ApplePower Meeting – February 28, 2015

The next ApplePower meeting is scheduled for this coming Saturday, February 28, 2015, at our usual meeting place, Lehigh Valley Active Life, 1633 Elm St., Allentown, at 10 a.m. to noon. It’s at the corner of Elm and West Streets between S. 16th and S. 17th Streets. Parking is at the back off West Street. Scroll down for a map to Lehigh Valley Active Life.

Here's the proposed agenda. (Times are approximate.)

10 a.m. - Sign in and socialize plus a Q and A session. (Here's your chance to mingle with other Apple enthusiasts and to ask and/or answer questions about all things Apple.)

10:15 a.m. - Another great video starring Steve Jobs (Most of you loved the one we viewed last month; you may like this one even more.)

10:45 a.m. - A quick look comparing TurboTax to H&R Block's Tax program (Yes, that dreaded time, April 15, will soon be here. Let your favorite tax preparation software help lessen your pain.)

11:00 a,m. - Noon - "Your iPad/iPhone, Your Way" presentation. (Per member request, this is the first in a series of planned tutorials on how to use your iPad or iPhone.)

Noon: Raffle. (Valuable prizes; free raffle tickets to all in attendance. Your chances of winning are insanely better than your chances of winning the lottery.)

Meetings are free and open to all interested persons. Reservations are not required. Come visit. Bring a friend.

Apple in the driver's seat

Apple’s gonna go into the car business. True or false? According to the media, it’s true. Apple, they say, is secretly working on production of an electric car which it plans to launch in the year 2020.

But Apple is already actively involved in the auto industry with CarPlay. Never heard of CarPlay? Well, you’re not the only one. At various times recently, I tried to get info about CarPlay from three or four different so-called techies and their “superiors” at Apple, as well as “John” and “Jessica” in Apple’s Corporate Office, and several employes at Whitehall’s Apple Retail Store. None of them had ever heard of CarPlay either. Very strange, especially since Apple has an entire page on its website devoted to Apple CarPlay. Here’s the URL for the web page: http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

Why do I care? Because I have Apple CarPlay. It’s installed in the new car that I purchased a few months ago. And I have some questions about how to use it, like, for example, how does CarPlay differ from my car’s navigation system and can I charge my iPhone from the USB port in my car and use CarPlay at the same time. So far, no one at Apple has been able to give me any answers. Hmmm.

Which anti-virus program do you need?

The answer is none. Is there really a need for an antivirus program if you're using an Apple computer? For those who do use anti-virus programs of any sort, how many viruses has your program of choice detected? As for me, I don't use any anti-virus program. There aren't any programs currently that will detect or protect against a virus until after it becomes known. Then, companies, including Apple, scurry to build up defenses—ex post facto. So far Apple has been able to do that very effectively and earlier than other companies. And it's free and painless. After all, who knows and cares more about its system and its integrity than Apple? Just be sure to keep your system software up to date. For an excellent commentary on reasons not to install an anti-virus program on your Apple computer, you may want to check out Gary Rosenzweig's excellent video podcast on the matter at <http://macmost.com/do-macs-need-antivirus.html>

My vote for the most effective anti-virus program is an up-to-date Mac OS X. That's all, folks! 

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Don't ask me

Yesterday one of my neighbors asked me, "Which tablet should I buy for my 10-year-old grandson?"

I get asked questions like that a lot and, invariably, I answer, "I don't know."

Of course, my inclination is to reply, "Get an iPad mini" because that's what I chose and thoroughly enjoy using. Why not an iPad Air or iPad Retina? My choice was based on three factors: bias, size, and weight.

Admittedly, I favor Apple products over those manufactured by other companies and I haven't even used others. Therefore, I cannot presume that one brand is better than any other. So much for bias… actually, blind bias.

As for size, I wanted something that could accompany me wherever I choose to go. Dimensions of my iPad mini are 7.87 x 5.3 x .28 inches, small enough to slip in and out of my handbag easily.

The weight of the iPad mini was also a determining factor for me. Initially, I purchased an iPad Retina but, when I found the additional ounces made it burdensome to hold for more than a few minutes, I exchanged it for the iPad mini.

The one thing I don't like about my iPad mini is how much it cost. Ah, well…

When a dot is not

What do you call this little mark between the parentheses (.) ?

Of course, if it appears at the end of a sentence like this one, you say it's a period. but, depending upon its use, you should call it something else. 

For example, when used in software version numbers, that little mark is pronounced point: Mac OS  X 10.6.8 is “ten point six.point.eight” and iOS 7.1 is “seven point one.” (Also, the "X" in Mac OS X is pronounced "ten" not "X.")

In URLs such as http://www.applepower4u.blogspot.com/ and in email addresses such as applepower@tptd.net, it’s pronounced dot.

End of speech lesson.

Meeting Site Entrance & Parking Lot

Generally, our user group meets the fourth Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. at Lehigh Valley Active Life (formerly Lehigh Valley Senior Center, 1633 Elm Street, Allentown PA 18103.

Here's a photo of the Lehigh County Active Life back entrance and parking lot on West Street.

You're invited…

Map of ApplePower Computer Group Venue

Smile! You're on Candid Camera!

