Kibbles & Bytes Blog

Apple news, tech tips, and more…

KB Dog

  • Malware Is On The Rise

    According to the McAfee Threat Report, macOS malware grew by 744% in 2016, with an estimated 460,000 instances detected. However, that number it is not as bad as it sounds. Most cases where “malware” was detected turned out to be adware bundled into utility apps, i.e. fake system integrity scans, like CleanMyMac and Mackeeper. These system scans have turned out to be phishing scams by bloated apps that do nothing but bog down your system processes and expose you to unwanted ads.

    While rare, real deal malware does exist on macOS, as seen in an attack earlier this year that hijacked Safari and Apple mail causing the machine to crash. The best way to protect your Mac from true malware is to only ever install software from the App Store and trusted developers. This means paying for legitimate software.

    While most of the surge in Mac malware was adware, we’ve had some just nasty Mac-based attacks over the last year, including ransomware and password hijackers. Ransomware is a form of cryptovirology attack, where the attacker takes your data and encrypts it, and holds it hostage till the victim pays a ransom. Password Hijackers do just that; they hijack your passwords to keep you from accessing your computer, phone and internet accounts. This can be easily avoided as well by only downloading apps from the App store or trusted developers. Additionally, make sure you’re using secure passwords and avoiding using unprotected wifi networks. This is also another reason to keep up on time machine back-ups so your data is yours.   

  • A Gateway To The Apple Ecosystem

    When I started as an employee of Small Dog Electronics over a decade ago, I didn’t know anything about Mac. I’d used the Apple IIe in Elementary school, but all I remember is the poor graphics on my favorite game Oregon Trail; Sally seemed to always break her leg and never made it to the end of the trail. In College, I’d seen a few students using colorful Apple laptops, but the operating system looked so foreign to me I couldn’t figure out how anyone used them. Thankfully, my first position with Small Dog was shipping and receiving. Really all I needed to know what how to accurately match up part numbers on an invoice with part numbers on a box. My first office workstation was an Indigo Blue G3 iMac. Having to use Macs every day at work I quickly adjusted and started to more easily navigate around on a Mac. I still can’t believe we had a Mac that was old enough to run Mac OS 8, which we used to process US Mail shipments.

    Before I start to date myself and my time at Small Dog any further, where is this article going? It was in my early days at Small Dog and my time in shipping lane that I slowly began my baby steps into the Apple Ecosystem and it all began with a used laptop.

    One evening at a Small Dog company party I as the lucky winner of a used G4 iBook. I think the hard drive was all of 30GB and had minimal memory. That little machine was the start of it all. I pushed aside my Dell PC at home and I never looked at a PC again. My little used iBook did everything that I needed it to do but it didn’t take long to have my eye on a silver shiny PowerBook. The only catch, I didn’t have the funds for my new dream computer. Eventually, we found some deals on refurbished Powerbooks and I traded up in the laptop world. I loved that little 12in Powerbook. It went everywhere with me, even on a cross-country trip and never missed a beat. I was so impressed with the performance of my refurbished PowerBook that when an opportunity came along and a great deal on a refurbished 17in iMac I jumped on that opportunity. After all, two computers were better than one! I admit, I didn’t even have a real need for it other than I didn’t want to share my PowerBook when I was at home.

    It took about 2-3 years to become a full-time member of the Apple Ecosystem as bit by bit I added more accessories. It was so easy to sync an iPod and set up a new Airport that I could not imagine using another product line. I was a real computer novice at this time so to be able to set these devices up with minimal help was a real treat. I’d keep my eyes out for deals and when I upgraded computers migration assistant made it seamless. In the following years iPhones and iPads synced up with minimal effort, the list goes on. Now over a decade later I have just about every Apple gadget and my household is filled with Apple products everywhere you look.

    My eye for great deals hasn’t stopped either. We recently purchased a number of Apple products from Watches to iPad to computers that are less than perfect boxes or have some minor damage but are still in excellent condition. I have my eye on a TouchBar MacBook Pro at the moment; it’s got some cosmetic damage but I can see past a blemish or two for a great deal! Not to worry though, we have many computers that only have some blemishes on the boxes. Don and I actually spent an afternoon last week opening up computers with damage to their outer brown boxes to find nothing more than a minor dent in the white Apple boxes.

    Here are some of my favorite deals on some bad box computers and iPads that would make for a perfect addition to your Apple Ecosystem, or if you know other young Emilys out there who have not made the switch you should share these deals with that friend!

