Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • Playing with Lion

    Last week Apple announced the upcoming release of their next version of OS X, 10.7 Lion. I am very excited about this release and wanted to share some of the coming changes to the system with all of you.

    In my opinion, the biggest change is that this release will not be available on conventional optical media, but will instead only be available through the App Store. This seems to effectively lock out anyone __not__ running 10.6 from upgrading to Lion.

    I have seen websites with instructions on how to burn the Lion installer to a DVD to enable installation on other computers. It’s unclear, however, whether or not this will work with the final release, as the only version available now is Developer Preview 4. The server version of Lion will also be available through the App Store as a separate download. Server is also seeing a huge change in that it will be available for around $50, rather than several hundred.

    Down to the nitty gritty: Lion boasts over 250 changes over its predecessor. I was able to take a very quick look at the Developer Preview a short time before writing this article and I can tell you that while it’s definitely still OS X, there are noticeable changes in almost every aspect of the system. I’m not going to release any information that isn’t already available so don’t get your hopes up for major spoilers. I will say this, however: it’s cleaner, slicker and more refined.

    My favorite is Launchpad. This brings the iOS home screen to your Mac. If you have an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch then you’re well familiar with the home screen. On your Mac Launchpad will be a resting place of links to all your applications.

    Click on Launchpad in your dock, or use multitouch gestures, and your dock, menubar and desktop icons fade away leaving a frosted surface over your desktop with all your application icons lined up neatly across your screen. You can move them and organize them into folders as you would in iOS. From what I hear, deleting them is a trifle annoying as the OS will ask you to confirm deletion with each app.

    Another biggie is what Apple is terming Resume. This also takes a cue from iOS. When you shut down your machine, the state of every application running is saved. This way when you restart your machine you are brought back to where you were when you shut down.

    The third take from iOS is Mail. I really like Mail. Again, if you’re familiar with the version of Mail on the iPad you’ll be familiar with what Lion will be like. You can see some images of Mail on Apple’s website. It’s much easier to navigate through multiple mailboxes, so if you’re like I am and have several email addresses, it’s much easier to get through it all.

    Do you have multiple Macs in your home? Have you ever tried to transfer files between them? Apple has always made it easy to network Macs together but now they’ve made it even easier. Now you don’t even need a network. As long as each Mac is able to run the AirDrop software (requires Lion), the computers will discover each other as long as they are close enough and allow you to drag and drop files between them.

    There are many other changes, but to me, these are the largest. While these changes are really amazing, it’s the little details that make Lion such an awesome upgrade. If you wait with bated breath over the release of Lion, you will not be disappointed.

  • Common Wireless Network Conflicts

    I recently moved to a new apartment, and upon getting there and setting up my wireless network, I had all sorts of trouble. My wireless signal would cut out randomly, and my signal dropped out every time I walked into my living room. Normally, I would attribute this to a failing router, but since it coincided with my move, I decided to investigate.

    I reset my router and modem to no avail. My signal was still abnormally faint. Then, I moved my router into a central location in my house. That resolved my living room dead spot, but I was still dropping signal randomly.

    After checking that I had the most recent firmware for my router (check your router’s manufacturer’s website for instructions), I checked for environmental problems. I turned off all lights, televisions, and even my cordless phone.

    Still, I was disconnecting randomly. Finally, I realized that every time my roommate used the microwave, everything disconnected from the network. I changed the channel my router worked on, and never had an issue again.

    If you experience random disconnects, dead spots, and/or poor throughput with your wireless network, the issue may not be your router or device. Try taking these steps to resolve your issues.

    1. Relocate your router to a central location.

    Your router has a limited range, and placing it in the center of your home will ensure uniform distribution of the signal.

    2. Update your firmware on your router.

    Sometimes, a firmware bug on your router can cause issues with your connection. This can be very simple, or very complicated. Consult your documentation and only proceed if you are confident you have the capability to move forward.

