Author: Munro Stewart

Polyprax
Make your life better & happier
Soul Writer • Life Learner
Tech Planner • Play Viewer

Apple iWork On iCloud For Free

Tech, Tech Posts

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for free - Create and share documents online with anyone

Did you know you can now use iWork online on a Windows, Chrome OS, or Linux computer at iCloud.com? This means that you can now use iWork online, including the Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps, on pretty much any device. Also, your friends with a Mac or iPad can share documents online with you, and you can edit them too. Plus you'll get 1 GB of storage for your documents on iCloud. You don't need an iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac, or any other Apple device to edit iWork files online. You just need an email address to create an Apple ID on iCloud. Here are some screenshots and an overview of using Apple's iWork on iCloud.

Sign Up At iCloud.com

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free iCloud

You'll need to use a valid email address and verify the email address. Apple will send you a verification code to the email address you use.

Pages

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Pages

You can create and edit documents using Pages online. Pages uses a formatting panel along the right side of the screen, and is very easy to use.

Sharing

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Sharing

You can share a file so anyone can edit it online with iWork on iCloud, just like Google Docs online or Microsoft Office online. People who have Apple devices can share and edit documents with people who sign up on iCloud to edit iWork documents online.

Download

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Download

Pages can download a copy of a document as Word, PDF, or Epub so you can send a copy to your friends or coworkers. Numbers can download or export to Excel, PDF, or CSV. Keynote can download or export as Powerpoint or PDF.

Numbers

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Numbers

You can create and edit tables and data using Numbers, similar to Excel.

Keynote

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Keynote

You can create and edit presentations using Keynote online.

Storage And Settings

Use Apple iWork on iCloud for Free Storage

You get 1 GB of free storage on iCloud. You can even sync iCloud to Windows computers if you download iCloud for Windows. However, you won't be able to edit Pages, Numbers, or Keynote files offline on a Windows computer, without accessing iCloud in a browser.

iCloud.com - Apple

March 2nd, 2015

The Double Movie Explained

Play, Play Posts

I watched the movie The Double last week. After watching it, I went to read about it and came across a question from someone on Stack Exchange Movies.

So I started out writing my thoughts about whether or not James was real, as well as an idea I had about what was going on in the movie. I ended up re-watching it and writing an explanation for what I think was happening in the movie. I definitely recommend the movie so go check it out sometime if you haven't. The movie is kind of about self-improvement, as I think the main character is struggling and trying to improve his life. He runs into some serious personal problems trying to make his life better. However, I really just wrote this because I wanted to. Enjoy.

Who is James in “The Double (2013)”?

I saw the movie The Double this morning, a very strange movie. I didn't understand the exact plot of the movie. I've read the plot in IMDB and Wikipedia too, but I don't get it. Can somebody explain this movie in simple English? My main question is "Who is James and does he really exist?"

Outline

  • What Do I Think?
  • What Do I Know For Sure?
  • Is James Real?
  • Are The Scenes Real?
  • What Might Not Be Real?
  • What Is The Opening Plot?
  • What Is Just In Simon's Head?
  • What Is Really Going On In Real Life?
  • When And Why Does Simon Become James?
  • Why Do We See Both Simon And James?
  • How Does Simon Become James?
  • What Would James Do?
  • Does He Choose Simon or James?

What Do I Think?

I think it's possible that James isn't a real physical person separate from the original character Simon, but that much of what James does in the film does actually happen. This is because Simon and James are two personalities of one main character. Sometimes he's actually doing things as Simon, and sometimes he actually does things as James. And sometimes we're also getting a second physical representation of him but it is only his thoughts as Simon, or sometimes his thoughts as James.

On top of that, I'll add the idea that much of the movie is not literally real but simply Simon's thoughts about things that have happened to him. And sometimes even things that haven't even happened to him. Sometimes parts of scenes are simply internal dialogue in his head about what he thinks, what he thinks other people think, and what his other personality thinks. I'll explain a bit more of what I think is really going on and give examples.

What Do I Know For Sure?

I know nothing for sure. As people have said it's probably ambiguous on purpose and left for people to decide for themselves. I just watched the movie but haven't read the book, so I don't know as much as someone who has read the book, and I haven't over-analyzed the movie by watching too many times. I watched the first half or so over again to write this. This is just one idea I had that is maybe a little different than just the two options I've read. That either James is a real person or that James is not real at all and none of it really happens because it's all just in his head.

Is James Real?

So here is a possible interpretation. It's about a guy that develops two personalities. James is Simon. Simon is becoming James. Sometimes in the movie he's Simon, and sometimes he's James. There aren't really two of him at all. He's not actually seeing a doppelganger who looks just like him or who he thinks is similar but more more successful than him. But we are really just getting a look into Simon's thoughts and a portrayal of his life as he struggles between two personalities. The reason we see two people is because Simon separates into two people in his own mind, and we get his thoughts or viewpoint from the other personality.

When Simon decides to become the more confident and cocky James, he never quite feels like he's himself. He always feels like he is pushing his old self and personality aside. So we continue to see Simon and get his real thoughts about what he is doing as this new personality, James. He feels like he is outside of himself watching himself when there are scenes with both of them. He is acting as James often, but we hear his thoughts and see his feelings about how he is acting from his real and original personality, Simon. And sometimes he's doing things as Simon, and James is in his head telling him what to do or what James thinks. I'll explain when exactly and why Simon develops this new personality James.

Are The Scenes Real?

So in my interpretation, I'm suggesting that many scenes are just a picture or portrayal of how Simon sees these different events that have happened to him, things he has done, and the situation he finds himself in. Different things do happen that we can pick from here and there, but many scenes are used just to tell the story overall and see things that Simon has done or things that have happened to him. I'm basically saying that much of the movie doesn't really happen as we see it, so it's not literally real. If you can make that leap, then it could become a bit more clear about what might have been real and what might just be Simon's thoughts and internal dialogue about things that have happened.

And that is exactly what many scenes are. Not only are scenes from Simon's perspective, but they are simply his thoughts about what happened or how he remembers them. So sometimes people don't really say what they say, or do exactly what they do, or look exactly like they look in the film. It's only an interpretation of how Simon sees them, or how he felt like in the situation. And some scenes didn't even happen at all but are simply made up possibilities in his head, and his own thoughts about things. What other characters are saying in a scene may sometimes just be a chance to tell us "what he thinks they think". Or even just what he thinks about something that happened even though it's coming from someone else's mouth. I'll give examples.

Picking what little bits might have happened exactly and what is simply Simon's thoughts can almost become a bit of a game. It might not be important knowing exactly what scenes, parts of scenes, or dialogue are actually real and what is Simon's thoughts about it. But just know that the movie may not at all be like a fly on the wall camera viewing an actual scene. That's why some things look so odd, like the whole atmosphere and the way people look and talk. We may only be getting what Simon saw when he experienced the event, not the actual scene. You can decide for yourself what might have actually happened, and what might be just Simon's thoughts. But getting it all correct is almost impossible. I'll give a few thoughts throughout this overview on what parts of the film might be Simon's thoughts versus things that actually happened, but by no means am I saying I'm correct for sure.

What Might Not Be Real?

I'll sprinkle in examples in this article, but here are a few ideas in one place to get your mind going. Just in case you watch the movie again and think this interpretation might be correct, or at least possible.

