The Muse

Life circumstances have kept me away from the blog. My apologies.

A few posts ago, I wondered if the new iPod Shuffle would become Apple’s own version of the MemoryStick. Proprietary technology has its place, but when you’re dealing with memory or headphones, it’s best to play nice. In the last issue of MacWorld, Dan Moren has similar misgivings:

Alas, no more. The decision to put the controls on the headphones means that unless Apple opens up the controls to third parties, you can’t even play music on the iPod without using Apple’s own earbuds. What happens if, as is also not unheard of, Apple’s stock earbuds break? Your iPod is completely useless until you get another pair of approved headphones. This is not Sparta, this is madness.

        

fowlerjk business, commentary apple, usability

I spend a lot of my day looking at a computer display — like most of you, I imagine. One of many considerations when spending a lot of time in front of a computer is eyestrain. Rest breaks (10 seconds looking at a far-off object every 10 minutes, for example) are good practice, and there are plenty of widgets and programs to remind you to do this – but what about reducing the causes on the computer’s end?

F.lux (Mac, Windows, Linux) does that. With the help of geographic location data and (if you use a Mac) the ambient light sensor, F.lux adjusts your screen to match the light in the room. This isn’t simply about reducing brightness. F.lux handles multiple factors (e.g. color temperature) to make your screen easier on the eyes.

Small changes such as this should go a long way in reducing eyestrain. I’m 27, I’ve worn glasses since middle school, and am just starting to adjust to contact lenses. My optometrist recently recommended reading glasses when working on the computer or reading to help take the load off my contact lenses. It’s a small change, but it’s helped my eyestrain. F.lux is one more tool in the arsenal.

        

fowlerjk life, sle ergonomics, software, usability

I’ve gone through so many email clients in my lifetime. Just remembering back to college, I’ve used Netscape, Outlook Express, Eudora, Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail. When I established this website, I opted to use Google Apps with my domain, and experience Gmail. It was a great decision, but it’s left me with some uncertainty over how to access my email.

Read more…

        

fowlerjk life email, usability, websites

I didn’t bother with Facebook (or facebook, as it is properly named) until grad school, at the urging of my classmates. Since then I’ve had on-and-off periods. But for the past month, I haven’t spent more than five minutes there. Why? The redesign is horrible.

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fowlerjk business, commentary facebook, technology, usability, websites

Apple has released a new version of the iPod Shuffle, and while it is smaller, the lack of onboard controls has many consumers upset. MacWorld’s Dan Moren calls it “a step back in both the usability and compatibility departments.” The Industry Standard’s Paul Bolin (who seems surprised that Apple consumers know how to revolt at all) suggests that costs related to the remote-control headphones are problematic.

On the other hand, as Tom Reestman writes, mastering the new Shuffle still requires only three basic functions, it’s the most feature-rich Shuffle yet, and being able to store the 3G Shuffle on your person without having to keep pulling it out for control is a handy thing.

Rob Beschizza hints at the hesitation I share about the new 3G Shuffle: “…for today’s show, the part of Sony will be played by Apple.” When Sony introduced the MemoryStick, I worried about the proprietary technology. It’s turned out reasonably well, but isn’t it frustrating that you can’t use a MemoryStick in all digital cameras, and you can’t always use a XD/SD card in Sony digital cameras?

The bottom line here is that, like a Sony camera and MemoryStick, your iPod will be forever paired with a set of headphones to control it. Forget using your custom headphones, and if you lose the pair that came with the Shuffle, it’s not like you can just grab a spare set from another device. Further, the comparisons to the other iPod models that have headphone remotes don’t fly, because if you lost the headphone remote, you could still control the iPod by the buttons on the device.

        

fowlerjk commentary apple, business, ipod, proprietary, sony, technology, usability