Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • iOS 7: Chris's Take

    “*Chris Barosky*”:http://www.smalldog.com/christopherb/christopher-barosky ??is a Service Technician in our Waitsfield, VT location. Check out his review of iOS 7!??

    When iOS 7 Beta was released for developers, I immediately got my hands on it. I took the plunge and boldly (or foolishly) put it on my iPhone, a device completely essential to my life as it is with most people in the modern age. People versed in technology know that beta releases are buggy, unstable, and can render a device unusable in the wrong hands. I’m personally not a developer and my skills with code are limited, but it seemed like a good training opportunity. After some issues getting the OS on my phone, my experience with it in subsequent months was that of pleasant surprises.

    For one, the interface is for lack of a better word “awesome.” My favorite feature of iOS 7 is the “*parallax effect*”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax_scrolling, a method that has been around for decades actually to emulate 3D movement. It makes the app icons (foreground) move faster than the wallpaper (background), so as you move your iOS 7 laden in front of you it gives the impression of 3D movement. This adds a new personality to iOS that is more futuristic and interactive.

    I’m sure my colleagues will go on and on about other beautiful parts of the interface design (my personal favorite Apple app revamp is the compass, it looks straight out of a modern sci fi movie) but I wanted to comment on something completely unexpected and completely welcome. Like most consumers, I wasn’t in love with my phone’s battery life: charge it all night, half way through the day it was beyond 50% depleted, and completely depleted in the evening when I’d still want to do things with it. After having iOS 7 beta on my phone for a mere couple of days, I noticed a dramatic increase in battery life. This has to do with the software making smarter use of device architecture, particularly as pertains to network communication. Now I can go literally the whole day checking news, Facebook, email, and various other apps with plenty of battery to spare in the evening.

    Lots of people download utility apps like calculators, calendars, measuring tools, and “flashlights.” The latter for me is very useful at night when I take my dogs out. I’d relied on less-than-nice 3rd party apps that gave ads, just to access the LED on the back of the phone. Apple decided to build in a shortcut to the flashlight into a new part of the OS called “Control Center,” where you can also quickly turn on or off WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode, and screen orientation flipping. Android using critics of iOS can now be silenced in this regard and, for those of us who haven’t had such convenience at our fingertips, you will be delighted at how easy it is to perform simple tasks in iOS 7.

    You’ll see lots of articles that hate on the new OS, lots of articles that laud it, and lots of in between. As with any major OS change, I encourage you to give it a shot and take the time to learn all of its intricacies before passing judgement. Sometimes we get so comfortable with what we’re used to that change is unwelcome. In my opinion, the change iOS 7 brings is very welcome.

  • iOS TREAT #101: iOS 6 > iOS 7

    No one can deny that the transition to iOS 7 feels like a seismic shift. It’s taking some getting used to over here, though the general consensus is that iOS 7 is well worth the update. Perhaps it’s received well because, as tech lovers, we’re conditioned to appreciate change, but I’d challenge that it’s also in large part due to how functional iOS 7 actually is once you get used to it.

    Today’s iOS Treat aims to ease the transition from iOS 6 and shed some light on the unfamiliar. So whether you’ve already updated and want to learn some new tips, feel a bit lost, or are waiting to update altogether since, let’s face it, ain’t nobody got time to completely relearn how to find your iPhone’s flashlight, read on.

    *Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes*

    * *Access Music from the Lock Screen* – iOS 6: Double tap the Home button > iOS 7: Swipe upward (Music options are there and then some).
    * *Calendar List View* – iOS 6: Select the ‘List’ section > iOS 7: Click the Search option (magnifying glass); a list of your events will show.
    * *Spotlight Search* – iOS 6: Swipe left for a dedicated screen > iOS 7: Swipe downward on __any__ screen.
    * *Folders* – iOS 6: All icons show on the same page > iOS 7: App icons are now in groups of 9, though you can have more than 16 total; access them with a swipe sideways.
    * *Remote wipe* – iOS 6: You could remotely find, lock or wipe a phone if lost or stolen > iOS 7: A new Activation Lock feature syncs with the user’s iCloud account; it can’t be disabled without a user’s Apple ID and password.

    There are obviously plenty of new features that we’ll cover in future articles about iOS 7; these are just some of the basic changes users will immediately notice upon upgrading. Additionally, these only span the native iOS; multiple apps have been updated as well to include new features and layout changes that take advantage of iOS 7. (Note: The ‘greater than’ symbol above is used to indicate the transition and not imply that iOS 6 is better than iOS 7 — we’ll leave that assessment to you!)

  • _Dear Friends,_

    I don’t know which is more exciting — the release of two new iPhone models or the release of iOS 7, which gives almost all iPhone users a “new phone.” We should have at least some of the new iPhones in our retail stores this weekend and are ordering more to try to meet the demand. We have also launched our new smartphone trade-in program *exclusively in our retail stores.* We will give you a Small Dog gift card for the value of the iPhone (or other smartphone) that you trade in at our stores. The process is simple and I think you will find our trade-in prices to be very competitive (see more on the program below).

