appleJAC Users Group

President’s Corner

by Tom Piper, aJ MUG President

What a roller-coaster month this has been with temperatures ranging from -3° to +62° . . . and it only varied between 45° and 55° when we were in San Francisco (and damp, too). This is a time of recovery (from the past year, the holidays, food excesses, financial strains, etc.), and new beginnings, punctuated by the Jan. 20 inauguration of our new President. For many of us, 2009 brings HOPE of an economic bounce-back, a re-energizing of our collective spirit, and a recommitment to our country’s ideals. It also means some new challenges for aJMUG for membership expansion, training, contests and more!

As you can see from the agenda below, our next meeting will focus on the latest version of iWork ’09, which was released during Macworld (we had originally considered also showing iLife ’09, but it hasn’t been released yet). Individual presentations will demonstrate some of the newest updates to Pages, Keynote and Numbers. This is Apple’s own software to replace AppleWorks, and it will be well worth learning about all the cool features.

Last month, George Kopp, Mark Snell and I reported on our adventures at Macworld. George showed a slideshow comprised of pictures we all took during our five days in San Francisco (and places nearby). There were new gadgets, updated applications, interesting people and lots more. Sharon Hanson captured a video of the entire meeting, which we hope turned out well. Winners of the January door prizes were as follows:

-    Joe Mertzlufft    Apple-logoed key chain
-    Kate Shanks    iPod and iTunes (book)
-    Alice Kopp    Mac OSX (book)
-    Terry Larkin    Google Sketchup for Dummies (book)

Don’t forget to mark your February calendar for the regularly-scheduled aJ meeting on the FIRST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009. And, a reminder that, during Missouri’s winter season, if the Jefferson City Public Schools are canceled or dismissed early due to inclement weather on our meeting date, then our meeting will also be canceled.

See you next Tuesday in room 600 at Lewis and Clark Middle School!

February 2009 Meeting Agenda

 
 

January 2009 New User Group Offers

In Your Face Viewbase: 33 Percent Discount

Give your arm a break with the IN YOUR FACE viewbase which makes on-the-go movie watching fun and easy. Just download a movie to your iPhone or iPod touch and watch it hands-free and up close. This innovative holder features a flexible neck, easy secure top grip with quick release,
adjustable swivel head, non-scratch gripping pads and hinged bottom clamp for flat or round surfaces.

With a regular price of $29.95 (US), this exclusive user group price is $19.95 (US).

Offer is available: http://www.inyourfaceusa.com/          

This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2009.

ThermaPAK Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pad & Bag: 25% Off

ThermaPAK's patented HeatShift Technology is a unique blend of phase changing material (PCM) created by research and development engineers. It requires no refrigeration, no laptop power (which extends battery life), is easy to carry (approved for airport security), and performs better than USB fan-style products. The HeatShift Laptop bag is made of a high-density memory foam for strong protection and has a removable HeatShift Pad inside.

Ranging in retail price from $27.99 (US, 13" laptop) to $34.99 (US, 17" laptop), this user group special takes 25% off. ThermaPAK's Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pads and HeatShift Bags are also available at a discount.

Get your cooling pad: http://www.thermapak.com/products.php            

This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2009.

Mobigrip Device Leash: 20% Off

Use the Mobigrip to secure your expensive, slippery handheld devices from falling, damage or being left behind. You can complement your natural grip and enjoy feelings of safety, confidence and added stability. Mobigrip works with all types of handheld devices for all ages and is a perfect solution for cell phones, PDAs, MP3s, iPods, voice recorders, digital cameras (some), glucose meters, TV remotes, navigators and more.

Retail priced at $9.95 (US), this user group offer takes 20% off. Many colors are available and quality discounts too.

Secure your device: http://www.mobigrips.com/mobigripdeviceleash.aspx        

This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2009.

iStudio Publisher: Save $55 (US)

Introducing iStudio Publisher, the exciting new page layout program for home, small business and educational users. Powerful and intuitive, it lets you do everything from producing a flyer to designing a newsletteR -- from creating a brochure to publishing a magazine. iStudio Publisher
gives you all the tools you need within easy reach to design great looking documents.

This user group special offer price is $44.99 (US) compared to the discounted launch price of $49.99 (US) (only available until March 5) and the regular price of $99.99 (US).

Purchase here: http://www.istudiopublisher.com/index.php/store/       

This worldwide offer is valid through August 31, 2009.

