appleJAC Users Group

Innovative Audioglove: iPhone Sound Amp

a review by Tom Piper

Ever need to increase the volume of your iPhone without plugging in another electrical device? Need a good looking case to protect your investment?

Fadigear has produced a case that amps up your iPhone 3GS or 4, and turns it into a hands-free device. This case comes in 10 different styles, and, with its bomb-proof sleek design, keeps you safe, seen and heard. 
This two-piece iPhone Audioglove redirects the sound towards the user, and amplifies it by 12db. Your iPhone becomes a mini boom-box, a hands-free mobile office, a film studio or a voice-controlled tool for any app on the market. 

Fadigear also provides bicycle and car mounts, and a desktop stand that are on the cutting edge of innovation in active techno gear for your iPhone. The possibilities are endless with this case priced at only $35 (US) for the iPhone4 version, and $25 (US) for the iPhone 3G/3GS version (as half off special is also available to Apple user group members. Get your case now while they last at www.fadigear.com.

Workarounds for "SAVE AS" in Apple Pages

by Ken Zindle

Though I like Lion, one of the features that has been cast into the dim mists of history in this OS is the "Save As" function. It's one that I used pretty frequently for various reasons. The descriptions in the manuals and "how to" books have not really been very clear about how to work around this omission.

Let me do this, then, in two steps: first, simply create a version of the file, for any reason, with a different name (a former "Save As" function). Next, there are a few workarounds to allow you to "Save" a file "As" a different type. 

Doing a Basic "Save As" Function . . . 

• In the finder window, go to the file that you wish to save as a different file.
• Right-click the file (a two-fingered click on the trackpad).
• Select "Duplicate" (the file will be duplicated with the addition of the word "copy" to its name).
• With the duplicated file highlighted, click the "return" button, and type in the new name for the file. 

Saving a file as a different type:

• Open the file to be saved in Pages.
• Under the file menu, click "export".
• The dialogue box will allow you to save the file as a Word, ePub, Plain Text, PDF or RTF file.
• Once you've selected the type of file you want, the dialogue box that appears will let you put the newly-designated file in another location. 

 

 

 

Electronic waste disposal dates and locations

Saturday, October 8, 2011: Jefferson CIty 
Parking Lot of City Hall, 320 E. McCarty
 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

Saturday, October 29, 2011: Columbia 
Boone County Fairgrounds, 5212 N. Oakland Gravel Rd.
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  

Collection Rules:

• Printable version - http://www.mmswmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/ewaste-flyer.pdf
• Computers from businesses are not accepted at these events. 
• A $5.00 fee is charged for each television, computer monitor, copy machine, and microwave collected.
• There is no fee for: Adding Machines, Answering Machines, Calculators, Camcorders, Cameras (film & digital), CBs/Two-Way Radios, CD ROM/Zip/Tape drives, Cellular phones, Cords & Cables (power, USB, etc.), Desktop PCs (CPU), Fax Machines, Handheld electronic organizers/games, Hard Drives, Joysticks/Game Controls, Keyboards, Laptop PC’s, Main Frames, Mice, Modems, Pagers, Portable CD players, Postage Machines, Printers (laser, ink jet), Radios/Stereos, Scanners, Speakers, Telephones, Typewriters/Word Processors, VCRs/DVD players, Video game players. 

Griffin Stylus+Pen+Laser: an Amazing iOS Accessory

a review by Tom Piper

I’m a self-avowed gadget freak who jumps at new and interesting devices, particularly those which relate to my portable technology. I’ve found another one which brought a big smile to my face when first seen, and much enjoyment during use.

Griffin Technology offers a stylus, pen, and laser pointer all in one. This stylus is equally at home on touchscreen or projection screen using its built-in laser pointer. With its built-in refillable ballpoint pen, it even works with old-fashioned paper.

For my touchscreen, Griffin's Stylus is a balanced pointer with a soft rubber tip custom-designed to mimic my finger. It keeps the touchscreen free of fingerprints and smudges as it gives increased control over any touchscreen operation. It's perfect for sketching, drawing, photography, flight simulator apps and any other use where I need a finer degree of control than your finger. This super-handy stylus includes an integrated clip for my pocket or pencil loop.

This device has a solid weighty feel of durable quality that is very comfortable to use. Whether on my iPhone or iPad, the soft end has a surprisingly precise feel. The red laser is a nice complement to my new Epson digital projector when directing audience attention to a specific spot on the screen. I only wish it had a protective collar that would guard the button from being accidentally turned on when in my travel case. The ink pen is very convenient when writing is required.

