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Oakland, CA
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My main blog is a Squarespace 5 blog located at saysbrad.com — I'm looking at migrating my technology/design site to Squarespace 6 (or perhaps another platform). It's quite a time consuming endeavor to do right and it's given me a lot to think about.

Life, Technology, Design

Filtering by Tag: iOS

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

Brad Chin

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.

Penultimate Review 5.0 & iPad mini

Brad Chin

After waiting for years, Penultimate (free, iPad) finally has zoom.

This change is huge: it makes Penultimate usable.

Above is some handwriting done on the iPad mini. I decided to try on my go-to tablet because it doesn't write as well as the full-size iPad, and if I were to incorporate Penultimate into normal, everyday usage, it'd likely be on my mini and not my iPad 3.

Simply, I use the iPad mini more. Penultimate is the kind of cloud-synced notes app that's used to capture quick thoughts and sketches, phone numbers and directions while on the phone. Prior to the version 5.0 update, Penultimate was too clunky and ugly to tolerate. I've always liked the Evernote integration, but it just wasn't important enough to put up with (and fight against) a crummy app.

Magnification has been on my want list since version 1. Now we have ZOOM and drift, a new feature that dynamically pans the zoomed-in frame while writing. It takes some practice; as evident in my first sentence on the image above, I was moving my stylus ahead while writing and added too much space between letters. Hopefully it's still legible for everyone else. -b


  • If you're looking for a good note taking app for iPad, check it out. I can finally recommend it and call it #bradtasticapproved. Can't beat that price!
  • If you're willing to spend some money, there are many great note-taking apps for iOS — I've reviewed several here on my blog.
  • If you're looking for a text-based notes app, check out ThinkBook by bitolithic.

 


I really hope that the new iPad mini with Retina Display is as good as it sounds, because even without one, the mini has been my favorite thing. Its diminutive frame and weight makes it a perfect tech companion for me. It's small enough to bring anywhere, light enough to use all day — yet large enough to really enjoy apps, games, movies, websites, ebooks, and typing out emails and blog entries. However, I think between the two new devices (iPad Air, iPad mini Retina), for an artist, the iPad Air is the more practical choice. I'll have to wait and see how the iPad Air and new mini handle pressure sensitive styluses like the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus, but my guess is that the Air is slightly more accurate and sensitive to small, light pen strokes.

But if the new mini is as precise as my iPad 3 — it'll be a no-brainer.

Favicon design part 2 coming soon. I also want to share my recent illustration work, but I've been a little busy earning entries for the Borderlands 2 $100,000 Loot Hunt. Wish me luck!

 

Favicon Design part 1, Ideas, Concepts + Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus

Brad Chin

Adobe Ideas screenshot, freehand sketch

 

Learning how to keep my hand steady again has been a tricky process. Luckily, the iPad has some amazing tools. The sketch above, a favicon design concept for this site, was first loosely drawn in Tayasui Sketches, but I almost immediately switched to Adobe Ideas to take advantage of a new Bluetooth pressure-sensitive stylus.

The Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus is probably the nicest all-around stylus for the iPad. In certain situations, I like the oStylus DOT more due to its small tip and predictable, 100% functionality. The Adonit Jot Touch is supported by many more apps, and their SDK is actually starting to work as intended (it was buggy; more like a tech demo or concept product, not quite usable for my design style).

Adobe Ideas is compatible with a variety of pressure-sensitive styluses; with it, I've only tried the Jot Touch and Intuos (both work really well in general). Ideas offers pressure sensitivity and palm rejection. Pressure sensitivity works great; there aren't a lot of options for it, but simplicity is sort of Ideas' thing. The Intuos' buttons work to bring up a quick tool menu to make changes to settings like tip width, color, tool... it's really nice, but an undo option would've been nice.

The palm rejection sucks; it works by rejecting any stroke on the iPad while there's no pressure on the stylus tip, but as soon as you start actually using it in earnest, it fails. Tons of unintended marks, because in practice: you have to set the tip down first — pressing enough to trigger pressure sensitivity —followed by your palm/wrist, and then lift your hand before lifting the stylus tip off to finish. It's a nuisance; setting a simple folded microfiber cloth underneath your palm is much easier... and it actually works.

But that's not an Ideas problem, it's just the technology. The iPad wasn't, isn't intended to be used with a stylus. For shame, Apple! Release for us a Penabled version, or something like the Samsung Galaxy Note. Artists will buy it; they're excited about dropping $1600-2500 for Wacom Cintiq Companion tablets — we'll buy an iPad: Artist Edition!

Currently, I can only compare the Hex3 Jaja, Adonit Jot Touch (2.1) & Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus. I would love to test the Pogo Connect & others — I'm saddened that Paper by FiftyThree only utilizes the Pogo. I contacted them; they said that they have no plans to support any other Bluetooth styli, but that they're looking at the others to see how well people take to those devices. FiftyThree also mentioned that they weren't planning on portrait mode, but that it's been requested (duh!). Seeing how long they took to add custom colors and magnification (up to 3x zoom), it might be a long while. Like iPad 7 kind of awhile.

