Unplggd: Blue Ant Studio Joel Pirela’s Top 10 Tech
Graphic designer by trade and industrial designer by heart, I founded blueantstudio andchairwhore five years ago, as a visual outlet from my everyday grind as a creative managing director at an advertising agency in South Florida. My home has been always surrounded by technology, mostly made by the fruit company, so I apologize in advance if you are allergic to apples.
Modern minimalistic would be a good way of describing my tech style; and I would pay a premium for a device that is well designed, wireless and made of hi quality materials. Sometimes, I find myself hacking existing technology and/or designs, in order to make them serve me better. I would love to start seeing more gadgets made of carbon fiber, ceramic and other composite materials. Here are 10 gadgets that make me happy when everything else fails (or for more details, please visit your nearest Apple store!).
Apple iMac 27″ i7: What can I say about my main home computer… That is 10 times faster than the quad core Mac Pro I have at work? The answer is yes. All my daily duties are done speedier than ever and with all that real estate for extra windows and palettes. You really don’t need anything else. Mine is maxed out with 12Gb of ram and it shows!
Apple iPad WiFi: I was there, the day of launch kind of hesitant to see what would I do with it. Almost a year later and I can put it down one second. My wife has her sight on it since she gave me the MacBook Air but I have bigger plans for the trusted iPad. Magazine reading, game playing, internet browsing device and also as a client’s presentation tool.
Apple iPhone 4: Every year is the same story. Wake up super early and make the line. The old ones get sold out pretty quick on the bay to Russian’s buyers for more that what I paid for them, so the early upgrade fee is less painful. A mini computer for the pocket. Browsing, twitting, facebooking, texting and playing. When was the last time you received a phone call?
Mechanical Watches: The very first portable gadget invented. I can stare hours to the tiny movement oscillating and the little gears moving at a perfect pace. I know a Casio may be a more precise choice but the charm of a watch that you have to manually wind every two days (or in the case of the IWC, 7 days), make you take two steps back and appreciate life more. It’s all the little things that matters.
DIY Wireless Speaker: Created this out of a necessity with prioritizing looks above performance. It ended sounding pretty good with a set of dolby 3.1, off the shelf components
Nintendo DS: Or should I call it the “baby’s pacifier”? This was Isabella’s first toy. A blessing at restaurants when she was fuzzy. Now she asks for mommy’s iPhone. (she understands that daddy’s toys are not for play unless under heavy supervision)
Apple MacBook Air: The “bestest” gadget is always the “latest” one! Literally got this tiny laptop one week prior to this article. Still on my honeymoon phase but I’m loyal as a penguin. (I should’ve used Linux then!) I call this “The Guillotine”. So thin and light… it’s ridiculous.
Apple TV: This particular AppleTV has a lot of meaning to me, as I was awarded 2nd place on the Unplggd Small Cool Tech contest a couple of years ago. It changed the way I watch movies today. I’m able to stream my whole video collection from the iMac to my TV and I can also watch previews of new movies using Apple’s portal. The $99 version of the new Apple TV will be sitting on my shelf soon and Isabella will have 80Gb of pure Disney movies with this awesome “hand-me-down”
iPod Nano: I bought this iPod exclusively to use it as a in-car-entertaintment. it holds all my music, easy interface and sounds great thru a direct connection between my car audio and the 30 pin cable. CD changer who?
Leica D-Lux 4: If you want quality pictures in low light and you are tired of the cheap, plasticky feel of other cameras, this is the best you can get for the price. Right now, I have an itch for a Leica X1. 2011 looks promising.
Technology/device I’m most looking forward to in 2011: There are two devices that I’m really hoping to get early 2011. One being the iPad 2 with the 2 cameras, so I can hand down my current iPad to my daughter Isabella; The other device that I’m excited to get, is the new MacBook Air (which I got as a surprise from my wife few days ago!). Being able to install CS5 in a package that is hardly any bigger than my current iPad is very convenient, not to mention that I can transfer files back and forward more easily between work, home and Macbook Air. Using the iMac in Display mode for the Air, is another big benefit. I guess the Leica X1 can take that spot on the queue now.
Tech or tech organizational tip: The 2 best tips that I can give are: Backup your data often and go as wireless as you can. Not only thru WiFi but also bluetooth. Keyboards, mouse, trackpad, speakers, printers… They are available right now and you should take advantage of that. Your desk will thank you later.
I never leave home without: Wristwatch, iPhone and iPad. I know The iPhone and iPad sounds redundant but they are two totally different devices that I use in very different ways: the iPad being more of a work/game related device (once you play your favorite game on an iPad, you will never want to play it on your iPhone!) and the iPhone is to keep me connected thru email, text and phone calls. The watch is just one piece of mechanical wonder