Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • iMessages Glitch in iOS 7

    If you happen to listen to our radio show, “*Small Dog Speaks,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/sdspeaks on “*WDEV,*”:http://www.wdevradio.com/index-home.asp you may have heard Rebecca and Don answer a question about an issue with iMessages in iOS 7. Apparently, a lot of users have experienced “sent” messages getting stuck in the process without really letting them know that it failed to actually be sent.

    If you’re one of these people who has seen this happen, fear not — Apple is on the case. They released the following statement to the Wall Street Journal this past week:

    bq. __”We are aware of an issue that affects a fraction of a percent of our iMessage users, and we will have a fix available in an upcoming software update. In the meantime, we encourage any users having problems to reference our troubleshooting documents or contact AppleCare to help resolve their issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes impacted users.”__

    But while we await the release of 7.0.3, there are a few things you might be able to do in the meantime. The simplest, and first thing you should do is turn your device off and back on again. This seemed to work for a little bit for some users, but ultimately did not solve the problem in the long run.

    Mac Rumors has a better solution:

    # Turn off iMessage in *Settings > Messages
*
    # Reset network settings in *Settings > General > Reset
*
    # Reenable iMessage in *Settings > Messages*

    This is kind of a nasty bug for iPhone users because in the case of sending messages, the message won’t revert to SMS when the iMessage fails to be sent. You might be stuck thinking that you sent a message when really it never went through. Rumors suggest that iOS 7.0.3 might be released as early as next week, and this will hopefully fix this whole iMessage issue.

  • Chillin' with my Chill Box

    Recently portable speakers have transitioned from physically docking your iPod to Bluetooth wireless connectivity. This is in large part due to the fact that we use our smartphones to listen to music and that Apple switched from the 30-pin to Lightning connector. Although I think the Lightning dock is a great step forward, manufacturers largely didn’t, and the result is a wide variety of Bluetooth-enabled speakers.

    So when the new “*Chill Box*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=chill+box was released, I was excited to get my hands on it. First impressions: great design, easy to connect via Bluetooth or included auxiliary cable, and did I mention how good it sounds?

    I used my iPhone 5 over Bluetooth and streamed my favorite Spotify playlist. I was connected and jamming within seconds; I turned on the device, held the power button until the light indicator flashed blue/red (indicating pairing mode), and it popped right up in my Bluetooth settings. Bingo-bango — connected. I hit Play and began to chill out.

    But what makes it unique? It’s style for sure — the sleek aluminum back and cloth grill give it a classy look for your office, apartment, or living room. I’ve had mine connected to my iMac in the office and it looks very Apple-esque, matching the aluminum design look. It has a great speaker phone feature, with a built-in mic and answer/hang up button. I’ve used the Jawbone and I had to use the mic on the phone, which seemed silly. Its sound quality-to-price ratio can’t be beat.

    The competition out there is fierce, so ease of use, features and of course, sound quality make all the difference. If you’re someone who thinks sound is most important, note that the Chill Box stands with the rest. In our South Burlington location, I compared the Chill Box to the Beats Pill; besides being endorsed by a doctor, I honestly thought the Chill Box sounded better, and at half the price! A lot of small speakers suffer from poor sound at higher volume, which is not the case with the Chill Box,. You can pump the jams distortion-free.

    Final thoughts and helpful hints: When using the speaker with a smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth, you’ll see the battery level appear near the Bluetooth symbol. That’s very helpful, since most units either turn off or beep when the battery runs out. A beep can be heard when maximum volume is reached, so remember that you can control volume from your device if connected over Bluetooth (really handy if you’re not near the speaker). I think my family and friends know what they’re getting for the holidays!

    *Check out our sweet Chill Box Kibbles-exclusive special below!*

  • _Dear Friends,_

    I am in sunny and hot Key West, Florida at our new store. It was a long drive down I-95 with lots of traffic the whole way down, but the dogs, Grace and I arrived in one piece and are trying to get in the swing of the southernmost city.*

    Hammerhead doesn’t much like the heat and is confused by the lack of grass and fields. I am only in Key West for a couple of days and then I’m off to the Apple Specialist Marketing Coop conference in New Mexico and on to Hong Kong after that for some shows and to meet with some of our suppliers for the Hammerhead Case and Chill Pill brands.

