Category: product endorsements

Apple, photos, product endorsements, video

Notion note taking app

Rick Mc

I’ve always been a NOTE taker.

Always put together TO-DO lists.

Not always skilled at following through. 😶

For the past few months I’ve been trying NOTION. It’s free for basics.

More complicated than I need. But it is cool.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It does synch perfectly with iPhone. And I can use the IOS app even when out of service.

NOTION ranked #1 on this list of Best Note-Taking Apps 2021.

I’ve used different notebooks and apps over the decades. Most recently I’ve been trying to stick to the default Apple products:

  • Reminders
  • Text Edit

Love the simplicity and compatibility with the Fruit Company ecosystem of brainwashed.

I’ve yet to find a calendar I like. I’m using Google Calendar — but don’t really enjoy it. Right now I’m trying to switch to Apple Calendar, which I also don’t like.

health & fitness, product endorsements, travel

Switching to Shoppers Drug Mart

Rick Mc

Shoppers Drug Mart is Canada’s largest pharmacy chain with over 1000 stores.

As I hope to become — yet again — a traveller, I’m thinking it might be better (in future) to have in-person access to all these stores.

Since I went on blood pressure medications a few years ago, I’ve been dealing with local, independent pharmacies. Good service, but they rarely have what I need in stock.

So … I’ve made a second trip back in person to pick up my DRUGS.

That’s been a hassle a few times over the years, as I travel so much.

The independents and Shoppers both now ship for free — but I have more faith in the big company.

Actually, I would have gone with Amazon Canada Pharmacy — but they haven’t launched that service yet.

cycling, hiking, product endorsements, travel

My 1st SERIOUS Tripod

Rick Mc

The MeFOTO RoadTrip Air. Weight 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)

It get’s well deserved GREAT REVIEWS.

I got the RoadTrip rather than the Backpacker — even though it’s a half pound heavier — mainly for the superior ballhead.

Details.

I’ll use this day-to-day at home. And on bikepacking trips.

Won’t likely carry it on long hikes because of weight, though the detachable selfie stick is an option.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Looks great. But — in reality — I use my Fotopro uFO 2 tripod 90% of the time.

I like it better than the GorillaPods I’ve used. You can attach to things more reliably.

And it’s only .5 lbs (227 gm)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

health & fitness, product endorsements

My ONLINE doctor – Babylon by TELUS

Rick Mc

Babylon by TELUS Health lets you see a doctor* or mental health counsellor from your phone, where and when it’s convenient for you.

Works well. Covered by Alberta Health Care.

TELUS Canada partnered with the UK-based company Babylon

I downloaded the IOS app. Got an appointment quickly. No hassle. Very efficient use of my time.

Video conferenced with two different doctors via my phone. Both excellent.

In my case I merely needed to renew prescriptions. But if it had been something more complicated they’d refer me to a real life specialist.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

photos, product endorsements

Editing PHOTOS with Pixelmator Pro

Rick Mc

Kraig recommended this software. And I’m going to buy it. CAD $55.

Pixelmator Pro is Mac only. It supports the new (2020) M1-chip and macOS Big Sur.

Below is a Pixelmator edit of an iPhone X 4K original. I followed the official tutorials.

What you see below is a smaller version for web. But if you click on it — you’ll be able to see the full size original.

I’d long wanted to quit free Apple Photos software that comes with every Mac. Never liked it. Unfortunately Apple keeps you locked into the ecosystem. Happily, Pixelmator Pro works hand in hand with the Photos app. No conflict.

I’m also tested the Sony Imaging Edge software (horrible) and Capture One 20 Express (free). But Capture One 20 non-Express is too expensive – at least $10 / month.

I have Gimp (free) but find it pretty complicated.

This video show the fantastic interface of Pixelmator Pro.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Apple, blogs, product endorsements, video

I subscribed to Envato Elements

Rick Mc

Of many competing services offering online digital assets, Story Blocks is most famous. And advertises the most.

But I was convinced to join instead less expensive Envato Elements US $198 / year. Both work with Final Cut Pro, my software.

They provide licensed images, audio, videos, graphics, plugins, fonts, logos, tutorials, 3D, graphic & video templates, presentation templates, infographics and much more. I’ll be including those in my videos, websites and presentations.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of the main things I like about using their digital resources is the simplicity of licensing. I’m much less worried that YouTube — sometime in future — might take down my YouTube due to copyright complaint.

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

related – Competitors & Alternative To Envato Elements

product endorsements

Space Heaters

Rick Mc

Winter is coming …

Rob and Yvonne gave me their old Lasko 758000 space heater.  Works well.  I keep it beside my desk. 

Wirecutter is my favourite product review website.

On their recommendation, in addition, I got the Vornado VH5 Personal Vortex Space Heater for only CAD $46.11.

Works very well.  I keep it close to the bed. 

As of August 2020 here are the Wirecutter picks for best space heaters. 

The Vornado VH200 (similar to the VH5) surpassed almost every other space heater in speed and total power, delivering an immediate temperature increase that built steadily and evenly across the room over the course of an hour.

The VH200 is also quieter than most other ceramic heaters we’ve tried, emitting only a soft, fan-like whir, and it’s compact enough to tuck away in a corner.

It’s also one of the safest heaters we tested, featuring overheating and tip-over protection, and a plastic exterior that stays relatively cool to the touch—so you can warm yourself without having to worry.

The VH200 does get mixed reviews from some owners—those who find it slow to heat a particularly cold space or who have problems with the airflow from the fan—but Vornado tends to respond to critical reviews more reliably than other manufacturers do.

blogs, photos, product endorsements

WordPress.com Block Editor

Rick Mc

38% of the web is built on WordPress.

More bloggers, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies use WordPress than all other options combined.

All my sites are hosted on WordPress.com and I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

As a long time user, I’ve been reluctant to switch to the BLOCK EDITOR when writing these post. I stuck with the Classic Editor, as did many others.

In this post I’m again testing the BLOCK EDITOR based on a recent WordPress.TV tutorial. 

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Making rows like those above are much easier. Choosing colours easier, as well.

That line above is easy to add, as well.

One thing I like about the Block Editor is being able to more easily make a photo gallery. These images are all provided free through the Block Editor.

With the old editor I didn’t have much control over images.

Using the Block Editor I can more easily edit this image, for example.

That said — many of us feel forced by the host company to use something called the Block Editor to write posts like this rather than the Classic Editor we used in the past.