Rather than continue this blog, I've decided to move my email Newsletter to my website, and use that to communication with my clients and other Mac users. For now, the blog entries will remain. If you previously subscribed to this blog, you will need to resubscribe, since the blog has been moved.
Blog
A Mac Trojan Horse
Recently a client called to say that he could not update Microsoft Office via the Microsoft AutoUpdate program, and that he could not access Microsoft's website via Safari. I did some digging and it turned out that his iMac was infected with the OSX.RSPlug.A Trojan Horse.
I looked at the DNS numbers in the Network Preferences and sure enough, they were in the Ukraine! Followed the steps in this article, I was able to remove the Trojan Horse. I was then able to update Microsoft Office and access Microsoft's website.
Please read this article, if for no other reason it gives a good overview on how to protect your Mac.
Scanning in Snow Leopard
I have an older large format epson scanner (Epson Expression 1640XL). Epson still provides scanning software for it, but I prefer to use the scanning software that comes with Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard". It's available in the Image Capture program.
I've been scanning lots of photos lately. I can fill the scanning bed with 10 3x5 photos, and Image Capture will identify all of them during the preview, and then scan them all at once. It's a real time saver.
Turning Off an Apple Wireless Keyboard
It's important to turn off your Apple wireless keyboard after you shutdown your Mac in order to extend the life of the batteries. This Apple KB Article explains how to do it.
Calibrating Your Laptop's Battery
Is your laptop battery keeping a charge as long as it use to? If not, it may be getting old and need to be replaced. Turning off the wireless card and not using the DVD drive will help to extend a charge. Otherwise, the battery may need to be recalibrated.
This did not help my MacBook battery, but it may work for you. If your laptop is still under warranty, Apple may replace the battery if they determine that it's bad.
Improve Images with iPhoto's Histogram
After importing photos from my digital camera into iPhoto, I often adjust them with iPhoto's Histogram tool. It really makes a difference when the photos are under- or overexposed. Checkout this MacWorld Tutorial or iPhoto Help for more details.
A True Story
A client, with lots of events in her iCal, created a new reoccuring event. It worked fine in iCal but showed up everyday on her iPod. Deleting and recreating the event did not help. Either did resetting the iPod.
Apple suggested she reset the sync history. That didn't work. Then they suggested she delete the entire calendar and start over. That was not a good solution since her calendar has so many events.
I solved the problem by backing up her iCal data, deleting the calendar in iCal, and then manually dragging all but the troublesome event back onto iCal.
Reading Recommendations
The Tyranny of E-mail
e-mail is a fact in most of our lives, but how many of us have really thought about it's impact? The author discusses the history of communication, how e-mail fits in and how unique e-mail really is. His observations apply equally well to other forms of communication, such as texting, Twitter, Facebook, cell phones, as well as the Internet as a whole. Not only can these and similar technologies be time-wasters, but they reduce our productivity with their constant interruptions. Be sure to check out the Author Video.
Why don't men ask for directions? We don't think we're lost.
Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America
Have you ever been told that "the glass is half full," when it's clearly smashed and shattered in front of you? Ever wonder why so many retail stores (and many other workplaces) focus on cheerleading skills rather than product or technical skills when hiring new employees? This is a fascinating book.
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
Why are so many products full of sugar, fat and salt? We all know the answer, but this book discusses the consequences.
e-mail is a fact in most of our lives, but how many of us have really thought about it's impact? The author discusses the history of communication, how e-mail fits in and how unique e-mail really is. His observations apply equally well to other forms of communication, such as texting, Twitter, Facebook, cell phones, as well as the Internet as a whole. Not only can these and similar technologies be time-wasters, but they reduce our productivity with their constant interruptions. Be sure to check out the Author Video.
How many of you spend uncompensated time at home dealing with your e-mail, just so you have more time during your workday to get "real work" done?
The last chapter (entitled: "Don't Send") offers specific solutions to reduce the impact of e-mail in our lives. For example, check your e-mail less frequently and schedule specific times in your day to deal with it, just as you would any task. Not all e-mails require an immediate response.
Why We Make MistakesWhy don't men ask for directions? We don't think we're lost.
Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America
Have you ever been told that "the glass is half full," when it's clearly smashed and shattered in front of you? Ever wonder why so many retail stores (and many other workplaces) focus on cheerleading skills rather than product or technical skills when hiring new employees? This is a fascinating book.
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
Why are so many products full of sugar, fat and salt? We all know the answer, but this book discusses the consequences.
e-Waste and Your Personal Data
On the outskirts of Ghana's biggest city sits a smoldering wasteland, a slum carved into the banks of the Korle Lagoon, one of the most polluted bodies of water on earth. The locals call it Sodom and Gomorrah. A client brought this video to my attention.