Contrast that with the great people behind Concepts: Smarter Sketching, and you'll know why I'm so excited about that app. Concepts as a free app is full functional, and an inexpensive IAP unlocks cool precision options unlike any other app I've used. Using a dot grid and guides, it's easy to create perfect lines and shapes on an adjustable, vector art canvas.

But that's not the amazing part; Concepts started months ago as a broken app with laggy pen strokes to a professional-use design tool with Copic colors... at less than 1/3 of the price of Paper. What started as an app with just a pen tool has become a vector app with a beautiful pencil, marker and airbrush tool — and it's fast and responsive. The pencil and marker are stunning.

The really great part about Concepts, however, is TopHatch, the guys behind the vector design and sketching app. I contacted them via Facebook and got a quick reply that made two things clear: these guys are nice, and they care about user feedback. I felt like my suggestions would help to improve the app — they even invited me to beta test it. I was told that I would be really pleased with the next update, but didn't get too many specifics. Only that portrait mode and Bluetooth stylus support were both happening soon.

 

Part 2 will be about favicon design itself (a sort of beginner's guide, I suppose) as well as my thought process for it, and a more in-depth review of Concepts: Smarter Sketching.

 

Notes Plus Review - iPad Handwriting Apps

Brad Chin

An inkblog Bluetooth pressure sensitive capacitive touch stylus written response to a comment!
 

Yesterday October 17, 2013 was a pretty big day here in America — our lackluster government has resumed spending ten billion dollars per day and the default crisis has been averted postponed until mid-January.

But I also got a comment on my blog entry iPad mini note taking problems. I decided to write a reply in atypical, inkblogging fashion. Here's the comment by Jeremy.

What did you think of the Notes Plus IOS App? I've used quite a few low and high end stylus' with the app and have not been disappointed with the results. www.notesplusapp.com

 

Here's my handwritten 'ink' reply, with text transcript.

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! This is written in Notes Plus on my iPad3 (retina) w/ Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus. I've had the app for quite awhile, but never spent much time with it until recently. I really like the recent app enhancements and the close-up writing mode — its method for adjusting the writing box is probably the best I've used. [Note: referencing the app itself] I wish that it was either raster-based, or had cleaner line creation, more adjustability, more color options (or better colors), and finally, Bluetooth capacitive touch stylus support (for line thickness — pressure sensitivity). Jeremy, you've inspired me to work on a full Notes Plus review. Question: which stylus is your favorite, or what type of styli do you like, the soft tip, disc shaped [tip], Bluetooth, etc? Last, what iPad version are you using, and are you using iOS7? I prefer iOS6. I think that iOS7 slowed down my iPad mini substantially. I hope that you have a great weekend and I look forward to hearing from you!

 

It's difficult to simultaneously compose beautiful sentences and fiddle with legible handwriting, spacing and color, but it was an interesting exercise. I think that my quasi-cursive writing style looks pretty good; quality that I think would be impossible in either Penultimate or Bamboo Paper and probably many of the handwritten notes apps, with the exception of Noteshelf and Remarks.

The image at the top of this post was edited (just for fun) using Repix and Distressed FX — both apps downloaded free. I'm not very familiar with either yet, so I decided to combine the effects of each to gauge the results. Distressed FX is particularly cool; I think I'm going to use it more, likely in combination and conjunction with other apps such as Tangent and Over, for photos and designs.

If you're looking for a great app to use with a capacitive touch stylus and don't mind a vector-based app, check out Notes Plus. It has a great deal of features and a lot of options, but remains usable and straightforward.

 

Taking Notes on the iPad & iPhone!

Brad Chin

Well — the groosoft sale that I'd mentioned was certainly short lived. Hopefully you picked up both amazing apps! If you didn't, that's a bummer, but let me explain why they might be worth your money.

If you're looking for text-only notes, check out my ThinkBook review.

 

Scrapnote Handwriting Scrapbook (iPad 2 & newer, $4.99)

Scrapnote is an amazing consolidation of productivity tools presented in an elegant package. It isn't the most visually stunning app, but it is powerful and straightforward — perfect for quick and dirty note-taking. Imagine Evernote, Skitch, Penultimate, Noteshelf, Pages and Adobe Reader features all in one app.

You say "scraping," I say "scrapping."

The main feature is its Scrap tool (a process misspelled as "scraping" in their materials). It's basically a clipper; take images, or even a stack of images, videos, text, (no audio, though) and insert them right onto editable pages. These objects can be drawn over and snap-aligned with guides (just like in Apple's Pages).

There are many practical note-taking uses for Scrapnote, but it can also be used as a presentation tool. Each notebook can be set as read-only — the app even comes with an example in the form of a detailed how-to guide. Scrapnote has several different handwriting tools (eraser, highlighter, pencil, pen) each with its own settings and properties, as well as a decent color palette (but no option to choose your own colors). Images can have custom borders (or not) and can be rotated and cropped (clipped, rather, as if set inside a frame) in-app, and text can be presented in various styles and fonts, with optional boxes and drop shadows.

There are some missing features. The major ones:

No zoom. It's a shame, because I could ditch my other handwriting notes apps if it had the ability to zoom into areas for more control. Well, almost, except...

