Free eWaste Recycling: May 21st

After the eWaste Event in Manchester tomorrow, Grace and I will continue south down to Boston where we will go to Fenway Park for a historic baseball game: my Chicago Cubs will play the Red Sox for the first time since 1918. How could I miss this game? Should be a great time at a great ball park!

Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,
_Don, Ben & Kali_

Some of the most common questions we hear when talking to customers about iPad concern wireless printing. Since Apple’s AirPrint technology debuted last year, many different apps have emerged for printing wirelessly from an iPad or iPhone. Some apps specifically print photos, while others will work with a variety of documents and files.

Some printer manufacturers–such as Canon–have even developed printer specific apps. “*Canon Easy-PhotoPrint,*”: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%2Fcanon-easy-photoprint%2Fid331269951%3Fmt%3D8%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 for instance, is a free picture printing app for Wi-Fi enabled Canon “*printers,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search/?find=canon+printer and is great for quickly printing pictures taken on an iOS device.

For non-Canon customers looking for a wireless printing solution for their Wi-Fi enabled printers, there is an App called *PrintCentral*–which also allows for printing via a 3G network! PrintCentral is a great App, and is compatible with several applications for iPad–not just Pages documents! You can set up printing for your email, calendar, contacts, web pages, images and more.

You can mount an iPad as a network volume on your Mac or PC, transfer information iPad to iPad via Bluetooth and file share with other computers. The App is straightforward to set up, and after some quick test prints you’re ready to print! Though an iPad still won’t replace your desktop or laptop computer entirely, with apps such as PrintCentral, it makes traveling light a whole lot easier.

PrintCentral “*for iPhone/iPod touch*”: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%2Fprintcentral-for-iphone-ipod%2Fid367455861%3Fmt%3D8%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 – *$7.99*
PrintCentral “*for iPad*”: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%2Fprintcentral-for-ipad%2Fid366020849%3Fmt%3D8%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 – *8.99*

Are you looking to set up a home or portable DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)? We can help. With all of the software options out there, it can be hard to figure out which one works best for you and your setup/workflow.

My personal preference is Avid’s “*Pro-Tools 9.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/78008/avid-protools-9/at_kb If you’re like me and have Pro-Tools running at home on a desktop but want to throw a mix on a laptop to take on the road, or to rehearsals, you can now easily do so.

In conjunction with “*iLok,*”:http://www.ilok.com/ the Pro-Tools team have created a system that makes working on your session easier than ever. Just plug in your iLok to any machine running Pro-Tools 9 and launch your session. No hardware interface plugged in? No problem. You can now mix straight from the headphone port. Your iLok authenticates your Pro Tools license so you can mix anywhere with any interface, or on the go with a laptop running Pro Tools 9. Now you have the freedom to work on your mix wherever and whenever. In addition to iLok, there are many other advantages to using Pro-Tools 9.

Automatic Delay Compensation is another internal improvement that really puts this software suite ahead on the rest. No matter what interface you’re using, Pro-Tools 9 automatically compensates for any and all delay in your monitor mix. In the past, latency in the monitor mix has been a nemesis for LE users–no longer is this the case. Now when you hit the record button, you’ll hear your mix loud and clear with no delay.

Although Pro-Tools 9 includes a range of excellent features, it is important to keep in mind that it is a powerful software suite, and its performance is entirely dependent on the machine running it. Here is a list of hardware guidelines that will help you put together the DAW that’s right for you:

*Portable DAW Recommended Minimum Requirements:*

* 13″ base level MacBook Pro with a 500GB 7200RPM internal HD upgrade and 4GB RAM. (8GB recommended)
* 500GB 7200RPM FireWire External HD for writing Pro-Tools files to. It is not recommended to write to your system drive–Pro Tools’ manual specifically indicates this.
* 9 to 6 Pin FireWire cable for connecting your Pro-Tools interfaces to drives and computers.

*Desktop DAW Recommended Minimum Requirements:*

If you’re setting up a home DAW, A Mac Pro is advisable. The additional drive bays, RAM bays, video cards and extra FireWire ports will make plugging in all of the different components a snap. Keep in mind the bigger your session gets, the more CPU power your going to need. That said, the recently updated iMacs are also fully capable of running Pro Tools 9 if you’re seeking a more affordable option.

* 21.5″ or 27″ Intel i3, i5, i7 iMac with 1TB 7200RPM internal HD and 4GB RAM. (8GB recommended)
* 1TB 7200RPM FireWire External HD for writing Pro-Tools files to. It is not recommended to write to your system drive–Pro Tools’ manual specifically indicates this.
* 9 to 6 Pin FireWire cable for connecting your Pro-Tools interfaces to drives and computers.

The Vermont Business and Industry EXPO 2011 commences next week in S. Burlington, VT! Find us on the floor at Booths #177-182 across from the Wheel of Fortune–you’ll get to meet representatives from some of our favorite companies. Plus, we’ll have prize giveaways, demos and more.

The Vermont Business and Industry EXPO is the region’s largest business-to-business trade show and is organized by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. This annual event hosts nearly 200 exhibitors, showcasing the latest in cutting edge products and services for the 3,000 business people who visit the two-day show.

EXPO also features a wide variety of special events and seminars, providing EXPO attendees with valuable networking and educational opportunities. Featured events include the Senator Leahy Business Breakfast, the annual Networking Luncheon presented by EWA Government Systems, Inc., a Building Blocks Seminar Series and the EXPO Networking Reception.

“To register, click here.”:https://www.vtexpo.com/reservations/attend/ (recommended to attend EXPO events)
“Download your free admission ticket here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/expo

__*Note that after 5 pm (today, May 20) registration will be $10; however, print out the free admission coupon and present it at the door to have the fee waived!__

_Dear Friends,_

It seems that one second it was mud season and there were no leaves on the trees and suddenly, I blinked my eyes and all the trees have full foliage, the apple tree outside my window is covered with blossoms and the Green Mountains are green again. It is still too muddy in my garden to plant anything, but the seedlings Grace has started are doing well and we can start moving them outside to harden them up.

We had a very successful eWaste Recycling Event in Montpelier last Saturday. The event was held at National Life, which sits up on a hill overlooking the state capital building with its golden dome. The road leading up to their building is probably a couple of miles long, and from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm the traffic was backed all the way down to Route 2. It was the first time we had done a collection event in Montpelier and I did not know how successful it would be, but the event was a smashing success.

Thanks to Apple, all of the ewaste recycling logistics were taken care of, so the Small Dog team handled traffic control and worked the long line of cars, handing out coupons for discounts at our stores, little plastic dogs and OS X keyboard shortcuts. It was great to talk with the customers and even though many had to wait for over an hour to reach the point where their ewaste was removed from the car, all were happy and thankful for the effort.

Tomorrow, we hold a similar event at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, NH and I’ll be there again with the Small Dog team to both demonstrate our commitment to the PLANET portion of our mission and also to talk to customers and enjoy the goodwill.

I took a short trip to New York on Tuesday, and on the way home I sat next to a gentleman on the plane who had a new iPad. We struck up a conversation after I asked him about his Smart Cover as a ploy to talk about our Hammerhead cases. It turns out that he is a good customer of ours who had recently converted his office from a PC setup to Mac-based with ten Macs and a Mac mini server. He was raving about our personnel and the savings he had achieved by moving to Mac. We decided he should do a testimonial for us someday! Talking about customer loyalty and his experiences was a great way to make short work of the flight.

Speaking of Hammerhead (the brand, not the dog), I am pleased to announce that we have been granted the ® registered trademark status for Hammerhead products!