Government can’t crack your iPhone? Don’t be so sure.

I was thrilled when I heard the recent Apple and Google announcements about privacy and government proof encryption…

At first.

So the government can no longer go to Apple and ask for some workaround to get into your seized iPhone or iPad. If you learned anything from Edward Snowden, you know that our government will stop at nothing to learn everything it can about you.

Why would they care, you might ask; why would they bother? Because they can, and no one is stopping them. When libertarian groups, Tea Party members and environmentalists are classified as radicals, how many degrees away are you from someone the government really doesn’t trust? When was the last time you knowingly broke the law, and how can you be sure that you’re completely law-abiding with so many on the books?

So now Apple has a new selling point. We won’t give the government access to your information, because we can’t. Unless it’s on the cloud.

But what about Touch ID?

TouchID is a fantastic feature that makes using the iPhone so much easier. Unlock the device by pressing and holding your finger on the home button. Make purchases in the App Store or iTunes without typing in your password each time. Doesn’t seem like much; maybe it saves ten minutes per year if you use your phone a lot, but really, it’s about user experience. It takes a little stress out of the device.

But if you’re arrested, the police take your fingerprints, don’t they? Now why couldn’t they use that to get into your phone after they have that warrant?

TouchID is a capacitive imaging device, not a normal optical scanner, so it’s a bit trickier faking it, but it’s hardly impossible.

Bottom line: don’t put anything incriminating on your phone or in the cloud, and don’t permit yourself a false sense of security, that you’re safe because Apple won’t share your secrets. They’ll take what they want, when they want it. And you should be concerned.

Hearthstone on iPad! Plus 2 more amazing iOS card games

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft on iPad. It's incredible!

I didn't play the PC version of Hearthstone at all, so this is all brand-new to me, and it is stellar.

Now available for iPad, (I hope they'll consider a universal version) Hearthstone is a deck-building strategy game by Blizzard Entertainment set in the World of Warcraft universe. This fast-paced, turn-based game may be compared to Magic: The Gathering, but its closer in style to games like Shadow Era and Solforge. [Magic 2014, Shadow Era, Solforge at the App Store]

While those three are all wonderful games, what Hearthstone has over them is production value. Seemingly nothing has been overlooked; from the table art, card art, characters, voices — all of it is stunning. Selecting a card causes it to hover; as it does, it casts a shadow on the table. When you place a minion card, it changes to a circular token and hits the table with a thump. The griffon on the game board will roar and look up at you if you touch him. These details don't change the mechanics of the game, but they do make the game come alive.

The iPad is perhaps the perfect digital card game platform, and finally, it seems the general public is becoming aware of this. The App Store has a new section called "Card Battle Games," and while some of the titles are freemium junk, there's a handful of hidden gems such as Yomi.

Hopefully Hearthstone will encourage gamers to try these other games. By the way, Solforge is having a 30% off sale until 4/22/14. (I love that game as well — a superb game designed by Gary Games and Richard Garfield, creator of MTG, where cards level up as you use them, becoming increasingly more powerful iterations with enhanced artwork.)

If you love strategy games, give these a try, even if you don't normally play trading card games. The digital format takes away the mess of physical cards and makes the normally arduous process of finding an opponent simple and nearly instantaneous.

As I'm still sort of a Hearthstone and Solforge beginner, I'm not comfortable writing a full review, but as both of these titles are free downloads, I can surely recommend them! Both come with free cards and you can earn more as you play!

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The iPhone 5S is superb! Makes me want...

My view of Lake Merritt; Oakland, CA

Several days ago, I received an amazing gift — a new phone. For many reasons, I'd held off upgrading, leaving me with an iPhone 4. After years of use, it wasn't in great shape. Physically unscathed (mostly), but the battery life was seriously reduced and the device was just sluggish. After a lackluster experience with iOS7 on my iPad mini, I decided not to "upgrade" to it, but that didn't stop Apple from pushing the download to my phone and insisting the 4 could run it.

Because my iPad mini crashes constantly and is plagued with sluggish typing and random lag, I was skeptical about iOS7 in general. I'd no doubt that the new A7 was fast enough to handle it — my concern was with stability.

Crashing a game is one thing; crashing an art project and losing work, perhaps an hour of progress — that's entirely different. I'd lost sketches, vector work, notes, writing... it's destroyed the once beautiful iPad mini experience for me and I've been using the iPad 3 for basic things instead, just to get away from iOS7. I like the old notifications with the share widget. I don't mind the brushed metal and linen look.

Because of the iPhone 5S, I no longer hate iOS7 and can see the potential of a new iPad.

I read Anandtech's iPad Air review, and I'm super excited now. I can imagine working on the new tablet, switching between apps, browsing the web with more tabs, music playing on the device, Siri offering guidance... a bunch of things that I can't cleanly do on the iPad mini (non-retina). But I can on the iPhone 5S.

I can actually work on the iPhone 5S, multitask, read, write... it's more impressive than when I moved from iPhone 3GS to 4. At first, I thought my phone was defective because colors seemed really yellow and warm, and the pixels were clearly visible to me. For awhile I neurotically compared the iPhone 4 screen to the 5S — and then it dawned on me that the pixels are more obscure on the 4 because the capacitive layer sits above the LCD panel. The 5S' is built with the screen. Instead of glass > glue > capacitive touch > glue > LCD, it's glass > glue > screen. The colors appeared warm because my iPhone 4 was incredibly cool and inaccurate.

So far I have no complaints. The phone does what I want it to do. I can write, read and draw on it, talk on it, video chat, and take really nice photos. The image above was a quick snap from yesterday, unedited. I'm looking forward to finding new ways to be more creative with the 5S.

Perhaps the biggest thing is that I'm now really excited about new iPads. I'm still unable to decide between the models. I love the mini due to its lightweight frame and comfortable shape, but I like the retina display for art and design. Now the mini has the retina display so it should be a simple choice, but the large 9.7" iPad now has a lightweight, nice (mini-style) shape! The Anandtech reviews point out that the mini retina display is less color accurate than its larger counterpart, but the slight loss of color accuracy might be a fair trade for the portability and ease of use. I demo'd both at the Apple Store; unfortunately, the only drawing apps on their new demo models are Penultimate (without zoom) and Paper by FiftyThree, so I wasn't able to test the pressure-sensitivity and palm rejection of the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus.

