MAC TREAT #143: View Mail Activity

ByMike Moffit

This past week Kali and I had to swap a number of emails with very large attachments—up to 19MB. That’s at the upper limit of what our mail server can handle. If the attachments were much larger, we’d use our public iDisk folder, included with MobileMe, or Dropbox to exchange the files. However, time was of the essence and email was the easiest way to exchange and keep track of the files we were working on.

These emails often took 45 seconds and longer to send. It was frustrating not knowing how much longer they’d be sitting in the Outbox. Luckily, Kali reminded me that OS X Mail has an Activity Window that shows the status of incoming and outgoing emails. Instead of simply wondering how much longer it would take to send email, I could now see how far along outgoing email was as a percentage.

To open this Activity window in Mail, simply hold down the Command and 0 (zero) keys at the same time. (Mail has to be open and active for this to work.) You can also navigate to the the menu bar in Mail and select Activity.

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  • Mac App Store Now Open

    As of yesterday, the Mac App Store has officially opened its “doors” for business. Launching with over 1,000 apps in a wide range of categories, the new store is available as part of the Mac OS X v10.6.6 software update.

    The lone new feature of the update–beyond typical bug fixes and stability enhancements–is that the Mac App Store is a revolutionary new way to purchase, install, and manage applications. Apple bills the service as follows in an official support document accompanying the release:

    * Discover Mac apps: Browse featured apps, top charts, and categories, or search for something specific. Read detailed app descriptions and user reviews, and flip through screen shots.

    * Buy and install: Easily purchase apps with your iTunes account.  Apps install in one step and are quickly available from the Dock.

    * App updates: The Mac App Store keeps track of all your purchased apps and notifies you when free updates are available.

    While the new store features applications from a wide range of developers, Apple’s own software garners much of the spotlight. For the first time in recent memory (or ever), Apple has broken up its popular iLife and iWork suites for the Mac (they started doing this for mobile devices a while back). Now, as opposed to purchasing the entirety of the suites on DVD, users can selectively purchase individual apps for a fraction of the price.

    Individual iLife apps are available for only $14.99 apiece, and iWork apps are just $19.99. Additionally, Apple has released Aperture 3 and Apple Remote Desktop at significant discounts. The latter–which has traditionally sold for up to $499.99–is only $79.99. Likewise, Aperture 3 has been reduced from $199.99 to a $79.99 (!) price point. There is no word whether these new prices are being offered on a temporary promotional or permanent basis. Using the iOS App Store as a model, it is not uncommon for the prices of apps to fluctuate on a regular basis.

    In addition to business and productivity software, games appear to be an early staple of the store. Wildly successful iOS apps such as “Angry Birds”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fangry-birds%2Fid403961173%3Fmt%3D12%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 and “Flight Control”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fflight-control-hd%2Fid406458719%3Fmt%3D12%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 make their desktop debut as part of the initial wave of games. Unsurprisingly, much like its iOS counterpart, Angry Birds has already assumed its position at the top of the charts. At this time, pricing for games and other 3rd party apps seems to be more inline with iPad exclusive titles than those meant specifically for iPhone/iPod touch.

    Though we’ve only had a short time to play around in the store, initial impressions are good. Apps seamlessly install on the dock, and automatically move themselves into the Applications folder. Though no updates have been issued yet, the process is supposedly as straightforward as updating iOS apps through iTunes.

    One of the best features we’ve discovered so far, is that much like iOS apps, Mac apps can be installed across a number of computers. In other words, apps are essentially license free unless otherwise specified. However, in order to install an app on a secondary machine, you must first log into the Mac App Store on it. By visiting the Purchases section of the store, you can view your purchase history, and install whichever apps you’d like.

    The Mac App Store requires Mac OS X v10.6.6 Snow Leopard. This is a free software update, and can be obtained by running Software Update from the Menu Bar, or downloaded directly “*here*”:http://bit.ly/e0lDz6 (client version update from v10.6.5). If you have an Intel-based Mac running an older version of Mac OS X, you can purchase Snow Leopard (yes it’s still on a DVD) “*here.*”:http://bit.ly/evSdRg

  • 2011 Predictions

    __Editor’s note: Due to an error on my part, a photo was omitted from Don’s 2010 Predictions Recap last week… to view the issue with image included, check it out in the Kibbles & Bytes Archives here! Don’t say I didn’t warn you… -KH__

    Yes, it is that time of the year where tradition demands that I look into the old Mac Cube case and make my predictions for the new year.

    *SPORTS*

    * MLB Baseball: YES, this is the year. Ron Santo, the most famous Cub’s third baseman, who passed away in 2010 would say that every year–well, actually he would shout it! So, once again, I predict that the Chicago Cubs will win the world series.

    * NBA Basketball: Celtics in seven in 2011

    * NHL Hockey: yawn…

    * NFL Football: Bears vs. Patriots in the Super Bowl. Bears win 30-21.

