appleJAC Users Group

President's Place: September 2014

by Tom Piper

Where has the summer gone? School has started, Labor Day is just around the corner and my summer projects aren't done yet . . . it seems like the time has just flashed by so quickly! I hope that you have taken every opportunity to enjoy the fine weather, and got in some relaxation.

Our last meeting at the Jefferson City Public School's Dix Education Center was a great success with the presentation of Tammy Ferry (we provided her a one-year membership to appleJAC in appreciation for her terrific work). We learned a great deal about iPad use, GripCases, AirServer, Splashtop and more (see the blog below for Tammy's presentation). Winners of the door prizes were:

Jim Stevenson    iPad case
Ron Hanson         $10 iTunes card

Next month, Dan Walsh will present "Magic Pix" where he will show us how to easily manipulate photo images using free tools (like Preview) and more sophisticated programs (like Photoshop). We will also be sharing information about new stuff from Apple, new tips and tricks, and a discussion of volunteer opportunities for the near future (see agenda below, no more paper copies at meetings).

The aJ Board of Directors has also been busy with debates about our future activities and images. As you can see from the top of the agenda, we have dropped the "Macintosh Users Group" part of our name since appleJAC now addresses Mac, iPad, iPod, iPhone, AppleTV and all other Apple and related products. We continue to be Mid-Missouri's Premiere Apple Users Group, here to serve you.

As such, be sure to take advantage of the "MacBasics Productivity Apps Training Class" being presented by George Kopp on September 17 (see announcement in an earlier blog) . . . you can email your registration to us, or sign up and invest in this great class at our upcoming September 2 meeting. Additional MacBasics classes are under development (by me) for iWorks: Pages & Numbers (on the iPad and Mac) scheduled for October 15 and November 12, respectively. We want you to get more out of your Apple products!

Be sure to join us on Tuesday night, September 2, at Callaway Rural Electric in Fulton (see map at bottom for directions) for a great time. A PDF copy of the officer opportunities we will be discussing can also be downloaded by clicking on aJ Job Descriptions.

 

 

Apple @ Work presentations from 08/05/14 meeting

We had some great information shared at this meeting which focused on Jefferson City Public Schools and "How Technology is Used in Education" in their 13 buildings.

Joe Mertzlufft shared new tips and tricks at https://www.facebook.com/MMCSinfo.

George Kopp has new information about UPS power and Mac cleanups at http://askgeorgekopp.com.

Tammy Ferry (our JCPS presenter) shared a PDF of her presentation which you can download JCPS iPad User Guide (PDF) (just click on the title, its big at about 23MB and will take a few minutes), or you can download and view the iBook version by using your iPad and clicking on JCPS iPad User Guide iBook.

All of this is great information, well worth viewing again, or seeing if you couldn't attend!!!

President's Place: August 2014

by Tom Piper

Here we are, squarely in the middle of summer, when the heat has returned (loved that spring-like weather for awhile), and its time to think about our club activities. If you are like me, its hard to stay indoors when there is so much to enjoy outside (okay, there are some choirs there too).

Our last meeting was great fun with information about new operating systems to be released in the Fall, a variety of tips and tricks, how to prepare to resell your technology, all types of storage devices, and the dimensions of data clouds. Winners of the doorprize drawing included:

    Rosalind Moulton    $10 iTunes card
    Bonnie Culley         Caribiner appleJAC pen
    Ken Zindle              appleJAC pen
    Dustin Stark            Caribiner appleJAC pen
    Julie Smith             appleJAC keyring
    Ann Lane                Apple card holder

Our next meeting promises to be new and different with its focus on Apple@Work: How Technology is Used in Education at the Jefferson City Public Schools (JCPS). With a host of Macs, over 3,500 iPads and much more, this will be an interesting display and discussion of how kids are benefitting from technology (see agenda below). Their Technology Instruction Coordinator will be our principal presenter, with the Director of Technology also available for questions.

The meeting location has moved to the JCPS Dix Education Center, located at 204 Dix Road in Jefferson City (see map at bottom for easy directions to get there).

