Welcome, May

A few dozen people may be relieved to see a new posting here.

No. I did not die. Nor did I quit and walk away from Tech – for Everyone. I’m still here. And I apologize if I caused any concern by not posting anything for almost an entire week. I’ve never gone that long without posting anything before. In fact, for over 5 years now, I posted some item every single day of the week (with rare exceptions, and occasional re-postings). 2,012 articles, to be exact. (And to quote a certain Hippie band, “what a long, strange trip it’s been..“)

To explain the abscence.. in recent weeks, there have been many things that have given me food for thought, and that seem to underscore my sense that 2013 is going to be a big year for change for me. For example..

1) This past “Black Friday“, I bought a Kindle Fire (basically, an Android tablet). And in all this while I haven’t cared to write a single word about it. Here’s why:

• Like an iPad, it’s basically a toy you buy when you already have every other toy (there’s, like, 20 ‘apps’ for productivity, and the other 200,000 apps are children’s time-waster games).
• I use it essentially as a mini flat-panel TV for watching Netflix, and checking my email and Calendar. If I need to respond to any of those emails with more than two sentences, I go to a device with a keyboard to do so, because composing (typing) on a tablet is a royal PITA.
• If it had a front-facing camera, I might use it for Skyping.. maybe. But I totally agree with this opinion: BlackBerry chief: ‘Tablets dead in 5 years
  

  ‘Thorsten Heins, CEO of BlackBerry, says tablets won’t have much of a purpose in five years. Heins’ comments were widely panned, but maybe he’s not that far off base.” Read more..

  But on the bright side, I’m letting Amazon learn my every online behavior, and personal preference, so they can better compete with Google…

2) I built an iMac and tried using it as my “main computer” for a while. And I did write a little bit about that… But never came back to it because, sheese!, those machines are B-O-R-I-N-G! And I wound up using it much like I do the tablet… although, typing a lengthy email reply is much easier on the iMac.

Simple. Basic. Just works. Pricey.

3) I’ve learned to like Windows 8. But I haven’t written about that either.

Let me explain: Microsoft’s latest operating system has given me lots of work (I’m a tech) as I receive calls asking me to “Get this [expletive deleted] off of here!” almost every day. Though many are taking their new computers back to the store. (Hey, I’m just telling you what I see and hear on the streets. I am not looking at any sales charts.)

4) We’re entering a new era of personal computing — and I don’t like a single thing about it. For example, the computer in your eyeglasses is now here, and I heard Matt Lauer tried on a pair on Good Morning America yesterday. ZD Net’s Great Debate series, at least, had the brains to ask the question: Will Google Glass face adoption challenges due to privacy concerns?

Privacy.

Right. Can you say “Facebook”?

And I’ve been mentioning other areas of concern, such as things like the new phones stealing your credit card info in less than a second, just by getting in close proximity …

… yesterday, someone suggested I should go see the movie Disconnect.. but I feel like I already have.

5) It has been 85-90 degrees in the shade here this past week, and today is supposed to be even warmer. In a word, it feels like summer and it’s gorgeous!!! I just haven’t had the will to come indoors and type up a daily blog article. And so, Folks, I don’t think I will be posting on a daily basis any more. I may, or may not, post when/if I feel like it, or see some particularly interesting or important news item.
The end of an era. (I’m calling it “Semi-Retirement”.)

A reward for reading this far: An alert reader in Italy sent me this very short video clip of a very exciting auction event, where a rare Ming vase sold for a million Euros. (I didn’t think I’d be interested, either.)

I have also been very active upgrading machines, and I’ve found great deals on RAM, SSD’s (and hybrids) etc. on NewEgg’s Daily Deal pages and on Buy.com’s (now “Rakuten”) Featured Deals (for example, I found and bought a D-link N300 wireless router and dongle for $19 [300 Mbps wireless.. yes, there’s faster now, but ] and free shipping. $20!!! For both!
Are you still on Wireless G? You shouldn’t be… not at those kinda prices.

I’ve also been doing a fair amount of data recovery. A tedious and time-consuming activity (and thus, costly) which I wouldn’t have to do if the client had only had a backup of their files. If you click the links above I’m sure you can find a huge external hard drive for less than $100 (remember that flood in Asia that was supposedly going to make HHD’s an extremely rare animal, and drive up the price? Well, guess again) and some come with “One touch backup” software included. There’s no reason not to have one these days….

