appleJAC Users Group

President's Place September 2016

by Joe Mertzlufft

Our August meeting was full of Tech talk to help keep your device safe from MalWare, RansomWare plus we remind you to backup in a couple different ways.  George Kopp did a great job of pointing out what MalWare and RansomWare is, and how to protect your iOS Devices. I tried to cover the same with your Mac. I had to leave a few minutes early, but understand Mark Snell talked about My Cloud Drive and Jason did a great job of sharing some consideration for email protection. (Information from all of these presentations are available on our website at iphone-and-ipad-malware-and-backup.html).

We handed out several New applejac-pogoed Micro Fiber cloths to the membership, and will have a couple more meetings to get your free Micro Fiber in your hands.

It has been a busy summer but seems way to short “like normal".  As my customer get ready for school to begin I get a surge in business making sure their computers and those their computers kids are taking to school are ready for the task ahead.  Watching the kids next door waterski in the morning while I eat breakfast will stop, and vacation photo’s on FaceBook will turn into back-to-school photos.

I am still hoping for others in our group to share to our group what you do with your Apple Device(s).  We would be happy to give you 20-30 minutes to show us. Thank you to those that have shared Tips and Tricks.

The following people won door prizes at the July Meeting:

• Peggy Landwehr- iTunes Card 
• Barb Kuebler - Keyboard Mouse
• Jenice Taggart - iPhone 6 Cover
• Janet Gallaher- Pencil Bag
• Jim Springs- DSL Modem
• Larry Garvin- Flashlight 
• Jim Stevenson - Wallet
• Steve Archer- Ethernet Cable

Our upcoming September 6th, 2016, meeting will feature [email protected] in Mokane MO (see agenda and map below). Jeff Nelson will tell us how South Callaway Schools is using technology today. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how they keep it running. As always, there will be time for everyone to ask questions and share your tips and tricks to the group.

Continue to visit our website for more updates and fresh information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Become a virtualization whiz with "Take Control of Parallels Desktop 12"

by Tom Piper on behalf of Take Control publishers

 

Good day!

 

We won’t beat around the bush. Either you need to run Windows apps on your Mac or you don’t. Either you’re involved enough to be testing pre-release versions of macOS 10.12 Sierra in a virtual machine or you’re not. If not, no worries, but check out Take Control of Preview, which reveals oodles of hidden capabilities in the ultimate everymac app.

 

If you do need Windows apps, want to test Sierra without devoting a Mac to it, or wish to play around with Android, Chromium OS, or any one of the 57 flavors of Linux, the solution is Parallels Desktop, the first virtualization app for the Mac when it debuted 10 years ago. This week marked the release of Parallels Desktop 12, which is optimized for Sierra, boasts performance enhancements, and provides a collection of handy single-purpose utilities in the Parallels Toolbox. To help you make the most of it, we have the 170-page Take Control of Parallels Desktop 12 for you, which is only $10.50 after the 30% MUG discount.

 

(To be precise, Parallels Desktop 12 was released to those upgrading from a previous version and to Parallels subscribers; it will become available to new customers on August 23rd.)

 

In Take Control of Parallels Desktop 12, virtualization expert Joe Kissell explains how beginners can set up a virtual machine to run Windows or another operating system, share files with a virtual machine, and switch smoothly between virtualized apps and Mac apps. But it’s not all about beginners!

 

For those who are familiar with virtualization in general and with previous versions of Parallels in particular, Joe explores the many preferences and settings you can tweak for specific situations, to increase performance, and to enhance security. He also offers tips and directions for connecting peripherals to your virtual machine and covers snapshots, backups, malware prevention, troubleshooting, and more!

 

While it’s easy to throw around titles like “virtualization expert,” Joe really does qualify as such. Back in 2006, when Apple first released Macs based on Intel processors along with Boot Camp, Joe was first off the line with Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac, a popular title that evolved over five editions. He also wrote two editions of a Take Control book about Parallels Desktop competitor VMware Fusion, whose future has been unclear since the Fusion team was hit by layoffs in January.

 

Created in collaboration with the Parallels team for technical accuracy and to target the topics that generate the most support calls, Take Control of Parallels Desktop 12 focuses on Parallels Desktop Standard and Pro editions, and, where appropriate, includes details about Parallels Desktop Lite and Parallels Desktop Business Edition.

 

Thanks for supporting Take Control and our authors!

 

cheers… -Adam and Tonya Engst, Take Control publishers

 

Save 30% on all Take Control titles with your MUG discount!

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Prosoft Data Backup Pro: Best Protection Utility

a review by Tom Piper

Computer maintenance, like auto servicing, is a very important part of Macintosh security and performance. The favorite mantra among techies is “backup, Backup, BACKUP”! Many companies claim great utilities, but only a few live up to the high standards needed to meet this expectation, and protect our technology investments. 