No backup. This is so strange to me, because groosoft's $0.99 Jotter has iCloud sync. No backup makes this app somewhat limited in longevity, so hopefully they'll rectify that. iCloud and Dropbox backup would be preferred. Also...

No PDF export. Single pages can be emailed or sent to images, but the entire notebook cannot be easily presented together in a single file. Each page could be exported and backed up, but those documents would no longer be editable in-app.

Limited colors. The selection isn't bad or that small, it's just not ideal for me. This won't be an issue for everyone, and I'm sure someone out there prefers the simplicity of a set palette.

At the wonderful price of free, I couldn't complain much about these omissions, but for $4.99 — I expect more. If you're on the fence about this app, check out the "trial" version, Scrapnote Lite.

 

Jotter Handwriting Notebook (universal, $0.99)

I have no idea what "real tactile note app" means to groosoft, but I do know that the poor typesetting (look at "app" — "a pp") and misspelling scrapping (in Scrapnote) is indicative of oversight and carelessness... and that is concerning...

But for 99 cents, Jotter is pretty cool.

Especially as it's an iCloud-synced, universal app. Many of my favorite handwritten notes apps are iPad-only, limiting my ability to view and modify these notes on-the-go with my iPhone. The mobile-friendly feature makes it worthy of mention, and perhaps, a download.

Jotter has the same drawing tools and color palette as Scrapnote and has various background options (paper types) including lined/ruled, graphing paper, white, black, etc. — but the pages aren't arranged into notebooks, and images cannot be added into the documents.

However, you can use an image as a background.

For FREE, there's no debate about downloading Jotter. For a buck, it's still probably worth a try. There are other handwriting apps for iPhone, but most have similar issues and cost the same as or more than Jotter. The iCloud sync is a great bonus, and until Evernote makes Penultimate for iPhone (they really should), this is basically the only choice.

But still — no zoom. :-(

 

For iPhone handwritten notes, you could try Draw Pad Pro or Muji Notebook for iPhone — both offer zoom, and Draw Pad Pro is universal and has backup!

Draw Pad Pro is feature-rich and supported, but for some reason, it just doesn't feel right; it also isn't visually attractive, but there's something about the drawing tools and interface that doesn't work for me... so at $2.99, it's difficult for me to recommend (there are occasional discounts on it and it is free from time to time, however).

Muji Notebook is a text and handwriting notes app with a distinct Japanese esthetic and Japanese paper styles. So naturally, I like it (In general, I like Japanese design); but it is limited, and though there are iPad and iPhone versions, the two don't sync with one another. Muji is based on less is more; and with fewer color options, paper styles, and export options, it is a single-purpose tool with more style than substance — aimed at a niche audience. Still, the iPhone version ($3.99) is worth trying because the Muji zoom tool makes writing small, detailed notes a breeze. Developer/publisher Ryohin Keikaku offers trial versions: iPad Lite and iPhone Lite.

 

Final thoughts on note-taking tools for iOS

If I had to score these apps based on my needs, Scrapnote would earn 7/10 and Jotter a 3/5. Both are good, but need improvements to replace my go-to, everyday notes apps. If you've got a back-to-school iPad mini and automatic online backup isn't critical, Scrapnote is probably a worthwhile investment. If groosoft ever adds zoom and backup, Scrapnote would be an 8.5 or 9 out of 10.

If you have a favorite handwriting app for iOS that I haven't mentioned before, please let me know about it!

Also, if you're an app developer or publisher and would like an honest review and feedback, please get in touch. I'm easy to reach online! :-)

 


I've written about the wondrous — yes, magical — iPad, time and time again. I had had concerns that the device was just an overgrown iPod touch, but those fears were quickly dismissed by just using the original iPad for about two minutes. Since that life-changing day, I've dedicated a significant portion of my life and blog to it, and have written before about note-taking on the iPad.

Also, I let the superfloo.us domain expire, but nothing else has changed. Same content, says Brad.

 

Two Fantastic Free iOS Apps!

Brad Chin

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!

 

Quoting Art & Attacking The Borg

Brad Chin

I'm currently putting together my next posts, reviews and follow-ups to recent, controversial ideas, so I thought I'd share a few images created on the iPad mini using two amazing apps: Concepts: Precision Sketching and Over. If you like sketching and creating things on the iPad, I highly recommend both apps. Concepts has recently added Copic Marker colors and new drawing tools, and Over has been updating their app with bug fixes and new features, so I'm excited to see how both progress.

I also recently posted this image, a quote from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.

I thought I'd post it again, because I'd like to add the following. If anyone has any interest in reposting or sharing these images with others, feel free to do so — just please leave the images unmodified and uncropped. Each is making a statement in a particular way, and I put a fair amount of time and effort into each. Thanks! They are also available to be repinned at Pinterest. In addition, with the two apps mentioned above, it isn't difficult to create your own. If you do, I'd love to see it!

Language is communication — essentially expression of thought — and imagery can embolden and empower words and deliver new meaning to new audiences in a beautiful way.

If we ever lose our freedom of speech and expression, it'll be because the suppression of radical, upsetting and controversial thoughts was unopposed and supported by the masses and unchallenged by free-thinkers. Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry's ideology taught me this: resistance is not futile, even when defeat seems inevitable.

