And no, it’s not an iPad2.

I usually think it’s a good idea to not buy first generation Apple products, as the second generations tend to have better features (and are usually cheaper). So I held off on getting an iPad for a year, just patiently waiting for the iPad2.

I was pretty disappointed with last week’s iPad2 launch, but I was pleased to see the prices of the original iPad drop dramatically. So I picked up a 32 gig first generation iPad for about $200 less than it was selling for previously.

I’m just starting to set it up now, and load it with apps. There are so many that are different or better than my iPhone apps… I’m having fun looking and discovering new stuff.

If you have an iPad, what are some of your favourite apps?

One of my favourite shows on CBC Radio, Terry O’Reilly’s Age of Persuasion, is now available in podcast form.  Now I can add The Age of Persuasion to my long list of podcasts I need to catch up on (This American Life, The Moth, and my all-time fave, RadioLab).

Isn’t this typeface gorgeous?  It reminds me of hand-lettering, which I wish I was better at.  Maybe that will be my New Year’s resolution… try/practice hand-lettering.  In the meantime, I’d love to use Breathe by Lian Types in a project.

Maybe you remember back in May when I wrote about my love for Jessica Hische (the amazing letterer and illustrator).  I briefly mentioned her “Mom, This is How Twitter Works” guide – which started as an image file.

Her simple guide to explaining Twitter went viral, and now she has made it into a webpage with more detail (explaining retweeting, hashtags, and a comparison between Twitter and Facebook).  Check out www.momthisishowtwitterworks.com and learn a thing or two!

Veer has done a nice slideshow of their staff’s favourite fonts of 2010.  Don’t you love Business Penmanship (pictured above)?  Other favourites include Strangelove (which I blogged about here), and Lady Rene (glad to see I still like it… I blogged about it back in July).

And it’s Honeysuckle Pink.  And if Pantone says it’s gonna be hot, then you can bet it’s gonna be hot.  Kind of like a chicken-and-the-egg scenario, Pantone knows what’s hot, announces the colour, then it becomes more hot, etc.  Take last year’s pick of Turquoise as an example.  Or 2009′s Mimosa.

I’m sure I’ll have at least one client in the coming year who wants to use Honeysuckle in their design…

I will fully admit, I’m a print nerd.  In a lot of ways – I love paper, I love typography, I love letterpress… I even spent a lovely evening with Kinnon watching a documentary about printing processes.  And back in June, we did a letterpress workshop at a local indie print shop.

So I was easily able to waste some time exploring Graphics Atlas, a website that’s part online printing archive, part printing education lesson.  Do you know the distinguishing characteristics between relief and intaglio?  Or, more relevant to today’s designers – the difference between offset litho and direct thermal?  If you’re a print nerd or a designer, this is pretty essential knowledge.  Check out Graphics Atlas and learn something!

Swoon!  It’s “font day” over at Design*Sponge.  Check out these typography-inspired posts:

Interviews with type designers Jesse Ragan, Louise Fili and Jessica Hische

Grace’s favourite fonts

Best of: Fonts in Homes

And my favourite, Typographic Home Decor

I heartily encourage you to slack off for a few minutes and check this stuff out.

[img: Type art in home of Fossil art director Shay Ometz. From the Fonts in Homes post]

Apparently, today is type day.  Here’s a roundup of 30 new free HIGH QUALITY free fonts, over on Smashing Magazine.  Normally I don’t like free fonts because they’re a pain to work with, especially kerning.  But Smashing usually only includes good stuff in their free typeface roundups, so these should be good.

The first one in the list, Piron, is really cool.  I also like Geomancy.  And all the symbol typefaces are seriously handy.

The hand-lettering trend in typography is still going strong, and this typeface caught my eye.  Called Strangelove Next, it’s inspired by Stanley Kubricks film “Dr Strangelove”, which featured hand-lettered type in the opening titles.

Strangelove Next features a narrow, wide, and mixed version.  And it’s on sale – get all three fonts for $19.  That’s a deal.