iWork 09…in the cloud: I absolutely love iWork and consider it to be the de-facto office suite for my needs. Rumors have surfaced that the suite is either moving completely into the cloud or will have a cloud component.

If it’s completely in the cloud…all I have to say is ‘yuck.’ iWork is perfect right in the desktop, not totally immersed in the cloud!

What I would love to see would be a component of iWork in the cloud (or at least Pages.) Imagine something like Google Docs, except with more features and a slicker interface. With sharing capabilities and real-time group editing (perhaps a stretch) this would be awesome. Most likely integrated with MobileMe…current MobileMe users get the web versions, and if they have iWork ‘09, they get syncing capabilities and such.

Other Things (that will never happen): How about the iPhone nano, at a lower price and geared towards people like me without the need for data plans and the price tag they carry? Or a “big iPod touch” aka a Netbook or tablet Netbook?

I can only dream…and can’t wait to see what happens at the “Phillnote” tomorrow!

1. Reached Plurk nirvana (for what it’s worth)
2. Started a podcast with two of my best friends*
3. Created 31 blog posts
4. Got a MacBook*
5. Worked at my first job
6. Finished my office re-design*
7. Learned Photoshop
8. Learned CSS, HTML, and some PHP
9. Created an organization system for everything*
10. Fit myself into a locker

*May merit a post next year!

Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers.

Maybe a minor part of how you reach your new customers, Apple, but people that have been with you from the beginning will surely be upset. Also, why is Jobs not doing the last keynote? Sure, Phil Schiller is a great guy and all, but at least let us have a last “One more thing,” or a few “Boom”s? Please?

I’m just kind of surprised still that Apple, who seemed to care so much about every customer, is now choosing to focus more on new customers, and neglecting their base. The loss of Apple at Macworld tears down a bit of the personal aspect that drew so many people to the Mac. Dare I say it, but this seems like a very impersonal, Microsoft, move.

Mail.app and Gmail really don’t work well together, which prompted me to switch back to the Gmail web interface. Fluid is a perfect companion…not only is Gmail in its own application window, with no browser clutter, but the icon in the dock shows a new mail badge. Perfect!

Sure, for school, but a lot of teenagers do that because they have to. But I mean I wake up a lot earlier than I need to on these days. And the weekends? 7 or 8 o’clock, which isn’t that early, but it is relative to my age. Most people I know aren’t even thinking of getting out of bed until 10, and much later than that isn’t unusual. So why do I get up early? Aristotle said:

It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.

Not sure if any of those benifits have been placed upon me, but I do feel a mental boost during the day when I have some quiet time to begin my day. Plus it gives me more time to do work (I feel extremely productive in the early hours) and to have a leisurely breakfast. It works for me!

Inspired by http://www.plurk.com/p/7fc7q.

Having a long conversation on the phone made me realize just how powerful voice is. It also made me realize just how impersonal IM and email can be/feel. It’s amazing how nothing can really replicate the telephone and voice in terms of expression when you can’t be face to face with someone. How cool is that?

1. Reduce your distractions [sometimes]. Yes, it’s been said a million times, but it is an important part. Everything gets done a lot quicker when you don’t have new IMs, email, and social networking posts coming in. When I have a lot of homework or other work to accomplish, I’ll just close out of all that stuff on my computer. For short things, I find that balancing work and play isn’t that hard.
2. Make your environment work for you. This goes hand in hand with reducing distractions. Everyone has his or her personal preferences on how their space is set up. The ideal workspace puts everything you need at your fingertips. Whether messy or neat, the important part is that it works for you.
3. Have a game plan. Know exactly what you need to get done before you even try starting. One way to do this is by using a to-do list, whether on paper or digitally using something like Remember the Milk or Things. I’ve found that simply making a list of what you want to get done goes a long way in getting started.
4. Don’t overstuff your day. I’ve found this especially true with homework. Getting it done as soon as possible (the day it’s assigned ideally) reduces the work every day. This requires some self-discipline: if you put something off, that’s when you have too much work on your plate. Sometimes this isn’t preventable, but it’s best to try to do things right away if there’s time.
5. Block up your time when working on long projects. Working straight through major projects is something I used to do, until I realized the importance of breaks. Even five minutes to get up, stretch, and get a drink of water can be re-energizing and help you keep focused on the task at hand.

Let me apologize for the lack of content lately, too. Unfortunately, I’ve been busy lately, but hope to post more now that I’ve changed the format up a bit. I’m rediscovering what a powerful front for thought a blog really is.

Now, Think David is the personal blog of David Owens.

It’s really exciting…if you have any questions or critique, please email us: tadapodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.