 

Mac Maintenance Presentations from 07/01/14 Meeting

Just double-click on the title of your choice of any of the following three presentations (contents shown below the title) to download that PDF version to your computer:

 

Download AppleJAC Prep for Resale (by Joe Mertzlufft)

 

Download External Storage presentation (by Tom Piper)

 

Download Cloud Storage Presentation (by George Kopp)

President's Place: July 2014

by Tom Piper

We had a terrific annual picnic this past month at the Landwehr's residence (many thanks to Peggy and John) with over 40 people in attendance. Special thanks also go to Mark Snell and George Kopp for cooking again this year (and their wives, Sue and Alice, for gathering all the supplies necessary to support this effort).

Our next meeting is titled "Mac Maintenance: Prepping for Resale, External Storage and Clouds" (in the future, we will undoubtedly change this to "Apple Maintenance" since we discuss iOS and MacOS devices). The meeting will actually kickoff with a quick overview of the cool announcements about the new features of MaOS 10.10 Yosemite and iOS 8 described at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference including iCloud Photos, Continuity, Health, iCloud Drive, and much more, albeit briefly. This will be followed by interesting presentations about Prepping for Resale (cleaning your devices inside and out), External Storage (including Backup, RAIDs, SSDs, iOS/MacOS devices), and Clouds (iCloud, DropBox, Transporter, SkyDrive, more).

The agenda for this meeting is shown below and will be emailed to members. This will be the last meeting at which we handout a printed paper copy. More and more, we are going all electronic . . .

President's Place: June 2014

 

appleJAC Macintosh Users Group

2014 Annual Picnic

 

 

 

Tuesday Evening, June 3, 2014, at 6:00 pm

John and Peggy Landwehr's house

2103 Scenic Drive, Jefferson City 65101

appleJAC will provide hamburgers and hotdogs, buns, table service and condiments. You can bring a beverage and something else of your choice (enter on the survey) . . . please respond to a few simple questions illustrated on the survey which was emailed (twice) to members to help us better plan for the picnic.

 

Click on the link at the end of your email to bring up the quick survey.

President's Place: May 2014

by Tom Piper

Each month I wonder what you, as an appleJAC member, might find interesting and rewarding about Apple products, and related accessories, software and apps. As a lifelong gadget admirer and collector, my attention is drawn to the unusual, but not always practical devices, some of which I write about in my new product reviews, and others I bring to meetings. I always hope that this information is at least entertaining to you, if not useful. And so goes the opening ramblings of my morning ...

Due to a 4,000 mile driving trip to Santa Fe/Tucson/San Diego/Anaheim/Flagstaff, I was not able to attend the last meeting which focused on Smart Home and Remote Access devices and apps. By all reports, it was educational and entertaining, with the following door prize winners:

Greg Breuer    iTunes card $10
Gale Fuller      Apple logo pen/carabiner
George Kopp   Apple logo carabiner/keychain

Our next meeting on May 6 is all about "A/V Apps: iMessage, FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts" as described in the agenda displayed below. There will be special information about the latest security threat called Heartbleed, and how we might respond, as well as a few tips and tricks to improve your technlogy's performance. You will also be asked about whether you would like a more advanced MacBasics class before summer starts.

We hope to see you at the next meeting. As always, we welcome visitors and new members who would like to learn more and enjoy the company of other devoted Apple and related product users.

President's Place: April 2014

by Tom Piper

FINALLY, we were able to deliver our presentations about 20+ Gadgets in 60 Minutes, after two monthly delays due to bad weather (it almost got us a third time too). But, all went well, we had great attendance, and lots was learned about many things. Door prizes were won by:

• Jim Springs     VIP Orbit Styles Pen
• Sue Snell        $10 iTunes card

The next meeting (see agenda below) will focus on "Smart Home & Remote Access", presenting a variety of products to remotely control your heat, cooling, lights, lamps, kitchen, survellance, alarms, doors and more. This has been asked for by many, and should be both educational and entertaining. Not only that, but you will also be able to learn about the new iPad 4 and iOS 7.1 updates and changes.

SPRING IS HERE, and we hope that you will be able to attend, and bring family and friends on April 1 (no fooling) . . . 

