Alex Leiphart

The Draw of Apple Stores

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:42:00 -0700

Despite my negative post about the Genius Bars in Apple Stores, I still love the Apple Store itself. It’s more than just a retail store — it’s a place where people come to hang out and socialize with others, a place where people come to work, and of course the best place to appreciate the design of Apple, both of their products and stores.

Apple Stores have such an amazing culture and environment that fascinates me. When you pass by an Apple Store, it’s hard to forgo paying a quick visit inside.

I’ve done a lot of thinking about this, and I’ve concluded that there isn’t just one thing that draws me to an Apple Store. It’s the combination between the wonderful spontanaity of visiting one, the possibility that I might see a few people I know and could converse with, and the diverse culture that seems to always lie within the store.

I think, above all, though, my favorite thing to see is how Apple is influencing our culture today, and how wide their target market is. I love seeing a little kid finding joy in a game on the iPod touch or an older lady that’s been a Mac user since 1984 waiting for help at a Genius Bar.

The Change in Apple's Genius Bar

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:48:36 -0700

Walking into an Apple Store Genius Bar appointment even two short years ago was an exciting and fun experience. I knew I wouldn’t have to wait more than five minutes to talk to a Genius, and I knew my problem would be fixed.

In between waiting for an update to install or a diagnosis to finish, I was able to make conversation with the Genius. We’d often talk about things that were of mutual interest to us, and as a customer I appreciated this personal interaction. It’s one of the many things that the Apple Store is known best for.

The past many visits to the Genius Bar unfortunately haven’t been this enjoyable. Half of the time when I walked into the store, I had to look around for a staff member in order to check-in for my appointment, for which I arrived five minutes early for. After checking in, it was at least another 15-20 minutes minimum after my scheduled appointment time until I was able to talk to a Genius.

Since Apple typically overbooks the Genius Bar, the Genius that was helping me was also helping two other customers. This made me feel rushed and pressured, and there was no time nor opportunity for even a quick personal chat with the Genius.

Today’s Genius Bar verses the Genius Bar of two years ago is one that is a lot less personal, and a whole lot more rushed and overbooked. I don’t like it, and nor does anyone else.

I understand that Apple is experiencing a major growth period right now, but that’s no excuse to let the service in their retail stores to dramatically decrease.

I Love Pinterest

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:55:00 -0700

For a while, I had a bulletin cork board hung in my room where I would pin up interesting things I saw on magazines or websites. When people would visit my room, they’d instantly get a glimpse of what I was interested in. It was a neat way, I thought, for people to learn more about me. Over time, as more and more items were pinned to the board, I was able to see how my interests changed.

I would also look at the board reguarly to spark ideas and inspiration. My favorite environment to work in is one that’s filled with things that interest and inspire me. It helps inspire and motivate my work.

When I first heard about Pinterest, I dismissed as just another no-name social network to fill a small bit of space on the internet. A few days ago, I had heard enough positive talk about it that I decided to give Pinterest a chance, via an email invite since the service is still in invite-only beta.

The site instantly intrigued me after I signed up. I spent the next three hours browsing and using the site. It’s set up in a neat way, and a similar way to my bulletin board in which I could “pin” any item or post that I found interesting to my virtual “boards”. Each board is essesntially its own category or interest that you can pin items to. Any user can “re-pin” or like any other pin on the site.

I feel Pinterest is filling an empty void on the internet. There are plenty of sites out there where I can share what’s on my mind, there are plenty of sites where I can share and edit photos and videos, but there’s no good website to curate a collection of my interests and inspirations. Until Pinterest.

I really love Pinterest. It’s refreshing to use a social network that is unqiue and isn’t a complete copy of all the others. If you’d like to try out Pinterest, you’ll need an invite to do so. Luckily, I have a few invites I can give out.

If you’d like an invite, simply send an email to alex@alexleiphart.me or send me a reply on Twitter, @alexleiphart.