Data Backup Pro from Prosoft allows me to backup, restore, clone, and synchronize all of my very important files with minimal time and effort. I may be a seasoned professional, but this software even offers new computer users just the right amount of power, flexibility, and ease-of-use to help us backup our Mac and protect our valuable files. 

This powerful utility includes an auto-notification tool that sends me an email or text message to inform me of any important status updates throughout the backup process. All I have to do is select a backup type (Clone, Simple Copy, Versioned, Synchronize, or Full/Incremental), select source and destination (either may be files, folders, volumes, RAIDS or drives), and run my backup to commence the process.

To be specific, a Clone is an exact bootable duplicate of the original in a new location (usually a separate hard drive). A Simple Copy is a basic backup of my Mac drive that includes some hidden information such that only the files that have been changed will be backed up later. A Versioned backup is very similar except the old deleted file versions will be stored inside a hidden area (similar to Time Machine, files from any backup date can be selected and restored). A Synchronize backup method merges the contents of two drives or folders, then places the complete set of data into both the source and the destination.

But, that’s not all. A very unique process is the Full backup which makes a complete copy all of the files and folders present in the source. When it is completed, the destination will contain additional folder names “Full-Date” which will contain all of the files and folders that were selected to copy. An Incremental backup is used with the Full backup to make a copy of the files which have been changed and created since the last Full or Incremental backup to create additional folders called “incremental-date”. Unlike Simple, Clone, and Versioned backups, Full/Incremental Backups do not overwrite any preexisting files present in the destination drive/folder.

Instead of starting my backup immediately, I can choose to schedule the backup to happen anytime in the future. The Schedule tab displays all scheduled backup events for the backup, and allows me to schedule backup sets in a variety of ways including selected dates/time/data, reoccurring internals, specific events (drive mounting, system powering on), and specific days of the week. A delightful new addition is when it provides notifications when backups are complete through the Data Backup application, through the Mac OS X notification center, and by email/SMS (text message).

The Data Backup Pro Dashboard view supplies me with performance information while my backup is running. It also shows all scheduled events and the history for all backups, synchronizes and restores in one place. The informative graph shows the number of files scanned per second, the number of files copied per second, and the number of bytes copied per second. I can even scroll back to the beginning of the backup, and zoom in or out on the graph. An overview of the backup includes information such as the number of files selected, the number copied, maximum and current rates and the start time of the backup.

For more information about Data Backup Pro, go to prosofteng.com/databackup, and purchase for only $49.99. This is just one of a great family of Prosoft products which also includes Data Rescue, Drive Genius, Picture Rescue and CleanExit. I have used Prosoft software for many years, and find these utilities to be reliable, resourceful and reasonable . . . they never disappoint!

Banktivity 5: Phenomenal Personal Finance Manager

a review by Tom Piper

Home accounting systems trace all the way back to the first spreadsheets, pioneered by VisiCalc for the Apple ][. Today, I have found over 50 free, open-source, and proprietary accounting programs that run on the Macintosh platform for accounting and personal finance. But, there is one which stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

A little over five years ago, I wrote a review of iBank 4 (applejac/ibank-4). This was a great product then, and it is even better now (and has been renamed Banktivity).

Banktivity 5 is a personal finance manager which offers sophisticated reports, debt/loan management, a streamlined interface, simple and reliable import from Quicken or MS Money, powerful investment tracking, free private cloud sync to iOS devices, support for bill pay and multiple currencies, innovative transaction templates, integrated web downloads from bank accounts, intuitive checklist-style reconciliation, file attachments of any type, and much more. This is an accounting tool that can fit a wide range of needs for home and business.

To begin using Banktivity, if you were previously a Quicken (or related software) user, then data import is reasonably simple and straight-forward so you can have your accounts, transactions, categories and investments ready and waiting for you (a nice online video tutorial is most helpful). On the other hand, to start from scratch (which is what I did), Banktivity's streamlined setup assistant had me going in no time (another very helpful video tutorial that walked me through the process).

The first step is to select either a Home or Business setup, then to create an account (normally a bank, of which I created three, plus a Discover credit card account). Banktivity 5 offers easy bank connections for direct downloads (I could also have used Direct Access to automatic updates or Direct download, but these are subscription services, starting at $9.99 per month). 

Since the initial setup, I now do download monthly updates from all my accounts. It posts most of critical information, like amount and payee or payor, after which I add the budget category manually from the list I customized (it does a nice job of guessing too).

Although I don’t use this feature, Banktivity 5 delivers online bill pay to set up, schedule and send payments, track those transactions, and categorize the expenses (it requires an OFX account connection).

