The MacBook Pros are the greenest Macs Apple has yet to deliver. All models of the machine (13, 15, and 17 inch) are EPEAT Gold rated and meet the Energy Star 5.0 requirements, which isn’t even out yet. This makes the machines consume less electricity, and easier on the environment.

Speaking of the environment, both the MacBook Pros and the iPhone 3GS are made mostly out of earth-friendly materials, which are also easily recyclable.

• Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure
• Mercury-free LED-backlit display
• Arsenic-free display glass
• BFR-free
• PVC-free internal cables

The iPhone 3GS shares a lot of these features as well. All of Apple’s products ship inside of much smaller packaging which is great for several reasons: Easier to ship more units per airplane, easier to carry, easier to store, less garbage in the dumps. Everyone wins.

It would be amazing to see companies utilize more environmentally friendly materials. This is a great start, and I am glad that Apple is trying to pioneer being fully green, or as green as they can be. Which other companies, other than the ones that specialize in green tech, actually manufacture products of similar nature? Post in comments below, please.

I predict that some day, we will have a way to teleport technology we buy straight to our homes. No jetplane delivery, no fumes, no packaging garbage.

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Before the unveiling of the iPhone 3.0 software, I was absolutely certain that the Palm Pre and the Android platforms were going to give Apple a run for their money. Boy was I wrong. I always preach the idea that if a company doesn’t keep a heavy eye on its competitors, it will begin to fall short. When Apple set a goal to sell 10 million iPhones within the first year, they stuck to it and sold well over their desired mark. This is simply because they have an ingenious R&D department that knows exactly what needs to be done to stay ahead of the game.

Okay, enough about the software. The iPhone is close to hitting the 2-year mark and we have only seen 1 hardware update that wasn’t too significant (addition of 3G, GPS, and a flush headphone jack). Rumors around the web are going nuts trying to predict what the next major hardware update is going to be like. The original iPhone set a new industry standard for the things that should be expected in a smartphone. There have been no major performance upgrades in the last 2 years, yet the iPhone still outperforms most phones of its kind to this day. If the next version of the hardware is unveiled come the 8th, I cannot imagine how ahead of its game it will be.

Now to talk a bit about what’s to come for the Mac OS. More after the jump…
I think Apple couldn’t have said it better when making a statement about Mac OS X “Snow Leopard” on their Snow Leopard page:

“Taking a break from adding new features, Snow Leopard — scheduled to ship in about a year — builds on Leopard’s enormous innovations by delivering a new generation of core software technologies that will streamline Mac OS X, enhance its performance, and set new standards for quality.”

Apple will be expanding the 64-bit technology to tremendously increase performance and increase RAM support up to a theoretical 16TB (yea, I know!). They will also be optimizing the Mac OS to take full advantage current multi-core and multi-processor technologies by advanced allocation of tasks, and so forth.

This is fantastic, in my opinion, but when Apple announced this about a year ago, they didn’t know that Windows 7 would be stepping up their game in the OS wars. I am certain that Apple is going to throw in a thing or two to even things out (high hopes, yes).

What’s upsetting is that people aren’t as excited about Snow Leopard as they should be. Imagine getting twice the performance out of your exisiting machine just by upgrading your OS! That’s equivilent to buying a brand new computer, which is something people don’t really want to do these days. All in all, I can freely state that I am ecstatic about all that will go down at WWDC 2009.

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1. iPhone Hype for WWDC 2008!
2. iPhone future looks stronger than ever, thanks to Palm Pre
3. Apple WWDC 2008 – Right Around the Corner

Working in the design world, file backup is probably the single most important maintenence rule. You ALWAYS want to keep backups of your files, documents, photos, videos, music, and so forth. If you’re running a Windows machine, you should be taking note with extra care as Windows machines are more prone to viruses (and other infections).

External Hard Drive are extremely cheap these days! There’s no reason why you shouldn’t invest in something that can save you hundreds of hours, depression, and tears. Do the right thing and get into the habit of backing up often. There are tons of solutions available out there that will automate this process for you on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis – your choice.

