As the iPad has evolved and grown more capable, it becomes possible to think about ditching your Mac (or PC) and living solely with an iPad. Here are some of the considerations, techniques and apps to help you decide if that's something you can do … now or very soon. Key Considerations The first thing…
John Martellaro
John Martellaro was born at an early age and began writing about computers soon after that. With degrees in astrophysics (B.S.) and physics (M.S.), he has worked for NASA, White Sands Missile Range, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Apple. At Apple he worked as a Senior Marketing Manager, a Federal Account Executive and a High Performance Computing manager. His interests include chess, science fiction and astronomy. John is the host of the TMO podcast Background Mode.
Articles by John Martellaro
Why Apple Drops Features & How to Deal With it
From time to time, Apple will come out with a new version of OS X or iOS, or one of its own apps, and there will be missing features. Is Apple being obtuse? Are they out of touch? How can our favorite thing be just … gone? Here's what's happening. Over the years, Apple has…
Twitterrific 5 for iOS: Just Delete the Other Clients
Some users keep multiple Twitter clients on their iPad or iPhone because there is no clear winner. Every other one has some major irritant or missing feature, and one can't decide. Well, I've decided. All the rest have been deleted from my iPad and iPhone. I have tested just about every Twitter client on iOS…
How to Change the TV Habits of Viewers, 10 Million at a Time
Is TV viewing only about consuming content? There was a time when Apple may have believed that the combination of content delivery, in the Apple TV style, and innovative ways to watch that content was the signature combination. However, that view may be changing. For a long time, there were rumblings that Apple was trying…
OS X Simplification is Dr. Crusher's Shrinking Warp Bubble
“My mind is going, Dave. I can feel it.” — HAL 9000 The idea that Macs should become simpler, more fun to use, and more like the iPad has its limits. There is a proper place in our technical society for awesome computational power, intelligent agents, and power tools on the desktop. That computational power,…
iTunes 11: Clean Design & Beautiful Presentation
iTunes 11 has arrived, and now we see what Apple was up to. This version is cleaner, simpler, more logical and looks great. To be honest, I had some anxiety about iTunes 11. Would Apple deliver? Would the upgrade hose up the beloved iTunes? Would it deliver some kind of agenda, take away beloved features,…
Microsoft's Bet of the Century
Awhile back, Microsoft decided that it would compete in the tablet space with a next generation Windows, called Windows 8. The design compromises Microsoft had to make for this to happen may end up further stalling Microsoft's progress in the post-PC tablet era, causing the company to fall further behind instead of reversing the fortunes…
That Thing You do With Apple? Don't Do it
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson The corporate, high-tech struggle to earn money and thrive means a campaign to drag us all into technological entanglements. But if we are too busy doing something that matters, and if we…
Kickstarting Phorce: Stylish Carry Bag with Battery Pack
For far too long, our carry bags have been completely dumb. Marijn Berk in the Netherlands has just launched a Kickstarter project aimed to change all that. The Phorce is an intelligent, stylish carry bag unlike any you've ever seen. It features a 14,400 mAh battery that can charge or power your devices and even…
Stop The Madness! At Least Until The PCs Are Gone
We're in a comfort zone right now. Tablets have emerged and are maturing, but there are still plenty of PCs with Windows all over the planet. They coexist. But what about a few years from now when a combination of new tablet technologies and wholesale discarding of PCs takes place? Then we'll see some serious…
iOS 6's Swoosh Sound Sending Email Signifies: Nothing
Based on evidence accumulated so far, it appears that the swoosh sound heard in iOS 6 when sending an email doesn’t really confirm that the message has been sent. Only that you pressed the Send button. This appears to be a change from previous iOS versions. I spend a fair amount of time emailing product…
Speck HandyShell for iPad: Perfect for Broadcasters
