A tech journalist I admire, Michael Rose of the The Unofficial Apple Weblog, put together a podcast panel to go over the top Apple events and apps of the year … and I was on it! I was honored.

From the show notes:

‘Tis the season for wrapping up the year that was into a neat bundle of best-of reviews, and who are we to argue with tradition?

On Sunday’s live Talkcast, I gathered a gang of eloquent experts to dive into the best iOS apps of 2013. Here, organized by recommender, are their picks and suggestions. Remember, you can subscribe to the Talkcast in iTunes — and keep an eye out for a new feed for the show in the new year!

My illustrious tech-writer counterpart Jeff Carlson did me a solid yesterday in a personal-blog post that generously promoted the work of others —including mine — as well as his own.

As 2013 wraps up, and especially now that it’s a week before Christmas, I’m sure you’re getting pitches from all directions for products and services to spend your money on. I certainly am. I retweet and share things on Twitter and Facebook and Google+, but that’s just as scattershot.

So I’m trying something new that I hope you’ll find helpful. Here’s a list — a curated list, if that makes it sound even better — of projects and products that I think are worth your attention and money at the end of the year. This isn’t a “best of 2013″ or a gift guide, which can easily spiral out of control. These are things I believe are valuable, and will give you more satisfaction than just a smile as you open a present on Christmas morning …

… Buy The Mobile Writer e-book by Julio Ojeda-Zapata. Julio is an ace technology reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press who is ahead of the curve about tablet usage: at some point we’ll all be using tablets. This e-book looks at writing and working on iPads, iPhones, Android tablets and phones, Microsoft Surface, and the rest. At $2.99 it’s a steal.

In that spirit, with this post, I’d like to tout a St. Paul Pioneer Press colleague’s new book as well as my own.

Read more ›

I sent out this all-newsroom e-mail to my St. Paul Pioneer Press colleagues today:

In the words of Darth Vader to one of his poorly performing Imperial Fleet underlings, “You have failed me for the last time.”

I’m referring to the pop machine on the skyway level, which has cheerfully accepted my legal tender without giving me anything in return — *again*

I swear, sometimes I think the machine is (expletive)ing with me. Sometimes my coins get stuck in the slot. Sometimes they’re summarily rejected. And sometimes they clunk into the apparatus as they should, but yield no thirst-quenching beverage.

In any event, I advise my esteemed newsroom colleagues to proceed with caution where that infernal contraption is concerned. I am done with it.

I just wish I could Force-choke it, as it deserves.

Read more ›

A friend at work who is aware of my Puerto Rican background surprised me today with the gift of this jacket, which I promptly put on display in a place of honor near my desk at work.

I think my Puerto Rican co-worker, Rubén Rosario, is a smidgen envious.

Thanks, Lisa! You made my week.

My Puerto Rican or “boricua” leanings have come up a number of times on this site.

I miss Puerto Rico — well, not the crime and congestion in San Juan, but certainly the climate, the culture and especially the food.

I appeared on WCCO-TV this morning to show off some of the latest, greatest tech products for the holidays.

This is my line-up:

The Satchel ($309), one of several new luxury leather bags from Minneapolis-based Pad & Quill. See the rest of the bag line. Combine the bag with P&Q’s Leather sleeve for iPad mini ($69.99) and P&Q’s Luxury Pocket Book for iPhone 5/5s ($89.99)

Read more ›