 

Why we can't agree on what we can't agree about

Brad Chin

Last night, I decided on a few minutes with an interesting distraction. Poker Night 2 for iOS (universal $4.99) by Telltale Games — creators of Walking Dead: The Game. Here's why.

 

So recently, I've been so frustrated with things. People who fervently tried to convince me to change my beliefs and vote for Barack Obama in 2012 are now unwilling to discuss politics. Many outright ignore it. To fundamentally disagree with them is incomprehensible to them, and they become outraged and hostile at the mere suggestion of it.

Sometimes, the religion card is played. It's not that I'm a right-wing ideologue, it's the conservative Christian social beliefs that have clouded everything in front of me. Never mind the basic inaccuracies in the statement and the underlying assumption that isn't correct — when liberals call Christian Conservatives crazy for their Christian beliefs, why aren't they calling Obama crazy, too? Doesn't he profess to believe in Jesus Christ? Maybe nobody's mad about Barack's so-called beliefs because no one believes that he actually believes those things. And no, I'm not trying to call him a Muslim. I'm calling him unprincipled. Conveniently principled. He does and says what's politically expedient, whether that's saying he believes in Christ and that "marriage is between a man and a woman" in 2008, or that he's anti-gun and pro-gay marriage now.

But everything flung in my personal direction is meaningless compared to the hate-filled flak fired at George Zimmerman, the jury that acquitted him, and anyone who openly supports the not guilty verdict. They don't want to hear about the content of George Zimmerman's character or his background — or that he's as white as Obama. (When calling him a "White Hispanic," you might as well refer to the President as White African American — but wait, that would be considered racist.) If you mention the character of Trayvon Martin; his disciplinary trouble in the months prior to his death, his autopsy report revealing liver damage consistent with drug use, his suspensions from school, or the burglary tool and jewelry recovered from his school locker — that's speculation and attacking the victim. Or racism — racial profiling. Or both.

If you mention that no one who personally knew George Zimmerman thought he was racist, or bring up his past defense of African Americans, or that he was behavioral profiling and not racially profiling Trayvon Martin — well, then you obviously haven't seen all of the protestors signs. THE PEOPLE SAY GUILTY.

Now, if you happen to think some of these unpopular things about George Zimmerman and you're black — well, you are in for a fiery shitstorm of hate and a special kind of racism. A segment of the African American population wants street justice since the racist white court system failed to deliver it to them, the new Black Panther Party going so far as to offer a $10K reward for Zimmerman. Because George Zimmerman is a racist, cowardly murdererand they want his head on a spike for all of the other racist cowards to see (think Game of Thrones, only real). Anyone who won't jump on the race-baiting, hate-spewing bandwagon is an ignorant, bigoted animal deserving of the same decapitation-murder-execution they want for Zimmerman — although if you're a juror who acquitted him, that is, a woman, they want to rape you first, and then kill you in your home. African Americans such as P. Diddy and Jay-Z, publicly boycotting Florida, are black heroes — others like Lupe Fiasco, Charles Barkley and Bill Cosby are called blackface wearing, Uncle Tom niggers. They are called these things primarily by angry African Americans who believe that these Oreo crackers are race-traitors.

The idea that someone could even be a race-traitor is a racist one.

But I'm getting slightly off-track here.

I've been trying to understand the beliefs, mindsets and mentalities of people who passionately and vigorously disagree with me. Well, not me — people who share similar beliefs as me. Practically every time I've tried to discuss issues of society or politics with liberals, it lasts a few exchanges before a personal insult is hurled at me and all dialogue stops. Not because I stop, no. I'm willing to overlook it — it doesn't bother me that much anymore.

It stops because although these people want to share their opinions with others on social networks and blogs, and its worth their time to spread their beliefs, it's not worth their time to defend them. I'm only worthy as an audience if I agree with them.

So I lose so-called friends on Facebook. Such a shame.

Well, it would be, if I cared to be popular with my fellow young American, middle-class, high-school classmates. Most of them are college educated and consider themselves cultured intellectuals. Perhaps that's the problem: I'm not considered smart enough to join their club.

Though it likely has more to do with three letters: GOP. By identifying gop instead of pog — you know, those Hawaiian milk caps you flip over in stacks — (or virtually anything else) I've lost the popularity contest. I'd probably have more Facebook friends if I called myself a socialist or communist. I could probably list "Totalitarian Dictatorship" under political belief or affiliation and receive greater acceptance amongst fellow American twenty-somethings.

The two most important sticking points I've identified in this group are same-sex marriage (LGBT rights) and abortion. The antiquated conservative core loses their votes with those two things — right there. So-called moderate liberals say that they want debt reduction, lower taxes and a fiscally conservative government contributing to a sound, prosperous economy. It's just that they want gay marriage and abortion more.

Never mind that the two groups tend to talk about two different things without realizing it, or that abortion is a human right to life issue and not a social one. I'm pro-choice — in large part because I won't tell a woman what she has to do with her body (especially in cases of rape and incest), and I think that there are already (far) too many people on this planet (to be sustainable and prosperous for the majority).

