tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65470512239213199512024-03-20T13:34:10.968-07:00MacMobile Services BlogMacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-66453943412092554442019-11-25T08:46:00.002-08:002019-11-25T08:49:50.866-08:00The 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I think Apple is going in the right direction with the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple seems to be listening to their customers because of the changes from the previous 15-inch MacBook Pro. For the new 16-inch, Apple put in a Scissor-type keyboard instead of the previous Butterfly-type keyboard which has reliably problems. For most Apple Users, this is a huge improvement and I am glad Apple did this.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro is a little thicker than the previous 15-inch model. Apple made it thicker to accommodate a bigger 100-Watt battery which Apple says will give up to 11 hours of Internet browsing instead of 10 hours of the previous 15-inch. To me, this could be an indication that Apple is finally understanding that it should put Function ahead of Form, because it is a computer and not a piece of artwork after all.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">With the added thickness, not only has Apple been able to put in a bigger battery but has also been able to put in a better cooling system to keep the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro’s Intel Core i9 processor with up to 8 cores and 16 threads of processing power running cooler, sustaining higher performance for longer periods of time.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__3ffOPBJDKlTcHHXFgBguv_WnpwLif1-OlVAzdW12dmk0h9JSPCe0TYmCrbK7V4hTi2xSzVvO8zbENwsiEXfC_P0-pijKlHWINOqstqmQcaQ4xEF37-sYNJWSJC52VxKwNhjb6ycUJoD/s1600/Apple_16-inch-MacBook-Pro+edit.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="685" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__3ffOPBJDKlTcHHXFgBguv_WnpwLif1-OlVAzdW12dmk0h9JSPCe0TYmCrbK7V4hTi2xSzVvO8zbENwsiEXfC_P0-pijKlHWINOqstqmQcaQ4xEF37-sYNJWSJC52VxKwNhjb6ycUJoD/s400/Apple_16-inch-MacBook-Pro+edit.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The 16-inch display has thinner bezels around the edges and is rated at 500 nits of brightness. The display also has a P3 wide color gamut which enables brilliant, true-to-life images and video. The AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series video card delivers the most graphics horsepower ever in a MacBook Pro for seamless playback and faster rendering of ultra-high-definition video. With the optional 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, you’ll get up to 80 percent faster performance when executing tasks like color grading.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">In the Memory and Storage Department, the 16-inch MacBook Pro can have a maximum of 64 GigaBytes of working memory and up to 8 TeraBytes of Solid State Storage which I think is long overdue for Apple’s Pro Line of MacBooks.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Apple has improved both the speakers and added a studio-quality three-mic array. I have listened to a YouTube video comparing the YouTuber’s own studio microphone and the MacBook Pro’s studio-quality three-mic array. I could actually hear the difference. The MacBook Pro’s Mics sounded a bit muffled, probably because the mics are located under the left speaker grill but I think they sound very good anyway.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The MacBook Pro has a six-speaker sound system with Dual force-cancelling woofers dramatically reducing system vibration for a clearer, more natural sound and a half-octave lower range to the bass. The sound quality has been described as having a similar sound quality to Apple’s HomePod. I own a HomePod and it sounds great!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I do agree with other Apple professional users that for being a pro level Mac laptop, it is missing many useful ports for a pro-level mobile computer. With only 4 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, having to carry around adapters in order to connect your non-USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 devices to the 16-inch MacBook Pro, makes it inconvenient to use and not as mobile as it could be.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I think Apple needs to bring back a couple of ports that users really need including the SD card slot for transferring photos and capturing video for editing. Hopefully, prices for Solid State Storage will go down and that will lower the overall price of the MacBook Pro in the future. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Starting with the 2016 MacBook Pros, Apple left off the MagSafe power connecter because the new USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports are also charging ports. I want Apple to bring back the MagSafe power connector because it helps prevent pulling the Mac Laptop off the table if you snag or trip on the power cord because the power cord is connected to the MacBook by a magnet. With only the 4 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, you have to use one of them just for charging and the charging connector does not disconnect from the port easily, therefore pulling the laptop onto the floor if you snag or trip on the power cord. Be Careful.</span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-55076866844531689192019-11-24T13:16:00.000-08:002019-11-24T18:08:57.772-08:00My thoughts on Apple in the News Regarding their Unstable Software<div style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm tired of Apple releasing new Operating Systems every year. That schedule doesn’t give them time to fix basic problems by the time they release it. In the old days, when Apple Users use to pay for Mac OS software upgrades, Apple’s release schedule was one and a half to two years between major versions. The software quality was a lot more stable than today’s MacOS.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple needs to get back to doing that, when Apple's software had a reputation for being the most stable in the industry.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsn8rolfNeAsIp6vNyrgdsR0FWoFm8N3mrHKPRZdBxhdBJjhI09RhPz3mK81EZP5DL6x3_Kg4pgmSNnJsjOOqEwYSVNmAi9-WcRLs0DhCZC3UJ1FmKUTGIyPrkx34BitWacJV643rB_Dvu/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-11-24+at+1.30.28+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsn8rolfNeAsIp6vNyrgdsR0FWoFm8N3mrHKPRZdBxhdBJjhI09RhPz3mK81EZP5DL6x3_Kg4pgmSNnJsjOOqEwYSVNmAi9-WcRLs0DhCZC3UJ1FmKUTGIyPrkx34BitWacJV643rB_Dvu/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-11-24+at+1.30.28+PM.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34249068</span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-31761601640156962562018-09-27T22:14:00.000-07:002019-09-08T15:06:33.499-07:00iPhones Throughout the Years<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>14. Rokr E1</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">At the risk of spoiling this list up top, there’s no such thing as a crappy iPhone. But what fun is a roundup like this without at least one truly terrible entry? The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/444315/apple-history-motorola-rokr-e1/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">Rokr E1 isn’t a true iPhone</span></a>, but it is the first iTunes phone — and Apple’s first attempt at entering the phone market. And, man, was it terrible!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Created in collaboration with Motorola, this 2005 disaster was an attempt to cross a cellphone with an iPod. Unfortunately, it was fiddly to use, locked to Cingular Wireless, uninspired in appearance, and generally garbage. Apple discontinued support just a year after introducing it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 21px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>13. iPhone 7</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Like the iPhone 5s or iPhone 3GS, by the time the <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/446018/iphone-7-review/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">iPhone 7</span></a> came out, its design was starting to feel slightly tired. But the iPhone 7 did make a few noticeable improvements. For one thing, the antenna bands were redesigned to be less noticeable than on previous models. This was especially true on the <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/446735/heres-jet-black-iphone-7-impossible-find/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">stunning jet black color option</span></a>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Apple also took the first step toward eliminating the Home button by replacing the physical button with a haptic one. The new Home button simulated clicks using the so-called Taptic Engine. I prefer a mechanical Home button like on previous models.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">With the introduction of a <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/473319/is-the-productred-iphone-7-a-terrible-purchase-friday-night-fights/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">(Product)Red color option</span></a></span><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">,</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> I didn’t like the white face.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">People were sure upset about the lack of a headphone jack, too!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>12. iPhone 5c</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-660IlxBhfZDiNqlwF24upzGCBQH9kriNvTHMwxre3YtpPvSgcPpH0_ETEYCeVenk60hhAqn7EldBI-nSCqXK3Q0aqr2C3TPj5k9R-m2uyAGftv9Pe-b0IEcQlJRJeLxFUTPm-JXD-EAf/s1600/iPhone-5C-640x540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="640" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-660IlxBhfZDiNqlwF24upzGCBQH9kriNvTHMwxre3YtpPvSgcPpH0_ETEYCeVenk60hhAqn7EldBI-nSCqXK3Q0aqr2C3TPj5k9R-m2uyAGftv9Pe-b0IEcQlJRJeLxFUTPm-JXD-EAf/s320/iPhone-5C-640x540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_5C"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iPhone 5c</span></a> ranks lower because in my opinion, this is the most cheaply designed iPhone Apple’s ever made. This was the first time Apple split the iPhone into two versions, with the lower-spec iPhone 5c pitched as a budget option. Unlike the iPhone 5s, the 5c didn’t get the Touch ID sensor everyone was talking about in late 2013.