Every time I think I'm leaning toward one or the other, I think of a reason to switch. I don't want both — I think next year's models will be a huge leap forward, and it's silly to split my time and attention between two tablets with such similar specs and hardware. There was a vast distinction between iPhone 5, iPad 4 and iPad mini — now the three main iOS devices all run A7 SoCs.

If you have suggestions or opinions, I'd really appreciate hearing them. I'm especially interested in reviews by iPad artists regarding touch sensitivity and drawing accuracy, as well as comparisons between iPad Air and Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) and Wacom Cintiq Companion Hybrid. $929 for 128gb iPad Air — very pricy...

Unfortunately, Android just doesn't have many great sketching and design tools apart from SketchBook Pro. Lack of Procreate and Paper is a negative, but having an active digitizer is also a big deal — impossible on iPad.

For now, I'm going to focus on maximizing my iPhone usage moving preparation. I wanted to write about some new art that I've been working on and blogging woes (considering migrating this site; looking at Squarespace 6 and WordPress), but that will have to wait for some other time.

Bradtastic supports Blogsy

iPad mini note taking problems

Ink Blogging test using Penultimate for iPad by Brad Chin

While doing my semi-weekly tour of the App Store (most new apps release on Thursdays) — downloading new apps and checking out app updates — I decided to experiment with a few old apps.

I'm excited about the prospect of new iPads announced by Apple on October 22, in particular, I'd like a faster full-size iPad (hardware stylus support is probably too much to wish for, since Steve Jobs considered styli anathema) and a retina mini. I do a lot of writing and drawing on the iPad, but it's always felt a bit awkward and lacking. Quite simply, the iPad wasn't designed to be an artist's tool. I hope that that changes.

Opening up Penultimate (an original iPad app purchased by Evernote), I discovered support for an upcoming stylus release, the Adonit Jot Script Evernote Edition ($74.99, shipping Oct 25). I've had mixed feelings about Adonit styluses as they don't work properly for long (although with a little modification, you can fix your Jot stylus), but this one looks fundamentally different. No disc tip. But... there aren't a lot of details on it.

In addition, Wacom released a new stylus called the Intuos Creative Stylus ($99) and it looks awesome. I asked them to send me one to review, but no response. (Maybe you can help me convince them? ^_^ I'd be grateful!) I really want the Wacom Cintiq Companion... but it's very expensive. I've been wanting to do more illustration and cartoon drawing, but the Intuos is difficult for me to use, and the iPad... well, it has issues.

The iPad mini has he same resolution as the iPad 2, meaning smaller pixels, but it also seems like they shrunk the capacitive detection mechanism also. It just doesn't track precisely. After using the mini for awhile, going back to the iPad 3 (retina) is somewhat euphoric — it's that much better.

Penultimate, however, always seems to have issues.

The test ink blog writing above was created quickly on the iPad mini without any magnification or zoom (Accessibility Options > Zoom). The app doesn't have pinch zoom or any kind of Paper by FiftyThree or Noteshelf type workaround, so I used to tap zoom until I finally ditched the app. I like the superb Evernote integration, but it's just not worth it. I don't like messy, ugly notes. If you've seen any of my handwriting, you know what I can normally produce digitally. The image above is just plain bad. I can read it so technically, it's usable, but I don't like it.

The iPad mini seems to track strokes off to the side. (See slash separators in 10/10/13 and the 'T' in "Test") Penultimate on iPad retina seems to simply create sloppy, rounded strokes, almost like a vector pen tool with smoothing, only worse.

I've also noticed that Paper by FiftyThree handles handwriting poorly, even with the magnifying tool. Their custom ink engine is nice for sketching (there is some stunning #madewithpaper artwork online, check it out), but just doesn't track the whip-like, short and rapid strokes used in natural handwriting — cursive seems a little better than block print.

What's your favorite handwriting tool for iOS? My favorites are still Noteshelf, Remarks and Muji Notebook. I've been using Noteshelf to track and compile my thoughts on iOS7 (spoiler: I'm not fond of it), plan my new websites and social networking profiles, and to outline my very overdue guide to iPad palm rejection (wrist protection) for artists.

I took a few new photos for that post, so hopefully I can edit it all and get it up soon. Oakland weather has been somewhat depressing and miserable for me this week... hot and sunny. My neighbors have been thrilled about it. Weirdos.

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Warlords Classic for iOS, Free!

Warlords Classic - official port from Mac/PC/Amiga (universal, was $4.99)

If you're into old school strategy games, grab this now! It's still free — but probably not for long. It's less than 9MB, so you can download it (and play) on-the-go. I don't think I'll spend much time with this one, so let me know what you think!

(I never played the original!) I think I'd rather play Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, however.

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Star Wars Pinball Free & Terraria iOS! Hardcore Gamers, Rejoice!

FREE! Star Wars Pinball by Zen Studios (universal, normally $1.99) — includes one table with two additional tables available as in-app purchases. If you own Zen Pinball, you'll probably want to unlock (purchase) the tables inside it instead, but since Star Wars Pinball is free (for now), why not play around with one of the tables and see if you like the game mechanics?

Light side or dark side?

I love pinball. It's not nearly as visceral and exciting as playing in an arcade in front of a real pinball machine, but playing on the iPad is pretty great — especially with the retina display. Much better than playing on the TV or PC.

Zen Studios has done a great job capturing the frenetic pace and unique physics of pinball in their sims, this app is no different. The Star Wars tables are stylish and well constructed — the sound effects, imagery and storylines feel authentic and will likely satisfy sci-fi fanatics.

Also on the App Store, Terraria!

Terraria by 505 Games (universal, $4.99) I've been waiting for this for a long time! (Still waiting for the Playstation Vita version... hopefully it's out soon!)

