Shamelessly borrowed from the PC club newsletter, and worth sharing here:
If you're still using Adobe Flash for anything, just stop doing it right now! It's out of date and has been corrupted enough to be totally useless. Seriously, any Flash update you see offered these days will have enough malware in it to stop the Coronavirus dead in its tracks. Link
John R Carter Sr
Here's just a bit of browser trivia for your possible interest. Out of every 100 people using a browser, here's the estimated usage by type, as published by Computerworld. For some years Firefox has been declining, and possibly will continue to do so, and there's a good chance Chrome will pick up its share. Microsoft's Edge browser, is, for all intents and purposes, the same as Chrome. Microsoft knew when to jump aboard a winner. And, as I recall, Safari's usage is very close to the percent of Macs in use as a percent of total computers in use.
When I'm on my Mac I think the Safari browser is fine, but rarely use it. Usually I use Chrome or, more recently, the new Brave browser. Its got some features I like.
Chrome........69
Edge..............8
Firefox............7
Int Explorer.....6
Safari..............4
Opera.............1
Other..............5
Jim Hamm
Recently I fired up my MacBook Air, and it faithfully reminded me that I've been derelict in my duties, and haven't backed up to Time Machine in 20 days. Can't have that, so I plugged in an external drive and cranked TM up. Two hours later it was done. Hmmm! Had that much changed in 20 days on my Mac, I wondered? Anyway, this reminded me of another backup duty. About two or three months ago I did a clone of the entire SSD on my Air to another external drive using the program Super Duper. Plugged in this external drive and did a 'smart backup' of the SSD using Super Duper. Twenty minutes later it was done. Hmmm! Smart Backup only captures items that have changed since I did the last backup. When it was done I had, again, a bootable, 100% clone of everything on the SSD -- just in case the drive should ever fail.
I wondered why Apple's engineers hadn't designed Time Machine to use the same approach. Would be a lot quicker doing a backup. Then, I thought, perhaps they were thinking of a desktop Mac (which was the original design concept), where one can leave an external drive plugged in all the time, and Time Machine turned on all the time. But this concept doesn't work so well with a laptop. It's a bit of a hassle to grab an external drive, plug it in to my laptop, and do a backup. I've been using a Mac for slightly over 20 years and have never used Time Machine once to retrieve a lost document or photo or whatever. Not once. Also, in the same time frame, I've never used Super Duper to recover a dead optical drive or SSD. And for this, I'm happy. Buying the program Super Duper is kinda like buying a life insurance policy. You may be glad you did, but you're in no hurry to use it.
Jim Hamm
For your possible perusal, here is an unusual and enjoyable website, that I don't know quite what to make of it.
It encompasses discussing Mac problem solving to Macs to Art and Painting and more. Quite eclectic, one might say. You can scroll through the various headings, click them, and see what is offered. The following link, for example, lists a variety of old paintings, which I enjoyed looking at. https://eclecticlight.co/2019/12/30/the-best-of-2019s-paintings-and-articles-1/
Go ahead and browse for awhile, click on the different headings, and see what you think.
Jim Hamm
If you use Apple's Mail app on an iPad or iPhone, you will want to read this article about a vulnerability in this iOS app. The article mentions that Apple will be rolling out a 'fix' for this in the future.
https://macintouch.com/post/4740/ios-mail-vulnerabilities-actively-exploited/
Jim Hamm
If you have ever seen a notification like the above when attempting to do something on your computer, there are many valid reasons why the application is not responding. Each time I open SkySafari Pro on my laptop, it takes a very long time to load up ‘stuff’, and CleanMyMac X will show me a pop-up saying “Not Responding.” I just ignore it and close the pop-up rather than choose the option to “end program.” Eventually, the app opens. There’s no problem with the app or the computer. It’s just a really bulky program for macOS. The same app on my iPhone or iPad loads almost instantly.
There are other reasons for (Not Responding). Leo Notenboom (Ask Leo) gives a very good run-down on all the possibilities. Although Ask Leo is all about Windows, this article is also appropriate for the Mac.
https://askleo.com/not_responding_what_does_it_mean_and_what_do_i_do_about_it/
John R Carter, Sr.
In case you need to make a face mask, here's a super easy way to do that with items you already have around the house. There's no sewing involved!