    MacBook Pro 13in w/Touch Bar 3.1GHz i5 DC 8GB/256GB – Dented Box was $1799.99 now $1699.99

    MacBook Pro 15in w/Touch Bar 2.8GHz i7 QC 16GB/256GB/2GB – Dented Box, was $2399.99 now $2299.99

    MacBook Pro 13in 2.3GHz i5 Dual Core 8GB/256GB – Space Gray – Dented Carton, Was $1499.99 now $1349.99

  • Hello Everyone!

    The warm, breezy air last night tricked me into leaving my bedroom and living room windows open, and I woke up to a freezing cold reminder that October is unpredictable. This weekend is what I would consider peak photographic fall atmosphere. Although most of the leaves have fallen, I love the tumbling leaves on the sidewalk and the dramatic skies that October brings. Before I get started, I have to thank one of our Tech Tails readers, Dennis. He replied to a recent edition where I had mentioned instant film, and informed me of Polaroid’s return to the market. Somehow this news had not appeared in my world yet, and I must admit I initially doubted the accuracy of this claim. Since the discontinuation of Polaroid, I have patiently waited for this announcement. After receiving my first box of the new Polaroid 600 type film, I dusted off my “Cool Cam” and made some great memories. The nostalgia of adding 600 type prints to my collection for the first time since High School was surreal and exciting. Now that Polaroid is back in the game, I think I’ll be watching some more advanced Polaroid camera models on eBay!

    In Apple news, I’m happy to report that the Apple Watch craze has only grown at our South Burlington store. As I’ve reported in the past, we all seemed to be carried away by the “world’s most popular watch” and continue to find new benefits of wearing one. Personally, my average mile running speed has improved about 1 whole minute, something I never imagined to be possible. In fact, I never really knew what my average mile speed would be, but the Apple Watch monitors every inch, every step, and every heartbeat. I’ve enjoyed tracking my progress, but more importantly, I’ve improved my running frequency simply because the watch reminds me every day that I should be moving more. It may sound funny, but have a fitness coach strapped to your wrist goes a long way!

    I hope you enjoy this edition of Tech Tails and be sure to write us with your feedback. Have a great week!

    Patrick McCormack
    patrickm@smalldog.com

  • Harry Ruffner

    Hobbies/Interests: Audio, electronic music production, synthesizers, video production, gardening Favorite Books: Kingkiller Chronicles, Mother Night, Martian Chronicles Favorite Bands: Aphex Twin, Boards of…

  • Notwithstanding the frost on my windshield this morning, we are having an extended Indian summer and we are just heading into peak fall foliage. The trees still have their leaves for the most part and the temps during the day are still in the 60’s for the next 10 days. That certainly means some fall motorcycling this weekend in between baseball if the Cubbies make it.

    Grace and I will be celebrating 50-years of marriage in about a week. We are heading to San Francisco for some playtime and to get tattoos to celebrate. It is hard to believe we have been married that long but I guess we have sort of blended into one, you know… like Gron or Drace. People tell us we finish each other’s sentences and I know that there are just some things I don’t need to remember because Grace has got that. I would do it all over in a heartbeat. I couldn’t ask for a better life companion (well, there is Jezebel…).

    Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes! It is hard to believe we have been writing this newsletter every week for the past 21 years and are past our 1000th episode! Thank you so much!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

    Don & Emily

  • Is Technology Addictive?

    The other day while driving to our South Burlington store I heard a news story about how technology affects us today, both positively and negatively. One of the topics, in particular, being discussed was the question of how technology can affect our focus and become an addiction. One side of the table felt very strongly that technology negatively affects us, while the other half felt technology was an asset. For me, technology is about balance and it is an incredibly powerful tool.

    In my work life, having information and communication literally at my fingertips is invaluable. I am a huge fan of the iCloud drive and the utilization of iCloud keychain storage, These two features of the cloud I use literally every day and cannot envision at this point not utilizing these. Just the other day I was away from my computer and thanks to my access to our Apple service manual in my iCloud, I was able to quickly find the folder from my iPhone and pull up the answer to a question for our service department. I can be using my iPad at home and have access to just about everything I need as though I was at my computer in the office. I have used the collaboration feature within Pages to work on documents I needed assistance with from other co-workers. Even when I am away from my computer and phone, co-workers can quickly reach me via text or a call because of my Apple Watch. These are just a handful of features I use daily to be more efficient at my job no matter where I am. Because I am a busy mom and have a full work schedule, this kind of constant connectivity is essential in my getting through my day. Would I be this connected if I wasn’t in the line of work I am? Probably not. But can I disconnect when I’m not in the office? I can. I love reading and the iBooks app makes it convenient to read a book whether I’m on a lunch break or waiting in the doctor’s office. But nothing beats holding a book in my hand and a stroll through my favorite local bookstore to pick out my next book I can’t put down. I can go hours on the weekends without looking at my phone or checking the latest social media feeds. But without my phone and calendar reminders, I will be that mom who forgot one of my kids changed after school plans or miss a meeting at the office. I’ve tried to keep one of those pocket calendars, but those boxes are really tiny to write in! I could never keep all my appointments and schedule changes on one of those.

