Cool Product Alert! IK Multimedia

Have an old computer that’s just not working for you anymore? Don’t go crazy!

*From 4/7 – 4/21, you’ll get an extra $100 in trade-in credit on your old Mac or PC when you purchase a new Mac!* That’s right — you’ll receive at least $100 for your old computer, and in most cases, much more. Just bring your computer in, and we’ll get you a competitive trade-in value. See an associate for details!

Plus, if you buy any new Mac along with AppleCare (same invoice), we will transfer the data from your old Mac to your new one for *FREE*! There’s no need to stress, fret, or worry about how you’ll get all of your important documents and pictures to your brand new Mac.

??*Transfer promo requires a working Mac with OS X 10.5+.??

I checked back with our headquarters where the bureaucracy is a bit more responsive, and I guess Vermont is in the middle of mud season which my car thanks me that I will be missing. One of the things that came up at my meetings at Apple was our eWaste events, and we did get some recognition for being the trailblazer in “*eWaste collection*”:http://www.smalldog.com/green and events. I was very proud to talk about how we launched that initiative on our own and how eWaste recycling in Vermont is now free for all Vermonters.

Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,
_Don, Kali & Stephanie_

Apple recently posted the official dates for the Worldwide Developers Conference. And those dates are…dun-dun-dun: June 2-6 in San Francisco, CA! If you haven’t heard of Apple’s famous event, WWDC, you might consider tuning in this year as they normally announce some new products one of the days!

For the past six years, about a thousand Apple engineers and five thousand developers come together for the ultimate Apple nerd-fest! There are over 100 different “*sessions*”:https://developer.apple.com/wwdc/sessions/ to attend on Design, App Frameworks, Services, Location and Motion, Graphics and Games, Media, Core OS and Tools and Performance.

Apple is selling tickets a little differently this year; for the first time, instead of selling first-come, first-serve, they are using a lottery system. Over the years, tickets have sold faster and faster since there are new iOS developers popping up all the time. The old way resulted in some tragic service traffic. The new system means that developer will have four days to enter into a lottery for tickets. No more jumping online in hopes you get lucky before they sell out in 2 minutes (??no joke??).

Be sure to tune into Kibbles & Bytes in June when we have the full recap of the event!

For those of you out there storing files in iCloud, this is a handy tip to know. Apple’s iWork suite defaults to this option, and all three apps (Numbers, Keynote, and Pages) provide access to your iCloud storage within the apps themselves.

But, if you’ve ever wanted easier access to these without having to open each individual app, you can view what’s stored via the Finder.

* Go to the [User] > Library > Mobile Documents folder (to show your User Library, go to the Go menu in the Finder, and hold down the Option key to make it available to select)
* Type something in the search field in your Finder window (can be anything) Note: Make sure that Mobile Documents is selected in the Search bar, not “This Mac”)
* Next, click on the + icon, and choose “Kind is Document”
* Go back to the search field and erase what you typed; you should now see all of your own iCloud docs
* Click Save, and check “Add to Sidebar” to add this search to your Finder window sidebars

The Concerti for iPad Air is a stylish portfolio case that doubles as a swivel stand so you can view your tablet any way you like. The case features a splash-resistant exterior and a soft-touch microfiber lining for additional protection. *Enjoy free shipping on this case for the next week!*

This past week Amazon joined the club and released the “*Fire TV streaming media box.*”:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CX5P8FC/ref=amb_link_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&pf_rd_r=14B4RTCF3MYZG765886B&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1770741782&pf_rd_i=507846 With its release, it joined competitors such as “*Apple TV*”:http://www.apple.com/appletv/, “*Roku*”:http://www.roku.com and “*Chromecast.*”:https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/ Some people might think premium cable or satellite TV is on its way out, and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant are the cheaper way of the future.

Amazon’s Fire TV highlights:

* A massive selection of over 200,000 TV episodes and movies
* Works with Prime
* Offers a voice search feature so you can simply say what you’d like to watch
* Quad-core processor with 2GB of memory, 1080p HD video and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound
* Offers free and paid games

Amazon Fire TV matches the Apple TV in price at $99. The one standout feature of Amazon Fire is that you have the option to purchase a game controller ($40) so you can use it as a gaming system. It also contains voice search that works through a built-in mic on the remote.

If you aren’t familiar with Chromecast or Roku, these devices are also sticks (Roku offers non-stick versions as well) that plug into your TV and offer various streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Showtime Anytime, HBO Go and more. There aren’t any recurring fees with either, however you might need to pay a monthly subscription for certain content providers.

I love me some TV, but cable is expensive, especially in a place like Vermont where there aren’t a lot of options. With more devices entering the market, like the ones mentioned above, I’m wondering if major cable companies will change their ways at all by either lowering fees, or offering more bang for your buck.

Since there are now many options for streaming content to your TV, I’m thinking it’s Apple’s turn to beef up the Apple TV with features and capabilities that will blow everything else out of the water. Because that’s what Apple does.

Do you currently use one of these devices to watch TV? “*Tell me about it!*”:mailto:steph@smalldog.com