Apple iPad Coming Soon

Apple's new iPad hits the market on April 3. CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad in January, announcing that they have created a new product for the niche between the iPhone and the laptop. The iPad is a sleek device with an interactive touch screen. Consumers have been looking for an affordable tablet for years. It remains to be seen whether the iPad can perform up to our ever-increasing processing demands, and whether it finds the market Apple has imagined.

The iPad's 1.5 pound slim design is only a half inch thick and has a 9.7 inch screen. The touch screen senses various gestures to click, zoom and reposition the display. A half-screen keyboard can be displayed for typing. It utilizes standard wireless N and bluetooth. An accelerometer reorients the display when the device is flipped or turned. Battery life is estimated at 10 hours. Full specifications can be found at www.apple.com/ipad/specs/.

In addition to email, web browsing and date book utilities, the iPad makes use of the many newly popular applications designed for smart phones. Since the introduction in January, developers have already begun to provide new apps designed specifically for the iPad. Apple provides easy access to music and videos, and has set up a book store to facilitate eBook use at $14 per volume. Some believe that the iPad is destined to be a device for consumers, driving the ongoing purchase of videos, music, books and downloadable apps.

At the San Francisco unveiling, Steve Jobs smugly sited the Wall Street Journal's comment: “Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.”

While Apple Inc. is heralding the iPad as a God-send, many are challenging its worthiness. Concerns focus on its processing abilities and the absence of ports for external devices. Others have said that iPad is “a solution without a problem.” It fills a gap between smart phones and laptops, but do we need a device that is too big to fit in a pocket, that cannot handle things as well as a laptop? Bloggers have called it “a big iPhone without the phone” and a laptop without a keyboard.

During his presentation, Jobs glowed that the iPad experience is “intimate” and the web is altogether new when “you hold it in your hands.” Perhaps this was his attempt to counteract slams that the iPad must be held in one or two hands or propped on bent knees.

Jobs also dismissed the closest competitor to the iPad, the netbook, as a slower, less effective laptop. The fact remains that the iPad is less powerful than many netbooks (1 GHz vs. 1.6 GHz). Pricing of the iPad is quite comparable to netbooks.

The appeal of iPad is its sleek, lightweight form. The rush to create applications that has enriched the smart-phone industry will surely bless the iPad as well. If it can live up to Apple's claims of being the coolest way to surf the net, and truly meet consumers' needs, iPad may create a new computer standard.

Patty Harshbarger, contributor to Success In-Formation LLC
PC Group LLC dba Computer Renaissance
patty@cr-bradenton.com
941-753-8277

Structure in our lives

I have trained individuals for many years. I have observed and studied the way people learn. You cannot train a person who is an auditory person with only handouts to read, you must talk to them and connect with them verbally to get them interested in learning what you have to offer.


I also observe the structure that people need when they learn. Some people needs lots of structure, step by step instructions and they need to know I am available to help them anytime they need me for questions and help. Others like me to give them an overview of what we are to learn and where we want to be when we are done learning, and then they take off doing it on their own with minimal help from me.

I know that if you take a person out of their comfort zone not only will the end result be disrupted but you will put the person in a tizzy of fear of the unknown.

I was listening to NPR this weekend and I heard an autistic woman being interviewed. (Following is taken from what I remember, not verbatim). She talked about how autistic people think like animals, in pictures. She can visualize a situation all the way through to the end result, seeing it like a video with a successful ending. Like animals, if you put an object in her environment like a loud buzzing noise or an object out of place, it sets off a fear and inhibits learning or life for that matter. It puts her out of her comfort zone. One example is a school bell to break for classes. Once this is understood and modifications are made, she excels in learning. When asked “if you could be changed to not be autistic, would you do it?” she said “no, seeing the world in pictures is too wonderful, many people who only verbalize their thoughts, don’t think thru to the end result and speak in unfinished statements”.

My own comfort zone is disrupted when I don’t know where my next dollar is coming from; some say “faith” helps them know that things will be alright in situations like that. That may be but being a Taurus, I need evidence. My comfort zone is disrupted when papers get stacked too high and the filing is not done, when I take appointments and don’t get them on my calendar, when I don’t understand the new technological tools I need to use to make my life better. When I have company for too long or go somewhere that I don’t feel I “fit in”. But when I have a couple days set aside to clean my house, organize my office, do my bank reconciliations, review my accounts receivable to assure myself that things are moving forward and I have money coming in, I feel good. I need time to cook or bake once in awhile, workout, spend time outside, be with my family; those that accept me for who I am. When those things happen consistently I feel comfortable and am happy with my life.