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">But the colorful design was a fun nod to the more cheerful, less austere products in Apple’s history, like the <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/439013/today-in-apple-history-ibook-ushers-in-a-wi-fi-revolution/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iBook</span></a> and <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/442280/apple-history-imac-g3-arrives/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iMac G3</span></a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>11. iPhone X</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/518805/10-things-love-iphone-x/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iPhone X</span></a> is Apple’s biggest reimagining of its smartphone in years. Visually stunning, it finally brought the edge-to-edge display fans had been hankering after. We lost Touch ID, but Face ID turned out to be even better. With the “notch”, this is a handsome iPhone. Heck, rivals even <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/566899/android-notch-rules-google/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">copied the controversial “notch” as quickly as they could</span></a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;">My complaints are its User Interface, such as having to swipe down from the top right of the screen to access the Control Center whereas on pre-iPhone X's, you would swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Another is putting too many functions into the Power button, like activating Apple Pay and powering off the iPhone with a combination of two buttons. </span>Overall, it has a compromised User Interface. I think Apple took a step backwards with the iPhone X's User Interface. My other complaint is the price. I have to draw the line at this point. Paying a thousand dollars or more is not realistic, regardless of what it can do or its design because the bottomline is that it is a phone, first and foremost. A mobile device that gets dropped and sat on. If you break the screen on an iPhone X, the repair costs $400 - $500. It’s ridiculous!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 21px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>10. iPhone XS</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Trying to place the new iPhone XS on this list is difficult. After all, every other handset on this list has had at least a year of regular use to ascertain its respective strengths and weaknesses. You can <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/577871/iphone-xs-max-review/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">check out <i>Cult of Mac</i>‘s iPhone XS review here</span></a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Features that stand out are: the ability to manually adjust the aperture of a photo, and thus the depth of field, after it’s already been captured. It’s usually achieved through the use of light-field photography. One feature that separates the XS from last year’s X and from the new XR is the IP68 rated water, splash, and dust resistance. It’s one step up from the IP67 rating of the original iPhone X, and it means that you can accidentally submerge your XS or XS Max in up to seven feet of water for as long as 30 minutes. That’s twice the depth that the IP67 rating allows. So if you’re prone to dropping your iPhone into, say, a swimming pool or lake instead of just a toilet or bathtub, the XS is a big improvement in the not-needing-a-replacement-device department. Other improvements include: dual SIM support, stereo sound, stereo recording and a 512GB storage option, to name the most prominent. It’s a beautiful handset, but probably not a big enough leap forward from the iPhone X to rank higher on this list.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The iPhone XS and XS Max push Apple even further into the luxury, exorbitant consumer electronics territory. Although the base model iPhone XS remains at $999 before tax, a storage upgrade from 64GB to 256GB — because there is no 128GB model — puts you at $1,150 before tax. The 512GB model is a staggering $1,350.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 21px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The XS Max’s price is a bit more understandable, considering its larger display. It starts at $1,099 and goes all the way up to $1,449 for a 512GB model. That’s the priciest iPhone that Apple has ever made. And the fact that it costs more than a base-model MacBook Pro is bound to push the XS Max far beyond the realm of possibility for your average smartphone buyer.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>9. iPhone 5s</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uRFJTKXKDhlBl1euamaJcmeWfDU9lV3YC9V4mmEAaUKmdnrMt7lg8zjWltQmfjMiDGQx0nisFnScZWJH0bvhkIXAVgUduT8RWc6BHJ0A2CvpwApK-zi9-KoxXM0tD6Ht9dlk7BG9JLRV/s1600/iPhone5sios7-400x265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="400" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uRFJTKXKDhlBl1euamaJcmeWfDU9lV3YC9V4mmEAaUKmdnrMt7lg8zjWltQmfjMiDGQx0nisFnScZWJH0bvhkIXAVgUduT8RWc6BHJ0A2CvpwApK-zi9-KoxXM0tD6Ht9dlk7BG9JLRV/s320/iPhone5sios7-400x265.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The iPhone 5s introduced us to Touch ID.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Photo: Apple</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/244520/everything-apple-announced-today-at-todays-iphone-5s-event/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iPhone 5s</span></a> falls into the same category as a lot of the other “S” model iPhones. It builds on a very solid foundation, but doesn’t leap out as a memorable iPhone. The introduction of Touch ID was very nice, but it’s easy to forget how slow and unreliable the first-gen sensor was.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">This was also right around the time that Android makers started to embrace larger “phablet” devices. The iPhone 5s may have been perfectly formed, but its 4-inch display felt small next to other handsets on the market.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>8. iPhone 3G</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpGzfrFfAGlmQbosi5pEGi2zAX5drWe-zmdh4ovmi4w-iZWbAWTT-pKjjc3zVcHf-3PVxelUqv5dvE_TqVY6OGjSZuGOkyiKk_p4YHu8r3Hnd2Dy8nFvA2g606SW7m0D7lBNIpMh2sbZA/s1600/ws_iPhone_3G_1440x900-400x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpGzfrFfAGlmQbosi5pEGi2zAX5drWe-zmdh4ovmi4w-iZWbAWTT-pKjjc3zVcHf-3PVxelUqv5dvE_TqVY6OGjSZuGOkyiKk_p4YHu8r3Hnd2Dy8nFvA2g606SW7m0D7lBNIpMh2sbZA/s320/ws_iPhone_3G_1440x900-400x250.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The iPhone 3G was a big step forward.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Photo: Apple</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The iPhone 3G doesn’t have the “oh my god, everything’s changed” impact of the first model. But it took what worked about the first iPhone and improved it. It added GPS, tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, and a brand new plastic polycarbonate housing.</span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The most crucial change, however, was the introduction of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">3G</span></a>. This transformed the experience of using the internet on a phone whose big selling point was the ability to use the proper (not mobile) internet.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Plus, the iPhone 3G <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/491792/app-store-virtual-doors/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">introduced the App Store</span></a> — with a whopping 500 apps to choose from on Day One. This model also gets bonus points for being the first iPhone to come in multiple colors, or at least your choice of black or white.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>7. iPhone 6</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The iPhone 6 brought the biggest design change in an iPhone since 2010’s iPhone 4. It and its larger sibling, the 6 Plus, instantly became insanely popular. Plus, at that point, even the smaller iPhone 6’s 4.7-inch screen felt luxurious.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m not a giant fan of this design. Its surfboard design is more ungainly than some of its predecessors, and it <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/297479/iphone-6-suicide-attempt/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">felt slippery in your hands</span></a>. The visible antenna bands and <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/295927/apple-ashamed-iphone-6s-protruding-camera-lens/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">protruding camera lens</span></a> may have been necessary from a technical perspective, but they also looked ugly and compromised. There’s no getting around the fact that it changed the game for Apple, though. This iPhone was just crazy popular!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>6. iPhone SE</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">“Underrated” is my word for the <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/422082/why-i-wont-ditch-my-iphone-se-to-go-back-to-a-bigger-handset/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">iPhone SE</span></a>. Admittedly that shouldn’t make sense, since this is my own personal rating for every iPhone. But it feels like an iPhone that we’re really going to miss now that it’s gone.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">While it lacked features such as 3D Touch, the 4-inch iPhone SE did a great job of combining a favorite iPhone design of the past with up-to-date internals. In some ways, I think the iPhone SE should rank even higher. But since it was more about dusting off an old design and giving it a tweak, this feels like the right place for it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>5. iPhone 8</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/503598/iphone-8-review-roundup/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">iPhone 8</span></a> is a very solid phone. It marked the fourth year in a row that Apple went with the tried-and-true iPhone 6 design. I like the Product Red color with the Black Face.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wireless charging is nice, the camera is great, and True Tone technology is nifty.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>4. iPhone 3GS</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">2009’s <a href="https://apple-history.com/iphone_3gs"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iPhone 3GS</span></a> boasted better performance (the “S” stood for “speed”) and an improved, 3-megapixel camera that let users shoot video. The best feature for me, was being able to ask it to call a contact using a Bluetooth earpiece while driving. This was before Siri was introduced in the iPhone 4s.