Live Webcast: Advanced Twitter for Business at 35% Off

"Advanced Twitter for Business: Conversation, Community and Profit - 140 Characters at a Time" will be featured as a Live Webcast on February 6 at 10:00 am PST. If you're ready to go beyond dabbling with Twitter, join the experts at O'Reilly for this live webcast presented by Sarah
Milstein. Learn everything you need to launch a successful Twitter strategy for your business. You'll learn how to use Twitter to promote your business, build community, find employees and research the market and your competition.

The regular price is $99 (US), but this user group discount code offer will get you 35% off.

Register and learn new business strategies: http://oreilly.com/go/advancedtwitter   

This worldwide offer is valid through February 6, 2009.

"Learn the Switch to Mac" & "Learn the iPhone 3G": 20% Off

“It's About Time to Learn the Switch to Mac” reminds you of life on Windows and connects the dots to the Mac. “It's About Time to Learn the iPhone 3G” teaches you all about the iPhone 3G, including tips and tricks. You'll quickly see that this is a learning tool like no other. It's fun, quick and completely interactive.

Usually the downloadable version is $24.95 (US); for a limited time you can buy either boxed or download, or both, for 20% off.

To purchase, or for more information: http://ItsAboutTimeProducts.com    
This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2009.

The MUG Store: Changes

The MUG Store has announced on their website (http://www.applemugstorre.com) that the need for a special offshoot site limited to just MUG Members is past its prime. With the expansion of powermax.com, they have instead made arrangements for User Groups to still receive a cumulative rebate on all products purchased through PowerMax. Special offers with PowerMax are also being prepared for the future.

Namaste: A best wish (and more) for Steve Jobs

a story from Tom Piper

As everyone now knows, Steve Jobs has stepped away from the helm of Apple’s ship for at least six months due to concerns about his health. For those who would like to express their support for his recovery, there is an interesting Spanish website which talks about the word “Namaste” as related to Steve: http://www.faq-mac.com/noticias/34007/steve-jobs. This word itself is compelling as described in this related story:

Albert Einstein was fascinated by Mohandas Gandhi. He watched newsreel
after newsreel of Gandhi's doings in India. Having seen Gandhi greet people in the street with his hands placed together, as if in prayer, and with a bow, he wondered what Gandhi was saying (newsreels had no sound in those days).

Einstein wrote Gandhi and asked him what he was saying. The simple reply: "Namaste."



Einstein then wrote again to ask the meaning of this Hindu word, and the reply was: "I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of light, love, truth, peace and wisdom. I honor the place in you where, when you are in that place, and I am in that place, there is only one of us."

For a respectable auto-translation of this article from Google.

In Your Face: Holding Your Own in Comfort

a review by Tom Piper

One of the great pleasures we enjoy as owners of an iPhone or iPod Touch is the ability to watch movies, videos, photos or other images on its (relatively) giant screen . . . trying to handhold it in the same position for a couple hours can be tiresome (and propping it up against something can be cumbersome or even unsafe). At Macworld ’09, I found many attempts to solve this issue, and one stood out above all the others.

The In Your Face Viewbase was just the thing to give my arm a break. During the plane ride back from San Francisco, my iPod Touch was held firmly above the fold-down tray table by this device’s well-designed and versatile clamp (that was the first movie by my right hand); and during the car ride back from Kansas City, I watched a second movie with it clipped onto the sun visor (Mark was driving, not me).

This is a great hands-free way to watch anything, almost anywhere. It is an innovative patent-pending video-viewing tool made with a rubber-lined spring-loaded clasp for the device, and a large, strong, hinged, adjustable-swival clamp with a jaw capacity exceeding 2” for either a flat surface, or around a tube or other cylindrical support . . . these are connected by an 8” stiff, but flexible, plastic-covered aluminum neck that can be easily adjusted into many different shapes and angles for our viewing pleasure.

At Macworld, I met Hans Kohte who designed this portable media device holder to solve his own personal traveling dilemma . . . although he is not an engineer, his design is elegant in its straight-forward and logical functionality. It is easy to pack, light weight, and immediately useful almost everywhere you go. I highly recommend this product which is a great value at its retail price, and for a limited time, the In Your Face Viewbase is available at a great discount (see below). Some products just make a lot of sense . . . like this one!

