"Here is an article from MacWorld with comments about their hands-on experience with OS X Mavericks, to be released this fall. With various recent articles commenting on password security -- or lack thereof -- in browsers, read the section about a new feature: iCloud Keychain," Jim Hamm informs us. Scroll down about half way for that password security feature.
Explaining the SSD (Solid-State Drive)
This is just in from Mary Ann Clark, the webmaster of the PMUG site. She's now posted a piece from Jim Hamm that points us to a series of articles telling more about SSD (solid-state drive). Check it out here, http://pmug.us/benefits/tips-n-tricks/
The Future of Storage?
A storage chip the size of a postage stamp able to pack a terabyte worth of data? Who’s dreaming? You’ll want to read about RRAM, the resistive RAM, and its amazing possibilities. Thanks to Jim Hamm, this article is quite a find!
"Here is an interesting article on where memory technology may be leading us. Will be exciting to see how/if/when this technology may become commercially feasible."
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/resistive-ram-how-it-could-change-storage-forever/?utm_source=Digital+Trends+Newsletter&utm_campaign=dc87702225-RSS_DAILY_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a5ea9c36a5-dc87702225-367338441
Avoiding Problems With Passwords
Do you know the Do's and Don'ts of secure passwords? Check this out: here is an interesting article on passwords recommended to us by Jim Hamm.
Do You Use 1Password 3 for an iOS Device?
More on Chrome & Passwords
Here's more from Jim Hamm on Chrome and Passwords adding to what was posted here below. "Recently I wrote how Chrome stores passwords entered via the browser in plain text, even without asking if you want them stored or not. As a follow-up, here is an article that explains how this was known some years ago and yet Chrome has become a very popular browser.
"Unfortunately, I didn't realize this and have entered passwords in Chrome and, yes, they're stored there in plain text. Google has clearly stated they have no intention of changing this policy, or even alerting users that Chrome does this."
So, Jim, what to do? "Of course, you could discontinue using Chrome. However, I like Chrome and plan to occasionally keep using it, but will no longer use it when I need to log in to a secure website with a password. I'll use another browser.
"Also, I will go into Chrome and delete all the passwords stored there. Do this by entering chrome://settings/passwords in the browser."
"Also, I will go into Chrome and delete all the passwords stored there. Do this by entering chrome://settings/passwords in the browser."
Be Informed About Chrome Browser
Here's important info from Jim Hamm, "If you should use Chrome as a browser -- as I do occasionally -- and have guests at your house and they should want to use your computer a bit, you might take a look at this article. Chrome apparently saves your passwords whether you wanted them saved or not. You may not want your guests having access to your passwords saved in Chrome.
"Out of curiosity, I took a look at which passwords were saved in Chrome on my computer -- a lot, but none of serious consequence. Just to see if Chrome asks me if I want to save a password or not, I tried logging into a couple of sites using a password. Chrome didn't ask me if I wanted to save the password or not -- presumably Chrome just saved it.
"This is not good if, say, you're on Chrome and logging into your bank account. Keep this in mind if you use Chrome as your browser. Other browsers will ask you if you want a password saved." And here Jim signs off with his customary grin.
Before You Sell or Give Away Your Mac
Jim Hamm provides this very important information. Before you sell or give away your Mac there are definite steps to take to protect your information that's now on the computer. The article here http://macdailynews.com/2013/08/05/apple-explains-what-to-do-before-selling-or-giving-away-your-mac/ also tells how to return your Mac to its original "out-of-the-box" state. Read this from Apple dated 8-5-13: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5189
Apple iPhone Patent Ban Overturned
Did you see this? wonders David Passell. "A ban on sales of older models of Apple's iPad and iPhone in the US is overturned by the Obama administration." http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/business-23566422
What's Hogging the Bandwidth?
"On a Mac forum I participate in a fellow posted a problem he was having, all of a sudden, with excess bandwidth usage," is how Jim Hamm begins. He explains, "He normally uses about 40GB per month, but in the last 3 days he has downloaded 120GB! So far he has not been able to identify the culprit, but the following information has been provided to him for further analysis.
"If you should ever have a concern with or want to know more about bandwidth usage, here is an article explaining how you can open the nettop command program in Terminal to see which processes are generating the most network traffic."
E-book: Mountain Lion
Jim Hamm gets our attention with this word: "Mountain Lion was released about a year ago. If you've used this latest OS since then, or are new to it, here is a E-book on using Mountain Lion that might be helpful." (From TakeControlBooks - available with your MUG discount.)
Calendar Tip
"I just solved a problem with a Mac user who was having problems with her Calendar on the iPad," John Carter informs us. " Every calendar entry suddenly disappeared, but it was all there on her laptop. Every trick I knew was tried to no avail. Ultimately, there was only one trick left. The solution was to delete the iCloud account on the iPad and then recreate it. This deleted all iCloud related information on the iPad when the account was deleted, but it came back again once she signed back on to iCloud on the iPad. I am sure the same applies to laptops and desktops.