It starts in the first scene where he is kicked off the bus. Is it possible that a guy did ask him to move, but that the subway was actually full of people, including the girl? Watch how Simon looks around throughout the scene. All he really sees is the jerk that asked him to move, but doesn't he look as if he he feels embarrased and looks around and acts like other people are on the subway? Later on the guy that stops him from entering at work, which he sees throughout the movie is not the same person, no? Another example that we are just seeing what he sees or remembers about events, not exactly what happened.

Does his boss really talk like a walking metaphor of work life? Maybe it's just in his head that way? Could scenes like the one with his boss capture his thoughts about a number of different events at work? Is everyone at work really old except him, or is he just imagining growing old working there? Do you really think 2 guys handle only suicides from just one neighbourhood? That whole scene, including him talking to the girl seem very odd. Could it be only his thoughts and not real? Maybe the scenes in the cafe are not real, but only his thoughts. Maybe Simon's scenes with the girl are only what he thinks she thinks of him.

Don't the scenes at the ball seem particularly odd? The way the girl at the entrance talks, the music playing, how he bends down to look through a hole, and everyone is old but him and the girl. Could much of this just be grandiose thoughts made up in Simon's head to explain some other reason why he wasn't allowed into an employee event? Maybe the guy with the moustache is not real at all, and only Simon's thoughts. Maybe his boss in later scenes is more like his brain talking to the Simon personality. Why are there only one set of footsteps when both Simon and James are in a scene? Is it possible that Simon or James aren't both there, but that one of them are his thoughts about what he is doing?

What Is The Opening Plot?

Simon hates his life. He is sick of his monotonous job. He is sick of his overbearing Mom. He is sick of his idiotic boss. He lets people push him around. One day a guy actually tells him to move out of the seat he is sitting in on the subway and he moves, but he resents it. He has good ideas to improve efficiency at work, but his boss won't listen to him. Most people don't even recognize him at work even though he has worked there for 7 years. He pays whatever the people taking care of his Mom tell him to pay even though they are robbing him and he is spending much of his money to take care of his Mom.

But Simon likes a girl at work who he has never really talked to. In fact, she doesn't even know who he is, even though he has been watching her at work. He becomes even more infatuated with her because he lives across the street from her. He looks into the window of her apartment after work and gets to see even more about her life than he would know at work. He tries to keep himself from watching her by watching TV, but he can't help himself.

What Is Just In Simon's Head?

Simon starts to see things or remember things a little oddly and quite negatively. He sees all people who carry out negative actions towards him as being the same guy, even though it's not. Through his Mom's friend which may or may not be a real person, he finds out that even his Mom thinks he's weird or different, and he takes this to heart. He remembers certain events that embarrassed him or made him feel stupid and replays them in his head. These different events which he sees in a very negative way start adding up to an even more miserable life for him.

But he likes that girl. The next scenes near the beginning where he talks to the girl at length may not be real at all if you ask me. This includes the first suicide scene, the scene where he talks to the police and the girl, and the scene after that in the cafe talking to her. These scenes are simply Simon's thoughts. He is imagining what would happen if he were to kill himself and what the girl might think of him at this point.

The scene when he talks to the girl on the street after the suicide portrays one negative side where she simply doesn't know him at all. The scene after that when they talk in the cafe portrays another option where she thought he was stalking her. This scene also includes foreshadowing of his thoughts to move into her apartment building. The cafe scene also shows a more positive possibility and how he might hope she would be around him if things were to go well with her if he ever talked to her. She says "Thanks for this.", smiles at him, and acts like they are on a regular date. Much of what she says in the film to "Simon" here and in later scenes is simply Simon's thoughts about what he either thinks or wishes that she thinks of the real Simon personality.

What Is Really Going On In Real Life?

But up to this point he never really talks to the girl in real life at work, even though he has gone to her to make copies for him a couple times. She probably doesn't know who he is. But she might see him every once in awhile. He hides and watches her sometimes when she leaves work. He looks at her on the subway ride home. In his mind, time almost stops when he sees her, and all he sees is her. He sees her get off the subway when she goes to work. He isn't quite sure if she ever catches or sees him watching her or if she knows who he is. Of course, he watches her in the evenings in her apartment too, which is why he becomes a little obsessed with her.

Simon makes excuses in his head for why he hasn't tried to talk to the girl. One day maybe someone was moving some stuff onto the subway in front of him when he saw her get off so he couldn't. He exaggerates in his mind how many boxes they moved onto the subway, as this is his thoughts about what happened, not exactly as it happened. Then it's that he gets stuck too long checking into work. If it's not one thing then it's another, like the elevator door closing too quickly before he could get in with her. But even when he gets up the courage to go see her at work where she makes copies, he doesn't say anything to her except "Copy".

When And Why Does Simon Become James?

Simon decides to change and becomes what we see as James after he has a particularly horrible and embarrassing night. Remember he already hates his life and is beginning to see some things oddly. However, he is looking forward to going to the ball, even though it is required that all employees go. He wants to see the girl there, and maybe make his first move to talk to her or get to know her. But they don't let him in for some reason. He sees her inside but he gets escorted out of the ball and it's one of the worst nights of his life.

At the end of this scene he says "This is not me. This is not me." It's after this event that he goes a little more crazy and decides he's not going to live this crappy life anymore. That this is not who he really is, "A frumpy looking guy named Simon", as the waitress in his own head with his own thoughts, had put it. It's from here on out that he works to change his personality and become James. But he always feels like he's kind of watching James from his old self and his old personality. He acts more confidently and kind of like a jerk, but he knows he's not really himself. Later in the film he has a struggle between being this new personality James, or being himself, Simon.

Why Do We See Both Simon And James?

Many scenes after this we are seeing Simon's view of himself after becoming this new man. But there is not really 2 of him in the scenes since he is now really James. And sometimes he is really Simon, but getting thoughts from James. But we are seeing his struggle as he does the things in life to get ahead as the cool James, even though he's really not happy being this way. And Simon from this point is just his own thoughts about what he thinks about how he is now acting. And often people he talks to as Simon are probably also his own thoughts about what he thinks about James, and what he thinks other people would think about James.

How Does Simon Become James?

So he decides to make his life better. The scene after he gets escorted out of the ball has him seeing a guy go into the girl's building and then he goes to his telescope and sees the guy looks just like him. But scenes in the movie are not real, just a portrayal of what happened. In real life what happens is he rents another apartment above the girl's. This gets him even closer to the girl, and gives him a new place physically to separate himself and help him become this new more confident personality. He had already envisioned himself possibly committing suicide from this apartment even though it hadn't yet happened.

So the next morning he is trying to become James, and push his old personality Simon to the side. But in real life it's all just one guy. He hasn't quite made the transformation yet when the elevator door closes again, but opens back up this time, with the girl inside. But she does smile flirtingly at him, and he does get the nerve to really talk to her for the first time saying "I bought you a present, but I decided it wasn't appropriate."

But then his employee card, which metaphorically represents his Simon personality, is cut up and James is introduced at work. Again, it didn't literally happen exactly like that. It's a portrayal of his change from being Simon to being James. Or just creating that second personality. And he didn't literally faint in the office or talk to the guy with the moustache where he said "Don't you notice something about the new employee? Does he remind you of anyone?". That's his own thoughts in his mind, as are a lot of the future scenes with Simon in them. I don't want to get into what all exactly is real and not real. But the guy with the moustache could not be real at all and represent his own thoughts.

What Would James Do?

