The Mountain Lion Approaches, by Janet Balas

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 20:00:13 -0500

On February 16, Apple announced the release of a developer preview of the newest version of its operating system, OS X Mountain Lion. The final version for Mac users is expected in late summer 2012. The official announcement to the press is available on Apple’s Web site.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/02/16Apple-Releases-OS-X-Mountain-Lion-Developer-Preview-with-Over-100-New-Features.html

In addition to the press release, Apple also has a sneak peek available on its site. There is a preview video demonstrating the most visible new features, notably the ones that bring OS X and iOS closer together, and a more detailed text version with illustrations. The Messages app from iOS will arrive on the Mac in Mountain Lion, but for those users who would like to try it now, there is a link to a beta version of the application that allows unlimited iMessages to be sent among iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, and now, Macs. There is also a link to the Developer Preview for developers who have not downloaded it yet.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/mountain-lion

John Gruber, author of the Daring Fireball blog, was invited to a private product briefing on Mountain Lion conducted by Apple before the official announcement. He described his experience and offered his take on Mountain Lion from an Apple-supplied MacBook Air that was loaned to him by Apple. In his post, I encountered a term that I have never heard before--cruft. For those who, like me, are unfamiliar with the word, he offers an explanation as it applies to the evolution of OS X.

http://daringfireball.net/2012/02/mountain_lion

I enjoy the speculation about upcoming products on the Mac-related rumor sites so I regularly follow the postings on Apple Insider and MacRumors, both of which cover rumors and Mac-related news. These sites are also quick to provide features on new products and have been exploring the developer preview of Mountain Lion. Apple Insider has features on the enhanced printing and scanning features of the new OS as well as a First Look at the Messages beta for Mac. Other postings discuss new file handling and iCloud features, Gatekeeper, and Game Center.

http://www.appleinsider.com

MacRumors also has a number of postings about Mountain Lion including a video walkthrough of AirPlay from InsanelyGreat Mac and another video demonstrating 30 features of the new OS from CultofMac. MacRumors also has a posting entitled, Roundup of OS X 10.8 Features and Notes which has the Preview video from Apple and links to other coverage of Mountain Lion on MacRumors. Additionally, a forum for discussion has been opened.

http://www.macrumors.com

Mac users that either listen to or watch the TWiT broadcast of MacBreak Weekly should know that Episode 287, entitled It’s Tunic Time, discusses the assembled group’s first impressions of Mountain Lion. The discussion is sure to continue in future broadcasts.

http://twit.tv/show/macbreak-weekly/287

As expected, Macworld is providing continuing coverage of Mountain Lion with postings in the Operating Systems section of the site. There are introductory pieces as well as numerous “hands on” reviews of the various new features.

http://www.macworld.com/article/165417/2012/02/apple_readies_mac_os_x_mountain_lion_update.html

There are also opinion pieces including, Is Mountain Lion: A big cat for business? that was excerpted from Computerworld.

http://www.macworld.com/article/165471/2012/02/os_x_mountain_lion_a_big_cat_for_business.html

Another opinion piece is Lex Friedman’s Siri: the Missing Lion feature In which the author argues for the inclusion of Siri on the Mac and describes how it might work.

http://www.macworld.com/article/165449/2012/02/siri_the_missing_mountain_lion_feature.html

The weekly Macworld podcast that was broadcast on February 16 was devoted to the announcement of Mountain Lion. Entitled Mountain Lion is on the way, the podcast featured a discussion of the upcoming OS release by host Christopher Breen and Macworld’s Jason Snell who had been give the opportunity for some hands on experience with the developer preview.

http://www.macworld.com/article/165404/2012/02/os_x_mountain_lion_is_on_the_way.html

It is always interesting to read coverage of Mac-related products on sites that are not solely devoted to covering Apple. PCMag.com has posted several articles on Mountain Lion. The article entitled 10 Things You Need to Know About Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, provides a brief description of the most visible changes to the OS.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400366,00.asp

A more in-depth discussion of the OS can be found in the article entitled Apple OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Preview.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400311,00.asp

The author’s conclusion is expressed in a statement labeled as the Bottom Line in which he states, “OS X Lion is already the best consumer OS by far. When Mountain Lion ships, it will only increase Apple’s lead. Anyone who uses a computer for both pleasure and work won’t want to use anything else.” That is quite an endorsement from a PC-related publication.