Side note: If you’re one of those people that has a million different files and folders scattered on your desktop and around the computer, you need to learn a big lesson. Organizing your files will not only make your backup-process much easier, but you will feel less cluttered when everything is easily accessible.

Windows Backup sofware, Click here!
Mac Backup software, Click here!

If these solutions are not suitable for you, a simple Google search (or a Bing.com search) will help you out.

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I wake up in a hotel room with my family, somewhere down south, or the west. Had breakfast, spent time with the family, and then I just took off wandering somewhere. Naturally, I find myself all alone. I don’t know where I am, or where to go to ask someone for directions. Then, I was hit with a sudden urge to run. I don’t know why, or where I was supposed to run, but I did, and so I did.

It felt good, as usual, but this time was something special. I wasn’t getting tired, and I felt like I wasn’t running fast enough. The adrenaline was just about ready to explode out of my body if I didn’t do something cater it. I closed my eyes, let out a loud roar to exert the energy, and not a second later my eyes began to tear exuberantly. At first, it didn’t hit me that I was running next to a train going full speed up north. I felt excited, but the fear that was rushing through me trumped it 10 times over.

What seemed like an hour but was really a minute or less, came to an abrubt end when I realized people were expecting me somewhere. A mix of emotions started to pour out of me at a rate that exceeded that of Niagara Falls. I walked back the apparent miles that I ran, slowly, sometimes taking a quick run to verify that what just happened was real. I wasn’t sure. Confused of what was happening. I made it to that somewhere, said nothing of what happened and stayed silent for what was left of the day, trying my best to suppress that Niagara Falls. Continue reading for more….

The day is new, dry, but beautiful. I am lost. I approach a train station waiting for the next one to take me somewhere. Knowing that I did not need a form of transportation, I felt it could guide me in some direction I did not know. The train came and the man said to me, “Where ya’ going boy?” I pulled out a map from my jean pocket I did not even know I had and pointed to a town up North where I thought peace would be. I entered the empty train cart, not a soul in sight. I closed my eyes, feeling strange, different, scared, excited of this “discovery.”

The next day I woke up feeling different. The same in many ways, but some things were a bit off – in a pretty neutral way, if I may add. Before anything could happen, it all jumped to me running as fast as I could, somewhere. I started running after a train, and I saw that it was going underground. It was a challenge, I was scared, excited. WOOSH the sounds went, tunnels magnifying the noise by what seemed like a million. Ecstatic, I ignore it all. Eyes shedding liquid like before, train changes directions and I’m all alone, forgetting the fact that I am now one with the air.

I was approaching a stop where there were a lot of people. I crept up to a platform unnoticeably, and started walking. I recognized a relative of mine waiting to board a train, as he was helping others get on since it was difficult for people for some reason. Some of the people had to cross over the train by climbing on top of it, and then jumping down to the other side. My turn came, but it was too late as the train started to move and distance itself. I told him I can do it, but he didn’t believe me so I just went for it. I used my new “power” of flight in a way that was unnoticable to others, and felt some sort of weird pride that was new to me.

Standing there, all of a sudden everyone is gone with no trains in sight. It didn’t bother me as it appeared that isolation was what I wanted. I look down to the ground while thinking to myself “Now what am I going to do?” Still, with fear and joy, confused, not knowing what would happen from that point on, I rise into the air and wondered as my feet distanced themselves from the platform. I floated and vanished into the real world, somewhere.

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By trying to replicate the techniques other designers use in their work, you can learn how to approach things differently. For example, when I was new at Photoshop, I would always try to achieve various results by experimenting with all the tools, layers, masking, and so forth. If you think you lack the technical knowledge to do this, a simple Google search will perform wonders.

Things to do for Web Designers:

1. Put together a list of websites that you love.
2. Open your application of choice for web design and start laying out one of the websites.
3. Try to replicate color, gradients, shapes, and placement of content elements as best as you can.
4. If there is something you cannot do, you can find a tutorial, or do something you are familiar with that will look just as good.