But, for now, I’m going outside and enjoy this lovely day. LLAP.

Today’s quote: “One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.” ~ Bertrand Russell

OMG..

I got 74 more like this in the past day… Yippee yahoo.

Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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Working with Apples, Part 2

Software

Before we begin, here is a link to Part 1, if you missed it: Working with Apples, Part 1

Okay, so I got the iMac, and swapped out the keyboard and mouse for a set I was much more comfortable with, and it was time to start using it as my “main computer”. Which means, installing programs to actually get stuff done.

The iMac comes with iTunes, for managing music and videos; and iPhoto which gives me basic image editing. It has Safari for surfing the Web. Also Apple Mail, for managing my email; iChat for IM-ing/video conferencing (limited to other iChat users); a quite basic text editor; DVDMaker; and Garage Band.
Which is not a bad set of utilities for an operating system to come with.. but IMHO, the best is Time Machine (I’d sure like to see a Windows version of that!)(Well, Genie Timeline is very close..)

When I was in the gizmo and gadget Superstore looking at keyboards, I also went over to the software aisles — there were three.
One was dedicated to PC games (making it one of my preferred aisles.. ahem).
And a four foot long section, of four shelves, constituted the “Mac Software” section.

A pitifully small selection.. especially when you’re standing in the aisles.

This pie chart might be too generous.. to the Mac.

There were two antivirus titles; about three dozen game titles (of those, 12 were “real games”, and not Solitaire); Microsoft Office for Mac; a couple of PDF-related titles, Quicken, iLife and iWork, and the rest were too uninteresting for me to mentally note.
I guess you could call it a “bright spot” — they did have one Call of Duty title…

So, I didn’t buy any (software) programs for the iMac.

• For Internet Safety, I downloaded Avast! for Mac (free)
• For Productivity, I downloaded Open Office for Mac, which allows me to handle my Microsoft Office documents and spreadsheets. (free)
  [Some people prefer Libre Office, also free]
• For notes/reminders/to do’s, I downloaded Evernote (free)
• For real chat/video I downloaded Skype (free)
• For HTML and blogging, I downloaded Komposer (free)
• For Remote Desktop, I downloaded TeamViewer (free)

I will be browsing CNet’s Download.com Apple software section for more titles when time allows. I didn’t see anything too interesting in the Apple Store..

With those titles, and a few more, I have an actually productive machine.
But I’m kind of out of luck in the gaming department,, though, there’s plenty of Time-waster type games,

Please feel free to suggest other titles you’d like to recommend to me, as a Comment (below)

Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Working with Apples, Part 1

Last week I mentioned that I had built an iMac, and would be trying to use it as my “main machine”. And I said that I would describe my “learning curve”, and other “impressions. (For example, I mentioned that I didn’t like the keyboard one itsy-bitsy little bit.)

I have been using Windows PC’s since there was such a thing; and more recently, using Android phones and tablets. I haven’t used Apple products since roughly 1988, when I dumped sold my Macintosh (512K).

First thing you notice about Apple products, I think, is — they are pretty.
Um.. “elegantly designed”, I think people prefer. And some have been evolution-ary.
But are they as “simple to use” – particularly for a Windows guy – as people say?

Generally speaking, here, I found my first week with the Mac to have a very shallow learning curve. Mainly, I had to “get used to” looking up when on Windows I’d look down, or visa versa. And learn where Menu items are placed.

And I had to “get used to” sticker shock. Jeeze does Apple gouge.

As I said above, I really hated the bluetooth (wireless) keyboard, and didn’t really care for the Apple mouse, either (years of right-clicking a 3-button mouse) so I went looking for replacements.

To lay the ‘baseline’ for what I’m talking about, the keyboard and the (gesture enabled) “magic mouse” shown in the picture retail for $70, each.
Yes. Each. $140. Plus tax.

My sticker shock at seeing that resulted in a spontaneous, embarrassing, LOL, that turned heads in the store.