Certainly this is not all the coverage of Mountain Lion and there will definitely be more to come in the lead-up to the release of the new OS X. There will probably be a lively debate over the wisdom of bringing the Mac OS closer to iOS but I’m already looking forward to the release of Mountain Lion.

SOPA and PIPA--Be Informed, by Janet Balas

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 20:00:43 -0500

For anyone following tech industry news, these initials should be instantly familiar, even if the details of what they stand for are a bit fuzzy. SOPA, Stop Online Piracy Act, and PIPA, the Protect IP Act, are bills that have been proposed in Congress to stop online piracy. The provisions in these bills are controversial and on January 18, a number of websites, including Wikipedia, went “dark” in protest. As a result of this protest, voting on PIPA, which had been scheduled for January 24, has been postponed. With the postponement, online users have the opportunity to learn more about these bills and develop an informed opinion.

A basic introduction to the proposed legislation and some of the arguments on either side can be found in an article by Jared Newman on the PCWorld site. Entitled SOPA and PIPA: Just the Facts, the article is only an overview so it is light on specific details, but it provides links to other online resource for those wanting additional information.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/248298/sopa_and_pipa_just_the_facts.html

Mac users might feel disloyal reading an article on the PCWorld site, but the article was reprinted on the Macworld site. A search for SOPA on the Macworld site found this article and others.

http://www.macworld.com/search?q=sopa

Links to additional information on SOPA can also be found on the Monroeville Public Library web site in the Hot Topics section. Hot Topics, brief lists of quick links to reliable online information on topics of current interest, are prepared by the reference librarians at the library. The SOPA and Internet Piracy topic has links to breaking news from Google, an article explaining SOPA from Politico, and CNET’s discussion on how SOPA would affect online users. There are also articles from The National Review Online, Wired, and The New York Times. For those interested in the position of their members of Congress, there is a link to an article from ProPUblica. Hot Topics change frequently, but are archived for a short period of time.

http://www.monroevillelibrary.org

One of the more outspoken critics of SOPA and PIPA is the Electronic Frontier Foundation, commonly referred to as the EFF. Searching the site for information on both of these bills found quite a number of articles that outline the EFF’s position on the legislation. There are also letters from other organizations and groups that oppose the legislation including the ACLU and the United States Student Association.

http://www.eff.org/search/site/sopa

http://www.eff.org/search/site/pipa

It is important for those who use online information to be aware of legislation that could affect their use of Internet resources and to form an opinion after learning about the issues involved. These links should help those interested in the proposed piracy legislation to form an opinion that is an informed opinion.

iOS 5, by Janet Balas

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 20:00:18 -0400

The iPhone 4S arrived, but not alone. A new operating system, iOS 5, also was released with many new features. Even though these features may be designed to be easy to use, iOS 5 adopters do need to know about them in order to employ them efficiently.

As always, Apple has information about the new iOS on its Web site.

http://www.apple.com/ios

There are over 200 hundred new features in iOS 5, but Apple highlights its favorites including Notification Center, iMessage, Newsstand, Reminders, Twitter integration, and improvements to the Camera, Photos, and Safari apps. Also noted is that, with iOS 5, it is no longer necessary to connect the device to a computer either to activate it, receive updates, or sync information. Other changes to Mail, Calendar, Game Center, Wi-Fi Sync, Multitasking Gestures for iPad 2, and AirPlay Mirroring are briefly described and there are links to information on iCloud. Since not all iPhones and iPod Touch devices are compatible with the new iOS, a list of compatible devices is provided. Finally, a video allows users to see some of these new features in action.