A caution not included in that short video is that face masks of any kind should only be used once. Any item you use for a face mask should either be thrown away or washed immediately, and that includes any item used to secure the mask. After handling a used face mask, don’t forget to wash your hands immediately.
Join R Carter, Sr.
Are you giving away an iPhone or iPad? Here’s how to reset it before you give it away:
Open Settings. Tap on General, tap on About, and write down the serial number of the device. Go back to the previous screen. Scroll down and tap on Reset. Tap on “Erase All Content and Settings”. That resets the iPad to the factory settings with no Apple ID login. The new owner has to set it up. Next, on a computer (not an iPhone or iPad), open a browser and go to icloud.com. Log in with your Apple ID and click on “Account Settings”, the link under your name. In the section “My Devices,” click on the iPad that you are giving away. In the window that opens up, click on “Lost, sold, or gave away this device?” Then click on the appropriate response. Make sure that the serial number showing there matches the serial number on the Device. Similarly, for any computer the steps are almost the same.
John R Carter Sr
If you haven't already read it, here is an article you might enjoy. The author discusses some of the characteristics of popular browsers. He's not intending to pick the 'best' one -- if there is such a thing -- but points out the features that might be most useful to our browsing. Now, about 2 out of 3 people use Chrome as their browser of choice, but the article points out Chrome is a memory hog. As Chrome was my browser of choice for many years, I found that to be true, and apparently still is.
Today I rotate among the browsers, and also use the Brave Browser, which isn't covered in the article, probably because Brave is relatively new and doesn't have as many users as the other popular browsers.
Jim Hamm
Check out this article from USA TODAY:
Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox: Which browser won't crash your computer when working from home?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2020/04/14/should-you-use-chrome-safari-firefox-edge/2985230001/
If you'd like some help with your Apple device, here is a website you might take a look at: Dan's Tutorials.
https://www.danstutorials.com/
I have not used his tutorials yet, but he is offering a free 30-day trial with no credit card required initially. I scrolled through the different tips, and they look to be quite helpful. If one is interested in using his tips past the initial 30 days, then an annual membership is available for only $48, which seems quite reasonable.
Jim Hamm
Zoom has become a big thing since work at home is almost a necessity. If you have been enticed to host your own Zoom meeting, here are two articles that might help.
John R Carter, Sr.
This is why we should keep the software on our computers and devices up to date with all the latest updates and patches.
Frank Croft
The subject update is available, and is a pretty hefty update -- 3.34 GB if I recall correctly. Will take awhile to
implement, also. The features included in the update are summarized in the link below.
Jim Hamm
We have a new addition to the PMUG website. When you visit the home page, at the top you will see a new message about the April meeting: “April meeting will be through Zoom. Click for more information.”
When you click there, you will see a new button: “REGISTER FOR UPCOMING ZOOM MEETING”
Click on that to enter your name, phone number, email, and a short message about the Zoom meeting you want to attend. Our secretary will then send out an email invitation with the meeting ID and password and a link to click on to instantly join the meeting. Of course, you do have to wait until the prescribed time for the meeting.
Regardless, all PMUG members will get an email invitation (in a PDF file attached to the email) to every meeting, so it really isn’t necessary for members to register for a meeting - just save the email invitation for when the meeting starts, click on the included link, and you’re in!
The Zoom meetings will be started by the organizer a few minutes early to allow people to settle in.
Also on the home page, if you scroll down, then you will see pretty much the same thing. But that information is about the April 9 and April 10 advanced training Zoom meetings. Check it out! And don’t forget to tell your friends who would like to attend our meetings, because registering is going to be the only way they can access the meeting.
John R Carter Sr
I know one of the exciting things about getting a new car is the new features. One of those features is of importance to us iPhone users. While Apple CarPlay has been getting better, and more vehicles support it, this article points out the possible down side of using CarPlay when you are the driver.
As an Air Force Pilot, I learned to do a “cross check” like the spokes of a wheel. Most of your time is spent looking straight ahead with the spokes being the different instruments. The same technique works very well while driving. Your side and rear view mirrors as well as your instrument panel are the spokes of a wheel. You should continuously be moving your eyes from your view straight ahead to the end of one of your spokes. You should NEVER spend more than a second on any spoke. We should now consider the CarPlay screen in your car as one of your spokes. If you cannot do what you want in a second, pull over and be safe!!