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>3. iPhone 6s</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/390390/iphone-6s-review-pretty-on-the-outside-a-beast-on-the-inside/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">iPhone 6s</span></a> is built on the groundwork laid by the iPhone 6, and added features like a stronger body than the iPhone 6 (Bendgate) 3D Touch and a 12 Megapixel camera with the Live Photos feature.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What’s impressive to me is how snappy the User Interface is, including the second generation of Touch I.D., thanks to the A9 processor which makes a huge leap in performance over the iPhone 6. New features like 3D Touch are good, although it perhaps hasn’t lived up to its early promise.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><b>2. iPhone 4s</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The greatest thing about the <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/447783/today-in-apple-history-siri-makes-its-public-debut-on-iphone-4s/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">iPhone 4s</span></a> was the introduction of Siri. I didn’t like the glass-back design though. It was unnecessary to have glass on the back. It served no purpose other than to break when dropped or when sat on when it's in your back pocket. The addition of an 8MP camera was swanky, though.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>1. The Original iPhone</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmx6NGn9TDOs7lGVl7kC2nHviJA0-1_6iLoGPSp-Zq9gn3SjvfrXq5Q7W6sfIst6VcKvks_YXeBlM59__eteDfx6dbmWVAY0_4G2MlNTyMWyriZLDfqlQdGnuQlds1dwmmIvMIuSao9Xa/s1600/original-iphone-2g-2007-1280x895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1280" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmx6NGn9TDOs7lGVl7kC2nHviJA0-1_6iLoGPSp-Zq9gn3SjvfrXq5Q7W6sfIst6VcKvks_YXeBlM59__eteDfx6dbmWVAY0_4G2MlNTyMWyriZLDfqlQdGnuQlds1dwmmIvMIuSao9Xa/s320/original-iphone-2g-2007-1280x895.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">The <a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/435673/today-in-apple-history-iphone-goes-on-sale-for-the-first-time/"><span style="color: #416ed2; font-kerning: none;">first-generation iPhone</span></a>, launched in 2007, was more about innovation than perfection. It was locked to AT&T, lacked an App Store out of the gate, and ran on the painfully slow 2G wireless network.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">By today’s standards, its 3.5-inch display is practically microscopic. Oh, and its 4GB storage option was so ridiculously paltry that Apple dropped it after three months. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">
</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">However, this device sparked the smartphone revolution. It proved far more exciting than the BlackBerry, Motorola and Palm rivals of its day. I think this was a magical phone when it came out.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 23.8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-82138236106881446802017-06-29T10:41:00.001-07:002018-09-27T23:21:00.032-07:00Happy 10th Birthday iPhone!!!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On June 29th 2007, I went to Santa Rosa Plaza in Santa Rosa California to purchase the very first iPhone. The first iPhone came in two models; a 4 GigaByte and a 8 GigaByte model. I chose the 8GB model, thinking I’m getting more for my money.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When I got to Santa Rosa Plaza, I went to the Apple Store first. It had a long line of people. So I walked over to the AT&T Store in Santa Rosa Plaza. It was 11am and only 7 people were in line. I became number 8. Both the Apple Store and AT&T Store didn’t open until 6pm that day. The day went by pretty well. I met and got to know the people in line with me and talking to them helped the time pass by.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When 6pm happened, I did get my 8 GigaByte iPhone. The most revolutionary cell phone to come out at that time. When I walked out of the AT&T Store, I felt a sense of victory because I had waited 6 months when Steve Jobs first announced it at Macworld in San Francisco and also everybody still waiting in line and even as I was walking through the mall, people were cheering at me and I proudly raised the iPhone in the air to show that I had one. It was a great feeling!!!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For me, the first iPhone was not only the most amazing Apple product but the most amazing product ever. I like to think of it as a swiss army knife for phones. There wasn’t anything like it before. To this day, I have not had that same feeling for a product since.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Birthday iPhone</span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-85906968978264698862015-06-12T13:40:00.000-07:002015-06-12T13:58:24.293-07:00The Best Features of Apple’s Upcoming Software<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">OS X v10.11</span> Code Name: El Capitan</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finder:</b> A new, larger mouse cursor that temporarily displays when a computer is awoken from sleep.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Safari:</b> Users will be able to pin sites, reducing them to an icon. And a new audio icon allows users to mute websites and identify which tab is playing sound. And finally, AirPlay can now play video from a Web page to your Apple TV without showing everything else on the desktop.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mail:</b> Identifies events and contacts in email messages; offering to add them to your calendar or contacts list with a single click. This is probably just an enhanced interface for Apple’s long-standing Data Detectors technology, but if exposing it differently is what’s necessary for people to make use of it, great.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Photos:</b> Apple is now promising a few heavily requested features for its replacement for iPhoto and Aperture. Most notable among these is support for third-party editing extensions that will be available from the Mac App Store and accessible within Photos itself. It doesn’t sound as though that will enable external editing in Adobe Photoshop, say, but it will go a long way toward enhancing the editing capabilities of Photos.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple also says that it will be possible to add a location to a single photo or to an entire Moment, and you’ll be able to sort photos within albums by date, title, and other metadata. Finally, a streamlined workflow is aimed at making it faster and easier to identify faces.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Maps:</b> Apple has finally added transit directions to Maps, and while the feature has been a long time coming, it looks like the company has done a nice job. When you ask for transit directions, the display focuses on public transit lines instead of roads, and in places like New York City, where a subway station might lie under several city blocks, Apple has put a lot of effort into identifying exits in order to provide useful walking directions once you emerge, blinking, into the sunlight. Transit directions will be available in 12 cities around the United States and Europe to start, plus another 12 cities in China, and Apple said over 300 more were in the works.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Performance improvements are also a key part of El Capitan, with Apple saying that OS X will offer two-times faster performance when switching apps or getting messages in Mail. Opening a PDF in Preview, meanwhile, is said to be 4 times as fast as in Yosemite.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Details:</b> At the moment, all we know about El Capitan’s availability is that it will arrive “this fall” and will be free. Give Apple’s past performance, that points toward a mid-to-late October release. Nothing was said about hardware compatibility at the keynote, but it turns out that El Capitan will run on all Macs that run Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion. That’s an impressive record of backward compatibility.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: large;">iOS 9 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 17px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Smarter Siri and Search:</b> A key feature in the new Siri is enhanced intelligence: The personal assistant can now access photos, know when you get into your car, or connect Safari links to reminders.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Siri Suggestions" also offer apps and contacts based on contextual information, such as recently downloaded software, or apps usually used around that time of day.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Search is also improved, with live sports scores, video search of popular video sites, and a dedicated API for search, allowing users to find content from apps installed on their device. Search results are also deep-linked into an application to provide quick access to information within apps.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Another feature of iOS 9 is to show "Now Playing" as soon as headphones are plugged in. This is contextually aware, so when plugging into a car, the iPhone might instead offer up an audiobook the user has been listen to.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In iOS 9, incoming calls can also help to identify unknown contacts. The new capabilities were showcased at WWDC on Monday by Apple software chief Craig Federighi.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In a demonstration, Federighi showed how he could read a text message, then tell Siri to "remind me about this later," and the system would automatically connect the two.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Spotlight Search in iOS 9 is once again located with a swipe to the left of the main home screen. There users can search, see Siri Suggestions, find recommended nearby information, and more.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Privacy is a key feature of the revamped Siri, with Apple noting that the data is anonymous, and is not associated with an Apple ID. Data is sent with a randomized identifier, and it's not linked to other Apple services or shared with third parties.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Application changes and improvements:</b> Native apps in iOS 9 will be tweaked and improved, including two major changes to Passbook and Newsstand. Specifically, both will be renamed, to Wallet and News, representing broader capabilities for each.