Remember how his life sucked and nobody knew who he was when he was Simon? Well that all changes. Now he's cool and confident. Now he acts in ways which get him noticed in every situation in his life he used to hate and get no respect. He tells the waitress at the cafe she better darned well get what he wants. He schmoozes with the boss and the boss not only remembers him but thinks he's the best employee ever. He hits on the boss's daughter. He gets a promotion at his job from the work his old personality Simon did. He kicks the Simon personality to the side, even though he still has the thoughts of Simon in his head. He feels like he is watching himself from the outside, and often doesn't like what he is doing as James.

Most importantly he starts to talk to and hit on the girl he likes. He has this new personality which the girl likes. Even though he's turning into James and acting in these new ways he doesn't always like it. He's still really Simon on the inside and he still has the Simon personality. He wants to be himself as Simon especially around the girl but whenever he does things don't go well. Simon isn't comfortable enough to talk with the girl so she leaves him at a restaurant. So James has to take over, going so far as to doing things that are mean and cruel to the girl. Simon doesn't like what James is doing, but being James is the only way he can get ahead in life and get the things he wished for when he was only Simon and wanted to kill himself.

Does He Choose Simon or James?

The rest of the movie is a struggle between his two personalities. I won't go through the rest of the movie to explain things that are happening, but I'll add one last thought. Maybe he is struggling to decide which personality he is going to kill. He has quite the decision. If he kills this new fake and arrogant James personality which he doesn't like, he might be back where he was with a miserable life as Simon. Or he can kill the Simon personality, which might mean he has decided to give up and end his own life as he had previously thought about near the beginning of the film.

The best case would be that he can stop being like Pinocchio, controlled using strings by James. To be himself as Simon and be a real person. But killing just James will not be easy, because he's now a part of him. He's going a little crazy and thinks these two personalities are two completely different people. James is trying to take over and it seems like he needs James' help to get the good things he wants from life, like a promotion at work and the girl. Is he even able to kill James without killing Simon too? What will he choose to do?

What Would You Choose?

I guess one reason that I was really interested in The Double was that I feel like it involved a guy who was struggling to improve his life. He was overwhelmed and in a depression, thinking about ending his life. He may have started trying to improve his personality and what he was doing in order to make his life better. In doing so, he may have created a separate personality which he felt wasn't himself, and started doing things which he normally wouldn't do. It's an interesting balance we need to achieve in life, trying to be our true selves while at the same time trying to improve our personality and our actions to get the things in life which make us happier or more successful. What will you choose to do?

November 29th, 2014

TextFile App

Tech, Tech Posts

TextFile - Notes Text Editor Notepad App

Simple, stylish and synced offline. Take notes everywhere.

Make your notes and lists simpler, faster, and synced offline. TextFile has a stylish modern look and a minimal aesthetic design, so you'll enjoy the time you spend writing and viewing all of your notes.

TextFile App - Download TextFile on the Google Play store. - Dropbox, Android

What Can You Use TextFile For?

  • Notes - Notes, project notes, reference notes, notebooks.
  • Lists - Lists, checklists, important info, things to remember.
  • Writing - Journal entries, blog posts, email drafts, letters.
  • Tasks - Tasks, to-do, projects, ideas, logbook.
  • Notepad - Sticky notes, notes pad, scratchpad.
  • Text - Text editor, plain text, edit text files.

Why Should You Use TextFile?

  • Stylish - Simple Android app with a stylish modern look and feel.
  • Simple - As simple and quick as pen and paper.
  • Synced - Automatically sync and edit notes online and offline. (*Dropbox.)
  • Compatible - Open, view, and backup text files on any computer.
  • Folders - Organize your notes in folders and subfolders. (*Dropbox, *Premium)
  • Unlimited - Make as many notes as you want. (*Dropbox, *Premium)

Where Can You Get TextFile?

  • TextFile is available on the Google Play Store.

What Features Does TextFile Have?

TextFile App - Notes Text Editor TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Simple

TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Auto Sync Dropbox TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Offline Editing

TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Folders TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Unlimited Notes

TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Easy Rename TextFile App - Notes Text Editor - Long Filenames

*Dropbox - Requires free Dropbox account
*Premium - Requires TextFile Premium upgrade

TextFile App - Take notes everywhere. Simple, stylish, and synced offline. Download TextFile on the Google Play store now! - Dropbox, Android

What Does Thinkist Mean?

Life, Life Posts

Thinkist is a made up word that the founder of Life Thinkist came up with. The term thinkist was coined to describe a person with a certain set of philosophies about life.

In my mind, someone who is a thinkist is a person that is interested in improving their life, getting things done, setting goals, and learning to be happier. Without hearing the definition before, you might know if you are a thinkist or not, or maybe if you are starting to become one. Basically you are a thinker. And you use your thoughts to help you achieve what you want in your life.

Who Are Thinkists?

The word is also used for the website and to describe the people that might use the website or be interested in the type of tips, information, ideas, news, and apps that are talked about on the website. One idea was that people who use the website might even call themselves thinkists.

Improve your life, get things done, achieve what you want, and learn to be happier.

What Is The Definition?

When I thought of the word, a google search pretty much turned up only the quote "I'm the thinkist, you're the typist.", which of course is unrelated to our new definition. I was intrigued that the word hadn't really been used before, and was certainly not in the dictionary. I liked the word so much that I used it in naming the new Life Thinkist website. So then, what would be the actual definition for the word thinkist? What concept did I think was so important to both create a website about, and make a new word with a new definition? In May 2014 I defined a thinkist on the website as the following.

Thinkist - "A person who uses their thinking and thoughts to transform their life and the world around them for the better. Their thoughts propel them to ultimately take action towards making their vision come true." - Munro Stewart

The Philosophy Of A Thinkist

If you have found this website, you have probably started to become interested in learning about some of the same topics that I have been fascinated with. Things like life improvement, getting things done, happiness, goal setting, productivity, lifehacking, and simplicity. You may have already read some of the same books, articles, and information. You might have used some of the same software or apps to help you in your life. Or maybe this website is one of the first places you have come, and you can use it as a resource to become a thinkist and achieve what you want in your life. Being a thinkist is more of a philosophy on life and a term used to describe many of the things I have learned about life over the years. In coming up with the word, one possible goal is that it grows and becomes popular to mean something to people when they hear it. To kind of popularize a certain set of philosophies or principles about life and achieving what you want in the world.

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve…Man may become the master of himself, and of his environment, because he has the power to influence his own subconscious mind” - Napoleon Hill - Think and Grow Rich

The History Of Thinkists

I can't contribute the term thinkist to any one particular place. Really this idea comes from ideas and principles written about in so many books and by so many great people who have discovered truths about how you can be proactive and achieve what you want in this world. Some people have set out to learn about and teach about this stuff. People like Stephen Covey, David Allen, and Leo Babauta. While others naturally use these principles to gain great happiness or achieve great success, possibly without even knowing about the principles they've unintentionally used to do what they have done. People like Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, and Mahatma Ghandi have used the tools of a thinkist whether they know it or not. And maybe you have, or someone you know. If it were up to me, the term would evolve and not just be attributed to one person, book, or idea that I have read. With that said, I believe the author Napolean Hill is certainly one of the first well known people to write with such great clarity about a lot of the philosophies that I think of when I came up with the word thinkist. And for me, Think and Grow Rich would probably be one of the most important books I have read on the subject if I had to name just one.