I haven't checked it out yet, but I have played desktop/console versions of the game (on Xbox 360 & PS3). It's a different take on survival/crafting, and isn't just a 2D version of Minecraft (iOS link). Terraria has a huge following and much has been written about it, so I won't go into detail.

The iPad has become an interesting games platform for hardcore gamers.

It's very exciting. Hopefully, more indie games and Kickstarter type projects will surface now that people are starting to take iOS seriously. Initially thought of as simply a casual games device, iOS now has games like:

• XCOM: Enemy Unknown (universal)
• Deus Ex: The Fall (universal)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (iPad)
• The Bard's Tale (universal)
• Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (iPad)
• Bastion (universal)
• Anomaly Warzone Earth HD / Anomaly Korea (universal)
• Magic 2014 (iPad)
• Ascension / Shadow Era (universal)
• Ravensword: Shadowlands (universal) — Bethesda, please give us 'The Elder Scrolls' for iPad! It can be done!
• Final Fantasy V (universal) — Square Enix also released FF Tactics, FFIII, FFIV and other games like The World Ends With You (iPad link), but with separate iPhone/iPad versions.

*MAKE SURE to check system requirements before downloading these games. Many of them are ~2GB and require iPad 3 or newer.

I could go on for quite awhile, this list barely scratches the surface — this is just skim off the cream — there are dozens more fantastic games for iOS. If you have an iPad, you can't be bored! Look at that list; look at the App Store, check out all the great stuff available right now — know it's just the beginning. Apple will likely announce new iPads soon, and with next-gen devices come better games and new ways to interact with conventional gaming devices. A current example is Xbox SmartGlass — but I'm really looking forward to Ubisoft's Watch Dogs tablet mode multiplayer.

What games are you most excited about? Did I leave your favorite off of the list? Let me know!

Oh yeah, just in case...

Cut the Rope HD is free right now, too. Whatever.

Currently, I'm enjoying Dragon's Crown for PSVITA. There's been a fair amount of controversy surrounding the game since its North American announcement and early teaser artwork, but don't let that stop you from enjoying a superb side-scrolling action RPG. For an amazing breakdown of Dragon's Crown, check out HokutoAndy's Kinja blog and his site, Art-Eater.

If you want to play, add me at XBLIVE/PSN: rainfault — just include a little note to let me know a bit about you and how you found me. (Thanks!)

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Update on 2013-09-04 11:21 by Bradtastic

So — Terraria isn’t available for Playstation Vita (yet) but I’m thinking that I will wait until it’s out to try and get into the game. Despite many people having issues with the PSVITA, I really like the system and there are a lot of great games for it.

Although Terraria isn’t out yet for it, Atelier Mereru Plus is available now — a decent looking JRPG that I never played. I downloaded (but haven’t finished) Atelier Totori Plus, so I’m going to finish that game before starting a new Atelier game — besides, it will likely go on sale at some point (Totori+ did).

I also completely forgot about Diablo III for consoles! Yes, many PC elitists shun all console games as being inferior, but not everyone can sit in front of the computer for hours on end! I asked a friend about the PS3 version of the game, and he mentioned that it ran well with very little slowdown. So although it may be a less-pretty version, perhaps that’s okay! It can be played offline and offers couch co-op, a huge draw for some gamers and a great way to introduce friends to new games.

Two Fantastic Free iOS Apps!

Some things in life are free! (Saving: $5.98)

My recent posts, and some soon to follow, are quite serious — but saysbrad isn't becoming a pure-politics blog! I'm writing a review of two great note-taking apps gone free! Scrapnote (iPad, was $4.99) and Jotter (universal, was $0.99), both by groosoft. I'm not sure how long these apps will remain free, so instead of waiting for my reviews, you should go download these apps!

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What Makes Apple's Future So Compelling?

Tim Cook + Tony Stark = Apple's new Iron Man Mac Pro.

Just look at the thing. Incredible. Unbelievable, even. I'm used to seeing powerful, professional computer systems as massive, hulking monstrosities — 90 pound liquid-cooled steel and aluminum towers with 900w power supplies. If the new Mac Pro is anywhere near what they claim, it'll change everything.

"Can't innovate any more, my ass!" – Phil Schiller, Apple Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, WWDC 2013 Keynote

Steve Jobs was Apple. It's taken years, but Apple has finally created a new identity for itself without him at the helm. It's exciting! The recent WWDC keynote outlined big changes and new beginnings for Apple: the next OSX called Mavericks, iOS7, a complete rethink and redesign, and the Mac Pro — what looks like something straight out of Iron Man 3.

There seems to be a pervasive, holistic approach to technologies that will fundamentally change how we think about computers. Everything is intertwined, interconnected. The Internet is fast, always-on, available everywhere. Phones talk to tablets, TVs, notebooks and desktops, cars and cash registers. The next-gen video game consoles will have accurate motion-tracking and handheld components (XBOX Smart Glass, PS Vita — and the Wii U, well... never mind that).

Apple seems to understand this philosophical shift. Six years ago, a phone without a keypad seemed unthinkable, ridiculous. This was in part due to technical limitations, but mostly because it went against the identity and concept a phone. Back in high school, I thought the Palm IIIc was the greatest thing, ever, and if you could've shown me the iPad back then, I'd've called it sorcery.

Mobility is so important to us. We want lightweight phones, light computers — but at what cost? There's an understanding that performance or capacity must be sacrificed when shedding weight, but what if that changed? And what is light (weight)?

iOS7 is a dramatically visual overhaul of an already stunning and swift operating system. It's been visually reworked to convey simple, natural and elegant efficiency. The scope of the redesign reflects incredible, infused passion and dedication, from precision typography to carefully curated color palettes. It's a perfect counterpart to devices like the iPhone 5 and iPad mini — fantastically thin glass and aluminum works of art, beautiful, even when powered down.

Apple-thin is in.

