Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • _Dear Friends,_

    Did you catch the blood super moon? It was clear skies at my house and I went outside a few times in between innings of the Cubs game to catch the spectacular eclipse. I was definitely impressed with the celestial event. Hapy, of course, said it just looked like a cloud going over the moon. The other celestial event came from NASA where they confirmed the presence of seasonal flowing water on Mars. That is an exciting development and a pretty amazing accomplishment for science.

    El Capitan was released this week and this latest upgrade to Mac OS X is well worth the download. It seems to be a rock-solid upgrade and I will review many of the new features below. Be sure to read “*last week’s Kibbles & Bytes*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/kibbles/kb951/ to know the steps to get ready for the upgrade. The most important is to BACK UP! El Capitan brings more that the new San Francisco font. There are improvements to Spotlight, Notes, Mail, Safari, Maps, Photos and more.

    The leaves are finally starting to turn colors and the hillside is a patchwork quilt of hundreds of shades of green, red, yellow and brown. If you haven’t been to Vermont for fall foliage, it is really something you should do. We will have the roads full of leaf peepers for the next few weeks but it is one of my favorite times of the year.

    This week we are going to feature the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB portable USB 3.0 drive. No excuses for you not to have a backup of your precious data now. This 1TB is all you need with Time Machine on your Mac. Use this drive to backup your data and then upgrade to El Capitan! Normally, $79.99, Kibbles & Bytes readers can “*buy it this week for only $59.99!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001975

  • El Capitan

    As I mentioned I have been using the beta version of Mac OS X 10.11 for some weeks and I thought, now that the public beta is released, that it might be a good time to review what’s new in El Capitan. I am going to do this by highlighting a few of the features that I already use and have become such a part of my Mac experience that they don’t seem new anymore.

    Shut up!

    What is more annoying than following a link to a web site and suddenly being bombarded with some automatically started video blasting audio? If you are like me, you may have several tabs open in Safari and finding that annoying one has been a pain. Well with El Capitan it is simple. When one of those tabs has audio, the tab shows the audio button and you can click on it to mute the audio. The address bar also has an audio icon where you can mute all or select which audio stream to mute or listen to.

    Notable

    The Notes app is so improved that I am actually using it more extensively now. Most importantly, a note I create on my iPhone is available on my Mac or iPad. Not only that but the things I can put into my notes are actually useful. I can add a photo, a URL, a map location or even a video to a note and it is on all my devices. Checklists, websites, ideas for the next Kibbles & Bytes and directions can all be saved. As I am planning my trip out west and find interesting places to go or places to spend the night, I can add them to my “Sturgis” note and easily use Maps to guide me to them. I think you are going to love the new Notes app.

    Spotlight

    Spotlight is just better. Who needs Google when you have Spotlight? Whether you are searching for a file on your drive, baseball statistics, transit information, weather, stocks or just some obscure trivia to settle a bet Spotlight is there for you and now you can ask that question in you own words. Like, “find that Note I wrote about Sturgis” and boom, there it is. Here’s a list of all the places you can search with Spotlight in El Capitan. You can turn these on and off as needed:

    Applications
    Bing Web Searches
    Bookmarks and History
    Calculator
    Contacts
    Conversion
    Definition
    Developer
    Documents
    Events & Reminders
    Folders
    Fonts
    Images
    Mail & Messages
    Movies
    Music
    Other
    PDF Documents
    Presentations
    Spotlight Suggestions
    Spreadsheets
    System Preferences

    Shake that Thing

    I use a dual monitor set up. I have an Apple 27-inch display and a stand for my MacBook Air that makes for one large extended desktop. Sometimes, I lose my cursor and that sometimes leads to inadvertent clicks. I never thought I would say that I would find this trick useful but with El Capitan if you jiggle your mouse or trackpad your cursor grows bigger and becomes apparent so you can get back on track.

    I’ll cover more of the new features in Kibbles & Bytes as we head towards the official release of El Capitan.

  • iCloud Photo Library vs. Photo Stream

    *iCloud Photo Library*

    The iCloud Photo Library will store all your photos and personal videos and has no limits, as long as you have the iCloud storage space available (you may end up having to purchase more storage to accommodate your photos and videos). The iCloud Photo Library is accessible from your iPhone, iPad, Mac and even on a Windows PC by logging into “*iCloud.com.*”:https://www.icloud.com The iCloud Photo Library can store full resolution photos and supports the most common photo types including jpg, RAW, png, and gif.

    *Photo Stream*

    Photo Stream is great because it does not count against your storage you can stream up to 1000 photos or the last 30 days of pictures. Photo Stream is compatible across all devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Mac. You can store the optimized version of your photos on your devices, meaning the the viewable quality of the photo on that device may be reduced, but the full resolution photo is still in the cloud and it will require less storage on that device.

