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The Most Expensive Apple Computer
One question that we often get is, “Why are Apple computers so expensive?” People are used to seeing PC prices that are advertised on TV or in box store circulars that are for very basic models. They do not realize that Apple computers are more durable, hold their value better, and come standard with an incredible set of features. These include built-in iSight cameras, the most advanced processors, the iLife suite of applications and OSX. Perhaps the best feature is that they are not susceptible to PC viruses which can potentially save you money and keep your data safe.
On the other hand, I have to admit that there is a model of Apple computer that is extremely expensive considering the features that it has. I am not talking about the “Mac Pro 12 Core 2.93GHz 6GB/512GB SSD/5870”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76853/mac-pro-12-core-2-93ghz-6gb-512gb-ssd-5870-cto/at_kb which retails at Small Dog for $7,649.99. This computer is an excellent deal, considering the incredible processing power that it offers and the extremely durable solid state hard drive. The computer I am referring to just sold for $210,000 at a Christie’s auction and __doesn’t come with a power supply, casing or keyboard and has a mere 8K of RAM.__ This computer is the Apple I.
This model was designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak and was only sold retail from July of 1976 through September of 1977. Since that time, there have been a few improvements to the Apple line of products. To offer a comparison, if you went dollar-for-dollar based on processing speed, the iPad would retail for over $200 million dollars. This means that we are offering an amazing 99.99975% discount on the iPad! Of course, the Apple I retailed for only $666.66 back in the 1970s and time has been kind to its value. For this particular unit, the original packaging and signed letter from the salesman (a young entrepreneur named Steve Jobs) probably helped bump the sale price up quite a bit.
The moral of the story is to buy and hang on to “Small Dog branded items”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Gifts_and_Swag|Small_Dog_Swag because they may be worth a small fortune someday!
__Image source: cedmagic.com__
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AirPlay Audio Review
Of all the new features introduced in Apple’s recent iOS 4.2 software update, AirPlay was the one I most anticipated. After 4.2 was released Monday afternoon, I updated my iPhone and decided to try the new feature with a set of remote speakers attached to my AirPort Express. Though I haven’t yet taken the Apple TV plunge–which would enable photo and video streaming–I was still excited to try out the music component of the feature. After some initial testing, I am pleased to report that AirPlay works great!
Those who have just updated to 4.2 will have likely noticed a new icon nestled into the playback controls of several apps. This icon, which looks like a triangle with a rectangle surrounding it, represents AirPlay. If you are connected to a wireless network which features either an AirPort Express or the new Apple TV, simply tap the icon to view a list of remote streaming options. By default, the entry corresponding to your device will be checked. However by selecting another source–for instance “Ben’s AirPort Express”–you can easily stream the audio playing back on your device. Though playback did not occur immediately in my test, a connection was easily established, and audio began to play within 2-3 seconds.
AirPlay is a fantastic way to wirelessly play content from you iOS device, but its functionality is not limited to Apple’s apps alone. I was delighted to find that Pandora had enabled the new feature in the most recent build of their app. Previously, the only way I could get this functionality was by either plugging my iPhone in, or dealing with the clunky Plex plugin on my HTM (Home Theater Mac.) Not only was my iPhone no longer tethered to speakers, but I could multitask and allow the device to standby without interrupting playback. A lot of people have been giving Apple grief for what AirPlay lacks, but fail to consider exactly what it offers. Don’t forget that a dedicated “Pandora Box” can run you anywhere from $50-$100. Apple has essentially made this functionality available for free, and on its existing devices with AirPlay.
I also tested the new feature with Apple’s YouTube app. From time to time (OK, a lot of the time), I wind up lying on the couch watching YouTube videos on my iPhone. While onboard speaker performance has never been a problem, it does leave something to be desired. I noticed the app included the AirPlay icon so I decided to give it a try. I was slightly alarmed when the video momentarily stuttered and froze, but after buffering for a few seconds, the audio began to play through my wireless speakers in perfect sync with the video.
Though this review just barely scratches the surface of AirPlay’s capabilities, expect a follow up if my wishes come true for an Apple TV this holiday. iOS device based streaming with AirPlay is only available on select devices as part of Apple’s iOS 4.2 update. To read more on the update as well as view a list of compatible devices, click “*here.*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/ios-42-to-release-today/
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3rd Party App Issues in iOS 4.2
In the wake of iOS 4.2’s release, we began to receive phone calls from concerned users claiming their go-to iPad apps had ceased to function upon updating. After inquiring about which apps were problematic, it was discovered that nearly 100% were from 3rd party developers. Unfortunately, this issue is a somewhat re-occurring one, which often presents itself when Apple issues an iOS update.
