I think mysteries have a design flaw, basically: those factors that make them captivating also make them difficult to resolve.

I like to think that if a movie is entertaining I’ve never been one to bash it for a sub-par ending. This quote sums up my thinking on the subject quite clearly:

Some take a zen-like approach where the ending doesn’t really matter; it’s the journey that counts. And there’s a logic to that: if 95% of the story keeps you engrossed, who cares that the final 5% has you rolling your eyes?

Of course, whenever possible a great ending is always preferable.

An oldie but a goodie via Kung Fu Grippe, et. al.

Timer Utility

Simple, a clean interface with big numbers, and free. It also allows you to set multiple timer pre-sets if you have different tasks that you often come back to. There’s lots more functionality there, but just as a simple timer (as I’m using it now) it’s a great app.

The ability to get periodical subscriptions on the iPad would be the first thing that I feel would make this a killer device. Initial steps are actually being made in this regard with Conde Nast preparing to announce iPad support for some of their most popular magazines, including two that I would be interested in: Wired and the New Yorker. For me, however, the magazine that would change things would be the Economist. If the Economist was available in a nicely formatted for the iPad, automatically delivered edition, I would be very excited.

Another application, and one that is definitely coming to the iPad, is the digital comics application from Panelfly. When I was younger I was a casual comics reader, and at this point in time I’m not a huge comics guy, but I have been playing around with the current Panelfly iPhone application and it looks great and is well put-together. From the screenshots of Panelfly’s iPad application on their website, the comics look beautiful. It really makes me want to get more into reading digital comics.

The third application would be two existing apps for the iPhone, just blown up to a larger size. Instapaper is one of the greatest web applications and iPhone apps out there. Reading articles from Instapaper on the iPhone is okay, but it feels cramped. With the larger screen real estate, reading them on the iPad would be a joy. The other is Simplenote, synced up with Notational Velocity on the desktop. Pages and the other iWork apps on the iPad are great, but for those of us who especially like text files, there’s really no other way to go than using these two services in sync.

I feel that there is a lot to be said for the experience of reading. This is a space where I feel money can be made in the realm of digital publications. One example that I’ve been playing around with recently is the Times Reader from the New York Times. This is an application for the desktop which runs on the Adobe Air platform. It beautifully formats the paper to create the best possible reading experience on the computer. In addition to downloading the paper locally, the type is big and readable, and it is easy to navigate and flip through the articles. It’s overall a very pleasant experience.

The key here is that right now I’m using the trial version which only includes the Front Section and the Business sections of the paper. To get the full paper you have to pay $3.45 per week. In my mind it’s a very reasonable price to pay for such a well designed experience. Despite the fact I can get all these articles and everything for free on the website, it’s still worth it to me to pay the little premium for the optimal experience and the ease of use. Though it might not be everyone, I have a hunch though that I’m not the only one who feels this way.

The Times Reader example is one that I think best sums up my feelings on the potential of the iPad. It’s always been Apple’s forte to take something that already exists and clean it up and reinvent the user experience (the iPod is the obvious case in point here) to a level where it almost seems they have made a new device. Once again, that’s where I feel Apple’s opportunity lies with this product. It’s the difference between reading the news in a somewhat haphazard way on the New York Times website or having the wonderfully polished and put-together experience of using the Times Reader. There are a lot of loose ends and small pieces floating around in this space that I feel are just begging to be joined. Just like they did with mp3’s and digital music, Apple one again has the opportunity to be the joiner.

If Apple does succeed in being the joiner in this realm, much as they did with digital music, the iPod, and iTunes, it would certainly be something that would make me very, very happy.

Great article from the New York Times Magazine. Fascinating portrait of the modern day South.

After many months, I finally visited Beijing’s Olympic Park.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey writhes in pain on the ground after a leg-breaking tackle from Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross. Look closely at Ramsey’s ankles. I don’t think they are meant to hang like that.

Photo from the front page of ESPNSoccernet.

Google Translate is useful, just not all of the time.