appleJAC Users Group

President’s Corner

by Sue Snell, aJ MUG President

It’s August, and that means it’s time for the annual appleJAC Macintosh Users Group picnic. Again, we will gather at the North Jefferson City pavilion for burgers, brats, and dogs provided by aJ. The rest of the delicious meal will be provided by YOU.

I love this meeting. There is not much more fun for me than a pot luck dinner - unless it’s a pot luck dinner shared with good friends. I love the ability to take a spoonful of a dozen different dishes that I didn’t have to cook! A pleasant evening of mild temperatures and slight breezes has been ordered. It was also suggested that insects not be invited. Come on out, and let’s see how well this works!

Last month’s meeting at Trinity Lutheran School Cafeteria was the annual MacFixIt. Several computers were brought in for “medical” diagnosis and treatment. Also on the agenda were tips presented by Tom Piper on Mac Maintenance. Joe Mertzlufft introduced the new MobileMe app, and George Kopp kept us entertained by showing us how to Back Up Our ASSets!

Winners of the door prizes at the meeting were as follows:
    ~Sharon Hanson    Mac OS X Leopard book
    ~Bruce Heerboth    Mac OS X Leopard program
    ~Bonnie Culley    Teach Yourself Visually: Leopard
    ~Charles Bland    Leopard Screen Cleaner
    ~Greg Breuer    NorthCoast MUG water bottle
    ~Peggy Landwehr    iPod: The Missing Manual

Looking forward to seeing you (and your food!) at the annual picnic, North Jefferson City pavilion, on August 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Picnic Agenda

Thoughts and Considerations

by Tom Piper

Each month I try to provide reviews of various hardware and software for your reading pleasure and buying knowledge, but many other things took priority such as moving my office (oh, what an ordeal), defending our budget (an annual nightmare), and preparing for a big meeting (a major challenge every other month). Yet, I do want to take this opportunity to share a variety of observations and reports.

For example, I want to bring you up to date on our Long Term Care Computer Quest. On the evening of July 29, Mark Snell and I had our first meeting with the new computer group at Heisinger Bluffs Independent Living Facility. They already have one PC in their Computer Room, and we have placed two G3 iMacs in the assisted living and nursing home parts of Heisinger which are awaiting Internet connections. We had a great conversation about how we can help them organize their computer club, expertise we can provide, and directions they can take.

Our role will largely be as trainers, advisors and consultants (we need more volunteers to help with this effort). Two other G3 iMacs have also been placed at Adams Place nursing home (also awaiting Internet connections). George Kopp and I picked up four more G3 iMacs from the Mokane High School (where many were being surplused) which will be upgraded with new software, and placed in new long term care locations for resident use (any suggestions?). This is a very worthwhile effort to help our senior citizens in institutions to stay in touch with their friends and family which means a lot to them.

Have you looked at the special discount offers I’ve arranged for user groups? 20% off accounting software, 30% off video cards and time-tracking tools, 40% off page markers (these are cute and handy), and 50% off a cool home media organizer . . . and cool Apple stuff from the MUG Store. This is a great opportunity to get some time- and money-saving tools for your Mac and such.

There is other software I would love to tell you more about like Jott (www.jott.com) which is a free telephone service to convert your voice into emails, text messages, reminders, lists and appointments (very handy for people on-the-go and iPhone users). 1Password (http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password) has been my constant browser companion for auto-enter usernames and passwords at frequently-visited websites (only $34.95 for Mac, and free on the iPhone). Twitter (www.twitter.com) has become a delightful free distraction for friends and family with frequent posting and reading of brief (sometimes cryptic) messages (also available through the iPhone as Twitterific and Twittlator). Then, there is Bejeweled 2 (www.bejeweled.com) that is a marvelous and rewarding game (online for free, Mac download for $19.95, iPhone for $9.95) . . . by the way, do you see a theme here that the Mac now has a variety of matching and complementary programs on the iPhone (yes, I got the new version, Diane is happily using my pre-owned version) . . . it really has become a MobileMac in my pocket.

There is so much more I could share, but I’ve run out of time today. Come to the picnic, and let’s share some of your experiences. If you can’t come, send me an article that I can post here for all to enjoy.

How to clean up the auto-complete list in Mac OS X Mail

from Tom Piper, appleJAC Secretary/Editor

I finally found the answer . . . to clean up or empty the auto-complete the list of previous email recipients' email addresses in Mac OS X Mail:

  • Select Window | Previous Recipients from the menu
  • Highlight the address you want to remove
     (You can highlight multiple addresses by holding down the Command key).
    - or -
  • Click on the Last Used header so the arrow points downward, hold down the Shift key, and click on an address last used a year ago (or whenever you want) to highlight an old group.
  • Click Remove From List.

this works VERY well . . . and, you will be amazed at how many email addresses you've collected.

July Member only Vendor Offiers

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 buy!

Shop the MUG Store: http://www.applemugstore.com        
This U.S. only offer is valid through August 31, 2008.

iBank 3 and iBiz 3: 20% Off

IGG Software is a small, Mac-only developer in Vermont. Their flagship products are iBank 3, a Leopard-only alternative to Quicken that's a great way to track bank accounts, credit cards, investments and loans; and iBiz 3, a cool tool for free-lancers and others to manage clients, projects, hours and invoicing.

