What’s Happening

It seems like I really haven’t posted much in the past few days. A lot has been going on, but nothing bad!

I’ve been writing and writing when I can, hoping to finish my short novel (100 pages or so). In case you’re interested in what I have so far, I invite you to check out a short sample from an upcoming chapter titled “Lauren“.

A friend of mine kindly asked for my advice and help with a website for his small business, and of course I agreed to help out. We’re planning a mid-summer launch, so if you’re looking to quit smoking, keep an eye out for a future mention from me.

Lastly, I’m going to run a contest soon, giving away 2 copies of Scrivener. 1 license each for OS X and Windows. I don’t have the details finalized, but again, keep an eye out for a future post.

In the meantime, if you’re looking to buy Scrivener, check out my post on saving 20%.

Did I mention I’m running an Indiegogo campaign to raise money for a new computer?

Indiegogo Campaign For A New Computer

I love my iPad mini, I really do.

Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of the device is that I am unable to go beyond basic writing to complete my novel. Don’t get me wrong, I still use it, and plan on using it, for writing. No question, it’s one of the best investments I’ve made in a long time.

As you may recall, I previously wrote that my MacBook Pro suffers from liquid damage, and currently I am unable to use it. Repairs alone will cost more to fix it, and it’s better for me to just buy a new computer. Right now, it’s out of warranty and needs a new logic board as well as a top case + keyboard replacement. That’s just the initial diagnosis; there could be more damage than what is visible.

Right now, I don’t have the money to fix it or get a new one, due to me being the only one working. That’s where my campaign on Indiegogo comes in: I’m attempting to raise money to buy a new MacBook Pro. I won’t go through the details, but you can read about it here:

Tim Needs A New Computer To Continue Writing

If you can’t contribute, don’t worry. I know that not everyone can (or will), and that’s ok. I would greatly appreciate it if you could spread the word for others to consider.

On Nintendo Returning To Profitability

Nintendo Co. is trying to modify its game consoles so customers can use smartphone applications on them as it searches for a way to return to profitability, company sources said.
 
The game console and software maker has offered professional-use conversion software to application developers so they can produce smartphone games that can be played on Wii U, a struggling home video game console that helped widen the firm’s operating loss in fiscal 2012.
 
Nintendo hopes smartphone software will help spur console sales, which will in turn lead to an increase in popular game titles for them, the sources said.
 
Source: The Japan Times

I somehow doubt this will help Nintendo. In fact, I’ve said for a few years now that Nintendo should release some games for iOS (and other mobile platforms) if they want to bring in profit.

For me, I would love to have a few Legend of Zelda titles on my iPhone/iPad mini, and I know I’m not the only one.

Look at SEGA and tell me Nintendo can’t do the same.

“Lauren”

Below is a short sample from a chapter in my book.

I don’t know what, exactly, attracted me to her at first. Perhaps it was her smile; a smile so bright that even in the darkest of night, you could find your way out of the deepest part of the woods to safety. Yes, her smile made me feel safe.

Or maybe it was her eyes; eyes that sparkled on the cloudiest of days. I was hypnotized by them, and the imprint of hazel still burns in my mind when I think about her. And then there was her hair – yes, her hair! The soft, golden glow of her hair reminded me of the summer wheat fields, blowing gently with the wind while adding color to a dull sky.

To hear her speak was a gift in itself. A voice so soft, so gentle, that crying babies would stop instantly when she spoke. A voice that could warm even the coldest days. A voice so calm that even God himself, if he existed, would be so inclined to listen to before going back to his routine.

There was nothing about her that I didn’t like, or dare I say, love. She never wore makeup, but you would never know it. She wasn’t rich, but she made even the plainest clothing look like a million dollars. She was always smiling, even when she was hurting inside.

But there was no way a girl like her would notice a guy like me.

Creative Commons License

Lauren by Tim Dehring is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.timdehring.com/lauren.

Scrivener Coupon Code – 20% Discount

If you’re looking for a discount on Scrivener for OS X or Windows (or even both), you can save 20% off the retail price by following the simple steps below (all links open in a new window):

  • For the OS X version, click here (direct link) $45 SRP; save $9.
  • For the OS X Education version, click here (direct link) $38.25 SRP; 20% discount does not apply.
  • For the Windows version, click here (direct link) $40 SRP; save $8.
  • For the Windows Education version, click here (direct link) $35 SRP; 20% discount does not apply.
  • Enter coupon code DEHRING.

Once you’re finished, just download the app and enter your serial # that’s emailed to you when prompted.

I’ve used the app for over a year now and it’s helped tremendously with keeping my writing organized. I can’t recommend it enough.

Please note: It appears that if you want to get both the OS X and Windows version, you have to do a separate transaction for each, otherwise just one license will be discounted.

A Month With the iPad mini

Not too long ago, I wrote that I would attempt to replace my MacBook Pro with my iPad mini. I decided I would give this a try because there have been a few articles written about the iPad, making it seem like the device has no practical use in the real world. I certainly wouldn’t be the first one to prove them wrong, but I won’t be the last.

Plus, having a computer with liquid damage kind of puts a damper on a lot of things, and while I’m mulling over the idea of getting it repaired or otherwise, I set out to see if I could indeed get by with just the iPad mini.