While Apple’s iOS information pages provide a nice introduction, other sites provide some more in-depth information. As it did with Lion, Macworld has devoted a special section to iOS 5.

http://www.macworld.com/rc/ios5/index.html

Dan Moren has written a comprehensive review of iOS 5 which is highlighted on the site and there is an article on the upgrade process as well as featured articles on iCloud and the Notification Center. Other articles are listed, latest first. Make iOS Sing is described as a comprehensive list of iOS 5 tips and tricks, but at the time of my visit it only had three “First Look” articles on Notifications, Camera and Photos features, and Reminders. I imagine more articles will be added in the coming days.

Another Mac-related print and Web publication, MacLife, offers its own list of tips and tricks in its Always Current Tips and Tricks Guide.

http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/always_current_ios_5_tips_and_tricks_guide

Other articles on iOS 5 including news, reviews, and other tips can be found at:

http://www.maclife.com/tags/ios_5

The Ars Technica site is known for its comprehensive reviews and iOS 5 was not neglected. The review, entitled Notifications, iMessages, and iCloud, oh my!, is 17 pages long, devoting most of the space to the three new features in the title, but discussing other changes as well.

http://tinyurl.com/3pqmqd4

Additional coverage on iOS 5 can be found through the search feature on the site.

It can be both interesting and helpful to read coverage of Apple products from sites that cover technology as a whole rather than just focusing on Mac and iOS related products. Cnet is a technology news and reviews site that offers broad coverage of technology news and product reviews.

http://www.cnet.com

While there was not a specific section devoted to iOS, there was certainly plenty of coverage. A search for iOS 5 items turned up 1,639 news and photo references. There were 80 slideshows, including an overview of the new iOS, demonstrations of specific features, and pictures of AirPlay-compatible products. There were also 255 short videos, mostly about three minutes in length, that again offered demonstrations of new features. The creation of free custom ringtones and text tones was demonstrated as well as new Safari features, new features for the iPad 2, and more.

For those who like to learn through video tutorials, a good source is ScreencastsOnline.

http://www.screencastsonline.com

This part-free, part-membership service offers in-depth tutorials for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. At the time of my visit, the member’s tutorial for the week was entitled OSX 10.7.2 & iCloud Features. The previous week’s tutorial covered the iOS 5 upgrade & iCloud.

With the exception of the Screencastsonline site, most of the resources that I have cited are freely available on the Internet. However, there are a couple of iOS guides that aren’t free, but are worth mentioning. Macworld is offering the iOS 5 Upgrade Guide on the iBookstore for $2.99. A Kindle edition is also planned.

http://tinyurl.com/3ll3qps

Take Control e-books, from the publishers of TidBITS, Adam and Tonya Engst, cover various Mac and iOS related topics. At the present time, there was not an e-book specifically for iOS 5, but there was one, Take Control of iCloud!, devoted to the new iCloud services in Lion and iOS 5. One very nice feature of the Take Control titles is that updates to the e-books are free with notification of updates sent to purchasers via e-mail.

http://www.takecontrolbooks.com

While waiting for a Take Control title for iOS 5, users can visit the TidBITS site for its iOS 5 coverage.

http://www.tidbits.com

This short article is not an all-inclusive list of online information on iOS 5, but it should help users begin learning about the newest version of iOS.

What are QR Codes? by Janet Balas

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 21:00:48 -0400

Many of the members of COWMUG have been Mac users for quite some time as was evident at last month’s meeting when we shared memories of our first Macs. Now I’ll test your knowledge of technology trivia--how many remember the CueCat?

