MINIs I've Parked Next To #6

Found this R53 next to mine as we left the mall. There was also a MINI Clubman and an R50 near us at the theater, but it was too dark for photos.






~Ben

MINI's I've Parked Next To! #5

Found this gorgeous Justa R56 behind Brisby as I left Target today. I really need to fix up the rust on my rear quarter panels...

Russian Photo Dare Trend

I've been slowly getting back into photography lately, though I still need a nice new camera. One of my favorite new trends is the very cool free-climbing landscape photography coming out of Eastern Europe.
Vadim Mahorov has an amazing blog:
http://dedmaxopka.livejournal.com/


A few more examples of the photo dare trend:

Just makes me want to go climbing!
~Ben

The Biggest Lie on the Internet!

Do you ever actually read the Terms of Service agreement (ToS) when installing Apple firmware or anything else for that matter? Well, don't feel guilty - Most people don't, but have you ever wondered what was in those 60 some pages of lawyery gobbledygook? Now you can know exactly what you are agreeing to, thanks to Terms of Service;Didn't Read, an emerging new site that collects ToS data, a bit like Wiki, rates it, and highlights what you need to know.
tos-dr.infoThey are just getting started, but the idea is brilliant! If you ever have a second thought before hitting the Agree button, or are just curious to see what you've been going along with all these years, go check it out!

~Ben

MINIs I've Parked Next To! #3.. and #4

MINI Coopers tend to park together. It's a strange and mysterious phenomenon. I've decided to start documenting my own parking lot buddies:

Found this Pepper White R56 next to Brisby when I left Best Buy today. It could very well be my Mom's old MINI, Milo.

My friend Lisa caught this R50 outside her dentist's office. I like the plate, though I'd like to think that his/her cat is a doctor, rather than the driver being a veterinarian. "..and this is my cat, Doctor Kitty."

~Ben

Podcasts! Episode 1: Using Downcast

I listen to a lot of podcasts, and it always surprises me that, as a form of media, podcasts are not more popular. In fact, when I have my headphones in and someone asks what I'm listening to, the usual response, after I tell them I'm listening to a podcast, is almost always,"What's a podcast?"

Podcasts began as audio only talk shows, and have since evolved into a very wide variety of genres, as well as HD video formats. There is something for everyone, more programming than many television networks, and yet podcasts remain under the radar for those not tech savvy.

So here it is, my attempt to get you guys into podcasts. First off, yes, Apple has their own app for podcasts, but it's not nearly the best out there. Downcast is the app you want:


Sure, Downcast is a few dollars on the App Store, as opposed to the free Apple Podcasts app, but it's ease of use and stability far outweighs the cost.

Here is a quick tutorial to get you started:

Once you have Downcast downloaded and installed (search for it in the App Store), the first thing to do is get some podcasts! Nearly all podcast subscriptions are free. It's actually very rare to find one that is not, so feel free to grab as many as you want.

In the upper right-hand corner, you'll find these four icons. What we need is the large addition symbol.


After hitting that, you'll see this window pop up:


If you already know the name of the podcast you want, you can search for it, otherwise select a category to browse many popular selections.

Once in a category, just select a podcast. I'll use The Nerdist as an example:


After selecting a podcast, you'll see a brief description. If you like what you see, go ahead and hit the Subscribe button. Podcasts are generally episodic, the most popular format being a weekly podcast. When you subscribe, Downcast will automatically download the latest episode. When Downcast is opened again, it will check for new episodes and again download anything new. Keep in mind, this is totally free.


After subscribing, the latest episode will start to download. The podcast will appear in your podcast list, and a new download badge will appear over the Downloads icon.


You can view the download's progress by hitting the Downloads icon in the upper right.


Once the download is finished, just select it to start playing. Congratulations! You are listening to a podcast.


Now, after you are done with that episode, you can delete it manually or have Downcast automatically delete podcasts marked as played (easily found under the settings menu). You can also browse previous episodes for download, or go search for some new favorites.


See? It's all very simple. Now go find some great podcasts!

~Ben

PS - I'll post some of my favorites soon.

Notes and Reminders

My usual protocol when setting up a new iOS device, is to take all of the default apps and toss them into a junk folder, but lately Apple has been making these barebones apps very useful. Notes and Reminders are two of these apps that should not be overlooked.



While these apps do exist on the iPad, they are most efficient on the iPhone or iPod, since, in most situations, that's the device in your pocket.



Notes is a super fast app that is great for jotting things down on the go. You can now create a multitude of separate notes, and all of them can be saved and shared in various ways. Please note, it's not as secure as other document apps, like Awesome Note, which allows you to set up password encrypted notes, but that might be on the way.




Apple has polished up the default Reminders app by 'borrowing' aspects of other reminder apps on the App Store, making it the all around best reminder app you can get currently. It's also faster than most of the other apps, which helps with adding tasks on the fly, lists can synced with the calendar, and everything can be saved and shared.

So there you have it - Two apps that come free with iOS5 that are very well done. Try them out! It's surprising how quickly they became part of my daily routine.

With the way Apple has been working to make these default apps better than premium apps on the App Store, it leads me to believe that iOS6 is really going to be something great. I can't wait!

