Simply Mac Blog
Mar 201216

The New iPad Has Arrived!

by Mat Bitner

I bought the first generation iPad when it was released back in April of 2010, and was one of the first people I knew of who had one. Sure I was smug. I owned one of the newest, most baffling gadgets of the last decade or so. It was great for what I ended up using it for. My iPad became the device that I used for most, if not all, of my news, reading, gaming, and on occasion, watching a video or two. When the iPad 2 became available, I briefly considered selling my old iPad for the new model, but decided that the built-in cameras were the only feature that was of any exception. I argued that my iPhone 4 was the device I’d use for on-the-go photography, not an iPad. After having my original iPad just a few months shy of two years, I sold it and waited for Apple to reveal an update to the iPad line. Like many Apple enthusiasts, I wasn’t too surprised over the announcement of the new iPad sporting a screen with a high resolution and improved camera, but had noticed how much I desired to be reunited with an iPad I could call my own.

The day has finally come, and I now have in my possession a new iPad. I have been very pleased with the device in the brief time I’ve had it. I can’t say that I notice a stark difference in the higher resolution display as compared to the 1st gen and iPad 2 models. The main reason being that I haven’t had an iPad for a while, and am so used to the screen on the iPhone 4. I would say that the screen on the new iPad is now par for the course. Just like the launch of the iPhone 4, apps that have not been updated to utilize the higher resolution won’t look as sharp as those that have. The stock apps that Apple provides on the iPad look amazingly clear and smooth.

The trade off of the high res screen is the fact that app developers and content creators will need to increase the resolution of their projects for them to look good on the new iPad screen. With an increase in resolution there will be an increase of app file size, which will increase in how much data your apps will take from your iPad’s storage.

One of the most impressive features, and probably will be the most underutilized, is going to be the dictation feature. the dictation feature can be used pretty much where ever the keyboard is shown. and some applications it’s going to be a little more practical than others. obviously pages and the iWork suite are going to be near the top of the list as well as notes and Twitter and Facebook status updates. and well it does require a little bit of editing and tweaking, for the most part it is a very good feature.*

*dictated by iPad dictation

There are a few caveats with dictation, however. For one, you need to be connected to a network, Wi-Fi or cellular to use it. You will also need to remember to say your punctuation marks for them to show up, which is a little strange for those not used to dictation software, just look at my dictated paragraph.

The iPad I decided on is a 32GB Wi-Fi only model with a black bezel. While I can’t comment on a personal level as to the speed that the 4G iPad models will deliver, I figure as long as you’re within range of Verizon’s LTE towers or AT&T’s 4G network, you should see impressive network performance.

The camera appears to be a vast improvement over that of the iPad 2. The reasoning behind this lies with the fact that because the screen resolution is so high, the camera needs to produce pictures that will look great on that great new screen. The rear facing camera is a sensible 5 megapixels, and appears to use the improved lens system to make great looking photos. The front facing camera takes good photos as well, though the camera is still technically a lower quality VGA.

I haven’t been able to run my iPad through its paces in terms of battery and performance, but so far things look promising. After charging my iPad battery to 100, I was able to use it for setting up accounts, updating apps and then left it alone for over an hour with only a one percent drop in the battery. The promised graphical performance appears to be valid as well, with most games starting up significantly faster than the iPhone 4 and incomparably faster to the 1st gen iPad.

I know I’m happy with my new iPad and look forward to everything I’m going to do with it. If you were able to get a new iPad, want to share your joy about your iPad, or have questions about what to expect in getting an iPad, leave a comment below, or on our Facebook wall. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

 

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Mar 201214

The Basics of FileVault, OSX Data Encryption

by Mat Bitner

Dear Simply Mac,

I’m new to Macs, but after going through the System Preferences I noticed a Security option called “FileVault” that I became curious about. Before I take the next step and enable it, can you please explain what it does and how to use it?