With the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Retina, Apple has shown us that a computer doesn't need to be a simple, cheap netbook to exist without a disc drive. They must've realized years ago that with on-demand streaming video from services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and HBO GO, people would stop watching DVDs on PCs. Sure, I sometimes think, conceptually, it'd be nice to have a Blu-Ray player with my MacBook, but I never miss it. I watch those movies on a big screen TV, and every time I have to lift my MacBook, I smile, due to some form of disbelief and think, "how is it this light?!"

The concept of lightweight design has finally carried over to desktops. That's why the new Mac Pro is brilliant — especially for creatives. Its tiny footprint and sci-fi design is inspiring. It'll run Mavericks, blazing through calculations next to iPads and iPhones running iOS7.

This image of the near-future conveys a balance between man and machine; an idyllic, non-adversarial relationship between an artist and his tools. This harmony is the infrastructure that ignites the creativity of thousands of designers and developers releasing the apps that make iPads, iPhones, and Macs so incredible, and so fun.

---

Yes, I use Windows, too, but aside from great game optimization and the games themselves, I don't prefer it. I'm hoping this will change once Microsoft realizes that Windows 8 looks like the touch screens at Wells Fargo ATMs and gives more power to independent developers and artists. Fat chance. Have you seen the XBOX ONE? It's basically a gigantic, expensive piece of spyware. No wonder the PS4 preorders are outpacing the PRISM box.

Coming soon.

Later, I'll be posting about very serious matters regarding our government and troubling issues we need to take a stand against. My blog will likely take a more serious tone, but I'll try to keep positive and continue to post some fun stuff like tech tips and app reviews.

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Two Email Tips: Lifehack Your Inbox

Oops! Scheduled post failed, so it didn't post in May!

 

I do just about everything from an iPad.

Almost everything tech-related, that is. More accurately, iOS. (I'm sure I could use Android just as efficiently with ample time, effort and money invested in it, but I'm sort of locked into the Mac ecosystem with apps and generations of OS X computers)

[ tl;dr – digital life is tough to manage and email is getting out of control. Try shortmail & apps such as Mailbox (free, universal) for iOS to manage Gmail. ]

There's probably enough posted here about the iPad — I just mention it again because, being so sick this year, I really haven't had a choice — if it couldn't be done on a lightweight, handheld mobile device, I couldn't do it. Still, I've become back-logged; behind on emails, writing and blogging, reading, art and design. Very frustrating. [fyi: If I post all that I want to say on topics optimization and organization, it'll span thirty pages, so I'll break it up into sections.]

E-maelstrom, email storm

Recently I stumbled upon a site called AppSumo, a collection of lifehacks and productivity tools/info, primarily for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Browsing the site led me to rethink email and task management, calendar planning and organization. I've been sort of on the fence about Gmail, unsure of what to think or how seriously to invest in it. As a platform, there are wondrous components to Gmail via Google Labs and integration with all of Google's apps (Android and Google Glass eyewear also pretty cool). But I also think that there are reasons to be hesitant, or at least vigilant.

So I have email boxes at all of the major services, for various things. Yahoo was a big deal at one point, and they may be again, buying tumblr. (I still haven't figured out how to effectively use tumblr, however.) XBOX LIVE requires a Microsoft account so there's Live mail (used to be Hotmail, is now Outlook.com), dot Mac turned into MobileMe followed by iCloud… it's tough to keep up with it all and keep it all straight.

All made more complicated (difficult) being limited to an iPad and iPhone 4. At least Siri helps — a bit.

So in my quest for some semblance of order, some quieting of the chaos, I turn to apps.

Shortmail — email, simplified. (free, iPhone only)

Shortmail is a unique concept: keep emails under 500 characters. Recent updates to the service allow attachments via Evernote and Gmail linking; any email under 500 characters goes to shortmail, over and it's sent to gmail. Each shortmail.com address is based on your twitter account handle, but you can also make up your own shortmail.me address. I don't know how much traction it's gained, but I like it and hope to use it more for quick conversations when text messaging isn't an option. My main email box gets cluttered with too many messages. Shortmail is quicker. I just wish they'd release an iPad app or universal update.

Mailbox — currently Gmail only (free, iOS universal)

Mailbox is beautiful, minimalist and intuitive — and I'm excited to see where it's going. I already prefer it to the iOS Gmail app, and in some ways it's nicer than the native Mail app. It's new (so don't expect it to be perfect) but I haven't run into any issues other than a lack of portrait mode (it's landscape only on the iPad). It would also be nice to be able to edit/add labels and move/archive/delete messages in bulk. I hope developer Orchestra, Inc. adds Outlook.com mail support!

The Email Quest, Objective: Empty Inbox

Email is the digital equivalent of physical mail, right? An inbox is like a physical mailbox — except people don't leave envelopes stuffed in their mailboxes after receiving and opening them. For many, myself included, getting that Inbox to "0 messages" is a battle, a constant effort — time-consuming. Frustrating, even. Often, people just give up and let messages accumulate, or they don't care to sort messages. Over time, Inboxes can collect thousands of messages, and this inhibits usability.

An example.

Say you're searching for an email about an event, but you can't remember what that event was called — perhaps it was six months ago and you're looking for some pics from it. If you have a cluttered mailbox, the keyword "event" could pull up hundreds of messages, most of them unrelated to your intended query. An organizational system can alleviate this frustration.

Second.

Search doesn't always function properly when there are too many emails to sift through. If you store emails locally (on your computer or device), those emails take up space, and searching takes up memory. If you use cloud or IMAP mail, those messages take up server space and extra bandwidth to search through. A large inbox — messages unfiltered and unorganized — takes longer to download and thus, search.

These two apps can help you clean up your inbox. Both services offer tips on how to do this, and in the future I'll make a post about Google features for automatically sorting emails and something they call "canned responses."

For now, take a look at these two apps, Shortmail & Mailbox, and tell me what you think. If you have email tips and tricks, I'd love to hear about them!

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The best iPad apps!

I’ve started posting app icons and links here at Says Brad!

This page (saysbrad.com/apps/) will contain links to my favorite apps, primarily iPad and iPhone, but who knows, maybe I’ll add other platforms in the future.

