Apple Studio Display — I’m loving it!

I hit my 60th birthday earlier this year, and after over 45 years of staring at screens both at work and ‘play’, my already dodgy eyesight is not getting any better. When I returned to Prague in 2019, I bought a cheap Dell 24” monitor to sit alongside my work and personal laptops and used a hardware switch to flip between them. Back in the UK, I have been using a Dell P2719H 27” monitor which is a bit easier on my eyes, but still not ideal.

New Studio Display in my UK office set-up (photo from author)

                   

So, I’ve been looking at buying a new monitor for a while, and it has proved to be a really difficult decision. My needs appeared to be fairly simple, or so I thought:

• It needed to work in an exclusively Apple environment (no more Windows for me now I’ve retired!) with M1 Silicon
• I wanted a minimum of a 27” display with 4K resolution
• From a design perspective, it needed to look the part
• A few additional ports would be useful
• Good all-round display quality for photo-editing, writing and website design
• It needed to be delivered on my next trip to the UK — between June 26th and July 13th
• 
  

There were a few unknowns — did I like the idea of a curved monitor? Was a 34” screen overkill (and would it even fit on my desk?)? Would I keep the existing 27” Dell (which does have a portrait mode which I like for documents)?

I had a short list with 27–34” monitors from the usual suspects — Dell, Ben-Q, Samsung, LG and even Huawei. And the Studio Display from Apple. I watched dozens of YouTube videos and eventually ruled out the Huawei because even though I loved the design, I’d prefer to err on the safe side of data privacy. I also liked the Samsung M8 but decided I wanted a monitor, not an all singing, all dancing video box. My desk is quite constrained regarding worktop space, so I stopped looking beyond 27” and curved monitors. After watching more videos about the scaling issues with 4K and Apple, I was becoming more inclined to stay in the Dell stable and choose a U2719D UltraSharp 27 with 2560 x 1440 resolution. But there was a nagging doubt in my mind about whether I would regret not going for the outrageously expensive Studio Display and end up buying one in a year anyhow…

My trip to the UK was only going to last three weeks. Our local Apple store is in Leicester, and it looked like they had some base Studio Displays available for in-store collection, but by the time I got back to the UK, the cupboard was bare and would stay that way until August/September. A quick search indicated AO.com had the base model in stock for next-day delivery, so I bit the bullet and placed an order. AO.com came to my rescue when I wanted the 13” M1 MBP in a hurry last time I was. I knew they’d come up with the goods in the UK, and it was no more expensive than buying from Apple.

I was confident that the base model would be right for my needs. I use a Twelve South Curve Riser on my desk, so I figured I wouldn’t need the height adjustable stand; I’ve always been comfortable with the glossy screens on iMacs I’ve owned in the past, and I don’t have a monitor arm (or enough space on my current desk).

Despite watching various unboxing videos for the Studio Display, when it turned up on the doorstep the next day, I was taken aback at how big, and heavy the box was and was grateful I hadn’t decided to try and bring one home on the bus from Leicester! If you’ve watched any of the unboxing videos, you’ll know that this is an experience in its own right. A few minutes later, the display was on the stand and plugged directly into the 13” M1 MPB via the Thunderbolt port. I plugged my 2 SanDisk Extremes into the USB ports and my Quntis light bar into the third slot. Finally, I sorted out the power cable, booted up the laptop, and installed the Studio Display software update.

Quite simply, this is the best display I have ever used by a long way. Text is crystal clear even for my dodgy eyes. The speakers are so good that I’ve unplugged my old faithful Harmon Kardon Soundsticks II and now use the Studio Display speakers in conjunction with an original HomePod sat on the bookshelf behind me.

I’m not going to get involved in the discussion about the webcam. I like that there is one built in; quite frankly, it’s plenty good enough for my purposes. The first time I used it in anger was during a call with my financial advisor, where both myself and my fiancée could fit in the viewfinder without having to be sat on top of each other. Quite frankly, in these days of WFH, where many of my former colleagues had such poor internet connections that they turned their cameras off and often asked other participants to do the same thing, webcam quality is the least of my problems! It works, and it’s good enough.

I’ve been using a Twelve South Curve Riser as a monitor stand. It also serves to hide the Thunderbolt Hub and keep it cool. This proved a little too uncomfortable with the combined height of the Studio Display and the riser, but setting the monitor on the middle shelf fixed this problem perfectly. The hub now sits atop the monitor's base in the shelf space.

