Kidologist.com: Karl Bastian's Personal Site and Blog
Archive for iPhone
January 2, 2013 at 10:00 am · Filed under Apple, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Technology
This may not appeal to many, but one of my many pet peeves with Apple Lion (the beginning of the decline of Apple with the passing of Steve Jobs) is the STUPID “All Files” default view whenever you open a new finder window. One by one I am learning how to undo all the insane “improvements” Apple made to the once inherently and intuitively awesome Mac, but lately they add stupid features you have too Google how to fix. (Like the vanishing scroll bars. Arrrg. Fixed that!)
Why oh Why would you want a window that lists every file on your Mac and that takes an insane amount of time to load? The chances of something you actually need appearing in that window is highly unlikely. So you have to wait until it is done loading to click on a useful folder like Documents, or your home folder to get to what you need.
So, if that has bothered you, I have found the fix!
Simply open a new Finder Winder and go to Preferences, and under “New Finder windows show:” choose what you’d like to see whenever you open a new Finder.
While only a few options are provided, you can choose ‘other’ and as you can see from this screen shot, I choose Dropbox, since I manage all my working files in a Dropbox folder, so that all my files are always backed up and accessible on all my computers (or any computer!) as well as my iPad and iPhone. (or any ipad or iphone) and easily shared. I highly recommend Dropbox. Join using any of the links you see in this paragraph and you’ll give me some bonus space! (Thanks!)
January 1, 2013 at 7:08 pm · Filed under Airplanes, Apple, Awesome Products, Computers, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Technology
If you are looking for a simple and kinda cool way to get an overview of your day – and doing some planning for the year, I just stumbled upon a cool new App you might enjoy.
It is called Cue, and it links you calendar, contacts, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, or whatever accounts you might want to link into a single simple view of your appointments and events for the day. It’s a pretty slim and sleek way to see what’s important for the day.
Also discovered, is a free Office App called CloudOn – integrates with DropBox. Looks very powerful and helpful. Worth a look!
If you have found some great new apps for 2013, let me know in comments below!
My favorite GAME is Air Wings! If you are in Game Center, my username is Kidologist, friend me, and I’ll blow you out of the sky!
I look forward to playing you, or hearing what awesome apps you plan to use to help you be more productive or successful in 2013!
December 10, 2012 at 11:21 pm · Filed under Awesome Products, Holidays, Internet, iPad, iPhone, just cool, Technology
Ladies… if you really want to impress your husband for Christmas this year. Don’t get him a tie. Get him something, anything, from Scottevest.com
I’m serious. And no, I’m not getting paid for this blog post, and get no benefit from it. I’m honestly just doing all the ladies out there a HUGE favor.
Your man loves his gadgets. But he doesn’t want to look like a nerd or dork carrying them around. He loves his iPad, but he doesn’t know how to carry it around without looking like he is taking work with him. He doesn’t want to be one of those guys… You know the type, with the batman utility belt filled with gadgets (like the step dad in Night at the Museum)
And he’s not going to wear some STUPID tech belt like I saw on my last flight in Sky Mall Magazine:
Are you kidding me? RIGHT.
But with a Jacket, Trench Coat, Sport Coat, Vest, Hoodie, Shirt or even boxers from Scottevest – your huck of love will be able to hide his tech gear and look like a normal sharply dressed man you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with. (Until he pulls out that iPad in the middle of the movie* from that hidden pocket to check IMDB to see who that actor is.)
So make this the Christmas you score major points, and tell ‘em @Kidologist sent you in the check out. (Just for fun)
And ladies, if you want to indulge yourselves, go for it!
For extra fun, try to find me in the 2012 catalog while it is still available.
See also:
*You can’t pull an iPad out of the boxers, just FYI.
April 6, 2012 at 12:15 pm · Filed under Awesome Products, Book Review, Children's Ministry, FREE Stuff, iPad, iPhone, Kidmin, Kidmin Talk, Kidology, Parenting, Review
READ HOW TO WIN A FREE iPAD APP!
This week on my podcast, KidminTalk, I featured two beautiful iPad Apps for kids and I’m giving some away!
I’m delighted to tell you about The Sounds of the Night and The Lonely Stable
Both are stunning story book apps for young children written by Jessica Kirkland from ChristianApps4kids.com
The first app is called The Sounds of the Night and it is a story about a boy going to bed and hearing noises outside that make him a little scared, but learning what they are. Each is explained as a creature God created with touch screen interactive options that are fun to discover as well as pop-out words for early readers.
The story can be read to you, or you can read it to your child. There is even an option for the book to advance by itself if you are just cuddling and want it easy.
