Tag: apple

New Computer for Me

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1000
 “Macbook Air” Cedar Park, 2021

Today I bought a new MacBook Air to use as my main computer. I’ve been using a Dell XPS desktop computer for several years now, and it has been great (and is still running nicely), but it’s a bit slow when working with video, especially 4K.

Instead of buying another Windows PC, I decided to join the rest of the family and get a Mac. Part of the reason was that I have an iPhone and iPad already, so it would be convenient to align my laptop with those. Another reason was that I could support Mariko better whenever she needed help with her MacBook Air (we now have the same model computer). And lastly, it is super-convenient to be able to write text messages using Messages on the laptop! Yes, that is HUGE.

I was worried that configuring a new machine to my workflow would be complicated and a huge hassle, but actually it was very easy. Not only are most of the applications the same between Windows and MacOS (and can be downloaded easily), but starting “fresh” and not copying over all the data from my old computer is refreshing. It feels like a very light and streamlined computing experience not having all that data sitting on the laptop’s hard drive. I still have everything on the Dell, plus two hard drive backups, but I’ve copied the things I regularly access to OneDrive/iCloud so that data is handy.

As for video editing, I am planning on using DaVinci Resolve exclusively. I used it briefly on my Windows machine, and I really liked it, but it kept crashing. With the new laptop, I should be able to use it with no problems! My other main use is photo-editing, and I’ll use the Adobe photographer subscription (Lightroom and Photoshop).

One major bummer I encountered was that when I upgraded MacOS from Big Sur to Monterey, the USB hub I was using lost functionality with the USB-A ports. The HDMI and USB-C parts of the hub still work, but I cannot attach my wired keyboard and mouse to it anymore. This is a known bug and there are numerous posts about it. I just wish I knew about it before I updated! Anyways, I am able to plug in my wired keyboard to the other USB-C port on the MacBook using a cheap adapter I got from Daiso, and I have a Bluetooth mouse on the way. So that problem will soon be moot, however I am hoping an OS update will fix the hub problem so that I can use the old USB ports for attaching my camera and USB thumb-drive.

Overall, I am enjoying using the MacBook Air. It’s very fast!

Drawing on the iPad with Procreate

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"Digital Drawing in iPad" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO5000
 “Digital Drawing in iPad” Cedar Park, 2019

こんばんは。How’s it going?

I couple days ago I bought an Apple iPad 9.7″. The reason I bought it is because I wanted a good drawing tablet with a screen, and to me, the 9.7″ iPad was the best combination of quality and price. I’m not a fan of Apple products (mainly their ecosystem and the awful iTunes application) but the lure of Apple pencil and Procreate was too much to resist.

I’ve had the iPad for a couple days, and I love drawing with it! Procreate is such a fun program to use. I ended up drawing late into the wee hours of the morning the first day I had it.

Compared to a traditional drawing tablet like my Wacom Art tablet, it’s so much more intuitive and fun. The pinch to zoom and rotate on the iPad is awesome! It makes sketching so easy and convenient. I’d say it’s a game-changer.

I’m still a newbie, but I wanted to share one of the “watercolors” I created. I imported a photo from my China vacation, then traced it by hand and colored it in. I’m pleased with how it turned out, especially for a first attempt.

Shibaozhai Pagoda
Shibaozhai Pagoda

One really cool feature of Procreate is the timelapse feature. It’s pretty neat how it’s always recording your brushstrokes. So fun to go back and watch! Check out the video below to see how I drew this little watercolor:

I’m so happy with Procreate and the Apple pencil. I find iOS to be decent, but the file system baffles me, and iTunes is still maddening. But if I use iPad for the intention I bought it for (sketching), I am more than satisfied. 😀

I hope you had a nice day!

またね～

Apple AirPod Bluetooth Delay

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So Koa got a set of Apple AirPods for his birthday, but I noticed he was wearing his wired earbuds the other day. When I asked why, he said there’s too much of a delay when watching Youtube videos. I would have thought that there would be some kind of buffering/delay that happens to counter any latency, and there is, but apparently, it’s not good enough.

Today I read this while doing a little research on the issue:

The only case where lag is a problem is musicians with split-second timing needs or scientific measurement apps.

I guess since Koa is an Honors Band percussionist he is ultra-sensitive to the timing, this all makes sense. Oh well. 😔

🍎

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"Apple" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/45 sec, ISO3200
 “Apple” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。 How’s it going?

Today’s photo is of a fresh apple sitting in our kitchen. 🍎 I thought the color looked really nice, especially seeing it next to the wooden breadbox.

It seems that I don’t eat much fruit these days, but actually, I will have a banana, kiwi fruit, or tangerine while in the office. It’s so nice that my workplace provides fresh fruit for us! I really should take advantage of it more often. But pizza…

またね～