Skype on 3G: yep it works

Haven't tried to a landline, but Skype works with toll free numbers. Call quality is average, but usable.
A few Skype credits and the iPad is a phone!
$14.99 is looking worth it.

TaskPaper now universal with iPad

Hey ol HogBay software brings us a treat with the ever clean TaskPaper, a todo/project/gtd app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and now iPad.

It's the same great feel of the original only bigger, taking full advantage of the real estate.

So if you're jonesing for a clean nice implementation of getting tasks done that uses plain ol text and syncs to the simple sync cloud and haven't fallen for ToDo, then check out TaskPaper.

TonidoPlug shows just how crippled iPad is

What's wrong with this picture?

Here the great TonidoPlug, a small plug computer with embedded Ubuntu Linux serves as a personal cloud, but not for the iPad.

Files created on the iPad can't be emailed or uploaded to the TonidoPlug because the iPad lacks an exposed filesystem. Even downloading files is cumbersome. Luckily, GoodReader comes in handy. The Tonido folks at CodeLathe do mention OneDisk from the Readdle guy, to connect via WebDav, but I have yet to buy and test that.

Penultimate gets wrist protection

Penultimate, the digital ink notebook app gets a fine update with wrist protection.

You can now "write" freely with your palm on the surface of the iPad and your finger will still pouring out the "ink".

The protection even works when the palm/wrist is on already written ink.

I also tested with a Pogo stylus, but I still prefer the index finger because I still have to press too hard with the Pogo stylus to get any recognition.

A note made with Penultimate: good for something

Amidst all the note taking sticky note corkboard todo task org productivity GTD apps,
there's something to be said for the zen of digital ink even if the constraint is granularity.

Infinote Review: fast speedy sticky notes

There is a great sale on Infinote and I think it is worth it for the two bucks.

Infinote features a wide variety of emoticons to add tiny icons to the text. There is a wide range of colors and backgrounds that you can apply to your notes along with font choices and changing the color of the notebook itself.

The application itself is very responsive and quick zooming really feels like you're moving the little notes around.

Note creation is very quick with a double tap to the board as well as editing with a tap.

You don't actually pinch and zoom the notebook board, but rather you tap the magnifier icon to zoom out to a birds eye view. I purchased on this feature as a complement to the book by David Straker on Rapid Problem Solving with Post It Notes, but unfortunately, the birds eye view is a static picture and you cannot move notes In this view which seems counterintuitive.
Nevertheless, this is the same behavior as other notetaking sticky note applications that I have so maybe there's something in the APIs that prohibits programming this behavior. Infinote still stands as a great app despite the shortcoming.

There is no text search which I thought the magnifier icon was for, but hopefully that is being considered.

Customer service was excellent as I had an outlier crash where the application would not open, but the email response was quick and the developer explained the issue saying an update fix was forthcoming.

I like to support such developers.

All in all, I appreciate the speed and simplicity of infinote's functions and hope it won't get too bogged down by cosmetic features.

SwitchEasy Nude iPad case: great fit on 3G

Dunked $33 for http://www.switcheasy.com/products/NUDE_iPad/NUDE_iPad.php

The SwitchEasy Nude hard case finally came in after quick 3 day priority shipping.

It came with everything one would need in a great price.
The 1mm thin hard lexan plastic back
Screen protector film with microfiber cloth for pre cleaning.
A couple of cheap stands in media view 80 degree positions.
And some port plugs and other oddments

I first applied the screen protector to pretty much my satisfaction, but unfortunately, the little monkey brain got the best of me and I had to redo it.

Instead of getting a second run that's a little bit better than the first, I stupidly dabbed the adhesive side of the screen protector with the microfiber cloth and got more lint onto the screen. I took my losses and pressed on the screen protector for the final application. Lint! The bane of clean rooms everywhere. Next time I'll go to a dust free lab with a proper air manifold, grrr.

So my advice to you is definitely when you have it on with a few bubbles it's just fine. Really, no do overs, just live with imperfection.

The fit on the 3G was tight and I did not see any imperfections or burrs with the case. More importantly, the Camera Connector SD version had no trouble accessing the iPad port with the Nude on.

I would indeed recommend the SwitchEasy Nude case if you want decent all-around bump and scratch protection both for the front and back of your iPad. It doesn't afford that typing position that I would like with the Apple iPad case, but other than that it's a great case at a great price.

Next up, Apple iPad case...

Yep, the retail stores finally got the Chinese junk load in