LJPUK

Twitter adds API, loses users

May 17th, 2018
You’ve probably read by now that Twitter is introducing new API’s that result in third party apps (like my favourite Tweetbot) losing functionality and being charged to effectively keep their customer base using their apps.

This is another move that is slowly but surely meant to see the end of all third party apps and I for one will end up using Twitter less.

I can see that Twitter want to drive people to their own app where they can serve you ads and monitor you more effectively but they have to realise there is a core influential set of users that will stop using the service.

I have two main problems
- I hate the official Twitter app. It’s serving ads, too much visual clutter and muting is less intuitive
- I stream my timeline. In Tweetbot I stream my timeline and pin them to the top of my screen so I can see tweets come in real-time. It’s how I keep up with what’s going on (that’s important to me). I stopped reading mainstream news a long time ago and Twitter wants to show me as much as possible
We are a few months away before this comes into play so maybe Twitter will do something but I’m not holding my breath.
How to add lined paper to Notes

May 16th, 2018
I’ve been using a lot of default Apple apps in a bid to simplify both my workflows and data. In this day and age it’s good to have your data in just a few places and I’m starting to delete third party apps that hold my data (more on this in a later post).

Here’s how I add lined paper to the Notes app on iOS.
1. Open up Notes
2. Create a new note
3. Tap on the Share icon (see first image above)
4. Tap ‘Lines & Grids’
5. Choose the grid pattern that you want
Tweetbot 3 releases on MAC

May 15th, 2018

My favourite Twitter app Tweetbot has got a shiny new version for the MAC. This is just a short post to let everyone know it’s available but I’ll be digging into it over the next week and will write up my thoughts.
The thinnest iPhone X case

May 15th, 2018

I’m not a huge fan of cases but when I do use one it has to be minimal. I’ve used the iPhone X both naked and in an Apple silicone case but I’ve found one that might suit all of your minimal lovers.

I’m talking about the Tozo PP Ultra Thin. It’s only .35mm thick and covers the entire phone, leaving small openings for the ports. What I like about it is that it obviously adds very little bulk but adds grip. It also adds some plastic around the camera bump so adds some protection to the camera glass, although being sapphire it’s going to be hard to scratch the glass anyway.

I find the glass back of the X to be pretty grippy anyway but it’s the sides that I find slippery.

Drop protection should be fine for the back and sides stopping dings but (like any case) drop it face down and you’ll break the front glass. I still recommend Apple Care + to everyone with an X given the cost to repair.

One major downside is though if you want to take it off again it can be tricky, I managed to break mine when I took it off but if you are careful it’ll be fine.

Buy it here: TOZO® for iPhone X Case, PP Ultra Thin [0.35mm] World's Thinest Protect Hard Case for iPhone 10 / X [ Semi-transparent ] Lightweight [Matte Black]
Non Spoiler Infinity War review

May 15th, 2018

I’ve seen Infinity War twice now and wanted to share my thoughts on it now that I have had some time to digest everything. First off I’ll come straight out say it’s in my top 3 MCU movies along with Winter Soldier and Civil War – these are in no particular order by the way.

To me as someone that is somewhat familiar with the comic story line I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in front of me, it really is like a comic book coming to life. Massive fight sequences mixed with humour and a diverse set of characters make this a really enjoyable movie. It has to be seen at the cinema, it’s that huge a deal. Not many movies like this come along and it’s up there with Empire Strikes Back and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in terms of it being that epic (to me).

Not everyone is going to be pleased but I am glad that Disney backed the Russo brothers and pulled out something amazing from a crazy amount of characters.

If you haven’t seen any MCU movies then it’s going to be difficult, you have to see at least the 3 Captain America’s, first 2 Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy and previous Avengers.
iOS 12 wish list

May 14th, 2018

We aren’t too far away from WWDC 2018 and iOS 12 so I’m doing my usual write up.

This years theme I’m hoping is “speed and stability”. I want iOS to run better on older hardware and deal with some of the long time outstanding bugs such as rotation on iPad (dock being left in wrong orientation etc.). I also see a lot of UI issues in Apple Music, especially on iPad.