Apple user group members can receive a 20% discount on iBank 3, regularly $60 (US) and iBiz 3, regularly $50 (US); downloadable, free trial available, money-back guarantee.

Download today: http://www.iggsoftware.com          
This worldwide offer is extended through October 31, 2008.

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT Graphics Card: 30% Discount

The NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT For Mac is designed to tackle everything your gaming, graphic designing, art-directing, illustrating, web-browsing, photographing, video-producing, HD video-watching self can throw at it. With 112 processing cores and two DVI ports capable of driving two 30-inch displays at full resolution (2560x1600), you can run today's and tomorrow's most demanding visual computing applications.

You can purchase a GeForce 8800 GT for the 1st Generation Mac Pro (Pre-2008) for $199 (US), a 30% discount from the regular price of $279 (US).

Visit NVIDIA: http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8800gt_for_mac.html       
This U.S.-only offer is valid through October 31, 2008.

Book Darts: 40% Discount

Book Darts, a clip-on archival passage/line page marker, marks your exact lines, locates them fast and never hurts the book. Get free samples, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to 3945 Willow Flat, Hood River, OR 97031.

The Apple User Group offer for 100 Book Darts, usually retail $9.95 (US), is only $5.95 (US), which is 40% off. Different quantities also available. Domestic mailing will be $3.00 (US) for any number of Book Darts, or half of any international mailing above that. To compute discount, enter the discount code in the comments box.

Get more information: http://www.bookdarts.com        
This worldwide offer is valid through October 31, 2008.

OfficeTime: 30% Off

OfficeTime is a Mac time-tracking tool that can sync up with iCal for a visual display of your day. You shouldn't have to think about how to track your time. OfficeTime feels intuitive and comfortable as it adapts to your style. With no learning curve, you'll be an expert user almost immediately. It is simply the best way to track your time.

Regularly $47.00 (US), User Group members can get 30% off by  purchasing OfficeTime at the special user group price of $33.90 (US).

Start your time tracking: http://www.officetime.net/        
This worldwide offer is valid through October 31, 2008.

Delicious Library at 50% Off

Delicious Library 2 is redefining your home library collection. While integrating seamlessly with .Mac, iTunes, Address Book and iCal, Delicious Library 2 categorizes, sorts and tracks all your media, tools, gadgets and toys. So if you ever need it, you'll have a comprehensive list of all your things, including both retail price and current value.

Regularly $40 (US), Apple User Group members can buy Delicious Library at the special price of $20 (US).

Download and purchase: http://www.delicious-monster.com
This worldwide offer is valid through October 31, 2008.

appleJAC Members: Get discount codes in the members only area at the left.

Some Chargers May not Work with iPhone 2

Spent some of today testing the new iPhone 3G  Most things work well.  Exactly the same as the older iPhone.  One notable exception is the Auto adapter I have installed in both my vehicles.  I have the USASpec iPod adapter that pluggs into my auto radio.  Works great and I can control the ipod with the radio controls or the iPod itself.  That part still works but unfortunately, it will no longer charge the iPhone.  That is truly a bummer. 

I did some searching and found this on Macworld.com:

Apple has dropped support for FireWire charging with the iPhone 3G. This means that many accessories won’t charge an iPhone 3G.  Apple gave accessory developers a strong hint that this was going to happen a while ago, but he said that some companies have continued to implement FireWire-based chargers despite the warning.

There’s some hope in sight: At least a couple of third parties will be releasing converters that will pass through the dock connection, but convert the power to a USB standard. That adapter may make many of those charging devices come back to life

Here is hopeing this will be a solution to allow me to again charge the iPhone in the car.

What a Difference a Couple of Years Makes

Years pass and consumer electronics continue to get smaller.  A case in point is shown in this photo.  These items are USB power adapters from Apple.  Two years ago, the one on the bottom was the standard.  It was small enough to travel with and provided enough power to charge anything.  Last year, the iPhone came out and provided the middle one.  Much smaller but performed the same charging function.  Today, Apple provided the top one with the new iPhone 3G.  Smaller yer.  At this rate, next year, the iPhone will likely charge by static in the air and not require a power adaptor. 

You thing??

New eBook Available: Take Control of Easy Backups in Leopard

Your guide to making easy and reliable backups in Leopard!

Every body needs a good backup.  Here is an electronic book in PDF form that will help you get to where you need to be if you are running Leopard.

Backup guru Joe Kissell teaches you the fastest and easiest way to create a complete Leopard backup system from which you can restore your data after an accident or disaster—including archives, an all-important bootable duplicate, and an offsite backup. Joe helps you identify the backup hardware that best matches your needs and budget (including a look at Time Capsule—Apple's backup appliance), and he provides instructions for using Time Machine as well as alternatives for eight cases where Time Machine won't provide the backups you need. Joe walks you through every step of the way, from setting up your backup drive or Time Capsule to explaining clearly how to recover your precious data in case of a deleted or corrupted file, a dead hard drive, or a stolen laptop.

Don't miss the coupon in the members ony area for a discount on the book too.

End of August Digest

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

Tom Piper, appleJAC Secretary/Editor

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

Tom Piper, appleJAC Secretary/Editor