Here it is, another blog post on the iPad. The subject, in a matter of a few short days, has been hashed, hacked, pummeled, drop kicked, spanked, petted, pushed, shoved and, well... You get the idea.

So here I am jumping into the tar pit of pontification with nothing new to say. Nope, I don't.

I simply wanted to point out that all the myriad of posts and articles are written by people who don't have an iPad. Not a $499 or an $829 model. Zip, nada. No facts other than the SteveNote and the Apple website.

These writers are not the target audience of this device. It is not a "prosumer" piece of hardware. It is aimed squarely and rightly at the media consumer. The ones who don't like surfing the web on a small iPhone or Blackberry screen. I don't like it. So I don't do it.

I don't think I need to go very far out on the proverbial "limb" to predict the iPad will be wildly popular. Especially as it evolves. I expect a camera in v2, that will arrive by the Holiday shopping season 2010. As for the Flash issue? Yeah, it's an issue for surfing the web. But I watch my iStats Menu on my iMac and Flash is a jealous hog of resources. My MacBook Pro heats up whenever I sit on a flash item for very long. All I have to do is move off the page or close the browser and my laptop cools, my iStats drop to normal and so does my battery usage on the MBP. Flash is a battery killer (do your worst Walt Mossberg and let us know the results).

Of course there will be the inevitable "Battle of the eBooks" between Amazon and the new iBookstore. Just like it was inevitable that others would jump in and battle Apple for music and video sales. Competition is good for the consumer.

Many of the folks deriding the iPad where wrong about the iPhone and they will be wrong about the iPad. Apple has proven that it has the eyes to see the future and even create that future in the image they want to see. A legacy for Steve? Time will tell. Is this good for the developer community? You bet it is!

Will I get one? Of course. I have a use for it when I travel, go out to share my photo portfolio and more. Does it do my dishes and make the bed? Nope, not yet. Is it cool? Yes. Will it evolve? Yes.

Will it shut the mouths and pens of the pontificators? No, but the noise of the cash registers ringing will significantly smother the din.

Tags: Apple, iPad

MacSupportCasts has finally arrived!

Mac Learning Made Easy.

Short tutorial videos on Mac software.

Learning how to use and get more out of your Mac has never been easier. Online Casts (movies, videos, whatever you want to call them) are the best way to learn. You actually see what to do and how to do it. We record what is happening on our computer screens (Macs of course) while we walk you through the process.

Our concept is not to have slick and costly highly processed and produced video, but rather simple straight up information that is like having a friend sitting next to you helping guide you. These casual short videos (casts) run between 3 to 15 minutes. We do try to stay under 10 minutes but sometimes it takes a bit more to complete the section.

Watch them as often and and much as you want or need to. No limitations on access for one low yearly cost.

Only $47 per year for all this. All the current videos and all the new ones we will create and update each month. That's only a little over $4 a month!

We even have an Affiliate Program that pays you $10 per person you refer that become Members*

• If you're new to using a Mac, this site is for you.

• If you're already using a Mac but would like to get more out of it, this site is for you.

• If you're a power user and are often answering the same questions to people again and again on how to use their Macs, this site is for you to share!

Start getting more from your Mac experience.

Feel confident while using it.

Do those things you see others doing but didn’t know how it was done.

Join MacSupportCasts Today and learn at your own pace, on your own time, right from home, work or office.


http://macsupportcasts.com/

Tags: Mac, Apple, Training, SupportCasts

A new venture is about to launch. A partnership with 3 well known Rapidweaver Forum Members.

• A long time Theme Developer
• A great technical support and Screencaster & long time Forum Support Guru
• A book writer, part time theme developer and Forum Stalwart

We have taken our skills and for the last 10 months we have been devising the plan. For the last few months we have been working on a custom theme and the development of the new venture.

Goal: To create the best Mac Software Training Site on in the Webverse

The Venue: Short 3 to 5 Minute Online ScreenCasts

Welcome to SupportCasts.com

Our first goal is to cover all things Rapidweaver. From the basics of using the software to advanced techniques, from CSSEdit to Photoshop techniques.

We will also add in other web design software, how to use your Mac, and any software we feel the Macverse needs to have short training on.

We don’t intend to review software. We are not Critics, nor do we wish to hold our opinions “on high”

Just simple, straight forward and short (did we say short?) “how to’s” so you can “eat the elephant” one bite at a time.

So who are the three Amigos?

• Gary “BByrdhouse” Byrd from RapidWeaverThemes.com
• Kevin “Kbbrux” Burns - CRM Technik Ltd. (Germany)
• Larry “Sundog” Pollock (me)

We plan on launching very soon. So watch this blog, the Rapidweaver Forum, the SupportCasts Blog, and Twitter for more information.



Visit SupportCasts Now

Tags: Rapidweaver, Mac, Apple, SupportCasts, Training, Screencasts