I finally got my hands on the new Apple iPad last weekend when I visited my local Apple Store. I will admit, the device is beautiful, albeit a bit heavy.

Portable gaming is brought to a whole new level – I demoed my favorite iPhone game “Flight Control.” The virtual keyboard that pops up when you need to type is easy to use and is almost like a real keyboard. For my thoughts about iBooks and ebook reading on the iPad, visit my previous post 5 Minutes with the iPad.

After trying out the iPad for myself, I now want one. Of course, my wallet keeps my inner geek in check. I can dream, can’t I?

As always, have a happy and safe weekend!

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A while back ago I decided I was going to de-Google my life due to privacy concerns. So I switched my email to Yahoo!, installed NetNewsWire on my Mac for my RSS reader and I began using variety of search engines such as Bing, Cuil and yes, even Google. Also, instead of Google Docs, I’ve been using Zoho.

I’m still using Yahoo! Mail and the various search engines, but I’m dumping NetNewsWire and going back to Google Reader. NetNewsWire just didn’t do it for me like Google Reader does. I also figured that I’ll spread myself around so all my eggs aren’t in one basket.

That’s the excitement in my neck of the woods. As always, have a happy and safe weekend!

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The biggest news this past week has been the release of the much anticipated Apple iPad. Apple made headlines again on Thursday with their announced released of OS 4.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch – which includes the much sought-after multitasking.

Sadly, the firmware upgrade won’t be available for us early adopters who still have the original iPhone. As this Ars Technica blogger said: “The original iPhone and iPod touch will get nothing and like it.” Regardless, I’m clinging to my original iPhone because I refuse to give AT&T anymore money (my contract expired back in December 2009).

Anywho, now that spring has sprung in Chicago, I’m gonna try to get my car washed and cleaned out from the cold, snowy winter months. It’ll be nice to spend time outside in the fresh air. As always, have a happy and safe weekend!

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Yay! April is finally here. Notice I didn’t try any cutesy April Fools jokes yesterday? If I had posted something like “Brad’s Reader shutting down” or “Brad’s Reader to be all about cats” I’d lose all my readers. I think only the big sites (i.e. Google) can get away with April Fools jokes on the internet.

That’s all I have today. There are some great links for you to read over the weekend (if you’re not outside enjoying the beautiful spring weather). As always, have a safe and happy weekend!

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I’m so glad Friday is here. It has been a pretty crazy week. Although, I expect most upcoming weeks for the foreseeable future to be pretty crazy as well.

Just wrapped up another busy week – and things probably won’t slow down for the foreseeable future. But I can’t complain because I’m doing what I love.

There’s really not much else to say. Since this week’s installment of Friday Link Love is a little late, I’ll let you get right to your reading. Have a happy and safe weekend!

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Last night the first thunderstorm of 2010 whipped through the Chicago area. I loved it! One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is thunderstorms. They are especially cool during the summer, when it’s warm outside and you can see the dark clouds rolling in. Thunderstorms are one of those simple joys that make life a little more bearable.

Weather aside, this has been another busy week. It seems like I’m either really busy or bored to death. There is no comfortable median between the two. But I can’t complain because I really love all the writing projects that keep my so busy. I’m very lucky to be able to do something I love.

I’m going to leave things short and simple today. As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

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So this what the sun and sky look like! I’m sitting at my desk looking out the window and it’s a clear day with a deep blue sky and a bright sun. Spring must be just around the corner. Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter and a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, but after several months of it, I’m ready for a change.

As you can see below, I’m back to publishing Friday Link Love in the new, easier to read format. I hope this makes your weekend reading a little more pleasant. And speaking of weekends, make it a happy and safe one.

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I had another busy week, and it looks like things may remain busy for the foreseeable future. Don’t worry, however, because I just need to find a system to get everything done in a timely manner (writing projects, blog posts, etc.). Once that happens, my blogging will be back to normal. If anyone out there has any suggestions to better time management, I’m all ears.

That’s really all I have right now. 2010 is clipping along at a fast pace – February is almost over and March is almost here. I hope March brings sunnier skies, warmer weather and less snow (for those of us in Chicago).

As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

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Wow! This has been a very busy week. There was a spike in my freelance writing business and I simply did not have the time (or energy) to devote to Brad’s Reader like I usually do. However, I think I’ve settled into a good routine, so I’ll be better able to balance my blogging and other writing projects.

If anyone has any tips on finding and keeping this balance, I’m always open for suggestions.

I’m hoping this will “normalize” next week (as if the life of a writer could ever be normal). I’ll try to catch up on my Google Reader feed and get some posts under my belt.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the delay. And I hope everyone out there has a happy and safe weekend.

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