My big challenge is to figure out how to set up a dual display with the M1 13” MBP using both the Studio Display and the 27” Dell. I purchased the Hyper Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub, but it arrived after I returned to Prague, so haven’t had a chance to set it up yet. The workaround has been to use the 27” Dell monitor on the M1 MacMini, and use universal control to make it look seamless, which works about 90% of the time, but needs a nudge from time to time. I suspect that the sleep settings were perhaps out of sync.

I also really, really need a bigger desk…and another Studio Display in my Prague office...

 

A First Foray into the Realm of Apple Silicon

Sometime in the autumn of 2020, my beloved 2017 MacBook Pro started doing something horrible. As soon as the machine went into any form of sleep mode, even just launching the screen saver, a white light started flashing at the right end of the Touch Bar. It would stop as soon as I started using the computer, but immediately it started to idle, the flashing resumed. Initially, the intensity and frequency of the flashes weren’t too bad, but over time the problem worsened. 

Searching for potential solutions brought only bad news. It wasn’t an uncommon problem, although it was rare, it looked like the only fix was to take it to a service centre and potentially required a new motherboard. This was seriously bad news. Not only was it going to cost a load of cash but we were in the second phase of lockdowns in Prague and getting the fix could take a serious amount of time. And without the computer I was helpless. So, I did the only sensible thing - I put a cloth over the end of the Touch Bar and buried my head in the sand.

I managed to get back to the UK for Christmas in 2020 and the problem vanished for a short while but started up again just before I was due to return to Prague. My trip was too short to get the machine into a service centre in the UK, and besides, I was in quarantine for all but one day! But to add to the misery, the battery was also now showing signs of failing…

In July I decided to bite the bullet and take decisive action. So I bought an M1 Mac mini. I’ve never used a Mac mini before and to be honest I’ve been a bit sceptical about them in the past. I didn’t need/want another laptop. I wanted a cheap replacement that would be able to help me continue to operate while I finally took the MBP in for repair (by this time the service centres were operating again and I decided that the fix had to be done whatever the cost…)

I went for the M1 Mac mini, 512Gb/16Gb combo which worked out at £1,050, slightly cheaper than in the UK! I already had a Dell 24” monitor set up along with all the peripherals I needed so I only had to buy the unit which helped keep the costs to a minimum. I could probably have managed with the 8Gb version, but I figured I’d saved a lot of money while the pubs were closed, so what the heck…

It was a breeze to set up the Mac mini using a Time Machine backup of the MBP and from unboxing to having a working computer probably took no more than a couple of hours. The biggest issue was rearranging the desk so I could now accommodate three computers (including my work laptop). From a connection perspective, all I needed to do was swap the cable from my iTec TB 3 hub from the MBP to the mini and everything was immediately accessible. Simple - just the way Macs are supposed to be!

The current Apple Harvest configuration (Feb 2022)

The M1 (called Kampa) is an absolute joy to use. It’s absolutely silent and apart from a couple of pieces of software that I could no longer use there was little impact on my workflow. The biggest downside was that I could no longer use TotalSpaces from Binary Age (and TotalFinder from the same stable) which meant having to learn how to use Mission Control properly - more on that another time). I purchased a Satechi hub to complement the Mac mini - the one that sits under the mini and connects via USB-C and provides 6 extra ports (non-SSD version).

But what of the MacBook Pro? A few days after getting the M1 setup and functional, I trudged down the road to the iStyle service centre on Revolucni in Prague’s New Town. I explained the problem and they took away my baby and told me they’d need to run some tests and come back to me with a quote. A few days later they sent me an email with the cost of the fix - for both the hardware issue and a replacement battery - under £240! I was stunned. I was expecting to have to pay a minimum of £500, and probably closer to £1,000. I agreed to have them perform the repairs before they could change their minds, and two weeks later I collected the fixed computer (it took a little while for them to source the correct battery).

Like many long time Mac users, I’m now struggling a little with the Intel-based MBP. When it’s sitting alongside the M1 Mac mini I really notice it huffing and puffing while doing very little real work. It feels old, whilst before this whole story started it was my pride and joy. So it begs the question of what next? And that, dear reader, is a question I can’t currently answer, although I’m tempted to go for an M1 13” MacBook Pro. It would meet my needs for a laptop, fit nicely into my workflow and besides, despite the pain, it’s caused me, I still love the Touch Bar!