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The new iOS 9 Wallet will include credit cards, tickets and passes, but will also add support for store-specific cards. Apple also announced that transit in the U.K. will have compatibility with Apple Pay.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">News, meanwhile, is a personalized way to access information, including interactive and personally curated content, much like Flipboard. Using a proprietary intelligent system, News learns what content you like and delivers it.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Beyond print and traditional news outlets, News will also support local newspapers, blogs, specialty publications, and more.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Notes has also been improved with the ability to sketch and include images within the app. Share Sheet support allows users to quickly add a link back into their notes. And a new attachments view shows everything included in a note.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple's Maps will also include built-in transit information, including buses, trains, subways and more. It also features multi-modal routing, allowing users to combine forms of transportation.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple Maps will also include step-by-step directions with estimated walking times. These include underground maps for subway stations and more, allowing users to more easily find where they are going.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Siri is also compatible with transit in Maps, but transit support will be limited at first to a handful of cities across the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Maps in iOS 9 also include easy search for nearby merchants, and even show if those businesses accept Apple Pay.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>iPad-specific improvements:</b> iOS 9 will have a number of features specific to Apple's iPad lineup. These include special shortcut buttons for cut, copy, paste and more in the QuickType menu bar.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Users can also use two-fingers to drag a cursor around conveniently. There are also new enhancements for hardware keyboards, like quick app switching and more.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple is also introducing split-screen multitasking for the iPad, including a feature dubbed "slide over" that allows quick access to built-in apps like Messages, Notes, Calendar, Photos, and more.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to an overlay mode, users can also display two apps at once on the screen, pinning one app to the side. Both apps can then be interacted with at the same time, offering multi-app multi-touch.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">iOS 9 also includes a picture-in-picture mode that allows users to watch a video, listen, and even resize it while accomplishing another task. Videos can even be pushed off the screen to prevent obstructing content, and the video can be removed with a quick tap.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Developers who have adopted auto layout and slide classes in their iPhone app will be able to easily support slide over. Slide over will be available on the iPad Air and newer, as well as all iPad mini models, while split-screen simultaneous apps are limited to the iPad Air 2.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Performance improvements:</b> iOS 9 will offer on average an extra hour of uptime on the iPhone, thanks to improvements. Apple is also introducing a new low-power mode that can extend battery life for an additional three hours.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The amount of free space required to upgrade to iOS 9 has also been improved, drastically reducing from over 4 gigabytes for iOS 8 to 1.3 gigabytes for iOS 9 along with Automatic Overnight Updates.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Availability:</b> iOS 9 will be supported by all devices that can run iOS 8. Developers have access to the first beta starting today, the public beta will start in July, and the official launch of iOS 9 will be this fall.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>AppleWatch OS 2: 3rd-party complications, nightstand mode, native apps, more:</b> Apple has a new feature called nightstand mode, which allows the Watch face to be viewed on its side for charging. When resting like this, the Digital Crown and side button can be used to snooze and end an alarm in the morning.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Starting with watchOS 2, developers will be able to create their own watch face complications. These will offer users the ability to add glanceable custom information like upcoming flights or sports scores.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Complications will also feature a new capability called "Time Travel," where users can rotate the Digital Crown on their Apple Watch to see information for later in the day, including calendar entries, weather, and more.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Friends can also be added more easily to favorite contacts in watchOS 2.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Siri will also be able to start workouts, without a user needing to touch the Watch to begin an activity. And third-party workout apps will be able to run natively on the device, and workouts will count toward goals in the Activity app.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple Pay on watchOS 2 will also include store cards and rewards cards, just like in iOS 9. Mass transit capabilities in Maps will also work on Apple Watch with the next gen operating system.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apple Watch to get Activation Lock with watchOS 2:</b> Apple's upcoming watchOS 2 will bring Activation Lock to the Apple Watch, the company quietly revealed on Monday via a new webpage for the operating system.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As on devices with iOS 7 or 8, Activation Lock will prevent someone from re-activating a lost or stolen Watch without a previously-linked Apple ID. One difference is that owners will need to turn on the feature using the Watch's companion iPhone app.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The lack of anti-theft measures for the Watch has been a recurring complaint. While there are some security measures in place, such as pass codes, Find My Watch, and automatic data wipes, these are more focused around protecting personal information and won't stop a thief from reusing or reselling the product, which can cost anywhere between $349 and $17,000.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Watch OS 2 will add a variety of features, such as native app support, third-party complications, a Nightstand mode, new faces, and public transit directions. Third-party apps will also have access to more hardware features, such as the accelerometer, microphone, and Digital Crown.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">An early beta of watchOS 2 is currently available for developers, but the final software won't reach the public until this fall.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Apple's 'Move to iOS' app transports user data from Android to iPhone:</b> With an eye on easing the transition from Android to the iOS ecosystem, Apple plans to offer switchers a special Android app that wirelessly transfers personal data, downloaded apps and other information over to a new iPhone.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">According to Apple's iOS 9 preview webpage, Android users can rely on the Move to iOS app to transfer contacts, message history, photos and video, Web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars and even wallpapers. Certain content, like DRM-protected songs and e-books, are not eligible for transfer, though DRM-free media will be moved over automatically.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not simply a bulk data mover, Move to iOS analyzes a user's free Android apps and makes suggestions to rebuild their catalog with iOS versions. Titles determined to be paid apps are added to their iTunes Wish List for later purchase. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">It is not yet clear when the app will be available, but the wireless transfer process appears to rely on iOS 9 assets.</span>MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-33045456466832361872015-03-07T23:06:00.001-08:002015-03-09T13:00:48.894-07:00Apple Pay: The Easy Way to Pay Securely<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Did you know that the Credit Card with its magnetic strip was invented 50 years ago? To me, it is amazing that it has been around that long because nobody has come up with a better, more secure payment system. With news in the past several months about Home Depot and Target getting their systems hacked into and their customer’s credit card numbers being stolen, sure makes me feel uneasy about using my card anywhere anymore.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In September 2014, Apple made an announcement of a new payment system called Apple Pay. The way Apple Pay works is when you make a transaction at a store, you pay using a temporary credit card number that is linked to your credit card account. The temporary number is only valid for that single transaction. After that, that number becomes invalid. Compare that to swiping or handing your credit card over to the merchant where they now possess your actual credit card number where by they can just about do anything with it. It costs Financial Institutions billions in credit card fraud and Identity Theft for the consumer as well.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apple Pay has a two stage secure system. First, it does not store your credit card number. Second, it requires your fingerprint in order to access Apple Pay. Using an iPhone 6, you would hold it over the credit card terminal and the iPhone 6 lights up and then you place your finger or thumb on the iPhone’s Home button and then once Touch I.D. scans and identifies your fingerprint, the transaction is instantly and securely paid for. The cashier then hands you a receipt. It is that simple.