Never mind the fact that they could vote Republican and have gay marriage and abortions.

Voting R>D would make them greedy, sexist, racist corporate stooges, and the social stigma would stain their underwear forever. They need to champion Obama irregardless of repercussions or irrationality. They must support Obama, even when the evidence points to him being wrong, because that's what cultured intellectuals do. After all, that's what their college professors do — and whom among us can claim to be more cultured or more intellectual than them? After all, Obama has the law degree and taught at a college. Cultured intellectual. Unlike those moronic red-state, Bible-toting, incestuous honey-crusted nut bars.

Barack Obama is also black! Well, White African American, anyway. So his skin color dictates full-cooperation and support from anyone with a skin color darker than alabaster. Even the fair-skinned amongst us must support Obama — because if you don't, you are a racist.

The African American community overwhelming supports Democrats, and they've elected and installed them in major cities across the country. Cities like Detroit. Chicago. Los Angeles. Cities with astonishing levels of poverty, homelessness and violence. Cities with the most black-on-black gun crime.

Not entirely surprising; this support has been fixed and paid for. Support for Democrats amongst African Americans is strong in spite of the Democrat party's long history of fucking with African Americans. Even though MLK was a Republican.

But it's not all bleak, the problems of these cities can be fixed. But they aren't going to like how.

People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get. — Frederick Douglass

To solve the gun violence gun problem, Eric Holder and Obama want to effectively rescind our second amendment. (The same Attorney General and President directly responsible for giving automatic weapons, guns used to murder over one hundred people, to Mexican criminals in an effort to track and catch them.)

They want to heavily restrict the types of guns that can be bought, sold and owned by law-abiding citizens (including retired-military, law enforcement and retired law enforcement), and have all registered gun owners in a publicly available database that they have to reregister for annually. They do this under the guise of our safety. Despite the fact that states with tougher gun laws have more gun crime, obviously, criminals will eventually follow these new laws... while breaking a bunch of others.

Though uncorrected, irresponsible spending and government expansion will bankrupt The United States of America within several decades. Though Obama has lied repeatedly from the beginning, about Guantanamo, to simple, effective healthcare reform, the military, fast and furious, Benghazi, the IRS and the NSA. Though caught red-handed in these lies, he still has the support of the media and their liberal fat-cat backers, and the people.

Because there's a sure-fire, cultured, intellectual response... a reply to whatever misdeeds Obama might do or may have done:

"All politicians do it, you can't single out Obama, and besides, Bush was way, way worse."

 

That just isn't anywhere near good enough an excuse for the flaws of the elected leader of the greatest nation and that the big problems with our government today stem from big problems in the thinking of some of the American people. Thinking that I don't fully, and am desperately trying to, understand.

I'm definitely not the only one with these beliefs and a willingness to attempt to articulate them to, and dialogue with, the other side. Check out my Twitter and follow my Facebook for links to videos and articles, check out PJTV, AlfonZo Rachel and a YouTuber named Vladimir Jaffe (a man who escaped from behind the USSR's Iron Curtain).

 

What Makes Apple's Future So Compelling?

Brad Chin


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.

 

Brad's Personal Update No. 2

Brad Chin

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that I think I’m starting to feel a bit better. But I don’t want to jinx it. I do, however, want to share a few things. I downloaded the update for Paper by FiftyThree and I’m so happy about the new zoom tool. Although I think it still needs some tweaking, it’s a very clever way to achieve a blend of style and functionality that fits the theme and mission of the Paper sketching app. If you have an iPad, you need Paper, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist or creative. It’s just that cool.

I’m writing this blog entry from the official (semi-janky) Squarespace app because for some reason, my favorite, go-to app Blogsy isn’t able to load my categories. I don’t yet know if that’s a Squarespace problem or a fomola (Blogsy devs) issue, but I emailed Lance (fomola Big Boss aka CEO aka awesome friend) to find out. [I’m still very interested in migrating from Squarespace to WordPress, but I don’t have the knowledge or energy yet to start making that happen — I’d want a nice WP theme and don’t know how to go about putting that together.]

Paper by FiftyThree art

Inspired in-part by the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer profession (which reminds me of Accel World’s Kuroyukihime character), this purple abstract butterfly was created on the iPad mini using Paper specific tools (primarily the pencil and watercolor) in order to familiarize myself with the color wheel and zoom. Although it’s still work-in-progress in both forms, one is a screenshot showing off the new zoom/magnifying tool. It took a few minutes to get used to, but in general, I like it; although I might’ve preferred a more traditional zoom functionality, this style does have advantages because you can see exactly where you are drawing relative to the whole page/screen, without zooming in and out, back and forth. It’s also very fast with a decent margin for error, and doesn’t interfere with the undo/redo feature.

I’m excited, because Paper is finally an app I can use start to finish for my style of design. Until now, it’s been a rough ideas and sketching tool; first it was limited by a restricted color palette — they fixed that — and now they’ve added zoom. I’d still like to see a smaller eraser tool (or a variable one with opacity adjustment) and portrait mode, but as is, it’ll work well. I’ve come to prefer the two-finger circular undo/redo and now wish that other apps had it.