And while Christmas may be in December, The Lonely Stable is a story for all year around because it is a story of understanding that we all have a special purpose for why God made us.
It also has fun interactive touch elements, shapes, sounds, words and more for young kids to enjoy and the same reading (or be read to you) options.
As you can see, these books are gorgeously illustrated. But I can’t show you on the blog, the fun interactions, you’ll have to experience that on your iPad!
While I think every reader of mine should support this effort of Jessica’s by buying these for their kids so she can quickly come out with the next book – she gave me some iTunes Store codes to give several away for FREE – just listen to my podcast to find out how you can get one of these two books for free!
November 20, 2011 at 10:51 am · Filed under 24 Days of Thanks-Giving, Awesome Products, iPad, iPhone, Technology
As many of you know, I’m extremely patriotic – and Scottevest.com is one of those great American examples of why I love America. Scott Jordan saw the need for something, took the risk to create it, people bought it, and he’s been hugely successful. And I’m more than happy to give him free advertising on my blog and twitter account (which I constantly do) because I wish him all the success he can have! (My tweets have been featured on Scottevest.com four times: 1, 2, 3, 4 Follow Scott @Scottevest)
What is Scottevest? It comes from the combination of his name “Scott” + “E” (electroncis) + “Vest” his original product:
CLick to View Large Image
But his company has grown to include a WIDE variety of products ranging from winter coats, trench coats (the ‘carry-on coat’) to dress shirts and sport coats to boxers and women’s apparel.
As a geek tech lover, and one who now takes an iPad with me everywhere I go – Scottevest clothes are THE SOLUTION for men who don’t want to carry a “purse” or so-called “man bag” and don’t want to haul a backpack or briefcase everywhere.
PLUS, for professionals like me who travel a lot and are frustrated with the hassle at airport security, a Scottevest vest or jacket gives you an extra carry-on. Simply put everything in your Scottevest and you breeze right through, hassle free!
I routinely pack my iPad, iPhone, Apple headset (which I have a set wired into every Scottevest), glasses, GPS for the rental car, digital camera, spare memory cards, tripod, flipcam, magic tricks, balloons to calm crying kids on the plane, keys, mini iPad shuffle (the awesome one Apple discontinued), pens, and various car adapters, chargers, spare battery for laptop, etc. and I don’t look bulky at all.
Plus, I have several Scottevest pants and shirts and even a hat which allows me to have my Verizon Broadband card handy when I have no pockets!
Karl in SeV 2012 Catalog Fan Page in Yosemite
I just found out that my fan pic was picked to appear in the 2012 SeV Catalog that I submitted from hiking in Yosemite National Park last May. (That is Vernal Falls in the background.)
I am thankful for Scottevest because Scott Jordan took the risk to create products no one else would… they are high quality, excellent, creative, practical and downright awesome. And available nowhere else.
And if you want to get a deal, I made this page for you to check out everyday:
http://tinyurl.com/scottevestdailysale
EVERY DAY they put something on sale, and it turns out, the vest above is on sale today, why not snag one up!?
(No, I’m not in kahoots with Scott Jordan, he doesn’t even know I’m doing this! I get nothing for doing this! I’m just a nice guy.)
November 16, 2011 at 7:07 pm · Filed under 24 Days of Thanks-Giving, Apple, Computers, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Technology
This is part of a series called 24 Days of Thankfulness. These posts are in RANDOM order, NOT priority order. Each is something I am thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving.
DAY #16: Da Cloud
I might lose some people on this one, but I am incredibly thankful for cloud technology, and while I’m enjoying watching a lot of my friends starting to use it, I’ve been using it, and dependent on it, for years.
Michael Chanley and I did a workshop together on Cloud Technology: What is It? at CPC last year and you can listen, watch and get the handout at the link above.
In a nutshell, what this means is that all my files are no longer stored on my computer. Because the days of having only one computer (or device) have been long gone for me for several years, I needed to be able to access any file at any time from any device, update it and have that updated file be on the other devices, AND (this is key) NOT be online when I needed it.
While MobileMe got a lot of flake (even from Steve Jobs) I used MobileMe to the max even puzzling Apple Genuies at the Apple Store with what I got it to do, and have been very frustrated that the iDisc is being discontinues as of June 1, 2011. Nevertheless, I have swithched to DropBox.com – and turns out I like it better, as it has an add on feature that backs up EVERY file you EVER delete, unlimited and forever
This is different that web-based file sharing, because with those, like Box.net, you have to be online, and they are slow. (Which is what iDisc is if you don’t turn on the Local Copy feature which a lot of people never discovered.) Dropbox keeps a local copy of the files and syncs them with the others local copies on the other devices, updating each copy as changes are made.
