The Pink Mac

Syncing Scrivener to PlainText

2013-04-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

As I am now using my ClamCase Pro keyboard and iPad full time as my portable writers desk, I have been working on finding a solution that will complete the loop of writing between my iPad and MacBook Pro. When I first received the ClamCase Pro, I was using a multipart system, using the PlainText app on my iPad to write, then using Notational Velocity on my Macbook to sync with my PlainText documents and finally, moving the files over to Scrivener on my Mac where I organize all my writing. It was a reliable system thanks to Dropbox, and it worked, but it was only a one way street. It was a great way for me to import documents I wrote on my iPad back to my Mac, but I could not call up existing files sitting in my Scrivener project back to my iPad to be completed. I suddenly realized that my ClamCase Pro was so powerful that I did not need the crutch of my Mac to assist my writing, instead what I needed was complete access to my Scrivener project files in an infinite loop between my Mac, Dropbox, and iPad, then back to the Mac.

So, I started looking into alternatives for how to Sync my Scrivener folder with my iPad, because ultimately that is what I want and need. I do love Scrivener because its organizational ability is outstanding and if it had an iPad app that mirrored my Mac and my iPad that would be ideal! Sadly, it does not currently as I am writing this, perhaps in the future it may, but I won't hold my breathe in the meantime. Scrivener does, however, sync to Dropbox, also to a few iOS apps, and has built in functionality to work with SimpleNote- but I don't use SimpleNote. I know many people like it, but once I found PlainText I was in love and really don't want to keep switching around between iOS apps.

Luckily, in my research I did find a way to make my Scrivener/PlainText relationship work. Scrivener has an option to "Sync to Folder." This option allows the user to sync all or some of the files in your Scrivener project to a specific folder and if I were to sync to my PlainText folder within Dropbox, well then, that may actually solve all my problems! So, I gave it a try and I am glad to say it actually works! On the iPad's end, its not the prettiest sight, but the files did show up in the order they appear in my Scrivener file, so I am now able to reference back to previous articles or in progress works between my iPad and Mac. If I create new documents on my iPad, it syncs those back as well and although they fall into a catchall folder, all I need to do is drop them in the correct place to remain organized (upon syncing Scrivener the document then falls into the correct order on my iPad.)

Step-By-Step Guide to Syncing Scrivener with PlainText on the iPad

Step 1: Make sure all your connections are in place. In order for this to work, you need to be syncing PlainText to DropBox. This means your PlainText Files are actually stored in your DropBox file. Even if you do not sync your PlainText across numerous devices, this is necessary. Simply open the system preferences (the cog wheel) within PlainText and use the DropBox option to sync to your DropBox account. You can verify that this has happened by opening up your DropBox folder and seeing the PlainText folder inside. If you open this folder it will show plain text documents of any documents you have created within the app. I suggest creating a folder called “Scrivener” or some equivalent within the PlainText folder so that you have your Scrivener documents separated from your other PlainText documents.

Step 2: Select the Scrivener project you would like to sync. With this process you can only sync one .scriv file at a time to your PlainText, so open up the project of your choice. Give it a once over and make sure that all your text documents and folders are organized the way you want them. This will dictate the order in which the files will appear in your PlainText folder.

Step 3: Getting to the Sync with External Folder Option. From your File Menu hover over the Sync option and then choose with External Folder. See image for details.

Navigate to the Sync with External Folder option from the File menu.

Step 4: Set up your External Folder Options.Within the dialog box that appears, you must first choose the shared folder you would like to sync to. In this option you are going to navigate to your DropBox folder and open the PlainText file that you have stored there and finally select the “Scrivener” file you created in Step 1. By doing this you will have a separate space for your Scrivener documents, which will come in handy for organizing all your PlainText documents. Once your shared folder is selected, I recommend using the settings I have selected as illustrated in the below image. If you are using PlainText you need to make sure your files are formatted as Plain Text files instead of the default Rich Text.

Choose your options in the Sync with External Folder dialog box.

Step 5: Sync. Once everything is set properly, you can select the Sync option. Once the sync is complete you should be able to turn on your iPad, open PlainText and see a new folder called Scrivener organized amongst your documents. If you navigate into this folder you will then seen a subfolder called Drafts and another called Notes. Open the Drafts folder to see your Scrivener writing project laid out in the order in which they appear in your Scrivener file. Folders will be empty documents (this is for organization) but text documents will show content so long as their had been content in the files on your computer.

Upon Syncing you will find the Scrivener file among your other files and folders in PlainText.

Navigate through the files Scrivener > Drafts until you come to your Scrivener files organized in their original order.

Now you are free to continue writing and editing your Scrivener project on your iPad. PlainText automatically syncs back to your DropBox folder when changed are made to your documents so the next time you open your Scrivener project on your computer it will ask you to sync and it will import all the changes made through your iPad. Because your iPad does have complete control over your Scrivener file, I suggest that you keep your project backed up in case you delete something important from your iPad. The Automatic back up options are found in the File Tab under Back Up for your reference.