If you don’t remember this odd little device, it is certainly understandable because it never caught on. It was a cat-shaped barcode reader, compatible with both Macs and PCs, that allowed users to scan barcodes in magazines or other print media that would direct the users to Web pages without having to type the URLs. Wikipedia has an entry for the device detailing its history and providing links to further information, including the official CueCat Web site, which still exists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cue_cat

While the CueCat was not commercially successful, the idea of linking to Internet resources from physical world objects did not die. QR (quick response) codes are the current implementation of this idea and usage is growing. You may have seen those square little codes on TV, on signs, and in newspapers and magazines. Wikipedia’s entry provides a good introduction to the current implementation of this technology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code

QR codes are increasingly being used with smartphones so iPhone users can easily begin using QR codes after selecting and downloading an QR reader app from the App Store. At the time I was writing this column, I found 180 QR reader apps available. Most of the apps were free, but some were not. I chose the i-nigma QR Code, Data Matrix and 1D barcode reader, but I have not compared it to the others so I do not know if others have additional features. This particular app will scan other codes, including the UPC codes found in the supermarket, in addition to QR codes. Once the app has been opened, simply aim the camera at a QR code. It will automatically recognize the code, activate the camera, scan the code, and, if the code links to a Web site, open the browser and go to the Web site.

While most of the apps are readers only, at least one, QR Sight, will generate QR codes that can be printed and attached to physical objects. This app was designed for use by the visually impaired and will speak the object name associated with QR code when it is scanned.

Businesses are finding varied uses for QR codes in addition to marketing. A recent article on the Macworld Web site described how a restaurant in San Francisco, The Melt, is using QR codes to allow customers to place orders without standing in line to speak to the cashier.

http://www.macworld.com/article/162020/2011/08/restaurant_lets_phone_orders_go_to_the_front_of_the_line.html

There are numerous free QR code generators on the Web if you would like to try out some ideas for using QR codes. I created a QR code using the QR Stuff site.

http://www.qrstuff.com

The Free Nuts Web site, which specializes in rating free services, offers its rating of the top ten free online QR code generators.

http://freenuts.com/top-10-free-online-qr-code-generators/

Another Web site that offers ratings of QR code generators is the Massive Lifestyle Web site.

http://massivelifestyle.com/2011/09/best-free-online-qr-code-generators/

I never attempt to predict whether a particular technology idea or product will be a success, but I have to admit that I find QR codes intriguing. If you’re interested in at least being able to read the codes, then download a QR reader for your phone and start scanning.

Mac OS Ken, by Janet Balas

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 21:00:33 -0400

Our monthly COWMUG meetings typically begin with a recap of the past month’s Mac-related news by our club president. A month can be a long time to wait, however, for Mac users who want to know the very latest news. Of course, there are plenty of Mac-related Web sites that track Mac and Apple-related news, but for those who like to listen while they work, there is the Mac OS podcast that provides a daily look at the latest news with, as host Ken Ray describes it, “attitude.”

http://www.macosken.com

Ken Ray became Mac OS Ken in January, 2006 when he began The Mac OS Ken show. The daily podcast is available as a free subscription through iTunes or other RSS reader with the most recent show available for listening on the Mac OS Ken site. Show notes for the current show with links to all the stories covered are also available.

Mac OS Ken hosts a live call-in show every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Eastern time. For users who don’t have the opportunity to listen to the live show, the broadcasts are archived and available as a free subscription through iTunes as well as through an RSS reader. Links for both options can be found on the Mac OS Ken site. The August 24th show took place a few hours after Steve Jobs announced his resignation as CEO of Apple so the show was devoted to discussion of that unexpected announcement.

Because the daily podcast and call-in show are available for free, the endeavor does need to generate income in some way. This is accomplished by the Mac OS Ken: Day 6 podcast, which is an extra show for paid subscribers. The cost is $10 a month with payment handled through Paypal. This extra show may feature a chat with fellow podcasters or industry analysts and experts, or a luminary in the technology field, or sometimes it is just a more in-depth treatment of a timely Mac-related topic.

http://www.macosken.com/day6

Another income-generator for Mac OS Ken is the Mac OS Ken App in the iTunes App Store for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. This $2.99 app provides access to the podcast whether connected by Wi-Fi, 3G, or EDGE, with no syncing needed. In addition to providing access to the podcast, it also provides a quick way to send email to the show, visit the website, follow Mac OS Ken on Twitter, or report a problem with the app.

http://itunes.apple.com/app/mac-os-ken-app/id332052835?mt=8

Mac users who are looking for a daily recap of Mac-related news, but want more than just a plain fact-filled broadcast, may find Mac OS Ken’s news with “attitude” to be both informative and fun.