  • iTunes Backups

    iTunes may be a little nerve racking when it comes to finding and managing your backups. One of the best features of iTunes is being able to retrieve all of your data if for any reason(s) your iOS device were to malfunction. In the event of you having to restore your device after a malfunction, having an iTunes backup will feel like a cool breeze on a hot summer day with no shade within miles. You may also delete backups that are no longer needed to free up space off your device in the event you need too. With a little practice backing up your device via iTunes, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing your information is in a viewable location.

    All your iTunes backups are saved to your User folder within your device. The main backup location of your backup folder varies depending on your operating system, and this location can’t be changed. No worries because you may want to have extra copies of your iTunes backups elsewhere. All you have to do is copy the backup folders to another location, external drive or even an network storage location. Now let’s get down to business of locating a specific backup. The following steps will navigate you to your specific backups within your Mac:

    * Open iTunes
    * Go to the iTunes menu (next to the Apple in the left upper corner)
    * Click on Preferences > Devices
    * Locate the backup you would like to view
    * Right (or Control) click on this backup
    * Select “Show in Finder” from the drop down box

    Don’t have an Apple product with iTunes? No problem! Navigating the Windows seas a little will have you to your backups in no time.

    *Windows Vista and Newer Operating Systems*

    * In Windows Vista or Windows 7: Click Start; In Windows 8: Click the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner.
    * In the search bar, type: %appdata% and press return
    * Double-click on these folders: Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

    *Windows XP Operating System*

    * Click Start, then choose Run
    * In the search bar, type: %appdata%
    * Click OK
    * Then double-click these folders: Apple Computer > MobileSync > Backup.

    Rest assured that in no time you’ll be the master of your iTunes Backups.

  • To Update or Not to Update?

    To update or not to update? It’s a question some folks waffle on. There are two schools of thought, and I subscribe to both of them:

    *If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.* In other words: don’t update if everything is working.

    *Always update!* Developers work hard to fix bugs and patch security holes, if you’re not updating, you’re being lazy and setting yourself up for disaster. if you’re giving a PowerPoint presentation in front of many people, just click the button to update now on that little Microsoft Windows Auto Update notification window that keeps coming up every 15 minutes, and let your machine go into an updating frenzy that’ll probably still be going when everyone you were presenting to is back home. It’s inconvenient and embarrassing, but at least you’re up to date!

    There are software updates and there are hardware updates. There are changes, advantages, and compatibility issues that arise when new technologies come out, and (usually) solutions to all of these. The updates we all face most frequently are software updates, and that’s where the views above are most relevant.

    In the realm of software updates there are many types of updates. You have major updates, like going from Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks to Mac OS 10.10 Yosemite. There is a tremendous difference in the visual experience alone, and the insides of the OS is equally different. While the visual changes are most apparent, some of those internal changes to the coding make some software unable to work. It’s that possibility that scares me away from updating recklessly. I take some measures before any major updates, because I know from experience that some of my programs might not work as I expect them to. Sometimes that measure might be to not update to the latest version of Mac OS X. But the measure to always take is *back up your data!*

    There are also minor updates. These are the security patches and minor incremental changes. I’m much less conservative with these. While there is a possibility that things will stop working or there will be some disorienting changes, in most cases there’s much less room for software to stop working. These incremental changes are liking going from Mac OS X 10.10 to Mac OS 10.10.1. Most of the changes are under the hood: they’re bug fixes, security patches, and just programmers working hard to keep my Mac working the way I know it’s supposed to and not being glitchy and buggy. But sometimes these incremental updates are a little more significant.

    Back to the original question of “should you update?” My opinion is to start with a good solid backup, meaning multiple places where your data is stored. If you know you can get to them when your computer isn’t working, that’s a great starting point. The next step is to ask if it’s an incremental update or a major update. I personally jump without looking when it’s an incremental update or says security in the description. When the update has a different name and number, like you’re on 10.9 Mavericks and the new one is called 10.10 Yosemite and has a different picture it might be worth researching a little before downloading and installing.

  • iOS Productivity Apps

    Life keeps us on the go and we are relying on our iPhones more than ever. There are a number of productivity apps that are free and easy to use. Each one of these also has options for paid features such as extra storage, advanced features, etc.

    *Dropbox:*

    Dropbox is a great app to share documents, pictures, and other media across multiple computers and handheld devices. You can collaborate with friends, family, and coworkers. Dropbox gives you 2GB for free, and 2GB is enough for most people who only need to share documents. If you need more space, Dropbox offers more storage if you are willing to pay for it.

    *Google Drive:*

    Google Drive is one of my personal favorites. It allows you to store and share files (like Dropbox) but what really separates the two is the companion apps that Google Drive has. Google Docs is very similar to Pages or Microsoft Word, while Google Sheets is very similar to Numbers and Excel. Google Drive has 15GB of free storage with options to buy more.