If you enjoyed this post, I suggest also reading my previous article on How I use Scrivener to Organize my writing for a short overview on organizing files within Scrivener. Enjoy!

How I Use Scrivener to Organize my Writing

2013-04-01T11:36:00.000-04:00

In my opinion, Scrivener is the best software available on Mac or PC for writers, both professional and otherwise, or those who need to organize writing projects of any size for school. I began using Scrivener in 2009 as part of my first adventure with NaNoWriMo {National Novel Writing Month}. Since then, I have used Scrivener to write most of three books, organize and plan out numerous others, and most recently, to organize all my writing for my two blogs and digital magazine. I wish that Scrivener had been around when I was in high school and college, because I know it would have done wonders with organizing my research papers, response essays and such. You see, that is really where Scrivener shines. It is an excellent tool to organize writing, research, information, ideas and so much more associated with writing.

To illustrate the usefulness of the software and how it helps the user organize their writing so that they are almost focused against it, I have decided to give you a peak inside my current Scrivener project where I organize all my writing for the web. Within this project, I manage the content for thepinkmac.blogspot.com, strangeandcharmed.blogspot.com and Strange & Charmed Magazine. As you can see in this first image, each of these websites is a folder and inside those are subfolders that organize my content by month or issue number. In those subfolders you will find the actual text documents broken down by subject or article, a nice high level view where you can see how everything is organized and make sure all items are in their correct place.

Next, you can see how I have files for images and also research. A majority of my blog posts will always have at least one image. Sometimes I use found images online, but many times I need to create the images myself. Once I have my images selected or created, I will drop them into this file and mark them by article so that I know which images will go with a particular post. The same thing goes with my magazine articles, these also need images and I treat them in the same way. Once images are created or selected for publication they are saved directly inside my Scrivener project for organization. Research as well is saved in my project. Scrivener allows you to simply drag and drop different file types like text and pdf files and organize them in your project as well so that all your information is available at your fingertips.

Scrivener has a few alternate views with some extra tools to help you stay organized. In the cork board view you get another high level look at your project broken down by text documents shown as index cards. Here you can add text to explain what each document is about or will be about. This is a great way to use Scrivener to plan out your ideas and what you want to write about. Once you have your ideas all laid out in this cork board view, you have a constant reference guide for your writing that makes it easy for you to jump around between documents without getting lost.

The last alternate view I would like to show you is the split screen mode where you can open two files or documents at once. Here you can see I have a text document open on top and an image file open on the bottom. This is a great way to use your reference tools to aid you in your writing because you have your active text area and another piece of information you can refer back to without switching between documents and loosing your place.

Scrivener is filled with a variety of tools, most of which I did not even touch on. The great thing about Scrivener is that you can use as much or as little of its features as you want. If you want to keep it simple like me, understanding the basic controls and options will definitely give you a great start in organizing your writing and making you feel so much more on task, and for me, personally, that makes me more productive. The Literature and Latte website is a great resource explaining in more depth the advanced tools of the software. There you can find tutorials that walk you step by step through the software so that you can take advantage of all that Scrivener has to offer. http://literatureandlatte.com

If you enjoyed this post, stay tuned for my update on Syncing Scrivener to PlainText on the iPad for continuous access to your Scrivener files on the go!

ClamCase Pro Unboxing + Review

2013-03-29T07:51:00.001-04:00

I hope you all enjoyed my written review of the ClamCase Pro! In case you are interested, here is the video unboxing and mini review I did for my YouTube Channel {youtube.com/MissTrenchcoat}. I really do love this case, I definitely prefer it to most other iPad keyboards for a few reasons.

It connects completely to the keyboard to make a faux laptop: I do not like some other keyboard cases where the iPad sits freely in a cut out space on the top of the keyboard because that means you have to be sitting at a desk or table to use it and I do much of my writing in bed or laying on the couch.
The keys replicate the MacBook style keyboard: The keys on any keyboard can really make it or break it and the fact that this case replicated the MacBook Air to the best of its ability means that typing on it feels familiar to me. Yes, the keyboard is slightly smaller, however, this is probably one of the best external keyboards I have ever seen for any device.
Hot Keys: The Hot Keys on the top bar are absolutely on point and extremely helpful. I know some other keyboard cases that are missing hot keys or don't make the best use of them and all I can say is these are exactly what I need and as an added bonus, no regular keys on the keyboard have been removed to make room (I have seen some others that remove extra "return/enter" keys or some of the lesser used punctuation marks to make room for additional keys- not cool!)
The multi view stand options: This case is not just a faux laptop, but also an excellent case for viewing media, and even reading. You can prop it up in a number of ways that really make it a completely functioning case.

So, do you have the ClamCase Pro? What are your thoughts? Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!