President's Place: March 2014

by Tom Piper

IS IT SPRING YET??? ... it sure feels like it with these wonderfully warm temperatives this week. I hope you are also making the best of it (don't get used to it, the cold will soon return).

"Third time is a charm", a motto we are hoping will help us deliver on March 4 our prior January and February promises of 20+ Gadgets in 60 Minutes. We've lost a few items that were previously planned (Marian can't be here on March 4), but Joe, George, Dustin and I (and perhaps Marian) are ready with our presentations. Since the Holidays are well behind us, we've taken "what you got for Christmas" off the agenda, but you can still tell us about any special items, if we have time.

As earlier announced in a special email, MacBasics Training Class will be held at 7:00pm on March 12, 2014. If you want to pre-register and/or pay the $15.00 fee ($25 for non-members) at the March 4 meeting, our Treasurer (Sue Snell) will be pleased to serve you (this will reduce waiting the night of the class).

As always, we look forward to seeing you at our next meetings. Family and friends are always welcome to join us for the fun, knowledge and rapport.

02/04/14 appleJAC Meeting CANCELLED

Jefferson City Public Schools and Immaculate Conception School will be closed on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 — consistent with our inclement weather policy, this meeting was cancelled (just like last month), and the topic has been moved to our March 4, 2014, regular meeting.

We do this to respect your safety and security during this time of slick roads and dangerously low temperatures. Please enjoy this time in the warmth of your homes.

President's Place: February 2014

by Tom Piper

This new year of 2014 is in full swing, complete with subzero temperatures (last week), and beautifully-balmy over 60° days (today). January has proven to be a roller coaster of weather that reminds us that winter is here to stay for awhile. It certainly stopped government, businesses, schools and our meeting early this month . . . so, we postponed it to February 4.

A few topics have been tweeked slightly (see agenda below), but you can expect an exciting and educational meeting with over 20 new and innovative Gadgets (hardware, software, apps and more). Also come prepared to tell us about your favorite technology-related gifts from Christmas. Bring friends and family to enjoy our gathering.

We also remind you to use the new strip at the bottom of the agenda to tell us what you would like to learn from our appleJAC MUG meetings. Its important to get your feedback if our meetings are to remain successful, knowledgeable and fun.

By the way, be sure to check out the new product reviews that I've recently completed. Just scroll down a little further, and there they are . . . 

01/07/14 appleJAC Meeting CANCELLED

Jefferson City Public Schools and Immaculate Conception School will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 — consistent with our inclement weather policy, the appleJAC MUG Board has decided to cancel this meeting, and move the topic to our February 4, 2014, regular meeting.

We do this to respect your safety and security during this time of slick roads and dangerously low temperatures. Please enjoy this time in the warmth of your homes.

President's Place: January 2014

by Tom Piper, appleJAC President (again)

As I reflect back (this is written the day after Christmas), I remember the many great people who have been involved with appleJAC over the past 29 years and amazing meetings that we have shared (our first newsletter cover is at right). We have had much to dance about and to be grateful for as we have embraced the wonders of incredible technology, the value of exceptional quality products, and the thrill of progressive innovation. Our lives are better for these products, and richer as a result of the knowledge and productivity gained at our monthly gatherings. 

2014 is the beginning of my 18th year as President of this most enjoyable (and sometimes exhausting) adventure. I took a few minutes to journey back to our humble beginnings when I came across some memorable words from a charter member Mark Roebuck: "What I DO remember are those first meetings and particularly Tom’s infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy. The group was small, geeky to be sure (a word I don’t recall existing at the time), and a lot of fun." Interestingly, my enthusiasm now is even greater now than in the early days, even though my energy has definite limits. Thanksfully, fun has also been the dependable hallmark of our meetings.

