Author: Mike Moffit

Director of IT

  • Consumer Electronics Show 2014

    Next week is the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Don, Hapy and Jason will attend to check out what’s coming up electronics-wise for the new year. CES features more than 3,200 exhibitors with as many as 20,000 new products launching during the show.

    Marissa Mayer was announced as the keynote speaker for the show. For those who don’t know her, she’s the CEO of Yahoo and one powerful lady. Microsoft is said to return to the show after taking a year off and is planning on having a large presence at the show. Should be interesting to see what they have in store.

    The theme of the show this year seems to be TVs, cameras and fancy cars. Here are a few highlights of the show that one might find intriguing:

    * Toyota is using CES to showcase their latest concept for a “*Fuel Cell Vehicle*”:http://ces.cnet.com/8301-35289_1-57616506/toyota-makes-fuel-cell-vehicle-star-of-ces-2014/ that will combine pure hydrogen with air to create water.

    * LG will have a “*77-inch curved OLED*”:http://ces.cnet.com/8301-35303_1-57616443/lg-oled-tvs-come-to-ces-in-multiple-sizes-curvatures-and-resolutions/ (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV on display. These curved OLED TVs usually have a price tag of around $8,000 but are the next generation of television viewing!

    * Samsung has a “*few cameras*”:http://ces.cnet.com/2300-35292_1-10019230.html they will be showing off at CES. Using mobile-broadband-connected and running Android 4.3 Jellybean, Samsung seems to really be pushing these cameras.

    I’m sure when Don gets back, he’ll have a few things to comment on as far as what his favorites were, etc. Sounds like it should be a great show!

  • New Year, New You

    …OK, so that’s a little hokey. I’m of the belief that a few resolutions are a good thing, but that they shouldn’t be so grand that they’re wildly out-of-reach. For me, details always help, but the more detailed they are, the fewer I should commit to. Example: __I will make the time to hike Camel’s Hump this year.__ It’s not too realistic with my schedule to also plan to do Mt. Mansfield, Mt. Abe, and Mt. Elmore since there are only about 12 days of summer in Vermont anyway, am I right?

    Anyway, I also believe that technology can aid in one’s resolve to be better in the new year. (Case in point: I was surprised to find out that my mom had a FitBit Wristband; she still uses a flip phone that’s about 10 years old and has no desire to upgrade. However, when the time comes, I think she’d love the integration with the app…just sayin’.) I’ve compiled a list of five apps that just might help you get things started right in 2014.

    “*LiveStrong MyQuit Coach – Dare to Quit Smoking*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/livestrong-myquit-coach-dare/id383122255?mt=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kibbles&utm_campaign=New-Years – Free ($.99 ad-free)
    If you’re still a smoker, this should be goal #1. I can’t say I’ve tried this myself, but it gets high ratings from users, and I’ve polled some ex-smokers about the interface and what their biggest obstacles were to quitting. MyQuit Coach is physician approved, and it helps you set attainable goals to finally quit the habit.

    “*Smoke Free*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smoke-free-stop-smoking-now./id577767592?mt=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kibbles&utm_campaign=New-Years – Free (It’s worth including a second one since it’s such a good resolution!)
    Smoke Free’s interface is also very clean, and its approach includes a monetary angle — it’s pretty sobering to see how much you’ve been spending on cigarettes, and gives you “total $ saved” data along with positive statistics to help you stay on track.

    “*Lose It!*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lose-it!-weight-loss-program/id297368629?mt=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kibbles&utm_campaign=New-Years – Free ($39.99/yr for premium features)
    There are a lot of calorie counting and weight-loss apps out there, and I’m partial to Lose It. I’ve always liked the interface, and I find it easy to navigate and add custom foods and meals. It’s a great way to really see just how good/dysfunctional your daily habits might be when it comes to food and exercise. I’ve had this app for several years, and I’m planning to accelerate my goals in 2014 to get back to a pre-baby, pre-mid-thirties weight.

    “*Simply Being*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/simply-being-guided-meditation/id347418999?mt=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kibbles&utm_campaign=New-Years – $.99
    Maybe it’s the Vermont getting to me, but I’ve found that it’s nice to slow down a bit to keep relaxed and centered. The biggest challenge for me is to turn my brain off, and get away from distraction, including feeling tethered to my phone. Ironically, I’m turning to Simply Being to do that. You can choose from four meditation times, and has the option to listen to guided meditation with or without music or nature sounds. Bonus: It’s been recommended by The New York Times, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal and others. Mmmmm…I’m relaxed already.

    “*iHome+Sleep*”:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ihome+sleep-alarm-clock-app/id346249053?mt=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kibbles&utm_campaign=New-Years – Free
    Keeping with the relaxation theme, iHome+Sleep is a great app to track your sleep habits and ultimately, reap the health benefits of a good night’s sleep. It’s a fully-featured alarm with multiple settings and options. I’m not a morning person…at all…and I’m a firm believer that waking gently keeps you better prepared for the day. iHome+Sleep also allows you to log your sleep times, giving you a better sense of how much time you actually spend in quality slumber.