Posted with Blogsy

Turn Your iPad into a MacBook Air with ClamCase Pro

2013-03-29T07:36:00.000-04:00

The ClamCase Pro is an iPad keyboard case that essentially turns your device into a MacBook Air. Your iPad sits safety in a hard shell attached by a 360 degree hinge to the keyboard and pairs to it via bluetooth. The MacBook style "chiclet" keyboard makes typing feel very familiar and fluid once your hands adjust to the slightly smaller layout. The keyboard itself is a gem, and although it is not full size, I have no problems adapting to the slightly smaller keys and have had very few typing errors thanks to the spacing of the keys from each other. The selection of Hot Keys on the top bar of the keyboard are also very useful. From within any app I can enter my home screen, search, cut, copy, paste, view my pictures, show or hide the onscreen keyboard, control video playback and audio controls, and finally, turn on and off the iPad.

The look and feel of the ClamCase Pro is excellent as well. The outer shell is a nice white polycarbonate and the interior hand rest and keyboard area is surrounded by the same aluminum you would find on your iPad or Mac. The experience of typing is actually so immersive that I often find myself attempting to navigate the screen via a non existent track pad before realizing that I am using my iPad and therefore must utilize the touchscreen. But it honestly hasn't felt abnormal to me at all. Going from typing to selecting Hot Keys to on screen navigation feels pretty normal after about the first fifteen to twenty minutes of use and I can now actually write entire articles and edit them with ease from my iPad itself.

The only thing that feels a little off about the case itself is that its top heavy. The iPad is thicker and heavier than the keyboard which isn't an issue if you are sitting at a desk or on a hard surface to type, but if you have the case on your lap sitting on a couch or in bed, at some screen angles if you lift your hands from the keyboard, the whole device falls backwards, so that is something to keep in mind.

Overall, the device is pretty spectacular, and for someone who was on the fence about purchasing a MacBook Air, I now see that I have no reason to buy one when my iPad + the ClamCase Pro = On the go writing solution similar to a MacBook Air. The ClamCase Pro retails for $169, however I was able to save $20 with a coupon code and you can too. Use the code Spring20 to save $20 off your purchase! Enjoy!

{See my Unboxing and Review Video here}

Posted with Blogsy

What's In My Bag: Work Tote Edition

2013-03-25T19:17:00.003-04:00

Hey Everyone! Here is a video featuring my new Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote that is my official work bag! I hope you enjoy seeing the contents and what I carry around with me for work all day!

Posted with Blogsy

Unboxing: Wacom Bamboo Capture

2013-03-25T19:15:00.000-04:00

An Apple Genius Broke my Macbook Pro Parts 1&2

2013-03-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone! Here are the videos describing my bag Apple experience and how it was eventually resolved to my satisfaction! This first video was filmed on my iPhone so I apologize for the quality! Here is the resolution and a recap of the situation!

How I Organize My Agenda

2013-03-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

What's In My Car Emergency Kit

2013-03-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

True Story: An Apple Genius Broke My Macbook Pro

2013-03-04T06:24:00.000-05:00

As some of you already know, I am the biggest Apple FanGirl on the face of planet Earth, but after a recent Apple Store horror story, my faith in Apple, its service and its commitment to their customers has been entirely shaken. Let me tell you the story of how a routine service appointment turned into a nightmare that has still not ended.

On Saturday March 2^nd, I woke up, turned on my Macbook Pro and discovered that my battery had a “Service Soon” type of alert indicating that I needed to bring my Macbook Pro into a store and have it looked at. My husband had been dealing with a similar issue with his battery for nearly a year in which his Macbook Pro was actually telling him to have the battery repaired because it had gone through so many charge cycles that it was down something like 50%. I am not as cavalier about my Macbook Pro and I take Apple service warnings seriously, so that morning when he woke up, I laid out a plan for us to visit our nearest Apple Retail Location in Willow Grove Park, PA and have both our batteries replaced at once. We knew the repair was about $130 each and we were completely okay with paying it since we understand that batteries need to be replaced from time to time and that it had been over three years since we had purchased our Macbook Pro’s and that seemed like a reasonable life expectancy for the battery.

So, we made our Genius Bar appointments, arrived on time and were seen relatively quickly. The Apple Genius that serviced us ran some diagnostics and as expected my husband’s battery was in need of immediate repair, although my battery was teetering on the line between green meaning “good” and red meaning “replace,” so that I did not have to have my battery replaced if I didn’t want to. I asked the Genius if I would get six more months out of my current battery, but he did not think so, so I happily handed over my computer for the fifteen minute battery replacement service thinking it was better to have it replaced now than to come back another day in another few months.

In a matter of a half hour the Genius came back with both our Macbooks (having spent 15 minutes on each of our laptops) and then I handed over my credit card to pay. Once I was done, I took my Macbook Pro to put it back in its protective travel sleeve and immediately noticed a very large L shaped scratch on the cover of my computer. Franticly, I began wiping at the cover of my machine hoping and praying that this was just a line of dirty and not what I feared. Another Genius nearby saw my efforts and in an effort to reduce my panic, went to get some cleaning solution and a micro fiber to help me remove the dirt. “It’s probably just dirt,” he replied calmly. But then after giving the cover a good cleaning he expressed an audible “SHIT” and then quickly left to fetch my Genius.

“Did you hear him,” my husband asked, “he just said shit, that is a scratch not some dirt.”

I had heard him fine.

