Blogging: Best laid schemes of mice and men

....gang aft a-gley. After praising the new Squarespace iOS app, Blog, I had a good chance to try out this editing and posting tool while in China. It worked perfectly and I was more enthusiastic than ever. As it turns out, My enthusiasm was premature.

On the plane back from Beijing I pulled out my iPad and keyboard and settled down to write a few weasel words of entertainment for my readers. Imagine my surprise when I found I was barred from the Blog app. It wanted me to enter the Macfilos Squarespace credentials and, of course, from 30,000-feet up in the sky there was no chance of that working. As a result, my plan to compose a number of posts for Macfilos and have them automatically publish as soon as 4G was restored at Heathrow came to naught. Instead I reverted to the trusty Editorial app and have since had to copy and paste the text into Squarespace.

This was very annoying. It is the first time it has happened with the new Blog app but it was a frequent and frustrating occurrence with the old and awful Squarespace app. If you cannot rely on an editor then there is not much point in using it. Pity.

I have asked Squarespace for an explanation and the problem has been "escalated". This, I think, means they don't have the answer but will try to find one.

Despite this niggle, Blog is on the right lines. I have been using it today while out and about in London and it has worked perfectly. In most ways I now prefer it to using the Squarespace web editor which remains temperamental and uninspiring. If Blog can be made reliable I will be tempted to use the iPad for Macfilos posts most of the time. No longer will I feel the need to carry a MacBook around when travelling other than, perhaps, for photo processing.

Windows to Mac: Switching tips from Tuts+

When I converted to Macianity over eight years ago there was precious little help for the hapless Windows user. Suitable Mac applications to complement favourite Windows programs were thin on the ground and moving data was a frustrating operation frought with pitfalls, lost data and duplications. All that has now changed. Most of my friends have already made the move and those that haven't are highly likely to be stuck on Windows because it is the chosen platform of their employer. I do not know a single Windows user who is an enthusiast and wouldn't look at OS X under any circumsances. Perhaps I move in the wrong circles but it's a fact.

Undoubtedly the strongest catalyst for Mac adoption has been the halo effect of the iPhone and, even more so, the iPad. These little fifth columnists have done more to sell Macs than any amount of word-of-mouth recommendation or advertising.

This week I came across an excellent Windows switcher primer on the Tuts+. Here are five things you must know when converting to Mac. Elsewhere on Tuts+ you will find lots of help and information on migrating data. Suddenly, moving to a Mac is no longer daunting. It now comes more easily to most after their experiences of Apple thinking in the iOS platform.

It's a Doddle: Network Rail's new parcel drop-off service

Waiting at home parcel deliveries is a pain. For some, busy working during the day, it is impossible. It really bugs me and I would surely buy more stuff from Amazon and other on-line retailers if I didn't face hassles in getting my hands on the goodies. It isn't too bad with Royal Mail packages, which can be picked up at a local sorting office, but courier companies are invariably located in the boondocks. For example, every time Apple tries to deliver flashy new product I end up trekking miles to the nearest courier depot.

Amazon has introduced drop-off services at local stores in some areas and this is a welcome move. But not all Amazon sellers are in the scheme and, of course, it is restricted to the one web site. Happily, more progress is on the cards and I was encouraged to read that Network Rail is to introduce collection stores at three busy stations, Milton Keynes, Paddington and Woking. During the trial period this new "Doddle"[1] system will be open to rail employees before being opened to members of the public who take out a free registration. If it is successful, as I am sure it will be, Doddle stores will be rolled out to other stations throughout the country.

Many times I decide to buy from a brick-and-mortar store somewhere in the vastness of London rather than choose a slightly cheaper product from the internet. The reason is convenience. The idea of having a drop-off for all my on-line purchases at, say, Paddington Station, is attractive and will certainly encourage more internet sales traffic from Macfilos. Railway stations are an ideal location because commuters, who are seldom at home to receive parcels, can easily collect after work.