Pandora Music

A wonderful way of listening to your favorite music is to tune into Pandora.  This can be done anywhere you have an internet connection and speakers.  this means, your telephone (if you have internet on your phone), your blackberry or your computer.  Imagine:  You connect your laptop up to nice small speakers to host a party.  These days,  great speakers come in small size which is nice for being portable.  Going on vacation or to your office doesn't mean, you can't take your stereo with you!!

1. Go to the internet,  then to http://www.pandora.com/.  Register for an account - don't be afraid, just do it.
2. Once you choose your favorite type of music,  Pandora starts playing songs that are by your favorite artist or by similar artists of your favorite.  You have the option of saying it's not your favorite and Pandora will find another song to play.  This process creates a "saved radio station" for you.  With this saved station,  next time you sign into Pandora,  you just choose your station and all your saved songs are there, plus Pandora starts adding more. 

You can create several types of "radio stations".  I have stations called: "The Beatles", "Women's Music", "Easy Listening", "Blues", "Jazz", "Classical".  Which one I play depends on my mood.

Yesterday as I was painting,  I started out with "The Beatles".  The first song was "Hey Jude".  The songs morphed into a mix of Beatles, Rolling Stones,  Simon and Garfunkle and more from that era,  It was a wonderful nostalgic time for me and motivated my painting experience.

Have fun,  Pandora is free,  it may time out after an hour or so if you don't click "I'm still listening" when the message comes up.

Please let me know by leaving a comment if you liked this post.  If you saw the movie Julia and Julia you know that bloggers never know if anyone is reading unless they get comments.  I sure do appreciate any readers out there and would love to hear back from you once in awhile.  You don't have to register to comment, just be annoymous!

My Favorite keboard shortcuts

• Ctrl + F4: Closes currrent Window (you may be asked to save changes)

• With mutliple windows open, hold your CTRL key and click on each, you will noticed that become highlighted or selected, then right click on one of the applications selected and “close group”.

• CTRL+C: Copy

• CTRL+X: Cut

• CTRL+V: Paste

• CTRL+Z: Undo

• CTRL+B: Bold

• CTRL+U: Underline

• CTRL+I: Italic

• Windows Key + M: Minimizes all windows

• Windows Key + Shift + M: Undo Minimize all Windows

• Windows Key + E: Windows Explorer

• Windows Key +F: Opens the Find Window

• Windows Key: Opens the Start Menu

Operation Able

I have been asked to return to Operation Able in Detroit Michigan to teach QuickBooks to people over the age of 45 (and in most cases 55). This agency is funded by the State of Michigan and provides back to work skills for the older worker. I found them because I went to their website looking for work for myself and noticed that they teach Microsoft Office and other computer skills along with job hunting skills. I emailed the director asking if they were interested in offering a QuickBooks class. She emailed back immediately and hired me in December for our first class.

The students are so much fun and so eager to learn. They come from all walks of life and many different career industries. It is unfortunate that it takes so many months for the agency to get their funding but I guess that's what happens when your state is operating at a deficit and unemployment exceeds 20% (not including the underemployed).

I look forward to going back next week to see my friends at Operation Able. Many of the people who work here are interns or volunteers. The most exciting thing about Operation Able to me is that the environment is healthy, thriving and a great place to learn and network. Check out their website when you have a minute: Operation Able

Vacation Time

I know about a secret vacation destination that all can afford!

A few of my family members are owners of a condo at Shanty Creek Resort in northern Michigan (not far from Traverse City). For only $120.00 per night ($130.00 on weekends) you have a three room unit with kitchen and fireplace (wood burning) that sleeps 10. You have access to skiing (down hill and cross country), snowboarding and sledding in the winter and golf and swimming in the summer. Spa facilities (massage - oh yes) and excellent meals in the lodge.

Within a short drive you are near the Leelanau Peninsula which is full of artsy shops and restaurants, Traverse City Cherry Festival in July, Mackinaw Island and so much more.

If you are interested in this rental (privately owned so don’t call Shanty Creek) email me and I’ll put you in touch with my sister!

Upgrading QuickBooks to Version 2010

Today, I received an email from a QuickBooks user who was having difficulty upgrading from Version 2005 to Version 2010.

Intuit, Inc. requires their customers to upgrade so that the customer keeps up with technology. QuickBooks products must continually stay on the cutting edge and Intuit, Inc. cannot keep old versions active forever (or provide staff to support old versions). Four years is normally the availability for upgrading to a current version of QuickBooks. If you have a version older than four years, you cannot upgrade to the current or newest version. For Version 2010 you must be on version 2007 or later.

Your option in this case is to upgrade to a newer version than you have, but may not be the most current version, then, you can upgrade to the new version (this is known as “leapfrogging”).

I recommend my clients upgrade every year or every two years, to keep up with the current features.

If you have this problem and need to “leapfrog” to get your data to an earlier version please call me, I have many versions available and can help.