If I post an app on that page, I consider it a must-have. These are apps I use frequently and have dedicated numerous hours to.

Got an iOS app and want an honest review, detailed analysis and constructive criticism? Message me and let me know!

Currently, my focus is on art, photography and productivity apps, but I’m open to reviewing other things as well. (I love games!) I like bringing extra exposure to small developers and indie apps, so I will promote those obscure, hidden gems before more mainstream apps reviewed by all of the big blogs and magazines.

Uploading these images and editing pages here at Squarespace is a very time-consuming process. I’ve figured out a way to do it that looks okay on my iPad (except for the standard DPI app icon badges). I’ll add more as time permits, as well as try to get website features like search, tag cloud, and category lists fully functional again.

Brad Chin uses Blogsy

Hand Stylus Part II

I thought I posted this a few days ago. Oops. Had some problems with my iPad crashing and some health problems, so I hadn't thought about the update. Today, I've been figuring out how to upload photos, attempting to fix my Says Brad gallery (here; haven't been able to fix it, however), and adding stuff to my dribbble page. Thinking about "going pro" at Dribbble but I'm not sure.

Note about Dribbble: dribbble requires images 400x300 or smaller; their website uploader will crop, but it won't scale images. My Paper sketches are natively 2048x1536, and I've been using PhotoForge2 to scale them to 400x300. That was working fine until today; PhotoForge2 just crashes after startup now.

About the Hand Stylus, 77/100

Anyway, above are a few of my new HAND stylus thoughts. It requires less pressure than the Adonit Jot Pro, but is less accurate and more difficult to use than the Adonit Jot Touch.

Above, I can see slight variations in handwriting across each stylus, but the differences are fairly small. The oStylus DOT, due to its thin shaft/handle, is harder to use while block writing. It's phenomenal for artwork and cursive, however.

I tried to use the Hand stylus to create my madewithpaper sketches, but I couldn't achieve decent results. I can't get the Hand to travel reliably and quick enough across the iPad surface to achieve the pencil and watercolor effects I use in my Paper art.

An interesting twist with HAND.

The Hand Stylus guys are based out of Alameda, and one of them read my earlier review and has offered to meet with me to test my stylus to see if it is functioning properly. If it works out, I'll share the results. They want to meet in Alameda. With my disability, mobility and timing is difficult so I'll see how it goes. It's a cool offer nevertheless.

Brad Chin uses Blogsy

The bad and badass of iOS 6

Another sunset looking across Lake Merritt

Updating my iPad has been a big change — I'm still figuring it out, finding new things, getting frustrated and used to iOS6.

The first thing that I did was test out Siri. She's not quite the virtual assistant I was hoping for, but she's still cool; a very welcome (free) addition to my iPad, complimenting the dictation function elegantly. We're still getting acquainted — I don't know what kind of pair we'll make, at least until her sports knowledge extends to cover Tennis.

I like being able to set reminders and alarms on the fly. I'm excited about doing this on the iPhone 5 while I'm out; I'm still using the iPhone 4 (Siri isn't available on it), but I hope to upgrade soon. Telling Siri to remind me to stop by the supermarket at 2pm or to set an alarm for 8:30pm feels futuristic… because it works, perfectly.

A big what the suck

Apple, having declared thermonuclear war on Google, has replaced Maps with Apple Maps and has removed the YouTube video app. I'm glad that the new map app has turn-by-turn directions (aka real GPS navigation), but the new map app is fraught with issues. Some of the more hilarious mistakes will likely become Facebook memes. I haven't encountered an error yet (I think) but the lack of street view sucks. Yelp integration is good and bad because Yelp itself is flawed.

The YouTube app was actually pretty nice. Google released its own YouTube app for iPhone, but the iPad currently has only third-party alternatives. I've been using Safari — luckily, I don't watch much YouTube to begin with, so I'm not as affected by the change.

The badass

Safari is fantastic now. My favorite change? I can now attach/upload images to websites! Prior to iOS 6, file transfer could only be accomplished through apps. It's not perfect, but I've been able to add photos to:

• My new design gallery here at Says Brad – I'm having issues uploading to this gallery, however. Hopefully it's a temporary, fixable issue. Squarespace support probably won't be helpful, however. (I'm very seriously considering switching to WordPress; I just don't know much about editing themes, and I'd like my site to look decent, so I'm trying to figure that out)
• My Dribbble account – dribbble shots need to be resized to 400x300; I like using PhotoForge2 by GhostBird Software (universal, currently $3.99 USD), but there are others.

I really like Notification Center now, as well as Do Not Disturb. One simple change that saves a lot of time is the ability to tweet and post to Facebook from Notification Center. Also, I like the reorganized Settings.

I meant to keep this post short and sweet, but iOS 6 has so many awesome features, it's tough for me to be concise. I'll continue to add observations as I become more familiar with it, and when I get an iPhone 5, naturally.

madewithpaper

Brad Chin uses Blogsy

Hand Stylus Review – First Impressions

I didn't write with it for long before I could feel my hand starting to cramp; the Hand stylus has some serious drawbacks that I hadn't read about anywhere, and I'm wondering now: what did the other reviewers do with it?

The HAND Stylus – far from being my favorite.

There was a lot of hype surrounding the Hand capacitive touch stylus; numerous reviews praised its design and functionality, thousands were per-ordered and paid for via Kickstarter, and… it looks fantastic.

The Hand stylus comes in super sleek packaging: a stamped aluminum tray inside of an understated white paper box with foil logo. The printed materials sport slick graphics. HAND: Designed in USA. Made in China. Sigh. We can't Affordably manufacture things statewide anymore? Oh wait, maybe we can.

The Hand has a magnetic clip. A retractable 4mm tip called the world's smallest. I chose the glossy red. It looks amazing and precise. It isn't.