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, there is another payment system that is coming out this year called CurrentC. Retailers that have a contract with CurrentC are not allowed to accept other payment systems like Apple Pay. The biggest problem with CurrentC is it does not accept payments from major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Instead, you have to sign up with CurrentC with your Checking Account information so that CurrentC can have access to your bank accounts without assuming any liability for your account information if it gets stolen. It gets better. CurrentC also wants your Social Security number and your HMO healthcare information to boot. Why is this? So CurrentC and the merchant can track you even beyond what you purchase. Apple Pay does not track you. The transaction payment is between you, the merchant, and your financial institution. That’s it.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I for one am planning to Boycott retailers and fast food restaurants that are connected to the CurrentC payment system. Here is a short list of businesses that are working with CurrentC and are not accepting Apple Pay; Walmart, Best Buy, Sears, Home Depot, Kmart, CVS, and Rite Aid, to name just a few. If you care about your privacy and security, I urge you to do the same and stop doing business with these companies. It also wouldn’t hurt to write directly to these companies and tell them that you won’t do anymore business with them until they start accepting Apple Pay. By October 2015, the Law on credit card liability is changing. All retailers that use credit card terminals will need to upgrade those terminals to accept contactless payments like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and CurrentC. If retailers don’t upgrade their payment terminals, then that retailer will be liable for any fraudulent transactions.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have created a new <a href="http://macmobile.biz/applepay.html" target="_blank">Apple Pay page</a> on the MacMobile site. Please check it out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-4775038845508895382012-12-04T17:21:00.001-08:002019-03-23T17:22:24.253-07:00The Super-Thin iMacs<span style="font-size: large;">When Apple introduced the new Super-Thin iMacs at the <a href="http://www.apple.com/apple-events/october-2012/" target="_blank">October 2012 Event</a>, I couldn't believe my eyes. Apple, with their flagship desktop computers have officially put design before function. I just read an article that describes in detail how far Apple has put design before function. The company <a href="http://www.ifixit.com/" target="_blank">iFixit</a> took apart the 21.5-inch iMac. It's gotten to a point where the new iMacs are <u>serviceable only by Apple now</u>. The 21.5-inch iMac has no User-Serviceable Parts. Apple claims that in the 27-inch iMac that the user can replace the RAM.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This new line of iMacs is the first to <b>not</b> have a built-in DVD Superdrive. If you're into video editing and want to put your project on a DVD, (which was one of the big features Apple use to tout about for the iMac) you will need to buy the external Apple Superdrive. When you need to connect external drives to your computer because of how the computer's design changed, it makes that computer that much less elegant and a lot less as easy to use.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are thrilled with the new design of the iMac and are dead-set on purchasing one, I strongly recommend purchasing the AppleCare extended coverage which will extend the standard one year warranty to three years total. I personally can't recommend these iMacs because of how far over-the-line Apple has taken the Design over Function philosophy.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-43917118520574196542012-07-18T16:02:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:44:44.102-07:00Running Mountain Lion on your Mac (Update)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">With OS 10.8 Mountain Lion coming out soon, I thought it would be good to talk about upgrading to Mountain Lion. Apple has issued a very specific list of models that Mountain Lion can be installed on. After doing some research as to Apple's list of Macs, I discovered it wasn't necessarily the Mac itself but it's video card that is the issue. Mountain Lion is relying more heavily on the Graphics Processing Unit or GPU than in past versions of the Mac Operating System. One interesting question I've come across a few times is, "If you have an older Mac Pro tower and you were to upgrade the video card, would that older Mac Pro become compatible with Mountain Lion?" The answer is unfortunately no. The first Mac Pros have 32-bit Firmware and in order to run Mountain Lion, the software would have to include a 32-bit OS X Kernel to be compatible with the early Mac Pro's 32-bit Firmware. Mac OS 10.8 Mountain Lion is a fully 64-bit operating system and is only compatible with Mac Pros with 64-bit EFI Firmware.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Below is Apple's exclusive list of compatible Macintosh models that can be upgraded to Mountain Lion: </span></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Your Mac must be one of the following models:</span></div>
<ul style="color: #333233; font-family: Helvetica;">
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Xserve (Early 2009)</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333233; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: large;">Also, you can contact John here at <a href="http://www.macmobile.biz/contact.php">MacMobile</a> and he can find out if any of your Applications are not compatible with Mountain Lion before upgrading. If you have further questions or you would like MacMobile to do the upgrade for you, please <a href="http://www.macmobile.biz/contact.php">Contact John</a>. Thank You.</span>MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-36338499513237064212012-07-17T16:39:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:45:00.835-07:008 VERY USEFUL FEATURES IN MOUNTAIN LION OS 10.8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It has been rumored that OS 10.8 Mountain Lion with be released July 25th. I have looked over this new Operating System from Apple and I think there are a lot of improvements over the previous 10.7 Lion release from last year. I will point out here what features I thought were very useful in this new release of OS X. Here is <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/whats-new/features.html" target="_blank">Apple's official list</a> of 200+ New Features if you are curious.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">AUTO SAVE</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Auto Save was introduced in OS 10.7 Lion where when after you initially Name & Save your document, the software would automatically continually save the changes in the document as you were working on it, there by having separate versions of that document. When you are finished, all you would need to do is close the document. You won't get the usual "Save Changes?" sheet that would come down from the top of the window anymore because your "changes" have already been saved. What OS 10.8 Mountain Lion has added is a new File Directory connected to Apple's iCloud service. This feature is extremely convenient if you have other computer and/or Apple Devices like the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. You would have access to your documents on any of your devices. iCloud will offer a Document Library for your documents.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>BUILT-IN SOCIAL SHARING</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Built-in Sharing will allow you to easily share any information with Twitter and Facebook throughout the Operating System and supported Applications. For Example, you wouldn't need to copy some text that you want to share and switch over to your web browser and log-in to your social network in order to share. In OS 10.8 Mountain Lion, there will be a new button that you can click on to share any text that is highlighted.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>DICTATION</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dictation is now built-in to OS X. There is no voice pre-training. It works from the get-go. You can use it anywhere you type. The more you use it, the better it becomes. There is one thing though, in order to use it, you need to have an Internet connection for it to work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>MAIL</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mail in OS 10.8 Mountain Lion will have a new VIP mailbox which will look out for messages from a person you designate. Also, your Mail Preferences with be pushed to iCloud so that your email settings will be the same on your other Apple devices.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTES</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Notes is a new application included with OS 10.8 Mountain Lion. Notes' entries will be Pushed to all your Apple devices via iCloud. Be able to drag Photos & Attachments into Notes. Format your Notes with different fonts, rich text, bulleted items and numbered lists. You will also be able to Pin Notes to your Desktop.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>NOTIFICATION CENTER</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A new feature of OS 10.8 Mountain Lion will have a hidden place on the right-hand side of the screen that will group current information from applications such as Calendar and Mail to name just a couple. To access Notification Center, there will be an Icon in the upper right corner of the screen that once clicked on, a sheet will slide out from the right side of the screen listing alerts and current events going on with your other Applications. Notification Center is also the place where you can send a Tweet or Facebook entry right from the Desktop.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>PREVIEW</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Preview which comes with every version of OS X and is equivalent to Adobe Reader, adds access to Documents in the Cloud, the ability to Fill out PDF forms and Insert a page from your Scanner.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>REMINDERS</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Reminders is a new application that's included with OS 10.8 to help you stay organized with To-Do Lists and Location-based reminders. Be able to add a location to a reminder and then receive a notification via iCloud on any of your other Apple devices when you Depart or Arrive at that location using GPS. Reminders also works with Google and Yahoo calendars.