appleJAC Macintosh Users

President’s Corner

by Sue Snell, aJ MUG President

Summer is finally here, and the Fourth of July is just around the corner. But, before that star-spangled day arrives, we will meet on the July 1 to celebrate appleJAC! This is the middle meeting away from our regular meeting place at Lewis and Clark, and a fun one we have in store.

This month we will meet at Trinity Lutheran School cafeteria for the annual MacFixIt program. This is the time of year for you to bring in your needy Macs (is there such a thing?) and let the local experts help you get things straightened out (if possible). On the agenda are several topics of interest besides getting the “medical” attention some of our Macs may need. Please refer to the Agenda for a complete listing of topics to be covered. I think you will find each of these helpful and timely.

August is the annual picnic which will again be held at the North Jefferson City pavilion. We will gather for a meal of burgers, brats, and dogs along with numerous selections of tasty treats provided by those in attendance. Let us hope that Mother Nature smiles on Missouri that evening and provides us with one of the picture-perfect evenings that she can deliver. However, if things run true to form (read “rather hot”), we will still have a fabulous gathering with good food and more importantly, good friends.

Last month’s meeting at Capital Eye Care was indeed a pleasure. Dr. Lewis and Dr. Luetkemeyer, along with their able office manager Michelle, graciously provided a very entertaining and informative presentation regarding the use of Macs in their practice. If you missed it, you missed a good one!

Winners of the door prizes at the meeting were as follows:

- Peggy Landwehr    Photoshop Workflow Setups (book)
- Sara Kopp    Leopard screen cleaner
- Rosalind Moulton    CrossOver software
- Julie Smith    Apple-logoed cup
- Ken Zindle    CDW 1GB flashdrive
- Tom Vaughn    Apple-logoed pen
- Alice Kopp    Cult of Mac (book)

Looking forward to seeing you at Trinity Lutheran School on the first of July. Don’t forget to bring your Mac if you need expert advice and/or “medical” treatment.

 

July 2008 Meeting Agenda

 

June 2008 New Vendor Discount Offers

ScreenCastOnline: 20% Discount

With a brand new HD video tutorial published every week, ScreenCastsOnline is a fantastic resource for Mac video tutorials covering Mac OS X, iLife '08, iWork '08, tutorials for switchers, the latest Apple and third party applications and much more. Sign up as a ScreenCastsOnline Extra! member to get the next 26 weekly shows in HD, plus over 150+ HD tutorials, all available for immediate download via iTunes.

User group members pay $39.20 (US), compared to the usual price of $49 (US) using the coupon code below.

More information: http://www.screencastsonline.com/extra

See your user group Ambassador for Coupon Codes*

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

Parallels: $20 (US) Off

Run Windows, Linux and more side-by-side with Mac OS X. Now with more than 1,000,000 users worldwide, Parallels Desktop for Mac is one of the world's most popular Mac System Utilities. It's a fantastic solution for running Windows on Mac OS X.

Get Parallels Desktop for only $59.99 (US) and save $20 (US) off the regular price of $79.99 (US) or upgrade a previous version for only $29.99 (US), also $20 (US) off the regular upgrade price of $49.99 (US) (Extra items in the purchase cart may be removed by clicking on the “x” to the right of each.)

Run Windows on your Mac today: http://www.parallels.com/

See your user group Ambassador for Coupon Codes

This US only offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

Ecamm CardRaider: 35% Off

The CardRaider is the easiest and most affordable way to recover lost photos from your digital camera, memory card or thumb drive. Just one click and watch your photos and movies clips come back like magic. You can find the ones you're looking for and quickly recover them to your computer, or send directly to iPhoto.

This exclusive user group price is $12.97 (US), compared to the normal price of $19.95 (US), which is 35% off.

Make recovery easy: http://www.ecamm.com/mac/cardraider

See your user group Ambassador for Coupon Codes

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

Your Private Haven for Cool Apple Stuff

At the MUG store, you can check out specials, blowouts, new Macs and special value Macs. Each section contains lists of products with prices set exclusively for user group members. Plus, your group earns points every time one of your members makes a purchase.