“That was not there when I gave this to them,” I replied to my husband while rubbing my fingers over the scratch. “Here, feel this,” I motioned, “it’s not even a normal scratch, its jagged, you can feel it.”

The Genius who had done our battery repair was ushered over by the other who had gone to fetch him. Immediately, he went into defensive mode.

“Alexis, your computer was dirty when it came in,” he explained.

“Yes, it was dirty, actually it was smudged because I had quickly grabbed my Macbook and put it into its sleeve right after doing my makeup and it wasn’t dirt so much as it was makeup, but this case was not scratched when it came in,” I explained, having him too feel the jagged portion of the scratch that so obviously was a new marking.

The Genius then excused himself and came back a few moments later.

“I’m very sorry,” I explained, “but as you can see from the rest of this machine, it was kept in pristine condition. In nearly four years, this machine has received no other damage or scratches, I take care of my things.” I then began to give him a once over of my machine showing him that there was not one other mark on the aluminum casing to give any indication that this was caused by me. “I am OCD about my stuff,” I said, now shaking out of horror that my device was permanently scarred and there was nothing that could be done. “What can be done, nothing, there is not even anything you can do about it,” I expressed, honestly thinking that this problem had no solution.

“Well,” the Genius began “I just spoke to my manager about it and there is something we can do. I can replace the display at no cost to you.”

“And that will fix this scratch?” I asked.

“Yes, I would need to remove the display and replace it with a new one, but that would fix it,” he explained.

Nervous to have to leave my Macbook Pro for another few hours, I agreed to let them replace the display, upset, but glad that they owned their mistake and were willing to make it right.

My husband and I then went home an returned a few hours later to pick up the machine. I then made sure to thank both the manager and the Genius for helping make this right for me and proceeded to coddle my Macbook Pro the entire way home.

Once we got home, however, it was clear that this was only the beginning of my problems. As soon as we got home and settled, I turned on the computer and tried to connect to the internet. My wifi indicator, however, was not connecting with my home wifi network like usual. I clicked on the empty ‘baseball diamond’ symbol and saw a message that said “Wifi: No wireless device connected.”

Panic struck me immediately. I then did a quick restart hoping that it just needed a minute to calm down and recognize that my wireless card was there after the repair. Upon restart and giving the machine a little time to think, it still didn’t pick up my home wifi and it was obvious that something had gone wrong during the repair. My husband did a quick google search and discovered that the wireless card connects through the display and that during the replacement something must have caused my wireless card to disconnect. We looked at the clock, it was only moments until the store closed so we called the store and asked to speak to our Genius. When he answered and we explained what was going on, he seemed to understand immediately. “Do you live close by” he asked. I replied that we lived nearly thirty minutes away. Disappointed by my answer he then directed me to come back to the store at 11am when they opened and he would see me immediately. “You can drop off the computer, and go and grab a Starbucks and when you get back you should be good to go,” he explained. So, I agreed to meet him in the morning, hung up the phone and proceeded to cry myself to sleep. This would happen to me of all people.

When I woke up in the morning, however, I was confronted with more than just a problem with the wifi card. My husband explained to me that after I had gone to sleep, he noticed that the fan on my Macbook Pro was going crazy and when he went to evaluate my computer it was overheating. Nothing had been running on the computer, it had just been sitting there dormant. On top of that, he explained that he tried to shut down the computer, but when he selected the shutdown option, it only restarted the computer. I asked if he had perhaps hit restart by accident, but he explained that he had the same thought and tried again, only to find that the computer restarted again. My panic level rose even more significantly.

So, I left my house and arrived a little before 11am at the store. They seated me at the Genius bar any my Genius from the previous day came out to greet me. I asked that before he started anything, I wanted him to get a manager because I needed to tell them some additional issues and I wanted a manager present for it. I then explained to them both what had occurred the previous night, but the Genius quickly dismissed my fears “I could see how you would think the two are related, but the restarting issue is a software issue and I didn’t touch your software, just your hardware,” he explained. I proceeded to explain my theory that by touching one thing and causing an issue, it then chain reacted into something bigger. My theory was dismissed despite Apple’s own assertion that what sets its computers apart from all others is the integration of the hardware and the software. I was not impressed with this Genius to say the least.

But, he did proceed to give me an explanation for my issue. He thought it was a permissions issue and pointed to the fact that I had applications on my computer that I had obviously downloaded and had even changed some icons around. “These things would cause permission issues,” he explained, “but, I assure you, this was in issue building up over time, not something that just happened.” So, he proceeded to run a diagnostic to repair my permissions. He of course found a few errors in my permissions and proceeded to have them fixed. “Now, the computer should be able to shutdown properly,” he explained. So he proceeded to shutdown the computer, only to find that it simply restarted again. “Okay, well, sometimes it can take a few minutes for the permission repairs to take affect, so in the meantime, let me get started on that air card issue,” he said. Before I left I asked him what the worse case scenario was on the restart issue and he explained that we would simply need to reinstall my OS Software, which he would help me to do, but that I should probably back up first. So, he took my Macbook to the back and I called my husband and asked that he come and bring me my backup hard drives because this issue was getting slightly more complicated but the Genius was sure he could fix it.