    *Microsoft Office:*

    Most people are familiar with Microsoft Office. Word, Excel, and Powerpoint have been the industry standard for decades. The Office apps for iOS no longer need an Office 365 subscription to edit, store, or create documents, but you can get an Office 365 subscription to unlock the advanced features. The awesome thing about the Office apps is you can share files you create through both Dropbox and Google Drive.

    Also, in case you didn’t know, you can use the Apple productivity apps to edit Microsoft Office apps. Pages allows you to open and edit Word documents, Numbers for Excel, and Keynote for Powerpoint.

  • _Hello Fellow Tech Enthusiasts,_

    Here at Small Dog we strive to make sure that our staff members always have the latest and greatest knowledge. One of the best ways to do that is to encourage them (and for certain roles, require them) to get advanced Apple certifications. I have several acronyms in my email signature: ACMT, ACTC and ACSP. These are, in order: Apple Certified Macintosh Technician, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator, and Apple Certified Support Professional. I also have sales certifications and iOS certifications, and am an Apple Certified Associate. I have received all of these while working here at Small Dog, but guess what? You can get these certifications too!

    Apple allows anyone to study for and take these tests. If you are looking to brush up on your technical skills, I would highly recommend studying for and taking the Apple Certified Associate exams. These are the perfect starting place for becoming an OS X-pert. The study materials are available for free online and you can take the exams from the comfort of your own home. You can see all of the details at this link: “*OS X Certifications*”:http://training.apple.com/certification/osxyosemite

    If you are just looking for a little extra knowledge, keep reading Tech Tails!

    Mike
    “*michaeld@smalldog.com*”:mailto:michaeld@smalldog.com

  • Harvest Moon Eclipse

    As recorded with a first generation iPad Air using the MoviePro app. Video is 720p at 5fps sped up 2x using iMovie. Unfortunately…

  • Getting Ready for El Capitan

    Downloading the latest Mac OS this next week is the easy part. Unless you start the download when another 2 million people are doing the same thing, Apple makes the upgrade process very painless. And of course, it is free, too! There are some steps you should consider as you prepare for El Capitan to make it a smooth process.

    BACK UP!
    Yes, I am shouting! Back up your data all the time but especially whenever you are updating your operating system. We have talked endlessly about how fabulous Time Machine is as a tool to back up your data. DO IT NOW. Upgrading to El Capitan is a great excuse to make a fresh back up of your priceless data.

    Do you know who you are?

    Do you know your Apple ID and the password? You are going to need that to upgrade. It will be asked for when you start the download and you will also be asked for it during the El Capitan and iCould setup. If you wrote it down on that little scrap of paper that is somewhere in your wallet, now would be a good time to find it.

    How Old is Your Mac?

    Sorry, that old SE 30 will not support El Capitan so you should make sure that you know if your Mac will support the new operating system. Here’s a list of the supported machines:

    iMac (mid-2007 or newer)
    MacBook (late 2008 Aluminum, or early 2009 or newer)
    MacBook Air (late 2008 or newer)
    MacBook Pro (mid- to late 2007 or newer)
    Mac Mini (early 2009 or newer)
    Mac Pro (early 2008 or newer)

    If you do not know your model you can go under the Apple menu and select About This Mac and if you are running Yosemite you will see something like this screen shot that will show you the vintage of your Mac.

    RAM and Storage

    The two mostly commonly confused terms in technology. Well, you need enough of both memory and storage. In the case of memory, Apple recommends a minimum of 2GB, however; Small Dog Electronics would set that minimum at 4GB. I think you will find your experience with El Capitan to suffer with only 2GB. If your Mac’s memory can be upgraded, now might be a good time!

    Storage is also important. We always recommend that you have at least 10-15% of your hard drive or SSD drive free just for cases like this. The installation of a new operating system creates a lot of temporary files that need space to live before they are ultimately deleted by the installation. Apple says that El Capitan takes about 6GB and that you should have 8GB free. That is cutting it pretty close. I would recommend that you have a minimum of 10GB free and pay close attention to the 10-15% free space. Now would be an excellent time to purge some files and old stuff that you really don’t need – like that downloaded copy of the Sopranos last season.

    Are you up-to-date?

    Is there a number in the icon of the App store? Have you done all your updates for the operating system and apps? Developers have been optimizing their Apps for El Capitan for several months so doing all those updates before you upgrade to El Capitan may make things go easier for you, too!

  • The honey-do list keeps expanding and I think I will be busy with chores most of the weekend, getting the house ready for the change in seasons.

    I hope you have a fantastic first fall weekend! Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

    _Don, Dean, Scott_