Shop the MUG Store: http://www.applemugstore.com

See your user group Ambassador for Coupon Codes

This U.S. only offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

President’s Corner

 

by Sue Snell, aJ MUG President

Welcome to June. At least I think it’s June — if only the rain would go away! This “April Showers” thing has been going on long enough and is about to drown any “May Flowers” that I did manage to get growing. But enough complaining; it’s Missouri, so why should I expect the normal?

As we begin our summer hiatus away from the regular meeting place of Lewis and Clark Middle School, let’s look at the upcoming events. This month, we will meet at Capitol Eye Care to visit about Macs in Business. Drs. Luetkemeyer and Lewis have been gracious enough to allow us to visit and learn from them some very practical applications using Macs. We will hopefully get a bit of history of Macs in their business and information regarding benefits to patients.

The July meeting will be our annual Fix-It and Maintain-It opportunity held at Trinity Lutheran Cafeteria. This year we will also incorporate some further information on Leopard and using dotMac accounts. Look for further information in next month’s Digest, but be prepared to get some highly-useful information from some highly-qualified individuals.

August is the annual picnic which, like last year, will again be held at the North Jefferson City pavilion. Even though we can count on warm (hot?) weather, we all gather for a meal of burgers, brats, and dogs along with numerous selections of tasty treats provided by those in attendance. (But who knows, Missouri’s weather hasn’t exactly been running true to form. Maybe it will be one of those absolutely perfect summer days that do occasionally occur in our Great State!)

Last month’s meeting was informative for all, but particularly those interested in photography. Peggy Landwehr presented on iPhoto and George Kopp contrasted it with a presentation on Adobe’s Lightroom.

Winners of the door prizes at the meeting were as follows:
 - Geof Payne    Digital Photography Handbook
 - Tom Vaughn    Blending Modes Cookbook
 - Robert Williams    Photoshop Retouching Cookbook
 - Alice Kopp    Adobe Photoshop CS3 book
 - Bill Webb    Photoshop Lightroom Adventure book
 - Sister Josetta Eveler    Ream of Photo paper
 - Terry Larkin    Roxio Toast 9 software

Until June 3, stay dry and look for the silver lining.

My Marvelous MUG: More Than A Monthly Meeting

 a commentary by Tom Piper

Are we having fun yet??? That was the initial goal stated at the first meeting I called of the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group in December 1984 . . . and it is our first priority today!!! Education, training, new products, food, information, new gadgets, drink, giveaways, reviews, demonstrations, friends, philanthropy, assistance, new users, gurus, specialists, photos, Wi-Fi, iPods, iPhones, PowerBooks/iBooks/MacBooks (and Pros), PowerPC/G3/G4/G5/Intel, AirPorts, Time Capsule . . . these are only a few of random thoughts that come to my mind when I think of aJMUG . . . and mostly friends!

Our numbers grew for a long time, but now have shrunk to less than 50 members. Yet, the number of Apple products in mid-Missouri has virtually exploded into many hands, households, and businesses. Unlike our early days, much of what we want to know about Apple products can now be obtained from the Internet, BUT the warmth and congeniality of face-to-face contact can’t be replaced by iChat, Skype, QuickTime or Google. Our numerous friendships, contagious excitement and personal assistance have become a hallmark of our existence, and a strong motivation for why we need to help others join us.

Your participation is what makes our gatherings work. Even if you don’t want to be an officer or a presenter (we continue to seek both), but regular attendance by you, your friends and Apple product users you may encounter will enhance the experience. Come join us at Capitol Eye Care on June 3 . . . and YES, we are having fun!!!

Apple User Group Discount Offers

Softpress Freeway: 25% Discount

Freeway gives you all the legendary ease-of-use and features that launched the desktop publishing revolution. You can quickly and effortlessly lay out your website, embed images and content, then publish your work as standards-compliant HTML. Upload to your server, .Mac or to a folder. You supply the creativity, Freeway handles the code.

User Group members can buy Freeway Pro, regularly $249 (US) for $186.75 (US), and Freeway Express for $59.25 (US), a 25% discount.

Build your website now. http://www.softpress.com/store

Studio Publisher: Save $50 (US)

CFour is proud to introduce iStudio Publisher, the easy-to-use page layout program. Powerful and intuitive, iStudio Publisher lets you do everything from writing a letter or designing a report to creating a brochure or publishing a magazine. iStudio Publisher puts all the tools you need within easy reach to design great looking documents.

