chris

This article is a little old but still it applies. I’ve been reading a lot about ergonomic chairs lately, and I find that this article sorta sums it up.

I have to be too rich to spend SGD1000 and up for these chairs. How I wish I am too rich…

Oh and why do I want to spend so much on a chair? Read this. It’s just one of the many articles and people out there that say the same thing. And it’s true. I haven’t even started working and I have backaches occurring regularly (meaning it goes away after some time and comes back). Yes, I have even considered physiotherapy. But I just find that that takes up a lot of time and money and I don’t think treatment is the right direction of solving the problem.

Oh well. Added it to the wish list.

This all came about when I’m supposed to read up about Design Patterns. Got distracted with looking at keyboards. Hmm.. The new Das Keyboard looks good. Wish I could order it but then it seems like it’s gonna arrive too late.

I also came across the HHKB Pro 2, which is a USD250 keyboard that looks something like this:

Pretty normal looking huh? There’s a lot about it online. When I have the money. I’ll invest in all these things. When I have the money…

I’ve been trying out OmniFocus lately. But I haven’t be very successful in getting myself to use it. One thing might be that it isn’t a persistent application on it’s own. It doesn’t tell me what I have to do, which is probably what I need to keep myself focused (as it should, hey look it’s that word again, focus).

I’m gonna give Things a go.

Meanwhile, I shall subscribe to http://www.tuaw.com/tag/gtd . Since they’re having a similar problem in finding a better solution.

Tags: technology, gtd, applications, mac

Physical Features:

• Sleek, thin, light (think MacBook Air)
  Who doesn’t want it that way?
• Physical Keyboard (because it’s just faster than numbers -> words)
  I want to type without looking at the screen, with one hand. Have physical feedback of buttons (certain buttons can be marked by texture, like the F and J keys for QWERTY computer keyboards). And other goodies that come when you have a physical keyboard, like setting shortcuts, etc.
• Good feel of buttons
  I believe Blackberry has done this one right. I’m not sure about the newer Treo models but they come up next. Nokia hasn’t been very good on this although their number buttons on non-keyboard phones feel pretty good.
• OR a better touch-screen keyboard (Please read this, Apple)
  One that can recognise gestures and any user can create custom gestures to do custom actions like create a new message/email/SMS/whatever. It’s only natural. After using Abracadabra on QuickSilver (here in action), it’s nothing near impossible. And with their new multi-touch whatever, it’s only natural to have this feature.

Software Features:

• Menu shortcuts (Physical Keyboard)
  This can mean like the [Menu button]-[Keyboard Key] shortcuts on the Treo (the Palm version like the 650). Like [Menu]-S is to send and [Menu]-C is to copy etc.
  I mean like, the keyboard IS there. I tried the E61i recently, and I find it stupid that you can’t select Menu items with the keyboard keys. Like if the menu had like [Compose New Message], [Delete Message] , [Mark as Unread] at least be able to press the C key to Compose New Message right? Doesn’t that make complete sense?
  Maybe newer firmware versions support this. I wouldn’t know.
• Operating System that Makes Sense
  Kind of like the debate between Mac OS X and Windows Vista/XP. The interface just has to make sense. It’s difficult to put this into words. I can’t think of an example now.
• Fast and Responsive Operating System
  I wonder what Microsoft was thinking when they created Windows for mobile devices. Oh well, with their recent Vista performance issues, I can’t imagine what they have in mind for mobile devices (they’ve already ruined portable laptops, for a start).
  Nokia is alright on this. Usable.
  I’m not commenting on Samsung or Motorola because I don’t have much experience with them.
  Not commenting on the iPhone but it should be on the right track.
• A Good Browser (think WebKit or FlashLite NOT Opera Mini NOT SilverLight)
  Apple has it. Nokia has it. Why can’t Blackberry have it?
  For those who don’t know, WebKit is what’s behind the Safari web browser. Imagine that, in your palm. It’s been around for 2 years in some (if not most) of Nokia’s phones though.
  SilverLight is crap. Microsoft is still dreaming in their wonderland.
  Flash rocks, and I can’t wait for it to be on the iPhone and every other mobile device.
• Loads of software or addons (Preferably Opensource - FREE)
  Apple is warming up with their SDKs. Nokia has pretty good base.
  Windows has lots of software but the operating system interface is slow and clumsy. (And I doubt that will change anytime soon.)
  Palm has a great selection of useful software like DateBk, but their software development and operating system development seems to have halted (death.).
  Blackberry is crap on software. There’s no variety and it’s all expensive. I bought JiveTalk (an instant messaging client) and I thought I was gonna be broke forever.
  Android should be on track. The only one that’s thinking opensource.

Extra Features that can be lived without (but hey, it’s my dream phone, so here goes):

• Customisable keyboard layout
  Imagine DVORAK for phones? Using your thumbs to type a message on DVORAK.. Mmmmmm…
  This should be a natural feature or addon for iPhones since it uses a virtual keyboard.