ThermaPAK: Keeping Your Lap Cool

a review by Tom Piper

“Hot pockets” is a common syndrome for laptop users, and we have tried many different products to cool our legs and keep our composure. I already have several lap trays with built-in USB-driven dual-action cooling fans, hard-top cushioned lapdesks, rigid plastic and metal frames and flats to elevate and aerate hot-bottomed computers, and all try hard, but seem to fall a little short. But, a Macworld ’09 exhibitor revealed a new product that really does the trick to meet my needs.

The ThermaPAK Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pad is advertised as the most effective solution against laptop computer heat, and I believe them. The HeatShift Pad really does perform better than fan-based USB cooling devices. It uses ThermaPAK's patented HeatShift Technology to dissipate heat away from your notebook. It is made of a safe, laboratory-tested chemical that has been proven to lower temperatures. It requires no power, no refrigeration, and generates no noise . . . this may seem amazing, but I’m using one as I write this review, and my lap is still cool after 3 hours.

As an added accessory, you can also get a ThermaPAK Memory Foam Laptop HeatShift Bag which is an effective solution to keep your laptop cool, protected, and mobile. The laptop bag is made of high-density visco-elastic memory foam to protect your laptop from dings and scratches. Within the bag is a removable pad that uses ThermaPAK's patented HeatShift Technology to dissipate heat away from your laptop computer.

Heat is effectively dispersed both through conduction (physical touch heat transfer) and convection (heat transfer by movement of liquid molecules from warmer areas to cooler ones). The company is so confident in their product that they even offer a special upgrade price if your send them your current laptop “cooler”. For my part, the proof is in the experience I’ve had using it, and I’m very satisfied. And, to sweeten the deal even more, I have negotiated a vendor discount offer for even less (see below).

ThermaPAK Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pad & Bag: 25% Off

ThermaPAK's patented HeatShift Technology is a unique blend of phase changing material (PCM) created by research and development engineers. It requires no refrigeration, no laptop power (which extends battery life), is easy to carry (approved for airport security), and performs better than USB fan-style products. The HeatShift Laptop bag is made of a high-density memory foam for strong protection and has a removable HeatShift Pad inside.

Ranging in retail price from $27.99 (US, 13" laptop) to $34.99 (US, 17" laptop), this user group special takes 25% off. ThermaPAK's Laptop Cooling HeatShift Pads and HeatShift Bags are also available at a discount.

Get your cooling pad: http://www.thermapak.com/products.php

This worldwide offer is valid through April 30, 2009.

appleJAC MUG 2009 activities: Rambling Thoughts

by Tom Piper

January 24, 1984, was the start of something big as the one-time award-winning “1984” SuperBowl commercial announced the release of the Apple Macintosh . . . thus began the changing of our world by the guys know as Jobs and Wozniak. As a five-year veteran Apple ][ user, I couldn’t resist the allure of this magical new box, which became mine in February after seeing it in person in Kansas City. Soon after, I moved from Iowa to Jefferson City, and by the end of the year had joined with other early-adopters to form our self-help group.

As we launch our efforts for this year, the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group Board of Directors has many things that it will be considering for our activities. Our membership has dropped below 50 people for the first time in many years, and we chuckle about the “graying” of our membership because the average age seems to be older (I just celebrated the 21st anniversary of my 39th birthday myself). So, I will be proposing a major membership drive this year to make more Mac owners aware of our excellent user group opportunity and services. As you have probably also realized, many Mac users (particularly new switchers) aren’t even aware that we exist, and how would they easily find out. As a result of Julie’s ad one weekend after Christmas, we gained five new members, and she plans to run our monthly meeting in the News Tribune Calendar of Events as a regular feature. Our self-help efforts have benefited many in the almost 25 years since we started.

Interest has also been expressed in having another photo contest for the end of the summer, and bringing back our training courses for certain programs. At the last meeting, a variety of topics were suggested by members that will posted to our monthly meetings throughout the year. Our annual August picnic has always been well-attended, and everyone has suffered through the heat proclaiming that we either need to take the event indoors, or move to a cooler month, both of which we will consider.

Those who attended our last meeting probably also saw that we have a new Genie’s Bar on the side of our seating area. This is a take-off on Apple’s “Genius Bar” where people get assistance to solve their computer issues. At our meetings, we’ve also seen our Mac Gurus provide advice to members informally, and now we have a distinguished location for them (not during presentations). We have also returned to the big screen for digital viewing, and will be experimenting with various seating arrangements for optimal interaction.