Next

I have to take things slow and pace myself, but I’ll see about adding new sketches and designs to dribbble along with more blog entries here such as app and stylus reviews & tips. Until then, take care, enjoy life, and wish me luck. Thank you all!

iPad mini for artists

Brad Chin

Apple finally unveiled its worst kept secret of the year, the iPad mini.

However, Apple also surprised a bunch of people with several product updates: a new iMac, 13" MacBook Pro with Retina display and my favorite, 4th generation iPad with Retina display. (I got a heads-up about the new New iPad from RazorianFly)

The new computers are very exciting on their own, especially because I desperately need one. (My 2007 iMac is entering senescence, is painfully slow and can't run current software due to minimum hardware requirements and specifications.) The 13" MacBook with Retina display isn't impressing me, however, after looking at all of its specs.

Since getting my first iPad, I've never missed my notebook computer. For years now, the iPad has replaced my need for mobile computers. There's an app for basically everything that I'd do on the go or in a hotel room. The sketching and productivity apps are incredible! Plus photo apps, reading, video, news, games. There are only a few things that I can't do from an iPad, things I prefer to do at my desk anyway.

The iPad revolution, again?

The New iPad was new for about six months. The 4th gen iPad has an A6X processor, supposedly twice as fast as the A5X, Lightning port and an improved FaceTime camera. (I wonder what's next and when it'll arrive!)

The mini was thought to be Apple's response to the Android 7" tablet market and industry analysts and experts guessed that the iPad mini would start at around $250. To me, that sounded like nonsense because of the iPod touch price tag and hardware specs. The mini has a bigger screen than the iPod touch, but isn't any faster. I think Apple might've deliberately scaled back the iPad mini components to prevent cross-competition with its own devices. The iPod touch is in essence, an iPad nano.

On the topic of nano…

Apple has gone backward with the new iPod nano. Some might think of the constant design changes as revolutionary, some might think the term renanoed is cute — but I'm not one of those people. The previous generation nano was much more groundbreaking; its size and shape made it a hit with athletes and travelers, and its form and software lead to numerous wristwatch conversion kits for the iPod.

The new iPod nano is basically a gimped iPod touch — it doesn't make sense to me as anything other than a gift for someone else (because if you're going to get it for yourself, save up a little and get an iPhone or iPod touch), but there are so many better things available for $150. My Amazon wish list has a bunch of those things — you know, just saying.

Art and design on the iPads

The iPad is amazingly an all work and all play all-in-one.

The iPad could be significantly improved for artists in two ways: first the impossible — Apple adds a Wacom digitizer to the tablet, second (mkre realistic, definitely feasible) — Apple could support pressure sensitivity on an OS level. There are some amazingly creative solutions for pressure sensitivity built into capacitive touch styluses, but apps haven't yet fully utilized the hardware. Many apps will never support pressure-sensitive styli such as the Adonit Jot Touch or HEX3 Jaja on their own, and stylus manufacturers don't have any standards to work from, inventing their own as needed.

Currently, pressure sensitivity is more of a gimmick in a few apps, unable to recreate the digitizer tablet experience. I love Wacom tablets, but I don't miss pressure sensitivity much on my iPad. The trade-off is size, weight, iOS software and amazing battery life.

Drawing and writing on the iPad with Retina display is truly magical; I thought doodling and sketching on the iPad 2 was fantastic, the Retina display is something else entirely. The wow factor is like seeing Disneyland at night for the first time, with everything lit up and fireworks overhead. Well, I suppose that's a bit of an understatement.

I don't know how the iPad mini will be as an artist's platform. Will it be a good drawing tool? Undoubtedly. Will it have a place with an iPad with Retina display? That's the question. I already know that I want the fourth generation iPad.

Daedalus Touch, a Must Have iPad Writing App

Brad Chin

From The Soulmen website, app developer of Daedalus Touch natural writing app.

 

I'd intended to wait to post a full, comprehensive app review, but if you don't already have this app, you need it. If you do any writing on your iPad at all, you need this app.

Don't let the $4.99 (10/22/12 currently discounted! $2.99) price tag scare you — you get what you pay for with Daedalus Touch — it's pure quality. Notes, rough drafts, journal entries, code; whatever you want to put in it has a place. The app is fast, straightforward and easy to use, and its intelligent UI is brilliant and easy to learn.

If you're the cost-conscious (or broke) type, you can get AppShopper and wait for Daedalus Touch to go on sale. The Soulmen periodically discount their app, but their last discount ($4 off) was a few weeks ago so it might be awhile. However, they aren't the sort of big, nasty, non-caring evil corporation, so you needn't worry that your cash is going to a corrupt corporation (unless that's how you view Apple, in which case, you probably don't — or shouldn't — have an iPad, anyway).

I've mentioned the app before, but I'm mentioning it again because of a recent update. Content can be organized and synced with Dropbox and iCloud, and the document stacks can be exported in multiple formats including PDF and ePub eBook format. You can choose a photo for the cover image and make your own book, readable in iBooks and popular eBook readers. The app supports Markdown as well.

Let me know what you think app (because I'm curious) and don't be shy about contacting the developer (because they can directly do something with your feedback)!

 

The best iPad apps!