The Lion Awakens, by Janet Balas

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 21:00:23 -0400

On July 20, Apple released the newest version of its operating system, Mac OS X Lion. The Mac community has been anxiously awaiting its release for many months. Early adopters began downloading it immediately from the Mac App Store while the more cautious waited to read reviews and first-hand accounts of the installation process. Whether you are an early adopter looking for more information on the new features in the OS or a cautious user wanting to learn more before making the leap, there is plenty of information on the Web about Lion.

A good place to start is the Apple site:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

There is an introductory video featuring Apple executives discussing the top new features in Lion including new Multi-Touch Gestures, Full-Screen Apps, Mission Control, Launchpad, Auto Save and Versions, Resume, and AirDrop. Additional information on each of these topics is available as well as a brief description of each of the over 250 new features in Lion. A very brief upgrade guide, basically the upgrade process through the App Store, is available along with system requirements for Lion.

Ars Technica's John Siracusa published an in-depth review. If you want all the details on Lion, have the time and patience to read a 19 page document, and aren't afraid of some technical language, this is the review for you.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7.ars

Of course, the major Mac-related publications have weighed in as well. Macworld's complete Lion coverage can be found by typing:

http://www.macworld.com/lion

There are links to articles, which include a review as well as hints and tips, and there is even an article on how to make Lion more like Snow Leopard for those who don't like change. There is a series of articles that are billed as the Complete Lion Installation Guide as well as a podcast in which Christopher Breen and Dan Frakes discuss installing Lion.

Another Mac printed publication, Mac|Life, is also discussing Lion and I was amused to see that it, too, had an article on making Lion more like Snow Leopard. Mac|Life's coverage includes several how-to articles on Lion-related topics including disc sharing, creating a signature and signing a PDF document with Preview, and plenty of hints and tips--some of which were demonstrated in the Mac|Life Show video.

http://www.maclife.com/tags/lion

Even PC Magazine offered its take on Lion with a full review and an Editor's Choice rating. To quote the reviewer's comment under Bottom Line: "Unless you have powerful reasons for using anything else, you probably ought to use OS X." The article covers upgrading, Mission Control, Launchpad, Full Screen Apps, AirDrop, Versions, changes to Mail, Address Book, iCal, iChat, and Preview. The reviewer even urges Windows users to consider the new Mac OS. A slideshow accompanies the review.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2388704,00.asp

PC Magazine also offers Twelve Lion Taming Tips.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2388871,00.asp

I listen to the MacBreak Weekly podcast from Leo Laporte's TWiT network. At the time I was writing this column, there had been two podcasts broadcast after Lion was released: MacBreak Weekly 256 entitled, Lionized, and MacBreak Weekly 257 entitled, There is No Step Four. Mac users can listen to the audio podcasts on the MacBreak Weekly Web page or subscribe to the audio or video podcasts through iTunes.

http://twit.tv/mbw

David Pogue is a familiar name to many Mac users who buy his books and follow his writing for The New York Times. He offered his thoughts on the new OS in an article entitled, Upgrading to Lion Means Embracing the iPad.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/technology/personaltech/the-usual-apple-upgrade-big-steps-forward-a-stumble-backward-state-of-the-art.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

The New York Times also has a weekly technology news podcast entitled Tech Talk. The episode that aired on July 27 featured an interview with Alan Yacavone of the News Technology Office at the Times. The podcast is available, along with show notes, on The New York Times site. In addition to the information provided in the interview, the show notes are particularly valuable because they contain links to additional information on Mac OS X Lion.