The Hand, the problems

The Hand stylus isn't bad. I love many of its features — I love the styling, the highly-technical, over-engineered bits like the rotating retractable nib. But sadly, these features don't save the stylus because the most important attribute, reliably writing and drawing, is off. With great handwriting and focus, the Hand can produce decent lines… just like other less-stylish (and more comfortable) styluses.

The tip feels too soft, too squishy. In order to reliably convey my intentions from stylus to capacitive touch screen, an uncomfortable amount of pressure must be applied from HAND to screen. The tip deforms just enough to give the capacitive touch screen the 6mm it looks for. HAND calls this the sweet spot. I find it uncomfortable and aggravating.

My hand is mightier than the Hand.

The Hand stylus is about as inaccurate and annoying as the Adonit Jot Pro. It's not terrible; it's better than the WACOM Bamboo and the plethora of $10-or-less options. (For non-pressure sensitive use) I still prefer oStylus DOT — although in addition to being more expensive, the DOT is also more fragile. For an equally durable, inexpensive option, I recommend the COSMONAUT, a stylus David Pogue likened to a Pringles can. He probably thinks he's clever and funny, but he's doing his minions a disservice.

Final thoughts on the HAND Stylus

If you like super-stylish, frustrating, unreliable devices (like AT&T phones), get the HAND. However, I think that the Hand is cramp.

I can be clever, too.

Brad Chin uses Blogsy

Using Paper by FiftyThree

This sketch demonstrates how I use Paper by 53. I like to create notes and mind-maps by combining the Watercolor tool with Draw, Write, Sketch and Outline.

Paper is a art, design and productivity app for Apple iPad that I've mentioned several times before, here at Says Brad and elsewhere. It's a beautiful, minimalist sketching, drawing and writing tool that looks great on the new iPad with retina display — but inherently, Paper by FiftyThree has strengths and weaknesses similar to a sheet of physical paper.

A blank page can be intimidating.

The app developers at FiftyThree have included some neat features in the app to make it less intimidating. There's a sample journal and walk-through video, but one of their best creative aids is very subtle. Each new journal (or notebook, pages) starts with just 10 pages. Ten: it is enough to feel expansive and real without being intimidating. Sometimes unlimited pages that you can't see seems daunting. You can always add pages or subtract them (by deleting).

Still, if you're going to pay $8 for a sketching app…

You may want to know more about what you're getting and what you can do with it. Reading through the App Store comments, one thing has become clear: Paper is misunderstood by many. At first, I didn't like it. I didn't think it was a real art tool. If you are curious what else can be done, search using the tag #madewithpaper at Twitter and Tumblr — some incredible artists have used Paper in amazing ways. Each tool can be purchased separately for $1.99, but I'd recommend getting the complete collection if you're going to use Paper… else stick with the free Draw tool.

How I like use Paper by FiftyThree

My favorite part of Paper is its custom ink engine. It is expressive and natural, and one of the first that really understands capacitive touch screen use. Without pressure sensitivity, the iPad is (in many ways) at a serious disadvantage compared to Wacom tablets. Many apps intimate, approximate, and imitate pressure by adjusting ink flow based on speed. The results often suck.

The Draw tool in Paper is thin when drawing slowly and gets thicker as you increase speed. Without zoom, this makes tiny, detail work and writing much easier than apps like Penultimate.

The Watercolor tool has a nice look and colors blend together beautifully. I like to create contrast with it, and color code related items.

I use the other tools to create basic shapes and add words, sketches and doodles.

Fast and Messy

When I first used Paper, I tried to keep everything neat and perfect, as I would in Autodesk SketchBook Pro. At that time, I didn't like Paper. I felt it was missing things, things I thought I needed.

At some point, I decided to just scribble — I decided to make a mess. It was fun.

Keeping things loose and not worrying about perfect lines, I put ideas on paper fast than ever. I could brainstorm or experiment, create lists and designs, and the results, while messy, were beautiful. Paper is exact enough to get a point across or capture an idea, and loose enough to stimulate new thoughts because it doesn't fill in all of the blanks — intentionally.

Paper by FiftyThree has become an everyday tool for me, and I've never had more fun creating scribbles. It's helped me to breathe life into old ideas, and flesh out new concepts, including things I want to do here at my blog. Sharing pages is simple and quick, and the full journal PDFs look great, too. Paper is another reason to own an iPad!

I hope their next version will offer a way to rearrange Paper's papers.

How do you use Paper? Do you love it, or hate it? If you have thoughts or suggestions on Paper, leave a comment! Also, send them directly to the guys at FiftyThree! They care about feedback.

Paper by FiftyThree actually awesome!

If you sketch, doodle, jot, draw or paint, you will love Paper by FiftyThree.

That's what I think, anyway, especially if you use an oStylus (Bradtastic Approved, of course!) the world's best capacitive touch stylus. Of course, you need an iPad.

Download Paper by FiftyThree (from the App Store)

They've announced on their blog that Paper has been downloaded 1.5 million times, an impressive number, especially for an app that isn't a game (and even for a free app). They also announced the number of pages that have been created, though I don't know how they know that without spying on people's usage… a scary thought. I will have to ask them.

Initially, I didn't like Paper.

I thought it was overpriced form over function, more style than substance. My opinion was formed using the one free tool, and though I'd like to think that the App Store reviews did not influence me, I'm sure that that was a factor as well.

I was comparing Paper to "pro" drawing and painting tools. In doing so, I missed the beauty of Paper — simplicity. I saw its minimalist interface as a negative, something between crude and kitschy. I thought of paper as one thing trying to be something else, and decided to dislike it on that alone. Throughout, I still acknowledged that custom ink engine and crisp feel were special — noteworthy… good.

Discovery.

About a week or so ago, I downloaded The Essentials (the $7.99 USD IAP) after discussing it with several people, reading reviews and emailing FiftyThree. I decided that it made more sense for two reasons:

1. The Essentials may include other features or tools in the future.
2. it's a hassle to download each individually at a savings of 3¢.

I first got the full Paper experience first on the iPad 2, and was immediately struck by the difference. The trial versions (called "Try it!" in the Store) do not do justice. Paper instantly transforms (think butterfly) from dull to dangerous. This wonderful sketching app delivers a rich, satisfying experience, perfect for doodlers and serious designers alike.