-Stumped About Security

Well Stumped, FileVault is the OSX solution for data encryption and protection. Basically, it makes your home directory, and all the files in it, nearly impossible to access without your password. As you read and write files to your home directory, FileVault encrypts and decrypts those files on the fly, in the background. Only your login password can decrypt and mount this drive, so at the login, the home directory becomes available as usual. With all this encrypting and decrypting on the fly, you may notice a slight decrease in computer performance and bit more of a wait while data is created and deleted from your computer.

FileVault is great for the types of computer users it was made for; ideally, government officials and corporate employees with lots of sensitive information stored on their computers. For the majority of all us regular Mac users, FileVault is a little overkill for data protection. I’ve covered how to make encrypted disk images in a previous post, I’d recommend if you’re concerned about your sensitive information, rather than using FileVault.

During my time as a Simply Answers Pro at our Fort Union location, I ran into computers belonging to folks who had FileVault enabled, thinking it was a good idea in case their computer was stolen. One of the downsides of FileVault is that it does not prevent other users from accessing your computer, just your home directory information. Any one with access to your computer could completely erase your home directory, including all your music, movies, pictures, and documents without needing to worry that you had FileVault turned on. You must also NEVER forget your login password. If you forget it, there’s little to nothing that can be done to recover your data, since it has been encrypted.

FileVault also prevents data transfers from being possible without disabling it from the source computer. Disabling FileVault requires double the amount of used disk space you’re using on your computer in order to decrypt the whole of your information. So if you’re not closely monitoring your data usage on your Mac, you may have to delete a lot of data from your computer just to disable FileVault in order to transfer your computer’s data to a new computer. Generally speaking, I don’t recommend using FileVault, unless required by your job or organization.

I use FileVault on my work computer, but it’s only to prevent office pranks being played on me by some of the more knowledgeable and mischievous Simply Mac employees.

Got a question you’d like us answering, tip or trick you’d like to tell us? Let us know in the comments, or post it on our Facebook wall.

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Mar 201207

5 Key Features We Know About the New iPad

by Mat Bitner

By now, I hope you’ve at least heard that there is going to be a new addition to the iPad family, the properly named “New iPad.” That’s right, it’s not the iPad 3, the iPad HD, or even the iPad 2s. It’s just called the new iPad. I was all-a-twitter while following the minute by minute updates trickling out as Apple revealed statistics and new features to the AppleTV, but then came the news that everyone was anticipating. A new iPad is on the horizon.

1. Retina Display Did You Say? The new iPad will sport a high resolution display similar to the iPhone 4 and 4s models. The resolution for the new iPad is an astounding 2048 pixels by 1536 pixels with 44 percent greater color saturation than the iPad 2. Basically, the screen has 4 times more pixels than the iPad 2, making it one of the largest most pixel dense screens on a device you can hold in your hand.

2. High Def Camera. One demand that many iPad 2 users have been asking for is a better camera. After all, what’s the point of have a great screen for viewing pictures if the ones you take look worse than pictures taken with your cell phone? The new iPad will feature a 5 megapixel rear facing camera that will be able to capture video in full 1080p resolution as well as pictures. That way, what you create with the iPad you can show off on the iPad.

3. Zippy Performance. The iPad 2 introduced the world to the A5 processor, the new iPad is shipping with the new A5x. The A5x drives the insane number of pixels that the new iPad screen has available with quad-core graphics support. Essentially, this beefier version of the A5 processor is necessary to support the amount of pixels the new iPad will have. On top of that, it will continue to maintain the same fluid touch response we’ve come to know on our iDevices. I’m personally looking forward to running some games on the new iPad to see how well this new processor handles ‘em. Apple claims that because of all the innovation put into the new iPad, that it will rival the performance of current home game consoles. I’ll have to put that to the test later this month. Despite the processor being more powerful, the new iPad still touts the same great battery performance as the previous generation.

