Here is my DIY video for making your own iPhone Car Mount.

The last couple of months have been very hectic in my little corner of the world. The sea of my existence has been tossed about by the winds of a final push to complete my post grad thesis, as well as the aftermath of a fire which destroyed my office and everything contained therein.

With my thesis finished and approved, and the fire restoration well on its way, I wanted to take some time to write about the state of my technological union. I have acquired some great tech recently that I am excited about and wanted to share my thoughts and opinions with the countless millions within the MyMac verse (pardon my FireFly reference).

CANON EOS REBEL T1i

Combining some of the best features of the EOS 5D MarkII, 50D and the EOS Rebel XSi, the T1i has definitely hit a sweet spot in the DSLR space. With the Full HD movie capabilities of the 5D (sans a few fps), the superb sensor of the 50D, and the programability and ease of use of the XSi, the T1i is a stern shot across the bow of the D90s of the world.

Back in the day, I made a little money as a photographer of weddings and other special events. I was a Nikon man back then and had invested a small fortune in equipment. Even with semipro equipment, great pictures required enormous amounts of knowledge, tweaking, and coaxing from the temperamental equipment of the day.

The Canon EOS T1i has renewed my love of taking beautiful photographs. The controls allow the photographer the option to turn over all the science of a properly exposed picture to the camera and simply FOCUS on composition, or, one may choose to fully control the exposer settings and create the next masterpiece of photographic history.

I took the T1i on a recent family vacation to the central coast of California as was blown away by the T1i’s ease of use. The freedom of being able to quickly grab the camera, compose my shot and shoot away, knowing that the picture would be perfectly exposed, was, well, LIBERATING!

I have ordered an Eye-Fi Share Video wireless SDHC card for use with the T1i. This should be a great combination and greatly contribute to the whole freedom of use paradigm going on here. Stay tuned for my update.

I have had such a love affair with the photographic capabilities of the T1i, that I have not really tried the video, yet. Stay tuned for an update regarding the video performance of the T1i.

APPLE iPHONE 3GS

I have been led, I mean willingly walked, down the iPhone primrose path ever since that first glorious keynote circa 2007. Having owned and loved the original and 3G iterations of of this little silicone and software wonder, I was eagerly anticipating Apple’s unveiling of my new can’t live without fruit laden device (I have a problem, is there an Apple twelve step program?).

As dawn broke on Christmas morning (June 19, 2009), I was giddy with excitement. As I was impatiently looking out the window for the driver who was, I was convinced, conspiring to make my life miserable, he finally arrived. I could hardly wait to open the box and inhale that intoxicating fragrance of Apple newness.

Having charged, synced, and activated my new Black, 32g, PRE-dominant leader of the pack, i was immediately blown away by the speed displayed by the 3GS, everything opened and processed much faster than my 3G.

I was equally impressed with the new three megapixel auto focus camera and, more importantly, the software implementation which really sets this camera apart. The implementation was nothing short of what we have come to expect from the wizards of WYSIWYG. Apple has taken the cumbersome and laborious chore of taking pictures and shooting video on a phone and made it simple, intuitive, and even FUN! Are you listening Canon and Nikon? How many more cameras could you sell if people could easily harness the power of your hardware through simple and intuitive software?

I love the new voice command feature of the 3GS! While still needing a little tweaking, I have found this feature to allow the promise of a seamless hands free experience to finally be realized. I look forward to further implementation of this feature to allow us to control and access more of the iPhone’s many features.

While the new digital compass does provide some nice improvements to the google maps app within the iPhone, I have found the above mentioned features to be more impactful for me personally. I am sure I will appreciate it much more once I start using the forth coming TomTom navigation software.

Overall, this is a great evolution within the iPhone ecosystem. This new hardware also brings some new possibilities through future firmware updates. I am very pleased with the new iPhone 3GS and believe it to be worth the premium price paid by those of us who upgraded to the iPhone 3G last June. Would somebody please direct me to that 12 step program, please…

Novatel MiFi 2200

There are devices you come across and just have to stop in amazement and say, “where have you been all my life?” The Novatel MiFi 2200 combined with Verizon’s EVDO Rev A mobile broadband service is one of those devices.

At the size of a thick credit card, this small wonder allows you to connect to the vast Verizon network anywhere simply by touching one button. Once the unit auto connects to the network, it become a EVDO Rev A WiFi Hot Spot allowing up to five devices to connect to its secure and password protected network.

Think of the possibilities? Have you ever wanted to download something over 10 megabytes to your iPhone while you were away from your home WiFi? Have you ever wanted to make a Skype call while away from your home WiFi? Have you ever wanted to work where were and not have to wait until you returned home?

Having enjoyed the coverage and performance of the Verizon network, I am excited for the day when we may have the opportunity to use and tether our iPhones within the cell and data friendly environment.

Here is my DIY video for a simple iPhone tripod.

If you are looking for an iPod/iPhone audio solution for your car, the Griffin TuneFlex AUX with SmartClick might be a good fit. With the ability to cradle, charge, and route your audio through a line-out auxiliary port, your iPod/iPhone can now fill your car with all your favorite tunes. This new revision to the TuneFlex product line adds two important features. Griffin has added the Works with iPhone technology as well as SmartClick. How have these added technologies improved the TuneFlex? Stay tuned for the rest of the story…

The Altec Lansing T612 in one of the first audio systems to adorn the new, “Works with iPhone” logo. This logo indicates that the T612 is certified to work in harmony with the iPhone in accordance with the specifications and standards established by Apple. We have all experienced the cellular bleed through resulting from using an iPhone with a standard iPod audio system. The “Works with iPhone” program was implemented to restore order between the iPod within the iphone and external audio systems. We have tested the diminutive (in size only) audio system and the results may surprise the average iPod/iPhone user looking for big sound in a small package.

Twenty-five years ago, a revolution began in the Silicon Valley. A revolution that would drench the dark, dreary, and muted world of PCs in the deliciously rich and vibrant colors of the rainbow. A revolution that, to a tech starved PC user, would taste as sweet as a freshly picked, tree ripened apple. In a word, that revolution was, Macintosh.

How this little application from Retronyms saved the world, Macworld to be exact.

My Macworld adventures with the Brenthaven MetroLite Backpack.

Thoughts on Steve Jobs and the current state of Apple Inc.

More thoughts and images from Macworld 2009.