A Guide to the Different Types of Coffee Drinks

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:55:00 -0700

A Guide to the Different Types of Coffee Drinks:

Continuing my series about coffee on The Geeks Companion, I talk about the various kinds of coffee drinks and detail the differences between each one.

If you’re even the least bit interested in the vast world of coffee, I recommend you read this article. And if you’re the least bit geeky, you’ll love the site.

The Personal Network

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:23:00 -0700

Path is truly the first “personal” network out there. Instead of sharing updates with anyone who wants to read them, Path is about capturing and sharing life’s moments with your closest friends and family.

Twitter and Facebook put a strong emphasis on quantity rather than quality. The number of followers or friends a user has is promintently displayed on their profile. It’s really just a place to show off.

Path is different.

The average follower on Twitter probably wouldn’t care that I just arrived home from a trip or am out eating at a restaurant my close friend recommended to me. The average friend on Path probably would be interested in that.

Path is about quality and real human interactions. It feels more personal and genuine. A user is limited to only 150 friends, which requires a little bit more thought about who you’ll add to your friend list. Naturally, you’ll be more inclined to friend people that are closer to you (i.e. close friends and family), and because of that, you’ll find yourself capturing and sharing more personal moments on Path.

I also like that I can post private moments that no one else can see. It’s a way to curate your own private journal. I don’t use the feature that often, but it’s nice when I want to jot down a quick thought or idea.

There are occassional times when I do want to share a moment with all my Facebook friends and/or Twitter followers. There’s an option for that, but you’ll notice that the share buttons are hidden and hard to find. They’re meant to be hidden to further the idea that Path is designed for more personal, closer conections and moments.

So many social networks have tried to create a sense of personality and real human interaction. Path is the only network that has succeeded in doing such.

If you’re still not convinced, Path’s promotional video does a great job at conveying what it’s all about.

Make Your Own Latte

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:38:02 -0700

Make Your Own Latte:

I recently had the honor of writing a guest post on Devir Kahan’s The Geek’s Companion about how to make a great homemade latte.

The site is fairly new, but is packed full of interesting and insightful information for the everyday geek. Go over and check it out.

Apple's Grand Central Store

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:21:42 -0700

Apple's Grand Central Store:

If there’s one place I visit the next time I’m in New York, it’ll be the new Apple Store at Grand Central Station. I’m all for sleek, modern, and all-glass store fronts, but there’s something to be said about the vintage look of the Grand Central store.

Go check out the store page for Grand Central on Apple’s website. The pictures are great.

On Siri, Google, and the Lost Thought

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:50:06 -0700

Increasingly, artificial intelligence technology like Siri is become more prevalent in our world today. In many instances, it’s very helpful and convenient to have a “personal assistant” ready to answer your every question at any time. But when does artificial intelligence become too much? That’s a line that hasn’t really been defined yet.

Before Siri, Google, and other related technologies, to find an answer to a question, one must take time to search for the answer, and along the way learning new skills and information. There’s an intimate thought process that takes place when an answer has to be found without technology’s help, and that thought process is lost when technology like Google and Siri is used.

Today, in schools across the world, standards are being dummied-down because of the wealth of information available freely on the internet at our fingertips. Advanced problem solving skills aren’t being taught as much in schools anymore. But what happens when the internet suddenly ‘goes out’ for a day and we have to rely on ourselves to solve problems and answer questions?

Think of camping. No service or internet access. You seem to be able to solve every problem and answer every question you come across without the help of technology. It may take a little longer, but you feel as if you’ve accomplished something at the end, and during the entire process you learned additional skills and information.

Technology can be beneficial in many ways, but in some cases it will stunt abstract and creative thinking. It will prevent us from having the ability to solve problems on our own. Plain and simple, that isn’t good.

The UP by Jawbone

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:32:00 -0700

I spend roughly eight to ten hours a day sitting down at a desk, which makes for little physical activity. It’s not that I don’t want to get out and exercise, it’s just that my time is occupied with other things during the day. At night, I’ll spend my hours “plugged-in” working, which results in a very late bedtime.