We will continue to welcome more participation in our presentations and leadership by our members. New faces and new approaches keeps our meetings fresh and fun (and keeps our old guard from burning out). We remain a friendly, industrious and interesting self-help group reliant upon the enthusiasm and creativity of our membership.

Welcome to Macintosh: A documentary for the rest of us

A review by Tom Piper

It seems only fitting that I introduce to you, on the 25th anniversary of the Macintosh, a story about its history, and important commentaries from people who influenced its development and sales. “Welcome to Macintosh” (WtM) is billed as a documentary for the rest of us, an apt play on the marketing term that accompanied the early years for us.I

A visit to this website immediately provides you a variety of trailers, and tells you that the DVD is DRM Free, Region free, 3 hours of extras, 16x6 widescreen and ships anywhere. This is the first documentary of its kind to mix history, criticism and an unapologetic revelry of all things Apple into a movie experience. Whether a long-time Mac fanatic or new to computers, WtM takes you from the early days of the Apple-I to the latest the company has to offer.

This is a very good review of the past 25 years at only $19.84 (less with the special user group offer below). I will be showing some previews of this video at our next meeting. What’s also neat about this DVD is that it includes the regular auto-start feature when you insert it to a player (or computer), AND it includes an .m4v version to drop into iTunes that can also be synced to your iPhone or iPod Touch . . . very thoughtful.

“Welcome to Macintosh” DVD: 20% Off

"Welcome to Macintosh - The documentary for the rest of us." is the first movie of its kind to explore the many ways Apple Inc. has changed the world. Topics include Apple's history, innovations, and community. The DVD is NTSC Region FREE (ALL).

You pay only $15.99 (US), compared to the retail price of $19.84 (US). Welcome to Macintosh is an independent motion picture, and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc.

See it now: http://www.welcometomacintosh.com
Coupon Code: WTM-AUG-08

This worldwide offer is valid through March 31, 2009.

Secret of the Lost Cavern: A Great Adventure

a review by Jerry Pfeffer

“Au Coeur de Lascaux” . . . that's the title on the box, and all the text on the box is French. The disk inside is titled "Secret of the Lost Cavern".

After installing, entering the serial number and starting it, the game runs in English.

This is a variation of the “collect items, solve puzzles and move to the next level” games set in the old stone age where the main character struggles to survive in Southern France and become a cave painter in the Lascaux cave. As you progress through the game, and the story evolves, there are additional characters.

As the website describes it . . . “Secret of the Lost Cavern plunges the player into an inspiring adventure that takes place during the Paleolithic period in prehistoric time, 15,000 years B.C.
At this time, our ancestors were able to communicate with one another, create fire, cook meat, cut flint and make spears for hunting...”

The graphics and animation is very good, and game play is smooth and understandable. If you enjoy this type of game and this setting (which is what caught my eye), it would be an enjoyable pass-time game.

At the website, there are game and character descriptions, a YouTube video and a download of the first level of the game.

. . . it is currently available for download or DVD for $39.90. Other adventures are also available like “Destination: Treasure Island”, “Cleopatra: A Queen’s Destiny”, and others.

Community Service: Macs for the Elderly

by Tom Piper (reprinted from July 2007 appleJAC Digest)

My son Jason was recently given five early-edition iMacs which he passed on to me in hopes that they could find a new productive home. This re-ignited an idea that I’ve been cultivating for several years about placing pre-owned Macs into retirement centers. It is my belief that if computers are readily available with Internet access, and if residents are properly trained, then this could become a new avenue of communication with families and friends, and a way to explore the world without the expense of travel.

Like many ideas, this one is 5% inspiration, and 95% perspiration. You see, none of these donated computers have keyboards or mice, let alone enough memory to support a robust Internet connection. We’ve discussed this at our last appleJAC MUG Board Meeting, and everyone agreed that this is conceptually a good idea that needs more cultivation. Indeed, to make the idea work right, our pre-owned computers should at least have FireWire ports and slot CD drives (and hopefully keyboards and mice too).

Thus, we are now looking for donations of older computers that can be placed in retirement centers and nursing homes. We are also looking for volunteers who can help us restore donated equipment to useful working order, and patient resourceful people who can also be trainers.

