First, we dropped in their CSS and Javascript.  Second, since our templates are well built and already used the 960.gs grid - it was a matter of changing the class names to “row” and “columns”.

1. Necessity vs. Luxury
2. Ease of use
3. Support
4. Shelf life
5. Cost

Excuse #1: Necessity vs. Luxury

Why are you upgrading again?  Keeping up with the Joneses?  Whatever it is, keep in mind that the industry is fast paced and there is always new technology waiting around the corner.  If you work in a field where your productivity will increase as a result of a new machine, I’d say go for it, otherwise stick with your old machine.  I’ve come across clients’ computers and their computer no longer allows them to perform updates and/or run certain programs - those individuals need to upgrade.  It’s a security risk and it’s a poor user experience.  On the other hand,  there are some clients who just use the internet and nothing more - in those cases I would say to buy an iPad and just stick with their old machines.  If you are buying because you can afford it and just because it’s new - I’m envious, feel free to donate your old machine to me.

Excuse #2: Ease of Use

It should just work. It should make sense.  I know that no system is perfect and there is always a learning curve, but the margin should be small. I’m actually glad to see that “user-friendliness” is where it is now compared to machines 5-10 years ago.  The terms plug-n-play, uninstall, install, and update have never been so easier to do.

Excuse #3: Support

This excuse goes hand and hand with Excuse #3.  If it’s so easy to use, you will not need this.  But wait a second, it depends on your computer knowledge.  Again, technology is fast paced and your machine is in constant need of updating/upgrading: new printers, memory, routers, other peripherals, and/or softwares.  I gotta say I have over 1000+ hours of support hours I spent with DELL representatives, Apple representatives, and Philippine call centers under my belt.  There’s nothing like a good technical support department.

Excuse #4: Shelf life

When will I buy my next computer? Generally, a new computer should run you 5 years.  I’ve seen computers from 8 years back and people’s usage (internet-only) of them does not justify a new computer yet.  Some people are really good at taking care of their computers.  When upgrading, do take in mind of your external peripherals in terms of compatibility. When buying your next computer, do look at these excuses.  And if you make better excuses than I do, please comment and share them here.

Excuse #5: Cost

Hopefully Excuses #1-4 has justified the cost.  Do you have a budget?  What makes PC laptops cost $500.00 versus Apple laptops at $999.00?  What are you really paying for?  Do take into consideration discounts available for education, non-profits, army/veterans.  In most cases, buying the laptop/desktop with the features that you really need versus the cream of the crop is better.  Another consideration is buying the base computer and adding the optional peripherals later.  For example, memory and hard drive are cheaper from 3rd party vendors. They are standard for most laptops/desktops and are easy to install.

Remember these?

Responsive websites show the same content - but rearranged to maximize the use of the space allowed by your browser or screen. See example below, let's say – iphone screen, ipad screen, and LCD screen:

For more information here are a few helpful resources:

• Bye, Bye Waterfall: 5 Steps to Implement Responsive Web Design
• HTML5 - Responsive Web Design
• What The Heck Is Responsive Web Design?

Books to Read:

• A Book Apart: Responsive Web Design by Ethan Marcotte
• Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS3 by Ben Frain

Cool Frameworks/Boilerplates:

• The Gumby Framework
• Skeleton

Google provides hundred of open-source font to make your websites look gorgeous. Similar to typekit, you choose your fonts, embed the code, and use CSS to apply. It's great to have all these options.

Click here to get started with Google Web Fonts.

Atomic Web Browser

This is a great browser with a lot of features to match including a full screen tabbed browser, download manager with dropbox, ability to view source, set the User Agent type (Firefox, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc) and so much more! Really cool. This is the safari you wish you had on your iphone/ipad.

Gusto for iPad

This app is a code editor and ftp client all in one. It organizes each projects accordingly and allows users to edit and create lovely code. I really like the fact it color-codes and highlights html syntax and provides specific area with frequently used symbols such as < > { } / [ ].

1. lacking any controls : unrestricted
2. boundless, infinite
3. not bounded by exceptions : undefined

Major ISPs and Cell phone providers who provide “Unlimited” data are throttling heavy data users and redefining the word. It’s really clever too.  Imagine getting free refills on soda, except the spout of the soda machine is dripping instead of flowing. It’s unlimited to a point that you are still getting soda.  It’s just sketchy service and plain cheating.

Please use this to post any FREE Apps you find for Thanksgiving! Black Friday and Cyber Monday Extravaganza! Thanks!  Stay tuned as this listing will be updated.  Surely it will keep us all busy during this Holiday.

• Tarantula vs Snake - Leszek Szary - $0.99
• Ancient War Ⅱ - Triniti Interactive Limited
• Army Wars Defense 2 - Magic Cube
• SKATE or DIE - 3G Studios, Inc.
• SDBALL - HenLung Chou - FREE (Originally $2.99)
• Tower Defense: Lost Earth - Com2uS Inc. - $.99 (Originally $2.99)
• The Settlers - Gameloft - $.99 (Originally $4.99)

There is also an app that keeps tabs on new, on sale, and free apps:
AppShopper - AppShopper.com, LLC

This recent game for the iPhone by Triniti Interactive Limited is a Hack N' Slash game called Heroes vs Monsters

Aside from the obvious similarity to Battle Heart – where your character gain levels, build skills, accumulate wealth/loot, and equipment management/upgrade – the spin is that the game allows you to venture out in the wild and encounter enemies.

Click here to buy this game at the App Store

Also take note: Because Thanksgiving is coming up, a lot of Apps are discounted/free!

Creating QR codes are easy too. Go to http://createqrcode.appspot.com/

Just add a link, choose the size, and get an image.

Here is a sample QR code for coderrific:

I also watched his Stanford Commencement Speech where he talked about his childhood, loves, and close run-ins with death. I suggest you watch it. Steve Jobs wishes all of us to - “Stay hungry and stay foolish”

I’m planning to buy his bibliography written by Walter Isaacson for some light reading and inspiration.  Click here to order from Amazon.

As it is acquired by Adobe, we hope that this service and quality of this plugin just continue to improve.

Nonetheless, some of my clients are predominantly PC users - Dell, Compaq, IBM, Toshiba, Sony - you name it.  This line of work is good. It pays well and you can always schedule your hours.  Nonetheless, most of the time I assist my clients in purchasing hardware, software and peripherals.  I give them the two sides of the coin - the bargain price if your saving and the best, what your money can buy. 

I would say 100% of the time I recommend Apple Products and surely they buy them, and I never hear from them again.  Not because they were unhappy (i hope), but because they’re not having any computer-related issues. What separates Apple Macs from PCs is its exclusivity.  Apple are made of apple-chosen parts.  The parts from every apple computer are the same in another computer (maybe except for RAM/Memory).  PC’s however, are more unique and the software/operating system has to compensate for every hardware/peripherals out there and the combination of such peripherals - just more things that can go wrong.

I know there are other PROs and CONs of PCs and Macs, but each to his own on this one!  I like a little bit of both if you ask me.

It’s funny to think that people still use IE6 even today…

• Minify - Combines CSS and Javascript files
• PACKER (by Dean Edwards)
• JSmin Minifier (by Douglas Crockford)
• YUI Compressor (by YAHOO!)

Notice: Some individuals also use this to protect their code, as some compressions makes the code “unreadable” to normal humans. ha!  For coders like us, they just make it harder and some people are too lazy to convert your code back to readable formats.