A Return to the Apple Harvest

After a three year hiatus, I’m trying to get back in the habit of writing again. My blogging output has been almost non-existent since I moved back to Prague in March 2019. I’ve published a couple of posts on my Prague blog, one on my business blog but this site has remained fallow since February 2019! 

You’d expect that having spent the best part of three years living alone and in and out of lockdown there would have been plenty of time to indulge me. After all, it’s not as if technology stood still even though many other things were put on hold. But, back in full-time employment in Prague after a year’s absence, I had plenty of things on my plate and my blogs fell down to the bottom of the backlog.

Picking up after such a long time, it’s difficult to know where to start. So much has changed in both the Apple ecosystem and the world at large. I expected to be back in Prague until the end of 2019 but the contract went so well that I was offered an additional year. I went home in March 2020 for my birthday weekend, and two days after my return to Prague we went into total lockdown. The opportunities to return to the UK were few and far between then and now although finally, things seem to be getting better. The unexpected outcome of the lockdown is how much new kit I’ve acquired (and how the heck I’m going to get it all home when I finally leave!)

The Apple Harvest in Prague - 2020-22

Like many potential readers of this blog I have made the transition to Apple Silicon and bought my first ever Mac Mini. I’ll write a separate post about that experience and how it came about. I’ve also swapped out my Apple Magic Keyboard and mouse and now use the Logitech MX Keys and MX Anywhere 3 mouse as my main input devices. I’ve become a big fan of other input devices, namely the Elgato Stream Deck and most recently the Xencelabs Quick Keys device. 

Having spent most of the last two years working from my apartment there are a few other devices that I’ve acquired to make the experience as comfortable as possible. One is a light bar, another is the Twelve South HoverBar Duo for my iPad Pro. 

With so many new devices and the limited ports available on the original M1 devices a new hub became an essential to compliment my i-tec Thunderbolt 3 docking station. The CalDigit TB4 Element Hub fitted the bill perfectly. 

I’ve also become a convert to HomeKit. My home in the UK has been ‘smart’ since I installed a complete Hive control system but that was primarily driven by Alexa. When Hive announced that their systems would now be compatible with HomeKit I decided to go down that road here in the apartment in Prague. I’ve had plenty of fun with that which I’ll share in due course.

My Apple Watch helped me focus on my health during the dark days of lockdown when, initially, we weren’t even supposed to go more than 500 meters from your door. I recently upgraded to the Apple Watch 7 which finally ticks all the boxes. It’s amazing how far this product has changed from the Series 0 which I started off with. 

Music and video have been a mainstay and I was thankful that I packed my HomePod and Apple TV when I first came back. These were joined by a HomePod mini which sits in my bedroom and helps control the smart home. 

I upgraded my iPhone from the X to the 12 Pro, indulged myself with a pair of AirPods Max, and fell foul of the curse of the AirPods Pro but with a happy ending. 

I’ve also had some interesting experiences with mass storage, including a catastrophic disk failure on my last visit back to the UK in September 2021 which highlighted the importance of a robust backup strategy.

Hopefully, that’ll be enough to whet your appetites. Next time I’ll explain the reasoning behind buying the M1 Mac mini along with my new dilemma of what next!

Czeching out the i-tec Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station

If you’re going to buy a shiny new MacBook Pro you really should have the right supporting kit to go with it. After all, you wouldn’t buy a Ferrari and then never take it out of first gear, would you? Fast toys need to be paired with fast supporting tools! (NB - I would never recommend that anyone buys a Ferrari if they need an estate car, and the same mantra applies for computer peripherals; get the right tool for the job!)

Initially, I had my refurbished 2017 MBP linked up to an old Thunderbolt 1 Belkin Hub. A few weeks later I swapped out the Belkin for my OWC Thunderbolt 2 docking station which was a significant improvement. Since then I’ve been looking lustily at TB 3 docks, but they don’t come cheap.

The top contenders I was checking out were the CalDigit TS3, StarTech TB3, OWC 12 or 14 port docks, Elgato TB3 and the latest Belkin 3 dock. I had some quite specific criteria in mind:

• SD Card slot ⁽¹⁾
• HDMI slot ⁽²⁾
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 3+ USB-A ports
• 2+ TB3 ports
• Less than £250 pounds

⁽¹⁾ I have SD card reader dongles but I wanted this feature built into the dock
⁽²⁾ I only need two screens and the laptop is one of them. 4K and 5K video options are not important to me at present

This whittled out the Belkin and Elgato (no SD slot and too expensive), the CalDigit (DisplayPort rather than HDMI and too expensive), the StarTech (no SD slot or HDMI) and left the OWC docks neither of which met the price point I was looking for. I was resigned to staying with the current OWC TB2 dock and waiting for the prices to drop when I came across a new contender, the i-tec TB3HDMIDOCK.

i-tec is a Czech based company with a range of docking stations and adapters in their catalogue. I bought their USB 3.0 Dual docking station a few years ago when I needed to switch between my MBA and a Windows laptop that I’d been supplied with from a contract I was working on. This was well built and completely reliable and was great value for money compared to the competition.