And John signs off with this reassurance, "Unlike dangerous stunts, you can try this on your own."
Auto-Dialing Phone Extension: How To
Got iOS 6? Here's a tip from Prez Art Gorski, "I don't regularly dial phone numbers with extensions, but if you do here is a great tutorial on how to automate the process on your iPhone. http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/ios-6-auto-dialing-phone-extensions
iPad Goes to School
Maybe you saw this already: Los Angeles School Board of Education announced a program to give school kids 31,000 free iPads this year, with 609,000 to be issued by the end of 2014. http://www.cultofmac.com/237359/640000-la-school-kids-to-receive-free-ipads-in-30-million-program/ This program will cover 47 campuses.
Welcome to Co-chair PR, Sharon Lampert
Sharon Lampert will be co-chair for Public Relations for PMUG. She will serve with Howard Rieder.
Let's get acquainted with Sharon.
Sharon has been married 39 years and is step-mom to three, one daughter together, and now five grandchildren spread around the country.
Sharon has worked in Healthcare as RN in the hospital setting, is certified as Lamaze Childbirth Educator, taught classes, attended and assisting in the labor & delivery process (home and hospital births). Returning to school at 50 she completed Women's Health Nurse Practitioner's Program. In Phoenix she worked in a multi -cultural Women's Clinic. Besides being certified as a menopause educator, she developed and implemented a holistic program in an OB/GYN Clinic.
While raising their daughter, she was extensively involved in event planning & fund raising in the school & community. She also founded, developed and implemented the College Career Center at Chaparral High School.
Sharon enjoys time with her family, knitting, hiking, yoga, reading, photography and women's groups.
What about the future? She retired her medical license in 2012, and hopes to develop a business, doing pregnant belly & newborn photography.
Thanks to Sharon for volunteering for PMUG.
Thanks to Sharon for volunteering for PMUG.
Welcome to Co-Chair PR, Howard Rieder
Howard Rieder will be co-chair for Public Relations for PMUG. He will serve with Sharon Lampert.
Let's get acquainted with Howard. For fifteen years prior to retirement in 1996, he was Advertising Programs Manager for Nissan Motor Corp. Prior to that he was Director of Advertising and Public Relations for Revell Toys and Thomas Organ Company.
Howard and his wife Kathie moved to Prescott from Los Angeles 17 years ago. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren. He holds a B.A. and M.A. Degrees from the University of Southern California. His Master's Thesis led to inclusion of chapters in two books: Cinema Examined, and The American Animated Cartoon, published by E. P. Dutton. And he contributed to a new book, When Magoo Flew.
Howard and his wife Kathie moved to Prescott from Los Angeles 17 years ago. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren. He holds a B.A. and M.A. Degrees from the University of Southern California. His Master's Thesis led to inclusion of chapters in two books: Cinema Examined, and The American Animated Cartoon, published by E. P. Dutton. And he contributed to a new book, When Magoo Flew.
Howard's hobbies are audio recording, computers, video editing, reading, and traveling.
Thanks for volunteering, Howard!
Anticipating iOS 7
"Here is an article from a MacWorld writer discussing ten things she's happy about in the upcoming iOS 7 update for your iPhone. Maybe some of these will be helpful for you as well," is Jim Hamm's first comment of the day.
Hacker Conference Coming
"Hackers Reveal Nasty New Car Attacks -- " is how the title begins. The story is to appear in the August 12, 2013 issue of Forbes. See the article posted here http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/07/24/hackers-reveal-nasty-new-car-attacks-with-me-behind-the-wheel-video/
Using the car’s "OnStar-like cellular connection, Bluetooth bugs, a rogue Android app that synched with the car’s network from the driver’s smartphone or even a malicious audio file on a CD in the car’s stereo system" a lot of real trouble is possible. Read what's up as the Defcon hacker conference is coming in Las Vegas next month.
Half Off Today on Cocktail App
"For your possible interest, today only, the general purpose utility app, Cocktail, is 50% off from MacUpdate. This is a family license, covering 5 Macs." This info from Jim Hamm.
Happy Computer = Happy You
Hope it doesn't happen to you! The latest posting at Tech Tails gives you some remedies for food/water accidental damages. It's a Small Dog Electronics newsletter http://blog.smalldog.com/techtails/tt879
And while you're in the vicinity check out another of their weekly newsletters http://blog.smalldog.com/kibbles/ . Here's their phrase: “that spinning data depository in your Mac could suddenly become little more than a good doorstop,” speaking of your hard drive inside your computer. Read about the Time Capsule that's on sale.