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!

Lion and the iCloud

I really want a new iPhone this year, 'iPhone 5,' maybe? Perhaps Apple is waiting for the release of iOS 5 and iCloud, their new cloud service that they say will be free for iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion users. I just keep thinking about how bad call quality is on my AT&T iPhone 4.

It's not that AT&T is cheaper, either. Sprint and T-Mobile both offer unlimited plans that are cheaper than AT&T's very-finite plan offerings. If a new iPhone model were to release, I would hope that a Verizon version would exist — because I'd switch. Meanwhile, I do have a second line (with T-Mobile) setup as a BlackBerry, and I'm eligible to upgrade that phone for something better. I've been seeing a lot of 4G commercials; I winder if it's any good for talking.

It shouldn't be so hard to get a phone designed to be good at voice calls. Wasn't that the primary job of a cell phone at some point, or has it always been about playing 'Snake' or Infinity Blade? It must've been about the calls; I had a Siemens S40, a phone with a blue backlit screen and no games. I used it to talk, and its battery lasted for about five hours of talk time... that was ten years ago, at least.

I think that 'iCloud' sounds promising, but I'm a little upset with these transitions. First .Mac to MobileMe, and now to iCloud. What's next?! I remember reading an article ten years ago talking about Jobs' intent to drag OS X out as long as possible before cashing out of Apple. Back then, I thought that, surely, we'd be using OS XI or XII by now... oops.

I just hope that the reliance on these service doesn't doom our privacy and security. In theory, I like the idea of smaller HDDs, movies streamed from my collection to anywhere. It would mean that iPhone and iPad hard drives could stay small, and the money and development could go to graphics, RAM, battery life and better screens (better cellular reception would be nice, too).

'Lion' will sell for $29.99 through the Mac App Store. Yay, another "250+ features," aka 'padding;' we're going to be encouraged to pay for a fairly nominal upgrade — combine iOS tech with 'regular' OS X.

Perhaps I'll enjoy a Sprint Android phone, enough to use it... as a phone first.