Amazon Selling Apple at a Big Discount
"On sale!" Two urgent words! De Prez Allen Laudenslager rushes us this news, so check it out right away. Amazon advertises some smoking deals on Apple products. He announces, "I looked at their website and found the MacBook Pro for $101 off and free shipping." He wasn't aware that Amazon was an authorized Apple reseller and is offering discounts on Apple products. Did you know that?!
Talking About Google's Chrome
In case you haven't read them, here are three more articles about Google's Chrome OS. Jim Hamm explains, "After reading and understanding a bit more about what this new OS is-and isn't--I have trouble understanding what significant role this might play in the computing world. I don't have much--if any--enthusiasm for it, at least at this time. Maybe as time goes on I'll see more of a place for it." He goes on to give links to the articles . . .
Click to bring up these three articles from Computerworld. One, two, three.
Jim concludes, "Regardless of my thoughts, it's always interesting to read about new developments in the computing world. That's what keeps me--and many others-- spending money on the latest 'gadget' (did I hear 'Magic Mouse') or software upgrade."
DIY, Serious or Fun
David Passell passes along this link to the Instructables. It's an eclectic collection of DIY (Do It Yourself) projects, ranging from Christmas gifts and decorations, (now's the time to get going on these!) to the tech-oriented stuff. He reminds us, "To get the full benefits you will have to establish a subscription, but it is FREE. Every week you will get a new email with a link to the latest madness."
Maybe You Don't Need TWO Computers?
What's the future of computing? Obviously, things keep changing. This article at Daring Fireball talks about one possible direction for computing. What a snazzy title: "Maybe Instead of Two Cars, You Just Need a Car and a Bicycle." Instead of two computers maybe the second one could do a lot less, and that could be liberating, they say.
De Prez Allen Laudenslager piques our interest with, "While I haven't tried a netbook myself yet, the idea of the netbook as a partially capable 'junior' computer for travel use has some real potential for those who don't need to do everything on the road." Check out their archive for other thought-provoking pieces.
Advance Look at Google Chrome
We've heard a little about Google Chrome, and we do want to keep up with the latest in Internet technology. Well, here's a little more from both De Prez Allen Laudenslager and Jim Hamm. Jim starts us off with, "After reading this article on Google Chrome, any potential interest I might have had in this has cooled considerably. I had envisioned it to be a download one would install, like Firefox, but apparently not. Also, Google's first focus is on netbooks, about a year from now." Allen recommends this article. And Jim comes up with two other links that explain the situation.
Jim continues, "The way I understand the comments, Google Chrome will be for computers with 'specific reference hardware.' Does this mean a computer has to be built to accommodate Google Chrome? Why would any manufacturer want to do this? I can't, for example, envision Apple doing this. This concept seems like a very limiting factor in Google Chrome gaining any significant market share. Maybe I'm not understanding all this correctly."
Allen's comment from the Computerworld article, "This report is claiming that the final Chrome release may only run on devices without a hard disk drive and use solid state memory in its place."
Jim has more information, "Here's a further clarification--and understanding on my part--of the difference between Google Chrome OS and Google Chrome. The first one is a web-based operating system that will be available on computers configured to handle it--such as a solid state drive. Here is an article explaining more about this concept.
"There are instructions available now on how a person can go ahead and install Google Chrome OS and run it in a virtual machine using the free software, VirtualBox.
Jim concludes with, "Now, Google Chrome is a web browser contained within the Google Chrome OS that a person, eventually, can download and install on their computer. It will be interesting to see how both concepts fare as time goes on. The latest issue of MacLife compared several browsers, including Google Chrome, which came out well in the tests. These tests were done on a Mac."
Want to Mac Mentor?
Would you like to volunteer for Mac mentoring? Interested parties could email Jim Hamm (put his name in the subject line) for an explanation of how the mentoring program works. So far, it's been Jim, John Carter, and Bobbie Pastor volunteering at the Prescott Public Library.
Printer Upgrade, Download Precautions
Today’s advice is copy the settings you’ve got on Mac for your particular printer. Here’s how and here’s why.
Look at System Preferences > Print > Fax. Go to Options and Supplies to then access General and Driver. Copy these numbers. Easy way is to do a screen shot (Command + Shift + 4) and pull the target-looking lines over the parts of the window you want to copy. Then drag the screen shots onto Pages; file one set on the computer, print another set out for a paper folder in the file cabinet.
Here’s why: Yesterday, automatically up popped an upgrade notice on Mac. Besides a little upgrade for Safari there was one for the HP printer. Of course, keep current, so click it on. Everything went well, etc. until this morning when awakening the printer and clicking to print something. The printer couldn’t find itself. It took a little hunting around, trial and error, but now all is well. It happens that this exact HP model is not listed in the long list under Printer Set Up, General, and Driver. What works for HP LaserJet P4515n is the designation HP LaserJet 4350. All is well. Keep good records.