    Have you seen the latest product from Chill Pill? It is called the Chill Box and is a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker and conference call speaker. It has a built-in microphone and big sound. Grace and I had to download the season finale of Breaking Bad from iTunes while we were on the road, and we watched it on my laptop with the “*Chill Box*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search?search=chill+box hooked up for audio (way better than laptop speakers!).

    I am really proud of this new speaker. It comes in Electric Blue, Tuxedo Black and Lime Green and is only $99.99. Make sure you read Will’s review of this great product below. You can also stay up-to-date with Chill Pill and the new products being released on “*Facebook*”:https://www.facebook.com/CPAudio and “*Twitter.*”:https://twitter.com/chillpillaudio

    New iMacs should be available at each of our stores; I just saw some come in here at the “*Key West store*”:http://www.smalldog.com/keywest and we are getting a few of the new iPhones in as well. We have launched our Phone Trade-In program and customer reaction thus far has been great. You can trade in just about __any__ phone (iPhone and third-party phones) and we offer very competitive trade-in values (compare and shop!). Our “*Trade-In page*”:http://www.smalldog.com/tradein has gotten an upgrade, but please note that the Phone Trade-In Program is *only available in our retail stores.* It’s a very simple, straight-forward process, and it’s a great way to upgrade to the newest iPhones without a lot of out-of-pocket outlay!

    __*In the continental US, of course.__

  • Two New iPhones!

    On Tuesday September 10th, Apple did something it has never done before: announce two phones in one presentation. These two new phones are the iPhone 5c and the 5s. The iPhone 5c is a variant of the original iPhone 5 with a colored polycarbonate back and the iPhone 5s has huge improvements over the original iPhone 5.

    The iPhone 5c keeps the same spec list as the original iPhone 5 with the 4-inch Retina Display and the A6 chip, blazing LTE and the same 8MP camera. The difference is in the build; the front is the same Multi-Touch display and the back is one single piece of polycarbonate strengthened by a frame made of reinforced steel. The phone is available in 5 colors (white, blue, green, yellow, and pink), and all are available in 16 or 32GB models. The iPhone 5c has a $99 price tag with a 2-year contract.

    The iPhone 5s is quite an improvement over the original iPhone 5, though it looks very similar at first glance. One of the best new features is the Touch ID, making the iPhone 5s the most secure iPhone yet. The Touch ID knows your fingerprint and when you hit the home button, it gives you access to your phone from the lock screen.* Also, Touch ID will give you the ability to use your fingerprint to authorize purchases with your Apple ID.

    iOS 7 is available as a free update for iPhone 4, iPad 2 and newer, iPad mini and iPod touch fifth-generation. Control Center, retooled notifications, redesigned calendar and improved Siri functionality alongside numerous other tweaks and thinner typography will soon be a mere download away.

    *Note: Be sure to update to iOS 7.0.2 (just released) to fix the security bug that allows access to your phone without a passcode via the Control Center.

  • The New A7 Chip and 64bit iOS

    Apple recently released the iPhone 5s and is boasting a wide range of new features, from new hardware to an entirely new OS. While the media is focusing largely on the fingerprint scanner, I would like to take a look under the hood and talk about the new A7 chip that powers the phone. Apple was very proud to announce that this is the first 64bit phone to ever hit the market. There is no doubt that engineering a 64bit chip in a device that fits in your pocket is an impressive feat; however, very few people seem to understand how it will affect performance.

    One of the biggest differences between a 32bit and a 64bit system is the ability to access memory. A 32bit system can only access about 4GB of RAM while a 64bit system can access up to 17 exabytes, or 1 billion gigabytes of RAM. In today’s world, that that is practically limitless. It is important to remember that so far, we are only talking about hardware. A 64bit chip is useless if the operating system and the applications are not written to utilize the processor.