During our April meeting, we'll be trying out something new. Our guest speaker, Kelly Guimont, will be visiting us remotely…all the way from Portland, Oregon, via live television. We'll see and hear Kelly on a large-screen TV and she'll see and hear us. What's more, we'll also be able to see and hear ourselves in a corner of the TV monitor. The presentation will definitely be bi-directional and bi-coastal. Some of us already did a trial run with Kelly via TV and we were blown away by the results. Even though we have access to a ceiling-mounted projector, we hope we'll never have to use that again but it's great to have as a back-up.

Kelly, who is Agile Systems Chief Support Jedi, will demonstrate her company's award-winning program, 1Password, during our meeting on Saturday, April 27, which starts 9:45 a.m. at the Lehigh County Senior Center, 1633 Elm Street, Allentown PA 18102. 1Password is platform-neutral so the meeting should be relevant for users of Mac, Windows, Linux, Androids, iPads, and iPhones.

In addition to Kelly's presentation, ApplePower's Tech Advisor, Bill Meyers, will show you, step-by-step, how easy it is to connect your computer or mobile device to your TV.

Come early and help us set up, or just take advantage of the time to get acquainted or re-acquainted with other enthusiasts of computers and mobile devices. Doors open at 9:15 a.m.

We'll have snacks and juice for all, but, sorry, no coffee or tea. (Bring your own hot beverage.)

Oh, happy day! My AppleID account was hacked!

No doubt, some time ago, you read or heard about how some miscreants broke into journalist Mat Honan's Apple ID and wiped his MacBook Air, iphone, and iPad clean. Which reminded me of something that happened a few years ago. My AppleID had been hacked, too—by me, but with no evil intentions and not just for kicks. I did it out of desperation. And my "accomplice" was an Apple employe who, like me, had no idea that she was doing anything wrong. [To be continued.]

Email to Apple CEO Tim Cook

More is less, or is variety the spice of life?

Here's a copy of a message that I recently emailed to Apple CEO Tim Cook:

Is Apple competing with itself? Surely you are aware that, when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy which he saved by slashing the number of Mac models and accessories. Since then, Apple's lineup of producs has again increased, much to the confusion and dismay of some of its potential customers. Currently the iMac comes in two sizes and an array of specifications. In addition, Apple offers a choice of 3 iPads, 3 iPhones, 4 iPods, 3 MacBook Pros, plus the MacBook Air, the Mini, the Mac Pro, Apple TV, 2 routers, and Time Capsule. Is Apple truly "maniacally committed" [your words] to producing the best products, or is the goal to attract more buyers, even if some of the models are inferior to others but cheaper not just in price? "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

No response as yet and none expected, but still…

I can see clearly now!

Do you have to squint like I do to make out phone numbers in your Mac’s address book? Having problems reading addresses in your email? If so, here are a few pain-free prescriptions that, in a blink of an eye, will improve your visual acuity while using your Mac.

To make a phone number in your address book easier to read even from 30 feet away, you can temporarily display it in super-sized type. Here’s how:

Select the name of the contact whose phone number you want to magnify. Click the phone label at the left of the number and choose Large Type from the pop-up menu.

To stop displaying large type, click anywhere else on the screen or quit out of your address book.

You can also view enlarged type of phone numbers, dates, and addresses in email messages. Just slide your cursor over a phone number, date, or address in the body of an email until a tiny arrow appears. Press down on the arrow and up pop several options, including Large Type. Choose Large Type if that’s the option you want or, if you prefer, select any of the other options.

Ahhh! Just another example of how Apple pampers Mac users.

Why Apple won't sell laptops

It's true. Apple doesn't sell laptops. I heard it from an Apple employe who chided me when I referred to my MacBook Pro as a laptop. "We don't sell laptops but we do sell portables. We don't sell laptop computers because, generally, portable computers get too hot to keep on your lap." As you know, Apple is a stickler for everything it produces, including the words it uses to refer to its products.

<p>Lesson learned: I won't refer to my MacBook Pro as a laptop unless I'm willing to take the heat.</p>

<p>…or stay cool with SSD.</> 

Thank you, Google

Just a few moments ago I realized that I had swallowed a rubber band. How did I manage to do that? Don't ask. What was great was that Google allayed my fears of unpleasant or even disastrous consequences. I just entered "swallow rubber band" in Google's search box and up came numerous comments. All of them, including several from physicians, were very comforting, assuring me that my health was not in danger and everything would come out okay in the end. (Accidental pun.)

iPhoto Click Trick

Sometimes I discover things that had been staring me in the face possibly for ages. For example… Today, when I was in iPhoto, I noticed a little arrow in the lower right corner of the pic that I was viewing.

Wow! Was I surprised to see what happened when I clicked on it… and, once again, I whacked my forehead for being so stupid to overlook something so useful for so long while back-patting myself for being so intelligent to get a Mac in the first place.

Column Views—More or Less

Of the four different ways to view items in the Finder (by Icon, as a List, in Columns, or by Cover Flow), I prefer the Column view. Sometimes, some of the names of the files in one or more columns are truncated. No problem. It's easy to resize the columns so that the truncated names are expanded. All you have to do is move the pointer to the divider (the two tiny vertical bars) at the bottom of the column and double-click, or, drag the divider to the right to widen the column as much as you wish.



To shrink a column, drag the divider to the left.  To expand all the columns simultaneously so that the longest entry in each is revealed, hold down the Option key while double-clicking on any of the column dividers. To resize the columns so that they are all the same width, hold down the Option key while dragging any of the dividers.