4. Next Gen Wireless. The new iPad is going to bring the full gamut of wireless connections. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G are par for the course nowadays, but the new iPad is going a step further by implementing 4G LTE integration into the non Wi-Fi only models. In layman’s terms, if your iPad is within the 4G coverage of the network you choose to tie your iPad to, either Verizon or AT&T, you can experience incredibly fast download and upload speeds for all your web content. Youtube videos will be ready faster, emails with attachments will go out faster, everything will be faster!

5. Can We Call It Siri? Apple didn’t really call it Siri, and we’ll have to see what Apple has in store for the future of the iPad, but the new iPad will support dictation. Basically, you’ll be able to write and email, send an iMessage, search the web or create a note just by speaking to your iPad. You can even update your Twitter and Facebook account statuses using the dictation feature. It wasn’t revealed as Siri, or even Siri for the iPad, but it seems to function in a similar fashion. Still, it’s probably best not to get your hopes up if you were planning on asking your iPad to tell you a joke.

With all these features, I’m pretty excited to see them all come together. I’m planning on getting my hands on one of these iPads on March 16, when they hit store shelves, what about you? Let me know in the comments or put a post on our Facebook Wall.

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Feb 201222

4 Mac Things You Should Clean for a Pristine Machine

by Mat Bitner

 

If you’re planning on selling your Mac, or looking to get an early start at some Spring cleaning, keeping a clean computer is vital for making sure your computer is gunk free and looking fine. Cleaning your computer and its accessories requires a little more attention than just a spray and wipe to keep things nice. I’m going to go over four easy methods I use to keep all my Apple products looking great.

 

 

 

 

 

1. Cleaning Your Screen

From a user standpoint, your screen is one of the most important things on your Mac. It tends to attract all kinds of messes, from kid fingers to sneezes, and almost everything in-between. You’ll want to use a lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth as well as a screen safe cleaning solution. You can find a few different cleaning solutions at any of our Simply Mac stores that will get you started in your computer cleaning crusade. I personally use iKlear for my Apple cleaning needs, but have also used AppleJuice on multiple occasions. AppleJuice has the added benefit of smelling like apples, which is always a good thing.

You can clean the screen with distilled water if you want to keep things relatively cheap, but be prepared to clean more often than you would if you use a cleaner, since cleaning solutions typically do a better job at repelling dust and resist finger prints. Whatever you do, DO NOT use any cleaners containing alcohol or acetone, or you will damage your screen over time. Avoid spraying the cleaner directly onto the device you’re cleaning. Instead, dampen your cloth with the cleaner and then wipe gently until the screen is clean.

 

2. Cleaning Your Keyboard

Probably one of the most overlooked items at your desk that is in desperate need of cleaning is your keyboard. It’s been said that your keyboard can attract more bacteria than the bathroom toilet. Cleaning your keyboard is a great way to keep germs at bay and help you from getting sick, and it just looks better after a good cleaning.

To start, I recommend a Lysol or Clorox disinfecting wipe wrung of any excess liquid, so you don’t ruin your keyboard. Do not use any disinfecting wipes that contain bleach. If you’ve got a wired keyboard you can unplug it from the USB port and go to town. If you’ve got a wireless or bluetooth keyboard, it’s best if you shut down your computer so you won’t accidentally perform a keystroke that could delete files or worse. Wipe gently so you don’t accidentally dislodge any keys from the keyboard. After you’re satisfied with the level of cleanliness on the keyboard, you can grab your microfiber cloth to dab up any excess moisture left on or in between the keys.

If you’re cleaning the keyboard on a MacBook model, it’s a good idea to shut down your computer before you begin. Use extra caution while cleaning the keyboard as it sits just above the crucial components of your machine.

 

 

3. Cleaning Your Trackpad

The Magic Trackpad on your MacBook model or wireless Bluetooth Magic Trackpad is made of glass on the top, and can be regarded the same as your Mac’s display. Spray your cleaning solution (again, don’t use any chemicals containing alcohol or acetone) onto a microfiber cloth, and use it to gently wipe down the trackpad surface.