To join, use this link please and I’ll get some extra space free for the referral: http://tinyurl.com/dropbox-tryit
Because I use a MacBook Pro as my main machine, but an iMac for all my media and video production, an old Mac Mini for all my photo storage, a MacBook Air for travel and working remotely and an iPad for carrying with me everywhere in my Scottevest and of course an iPhone – it is essential to have up to date files at all times available on any machine, that are also available on ANY OTHER MACHINE simply by logging on to dropbox.com. Plus, you can share files or folders with others colaboratively.
In addition to files, “the cloud” enables you to have all your contacts, calendars, and a host of other information also synced between all your events.
It used to be that if my laptop was stolen my company and data would be at great risk, and I would lost incredible amounts of work. Now, while I certainly would NOT want that to happen, I would lose nothing. I would immediately pull out my iPhone or iPad, go to dropbox.com and unsync that laptop and all that data would be unsynced and unavailable to the thief and all my data secure and backed up and available on all my other devices.
I haven’t even gotten into what Apple’s new iCloud service will be doing, I haven’t even made that transition yet! (Looking forward to photo stream!)
It is truly an amazing era we live in, and since I run an electronic company/ministry with employees and contractors and volunteers all over the country (and actually all over the world) this cloud technology has really made my life simpler and work flow smarter.
Lastly, if you haven’t made the transition from POP e-mail to IMAP – you need to find out what that means and make the switch. IMAP is like “cloud” it means all your email is stored in the “cloud” (on the server) and synced between all devices/computers, and again safe from anything happening to one computer/devices. Instead of “POP”ing into your computer, your computer just reads what is on the server. If you “read” on one, it is marked read on all devices. But it isn’t “webbased” it is still pulled down so you can work offline. Web-based limits you to when you have Internet, I still like the flexibility of being able to work when I have no Internet, like on an airplane.
Da Cloud is why I am on Cloud 9 today!
November 1, 2011 at 9:00 am · Filed under 24 Days of Thanks-Giving, America, Apple, Awesome Products, BeTheDadToday, Breckenridge, Children's Ministry, Christianity, Discipleship, Evolution, Family, Food, Friends, iPad, iPhone, Kidology, Luke, Mac, Marriage, Moody, Parenting, Photography, Politics, Spiritual Growth, Star Wars, Technology, Yosemite
Today I launched a little Thanksgiving Project over on Kidology.org called “24 Days of Thanks-Giving” – basically I am providing a simple Word doc you can download and every day from Nov. 1 until Thanksgiving add ONE thing you are thankful for.
It’s really just something I need to DO MYSELF – but I thought maybe others might want to join me, and I’d enjoy reading/seeing what others are thankful for. So you are welcome to use the Word doc, or just post in the forum what YOU are thankful for! So let me begin today, with my first post. These are NOT going to be in priority order, otherwise I’d have to go God, Family, etc. and then later on, people might judge me for putting one thing “above” or “before” another – so right out of the gate let me say, these posts will be in RANDOM ORDER of things I am THANKFUL FOR!
DAY 1 –
Yosemite
DAY 2 – God’s Word
DAY 3 – My Mom
DAY 4 – Photography
DAY 5 – Pandora
DAY 6 – George Lucas
DAY 7 – Breckenridge
DAY 8 – Barq’s
DAY 9 – Mercy & Grace
DAY 10 – Steves
DAY 11 – Freedom
DAY 12 – Luke
DAY 13 – Sara
DAY 14 – My Bookkeeper
DAY 15 – Science
DAY 16 – Da Cloud
DAY 17 – Awana & Sunday School
DAY 18 – My Dad
DAY 19 – True Friends
DAY 20 – Scottevest
DAY 21 – My Customers
DAY 22 – Tennis Balls
DAY 23 – Flight
DAY 24 – Jesus
September 26, 2011 at 9:47 pm · Filed under Adventures, Apple, Awesome Products, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Technology
This past Saturday my family went to an airshow in Colorado Springs. I’ll post pics about that later. About halfway through the show I noticed my iPhone was no longer in my belt holster! Of course, my iPhone being practically a part of my body and brain, I panicked. The last time I remembered using it was in the car to call my dad in the other car during a stop for directions when I made a wrong turn. So I had to wonder – was it back in my car, or had I dropped it climbing in and out of the airplanes and military vehicles with my son? Of course, I could not enjoy the rest of the show and day not knowing the fate of my iPhone. It was most likely out in my car, but if it was lost, I needed to know that, so I could check with lost and found, or replace my steps and try to ask around if anyone had found it.
