Mac App ColorStrokes free for a limited time

MacPhun has announced that it is giving away free copies of their mac photo editing app, ColorStrokes for Mac. This freebie is being made available to celebrate the launch of MacPhun's new online store.
What is ColorStrokes?
It is a simple all that allows users to
  • color palette - Smart Brush lets you add new tones to the image and play with colors the way you want
  • enhancements - Variety of additional editing tools let you adjust lights, add special effects, vignette and more

Download the free app here.

NSA is using Google, Facebook, Apple, Youtube, Dropbox to spy on users

The Guardian broke one of the biggest most important stories ever. It reported that the NSA has been collecting huge amounts of user data from internet giants such as Google, Apple, Skype, Yahoo, AOL and Youtube. The Guardian alleges that plans are in place to add Dropbox to the list of data providers. To be clear, all this collection seems to be done without a court order and performed with direct access to the servers of these companies.
Based on a document authenticated by the Guardian, the NSA was secretly storing and analyzing search history, emails, file transfers, chats, stored documents, voice calls and more. In a shocking revelation, the Guardian says:
"The document claims "collection directly from the servers" of major US service providers."
Even though the document seems to insinuate that company executives were aware of the PRISM program, all of them have come out denying any involvement. At first glance, it seems like
project was targeting non US people or companies or Americans exchanging with these non-Americans
The law allows for the targeting of any customers of participating firms who live outside the US, or those Americans whose communications include people outside the US.

 

Couche Tard now offers Pizza & Spaghetti slushies

Quebec's most prolific corner store chain (Couche Tart) has decided to release 2 unbelievably weird slushie flavours of pizza and spaghetti. 

Slushies are a liquidy mix of flavoured iced consumed as a refreshment by many youths during Quebec's hot and humid summer days. 

NOKIA LUMIA EOS PureView 40 MegaPixel Lens Shutter Action

The leak source of other Nokia EOS PureView camera leaks is now back with a limited video showing only a snapshot of the mechanical shutter. 

Here is hoping this is an actual Nokia product and not some fake wish based video.

Nokia EOS Windows Super phone leaks

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the most important use of my smartphone is as an always on me camera. So I get very excited when a manufacturer (or rumor) announced a revolutionary camera in a mass market consumer smartphone. 

What you are looking at is the rumored upcoming Nokia Smartphone with the unbelievably wonderful PureView 41 megapixel sensor. From what we know, this is the next generation smartphone super-camera that follows the PureView 808. In addition to the wonderful sensor, it seems it may come with a Xenon flash, come in a polycarbonate body, have a 4.5" OLED screen )1280x768), wireless charging and 32 GB of internal memory.

Rumors are pointing to a summer release so stay tuned. 

After having seen dozens of "leaked photos" and info from "trusted unnamed insiders", I see only one negative... It's based on Windows phone which is much more limited than IOS or Android (phone functionality, availability of apps and 3rd party accessories).

these latest photos come from the Vizileaks twitter account.

If windows phone improves and Nokia delivers this amazing piece of machinery, Microsoft may be able to attract some IOS and Android defectors.

 

Play with this IOS 7 on an iPhone 5s simulator

The developers at Recombu have merged all of the IOS 7 rumors to create an IOS 7 simulator using standard internet technologies (CSS, HTML,Javascript). The simulator is a fun and clever to immerse users into one possible IOS 7 world now.

 

They have even included a new notification tray

Head over to their website and have a couple of minutes of fun.

 

 

Any.do launching a new calendar app called CAL this summer

Any.do has been my personal task manager of choice because it offers a clean easy to use interface but is very powerful (feature rich). Over the last couple of months, the any.do team has been making small refinements but now we learn that they have an ambitious plan to bring their interface experience to the world of calendaring through an upcoming app called CAL. 
In the below video, you see snippets of the app integrating with social networks, your contacts and having situational awareness (location, birthday knowledge, knowing what you are doing now, etc). 
Interestingly the press release mentions:
"Whether you need to find time to step away from work and have a Zen moment or need to spend a full day recharging at the beach, Cal helps you balance life, work, and 'me time' without letting anything slip through the cracks."
Also says 
Cal is a simple, beautiful & delightful calendar for your iPhone
The product is in beta and you can sign up to their mailing list at Any.do

BBM for Android and IOS coming June 27

May 14th, I wrote a blog post about "Blackberry Chat (BBM) Coming To IOS And Android". Why would you want Blackberry Messenger on your new shiny IOS or Android device? Because it is backed by a larger and established company that is known for security and privacy.
T-Mobile in the UK tweeted

The best Android and iPhone weather app

So I lied just a little bit, Forcast.IO is actually an HTML5 web page built to look and act like an app.It works on any platform with an HTML5 compliant platform (iphone, ipad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux). It is so well designed that it has replaced all of my platform specific weather apps. 