For others, such as me, stations are convenient transport hubs. The ability to have anything delivered to the Doddle store is a good interim measure while Amazon is fettling its low-flying drones. Come to think of it, though, who is going to be at home to "sign for" a drone delivery? Back to Paddington.

[1] I am not sure if the phrase "it's a doddle," meaning it is really easy, is current outside the UK, but it is an inspired bit of naming.

iOS v Android: When not all sales are equal

If you go on bare numbers sales of Android devices are forging ahead of Apple in most markets. Look closely, however and it becomes clear that cheaper Android phones and tablets are leading this surge while Apple remains dominant in the premium, higher-cost market. This is where Apple wants to be and, I would suggest, is where Apple will do well to remain. It is easy to chase prices down and enjoy market share at the cost of profits. A byproduct of Apple's concentration on higher-end devices is that it accumulats higher-end customers, those with cash in their pockets to buy more applications, more goods from the internet and, crucially, attract more advertising clicks.

Mobile devices now account for 37% of all shopping traffic and no less than 21% of on-line sales. Break down these impressive figures and you find some interesting detail. As Apple Insider points out in this article, iOS devices are remarkably dominant.

.....when breaking down those numbers by mobile platform, IBM’s Digital Analytics Benchmark group reported that iOS devices accounted for more than 4.5 times the total sales of Android or over an 80 percent share of mobile-oriented sales, with 17.3 percent of all online sales occurring on an Apple mobile device versus just 3.75 percent on Android products. IBM stated that iOS users also spent an average of 18 percent more per order: $131.34 versus $111.35 for average Android sales. Apple’s iOS devices also made up 26 percent of all overall mobile traffic, compared to just 11 percent for Android. Microsoft’s Windows Phone, BlackBerry and other mobile platforms didn’t represent enough activity to mention.

The leading share of online shopping grabbed by iOS users parallels the 84 percent share of tablets claimed by iPad in Chitika’s web analytics, the leading share taken by iOS in app developer’s revenue seen per download, and the over 80 percent usage stats reported among education and enterprise users.

The staggering statement in the above quote is that Windows Phone, BlackBerry and other mobile platforms activities were too low to monitor.

iPad Air or Mini: More help for doubting Thomases

The dilemma in choosing between the new iPad Air and its smaller sibling, the Mini, is no nearer to resolution. I bought the Air (while waiting for the Mini to be delivered) and returned it after deciding I preferred the smaller sized tablet. Many tech writers have faced the same doubt and some are still wondering if they made the right choice. There must be swarms of owners and potential buyers out there in a state of nervous angst.

Shawn Blanc rides to the rescue today. He has been using both models side by side and now has some interesting conclusions in his article here. After extensive testing he comes down, just, in favour of the smaller Mini. But it's a close-run thing. Shawn has determined to continue using both machines until he can be absolutely certain of his ultimate preference.

It seems that whichever of these two iPads you eventually choose you cannot go far wrong.

Genius of Apple: Only the language is different

Wherever you go in the world you will find the familiar Apple Store concept with very little variation in stock lines and, it has to be said, very similar prices after allowing for local taxation. Here in Beijing I judge the prices to be on par with those in the UK and, apart from the faces of the staff you could be in Manchester or San Francisco. The language changes but the overall concept remains the same. This is the genius of Apple.

Android: Design, performance and value from Chinese makers

Xiao Mi, Mei Zu: these brands don't trip off the tongue in London or San Francisco. But maybe they should. Talking to Chinese friends here in Beijing I realise that I could buy a cutting-edge Android phone for around £200. These phones are not considered to be second-rate citizens, much as we like to think everyone will settle for nothing less than an iPhone. They are well designed, well built and highly attractive products at a very attractive price.

Monday: 10 o'clock you will not wait in vain....for a Mei Zu cellphone

What staggers me is the wide range of phones to be seen here in China--much wider than we would expect in England where the iPhone tends to dominate. Here, as far as I can seen, Android rules. In particular, the phablet, a cross between an iPhone and an iPad is in demand. And, as I've observed on previous visits, the iPad is itself one of the most popular cameras. I can't think why, but it is considered smart to hold up a massive tablet for photographs.