Brad Chin

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.

 

'F' Freemium Games

Brad Chin

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Borderlands 2, Dishonored, XCOM. CityVille.

 

Which one of these is not like the others…? Does something seem out of place?

 

Yet, people routinely spend more and more money on freemium games and subscription games. Why? Because the games are designed that way, and they never end. Until the companies shut down the servers and you lose everything you paid for because you technically own none of it.

 

Back when I played Diablo II, the idea of buying a Windforce Hydra Bow or SOJs on eBay was ridiculous to so many people. Spend real money on a digital asset, something on a computer screen?! Are you crazy? But now, it's commonplace to buy more coins, carrots, energy, whatever.

 

Are you having fun?

 

I suppose that's the key question. I'm still playing Skyrim, a game released almost one year ago. I paid once for it, and two hundred hours later, I'm still having fun on my flawed first character. I wasted three skill points. Arguably, five. Don't care. The game is great.

For me, Skyrim is the greatest game ever made. I've played so many. Thousands. Hundreds on each current platform, including over 900 on iOS.

 

And now, in a span of just a few weeks, I have Borderlands 2, Dishonored, XCOM. Hundreds more hours. No microtransactions.

 

I admit, I'm not big on the competitive multiplayer experience. I used to be, I loved PVP in World of Warcraft in the beginning. But the drive to compete encourages odd, unglamorous behavior in people. It gets ugly. Ever played COD against angry teens?

 

Too much posturing. I just want to enjoy the experience and take in the art. Spend some time in Skyrim staring at the sky and dynamic weather changes.

 

I love art and design, and I'm fascinated by game theory and strategy, so I respect (and admire) the freemium business model in many ways. This is a case of really loving the player and hating the game.

Roger Ebert famously said that video games aren't art. Perhaps it wasn't, at one point. Pong, perhaps. Not today. Not with Bethesda's games (except Brink, because that sucked. Hard.), sandbox RPGs and shooters. Even Minecraft.

 

Some video games are art in its highest form.

And then there's Zinga.

Hand Stylus Part II

Brad Chin

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.

The bad and badass of iOS 6

Brad Chin

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.

Says who? Says Brad iPad art, Paper by FiftyThree
madewithpaper

Hand Stylus Review – First Impressions

Brad Chin

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.

Design is a Serious Lifestyle

Brad Chin

BC Logo Concept 2
"BC" logo conceptual designs, #madewithpaper

 

Bradtastic Brad Chin BC logo concept designs made with paper by fifty three
Putting letters and symbols inside of shapes and playing with balance and positive versus negative space. Reminds me of "cake cutting" from NUMB3RS. Says Brad

 

As an artist, designing for yourself is often one of the hardest things to do.

When I started designing professionally eight years ago, I would meet all kinds of professional artists who didn't have their own business cards and websites. Sometimes, I'd get the qualifying statements excuses, "oh, this card is temporary," (or old), "my site is under construction." Fast-forward: things are about the same, except I'm not out much due to disability and chronic pain.

Sometimes I talk to artists online — at least now it's easy to setup an online gallery, free blog, flickr account, etc. — but the situation is still similar. As a solo freelance designer, you can't hire someone else to design your own stuff, and if you want to pay the bills each month, you have to keep working.

Disability and chronic pain changed everything for me, every aspect of my existence. I'm doing things and dealing with things that I never imagined in my pre-teen years. However, I still like a lot of the same things.

I've tried to create a little something for myself over the years, eventually settling on something that I liked, only to create something better the next day, week, or month. As an artist and as with all things, learning and improving — progress — should be constant. Consistent. So it's only natural that I'd continue to get better.

Design is a mission

Design should evolve and progress with society and culture. Being a designer is a commitment — the process itself is its own art form. Design is a way of thinking and a way of being. Design must grow, and sometimes through growth, change, but the commitment remains in the roots. Great design requires a commitment to perpetual excellence.

But logos? Logos should be constant… at least for longer. Like a name, a logo is an essential symbol of identity, but it should be more. It should convey values and ideals, traditions and origins. It should impress upon and instill its audience with a thought or feeling. Good logos deliver messages. So how does a designer design a logo? Design is always changing, designers are always improving, but a logo should stay the same. A paradox? No. Difficult, though.

The big blessing, The New iPad

Using Paper, I created a few "BC" logo concepts — something I could use, like a monogram maybe. Throughout the day, I tweaked and refines these sketches; some were erased, others duplicated. Some of them work, others not so much. During this process, I thought about how I was doing what I was doing… and how special it is for me.

Several years ago, Apple released the iPad and surprisingly, changed my life. Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to get The New iPad; just a minor update/refresh of the iPad 2 for some, this device changed my life again, and continues to with new apps and app updates.

Equally surprising is the app Paper by FiftyThree, my thoughts paralleling the first-generation iPad. (I loved The Next Generation from the beginning) When I first saw (both of) these, I thought more style than substance, and I probably won't use this. In both cases, I'm very happy to be so-entirely incorrect.

I couldn't envision the benefits. Both seemed too similar to stuff I already had, stuff I was satisfied with. Both have blown me away, both I've mentioned before.