    While these numbers are quite impressive on paper, how they translate performance in the iPhone 5s is a different story. The new chip will increase performance, but probably to a lessor degree then people are lead to believe. One reason for this is that we currently do not have a need for more RAM than is supported by a 32bit system. Until the public starts pushing the capabilities of these devices to their maximum, additional RAM would be a waste. The iPhone 5s is shipping with 2GB of RAM and the likelihood of of breaking the 4GB mark is relatively low; at least any time in the near future. Cost and physical size issues aside, more RAM means more battery and this will be a major hurdle for mobile devices on which people rely so heavily on battery life.

    More than anything, the new A7 chip is an exciting glimpse into the future of mobile computing. While it may be a bit ahead of its time, the notion of 64bit systems that can go anywhere opens up the possibilities of what our mobile devices are capable of and will change the way in which we use them.

  • Listen Up!

    We have our very own radio show, __Small Dog Speaks,__ so be sure to listen to our very own Don Mayer and Rebecca Kraemer offer up Mac tips and news every Thursday at 1PM.

    Tune your radios to 96.1FM or stream the show live at: “*WDEV Live!*”:http://icecast.stretchinternet.com:8000/wdev

    Check out archived shows and submit your questions at “*Smalldog.com/sdspeaks*”:http://www.smalldog.com/sdspeaks

  • There's No Place Like iHome

    When one mentions “iHome,” you may immediately think Apple. As it turns out, the iHome product line is just the tip of the iceberg for its parent company, SDI Technologies.

    Founded in 1956, they were the first to introduce many products that you might have thought other major brands scooped up first, like Sony or RCA. SDI Technologies became known for their transistor radios, and, believe it or not, pocket lighters. They were also the first to combine the cassette deck with a clock radio, as well as the telephone/clock radio combination.

    That makes sense since iHome is all about innovation and combining everyday features and needs into one, compact device. In 2005, they introduced the world to the first iPod clock radio, and the rest is history. The iHome name has become synonymous with quality and iPhone/iPod/iPad docking capabilities.

    SDI Technologies currently makes products for Timex and Zenith, and they are always willing to give new business ventures a shot. In 2007, SDI tried their hand at marketing audio electronics for SanDisk and Microsoft for their Sansa and Zune lines, respectively. While the iHome name generally refers to accessories for Apple products, the company also markets to Android and Kindle users as well, making docking stations, charging stations, and keyboard attachments.

    I have always enjoyed using iHome products and feel that the brand is sound (no pun intended) and a good alternative when looking for an off-brand accessory.

  • Manchester & Rutland Classes

    !(image)http://blog.smalldog.com/images/3219.png!

    **For iPad**
    New to iPad and iOS? Never used a computer before? Our **iPad Basics** class is designed strictly for beginners.

    **For Mac**
    New to Macs? Switching over from a Windows-based PC? Never used a computer before? Our **Absolute Mac Basics** class is designed strictly for beginners.

    Give us a call for the schedule and to sign up:
    **603.836.0003** | **802-281-4490**

    **Classes coming soon to our Key West location.**

  • SMTP, POP3 and IMAP Mail Settings

    Other common questions we get from customers at the Service Counter involve email on their portable Apple devices. The most common one is: “I changed my email password this morning, and I can receive new mail, but I can’t send mail anymore. I get an error that my password is incorrect, but I’ve re-entered it and know it’s right.”

    SMTP, POP3 and IMAP are all protocols for communicating with mail servers. A protocol is simply a set of rules for how an email client (Outlook, OS X’s Mail, your iPhone, etc) communicate with your mail provider’s servers (Gmail, Hotmail, FAHC, GMAVT, UVM, etc.).

    Clients use either POP3 or IMAP to receive mail from mail servers, and SMTP to send mail to servers. For receiving mail, IMAP is newer, and today, more implemented than POP3. IMAP is a two way highway between your device (called the “client”) and your provider. It can completely sync all of your different configured devices, phone, computers at work and home, tablet, etc., with the provider’s server. So if you read, write, delete or move mail around in folders on one device, it is synced with the server and then with all of your other devices.

    POP3 is less flexible. It was used heavily when server space was less available for providers to allow long term storage for all of customer’s email. Mail clients configured to use POP3 instead of IMAP as their receiving email protocol can download their email, which they can then keep on their computer/device while at the same time deleting it from the server. Then all mail is kept locally. This was popular when email storage space was limited AND one’s only access to email was from a single computer at home or work.