If you have a computer to recycle, I can remove the hard drive and destroy it. I can also arrange to recycle your old Mac. Call for more information.
Should You Upgrade?
Should you buy the latest upgrade to Mac OS X (or some other software product)? It depends on the costs and benefits of upgrading. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are there new features in the upgrade that I will use? Will it make my Mac any faster? If so, is it worth the price, time and possible risks?
- Will the upgrade even run on my Mac? That is, does it require an Intel Mac, more RAM, a faster processor or more hard drive space?
- Is the upgrade compatible with my version of Mac OS X and my other software?
These are generally easy questions to answer. When it comes to Mac OS X or Microsoft Office for the Mac, there are also less-obvious benefits to consider: stability and vulnerability, especially on the Internet.
So far, when Apple releases a new version of Mac OS X, they have continued to provide software and security updates for the previous version. For example, Apple recently released the Mac OS X v10.6.2 update as well as the Mac OS X v10.5.8 Security Update. Security updates are important since they patch security vulnerabilities on the Internet. 9to5mac.com talks more about Apple's lack of support for older systems and some of the choices you have.
When Microsoft releases updates to Microsoft Office, they are also addressing vulnerabilities in their products. The current version for the Mac is Office 2008, yet they still release updates for Office 2004.
My recommendation: If you are not running Mac OS X v10.6 "Snow Leopard", then you should be running Mac OS X v10.5 "Leopard". If your Mac can't run Mac OS X v10.5, then that maybe a good reason to consider a newer Mac. If you use Microsoft Office 2008, you still may want to keep Office 2004 installed, since it supports macros. There is no problem keeping both on your system.
Don't Always Trust Error Messages
A True Story.
A client recently emailed to say he could not sync his iPod touch with his MacBook Pro. He was getting a somewhat cryptic error message (it described an iTunes software problem). So he took his MacBook Pro and iPod touch into the Apple Store, where they reinstalled iTunes. This did not solve the problem, so they sent him on his way with the directions to reinstall the entire Mac OS. At this point, he asked me to have a look.
When I tried to reproduce the problem, I noticed that the sync failed at the iCal step. The steps prior to this succeeded. He had many iCal calendars that he wasn't using, so we deleted these on the Mac, and tried the sync again. It worked.
There are reasons when Mac OS X needs to be reinstalled, but it can be a time consuming process, and you want to be sure it's the right answer.
Check Your Disk Space
A True Story.
A client recently called to say she could not print, get her email, or just use her iMac since it was too slow. When I arrived, there was just 113MB of free hard drive space.
Your Mac should have at least 10 to 20 percent free hard drive space, just to do it's job. You can see how much free space is available at the bottom of any Finder window. If you're running low, it might be time to delete unnecessary files, move files to an external hard drive, or replace the internal hard drive with another that has a larger capacity. If you're moving or deleting files, make sure they're yours, and NOT system or program files. Running low of hard drive space could also be due to system-level problems, such as log files getting too large or numerous.
Check Your Cables
A True Story.
A client's wireless Internet was not working. Turns out the Airport Extreme was dead (Airport Utility could not talk to it, even after a hard reset). I replaced the Airport with another one and was now able to see the wireless network, but we still could not get onto the Internet. The problem was the Ethernet cable connecting the DSL modem with the Airport. The plug at one end of the cable would not stay in the WAN port of the Airport since the retaining clip on the plug had snapped off.
Check your cables, and be sure to buy good quality cables.
Apple Updates Airport Express & Time Capsules
According to AppleInsider, both the AirPort Extreme and the Time Capsules were given speed and performance upgrades by Apple this week. The hardware updates include a new antenna design, which offers up to 50 percent better wireless performance, along with a 25 percent improvement in range over previous models.
Apple Updates MacBook
Apple yesterday updated its popular MacBook with a new, durable polycarbonate unibody design featuring a brilliant LED-backlit display, a glass Multi-Touch trackpad and Apple's innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life. Inheriting technology and design features from the MacBook Pro line, the new MacBook is an ideal consumer notebook for students and new Mac users, and is available for $999.
Note that there's no Firewire port :o(
Apple Introduces the Magic Mouse
Apple yesterday introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple's revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Pioneered on iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and will be available as a Mac accessory at just $69.
Be sure to watch the video.
I don't think this mouse is for everyone, and will probably take some getting use to, but it will be an improvement over the Mighty Mouse. Note that you can turn off it's new features.