I’d also like to see some investment in Reminders but Apple appear to have all but given up on improving their productivity apps so I won’t even talk about what I want to see. Same deal with Mail and Calendar.

Yes, it’ll seem like a boring release but I’d be quite happy with a low amount of visual changes but a high amount of polish and bug fixing.

This will be shorted post I’ve written for an iOS update but I really don’t want to see many bells and whistles, just a ‘boring’ stability update please.
My iPad Home screen (May 2018 edition)

May 14th, 2018
Here’s an update on my home screen, specifically the iPad Pro 10.5″ that has become my main device.

Here’s the apps I use the most.
- OmniFocus: I bounce between to do apps almost monthly but I’m trying to get myself settled on OmniFocus
- WordPress: The app I use to manage my blog and add new posts
- Music: I’m an Apple Music subscriber and aside from a few UI issues I’ve come to like it a lot
- Tweetbot: My Twitter app of choice, I cannot stand the official app so I’m hoping that we continue to see updates to third party apps
- Notes: My note taking app of choice, reliable sync and being able to use the Apple Pencil means that I can use it for both work and play
- IA Writer: I use iA Writer to sketch out ideas and start the bulk of the writing on my posts
- DuckDuckGo browser: Pretty much replaced Safari for me these days, puts privacy first and gets frequent updates
- Marvel Unlimited: I’ve recently got back into comic books having read them growing up, Marvel Unlimited gives me everything I need, although I wish that you could download more than 12 issues when on the go
What are some of your favourite apps?
How to delete your MyFitnessPal account

May 13th, 2018
In light of the recent data breach I’m taking the same approach as to anything with my data – lose it and you lose my business.

Here’s how to delete your My Fitness Pal account:
1. Go to https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
2. Log in
3. Click on ‘Settings’ (at the top of the page)
4. Click on ‘Delete Account’
5. Click on ‘Delete My Account’
You will now have a message saying ‘Account Deleted’.
What I learned from blogging on Medium

May 13th, 2018

Trying to make it as an independent blogger is hard, especially in 2018 where the landscape is slowly but surely moving to video and social. I truly believe blogging is not dead and if you find your voice (and more importantly an audience) it is possible to make a go at it. I found that on my previous provider, Squarespace I just couldn’t afford to run my site (at £20 a month) so I looked at making the switch to another platform.

I explored all of the options available to me and went for Medium. It’s a platform that I used on and off since launch but it was a free option that looked like it had potential. Well, the short story is that am now completely off the platform (due to lack of confidence that they would continue long term) but I did take away a few lessons.

Write about what you are passionate about

On my previous site I focussed a lot on technology and found that over time it wore me down just writing about one of my passions. When I moved to Medium I found that I had a good response to a variety of subjects I wrote about, anything from games to movies.This was my main lesson, I am now going to be writing about what I’m passionate about.

Medium is full of startups

I found a heavy bias towards life coaches and startups on Medium. Writing about technology, movies and more traditional subjects aren’t popular enough to gain traction on the platform. Everything that rises up or is picked by their editors is all around the startup scene, if you don’t write these kinds of posts I wouldn’t invest in using the platform.

Make use of tags

It’s something I’ll be doing going forward on this blog, make sure of tagging to make sure that you are discovered by new audiences.

Own your content

My biggest takeaway, it’s better to build your own content on your own blog than build someone else’s platform. I have zero confidence in Medium, I give it 3-5 years before it goes out of business. I’d rather build it somewhere else.

Have you used Medium?

Let me know in the comments.
Weathering a Star Wars Black series figure

May 12th, 2018
I’ve started to get into building and painting and after watching many videos on weathering I decided to give it a go.