More after the jump…

Things to do for Print Designers:

1. Research some great ads, magazine covers, and separate them by category.
2. Create lists of what makes those ads attractive. Consider typography, positioning, concept, color, use of imagery, etc.
3. Open your application of choice for layout design and start put things into place.
4. Practice thinking conceptually. After all, that’s what advertising and print design is about; a great concept beautifully executed.

Useful Design Resources:

• Hemmy.net – Creative Advertisements Around the World
• Adsoftheworld.com
• Foto Ads – Best Print Ads of the World
• Ad Seduction
• Abduzeedo – Awesome Clever Advertising

Use these websites for creative inspiration, conceptualization, and so forth. Just remember this: There is no limit to great ideas, so, don’t feel overwhelmed by anything. What you want will come to you, with patience.

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3. Design School – Prestigious vs. Not So Much, Part 2

In a little under 20 hours from the time this post was published, your chance to get your hands on this amazing app bundle will be up. First thing’s first, click the link below to view the MacHeist page with ALL the information.

View the MacHeist Bundle information, and buy it!

Yes, I have purchased this myself and strongly believe that it’s steal, not the mention that 25% of every sale’s proceeds goes to a charity of your choice. Whether you’re a designer, blogger, an online show host, or an advocate of all things cool, in this package you will find something that greatly impresses you.

For $39, it’s probably the best investment I have ever made! Well, what are you waiting for? Check it out already!

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The Palm Pre, for the longest time, had the biggest chance to put a little fear in Apple. And so it did. Just a couple of weeks ago, the iPhone 3.0 software was revealed and most of the iPhone’s nuances have been eliminated. I actually believed that if the Pre kept up its game, it would force me to switch, but thankfully, that is no longer the case.

Palm has claimed that OS X on the iPhone is not a true mobile platform, thus it will never be as speedy and sleek as what they are cooking up. I respectfully disagree! Let’s just put it this way; Smooth scrolling and seamless portrait/landscape transitions is not what makes a great device. Yes, the Pre certainly competes in the visuals department, but that will only take the device so far.

More after the jump…

The unveiling of the 3.0 software is proof that Apple is keeping their eye on the market. The iPhone is clearly not without any faults, but Apple is constantly looking to improve. The maturity and the level of development the iPhone has reached is phenomenal. I am surprised that, to this day, phone companies have miserably failed to compete with the iPhone, except the Pre. After 2 different iPhones, and countless updates to the iPhone OS, companies can’t seem to get it right.

Now let’s take a look at a recent video of the Palm’s WebOS in action:

Judging by this video, it looks like the next few months are gonna be very interesting for both Apple and Palm. I like the fact that 3rd party apps can access the WebOS core and have multiple apps talking to each other. I would love to see this feature being taken advantage of in greater depth on both platforms.

Dare I say the imminent success of the Pre is largely due to ex-Apple employees like Jon Rubenstein being on the team?

Rumors about the next iPhone:

1. Multi-core CPUs and GPUs: The fact that the next generation iPhone may have multi-core processors is exciting as ever! It would open up countless possibilities, such as video, background apps, live-video streaming, and other various intensive tasks.
2. 3.2 and 5.0 Megapixel camera censors: For the new iPhones, and for an unknown product, respectively. This shows that Apple is getting serious with video with their upcoming products.
3. Video editing and ability to publish videos: In conjunction with the previous 2 rumors, this would work out quite well. A mini iMovie built into the iPhone, with the ability to upload your creations virtually eliminates the need of a computer for video bloggers and others alike.

Exciting times are ahead in the mobile industry. I can’t wait to see what twists and turns the industry will take along the way. I would LOVE to see what you have to say, so please comment using the form below. Thanks!

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The Iron Gym can help you with pullups (duh), pushups, dips, situps, and however else you can get creative (I claim no responsibility for giving you any ideas!). Every time I walk in and out of my room, or just walk by, I do a few pullups and maybe some leg raises to help out the extra belly junk. It’s a pretty good visual queue that gets increases your overall activity around the house.