Our last meeting focused on "iOS in the Car" with Dr. Marian Petrides describing the many ways to integrate portable technology into our vehicles. This was followed by  the Annual Meeting with treasury reports from Sue Snell and activity reports for the year from me. Elections were held for 2014 officers with the following results:

    President                 Tom Piper
    Vice-President         Joe Mertzlufft
    Secretary                 Ann Lane
    Treasurer                 Sue Snell
    Webmaster               Dustin Stark
    Members-at-Large:   George Kopp
                                    Peggy Landwehr
                                    Dan Walsh
                                    Larry Garvin 
                                    Marian Petrides
                                    Greg Breuer

Door prize winners for this last meeting of 2013 were:

    Sharon Hanson          iPole camera holder
    Larry Hoffman          Mountain Lion Tips and Tricks (book)
    Rick Hanson              $10 iTunes card

The next meeting topic is "20 Gadgets in 60 Minutes" (which will also include 3 bonus items. You will also have an opportunity to show off the new technology-related items you got for Christmas. See the agenda below for details of the gadgets (apps, hardware, software, more) to be presented.

You will notice that the new agenda format includes an extra space at the bottom for suggestions for future meeting topics and items for which you have an interest or question. This is where we need your help with things to present for the rest of the year (note that we don't yet have a topic for February). By the way, don't miss the new review articles below this article. Come to our next meeting, and help us kick off the new year . . .

President's Place: December 2013

by Tom Piper

It is amazing how quickly time passes . . . winter has definitely arrived with cold temperatures, arctic winds, and threatening snow . . . indeed, Happy Thanksgiving to all. Meanwhile, Apple products and processes continue to get more interesting as we try to keep you up to date.

Our last meeting focused on Mac OS Mavericks plus Update Mania (see the meeting report information that immediately followed that). The attendance was terrific, and the following members won these doorprizes:

    Julie Smith         $10 iTunes card
    Ros Moulton        Apple Pages book
    Terry Larkin        My iPaid book

Our next meeting will be a combination of "iOS in the Car" by Marian Petrides (see attached agenda), and the Annual Business Meeting when we recap the year's accomplishments, and elect leadership for the coming calendar year. Nominations received so far include (by office and history):

    President                 Tom Piper (incumbent)
    Vice-President         Joe Mertzlufft (incumbent)
    Secretary                 Ann Lane
    Treasurer                 Sue Snell (incumbent)
    Webmaster               Dustin Stark (previously M-a-L)
    Members-at-Large:   George Kopp (previously Webmaster)
                                    Peggy Landwehr (incumbent)
                                    Dan Walsh (incumbent)
                                    Larry Garvin (incumbent)
                                    Marian Petrides (incumbent)
                                    Greg Breuer (incumbent)

Additional nominations may be made by emailing the member's name to applejac@mac.com (make sure they have agreed first). The vitality of our group depends on energetic and motivated leadership, so don't hesitate to volunteer if you would like to help improve our efforts.

Enjoy the holiday, endure the weather, and join the warmth of our next meeting to learn more about transporting devices and building our future.

 

appleJAC 11/05/13 Meeting Materials

The "Mavericks plus Update Mania" meeting on November 5, 2013, was a wonderful success with presentations from Tom Piper, George Kopp and Joe Mertzlufft. Many have asked that we post web references to the information which was covered in the presentations. Click on the links below to provide more information on the topics covered:

New Apple Stuff:

• iPad Air
• iPad mini
• iPad pricing and accessories
• MacBook Pro
• Mac Pro
• Apple announcements

Mac OS X Mavericks

• Installation
• New Features

Latest Updates

• iWorks (Pages, Numbers, Keynote)
• iWork concerns (article, conversions)
• iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand)
• iCloud Collaboration (Macworld, Classroom)
• iWork for iCloud (beta)

Also mentioned during one presentation was "Flag Etiquette", which is often misunderstood. So, also listed below is an extensive explanation of what is proper and customary according to US Flag Code:

President's Place: October 2013

by Tom Piper

School has started, summer is over, and iOS7 was recently released at noon on Sept. 18. As I prepared this message to you, I was downloading the great new update to my iPhone 5 (which I replaced with a black 64GB iPhone 5S on Sept. 20), iPad mini and iPad 3 (each is reporting at least an hour download). Ah, yes, these are exciting (and frustrating) times.