Here’s what you need
- Black acrylic paint
- Small pot of water, about 10 tablespoons
- Brush
- Tissue
Technique

Put a couple of pea sized amounts of paint into the pot of water and mix. Apply the paint mixture liberally to the area you want to weather. Once you’ve done this step use the tissue to wipe away the excess you don’t want to dry. I find it’s also good to use some neat acrylic paint in things like knee and elbow joints.
Marvel Legends Captain America Shield

May 12th, 2018
I’m slowly but surely filling my home office with stuff I love, thought I was time to get some Marvel props. The Marvel Legends series are made by Hasbro and offer an affordable high quality replica of your favourite film props. I’m planning on wall mounting this one, more on this in a later post.

Here are some images of the unboxing:
- - Get one here: The Avengers Marvel Legends Captain America Shield, One Size
How I use my iPad Pro

May 12th, 2018
When I was using my iPad the other day listening to music whilst I’m at work it dawned on me, I don’t need a MAC for much of anything these days. This led me onto Twitter and an idea of posting what I use and how I use it. I’m not going to go into masses of detail but the hardware and accessories I’ve come to rely on.

IPAD OF CHOICE

I’ve had all of the various iPad sizes but have settled on by far my favourite that has been released so far – the iPad Pro 10.5”. I had the 12.9” for a year and although I loved the screen size it always felt unwieldy and not anymore portable than a laptop. I ultimately sold it and went back to the 9.7” form factor for a bit. This was great until Apple released the 10.5”, which on face value seemed the perfect iPad for me. Slightly less bezel meaning a bigger screen in a similar body would fit the bill. I bought one on day one and haven’t regretted it since, in fact it might be my favourite Apple “computer”. This year is going to be interesting if Apple do indeed lose the home button on the iPad Pro and go with an even smaller bezel and FaceID, that will be something that is going to be very tempting. Imagine a 12.9” screen in something similar to the 10.5” body, mmmmm.

So, iPad is a Pro, 10.5” in Space Grey with 256GB of storage. I maxed it out so that I don’t run into storage anxiety, to be honest though I’ve used it. Taking it almost everywhere means that I can use it not just for being productive but have plenty of space for movies. I recommend anyone saving a little more to get the most storage you can, after all you can’t add it again later.

ACCESSORIES

In the past I didn’t spend a lot on iPad accessories but since moving to the Pro range I’ve invested in those that will help me move towards using the iPad as my only computing device.

First off I picked up a Smart Keyboard cover, which (controversially) might be my favourite keyboard of all time. I love the feel of the keys with their soft touch material and the travel seems pretty much perfect (for me) and I much prefer the experience on it over my 12” MacBook that this is looking to replace. It lives on my iPad and it goes everywhere with me. Oh, it’s also fine to wash it with soap under the tap – something I have done several times. It’s then left to dry on the sink and put in our airing cupboard with the clothes to dry off. I’ve done this several times and (touch wood) no problems so far. There, I’ve gone and cursed myself now haven’t I…

At the same time I also picked up a Smart Cover (in Red) that goes on the iPad when I’m out and about and don’t want to do any heavy typing. I’m often on the go on the weekend and being able to travel as light as possible to use the iPad for reading or light typing (on the glass) means that the Smart Cover also gets a lot of use.

My last accessory that gets the most use is the Apple Pencil. I use it for Mind Mapping (in Notes), Brain Dumping (again, in Notes or Noteability), colouring (in Pigment), sketching diagrams and making notes for my day job (in Noteability with iCloud sync). I’m no artist but when I want to relax I might sketch or doodle (in Procreate). I’m constantly amazed by the responsiveness of the Pencil and it is one of my favourite Apple products of the last 5 years (AirPods also make that list, watch for a post coming soon).

BAG

I either carry my iPad with me or put it in my beloved LowePro Hatchback (22L) that goes with me pretty much everywhere. When I want to do some “proper” photography I can take my iPad and all of my DSLR gear (CANON 70D + a few lenses) in something that I can also put a drink and day snacks.

It’s turned out to be a really great bag and anyone looking for something comfortable to take their tech around in should check out a photography bag.

WHAT DO I USE IT FOR?