Forecast.io is beautifully simple, clean, easy to use but also accurate. 

What is Forecast.io?

Forecast.io was created by the programming braintrust from DarkSky, a realtime rain/snow prediction app. Darksky proved to be extremely accurate. As great as it was, it was a very specific app for a very specific use and wasn't well suited to replace any other general weather app.

Forecast.io takes all the power of the DarkSky algorithm and pushes it much further. It uses input from 16 different weather data feeds before performing its interpretation and predictive magic.

So what does Forecast.io look like?

This is a good point to show you some screenshots of Forecast.io. The mobile images come from an iPhone 4s.
The first time you visit [www.forecast.io](http://www.forecast.io) from your iPhone or iPad, you'll be greeted with the below message. 
Once you add the icon to your homescreen, you gain access to the web app at launch. Here you see the weather for May 31 2013 for Montreal (Quebec).
You can see a great smooth and very slick cloud/rain/snow prediction radar visualization.
If you click the little plus sign near the top of the screen, you get more detailed information about today's weather (Wind, Humidity, visibility, pressure, high, low).
The bar that says cloudy above can be pulled (left or right) to show when they predict the start of rain/snow.
If you click the 7 day forecast button at the bottom of the page, you get this beautiful week long prediction. Click on any day to see the details for that day.
The web page (on desktops and laptops) presents the same information in a larger format.

More details

There is a feature on the full web version called Time Machine which allows you to see the weather forecast from almost any location on earth from anytime in the recorded past.
When using the web app, you quickly forget it is a web page with special rendering and think its a local platform specific app. 
This has now become the only weather app on my device and I love it. This is a completely free web app so why not download and play with it now. 

McDonald’s offers 3/4 Pound giant portion of french fries

Even if you loathe fast food, you have to agree that McDonald's has amazing French fries and now Japanese customers can buy 3/4 pounds of the glorious golden delights. This gigantic serving weighs in at 350g and delivers a smooth 1152 calories.
This is a limited time promo selling for [the equivalent of] $5. So if your in Japan, make sure you pickup a serving and post pictures on Facebook to make your friends jealous.

Archives: Modern Science Of Employee Motivation

I will be posting links to older articles that seem to be fairly popular. Hopefully some of the newer readers will find the articles interesting and helpful.

This was a 2010 article about the real science of employee motivation. It reveals the truth (what works) and challenges the myths (wasted effort).

You can read the full article here.

iBell is an old-school alarm for your iPhone

Most iPhone owners use it as their primary alarm so I'm always interested in "new" techs that make the experience better. So what could be better than improving the wake-up experience while cherishing yesteryear?
You can now all metal bell to your iPhone so you can wake up to the metallic ring reminiscent of your school days. You can relive this wondrous time of pimples and bullies for a merer $17 but it only works with iPhones that use the old 30 pin connector (all iPhones except the most recent iPhone 5).
Buy the iBell on Amazon here.
Although I am providing a link to Amazon, it is not an affiliate and I get no compensation for it.

Google Search Updated to version

Google just published an update to Google Search on IOS (to version 3.0.1).
It is a minor upgrade but fixes one major bug introduced in the April redesign.
They finally fixed the GPS battery draining bug so you can now leave the location
detection on all teh time which makes the Google Now much more relevant.

Rogers and Videotron will deploy LTE in Quebec together

 
Rogers has announced a new 20 year partnership with Videotron which will create a shared LTE network in the province of Quebec and the Ottawa region. The companies will create and use a new province wide LTE network benefiting customers of both companies.
Both companies said this partnership will provide better and more complete coverage across the entire province including rural areas which may be lightly served today.
Videotron is also selling some of its AWS spectrum licenses in the Toronto area to Rogers. 

Archives: The YOU brand

I will be posting links to older articles that seem to be fairly popular. Hopefully some of the newer readers will find the articles interesting and helpful.

A 2010 blog post that explains what the You brand is and how to use it to succeed. You are only as successful as your personal brand so this should make for some pwoerful reading.

Read the full article here.

 

6 tips from an experienced traveller

As a frequent traveller, there are 7 rules that I live by when travelling by plane. For me these have become absolute laws of travel that make every trip easier and more enjoyable.

Plan what needs to be planned

Nothing is as stressful as realizing your forgot something so planing is very important. For each type of trip (business, conference, vacation, etc) I have pre-determined checklists to ensure I don't forget anything. If you don't have one ask a friend or email me.
Make sure your passport is up to date (having at least 6 months before expiry). Make sure you have all the required vaccines, visas, etc. Make at least 2 photocopies of each official document that you can keep just in case the original get's lost or stollen.
Plan your trip to the airport properly. I would rather get to the airport an hour earlier than required and comfortably check in, go through security and relax with a cold beverage at the gate rather than showing up late and constantly worrying about missing my flight.