The Chinese market is vast and can support the likes of Xiao Mi and Mei Zu alongside the world brands such as Apple, HTC and Samsung. Apple operates in a very small sub-set of China, selling to the 27 million "rich" Chinese who can afford to double or treble up on the humble but not so dusty Mei Zu. But this sub market is big in its own right and, perhaps, is all that Apple needs to be successful. Apple cannot compete with Xiao Mi, so best to stick to the market it knows.

Cellphones: New restrictions from heaven

We're used to the FAA's verbot on cellphone use and, frankly, chatting on the phone isn't recommended while driving. But what about in heaven? This is the first time I've seen a thunderstorm alert in relation to the use of my iPhone. Maybe the Temple of Heaven, in Beijing, has a direct line to higher knowledge.

Beijing Mobile: SIM card and lettuce from Wu Mart

Visiting Beijing is always an adventure, especially when it comes to getting your iPhone or iPad fixed up with a local cellular network. On previous visits I've gone to one of the principal China Unicom offices (there is one at Dongdan which is easy to find)[¹] and signed up for a month's limited data and meagre calls for an attractive 70 yuan (about £7.40). But there is a lot of paperwork to do.

This time, guided by a local friend, I wandered into a large branch of Wu Mart and found a busy mobile-phone stall thriving next to the vegetables. Here were iPhones for sale, no shortage apparently, and many good deals for pay-as-you-go SIM cards. I was fixed up with a card valid for one year (so good if I come back in that time) but with an amazing amount of credit for the reasonable one-off 150 yuan cost (£15.75). In addition to a stack of calls and texts, I get a more-than-adequate 500MB of data every month. All this is a much better bet than using your home-grown SIM and makes sense even if your stay in the Chinese capital is for only a few days. For instance, Vodafone tell me that for £5 a day I get 25MB of data but I have to pay £1.35 per minute for calls and 35p per text. Wu Mart's competitive deal knocks the socks off this.

This SIM, like my previous versions, works on China Unicom.

Just one thing to bear in mind if you are coming from a country such as the UK where SIM cards operate nationally: This card allows calls only in the Beijing area so, if you are planning to travel to other areas you will need further SIMs or, perhaps, negotiate a universal deal with China Unicom or China Telecom. Note also that following a new law you will need to produce your passport when buying one of these PAYG cards.

[¹] It is best to avoid the mobile phone retail branches such as China Unicom in Wangfujing where, earlier this year, they denied the existence of the 70-yuan deal and tried to sell me a "lucky number" for a small fortune. Caveat Emptor.

Apple.com: Frustrations of ordering and cancelling

I love the buying experience from an Apple Store. But I absolutely hate the frustrations of dealing with the online Apple store. It all boils down to distribution. One fruitless attempt at delivery must be made before a package can be collected. It would be so much simpler to give us the option of collecting direct from the UPS or other depot without the need to go through the motions of attempted delivery. Most times I end up missing the delivery and trekking across London to some cavernous shed on an unappealing industrial estate. As a result, I order from Apple.com only when absolutely necessary. And that is usually when a new product is announced.

The iPad Mini is a case in point. I had my finger on the button at a minute past launch and successfully bagged a 64GB cellular model with an estimated 5-10 days' delivery. Rumour had it that in-store supplies would be severely restricted and long queues were expected.

Then Apple announced the new system of order and collect from a local store. This I did as soon as I could find the right specification in stock, collected the device and tried to cancel the order from the on-line store. I had a long chat with a very helpful guy called Josh who determined that the package was ready for despatch but he would see if he could get it recalled and the cost credited to my account. I forgot about it until the UPS man turned up (fortunately I was there) and gave me yet another Mini.

