40Tech

I’m an amateur hack when it comes to photography. I bought my first DSLR last year, and have been shooting away ever since. Thanks to having an amazing toddler at home to whom I gladly dedicate most of my free time, I haven’t had time to really get much better. That doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy it.

One of the first things I did after accumulating some photos was look into options for storing them online. If you’re like me, you quickly discovered that it really helps to fuel your enthusiasm when you get input or even just acknowledgment concerning your photographs. As a result, the five online services in my current arsenal run the gamut from mostly storage, to being replete with sharing and community options. Here’s my take on these services, along with links to my photographs. In the comments below, let me know your favorite services, and feel free to share links to your photographs.

Thank you, Tony Hue of LonePlacebo for helping me spend money. A couple of weeks ago, Tony wrote about the mStand, a monitor stand that almost looks like it could have been designed by Apple. I decided that I needed a stand, so I took the plunge and bought the swiveling version of the stand, the mStand 360, along with an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.

As I announced on March 26, RHA provided one pair of its MA450i Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones, which I was giving away to one winner. The contest ended at midnight, so this morning I drew a random number from random.org, and selected a winner.

I’m pleased to be able to announce a giveaway  I’m holding on 40Tech. RHA has provided one pair of its MA450i Noise Isolating Aluminium Earphones, which I’ll be giving to one winner. Read on for the details (entry details are at the end of this post).

If the announcement of the impending shuttering of Google Reader sent a chill down your spine, you’re not alone. My first reaction to the news, after swearing to myself, was “well, that’s the risk of relying on a free service.” My next though was, “hmm, time to see what else is out there.” My first stop was to check out Fever.

Could Google be launching a competitor to Evernote and Springpad? Google scrapped its Notebooks app quite some time ago, but according to a story on the Verge yesterday, it looks like the company might be ready to get back into the note taking app business. Would you give it a try?

I’m sure that Google will insert many hooks into its other services, that will make the app very tempting. Still, there are a couple of reasons that I probably won’t be leaving Evernote anytime soon.

A recent article on Lifehacker has me wondering if I’m using Evernote all wrong. I only have two main notebooks in Evernote: Work, and Personal. There are a few other random ones that are automatically created by apps, such as the notebook that Scanner Pro, an iOS app, creates. I also have an “Inbox” notebook where notes reside until they are moved into one of the other notebooks. But by and large, all of my notes go into my two main notebooks. Am I in the minority with how I use Evernote notebooks?

Although I’m now primarily a Mac user at home, that had nothing to do with a dislike for Windows. In fact, I loved Windows 7. Shortly after its release, I installed it on both of my personal machines, and I was one of the early adopters at the office. In years past, I would have been eager to install Windows 8 on my remaining Windows machine and on my Windows 7 partition on my Mac, given my affliction with G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I haven’t felt that urge for Windows 8, and it appears that most other users have felt the same way. Based on some recent data, it seems that Windows 8 is a flop. Why?

Mailbox is the new Gmail-only iPhone mail app that has been getting mostly rave reviews online for the way it helps users tame their inboxes. Let’s get one thing out of the way first, though – Mailbox isn’t going to change you as a person. If you’re a master procrastinator, it won’t suddenly transform you into a wizard of the do-it-now. If, however, your habits tilt in the direction of almost staying on top of your email, Mailbox might just eliminate enough friction to get you to email hallowed ground. And if you’re already an inbox zero guru, then Mailbox will beckon to you like a desert oasis.

On iOS, you can configure your notifications on a per app basis to appear in different ways. One type of notification drops down in a thin box from the top of the screen. Occasionally, this box can get in the way. If you’re typing a web address for example, you might think that you have to wait for the box to disappear to continue your typing. You can actually dismiss the box.