Thinkists Keep Their Mind Open

However, the goal of being a thinkist or coming up with the word isn't to become a doctrine that is too rigid with a specific set of rules. Many people can be considered a thinkist, even if their idea of what it means to be a thinkist is slightly different.

All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns...Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own. - Bruce Lee - Tao of Jeet Kune Do

October 13th, 2014

The 7 Steps To Set And Achieve Goals

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Set and Achieve Your Goals and Dreams: 7 Essential Steps

When it really comes down to reaching goals, or doing anything else in this world, I think you need to know what steps to take. There is so much information out there about how to set and achieve your goals and dreams. But I believe we need to focus on exactly what to do, and less on how or why to do something.

So with that in mind, these are what I have found to be the 7 most important actual steps that you need to take when trying to accomplish any goal, reach any dream, or make any change in your life. We're talking the nuts and bolts of exactly what to do to get things done. Whether it is a dream as huge as climbing a mountain, a goal as big as writing a book, a weekend project like painting the deck, or a task as small as getting milk at the grocery store.

Outline

  • Introduction
  • 1) Choose one goal
  • 2) Write it down
  • 3) Visualize it
  • 4) Create a habit
  • 5) Talk about it
  • 6) Imagine ideas
  • 7) Create a log
  • Extra Tip - Enjoy it
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Dream big dreams. Believe all things are possible. - Unknown

I have read some important books on reaching goals including Think and Grow Rich, The Alchemist, The Magic of Thinking Big, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Atlas Shrugged, and Getting Things Done. I have gathered a lot of information from all of the books and countless articles I have read on the subject. I've been pretty obsessed with this stuff and enjoy reading and learning about how to reach your goals, achieve your dreams, get things done, and improve your life.

I have tried many different methods, advice, tips, and tricks to reach your dreams and achieve your goals. I have used trial and error from many amazing writers to find out what really works. The result is that I have found these steps to be the most essential actions to take when trying to reach a goal, complete a task, or make any change in your life and in the lives of others. These are the 7 key steps which have allowed me to set and achieve goals and dreams. I believe and hope they will work for you as well.

1) Choose one goal

Decide on one specific goal that is important to you.

In order to reach a goal you need to decide on exactly what you really want. To do this, you can come up with some ideas of goals you would like to achieve by making a list. But after you brainstorm a number of goals, it is very important that you choose just one goal you really want to achieve. If you do not prioritize and focus on what is truly important to achieve in your life, you will be distracted by less important trivialities that life throws at you.

If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both. - Native American Saying

So I suggest you choose a single goal or dream that is most important to you now. Decide that you will focus on this one goal above all else because it is the most important thing in your life right now to you. With that said, you can continually evaluate and tweak this goal. You might not know exactly what you want when you start out. That is ok. The important thing is to choose something to start working on.

If you set your goal too high to begin with or you decide the original goal you set is not exactly what you want, do not be afraid to change your goal slightly. If you get going and realize this isn't really the goal you want to work on now, you can even completely change and work on a different one that you can truly commit to and put your heart into. But find and decide on the one goal that is important to you and commit to focus on it with all of your energy.

2) Write it down

Write your goal down in a single sentence on paper.

When setting a goal, you should first decide on exactly what you want to achieve. After you have decided on your goal, write it down on paper. Make your goal very specific. Sure, keep a list of goals that you want to achieve on your computer. But for your most important goal write it down. Write it down on a piece of paper that you keep in your pocket.

You can also write it down other places and post reminders about it everywhere. Your home, your office, a post-it note hanging off your computer monitor, on your bedroom alarm clock, taped on your bathroom mirror, written on a piece of paper used as a bookmark in the book you are reading, posted above the stove.

'Begin with the end in mind' is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There's a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things. - Stephen R. Covey - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

You can even rewrite it over and over each day in a notebook. And you can rewrite it once a week or whenever you need to. Change any words, details, or ideas you have added on your piece of paper. Tweak your goal as you continue to work towards it and decide what you want to achieve. Include words that inspire and motivate you.

But at least write it down somewhere. Write it in a single specific and descriptive sentence that you can memorize. But also write more details about it if possible about what your life will be like. Include details. How will your life be different? How will you feel? What exactly will you have?

  • Example - I will write a first draft of a short story and give it to 2 people by September 30th.

I personally like to also make a list of about the 7 most important reasons why I want to achieve the goal. A list of how my life or the lives of others will be different and better when I achieve the goal. But at the very least, write down your specific goal in a single sentence on a piece of paper that you keep in your pocket.

3) Visualize it

Read and visualize your written goal today and every day.

In order to visualize a goal you should first write a specific goal down in a single sentence on a piece of paper. Then simply grab that paper and read that sentence. Now, every day read that goal over and over again at least twice a day. Once when you get up in the morning, and once before you go to bed at night.

You can also read any of the details you wrote down about your goal and the reasons why you want to achieve the goal. And you can also read it more often during the day, maybe after eating lunch and dinner too. But at least read the one sentence goal twice a day, and preferably out loud.

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve...Man may become the master of himself, and of his environment, because he has the power to influence his own subconscious mind - Napoleon Hill - Think and Grow Rich

As you read your goal over and over again, think about it and visualize it coming true. No matter how big your goal is, believe with everything in your heart and soul that you will succeed and reach that goal.

Don't just think about it, but put your emotions into it. See what you will look like and feel like. Imagine as clearly as you can how your life will be better. Have faith that you will do this. Come up with ideas in your mind to reach your goal. Think about how your heroes would accomplish this goal. Think about what you will do today and tomorrow to reach this goal. Create a desire not just that you will do this, but that you must do this.

  • Example - I will read and visualize my goal every day when I wake up at 6:30am, and every evening before I go to bed at 10:30pm.

Humans can turn thoughts into action, and action into things. It's as simple as that. The point of reading and visualizing your goal as often as possible is to get you thinking about your goal constantly. To keep your goal in your mind and your thoughts. If you read and visualize your written goal every day you can achieve anything that you believe you can achieve.

So if you haven't actually tried it before, you really need to follow this advice and do it every day. Do it right now. Read and visualize your goal at least twice a day, every day, at the same time.

4) Create a habit

Take action towards your goal today and every day.

You need to find the time, any way you can, to make a daily habit to work towards your goal. I don't care what else is going on in your life. This can be as little as 10 minutes a day, but you need to do it every day. If you can work your way up to setting aside 1-2 hours every day to work towards your goal, all the better. One tip though. It is best to start extremely small with this habit, like 5 minutes a day. You will grow and develop the habit later through repetition.

A habit is any action you do every day at the same time and place. You will ultimately achieve your goals not just by thinking about them, but by taking daily action. - Munro Stewart

Most importantly, if you work on something every day for even a small amount of time, you will make gradual progress one day at a time. In my opinion, creating a single daily habit to work towards your goal is likely the most important step of all in achieving any significant goal. This is the step that often gets left out in self-help books, and it hasn't been written about enough in books or articles.

Why taking daily action works to achieve your goals or anything else you want, and how to create and keep a habit could be a whole article in itself. But here are a couple important things to remember. First of all, make a habit that you can do at the same time and place every day. And second, the habit should be the most important repeatable action you can take towards your goal. If you are writing a book, then actually writing should be your habit, not organizing your desk.

  • Example - I will spend 30 minutes writing at my desk at 7:30am every day after breakfast.