The former are all problems I admit to, and quite frankly are all problems I need to solve and take care of. While I’m certainly capable of solving these problems on my own, a little motivation from technology can help—and that’s where the UP comes in.

I’m all for improving my fitness, eating, and sleeping habits by wearing a simple wristband. Instead of having to log what I do, and input information, I can wear the UP and forget about it.

I also have the ability to view my reports and track my progress on my iPhone. Even though the software looks to be sub-par, it’s still very easy, quick, and convenient—which seems to be an obstacle for other similar competing programs and devices.

I don’t have the device in hand yet, but by the looks of the reviews I’ve read, I think it could potentially work really well. I’m very eager to get one.

UPDATE: Many have reported that their UP has become a brick, and in result Jawbone has ceased sales of the UP until all the problems are solved. Looks like I won’t be buying one.

Found a new local coffee shop down the street, and I’m...

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:06 -0700

Found a new local coffee shop down the street, and I’m loving it. It’s also the place where I first got to experience latte art in person.

No Longer a Ritual

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:24:00 -0700

We’re always looking for ways to make things easier, quicker, and more convenient. While in most cases, this can be a good thing, the need for this can sometimes cause rituals and traditions to become extinct. A good example is coffee.

Companies like Nespresso and Keurig are advertising their machines as being convenient and quick, whilst producing a high-quality, great-tasting cup of coffee. I’ve tried both companies’ machines, and while I do agree that the coffee it produces is pretty decent, there’s something vital missing from the experience: the ritual.

The ritual of brewing and drinking coffee is, for me, one of the best parts of the entire coffee ‘experience’. I love taking trips to the local coffee roasters and picking out the beans I will soon be brewing, then going home and making that latte I’ve been craving all day.

Not only do I enjoy this ritual, but practicing it makes me enjoy the coffee so much more. It’s kind of like using a pre-designed website template verses designing your own that looks just as good. There’s more satisfaction and enjoyment that comes using a template you designed, instead of one that was pre-designed.

We can’t let technology and convenience get in the way of great things.

This past summer, I traveled around to different places in...

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:07:00 -0700

This past summer, I traveled around to different places in Colorado, and by far, Telluride was my favorite. I shot a few video clips while I was there, and put all of them together to make this video.

I shot the entire video with my Canon T3i and edited it in Final Cut Pro. Music is M.M.I.X by Coldplay, off their newest album, Mylo Xyloto.

The Problem with Education Today

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:25:00 -0700

Increasingly over my years attending school, the interest I have in the classes I’m taking is decreasing. And it’s not my fault. The current education system today is seriously screwed up and is in need of some serious change.

A majority of my classes are textbook-based. I hate textbooks, not just because they’re a pain to carry around, but also because it’s an easy way for teachers to run their class. Instead of taking time to craft meaningful, intellectually-stimulating lesson plans for students, teachers simply plan to read the next section out of the textbook assigned to the course.

A class where students spend the entire time memorizing irrelevant content only to regurgitate it on a test or exam is extremely ineffective, and really just a big waste of time. Our schools are failing to teach students how to live and think in today’s real world.

Instead of reading paragraphs of text in a class, teachers should launch discussions that connects what we [the students] are studying and real-world issues today.

This kind of structure could work particularly well in history classes. Instead of focusing just on what took place years ago, teachers should be explaining to us why what happened in the past is affecting the way the world works and operates today. If these kinds of connections don’t happen, it’s hard for students to find value and be interested in the content they’re being forced to memorize.

This next point is rather controversial, but I think it’s important to bring it up. I feel that a majority of teachers are overpaid. Yes, overpaid. The overpaid teachers have it easy: they come to school at seven in the morning, read out of the textbook for a few hours, eat lunch and socialize with other teachers for two hours, then resume having students read out of the textbook for the last couple of hours of the day. Then they go home, and grade papers for a few minutes. They also get more vacation time than most do.