Will Apple Give Big Discounts on Black Friday?
What's in store for the Friday after Thanksgiving? Jim Hamm finds this article from MacWorld suggesting a possible big discount. Here's a copy of last year's advance ad from Apple, just to tweak your interest. This could be just a rumor, but time will tell.
Downloads Archive from K. Komando
From the Kim Komando website here is her downloads archive as recommended by David Passell.
He notes, "Check out the list of links to the right. On the lists summoned by any category, she has tagged, with appropriate symbols, which freebies are Windows and which are Mac. There is some fine print. The freebies may only be for a week or so, or on a trial basis. However for a collection it looks pretty promising. Regards, David
P.S. I said to myself I would stop browsing at 10:00 a.m. and here it is 10:17. WWW truly means World Wide Waster of Time:)"
Help for Switchers
If you're coming over from PC to Mac, or if you know someone who is, Jim Hamm recommends this Macworld site. It would also be helpful if you have opportunity to help mentor someone who is a switcher. Take a look.
I Inserted a Blank DVD. Now What?
Good question, David Crooks. We'll follow John Carter's directions and view his screen shots to see how easy it is to do. The top two options are set on my machine as you see them there. Here are the options:
David asks, "I bought some DVD_RW on which to record data I want to save forever. I inserted the DVD, and it did not appear on my screen. What do you suggest?"
"Good question," begins John. And here for all of us to benefit from, are John's directions:
Your preferences for what to do with a blank DVD or CD are probably not set to do what you would expect should happen.
Here's what I get when I insert a blank DVD+RDL: (the type of DVD does not matter)
To set up what action to take place when you insert a blank DVD or CD, click on the Apple icon, click on System Preferences, then click on the "CDs & DVDs" icon:
You should see this:
Your machine might have it set to "Ignore" which is why you didn't see anything after inserting the blank DVD.
I you don't see any place to click on to eject that blank DVD, first launch Disk Utility (you do this by clicking on the Spotlight and typing in "Disk Utility."
Notice that without moving the mouse, the Top Hit has highlighted the application. All you need to do is press Enter or Return to launch the application.
You should see something like this in the left side of the window:
I have my DVD drive highlighted. On the right side of the window is this:
Click on the Eject button.
After setting your preferences for what action to take when you insert a blank DVD or CD, you should then be able to work with the DVD or CD the way you want to.
Take care at this point! If you selected to open Finder so you could copy files to the DVD or CD, you might not think to look in the Places section of the Finder to see where it put a link to access that DVD or CD:
So now all you need to do is drag files/folders into that location. Nothing is actually written to the DVD or CD yet. That only happens when you eject the DVD or CD. Notice the grey and yellow icon on the left? You click on that when you're ready to burn the contents of that folder onto the DVD or CD. And yes, you can change the title of the folder (Rename) and that name will be the title of the DVD or CD.
If you don't want to burn the DVD or CD just yet, leave it there until you have everything in this folder. And alternative is to first prepare a new folder with the contents of what you want to burn to a DVD or CD, then insert a blank, then copy the contents of the prepared folder to the Untitled DVD folder.
You can always back out and not do anything by ejecting the DVD or CD using Disk Utility, even if you have copied stuff to the Untitled DVD folder. Doing so does NOT remove (delete) the Untitled DVD folder from the Finder sidebar. You have to move that folder to the Trash by going to your Desktop (where it lives), right click (control click) to open the options menu, and select "Move to Trash." As we say in baseball, no hits, no runs, no errors.
Making Booklets is Easy to Do
Going to the valley for Auntie's 90th birthday inspires me to tell you how bluesquirrel's ClickBook made a nice surprise for her and family and friends. She gave me handwritten pages of remembrances of growing up with Mama, and I made booklets. It's so easy to design and print them myself.
ClickBook works with PDF Workflow and automatically rotates, reduces and realigns pages into the correct order to create double-sided booklets. I've used this program for 5 years, and besides family memories booklets I've compiled 33 booklets of my own inspirational writing, poetry, articles, and stories. Adding photos are a cinch.
Time Machine Backup
Software for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard lets you change the default settings for Time Machine. David Passell sends us this link for Time Machine Backup. He notes that he tried 2 hours and it worked, adding, "If you use it be sure to check to see that it's doing its thing. Also you must turn OFF the Time Machine preferences."
CableOne and Mac Mail
"I have been getting questions from people new to the Mac on how to set up Mac Mail to send and receive messages using CableOne," John Carter tells us. Here he gives us step by step and illustrated directions.