I waited about an hour for the Genius to come back out and in the meantime, my husband arrived with my hard drives and a manager came out to tell me the Genius would be out in a moment to talk to me. That was a great sign!

When the Genius returned with his iPad in hand I could see that something bigger had gone wrong as his iPad was opened up to a page with information on replacement internal parts with large dollar amounts for cost. “Okay, so it looks like what happened was that when I replaced your display, the connection from the display to the logic board was compromised,” he started. I then pointed to the image and the price point next to it and gave a concerned face. He continued “obviously, since this happened in our care, you will not be charged for this repair, but since you have an older model Macbook Pro, we do not stock these items and they take a little bit to come in so we have two options. I can order the part and fix it in store for you or, what will be quicker, we can take your computer and ship it to the depot center and they can replace it.”

I explained that I wasn’t sure I was comfortable sending my computer away and that I would prefer for them to bring in the part and fix it locally. The Genius agreed to this until his manager swooped in and explained that they could not do the repair locally and that my only option would be for them to ship it. It then became clear to me, whether she intended to express this or not, that she did not want this Genius working on my computer anymore after he had already cost them at least $1,000 in replacement costs on my computer already. I say at least $1,000 because the cost of the display repair was about $375, then I saw that the logic board cost $425 and the labor cost was about $300 for the logic board repair.

The next action steps at this point were to get my Macbook Pro backed up because they could not guarantee that they wouldn’t wipe my computer at the depot. So, again my Genius helped get my Time Machine backup set up, which lead to yet another problem. My external hard drive was randomly ejecting itself during the backup process. We figured out that this was due to the fact that my USB ports were both suddenly very wobbly. “Let me go get you another USB chord,” my Genius said.

“No, its not the chord, its the port, its loose now, it wasn’t like this before,” I explained frustrated.

“It had to have been like that, I didn’t touch your ports,” the Genius explained.

“Where do those ports connect to,” my husband asked.

“Those ports connect directly to the logic board,” the Genius responded.

“Isn’t that the part you broke and we are now having to replace” I exclaimed.

The Genius had no words for this.

So, we continued to proceed with the backup, diligently making sure that we did not let that USB chord budge at all. We sat and waited for nearly three hours as my Macbook backed up, visited once by our Genius who kept an eye on us and offered us an alternative half way through the backup. “There is another option if this is taking too long,” he explained. “You can bring this home and do the backup there and then bring the computer back.” This was not any sort of solution and we explained that we would rather sit and wait here than drive home and back again.

Once the backup completed it was 4:30 pm and I had been at the store since 11 am dealing with this issue. Other Genius bar customers had even commented that I was the “winner” because I was there longer than they were. Once I explained that I was there, not for my own fault, but because the Genius had broke my computer, their faces turned from playful to sympathetic. Oh yes! I was the winner! I got to waste my Sunday at the Genius bar because a routine service turned into a nightmare. Once we had handed over my computer to the Genius for what we hope was the last time, my husband and I asked to speak to a manager on duty. The same manager that had informed us that the computer would have to be sent to the depot arrived. A handed her the bill from my battery replacement and calmly explained that after everything that I had gone through, I thought it was only right that they refund me for the original issue that had initiated this whole debacle. To make a long story short, she completely refused to give us anything, asserting that we were already getting a new display, logic board, etc out of the whole deal. Of course, we explained our position back that that was only to fix what they had broken, but it did not even begin to address the heartache and headache that we had been experiencing for the last 24+ hours as no fault of our own. To be completely honest, my Macbook Pro had not had one single issue in the 3 years and 9 months that I had owned it. I never had to take it for repair, not one single time. I had kept that machine in perfect working order and in perfect physical condition. My display was perfect, my logic board was fully functional and I have no reason to believe that it wouldn’t have continued to remain in that state had I not brought my computer in for that service. The truth of the matter was, I trusted Apple and the concept of the Genius system that if I needed to have my computer worked on, it had to be by a Genius, and although I fully acknowledge that my situation was not what happens 99.9% of the time, I was the .1% and it was a horrible experience. Apple owed me something for being a loyal customer for the past eight years and countless devices if they wanted to keep me their #1 FanGirl.

The worst part about this whole experience was, for me, that at no point during my time at the Apple Store did anyone, a Manager or the Genius who caused my issue, apologize for my situation. They only “claimed ownership” of the issue, but never said they were sorry. Look, I know the way Apple operates, and I know full well that they would not have paid for the repairs so easily if they didn’t know they were at fault. So, instead of kicking me out of your store in tears, maybe you should have owned up to your mistake and at least apologized and explain that they would not be able to commit to a refund but that perhaps they would try to bring this to the attention of someone who could approve for me to get something for the issue they caused. In the end, I ended up calling the AppleCare hotline because it was the only other thing the manager said I could do. When I called them, they were the ones who were apologetic and sympathetic to my issue. My customer service agent admitted that she had heard about issues where a Genius messed up something or another and that it happens, they are human, but she had never heard of a debacle like mine before in which so many things went wrong. In the end, she was able to call the store, and “petition” the manager to refund my battery. She explained that it is up to the discretion of the manager to refund my money, but that she would escalate the issue and act as an advocate for my experience. When she called me back after reaching the store and speaking to the exact manager who denied me the refund earlier, she explained that they had agreed to refund my original service.

