By MacNessa, on July 25th, 2010
With the advent of the laptop, it seems as though many folks have embraced the trend of laptop bags rather than the traditional briefcase.
With the huge selection of laptop cases out there, one is really spoiled for choice anyway. But are these modern choices, necessarily correct for all professionals? A messenger style bag may work well for a graphic designer in a funky, young studio, but what if you want a more traditional look to your bag, and want to shop for a more traditional, smarter looking leather briefcase?
Particularly if you are in the legal profession, a leather briefcase can make a big difference to your overall appearance, and with the beautiful selection available online today, you need not search long to find beautiful examples, even ones specially crafted to hold laptops and notebooks securely and with added padding and protection.
How about Architects? Doctors? Accountants? All of these more traditional professions would certainly benefit from the crafted look of a really smart leather briefcase. There are so many designs out there that are suitable for men, and an ever growing selection with a more delicate appearance for women.
Have you found a source that sells really great ones?
What kind of briefcase do you prefer?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
By MacNessa, on July 20th, 2010
I’ve been looking for an offline blog editor for awhile now. So I was excited to try out this app that I saw featured on Mac App Storm.
I write for four blogs, and the constant ‘log in – log out’ was wearing a little thin. Particularly when I want to get out four posts in the morning with my first three cups of coffee.
This is the first time I’ve found a blog editor that truly works offline.
My favourite feature is the live preview that I can see while I’m typing. NICE.
MarsEdit is a product offered by Mac Software developers Red Sweater, and it costs a mere $39.95 (USD). I’m currently on day 1 of the 30 day free trial, so I’ll let you all know how it goes. So far, so good. Very very good.
It downloaded in a couple of seconds, installed just as fast, and because of the familiar Mac based interface I have had ZERO problems figuring out how to add my blogs etc. The fact that it has a handy ‘auto-detect’ feature, and simply asks for my blogs URL, username and password, made it *that* much easier to get started.
The only downside to this product (not for me, but for some) is that it is a Mac only App, but since Apple are making major strides into the PC dominated market here, I’m guessing I’m not the only person who is going to be enjoying this application soon.
It has support for many of the major blogging platforms including WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, Typepad, Squarespace, Movable Type and dozens more through the Atom publishing protocol.
You can also insert pictures as you compose your post, and it uploads them for you upon hitting publish!
You can easily scan your iPhoto galleries or other folders to find the pictures you want – and it even has support to link up with your flickr account to insert photographs from there.
It may well be the best thing for blogging since sliced bread! If you’re a geek like me and sometimes want to tinker about with the html, then there’s an option for that too.
So if you’re looking for an offline blog editor that lets you do everything offline, and then takes care of the rest for you don’t miss out on this app.
By MacNessa, on July 12th, 2010
Uncapped internet is not a real reality in South Africa.
Not even with the new so called uncapped internet offerings from the likes of Mweb, Afrihost, Axxess etc are things truly uncapped, since they begin to throttle line speeds at around 60gigs.
So many people are on internet packages which have a cap. The worst of these is 3G which have packages starting form 40mb. That might last me a day, if I’m lucky!
We opted to go with Neotel – as they are the official opposition to the ‘giant conglomerate’ of Telkom, and offer a wireless solution that is covered in the area that we live in. While Neotel do offer an unlimited solution as a package deal with a home phone etc etc, we opted to go with the Data only option – capped at 10gigs for the time being. We do have the option to update to 15gigs if necessary.
But how on earth do we monitor our usage to ensure that our service provider is billing us correctly? We are not disconnected if we exceed our cap, simply billed ‘out of bundle’ for the extra. Now while the out of bundle costs are more expensive, they’re nowhere near the highway robbery of Mweb’s out of bundle 3G data charges – so we’re lucky in that respect. But since we don’t like financial situations that we cannot monitor it became imperative for us to find a solution that allows us to accurately monitor our internet bandwith usuage to compare with our statement at the end of the month.
 I found just that tool in Surplus Meter. So now I’m able to accurately guage my internet usage, and it even goes so far as to show me my average daily usage, and how that is affected by how much I’ve already used for the month. I’m able to pick a start date, select a cap, easily reset if there is an issue – and it works out everything according to what I enter, and my usage.
So now, when I get closer to my internet cap, instead of carrying on blindly, perhaps I’ll consider top fat burners, or at least get off my work butt and go and get some exercise instead!
Best of all? Surplus Meter is absolutely free.
By MacNessa, on July 10th, 2010
 It is hardly surprising that many folks suffer from sleeping problems these days, and look to sleep aids for a solution.
Often times we think it’s because of increased stress (hands up who is not experiencing increased stress right now), poor diet, lack of exercise etc leading to lying awake at night trying to . . . → Read More: Trouble Sleeping?
By MacNessa, on July 10th, 2010
 Photoshop is an amazing tool for photo editing.
That fact remains undisputed!
Particularly if you want to take a photograph and figure out how to get rid of blackheads in a hurry.
Here’s a small (and extremely gross example).
There are two choices when dealing with retouching like this – well actually there are . . . → Read More: Basic Blemish Removal: Using Photoshop
By MacNessa, on July 8th, 2010
Stock elements are vectors, icons, wiblets, bits and pieces that are sold by graphic designers – to make money and stave off that whole ‘starving artist’ mantle, to other designers and print artists to lighten their work flow.
Some folks don’t understand that it’s perfectly acceptable to slot in some pre-designed buttons (for . . . → Read More: What are “Stock” Elements?
By MacNessa, on July 6th, 2010
So did you have a good 4th of July?
I suppose the desire to be outdoors grilling something over the fire or hot coals, or on the outdoor electric grill is inherent in all cultures where a pioneering, settler spirit pervades their history.
So even though here in South Africa, we (obviously) do not . . . → Read More: Did you Have a Good 4th of July?
By MacNessa, on July 3rd, 2010
Wow, it has been quiet around here the last 48 hours or so… this can be attributed to two things.
1. I have had a raging headcold, and with the resulting meds that I had to take, I wasn’t entirely lucid enough to trust myself to write, and actually make sense…
2. I have . . . → Read More: Quiet Around Here
By MacNessa, on July 1st, 2010
 I love it when design and technology meet!
Check out these awesome USB drives!
Aren’t they just gorgeous! I’d like to have a set all lined up.
Did you know that these make great gifts? Or put your logo on them and turn them into custom usb drives, wouldn’t that be a great . . . → Read More: Cute Custom USB Drives
By MacNessa, on July 1st, 2010
So that little fledgling design and advertising agency you started in your guest bedroom…?
Yeah.
It just got huge.
You have totally rocked at the freelance gig and decided to take it to the big game.
You buy office space, you furnish the office with the coolest and trendiest gear you can find.
Then . . . → Read More: The Office Expands: What Don’t You Think of?
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