Kibbles & Bytes Blog

It is going to be a bit different this year for Christmas, especially for the grandkids. When we were back in Vermont for Thanksgiving they seemed a bit shocked that we wouldn’t be in town to bring over the big stockings that Grace made years ago filled with goodies. I assured them that we would not forget them and we plan on bringing them down here for winter break. But it will be a low key holiday for Grace and I.

Chanukah starts next Tuesday and we wish everyone a very happy holiday!

Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

_Don, Rachel, Mike & Dean_

Everyone loves our Chill Pill and now you can share the music, buy one get one free! A pocket-sized, self-contained capsule that transforms into two powered speakers. Designed for people who enjoy listening to music out loud and on the go!

*Buy one, get one free and save $39.99!*

__We’ve asked a few of our employees what their favorite gifts are this season – either to get or to give, of course – and we have highlighted a few of the best!__

*Joe,* __Key West Retail Store Manager__

!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4164.jpg! My favorite product is the Chill Pill Chillbox. It has great sound from its aluminum case and is so portable and lightweight. The battery seems to never die and the price is hard to beat. Every member of my family has one and I feel this gift would be great for anyone. And right now as part of our “*Mac The Halls*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale holiday sale you get a free Chillbox with the purchase of any MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or iMac with AppleCare.

*Lonnie,* __Inventory Controller__

!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4167.jpg! I play a ton of games on my iPhone and my iPad, and every once in awhile I think to myself, “It’d be pretty awesome to play this game with a controller.” Only problem is that most controllers need to be physically connected to your iOS device, and I’m not a huge fan of attaching a bulky case to my phone just to have a controller with buttons on it. So that’s why I would like the “*Steelseries Stratus controller.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=Steelseries+Stratus It’s small, light, and connects to your iOS devices via Bluetooth, so if you have a case you’re attached to you don’t need to remove it. The battery lasts 10 hours between charges and can be recharged through USB. It’s compatible with a number of games, from Bastion, to Badlands, to Metal Slug 3, and the list continues to grow. So if you’re really into iOS gaming, what are you waiting for? The perfect controller is here!

*Tony,* __Business Solutions__

!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4165.jpg! Last spring I purchased a new iPhone 5S and prior to making the purchase I looked at all of the available protective case options on the market. I’m an avid outdoor enthusiast and am often found hiking in the rain, backcountry skiing in wet snow and riding my fat tire mountain bike in sub-freezing conditions during the winter months. I settled on the “*LifeProof fre iPhone Case*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/85085/lifeproof-fre-case-for-iphone-5-5s-red-black which has received thorough testing in all types of weather conditions that would have destroyed an unprotected iPhone. My phone, on the other hand, still looks and operates as if brand new. This case is thin, lightweight and I highly recommend it.

*Scott,* __Developer__

!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4166.jpg! I think the “*Belkin NetCam HD WiFi Camera with Night Vision*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001649 is pretty awesome. I’d like one to monitor the home while away. They are easy to set up, provide quality pictures, and I really like that it can be used with WeMo switches. You can get an instant e-mail when motion is sensed. I would feel safe leaving my home this holiday season, and this camera is on sale now, for $30 off the original price.

*Jamie,* __Rutland Retail Store Sales Associate__

!>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4168.png! I would like a pair of the “*Urbanear Plattan Headphones*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001634 because they produce great sound and come in many different colors. They also are very portable and fit nicely on your head. Thanks to the remote control built into the cable you are able to pick up calls and fast forward or rewind your music. These headphones really have it all, and through the month of December are $15 off!

*For more holiday gift ideas and specials, visit* “*smaldog.com/macthehalls.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale

No matter what you’re getting or giving this holiday season, be sure to share it with family and friends!

There is not much choice in the flying type of airport either here in Key West or in Vermont. When it comes to equipping your home or office with a wireless network, Apple offers three different options for Apple AiPort base stations: the Apple AirPort Express, Apple AirPort Extreme and the Apple AirPort Time Capsule. With an AirPort base station you can easily create a Wi-Fi network with a Mac or an iOS device in just a few steps. You can also use the AirPort base station to share a printer or hard drive, stream iTunes to your stereo and back-up your Mac.