This special user group special offers is for $50 (US) off the regular price of $99 (US).

Use this address and the code above for ordering: http://www.cfour.net

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

Rhinoskin Aluminum Hardcases: 25% Discount

Rhinoskin's anodized aluminum cases are custom fit for MacBook and MacBook Pro. Durable yet lightweight, the sleek design slips easily into a backpack or carry-on. The neoprene lining cushions and prevents scratching, and each case is ventilated on the bottom with rubberized feet to prevent slipping. Add in the removable strap system with accessory pouch and access to power ports while closed, and Rhinoskin cases are perfect for road warriors. See the full Rhinoskin product line: http://www.rhinoskin.com

This special user group offer provides a 25% discount and free shipping within the 48 contiguous states:

- 13" MSRP $129.95 (US) - User Group price $97.46 (US)

- 15" MSRP $139.95 (US) - User Group price $104.96 (US)

- 17" MSRP $149.95 (US) - User Group price $112.46 (US)

Enjoy the savings with this link: http://www.mfgdirect.com/static/?s=AD98E2C

This US only offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

iData 3: 28% Discount (extended offer)

A memory upgrade for your brain, iData 3 is a flexible database for storing (and easily retrieving) freeform text, field-based text, images, links and more. It is highly user-configurable, but has well-chosen default settings, making it easy for anyone to begin using right away. iData 3 imports email, bookmarks and more: it lets you design and print envelopes and labels, and even dials the phone.

iData offers members a special user group price of $49.95 (US), well below the $69.95 (US) regular price.

Purchase iData3 or download a demo: http://www.idata3.com/id3mug.html

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

Omni Technologies Memory: Up to 30% Off

Omni Technologies is a US-based Apple Registered Developer and certified memory manufacturer. They offer OptiVal 100% original manufacturer spec certified RAM as well as HyperFormance Multimedia Optimized RAM memory, which runs faster and cooler while outperforming standard RAM.

This special pricing program for Apple user group members affords the lowest in industry volume pricing to the end-user for all Apple-related memory on the Omni Technologies website.

Choose your memory today: http://www.omnitechnologies.biz/cgi-bin/store/cp-app.cgi?&mp=AG&pg=cat&ref=A57

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

  Your Private Haven for Cool Apple Stuff

With offers like a factory refurbished Mac Pro/2.66 for only $1888 (US), the MUG Store is the place where user group members find great deals on everything Mac and iPod. From the latest brand new systems to a wide selection of blowouts and closeouts, the MUG store has something special every day.

Remember that everything you buy means points for your group to spend any way it wants!

Shop the MUG Store: http://www.applemugstore.com

This U.S. only offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

End of the June Digest

That's the end of the May 2008 appleJAC MUG Digest . . . if you're not at member, please join us TODAY.

Tom Piper, appleJAC Secretary/Editor

President’s Corner

by Sue Snell, aJ MUG President

“It’s May, It’s May, the lovely month of May,” as the song from Camelot proclaims, Well, almost lovely. I know rain is good for Earth, but . . . Maybe by the August picnic things will have dried out.

However, before worrying about August, let’s slow down to look more closely at the present. April appleJAC meeting was a grand presentation on Podcasting. Tom Piper and Chuck Zimmerman, along with commentary from Steve Mays, shared a look at the how-tos and wherefores of this new phenomena. We gained insight into the creation of podcasts, how to locate good ones, and even hints on the best practices of using them.

Winners of door prizes for the April meeting were as follows:

- George Kopp Zimmcomm iPod Speaker

- Jim Stevenson Leopard monitor cleaner

- Steve Archer Photoshop CS3 One-on-One book

- Tom Vaughn The Cult of Mac book

- Alice Kopp Apple mug

- Gale Fuller Apple notepad

- Julie Koenigsfeld Craft book

- Julie Smith Apple pen

- Jim Cooper Eccentric Cubicle book

May’s meeting, on Tuesday, the 6th, at Lewis and Clark Middle School, promises to be just as informative and useful. During the first session, Peggy Landwehr will share information on “iPhoto, Storage, Manipulation, and Distribution”.