Now, I know, some people will not think twice about paying $70 for a mouse, but I bought a very nice, non-Apple, wireless “multimedia” keyboard and laser (aka “optical”) mouse “desktop set” for less than $25. Including tax.
Or I could have bought a bluetooth keyboard for $20 (and up) and a bluetooth optical mouse for $12 (and up), but I really didn’t need to save the USB port, and wanted my “wireless desktop” set to be able to function with any machine, not just the bluetooth enabled. If I didn’t care about the cords, I could have saved even more. (A USB optical 3-button mouse can be had for $5)
No. The cheapies I selected are not as “elegantly designed” as the Apple devices. But the near-600% markup I didn’t pay will help me get over that.

And to be fair, not everything Apple is marked up that much (300% seems the average). And at least in one area, I was very pleasantly impressed with Apple’s pricing. I built my unit from wrecks and parts, and the OS I had was OS X 10.5 “Leopard” (rather outdated). I ordered a OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard” disc from the Apple store, after calling for some information. They shipped me the order for $20. And the person I spoke to spoke real English and was very helpful in answering my questions. (a full-install [not “upgrade” edition] disc of Windows 7 retails for $199.)
Yes, that’s right, OS upgrades are $20 each.

Another area where I think Apple really shines is when you are covered by “Apple Care” (or “warranty”), and need tech support. In my experiences with them, they are almost as knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and easy to understand as I am. I consider Apple’s Customer Support to be the Industry’s “gold standard”, and the other manufacturers could really do well by following their example.

However, if you are not still covered by Apple Care, prepare to be gouged, (Or, call me.) and D-I-Y’ers can expect outrageous parts prices. So if you own an Apple product, you probably want to purchase ‘extended’ Apple Care for as long as you can.

Sorry, out of time for today. Have a great Monday everyone.

Oh, yes. One more thing. On my iMac, the label on the disc faces you (when you put a CD [or DVD] in the slot).

Today’s quote: “Whenever science makes a discovery, the devil grabs it while the angels are debating the best way to use it.” ~ Alan Valentine

Silly Poll #3 (cont..) Does “clumping” cat litter save money in the long run?

Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Mac Printer Problem

The other day I received a phone call (at Aplus Computer Aid) from a man whose printer had suddenly stopped working. All the lights were on. The cable was plugged in. He hadn’t moved the printer or computer, changed any settings, or installed/uninstalled any software.
So he was puzzled.

So I had him try the usual Printer Troubleshooting Steps
* Was the printer getting power (plugged in)? Yes.
* Turn the printer off, and then turn it again. Resolved? No.
* Is the USB cable plugged in securely? Yes.
* Delete old print jobs. Resolved? No.
* Is the printer showing in System Profiler? No.
* Restart the computer. Resolved? No.

Hmmm… Now I was puzzled.
The fact that the printer wasn’t showing up at all in the Profiler meant that it was almost certainly not a software (driver) issue.. And all the lights on meant it (probably) wasn’t a power issue. So I kept coming back to the USB cable, and he kept telling me it was plugged in just fine, and that he hadn’t touched it.
So I told him to “humor me” and plug it in to a different USB port.

This resolved his problem.
It turns out that he had made a change recently. He had replaced his keyboard with a new wireless mouse and keyboard set.
Keyboard? What’s that got to do with a printer???

His printer’s USB cable had been firmly and securely plugged in — to the old keyboard. The one that he had unplugged to make room for the new wireless one. Apple likes to put convenient USB ports on their keyboards, and..
Normally, I run into this “it IS plugged in” with powerstrips. Is the powerstrip plugged in?

Today’s free link: Apple’s Support page for troubleshooting printer issues provides the step-by-step methods for resolving most printing errors. Those with driver issues (software) should look here.

Today’s free download: In sticking with my Mac theme today.. http://www.opensourcemac.org/ is a website dedicated to listing the best in free (Open Source) programs for your Mac. All kinds of categories, so whether you’re looking for an anonymizer or image editor, you’ll find something here.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Will Old Programs Run On Leopard?– Reader Questions*

Today I am going to answer a few questions submitted by readers, in the Q’s and their A’s format.

Q: Will the programs I have on my old Mac run on a new “Leopard” system?
A: There are enough differences in the new OS X 10.5 that some programs may need to be replaced with the latest versions that are “Leopard-compatible” (Norton AV often needs this, for example) to run at their best. The keyword is “may”: most programs will work just fine once you visit Apple Update.
Please note— if you intend to migrate your programs and data from an old machine to the new Leopard machine, make sure you have updated all the software (programs) on the old machine before initiating the migration. Leopard will/can refuse to accept programs that aren’t current.

