My personal system relies heavily on Evernote. When I first heard of Springpad, my heart dropped. At first glance, they seem to be very similar services. However, as I play around more with Springpad, they are different but not necessarily complimentary services. First, both Evernote and Springpad requires an input point. They all use mobile devices to snap pictures, upload ideas and notes. If you plan on using both systems, you’ll have to enter data twice. As of now, there’s no integration points.

Below is an example of my Springpad. The “All My Stuff” notebook contains everything. There’s a “Friends Stuff” notebook for sharing things. Finally, I created two notebooks to test the service.

From a notebook, you can do three things:

1. Add  a Note
2. Add a Task
3. Look it up

In the notebook, it looks like a typical notebook style page with filters and search.

This is where Springpad differs from Evernote. Springpad is designed to be your personal assistant. As you input notes, documents, images, information, Springpad scans it, and develops updates customized to your data. They’re looking for good deals, price drops, news, useful links, etc. It also can integrate with your Google calendar and update your data as well. I haven’t put enough data into Springpad to see these types of results yet so I can vouch on the quality of the recommendations. Evernote seems to be a better document management system and designed to store your documents.

I don’t think I’ll be able to do a full blown comparison of Springpad vs Evernote (Google it). Instead, I’m going to keep trying it out, duel entry some info and see which product provides. In the end, I think I’ll need to commit to just one service.

Changing people’s behavior isn’t hard, it just takes some imagination and innovative ways. We go through our daily lives following a set of unwritten rules, socially acceptable behaviors. When things change, we’re not sure how to react. Watch this video to see how people’s behavior changed when a new variable is added.

On a more personal note, there’s a similar display at Seattle airport. The water fountain plays a gurgling sound when you press the button.

via Piano Staircase {The Fun Theory}

I owned the original 1st gen MacBook Air (refurbished). It overheated and I had to have the logicboard replaced. Even after the replacement, the fan would constantly run and after a while, it slowed to a screeching halt. My Mac was basically unusable for anything more than simple web browsing. As a result, I was a little put off with the MacBook Air line.

After testing the 11″ MacBook Air at the Apple Store (telling the employees I didn’t need help and was just “playing”), I decided to get an early Christmas present. I opted for the smaller model because it’s really portable, similar in size to an iPad. I’ve always been a fan of ultraportable laptops.

Performance

It’s fast. Considering that it’s relatively underpowered compared to similarly price laptops and the MacBook Pro line, I’m surprised of how usable it really can be. I worked on an iMovie, moved a lot of files as I migrated systems, and worked on a few documents with no problems. I don’t plan on doing any intensive photo editing or movie editing. This is my basic document production and writing tool.

Battery Life

After unplugging it for the first time, the estimate showed 8 hours of available battery. It quickly averaged out to four and three hours after I started some processes. Overall, I’ve been using it all night without plugging in. No problem at all.

Portability

It’s really small. I don’t even have a spot in my current bag to hold it. It’s that small. It’s thin, but feels very solid. The one piece aluminum construction is amazing.

Negatives

There’s very few negatives with this, but here’s a random list of things I’ve noticed so far:

• The 11″ screen is really wide but short. The high resolution makes everything smaller. Fortunately, I have really good eyes.
• The function keys are a third the size of regular keys. Fortunately, I don’t use them much.
• There’s no backlight on the keys. Fortunately, I can touch type.
• The magsafe power plug can block the left USB port if plugged in one direction. The other way is no problem.
• There’s no video out cables included. You’ll have to buy your own.
• I won’t be able to take this out in public without being ambushed.
• Very little disk space because of flash storage (either 64 GB or 128 GB). Either store your files on the cloud or clean house.

Interesting to note

• Apple ships the MacBook Air with a USB drive including OS X and iLife. No more DVD/CD install disks. Yay!
• Flash isn’t installed. Apple says that Flash is bad for battery life.
• You won’t get the full benefit of the MacBook Air until OS X Lion is released next year.

Conclusions

Overall, I completely recommend the MacBook Air for all but superusers. It’s good enough for normal tasks, runs fast, small and portable, and has good battery life.

With a laptop and an iPhone, I can work anywhere. At home, I typically work out in the living room. Lately, I’ve been wanting a creative space I can call an office, a place that’s quiet and inspiring. Our second bed room, which was previously just a storage space, became a work in progress office. It’s no where ready for the Unclutterer work space of the week, but I’m hoping to submit an entry soon.

On this way, I have a cube storage shelf that organizes all the office supplies, books, and odd things. I have my wireless printer/scanner and of course my trusty laminator.

This is my tool board mixed with real tools and office supplies.

I wanted this wall to be one big white board, however, that was just too expensive (maybe for a future office). I have two Office Depot white boards and three Ikea steel sheets for magnets. Below that are two acrylic sheets at Home Depot that function as a DIY white board.

Here’s my work space. The window is really nice to get some sun light. My two laptops and monitor is sandwiched between a Remington Travel-Riter typewriter and a Singer sewing machine. That orange pad is for my cat.

I’m taking the day off to enjoy time with friends and family, so should you. Happy Thanksgiving.

photo © 1910 The Library of Congress | more info (via: Wylio)

The 23andMe DNA analysis kit is on sale for $99, regularly $499. Just use coupon code GIZMODO99. Thank you Gizmodo. 23andMe is a company started by Anne Wojcicki, wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Here’s how they do it:

Once the lab receives your sample, DNA is extracted from cheek cells in your saliva. Your DNA is then copied many times so that there is enough DNA to use for the genotyping step. Next, the DNA is cut into smaller, more manageable pieces. These DNA pieces are then applied to a DNA “chip.” The DNA chip is a small glass slide with millions of microscopic beads on its surface. Attached to each bead are “probes”—bits of DNA complementary to sites in your genome where SNPs are located. There is a pair of probes for each SNP, corresponding to the two versions of each SNP. Because two complementary pieces of DNA stick together, your DNA sticks to whichever probes match your versions of a SNP.

It takes about 6 to 8 weeks before the results come in. Expect a full review when I get the kit and after the results come in. Very exciting.

If after reading this comic and you don’t want go change all your passwords, then you don’t get it. Do you use the same passwords for a simple newsletter signup as your bank account? You might want to change that and use different passwords for different tiers of services.

Source: xkcd

Most people do a task just to check it off a list. A few, the exceptional, take this to a whole new level. For them, excellence is making sure every last detail is perfect. It is a mastery of one’s trade. This can be evidenced by an American Express Commercial with Conan O’Brian. He travels to India, seeks out the perfect silk, dyes it himself, and hangs it for presentation. To us, as an audience member, it looked like a red stage curtain. Take away the attention to ever last detail, and it would be a second rate show. Enjoy.