After a short break, good refreshments, and social chat, George Kopp will present a program on “Light Room: A Step Beyond iPhoto”. He will cover various topics such as transition from iPhoto, and features and benefits of Lightroom

Summer season of travel and visits is almost here, along with the ever-present explosion in “picture taking.” Granted, this winter provided us with some fabulous landscape scenery opportunities (even as we huddled in multi-layers of clothing), but I bet many are still in the camera’s memory. So with the upcoming opportunities for photo enhancement of your life memories, why not join us for some prime-time learning this Tuesday when we delve into this pertinent topic?

Also, don’t forget to reserve your calendar dates for our summer meetings. June 3rd will be our annual gathering for “Macs in Business”. This year we will be visiting Capitol Eye Care, hosted by Drs. Matthew Lewis and James Luetkemeyer.

July 1st will find us at the annual fix-it, swap-it, give-it-away plus a discussion of Mac OS X Leopard, focusing on maintenance. We will wrap up our summer schedule with a celebration picnic in August at the North Jefferson City pavilion.

Make plans to join us every month.

May Meeting Agenda

eMedia Piano: Training Fingers to Dance

a review by Tom Piper

I’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano, and even got a Yamaha keyboard with a Midi interface to work with my Mac. I learned from Alice Kopp that there was some great software available that would work with this combination, and that resulted in the special offer that was posted in our January newsletter.

eMedia . . . Play Music Made Easy! More than a marketing phrase that has reached over a million aspiring computer users, it is software that really works because it starts at the very beginning with learning how to read music, and apply it to a keyboard. I have started the process of training my fingers to dance across my keyboard, and the system works!

eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM offers over 300 step-by-step lessons starting from the basics including hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys. This is followed by music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more. Piano teacher Irma Irene Justicia, M.A., who has taught at the renowned Juilliard School of Music, guides you with video demonstrations of techniques.

Songs and exercises are enhanced by live recorded audio, MIDI tracks you can slow down or speed up, and colorful MIDI accompaniments. Interactive review and ear training screens help reinforce new concepts and develop your ear. This new version includes larger easy-to-read screens, enhanced audio and video, progress tracking, and an updated curriculum. When used with an electronic MIDI keyboard, you can get specific feedback on playing mistakes, including wrong notes and rhythms.

I am learning how to play, and learning a lot about music that I missed when I was younger. It is still time-consuming, and the hands are taking a while to train, but this is a patient teacher whose lessons I can easily revisit whenever I need to. At $59.95 for the new version 2 of Piano Method, this is a very good investment . . . watch out Liberace!

By the way, the eMedia product line also includes Intermediate Piano; Guitar Method, Intermediate and Rock Guitar, Bass Method, and EarlMaster 5. Programs are available for both Mac and Windows, with downloadable extras and other support. I recommend a visit to http://www.emediamusic.com/ if you would like to bring more music into your life.

Skobos: Internet Television on the Mac

a review by Tom Piper

Ever wanted TV on your Mac? You’ve already seen me review analog and digital television using a converter from cable and antenna systems, but what about directly over your high-speed Internet connection? Now we have a company who has put all the pieces together into one software package that does all the work for you, and no extra hardware.

As their website says, Skobos is the the first major broadband, all digital, software television for the Mac. I can travel the world, one channel at a time. This is not Video-On-Demand where I receive broadcasts that I must pre-select in order to view. This is real TV in every sense of the word.

Skobos is a software television that allows me to view preset and updateable channels via a high-speed Internet connection on a Mac computer. The software has been in development for the past few years (beginning with the Widget Television VF1 through VF3) and is now a stand-alone package. The television programming design of Skobos, was written in its entirety in Applescript using Apple's Xcode environment, Applescript Studio.

The program's viewing capabilities relies on the user's installation of the top three (free) video players available over the Internet: QuickTime, RealPlayer, and Windows Media Player. The channels are encoded using one of several technologies and then are broadcast over the Internet using specific video codecs.

Skobos is designed completely with the end-user in mind. From the ease of channel selection, volume control, and full-screen viewing, to the ability to set favorites, channel voting, and instant messaging, this program is easy and convenient to use. As you click across the headings, a new array of channels the appears (see below). Great variety!