    SMTP is the protocol for sending mail from a client to a mail server. Mail goes from your client to the mail server differently than it is received. Why this is so doesn’t really matter here, but when you change your email password, the important thing to remember is that on many devices, including iPhones, you must change your password for both incoming and outgoing email.

    If after a password change for your email, you find you can receive mail on your iOS device but can’t send it, there is just one more step to take care of it:

    * From the “Home” screen, tap the “Settings” icon
    * Tap *”Mail, Contacts, Calendars”*
    * Select the account you wish to modify
    * Tap *”SMTP”* under *”Outgoing Mail Server”*
    * Tap the *primary server*
    * Enter your new password in the *”Password”* field

    After that, you should have no problems sending mail.

  • !(image)http://blog.smalldog.com/images/3049.jpg!

    Our Manchester, NH, Rutland, VT, S. Burlington, VT, and Key West, FL stores have their own Facebook pages!

    Keep up-to-date with local news, classes, and specials for the location nearest you.

    Like us:

    * “**Manchester, NH Retail Store Facebook Page**”:https://www.facebook.com/smalldognh
    * “**Rutland, VT Retail Store Facebook Page**”:https://www.facebook.com/smalldogrld
    * “**S. Burlington, VT Retail Store Facebook Page**”:https://www.facebook.com/smalldogsbtv
    * “**Key West, FL Retail Store**”:https://www.facebook.com/smalldogkw

    You can find our company Facebook page here:

    * “**Small Dog Electronics HQ**”:https://www.facebook.com/hellosmalldog

  • Adobe Suite CS6 Master Collection

    The Adobe Suite CS6 Master Collection includes the major Adobe products: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Dreamweaver, Flash, Premiere, and Fireworks, along with a host of other additional programs that compliment these, such as Flash Builder, Bridge, and Prelude. The CS6 suite doesn’t feel like as much of an upgrade as CS5 did, but there are some solid improvements.

    Every program has now adopted the darker color theme After Effects has used for prior versions, allowing you to focus more on your work than on the interface. They’ve also consolidated the many individual windows and panels into one frame, as opposed to several like before. Each program includes one window, which makes the interface more organized.

    I’ve also noticed they’ve made integration with other programs a lot easier. There are plugins and individual components that help integrate Cinema 4D (a 3D-rendering program) with After Effects, and vice versa, and there’s more support for SVG files in Illustrator and Photoshop.

    Though the improvements are nice, in a way, CS6 feels more like a software update as opposed to an entirely new release of the programs. If they had included the early versions of their upcoming line of products — the Adobe Edge programs — then it would have felt worth the price tag.

    Web design and development seem to be a fast-evolving arena right now, with new little tools and add-ons popping up every week online, so I’m surprised a company like Adobe didn’t try to have more of a stake here. Maybe those will be included in their now member-based suite, Creative Cloud.

  • Mac Insomnia

    From time to time, customers come in with a general issue that their laptop or desktop doesn’t ‘sleep’ when they tell it to. Occasionally, I’ve seen this on my own computers since I switched to a Mac. Sometimes, it can be an actual hardware malfunction, but most of the time, there is something within the software that prevents the computer from sleeping.

    I did some Apple forum research a while back about it, and found various suggested solutions — none of which worked for me. I finally came across a user who combined a nice little GUI to a helpful Terminal command with an application called “Sleep Check.”

    Sleep Check essentially makes use of the Terminal command *”pmset -g assertions”*. The command itself lists certain power assertions in the Mac OS that, when active, will prevent the system from sleeping. One example of these power assertions is Internet Sharing, which allows you to share the internet connection on one computer with another computer or device.

    While the coding in Terminal can be incomprehensible to the average user, “Sleep Check” adds a very simple, but pleasant interface to the power assertions command, informing you exactly what is preventing your system from sleeping, and how to disable it. When these conditions have been disabled, Sleep Check will finally put your Mac to sleep.

    Sleep Check is a very small, unobtrusive application that takes up about 98KB of hard drive space.

    “*Downloaded it here.*”:http://blog.graceabundant.com/2011/08/29/mac-osx-lion-not-sleeping/