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Daily iPad App: Rich Notes is another snazzy note-taking solution for your iPad
There are a ton of great note-taking apps out there for the iPad at this point (one of my favorites is Penultimate), and because there are so many available, choosing one is really up to personal preference at this point. Rich Notes is a relatively new entry to the pantheon, but it's free (which is always nice), and will let you take fully formatted notes on your iPad you like. The app is simple and clean, and features full text formatting (bold, italic, and underline to start), iCloud compatibility, the ability to share your notes out via email or copy them to the clipboard, and a nice wide landscape orientation editor for typing into. The one real issue I have with Rich Notes is the fact that much of the app's really shiny formatting options (like the ability to use strikethrough text, change the text's color, or use highlighting) are hidden behind in-app purchases. That you have to buy these features isn't so bad (obviously the app's developer worked hard, and deserves to be paid for his work), but the buttons for these features are permanently in the interface, and you are only reminded that you need to purchase them once you've gone through, selected your text, and then hit the "highlight" button, for example. That can be frustrating, especially when you're in the middle of taking notes fast and want to highlight something without remembering that you haven't made the in-app purchase yet. So it would be nice if the IAP features were a little more well-thought out. Obviously, buying the features means you won't have any problems, but the model is just a little weird (especially because, from what I've seen, many purchasers of productivity apps are more than happy to pay for a well-made experience). At any rate, if you want another notes app to try out, Rich Notes is currently available as a free download on the App Store. I doubt it will sway you away from a solution if you've already found something you love, but again, finding a notes app you like at this point is mostly a matter of personal taste. So in that light, it's probably worth a try.
Cheaper PS3 loses HDMI, slots, Wi-Fi, 40GB
As you can see above, there are a few things different between the two PS3 SKUs planned. (Hint: the obvious alterations concern high-def output and wireless connectivity -- though Bluetooth controllers should work just fine with both, with or without any chrome case highlighting.)So what's HDMI, built-in multimedia card-reader slots, wireless internet connectivity, and an extra 40 gigabytes' hard disk space worth to you? $100? Now that Sony's gone with the 2-SKU approach with its next-gen hardware (a la the Xbox 360's premium and "Core" systems), we can expect some tough consumer choices after six months -- with console shortages possibly for another six months after that -- as $100 separates the base $499 and premium $599 versions of Sony's "Clear Black" hope.HDMI is important to those who want to take full advantage of Blu-ray high def and have the new screens to use it; MemoryStick, SD, and CompactFlash slots would be nice for the PS3 memory-card users and those will run multimedia on the system; Wi-Fi's the only way to avoid stringing ethernet cables for online access; and 360 owners might appreciate the full 60GB available to potential buyers of the premium PS3 model. Neither model comes with a second HDMI port; thankfully, one should hopefully be all most users need. The details are laid out in a feature-comparison table at the end of Sony's official PS3 hardware press release, available in both Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word formats. Determine what's most important to your PS3 ambitions there.[Image pieced together from the PlayStation.com forums; thanks, Guru]