Some ways to use Paper

Paper can be used to make masterpieces — I've seen some — but that's not its strength. Here are a few ideas.

• mind-mapping
• visual notes

Both of these have dedicated apps, but the simplicity and aesthetics makes Paper a good choice for concepts.

• doodles, scribbles
• diagrams

• graphology (handwriting analysis)

• telephone notepad

good for phone numbers and jotting quick thoughts while on the phone; also great for idle moments and rants (while you're placed on hold)

• logo ideas
• conceptual design
• scenery
• symbols

artists of all skill levels and types will likely find that Paper's tools are a great balance between speed and control.

Four stars, work in progress.

Paper isn't perfect — it's WIP. FiftyThree is still adding features. If you have suggestions, contact them; I did, and got a very sincere reply. Being critical of an app and offering constructive feedback early on will help to shape the direction of this tool.

Some people just don't like Paper, and that's okay. There are a lot of drawing apps on the iPad, and many great professional tools such as:

• Procreate
• ArtRage
• SketchBook Pro
• Layers
• Brushes

And there are inexpensive alternatives with wonderful functionality as well:

• Sketch Club
• Infinite SketchPad
• Noteshelf

There's also fun, social stuff like Clibe.

I created an Infinite Sketch discussing key points of Paper, pros and cons, and additional features that I'd like to see.

Check out a web version of the Infinite SketchPad outline that I made. I would love to hear your ideas as well, so don't hesitate to comment or message me!

Coming soon: more detailed thoughts on Paper, including comments on specific tools and the UI.

(btw, I love being able to set auto-post times for blog entries, allowing me to write when I'm feeling okay, yet stagger the entries. I know this isn't a new or revolutionary feature and that many people use it, but still… it's brilliant!)

Free virtual workstation! OnLive Desktop for iPad

I'll get right to it: OnLive Desktop is awesome.

It's free. It's amazing. Made by the mad-scientists behind the uber cloud gaming service, OnLive Desktop for iPad offers users a cloud-based virtual desktop, complete with Microsoft Office, storage and basic apps/tools like Calculator and Paint. The paid version includes web browsing as well. All of the processing happens on their end, they simply take your keystrokes and inputs and give you the visual.

Love the clouds

Current technology trends remind me of a character from the manga/anime Naruto: Shikamaru, the cloud-loving loafer. Years ago, technology enthusiasts obsessed about terabyte hard drives, but now that we have them, we prefer smaller solid state drives. Why? It's all about speed and convenience.

We're impatient. We need it now!

Luckily, ISPs have kept up with our increasing demands (though they demand their pound of flesh and price gouge us to near-death), offering super-fast net connections that offer incredible connectivity and mobility. Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G... powerful 2lbs notebook computers and fantastic do-everything tablets — there are too many reasons to get away from the desk, and now there are plenty of ways to do it.

But desktops have advantages. At least, they used to. Now you can get that power and stability on-the-go! If you have an iPad, try OnLive Desktop. it's better than buying Windows and Microsoft Office, and you really don't have much to lose if it's not for you — you may even know someone who could really use it. I haven't tried it in any other form (other than the iPad app), but if it can run well on iOS, it should be great everywhere.

Need something else?

Later on I'll share thoughts on two more similar apps, Splashtop Remote Desktop, and Air Desktop (an app that allows the iPad to become a second computer screen). I'll also share some sweet accessories!

Migrating from iPad 2 to new iPad

The new iPad — so exciting!

But not without its own issues. (This update applies most to people thinking about upgrading to the new iPad from an earlier model) The new iPad, or iPad 3, is slightly thicker and heavier than the 2, but is otherwise similar in look, shape and feel.

I won't go into the specs too much, but for those unfamiliar with it, here are the highlights.

• retina display, 2048x1536 resolution (versus 1024x768), 4x pixels!
• 5MP camera, 1080p video & FaceTime camera
• dictation (translates spoken English into text in the cloud; requires net connection) — works well!
• optional 4G LTE (Verizon model can act as a hotspot)
• still no Siri — come on, Apple, give it to us! Please send them an email and let them know you want Siri on the iPad. Maybe if enough people complain… (let us be the squeaky wheel)

Two things to keep in mind

For $99, Apple offers AppleCare+ protection for the new iPad. This coverages extends the warranty to two years and also covers two instances of accidental damage ($49 service fee per instance). For the price, it's a great deal for the higher end models; it's peace of mind, and will cover screen scratches, coating wear and more.

However, if you intend to get AppleCare+, purchase it together with the new iPad. It must be purchased within 15 days otherwise, and if the iPad is opened, you'll need to make a genius bar appointment at a retail store for an "iPad inspection." Trust me, this is a huge hassle.

Last, if you're "restoring" from an iPad backup (migrating/transferring from iPad or iPad 2 to the new iPad), many apps will sync without converting to retina graphics. Example: although I had the newest version of SketchBook Pro installed on my iPad 2 when I made the backup, when I opened it on the iPad 3, no retina graphics. It's like it was running in iPad 2 mode. Many of my favorite apps ran similarly, and needed to be reinstalled to correct the issue.

Unfortunately, many of my favorite apps still lack new iPad versions. With time, developers will update apps and the retina display issue should be resolved. For now, I'm using it as an opportunity to start fresh — my new iPad will run my favorite apps, and the iPad 2 will be a testing ground for new apps I'm not yet sure about.

Don't let me dissuade you from the new iPad, however. It's awesome. Whatever the hassles, I think it's worth it!

Disability Blues

Tired, and kind of cranky today. Lots of pain. I think my iPad needs to be repaired, the software, anyway... It keeps crashing. Not good, when it's basically your only computer.

I've been enjoying drawing on my iPad with my oStylus DOT (thanks again, Andrew!) — if you have a capacitive touch tablet and draw (or want to) on it, you MUST get the DOT. Now.