Here's John's directions, (you have to be connected to the Internet):
1. Open Mac Mail
2. In the Menu Bar, click on Mail
3. Click on Preferences.
4. In the window that pops up, click on the Accounts tab.
5. In the bottom right of the window, click on the "+" sign to add a new account.
6. In the Add Account window, Enter your full name in the top field.
7. Enter your cableone.net email address in the second field.
8. Enter your cableone.net password in the last field.
9. Click the Continue button in the bottom right. You will then get a pop-up window that appears to be an error message:
10. Click on "Setup Manually"
11. In the next window you will be setting up the Incoming Mail Server:
12. Enter the information as shown above, except use your user name and password.
13. Click Continue
14. In the next window, just click Continue:
15. In the next window you will be setting up the Outgoing Mail Server:
16. Enter the information as shown above for the Outgoing Mail Server. The Description field can be anything you like that will identify that CableOne is being used as an outgoing mail server.
17. Click Continue.
18. The next window will again appear to be an error message:
19. Click on "Setup Manually."
20. In the next window, just click Continue:
21. A summary of what you have done so far is shown next:
22. Click on the Create button to finish.
23. When you return to the Accounts page you should see this:
24. Please be sure to check the box "Use only this server" unless you have other email accounts that you prefer to use.
25. Notice that I have several other email accounts
26. Click on the "Mailbox Behaviors" and the "Advanced" tabs and set up your mail preferences the way you like them. There is no "best" way.
27. Create a test message and send it to yourself. In the Mail window, click on Get Mail if the message does not come in right away. Messages are retrieved according to the time period you set up in the General tab of the Mail Preferences (Check for new messages). # # #
Problem with iMac Detailed
An email making the rounds hit David Passell's inbox. David wonders if anyone else with a iMac or MacBook with an ATI X1600 GPU is having these types of problems. A list of links on Apple Forums discussing this situation is listed below, in the event you are concerned.
The problem is described by an Australian long-time Mac enthusiast: "I am a long-time Mac enthusiast who feels a bit more "down under" than usual. I have spoken to the Australian Apple Support regarding my white Intel iMac which has had issues with the graphics card/logic board since three months (!) out of factory warranty. I purchased the machine, which had been used very little, from a friend (a fellow Mac User Group member for many years) in February 2008. It was then two months out of warranty. When I realized he hadn't taken out Apple Care I called Apple and was told that to take out Apple Care it had to be done within the original 12 months warranty period. The machine was however as new with relatively few hours of operation and nothing more intensive than web browsing and emails so I thought I'd be alright.
"The very next month, thin horizontal multicolored lines started appearing sporadically on my screen. I called support who said my warranty had expired and there were no known issues with my model so I was on my own. I repaired permissions and scanned the disk for problems but short of some incorrect permissions on occasion no problem was found. Gradually the problem worsened and the computer would sometimes freeze and the screen change to a pattern of multicolored vertical lines.
In November 2008 I actually took a photo of the screen on such a freeze using my iPhone and I have done so also on another occasion. I have attached links to the pics. I have taken the iMac to my local service agent and they cleaned it and ran tests which failed to find a cause for the problems. They suggested it may be the graphics module which is part of the logic board and can't be replaced.
The problem has now become so bad that I have had to change the background to a plain color and and turn off screensavers and anything graphic intensive. I am now down to one or two freezes & reboots per day from four to five." This email was sent by Mikael Lindstedt.
Links:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1516765&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1467276&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2136365&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2181088
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1697470&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1974295&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2194641
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1878407&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2109263
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1726184&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2147082
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1609243&start=0&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10473645�
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2165038
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1974295
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1995151&start=0&tstart=0
Screen pics:
http://img200.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=attachmentpe.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/g/img0073hw.jpg/
Non-Apple links:
http://getsatisfaction.com/apple/topics/2006_imac_graphics_card_crash_freeze
http://torley.com/macbook-pro-with-ati-radeon-x1600-distorted-video-glitches
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/imacrecall/
http://forums.macworld.com/index.php?/topic/114232-imac-lines-on-screen/
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10330060-263.html?tag=mncol
http://www.sfmslaw.com/pages/cases.php?id=779
Track Pad Touches
For the adventuresome PMUG people Allen Laudenslager writes a short note about the Track Pad which (with the right app) can track up to 11 touches. Here's the original article. He notes he won't try it because it's not developed, but perhaps some of the "explorers" want to try it and see what its uses might be.
How to Use Mac Dock
Helping Mac beginners, John Carter has made a short YouTube video tutorial on how to use the Mac Dock. He tells us, "It's not in-depth, as it only attempts to explain how to launch an application by placing a document in the Dock and how to keep an icon in the Dock even when the application is not running."
