Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • Windows 8 and Boot Camp

    I recently had the opportunity to install Windows 8 on my iMac, and while I have never been a fan of the Windows operating system, I had heard some good things about Windows 8, so I decided to give it a try.

    I wanted to install via Boot Camp, as I do not own any virtual machine software, and personally don’t see a reason that I need it. I have no issues restarting my computer in order to switch operating systems.

    Upon opening up Boot Camp Assistant, I remembered that Windows 8 is not officially supported by it yet, and questioned my ability to install it. After some digging around on the web, I found out that it will install just fine, regardless of what Boot Camp Assistant says. I followed through with the install, just like any other Boot Camp setup. I downloaded the Windows software support to an available thumb drive.

    The install went very smoothly, and actually didn’t seem to take as long as past versions of Windows. After it finished, I installed the support software, and was good to go. I didn’t really have anything specific I needed to do in Windows, I simply wanted to try it out. Under general use, I didn’t encounter any major issues, considering it’s not even officially supported by Apple/Boot Camp.

    The issues I encountered were fairly minor. When adjusting the volume from an Apple keyboard, Windows responds correctly, but there is no volume level indicator overlay like you would normally see. This is also the case when adjusting the brightness from the keyboard. In my research, I did notice that some users needed to download certain drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s website and install manually, but this was not the case for me. All drivers were installed and working correctly.

    Like I said, I’ve never been much of a Windows user, I simply had the opportunity to install and try out Windows 8. I think Microsoft is headed in the right direction with their GUI, but they still have a ways to go.

    To me, Windows 8 is reminiscent of the last time I used Windows, which was XP on my family’s computer, but with some randomly added features and frills (that don’t seem to have been implemented very well). As an example, it took me about five minutes to figure out how to find the shut down menu…Hint: It’s under “Settings.” __(Editor’s Note: Guess that’s better than being under “Start.” -KH)__

    Have you tried Windows 8 yet? What are your thoughts? “*Email me!*”:mailto:rj@smalldog.com

  • Do Not Sleep If You See Me!

    You may or may not have heard rumors about Apple implementing facial recognition into their OS for security purposes. This hasn’t happened yet, but likely will in the near future. I discovered an app over the holiday that will enable you to use this feature now.

    It’s a free app available on the App Store called “Should I Sleep?”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/should-i-sleep/id560851219?mt=12%26uo%3D6%26partnerId%3D30 I should qualify that statement though — its most basic functionality is free. You can get upgrades for a few dollars.

    The app checks the camera to see if someone is sitting in front of your machine just before it is going to go to sleep. If it detects a face, it doesn’t sleep. Some of the paid features include things like noise and motion detection. This can add security and convenience for those who use laptops.

    Let’s say you have your system set to sleep after one minute, and you have your computer set to require a password to wake from sleep. You’re quietly sitting at your computer reading text on your screen. If you’re not physically interacting with your computer, it will go black and then you’ll have to enter your password every minute. With this app, the computer will know you’re in front of it and won’t sleep. If you get up to grab a steaming cup of liquid awesomeness (some call it coffee), your computer will realize you’re not there anymore and lock itself down. Many of you may think, “Well, why can’t you just move the mouse periodically?” Convenience!

    “Should I Sleep?”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/should-i-sleep/id560851219?mt=12%26uo%3D6%26partnerId%3D30 doesn’t actually recognize __your__ face, just a general face-like presence in front of the camera. So should someone jump in front of your machine in the seconds between when you get up and when it goes to sleep, it will halt the sleep process. It’s not a finicky app. We’ll have to wait for Apple to implement true facial recognition, which I’d bet we’d see in the next year or two.

    I thought it was a neat app, and considering it’s essentially free, it’s worth downloading and toying around with. It’s not for everyone (especially the tin-foil hat wearers out there), but I’m sure more than a handful of you will find it useful.

  • Hello all,

    The weather here continues lurching like a drunken sailor back and forth between fall and winter…hopefully it will give up soon and just lie down in one spot. Last night, it was snowing when I went to bed, and today will be near 50 and rainy.

    The big news this week actually seems noteworthy — Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that starting next year, some of their manufacturing jobs will be returning to the US. Shawn has more details in his article this week. I am hoping for two things from this — both of which could be completely off the mark (or overly optimistic anyway).

    Firstly, I hope this marks a point where Apple decides to become a better corporate citizen. Steve Jobs was a visionary in many ways, but corporate responsibility and investing in American manufacturing were not a big part of that vision. Secondly, I hope that this symbolic gesture by Apple will help bolster the confidence of other companies considering this move to take the step (or maybe simply take it a bit sooner than they were going to).

    Let me know what you think and have a good week.

    Liam
    “*liam@smalldog.com*”:mailto:liam@smalldog.com

  • Need a gift for someone who’s constantly on-the-move? The Matias Folding Keyboard + Mouse combo is one step toward taking your full-sized workstation…

  • The Burl App

    The other day, my boss sent me this link to check out an app for my iPhone. Intrigued by the fact that she…

  • I have some interesting chores in store this weekend aside from navigating the grandkids’ Christmas lists. The weather stripping is coming off my front door so I have to take the door off the house and fix that — which is typical for winter. Why not take the door off the house in the freezing cold?

