It went longer than it should be. I had to spend practically the whole day filing a BAF that nobody seemed to have the comprehensive information on. Only to find out at the last hour or two that there is no need for it. By then some of the signatories for my clearance have already left so there’s still the that to finish up. But finally, no more CQ, PPM, and other hideously ugly, overly expensive commercial software tools. Hello to free and open source. And maybe even to some pretty but inexpensive commercial software. Whee!!!
iOS 7 beta 2
Apple has released iOS 7 beta 2. It feels much snappier. But more importantly battery life has vastly improved. Used to last half a day. Now it can last the whole day. Apps are less stable and prone to crash though.
Man of Steel
Finally a Superman movie that’s actually super. Not since Superman (and somewhat Superman II) has there been a worthy Superman movie. I hated Superman III and I don’t even remember Superman IV. And Superman Returns? Let’s just say he shouldn’t have.
The general story is familiar to those who have seen the first two original movies. Kal-El was sent to Earth, Krypton was destroyed, Kal-El grows up to become Superman, outlaw Kryptonian general Zod and underlings shows up, big fight, Superman wins.
But the execution is what makes it super. Fights were dynamic and titanic. Even the ones between Jor-El and Zod. Yes, a scientist kicking ass! Never has Russel Crowe been so cool since Gladiator. And wait till you see Superman vs Zod. No external underwear here. This Superman not just kicks ass but takes names as well. This is Superman for the younger set. Not necessarily good. But not necessarily bad. And it’s definitely a fun watch.
That Man of Steel wraps up the stories of Superman and Superman II makes the reboot complete and in one move (or movie) sets up the stage for what’s next. And that’s the question: What’s next? Given the height of success of Man of Steel, it’s easier to screw it up than make it better. But I hope they’re able to do the former. The franchise now shows so much potential.
iOS 7 beta
- New Look – the biggest and most discussed change, the “flatter” interface; Skeumorphism is out, simple and modern is in. Reminds me of Android Jelly Bean and Windows Phone 8. Colors are generally flat and simple, icons and text are generally slim and crisp taking full advantage of the Retina display. Generally because the application is not consistent. Looks like the style guide is not yet in place.
- Notification Center – updated with today, all notifications, and missed notifications. And no, the today view is not something Google Now innovated :P Still no swipe to dismiss.
- Control Center – a pull up tab with quick access to system settings for Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb Mode, Orientation Lock, and brightness. It also has the media player controls and shortcuts for some apps (flashlight, clock, calculator, and camera).
- Folders – animated unless it’s on the dock. Also folder now have multiple pages just like the home screen.
- Multitasking – improved process list with screen preview of process. You can swipe up on the previews to close apps. Supposedly, apps can actually run on the background when the phone is awake.
- Settings – fugly icon, new interface that reminds me of Android Jelly Bean
- Safari – fugly icon, new interface, smart address/search bar, tabs no longer limited to 8. You can swipe left to close tabs.
- Camera – new interface, swipe left and right to choose between video, camera, square (think Instagram complete with filters), and panorama.
- Photos – new interface, new filing system (years, collections, moments)
- Siri – enhanced capabilities such as adjusting system settings and new data sources
- Flickr and Vimeo Intgration – similar to Twitter and Facebook integration.
Overall, I like where iOS is heading. But this beta is the roughest (and most sluggish) one I’ve ever tried. That’s not a good sign.
The LEGO® Story
Inspiring story of perseverance and innovation.