Basically devote 30 minutes to 2 hours a day to your goal by creating a daily habit to take action every day. It is also worth noting that just as with your goal you will want to adapt and change your habit as you go along. Now, get out that piece of paper that you wrote your goal down on. Write down your daily habit along with that goal. You need to create a daily habit to take action towards your goal every day, and writing it down will help you follow through with this step.

5) Talk about it

Talk about your goal with someone every day or once a week.

You need to create what is called a mastermind group, and tell at least one other person about your goal. Preferably this will be someone who might have an interest in the goal and be able to contribute ideas. Get professional help if you need it, and talk with a coach at least once a week about your goal. Not only can you get help from other people, but maybe more importantly you can get ideas from them. So make sure to listen intently to what others say while you are talking about your goal with them. This is all about thinking about your goal constantly and getting ideas from anywhere you can.

The 'Master Mind' may be defined as: 'Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose. - Napoleon Hill - Think and Grow Rich

Preferably, just like all of the other steps, you will talk about your goal every day. However, because this step depends on other people, this may not be possible, especially to start. So, if you don't think you can talk about your goal every day, decide to at least talk about it with one person at least once a week. And schedule that talk.

  • Example - I will phone Jim to talk with him about my goal every Sunday at 10:00am after exercising.

While talking about your goal is most important, you may also want to write about your goal, which is basically just recorded talking on paper. Writing about your goal is a very powerful tool, and can be used in place of talking if you can't find someone to talk to. So if you can't find someone to talk to even once a week, you should journal or write about your goal instead to start.

You can write publicly if you really want. But keeping a dated journal with your thoughts is probably even better because it allows you to write freely, more like talking. You could also write emails or letters about it once in a while by telling those friends or people in your mastermind group about your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and progress about your goal.

  • Example - I will write thoughts and ideas about my goal for 5 minutes every day at 6:30pm after dinner.

The more you talk about your goal and write about your goal, the more you are thinking about your goal. The more you think about your goal, the more ideas you will get to help you reach it. Your goal will literally come to shape in real life if you talk about it with other people, write about it, and think about it constantly. Realize just how important this step is.

If you can find the time to write freely about your goal, definitely do so. But even more importantly, try to talk with people about your goal as much as possible, especially people who might have an interest in that goal or give you ideas to help you reach that goal. And at the very least, make sure to at least schedule a weekly appointment with someone who you can talk to about your goal.

6) Imagine ideas

Think about ideas to reach your goal and write them down.

If you follow the advice above you will be deciding on a goal, writing it down possibly daily, visualizing and reading it aloud daily, creating a daily action habit to work on it every day, and talking or writing about your goal every day. While you are doing any of these steps you will be thinking about your goal every day and ideas, plans, or tasks to do to reach your goal will come to you. I find a huge number of my ideas and plans come while I am performing my daily habit for the goal.

Here is a basic truth: To do anything, we must first believe it can be done. Believing something can be done sets the mind in motion to find a way to do it. - David J. Schwartz - Magic of Thinking Big

Here's the next step. When ideas for how to reach your goal come to you during any of the other steps here, write them down. And you may also want to commit to another 5 or 10 minute brainstorming session each day to think about and prioritize ideas or steps to take to reach your goal. You need to take time to ponder and think about your goal in solitude. You need to come up with ideas of what you should do next to help you achieve your goal.

I have found that a good place to write down these ideas or tasks is on the back side of the piece of paper you wrote down your goal and habit. You'll get chicken scratch on there which is fine. It will make you keep your idea list small enough to fit on a single piece of paper. You will rewrite them often to prioritize a task or a mini goal that you are currently working on.

It will force you to start on a new piece of paper once in a while, maybe even once a week. When you do that you can not only rewrite the ideas you want to keep on there, but rewrite your goal and habit too, which is great. If you prefer to keep a separate piece of paper for these ideas, or even keep them as a list on a computer, that would work too.

  • Example - I will think about ideas to help me reach my goal for 5 minutes every day at 12:30pm after lunch. I will write down any good ideas whenever they come to me.

If you want to take this a step further, you may also want to write down your most important task or tasks for today. The tasks or mini goal that you will work on today as part of your daily action habit. Doing this is not necessary, but it is an extra step you could do, depending on the type of goal you are working on. Maybe you decide while thinking about your goal that you will lift 50 pounds on one exercise machine today instead of 40 pounds. Or that you will finish your book's second chapter, of which you are 80 percent done so far.

  • Example - I will write down my most important task or mini goal for today at 6:40am after visualizing my goal.

So don't worry about coming up with the perfect plan of all 20 tasks and the correct order to do them to achieve your goal. Focus much more on what you are doing today, thinking about your goal every day, and actually taking action with your daily habit. Your plans will change hundreds or thousands of times, sometimes all within a single day while you are working towards your goal. You don't even have to write it all down because you will constantly be thinking about what to do next while doing your daily visualizing, daily action habit, and daily talking.

But do spend some time thinking about what to do next; what to do today and tomorrow for your action habit. Maybe even write down your most important task you will do today for your daily habit. And when good ideas or thoughts come to you about your goal, write them down somewhere to help you remember them. But most importantly, take time to think about your goal and imagine ideas that will help you reach your goal.

7) Create a log

Log your daily habit by placing positive check marks on a calendar.

The most important step in this list is creating a daily habit where you take action towards your goal. Now you need to log your daily habit by putting a single check mark on a paper calendar on the day you complete this habit. The calendar should probably be hanging on the wall by your bed, on the wall by your computer, or even in a pocket calendar or hand drawn paper calendar in your pocket if possible. Similarly to your written goal, your calendar needs to be somewhere that you look at it every day at multiple times during the day.

"It is important to keep track of what you have accomplished, and feel good about it. A check mark on a calendar is the simplest way to remember and log your habits and achievements." - Munro Stewart

The objective with your daily habit is to create a habit which will become easy and enjoyable for you to do most days. And the goal with this calendar log of your daily habit is to feel good about what you have done and help you remember to build your habit.

It is better to make a super easy habit. Decide on just 5 minutes of sitting at your desk to write to start. It is better to be lenient on yourself. If you don't even write, but still sit at your desk thinking, still put a check mark. It is better to build on the habit and repeat it as often as you can. Place 3 check marks if you do it for 15 minutes one day. Or place 2 check marks if you not only do it at 7:30am in the morning but also do it again later in the day at 5:30pm. Heck, place 2 check marks on a day you made extra progress, or even a day in which you found it was really difficult to get in the 5 minutes but you still did it.

  • Example - I will place a check mark on my paper calendar right after completing my habit each day.

Make it a game to get as many check marks on that calendar as you can, and make sure you feel good about it every time you do it. Repetition will also help build your habit. Two short periods of time can be even better than one large period of time when building a habit. So, it can't get much easier than this. You don't need to keep a long journal or do a weekly review. Just create that habit by spending the time to take action towards your goal today. Then, right after you do your habit or take that action towards your goal, place a check mark on a paper calendar to log what you have done.

Extra Tip - Enjoy it

Make sure you enjoy the daily habit and the journey.

I believe from all the reading and research I have done that people are not born geniuses. And they are certainly not born with a list of accomplishments already done. People achieve great things, and even simple things, because they enjoy them and truly desire to achieve them. Michael Jordan most likely loved getting better at basketball and winning basketball games. Mick Jagger created and performed great music because he had fun doing it. Abraham Lincoln took pride in influencing people to make the world a better place. Bill Gates loved technology and used his intelligence to make a lot of money, but also to improve the lives of many people across the world.