The Speck HandlyShell case for iPad 2,3 & 4 is a soft rubbery case with an extraordinary handle on the back. The loop/handle can serve as a way to hold the iPad for presenters or broadcasters and also allows the iPad to stand, in several ways, at many angles on a table. This case from…
iPhone 5: Summary of Case Reviews
TMO has reviewed several iPhone 5 cases in the past few weeks. Here’s a summary of those reviews, the ratings and prices, all in one spot for handy references. We’ll update this summary as new case reviews are published. The manufacturer’s photo is below the description. 1. WaterField's iPhone 5 Wallet/Case Covers All The Bases,…
LYNKtec TruGlide Stylus: Perfect for iPad mini
The TruGlide Stylus with a microfiber tip, 4.6 inches long, is just about the perfect size and weight for use with an iPad mini. And it looks great — if a stylus is That Thing You Do. The Crusade My regular readers know that I was on a stylus crusade this summer. I was looking…
iPad mini In Depth: Thin, Light & Charming
Apple’s iPad mini is Apple’s newest size iPad with a 7.9-inch display and weighs just 11 ounces (312 grams). It has Apple’s traditional attention to fit and finish, has few compromises, and is easy for most to hold in one hand. Read on to find out if this new iPad is right for you. ____________________…
Why It’s Fashionable Nowadays to Beat on Apple
More and more, there are all kinds of articles, coming out from under the woodwork, criticizing Apple. The stock is down, no one likes how much they have to pay for the iPad mini, and Tim Cook is making management changes at Apple. All this is inviting ever more pompous armchair criticism. What’s happening to…
Speck FabShell Case for iPhone 5: Stylish, Costly
The Speck FabShell case for iPhone 5, with design by Burton Graphics, is a single layer, semi-hardshell case with hybrid construction: TPE and polycarbonate. These low-tack materials protect from scratches and smudges, and the designs are attractive. There's a lot to like, but the case is expensive as iPhone cases go. If you’re going to…
Speck SmartFlex Card for iPhone 5: Problematic, Expensive
Speck’s SmartFlex Card for iPhone 5 has a slot that supports up to three credit cards plus cash in a flexible, single layer of protection. The question at hand is: does this case solve a real problem? Let’s start with the basic premise of this case. The idea is that three credit cards and a…
Without Forstall, How Will Apple Change iOS?
“Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve..” — Tom Landry “The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” — Tony Blair Scott Forstall has been the driving force behind the look and feel of…
Cygnett Workmate Case for iPhone 5: Hybrid & Light
The Cygnett Workmate case for the iPhone 5 uses a blended construction. Rather than two complete layers of material, the soft silicone and polycarbonate parts are fit together in key places. This saves on weight but also has disadvantages. This case is described by the developer as for the rough and tumble and is built…
Target Market for iPad mini: Those Who Can Afford it
Apple’s understanding of the target market for the iPad mini has to be a complex process. But it surely involves a keen understanding of the competitive environment and what strategies competitors will use. Now that we’ve seen how some tablets have failed against the iPad, new strategies are emerging. That, in turn, dictates Apple’s response.…
When is a 7-inch iPad mini NOT a 7-inch iPad?
During Apple’s Q4 Earnings Report, Tim Cook reiterated that Apple would never make a 7-inch iPad, thus fulfilling the prophesy of Steve Jobs. But wait. Didn’t Apple just announce a 7-inch iPad? Not according to Tim Cook. Say what? As Tim Cook described it to Kulbinder Garcha of Credit Suisse, when Steve Jobs said that…
Is the iPad mini Right-priced for Education?
There was considerable speculation, indeed consternation, that Apple would call its new 7.x-inch tablet the iPad mini. And that’s what Apple boldly did. On top of that, the company aggressively positioned it as a premium 7-inch tablet and avoided a product line conflict with the iPod touch. Finally, does this new iPad have the right…
Drag a File to OS X Terminal Window to Get Path, Edit
One of the coolest tricks in OS X is the ability to drag a file from the Finder to the Terminal window to see its path. If the file is editable, you can enter an editor command before you drag the file. Let's say that you're preparing to edit a text file in the Terminal.…