    Try ’em out. You can’t lose (except maybe a few pounds).

  • MAC TREAT #222: Open Unidentified Apps

    A couple of weeks ago, I was troubleshooting an app that wouldn’t open on my Mac, and I tried to download a version of it from the developer’s website to replace it. I downloaded it with no problem, but when I tried to open the .dmg, I got the message: “[App I tried to open] can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.”

    Well, that’s a bummer. I figured there must be a way around this, and there is. (I’m running 10.9 on my home computer, by the way, but this should be applicable from at least 10.8 on.)

    # Open System Preferences
    # Click on *Security & Privacy*
    # Select *General*
    # Click the lock to make changes (if applicable; you’ll need to type an admin’s username and password)
    # Under “Allow applications downloaded from:” select *Anywhere*

    That option is not checked by default, so by changing it, you’ll be able to open apps you’ve downloaded going forward. Just make sure they’re from a trusted source!

  • A Big…

    To all our amazing customers who shopped Small Dog this holiday season! Because of you we were able to raise over **$10,000** for VT, NH & FL non-profits. We can’t think of a better way to spread the cheer this holiday season, and we hope you feel the same way.

  • Troubleshooting Network Problems

    I own an 11″ 2011 MacBook Air and have never had a single problem with it, which is happily the experience of most Apple owners. Recently, however, I’ve noticed fussiness with Wi-Fi.

    See, technicians at Small Dog are tasked with not only repairing computers but also speaking on the phone with customers and potential customers who call into the support line. Most of us listen to music while we’re working but it’s hard to have a conversation with that background sound. I usually just pause Spotify (a streaming music service) when talking to customers and occasionally this pause can last up to a half hour. My device will then go to sleep because it’s on battery.

    For the past couple months, when trying to pick up where I left off on a particular song, I’ve observed that it will continue playing what has been buffered then abruptly stop where the network connection timed out. I then have to wait several minutes for it to reconnect to our familiar repair network by turning off Wi-Fi for a moment then turning it back on. If this happened every once in a while I wouldn’t care at all but it became a consistent annoyance. As a technician, I was inclined to try all sorts of crazy troubleshooting techniques but discovered a far simpler solution, one that I would have recommended to a customer calling with the same issue:

    **System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced.** Then select the Wi-Fi network normally used and click the “-” symbol to remove it from **Preferred Networks**. If it has a password, the next step is to open **Keychain Access** (in the Utilities folder), select the “login” keychain, order the list by **Kind**, and remove all AirPort network password types.

    ??**NOTE**: Do not attempt this unless you know what your wireless router’s password is or unless you know how to manually reset it if necessary! We have no way of knowing what that is so if you attempt this process and cannot reconnect we won’t be able to assist you.??

    See “**Apple support**”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4628 for your first line of troubleshooting network problems.

  • Mac Pro Now Available for Purchase

    It’s been talked about for years now, and it’s finally here. Mac Pro is totally redesigned from the inside out — and it is the most powerful Mac yet, starting at $2999.99. **Available for purchase today,** it’s easy to finance as part of your complete business solution, so give Rob a call to get started!

    So what makes the Mac Pro special?

    bq. __”Engineered around workstation graphics with dual GPUs, PCIe-based flash storage, high-performance Thunderbolt 2, new-generation Xeon processors, ultrafast memory, and support for 4K video, the new Mac Pro delivers state-of-the-art performance across the board.”__

    “**See the Mac Pro on our website**”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/Apple/Mac_Pro and call Rob for pricing and availability.

    Since the new Mac Pro became available for order December 19th, we have been eagerly waiting to get the chance to set one up in the store! While we still have to wait like everyone else right now, I have been searching around online and have found several reviews of the new machine. One of my favorite ones so far compares the machine to using the MacBook Pro Retina Display when it first came out. The article was written by Engadget, and they said that it felt “underutilized.”

    bq. __”Without belaboring the point, this brings me to one of my few concerns about the Mac Pro, which is that right now, at least, most programs won’t fully harness its graphics capabilities.”__

    Engadget also focuses on the new cooling system included in the Mac Pro. They say by focusing the design around the cooling core that the machines chassis does not get very hot, even while stressing out the machine, and the only place they noticed it generating heat was right next to the cooling vents at the top.

    bq. __”For lack of a better word, you’d have to provoke the machine to really be bothered by the heat: The warmest area is at the top of the chassis, and even then, you’d have to be sticking your hand near the vents to feel it.”__

    Seriously, I can’t wait until we have these in stock, and I have a chance to finally see the new dual graphics cards in action!

    __We’ll keep you posted on our “**blog, Barkings!,**”:http://blog.smalldog.com regarding shipping dates, but some configurations currently show availability in February 2014.