I mention it now because both the iPad (especially the new one with the Retina Display) and Paper (with my super styluses, oStylus DOT and Cosmonaut) are my main creative tools. Despite my condition, I can quickly draw and write, even laying down. With Dictation on the New iPad, I capture thoughts without holding the device!

The stuff I've drawn here probably wouldn't exist without these things. Hopefully, both will continue to improve, as design should! (Paper could really use more color options, zoom, and Jot Touch/Jaja support!)

The bigger, better

The relationships that I've developed because of the iPad are perhaps even more extraordinary. I'm friends with people I'd never have met otherwise; people across the country, some from other continents, others out of our solar system on outpost space stations and starships.

Some of the app developers have inspired me to keep trying, keep improving. iOS developers and accessory makers (those I've interacted with) are all really nice people, easy to communicate with and quick to respond. They appreciate and often encourage feedback, constantly improving, as designers should!

In particular, I want to mention Lance Barton. His company makes blogging happen on the iPad. Blogsy is fantastic as-is, and is always improving… (there's a pattern to things I appreciate and admire)

Lance has been really courteous and generous with his time. We email, and although he isn't a big writer, he always responds. Hopefully we'll video chat; FaceTime or something. He's from California but llives in South Korea; I think that's pretty cool. Aside from being my friend, I think it's great that he cares a lot about Blogsy user experience and answers everyone's questions. I had an relatively minor issue publishing here using Blogsy; he invested a lot of time troubleshooting, and had his team figure out how to fix it.

I also want to mention Andrew Goss. He's a manufacturing jeweler in Canada and is fantastically generous and kind. He designed and made the amazing oStylus, and then improved it with the DOT, and then improved the DOT! He's also a grandfather. He designed the oStylus because he wanted a great stylus to use with his iPad. That's pretty cool.

Sometimes, the process is more remarkable than the outcome.

Design lead me the iPad and these people just as graphic design is the basis of the images above. Sometimes, the journey is more important than the destination. Perhaps design isn't just a way of life or result. Perhaps it's in the core, the components, the elements, the trials, the errors, the paths — both what is done and how it's done. Maybe sometimes God is in the details.

 

A final thought on portfolios for professional artists out there.

I've found that sometimes, a comprehensive portfolio can work against you and your client or prospect. This happens when a potential client sees work done for someone else, and is then set on something similar. Instead of presenting previous projects and too many options, if I thought someone might offer repeat business, I'd create a few free design concepts. The advantage is that it's customized specifically for that potential client, the disadvantage is that it could mean doing work for no money — and the risk that that s/he/they might take that idea and give it to someone else. (There are a few ways to mitigate this risk, however.)

Reading on the new iPad

Brad Chin

I really enjoy reading Newsstand magazines, news, articles and books on the plethora of stellar iPad reading apps. Specifically, I like Pulse, Readability & Longform, Zinio, Newsify and Flipboard. I didn't really care for reading at length on the iPad 2 because of the eye-strain, but the pixel density on the new iPad Retina display is phenomenal.

Also, 1080p video and 720p HD streaming: fantastic. If you're on the fence about a new iPad, get off. Get one. Seriously, it's life altering in the best of ways.

Keeping this short because I still feel sick. But here's a cool resource if you like strategy games: Pocket Tactics. It's all about mobile strategy games — great content, interviews, and app reviews.

ttyl.

Don't die today

Brad Chin

Happy 236th Birthday, America!

Three cheers! Fourth of July! Independence Day. Declaration of Independence. Fireworks, BBQ, drunk people. The United States of America. Three sheets.

I love America. Today is a great day to celebrate — but let's not forget what it's about. Looking across my backyard, Oakland (east, west and south of Lake Merritt), I've seen fireworks sputter and explode and in the sky since June 29. The pace is frenzied, the explosions progressively larger.

Believe me, it's beautiful. Unfortunately, it's dangerous.

These displays aren't set off by professionals in safe, controlled environments; hobbyists are firing off large fireworks from rooftops, alleyways, parking lots and street corners. Last night I saw the flashes of M-80s and M-1000s, along with a procession of gunfire.

People lose flesh, fingers, and lives from firecrackers and DIY explosives… I've seen some screwed up stuff on YouTube. It sucks that Oakland is too broke to afford an official firework show, but there are many across the bay area. There is, however, a family-friendly event at Jack London Square starting at 11am.

Oakland spent over $1M on Occupy clean-up; that could've been one heck of a firework show!

Second, don't let anyone drive drunk. Drunk drivers cause a majority of automobile fatalities. Take a cab, crash on a couch, safe a life. Thanks.

Sorry for being a buzz kill. I just want those I care for to be okay tomorrow, and don't like to hear about people's holidays ending in the county jail, ER, ICU or morgue. I'll watch the news tonight and tomorrow, and sure enough… but hopefully, I won't see you, or someone you know.

America is a wonderful place. Enjoy it. Let everyone else enjoy it.

See your friends and family. Laugh. Dance. Sing. Put a silly outfit on the dog/cat/baby/grandparent. Take pictures. Post the funny ones on Facebook.

And go to bed, safe and intact. Because tomorrow, people will be as serious and grouchy as ever.