In fact, i-tec had two TB3 docks listed the TB3HDMIDOCK and the TB3HDMIDOCKPLUS. The only difference was the PLUS model supports 85W charging compared to 60W charging for the standard model. And the PLUS model on Amazon UK was £25 more expensive. In the end, I found the standard version of the dock for less than £200 including delivery from a company called tekshop247. I put the order in on Thursday evening and it arrived by post on Saturday morning!

It took all of 30 minutes to unbox and install the new dock and most of that was clambering around under my desk to swap over the power bricks for the i-tec and OWC docks. Swapping over the attached devices was almost as easy. Ethernet, HDMI, 4TB USB-A hard disk and USB-A hub were straight swaps. My Lacie USB-C 5TB drive is now attached to the dock whereas it used to be connected directly to the MBP. A 1TB Buffalo Thunderbolt disk which I use as an additional Time Machine disk is now connected via the Apple TB2/TB3 adaptor to the MBP.

The rear side view of the i-tec Thunderbolt 3 dock

Strictly speaking, since the MacBook Pro is generally plugged into the mains these days I could use the dock to power the laptop directly, but I’m still using the original power supply with the First2savvv magnetic connector I mentioned previously.

Finally my Harmon-Kardon Soundstick II wired speakers plug into the front 3.5mm headphone jack on the front of the dock. This is the only thing I don’t like. I’d prefer the socket to be at the side or at the back rather than in the front. I can see why it’s positioned where it is for headphone users but it’s an aesthetic anomaly for me. This just leaves two spare front-facing USB-A slots and the SD card slot which was so important for me.

There is no software installation required, and even the ethernet connection worked first time without me having to cajole it into operation as I usually do. I did learn the valuable lesson that in order for externally powered peripherals to work properly, they have to be connected to the mains. I did forget that last step, which explained why the two front LEDs didn’t glow as I expected once all the bits were plugged in. The left hand LED glows green when power is supplied, and the right-hand side glows blue when Thunderbolt devices are connected.

The front view of the dock in situ (yes the monitor stand needs a dusting!)

The overall footprint of the i-tec dock is really quite small, measuring 229mm across, 87mm deep and 27mm tall. It can only be used in a horizontal orientation. I have mine raised off the desktop with a couple of wooden blocks which allows air to circulate and keeps the unit running relatively cool - it isn’t at all uncomfortable to put my hand firmly on the top even though it has been running 24x7 for the last four days!

Apple Harvest HQ 2019

Ironically, of all the docks I've looked at (and this also goes for dongles), all the manufacturers are backwards-looking and supplying USB-A slots rather than USB-C. In some respects, I would have prefered to have a dock with five or more TB3/USB-C slots and bought another bunch of adapters to deal with legacy USB-A devices. No doubt this will change in time, and at least this dock can support up to 5 daisy-chained TB3/USB-C devices.

In hindsight, perhaps I should have paid the extra £20 and bought the higher-rated charging version, but to be honest I'm not really bothered (and I never thought to look on the tekshop247 website!). At home, the laptop spends so little time on the battery that the charging is not an issue, and whilst the dock is quite small, the same cannot be said about the power brick, so it's probably not going to be going far in the future! The other point is that although I'm not bothered about 4K or 5K video at present, this dock does support both so it's relatively future proof should my needs change.

This is a really compact little dock that offers great value for money. The build quality is as good as that on the old OWC. If you're in the market for a budget TB3 dock, look no further.



UPDATE 2022-02-01: I now have both the 60 and 85W models - the higher powered one in Prague with me and the older one is back in the UK. Both continue to perform brilliantly!

The Old Ones Are Often Still the Best

I forget exactly when, but I'm guessing it was about four years ago, that I bought a Logitech K750 Solar keyboard (Mac version). Without question, it is the best keyboard I've ever used. I have an office full of Apple keyboards, both wired and wireless, including the latest Lightning Magic Keyboard. I even bought the Mobi magic wand, to convert the earlier model into a rechargeable device. I also bought the smaller Logitech K760 Solar keyboard. Whilst I do like the alternatives, none of them can hold a candle compared to the K750.