Our last meeting was all about "iCloud: How It Works" with me presenting Part I, followed by Joe Mertzlufft showing Part II. This meeting was at Callaway Rural Electric building in Fulton (thanks to Charley Bland and the Fullers for hosting) with almost 40 people in attendance. Door prize winners included:

• Greg Breuer                 iDevice stylus
• Sharon Hanson             Road Atlas from CRE
• Deb Sanfelipo              iCloud book
• Gary Garvin                 Cup from CRE
• Julie Smith                  iPod for Dummies
• Carol VanFranklin         Easy OS X
• Beverly Grangiacoma    iPhone 4/4S case
• Bonnie Friehlin             Lumina iPhone 5 case
• Phyllis Fuller                15" MacBook case
• Greg Perry                   iPhone 4/4S case with bottle opener

Final announcements were made for the iDevice Photo Contest which ended August 31 (Dr. Henry Domke has judged the first, second and third prize winners). There is still time to cast your ballot for the People's Choice award (see the entries shown a few pages below).

A special request was also made for people who would like to present a Gadget (app, software, or hardware) at the November 5 meeting. This opportunity is still available with only 5 items spoken for so far (15 more are available).

The next meeting (see agenda below) will be October 1 the topic "iOS7: A Whole New Perspective" to be presented by George Kopp. This is a revolutionary product with over 200 new features, many obvious, others more subtle. We will also be giving away a $10 iTunes card, and other special items at this meeting.

As you already learned in an earlier email, George also is presenting a special 2-hour iPad Class on October 16 (described more fully in an article a few pages down where you can click on our email address to pre-register for this event (seating is designed for 35 and more). We encourage you to pay at our next meeting (you can pay the evening of the class, but we are trying to shorten the waiting line).

We also have re-energized our Facebook presence with a new fan page. Just go to facebook.com/applejacmac to sign up. This is a great place to ask questions, learn new information, and dialogue with other members.

 

President's Place: September 2013

by Tom Piper

 

Wow, here it is the end of August already, and I'm still wondering where the summer has gone. Yes, I know, its 98° outside right now, and the humidity seems to be 110%, so it is nice to be inside enjoying this Labor Day weekend. Meanwhile, I'm getting prepared for our next meeting in Fulton.

But, first, a quick recap of our last meeting with 33 people present. We had terrific Apple@Work presentations from Jamie Shepherd (Shep's Southside ordering/billing process with iPhone and Mac server), Dan Walsh (graphic design for videos), Peggy Landwehr (bring your own device like at Attorney General's Office), and Trish Alexander (how she uses Macs in her classroom). Greg Breuer reminded us of the Aug. 31 deadline for iDevice Photo Contest, and the following people won doorprizes (special thanks to the Pearson Technology Group and Cisco Press Marketing for the books):

• Todd McCluskey      CDW bag
• Gale Fuller             iPad @ Work book
• Jim Springs             iPhone 4S case
• Rosalind Moultin     OSX book
• Sharon Hanson        iPad mini for Dummies book
• Sr Josetta Eveler     iPhone 4 case
• Beverly G               iPhone screen protector
• Shubba Miller         Fuzzy Bear speaker

The next meeting will be all about "iCloud: How It Works" featuring presentations by Joe Mertzlufft and me to be held at the Callaway Rural Electric facility just off Highway 54 (1313 Cooperative Dr.) in Fulton (see map below for location). You may wish to carpool for efficiency and get to know other members better.

At the last meeting, I asked who would like to volunteer to talk at our November meeting about their favorite Gadgets (hardware, software, app) . . . only George has responded so far, so let me hear from you at the upcoming meeting or by email (applejac@mac.com). I'm looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting, and bring friends . . .

 

President's Place: August 2013

by Tom Piper

Its almost the end of July, and I'm wondering where the summer went? I've just returned from trips to Memphis and Birmingham to see my wife's daughter, and to Loup City, NE to show my son where I grew up and the wonderful people still there . . . time well spent for both. Now, its back to work at my consulting business, and marketing it to get more clients.

The last meeting focused first on the June World Wide Developers Conference where (among other things) the next generation of Apple operating systems was presented including iOS 7 and MacOS Mavericks (probably to be released in late September). This was followed by presentations on ways to better maintain your Mac computers (George), how to protect your iDevices (me), and what NOT to do to either (Joe). Greg also reminded us that the iOS Photo Contest will end on August 31 (click here see description). Door prize winners at this meeting included a variety of books and a $10 iTunes card.