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/technology/techtalk.html

When deciding whether or not to upgrade an existing Mac to Lion, a key question that must be answered, after determining that the Mac in question meets the system requirements for Lion, is whether or not the applications on that Mac are compatible with Lion. Quicken users need to be aware that older versions of Quicken are not compatible. Also, users of older, PowerPC applications will not be able to run those applications in Lion since Rosetta, necessary for PowerPC applications to run on Intel processors, is no longer supported in the OS. A very useful and quite comprehensive compatibility chart can be found on the Roaring Apps Web site.

http://roaringapps.com/apps:table

Mac users who have decided to upgrade to Lion, but are nervous about the procedure can turn to ScreenCastsOnline for video tutorials. There are currently two tutorials on Lion available. Installing Lion, which is currently available for free, goes through a standard install and demonstrates how to create a Lion USB drive. The other tutorial, Getting Ready for Lion, can only be viewed in its entirety by subscribers.

http://www.screencastsonline.com

These are only some of the sites that offer information about Lion, but Mac users who've already upgraded and want to become experts quickly as well as those who want to learn more about the new OS before upgrading should find plenty of information on the new OS.

Apple Retail Stores 10th Anniversary, by Janet Balas

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 22:00:06 -0400

On May 19, 2001 the first Apple retail stores opened its doors. The naysayers proclaimed the initiative would never succeed, but ten years later the stores have become a retail success story that other retailers strive to emulate.

Macworld provided coverage of the anniversary with several articles and a podcast.

http://www.macworld.com/article/159829/2011/05/applestore10.html

The articles examine how the stores got it right, tell the story of the first two Apple stores, look back at the opening of the Glendale Apple Store, recount the financial history of the Apple Retail Store, and interview independent Mac retailers who have been able to maintain successful businesses despite the competition from Apple stores.

The podcast features an interview by host Roman Loyola with Gary Allen of ifoAppleStore.com. They looked back to before the Apple stores existed, the evolution of the stores, and the reasons for the success of the Apple Retail Store.

After listening to the podcast, a visit to the ifoAppleStore site would seem to be in order.

http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/

As noted above, the site was created by Gary Allen to provide news and information about Apple Inc.’s retail stores. The About me page, listed on the navigation bar as Whome?, tells the story of the site’s name, explaining that “ifo” stands for “in front of” and refers to the overnighters who camp out in front of Apple stores before a grand opening. Mr. Allen has been an overnighter at several openings beginning at the Palo Alto store, and including five openings in other countries. He says he became fascinated with the retail initiative and began gathering information, which he decided to share through the Web site. The site currently has over 1,900 pages of information on all aspects of Apple’s retail store operation.

The site’s home page features the latest news including the latest openings, expansions, remodeling, and anything related to the stores that is deemed newsworthy. The At-A-Glance page provides dates, statistics, and interesting facts about the stores. The Financials section is actually that, financial information in various charts and graphs. Detailed information about past store openings, store openings in the current year, and future locations can be found in Future Apple Stores section. Photos, videos, store details, and store maps each have an individual section and a Hot Topics list leads visitors to high interest including Mr. Allen’s road trip on the 10th anniversary itself. His trip included a visit to the Shadyside Apple Store. which he described as “uniquely-sited.”

The ifoAppleStore site is an interesting site for those who are interested in learning more about Apple’s successful retail strategy as well as for Mac users who are interested in learning more about their favorite store.

Macworld in the Brave New Digital World, by Janet Balas

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 22:00:43 -0400

For years we have been hearing that books, magazines, and newspapers will soon disappear in favor of all-digital content and we all have heard about the financial troubles of many venerable newspapers. The popularity of the Web, the Kindle, and the iPad have made it more difficult for printed newspapers and magazines to be profitable enough to stay in business as their readers turn to digital content. It would seem that a magazine such as Macworld, which covers technology, would make the transition more easily, but while the editors and writers might understand the technology, they don’t necessarily know what business model will be successful in this brave new digital world.