</span>MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-84201681601148095662011-10-06T02:51:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:45:23.784-07:00Steve Jobs 1955-2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Back in the early 80s I started using PCs and learned how to program them using DOS (Disk Operating System). I had to type everything, line by line. I typed thousands of lines of code. There was nothing onscreen to point and click on. There was no Mouse or TrackPad. I remember one day in 1984, I was in downtown Santa Rosa California. I walked in Santa Rosa Computer Center to look around to see if they had anything new. I walked up to this small beige box. It had a 9-inch black and white screen with a graphic drawing of a Japanese girl. It had a small keyboard and this other little box with one button and a cable attached to it, I had no idea what it was. The graphic was amazing looking, the detail that it had, I've never seen anything like it on a computer screen before. In those days computers could only display text and the displays came in two colors; Green and Amber. Even though the graphic drawing was in Black and White, I was impressed with how detailed it was. After seeing that first Macintosh computer, I tried to learn everything about it and the company who made it, Apple Computer Inc. I read the history of how the Macintosh became to be. Steve Jobs co-founder of Apple, wanted to create a computer that was as easy to use as a kitchen appliance. He wanted to take the computer code off the screen and have everything in plain english. He wanted to take it a step further and have a pointing device and graphic objects called Icons that you could click on in order to reduce the need for typing. The graphics on the screen were laid out to represent the top of a desk with Icons that looked like sheets of paper and folders. In the bottom right-hand corner of the screen was an Icon of a Trash can. With the mouse, for example, you could click on these Icons and drag them around the screen. You could drag the sheet of paper icon and put it into the folder icon or the Trash icon. I couldn't believe how simple it was to use. It seemed to good to be true! Well, ever since then, I used the Macintosh as much as I could and eventually stopped using DOS altogether. Before the Mac, I never thought a computer could ever be so easy to use. I thought computers had to be complicated because it could do so many things and in order for it to doing anything, you had to tell it what do to using lines of complicated computer code. Steve Jobs will be missed. If it wasn't for Steve's Innovative thinking, companies and consumers around the world wouldn't have the technology we have today.</span>MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-59657836448359536232011-09-12T12:04:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:45:43.101-07:00Coddingtown Mall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Every time I go to the Apple Store in Santa Rosa it's always full of people. Normally, that would be a good thing, but the problem is that the <a href="http://www.apple.com/retail/santarosaplaza/">Apple Store at Santa Rosa Plaza</a> is practically a hole in the wall. With a city as big as Santa Rosa, Apple picked the wrong city for their experiment of testing their smallest stores. I have a solution to this problem. Santa Rosa's first big shopping mall Coddingtown would be a perfect location for either a second Apple Store or one big one for Santa Rosa. Coddingtown needs more business coming in and since the Apple Stores are doing such great business right now, it seems like a no-brainer to put an Apple Store in <a href="http://www.simon.com/mall/malldirectory.aspx?id=1193">Coddingtown</a>. With the kind of attraction the Apple Stores have right now, it would benefit Coddingtown and its tenants immensely. There is one problem, since Simon, one of the biggest mall management companies, owns <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">both</span> Santa Rosa Plaza and half of Coddingtown, it creates competition between the two malls. Now, like my Dad told me, it's possible in the Apple Store's leasing agreement at Santa Rosa Plaza that Apple can't have another store within so many miles of each other and/or in a neighboring mall owned by Simon Management. I think Codding Enterprises, (original owners of Coddingtown) made a bad decision by selling half of Coddingtown to Simon Management. It's not good to become partners with your competition. Unfortunately, by doing that with Simon Management, <a href="http://www.codding.com/">Codding Enterprises</a> put Coddingtown's future in <a href="http://www.labelscar.com/california/coddingtown-mall">jeopardy</a>. Even though there is a new Whole Foods Market at Coddingtown now, I don't think it will bring enough business in to keep Coddingtown going. I think having an Apple Store in Coddingtown Mall would get it back on its feet again.MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-7241557787941234172011-06-20T12:46:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:45:57.418-07:00Mac OS X 10.7 LION<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Since Apple's announcement of the next release of Mac OS X 10.7 code named "Lion" I've been getting my MacBook prepared for this new Operating System release. In the past few weeks I've been playing with a pre-release version and it does have a different "feel" to it and yet it still has all the familiar things that we are accustom to on the Mac. With the release of the <a href="http://www.apple.com/magictrackpad/">"Magic Pad"</a> and the <a href="http://www.apple.com/magicmouse/">"Magic Mouse"</a> last year, being Solid State devices and using technology borrowed from the iPhone touch screen with the Swipe & Pinch gestures, I can now see what Apple was preparing to do in this upcoming release of Mac OS X "Lion". If you use the TrackPad on your MacBook or you have one of <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/mac_accessories/mice_keyboards?mco=MTM3NDk3MTU">Apple's new Pointing Devices</a>, then you'll be able to move within your Mac a lot faster and efficiently using different Swipe & Pinch gestures. Apple announced that there are </span><a href="http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">250 new features</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in this new release. Playing with the pre-release and going through those new features, Apple is beginning to take the Macintosh to the next level of Ease Of Use. When the Macintosh first came out in 1984, I understood where Apple was coming from. With this next level of Swipe & Pinch gestures, there may be no need for a file system as we know it today, because Apple has incorporated a full auto-save system within Mac OS X Lion. In the next new versions of your favorite Applications running in Lion, they will no longer have the Save Command under the File Menu. You just do your work and Lion takes care of the rest. Lion can also remember where you left off the last time you shut down your Mac if you choose, again to speed things up and make your Macintosh experience more efficient.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">By the time Mac OS X Lion is released some time this July, I will be ready to help you get started and you'll end up with a greater user experience than ever before. You can contact me </span><a href="http://www.macmobile.biz/contact.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> for any Apple Product related help or any questions you have.</span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-46348192320643918212011-06-20T12:21:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:46:28.959-07:00Summer is a Great Time for a TuneUp!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's June already and in the past I've mentioned that every 6 months it's a good idea to give your Macintosh computer a TuneUp. With the heat of the summer, it can take a toll on your Mac and wear out your hard drive. If that happens, it makes it difficult to recover your Important Files, especially if you don't have a Backup in place. Also, as you are using your Mac and you are getting the Spinning Beach Ball increasingly more often, that's a sign that your hard drive is working too hard searching for all the bits of data to put together in order to bring it up on the screen. At the same time, there can be flaws in certain Applications that can also contribute to the dreaded Spinning Beach Ball </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">which can be corrected. Part of the TuneUp process that I perform includes making sure your Applications are Up-To-Date in addition to correcting internal System Code. If you would like a TuneUp done on your Macintosh; Contact MacMobile Services at: </span><a href="http://www.macmobile.biz/contact.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mserv@sbcglobal.net</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> or call (707) 994-2886 to schedule an appointment. Stay Cool.</span></span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-57660474630362928072011-03-03T16:11:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:46:58.576-07:00The Re-Designed iPad 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Announced yesterday in San Francisco, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs took to the stage with the re-designed iPad 2 and comes with IOS 4.3. The first noticeable difference is that it's 33% thinner and a 10th of a pound lighter than the first Apple iPad. The iPad 2 has a Dual Core A5 processing unit that's 2 times faster and 9 times faster Graphics than the original iPad but has the same low power consumption as the A4 processor in the original iPad, which means that the battery charge will still last 10 hours, even with the faster processor. The iPad 2 has a Front and Rear camera and comes in Black or White and will work with both AT&T and Verizon carriers. Both Photo Booth and FaceTime software is included to take advantage of the new built-in cameras. The rear camera not only takes snap shots but doubles as an HD video camera which brings about the next version of iMovie, now for the iPad 2. iMovie for iPad 2 includes a Precision editor, Multitrack audio recording, New themes and AirPlay to your Apple TV. Share your videos in HD. It's a Universal application which means any project that's in iPad 2, can be transferred back to your Mac. A second Apple App for the iPad 2 will be Garage Band which includes 8 tracks of recording and Smart Instruments that helps you learn how to play an instrument. Both iMovie and Garage Band will be priced at $4.99 US each. IOS 4.3 brings better Safari browser performance, iTunes home sharing which allows access to your iTunes library on your Mac or PC to stream your music and videos to your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Better AirPlay streaming to your Apple TV 2 such as being able to view video from a web page and any App. You can use Apple TV's built-in slideshows when streaming photos from your iDevice too. There is a new Preference for the right-side iPad switch which can either act as a mute or a rotation lock switch. The last major feature in the IOS 4.3 software update is a Personal Hotspot for the iPhone 4. This will allow you to create a wireless Internet connection using your iPhone 4's 3G network for your laptop computer when there isn't a wireless Internet connection nearby. A new HDMI adapter will also be available. It will offer Mirrored Video Output which means anything that shows on the iPad screen for example, will show on the HDTV that the iPad is connected to. The HDMI adapter will support resolutions up to 1080 progressive, it'll work with all apps, will support screen rotation and no special setup or configuration is required. The HDMI adapter will cost $39.00 US.Then, there is the new covers for the iPad 2. The covers feature a magnetic hinge which grasp and auto-aligns itself to the iPad 2. Has a Micro-fiber lining underneath that cleans the iPad 2's screen, wakes the iPad 2 when lifting the cover and sleeps the iPad 2 when closed and is easy to remove or change. It comes in 10 colors, 5 colors in Polyurethane for $39.00 US and 5 colors in Leather for $69.00 US each.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