And this: screw seniority. Just because a teacher has been teaching for 40 years doesn’t mean they’re any good. It just means they’ve managed to complete the bare minimum and pass the observations done by administrators. It’s a terrible system.

The teachers that have taken it upon themselves to improve their class(es) in the ways I discussed above are underpaid. Unfortunately, it’s rare to find a teacher like this, but they’re definitely around and deserve more pay and recognition than any of the others. In fact, they should be replacing the others.

While there have been many proposed ideas on how to fix these problems, we have to remember that this world is full of idiots that will keep anything from happening.

It’s not the student’s fault if they aren’t being stimulated in school. It’s that teachers aren’t intellectually-stimulating students by applying concepts into today’s real world, which is a vital part of learning today.

A Better Interface Always Wins

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:45:00 -0700

I’ve switched back to Rdio from Spotify. It’s not because of the price differences nor is it because of the number of songs each service offers. It’s because of the better interface that Rdio has. And in the end, a better interface always wins.

Rdio excels in both user and social interface.

I’ve never been particularly fond on apps that rely on lists as their main navigation interface. My eyes end up crossing after scrolling for a little while, and it’s hard to be able to glance at a list and find what you need immediately.

In Rdio, songs are organized by album and presented in an organized gird of album art, making it really easy to find what you’re looking for. As well, there are notably less visual distractions in Rdio, versus Spotify.

The other area Rdio really excels in is social interface. Design isn’t the only factor that makes up an application interface, especially in today’s always-connected, online world. The social interface is very much a part of it.

You aren’t required to sign in or sign up with any other social (or for that matter, non-social) service other than it’s own to utilize Rdio’s features. Simply give a few details and you’re ready to listen to music. If you’re interested in sharing what you’re listening to on Facebook, you have that voluntary option.

To gain access to Spotify, you must sign up using your personal Facebook account. Yeah, right. I was lucky to sign up before that was a requirement, but no more than a few weeks later I was forced to connect my Facebook account to continue using the service. I then realized that every song I listened to was being automatically posted to my Facebook account via Spotify, without my known permission.

These gripes, amongst many other smaller, minor gripes which I can save for a later time, was ultimately the cause behind switching back to Rdio.

What's On My Bookshelf (Spring 2011)

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:03:00 -0700

Every season, I gather together a list of books I’d like to read. I’ve never shared the list, but I figured why not since my readers have similar interests as me.

So here’s the spring 2011 edition of my reading list:

Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible

Johnny Ive, chief designer at Apple finds his inspiration from Dieter Rams, formerly a designer at Braun Electronics. Many of Rams’ principles and guidelines for design are prevalent in Apple products today.

I think the inspiration behind Apple products is fascinating, which makes this a great read for anyone that’s into this kind of stuff.

The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition

Writing this weblog requires me to be aware of what kind of content readers are interested in. It also requires me to be aware of the current content publishing standards of today. The Chicago Manual of Style covers exactly that, and more.

While I don’t know any more about the book than what I said above, I’ve been told it’s a valuable resource and is filled with great insight and ideas.

Keeping It Straight

Patrick Rhone, author of Keeping It Straight is a writing genius. He’s the one behind Minimal Mac, one of my favorite weblogs to date. Like him, I believe in living a simplistic lifestyle. I’ve wanted to delve into the subject of simplicity and minimalism, and who better to learn it from than the author of one of my favorite weblogs?

Steve Jobs

I’m already about a third into the book, and I can’t seem to put it down. It feels like an extension of Apple, just another one of their iconic products. Even if you’re not an ‘Apple nerd’, this book is still filled with insight and wisdom from Steve Jobs that is relevant to almost any situation or circumstance.

If there’s one book you read this season, it’s this one.

And that’s my reading list…

As I start reading and completing these books, I’ll be writing about them on my weblog.

Mylo Xyloto

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:32:00 -0700

I discovered Coldplay via an Apple iTunes TV ad that featured their most widely-known song to this day, Viva la Vida.