To show that Skobos is a grow product, it is currently under development in four versions: Version one (v1) which is now available; Version two (v2) for most educational institutions and commercial business; Version three (v3) a combination of v1 and v2 plus the ability to broadcast any live event to all other registered user's 'Live' specific channels; and Version four (v4) the creme of the crop includes all previous versions plus built-in system tools for the Mac savvy person, as well as a browser, a notes section, PDF output from notes, and several other items for the experienced Mac user.

To their credit, this is not an annual subscription, but rather a product purchase including all future upgrades. I think this software is lots of fun, extremely educational, tremendous variety, and a great value. Even better, for a short time, they are giving us as user group members, a special discount (see below). And, as if that’s not enough, they have lots of opportunities of input to expand their product, as well as 10% of their sales that go to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. This is a good buy that I highly recommend.

Skobos Personal Television for the Mac: 20% Off

Own a Mac computer? Like to watch television? Want to watch television on your desktop or laptop anytime or anywhere there's a high-speed connection? Whether you're plugged in or on wireless, interactive television will never be the same, and Skobos can prove it to you.

Skobos, regularly $29.00 (US), is available for an introductory Apple user group member price of $23.20 (US).

Get information and purchase: https://www.skobos.com

This worldwide offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

Legacy Battery Quest

by Sister Josetta Eveler

The battery in my wonderful iBook G4 has worn out, but I can’t give up my trusty laptop. Can anyone help me find a good replacement battery at a reasonable price?

Contact me at josetta.eveler@amormeus.org, or call 573-893-4776.

ScreenFlow: Mac Motion Capturing Made Easy

a review by Tom Piper

I have long been fascinated with the tools which can capture things that are displayed on the Mac screen. Of course, a simple Command-Shift-3 with take a snapshot of the whole screen, or Command-Shift-4 any portion of it. But, what about capturing movement, sound and sequence of activities in real time? I was absolutely blown away by a brand new product that does it all in a most eloquent way.

ScreenFlow, new from Vara Software Inc., is a “professional screencasting studio” for creating amazing screen recordings on the Mac, only in Mac OS X Leopard. Using a unique new screen capture system, powerful enough to capture the contents of your entire desktop at the same time as your video camera, microphone and computer's audio, you'll be creating incredible screencasts in no time. The finished result is a QuickTime movie, ready for publishing to your website or blog.

As their website describes, you can record from desktop, a video camera, microphone and computer's audio simultaneously, use powerful editing tools, highlight using Callouts, place video in 3D, produce highest quality exporting, and include easy narration of presentations. Here is a detailed outline of features:

• Record Everything: You don't need to pick an area of the screen for capture, ScreenFlow has advanced algorithms that only encode areas of change on your screen. The application is powerful enough to simultaneously record from your iSight or DV camera at the same time as your screen (and your microphone and computer's audio!).

• The Best Capture: ScreenFlow has the best screen capture available. Using a custom multithreaded SSE & Altivec accelerated, 64-bit enabled compression system, ScreenFlow can handle everything from capturing DVD video & audio to fast moving Keynote presentations.

• Edit: Once your screen capture is complete, you're transported to the ScreenFlow editor. Using a familiar timeline interface, ScreenFlow lets you easily add zoom & pan effects, trim clips, add drop shadow & reflection, adjust audio levels etc. You can even combine existing media into your screencast.

• Highlight: During your screen capture ScreenFlow tracks where your mouse cursor is, when you click and when you press a key. This allows you to add mouse click effects (both visual and audible), an overlay showing your key strokes and even lets you zoom the mouse pointer up & down.

• Callout: Callouts let you highlight & focus in on the mouse or frontmost window. Want to circle the area around the mouse? What took an experienced user minutes or hours in Final Cut Pro or After Effects is now a couple of clicks away.

• Motion: ScreenFlow introduces actions to the editing interface. These make it very quick & easy to modify parameters of your screencast over time. For example, adding a video action lets you put zoom & pan effects on your clips, while the audio action lets you adjust volume at different points in your screencast.

• Export Quality: When resizing high resolution screen content into a QuickTime movie, ScreenFlow uses custom GPU algorithms to give your finished movie the best possible quality. You'll find even small text suddenly becomes legible for your viewers.