As Apple develops a new version of iOS, they typically test it thoroughly with their own hardware. However, testing and development usually center around Apple’s line-up of 1st party apps. Periodically during the development cycle, Apple seeds current versions of the software to registered 3rd party developers–similar to the process with Mac OS X updates. It is therefore the individual developer’s responsibility to ensure their app functions properly with the new software prior to its release.
Occasionally developers, especially those of smaller independent apps, fail to bring their software up to date in time to meet Apple’s release. While this is becoming a much less frequent occurrence, it still happens from time to time as developers encounter unforeseen bugs or obstacles in the update process. From personal experience, I can attest that every app I’ve launched since installing iOS 4.2 has run without a hitch. However, with the sheer multitude of apps available, there is simply no way to account for them all. While developers typically expedite updates to fix broken apps, all updates must be approved by Apple, which can hang up the process.
iOS 4.2 is a revolutionary upgrade for all iOS devices, and an exponential leap for the iPad. While it contains many more hits than misses, don’t be alarmed if you encounter a few app abnormalities here and there. Chances are, the developer is hard at work with an update, or may have even already submitted one to Apple. Of course, you could temporarily hold off on the update to guarantee smooth performance, but why would you want to miss out on all of those great new features?
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Apple Releases iOS 4.2
This Monday, Apple released iOS 4.2 for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The update, which has been long awaited by iPad users, brings owners of the device over 100 new features. While the update will be simultaneously released for iPhone and iPod touch, it will undoubtably have the biggest impact on the iPad. Multitasking, folders, unified inbox, Game Center, AirPlay, and AirPrint are only a few of the new features making their debut on the platform.
The extent of AirPrint functionality featured in the release is scaled back considerably from Apple’s initial announcement. It had been rumored that Apple, at the last minute, had removed some network/shared printer support, and it appears that this is the case. Currently, the feature is only supported by select HP printer models, though more support is planned for the future.
The update also brings full AirPlay support to Apple’s family of iOS devices. Previously only available through iTunes, iOS 4.2 will allow users with compatible devices to wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos to the new Apple TV. AirPort Express owners will also be able to utilize the new feature to stream music from their iOS devices to a set of remote speakers.
The third all-new feature of iOS 4.2 is a free version of Find My iPhone/iPad/iPod touch. Previously a MobileMe exclusive, Apple has included the device tracking application for free within the update. Though this inclusion will certainly be appreciated by users should their devices go missing, there is a catch. Free Find My “Device” functionality is limited to the iPhone 4, iPad, and 4th gen. iPod touch. iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 2nd/3rd gen. iPod touch owners will not be able to use this feature–or at least not in the same way as those with current generation hardware. Sure to elicit some controversy from users, the omission of this feature from older hardware seems like a clear message from Apple to upgrade.
Whether or not your device supports all of the new features of iOS 4.2, it is a promising upgrade and an especially momentous occasion for iPad users. For more information on iOS 4.2 click “*here.*”:http://www.apple.com/ios/
The update is available now through iTunes. Users can obtain the software update by connecting a compatible device to iTunes and following the prompts to update. If you do not receive an automatic prompt, simply select “Update” from the device’s main screen within iTunes.
*Compatible Devices*
* iPhone 3G
* iPhone 3GS
* iPhone 4
* iPod touch 2nd gen.
* iPod touch 3rd gen.
* iPod touch 4th gen.
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Black Friday 2010
Depending on when you’re reading this, Black Friday 2010 is almost here, here, or just past. Black Friday, of course, is the day after Thanksgiving, when retailers of all sizes and types offer exclusive, one day offers and deals.
We’re joining the fun with a simplified listing of choice Black Friday offers, available just before and during Black Friday only. You can preview and then buy our Black Friday offers “by clicking here.”:http://www.smalldog.com/blackfriday
You can see all of our ongoing holiday offers at “Smalldog.com/holiday.”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday
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_Dear Friends,_
Happy Thanksgiving from the Small Dog Electronics family to yours! I’ll be carving turkey on Thanksgiving and then my favorite part, eating left-overs all weekend. There is so much to be thankful for but for our family here at Small Dog Electronics we are supremely thankful for you, our many loyal customers. We have grown to be the largest Apple Specialist in New England with your support, guidance and we understand that it is you that ultimately pays our wages.
You have probably noticed that you’ve received Kibbles & Bytes a bit early this week! We have some once-a-year specials in line for you at our retail stores and online at “Smalldog.com/holiday,”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday and we wanted to give our loyal Kibbles readers the first look at our exclusive Black Friday specials. See all of the details below… I’m planning on visiting all three stores on Friday to see if I can help with the shopping frenzy!