Let’s take a look at each of Apple’s offerings:

*AirPort Express*

The compact AirPort Express utilizes the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard and supports AirPlay. It is great for an apartment or smaller space, it allows you to use AirPlay to wirelessly stream music to your stereo or compatible speakers and has a USB port so that you can print wirelessly. It also has an audio output port (AKA headphone jack) to support wireless music streaming. It has an Ethernet input and one Ethernet output so it can be easily connected to your DSL or Cable modem and to your Ethernet network if you have that, too. The Express has an internal power supply, so no wall wart!

*AirPort Extreme*

The Apple AirPort Extreme is more powerful, features 802.11ac Wi-Fi and offers increased performance and extended range. This is the unit for you if you have a larger home, a small business or in the classroom. Its taller shape increases the range due to better antenna performance and it features a USB port to enable wireless printing or to connect a hard drive. It features three Ethernet LAN ports in addition to the single Ethernet WAN port. The AirPort Extreme’s power supply is also built-in.

*Airport Time Capsule*

The Airport Time Capsule looks identical to the AirPort Extreme and has the same ports and wireless specifications. It adds either a 2TB or 3TB internal hard drive for Time Machine backups.

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All of these Apple AirPort base stations are very easy to set-up. You plug it in, turn it on and connect it to your cable or DSL modem via the Ethernet WAN port. Your Mac or iOS device will recognize the AirPort, select the new AirPort base station and the built-in setup assistant provides step-by-step instructions and suggests the best network configuration. You select “Create a new network” create a password and you are surfing. !>http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4163.png!

Deciding which Apple AirPort base station is right for you depends on where you are using it, i.e. the range you need and whether you need the maximum speed. The latest Apple Macs all support 802.11ac and that may push you towards the Extreme or Time Capsule.

It is somewhat of an undocumented feature that you can, in fact, attach a USB drive to an AirPort Extreme and use that combination with Time Machine for backups. It does take a little bit more configuration time but I can say from personal experience that it works flawlessly. While there is an advantage to having the all-in-one Time Capsule it can also be an advantage having separate devices so that IF one fails, the other is still functional.

_Dear Friends,_

Vermont got hit with a big winter storm and I was watching the “*Belkin NetCam*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/84786/belkin-netcam-hd-wi-fi-camera-w-night-vision at my house when the power went out from the heavy snow and ice. My neighbor reported 25 inches of snow and an expected 24 hours without power. Our Apple rep made it up to Vermont despite the snow storm…that is some dedication there!

Emily had to cancel our normal retail call because she found a wandering horse on the side of the road on the way into work. She was busy looking for the owner. The retail team figured this was about the best reason for canceling the call that they had ever heard.

I have found that with the increased competition in the marketplace that we have to be more innovative in how we reach out to customers. Where newspaper advertisements and web banners were the best media a decade ago, now social media and other digital marketing is proving to be more effective. One thing that has remained constant, at least in Vermont, is the effectiveness of our underwriting of “*Vermont Public Radio.*”:http://www.vpr.net I cannot count the number of times that customers not only tell me that they heard about us there but also thank us for supporting VPR.

Of course, our electronic newsletters have also been a constant. We started out way back when, before there was an internet as we know it, faxing a list of our inventory to interested customers. This faxed list became an email list back in 1996 when the “*first issue of Kibbles & Bytes was sent.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/kibbles/1/ Almost 20 years later we are now on issue #910 and I want to say how much we appreciate the opportunity to speak with you each week. Our “*Tech Tails newsletter*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/techtails is almost as old and the newsletter for the retail stores, “*Best in Showroom,*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/bestinshow is a mere pup in comparison.

Please check out our “*Facebook page*”:https://www.facebook.com/hellosmalldog and consider becoming a friend (you already are IRL so why not online?). We are starting to offer some fantastic deals exclusively on Facebook so it might be worthwhile and it is another way to stay in touch with Small Dog Electronics.

Well, I know some of you just don’t do Facebook so I will continue to make sure we have a Kibbles & Bytes exclusive each week. This week to go along with my article on choosing the right AirPort, I am offering $10 off the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. I have used an Apple AirPort since the time of the flying saucer AirPort and I know you will find the reliability and ease of use perfect for your home or office.

“*See the AirPort Extreme deal here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001670

“*See the AirPort Time Capsule deal here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001669