I believe that people I look up to found a merger between goals and happiness. They are driven not just because they found a goal that they really wanted with all their heart and believed they could achieve. But even more importantly, they found habits that they enjoyed doing and which made them happy. They used that joy as their motivation to achieve great accomplishments in this world.

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. - Greg Anderson

So enjoy the daily activities that you complete as you work towards your goal. Get excited. Have fun. Take pride in what you are doing. Make sure you choose a habit that you can actually feel good about while you are doing it, and after you have done it. You can also reward yourself once in a while in other ways when you complete a tough habit or want to pat yourself on the back. But there is nothing like the intrinsic motivation you get when you feel good while doing something.

If you think you just need better will power, or motivation, or determination, you might find that you only end up winning a few battles, but lose the war. If you do not get satisfaction out of what you are doing, you may find you ultimately give up when trying to reach your goals. You need to enjoy the journey. Be present. Take pride in what you have done, even the tiny steps like working on something for 5 minutes. If you hate what you are doing, why do it anyway? Pick something else. Pick a habit that you can enjoy, and a goal that you can feel good about and really want to see come true.

Conclusion

If you are thinking of following any of this advice realize that it will be very tough at times and may take quite a bit of hard work and time. Life is not easy and the goals we are talking about are not easy. You will temporarily fail many times, fall, be beaten up, feel like quitting, cry, and stumble through hurdles you did not expect in trying to reach your goals and dreams.

That is why it is important to find some daily satisfaction in what you are doing, or you won't have the determination and desire to continue on your journey. Just start with step one, take it one step at a time, and enjoy the journey. I’d also say practice and use this set of steps with smaller goals and tasks like getting groceries or planning a weekend in order to build your confidence and prove to yourself that this works. These aren't just steps to achieve big goals. I have found that these steps are proven to work to get anything done in this world.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao Tzu

Turning your thoughts into action works if you want to change anything about yourself or the world, big or small. If you really want something with all of your heart it’s what you think and believe that matter. You then take action every day to turn what you see in your mind’s thoughts into something in real life. The steps above allow you to do just that and achieve whatever you desire. You are in control of your life, your goals, your dreams, and your destiny. And you can do this.

September 15th, 2014

Goals And Dream For Life Thinkist

Life, Life Posts

I love reading and learning about the following subjects and feel I've learned a great deal about them.

  • Life Improvement
  • Goal Setting and Habits
  • Productivity and Task Management
  • Lifehacking and Software
  • Simplicity and Minimalism
  • Happiness and Positivity
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Simple Finances and Independence

There are a lot of great websites and resources out there for learning about these topics. Essentially places for learning about how to live life. One thing I've noticed is that there is so much information out there that it can be hard to find the good stuff. That is a gap that Life Thinkist hopes to at least help fill.

One main goal of Life Thinkist will be to find links to the best articles out there. Life Thinkist may not provide really long commentary other than maybe a paragraph or a sentence to many links and articles. It's a place to come to in order to find the great news and resources out there on life improvement written by many great writers. We still may provide some longer features written here because I also have some ideas myself that I may sometimes feel inspired to write about. But these longer features will probably be infrequent, and the main goal will be to provide the best news and links that are out there.

Another thing I've noticed is that the subject of "Life Improvement" or "Productivity" isn't really thought of as "News". Subjects like sports, entertainment, and technology all have such a strong following with popular blogs which provide news. Whereas with life improvement blogs, many of the websites are one person magazine type blogs with articles written by one person. I absolutely love many of these magazine blogs by all kinds of amazing writers. I read them all the time. But I wondered if we couldn't get some more useful and helpful life improvement information out to people if we thought of all of these blogs more as news.

So one crazy goal for Life Thinkist is to make "Life Improvement", or just "Life", a news topic. To be a source to find the best of all the great news, articles, blogs, books, and other resources out there on life improvement and the above topics. And though it sounds like a crazy dream, to ultimately help improve not just people's lives but humanity as a whole. Maybe by making life improvement more like news and simpler for people, we can get more people interested in reading about it and finding little tips that they can actually use to help transform and improve their life and the world around them.

Thirdly, Life Thinkist is going to try to make people feel at least a part of a community as we learn together. Life Thinkist will try to provide a place that people enjoy coming to because they know that the creators and the other people who read it are there for a similar passion and reason. I don't know if Life Thinkist will ever grow to become much of a community other than a few comments. But I do know a big goal is to create a community of people around Life Improvement news and information, and to try to bring these people with a similar interest the best news and links on life improvement.

I don't know how long this website will last and I expect the goal for the website may change over time if it does last awhile. If it becomes successful enough to gain some loyal readers then I'm hoping that the website will grow and adapt with the readers and the community that supports it. I hope to listen to the community and anyone who becomes interested in the website so that I can find news, links, articles, information, and other resources that are useful and interesting to people who are interested in life improvement. At the same time, I know the subjects that I'm interested in and Life Thinkist will adapt with what I find interesting as well.

So the goal of Life Thinkist is to be a source which provides people with links to the best news, information, and articles on improving your life, getting things done, and learning how to be happy. We also hope to provide a community where people can have an intelligent discussion about these topics. Please enjoy the website and make comments on any of the articles so that we can build a community around improving our lives, getting things done, and learning to be happier.

May 2nd, 2014

12.9 Inch iPad Rumors And Future Devices

Tech, Tech Posts

I wonder if the rumour about the 12.9 inch iPad might not be the whole story, or even the correct story. There is a good chance the rumor is correct. However, here are a few possibilities I thought up of what Apple could do. Maybe this is more wishful thinking on my own part. Ideas that have been going on in my mind of what could happen next with iOS, tablets, laptops, and mobile computers.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, I think it's possible that smaller 8 and 7 inch tablets could become much more popular. If that happens, 10 inch and larger tablets could fall out of favour. Or more likely, the role of the laptop and tablet could change for some people, and merge into a single device. So, what are some other options of what the 12.9 inch iPad rumour could really be? And what are some options that Apple could consider in the future for the design of iPads, MacBooks, and other portable computers.

1. A New iPad With Built-in Keyboard. iBook?

Could it be possible that Apple has seen how popular keyboard accessories are for the iPad? Maybe they feel an extra accessory is a poor experience and they could offer a larger "iPad" which is actually a laptop? What I'm saying is this would not be either an iPad or a convertible tablet. It would simply be a laptop form factor with a keyboard that cannot be disconnected. A 13 inch laptop with a keyboard that runs iOS. It could be superlight. It would have crazy battery life. If they kept the same resolution it would still have a PPI of 200, which isn't perfect but is still much higher than laptops. They could even bring back the old name of the "iBook".

Separately, what if even though a keyboard was attached you could still stand the computer on its side to put it in portrait. You could swivel the keyboard backward and behind the device so it stands up with the display facing you. The keyboard would be at the rear of the device and turned off. You could kind of lay it in your lap in portrait mode too. Maybe it would allow the full yoga form factor where you can also swivel it all the way around. Though I bet Apple might not do that unless they had a second LCD where the keyboard normally is so it doesn't feel weird holding it with the keys facing out. I wouldn't expect an LCD keyboard/touchpad with better predictive text input at this point yet.