The initial controls are simple and straight-forward with a small camera image in the top menu displaying a drop-down menu with the commands: Record, Configure Recording... , and Stop ScreenFlow. Click on Configure, and the image at right appears showing that I can record either my left or right screen, the ADD video from my iSight camera (or other video source), as well as sound from my computer and/or another outside souce . . . all at the click of a button. The red dot button starts a 3 second countdown and the recording begins. I go back to the same button to stop the recording. Once stopped, the recorded image comes up with a panel of controls at the right (see below) for video, audio, screen and callouts:

Across the bottom of the captured recording are the standard playback controls, as well as the ability to edit the size of the recorded track. Most impressive to me was the “zoom” ability that allowed me to capture just a portion of the screen (yes, you can even grab and shift the screen under the recording “window” to get to the right place), AND you can resize and distort the recording window with the corner and side buttons. Editing is actually FUN!!!

When done, you can save it in any number of formats that will play back on your Mac, iPod, iPhone or other device. Its a great way for me to capture everything from YouTube videos to instructional movies for other users.

There are a number of descriptive videos on their website at: http://www.varasoftware.com. You can download it and evaluate it first to see if you like it before buying it (remember, Leopard only). If you do like it, it can be yours for $99.99. They also have other programs like Wirecast and Videocue for high-end users. If you like to capture video, this is a product that may well meet your needs.

Roxio Toast 9: Premiere CD/DVD Burning

a review by Tom Piper

As you know, the Mac already has built-in software that allows you to burn music and files onto CDs and DVDs, so why buy a specialized program to do that? Quality, features and incredible benefits is my first thought . . . here’s how.

Roxio has long been a pioneer in CD/DVD burning. Toast is a CD and DVD authoring and media conversion software application for Mac OS X. Its name is a play on the word 'burn', a term used for the writing of information onto a disc through the use of a laser. Toast was originally developed by Dr. Markus Fest and his company Miles Software GmbH in the early 1990s, and distributed by Astarte. In 1997 the product was purchased by Adaptec, and later transferred to Roxio (then a division of Adaptec).

Discs can be burned directly through Mac OS X, but Toast provides added control over the process as well as extra features such as file recovery for damaged discs and cataloging and tracking of burned disc contents. Major features include:

Burn: Catalog and burn all your files across multiple CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs formatted for both Mac and PC. Schedule backups with the new Get Backup application, and much more!

Watch: Import and create high-def video from TiVo, EyeTV, AVCHD camcorders and burn to Blu-ray and standard DVD discs! Watch your movies and TV shows over WiFi on your iPhone or any net connected Mac or PC, and more!

Listen: Expand your music library by recording streaming audio directly from the Internet. Use Toast 9's new audio fingerprinting technology to identify songs and tag with titles, artists, album and more. Create great sounding mixes for burning to CD or even create music DVDs

Share: Create Director's Cuts of your favorite TV shows and movies; fit 9GB of dual-layer DVD video onto a single standard DVD, use time saving batch DVD-Video compression/conversion, and single click copy of CDs

So, if the past versions were so good, why spend $79.99 (after mail-in rebate) for version 9 of Toast? The chart below compares the new features to the last two versions of Toast:

So, whether you want to archive your files, rip your music, create a video for your iPod, or do something else with media files, I can’t think of a better tool to do it than Toast 9. Visit their website for more details and interesting videos: http://www.roxio.com.

Apple User Group Discount Offers

USGlobalSat Bluetooth GPS: Limited-Time Incredible Offer

The GlobalSat BT-368i is a Bluetooth GPS receiver that is as powerful as it is stylish, embedding reliability and performance into a thin profile housing which uses GlobalSat's mature micro-technology based around the SiRF Star III GPS chipset. At a smooth and rounded 2.75" x 1.57" x 0.36", the BT-368i makes a fashion statement and adds powerful GPS functionality to your laptop, PDA or Bluetooth-enabled system.

Regularly priced at $110.99 (US), a $60.00 (US) customer appreciation mail-in rebate is immediately available while inventory lasts. (You need third party navigation or GPS software to use this receiver.)

Get connected: https://www.usglobalsat.com/p-537-bt-368i.aspx
Download rebate form: http://www.usglobalsat.com/downloads/usg_rebate_368_60.pdf
This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2008.