    *WEATHER*

    * Another mild winter in Vermont. February will be the snowiest month. Early spring once again with early April motorcycling. Summer in Vermont will be perfect once again.

    *POLITICS*

    * There will be 11 Republicans with their hats in the ring for the Presidential nomination by year’s end.

    * Gridlock will be the name of the game in Washington with fewer pieces of legislation passing than in 2010.

    * Barack Obama’s approval rating will improve by 10 points to be over 55% by the end of the year.

    * Vermont will pass the first in the nation Single Payer health care reform bill.

    * US will be out of Iraq and begin to withdraw from Afghanistan.

    *ECONOMY*

    * Republicans will force a government shutdown which will cause a 500 point drop in the Dow.

    * The overall economy will improve with unemployment dipping below 9%.

    * Premium gasoline will reach $5/gallon at one point during the year.

    *APPLE*

    * Apple stock will hit $400/share and a 5 to 1 stock split will occur.

    * Apple will introduce a subscription-based media service streaming content from their gigantic server farm in N. Carolina.

    * Apple will re-enter the server market by acquisition.

    * Apple will spend more than $25 Billion of their $63 Billion cash reserve on acquisitions.

    * Apple will sell more than 17 million iPads.

    * Apple’s Mac App store will do $1 Billion in sales in the first year.

    *SMALL DOG ELECTRONICS*

    * Small Dog Electronics will open its 4th store

    * Small Dog will have over 67 employees

    * Small Dog will be featured in at least one national publication

    *MISC.*

    * There will be scientifically confirmed evidence of extra-terrestrial life

    * The mysterious bird and fish deaths of early 2011 will have an explanation that does not involve fireworks or natural phenomena.

    “Image source”:http://www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com/

  • One Grant Grants 3GS*

    In a “*press release*”:http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=18889&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=31481 yesterday, AT&T announced plans to reduce the subsidized price of the “*8GB iPhone 3GS*”:http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/ from $99 to $49. The offer, which goes into effect today, extends to both new and existing AT&T customers who are eligible for upgrade. Though this may mark the lowest commercially available iPhone price, it does require a new 2-year agreement with the mighty “Ma Bell.”:http://www.privateline.com/archive/MaBell314-0307babin.gif

    While the iPhone 4 arguably offers a more enticing feature set, the 3GS makes a great first iPhone, or is an excellent choice for those who don’t need cutting edge tech and are seeking a good deal. Though the model may lack a few of the enhanced components found on the iPhone 4, it is fully capable of running iOS 4 and is an incredibly versatile smartphone. We’re an authorized AT&T retailer, so stop into either of our VT “*retail stores*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail to learn more about the iPhone.

    *Sorry for the terrible title pun. The Grant in question is Ulysses S. “Mr. Fifty” himself! Fellow Small Dogger Mike D. was the first to call me out on it. He writes:

    __”I am tempted to Polk fun at your title, but I will refrain. It is great that the iPhone is more a-Ford-able. This price is Taylor made for those on a budget. It should help Small Dog Fillmore orders for these.”__

  • Some things that happen in Las Vegas don’t stay there and I will try to recap our experiences next week. We are there to both buy and sell and have a strong crew out for this show. Meanwhile, the teams in Vermont and New Hampshire will continue to push the window on providing the very best in customer satisfaction.

    Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Ed and Ben_

  • Pandora Plays Nice With Apple TV

    Perhaps the best aspect of the second generation Apple TV is its ability to instantly stream Netflix content. This feature was highly requested leading up to the device’s release last year, and while its inclusion temporarily placated the demand for greater 3rd party support, users still yearn for a greater selection of apps.

    As the Apple TV handles music just as well as it handles video, It is no surprise that Pandora support tops the wish lists of many. Though Apple has not made mention whether they plan to ever enable this functionality, there is an easy work around if you own a device running iOS 4.

    Kibbles & Bytes reader Patrick H. clued us into a simple tip that, for all intents and purposes, enables Pandora support on Apple TV. Like many other apps post iOS 4.2 update, Pandora for iPhone/iPod/iPad supports “*AirPlay.*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/airplay-review/ Simply launch Pandora on your respective device, tap the AirPlay icon, and you should see the Apple TV in the source list. Tap play, and within a few seconds, music should begin playing over the speakers your Apple TV is paired with.

    Though this method will not display a Pandora styled GUI on the Apple TV, it is an effective way to use the service–especially if the Apple TV forms the hub of your entertainment center. As Patrick points out, if you have fast fingers, enabling Pandora via an iOS device might even be quicker than trying to navigate it with an Apple Remote. While this solution is contingent on owning both an Apple TV and a device running iOS 4, it is still a great way to expand the Apple TV’s capabilities.

    To download the Pandora App click “*here.*”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fpandora-radio%2Fid284035177%3Fmt%3D8%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30

    Click “*here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76960/apple-tv-2010/at_kb to learn more about the Apple TV.