It became clear to me at that point that something was very broken at Apple and with the Retail experience. I had to call a hotline with a faceless representative in order to get any resolution to my issue. The numerous Apple employees, Genius’ and Managers who had seen me at their store struggling for the past two days were not able to give me any sort of apology or any token to express that I had a bad experience in their store. They had been there with me, watching me cry, just standing there doing nothing to help a customer who was in a bad situation because of their own negligence, all because the Apple Retail experience would not allow them to refund me or give me anything for the trouble they had put me through because Apple notoriously does not discount or allow a zero dollar transaction to take place. There is no place for a manager of a store to step in and rectify a wrong perpetrated against a customer and that is horrible.

So that is my story for now. As of writing this, it is Monday morning and I should not expect my Macbook Pro back to me until Friday. Thanks to the customer service representative at the Apple Care hotline, I will not have to make another trip out to the Apple Store to pick up my computer, as they are going to have it shipped directly to me at home because I do not want to step foot in that store again.

How to Choose a Mac for College

2013-02-26T16:43:00.000-05:00

The most frequent question I get asked on YouTube is how to choose the right Mac computer for college. So, in order to answer this complicated question, I have made a YouTube video discussing the most important things you will need to consider and which options are right for which people. Because money is a complicated issue, I have created this video under the assumption that the viewer is going to college and has enough money to buy any mac, but wants to know which is right for them. Obviously, I do not work for any colleges or Apple itself, so if you have additional questions, it would be best to ask your college and major department for any additional specifics I did not touch on as each program and school is unique and has their own requirements!

What's in my Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Wallet on a Chain

2013-02-24T10:44:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone! Just posted a new What's In My Bag video for my Rebecca Minkoff Wallet on a Chain! Enjoy!

My Favorite Things February 2013

2013-02-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone! I recently uploaded a new video to my YouTube Channel all about my favorite things! Hope you enjoy!

Issue 3 of Strange & Charmed is Up!

2012-12-31T21:31:00.000-05:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More charmed

Here is the latest issue of Strange & Charmed! The January/February Issue dubbed "The Resolution Issue" focuses around the most popular New Year's Resolutions and how to stick to them! Enjoy!

NaNoWriMo 2012 Resources

2012-11-04T17:24:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again! November has come and it's the National Novel Writing Month in case you haven't heard! Whether you are a NaNoWriMo vet or a newbie, there are many resources out there to help you get to 50k success at the end of the month. I have rounded up as many of these resources as I could find for you, so hopefully something or other down below will make the month a little easier for you. Happy Noveling!

For Mac Users

Macworld has a number of staff members who partake in nano, here is their article series for success!

Not to be outdone by Macworld, MacLife also has a mini guide to nano-ing that includes some iOS apps as well.

Here's a Mac app that turns off the internet for a set amount of time, for those of you who are easily distracted by the Internet. Aptly named SelfControl.

For those of you who have an iPad and want to use that to assist you with your noveling efforts, here is a link to a site with some great app suggestions for iOS.

For Linux Users

For those of you out there running Linux, this is a link of 5 Essential Linux Applications for Nanowrimo.

For PC Users

Here is a link to writer's software and resources for PC users, not nanowrimo branded, but still useful for wrimo's.

Popular Applications

Here is the link for the Nanowrimo trial version of Scrivener. In case you don't know, Scrivener is a great application for writers of all types. They are also a sponsor of NaNoWriMo and if you win you can get half off the software!

Here is the link for WriteRoom, one of the distraction free writing applications that full screens your manuscript so you can focus on nothing but writing.

Here is a link to Write or Die, one of the full screen apps that prompts you to write with settings that can prevent you from backspacing, and can even start deleting your work if you procrastinate too long. This also has an iOS app in case you are interested.

Other Misc Resources and Motivation

This link is for timeline-mapping software that may help you keep track of events in your novel.

If you are having trouble naming characters, this website is very useful.

Here is Written? Kitten! Which appears to be a web app where you get a new picture of a cat/kitten once you have hit the interval word goal of your choosing. Helpful for those of you who require a dose of cuteness as positive reinforcement.

Found this series of articles from the Guardian on how to write a novel in 30 days.

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The Next Big Thing is the iPad Mini

2012-11-04T16:45:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, Apple held a press event. No, not that event, the one about the iPhone, but one a few weeks later that completely escaped my notice. I came home one day from work to find that Apple had done it, they announced the release of a gadget that many had guessed at and I completely dismissed as a figment of our collective imagination. The iPad mini, however, is real and I almost immediately knew I would have to own one. So, I preordered two at 3 o'clock I the morning on October 26th; one black, one white, both 16gb Wifi Only. My fiancé and I had decided that he would sell his first gen iPad and unused 2nd gen iPod Touch to make way for a black model for him, and I would just go all in and get myself the white one. No, I didn't sell my now outdated 3rd gen iPad that was preordered and delivered in March, only a few short months ago. In fact, I am writing this article on my max-iPad as I have come to call it, and after a weekend with my new iPad mini I know I want to keep this big guy around!