I left the family watching the show, exited the entrance, rode the shuttle back to the parking lot and searched the car.
No iPhone.
It was lost.
What was I to do now?
Then I remember… “Find My iPhone” is a feature of Apple iPhones and my iPad was in the car. I fired up my Verizon Broadband card on my belt and turned on my iPad and got online. I went to www.me.com and was informed there was now a “Find My iPhone” iPad App so I downloaded it. (Me.com will no longer allow you to use the website to find your iPhone with an iPad, it forced the App use.)
It took only a minute to download the app and log into the app and within seconds my iPhone was located and YES!, it was on the military base somewhere!
Just like Google Maps, I could zoom in to right where it was:
But… then it happened…
Every time I refreshed, it MOVED!
Someone had my iPhone, and they were on the move!
Was it stolen?
Were they trying to find the owner?
Were they leaving the base?
Was it on someone’s person, or in a car?
I immediately used “Find My iPhone” to lock my phone so they could not access it without a password:
And then, I sent them a message:
So they would have a way to reach me if they looked at the phone. I realized my mistake in not borrowing a phone so that IF they DID call my wife, she would have a way to reach me and tell me! (oops!) So I wouldn’t know until I got back to the family, so now I just needed to give up my search, and head back.
Their message would look like this: (recreated later, as was the message above)
I road the shuttle back to the show entrance, expecting to wait for “the call.” I kept refreshing the map and noticed that my iPhone was moving in a pattern. That was when it hit me… perhaps it wasn’t a person who had my phone, but a vehicle… AH HA! A shuttle! Maybe I had dropped it on the shuttle on my way in while carrying chairs and all our stuff and managing a five year old!
I stopped a soldier and asked him to help me interpret the map, since I didn’t know the names to the roads and I showed him the different places the iPhone had been. (He was very impressed with my GPS technology and tracking my phone!) We switched to Satellite View and Hybrid View and he helped me figure out where the shuttle stop was. I enjoyed him pointing out all the buildings around the base! Then, I simply kept refreshing “Find My iPhone” watching my iPhone go around the circuit one more time and then stop at the point where it was dropping off people for the show. When I went in to search the shuttle – I asked the driver, (ironically the same shuttle I had just ridden back on!) if anyone had found an iPhone, and she picks it up off the dashboard and says, “I hoped someone would come back for it.” I had been that close but hadn’t yet figured out that the moving iPhone meant it was on a shuttle joyride.
Find My iPhone saved the day!
While it wasn’t very fun losing my phone and walking around the parking lot and missing almost an hour of the show, it was kinda cool tracking my moving iPhone on my iPad via GPS with my broadband card and solving the mystery with modern technology.
I’d like to thank both Steve Jobs and Sergeant Nelson for their help in assisting me recover my iPhone on Saturday. I was able to get back to my family and enjoy the rest of the day without the stress of having lost a valuable tool that I use in many aspects of life and work and ministry.
Pretty Cool, huh?
August 18, 2011 at 10:15 am · Filed under Apple, Awesome Products, Computers, Humor, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Technology
I can’t reveal my “insider” source, but here is a “sneak peek” at what’s coming next from Steve Jobs at Apple… (with some history to show you the trends)
So, what do you think? Are you going to get in line?
January 20, 2011 at 2:49 am · Filed under Children's Ministry, Conferences, CPC, FREE Stuff, Internet, iPad, iPhone, Mac, Technology
At CPC last week, I got to teach a workshop with Michael Chanley on technology – and it was a lot of fun! We bantered back and forth, live webcasted and confused half the room with everything we covered, but it was a blast!
I demonstrated remote accessing my Macs back home as well as all my backup drives from my iPhone and iPad among other cloud perks and tried to answer questions on a wide variety of technology issues. I went over why Cloud Technology is so important – why it enables you to have access to all your data from anywhere from any device and never lose your data again, as well as the difference between POP and IMAP e-mail so your e-mail is all synced across all your devices. Plus we did webcasting with live chatting right from my iPhone – and showed how to do that for free and embed it on your website with live chat, also for free. (See it on my blog and Kidologytogo.org as well.)
I’ve had a ton of requests for the workshop, so here’s what I’m gonna do.
1) Here is the PDF handout: DOWNLOAD HERE (668kb)
2) Here’s an MP3 of the workshop: DOWNLOAD HERE (65.7mb)
3) Here’s a video of the workshop that was running for a little while when I was live webcasting. (Not the entire time) WATCH HERE then continued HERE
If you have questions, post them here in Comments, and I’ll answer the best I can!
Next entries »
