Lots of new features, I particularly like that it now supports presets (preset adjustments) and the new brushes function looks pretty slick. This version also gets the iPhone ‘09 Faces and Places features added, Places gets some additional functionality to support importing GPS tracks and another function to use GPS data slurped from iPhone photos, without necessarily importing the iPhone photos themselves into your Aperture library. 3.0 also supports importing and storing video files (like iPhoto), it even has a nifty feature to easily extract a jpg screenshot from captured video and another to easily separate audio+video tracks.

Nothing seems to have been done about my big bugbear with Aperture: lack of native ability to backup to physical media (i.e. DVD) with any ease. There are a couple of plugins that do this, I just wish it was as simple as the way iPhoto does it.

That said, I’m really looking forward to installing this update.

Outright victory looks like it’ll again be a battle of the Evos, with the Shelby Mustang looking like the dark horse if it can make the distance (pun intended).

I was lucky enough to go to the race last year and had a great time: no crowds, open and largely unrestricted access to the pits, great weather. Due to number of things happening right now, I’m not going to make it this year, though I’ll be following along with the live stream when I can on Sunday.

“The trouble with ‘My Way,’ ” said Mr. Gregorio, “is that everyone knows it and everyone has an opinion.

So much so that, according to the article, the song has practically been banned from song lists in that country.

That new product everyone is talking about

Calling it something that includes the word ‘tablet’ is lame. Can’t see it happening.

Calling it something that includes the word ‘pad’ will cause hilarious giggling fits amongst the general populous. Not going to happen.

iBook is a strong contender in my… err… book. It’s no longer being used for one and for two provides a direct link to the intended purpose of this ‘thing’, that is if you believe all the eBook-killer, magazine publishing and textbook platform rumours floating around.

iLife ‘10, iWork ‘10

It happens every year about this time, why would they change it now? Not hoping for much in particular, I’d be much more excited about an upgrade to Final Cut Express or Aperture than iMovie or iPhoto. If they do get an update, I’ll likely buy them regardless.

iPhone 4.0

Not entirely convinced they’ll show this with everything else that’s supposed to be going down, but if by chance they do — here are my wishes for the next-gen iPhone OS. If that great new product everyone is talking about indeed runs iPhone OS (which it is strongly tipped), it would make sense to at least talk about the next version for iPhone during this event.

Mail

Unified mailboxes: all my accounts in one list, rather than having to switch back & forth all the time.

Tweetie-style refresh: I hate that it always tries to connect/sync when I open mail. When purposely offline, all those modal dialogs get tiresome very quickly; Same for when I’m online, I’d rather have to manually refresh than have this performed automatically. I mention Tweetie because I like the way you can force a refresh by simply scrolling past the top of the list, rather than having a specific button on the screen to perform the same task, elegant and simple.

Load remote images: Mail app on iPhone is great for spammers. Apple gives you two options for loading remote images: load or do not load. There’s no option to not load, then manually load images when you want to. Apple’s manual for iPhone mentions an option to load images manually, though it seems that feature was not actually implemented. Gmail does this well, it won’t load remote images by default, then gives you the option of remembering your settings on a per address basis. I mention spam because iPhone will load remote images by default and, for the vast majority of iPhone users without much of a clue about such things, this is bad form. More often than not, spam messages use specially crafted remote images to confirm your address is working and once confirmed the address will invariably be flooded with yet more spam.

Messages

Data roaming: Similar to Mail, it find it annoying that every time I open Messages when data roaming is turned off, it get a modal message telling me that roaming is turned off. I’d guess that it’s warning me that sending an MMS message is not possible, which is fine, I just wish there was some other visual indicator that data is off, rather than any annoying popup modal dialog stating the bleeding obvious. Have been finding this one particularly annoying whilst o/s with roaming switched off and using SMS to communicate regularly.

Phone

Stability: Main gripe is the propensity for calls to drop out, though the jury is ont on whether this is more of a problem caused by the network operator, iPhone hardware or iPhone OS. I’m leaning toward the latter two options, hopefully something can be done to fix it. I’ve never owned a phone that has had so many failed calls.

Ended up walking right out to the end of what they call “The Mall”, between the main back-to-back grandstands along the two long straights, could not get over the size of this place. The trackday was being held on what is the full 5.5km F1 layout so that action was pretty spread out. That said, from a vantage in the main stand I could see the majority of the track, I just couldn’t reach it with my camera.

Lots of Lotii in attendance, along with a bunch of well sorted JDM Hondas, Subarus, a few (LOUD) Altezzas and a Veilside-kitted RX7.

The day itself seemed well organised, I only saw a couple of incidents – one Civic failed to secure its bonnet properly with obvious results, whilst another car (I think it was a Proton of some sort) stopped out on the circuit and brought out the red flags during one session. Overtaking seemed to be allowed anywhere and most, if not all, cars had passengers each time they went out. I can see how – with those two massive straights – the layout would suit big-power cars and can imagine that the big stops at the end of them, combined with the heat, would make this circuit pretty tough on brakes.

Perhaps next time I’ll get out on the track myself.

Hot on the heals of MINI releasing the first official footage of their upcoming R60 Countryman SUV model, albeit heavily camouflaged, leaked photos of the final production model are now out.

I have to say that I do like it alot. Very impressed that MINI have finally got themselves what looks like a proper non-metallic white paint option – rather than the White Silver (dull grey) and Pepper White (cream) that have been offered to date. Really looking forward to seeing more photos and seeing it in full World Rally Championship warpaint soon (MINI are strongly rumoured to be entering the 2011 WRC with cars built by the venerable Prodrive outfit).

UPDATE: Official photos + info have been released by MINI, all the details about the new R60 Countryman can be found over on Motoringfile.

Compared with last year’s graph, 2009 was a little sporadic, especially the second-half. I spent most the year listening to podcasts or watching video rather than listening to music, with a major exception being when I was out running.

Graphs produced by the ever excellent LastGraph using my Last.fm scrobble stats.

This either happens from the outset: it fails to play the usual “walk around” prompt to find/pair with the shoe sensor, yet will still find it if you do indeed walk around; or will fail during a run after playing some initial prompts “walk around”, “1km completed” etc only to then fall over and stop playing any future prompts. This more than likely means that you’ll be running hard thinking that the second km is taking much longer than the first and generally leading to intense frustration. While run data is still recorded as normal, you’re missing one the most compelling features of using the Nike+ kit.

How to prevent this: Before running, I will always perform a reset. After following these instructions, iPod will restart and – in my experience – Nike+ will work as expected with no missing voice prompts.

I love the sound this thing makes, almost sounds as good as a MINI JCW on over-run! Great video, check out the making of clip –