Hal Goldstein is Founder & Columnist at iPhone Life. In 1985, armed with the first HP LaserJet, the original HP Laptop, and his enthusiasm for mobile computing, Hal began a publishing company, Thaddeus Computing. Through the years, the company supported users of HP palmtops, Microsoft Pocket PCs, early smartphones, and the iPhone—Hal is now an avid iPhone and iPad user. Author of the book Meditating Entrepreneurs, he teaches classes and coaches individuals in the Release Technique. Hal lives in Fairfield, Iowa, with his wife, Lynda. You can contact Hal at Hal @iPhoneLife.com.
By Hal Goldstein
From the 1950s through the 1970s, I used pen and paper to write, solve math problems, and update my address book and calendar. Starting in 1982, I experienced a new world of possibilities thanks to my personal computer and its word processor, spreadsheet, and database software.
By Hal Goldstein
I was one of few voices in the 1990s writing columns urging manufacturers to create a super-sized handheld. So, naturally I bought an iPad as soon as Apple introduced it in 2010 and have owned one ever since. Then in fall of 2022, my old laptop died. I wondered, should I stick with Windows, make the switch to a MacBook, or go for a budget-friendly Chromebook?
By Hal Goldstein
Last year, a close family member, I’ll call her R, was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s. Apple products have made life a little easier and safer for both of us. Never technically adept, R uses an older model iPhone to make and receive calls and enjoy the Lock Screen photos I create.
By Hal Goldstein
I’d never enjoyed wearing a watch—I didn’t like how it felt on my wrist. However, the idea of a wearable computer intrigued me, so in 2016 I bought an Apple Watch Series 2. I tried it for a few days and ended up reselling it. In 2019, hearing of the health benefits, I bought the Series 5. That watch met the same fate.
By Hal Goldstein
My wife and I are most fortunate to own and share 33 acres of rural Iowa forest with birds, trees, plants, grasses, insects, fish, reptiles, small mammals, and deer. Admittedly, staring at my iPhone when walking in our woods is not a good look. Yet, worlds have opened thanks to apps that let me name trees, identify birds, diagnose plant health, and plot our newly created paths.
By Hal Goldstein
Around Thanksgiving, 1985, not knowing anything about printing, publishing, or running a business, my late wife Rita and I launched our company and first print publication: a 32-page newsletter about making the most of the Hewlett Packard 110 Portable PC. For 38 years, we’ve published print issues helping tech enthusiasts—first of HP, then Microsoft, and finally of Apple products—238 issues in all. With the summer 2023 issue of iPhone Life, the print streak ends.
By Hal Goldstein
By Hal Goldstein
I’ve long thought about using a drone to capture footage of my Iowa woods. Knowing nothing about drones, I hesitated for years, concerned that I would crash it and it would disappear. I yielded and purchased the 5-star-rated DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo ($599). About half a pound, the Mini 2 looks like a bug-like creature (the light weight means no government registration is required). I am impressed despite a frustrating first few weeks.
By Hal Goldstein
By Hal Goldstein
Humans have passed down culture from generation to generation through spoken word. Reading, on the other hand, is a relatively recent human invention that requires the brain to convert symbols to words in order to decipher the meaning. Maybe it’s not surprising then that I enjoy listening to a book more than reading it.