As a parting thought before I close this month's article, I would like to pass on to you a great article a friend shared with me about role models who serve as sources of wisdom and inspiration, as bright lights illuminating the path to the person you want to become. "What I Learned From Steve Jobs" by Thomas Murcko, CEO of BusinessDictionary.com, provides 23 business lessons he derived as summarized below:

1. Be bold.
2. Question everything.
3. Make your own rules.
4. Live with intensity.
5. Learn from the best.
6. Let everything be your teacher.
7. Think for yourself.
8. Learn to program.
9. Passion is essential to success.
10. Mission counts.
11. Make something for yourself.
12. The execution matters more than the idea.
13. Hire the best people you can.
14. If it matters, do whatever it takes.
15. Master the art of persuasion.
16. Build a toolbox of techniques for getting what you want.
17. Leverage what already exists.
18. Believe in the power of technology to change the world.
19. Put a dent in the universe.
20. Bend reality to your will.
21. First impressions matter.
22. Make something beautiful.
23. When looking for role models, admire the trait, but don’t worship the person.

For a full explanation of the rationale behind each, go to the full article at www.businessdictionary.com. Steve Jobs as left us a valuable legacy of behavior worth emulating.

Meanwhile, come visit us at our next August 6 meeting when four of our members will share how they use there Apple products to help them achieve success at their work places: Apple@Work. This meeting will be held at Kennedy Hall in the back lower level of Immaculate Conception School . . . bring friends and family.

iOS Maintenance Presentation 07/02/13

You asked for it . . . as many in attendance at the appleJAC MUG meeting requested, the attached PDF file will show you all of the Top Ten recommendations on how to keep your iPhones/iPads in great condition . . . just click on Download Maintenance iOS presentation to view.

 

Below are the notes that Joe Mertzlufft provided:

Things not to do: http://www.macworld.com/article/1133684/maintenance_intro.html Turn off your computer (Maintenance scripts) http://pondini.org/OSX/Scripts.html Install suggested software without checking out the reviews (MacProtector, MacKeeper, Disconnect) Do not install MacKeeper: Apple Support Communities work without passwords or use simple passwords use same password for all sites (bank,gaming,logins) screen share with companies you don't trust. Use POP Mail and Public WiFi Set drink next to computer Take your device into steamy shower. http://cdn15.castfire.com/video/305/2099/7167/1765112/cnet_2013-06-10-174612-4085-3-0-0.2500.mp4?cdn_id=20&uuid=bf29bc27eb1e9f8f190355073ad7241a&referer=http%3A%2F%2Freviews.cnet.com%2Fapple-ios-7%2F

President's Place

by Tom Piper

Are you having fun yet?

 Has Spring been good to you, or are you feeling waterloaded? Summer solistice (the longest day of the year) is now behind us (that means the days are getting shorter, even with Daylight Savings Time), so we need to make the most of each day.

Our last gathering was the Annual appleJAC MUG Picnic where 42 members, families and friends enjoyed wonderful food (outstanding selections), great companies and splendid weather. It was so nice to be able to just sit, eat and talk with all of you who attended (and we missed those of you who couldn't). Letha and I were so happy to share our new home and grounds with you, and appreciate all of the nice comments.

Next month we return to Kennedy Hall at Immaculate Concept School to cover our annual topic of iOS and Mac OS Maintenance (formerly known as MacFixIt). Because today's cases are mostly sealed, we will no longer offer hard drive and memory replacement, but instead, George and I will be focusing on how to protect your Macs and iDevices, improve their performance and Mac them look better, while Joe will remind us of some things NOT to do with them. It will be a great session.

Mark your calendars for July 2 (yes, only two days before firecracker time) at 7:00pm. We will also be offering a sneak peek at the newest Mac 10.9 (or 11.0) Mavericks operating systems, as well as iOS 7, both of which will be major performance and feature improvements, hopefully to be introduced by the last week of September. As always, bring family and friends to join us for fun and education . . . 

PS: don't forget the iOS Photo Contest . . . the rewards could be yours!!! Don't miss my review below about backups and recovery, two important features of Maintenance (there's a lot more at the next meeting).