Macworld has not been ignoring the move to digital content, but has been making its content available in various electronic formats. Most Macworld readers are familiar with the Web site:

http://macworld.com

Many of the articles from the printed magazine are available on the site, as well as Mac-related news, reviews, and shopping help. There are also several blogs: Creative Notes for creative professionals, Game Room for Mac gamers, Mac 911 for users needing help, Mac Gems for users looking for low-cost Mac software and hardware, Mac OS X Hints for users looking to boost their productivity, Mac Word from Macworld Editorial Director Jason Snell, Mobile Mac for mobile users, Playlist for iPod users, iOS Central for users of iOS devices, Working Mac for more productivity tips, From the Lab with hardware reviews and test results, MacUser by and for Mac users, and Digital Photo for photographers. Macworld has moved from only written content with audio and video podcasts that can be found in the list of blogs.

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs.html

Those new to the Mac or switching from Windows should appreciate the New to Mac section of the site with its buying guide, switcher’s guide, a free New to Mac e-mail newsletter, information on backup strategies, a guide to using the App Store, and Mac Gems of 2010 as just some of the information available to new users. There are slideshow tutorials on topics such as partitioning a hard drive among the how-to articles.

http://www.macworld.com/rc/newtomac/index.html

Macworld’s publishers and staff are aware that their readers are carrying iOS devices with them and are making Macworld content available through the Macworld Daily Reader for iPad app. This free app, available through iTunes, is not the printed magazine in digital form, but is updated throughout the day by Macworld editors with news, reviews, tips, and opinion pieces.

An electronic version of the printed version can be read using the free Zinio app, also available on iTunes. Upon using Zinio for the first time, the user will be asked to create an account, but will only need to supply name, email address, and choose a password. Several magazines are available as a free trial, but Macworld is not among them. A subscription to Macworld may be purchased for $19.97.

Macworld recently began offering Macworld Insider with ad-free site layout, full-content RSS feeds, a members-only newsletter and forum, and live chats with Macworld editors. Subscribers to Macworld Insider also have access to the Macworld digital library with PDFs of every issue for the last few years that can be downloaded and searched through Spotlight. Current subscribers can purchase a 12-month subscription for $19.95 while the cost to non-subscribers is $39.95. More information including an FAQ document is available on the Macworld site.

http://www.macworld.com/insider.html

My subscription to the printed version of Macworld will expire at the end of the year and I will definitely consider switching to an all-electronic version of the publication. The currently available options all show promise and may even have more features by the time I’m ready to make the switch.

Many Tricks, by Janet Balas

Thu, 5 May 2011 22:00:15 -0400

The name Rob Griffiths should be familiar to those who either read Macworld magazine or listen to the Macworld podcasts since he was a writer and Senior Editor for the publication for five years and participated in the podcasts. Before his stint at Macworld, he founded the Web site, macosxhints.com, which many Mac users have turned to for assistance since its debut in 2000. Rob left Macworld a year ago to embark on his latest venture as a software developer, working with Peter Maurer, to found the company that is known as Many Tricks.

http://manytricks.com

Many Tricks is an apt name for the company since its applications are designed "to make your computer life easier in many ways… they are designed to perform many tricks." The company consists of only two people, Peter Maurer whose title is Creative Madman, and Rob Griffiths, the Master of Ceremonies. Peter is the programmer who writes the software while Rob handles the business matters including public relations, customer contacts, marketing, and sales.

Their current list of products includes: Desktop Curtain, Moom, Time Sink, Usher, Witch, and others. Members of COWMUG may remember a demonstration of Desktop Curtain at a meeting. Time Sink is an interesting application for Mac users who want to know how their time is being spent on their Macs--which programs are being used, which Web sites are being visited, which windows are in the foreground, etc. A new application, Moom, adds increased functionality to windows management using either the mouse or keyboard. Another product, Witch, makes application switching easier. Because the products from Many Tricks are small applications, they are reasonably priced. Of the three mentioned above, Witch is the most expensive, with a cost of $14 and a 60-day money back guarantee.

