Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • Activity Monitor, Heat, and Battery Life

    My MacBook Pro was acting strange last week: slow application launch times, incessant beach-balling, fans at full speed all the time, hot to the touch, and miserable battery life.

    This group of symptoms screams software, not hardware. Excessive heat generation and fan activity can be a symptom of hardware abnormality, but it is most often caused by a runaway process. The additional symptom of abysmal battery life is the real clue. When a program on your computer encounters a situation it doesn’t know how to deal with, it can often consume a huge percentage of the computer’s processing power (and battery) to figure it out. This turned out the be the case in my situation.

    If you find yourself with these symptoms, instead of fretting or just dealing with it, fire up Activity Monitor from your Utilities folder. You’ll see a list of all the processes running on your machine. This will show you not only the programs you use every day, like Safari and iPhoto, but also the behind-the-scenes stuff that keeps Mac OS X running. There are several columns in the window, but this first installment of the Activity Monitor focuses on the CPU column. By clicking on the CPU column header, you can view the processes by the amount of processor capacity they’re using, in ascending or descending order.

    I sorted this column and noticed that SystemUIServer was pegged at 91%. This accounted for all the problems I was having. By clicking on SystemUIServer in this window and then clicking on the big red Quit Process button on the top left of the window, this process was forced to restart itself. With this completed, and SystemUIServer hovering at a very reasonable 0.1%, the fans spun down, the laptop cooled off, and the estimated battery life remaining jumped up almost an hour.

  • Repair of the Week: iPad 2 Setup Issues

    Repair of the Week: iPad 2 Setup Issues

    iPad 2 is here! Most of what we’ve heard from our customers is very positive, and people absolutely love their new toy. As with any new device, however, we occasionally get a call from someone who can’t get their iPad to work with their computer. Most of the time, the issue falls into one of the following categories.

    USB port: iPad, as with other recent devices, requires connection to a USB 2.0 port to sync with iTunes. If your system has legacy USB 1.x ports, iTunes won’t see the device. If you’re not sure, check System Profiler (Mac) or Device Manager (Windows). Another thing to watch for is if you’re plugging the device into an unpowered USB hub; the device will turn on and show the Connect to iTunes graphic, but it won’t appear under Devices in iTunes. Plug it directly into the computer to ensure there is enough power to detect the device.

    Non-current version of iTunes: All current iDevices require iTunes 10, but for iPad 2 you must have at least 10.2. If you use a Windows system, click Help -> About iTunes to find out if you’re up to date. On a Mac, click iTunes -> About iTunes. If you have an earlier version than 10.2.1, check that same menu for a Check for Updates selection and see if a new version is available. If so, download and install it, then try your device again.

    Your system doesn’t support iTunes 10: Depending on the version of the OS you have, you may not be able to install iTunes 10. Your only option here is to upgrade your operating system. For Windows, you must have XP Service Pack 3. For Mac OS X, you need 10.5.8 or higher. Also keep in mind that iTunes 10 may need more memory than your system has installed – you can get by with 512MB RAM, but to take full advantage of the content, you should have 1GB or more.

    For extensive troubleshooting information, give us a call or check out “Apple’s iPad support page”:http://www.apple.com/support/ipad

  • Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.6.7

    This Monday, Apple released the seventh major revision of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The maintenance update, which is the first since January, includes several bug fixes and subtle performance enhancements. Additionally, Apple has bundled numerous security improvements into the update–a full list can be viewed “*here.*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4581 Though the update includes more enhancements and refinements than new features, it is still a welcome release and a suggested update for all Snow Leopard users. Some of the top-billed features of the release include fixes that:

    * Improve the reliability of Back to My Mac
    * Resolve an issue when transferring files to certain SMB servers
    * Address various minor Mac App Store issues

    A complete list of all additional non-security improvements can be viewed “*here.*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4472

    The update is available via Software Update or by direct download. As always, we recommend users back up their data prior to installing operating system updates.

    Additionally, Apple has released a unique build of Mac OS X v10.6.7 specifically for early 2011 MacBook Pro models. Supplementing the aforementioned fixes, this release addresses minor FaceTime performance issues and improves graphics stability and external display compatibility. Users of the new MacBook Pro are advised to obtain the update through Software Update in order to ensure they receive the proper version. However, a direct link can be found “*here.*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1368

    *Direct Links*

    * “*Mac OS X v10.6.7 Client*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1363 (for users running v10.6.6)
    * “*Mac OS X v10.6.7 Client Combo*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1361 (for users running v10.6 – v10.6.5)

    * “*Mac OS X v10.6.7 Server*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1362 (for users running v10.6.6 Server)
    * “*Mac OS X v10.6.7 Server Combo*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1364 (v10.6 Server – v10.6.5 Server)

  • Happy Tuesday,

    I’m writing from our Manchester, NH store today, which is brimming with customers eager to try out an iPad 2, get help and training at our Help Desk, or just touch and feel some of the hottest products on the planet. While you can’t really get an iPad 2 anywhere, they are trickling in, and we’ve been able to fill quite a few orders. Like so many others, we’re excited for supply to meet demand. It certainly seems that iPad 2 is the most sought-after Apple product in quite some time.

