Yosemite, Sam!

I upgraded this morning to Yosemite, and I am quite pleased so far. The look and feel is quite clean, and there were no issues (so far) with the switch from Mavericks.

I had problems with my (now next to) latest model iPad in moving from IOS7 to IOS8 over the air. It got really hosed (the thing seemed bricked, actually), but I got an Apple tech on the line immediately and he got me fixed up via iTunes in short order. I did have to do a factory reset, so there was a bunch of work to do to get my iPad back the way I had it set up. I did lose a little data, but not much. I have not updated to IOS 8.0.1 or 2 out of fear of having to go through all that again. IOS 8.1 is due out on Monday, and I’ll probably give that a go.

But I can recommend the Yosemite update as being pain-free, in my case. You can update a bunch of Mac Apps after you get Yosemite (Pages, Numbers, iPhoto, etc.).

Good luck!

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Settling in on the new Mac

I think I have my list of front-line apps settled — at least for the most part — in my quest to get more things done. As anyone knows who decides to fiddle with these things, much time (and some money) can be spent in researching apps, downloading and trying apps, comparing apps, and so on. That in itself is a threat to genuine productivity. But as I’ve said, I think it is a risk worth taking. In fact, any move, transition, or transformation in life will demand time (and probably money) devoted to the change itself instead of to that at which the change is aimed. 

So what are some of the apps?

• Quick notes (mac): nvAlt & Simplenote

• Quick notes (iPad): Drafts an Simplenote

• Longer writing (non-web; mac): Scrivener & Word

• Longer writing (non-web; iPad): Scrivener/Simplenote integration

• Blogging (mac): MarsEdit

• Blogging (iPad): Posts or BlogPadPro (still not decided)

• To Do: Todoist

• Lists: Wunderlist

• Calendar: Fantastical

• Screen capture: Snagit

• Screen casts: Camtasia

• Research organization: Devonthink Pro Office & Evernote

• Referencing/Footnoting: Bookends

• eBook library: Calibre

• Presentations: Powerpoint

• Spreadsheet: Excel

• Twitter: TweetDeck & Buffer

• PDF reading/annotating (mac): Skim

• PDF reading/annotating (iPad): (undecided between Good Reader, iAnnotate, and PDF Expert)

• RSS reader (mac): Leaf

• RSS reader (iPad): (undecided)

• Passwords: 1Password

• Automation: Text Expander, Hazel, Keyboard Maestro

• Markdown editor (mac): (undecided…Mou, Lightpaper, Multimarkdown Composer, Byword…?)

• Markdown editor (iPad): (undecided, but I like Editorial)

• Cloud: Dropbox (just drastically lowered their price; I do use other services — Box, Google Drive, One Drive, etc. — for specific purposes)

• Notebook: Circus Ponies Notebook 4

 

NOTE: apps that don’t specifically identify mac vs. iPad are cross-platform and synced.

I’ll try to add some notes on these apps as I go along.

What are you using and why?

Getting in Gear

School has started up again, and I’m in full swing already. But I’m still coming into the modern age of mac applications, workflows, and productivity. It’s a little frustrating, I admit, having to try to zoom up the learning curve of a good number of apps that are new to me, but my hope is that the effort will be well-worth it (as a number of solid mac-academic blogs and “get things done” sites claim).

There is this danger, of course, that I’ll spend more time on getting ready to work instead of actually working, but it’s a risk I think I have to take at the moment to get out from under years of disorganization and counter-productive habits.

The point is to use these apps effectively.