    3. Check for other wireless networks in the area, and change your wireless channel accordingly.

    Other wireless networks can interfere with your network, try adjusting the channel on your wireless router to something less common (channels 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 generally are free). Consult your documentation for this step, and only proceed if you feel confident in your ability to do so.

    4. Check for environmental issues.

    Microwaves, cordless phones, wireless video transmitters, fluorescent lights, mirrors between you and the router, wire mesh, plaster walls, and many other things can cause wireless instability. Try disconnecting these devices one by one, and see if your wireless signal increases. If you live in a home with wire mesh-backed plaster walls, you may just have to rely on a wired network, because this type of house is known to seriously impede wireless networks.

    If none of these steps works, consult your ISP or local computer technician, as you may have faulty equipment.

  • Repair of the Week: Semi-functional Ethernet Port

    A 20-inch iMac from mid 2007 was recently checked in for repair due to slow internet connectivity. Most of the time, when a user reports a slow connection, it is due to some variable within their home network.

    I informed the owner of this, and he opted to have the iMac checked in just to be sure. During the intake process, I asked how the computer connected to the home network, and learned that the iMac was normally hard wired with ethernet.

    The first thing I did was plug the iMac into our network. I opened up Safari, and it did seem abnormally slow. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as far as the connection settings. I opened up Network Utility, and pinged Google.com. The ping time was extremely slow.

    I unplugged the ethernet cable, turned AirPort on, and connected the iMac to our public wireless network. I visited the same webpages, and the response time was immensely faster. Pinged Google.com again–much faster. The system was finally accessing the internet at a normal speed. So, the system seemed to have some sort of issue accessing a network through ethernet. I have seen ethernet ports go bad before, but that usually entails a completely non-functional port.

    My last test was to take our USB to Ethernet adapter and try to establish a normal internet connection through that. It worked perfectly. I was browsing sites at a very quick and expected load time. My official diagnosis was a damaged, but still partially functional ethernet port. After a replacement of the logic board (where the ethernet port is located), the issue was solved.

  • Happy Tuesday,

    With last week’s unseasonably hot and humid weather, Owen was in and out of the pond all day, every day. Diving down for rocks is one of his favorite things to do, and some days he needs to be dragged out of the water. He’s a golden retriever with a thick coat, and unfortunately he’s developed a few hot spots from the moisture and excessive scratching. It’s tough to keep him inside during this beautiful weather, but it’s also tough watching him be so uncomfortable. Hydrocortisone cream seems to be helping.

    You may remember mention of used computers in previous issues of Tech Tails. We’ve recently ordered a ton of used MacBooks, similar to those from the last round, and look forward to offering you highest-quality, reliable used laptops in the near future. Keep an eye on this and “other newsletters”:http://www.smalldog.com/newsletters for the latest.

    What topics would you like covered in future newsletters? Send me an email and let me know!

    As always, thanks for reading.

    Matt
    “matt@smalldog.com”:mailto:matt@smalldog.com

  • The Future of MobileMe

    While last Monday marked the advent of Apple’s groundbreaking iCloud service, it simultaneously sealed the fate of another. As of Monday June 6,…

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  • Three Bonus Features of iOS 5

    This past Monday Apple unveiled iOS 5, showcasing 10 of its over 200 new features. Scott Forstall took the stage Monday afternoon and…

  • My electric motorcycle project is coming along. I pulled the gas tank and exhaust from the bike and the electric motor and new wheel is under construction. The next big step is to remove the engine and transmission from the Victory. I’m going to get it all ready to be removed and then get Hapy to come over to help hoist the heavy assembly.

    Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes. You may notice that we have changed the format a bit to tell you more about the products we are offering in each issue. We know, here at Small Dog Electronics that it is YOU, our loyal customers that pay our wages and we want to make sure that you have as much information as possible about the products we are offering in Kibbles & Bytes.