The ad was innovative and unlike anything Apple had ever done. Likewise, the music featured in the ad was unlike anything I’ve heard before, and I liked it. Since then, my music library has been filled with every one of Coldplay’s songs, and their new album, Mylo Xyloto, is a great new addition to the collection.

I spent a good hour listening to the entire album today. It has indeed lived up to it’s hype, and is certainly worth your hard-earned nine dollars and ninety-nine cents.

In this last section, I was going to suggest a few of the best tracks on the album, if your music budget was a little tighter. But to honest here, I’m having trouble deciding what the best songs are on the album. They’re all great.

Side note: The meaning behind Mylo Xyloto I have yet to figure out, but see here for some interesting theories made by others.

Find My Friends

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:33:00 -0700

Instead of talking about what Find My Friends is, I want to discuss the rather controversial design of the app itself. It seems people just have a problem with apps that have leather accents. I’m sure you remember the backlash from the updated iCal interface in OS X Lion.

I for one, however, rather enjoy the leather accents of the Find My Friends app. I know many people that would keep an actual written journal of the people and friends they met. Like I discussed in an earlier post, Apple is designing so that their apps feel tangible and more real-life. Find My Friends feels more personal than other “friend-tracking” apps, simply because of its more personal design.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks are back for the season.

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:39:27 -0700

Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks are back for the season.

Refining My Projects

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:00:06 -0700

It was overwhelming how many projects and websites I had going at once just a few days ago. My readers were also at a disadvantage having to browse to multiple sites and locations to read my content.

Those days are now behind us. I’m announcing today that all of the content I produce online will be located right here at alexleiphart.com. This includes content from Print and Press, which will now simply forward to this web address.

I’ve also taken the additional step to thumb through all of the past posts on this weblog. I archived the posts that I felt had little value and didn’t properly reflect what I want this weblog to be.

Last, but certainly not least, I’ve re-designed my website. For real this time. I want the content—and only the content—to be the focus of my website. I’m pretty sure this new design accomplishes just that.

And since I know I’ll get the question, I’m using a modified version of the High Res theme, available in the Tumblr Theme Garden.

I feel like I now have a clean space, clear mind, and a greater motivation to continue generating quality content for you. It’s a great feeling.

The Ideal Apple Setup

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

I have a theory — it’s that Apple has an ‘ideal setup’ in mind for the average consumer. That ideal setup includes an 11” MacBook Air, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S.

When you’re out running errands or at a brief meeting, it’s not exactly practical to carry around an iPad or MacBook. That’s when an iPhone most comes in handy. It’s a wonderful device for communication ((Unless you’re on AT&T and try to make a call.)) and especially with the new 4S, it’s an even better device to capture photos and videos with.

With iCloud and Photo Stream, you’ll never have to sync with your computer again, which brings me to my next point. There’s a reason that the 11” Air has no SD card slot. If you’re using an iPhone for your primary point-and-shoot camera, there’s no need for an SD card slot. First, because the iPhone doesn’t use an SD card and second because all syncing can be done using Photo Stream.

When you need more than just an iPhone, the MacBook Air is the perfect balance between power and portability. It’s Apple’s thinnest and lowest-priced laptop and comes standard with an SSD. It can do everything any other Mac can do. Even for pro users, the ultimate MacBook Air may still be suitable.

For simple tasks, the 11” screen is just fine. When you’re working in Photoshop or Final Cut is when a larger display is appreciated. Apple’s new Thunderbolt Display is stunning in both size and quality, and also includes any ports you might be missing on your Air. It’s like having an iMac but with added portability.

Lastly, the iPad. It’s probably the device I use the least, but it definitely has a place in the ‘ideal setup’. The iPad is used for consuming content when a laptop just isn’t practical. I’ve also written this entire post on the iPad because I’m on the road in Colorado right now.

These three devices—especially with iCloud—work hand-in-hand with each other. It happens to be the setup I’m currently using, and it’s awesome.