If you fit any of these opportunities, please contact me ([email protected]), or other appleJAC Board members (see list at front of Digest) and register your interest. This is a gift that could keep on giving as we help people enjoy their retirement years more.

SeniorNet: Internet for Long-Term Care Residents

by Tom Piper (an undated description of progress)

We’ve come a long way since that initial July 2007 community service request. One of the old G3 iMacs was cannibalized for parts, and appleJAC paid to double the memory to 256MB on the other four so they could run Mac OS X. Keyboards and mice were donated by Bruce and Joe to complete the setup. George Kopp and Jason worked with me to develop a reliable, responsive and simple version of Mac OS 10.3.9 which I then installed on each iMac. Since then, George helped me to acquire four more G3 iMacs that had been surplused by the Mokane school district (thank you, Jeff Nelson). These only required software updates since the hardware was already adequate.

The first installation of two computers was established at Adams Street Place skilled nursing home where I worked with the owner/administrator, Earl Carlson, and his staff. A lockable room was selected with a desk for both computers together, and an Ethernet line was strung from their main router. I started training staff and residents (see below) in June 2008, and have continued since then with help at a couple of sessions from Greg Breuer. Jennifer Keys, their activity director has helped coordinate access, and one of the residents is learning to be a trainer. Unfortunately, one of the iMacs has failed, so it was replaced from our reserve stock.

Heisinger I had also started negotiations with Sherry King, the administrator at Heisinger Bluffs continuing care retirement community (see above) in July 2008 where they needed to extend Ethernet lines into two different areas. This took six months; meanwhile, residents of their independent living unit requested our assistance with their existing computers. Mark Snell and I met with them and encouraged the formation of their own computer club. This has since happened, and a second visit was conducted in late January when Jason and I (on behalf of aJMUG) assisted 8 people with computer problems, with problems ranging from setting up a new HP laptop, to installing additional memory in an HP tower, to advising on new Internet service, to fixing Outlook Express, to updating a mirror-face Mac G4, and other moderate (but not serious) concerns.

It was a successful day at Heisinger Bluffs when I also installed two G3 Macs (one in nursing home section, and one in assisted living section) and both are fully operational (unfortunately, another iMac failed, and was replaced from our reserves). They even bought new small desks to put the computers on. We also got a new member in John Knapp (a Heisinger resident who is writing a book, teaching computer and other neat stuff) who might need a ride to our meetings. We have been working with Nina Meeks as our coordinator for all computer activities here, and will work with her for training.

After working at this for over 18 months, I believe we have made some very significant progress, and are starting to achieve the goal of Internet and email services for our seniors in long-term care facilities. Volunteers are still needed to assist with the training process, but paper instructions have already been compiled to assist in the effort. We will also be seeking another retirement center to place one or two more computers, in case you know of a location where we can be of service. This is not an easy effort, but it has been very rewarding, so I hope you too will get involved.

iSale: Make your Fortune on eBay

With the economy slowing down, more and more people are looking to sell their stuff on eBay. Putting items on eBay one at a time is a pain. Serious sellers use software to prepare and optimize their auctions. iSale is one of the best apps for creating and maintaining eBay auctions and is a clear leader in taking advantages of all the nooks and crannies of the Macintosh Operating System. They are a two-time Apple Design Award winner and their credentials shine through in iSale 5.0.

Read the review from the Lawrence Apple Users Group.

A tale of two iPod battery extenders

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I had the best phone on the market but not enough time to use it before my battery ran out. My iPhone 3G works great, but eats battery way too quick. When my hometown got 3G, if I didn’t charge up at some point, I couldn’t make it a single work day without running dry.

Two different type of chargers recently came on the market with clear benefits and drawbacks to each. The odds are that one of these will greatly help you extend the usefulness of your iPhone 3G.

Read the review from the Lawrence Apple Users Group

It's MacWorld Time again.......

It's that time of year again.  MacWorld 2009 will be an interesting event this year.  With Apple announcing that it will not participate in future MacWorlds, and Steve Jobs not giving the keynote, it will be much different than shows of the past.  Only the week will tell.

For me, MacWorld is more about meeting friends, getting away for a week from work, and enjoying San Francisco than the actual show.  I love spending time on the show floor, but just being there and living the experience is really the exciting part.

Follow any special news here and view my Photo Galary of sights of the show.

End of February 2009 Digest