The iPad mini really is a very advanced and very amazing device. Size wise, it is perfect, as even I can hold the device in one hand with my freakishly small hands! It is so well built and sturdy compared not only to other tablets on the market but also the larger iPad, as I feel no compulsion to wrap the iPad mini in a protective case. It really feels sturdy and so well built that it clearly is a high end device worthy of the price tag. The screen is so large on this little guy too! It really doesn't feel much smaller than the full sized iPad screen, but I attribute that to the thinner edges that give the screen more real estate on the device. One thing that is surprisingly smaller, however, is the home button. It appears to be about two thirds of the size of a home button on an iPad or iPhone. Why is the home button so different? Well, it appears to be proportional with the lower bezel of the device which is thinner than a iPad, but appears to be the same size as an iPhone 4S. Since I don't seem to have any logical answer for this mini home button, I am going to leave it as one of the mysteries of the world and to the proportion of the display which is really something to be in awe of. After all, the iPad line is all about the display, so lets get to the heart of how the mini stacks up against its bigger brother.

The display is surprisingly bright and vivid. I guess one would expect no less from Apple, but it surprised me mostly because in-hand the device felt like a kindle or e-reader with its thin body and ultralight frame, and to see this beautiful, bright screen was a bit of a surprise. The resolution on the display isn't bad, either. It certainly isn't retina quality as going from a retina iPad or iPhone to the mini shows a drastic difference, but in its own right the resolution is not unacceptable. The major flaw of the screen however is very evident when using iPhone applications on the mini. I do use a few iPhone only apps on my iPad, for example Instagram, and on my retina iPad the app isn't too bad scaled up because of the high quality display, but on the mini the app looks terrible. It's not completely unusable but the pixels are so obvious that using the app is not the same as on my phone or iPad. Now, this of course could be cured if Instagram had an iPad app, and I am still hoping that they create one to fix this issue and to give iPad and mini users a better experience when using the app on larger screened devices, but the issue remains that iPhone only apps just look bad on the mini.

When running iPad apps, however, the mini does an excellent job and looks great. I have enjoyed using some of my usual iPad apps on the mini, specifically games because I get the best of both worlds when it comes to the screen quality and size of the device itself. I can play action games with more ease because of the size and weight of the mini. Even non gaming apps are easier to use because you can hold the device in one hand and use the other to select or scroll. That was always a little difficult on the iPad because I needed two hands just to hold it sometimes.

As to the size of the device and weight, I think Apple hit a home run. Although there are many similarly sized tablets and e-readers on the market, none quite have the iPad mini's perfect proportion. Yesterday, I was incredibly excited when I put my mini down for a rest on top of my agenda to find that the device was a perfect match to its dimensions. I know this may seem like an odd thing to be excited about, but when you think of it, these large sized agendas and notebooks have become a standard size for a reason, they fit in well on a desk or in a bag, and in the hand! I think it was great that Apple went with this proportion that fits well in everyday life. It helps that the side bezel is much thinner in portrait mode, because it gives the mini the illusion if a wider screen than it would if the bezel was proportional like the full sized iPad. Personally, I have not had a problem with the thinner side bezel of the mini causing my fingers to make accidental selections. I know Apple improved the finger rejection aspect of the software and it seems to be working as I make far more accidental taps with my iPad than I have so far with the mini.

Overall, the performance of the mini is on point with what we have come to expect from an iPad. Apps run great, web pages load in good speeds, and despite the fact that the home button is inexplicably tiny, it fits in well with Apple's portable device line up. I did, however, mention that I would not be trading in my retina iPad anytime soon, and that speaks to the biggest flaw of the mini, the resolution. It really seems like a step back from the products apple has been putting out lately and I feel as though Apple made a mistake failing to give this little guy a retina display that all of the current devices use. I am certain that next year the iPad mini will come with a retina display standard, but this first generation has been slightly crippled by this oversight. It is a high end device, however, and it really feels like this was the device the iPad was meant to be all along, sturdy, lightweight, and ultra portable, definitely worth the price and an Apple product none the less!

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Issue 2 of Strange & Charmed is Up!

2012-11-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

Welcome back for the second installment of Strange & Charmed Magazine! This is our Holiday 2012 Issue filled with all the things you need to make your holiday season a little brighter. Enjoy!

A MAJOR MISTAKE

2012-09-13T00:27:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I just accidentally deleted my Picasa Web Album that had many pictures from this blog stored in it. Flipping through the posts you will see many of the images are now missing. I have searched google for a solution but the answer seems to be that I will never recover the lost images. I am absolutely devastated, but so much is lost that I will not be able to simply go back through my blog and re-upload the missing images. The only thing I can do is just move forward and make sure I never make this mistake again!