I then discovered that it isn't possible to return an item purchased from Apple.com to a local Apple Store. Systems are blamed. They wanted to send a courier to pick up the box, which is very helpful but not at all convenient. Would it not be easier to take it back to the inaccessible UPS depot? No, apparently not.

All this is supremely frustrating. My credit card has been debited with the cost of a second iPad which will not be refunded until they get the box back.

This entire system is fraught with frustrations and disapointment. It is about time new products could be ordered at Apple.com for collection from a specified Apple Store. That would ensure fairness in allocation and would avoid the annoying fact that early birds at the on-line Apple store get usurped by those, including undesirable grey marketeers, who are prepared to queue at Apple Stores.

David Smith: Appman notches up five years

It's hard to believe that little over five years ago the concept of the app store was unknown. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone app store in March 2008 even he could not have expected the phenomenal success of his new system. It has been so successful that we now take it for granted, whether buying and downloading software for iPhones, iPads or Macs. Other companies have jumped on Apple's bandwagon and, with a few exceptions for specialist products, almost all software is now delivered direct to the user on a click-and-buy basis.

Before 2008 buying software was a convoluted process. Most applications came on CD (or, even earlier on multiple floppy disks). Boxed applications were bought from real brick-and-morter stores or, in a weak foretaste of the App Store, some applications could be downloaded from developers' web sites. In most cases, though, long licence keys had to be typed into awkward boxes that most times didn't like what you'd entered. aAnd woe betide you if you wanted to change computer or do a complete reinstall.

All this has changed decisively in the past five years and even the abbreviation has become an accepted word in its own right. The stuffiest among us find it unecessary to use the full word, application. Before 2008 we used to call them computer programs, now they are simply apps.

But what goes on behind the scenes of the various app stores that we all rely on and use almost daily? One developer, David Smith, has been involved right from the beginning and has known success, failure, frustration and delight. Best known for his new venture, the RSS aggregator Feed Wrangler, David has written a fascinating account of his trials and tribulations. It is definitely worth a read.

iBooks and iCloud: Non sync

What is wrong with iBooks sync? Today I added a stack of manuals in pdf format to the new version of iBooks on my MacBook Pro. I created a new category, Manuals, and went out for a walk clutching my retina iPad Mini. A cappuccino later I discovered there was no sign of my pdfs in iBooks on the Mini. There were dozens of previous pdfs that I had loaded into my old iPad. Strangely, the newly created category of Manuals was present and correct. But it was empty. Returning to base I checked all the settings: All apps on the same Apple ID, all set to sync, absolutely nothing wrong.

I then realised that all the documents previously added to the iPad were not showing up on the Mac version of iBooks. More confusion. However, a visit to Apple Discussions showed that my problems are not just mine. Dozens of users are experiencing exactly the same problems. Books and documents added to one app (but not purchased from Apple) are just not syncing.

So, for the moment, iBooks is no books. I will have to add my manuals to the Kindle app. At least that works reliably.

LATER.... Although several Apple Discussions participants had said they had had no luck by connecting their devices to iTunes, I decided to try. Visiting the Books tab, I could not see any of the missing documents. However, toggling the Sync Books checkbox to off and then on again resulted the missing documents (resident on the Mac version of iTunes) appearing. These documents added to the Mac have now been transferred to the iPad. But the pdf files previously added to the iPad do not appear on the Mac. So at least I have been able to tranfer in one direction, if not to synchronise completely. I thought I had seen the last of iTunes, the ancient ship populated with the ghosts of purchases past, but apparently it does still have some uses. So where does this leave iCloud and iBooks. Broken, I think.

MORE: My friend Pietro Montalcino discussed this in this article in August. It seems it is necessary to upload documents separately to all your devices, although this does not explain how documents I added to iBook Mac eventually appeared on the iPad (after iTunes sync as described above).

Squarespace gets state-of-art iOS editor at last

When I read about the new iOS editing app, Blog, from Squarespace I was mildly interested. I didn't expect much because the original blog apps were unwieldy, difficult and profoundly disappointing. When I opened Blog I was astonished. This is a complete rewrite and, for the first time, Squarespace has a state-of-the-art editor that really works. It is a nothing short of a revelation.

