First, a disclaimer: I'm not an Apple fanboy. I don't even particularly like Apple. But I will still get an iPad, because contrary to what a lot of people think, I do believe it's magical.

Jobs put it perfectly during the presentation; you need to hold one to appreciate how great it is. If there was no such thing as a laptop in the world and I showed you one, you would go "a tiny computer with a small keyboard that doesn't have a number pad? Bad speakers and and low-res display? And it's more expensive than my desktop machine, even though it comes with a slower processor, not to mention it gets hot and scalds my lap? No way, I don't need one". My point is, the iPad is one of those portable devices you need to own and experience yourself to appreciate its practical use.

It is in fact a revolutionary device that will change the way we live. I know Apple did not come up with a totally new concept here. But the original iPod wasn't a new idea either, there were many other mp3 players out there when it first came out. It's Apple's comprehensive thinking under the hood that made the iPod so revolutionary. The design of the physical device, the interface, Apple's content model via iTunes, affordability etc. I think with the iPad, they are following a similar model, if not a more comprehensive one.

Here are some more reasons why I am getting one:

• I need a portable device at home to browse the web. The iPhone is great outside, but it's too small for home use. And I don't want another laptop because my wife already has one. I think a tablet would be a nice complement to a laptop if you already have one.
• Perfect display for iTunes remote, to control my audio system.
• The iPad version of the New York Times application looks amazing, and it gives you an idea of what publishers will come up with in the future.
• I will actually read books on it. I know I will because I already read books on my iPhone, and it's killing my eyes. Besides, it's perfect to read other stuff like manuals, pdfs etc. And I think ComicZeal on the iPad would be quite a joy.
• Perfect for watching hulu/netflix in the bed. I know it doesn't run flash yet, but I believe non-flash video is coming soon, thanks to HTML 5.
• Finally something I can keep on the nightstand, without the fear of sleeping with radiation. (That's why I'm getting the non-3G model)
• And it's quite affordable. I will get the $599 model, which is half the price of a 13" MacBook Pro. I always go for the "middle" model, because I believe in the "optimum".
  

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I've had the 85mm f/1.8 for over a week now, so I thought I should offer a mini review for the "rest of us". And by that I mean if you are looking for specs, charts, sample photos, stats etc. please look elsewhere. Here's what I've got:

• Feels ok. Not solid, but not flimsy either. A bit plasticky but hey, what do you expect from a sub $400 lens? But seriously, I'm a bit disappointed, but not enough to keep me awake at night. On the plus side, it's light, and very inconspicuous.
• Fast and quiet auto-focus. I'm impressed. Works great with my 7d, and that's pretty surprising considering it's by no means a new lens.
• Serious chromatic aberration or spherochromatism, or Bokeh Fringing or LoCA whatever, who cares what it's called, it's just pretty bad. Magenta and green fringing all over the place. In pretty much all photos with high contrast. Enough for me to return it? Probably not, but I'm lucky because I usually process in b&w. And don't think that these artifacts are like the usual CA you fix in Lightroom or Photoshop. I'm talking about serious color distortion here. Still, if you know your photoshop well, you shouldn't have much problems. More information here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/canon_7d_digital_slr/discuss/72157623189524582/?search=aberration
• Pleasingly sharp even at widest. Decent blur quality. (OK, for people who speak Japanese I meant "bokeh") I have never had an L lens, so I'm pretty happy with the quality here. And who cares anyway? You should know better than relying on just DoF for good photography. Right?
• Did I mention it's less then $400?
• And here's something I shot this weekend:

  

Unless I return it (which is still a possibility) I will try to add more comments as I discover this lens. So stay tuned!

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Creativity lies between boundaries, limits, and constraints. These are your basic rules when you start a project. Timeline, budget, expectations (both your client's, and yours), technical feasibility, personal/team skills, etc. Add to those environmental responsibility, moral concerns, integrity, reputation, and you have a basic set of rules to work with. At any given project, most, if not all of these will be your "box". But only some of those rules will be pre-set for you before you start the project. The rest, you need to define yourself. This is important because the sooner you can define them, the sooner you can start thinking outside the box by "flexing" those rules. They will anchor you to your project's goals, while you are exploring adventurous waters above the surface. So spend some time up front to better define your full set of rules. Trust me, it's well worth the extra time and effort. Notes:

• This post might become the beginning of my "Monday morning shower ramblings" series, which is basically stuff I think about while taking a shower, and jot down using these crayons. More on those later.
• Read about my personal experience regarding the "thinking outside the box" cliché in this old post.
• Posted using the Wordpress application on the iPhone. It's my first time, so hopefully nothing got messed up.

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I always strive for balance in graphic design; between color, texture, typography, form, and negative space. I start laying out by throwing some design elements into my canvas, and when things begin to get cluttered, I start removing some, or counterbalance by introducing new graphic elements. A table with lots of data needs extra padding between columns, long measure requires extra leading, red logo breathes better with more space around it. You get the idea. Just like playing with an equalizer, you’re looking for the perfect mix. Too much bass, and it thumps. Can’t go overboard with your taste buds either. Yogurt goes well with spicy food. Whipped cream provides a nice complement to a really sweet dessert. Sweet and sour is a globally accepted combination. You enjoy these because your palate is cooperating with your body, which is always in need for the perfect acid/base balance. And let’s not forget the balance between the three main aspects of music; melody, harmony, and rhythm. If you’re composing something harmonically advanced, then you need to keep your melody fairly straightforward, otherwise the tune starts to get too clinical, or experimental. Similarly, if you are utilizing a complex rhythm, you need to keep your harmonic structure simple, like in the case of latin jazz where you often hear relatively simple chord progressions accompanied by complex percussion. Or think of Coltrane’s vamps where a single-chord harmony provides a strong base, upon which a very sophisticated melodic structure can be built. Stress/release, pump/decompress, black/white, cream/sugar, salt/pepper…

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Yes, I do have a new year resolution, but it’s hard to put into words. I think the transcript below from Heroes Season 1 will do a good job though. Taken from a dialogue that takes place between Peter Petrelli and Claude Rains—my favorite character in the series, played by Christopher Eccleston:

Quite insightful, considering it’s kind of a cheesy show. Anyway, Happy 2009!

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I just read a quote from Marc Gobé, who is a world-famous authority on Emotional Design and the author of Brandjam, along with some other branding related books:

Design is to branding as jazz is to music.

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