The iPad 2 will be the same price as last year's iPad.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
The iPad 2, IOS 4.3, iMovie and Garage Band for iPad 2,</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
will be available March 11th.</div>
</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-53481773247577736562011-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:002011-02-14T15:22:07.801-08:00Thank YouI would like to say Thank You to my clients and family that have supported MacMobile Services over the years and during these extremely tough economic times. I'd like to thank Phil Doty of Fairfield for his generosity recently. I'd also like to thank Bill Bounsall of Bounsall Construction in Calistoga and Larry and Joyce Brown of Farifield for their generosity and the long relationship with MacMobile Services over the years. A special thank you goes to my aunt Shelley at Marin Country Arborists Tree Service <a href="http://www.marincountyarborists.com">www.marincountyarborists.com</a> for her support from the beginning along with my Mom who keeps encouraging me to keep going and not to give up during these rough times.<div>I want to thank the following clients for their great testimonials for MacMobile Services, I really appreciate the kind words for the work I've done over the years. It means a lot to me knowing that my clients are satisfied customers; Michael Rosenthal, Al Bayless <a href="http://www.albaylessphoto.com">www.albaylessphoto.com</a>, Phil Doty, Max Beere, Ron Kline, Layna Kinsman, Elissa Benn, Dr. James Neely, Michael Witt and Vern and Linda Bendsen. I look forward to providing much more service and support to you in the future, Thank You.</div>MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-87679729462736283842011-02-03T16:59:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:47:46.079-07:00Suggestions Welcome<br />
MacMobile Services wants to improve our services and further customize services to fit our clients better. Any suggestion you have would be greatly appreciated. You can leave a comment at the end of this Blog entry or send an email at: mserv@sbcglobal.net or send a Tweet at JohnAtMacMobile.MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-38064707215928603842010-10-08T12:17:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:48:02.792-07:00Update: Caution, iTunes 10 Extremely BuggyYesterday I troubleshooted iTunes v10.0.1 for my client. The issues my client was having was iTunes 10 would not literally play anything in the music library regardless of the file format. Another thing I ran into was that iTunes 10 interferes with the System sound. The System sound will not come back on until you quit iTunes 10.<br />
<div>
There is a possible fix for certain issues in iTunes 10 involving re-installing iTunes 10 with this installation procedure at <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20017359-263.html">http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20017359-263.html</a>.</div>
<div>
Right now I'm concerned about how well iTunes 10 will work with the new Apple TV. As soon as I get my hands on a new Apple TV, I will do thorough testing and shake-down of the new Apple TV and iTunes 10 streaming system along with testing everything else in iTunes 10.</div>
<div>
I will bring my testing results here at the Blog and on my JohnAtMacMobile twitter also. Stay Tuned.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-10866376903565503852010-09-13T15:18:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:48:38.449-07:00New Apple TV Service Coming Soon!<br />
Apple has announced the 2nd generation of the <a href="http://www.apple.com/appletv/">Apple TV</a> set top box. The biggest features are that it's about 3 quarters smaller than the first <a href="http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html">Apple TV</a>. It runs cooler and no syncing to the New Apple TV. The reason for this, is Apple decided to remove the internal hard drive. Apple figured that users found syncing to be confusing. Without the internal hard drive, Apple TV is now steaming only. The benefits are: 1. Simpler to use. 2. Smaller and cooler hardware. 3. Less expensive to own. Pricing history for the Apple TV when it first came out in 2007 was $299. Then a year or two later the price dropped to $229.00 and that's where its been until now. The price for the new <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv?mco=MTM3NTM1Nzk">black Apple TV</a> is now just $99.00. You can Pre-order now at the <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv?mco=MTM3NTM1Nzk">Apple Store</a> online. The New Apple TV should be out at the end of September or the first part of October. The other nice features that it will have is; you can access your <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> account if you have one or this could be a good excuse to signup with <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a> now. You can watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> and Podcast videos in High Definition for FREE! I believe in November, Apple will be releasing the next update for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touches that will include a feature called AirPlay. AirPlay will allow you to stream video from your iDevice right to your <a href="http://www.apple.com/appletv/">Apple TV</a>. That's what I like about Apple, you buy the hardware and you can rent or purchase the content or just watch content from the web right through to <a href="http://www.apple.com/appletv/">Apple TV</a> with no monthly subscription fees. That's it! One thing I wish Apple would do is keep the previous Apple TV available for users that like to have the internal storage option and make the new Apple TV software available to the previous Apple TVs also. I've heard that the previous Apple TVs are still around for this month for $149.00. I guess Apple is trying to sell off the rest of their inventory. I just wish Apple would continue making both versions.<br />
<div>
I'm adding a new service to my list of services. I'm going to offer an Apple TV setup service that not only includes the initial setup of Apple TV but I'll convert your DVDs for viewing on Apple TV, setup and/or sign up <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.apple.com/mobileme/">MobileMe</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a> accounts for you as needed and show you all the things you can do with Apple TV. I would also like, in the near future, to put together an Apple TV package for educational use. More on that later.</div>
<div>
I purchased the first Apple TV when it came out in 2007 and it's still going strong. I love my Apple TV and by adding this new service, I hope a lot more people will benefit from it and boost Apple TV sales too. With the lower price, I think it's a great system and I want Apple to continue to innovate it.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-3442852639785125102010-07-20T01:07:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:48:56.908-07:00Opinion: The iPhone 4 Case Design<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My take on the whole iPhone 4 reception problem is this;</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">It's simply a bad design that Apple didn't test either enough or not at all. The Antenna band should have been placed at the top-side of the phone where people don't place their fingers on the phone. Apple sometimes does these Overlooked Design Flaws. There's just no rhym or reason to it.</span></span></div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-49951351598098589062010-05-15T09:01:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:49:31.381-07:00Hidden Valley Clearlake<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