    Dan Warren, the lead technician in Manchester, has a new member of his family. Dexter Owen Warren was born over the weekend, and Dan will be on leave for a while. If you’ve ever been to the Manchester store or called for support, there’s a very good chance you spoke with Dan. We wish him well during this joyous time.

    What would you like covered in Tech Tails? You can reply to this message, or feel free to email me directly.

    As always, thanks for reading.

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

  • Apple Announces WWDC 2011 Dates

    Apple today announced the dates of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Monday June 6 to…

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  • Thinking Different About Education

    When Apple announced the advent of iPad 2 to the world earlier this month, part of their presentation focused on the revolutionary device’s…

  • I have been looking for a project ever since I completed my Norton restoration. It is my “stress relief” to get dirty and greasy in the shop, bang a few knuckles, and work on mechanical things. Well, I have decided to embark on a project that was only a dream until recently: I am going to convert my favorite motorcycle to an electric motorcycle with the help of my friends Steve Miracle, who is an electric car conversion expert, and Dave Sellers, an architect and inventor who will help me with the looks of the finished product. I am going to document this process at my “blog.”:http://www.donmayer.org/Don_Mayer/Blog/Blog.html The first step is to take all the stuff I won’t need–like the engine, transmission, exhaust pipes, etc.–off of the bike.

    Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

    Don, Ben & Stephanie

  • Apple Addresses Recent Apple TV Issues

    This Tuesday, Apple released software version 4.2.1 for the popular second generation Apple TV. The device, which had been experiencing somewhat widespread issues following the 4.2 update, should now operate more reliably. Releasing 4.2.1 less than two weeks after the release of 4.2, Apple clearly listened to user feedback and expedited development of the patch. According to the “*support document*”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4448 accompanying the release, the following issues have been addressed:

    *TV compatibility:*
    Addresses issues that may cause the screen to flicker or display incorrect color on some older TVs.

    *Wake from sleep:*
    Addresses an issue where Apple TV may not wake up from sleep.

    *Audio:*
    Addresses an issue where audio may not be heard on some TV models after switching from another input.

    *Stability and performance:*
    Apple TV Software Update 4.2.1 includes stability and performance fixes for Apple TV.

    The bug affecting the greatest number of Apple TVs was intermittent screen flickering. Last week, this issue was traced to older HDTVs attempting to convert the Apple TV’s 720p output to 1080i. Early feedback seems to indicate the update resolves this problem. Apple TV users can download the update from their devices directly. Using the Apple Remote, simply navigate to Settings > General > Update Software.

  • Introducing the Pink Chill Pill

    As you may have already seen on the Web or in stores, there is a bold new color available in the “Chill Pill Mobile Speakers”:http://chillpillaudio.com/page4/mobile-speakers/mobile-speakers.html family: Pink! The pink Chill Pill will add a splash of color to your life while providing stellar on-the-go sound. Like the other members of the Chill Pill line, this portable speaker can be charged and re-charged from your laptop’s USB port or by any USB power supply (such as the “Chill Pill Audio 2-Port USB AC Power Adapter”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/74975/chill-pill-audio-2-port-usb-ac-power-adapter-for-ipod-iphone-chill-pill/at_kb) and will provide up to six hours of music, podcast, or audiobook playback between charges. The pink Chill Pill is a perfect complement to your iPod, iPhone, iPad, or any other device with a standard 1/8 inch (3.5mm) headphone jack.

    While all of the above features are a great reason to buy the pink Chill Pill, there is another: Chill Pill Audio, Small Dog Electronics’ private label brand, is donating one dollar from the sale of each pink Chill Pill to “The Breast Cancer Research Foundation”:http://www.bcrfcure.org/. This non-profit organization funds research on and raises awareness about breast cancer around the world. The pink Chill Pill–priced at just $39.99, the same affordable cost as the rest of the line–allows you to listen to your favorite media while knowing your purchase has helped support critical health research and outreach.

    To purchase your pink Chill Pill, visit “Small Dog Electronics.”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/77492/chill-pill-mobile-speakers-pink/at_kb