I didn’t want to go into a great deal about the apps that I use, I do a lot of posts on this and I swap them out frequently. Instead I wanted to share what I’m using my iPad for and simply mention the apps.
- Blogging: Like what I’m doing now, written up using iA Writer and uploaded using the Squarespace blog app
- Photography: Most of my images are taken on my iPhone so the iPad makes a nice large canvas for me to edit or sort into folders. I occasionally use the SD Card reader to take images off memory cards when I’m out and about
- Watching video: YouTube, Netflix and iTunes stuff
- Listening to music: Sit’s next to my home office desk on most of the day, streaming to my HomePod (more on this in a later post)
- Guitar: I use the iPad to learn new songs via the Tabs HD app and record using GarageBand, Music Memos and JamUp Pro
- Sketching and note taking using Notes and Noteability
- Reading comics: I do this via my Marvel Unlimited subscription
This covers everything I’m doing, the only thing I can’t easily do at the moment is record podcasts but it’s not something I’m currently doing. If you have any suggestions on ways you do this please let me know in the comments or on social. I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at my setup and please let me know how you use your iPad.

Stuff I’m using:
- iPad Pro 10.5″ – Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 64GB Wi-Fi - Space Grey
- Apple Pencil – Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 64GB Wi-Fi - Space Grey
- Smart Keyboard cover – Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 64GB Wi-Fi - Space Grey
- Smart cover – Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 64GB Wi-Fi - Space Grey
- Lowepro bag – Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 64GB Wi-Fi - Space Grey
Will Captain Phasma be back?

February 19th, 2018

One of the highlights for me in the new trilogy is a character that has had hardly any screen time – Captain Phasma. She is such a cool character looks and story wise and I was disappointed that we didn’t see more of her in The Last Jedi.

SPOILERS AHEAD

So as you can tell from the headline it looks like we saw the last of her in The Last Jedi, the last time we saw her it was engulfed in flames. This wasn’t the ending I wanted for one of the coolest characters since Boba Fett. So, could she have survived and be used in Episode IX?

My head tells me no, it’s the last we will see of her in this new trilogy.

My gut tells me yes, she survived and will be back.

To me the story arc that was used for her in The Last Jedi wasn’t compelling, yes there is a cool fight scene with Finn but I was hoping for an alternative story line.

I was hoping that she would have left the first order and become more of a bounty hunter.

I’m also considering the possibility of an origin story instead of an appearance in episode IX. I have a feeling that would go down well but not sure if it would be in movie or TV format.

What do you think?
How to reset Apple TV 2nd gen without a remote

February 18th, 2018

I’m having a bit of a tech clear out and was faced with a second generation Apple TV that I didn’t have a remote for. I couldn’t get the Siri remote to work so was a bit stuck.

On looking at the back of the unit I realised that it had a mini USB port. I took it to my iMac, plugged in a usb cable and iTunes recognised it. It then gave me an option to factory reset.
Can I ditch my DSLR for an iPhone X?

February 17th, 2018

I’ve written on and off about my experiences with the iPhone X and how it’s the one iPhone I’ve struggled to get used to. If you remember my one main draw to the iPhone X was the camera, it’s amazing. I loved having portrait available on a smaller device and made use of the zoom all of the time, I missed having it. I tried a plus again but ultimately missed the X. Long story short I’m writing this post up on an X and have some thoughts to share about how it’s affecting my photography habits.

I’d gotten used to travelling with my Canon 70D everywhere, it was in the car or at my side on most day trips. The main downsides was carrying it around, back issues mean I’m sensitive to the load I’m carrying and even though the 70D isn’t the heaviest camera Canon do it’s still DSLR sized. This got me thinking could the iPhone X replace my DSLR for my day trips?

It would considerably reduce the weight of what I carried and give me most of the shots I’d be after for these family trips and when I’m out and about walking.

Well, the good news is the iPhone X has been great at replacing my Canon. The only times I can now see me carrying it is when I go to air shows. There’s no way an iPhone can complete with it and a 400MM lens.

I’ll keep posting on how I’m getting on but these are the sort of day shots I mean that I’d take on my Canon.