This Griffin cool gadget is available for $49.99 at http://store.griffintechnology.com/stylus-pen-laser-pointer. Many other Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod and other accessories are also available at this store. Please note that I have received this product for free from Griffin Technology in exchange for an honest review; for more information, visit the link http://bit.ly/griffinreview.

Cushi iPhone back pads: Stylish protection

a review by Tom Piper

When it comes to iPhone accessories, the world is full of interesting and secures cases, stands, covers and more to decorate and protect your investment. I’ve found another innovative addition that I really enjoy, which improves my iPhone use, and gets a lot of positive comments from others.

Cushi, an embossed pad accessory made out of EVA foam (or expanded rubber), has just been introduced by id America, a specialist in iPhone accessories. It has excellent adhesives with visually striking graphics that provide a precision fit for iPhone 4, and is easily applied and removed. It doesn’t just look good, it also provides additional grip and absorbs shock.

This new back pad is available in different Cushi style options including Original, Dot, Robotics and Stripe, all of which add eye-catching flare to my iPhone with these options:

• Cushi Original includes four urban designs including Suburb, New York, Cloud and Rainbow 
• Cushi Dot Series offers sunkist orange, disco black, baby gray and aqua blue colors 
• Cushi Robotics has a mechanical look available in red, white (the one I have) and black 
• Cushi Stripe includes beach red, multiplex, candy blue and jazz purple.

The Cushi comes with great bundled accessories bundled with six Cushi home button protectors, front clear protective films, a microfiber cleaning cloth and a squeegee for proper film application. I really like the raised button applied to the Home “indented” button, which gives it a fresh new tactile feel.

Cushi soft foam pad for iPhone 4 (http://id-case.com/) retails for $11.99. id America also offers other case designs including Gasket, Carbon, Ice, Skyline, and Signature, as well as Crystal and Anti-smudge films, and SmartFold for the iPad 2. All in all, a very nice line of products at reasonable prices.

The New and Improved Steve Jobs?

We all know there were two different Elvis's, a thin Elvis and a robust Elvis.

What if that were the same for Steve Jobs?

Or, perhaps a Lady Steve?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or, even a Biker Steve?

 

 

Lion Desktops: I Vote "YES"

by Ken Zindle 

I've decided to walk to the edge of the precipice and say outright that I am a fan of "desktops" in Lion. I will also preface my remarks by saying that I have been relatively surprised that more people that I've talked to haven't used the former iteration, "spaces" in Snow Leopard, but such seems to be the case.

So, "Desktops": The ability to use multiple "spaces" in Snow Leopard was one of the reasons that I hated to see that OS pass by the boards. Imagine, then, my delight, when I realized that the feature "desktops" was the same as my favored 'spaces' in another form.My reasoning here is very simple. I like a clean work environment. I am definitely not a fan of having myriads of applications all piled on top of one another in the work space, with me having to rummage around, in one form for another, to get to where I want. (Sorry, folks, My quirk!)

For that simple reason, I took to "spaces" in Snow Leopard and used them happily. I do allow myself to have Safari, Mail, iPhoto, Pages and iTunes to be running all at the same time; plus I normally have a "work desk". To avoid the possible clutter, my method of choice was to use 'spaces', at least six of them, which allowed me to assign software to specific 'spaces'. 

I was truly pleased then to become acquainted with 'desktops' in Lion, and when I came across an article that described how to assign a different photo to each 'desktop', as a background. That means that each of my 'desktops' sports its own decoration, it's own favorite iPhoto picture. 

My joy----and let it be said that these days you take that commodity where you find it---was simply enhanced by discovering, with a new trackpad, how easy it is to flick from one 'desktop' to another. 

My vote here is clearly in favor of this particular feature of Lion.

(And for Tom Piper, I'll say that 'yes, I noticed right away that the Lion's teeth were not cleaned at the top.) . . . Editor's Note: you had to be at the Sept. 6 appleJAC MUG meeting for this one.

 

The Ten Commandments of Steve Jobs

This image showcases Steve Jobs’ top ten rules of design and management. It was compiled by Leander Kahney, popular writer of “Inside Steve’s Brain” and other volumes, and editor in chief of CultofMac.com. 

This is a part of a story in Newsweek about Steve Jobs as an "American Genious" . . . see http://www.mactrast.com/.

 

Lion Presentation Materials for 09/06/11 appleJAC MUG Meeting

 

Download "Presentation for Lion"

Mac OS 10.7 Lion website

Apple's Lion (video introduction)

Apple's Lion (technical specifications)

How to Upgrade to Lion