I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts via the newsletter but the service I’ve been using is no longer viable for me. I’ve had an account for months and no matter what information I provide I can’t seem to get a verified account. This means that I can no longer send issues via the service so am stuck. I can’t delete my account (because it’s not verified) and can’t send issues so for now I’m putting the Newsletter on hold whilst I figure out what to do.

Thanks for everything that has subscribed to me so far and watch this space for updates.

I’ve really gotten into using Fantastical over the last few months and particularly enjoy the fact that my calendar and reminders are all in one place.

Flexibits have teased us with a new version and whilst I’m not so excited about new functionality around sharing I’m very excited to see what they do about better integrating reminders into the app.

I like the statement above emphasising the word tasks, the current version is a little lacking when it comes to managing your to do list. I’d love to be able to use just fantastical so anything they can do to improve this integration would be much appreciated.

I haven’t watched all of Samsung’s latest event but I did see the new Galaxy Fold, what a name… anyway a foldable $2000 smartphone is something I wanted to comment on.

My first impression when seeing it on the livestream was, wow that’s just two phones stuck together. It’s kind of cool to see something folding out to a bigger screen but this isn’t the implementation that makes sense to me. I’m sure on video I could see a folder or crease at the middle point that would just be distracting. I believe that sliding additional screen from the side is the way we’ll see this implementation. Think of a scroll that you roll out, not unlike the LG foldable TV that was announced earlier in the year at CES.

I’ve got to give it to Samsung for trying here and getting something out but it looks like a terrible implementation to my eyes.

Now with that price I have to think it’ll sell in the hundreds rather than millions here. Looking at the global smartphone slowdown this isn’t the answer, it’s high end luxury and the sales will show it. It’s a party piece to show off not something to use as a daily driver. However it’s good to get it out there and get some in the wild to see how it takes off and get some real world testing completed.

I’m not entirely sold that foldable is the future but whatever it is, this isn’t the end implementation. It’s a baby step, a stepping off point something that gets the technology into the hands of users that are willing to give it a go. For me it still looks like two phones stuck together, I’ll be waiting a while for the ‘scroll phone’.

Although I’m not setting the world alight with my content I’ve seen a steady increase in traffic since launching the new site on Wordpress. I’m not talking hundreds of thousands but I’m in the tens of thousands now, which I’m pleased with. I’ve not marketed at all really just put out content that I’ve wanted to share.

So, my top post:

This won by a considerable margin and shows writing how to’s for small creators is a good way to bring some traffic your way.

Next up the top ten countries that visit my site.

Not a surprise given I’m based in the UK and write mainly about technology. I’m surprised that Switzerland made it in there, thanks to whoever is visiting my site from there.

Lastly here are my top referrers.

Surprise for me is seeing a lot of readers coming from other Wordpress users. I have a steady number of them being added every week and something I didn’t expect. If you have a Wordpress site consider using the reader to follow sites within the app.

So, good to see an upward trend on my viewers and hopefully blogging makes a comeback in this age of toxic social media.

Thanks to everyone that’s contributed to these stats this year.

Hi everyone, as we get to the end of the year I wanted to just say thanks to everyone that has read, engaged with me and shared my content this year. As an independent content creator it’s sometimes hard to maintain the motivation to keep going, especially when you have a demanding day job.

Even though blogging isn’t exactly fashionable in 2018 I enjoy writing and even though I’m not able to support myself doing this it’s been a fun project over the last few years.

I’m going to maintain this going forward and will be adding a few new things into the mix like some focus on video and maybe a new podcast but with a family and day job we’ll have to see how it all pans out.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas.

Cheers

Lee.

Looks like XR and XS sales continue to be a concern for Apple as it brings its increased trade in values to the UK.

Here’s what you can now get an XR or XS for in the UK when you trade in your perfectly good existing model. iOS 12 works fine on all these devices so personally I’d stick with what you have unless you really want a better camera.

As I’ve noticed Apple News slowly getting worse over the last few months I’ve started to look at other sources of news and forums. I’m late to the party but I installed Apollo and have Given Reddit a go.

I have to say that it’s now completely replaced Apple News for me. I’ve found subreddits that I’m interested in and find myself discovering more news than I am in Apple News.

It’s gotten worse for me over the last six months. I no longer see anything other than Apple stuff in my ‘Today’ view and the stories in my other channels (such as F1) aren’t updating very well and often show stories from weeks ago.

I don’t know what’s happened behind the scenes but wondering if I’m the only one experiencing this drop in quality.

