Microsoft Surface demolished by MG Siegler
Macfilos Archives: My first iPhone, the shape of things to come
Ten years ago: My shiny new iPhone 3G arrives, maxed out with 16GB of storage. A revelation, and the first of many as it turned out.
MacBook: When software upgrades just don’t install
What to do when a piece of official Apple software just refuses to install on your MacBook. A clean sweep installation is the answer as Mike found out.
Apple Magic Keyboard: Adding a number-crunching device
Apple's Magic Keyboard has no number pad, unlike the wired keyboard. So a complementary keypad is likely to be popular. Mike has been testing the rechargeable Satechi slimline aluminium keypad.
Macfilos is twelve today: Five million words on photography and technology
Bargain Parrots: Cheap-as-chips bits from the Bay, for and against
My friend and fellow Australian blogger, John Shingleton, was obviously cut to the quick by Bill Palmer's condemnation of cheap third-party accessories bought from well-known auction sites. Bill's ire was raised by a faux teleconverter for the Fuji X100T. Conclusion: He would have been better to throw his £20 note into the fire. He also waxed eloquent against cheapo lens-mount adapters covered in swarf and rattling like a fleet of 1920s Ford Ts.
Monkey Glands Extend iPhone Use
After two weeks with my new iPhone 3G I agree with other commentators about the limited battery life. A day out and about and I'm down to the last 10% of power. In fairness to Apple, the iPhone is just so handy and useful that I am using it for far longer than any previous phone or PDA. It's a fully-fledged computer, not just a phone. And my old Treo 750 wasn't much better on battery life if I'm being honest.
I am currently testing an auxilliary battery which plugs into the iPhone and can give up to two full charges. The small and neat Power Monkey, which looks nothing like a monkey, is proving to be a valuable addition to my portable arsenal. There are a number of similar devices such as the 3GJuice and the Kensington but on paper the Power monkey has the highest power capacity. It is British designed and you can see details at PowerTraveller UK.
Although the monkey is expensive at £65 it does come with an array of connectors for many mobile devices and a quality carry case. A bonus is a solar-panel charger so, in theory, you can have power wherever you go. I won't hold my breath for solar charging performance in Britain, but I am looking forward to trying out the device when I get back to Athens in October.
Smaller Apple tablet would be iPad Air
Apple Watch: Mr. Selfridge and the longest Apple Watch table in the world
First chance today to enter Selfridge's watch hall to view the impressive Apple display. The staff members were knowledgeable and abundant. The guy I chatted to had previously been an Apple blueshirt and certainly had the full lowdown on the Watch and all its iterations. I suspect a number of Apple employees have been seconded to these displays in prestige department stores around the world.