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This news is fairly dated (about 4 weeks), but the new Jailbreak is out for iOS devices (iPhones, iPads, etc).

Most family and friends are familiar with the fact that I despise Apple (ironically, I was an Apple ‘fanboy’ for almost 10 years and was in pretty deep prior to my ‘digital awakening’ in 2003); however, there is no doubt that the iPad rules the tablet market and will for some time. I speak as a user of both Android and iOS and can tell you that it will be some time before the Andriod environment is suitable for tablets. But mark my words, Android will overcome iOS with tablets. It is just a matter of time. It is a lot like the PC market in the late 80s/early 90s … Apple opened the door to the industry for every-day users, but Windows eventually overtook the market. Apple’s walled-garden mentality just isn’t sustainable – and, like PCs and most recently phones, won’t be for tablets.

I have 2 Android tablets (which I have since given to the kids) and still hold on tightly to my iPad 2. The only reason, though, that I considered owning an iPad and still maintain ownership is the possibility of Jailbreaking. I have introduced a few peers to this world, and it’s interesting to see them discover it. How easy it is (it takes just minutes), how much it opens your experience, and how much more productive you can be with your device now that it is free from Apple’s confines.

Jailbreaking sounds a lot more ‘dangerous’ than it is. It is simply an opening of the Operating System – which allows you to customize and tweak your tablet to do things that Apple doesn’t want you to do. Why does Apple not want me to be able to use a flash drive or have USB connectivity with my iPad? Why doesn’t Apple want for me to be able to network with my home PCs? Why doesn’t Apple want me to be able to see various system folders and files? It all comes down to them wanting to control the user experience. I understand this for most users – it’s what made Apple appealing to me as a first time computer user; however, I changed and want to do more and explore under the hood with my technology. Jailbreaking allows you immense freedoms.

Try it out here.

So today, about two weeks after Elyce brought home both “Daisy” and “Luigi” from school (from a science class) as pets, Daisy died. Elyce buried her in the back near a tree. Even though I missed the service, I did tell Elyce (she was pretty upset) that Daisy had a pretty good life: Impressive Digs (I’ll probably post a pic of the aquarium later on this weekend) and a very caring owner. Hell, if I was a frog with the setup Daisy had, I’d feel pretty lucky.

It looks like we’ll be waiting until this coming weekend to find a replacement companion for Luigi … apparently, these frogs are ‘social creatures’ and tend to live longer when not alone.

The things you learn as a parent …

So Elyce spent the night at a friend’s house last night … first time. We were a little anxious to get that 11pm call, but it never came.

Gavin got Student of the Semester for the Fall Semester – second one in a row. He was ecstatic, as you can see at the ceremony at school the other night. I guess academic domination skips generations, thankfully.

Click here to download Adobe Photoshop (CS2 – but pretty recent) for free – straight from Adobe!

You’re welcome.

I’ve been hearing a lot about this lately on some of the sites I frequent – there is a lot of chatter out there about this technology.

So, then, I’ll just leave this link here.

So in the chaos of everyone in the family making Christmas cookies today, we got hungry. Tina and I thought (in the spirit of holiday indulgence) to get some take-out at McDonalds – so I offered to drive up the road and grab some. I enlisted Gavin to help me – with the first task of taking everyone’s order. This is what I pulled into the McDonalds drive-thru with …

So scientists have found yet another earth. I think this is the third or fourth this year. Don’t get me wrong – this stuff is pretty neat to read about. One thing is clear, however – science and technology must progress to somehow change interstellar travel.

Regardless, this stuff is pretty neat.

With AAPL’s precipitous fall of late, adding further to its woes was the reception of the iPhone 5 in China last week. While there were a couple of ‘technicalities’ (weather and a new reservation protocol) that certainly contributed to this lemon-launch, pics often over-rule logic of the day – wow.

It has been an intriguing week for science … First, NASA is saying we have found evidence of water on Mercury. And most interestingly, the infamous Pat Robertson was on the 700 Club this week challenging James Ussher’s proclamations on and very basis of Creationism:

Wow.

Go Science!

So Gavin had an eye-test at school that didn’t go so well; consequentially, we had him re-tested at a local doc’s. Looks like he will have to wear glasses for a little while. Here he is trying on some diplay specs … Looks real happy, huh?

The kids are getting to the age now where when I am getting ready to, say, go to the hardware store – they no longer scream “yeah!” when I ask if they want to go along with me. They are getting bored easily with such trips. This is getting to me – as, as dorky as it sounds, it is always fun to have someone to join me while running these errands. I guess this is just them growing up, but it bums me out sometimes.

Yesterday I asked the question to Gavin while getting ready to hit the neighborhood Lowe’s … and he said ‘sure’. When we got there, I found they had just started offering handbaskets with wheels (kind of like rolling luggage) – which Gavin enjoyed carting around the store while I threw items that we needed into the basket.

I guess at this point I’m just grasping onto anything I can to make the trips fun for either Gavin or Elyce … I’ll take the wheeled baskets for now.

Interesting article on the NY Times site (a few weeks old – sorry. Been sitting in my inbox for a little bit whilst I tried to find time for this post) about pirating online.

I find it humorous that the video mentioned (below) uses the ‘cat tv’ format to throw off copyright-police-engines. Now you know why, in case you’ve maybe run across one of these silly videos.

My whole analogy of pirating (instead of whack-a-mole, as mentioned in the article) is a water balloon: you squeeze one end, and the water will move to another part of the balloon. Changing the elasticity of the balloon (laws) or the hand (enforcement) won’t work. It’s content distribution (the water) that some genius, somewhere, is going to figure out.

Nice 1-Pic Summary of this year’s elections here in the US, courtesy of the Simpsons.

or hotel, field, or shed. He wasn’t too sure …

Elyce’s entry into the Bonnie Plant’s annual 3rd Grader Cabbage Contest

Last year, while in 3rd grade, Elyce received a seedling to grow a cabbage plant. 1 winner from each state is selected for a $1,000 prize in scholarship money.

It is due tomorrow, so wish her luck!

So, for some reason, Gavin really does not like the prospect of becoming or having similarities of “hobos”. We don’t know where he established this fear, but … we are learning to use it to our advantage.

“Gavin, it’s time to take a bath”

“But I don’t want to!”

“Do you want to smell like a hobo?”

running to bathroom ….

 ♦

“Gavin, put away your clean clothes” pointing to the freshly folded piles.

“But I don’t want to.”

“Take care of your clothes, Gavin – otherwise, you’ll end up like a hobo with only 1 pair to wear”

scurrying to grab the clothes ….