4. Clean Your Magic Mouse or Mighty Mouse

Since the top part of the Magic Mouse is touch sensitive, it can be cleaned just like the Magic Trackpad. You’ll want to verify that your cleaner is plastic-safe and doesn’t contain any aerosol sprays, solvents, or abrasives to avoid damaging your mouse. Also be sure to clean the black bars or skids on the bottom, as they tend to gather up lots of crud.

To clean the Apple Mouse, you’ll want to observe the same cleaning advice for the Magic Mouse with one exception, the gray nub. If you’re still rocking an Apple Mouse, you’ve probably experienced the aggravation of the gray nub wheel going up, but not down, left, but not right, or any variation of directions. To fix this, at least temporarily, is to turn the mouse upside-down and roll the nub vigorously in every direction with a microfiber cloth. Check out this video for a demonstration.

 

Bonus! Clean the Top-Case of Your MacBook

If you’ve got a white MacBook and have noticed that where your hands rest is looking a little dingy with no cleaner solving the problem, here’s a bonus tip to get it clean.

-WARNING! Proceed with extreme caution-

Using a slightly damp Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, rub it somewhat aggressively on the area you want to clean until the stain is removed. Once the mark is gone get your cleaner and microfiber cloth and wipe down the area you just cleaned. The Magic Eraser contains chemicals that will remove nearly any stain, but are irritants to the skin, so wash your hands thoroughly after attempting this cleaning solution, or wear dishwashing gloves before proceeding.

Got any helpful cleaning hints, let me know in the comments, or post them on the Simply Mac Facebook wall.

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Feb 201217

Top 3 Most Anticipated Features for OSX Mountain Lion

by Mat Bitner

With yesterday’s unveiling of Apple’s upcoming Mountain Lion operating system, many people have wondered what will be the big push for Mac users to open their wallets for this latest installment of OSX. Some folks have voiced concern for how soon this OS is set to arrive, Summer of 2012, especially considering how short a period of time we’ve had the current operating system, Lion. Developers got a sneak peak with a preview build of the new big cat, and I’m happy to report that it’s made some great improvements. Here’s a quick breakdown of my 3 favorite features coming to the new version of OSX.

 

Click to enlarge

First, there’s Messages. Messages will supplant the current iChat instant messaging application for a more focused experience, tailored to people who use the iMessage app on all iOS 5 supported iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch models. Basically, you’ll be able to send video, picture, and plain ol’ text messages from Mac to Mac, Mac to iDevice and vice versa. This is a feature I’d been expecting in iChat ever since the iMessages application was announced for iOS 5 last year. Now it’s finally here. The best part about Messages is that it keeps all your conversations synced. You can now effectively manage all your messages from your iDeveices on your Mac.

Messages will arrive when Mountain Lion is released, but you can download a beta version from Apple right now if you’re running the latest version of Lion, so you can experience it for yourself. Download Messages Application.

 

Click to enlarge

Second, we’ve got Notes. While the notes feature is nothing new in itself, the implementation in Mountain Lion makes it much more useful. If you’re currently running Leopard, Snow Leopard, or Lion, you have notes right now! It’s located in the Mail application, and while notes has been around for a while, Mountain Lion makes it its very own app. By becoming its own app, Notes will become a much more accessible and approachable application. Just like Messages, it will keep your notes from your iDevices in sync with your Mac computers, making everything seamless. No more emailing your notes to yourself just to have them on your computer. You can also keep important notes pinned to your desktop for quick retrieval and editing. This subtle update is very noteworthy.

 

My third favorite feature coming to Mountain Lion is Notifications. Taking a page out of iOS 5, Mountain Lion keeps your hustle and bustle digital life organized into a neat little sidebar that takes the top right corner of your Mac menubar. I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised by how easy, unobtrusive, and helpful having this feature can be.

Click to enlarge

Just like on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, Notifications can be configured for the applications you want. This gives you control over how often or seldom you want your applications to notify you of new updates or upcoming events.

If you’ve got your own list of favorite features coming to the new operating system, or if you’d like to voice some features you’d like to see or removed from Mountain Lion, let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook wall.

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