2. A MacBook Air With Retina Display

So Apple is making a 12.9 inch iPad and people assume it must be true. Maybe it's as simple as that. However, what if it is "just" the next version of the MacBook Air with a retina display. Both changing the display size to make it a little smaller than the 13.3 inch version, and offering only one display size could be a possibility instead of the 11 inch version. Maybe a bit of bigger redesign and some new features is also possible. I'm not sure if the MacBook Air ever really had a big redesign since it was introduced in 2008.

3. A MacBook Air With Touch Screen

Many people would say this is very unlikely and I suppose it is. However, I still think it's very possible that touch screens will come to all laptop and mobile computers. Yes, it's uncomfortable to reach out and touch a desktop monitor like Windows 8 tried to get you to do. But reaching to touch a laptop screen that is on your lap or just above it on a desk makes sense.

4. A Macbook With A New Touch Centric OS X

What if Apple does like the idea of using touch on laptops but not on desktops? How would they make this happen without the poor experience of just slapping a touch screen on top of regular desktop Mac OS X? One option could be to slightly change Mac OS X to make a laptop version that is touch centric. They could allow regular Mac OS X applications to still run on these new touch screen MacBooks. But a new UI specification would be created for laptop applications kind of like how iOS for iPad was slightly different from the UI of the iPhone. Eventually developers would write to this new UI type and all desktop OS X applications would be written in it. This would be a way of making Mac OS X able to support touch on laptops without adding support for a touch screen to iMacs and Mac displays, while improving the UI of Mac OS X to be more touch friendly and like iOS.

5. A Macbook With OS X On ARM

Not that all of these aren't unlikely, but this guess is probably very unlikely this early on. It will happen at sometime probably though. The title pretty much says it all. My guess is Apple will probably port and release Mac OS X on ARM now that ARM is 64 bit. If and when that happens it will be a big deal, like when they switched from Power PC to Intel. So that announcement would really be the important one and would possibly supersede the announcement of a 12.9 Macbook with OS X on ARM.

6. A MacBook Air With Both OS X And iOS On ARM

Even crazier, they could have the next version of the MacBook Air run both OS X and iOS. In this case, the new MacBook Air would obviously have a touch screen. A button on the keyboard or a gesture could switch between OS X and iOS. Maybe tilting the screen back to a certain degree could switch it to iOS. And maybe like in my first guess you could stand the device on its side and when you turn it beyond 180 degrees to this portrait mode it automatically switches to iOS mode.

Conclusion

So the rumour was a 12.9 inch iPad, possibly with a 4K resolution. But I have found that people often take some of these rumours as being all or nothing. Sometimes a rumour has been possibly right about something but missing the exact result. These are some possible guesses I had of things Apple could possibly do that involve a 12.9 inch screen. All these are just guesses and thoughts but the rumour of a 12.9 inch made me think of these. Wouldn't it be cool if I somehow guessed the way they go with any of these?

Rumor: Apple considering 12.9-inch iPads with 2K and 4K resolutions for 2014 launch

Does An Easier Life Mean Lower Intelligence?

Soul, Soul Posts

Is it possible that the easier that life gets for humans or any species, the more likely their intelligence is to decrease?

Dogs are not very smart compared to humans obviously. They are playful and friendly. This could come from the fact that their lives have become very easy. At least most of the dogs that I mostly see, which are pets, do not have to fight for their survival, or work to get food or shelter.

If my theory is correct, then it would be unlikely that dogs which are pets would improve their intelligence, but are basically getting less intelligent as they are currently evolving. They have no need to increase their intelligence. All of their needs are taken care of. Maybe an easier life generally means that a species or animal gets friendlier and less intelligent. A harder life overall could force a species or animal to become more intelligent to survive.

I would think humans currently have an easier life now than at any time in history. I believe we also have an easier life by far than any wild animals that we don't keep as pets or keep captive for our food or other reasons. Maybe us humans as a whole could have a tough time continuing to improve our intelligence because our lives have become easier. We are possibly becoming more playful and friendly like pet dogs.

I don't think our intelligence is decreasing right now overall compared to the history of the world. It is absolutely amazing what humans have accomplished and learned in the last 200 years. I think our intelligence has increased dramatically in that time. I wonder if that will continue and if the world will keep giving us new challenges to overcome to force us to increase our intelligence.

February 13th, 2014

Reasons To Keep Notes In Text Files

Life, Life Posts

Why would you choose to use text files for notes and lists instead of using a notes app? There are a number of advantages to writing your notes in simple .txt files using a text editor.

Keeping notes and lists in text files might not be everyone's cup of tea. But here are a few of the key reasons why I have kept a lot of notes, lists, tasks, journals, and other information in regular old text files.

1. Open Anywhere and No Data Lock-In

What's great about using .txt files for notes and lists is that you can open the files literally on any device. You don't have to worry about having the app or web app to open your files and read your information. You don't have to worry about your information being locked into a file format, operating system, or website that you can't get it out of. With Evernote, you need to use their apps and their apps only. They hold your data hostage, and if they decided now not to offer a free version, you'd either have to pay whatever they said to pay for it or be out of luck with all of your data.

2. Future Proof and Company Independent

You can open text files on any device, both now and way in the future. Text doesn't depend on a single company or piece of software existing to support a file format or web service. Plus, if you ever find or build a working time machine, you could even open a text file on a computer from 30 years ago. Though I don't know why you'd want to go back to the 80's. Before Google Keep, Google had Google Notes and they completely terminated it leaving people kind of helpless if they had used it. They came out with Google Keep, an extremely similar product, years later.

3. Simple, Like Writing on Paper

You don't need to use complicated software or worry about formatting when you use text. Remember, we used to just write things on pieces of paper. Think simple like that. I love software, but it's also amazing how complicated we ended up making it. Think of the difference from a pencil, eraser, and a piece of paper compared to Microsoft Word. It's crazy, because often what is really important is just the information, the text.

4. Text is Text, Words are Words

Writing in text files is more like writing on paper. You write exactly what you want and you don't worry about formatting. You can pass that text file literally anywhere like you would a book. You can copy it into anything and it looks exactly the same. You can open up the file and it looks exactly like how you wrote it. Open up a .html file or a .docx file in a text editor to see what is really in there.

Always bet on text

5. Actual Files, Sync, and Backup

Text files are actual files that can be saved, opened, synced, and backed up anywhere like mp3s, jpgs, or doc files. So not only can you open them up anywhere, but they exist on your computer, devices, USB drives, or hard drives. You own them. It's not just out there on the Internet somewhere. However, because they are files you can also still sync and access your text notes online using online storage services like Dropbox. Online storage services are great for keeping notes in text files because they allow you to sync your actual files both online and offline, so you stay in control of your own data and information.

6. Quick Entry of Notes and Lists

If you've typically used online services like Evernote, you might consider trying text files first as a quicker option for an inbox or notepad of sorts. Some people just like using a simpler app to jot down notes and lists in text files. Even if they use a more serious app for bigger reference material which includes pictures, audio, and document formatting. Text files are more like a paper notebook that you can quickly write down notes, lists, journals, tasks, or any information you want. It's a lot quicker to edit text files because text editors are much simpler pieces of software than Microsoft Word and other online alternatives for writing formatted notes.

February 5th, 2014

Why The 10 Inch Tablet Could Be Dying

Tech, Tech Posts

Steve Jobs was quoted as saying 'I think PCs are going to be like trucks. Fewer people will need them.' It seems to be happening. However, in my mind there has been a significant evolution of the tablet landscape in the first 4 years since the iPad's introduction. And I believe this may have a bigger impact than we currently realize on what role tablets and PCs will play for people in the future, and what other PCs or devices we may use.

