2010 June 02 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

June 2, 2010 · by JudyL

For you Apple users, what’s your favorite App?

The app for my grocery list is Grocery Gadget by Flixoft. The other is Meal Planner by 2010 InnovaDev. Meal Planner has a grocery list included but I had already been using the Grocery Gadget list so I have continued with it. I’m able to keep lists for Wal-Mart, the grocery store, the quilt shop (you know — I could need a black fabric or something to match something!) I also have a list for when I go to Kansas City. There’s always something Vince or I will say “we need to look for this or that when we go to Kansas City” and then when we get there, we say “what were we going to look for when we were here?” and we never can remember. And, I can email the list to me to print or save in Word or whatever. Or, I can email the grocery list to Vince and ask him to stop by the grocery store. He loves to do that for me . . really!

For those who asked what size Touch, I got the 64 MB. For not so much more $$, the 64 is double the space of the 32. When I go to Louisiana, I’m always wanting to show mom or friends pictures and it’s so easy to share them with the Touch so I didn’t want to be limited in the space. And I put all my music on it too so I can carry just this one when I go out of town. It will plug in to my car radio and charges from there so I love that.

If we can just get Electric Quilt to come up with an app . . I’d never ask for anything else!

And for those who mentioned getting an iPhone and having one less gadget . . not for me. Even with the Blackberry, I have to watch my usage when traveling because I want to make sure I have enough battery power for when I need the cell phone. I don’t want to use my phone for all the things I use the iPod or digital camera for. And, because I saw myself becoming one of those people who can’t get far from the cell phone, I think when my current contract is up, I’m going back to a plain phone . . no internet, may keep texting . . may not. Next week AT&T will offer different data plans and I’m going to switch from the unlimited $30 plan to a 200 MB plan for $15. I love gadgets, I love the BlackBerry, I love the iPhone but I also love the freedom of knowing I can leave home without a gadget in my hand and it’s time for me to prove to myself that I can still do that.

iPod, iPad, I Don’t Know!

June 2, 2010 · by JudyL

The iPad came out and it’s the second time in the past year or so that I’ve really wanted to want something but just couldn’t make myself want it enough to get it. I’ve talked to several people who have them and love them and I know I would love one if I got it too but I just don’t love it enough to get it. I kept thinking . . if I were going out of town for a week or so, what would I leave at home if I got the iPad.

I wouldn’t leave behind my my camera. Even though my cell phone has a camera, I still love having my Sony pocket size camera. I wouldn’t leave behind my cell phone. I think that doesn’t even need an explanation. I wouldn’t leave behind my GPS. Lately it’s given such bad directions, I might have to re-think that but I feel very confident having the GPS. I wouldn’t leave behind the iPod. It plugs right into my car and charges while it plays through my radio. The iPad might do that too but things in my car tend to get a Dr. Pepper bath every now and then. They tend to get dropped sometimes . . the iPads are way more expensive than the iPod but I really should take better care of my iPod. I wouldn’t leave behind the Kindle. Yes, the iPad is also a reader but I’ve heard it’s a bit hard to read in the sunlight. The Kindle isn’t and often I’m sitting outside reading when having down time while out of town. I wouldn’t leave behind the laptop because it has EQ and Photoshop and . . well, it has everything! Along with all those “things” comes cords! Electric cords, USB cords . . way too many cords.

So, I came to the conclusion I didn’t need an iPad. What I decided I needed was an iPod Touch. I have a very old iPod . . remember the one that was lost for a year? And I have a newer one that I got when I finally decided I was never going to find the old iPod . . which Vince found in some of his stuff. There’s rarely a time when I don’t have an iPod either in my pocket with headphones or earbuds or playing in one of the docks. I didn’t mind getting another iPod so I did.

I love this little thing! I downloaded an app for making my grocery list. I take it with me to the grocery store and just check off everything. I have a list for the local grocery store, for Wal-Mart and for when we go to a city.

And, I downloaded a meal planner app.

This is so useful! Yesterday when I made two meat loaves, I was able to schedule the second one for June 17. That’s over 2 weeks away. I made a note as to which freezer and what container the meat loaf is in. I can move meals around. If I’m watching a food show on TV and something looks good, I can just type it into my menu with a note as to the website where the recipe can be found.

Not saying I’ll never get an iPad, and I hear there are some really cool netbooks coming out soon too . . but for now, I’m so happy with my iPod Touch.