With the advanced budgeting tools, I can build savings, watch my spending habits, monitor daily progress, incorporate scheduled income and bills, compare goals vs. results, and sync budgets to Banktivity on my iOS device. Meanwhile, I can track my spending patterns, assign categories or sub-categories to every transaction, use enhanced import rules for speedy categorization, and split transactions multiple ways for detailed budgeting and reporting.

Banktivity makes it easy to see my whole financial picture on my iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch (okay, its just summary information by account, since the type is so small). It is amazing how the private Cloud Sync seamlessly keeps everything up to date. Believe it or not, I’ve just scratched the surface in describing this program’s extensive features; this is a truly powerful and impressive accounting package.

To learn more, go to banktivity.com. Banktivity for the Mac can be purchased at iggsoftware.com for $59.99 (a 30-day free trial is also available before buying), plus, under the Apps menu, you will find Banktivity for iPad for $19.99, Banktivity for iPhone is $9.99, and Banktivity Investor for free. It takes some time and effort, but if you need to manage all of your financial affairs (as I do), this is the right package for you!

 

Elgato Avea Flare: Wireless Portable Glow

a review by Tom Piper

 HomeKit technology now provides wonderful lighting controlled by a variety of related devices and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. At CES 2016, I reconnected with Elgato who has a nice range of such excellent devices.

The Avea Flare from Elgato just brought dynamic light moods into many locations in my life. It is a battery-powered, wirelessly-charged LED lamp which illuminates any place I put it for more than 8 hours on a single charge (the charging base is innovative, just set the unit on it in any direction). With IP65 water resistance, my home atmosphere can now extend to the outside and many portable locations (like restaurants and events).

With this light, I control my ambience from my iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. It is truly amazing to easily select any of the carefully crafted settings with subtly changing light which include Magic Hour, Northern Glow, Cherry Blossom, Mountain Breeze, Cozy Flames, Sunny Field, Fairy Woods, Caribbean Sea, Candy Land, or Calm Provence.

Avea connects directly to my iDevices (or someone else’s Android phone) using Bluetooth Smart technology, without requiring additional gateways or bridges. But it doesn't stop there because, once I have chosen a light scene, the smart LED lightbulb will take care of the rest, not requiring a constant connection to your phone or iPad. Only two controls on the bottom: Power and Mode.

Now, I can also connect to more than one Avea (like my Avea Bulb), and they will automatically coordinate their lighting to create an even more immersive atmosphere. What’s more is that my Apple Watch makes it easier than ever to pick the perfect lighting for my changing mood. I can raise my wrist to view the current status of Avea at a glance, and effortlessly transform my home with a simple tap. 

After a relaxing evening, I can even set my alarm using the built-in wake-up light scene. With Avea, I can wake up to a natural sunrise, right in my bedroom. Adjustable brightness and vividness are also just a slider away on (on either Flare or Bulb, or both combined). My favorite is Candy Land that slowly shifts from among all the colors (very relaxing). I can’t say enough great things about this unique enhancement to my life. You can learn more about it at elgato.com/avea.

This unit is a great buy at only $99.95, available from Elgato at elgato/flare, or from Amazon for $79.95 at amazon/flare. Avea Flare is part of a growing family of products including Avea Bulb (mood bulb, $39.95), and Avea Sphere (only available in Europe). I’ve used Elgato products for decades, and find them delightful, economical, reliable and very useful.

iOS & macOS Malware and Backup - Presenter slides

On Tuesday, August 2, 2016, three great presentations were provided by appleJAC gurus. The information in their presentations is available for you to view again by clicking on any of the blue links below:

Download IPhone and iPad Malware and Backup - See George Kopp's slides for iOS info.

Download macOS MalWare RansomWare Backup - See Joe Mertzlufft's slides in their entirety.

Download Email Protection - See Jason Piper's slides on email security.

 

Take Control of Preview - MUG discount

Good day, fellow Mac users!

 

Did you know that Apple makes a powerful image editing and PDF manipulation app? And bundles it for free with every Mac? I can even guarantee you’ve used it before. That’s right, I’m talking about Preview, the unassuming Clark Kent of your Mac’s bundled utilities.

 

In Take Control of Preview, Josh Centers and I reveal Preview’s hidden superpowers. Read this book and you’ll learn dozens of techniques for importing, viewing, editing, and converting images that you can use right away. It also puts you in control of reading, annotating, manipulating, and encrypting PDFs. The book is normally $15, but MUG members can save 30%, dropping the price to $10.50.

 

There’s a story behind this book. Initially, Josh and I thought we’d publish a single article about Preview in TidBITS. As we outlined it, though, we found that a series of articles was necessary to cover Preview’s many features. Those articles proved extremely popular, with eager readers asking for a book version. “No problem!” we thought. However, as we explored features that we had mentioned only briefly in the articles and responded to queries from Tonya and ex-Macworld editor Scholle McFarland, we discovered that Preview was even more powerful than we’d realized. In the end, that handful of articles turned into the 166-page Take Control of Preview, featuring largely rewritten text, expanded instructions, and much better illustrations. 