Background

First, my MacBook Pro setup configuration:

  • MacBook Pro 13″, late 2011 model
  • 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor
  • 750GB hard drive
  • 8GB RAM

Apps I use on a daily basis, with small description if needed:

  • Postbox – desktop email client
  • Google Chrome/Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Office 2011 (Word/Excel/Powerpoint)
  • Coda – web development
  • Scrivener – powerful app allowing me to creatively research and write short stories
  • Pixelmator – image editing when iPhoto isn’t enough
  • iTunes
  • Evernote – note taking
  • Dropbox – file sharing
  • 1Password – saving and generating passwords and login information

There are a few more than what I have  listed here, but above is what I used daily. In fact, they’re constantly open in the background to make it easier for me to switch to the app without having to wait for them to launch (Microsoft Office, I’m looking at you).

Compare that to my iPad mini:

  • iPad mini, 32GB, Black/Slate
  • ZAGGkeys MINI 9 Keyboard Case

Apps that I bought and installed that are compared to the apps I used on the MacBook Pro:

  • Mail app
  • Chrome
  • Pages, Keynote, Numbers
  • Writing Kit
  • Photoshop Touch
  • Music app
  • Evernote
  • Dropbox
  • 1Password
  • Poster – great WordPress app for iOS

I could install and use Diet Coda, but since I wasn’t planning on doing any web development, I decided against buying it. For the most part, I covered the bases with apps that are either the same or have a counterpart to the desktop version I was using.

Setup and Usage

The first thing I had to get used to was not using a mouse. With my MacBook Pro, I had a wireless mouse I used when I would do some photo editing. Most of the time, however, I would use the trackpad. Apple did an excellent job with OS X 10.8 and gestures, allowing me to cut the time needed with a mouse. Unfortunately, there are many times where I’ll reach for the mouse when I’m using the iPad mini, only realizing that I can only use the screen.

After a few days, I starting getting more comfortable with the setup and the need to use a mouse was no longer there.

The next step I had to go through was getting the apps setup and configured. For a lot of apps, such as Chrome, Evernote, and Dropbox, I simply entered my email address and password and waited a few seconds for my information to come across. For the other apps, it took a little longer since they were new to me and I went through the app settings to get them how I wanted them.

One thing to note here is that I use Dropbox for syncing, not iCloud. The main reason is that I did this before iCloud was introduced, and so I have a few years’ worth of data stored there. A lot of data, as far as I could tell anyway, wouldn’t transfer to iCloud anyway because the iOS version either doesn’t have a desktop counterpart, or vice-versa. So Dropbox was the obvious choice for me.

Another small annoyance I ran into is the lack of printing. I have a basic inkjet printer that isn’t compatible with AirPrint. I don’t print all that often, but I ran into a few instances in the last 30 days where I needed a printer. Luckily, Chrome for iOS added Google Cloud Print support, so I was able to configure the printer on an old PC laptop and print that way. It’s not the greatest, but it works.

Final Thoughts

After a month of using the iPad mini as part of my daily routine, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I really had to get by on just one device, the iPad mini is a suitable replacement. However, keep in mind that I use both for writing and a few extra things like photo editing. If you’re a power computer user that does a lot more, obviously replacing your routine with an iPad, or another tablet device, is not an option.

For me, I realize that I can get by using either one without any problems.

The Power of Silence

A great article over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun regarding the silence behind the SimCity story:

So what to do next? Via RPS, and much of the gaming press, the reality that the servers were not running offline calculations became widely understood. So how did EA or Maxis handle this situation? With silence.
 
And if simply telling the truth isn’t considered an available option, silence is by far the most effective response in this industry.

Once thing I can’t stand, either with a company or individuals, is silence. To me, silence is almost as bad, if not worse than, lying. Hiding from the truth will only make things worse.

And in my case, I’ve already decided that I won’t be buying SimCity. My $60 may not hurt the company in the short run, but I can choose to not recommend the game to other potential users, costing them a lot more in the end.

In fact, don’t buy SimCity. Save your money and put it towards something useful.

Scrivener Sale

Scrivener Screenshot

 

Edit: The sale is now over. To save 20% on the app (OS X and Windows), click here.

Over the weekend, I came across a great deal on Amazon. Scrivener, for both Mac and Windows, is on sale for 50% off retail price.

Some product features:

  • Corkboard – In Scrivener, every document is attached to a virtual index card onto which you can jot a synopsis; moving the cards on Scrivener’s corkboard rearranges their associated text in your draft.
  • Outliner – View and edit the synopses and meta-data of your documents in Scrivener’s powerful outliner. Organize your ideas using as many or few levels as you want and drag and drop to restructure your work.
  • Scrivenings – Scrivener’s innovative “Scrivenings” mode allows you to move smoothly between editing your document one piece at a time or together as a whole.
  • Statistics and Targets – A live word and character count of the current section is always in view at the bottom of the screen, and you can set a word or character count target for each section.
  • Full-Screen – Because sometimes you want to blank out the rest of the world while you write – or at least the rest of the screen. One click in Scrivener’s toolbar and you can leave the rest of your desktop behind and write distraction free.

If you’re looking for a great app to do any kind of writing, I highly recommend Scrivener. At 50% off retail, this is definitely a steal.