Right now, it’s too early to see results, but I definitely feel the progress. I’ve been eating a lot healthier, paying attention to what and when I eat. Also, drinking a lot more water and avoiding random meals and midnight snacks has been a top priority.

Eat out has been something I’ve been doing way too much. At times, it’s inevitable because of my day-to-day schedule, but I’ve been learning to manage pretty well. I can see a little smile coming from the corner of my wallet, and it’s getting bigger. Now I just have to keep this up for a good month, and it’s all smooth sailing from there. Wish me luck!

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What is it that makes Netbooks so attractive?

1. Price. With the current economic state, people are afraid to spend money. They are not as lenient with their wallets as they may have been before the “crisis,” so, machines that easily run below $300 are quickly considered.
2. Portability. It’s a great feeling to be able to carry stuff with you wherever you go, especially when it’s something as useful as a computer. It’s light, looks good, and does the job. Screen real-estate may not be there, but people don’t seem to mind giving it up for on-the-go productivity (which is another issue on its own). Most of the time, we only need our computers to perform basic (but important) functions, and Netbooks often do a great job at it.

Read the rest after the jump…

What should you keep in mind when considering buying one?

• Limited productivity due to small screen, small battery, and keyboard:
  A screen smaller screen with a resolution that’s barely enough to get the job done may be annoying at first, but if you learn to manage your space properly, it shouldn’t really be a problem. Today’s laptops have pretty crappy battery life, especially if they’re designed for performance. The battery lasts, on average, about 3 hours depending on your activity. If you purchase a 6-cell battery, your productivity will drastically improve. Last but not least, going from a full-size keyboard to one that’s about 85% of the standard size (or smaller) won’t exactly be the most comfortable experience.
• Lack of performance with intensive tasks, and limited upgradability:
  Let’s face it – the fact that these Netbooks come standard with 512MB to 1GB of RAM doesn’t exactly help the mobile Atom processors. Some machines allow you to upgrade the RAM to 2GB on your own, but that’s about it. 1GB may get the job done with tasks like web browsing and power points, but you can’t get too heavy with the amount of pages you load and how many slides you create.

Is it worth buying a Netbook?

Yes, but only after you understand the purpose of having one; It cannot be your primary work machine, and it probably should not replace your existing (more powerful) notebook. Do mind that extra bells and whistles like Bluetooth and Webcam will probably cost you extra.

I was seconds away from buying a Dell Mini 9 with good specs for a great price, but I decided that it would be more for leisure than productivity.

Question to you: If you own a Netbook, what made you get it, and was it worth it? If not, what’s holding you back?

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1. Competitive Edge: If you lost your job and you can afford another degree, do it. Gaining the extra qualifications will give you the edge over most people with single/standard degrees. If a degree program is not an option, consider going for certifications in your field. Being a versatile job candidate will help you stand out from the bunch. Why hire multiple talents if one can do it all?
2. Career path change: It’s a known fact that most college graduates are not happy with their jobs. This could serve as a great opportunity to go back to college if you’re looking for a change. It is probably a good idea to figure out what you want to go for as soon as possible. There’s no way to say when the world’s situation will be on the rise again, but stay prepared. Continue for the rest…
3. Personal benefit: If you’re looking for change, or a little bit of variety in life, college might be a good idea. One can understand what it’s like to be doing the same thing over and over for years on end. This ties in pretty closely with #2 as a career change may be a huge personal benefit. If you would rather be pursuing something you are more interested in, chances are you’d be happier if you did. Plus, your level of overall intelligence will be boosted as well.
4. Expanding your social network: In the previous article, I stressed that Social Interaction and networking was very important. If you are looking for a change in your field of work, knowing people already in it would be beneficial. Meeting new people who are knowledgeable and/or have these connections will be a huge plus. Regardless of whether or not you’re that person with the “hookups,” you never know when someone may need you for something, and when you may need them.

I hope this followup helps you understand how important going back to college can be during these times. Keep in mind, there are a million others in your situation. Many are already making their moves, so it’s best to start thinking about what and how you want to pursue your goals.

I am also in the process of writing a column on how you can take advantage of having lost your job. Stay tuned!

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