 

Preview’s bones are old-school Mac, with clear menus, a large collection of consistent keyboard shortcuts, and a certain ineffable elegance. It’s almost too understated, concealing its power so well that most people never realize that it’s more than a viewer for images and PDFs. I’d love to meet the Preview developers.

 

For instance, did you know that you can import photos directly from a camera into Preview? Or that Preview can create PDFs from your scanner? Take Control of Preview has step-by-step instructions, complete with explanations of the scanning options and recommendations for the best results. We also teach you all about Preview’s surprisingly capable collection of image-editing tools. You’ll soon be editing imported photos by tweaking the exposure, color saturation, sharpness, and more. You can even mark up your images and PDFs with circles, arrows, and text captions, plus numerous other shapes—try that in Photos! Your holiday cards, Facebook feed, Web site, and more will never be the same.

 

 

You know you can read PDFs in Preview—PDF is still the most popular format for Take Control books—but are you using the best view? For instance, have you tried a two-page, full-screen mode with the table of contents showing in the sidebar? We explain how to get that view, along with other ways to make reading PDFs as fluid as possible. 

 

Since so many paper forms now come in PDF, Take Control of Preview also shows you how to fill out PDF-based forms, complete with quick insertion of your signature. Those who read digital textbooks or collaborate on documents will learn to annotate PDFs with highlights, notes, and bookmarks. You’ll even discover how to create PDFs from a scanner, the clipboard, and the Print dialog. Finally, if you want to protect your PDFs from prying eyes or keep people from copying your text, we explain the two types of PDF passwords and what each is good for.

 

We’ve packed Take Control of Preview with real-world examples from our lives and punched it up with oodles of tips. Preview may look like it’s wearing a rumpled suit and horn-rimmed glasses, but underneath that meek exterior is a super app that’s ready to fly to your rescue whenever you have graphical or PDF needs.

 

Thanks for supporting Take Control, and we hope you’re as pleased as we were when you see all that Preview can do for you!

 

cheers… -Adam and Tonya Engst, Take Control publishers

President's Place: August 2016

by Joe Mertzlufft

At our July meeting, we were able to see several ways to get hard copy into our Apple devices by digital scanning. Thanks to Tom Piper and George Kopp for their presentations.

If you are like me, you're glad the temperatures have settled down a little this week. The heat index makes it hard to get much work done outside. I don’t like to take breaks when mowing because I have allergies, which makes me sneeze non-stop until I shower. Thankfully, over the weekend,I was able to sneak in some mow time early with the temps in the 80’s. Three straight hours in the sun made me glad there was some wind. The weeds in the sand beach and waxing the truck will have to wait.

We have a special surprise for you this month. Be sure to bring a guest, and both you and your guest will get to take something really nice home.

I am still hoping that others in our group will share what you do with your Apple device(s) with the rest of us. We would be happy to give you 20-30 minutes to show us. Thanks to those that have shared Tips and Tricks.

The following people won door prizes at the July Meeting:

Shubha Miller - iTunes Card
Jane Szabados - Speaker Set
Mel Kalla - iPhone 4 Charger
Ann Lane - Reusable Bag
Jim Springs - Flashlight
Keith Mayor - Pen
George Kopp - Stylus

Our upcoming August 2, 2016, meeting will feature "MalWare & RansomWare + Backup" (see agenda below). After a short presentation about the recent Macstock event by Tom Piper, George Kopp will tell you about some of the iOS apps available to address our featured topic. After the Great Break, Joe Mertzlufft will show some of the ways to avoid such problems with macOS. Then, Mark Snell will share what he does with My Cloud.

As always, there will be time for everyone to ask questions and share your tips and tricks with the group. Don’t forget to visit our website for more updates and fresh information.

 

 

Macstock & Chicago Adventures

Letha and I have a great time July 13-17, 2016, as we travelled to Chicago for a few days of vacation, followed by a terrific Macstock (second edition) in Woodstock, IL.

To see a few of our photo memories at Macstock, just visit: icloud.com/macstock.

To see a few of the pictures we captured in Chicago, just click on: icloud.com/chicgomemories.

To see the presentation about Apple user groups that I delivered, you can download the PDF version (it will take a minute to appear) by clicking on Macstock pres.

 

Letha and I have a great time July 13-17, 2016, as we travelled to Chicago for a few days of vacation, followed by a terrific Macstock (second edition) in Woodstock, IL.

To see a few of our photo memories at Macstock, just visit: icloud.com/macstock.

To see a few of the pictures we captured in Chicago, just click on: icloud.com/chicgomemories.

To see the presentation about Apple user groups that I delivered, you can download the PDF version (it will take a minute to appear) by clicking on Macstock pres.