Unlike the earlier app, Blog can deal with more than one blog page rather than simply with the designated home page. In the case of Macfilos, for instance, that enables me to work on the tech blog (macfilos/home) and on the photography site (macfilos/photo) without leaving the one application.

The main editing screen supports Markdown and is actually quite a respectable tool, not as fully featured as Editorial or similar editors, but adequate and reliable for composing on-the-road blog posts. As far as I can see, it lacks a finished text view and proof reading has to be done with Markdown code showing. However, the app does support the unusual Squarespace 6 layout engine which relies on manipulation of "blocks" of text, images or embedded code. It is now very easy to grab an image (from the camera roll or saved albums) and insert it between text blocks. As an example, this post has been composed entirely on my new iPad Mini retina.

For the first time it is actually a pleasure to write an article on an iOS device, at least on the iPad, but I have no reason to suppose that the system will not work acceptably on the smaller screen of the iPhone with the usual constraints.

Apart from the previous lacklustre iOS apps, my one big gripe with Squarespace 6 has been the awful, funereal web interface. The text editor occupies a cramped box in the middle of the browser (although it can be expanded to full page) and editing is an unrewarding experience, often accompanied by difficulty in placing the cursor. Insertion of images is a hit-or-miss affair and it is often difficult to grab an image to move it around. Suddenly, here on iOS, I find a better editor: One that Squarespace should be porting to OS X to free us from the contraints and dangers of on-line editing.

Blog also handles comments with aplomb and deals with category and tag selection in a much better fashion than the web-based editor. In fact, as an all-round tool, Blog is a mighty step forward. For the first time since I updated to Squarespace 6 from Squarespace 5 I feel confident in issuing forth with just an iPad in my bag. I believe I could live with just an iPad in a way that was not possible until now. I will no longer find it essential to carry a MacBook when leaving home for more than a day or two. This is a big step forward for blogging kind.

Three other Squarespace apps have been launched at the same time as Blog. There is an update to Note, a quick notetaking program, Portfolio which synchronises with any galleries of photographs on your blog and Metrics, a means of monitoring visitors, popular content and other statistics.

While I have not yet tried Note or Portfolio, I have spent some time with Metrics and I love it. This is another great concept from Squarespace and is set to become a much-visited app on both my iPhone and iPad. At first I wondered why metrics data could not have been incorporated in the main Blog app. But, after exploring the depth of information available, including comparative graphs, I can see the wisdom in keeping it separate. There is just one metric still missing: The ability to check on the number of subscribers to RSS feeds. The Macfilos/home tech blog is linked to Feedburner and I can see full metrics from that site. For the photography blog I went with the Squarespace RSS feed and, to my surprise, discovered that statistical information is not yet available. Nevertheless, Metrics is another huge advance and I look forward to getting to grips with the improved levels of information avialable.

With Blog and Metrics Squarespace has hit the mark. These are first-class apps, well designed and apparently fully functional (at least, I have not yet discovered any bugs, if they exist). The excellence of the Squarespace 6 iOS presence is in stark contrast to the ropey old web editor faced by Mac or PC users. I hope sincerely there is a Mac version of Blog nearing its release date. If not, users will become increasingly intolerant of the shortcomings in the web editor.

iPhone resale prices twice as high

When comparing smartphones and tablets most journalists fail to take into account the total cost of ownership. Just because a certain tablet is £100 cheaper than an iPad doesn't mean to say it is the best buy, even ignoring other factors such as the Apple ecosystem. It is the total cost of ownership that matters, just as it does when buying a car. Recent statistics, highligted here in Mashable, show that the an iPhone can command up to twice the price of an equivalent Android device. This inherent value is something I always take into account in anything I purchase. What can I sell it for when the next model comes along? So far, in eight years of Apple ownership, I have bought and sold frequently and have never been disappointed. It's worth doing your sums when that bargain tablet or phone is given a good rating. All may not be as it seems.

iPad Mini Retina: In-store supplies improving

Although lower-memory wifi Minis are on the shelves UK Apple Stores it is only in the last day or two that cellular and higher-memory models have been trickling through. Yesterday I set the alarm for 6 am and managed to bag a 64GB 4G Mini for collection at the White City Apple Store that morning. I have now cancalled the earlier order I placed on day one with the on-line store. It still rankles that I can more or less walk up and buy an iPad Mini when orders placed weeks ago with Apple.com are still not fulfilled.