Q: I am thinking about buying a new iMac and I was told Apple runs on Intel circuits now. Does this mean I would be vulnerable to viruses, worms and spyware like Windows? What security programs would I need?
A: While it is true that Apple runs on the same type of “circuits” as Windows PC’s now, it is not your hardware that is vulnerable to malware and hackers, but the lines of software “code” (programming) that make up your applications/programs.
Now to the second part of your question… The lines of code that make up the Mac operating system (the most recent being OSX 10.5 “Leopard”) are not currently being targeted by the bad guys.. simply because there’s too few machines running it (and the ones that are do not contain credit card number databases). However, some of the programs you would have on your Mac are being targeted for exploits– QuickTime (a media format/player) and the Safari browser, notably. (Neither of which you need, btw.)
And now the last part: as things stand, today, if you are running a fully updated Leopard machine, and the firewall is on, you really don’t need a “protection program”. That statement may not be true this afternoon, or next week, or next month (for future readers, this was written 09/16/08 ) and so you may, for peace of mind, want to install the Norton Internet Security 2008 package*.

Today’s free download: I’m keeping with a Macintosh theme today, and so today’s app is for Apple users. I don’t want it said that I never think of you guys! Watch TV on your iMac with Miro, a C/Net Editor’s Choice. Description: “Democracy Player is a free and open source internet TV/video podcast application, with a beautiful, easy to use interface. You can subscribe to any Internet TV channel, including video podcasts, video RSS feeds, bittorrent feeds, and video blogs. A built-in Channel Guide lists hundreds of channels of all types, all free to subscribe to. Browse videos, download, and watch fullscreen– all in the same application.”

* Folks, please don’t write to tell me “Norton is evil”. Read the reviews for NIS 2008. It may open your eyes.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Mailbag: reader questions answered, Apple Edition

Today I am going to answer a few questions submitted by readers, in the Q’s and their A’s format.

Q: Will the programs I have on my old Mac run on a new “Leopard” system?
A: There are enough differences in the new OS X 10.5 that some programs may need to be replaced with the latest versions that are “Leopard-compatible” (Norton AV often needs this, for example) to run at their best. The keyword is “may”: most programs will work just fine once you visit Apple Update.
Please note— if you intend to migrate your programs and data from an old machine to the new Leopard machine, make sure you have updated all the software (programs) on the old machine before initiating the migration. Leopard will/can refuse to accept programs that aren’t current.

Q: I am thinking about buying a new iMac and I was told Apple runs on Intel circuits now. Does this mean I would be vulnerable to viruses, worms and spyware like Windows? What security programs would I need?
A: While it is true that Apple runs on the same type of “circuits” as Windows PC’s now, it is not your hardware that is vulnerable to malware and hackers, but the lines of software “code” (programming) that make up your applications/programs.
Now to the second part of your question… The lines of code that make up the Mac operating system (the most recent being OSX 10.5 “Leopard”) are not currently being targeted by the bad guys.. simply because there’s too few machines running it (and the ones that are do not contain credit card number databases). However, some of the programs you would have on your Mac are being targeted for exploits– QuickTime (a media format/player) and the Safari browser, notably. (Neither of which you need, btw.)
And now the last part: as things stand, today, if you are running a fully updated Leopard machine, and the firewall is on, you really don’t need a “protection program”. That statement may not be true this afternoon, or next week, or next month (for future readers, this was written 05/19/08 ) and so you may, for peace of mind, want to install the Norton Internet Security 2008 package*.

Today’s free link: I’m keeping with a Macintosh theme today, and so today’s app is for Apple users. I don’t want it said that I never think of you guys! Watch TV on your iMac with Miro, a C/Net Editor’s Choice. Description: “Democracy Player is a free and open source internet TV/video podcast application, with a beautiful, easy to use interface. You can subscribe to any Internet TV channel, including video podcasts, video RSS feeds, bittorrent feeds, and video blogs. A built-in Channel Guide lists hundreds of channels of all types, all free to subscribe to. Browse videos, download, and watch fullscreen– all in the same application.”

* Folks, please don’t write to tell me “Norton is evil”. Read the reviews for NIS 2008. It may open your eyes.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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