Steve Jobs' Yacht

It's been a little over a year since my hero passed on, but the work on the yacht he started designing in 2009 just wrapped up. The yacht was christened "Venus" after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The yacht made it's first public appearance just a few days ago in the Dutch city of Aalsmeer.

The look of the super ship is all Steve Jobs....sleek, elegant and simple. The yacht is made of lightweight aluminum and measures 80 meters long. The Jobs family was there for the unveiling and took it out for it's maiden voyage. A trip to the bridge reveals that the ship is operated by six, 27" iMacs. Steve is smiling up in heaven right now.

The Quadski

This is one of those products that I label as "an answer in search of a question". A company by the name of Gibbs has combined an ATV with a jet ski. Powered by a BMW engine, this Frankenvehicle goes on sale in December for a mind-boggling $40,000.

Now keep in mind that for less $20,000 you could buy a dedicated ATV AND a jet ski.  So why would one possibly drop 40-large on this monstrosity? Go figure.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

Porsche has just rolled out its new Shooting Brake concept, the Panamera Sport Turismo, at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. This concept moves the Panamera from a 5-door coupe to a wagon...a much more useful configuration.

This particular Panamera is powered by  a hybrid engine, with electrical and gas motors combining for 416 horses. Porsche is rolling out the car to gauge public perception. By my reckoning, a 2-year old can pick between a butt-ugly coupe and a stunning Shooting Brake. So let's get to it Porsche...you know what you need to do.

Don't Buy 3rd Party Lightning Cables for iPhone 5

It seems everyone got their undies in a bundle when Apple switched to the new Lightning cable. Apple has a long history of embracing new technology and leaving the old behind...so you just have to get used to that.

But when you get that new iPhone 5, do not be tempted to buy cheap cables from a 3rd party manufacturer. The cables are proprietary to Apple, and to keep them that way, Apple has placed an authenticator chip in all of their Lightning cables. The authenticator chip is also proprietary to Apple and cannot be duplicated.

What that means is that 3rd party cables will fit your new iPhone 5, but they will not work. Without the authenticator chip, the cables are unable to transmit power or data. Caveat emptor.

Why I Love CrossFit

Three years ago I began CrossFit and it changed my life. Thanks to CrossFitMN, I am in better shape at 60 than I was at 30. It is hard. It is brutal. But there is a dedicated group that shows up every day at noon and thanks to them, I learn more every day. Check this out: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/170733216.html?refer=y

Nike Free Inneva Woven

When it comes to shoes for CrossFit, I'm a huge fan of Nike Free Run. They're lightweight, unbelievably comfortable and a great all-round shoe for the different exercises that pop up in the WOD. My only ding on the shoe is their lack of lateral support.

Enter the Nike Free Inneva Woven. The  nylon-woven shoe fabric and the laces are integrated so that the entire shoe can be adjusted for lateral support. I can't wait to try these on. Launch date and pricing to be announced shortly. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_x3yX0yqNc

iPhone 5

Here's the important stuff from today's intro:

• 4" screen
• 18% thinner, world's thinnest smartphone.
• 20% lighter
• 16:9 aspect ratio for movies
• LTE world phone, data transfer is higher speed than most cable modems
• New high speed WiFi, up to 150 Mbps
• 2x faster processor than iPhone 4S (new A6 chip). This really matters. This phone has the highest performing processor in the industry, meaning Apple has leapfrogged them all.
• New camera: 8 megapixel, low light capable and new Panorama mode
• 1080p HD video
• New audio: 3 microphones
• Noise canceling ear hole
• New earbud design, called EarPods
• Lightning connection cable: high speed transfer and charging
• iOS 6 with new 3D mapping, turn-by-turn nav and real-time traffic
• New improved Siri
• On-contract pricing: same as iPhone 4S ($199, $299 and $399)
• Pre-order September 14, ships September 21

EarPods, from my September 2 blog.