Tech, Talk, and Tasty Treats

Not everybody has (or wants) an iPhone 5. Get free shipping on iPhone 4 and 4S cases when you use the code *4SFREE!* Over 50 kinds of cases to choose from!

“*Find your perfect iPhone 4 or 4S case here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/iPhone_Accessories/Cases_/iPhone_4_and_4S

__Note that the image pictured may not be in stock and available for purchase.__

On Wednesday, Apple released iOS 6 to the public, as expected. It includes over 200 updates and new features, and has been generally received favorably, with a few exceptions.

Reports of the new native Maps app have gone from the sublime to the well, ranting and raving. In my limited use thus far, it behaves exactly as it should (and even gave me a safety warning beforehand of the dangers of driving while mapping). Of course, it’s barely been two days, and my travel has largely revolved around the Interstate, which can be easily found on the map.

My guess is that it will keep improving (it must!), but I can understand that users are lamenting the loss of the perfectly-functional Maps app of the past.

Passbook has also been met with scrutiny, but its accessibility and usability will also very largely on where in the world you are. I’ll touch more on this next week as I use it more myself and more users weigh in. Perhaps Apple will respond in some way as well.

If you haven’t already upgraded to iOS 6 and you’d like to, *please make a backup of your data beforehand.* A few users have reported errors in installation (though some could have been due to the sheer number of updates happening on Wednesday) that required a full restore of the phone.

There’s a lot to love about this update, though. Already, my mail is much more useful. Do Not Disturb settings are ready and waiting for me to use them when I need to be undisturbed. Subtle color differences are a fresh change. Overall, my iPhone 4 seems faster and more responsive. (My iPhone 5 is on order — I’m waiting until our preorders are filled and we have ample stock!)

The native YouTube app is gone, though you can download the official YouTube app (free) in the iTunes Store, and it’s great. “*Get it here.*”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/youtube/id544007664?mt=8%26uo%3D6%26partnerId%3D30 (My son will be relieved that Old MacDonald’s Farm full of animals is still accessible to sing along to easily enough.)

iOS 6 is available for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch models (“*see details and full compatibility list here*”:http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/). New iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5G) ship with iOS 6 installed.

Here’s how you get the free update:

* Connect your device to iTunes
* Select “Check for Update”

Or, wirelessly connect:

* Go to *Settings > General > Software*
* Check for over-the-air updates

Now is the time to replace your older MacBook and MacBook Pro batteries with original Apple-branded batteries. We’ll give you $5 off and ship it for free!

Find your computer’s battery from the list below:

Small Dog Electronics has been providing alternatives to purchasing the latest-and-greatest, most expensive Macs since we started back in the late 1990s. We did this by working with Apple to move their refurbished and end-of-life computers. Don, Hapy and Art would travel the US and buy huge lots of computers which we would then ship back to Vermont and post on our text-based website.

Once the computers arrived, Don and I write to our customer base and expound on the strengths of these “off the bleeding edge” computers. Purchasing a computer that is __not__ the “latest and greatest” does two things right off the bat:

# Decreases the amount of money that you have to outlay to get a good computer.
# Reduces the amount that you lose when this good computer becomes really old.

So the first question is: Why buy a factory refurb? This answer is easy. The only reason you might not want to purchase a factory refurb is that you may need to upgrade the OS. The warranty is the same and the computers are eligible for AppleCare. So by all means, consider a factory refurbished computer.

So why a 17-inch MacBook Pro? Don’t forget, only a few months ago, this was the ultra performance MBP. Until the MacBook Pro with Retina Display, this was also the highest resolution display that you could get on a laptop — meaning, that if you had the desire and need to have a large display on a computer you could put into a bag, this would be your choice.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro is ideal for the person who needs a fairly large screen for design or large spreadsheets and who still needs to travel. It is the perfect choice for someone who can’t be desk-bound. Think of it as an easy way to carry a 21-inch iMac!

The biggest reason to purchase one of these computers is the money that you save right out of the gate — comparing the lowest end of 17-inch vs. 15-inch Retina, you’ll save $850. That will leave you enough to purchase an iPhone 5, the new iPad and a new iPod nano.

I’ve put the 17-inch MBP on special below with FREE shipping!

_Happy iPhone 5 Launch!_

Greetings, Kibbles readers — it’s Kali, writing for Don this week. He is — you guessed it — away this week, and when he returns next week, we hope to get full feedback on how his meetings in Cupertino went.

Every year, Don touches base with the higher-ups at Apple, and gives them an update detailing what’s been happening at Small Dog Electronics. In past years, he’s done so by presenting a keynote (in Keynote), but this year, we decided to go big. Along with our friends at “*Egan Media Productions,*”:http://www.eganmedia.com we created a video that illustrates what drives us at Small Dog, where we are, and where we plan to go (literally and figuratively).

“*Watch it here.*”:http://youtu.be/U4uHXKdsfW8

Today is also iPhone 5 release day, and the excitement is in the air! We have our demos ready to show off in each store, and limited stock (with more on their way). We’re filling our preorders first, and we hope to see many more here shortly. We’ll keep you posted.

I got my hands on one, and boy, is it light. It’s astonishing how light. I guarantee that it will be the first thing you notice when you pick one up. I loved holding it to my ear, as if I were taking a call (much to Hapy’s amusement) — the change in length is noticeable as well, and not in a bad way. The microphone is closer to your mouth, and feels much more natural. It reminds me of my old touchtone standard phone when I was a kid, except without the spiral cord and at a fraction of the weight.

“*Find a store*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail and come see for yourself!

Have you seen the latest Samsung commercial? I admit, it’s pretty funny. For all of our clamoring and proclamating about the “latest and greatest” Apple products, we nerds, fangirls and fanboys are nothing without a healthy sense of humor about ourselves.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Apple’s new releases and your experiences with them. Email me at “*kali@smalldog.com*”:mailto:kali@smalldog.com to share your feedback!

Thanks for reading.

Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
_Kali & Dawn_