The new slate-grey tablet has been installed, SIM card inserted, and is everything I expected it to be. Strangely it isn't the retina screen that makes the most impression, wonderful as it is, it's the speed of the thing. It really does fly in comparison with the first-generation Mini. Having tried the iPad Air for a weekend, I am glad I waited for the smaller tablet. For me, this is the ideal size and weight for a portable device.

Water damage: Apple comforts closeted readers

I used to have a colleague who repeatedly dropped his electronic devices (mostly pagers in those days) into the toilet. Rumour has it that many iPhones have disappeared down the pan in the same way and, I suppose, there's a certain risk to being in a state of undress with one's pockets vulnerable to slippage. Now, if Apple Insider is to be believed, water babies are to receive some belated comfort from Apple. Following a change to its Reuse and Recycling Program small print, Apple could be tempted to allow water-sodden devices to be traded in at a suitable discount. This applies not just to portable devices that fit in the drain but also to Macs, always vulerable to the odd drop of coffee. I hope I don't need the service but it is encouraging that Apple is at least showing some concern for the clumsy clogs among us.

David Hockney has a lot to answer for

David Hockney, said to be Britain's greatest living artist, has sold a lot of iPads and quiet a few iPhones. Short of donning a blue shirt and standing in Covent Garden, he couldn't have done more to popularise the tablet as a creative tool.

I know one good friend, a fan of Hockney, who bought an iPad with the sole intention of using it for drawing. What else could it possibly be useful for? Now she and her husband (both originally sceptical about technology) own two iPads, two iPhones and a MacBook Pro. They are always first in line when a new product is announced and they have worn thin the stools at Apple's one-to-one sessions. It's the Apple halo effect with a vengeance.

Hockney, of course, got nothing for popularising the iPad. He is said to have rebuffed Apple when he was approached to provide an endorsement. This isn't surprising, but in the end Apple got all the publicity for nothing. Hockney, perhaps more than anyone, has shown that the iPad is a serious computing device with impressive creative advantages over traditional laptops or desktops.

What to do on a wet day in London

Last night I was out with my Leica Monochrom in a wet and miserable Soho. See some of the results here at Macfilos Photo. If I had had any sense I would have found something else to do, somewhere to escape the incessant drizzle. Fortunately, there is now a wonderful website to help us do just that: Wetlondon.co.uk. Now don't run away with the idea that it rains all the time in our fair city. Of course it doesn't. But British island weather can be fickle and its always good to be able to check up on what to do when the going gets squelchy.

Book publishers suffer death by irrelevance

Joe Wickert, sage of the bookworld, objects to complaints that Amazon is killing off book publishers. "Publishers are killing themselves", he maintains in this fascinating insight. "It's death by irrelevance."

iPhone: Flop or flier?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Who could imagine that the iPhone could be anything but a wonderful success; or that the iPad would fail? When it comes to the iPhone, it's worth remembering that it was panned at launch. TUAW has gathered together eight amazing quotes from experts who were sure the phone would flop. Here's just one:

"That virtual keyboard will be about as useful for tapping out emails and text messages as a rotary phone. Don’t be surprised if a sizable contingent of iPhone buyers express some remorse at ditching their BlackBerry when they spend an extra hour each day pumping out emails on the road.” — Seth Porges, CrunchGear

Hmmm. Now whatever happened to BlackBerry?

Read more here at TUAW