MacMobile Services is looking for a new location and would like to know if the residents and businesses of Hidden Valley and Clearlake in Lake County California need Apple Macintosh computer and Apple product support. MacMobile Services can also help PC users switch over to a Macintosh. Today's Macintosh computers, both Desktop and Laptop models now have the Intel processors, which means that the Macintosh can run like two computers in one. It can now run Windows just like a PC and just as fast as any stand alone PC. The Macintosh can even run Windows and the Mac OS at the same time so that you can move files between both Operating Systems if you like.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Please let me know your opinion, suggestion, or even if you would like to make an appointment. Please send John an email at: mserv@sbcglobal.net. You can also leave your opinion or suggestion by clicking on the Comments link at the end of this paragraph. Thank you for your feedback.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-72140580527064535612010-04-03T14:26:00.000-07:002013-09-02T18:49:56.957-07:00The iPad Launch Today<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Today I went to my local Best Buy store to see if they had the iPad. As I was walking toward the front doors, I noticed that there were no signs of advertising for the iPad. Seeing no signs around the front door and none inside the front of the store, I was thinking that this Best Buy store was one of the few that wasn't assigned any out of this initial launch shipment because of a lower than hoped production. Still, I continued in and went to the Apple section and low and behold there's the iPad. To the right of the display table where the iMacs and MacBook demos sit, was a tall cage-like box with several iPad boxes inside it. On the display table next to it was four iPads to try. This Best Buy store was ready for the iPad launch, with surprisingly little fanfare.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I picked up an iPad off the table and held it in my hand. The first thing I noticed was how heavy it was. The body of the iPad is made from a solid piece of machined aluminum. I was holding it like if I were going to read a book on it. I think if you were going to read a book, I would suggest holding the iPad with both hands. When I was holding it with one hand, because of the weight of it, my hand was starting to get fatigued. The display is beautiful and very good size. It had the Apple iWork suite on it. I launched the Pages word processor App and started typing on it. The on-screen keyboard rises up from the bottom of the screen and is very functional. It's very capable when your on the go.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
If your in the market for a book reader and you've been waiting to see what the iPad is like before you decide, I think you get a lot more for your money with the iPad then you will with a standalone book reader. Since they are just one-trick ponies and at half the cost of an iPad at that! The iPad is definitely a bargain by comparison because the functionality of the iPad is practically limitless by its design. (If there is no retail store that carries an iPad near you, here's a link to <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad?mco=OTY2ODA0NQ">Apple's online store</a>.)</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
That being said, I think this first iPad is a good start. My overall impression; It's an incredibly built device with very basic features. The biggest feature it lacks is a camera. For me, this is a big deal breaker. I can imagine doing video conferencing using iChat on it. The iPad, I think, would be a perfect device for that. The iPad has enormous potential. It's only going to get better as the next generations follow. Personally, I'm going to pass on getting this first iPad until Apple adds a built-in camera with iChat. Until then, my iPhone 3GS is all I need right now.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-26825759013543905842010-01-28T08:34:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:50:14.176-07:00Going to MacWorld Expo San Francisco 2010<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I was excited about going to the newly revamped MacWorld Expo in San Francisco this February. I say "was" because here in the Bay Area there are going to be more rate hikes. Bay Area bridges are going to raise tolls <span style="text-decoration: underline;">again</span> and now BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is now going to have a whole bunch of increases and <b>reduce service at the same time.</b></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b></b>This is what BART is planning to do;</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
• Charge a 25 cent "Transbay Tube surcharge"</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
• 2% increase to fares across the board</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
• More Expensive parking fees, no more free parking for anyone, those days are gone</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
• Reduced train service, running less trains.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
For the Bay Area bridges, here is an example of the toll hikes for the Bay Bridge; During Commute Hours the toll goes from $4.00 to $6.00, Non-Commute will stay at $4.00, Weekends $5.00, and for the first time Carpoolers will have to pay to go over Bay Area Bridges of $2.50 per bridge.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Combined with this lousy economy and these fare and toll hikes, I'm finding it difficult seeing myself attending this upcoming MacWorld Expo. BART if your listening, you're not helping increase your ridership by doing this. It's pretty simple common sense. Now, I'm not even sure I can afford to go at all! I'm seriously considering finding alternative transportation and it might take some creativity to find transportation that won't cost me an arm and a leg. I suggest you doing the same, even boycotting BART and all Bay Area Bridges if you can. Consider taking one of the different Ferries around the bay. You remember the Ferry don't you? Or take a Transbay transit bus if your going to San Francisco from the East Bay. I think taking a transit bus is cheaper than taking BART or the bridge combined with paying for parking in the city.</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
These agencies/authorities need a wake up call. They need to understand that the public doesn't have bottomless pockets, especially during this lousy, rotten economy.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-32914445795839777392009-12-01T12:46:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:50:57.422-07:00Frustration with computer printer manufacturers<br />
<br />
Being a computer consultant that sets up a lot of computers systems, over the past few years I have noticed that the printer companies have changed the way they do business with the consumer market. They have really cracked down on their software support. For example, I have an HP DeskJet 970C series printer (pictured left) that I purchased new back in 1999. It's been a great printer and still works great to this day. The problem I'm having isn't with the printer, but with HP. I can't upgrade my Macs to Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard because HP hasn't written the software to support my printer. Instead, I have to rely on a generic third-party printer driver which doesn't support the two-sided page printing capability. Since I use that feature a lot, I continue to run Mac OS 10.5 Leopard which has the HP software with all the options for my printer. With this lack of support, it forces the consumer to purchase a new printer even though the one they already have works fine. Isn't it enough that these printer companies make millions of dollars on selling the ink and toner on all the existing printers already out there plus new printers being sold currently?<br />
<div>
A second problem I encountered last night working with a client's Canon MP470 printer (pictured left) was that I was connecting the USB cable to an Apple Airport Express Base Station to network the printer wirelessly. The Canon software was all up-to-date but the Canon printer would not communicate with the Mac connected through the Airport Express Base Station, but only worked connected directly to the Mac. I believe the Canon MP470 is a new enough model to have Apple's Bonjour networking technology incorporated into it, but it seems not to have it and didn't work.</div>
<div>
If your tired about how the makers of your printer does business, let them know, because ultimately we all vote with our dollars and they know that.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-84630080685076016882009-11-29T21:01:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:19:57.378-07:00THE ECONOMY AND USWe have all had a hard time during these tough financial times about the past year and a half or so. Since the Real Estate collapse and the Banks crashing, it's no wonder everybody got scared. Unfortunately, when people get scared people stop spending their money and that contributes to the poor economy even further. I have experienced this first hand. It's been extremely difficult keeping the bills paid and the business running. So, I put it to the people that have money but are holding tightly on to it right now; Please start spending, otherwise this poor economy will extend indefinitely and everyone will continue to suffer for it. The final results will show that Capitalism is a poor system for everyone in general.<br />A quote from the movie THX 1138 might encourage you further:<br />"Let us be thankful we have commerce, buy more, buy more now, buy and be happy."MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6547051223921319951.post-82275417248880860262009-11-25T21:00:00.000-08:002013-09-02T18:51:58.262-07:00Happy Thanksgiving Everyone<div>
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d7a460; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', serif; font-size: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d7a460; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d7a460; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;">It's the time of year when we're reminded to give thanks.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Instead of waiting until next year to be reminded,</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Let's make every day one of thanksgiving;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
After all, each day is a unique gift.</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
So, give a hug for no reason;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Say I love you, just because;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Share a smile with a stranger;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Take the time to count your blessings;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Don't take anything or anyone for granted;</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
And end each day with no regrets.</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
Thank you, for the opportunity to be of service to</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
you all, along with your continued support</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
to keep MacMobile Services going all these years.</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
I am very fortunate to have such great clients in my life.</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
And I am thankful you have allowed me</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
To be a part of yours.</div>
<div style="color: #d7a460; font: 18.0px Comic Sans MS; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
May you and yours have a safe and memorable Thanksgiving.</div>
MacMobilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02023970094380688503noreply@blogger.com0