Strange & Charmed: Issue 1

2012-08-30T19:23:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to announce that the inaugural issue of Strange & Charmed Magazine is now available online! This magazine was sort of my brain-child and has been brought to fruition through the hard work of not only myself but my amazing friend Kate Marshall and my awesome fiance Mike! It has been a long few weeks for me as this magazine has slowly come together but it is finally here and although I find myself sighing with relief, I know that this is only the beginning for S&C! We hope to bring you a fresh new issue every other month so as soon as the party stops over here at S&C HQ, we will once again begin a new journey assembling issue #2!

With much love, ENJOY!
xo MissTrenchcoat

Open publication - Free publishing - More accessories

Everything Looks Better Instagramed: Vol. 3

2012-08-11T16:50:00.001-04:00

Here are a few of my favorite images from my life the passed week or so. Hope you enjoy!

xoxo {thepinkmac}

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Feminine Laptop Bag Roundup

2012-08-11T16:44:00.001-04:00

I was searching around the Internet the other day for some feminine laptop bags and here are a few I am loving right now!

- DVF

- Kate Spade

- Brahmin

- Marc Jacobs

- Aldo

- Etsy

- Windsor

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The Analog Life

2012-08-10T00:17:00.001-04:00

I have a confession to make. I love the smell of paper. The other day I bought a few colorful notebooks with lovely quotes on them and I have just been sitting around smelling them. Well, let's back up a bit, I don't want you to get the wrong impression. From time to time, I have been picking up the notebooks and with one thumb flipping through the pages to create that sort of fanning affect you get from a book when little gusts of wind are created by the flipping of the pages in this way. And holding the edges of the paper up to my face I have been enjoying the scent of the recycled paper and the soy based inks just lingering between the pages. It's a good smell. The notebooks have a good feel too, different than the feel of metal and glass from my iPad. I feel the soft smoothness of the covers, and can almost interpret with my fingertips the little tiny ridges of the paper that have been so tightly sewn together in that way paper fibers are formed to make a single sheet. It's not cold like glass and metal, and yet not warm. The whole experience is very visceral. With the iPad, or any computer for that matter, the experience is all visual. The bright screen, the icons, interacting with the apps through a non tactile tap of the finger. These notebooks are different, they are all touch, and feel and smell. I love the smell of paper.

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Feminine iPad Case Roundup

2012-08-09T19:33:00.001-04:00

Alright ladies, I have done it! I have scoured the Internet for the prettiest, most elegant and feminine iPad cases! I know for many ladies out there, finding the right case solution for your iPad has been a challenge because nearly every tech accessory made for a woman is either pink or floral. Not that pink or floral aren't feminine, but I think we all know it's not what every professional or sophisticated woman is looking to tote around all day. So, without further ado, here are my submissions to you as some of the best feminine iPad cases, a few of which I already own!

The first case here is the Jess LC iPad case. This gold and brightly lined case has been making quite a splash on the Internet for a while now. It seems it is a must own case for fashion and design bloggers, as I see it on many sites and blogs!

This next case is from R&Em and I am in love with the teal zebra print. It's the perfect mix of fun and flirty and totally office appropriate!

These fun and colorful cases are from Nico & LaLa and I actually own a black and white diamond patterned one myself. These cases are slim but protective and as you can see come with a monogram or name customized into the case. This means no confusion over who owns that fabulous device inside!

The next case may be familiar to anyone who has visited my blog before, because this is my new Elaine Turner Metallic Indian Tile Zip case. I love the silver exterior of this case and the bright pink interior filled with pockets for storing papers and cards. For me, its the ultimate case!

Maybe your not someone who wants a folio style case, per se. This Ted Baker Hoola Sleeve might be just the thing your looking for then! It's slim and sleek and offers a great protection to style ratio!

If you find your taste range is more into the modern fashion designer, this Marc By Marc Jacobs Dreamy iPad folio may be your dream come true. The exterior is a foamy padding that is sure to protect your device and inside is even a pocket for holding papers. What more could a girl ask for?

If you like the whole personalized case idea, you may be interested in the iPad cases over at Haymarket Designs. They have a range of colors and patterns to chose from, and they too offer custom name printing!

I love a great pattern and if you do too, this Taylor Trellis case from Lill studios may be just what you have been looking for. Available in a few select colors this folio is full protection and full elegance!

Last but not least is a cute case from one of my favorite designers, Rebecca Minkoff. I just love her use of cute quotes and sayings on her accessories and her Touch & Go iPad case is tongue in cheek fun!

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My Current Obsessions

2012-07-30T23:25:00.000-04:00

Current Tech Obsessions by misstrenchcoat featuring Ted Baker tech accessories

Ash
etsy.com

Brahmin
brahmin.com

Tech accessory
elaineturner.com

Ted Baker tech accessory
nordstrom.com

Tech accessory
fredflare.com

Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Handbag: Amazon.com: Clothing
amazon.com

Moleskine Plain Soft Pocket Notebook
$17 - liberty.co.uk

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Everything Looks Better Instagramed: Vol. 2

2012-07-28T13:59:00.001-04:00

My Instagram feed from the last week!

xoxo {thepinkmac}

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