    I really like what I have seen in iPhone 5c and 5s reviews and cannot wait to get my hands on one so that I can give you my impressions. We are having our own internal debate predicting the color distribution for each of these new iPhones. But I really love iOS 7, and if you are not one of the first 100 million who strained Apple’s servers on Wednesday to download the new release for your iPhone or iPad, you will probably find that your download time will be reasonable. It is an upgrade that really does give you a lot of new features and improves the experience with the iPhone.

    I have been using the developer’s version for some time and it was fun to watch the improvements with each successive release. Some of my favorite new features include how Apple has improved multi-tasking. You can now see previews of the app’s screens and can shut one down with a swipe. There is so much to like with iOS 7 — one other favorite is Control Center. With a swipe up from the bottom of the screen, whether the iPhone is locked or not (you can set this option), you can enter Airplane Mode, access Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, control your music, turn on the flashlight, activate the camera and much more. It is a huge improvement over the multiple steps these functions had with iOS 6.

    Our Vermont annual eWaste collection event is this Saturday in Rutland right across from our store. We will be collecting eWaste for free from 9am to 2pm and encourage you to come on by and see our beautiful new store in downtown Rutland.

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  • Small Dog in Key West!

    Small Dog Electronics is now in Key West, FL, baby! We are so happy to have opened our fifth store — one that has the distinction of being the southernmost Apple Specialist in the US. Store Manager Cindy Caminite shares a bit of her story:

    bq. __”I got my first Mac in 1989 and I was hooked.

    bq. __I was born in small town PA with no culture, no arts, no stimulation. I knew I wanted more than my little town offered — museums, art galleries, theater — and I found them all when I moved to California.

    bq. __My first career was as a caterer. Feeding people is so personable, and I now experience that same personable feeling with customers and their devices. When the building with my kitchen was sold, I wondered what I was going to do. Then, I became a live-in house manager/chef in private homes. I called it living in “borrowed luxury” — it was in private homes that I experienced technology for the first time. The cars had cell phones — very large bulky cell phones — after all, this was the early ’90s! I loved my job and the people for whom I worked, yet it was time for another change.

    bq. __I decided to return to school and study Science Information Technology with an emphasis on computer networking systems. I was an older student and had not studied in a long, long, long time. I graduated with highest honors and was hired before I graduated. I was a Senior Advisor and Project Manager, as employee #11 of a San Francisco Bay start-up. Each position afforded me the opportunity to use different, new technologies and hardwares, yet I always had my Mac with me.

    bq. __My journey to Key West has taken me through a few other cities and stores, yet one constant has been the amazing Apple community. Although I was new to the area, we all spoke the same language: Mac!

    bq. __We have a great team here, and we’re excited to get to know everyone here in Key West a little better — stop by the store and say hi!”

    bq. __To read more about Cindy,__ “*check out her bio here.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/cindyc

  • iOS 7

    With iOS 7 officially released, will you be upgrading? If you choose to, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how much of a change it is.

    Some people have been running the beta version of it for quite some time now, but for those of us who are not in the “*iOS Developer Program,*”:https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/ we had to patiently wait!

    If you’re ready to make the plunge, there are a couple of ways you can download:

    * *From your device:* Settings > General > Software Update
    * *From iTunes on your computer:* Plug your phone in > Select the iPhone icon > Choose Update under Summary

    It’s important to keep in mind that you should ??always?? do a backup prior to updating your software. You can do that via “*iCloud*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766 or “*iTunes backup.*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12125

  • Trade In, Trade Up!

    Itching for a new iPhone 5c or 5s, but can’t quite justify the upgrade? Or, are you ready to trade up and want to make sure your old phone gets put to good use? Well, you’re in luck, because Small Dog Electronics now offers a trade-in program for your old phone!

    Whether it’s an iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 or __any other brand of cell phone,__ it qualifies for our iPhone Trade-In program. So, how does it work?

    # Come into any of our store locations
    # Bring your old phone (working or not!)
    # Trade it in for instant store credit

    That’s right — you’ll receive instant store credit for use toward a brand new iPhone! You don’t even need the original box or accessories. And of course, we will ensure that your data is securely erased using DOD (Department of Defense) standards.

    Visit “*Smalldog.com/tradein*”:http://www.smalldog.com/tradein for more details.

    __Note: See store for details about your phone’s value — trade-in prices will vary based upon condition and kind of phone. Trade-in pricing is for store credit at any Small Dog store or online at Smalldog.com. Currently, iPhone sales and Trade-In program are available in-store only.__

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    !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/3626.png!:http://www.smalldog.com/

    Official launch is tomorrow, September 20. Come on in to “*any of our retail locations*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail to place your order and check out the brand new iPhone 5c and 5s on demo!

  • Resetting Your Admin Password

    This article was meant to appear in the September 17th edition of Tech Tails. We’re posting here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy! If…

  • SPECIAL | Purchase Audioengine A5+ Speakers & Get a FREE AirPort Express!