~Ben

The IT Crowd Update

British tv is one of my favorite things, and The IT Crowd series is one of my favorite things of all time. Unfortunately, it only ran for 4 seasons (6 episodes each), but at some point this year, we are supposed to be getting an extended special episode! My guess is that will happen, if it does happen, closer to the holidays. Show creator, Graham Linehan, also announced the possibility of a movie to follow, but then again, he was also announcing the possibility of a fifth season all last year, so who knows.



If you've never seen or heard of The IT Crowd before, I highly recommend looking into it. All four seasons are available on DVD and Blu-ray.

There was even an American version of the show that made it to the pilot stage, but I'm so happy this bastardization of The IT Crowd never came to pass. Yikes...

~Ben

BMW MINI Product Numbers Explained

While the rest of the world knows these cars as the Cooper, Clubman, Countryman, Coupe, and Roadster, the industry itself and MINI fans refer to them with their designated model numbers. It can be a bit confusing to newcomers, so here is the complete list as of today:



Generation 1

R50 Hatchback 2002 - 2006
Cooper (normally aspirated non-supercharged W10B16 engine)

R51 Proposed long wheelbase MINI (never released)

R53 Hatchback 2002 - 2006
Cooper S (Supercharged W11B16 Engine)

R52 Convertible 2005 - 2008
Cooper (normally aspirated non-supercharged W10B16 engine)
Cooper S (Supercharged W11B16 Engine)


Generation 2

R56 Hatchback 2007 - 2012
Cooper (non-Turbo N12B16A engine) 2007 - 2010
Cooper S (Turbo N14B16A engine) 2007 - 2010
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012

R55 CLUBMAN 2008 - 2012
Cooper (non-Turbo N12B16A engine) 2008 - 2010
Cooper S (Turbo N14B16A engine) 2008 - 2010
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012

R57 Convertible 2009 - 2012
Cooper (non-Turbo N12B16A engine) 2009 - 2010
Cooper S (Turbo N14B16A engine) 2009 - 2010
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine) 2011 - 2012

R60 COUNTRYMAN, including ALL4 for 2011-2012
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine)
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine)

R58 COUPE (the new 2-seat hardtop) 2012 - current
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine)
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine)

R59 Roadster 2012 - current
Cooper (non-Turbo N16B16MO engine)
Cooper S (Turbo N18B16MO engine)

Still to come
MINI City Car - 2013
MINI Hatchback next Generation - 2013
MINI Clubman next Generation - 2013

Note: Any model without a Supercharger or Turbo is generally referred to as a "Justa" (Just A Cooper).

Hope this helps!

~Ben

MINIs I've Parked Next To! #2

This one comes from my Mom, who has a new Pure Red 2012 Countryman S. She found this Justa R56 inside the Spectrum Complex's parking center:







I do like the look of the second generation Justas, despite the power loss. This one looks a bit like Brisby did with white stripes.

Thanks, Mom!

~Ben

Quad Lock and Gobadges!

I got my Quad Lock set earlier this week, and I couldn't be more impressed! The iPhone case has a great feel to it, is lightweight, and has a low profile. It actually makes the iPhone more comfortable to use, instead of getting in the way like most cases. The wall mounts have a crazy strong adhesive backing, and were simple to install in my MINI Cooper and apartment (they also have a recessed hole in the center for screwing to a wall for even greater stability). Also, even though I ordered the most basic package ($39.95), they sent me the deluxe kit ($69.95)! It could have been a mistake, though I like to think they were just being generous. Either way, it was a very nice surprise. Here is my iPhone and Quad Lock in action in my MINI Cooper S:


Please, check out Quad Lock for yourself and help support a brilliant small company! Again, any of the links to Quad Lock on my blog will net you a 10% off discount on whatever you decide to order.


I also got a few new badges and holders from GoBadges this week. Check them out as well (use code "epminis" for 10% off).



Oh, and I got the giant version of the blue Domo-kun.



He hides out in my glovebox, unlike the smaller blue Domo-kun that shouts at other drivers from the dashboard.



~Ben

MINIs I've Parked Next To! #1

MINI Coopers tend to park together. It's a strange and mysterious phenomenon. I've decided to start documenting my own parking lot buddies:

MINIs I've Parked Next To! #1

I found this fellow R53 in the Wallmart parking lot on Alpine Ave. Yes, I went to Wallmart. Yes, I am ashamed.



It had a cool blacked-out look going.



I liked the plate. Makes me wonder if the owner happens to be a pharmacist.







Here is the Picasa Album for the high res photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/106202409461442915597/MINIsIVeParkedNextTo

Until next time, Happy Motoring!
~Ben

The must-have iPhone accessory - Quad Lock!

I saw this on TWiT during CES earlier this year, then again during their Kickstarter campaign, and have finally gotten around to ordering a kit. The Quad Lock mounting system for the iPhone is easily the best mount on the market today. Just stick the mount wherever you like, and the super sleek Quad Lock case slips onto the mount firmly and in landscape or portrait mode. I had been looking for a decent mount for my MINI Cooper for nearly a year, and every stand, mount, and cradle out there is either too bulky, too cheaply made, or not stable enough to work. The Quad Lock is just perfect. Check them out here, and get 10% off your order just for visiting my blog: Quad Lock


There is even an iPad version of the Quad Lock system coming soon! I can't wait!












~Ben