    Smart Home technology is everywhere in my house. We have an Amazon Echo in our living room that controls the lamps in the room; we have the Eve product line from Elgato which measures inside and outside air temperatures and air quality, smart bulb adapters from Incipio and as soon as I have some downtime, I have some Lutron switches to install. My kids think it’s pretty awesome they can just say a command and lights turn on and off in our house. I’m also happy I can see from my iPhone or iPad if any unnecessary lights have been left on despite the kids saying they turned the lights off.

    I have two kids, 11 and 6. My oldest, Anna, has a take it or leave it feeling when it comes to technology. Her school issues Chromebooks; she is very good about following the rules laid out by the school and she only uses it for her homework assignments, the same goes for our home computer. She will sometimes sit on the couch at night and play a game or two on her iPod Touch. Your more likely to find Anna up early in the morning secretly reading a book than grabbing for a device, and her new hobby at night is making bracelets. My youngest, Olivia, is a different story. If given the opportunity she will binge watch Youtube for Kids for hours and become hyperfocused on the device. She has been that kid who turns into a ball of tears when told she can not play a game on an iPad. Because of this, her iPad usage is closely monitored and it’s a special circumstance that allows her the privilege to use an iPad. Now when we come home instead of her telling us a story about some video she saw she comes to us with notebooks filled with her practicing her numbers, letters, and words. I have also set up parental controls on the kids iPads and the family Mac Mini because, well, kids are kids after all. Be it keeping them safe from the dangers of the internet, limiting their access, or just ensuring they don’t run wild in the App store, it’s a great safety net.

    So is technology addictive? I’ve already sold myself and family out in this article for being deeply rooted in technology and openly admitted I clearly have a child who could easily be addicted to technology. But are we as a family addicted to technology? I guess my answer to this question is the jury is still out. We aren’t perfect. There will be days I’ll have to take away a device from one or both of my children, or have to deny a request for a computer game. But there will also be plenty of days we will all put down our devices, head outside or pick up a good book on a Sunday afternoon. I can’t say I’ll reduce my technology use at work; after all, this is my job. Perhaps I have a slightly askew perspective on technology and I will admit that. I’ll continue to be the person who jumps at the chance to test out a new Smart Home device or show another parent the peace of mind parental controls can provide. But, for me, as long as you can find the balance I feel technology is a means of making our everyday lives a little bit easier.

  • Migrating your Data – Migration Assistant

    I am about to do my annual migration to Key West. I mean, I had to scrape ice off my car! Horrors! That is way scarier than moving your data from your old computer to a new Mac. It’s become even easier now that more and more people are becoming aware of Apple’s Migration Assistant.

    It used to be that even with this tool, things would not be moved over exactly right but Apple has done a lot of work on Migration Assistant and it is a fantastic tool. However, I still recommend that you don’t wipe your old machine until you have checked to make sure you have all your passwords and important files. Open up your email, open photos, open your music library and make sure it is all okay on your new Mac before you delete everything on the old machine.

    In spite of this, Migration Assistant is a great and useful tool. It can move your data from either a PC or a Mac to your new Mac. You use Migration Assistant to copy all of your documents, apps, user accounts, and settings to a new Mac from another computer. I will outline the process for Mac to Mac transfers and we will handle PC to Mac transfers in a future issue of Kibbles & Bytes.

    Get Ready
    *Install all available Apple software updates on both Mac computers. Install any updates for your third-party apps as well.

    *Make sure that your old Mac is using OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.8 or later.

    *Make sure that your old Mac has a computer name: Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Sharing and check the Computer Name field.

    *Connect both computers to AC power.

    Connecting to your Data

    If you have been a good person you have backed your data up using Time Machine and that is by far the easiest and fastest way to migrate your data. Regardless, you will need to connect your old data to your new Mac.

    *If both computers are using macOS Sierra or later, just make sure that they’re near each other and have Wi-Fi turned on. If either is using OS X El Capitan or earlier, connect them to the same network using Wi-Fi or Ethernet. You will be frustrated with the slow transfer of data using wireless so this is not ideal.

    *Alternately, connect them using target disk mode and the appropriate cable or adapter. Then start up up your old computer in target disk mode. Faster but a bit cumbersome.