    Wow! What a deal for setting up a sweet sound system! Audioengine 5+ (A5+) Premium Powered Speakers deliver audiophile-quality sound and features at a price that continues to set the standard for affordable high-quality audio.

    And with the FREE AirPort Express included in this bundle you can play iTunes music through your stereo or powered speakers using AirTunes. AirTunes takes the music from the iTunes library on your computer and sends it wirelessly to any stereo or speakers in your home.

    ??*Note: The AirPort Express is an Apple refurbished product and has a standard 1-year warranty.*??

  • Pages Inspector

    I can’t remember how long I have been using Pages, but by this point, I can’t really recall using anything else. The choices in the template chooser have enabled me to create flyers, newsletters, birthday cards and business cards.

    Easily enough, all these template choices are available in Pages in Page Layout. Customizing is a breeze. Dragging and dropping a photo on my Mac into a template is seamless.

    Many customers ask for help with formatting a document in Pages. The easiest way to do this is with Inspector. Inspector is located on the top right of all pages templates and document. Just click the blue ‘i’ in the upper right hand section and the Inspector window appears.

    To set margins, click on the Letter (Pages?) icon and you’ll choose *Document Margins.* There are several other page formatting options, including *Footnotes and Endnotes*, page number formatting, and access to additional *Page Setup* options.

    One of the most interesting sections, *Wrap*, can make or break your experience with Pages. Often, designers tend to want to keep these options off, but for the rest of us, automatically being able to wrap text around images is key to a great-looking document.

    In *Layout,* you’re able to add columns, set section page numbering and set page sections. In *Text,* you can set formatting, spacing, and color choices.

    Adding images? Click on the *Graphic* icon for all graphics settings, including adding reflections, shadows, and other image options.

    Appropriately, *Metrics* gives you options to add metrics to any table inserted in a document. Adding *Tables* allows you to select rows, column width and height, cell borders and more.

    Experiment with *Chart* data to make your information stand out as a colorful graphic. There are several link options in the *Link* section; it’s not just for links to the web, as you can add content from your Address Book (or Contacts, as it’s currently known).

    This is obviously a pretty basic primer, but Pages is more powerful than it may lead you to believe. It just might be worth switching from Word or Text Edit if you want a fast, clean application that produces polished documents (and now the iWork suite is free on iPhones, iPads and iPod touches). Give it a second look!

  • How Water Ruins Lives

    Every single week I invariably receive a device that has come into contact with water. Sometimes the customer spilled an entire glass of water on their MacBook Pro keyboard. Other times they dropped an iPad into a puddle of mud, or occasionally someone will get just a few droplets near their device; yet all of these instances have the potential to render a device unusable.

    This becomes indescribably frustrating and expensive quite fast. Liquid contact voids warranties, as manufacturers know how physically difficult — in some cases impossible — it is to resurrect liquid-damaged boards. Whenever I break the terrible news (well, sometimes it’s not news) to customers that their computer has liquid damage and cannot be economically fixed, they give me their emotional reaction but, to this day, nobody has asked how liquids ruin computers or cell phones or iPods.

    In a hypothetical environment where you could run completely pure water over a powered board, you would be surprised to find that nothing much would happen. Pure H20 is actually not a conductor! Its covalent bonds join the positively charged H+ ion with the OH- ion for a net charge of 0. Most water that we come into contact with does, however, contain free ions of different charges. Salt, for example, consists of sodium (Na+) and chlorine (Cl-) ions that will separate as sodium chloride molecules dissolve in water.

    Because there are these “mobile ions” present, electricity can be conducted through the water which, in reality, is a “solution,” and this is as good as causing a short circuit on your logic board. When any sort of liquid compound (soda, tap water, broth, tea, beer, etc) come into contact with a part of your boards, you run the risk of short circuiting and destroying tiny components like transistors, capacitors, and plug leads by causing too many electrons to flow through these components.

    I find short-circuiting to be the most pervasive cause of liquid-contacted board failure though there are numerous circumstances where this type of failure is unlikely because, let’s say, the computer is not plugged in and the battery is depleted. There ought to be, in this case, little to no current in the circuitry of your device. That doesn’t really matter though because corrosion, the very same phenomena that causes rust on iron alloys, is imminent.

    Corrosion occurs when an electrolyte (such as tap water) comes into contact with metal (found all over printed circuit boards) and slowly causes its atoms to bond with liberated oxygen ions – liberated when the electrolyte made contact with C02 in the air and started forming carbonic acid, which started dissolving the metal atoms.

    As you can see, a number of chemical and physical forces go to work the moment any liquid touches your computer and is quite out of your control at that point. A lot of customers plead with me that they immediately powered their devices down, put them upside down, blew air on them, opened them up, dried them with leftover Kleenex or whatever, in the hopes that I’ll say “…oh alright, I’ll let it slide this time, but next time be more careful!”

    Sadly, I have not yet been given access privileges to change the laws of physics and chemistry. Until then, please be mindful of your liquids and don’t take chances: those who have dropped their phones into toilets and gone on to use them (not sure why) for years after are freaks of nature and should thank the power of love for their good fortune!