  • Save money by purchasing Apple refurbished products — good as new! The AirPort Express can play iTunes music through your stereo or powered…

  • SPECIAL | Buy One, Get One Chill Pill Mobile Speaker

    Designed for people who enjoy listening to music out loud and on the go! Meet the Chill Pill — a pocket-sized, self-contained capsule that transforms into two powered speakers. And now, when you buy one Chill Pill, get another set for *free*! How cool is that?

  • The Holidays Might Be Over…But Our Specials and Charitable Giving Are Not!

    There’s still time to shop our specials, while giving back at the same time! Charitable giving is an integral part of our business, and we believe that helping our community is especially important during the holidays. **A percentage of every sale in each of our retail stores goes toward helping non-profits in our community until December 31st!**

    We’re thrilled to partner with the “*Vermont Foodbank,*”:http://www.vtfoodbank.org “*Manchester Animal Shelter,*”:http://www.manchesteranimalshelter.org and “*Florida Keys SPCA*”:http://www.fkspca.org to ensure that they do what they do best –Help those in need. (And isn’t that what the holiday season is really all about?)

    Get a gift card or some extra cash for Christmas? Shop at Small Dog, and give back to the community while also getting some great gifts for your friends and family.

  • Useful Commands for Terminal in OS X

    Terminal commands can sometimes do things much more quickly than finding and adjusting settings in the graphical operating system. Terminal can be found in *Applications > Utilities.* But the easiest way to open it (or any application not on your dock) is to click Command + Spacebar which opens Spotlight; then type in the first few characters of the application’s name (e.g. “term”).

    Before following any of the commands below, be sure your data is backed up. Any command requiring sudo at the beginning is asking for elevated permissions and should be handled with special care. Also note that changes are made between OS versions and not all commands (there are thousands of them and their iterations) are compatible with every version of OS X.

    Some tricks in Terminal include typing “clear” (no quotes) to clear everything currently on the screen. It’s especially useful in scripts, and you can usually break (stop) running processes by either typing Control-C or Control-Z.

    Showing hidden files can be useful for troubleshooting or looking for hidden Library files that need to be deleted to reset preferences for a troubled application. Note that they are hidden for a reason; if others access a computer the hidden files should be re-enabled when you are finished.

    defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

    Change the default format for screen shots from .png to .jpg or .pdf if you prefer.
    defaults write com.apple.screencapture type file-extension
    Replace “file-extension” with the three letter abbreviation of your desired file format, e.g. jpg or pdf.

    Show drive labels for all mounted volumes even if they are not showing up in Finder or Disk Utility. This is useful if you have a CD/DVD, thumb drive or external drive that isn’t showing up Finder; you can at least see if the computer is recognizing the device on some level.

    diskutil list

    For more really useful options for diskutil, type “man diskutil” at the prompt and you can scroll through all the options. You can use “man” with any command to view all options for that command, it stands for manual pages.

    Add a “Recent Applications” icon to your dock for apps that you may use but aren’t necessarily on your dock. It’s a convenient way to clean up your dock.

    defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-others -array-add ‘{ “tile-data” = { “list-type” = 1; }; “tile-type” = “recents-tile”; }’; killall Dock

    For laptops and a little extra security, you can add your name and phone number as contacts if it’s found; for businesses you can add a message regarding your logon or security policies:

    sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText “Hi, I am Mac”

    To undo it type:
    sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText “”

    Again, always be sure that your data is backed up. There are many useful Terminal commands, to explore them just Google something like, “Mac useful Terminal commands.” Before long, you could be a script wizard!

  • Mavericks Keychain Access

    As I mentioned in my previous article featured in “*Tech Tails Issue #883,*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/techtails/tt883/ Keychain Access is a very handy utility. It intuitively saves all your passwords in one location any time you log into a secure site and/or account. Appropriately, your passwords are essentially keys and OS X Keychain Access is…well, a keychain.

    Forgetting your system admin password is equivalent to losing your keys, but resetting a password is very easy thanks to OS X’s new Recovery partition — steps I explain in “*article #889.*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/techtails/tt889/

    However, doing this does not change the default password that you’ve forgotten. Because of this, you will be prompted to enter a keychain password each time an application requires authentication that your (old) keychain would normally provide.

    There is a solution to resolving this and it requires deleting the login keychain. Though not a very intuitive process in previous versions of OS X, Mavericks makes it __much__ more clear for basic users.

    If you don’t remember your original password, you’ll need to delete the keychain. Deleting a keychain also deletes all the password data saved in that keychain. This shouldn’t be a major concern, assuming that you remember all your passwords for your various accounts.

    # In Keychain Access, choose Preferences from the Keychain Access menu.
    # If available, click the Reset My Default Keychain button. This will remove the login keychain and create a new one with the password provided.
    # If Reset My Default Keychain is not available, choose Keychain List from the Edit menu.
    # Delete the “login” keychain.

    The next time you log in to the account, you can save your current password in a keychain.