The Pros

• Solar powered, obviating the need for continuous replacement or recharging of batteries
• Full length, with numeric keypad/arrow keys
• Light, thin and wireless
• Beautiful action
• Solar App to help manage charging levels

The Cons

• Uses a Logitech wireless dongle rather than Bluetooth
• Logitech Unifying Software doesn't work well on the Mac
• Internal battery is the devil's own job to replace
• Attempted built-in obsolescence 

So when it died a couple of days ago I was really upset, especially as a new replacement is now twice the price of what it was when I bought it. Logitech no longer make the Mac version so it is becoming something of a rarity, and therefore commands high prices.

A quick search on the Internet gave me a little bit of hope when I found that the cause of the problem could have been an internal battery failure, and an iFixit site which had instructions on how to replace it. I duly ordered a replacement battery, an ML2032 (it's really important to get this one which is rechargeable, not a standard CR2032) - which had to be shipped from France for more cost than the battery itself and although the delivery time was indicated as being sometime in September, it arrived this morning.

Removing the old battery involved prising the battery holder out of the case (inflicting a small amount of damage to the underside) using pliers, screwdrivers, and brute force. The battery itself had a sticker on it from Logitech explaining that the battery was not user replaceable (they would rather you purchase a new keyboard!) but I popped the new one in and crossed my fingers.

I ran the Unifying Software package to pair the keyboard (which had previously gone dark) and it appeared immediately. Although I couldn't get past the next stage of the set-up, I'd done enough for the iMac to see the keyboard and accept keystrokes. 

We're back up and running!

Want a Big Shiny Knob for Your Mac ? Try the Griffin PowerMate...

I’ve had my eyes on the Griffin PowerMate for several years now. It’s one of those gadgets that just exudes elegance and complements any Mac so perfectly. The main reason for not actually buying one was simply because I didn’t know how I would use a big shiny aluminium knob, no matter how beautiful and well engineered.

But a few days ago whilst skimming through Joe Kissel’s book “Take Control of Automating Your Mac” I came across a reference to the PowerMate and I decided to take another look. I found some screen shots of the latest PowerMate software and suitably impressed I decided to go for it. I figured a worst case scenario would be that I’d end up with a slightly expensive (about £35 from Amazon at the time of writing) volume control.

Actually, the worst case scenario, wouldn’t have been bad thing. Whilst I love the sound quality of my Harman/Kardon Soundstick III speakers, I’m not keen on the volume control, especially as I’m so used to the big volume knob  that controls my old Logitech Z3 2.1 speaker set.

The PowerMate is a superbly engineered piece of kit. The finish, feel and balance of the wheel are perfect, the blue LED light is a lovely hue, and there is just enough weight to prevent the device from slipping around the desktop in normal use.

Of course, a big shiny aluminium knob is no use without some software, and the PowerMate 3.1.0 app is compact and easy to use. When first installed it has a default set of settings for a number of standard Apple programmes like iTunes, GarageBand, Safari and Mail, and an overarching Global set.

There are six basic operations for the PowerMate button - rotate right and left,  short and long press, and rotate and press right and left. Using a key modifier like Option, Command, Shift and Control extends this set to an additional 24 operations. Using the software you can assign a ‘library’ function such as ‘Key Press’ or ‘Mouse Action’ or more complex functions like run an Apple Script. The best way to understand how this all works is to look at the default set of commands and use these to generate your own customised set. For example, using the default iTunes command set, I created an equivalent set for Spotify in about 5 minutes. Your only restriction really is going to be your imagination.

There are a few resources on the Internet to help you harness that imagination. A great place is Casey Fleser’s SGnTN site. You will almost certainly need to understand how to set up keyboard shortcuts - plenty of references on the web but try this as a good introduction. I’m also thinking about how to harness the PowerMate with Keyboard Maestro - maybe a subject for a future posting.

It’s also worth spending a minute or two about how to best position your PowerMate on the desk. I’m a southpaw and initially put the PowerMate on the left side of the desk. However, with a trackpad and mouse already resident over there things were getting a bit crowded so I tried repositioning the PowerMate over on the right. This actually proved a much more effective place as I could work the knob without taking my hand off the mouse. But each to their own!

