Category: Blog

Why iPhone is here to stay for a while in my hands

When that addiction ends, you’ll be the first to know since I’m in agreement that Google is the company I’d rather be in bed with than Apple but for now I just can’t kick the Apple habit and I’m very happy with giving Steve Jobs more of my money because Apple definitely has built the best mobile device on the market today.

via scobleizer.com

Robert Scoble writes up in a blog post as to why it is difficult for him to give up his iPhone and go with something else. I have thought about this as well as I like to try new things and to give things a try. But to this date, nothing I have hold comes closer for making it a complete packaged device as iPhone for me. To me it just works and is going to be in my hands for a while longer till somebody else gives me a compelling reason and a product to move over.

What’s your way of saying ‘Sorry’ to clients?

how do you go about fixing this so you don’t become known as a freelancer-from-hell?

I’ve heard of some of the following options:

  • Provide Starbucks gift card to smooth things over
  • Provide a hefty discount for the current project
  • Offer a heartfelt, in person, apology
  • Handwritten note of apology
  • Eat the cost of the project – no satisfaction, no payment expected
  • Offer up your first born (my parents kept trying this, but unluckily for me, no one took them up on it!)
  • Ignore it.  It’s the client’s fault for not being clear enough
via freelanceswitch.com

Everybody makes mistake at some point and most of the time unknowingly or out of ignorance. If I had done a mistake unknowingly, I will first admit that it was my mistake. Second I will say ‘Sorry’ promising myself to be extra careful next time the mistake should not be repeated.

Be a Linchpin!

Grain Of Sand.jpg
Grain Of Sand

Western society exists in a state of over supply. I’m not just talking about what is on grocery store shelves, but our jobs, skills, etc. How many of us are truly irreplaceable?  Are there 100, 1000, 100,000 people who can do what you do, as well or even better.

A goal of life must be to find your purpose and do uniquely, exquisitely, and in a way that keeps you off the beach
via us1.campaign-archive.com

Yes, be different and excellent in all you do. No one will miss one grain if it goes missing from the sand.

iOS4 for iPhone Rocks

So by now allmost all hardcore Apple fans would have installed iOS4 on their iPhones.

Top 2 features that appeal to me and will be very useful are:

  1. Folders
  2. Multi tasking
It just makes sense to arrange applications into folders as scrolling 8 screens was getting too much. Although I just use the Spotlight search functionality most of the times. As might be the case with some of you, I only use around a screenful of apps on a consistent basis.

Now I have three screens in total and all third party apps are under appropriate categories.

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One thing that was a surprise to me was how many game apps I had installed. I have nearly 4 folders full of games on my iPhone [again most of which I don't play on a regular basis]. 

I am also loving the iBook app update which now supports PDF. But with this, even Good Reader app is getting better and I might keep using it in the near future.

To do more, keep it simple and keep it to minimum

I am a sucker when it comes to increasing productivity or doing things the smarter way and I am a bigger sucker when it comes to trying out software and services that helps to do the same. I think there will be millions of more like me! So every time there is a new productivity improving service out there or a great deal on web services, I pull myself aside for a minute and ask two questions:

  1. What problem of mine is this tool solving?
  2. Which of the existing tools or services that use can solve the same problem?
Answering these two questions, almost all of the time I come to a conclusion that my problem is either already solved with one of my existing tools/services or CAN BE solved by my existing tools or services. To improve your productivity you have to get more done in the time you have or even less time. To improve your productivity, keep your systems/workflow simple and get more done. Optimize your existing system instead of fragmenting your workflow too much and introducing more distractions. More systems/workflows means there is more management of systems and more distractions, which does not necessarily equate to getting more done.

So next time, before you spend a weekend trying a new tool or a new service, see if it will keep your existing workflow simple and to the minimum or will adding an extra tool going to add a lot of value in the long run.

Deadlines – I mean ‘Deliverables Due Date’

Deadlines work. Products that are about to disappear, auctions that are about to end, tickets that are about to sell out–they create forward motion.

  • They have a lousy name. Call them live-lines instead. That’s what they are.
    • via sethgodin.typepad.com

    I loved the post from Seth about ‘Deadlines’. I don’t like the word myself. I find it negative although it’s intention it to move forward. Instead I like the ‘Deliverable Due Date’ [although it’s long].

    Yes, setting up a date is important. It makes us take actions. A very common due date by which we act regularly is paying bills.

    Urge to staying always connected comes with a price

    Hyper-Connected.jpg
    Hyper-Connected

    I remember a few years ago, back when social media was relatively new and intellectually interesting, I felt the strong need to “keep up” with everything. Every time a new toy or widget came along, I would give it a try. Staying “connected” seemed to be the future, so I wanted to be connected. The more connected, the better.

    I was subscribed to about 900 blog feeds at the time. Again, Connectivity, Baby!

    Of course, in the end I found out the same thing a lot of us did… that you can be so busy trying to stay connected, trying to be EVEN MORE connected, that you forget to get any actual REAL work done. You know, the kind that other people pay you for.

    Live and learn…
    via us1.campaign-archive1.com

    This post is a good reminder that the urge to staying always connected comes with a bigger price, we not doing enough work done, not producing, not shipping out our products.

    There has to be a good balance of staying connected with people and things and getting work done, shipping out products and adding value to yourself and value to others at the same time.

    Staying connected does not equal to value created.

    Dear @Adobe

    Adobe, not sure if you have already moved on. If you haven't then Move ON. Move on without Apple and make fantastic and super useful products that is going to bring users back to you, even if it means ditching Apple products. Create an experience for your users, create opportunities for your developers and vendors that outweigh what others are offering to them. Going by my own experience, I know I would if you come to the party.

    We all have used your products all these years and in my case without passing on credits and appreciation where due. Without Flashplayer, I would not have had the luxury of watching unlimited free videos on Youtube. Without You, I would need to make sure that all documents were in a standard format without sending and receiving 100's of document. Without PDF I do not need to worry. They WERE and they are awesome products, but not sure if they can maintain this awesomeness moving forward. You will just have to prove this!

    For now, all the best!

    In my short life have learnt a thing, Complaining rarely get you anywhere.