Wasn’t expecting this free update to Tweetbot, wow it looks great with pure black mode for OLED screens and redesigned profile pages.

I always look forward to iFixit teardowns and more importantly the repair scores. Apple have been hit and miss but generally improved over the years as far as I can see.

The last Microsoft Surface laptop got a zero, did they learn their lesson on the new one - NO.

Video can be viewed here.

Press release:

IK Multimedia proudly announces that the iRig Keys I/O 25 keyboard controller/audio interface is available in Apple Retail Stores around the globe. In addition to offering laptop and desktop compatibility, the iRig Keys I/O 25 is ideal for iPhone and iPad, thanks to the included Lighting cable connections and certified MFi compatibility. It now also features full support for Apple’s MainStage 3 performance app.

The only controller with a pro audio interface

The iRig Keys I/O 25 all-in-one music production station evolves the concept of traditional controllers with a unique design that integrates 25 full-sized keys with a full-fledged professional audio interface featuring 24-bit audio up to 96kHz sampling rate, balanced stereo and headphone outputs, plus a combo input jack for line, instrument or mic input (with phantom power). Over $/€550 worth of IK’s professional software and creative apps is included, delivering an unmatched selection of everything needed to make complete music productions out of the box.

Create and perform with GarageBand, Logic and MainStage

For instant and easy control, iRig Keys I/O 25 offers dedicated scenes that integrate with Apple’s Logic Pro and GarageBand music creation DAWs. It now also offers a scene for Apple’s MainStage 3 app that enables the controller’s drum pads to be used to conveniently recall the first eight scenes in MainStage during a live performance.

Expert-level integration with tutorials

To demonstrate how well iRig Keys I/O integrates with Apple’s music creation software, IK worked with Eli Krantzberg and Doug Zanger of Logic Pro Expert to create a series of videos showing how to set up and use these solutions together. Eli Krantzberg is the editor of Logic Pro Expert and author at Groove3, and Doug is a contributor to Logic Pro Expert and an Apple Certified Pro.

In addition to iRig Keys I/O 25, other IK Multimedia products like iRig HD 2 (guitar interface), iRig Pro I/O (universal mobile interface), can be found in Apple Stores worldwide. IK Multimedia is the leader of the mobile music creation revolution as one of the first companies to utilize the power of the iPhone and iPad to let musicians create anywhere, any time.  From the original iRig interface, IK has developed the industry’s widest range of mobile accessories, from interfaces to microphones, keyboard controllers to stands and accessories, and continues to innovate in this fast-growing new market.

Workstation to Go

From August 1 until September 30, 2018, anyone who purchases iRig Keys I/O 25 will receive a complimentary iRig Keys I/O Travel Bag featuring adjustable straps, a zippered pouch for cables and other small items, and a stylish logo.

Apple have collaborated with Logitech on a Qi charger for iPhone 8 and X. It retails at $69.99 and looks pretty neat.

Details here.

I’ve been using Apple News since release but something troubling has happened to my setup - Apple are adding unapproved News sources to my feed. To add insult to injury they are also enabling notifications.

It’s always been a good app allowing me to control what I see but I can no longer trust it not to add what it thinks I want to see.

You can see above that I set up News not to suggest or show me anything I don’t follow.

On firing up the app this morning the above has been added. I’m not happy. The mainstream news is something I’m avoiding (for obvious reasons) and not being able to trust my app is a deal breaker.

At this point I’m done with Apple News.

At last…

I’ve decided to leave my old blog at Squarespace and start something new over here on Wordpress.  There are several reasons for this

• Wordpress is more iOS friendly and shows commitment to keeping their apps updated (especially as I go more iOS native)
• Blogging is better, yes there are more templates and options for a mainly text blogger like me
• It's good to make a fresh start sometimes

I’ve gotten to a point where I cannot support myself on my writing alone so finding a more affordable, more expansive platform was a must for me

In conjunction with stopping over at LJPUK.COM I am planning on a few more creative projects that I’ll share on here when the time is right. In short this new blog is going to be more than just tech, I’ll talk more on my workflows etc.. but also sharing my thoughts on movies and my photography.

Thanks to those that have followed me on my journey and continue to follow me on this new project.

I’m feeling a little abandoned by Squarespace (as a blogger) at the moment. All of their new templates and focus seem to be on serving the business market rather than individual bloggers.

Their apps are also very slow to update, especially their blogging app.

That’s one of the reasons I’m writing this from an iPhone X with an updated Wordpress app.

I pay a good amount of money monthly to run my Squarespace site and not feeling I’m getting the value for money I think I deserve.