The PowerMate is light enough and small enough to pop into a laptop bag if you’re on the move, and the more I use it, the more I'm left wondering why I didn’t get one earlier. I’m now thinking about buying another one for my iMac at Apple Harvest HQ, although a Bluetooth version is now available (not in the UK yet it seems) and I might have a look at how that stacks up.

Christmas Greetings from the Apple Harvest

Hmm - Christmas is just over a week away, and I can't believe how long it is since I last posted anything! My only defence can possibly be that I've been too busy playing (I mean working!) with all the new gadgets acquired over the last few months. I started a new contract in July which has taken a huge amount of my time. I'll be continuing in the New Year for another six months but only on a part time basis which should allow me to focus on my other interests. At the end of the day, the real benefit of working is that it pays for the technology which we share an interest in. I think that's a reasonable assumption, otherwise you probably wouldn't be reading this. In truth this is the third time I've started this post and time keeps moving on so I keep having to rewrite it! Anyhow here goes…

So what's new?

Well, first of all before I got to finish the first two drafts of this piece, Apple had just announced its new product range at the Octoberfest. Clearly they've not been sitting on their laurels for the last year, and the news about the iPad mini came as no surprise - unlike a few other things.

I finally changed my broadband supplier at the start of the summer so the Apple Harvest now runs on a super fast 60Mbs system. And boy, does it fly!  Average speeds while connected across the ethernet are close to the max, and wifi has a significant boost also. In real terms I can download an iTunes LP in about 20s, an HD film in about 4mins and downloading Zinio magazines or the morning newspaper takes just a few seconds.

There's bucket load of new hardware as well. I was in Switzerland in July so treated myself to the new (3rd generation and now already obsolete!) iPad to take advantage of the cheaper prices in Europe. I pre-ordered in iPhone 5 which arrived on the 21st September as promised. I also upgraded to the new Apple TV and Airport express to take advantage of the improved bandwidth. The iMac is still hors d'combat which means the old MacBook Pro is the computer of choice in the office, and I finally had to upgrade the Express Card SSD as I keep running out of space on the old one. Most exciting of all is the imminent arrival of a brand spanking new iMac 27in 2.9GHz with a 3Tb Fusion drive which is due to be delivered on Monday!

I had expected to be commuting between my base in the East Midlands and London because of my new contract but luckily I only have to make the journey once a fortnight which has left me with some extra cash. So I confess to acquiring a couple of things I perhaps wouldn't have normally bought. I finally caved in a got a iPod Classic 160Gb version. It's my first real iPod (I don't count the 1st gen iPod Touch) and I just love having my entire 20,000 song library on one portable gadget. I added a bluetooth adapter so I could use my Sennheiser MM240 bluetooth headphones and I'm delighted.

I also bought an Adaptive Clamshell iPad keyboard case for use when I'm on the road. It's a bit of a luxury because my 13in MacBook Air still goes everywhere with me and I do prefer that for doing real work. But it does protect the iPad really well; it doubles up as a stand and can be used in some places when even the tiny Air can't fit.  And finally, as I simply couldn't resist it I bought an iPad Mini. More on all the hardware and how it fits into the Apple Harvest environment over the next few weeks.

There's a bit of new software in use at the Apple Harvest as well. The Apps Store and Mac Apps Store continue to bring out the worst in me and I end up buying apps that I rarely use, but at the same time there are some real gems around. All the computers at HQ are now running Mountain Lion or iOS 6. Personally, I rather like the fact that features co-exist between the two systems, but what I still love is the fact that the development community continues to provide software which makes my life easier and more fun.

The downside of doing real work for a large financial institution is that I'm forced to use their closed system. And when I say closed I really mean that. None of the creative and productivity tools I use on the Mac (or to be more accurate, their Windows counterparts) can be installed on the clunky old Lenovo machine I've been issued with, because of the security protocols in place. That clunkiness is made worse by having to operate through a VPN tunnel and corporate logging software monitoring my every move. Activities that might take an hour on the Apple Harvest system with it's workflows and seamless integration can take most of the day in the corporate environment. It's ironic that so many businesses are complaining about employee productivity whilst at the same time doing everything in their power to inhibit it. The dichotomies of progress!

I'll be writing a bit more about all the new goodies over the next fews week as I try and kick start the Apple Harvest and my own butt into action. In the meantime - Happy Christmas to all supporters of this blog. Hope you find your Christmas stockings stuffed with loads of gadgets, and I look forward to being back with a vengeance in the New Year.

Sláinte!
Ally.