Frank Croft
On a forum I belong to, a member asked which VPN (Virtual Private Network) I use. For your possible interest, I posted the answer below. If, say, you're traveling and on a public wifi network at a hotel, airport, McDonalds. et al., I think using a VPN is most important so no one can 'listen' in to what you're doing on the internet.
Jim Hamm
It's sort of a hobby for me trying different VPNs, as for many years we traveled a lot in a motorhome and overseas, and a VPN was most useful for me for security reasons. I use several different ones, which include (in no particular order), NordVPN, CyberGhost, Hotspot Shield, PureVPN, VPN Unlimited, and Windscribe. I have found that Hotspot Shield is most effective in NOT reducing download speed significantly, as they all do to some degree -- some more than others. Remember, they first encrypt your data, send it, then un-encrypt it at the other end. Hence, the reduction in download speed. Also, another factor that affects your connection speed is how many servers the VPN has, where they're located, and how many people are using the service at the same time. Some VPNs will tell you the load on a particular server, and you can change servers if it seems overloaded.
If you should use DuckDuckGo as your search engine when browsing the web, here is an article discussing what it's been up to recently: https://gizmodo.com/duckduckgo-made-a-giant-list-of-jerks-tracking-you-onli-1842129900
I'm not paranoid about web trackers, but would just as soon not have them following/recording me while I'm on the internet. Using the browser "Brave" -- which I'm on now -- and the search engine DuckDuckGo, I'm reasonably protected from web trackers.
Jim Hamm
If you are -- or perhaps will be-- in the market for a home smart speaker, which should you choose -- Amazon's Echo or Apple's HomePod? This article may help you decide. Although we are Apple fans, we have Amazon's Echo at home, and I must say it is a very convenient and helpful device. The article is helpful in comparing the two choices, and Zee made the right choice in going with the Echo -- broader in its coverage whereas the HomePod is somewhat locked into the Apple ecosystem.
As one example of the use of a smart speaker, this device almost does away for the need of a radio or timer or alarm clock. “Alexa, play jazz music for me” -- and she does. Or classical or Celtic, or whatever. “Alexa, set the timer for ten minutes”, and she does. “Alexa, how much time is left on the timer”. She answers -- two minutes, or whatever. ”Alexa, what time is it?” Etc.
I hadn't thought about using Alexa to make a phone call, but after reading the article I plan to give it a try and see what happens. To reiterate -- Alexa is mighty handy to have around the house, and I'm pleased that we have several scattered around.
Jim Hamm
My personal background in electronics long ago proclaimed ARM chips as the preferred technology for computers. Apple is leaning toward this view now as well. Here is an excerpt from Apple Insider (https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/02/24/arm-mac-coming-in-first-half-of-2021-says-ming-chi-kuo}
"Apple is continuing to work on a self-designed processor for use in a future Mac, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with the first possible release using an ARM-based chip instead of an Intel processor likely to arrive in the first half of 2021.”
"Rumors of an ARM-based Mac or MacBook have surfaced in a while, with the general theme of Apple moving away from its reliance on Intel Core processors in favor of its own silicon. According to TF Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo, this could happen sooner than people may think."
With Apple declaring that it will design its own chips, that adds a new workforce to Apple. The empire is growing. How long before it’s own weight becomes a burden? So what I foresee is Apple divesting itself by splitting out new companies under its umbrella to manage that empire. Communication between groups then becomes the next major bottleneck. But with Apple now effectively managing itself over the entire world, that might not be a problem in the future.
John R Carter Sr
For your possible interest, here is a post from AMUG -- the Arizona Mac User Group here in the Valley of the Sun. In addition to discussing email clients there are links on the website that discuss a variety of other Mac-related topics. I stopped using Apple's Mail client many years ago, went to Gmail, and never looked back. On the AMUG Forum there are frequent postings of members having problems with Apple's Mail program. That's one reason I stay away from it, but many people do use and enjoy Apple's Mail Program.
Jim Hamm
The link below is from Randy Singer. Randy is an attorney and has for many years run a well respected online group for lawyers. In this email from him he talks about the email issues that some of you have had with Catalina. You are not alone. He has gathered information on a number of alternative email clients that you might want to explore....Alex (Secretary of AMUG)
"I just put up a new Web site. Apple's Mail under Catalina has a nasty bug that causes it to lose data. Some users have been looking for an alternative. I created a page listing all of the available Macintosh e-mail programs!"
Macintosh Email Software
http://www.macattorney.com/mail.html