Bibliographies Made Easy: Save 50% on EndNote

Maximize your research time with EndNote from Thomson Scientific. Use EndNote to manage your references, images and PDFs, and create bibliographies instantly in over 2,800 publishing styles. Save retyping references for research papers, grants, dissertations, CVs and more! Compatibility with Mac AppleScript lets you automate and extend EndNote functions between applications.

This $149.95 (US) special offer to U.S. and Canada Mac user group members is a 50% discount from the regular price of $299.95 (US). Full-time students should check the student prices available for EndNote.

Learn more and purchase: http://www.endnote.com/enmug08
This U.S. and Canada offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

Stellar Phoenix iPod Recovery: 25% Discount

Stellar, a leader in data recovery since 1993, proudly announces a discount offer for "Stellar Phoenix iPod Recovery for Mac" which provides quick, simple and powerful data recovery software for crashed or unresponsive Apple iPods. It helps recover data from damaged, deleted or corrupted iPods.

Stellar shows its love for user groups with this offer of $29.25 (US), a 25% discount off its retail price of $39.00 (US).

Buy now: http://www.ipoddatarecovery.net/buy-now.php
This worldwide offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

Skobos Personal Television for the Mac: 20% Off

Own a Mac computer? Like to watch television? Want to watch television on your desktop or laptop anytime or anywhere there's a high-speed connection? Whether you're plugged in or on wireless, interactive television will never be the same, and Skobos can prove it to you.

Skobos, regularly $29.00 (US), is available for an introductory Apple user group member price of $23.20 (US).

Get information and purchase: https://www.skobos.com
This worldwide offer is valid through July 31, 2008.

The MUG Store: Blowouts and More

Looking for a used iMac or a great deal on an internal hard drive? Just love sorting through discounts and closeouts? Then visit the Blowouts area of the Mug Store, where you will find great deals on all sorts of
new, discontinued and used products.

Remember that everything you buy means points for your group to spend any way it wants!

See this month's Blowouts: http://www.applemugstore.com/mugstore/blowouts.php
Shop the MUG Store: http://www.applemugstore.com
This U.S. only offer is valid through June 30, 2008.

Get the codes for these discounts in the Members only area on the left.

April 2008 appleJAC Digest

President’s Corner
by Sue Snell, aJ MUG President

Spring had sprung! At least I think it has. There are green leaves popping up in the garden —wish I remembered what I had planted— and the sun is still up after the dinner dishes are done. It will still be light when we arrive for the meeting Tuesday night,

Forget the snow flurries on Easter morning; it was just a little joke from Mother Nature.  What I love about April is the promise of new beginnings.

Let’s get excited about the promise of the April 1 appleJAC MUG meeting — no Fooling! We’re looking forward to an informative evening regarding Podcasts. Tom Piper and friends will let us in on them — from where to find them, how to enjoy them, and what to expect from them. They might even let us in on how to begin to develop one.

Then in May, we plan to learn about Lightroom and Aperture. Now I know it must be Spring because we have only these two meetings before our Summer “break” from the Lewis and Clark meeting spot.

Our last meeting was a demonstration by Mrs. Sue Haugen on using the Airliner in the classroom. If you recall, appleJAC purchased one of these for Lewis and Clark. It was a good presentation, even if everything did not go according to plan. Which of us has NOT had something go awry in even the best planned demonstration?. Mrs. Haugen demonstrated the different applications of the Airliner and showcased some of the software used in the math classes. She passed around the tablet for members to try. Just like a teacher — hands-on experience!

Winners of door prizes for the night were:
    - Mark Snell            Apple-logo Cup
    - Charlie Bland        Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide
    - Steve Archer         Adobe Clock
    - Bruce Heerboth     Printer paper (ream)
    - Ros Moulton          Photoshop Cookbook
    - Margie Stevenson   Adobe Photoshop One-on-One book

C. S. Lewis once said, “We need to know we’re not alone”. Join us for the April 1 meeting at Lewis and Clark Middle School to find the aJ connection to this sense of community in the Mac world. Advice on all subjects abounds to let you know you are not alone. Come get the advice you need and share the advice you have with others from the Mac community.

March User Group Offers