    Look for more in-depth, exclusive specials in subsequent issues. I hope you’ll agree with me that the new way of presenting our special Kibbles & Bytes values is better!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Ben & Kali_

  • Back up Your Dads and Grads

    This week we’re featuring this popular drive for $10 off, making it the perfect time to snag one for your grad to take to college.

    Speaking from experience, a backup drive can be invaluable–especially when a Friday night spent “studying” results in “soda” being spilled on your MacBook. I’ve purchased LaCie products exclusively for the past several years and have never been let down.

    When it came time for a new external hard drive, I decided to spend a few extra bucks on the d2 Quadra as I have one already and absolutely love it. The inclusion of two FireWire 800 ports and eSATA give Mac users demanding a lot of performance several great options.

    The 1TB d2 Quadra is also a great gift for the techie Dad. This Father’s Day, hook Dad up with a professional solution for backing up his music, movies and photos. It makes a great backup drive or the perfect media server when hooked up to an AirPort Extreme.

    Not quite as swanky as that Beemer he’s been eyeing, but he’ll be sure to thank you if an internal drive ever fails!

  • Pink Chill Pills Benefit Breast Cancer Research

    We have made a special pink version of our popular Chill Pill portable speakers. For each pink Chill Pill we sell, we make a $1 donation to Breast Cancer research.

    The Chill Pill is an amazingly compact self-contained speaker system that has 6-hour play time on a charge. With the retractable cables, pop-up resonator and big sound, these speakers fit in the palm of your hand. Great for camping, dorm rooms, traveling and of course, a great graduation gift.

    *To make this an even more compelling offer for Kibbles & Bytes readers this week, I want to offer the pink Chill Pill for $5 off for you __and__ increase our contribution toward Breast Cancer research to $5 for each one sold!*

    I think you will love these speakers and you can do something good, too!

  • iCloud Detailed

    Monday morning, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s revolutionary new iCloud service at the company’s WWDC event. This free set of cloud-based services vastly surpasses anything previously available from Apple or its competitors.

    Although the details and features of the service may seem complex at first glance, the underlying concept is essentially a perfection of the MobileMe suite of cloud services Apple debuted in 2008. Offering deeper integration with both OS X and iOS, iCould effortlessly works with Apple’s range of mobile and desktop products. Pushing and pulling information and media as its added or updated, iCloud syncs information across a range of devices–keeping them all in sync with one another. While unveiling the new service at Monday’s keynote address, Steve Jobs commented:

    bq. “Today it is a real hassle and very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date across all your devices. iCloud keeps your important information and content up to date across all your devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because it’s integrated into our apps, you don’t even need to think about it–it all just works.”

    iCloud includes a wide offering of services–old and new–that look to officially usher in the era of cloud computing for Mac and PC users of all levels. Formerly features exclusive to Apple’s paid MobileMe service, Contacts, Calendar and Mail have been completely rewritten for Apple’s new service. Users are allotted 5GB of free storage for this information, and all services are ad-free.

    Additionally, iCloud integrates with the App Store and the iBookstore to make managing app and iBook purchases significantly easier. Content will be pushed to all devices in a given user’s collection–not just the device initiating the download. Users can also view a purchase history and download any uninstalled apps to a device for no additional cost.

    Among its more revolutionary features, iCloud supports wireless backups of iOS devices while they charge. Apple has essentially “cut the cable” on its mobile devices eliminating the need for manual iTunes syncing. Now, information such as purchased content, photos and videos, settings and app data will be wirelessly stored in the cloud. iCloud users can also upload documents created in Pages, Numbers and Keynote as well as other apps utilizing Apple’s iCloud Storage APIs. This data collectively contributes towards a user’s 5GB total.

