I challenged myself to keep the Mac Mini in the bag today at work. It was a success, though not without its challenges. It cost me £20! This was my first attempt as its the first day I brought my new Logitech Slim Folio for the 10.5 iPad Air 3..
I started the day checking through emails from over the weekend, Mail app was okay but did take a long time to download the email content from a number of emails in my separate work folder. Once that came through I used split view to check off requests for tasks people asked me to do.. and replied to them as I accomplished each. I downloaded Outlook to try and separate work and personal email accounts but as I already move work emails into an iCloud Work folder. I’d love to see Mail get more advanced at WWDC, though it did the job.
I then was tasked with managing our corporate MailChimp list by removing and managing email addresses sent. They have an app, which was handy. Though it could be improved. I did submit feedback and got a response saying they’d added it to their feature pipeline... (bulk selection and management of contacts). With many iOS developers, I’ve learnt just ask and you’ll likely get (in the future).
The WiFi at my work is poor, the connection itself is great but the WiFi to device connection is too congested and spread too thin, the old and oddly long shape office is also hard to get full coverage.. Normally I plugged the Mac into Ethernet and got phenomenal, uninterrupted speeds.. this did require an adapter mind you. Failing that with the Mac, I went to a nearby Windows 10 PC with a WiFi card which was plugged in and broadcast out the WiFi via Mobile Hotspot. I did this from a colleagues machine but for some reason failed and was just as poor as the normal WiFi for the first time... At this point I nearly had the Mac out of the bag, but resisted. I relocated as close as I could to the WiFi router which solved my problems with WiFi today, but decided to truly solve it to buy an adapter.. Has anybody got experience with this?
I moved on to accessing files via SharePoint, word documents, excel documents and PowerPoints that have information changed since last week on them. Was able to use split screen to make changes based off emails, and Apple Pencil to strike them off my list.
A PDF needed major changes which I last worked on with the Mac on Affinity Designer. I ended up purchasing the app at just under £20 to work with my Affinity formatted master file. This worked, though bigger changes coming tomorrow will really test it. The minor changes went well, and I could export it with ease. The iPad is quick at exporting too!
There was a meeting and I took my notes using Notability for the built in recording features. Very nice, being able to detach from the Logitech keyboard and use the iPad + Pencil again in tablet form. Passing it around to show people examples of marketing materials made was really nice too!
Finally, asked to do a video promoting a product. Usually I’ve used Keynote, with images / video backgrounds and smooth moving text transitions exported into a movie, then into iMovie for a soundtrack.. (That’s until I get to grips with LumaFusion to make real good videos). I was able to put this together with timing / animations / transitions completely today, exporting it. Tomorrow I’ll add a soundtrack and upload it to SharePoint.
The SharePoint app isn’t as smooth or seamless, particularly when a low speed connection arises.. it will lag and stick and a force quit is needed and a second try. Though it works well mostly and I expect 2019 Microsoft to quickly act on feedback and really nail it, especially as they’re upping their offering on iOS and Android now with Windows Phone, sadly dead.
That’s about it.
I couldn’t have done it so quick or precisely without the keyboard case, the Command Tab to switch apps and the Command Space to quickly search for apps / files / songs on Apple Music. It was better than I thought!
I can only get more efficient at using it. And WWDC can only bring it closer to a full computing replacement!
Anybody got any questions / suggestions / ‘me too’ stories?
I started the day checking through emails from over the weekend, Mail app was okay but did take a long time to download the email content from a number of emails in my separate work folder. Once that came through I used split view to check off requests for tasks people asked me to do.. and replied to them as I accomplished each. I downloaded Outlook to try and separate work and personal email accounts but as I already move work emails into an iCloud Work folder. I’d love to see Mail get more advanced at WWDC, though it did the job.
I then was tasked with managing our corporate MailChimp list by removing and managing email addresses sent. They have an app, which was handy. Though it could be improved. I did submit feedback and got a response saying they’d added it to their feature pipeline... (bulk selection and management of contacts). With many iOS developers, I’ve learnt just ask and you’ll likely get (in the future).
The WiFi at my work is poor, the connection itself is great but the WiFi to device connection is too congested and spread too thin, the old and oddly long shape office is also hard to get full coverage.. Normally I plugged the Mac into Ethernet and got phenomenal, uninterrupted speeds.. this did require an adapter mind you. Failing that with the Mac, I went to a nearby Windows 10 PC with a WiFi card which was plugged in and broadcast out the WiFi via Mobile Hotspot. I did this from a colleagues machine but for some reason failed and was just as poor as the normal WiFi for the first time... At this point I nearly had the Mac out of the bag, but resisted. I relocated as close as I could to the WiFi router which solved my problems with WiFi today, but decided to truly solve it to buy an adapter.. Has anybody got experience with this?
I moved on to accessing files via SharePoint, word documents, excel documents and PowerPoints that have information changed since last week on them. Was able to use split screen to make changes based off emails, and Apple Pencil to strike them off my list.
A PDF needed major changes which I last worked on with the Mac on Affinity Designer. I ended up purchasing the app at just under £20 to work with my Affinity formatted master file. This worked, though bigger changes coming tomorrow will really test it. The minor changes went well, and I could export it with ease. The iPad is quick at exporting too!
There was a meeting and I took my notes using Notability for the built in recording features. Very nice, being able to detach from the Logitech keyboard and use the iPad + Pencil again in tablet form. Passing it around to show people examples of marketing materials made was really nice too!
Finally, asked to do a video promoting a product. Usually I’ve used Keynote, with images / video backgrounds and smooth moving text transitions exported into a movie, then into iMovie for a soundtrack.. (That’s until I get to grips with LumaFusion to make real good videos). I was able to put this together with timing / animations / transitions completely today, exporting it. Tomorrow I’ll add a soundtrack and upload it to SharePoint.
The SharePoint app isn’t as smooth or seamless, particularly when a low speed connection arises.. it will lag and stick and a force quit is needed and a second try. Though it works well mostly and I expect 2019 Microsoft to quickly act on feedback and really nail it, especially as they’re upping their offering on iOS and Android now with Windows Phone, sadly dead.
That’s about it.
I couldn’t have done it so quick or precisely without the keyboard case, the Command Tab to switch apps and the Command Space to quickly search for apps / files / songs on Apple Music. It was better than I thought!
I can only get more efficient at using it. And WWDC can only bring it closer to a full computing replacement!
Anybody got any questions / suggestions / ‘me too’ stories?