    I also have some sort of tree growing out of one of the flues in my chimney, so I have to fire up the big wood furnace to burn that out. Ahh, winter time.

    Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Stephanie and Mike_

  • KB SPECIAL | Surge Protect Your Mac

    Quirky always has a mind for unique designs and this swiveling surge protector is no different. If you are short on space this ‘lil guy will help keep your electronics protected from power surges and save on space! For only $19.99 you can’t pass up this special!

  • KB SPECIAL | Keyboard for your Mac or iOS Device

    Have you ever found yourself missing the feel of real keys on a keyboard? Well the Matias Slim One Keyboard is the perfect companion for your iOS device when you need to do some major typing. Save $10 on this great gift this holiday season!

  • Bring a Toy, Get $15

    This year in our retail stores, we’re collecting toys for those in need this holiday season. As an extra incentive, **if you bring in a new toy between 11/23 – 12/23, you’ll get $15 to spend toward a $50 purchase.** You must use the coupon the same day you bring your toy.

    In both our **Waitsfield and S. Burlington locations,** we’ll be taking donations for the “**Rutland County Women’s Network.**”:http://www.rcwn.org/ In our **Manchester location,** all toy donations will benefit the “**YWCA.**”:http://www.ywcanh.org/

    If you’re in the area, bring by a new toy for a child in need, and perhaps take care of some of your holiday shopping list at the same time!

  • Small Dog Gift Guide, Part 1

    __Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be featuring gift ideas from Small Dog staff members here and on our blog. Stop by often to see what we think would make great gifts this year!__

    “*iPod nano,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/Apple/iPod/iPod_nano/ *$149.99*
    “This makes a perfect gift for young and old alike (I’m identifying with the latter more and more, by the way). It’s light, yet solid, so it’s perfect for small (or perhaps clumsy) hands. The big round icons are colorful and easy to use, and it’s a great nano for a tween, gym rat, or parent on your list. It keeps your digital content simple, and I love the sleek, small size and the fact that it comes in seven colors.” -Kali

    “*Magic Trackpad,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76695/apple-magic-trackpad/at_kb *$69.99* and “*MagicWand,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/77851/twelve-south-magic-wand *$29.99*
    “Magic Trackpad is ideal for anyone using a Mac desktop. It allows one to use all of the innovative features that Mac OS X is capable of — including all of the Multi-Touch gestures to navigate multiple windows at once. It’s made with the same glass that the laptop trackpads are made from, however it is larger to accommodate for the larger screen of the desktops. If you have an Apple Keyboard, you can connect it with the Trackpad using the MagicWand by Twelve South!” – Austin

    “*Adobe Photoshop Elements*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/81982/adobe-photoshop-elements-v11-0-for-mac-win-1-user/at_kb *$89.99*
    “I use Photoshop all the time for work, but I’ve found that for most people, Photoshop Elements does just want they want — and the price is right! If you know someone who is into photography, or even just the casual iPhoneographer, they won’t be disappointed with this.” – Steph

    “*iPad mini,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/iPads/iPad_mini *from $329.99* and “*Hammerhead Folio Case,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/Hammerhead/iPad_mini *$29.99*
    “Well, it’s my birthday today, and I’m hoping to see one of these. The iPad mini is really the best version of the iPad for me because I love that it fits easily in one hand. My son is already excited about all of the games he could play on it, and I know my husband would probably want to swipe it for a meeting or two on the mountain. OK, Don, here’s your chance…” -Kerry

    “*Hammerhead Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Cable,*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76263/hammerhead-mini-displayport-to-hdmi-cable-6ft/at_kb *$29.99*
    “I have a Mac running 10.8 and an Apple TV, and let me say that video mirroring is amazing. However, sometimes I still prefer the old method of connecting the two via a cable. There is less lag when heavy graphics are being displayed and sometimes I would rather extend my display instead of mirroring it. That is why I highly recommend to anyone who owns a Mac to also have a Hammerhead Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable on hand. It is easily the best money I’ve spent on an accessory for my Mac!” – Mike B.

    “*Shop our Holiday page*”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday for more gift ideas! Don’t forget that you can get a $25 gift card or free Chill Pill when you buy a Mac plus AppleCare and essential hard drive.

    “*Find a retail store here!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail iPads are exclusively in-store, and both our S. Burlington and Manchester locations have extended holiday hours. Come see us!

  • Pins, Pinning and Pinners…

    Some of you may already know what Pinterest is and use it daily (like I do), some of you might have heard of it or seen the “Pin It” button around various parts of the web, and yet others might have no clue about what I’m talking about! For those of you who don’t know what it is or would like to know more, you might be signing up for an account shortly.

    Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. It’s a virtual pinboard. People use and create various pinboards to help organize, share, collect and dream about things they would like to have or do. For instance, the wedding you want to have one day, the glamorous dinner parties you want to throw on the weekends or the dream house you one day hope to have.