It might be obvious at this point, but to me it's looking more and more like tablets that you can easily hold in one hand will become the future of tablets, while larger tablets will merge with laptops and also include a detachable or even an attached keyboard. This means tablets of about 8 or 9 inches, but not nearly as wide as the original 9.7 inch iPad. And certainly not larger screen sizes of 12 or 14 inches that are used for laptops with keyboards built-in. Instead, these larger 10 to 14 inch tablets will merge with laptops, while tablets of 8 or 9 inches will really be the largest pure tablet size. Again, phones and pure tablets will be devices you can hold comfortably in one hand. Larger "tablets" or laptops will more likely include a keyboard, unlike the original 9.7" iPad.

If this happens, it could mean that a tablet may not be as good at completely replacing a PC or laptop as some people were hoping. Basically, as smaller tablets become more popular, it becomes more likely that more people may also need a laptop or desktop PC with a keyboard, even if it also includes a touch screen like a tablet. Meaning, the small tablet may not be their only device, and may not have a large enough screen and keyboard to do everything they need their main computer to do.

When the 9.7 inch iPad was created we couldn't have known exactly how it was going to be used. What all could you use it for? What couldn't you use it for? Would it replace a laptop? Would you use a keyboard? How easy would it be to hold in one hand? If tablets are cars, maybe the original 9.7 inch iPad could be the Ford Model T. Not changed significantly for a while but eventually being phased out. Maybe a better comparison would be the large-sized cars of the 60s to 90s that many people drove. Those models of cars are still useful but were eventually replaced for everyone by smaller cars. Maybe this happened when it was realized that if you didn't have a truck or a minivan, that the extra bit of room didn't bring much value over a slightly smaller and cheaper car for what you needed it to do.

There are many reasons why 8 inch tablets that you can hold easier may become the de facto standard and 10 inch tablets will become much less used. The success of 7 inch Android tablets. The ease of use of smaller e-book readers. The introduction of the iPad mini with retina display. The failure of Windows 8 to create the everything laptop and tablet hybrid with one unified operating system. The rumours about the next versions of Windows putting more emphasis on the desktop interface again, presumably for laptops and desktops. The fact that Google has not tried to make Android a desktop OS. The trend for phones with much larger screen sizes so that people might not need a phone and a tablet. Maybe most importantly, having a tablet, phone, or other mobile devices you can easily hold and carry in one hand has turned out to have many advantages over larger tablets like the original iPad with its 10 inch 4:3 screen.

It might not be exactly what Steve Jobs wanted, but sometimes you just can't know how people will use what you create. It often evolves and through trial, error, and use by actual people you mold it into something useful. Turns out, that new mold might be a slightly smaller 8 inch tablet that can fit in your hand, or a larger "tablet" that is more like a laptop computer and has a physical keyboard. And with a keyboard and a larger screen you are blurring the lines between whether it is a car, or is actually a truck that is just easier to use.

So if I'm correct, we've found out by trial and error between Apple, Microsoft, and Google what the best size of a tablet is. You can hold it in your hand easily and type on it with your thumbs. To me, the biggest effect of this is that more people who tried to buy 10 inch iPad tablets or 12 inch Windows 8 tablets as a do it all laptop replacement will start to buy more 8 inch tablets. Many of these people will still need a truck. A laptop or a desktop PC with a screen larger than 8 inches, and a keyboard and stand built-in. It will likely include a touch screen like a tablet and simpler software like a tablet. But with a larger screen and an attached keyboard it might be just as much a laptop as it is a tablet, or just as much a truck as it is a car.

Siri Should Integrate Text Search

Tech, Tech Lines

I wish that Siri and Spotlight search were integrated so that holding the home button was just "Search".

Notes

  • It would bring up a search text box at the top and Siri at the bottom so you could search by text or voice depending on what you wanted to use.
  • It would search both your device and the web when you are connected to the internet, but only search your device and use better voice control options when you aren't.

Thoughts On Software Updates And Google Apps

Tech, Tech Posts

Even though we get used to the fast paced way that software gets updated, it can be hard to understand at times. Sometimes I look at some decisions on software support and wonder why it's so different than other industries. I wonder why it has to continue to move so quickly and not allow for standards that can be agreed upon or last long enough to become common, platforms that exist for more than about 3 years, devices that exist for more than about 2 years, or software that exists in a similar form for more than about 1 year. For instance, the following.

Google Apps has dropped support for IE9. IE 9 was released on March 14th, 2011, just 2 and a half years ago. IE9 isn't even installed on Windows 7, but is an upgrade to IE 8. And Windows 7 is the most used OS in the world and was released on October 22nd 2009, just 4 years ago. What this means is that over 90% of the people who have a PC or notebook need to update their built in web browser to run Google Apps. Forget about people on even older operating systems like Windows XP, who can't update their browser to IE 10.

I understand that software within an OS, and even an OS can often be updated easily and freely. And even operating systems are now being updated freely and somewhat easily in many cases. Both Windows Update and App Stores on mobile devices were great advances in the software industry. But why is everyone being "forced" to update so quickly?

Being a tech junkie and software developer I like new features, getting new software, and playing around with cool new apps. But even for me, the speed at which software is getting updated is now creating more negatives than positives in many cases.

Why do standards and platforms have to change so often? Why can't the computer that you or your grandma bought last year with Windows 7 and IE 8 work to run Google Apps and other websites properly? Why do you or her "have" to update to a new browser, which is essentially a built in OS for the web, just to make sure your online email works correctly?

Being a tech junkie and software developer I like new features, getting new software, and playing around with cool new apps. But even for me, the speed at which software is getting updated is now creating more negatives than positives in many cases. It's just moving too quickly to be useful at times, where you "have" to update and can't even choose to use your older software and apps that worked fine. Apps that ran quickly on your device, that had no new bugs introduced, did everything you needed, and that you had learned to use all of its features easily because the interface didn't change.

So I can understand what normal people think. People that bought a new PC a year ago. People who log in to check their email and see that not only has their email completely changed its interface and features, which is frustrating enough. But that they also need to update their "browser" just for it to work. The result is that their email runs slowly now because IE 11 is on their old computer, and that they can't figure out how to reply to an email because the interface and features have all changed. Or worse yet, they need to get a new computer just to check their email properly.

Google Apps dropping support for IE9

2013 NBA Slam Dunk Competition

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I thought the NBA slam dunk competition was excellent again this year, as long as you turned off the volume. The announcers were easily the worst part of it for me, but other than them I enjoyed it. There was a lot of great dunks even in the early rounds. And the best part was that it finished really strong which sometimes doesn't happen. The two finalists had great dunks ready to go in the final round and pretty much nailed each of them. Was a lot of fun to watch. I thought Jeremy Evans jumping over the picture was great. And Terrence Ross's final two dunks were both great, including the one off the backboard with the Vince Carter jersey. Excellent night of slam dunking again this year if you ask me.

Bill Russell Basketball Story

Play, Play Posts

Quick story from Bill Russell, the great NBA player who won 11 championships. He was asked by a reporter about what it would be like to play in the NBA with the current generation of players. The game has changed a lot and there are a lot of great players with great abilities. The reporter asked "If you were playing today how many points a game would you get now?" Russell replied "Probably about 10 points per game". The reporter said "Wow, just 10 points a game, because the game has changed so much and there are so many talented players now?" Russell said "Well I am 75 years old now".