Stay Hydrated

Read my article about the importance of staying hydrated. The summary is avoid all caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Drink lots of water and drink it constantly. 
Dehydration can make you sick and really contributes to jetlag.

I got to move it move it

Don't use your flight to be a couch potato. It is very important to move around and get some "exercise". by exercise I don't mean running, jumping or breaking a sweat but making sure you stretch your muscle and get the blood flowing. This makes you feel better, reduces jetlad and reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Get up and walk a little. Stretch your legs and calves. maybe even stretch you back, arms and shoulders. Walk, move, walk.

Eat well

Airplane food is extra salty which dehydrates you. Don't use your trip to gorge. Eat normal portions and choose healthy options. Think veggies, fruits, etc.

Check with your doctor

If its been a while since your last physical, go to your doctor for a full physical and have a blood test done. This will ensure you are in tip top shape and won't have any surprises at your destination. Take extra meditations (if needed) and make sure you carry all your meds in the original pharmacy container which has the pharmacy name, medication name, dosage, your name and often the doctor's name. Some countries demand this or will confiscate your meds.
When I travel to some African countries, I bring along my own seringes just in case. For these I get a presciption from my doctor. I don't want anyone confusing me for a drug user.

Travel carry-on only

A huge frustration is waiting for your luggage at the destination or having it "delayed or lost". Read my article about travelling with a carry-on only.

Cortex Camera versus NightCap comparison on iphone

What is NightCap

You can read my review about the NightCap app here.

What is Cortex Camera

The developer description of Corex Camera (Cam) is 

Tired of the grainy photos you get when using your device’s camera in low light? Cortex camera combines dozens of images to create a sharp image without the low-quality noise that shows up when using the default camera. Please note that your subject must be still during exposure, which takes 2-10 seconds.

The comparison

I wanted to see how well each would perform in a low light situation. I am using the default iPhone 4s camera app as the benchmark.

The pictures were taken from the exact same location. The camera was proped on my blacony using a Joby GripTight Tripod.

I have read dozens of glowing reviews about Cortex Cam and was really disappointed when I saw the results.

For photography in reduced light situations, NightCap still wins.

The first picture was taken with the iPhone's default Camera app.

 

The second picture (below) was taken using NightCap

The last picture was taken with Corex Camera

NOTE: I just noticed 3 pictures are upside down but you get the "picture" ;-)

 

 

 

Archives: A New Model To Consider When Hiring Employees

I will be posting links to older articles that seem to be fairly popular. Hopefully some of the newer readers will find the articles interesting and helpful.

A 2010 blog entry that discussed the rent before you buy employee hiring model. Although this isn't anything new, many readers found it useful and some even started to apply this in their own companies. 

You can read the full article here.

How clean is airplane air

A question I get asked often is :
"Is the air in an airplane safe? Am I at increased risk of infection in a plane?"
Let's separate fact from fiction. The air in a plane is constantly circulating and it is passed through a HEPA filter. The highly filtered air is also mixed with clean outside air which further improves air quality.
Every research paper I have read clearly shows that air contaminant levels during flight are well within acceptable levels. 

Why do people get "more" sick on flights

This is an interesting question but the premise is wrong. People get more sick not because they are on a planes but because they are sitting in very close proximity. It is the proximity which increases the risk of infection and not the plane, its air or anything else related to the flight.
If someone next to you is caughing, sneezing or otherwise exhibiting sick behaviour. Try to have your seat changed. Typically plan for a "2 seat" buffer from Mr Sick in every direction and you should be fine.

What about ozone?

Passengers are now aware about the "dangers of ozone exposure" and tend to worry about how much ozone they might be exposed to during a flight. Some flights (depending on location and altitude) may subjected to more ozone exposure but typically those planes are equipped with ozone converters for external air being pushed into the cabin.

Conclusion

Planes are an extremely reliable and safe method of transportation. When you get on a plane, plan to enjoy the experience and leave your worries at the gate.

Recordium record and edit audio on the iPhone or iPad (free today)

There are dozens of times each week when I use my iPhone as an audio recording device (meetings, ideas, etc) but typically finding relevant information in a long recording is difficult. 

Recordium is a clean little app that allows you to record, edit and find pertinent information all on your iPhone or iPad (it is a universal app). Once you have perfected your masterpiece, you can export it to Dropbox, Evernote and other storage services.

Recordium is free until June 1 so go download it it from here now!

Recordium saves its content in IOS friendly MP4 format so compatibility with all your Apple devices is excellent (Windows and Linux support M4 audio out of the box as well). 2 very neat features I want to highlight are:
  • auto-pause - recording is automaticlly paused when an incoming call is received
  • auto-save - app periodically auto-saves recordings to protect them in the even of an app crash

The audio editing features are specifically designed for touch enabled devices so they work really well but this isn't an audacity replacement. You can highlight important sections, add tags anywhere and even use a photo tag. It also includes cut, paste and trim tools.