    The Pinterest website allows you to look at all the pretty pins other pinners have been pinning (don’t worry, you’ll have the lingo down soon). A pin is an image that is added to Pinterest. It can be added from a website using the Pin It button (most sites these days have added this handy button that allows you to quickly and easily pin something to one of your boards you’ve created on the Pinterest site) or you can upload images from your computer or smart phone.

    Each pin links back to the original web page or image source it came from, so you always have a point of reference. A pin might be a chocolate cupcake recipe you want to try later, a dress you want to wear to your brother’s wedding next summer or a DIY bathroom cleaner you can make from three ingredients (I think Pinterest might be sponsored by the baking soda industry…).

    A board is a set of pins and can be created on any topic. Examples of boards that I currently have are “Love me some Foods”, a board with 160 different recipes I want to try, “Just call me Crafty”, a board with 25 different do-it-yourself projects I want to attempt (ok, I like food more than I do crafts) and “Design Inspire-ations”, my board where I pin inspirational graphic design, typography and colors.

    With the holiday season upon us, Pinterest can be a great resource to make shopping easier and give you some great gift ideas. For those of you who are online shoppers (or find what you want online and buy locally), you can organize all your gift ideas onto a board or multiple boards on Pinterest. It can be your virtual gift or wish list.

    Pinterest even recently added a new feature allowing you to have “secret boards” where only you can view them, since by default, the boards you create are public. (There are some settings to either hide or show your content in website search engines, too, if you’re mindful about privacy.) This way, you can keep your gifts for others your lil’ secret. Pinterest has a great free app for iPhone allowing you to review your boards on-the-go. Not only does this come in handy when you’re out shopping for gift (e.g. “What was that awesome thing I wanted to get my mom again?”), but I usually check out my “Love me some Foods” board while at the grocery store for good dinner ideas.

    We recently added the Pin It button to the collection of social media buttons on our website making it easy to pin your favorite Apple products and accessories — you’re welcome! If you don’t have a Pinterest account just yet, I’d strongly suggest getting one. It used to be by invitation only but now you can simply sign up.

    Of course, Small Dog has a Pinterest account as well, since we’re excited to find and share the products, geeky stuff, tattoos, and dogs we love! We also love to pin anything Vermont or New Hampshire-related, people who inspire us, and overall fun things.

    True story: I kept telling Kerry here in the office — who loves all sorts of glamorous things — to sign up for Pinterest. She kept saying “no, no,” because it seemed too overwhelming. Finally, months later, she signed up. She came into the office today looking a little tired. Why? She was up all night pinning away. Told ya so!

    You too, will be addicted in no time.

    Follow Small Dog Electronics’ Pinterest boards here:
    “*Pinterest.com/hellosmalldog*”:http://www.pinterest.com/hellosmalldog

  • The Burl App

    The other day, my boss sent me this link to check out an app for my iPhone. Intrigued by the fact that she would not say what it was I opened it up to find an app named after me. Thats right, the “*Burl App*”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fburlapp-homegrown-guide-to%2Fid582792446%3Fmt%3D8%26uo%3D4%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30 is an app made by Seven Days the local magazine in Burlington. You could guess by now that it isn’t really named after me, and it’s actually short for Burlington, but I still love seeing my name pop up on this app all the time.

    So what does the Burl App do? Well, it is a very handy collection of businesses, attractions, news and events all in the Burlington and surrounding area. The app dubs itself as a home-grown guide to Burlington, VT made by “*Seven Days*”:http://www.7dvt.com and “*Route 802*”:http://route802.biz as a resource for locals and tourists alike. That just about hits the nail on the head. If you are looking for a new place to eat, or what DJ is playing where this Friday night, the Burl App has you covered.

    What I like best about this app is that it is a very simple gateway for information. It doesn’t inundate you with a million features. It simply gives you an organized list of what you can do and where you can go in Burlington. For example, if you want to do some shopping for your pup you can go to the pet section of the shopping area and find “*Pet Food Warehouse*”:http://pfwvt.com/index.php. This is a local pet shop and the app gives you a brief summary of the business including an address, phone number and website to view if the business has one. Or, if you are visiting Burlington for the first time and need a place to stay, you can look into the lodging section to find the perfect place for you to catch a few winks.

    I highly recommend to anyone that plans on visiting and anyone who lives in Burlington, VT to download the “*Burl App*”:http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=19XpSnZWhPI&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fburlapp-homegrown-guide-to%2Fid582792446%3Fmt%3D8%26uo%3D4%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30p. I think that you won’t be disappointed with the wealth of information the app has. The other nice thing is that the app is free which makes sense due to the fact that all of this information is also easily Google-able. You might ask, “then why do I need it when I can just use Google?” I can’t deny the fact that Google has the answers, but all of the information is already pre-packaged for easy digestion with the Burl App and it won’t cost you a penny. Go ahead and give it a whirl and it if really doesn’t do what you want just delete it — no skin off my back and no money lost on your end!