appleJAC Users Group

President’s Corner: Summer Has Arrived (new iPhones, too)!!!

 
by Tom Piper, aJMUG President

Summer is upon us . . . the longest day of the year (summer solstice) is now past . . . heat and humidity remind us of the splendors of Missouri . . . and we are thankful for the blessings of air conditioning and iced refreshments. AND, true to the predictions of the Cupertino King (Steve Jobs), iOS 4 was delivered that first day of Summer, and the 4G iPhones started arriving on June 23 (Steve Mays was our first member to get his). So, now we must find balance between our electronic tools and other daily demands.

On a personal note, you may have already heard that I am now living alone. Not everything lasts forever, but I feel blessed that I’ve had 35 years of family life, with a son (who also has had a son), and many cherished memories. My challenges now include adapting to a two-bedroom duplex near Binder Lake (5418 Deer Valley Drive), learning how to cook (something my grandmother who raised me never taught me), and attending to domestic duties (a constant test of my memory). Working for the state takes ever more time as our resources are diminished and the workload increases. So, if I’m a little slow in responding to your inquiries, I hope that you will understand (MacQuest Consulting is still alive and well).

At our last meeting, the appleJAC MUG Annual Picnic at the Landwehr pool (thank you Mayor John and Peggy), enjoying both sun and rain. Hamburgers and hotdogs were served fresh off the grills, joining a wonderful array of side dishes and desserts. All 30 people in attendance seemed to have a great time (until the rain returned).
       
Our next meeting is our annual MacFixIt Meeting where we diagnose hardware and software problems, help install memory/harddrive/system upgrades, discuss regular maintenance concerns, and ways to boost performance. With recent iOS, iPhone, Safari and other Apple updates, we will spend some time explaining these too. Tasir Yanis will be hosting our meeting at his Coffee Zone at 130 East High Street (our gathering place every Saturday morning).

Mark your calendar NOW for the appleJAC Macintosh Users MacFixIt meeting on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, at 7:00 pm. Bring family, friends and new members downtown JC to the Coffee Zone to get the most out of your Mac and other Apple products.

July 2010 Meeting Agenda

 

Uniea iPad Case: A Versatile/Protective/Stylish Tote

a review by Tom Piper

Now that I have my iPad, my next concern is how to keep it safe, but also be utilitarian in its use. At first I used a netbook bag because little was available, but too large and not cool. Then the Apple case came in . . . nice and protective, but the edges seem sharp. Now, we are seeing an avalanche of new cases.

The Uniea Omniverse iPad Case is my newest acquisition, and its GREAT! It is lightweight (only 7.75 oz.), custom fit (9.6” x 7.5” x 0.5”), and a comfortable fabric (silk fiber). It initially feels like a handy little brief, then I realized it had top-opening pockets on both sides, so I could keep a microfiber cloth, a few cables, camera connection dongles, and even my wireless keyboard . . . or, I can tuck in the handles, and treat it like a sleeve. This kind of versatility makes a lot of sense to me.

The iPad mounts inside the case with four elastic cross-corner mounts which are very secure (my only complaint is that they hide the headphone jack and microphone on top, as well as muffling the speaker on the bottom). The wrap-around zipper enclosure unzips very widely, allowing the cover to be folded over to the back during use (the construction is very rugged with strong zippers and excellent stitching). Moreover, the memory foam that is used for padding under the quilted cover keeps it form-fitting, and helps to dissipate heat during use. As you can tell, I’m very pleased with this choice, and highly recommend it.

For more information about this iPad case, as well as the whole family of Omniverse cases, just visit www.uniea.com.

My stylish green case (also available in black and red) is available for only $39.95. If you have an iPad, and are looking for excellent protection, versatile use, and a very nice look, this may well be the case for you! And, if you’re still not sure, come look at mine

Uniea is kicking off a week-long sale for their online store at http://www.unieastore.com ... until July 5th, use coupon code “july4sale” and get 20% any order!

X-mini sound capsules: Amazing sound beyond size

a review by Tom Piper

I’ve seen a real downsizing in sound systems after many years of devolution from my gigantic 4-foot tall Kenwood speakers (15” woofers, cool tweeters and cross-over mid-range) to the earbuds of today (much easier to transport). No longer do I need megawatts of power to get good sound, but I do want some small speakers for my iPod/iPhone/iPad/MacBook sources so I can listen to music and podcasts in a variety of settings (like traveling, on the deck, while reading, etc.). I’ve recently been using speakers from the X-mini family (by Xmi Pte Ltd) that are surprisingly effective for their size (I first acquired an earlier model several years ago at Macworld).

The smallest (and simplest model) is the X-mini™ II that comes with an all-new feature called the "Buddy- Jack". It is now possible now to connect together a row of X-minis to a single music source (e.g. iPod or iPad) to enhance the overall volume and audio clarity among a larger audience. The X-mini II Capsule Speaker is petite in size, but big in sound . . . its sort of like having a pocket-size boombox. The acoustics are amazingly crisp and clear.


They now also have a new and larger 40mm driver that delivers precise highs for great sound clarity. In addition, the twist-and-popup expanded Bass Xpansion System™ (BXS) drives a fuller, richer low-end response. The playback time has been tripled to 12 hours of sound between charges. The built-in 1/8” audio cable tucks nicely into the underside of the unit, and offers convenient cable management. This unit is available in red, black or white with a MSRP of $29.90.             

For $10 more, you can move up to the X-mini™ MAX Capsule Speakers™. This really is a worthy successor to the X-mini™ series which combines stereo output that was lacking previously plus enhanced battery life. Instead of one mono, this is a pair of stereo speakers, each retaining the patented BXS which mimics the resonance of a sub-woofer. With these new stereo speakers, the volume level of the X-mini™ MAX can be raised to a substantial level without any distortion. 



Powered by separate in-built rechargeable batteries with separate PCB boards, each speaker can be detached and played as a Mono speaker on its own. Music enthusiasts can use this for both heavy indoor and outdoor usage. The two X-minis are connected at the bottom by a magnetic base to easily pair them for convenient storage and portability. 

As observed by the company, looks can be deceiving, especially when you see the X-mini™ MAX for the first time. Although small and compact, this system delivers a sound that astonished me with its power, precision and depth. X-mini™ MAX appears to out-perform any similarly proportioned loudspeaker that I have seen.

X-mini™ HAPPY Capsule Speakers™ are the newest addition to the X-mini™ series which have numerous new features including an MP3 player through its built-in SD/SDHC card slot. This is the first Portable Music Player to be developed by Xmi Pte Ltd. This sleekly designed X-Mini™ HAPPY not only operates as a speaker like its predecessors, but is now also a mobile music player which doubles up as an SD/SDHC card reader.

One button serves to control all functions which include power, volume, pause and track change. It also features BXS and the modular “Buddy-Jack” system that is compatible to the X-mini II Capsule Speakers allowing them to be daisy-chained to produce an enhanced aural performance. All of this functionality is available for MSRP $79.00. In conjunction with their credo of “It’s all about the mini-people”, Xmi Pte Ltd will donate 10% of their profits on the X-mini™ HAPPY to its adopted charity, Children International.

MORE INFO ONLINE: http://xm-i.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=159

End of July 2010 appleJAC Digest/Blog