Users needing support can visit the Many Tricks Support page which offers a Knowledge Base of support articles that is both browsable and searchable. Users may also file Bug Reports or Feature Requests. Registration is not required to file these, but it makes it easier to use the site's ticket system to track responses. There is also an email contact address for further assistance.

In addition to their Web site, Many Tricks is on Twitter as manytricks and there is also a blog, Tales of a Running Bird, featuring all the latest news about the company and its products.

http://manytricks.com/blog

On the first anniversary of his start at Many Tricks, Rob wrote a post describing his year as a developer. That post drew the attention of his former colleagues at Macworld and led to a Macworld podcast on which he was interviewed by Jason Snell. It was an interesting podcast as he discussed Mac issues from the point of view of developers. discussing their wish to foster contact with their customers while also benefiting from the publicity and wider distribution that the App Store offers for developers' products. Rob explained their decision to sell their applications through the Mac App Store and why they felt it was the right decision for them. For Mac users who subscribe to the Macworld podcast, it was Macworld Podcast #240 entitled Rob Griffiths and His Many Tricks. It is available through iTunes and on the Macworld Web site.

http://www.macworld.com/article/159037/2011/04/mwpodcast240.html

Mac users interested in small applications that make their computer work easier and more productive may want to check out the applications from Many Tricks either through the company's Web site or through the Mac App Store.

Have You Met TED?, by Janet Balas

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 22:00:28 -0400

You may have caught a glimpse of TED in Apple’s iPad is Amazing commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP8wKtFA4Io

Or you may have heard Diane Sawyer announce ABC News’ partnership with TED.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ted-talks-watch-popular-ted-talks-past/story?id=13060877

TED is not a nickname for someone named Theodore, but is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It is a nonprofit organization that describes itself as “devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.” It began in 1984 as a conference that brought together people from the areas of technology, entertainment, and design and has broadened its scope since then. TED now sponsors two annual conferences, the Open Translation Project, TED Conversations, TED Fellows, TEDx programs, the annual TED prize, and the TEDTalks video site. TED.com, launched in April 2007, offers talks from TED and its partners for free to a world-wide audience. There are over 900 TEDTalks on the site with new talks added each week.

http://www.ted.com/

The talks on the site come from the annual TED conferences, smaller TED events, and from other sites that feature passionate speeches selected as “Best of the Web.” At the annual conferences the speakers are invited to give talks that last no more than 18 minutes. There are numerous ways to browse the various talks: by newest releases, date filmed, most emailed, or by ratings, which include jaw-dropping, persuasive, funny, informative and others. Visitors may choose to browse talks in the broad categories of technology, entertainment, design, business, science, or global issues. Talks may also be browsed by themes or by an alphabetical listing of speakers. I found talks by Douglas Adams, Bill Gates, Alan Kay, Michelle Obama, and Steve Jobs among the 760 speakers.

Visitors to the TED site do not have to be content with passively watching talks by others, but can choose to contribute their ideas through TED Conversations, a new feature of the site. Registration is required to join or start a conversation, but it is free and asks only for name, country, and email address. Registered users can create a profile page, contact other members, join conversations, and save items to favorites. Conversations can be an idea, a question, or a debate. They may be searched by keyword or topic, conversations by, or commented by.

Those interested in keeping up with the latest additions to the TED site can become a Fan of TED on Facebook or follow TED on Twitter (@TEDNews or @TEDTalks). Several RSS feeds are available: TED Blog for the latest news, TEDTalks Video to be used as podcasts that can be viewed on an iPod, TEDTalks Video High-Def for viewing on laptops, TV, or AppleTV, and TEDTalks Audio for an audio-only version of the latest talks.

TED is a fascinating site for those who are interested in ideas. I hope you will visit the site, learn more about TED, sample the talks, and perhaps contribute to the conversations.