New Site for Sharing Info
Always on the lookout for info, David Passell has signed up for the Beta release from O'Reilly Answers. Their slogan is "Clever Hacks. Creative Ideas. Innovative Solutions." David has already submitted a posting under the Linux heading at Beta Forum which proclaims, "Share. Ask. Answer." Other PMUG members might find this a useful site, and some might have tips to submit there.
Postings in the new Forum cover a myriad of geeky subjects. David was describing how handy the ScreenShot feature of QuickTime 10 can be for recalling what he did. He wrote about his experience, sent it to O'Reilly Answers and was encouraged by Tim O'Reilly to set up an account and post it. He says he suspects John Carter uses something like it in his dock description.
This latest version of QuickTime 10 (SnowLeopard, only) has a Screen Recording feature which allows him to easily review. He can go back through the recording with speed up to 8X to see what he's done.
I asked David how he got involved with this Beta Forum. Initially he wrote to tell how handy ScreenShot is for Floss Manuals. "Being a Mac user, the subject of 'Paths' was foreign to me. When I was introduced to Linux I quickly got lost. Having an OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) computer with a VNC (Virtual Networking Computing) server program I found I could go through the various paths and view them on a Mac. There I could make screen shots and comments in MS Word, (Pages probably would have been better, but I'm cheap!)
"Unless I had a WebPage I would find it difficult to upload one to anybody. I can stop, though, and get ScreenShots of something significant."
Perhaps you saw David's little green and white XO computer from OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) at an earlier meeting. He works through a VNC server program.
On his Mac David starts with a program called Chicken of the VNC. "When I enter the proper IP address for the server computer I see its screen on my Mac. From there anything I do on the server computer shows on my Mac Mini. I can do similar things between my Mac Mini and my other computers that are networked on my router."
His philosophy is "When I write manuals I always had the feeling that if I could understand it later, anybody could. Engineers and Programmers are probably the worst to write user manuals. They are too close to the subject and fall victim to 'I know it, so everyone else should.'"
(All of this to say: you will want to check out that O'Reilly Answers Beta Forum.)
Hard Drive Getting Full?
If your Mac hard drive is getting full John Carter has a solution. Consider that you may be filling up one or more of the following folders: Movies -- Pictures -- Documents -- Downloads
John walks us through the steps as follows . . . and we quote:
It is easy to recover a lot of space just by adding an external drive and moving the folders from the internal drive to the external drive, and then creating a symbolic link from the external drive folder back to the internal drive. This could work equally well even if you have a laptop. For laptops, I recommend the Western Digital Passport - whatever size suits you - because they are compact and carry well. An alternative would be to purchase a 3.5" Seagate or Maxtor drive and install it in a 3.5" external case, and this might be cheaper than a Passport drive of the same capacity.
Now for the detail. To move a folder from one location to another, you could simply use Finder to drag the existing folder to an external drive. A preferred alternative (more reliable) would be to use a command line in a Terminal:
$ sudo ditto <source_folder/> <destination_folder/>
Only the contents of the source folder are copied, including all subfolders. If the destination folder does not exist, it will be created, and the contents of the source folder are copied into the destination folder.
Example:
$ sudo ditto /Users/jcarter/Movies /VolumesMac1_HD2/Movies
Next, you need to delete the source folder and create a link from the destination folder to where the source folder was. This has to be done in a Terminal:
$ rm -rf /Users/jcarter/Movies
$ ln -s /Volumes/Mac1_HD2/Movies /Users/jcarter/Movies
The symbolic link (specified as symbolic by the -s option) /Users/jcarter/Movies is not a folder. It is a file that pretends to be a folder. When you look at it with the Finder you actually see the contents of /Volumes/Mac1_HD2/Movies. If you use a command in Terminal to look at it you will see:
$ ls /Users/jcarter/Movies
/Users/jcarter/Movies@
At this point, although not essential, you should log out and log back in. As far as the applications that access the Movies folder are concerned, the folder is still there.
The result is you have just recovered a lot of disc space on your internal drive.
Now, if you did not have the external drive attached and powered up and tried to access something in the Movies folder with, say, iMovie, iMovie will still work but you'll have to specify a new path to work in. Not a good idea, because then you'll have multiple locations for your movies.
If you moved "iPhoto Library" to an external hard drive and the drive was not attached or powered on, iPhoto will ask to you specify a new location for your photos. Again, this is a bad idea because the new location will override the old one and it will appear as though you can't access those old photos. Never fear. You can always tell iPhoto to look in any location for photos at the time you start up iPhoto by holding down the Option key when you launch iPhoto. That brings up the menu to specify the location to look in before bringing up the application. Just be sure you specify an actual iPhoto Library path.
After moving my iPhoto Library to an external drive, I looked at the available paths for iPhoto and discovered the following:
The default location points to the original path:
The next location points to another user login on the Mac:
And the last location points to the actual path on the external hard drive:
And, here John closes off with, "May your days be merry and bright."