If you follow the Latin roots of the word “incorporate” (I took 4 years of Latin in high school), it literally means “to form a body.” When a company forms that body, it has a larger footprint upon society than any individual. That impact is felt through jobs, environmental footprint and the impact upon people’s lives. With that larger footprint comes a larger responsibility. This is the basis of our commitment to socially responsible business practices. We measure our success in equal measures by the bottom lines of People, Planet and Profit.
A vital aspect of the People part of that equation is how we treat you, our customers. We base much of our incentive compensation upon a customer satisfaction metric called Net Promoter Score. You may have noticed that we survey every transaction and ask one question: whether you would recommend us as a company, based upon that transaction. We take that 10-point scale and call all the 9s and 10s promoters, the 8s, 7s and 6s as neutral and the rest as detractors. We come up with our NPS score by subtracting the detractors from the promoters and every week, Hapy calculates our NPS scores for the company and each department.
We read and respond to every comment and if we see our NPS scores dropping, I can literally walk around the company and overhear my employees talking about what we can do to get the scores back up. Customer satisfaction is a primary driver of behavior, policy and practice at Small Dog Electronics.
The big news this week was the release of iOS 4.2 for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. While the iPhone has had some of the more notable features such as integrated and threaded mail and multi-tasking for some time, the upgrade to the iPad has added new functionality to an already great tool. One of the most frustrating parts of my experience with the iPad has been the lack of multi-tasking. I am up most nights answering questions and planning products with our Asian suppliers as they have a 12 hour (13 now!) time difference and I’m also having discussions via instant message with the other Small Doggers that are night owls. __(ahem, I think he means us… -KH and ES)__
I also use this time to catch up on my email load and many times I would be answering an email when an instant message notification would pop up. I’d have to leave mail, launch IM+ (my integrated instant messaging program) and respond to the instant message, then leave that program and re-launch mail. Now with multi-tasking on iOS 4.2, I can access any of my open applications without having to quit and re-launch. That alone makes the iPad much more useful to me, while I am sure the mail enhancements will be even more useful for others.
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Hulu vs. Parent
A kernel panic is what Mac OS X does when it encounters an error from which it cannot safely recover. The kernel, which is the essentially the core part of the operating system, shuts itself down to prevent data loss and/or corruption. The outward result is the a screen you may have seen that tells you that you in several languages that you must restart your computer; there is often some user panic as well since most of us have never even heard of or seen a kernel panic.
Wee see them somewhat regularly in the repair department, and the causes and solutions are usually straightforward. When a MacBook Pro was checked in the other day with reports of kernel panics, I figured it would be a pretty simple diagnosis and resolution.
The first step in troubleshooting is to confirm the reported symptom. The owners said that the computer would kernel panic while viewing webpages with Flash content, so I figured up a few videos on Hulu. Sure enough, the problem was confirmed after a few minutes. I was able to recreate this a number of times, but only while viewing content on Hulu; a quick call to the customer confirmed that the issue only arose while streaming video on this site. There were no problems reported while viewing other Flash-heavy sites like YouTube.
I felt confident at this point that I was dealing with a software issue. A hardware issue would likely have had a broader impact on the system that causing a kernel panic while on one specific website. As a quick check to see if the issue was systemic or user-specific, I logged into another user on the system and fired up Hulu. I could stream any amount of content without issue so the problem was likely to be found in the affected user’s account.
Earlier, I mentioned that the causes of kernel panics are pretty straightforward, and in most cases that’s true. But, sometimes, the cause is buried in the software. This can lead to a lot of time spent checking extensions and preferences and updates. At the extreme, it could involve not only reinstalling the operating system but also rebuilding the user’s account one step at a time to find the offending files.
I got off easy and in the process, came across something I hadn’t seen before. The account in question had parental controls enabled. Parental controls let an administrator restrict many aspects of a standard user’s account (such as which applications they can use, which web sites they can visit, and who they can chat with in iChat).
It turns out that there were a bunch of web sites in both the “always restrict” and the “always allow” columns. Right away I saw that Hulu.com was listed in both categories. The kernel panics were resulting from the conflict of hulu being listed on the whitelist and the blacklist. I know the operating system should be able to handle a basic conflict like this. If it were that easy to crash and operating system, we’d be restarting our computers all day long. So, I suspected a corrupted property list (.plist, or preference) file which would be cured by deleting the old and allowing the operating system to re-generate a clean one.
First I tried just cleaning the list in the Parental Controls preference pane to see if that would resolve the issue. Sure enough, the problem disappeared. When I added Hulu.com back to both lists, the problem recurred.
So, for parents noticing odd behaviors on the computers, it is well worth your time to check your parental controls settings every now and again!
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Repair of the Week: MacBook Sleep LED
A first-generation MacBook came in the other day because the sleep indicator light wasn’t working. This is actually a tricky one to diagnose because so many components are involved in making that little light work. The light itself is powered by the SATA cable, which also powers both the hard drive and shuttles data to and from the hard drive. The SATA cable ends with a socket that the hard drive plugs into, and that socket has a tiny connector for the flex cable that powers the sleep light.