    *Best, connect your new Mac to a Time Machine backup of your old Mac. Oh, you don’t have that Time Machine Backup? Here’s what you do before you start your data transfer. Drop everything and come to Small Dog Electronics in Vermont of Key West and get yourself a backup drive! Or order one up on smalldog.com. Drives are cheap these days and your data is priceless! Take the new drive and make a backup right now using Time Machine. There, you now have a backup and the easy way to transfer your data.

    Migrate!

    On your new Mac:

    *Open Migration Assistant, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.

    *Click Continue.

    *When asked how you want to transfer your information, select the option to transfer from a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk.

    *Click Continue.

    On your old Mac:
    If you started your old Mac in target disk mode or are migrating from a Time Machine backup, you can skip these four steps. Didn’t I tell you a Time Machine backup was the way to go!

    *Open Migration Assistant.

    *Click Continue.

    *When asked how you want to transfer your information, select the option to transfer to another Mac.

    *Click Continue.

    Then going back to your new Mac:

    *When asked to select a Mac, Time Machine backup, or another startup disk, click the appropriate icon.

    *Click Continue. You might see a security code.

    Back to your old Mac:

    If you started your old Mac in target disk mode or are migrating from a Time Machine backup, skip these two steps. Score for Time Machine again!

    *If you see a security code, make sure that it’s the same code as on your new Mac.

    *Click Continue.

    On your new Mac:

    *You should see a list of backups organized by date and time. Choose the backup that you want to use.

    *Click Continue

    *Select the information to transfer.

    *Click Continue to start the transfer. If you have a lot of content, the transfer might take several hours to finish. Get a cup of coffee, go out for a hike and just let Migration Assistant do its work.

    Finish Migrating

    This part is important. When Migration Assistant is finished and before you do anything with your old Mac you need to do two things. 1) Make a new backup – plug that drive you bought from Small Dog into your new Mac and do a Time Machine backup and 2) Use you’re new Mac.

    What I mean by using it, is to verify that you can do everything you normally do. Sign onto those websites that ask for passwords. Open your email and send and receive. Open up Photos and make sure all those photos of your dog are still there (and send me one!) Once you have confidence in your new Mac, I suggest that you put your old Mac in a drawer for a week or so just to be absolutely sure.

    When you are ready to give away or sell your Mac there are a few things you should do.

    1) Sign out of iCloud
    2) De-authorized your old Mac for iTunes
    3) Sign out of Messages

    Now you can use Disk Utility to erase and re-install a new OS so the old Mac is fresh and clean for its new owner!

  • Dear Friends,

    Today’s commute was interesting. First off, I thought I was done scraping ice off my window but there I was scraping while Jezebel was sitting in the car barking at me. Luckily, the seat heater in my Chevy Volt doesn’t eat up too much juice so I still have plenty. So, I am driving along the Common Road here in Waitsfield and aside from the normal wildlife (Canada geese, turkeys, and deer) I drove around a corner and there was a Subaru stopped on the side of the road and a guy without a shirt on was doing tight-rope practicing on his tightrope rig in the 30 degree temps. His girlfriend was sitting across the road wrapped in a blanket watching.

    We are making great progress in evaluating all the gear that we got in the liquidation bid that we won. Some are just brand new Macs and iPads with packaging that is dented or dirty, others have been used and we are running the complete suite of Apple diagnostics on those before they hit our price list. All in all, there are some great bargains here; if you are looking for a MacBook Pro, iMac or even a Mac Pro we have some killer deals. There are also a number of iPads, ranging from iPad minis all the way to some iPad Pros! We have a number of brand new Apple Watch bands, too!

    We have finally received our initial shipments of the new Apple TV. We think these may be in short supply through the holidays so we have stocked up. If you are interested in one of these new Apple TVs you might want to consider ordering now. I am getting one for my house in Key West (and I think I have convinced Grace that I will need a 4K HDR TV to go along with my 4k Apple TV.)

    This week’s Kibbles & Bytes Exclusive features the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. This unit has a powerful 2.8GHz i7 processor 16GB of ram, 256GB SSD drive and 2GB of video ram. I am bundling it with AppleCare+ and to make it a great home office set-up I am also bundling it with a BenQ PD2710QC 27 QHD Designer Monitor USB-C 2560 × 1440 – Black that includes a USB-C hub with ethernet, an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse 2. This set-up would normally cost you $3509.95 if purchased separately. Kibbles & Bytes readers can get this awesome home office bundle for over $500 off at $2999.99!

  • Jen Mayer, the CEO of Charlotte Street Computers in Asheville, NC is visiting this weekend just in time for some serious fall foliage. I will have to show her some of the nicer roads. This foliage season seems to be a bit later than recent years and a bit browner, too. We’ll have to go in search of some reds!

    The Major League Baseball play-offs are started and I guess I should start my playoff beard! Go Cubbies!

    Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

    Don & Emily