Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • iOS 4.2 Causing App Performance Issues for Some

    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?

  • Complex Problems Often Have Simple Solutions

    A long time ago while working for Radio Shack, a co-worker gave me a series of motivational tapes by Joel Weldon. One of the more important passages began with “Elephants don’t bite”–the big things usually aren’t what get you. Typically it’s the gnats, the horse flies, the bees, the mosquitoes–tiny as they are, they can be quite annoying. The little, seemingly insignificant things can cause more problems than one would think. Over my first few weeks as a tech here at Small Dog, I have learned that you can never overlook or discount the little things.

    Sure, that sounds great, but how does that help someone who is trying to troubleshoot a computer with a nagging problem? One way is to take your large problem (it doesn’t boot and I have homework to do!) and break it down into a series of smaller, simpler possibilities.

    We all laugh when we read the tech support horror stories about the guy who spent two hours troubleshooting a computer only to find that it wasn’t plugged in, hence the reason that obvious question is always asked first when you call for help. Techs I have worked with over the years absolutely hate it when I suggest obvious solutions, but I do it because sometimes the answer is so obvious we skipped over it because it was so simple. We get so used to dealing with difficult problems with complex solutions that we forget to try the quick fixes first. Before cracking the case to test a suspected faulty power supply, check the easy (small) things such as plugging something else into the wall outlet or the power strip to make sure that works. Power strips are designed to fail before the equipment plugged into it, so it is entirely possible that a brownout could have taken it right out. It’s a quick and cheap fix if that’s what happened, so it makes sense to try it first.

    Another example from an incident that happened this week in Manchester: you have a MacBook that won’t recognize the hard disk. Disk Utility will not mount it, and may not even see it at all. The assumption? Dead hard drive. So you pull it out and replace it, fire up the OS X Install DVD, and the drive isn’t recognized. Pull the new drive out, plug it into an external connector and it works. Okay, maybe the drive is flaky, so try another drive…and the same thing happens. Given this, what’s the next thing to replace? The logic board? Costly, and time consuming. By now, perhaps some have already screamed out the answer: a bad connector cable. A seemingly minor thing that is often overlooked because, well, it’s just a cable, so what could go wrong with it?

    Take care of the small things, and the big ones often take care of themselves.

  • Happy Tuesday,

    I’m writing this week from our Manchester, NH store in the Mall of New Hampshire. It is our first holiday season in the mall, and we were delighted by the turnout by new and repeat customers in each of our locations. While our one-day-only specials were valid only on the day after Thanksgiving, there are “special holiday deals”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday available through the end of the year.

    Much of Vermont saw heavy snowfall on Saturday; driving home from the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York, I ran into some very heavy squalls and some very interesting “soft hail.”:http://www.google.com/images?q=soft+hail I’d never seen such easily-collapsible, lightweight, fluffy-yet-somewhat hard snowballs coming from the sky. Some of this soft hail remains on my lawn in Moretown, and I hope to see some other new types of precipitation before too long.

    As always, thanks for reading, and keep in touch.

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

  • Our Biggest Black Friday Ever!

    The numbers are in! This past Black Friday was our biggest to date, and we owe it all to you! We not only…

  • !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/2040.jpg!:http://www.smalldog.com/dealretriever/

    *FREE SHIPPING and DISCOUNTS on our Top Ten items–24 HOURS ONLY.* Specials on Apple TV, MacBook and MacBook Pro, Apple Earbuds, iLife and more, plus no tax on orders outside of Vermont. *Hurry–specials end Tuesday, 11/30 at Noon ET!*

    Because we want to give you the best deals AND stay in business, today’s Deal Retriever deals are valid for 24 hours only. Quantities are limited; offers good while supplies last.

  • AirPlay 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…

  • Grace got a turkey from the Gaylord farm here in the Mad River Valley, just as we have done for many years. Four generations will be coming to my home on Thanksgiving. The weather is predicted to stay mild for this holiday but I can certainly recall past Thanksgivings when we either had a lot of snow or the temperatures were well below zero.

    I am glad there is no snow yet; I am putting the finishing touches on repairing Grace’s motorcycle after her crash and I hope to be able to at least test drive it up and down the driveway this weekend.

    Have a great holiday weekend and thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Ed & Ben_

  • 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__

  • 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/

  • 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?