    Photo Stream automatically uploads photos taken on one device to other iOS devices and computers. Further reducing the need to manually sync content from a device to a computer, iCloud’s Photo Stream transfers photos over the air. The last 1,000 photos taken are stored on a device for immediate viewing or transfer to a Mac or PC for permanent storage. Additional photos will be stored in iCloud for 30 days, affording users plenty of time to download them via Wi-Fi.

    iTunes in the iCloud rounds out the new service’s features. iCloud users can download previously purchased iTunes music to any of their devices for free. Additionally, any new content purchased from the iTunes Music Store will be downloaded across all devices.

    For a $24.99 annual fee, users can take their cloud based music experience further with iTunes Match. This revolutionary service–subject to significant speculation leading up to the keynote–matches songs obtained outside the iTunes Music Store with Apple’s collection of over 18 million available songs. Subscribers will be granted instant access to high quality versions of their music via iCloud. Only if a given song is not available on iTunes will a user be required to upload it in order to listen.

    iCloud will debut this fall alongside iOS 5, and requires an iOS 5 compatible device or a Mac running Mac OS X Lion. To learn more about iCloud, click “*here.*”:http://www.apple.com/icloud/

  • iOS 5 Announced for Fall Release

    Following its Lion announcement, Apple previewed iOS 5, the next major iteration of its mobile iOS operating system. Sporting a fall release, iOS 5 contains over 200 new features, several of which were highlighted at Monday’s WWDC keynote presentation. Additionally, the new mobile operating system integrates heavily with Apple’s simultaneously announced iCloud service. This inclusion will allow users to wirelessly sync their devices’ information–including full device backups–without the need to connect to a computer when the service debuts this fall. Among the features presented, the following stand out the most:

    *Notification Center:*

    Notification Center offers a much needed solution to the notification problem identified by many users in previous versions of iOS. Alerts quickly appear at the top of the screen, and are then collated into a single menu. This menu can be conveniently accessed at any time by swiping down on a device’s screen. Additionally, notifications appear on the lock screen, providing easy access to their corresponding apps with a single tap.

    *Newsstand:*

    Borrowing heavily from iBooks, Newsstand works with the newly announced subscriptions portion of the App Store. From within the app–which works like a folder–users can easily view, manage and organize their subscriptions. Newsstand automatically updates in the background to ensure the most current edition of a given publication is available for offline viewing.

    *Safari:*

    Safari for iOS 5 introduces many highly requested features including tabbed browsing, Safari Reader–inspired by its OS X counterpart–and Reading List, an Instapaper like service for saving articles to read later.

    *Twitter Integration:*

    iOS 5 features system wide Twitter integration. This enables users to sign in once, and then tweet directly from 1st and 3rd party Twitter enabled apps. Though similar support is already featured in a variety of 3rd party apps, Apple has built Twitter support into its collection of 1st party offerings such as Camera, Safari, Maps and YouTube.

    *iMessage:*

    iMessage is a substantial reworking of the iPhone exclusive Messages app. Bringing support to iPad and iPod touch, iMessages allows all iOS 5 users to communicate with each other via text message, photo or video. Making use of Wi-Fi and 3G networks where applicable, conversations are pushed across devices. This means a conversation can be originated by an iPhone, and concluded later from an iPad over Wi-Fi.

    *Reminders:*

    Taking a cue from the myriad of 3rd party to-do list apps, Apple has created a task management app of its own, dubbed Reminders. This app enables users to create and group related tasks together; and set time or location-based reminder alerts, priorities and due dates, so you can be reminded of a task as its deadline approaches, or when you arrive or depart a given location.

    *Camera:*

    Making much needed updates to its default Camera app–which has been largely untouched since the debut of the original iPhone–Apple has listened to user feedback and modified the app accordingly. iOS 5 brings camera access to the lock screen by way of a double tap on the home button, volume-up shutter control, optional grid lines and many additional enhancements.

    iOS 5 is slated for release this fall, and is compatible with the following devices:

    * iPhone 4
    * iPhone 3GS

    * iPad 2
    * iPad

    * iPod touch 4th gen.
    * iPod touch 3rd gen.

    For more information on the features of iOS 5, click “*here.*”:http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/features.html