Of course, the sleep light isn’t available as an individual part. That’d be too easy. Instead, it is part of the bottom case, and swapping the bottom case requires complete disassembly of the MacBook.
On a hunch, I swapped out the SATA cable, and plugged in the sleep light. No go. I then swapped in a known-good logic board, which also didn’t help. Thinking the LED itself was most likely not the cause, I grudgingly ordered and installed a bottom case. That didn’t work, either.
By then, it was 6:30 at night and I was ready to go home and make some dinner. As is often the case, I think about work at home and realized that I skipped the all-important test: I never booted the machine off a known-good Mac OS X installation, such as the computer’s restore disk. No, that didn’t work, either.
I took the machine apart again and double-checked my work. I re-seated the connection from LED to SATA socket, put the machine to sleep, and let out a sigh of relief that the light was working again. Since I’d replaced so many parts in diagnosis, it’s hard to know which component was actually to blame. I’m willing to bet it was the connection all along.
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Switching Tip: Outlook Express to Outlook 2011
Small Dog regularly provides PC to Mac data transfers, and even provides free basic data transfers when you buy a new computer. There are many tools that can be used to perform PC to Mac transfers, one of which is called Outlook2Mac. It’s developed by a company called Little Machines, and is in constant use in our repair facilities.
Late last week, a customer came in with a tired Dell running Windows XP. At check in, the sales staff completed the transfer documentation for me to work off of, and part of the work order was to transfer email from Windows Outlook to Mac Outlook, one component of the just-released Microsoft Office 2011.
I naively removed the hard drive from the PC, thinking that the .pst files from the Outlook application could be imported directly into Mac Outlook. Unfortunately, I found that while our customer was using Outlook, more specifically, it was Outlook Express. Would the new Outlook show me any love? Attempts to import the Outlook Express database were summarily rejected.
Could I attempt to upgrade the older Windows XP unit to Outlook? Unfortunately that was made impossible by a failing optical drive in the unit. What next?
I heard that Thunderbird, the Mozilla mail client (close cousin to Firefox), could be used as a conduit but had never accomplished that before. Time to experiment. I installed Thunderbird on the Dell and imported the mailboxes. I verified that the data was present and a selection of the emails were accessible. Time to pull the drive and hook it back to the Mac.
I pulled the hard drive from the Dell, installed it into a drive sled, and hooked it to the Mac. Try and try as I might, I could not find the Thunderbird Database in the Finder; searches for the database were continually rebuffed, fruitless. I again installed the drive into the Dell and opened Thunderbird; the files were still all there, so why could I not find them? I right clicked on the ‘import folder in Thunderbird and selected ‘Properties.’ The hard path to the mail box looked something like this:
C://Documents and Setting/{UserName} /Application Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/{UniqueProfileID}.default/mail/Local folder/Outlook Express/…
Knowing the path, I again removed the HD and plugged it into the Mac. When I opened up the hard drive in a Finder window, I could find Documents and Setting and the Users folder but no Application Data. Is it a hidden file?
I then opened the Terminal application on the Mac and typed the pathway in to verify that it existed. As I typed a few letters of each level of the directory and pressed the tab, I received confirmation that the file path existed. I guess I may be able to use the Terminal command cp and duplicate the necessary files to the desktop? For fear of not knowing exactly how to ensure all files copy properly with cp I instead choose to alter the Finder so that it displayed the hidden files. Would that reveal hidden files on the Windows file system? My fingers were crossed. The command in Terminal to accomplish the feat is:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
After logging out and back in, I was greeted with a .DS_store and other hidden files on the desktop of the Mac. Opening the Windows drive, previously unseen files and directories were revealed, including the pathway to the Mozilla Thunderbird database. Having already installed Thunderbird on the Mac, I dragged the local folder from the above listed pathway and replaced the the local folder on the Mac at the location:
Macintosh/HD/Users/(username)/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/{uniqueID}.default/Mail
I restarted the Mac and opened Thunderbird and the Outlook Express mail box showed up Imported Mail in Thunderbird on the Mac. To confirm that it functioned properly, I proceeded to open a selection of messages from the various imported folders.
Next step was to get these messages into Outlook for the Mac. I opened Outlook and selected Import from the Tools. The applications that Outlook supports import from does not include Thunderbird. It was necessary to import Thunderbird Mail into the Apple Mail client first before finally importing into Outlook.
Finally, we have to alter the Finder so the hidden files are hidden once again. That Terminal command is:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
A day after dropoff, the customer’s new Mac had all of the files and folders perfectly integrated into the iApps, and all the mail and contacts were successfully in Outlook.
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