happy to be moving on and getting stuff done. See? I promised it wouldn't be another week, and I even threw in a couple hundred extra words this time!

Anyway, here's the link: http://storywrite.com/story/386534

Oooooh and I've also gone back and converted all my URLs into actual links! Huzzah, no more copypasta for archive browsers!

Day Something

Well! It's been a week now since I last posted, which is completely unacceptable. It will never happen again. That's my promise to you, my reader(s?). Anyway, as painful as it is to say, the actual intro is still not completed, so here's another short backstory piece, which ties in with the Engle story.

In fact, it also ties in with the next part of the intro, which makes me think that perhaps I'll edit these pieces and incorporate them into the intro.

And now, good news and bad news. The good news is that I finally figured out how to actually link things in the blog so here ya go! http://storywrite.com/story/384972
The bad news is that this is probably the worst segment I've written so far. I'm really unhappy with it and am planning on editing it a TON if I decide to put it in the book.

Day 10

Today I found out that I had an excessive amount of commas in my latest segment. However, that's ok, because I personally like commas and enjoy their company very much.

Anyway, writing-wise, I have continued work on the introduction. I'm struggling a bit in deciding some minute details in relation to plot continuity and how wild I want to get with tech advances, but other than that things seem to be going swimmingly. Really starting to flesh out Mr. Wells. However, I will still refrain from posting that part up. If you're looking for something to read, take a look at some fresh minor edits of the previous part at http://storywrite.com/story/381384 and give me some more constructive feedback.

Things are going slow at the moment, but don't worry. I'll pick up speed as I go, and I'll have more to put here as well.

Day 10

Well I already had a Day 9, but it should have been Day 8, so here's Day 9, the rerun. I think I'm going to use the fact that it is the same day as before to not post a story piece (it's actually because I don't have the next part written up yet).

EDIT: I think my math is off because now that I look at this again, it really wasn't day 9 but was actually the same day as the next post. Oh the confusion.