My favorite drawing apps are Noteshelf, Infinite Sketchpad, Sketchbook Pro, Brushes, Adobe Ideas, Procreate and Zen Brush. If you do any vector art, Ink Pad is incredible. Adobe Ideas is technically vector as well. Sketch Club is also worth mentioning again.

I saw an advertisement for the new WACOM Intuos5 multi-touch tablets; they look really nice. I've never been good at using those, but they're about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of the 12" Cintiq, and perhaps more usable. It has greater sensitivity and multi-touch. That's pretty sweet.

I don't have much to say about other apps today, but here's some game stuff:

I have some Eve of Impact promo codes to distribute! See if you can break past 100K!

• The Witcher 2 is out tomorrow!

• Mass Effect Infiltrator seems to play better, and there's a neat space game called Dangerous worth checking out if you like space sandbox type RPG/sim games.

• Ubisoft added a marketplace to Assassin's Creed Recollection where you can buy and sell memories (cards).

• If you like card games and strategy, check out Shadow Era and Playdek's Food Fight iOS and Nightfall — as well as Ascension (by a different publisher) — but Shadow Era is free (and not the junk kind of freemium, either) and *one of the best CCGs I've ever played. It reminds me of *Magic: The Gathering in my youth when the game was simpler, with fewer cards and strategies.

That's all for now.

I think I need a nap. I'm too tired to go through and link everything. Just use Google.

Productivity App Reviews, Bad Morning iPad, games

I'm having one of those mornings. My body hurts really bad and it's making me oddly emotional. I tried to do a little art/design but my hand is shaking a bit and it's frustrating. So now I'm sharing some iPad/App Store stuff.

I really wish Blogsy worked (natively) with Squarespace. I also wish the Squarespace iOS app didn't suck. I can't edit pages or the layout with the app.

Sometimes progress on things is slow with a disability. I try, but I get tired quickly. I know that many people out there have disabilities both physical and mental much worse than mine, and I hope that they too have a solid support system and good friends. Those fortunate enough should try to get an iPad as a primary computer, it's completely doable. My goal is to help others to make the most of a bad situation, and use tools to the fullest.

So, here's a little Apple iOS App Store update, for Mac and iOS.

New apps & discounts

Paper by FiftyThree

There's an app called Paper by FiftyThree available for iPad. It's free to try... each tool beyond the first costs $1.99 — and it's not worth it. Some might argue that the limited color palette and brush options is cool and minimalist — not so.

• The custom ink engine is cool. The lines look nice and the tools are natural.

• Non-artists wont benefit from the coolness. For a casual user, $8 to unlock everything is pricy. Apps Sketch Club and Layers offer many basic and advanced features for $2.

• Artists will find the app too limiting. No layers, no wrist/palm rejection. Wide eraser. No variable widths; one-size, one-setting brushes, fixed diameter. No zoom.

Clibe

Clibe (App Store link) was free when it was released, and I suggested that people grab it... it's now $4.99 — here's their website. Is it worth it? For $5, I dunno.

Byword

Byword is an awesome word processor for Mac and iOS. It uses Dropbox or iCloud to sync between devices. If you write on at least a semi-regular basis, you will love Byword. It's an attractive, effective text solution, with great functionality and a low price.

iA Writer

Serious writers and web authors may want to look at iA Writer. This app is stellar, minimalistic and focused. This is distraction-free and usable. Focus Mode, formatting, and reading time make this app one of my all-time favorites.

I first found distraction-free writing with WriteRoom by Hog Bay Software. I think it's cool, and Jesse is a really nice guy. I happen to like iA Writer and Byword more now, but the original is still awesome.

GAMES — Some games worth looking at.

• Assassin's Creed Recollection (FREE) if you haven't downloaded it yet. Get it now. Seriously.

• The Bard's Tale ($1.99, usually $5.99) The hit Playstation 2/XBOX RPG plays great on iPad 2 and iPhone 4, and the cheeky humor is a nice change of pace. Get this while it's on sale for $2... if you like games like Baldur's Gate, Elder Scrolls, Diablo, and Dungeon Hunter, you'll thank me later.

• Combat Mission Touch ($4.99) announced on April 1st and so cool, people thought it was a Fool's Day prank. It isn't. Requires iPad 2 or new iPad to run! More info at battlefront.com (CMTOUCH site). If you like strategy games and WWII sims (and you have an iPad 2 or newer...) check it out.

There's also a game called Battle Academy for iPad, released recently. I don't have it, it's $19.99 presently. More information here; apparently, it's a port of a PC game.

Perhaps next post, some art.

I'm still finishing designs for Lance Barton (Fomola) CEO of the company behind Blogsy for iPad. It's been tough recently because of my migraines and nerve pain. Maybe I'll share some other doodles, however. Until then, take care!

Editing Squarespace on iOS

Used Zen Brush to create this little fisheye, top-down, big-eyed, sad-face crying-boy... why? Because I can't really edit my site using the iPad.

Perhaps for many people, this is no big deal. For me, it is. I do just about everything computer-related on my iPad or iPhone, because basically, I have to.

Squarespace has an iPad app, but it isn't great.

For the quick post (like this one), it's fine. You can check site stats from it as well, and it's far better than it was last year (in its early days, the Squarespace iOS apps would crash, lose content, post random stuff, delete images, and constantly notify "new comments" that weren't new). Both iPhone and iPad versions of the Squarespace app still have issues beyond missing features and lack of flexibility (like the comment issue — that still exists) but both are usable. I guess.

I'd really like to add/edit pages from the iPad

The poorly named The new iPad is just days away, and it's most remarkable feature (retina display) will make content creation and art a lot easier. Maybe Squarespace doesn't want to remake its iPad app... (I hope they do, I hate those old, blurry, pre-retina display iPhone apps) they could at least make their web-based UI mobile Safari friendly. It's impossible to consistently add content to and modify Squarespace site pages on iOS. Trying to edit the layout or change the site theme is even worse.

Thus, sad face.

Hey, people are allowed to be emo about Apple stuff. It's not like thing are any better on Android.