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Re: iCloud Drive

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        Here John Carter jumps in to the discussion, "A major disadvantage of iCloud is that it does not allow sharing between users in the way that Dropbox does. However, iCloud has other features that aren’t available in Dropbox. So it becomes prudent to know what iCloud is for and to take advantage of those features in addition to using Dropbox for what it does best.

        "To get informed on what iCloud is for, get the eBook “Take Control of iCloud” by Joe Kissell (2nd Edition) here. (Click on “All Ebooks” in the left margin to find the title. A 30% MUG discount will be applied at checkout.)"
        John provides this further info:  "Here’s an outline of the major iCloud features:
   * Media syncing
   * My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing
   * Syncing documents and app data
    * Mail, Contacts, Calendar, browser data, Reminders, and Notes
    * iCloud Keychain
    * iCloud.com
    *  Find My Device and Find My Friends
    * iCloud backup
    * Apple TV
    * Back to my Mac
      And John summarizes,  "Some of those features require Mavericks, and some are available in Mountain Lion or Lion."
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More on iCloud Drive

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        First, we hear from Jim Hamm.  "If you've upgraded to iOS 8 or Yosemite you're probably aware you've now got iCloud Drive available. If you, like me, may be wondering what this is all about, here and here are two articles from the TidBITS Newsletter you may want to read."
        Jim winds up, for now, saying, "In theory, I use iCloud -- since I've uploaded 'stuff' to it --  but in practice I don't really use it as I find Dropbox (which I use frequently) more convenient. In fact, I've never even checked to see what might actually be in my iCloud account.  Now I've got iCloud Drive to wonder about and figure out how it fits -- if it does -- with iCloud."
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Apple Pay and CurrentC

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        Filling us in on some important facts, Jim Hamm writes, "You are probably aware that a few major retailers are blocking the use of Apple Pay and plan, perhaps next year, to use a program called CurrentC. Here is an interesting article, from the TidBITS Newsletter, that explains both these topics very thoroughly, I think."

       Here's the big point to notice:  "One thing to notice is that CurrentC is a direct link to your bank account, which is a big no-no for me. Also, the author thinks retailers really don't like bank credit cards, for a variety of reasons, and has the following to say: "It’s no exaggeration to say that most merchants hate the credit card brands and the banks that support them.."

        Jim concludes with, "It will be interesting to see how all this plays out. Also, by next October, If I recall correctly, our magnetic-stripe credit cards are to be replaced by cards with an imbedded chip. Now, who will pay for the new cards and equipment to use them? The banks will try to push this on the retailers, who will want to push the cost on to us, the consumer."

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Yosemite Tutorial Available

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        "If you've upgraded to Yosemite, no doubt you are aware of the many reviews and articles that are available about the new features contained therein. Here is a 50-minute video tutorial that I found helpful," writes Jim Hamm.   "Two comments from the reviewer that I take exception to: he mentions that he feels a minimum of 8 GB of RAM is required to run Yosemite. I concur that 8GB would be nice, but by no means necessary. I have 4 GB of RAM and am running Yosemite quite satisfactorily. 

        "He also believes that Yosemite was released prematurely, and that people should wait about 6 weeks before upgrading. That may or may not be true, but the release is close enough for me. The few bugs I can deal with, and I like experimenting anyway.
        "There is one feature that most reviewers think is 'half-baked' or 'buggy' — Handoffs or Continuity. This is where one can be on, say, a website in Safari on your Mac, then go to your iPad or iPhone, and pick up right where you left off."
        Jim comments,  "I can't tell if this 'tis or tain't' true because I've not been able to enable this on either my Mac or iPad. More research needed here on my part.
        "Other than that, the reviewer does a nice job of explaining the nuances of Yosemite. If you've got 50 minutes to spare or invest, sit back, get a cup of coffee,  and take a look. Also, you'll note, the website contains many other reviews available."
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The Future of Gmail

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        Jim Hamm takes a look at Gmail. "I like and have used Google's web-based Gmail for my email client for several years. Here is an article that postulates that Google will drop Gmail within five years, and explains why the author thinks so.

        "Although I don't like this thought, the author does mention some good reasons why Google might drop Gmail. In a word or so: no revenue for Google in Gmail." 

Some Retailers Blocking Apple Pay

         "I haven't used Apple Pay yet, but from what I've read it's a better and more secure 
system than using a credit card. Yet, two major retailers -- Rite Aid and CVS -- are 
not going to use it. Why? The following article explains why," Jim Hamm tells us.
 See here:  http://daringfireball.net/2014/10/nfc_apple_pay   
        (Remember, if you don't like to read white letters on a black background you can do the
four keys simultaneously:  Control and Option and Command and the number 8.  
Then you toggle back by doing the same 4 keys again.)  Oh, and it helps if you enlarge the
 text with Command and the + key.
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iPad 4 For Sale

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        John Carter announces that as soon as his iPad Air 2 arrives he will release his iPad4 for sale for $375.00.   He says, "There are minor dents and scratches, and it is fully functional. This includes Logitech Ultrathin keyboard cover, the original box and power adapter included for both iPad and keyboard.  It's  updated with iOS 8.1, and it's reset to factory defaults." You can call John at 928-458-0570 or email him at john@jrcarter.com  and he'll be happy to give you more details. 

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Macworld Expo Mothballed

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        "Following on the heels of the demise of the Macworld magazine is the announcement that the Macworld Expo is also gone. More info here. The first Macworld Expo that the wife and I went to was in February, 2008. This is where Jobs introduced the Macbook Air. I, of course, hurried home, bought one, and haven't looked back. 

        "The internet has changed many things in our lives, some for the better and others not so much. I'll miss both the magazine and the Expo," writes Jim Hamm. 
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Installing Yosemite, Continued

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         Jim Hamm's done it, too.  He tells us,  "I just upgraded to Yosemite and it took a loooong time to download -- something like 12-14 hours! First time it ever took this long to do an upgrade. I guess Apple's servers were overloaded and slow. I just let it crank all night and finished the install this morning. 

        Here John Carter steps in with his comment, "It didn't take that long for me.  I upgraded four computers.  Each one took less than an hour.  But then, I have SSD on all my computers."
        Well, Jim has more to say,  "My first impressions: it's as though someone took a paintbrush and went over all the icons and colors and made a slight adjustment in tone, color and looks. I didn't look and say "wow! this looks great." Nor did I say Yuck! It's OK as far as I'm concerned. There are some significant improvements over Mavericks, which I'm sure I'll experience and appreciate as I further use this new version of OS X.
        And John interrupts with this, "My first impression was, “Retro!” Meaning that the design looks like they went back to the 40’s and 50’s for the simplest appearance. Must be a lot of old people doing the design work. "
       Summarizing his impression Jim Hamm concludes with, "Should you upgrade to Yosemite? Here is an article that explains nicely whether the upgrade is right for you, and details some of the improvements. Definitely worth a read."
       Thanks to these two "early birds" for getting Yosemite and doing a quick report for the rest of us!